Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-02
THE HUMAN VOICE.
How 1t Indicates Character and Shov
Rising Temper.

value as an index of character. The |
very phrase, "a Babel of voices,'' rec
ognizes that individuals have each their |
own way of speaking, as widely differ
emit as if they used foreign tongues
Grave voices are considered to belong |
of necessity to men of gravity and in
telligence, while fute-like sounds an
nounce frivolity of temperament |
Harsh voices indicate temper. These
definitions are somewhat overwide, and
require themselves defining.
grave voice may just as often mean
bad temper as intelligence. and it is by
the tone rather than the kind of voice
that passion or emotion is betrayed. A
man of very clear intelligence has nat
urally distinct mode of utterance, but
if he should happen to be rufded the
tone will sharpen at the time the voice
is used Novelists call this rise of tone
"a clear and cutting enunciation," but
they consider it sign of anger with
every person, whereas it chiefly belongs
to those who are intelligent by nature,
nor does it depend on the amount of
education or refinement they may pos
sess
A curious little grittiness in the gen
eral suavity of voice will warn the
listener that storms of temper have
often swept those vocal chords. The
really harsh voice requires no further
notice, as, indeed, it speaks for itself
Flutelike tones are exceedingly rare
and belong properly to a happy dispo-
sition, including mental powers rather
above the average, with a character at
once gentle, cheerfal, sociable, and
faithful. But on account of their rarity
and beauty the limitations are numer-
GUS. For there is a sort of passion
among the average specimens of hui
mainly to initiate something better
than itself and thereby to claim distinc-
ton.
1t therefore delights in speaking in
reedy tones, as hutelike as can be man
aged by dire endeavor, especially where
idleness gives the time and oppor-
tunity for display There is very pc
culiar ring in these limitations, which
suggests that if they were submitted to
scientific tests the wave motions would
be found to go all awry, and that no
flowers but ill-grown weeds, not curves
but ragged edges would be formed
On the other hand, some voices might
be de ,crined as empty, as they have
neither ,n,'- me of sound nor expression.
An invc.~..-te obstinacy of character is
hidden under this harmless defect.
a modern variety not altogether uu-
common among girls is loud and very
high voice with sudden low tones in it
that mix as if melted into one, which is
exceedingly characteristic, indicating
| genuine shallowness of character,
together with recklessness and ambi-
ton. 1t appears to be caused by the
conflicting interests of the speaker, as
-
person without internecine struggle.
This kind may be described in Shazs-
pears words as being without any
mitigation or remorse of voice.
A womans voice being of high
register, has properly native tendency
to softness and sweetness, thought
must be added-also to shrillness. The
ideal feminine voice is
Ever soft and low
An excellent thing in woman.
Her voice should be distinct and clear
two qualities indispensable to the per-
feet form. Like the voice of Millions
angel, who
| In Adams ear
So charming left his voice that he awhile
| Thought him still speaking
it should have the specially musical
tone that belongs to the purest perfec-
ton, and gives an extreme sweetness
and the sort of vitality that all music
possesses of divine right A clear tone
carries the sound further with less
noise and avoids the shrill upper notes
Each nation has it's own kind of voice,
doubtless owing to the climatic condi-
tions which have affected the whole
growth and development of the race.
A point not enough noticed is that, as in
each civilized nation some persons will
be found who outwardly resemble the
average mem bers of another nation,
these individuals will show a remark
able affection to the language of the
nation they rese mble, and will have the
very tone and accent by nature that is
required, besides being generally gifted
with good mental powers.
How this variation in race may come
about must be left for ethnologists tc
decide. Perhaps these members are the
unconscious peacemakers between the
Babel-sundered nations. From this fact
the following curious result is seen
Whatever nation a man most strongly
resembles it is that nations language
he will speak the best, whether it be
his native tongue or not. In the case
of mixed descent a real aptitude for the
languages of the different ancestral
races will be found among such of the
descendants as may chance to be intel
ligent, and the resemblance to one oil
his progenitors will show at once which
is the best-known language.
A further strange instance IF the
power of the human voice in affecting
the; face can be noticed here. A man Of
un.nixed descent, who is clever and has
a talent for languages, will not fail tc
learn whatever language he chooses, al
though he will find those most difficult
which are most illogical in construction
wheth- r"'-v resemble his native tongue
or not. will in the process insensi
blv ACC thoughtful expression o.
! face, bleaarng the characteristics Of
other nations with his own, entirely by
the unconscious harmony of the facia
muscles with the languages used by
| turns
Another effect of the requirement o
foreign languages, both for speaking