Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-07-04
Vocal Culture.


is said to him, he will find that much
of it is unintellieible, indistinct from
some cause; too low, too rapid; the
tail-end of some words bitten off and
must he repeated. If to tins indis-
dinctness is added unpleasant i'm.
purity of tone, it seems sadly in
keeping with wrr d in which God
has made every lawn fragrant with
flowers, and every grove vocal with
songs of sweetest melody. Which
ought our voices most to resemble,
the notes of the fish crow and the
braying of the donkey, or the sweet
voices of the nightingale, the canary
and the song-sparrow? But just
now 1 nm listening for fair intelligi-
bic distinctness, and am free to con-
fess that 1 often get indignant at the
stupid calelessness with which some
people mouth their utterances, when
but for that their society would be
an enjoyable pleasure. Why should
we murder our mother tongue?
The second leading point we have
raised may now be examined: Ease
Of deticery. If the speaker shall
speak in pain, the nearer will suffer
also. We know a woman whose
throat is very sensitive, who used to
say it always made her throat sore to
hear Mr.. r. preach, he stormed and
abused his voice SO badly. Now
this Mr.. II. was man OF good abili-
ties, but had no control whatever
over his voice; with reserve power
enough to last until he was Coat
40 he kept his throat constantly sore.
We insist that such damage is wholly
unnecessary, and even suidicial. No
man has the right to cut his
throat with razor, or, even SER
mon, however sharp it may be. The
evils of this wasteful expenditure of
voice are manifold. 1t not only
shortens the effective usefulness of
those who are indulging in this sort
of martyrdom, but it fosters the be-
lief in some minds, that no speak
ing or preaching is effective which is
not thus earnest and boisterous.
Such hearers soon learn to under
value any speaker who is not thus
gushing over. Pray do not misun-
derstand this: nothing can atone
for the absence of earnestness in q
public speaker; better be at home
asleep, better be dead, even than not
to be earnest. What we mean to,
say is, continuous bawling is not the }
natural expression of earnestness;
nature doesn't thunder in that way.
Said an intelligent nearer, once of
much loved minister, we do like to
hear Bro. 7. preach when he preach
es conversationally, but when he
crates, it is not SO pleasant. 1t is
not without good Evolutionary req.
sons that the Methodist Church re-
quires of her ministers not to preach
too long nor too loud.
We are profoundly convinced that
speaking and singing, when done
naturally contribute very decidedly
to the health of the throat and lungs.
1t is not pretended that the mental
labor necessary is advantageous;
often it is far otherwise; but, SO far
rs the chances of avoiding consump-
ton and throat ills of any kind nre
concerned, they are much in favor
of the constant and vigorous use OF
the voice. But it must be q voice
free as may be from the affectations
and unnaturalness of most uncul-
tivated voices.
1t is time to make confession.
How very little is known with GER
tainty about the voice. How small
budget of absolute facts can be pre-
sented for critical inspection? The
method of instruction adopted by 1
most teachers, may be called the-
imitation method, and there are good
reasons for believing that it Is
acoustically, and physiologically in
error. The true theory doubtless is
that each voice has its own, well
marked features of individuality,
which characterize it from each and
every other voice in the universe;
that its proper cultivation consistsin