The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-30
Chr 3utlaua daily Globe.
MONDAY, JUNE 80, 1873.
SrDsr:ioquissn.

c"i1cht physiuloBistS gave countcnancc to
the theory--that some popularity in the
conformation of the larynx was requisite for
yentriloquism, or at least it was accom-
plished by processes essentially different
from those adopted in ordinary speaking or
singing; but it has been demonstrated that
the vocal organs of the ventriloquist are
the same as those of other men, nor in his
use of them materially different from that
OF others. For success in the exercise of
his art he requires only keen perceptions,
an ear so delicately attuncd to the varia-
tons of sound produced by distance or di.
rection, and strongly developed mimetc
faculty. The vocal organs have the pow
or initiating, under skllful training, all the
sounds of animate or inanimate life, and in
in such way as to represent them as heard
at greater or less distances from different
directions. The ventriloquist is well aware
that no one of our senses is more easily de-
ceived than that of hearing because in
listening to sounds we Judge ofthcir remote
ness by comparing them with other sounds
whose distance we are fam liar with, and
determine their distance by an arbitrary
and often incorrect estimate of their rela-
tive volume at the place of their supposed
emission-a standard which must often be
faulty.
The uncertainty with regard to the direc-
ton of sound is the foundation of the art
of vcntriloquism. If we placed ten men
in row at such distance from Us that
they are included in the angle within which
we cannot judge of the direction of sound
and II, on calm day, each of them speaks
in succession, we shall not be able with
closed eyes to determine from which of the
ten men any of the sounds proceed, and
shall be incapable of perceiving that there
10 mn Il ,,, g al.
sounds emitted by the two uttcrmost If
a man and child arc placed within the
same angle, and if the man speaks with
the accent of a child. without any cores
ponding motion in his mouth and face. we
shall necessarily believe that his voice
comes from the child-nay, if the child is so
distant from the man that the voice actually
| appears to us to come from the man, we
shall still continue to believe that the child
is the speaker; and this conviction would
acquire additional strength if the child fav
orod the deception by accommodating its
features and gestures to the words spoken
| by the man.
The ventriloquist uttcrs the sound with
the effect it would have upon the hearers
ear fit had really traversed the distance he
designs it to represent, reducing its loud
ness, softening somewhat its quality oftone,
anu IL IL Is I'LL WDTls, ODSCuTlUp II llttlt inc
consonant sounds, while retaining unaltcred
the pitch and duration. In doing this he
modifies the tones of his voice by varying
the position ofthe tongue and the soft palate,
dialating or contracting the mouth or
pharynx, and either dividing the buchal
and pharyngeal cavities into several COM
partments or throwing them into one. This
is done without movement of the lower
jaw and with but slight motion of the lips.
Usually the ventrloquist stands so as to
give only profile view of his face, unless
at distance from his audience, and thus
has greater opportunity of concealing any
slight motions of tho facial muscles. In
most cases, too, the apparently remote
voice is fasetto, this being more within
command of the performer without perccpt-
ible facial movement than the natural tone.
Some of the greatest vcntriloquists, how
ever, have never practiced any conceal
ment, but lstand face to face with their
audiences. NJ. Alexandra, NJ st Gille and
Louis de Brabant, we are informed, appar-
emily did not move their lips or the muscles
of their faces.
Ventrloquism loses its distinctive charac-
ter if its limitations are not performed by q
voice from the belly. The voice, indeed
does not come from that region but wher
the ventriloqust utters sounds from Tho
larynx without moving his face he give
them strength by powerful action of tbs
abdominal muscles. Hence he speaks by
means of his belly, although the throat il
the real source from which the sound
proceed. The effort in every case
is SO great that the exercise in ventrilo
quism for any considerable length of time
is very fatiguing, and occasions frequent
coughing on the part of the performer.
The influence over the human mine
which the ventriloquist derives from the
skllful practice his art is greater than tina
which is exercised by any other species o.
conjurer The ordinary magician require:
the theatcr, his accompliccs and the nstru
ments of his art, and he enjoys but q loca
sovereignty with the precincts of his owl
magic circle. The ventriloquist on tn,
contrary, has the supernatural always a
command. In the open fields, as well a
the crowded city, in the private apartment
, as well as in the public hall, he can sum
mmon up innumerable spirits; and though
the persons of his fictitious dialogue ar
visible to the eye, yet they are uneQuivo
cally present to tho imagination off audi
tors, as if they had been Swallowed forth il
the silence ola spectral form.
Mr.. Donald Stewart, in some remark
upon the subject ofventriloquism, has state
several instances in which receptions thi
kind were very frequent. He mentions hav
ing seen person who, by counterfeitn
the gestculations of n performer on III
violin, while he initiated the music with hi
voice, riveted the eyes of his audience up
on the instrument, though every sound the
heard proceeded from his own mouth. II
!. tells also of another person who initiated
the whistling of the wind through mario,
chink, and who often practiced the deccp
ton in the corner of a coffee-house. III
declares that he seldom failed to see som
of the company rise to examine the tight
ness of the windows, while others, more in
: tent on their newspaper, contented them
selves with putting on their hats and button
ing their coats. Mr.. Stewart likewise men
tons an exhibition formerly common in Eu
rope. where performer on the stage dis
PLAYED the dumb show of singing with hi
lips and eyes and gestures, while anothe
D person, unseen, supplied the music with hi
voice. The deception in this case he foun
to be so complete as to impose upon tn
incest ear and the quickest eye but in tn
progress OF the entertainment he becam
distinctly sensible of the imposition, an
sometimes wondered that it should hay
missed him for moment. In this cas-
there can be no doubt that the deceptio
was at first the work of the imagination an
was not sustained by the acoustic principle
The real and the mock singer were too dis
tant and when the influence of the imag
nation subsidized, the true direction of tn
sound was discovered.
One of the most remarkable vcntriloqust
that everilived was M. st. Gille, of st. Gei
main en- Laye, France, whose performance
have been recorded by the able de la Chap
ellie. Once, when oyertaken by storm, s.
Gille took shelter in neighboring convent
where the monks were in deep mournin
over the recent death ofa much esteeme
member of their community, While lament
ing over the tomb of their deceased brothe
the slight honors which had been paid I
his memory, a voice was suddenly heard
issue from the root of the choir, hewailin
the condition of the deceased in pnrgatory
and reproving the brotherhood for want {