The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-20
Tones.


The Shrill.tongued scold has the
same vocal organs which in Nilsson
charm the world, and the difference
between the voices of the two is large
ly difference of culture and adjust
ment of temper. 1t is not possible for
every woman to command rare musi-
cal ability, but where can be found q
sweet, lovely, cultured woman whose
voice does not betray her sweetness,
her loveliness, her culture?
7 he production of the most simple
tones of the voice requires the associ-
ated action of all extensive range of
organs, it is estimated that in the Or
dinary modulation of the voice more
than one hundred muscles are brought
into action at the same time.
TO produce the finest effects in speak
ing each particular muscle brought in
to action must act in perfect harmony
with all the rest, must be perfectly ad-
justed to all the rest, and any failure
on the part of any one muscle modi-
lics the tone Of the voice. Sickness
gives its peculiar tone to the voice.
Cas.ius says to Caesar:
'.He had a fever when he was in Spain
l did hear him groan."
Ay. and that tongue of his that
bade the Romans mark him, and write
his speeches in their books, alas it cried :,
"Give ME some drink, Titinius," us a
sick girl.
Misery gives its characteristic tone
to the voice; so does happiness, so
does refinement, so does education.
You could not overhear the conversa-
ton of any halfdozen persons with
out forming very correct estimate of
each person from the manner and
quality of his utterance.
Hence it comes that there is often
everything.agreeable in what person
may say whose words by themselves
and apart from the tone and man-
ner of their utterance are uneXcep-
lionuble. There are voices that diff
fuse balm and sweetness and love in
every vibration there are others that
irritate and eXa-perlle; there is the
voice Of command, Of entreaty, OF eX-
pOstulation.
As the muscles of the face acquire at
length fixed and settled position,
and give permanent expression to the
face, so the muscles which are con-
cerned in the production of the voice
acquire at length fixed and settled
position, and give permanent expires
sion to the voice. Persons habitually
ill-tempered stamp the expression of
ill-tcmpcr on their faces and in their
voices persons habitually amiable,
refined, cultivated, show these quail
ties in their faces and in their voices !;
and there is 10 mistaking what they
show. The voice often betrays what
he face conceuls, and is Il surer index
of character to those who can inter.
prct It's mouulationS than even the
lace.
An able writer on this subject says ::
Most of the well-known faults of
voice, such as nasality, gutterality,
huskiness, thinness, strainedness, and
excessive metallicity, which have
usually been deemed organic and un-
alterable, may be traced, with the en-
ception Of rare instances of structural
defect, to some violation of natural
law in the use of the vocal apparatus,
and may by proper treatment be great
ly modified, and often, especially in
the case Of young children, entirely
ODviated.
Just as physical defects may be
trained out Of the voice, 50 may moral
and social defects be trained out of the
voice. When full harmony If all the
muscles producing the voice is attained,
when full harmony of all qualities
producing fine character is attained,
than may we look for perfection Of
voice and tone.
WILLIAM PENIS MAXIM.---A lit
tie before his death, John Bright, on
reading one of his sermons, wrote to
&. d. Boardman, ID. d., of Philadcl-
phia, and after expressing his pleas
ure ut the breadth and kindly spirit
of The discourse. he added There is Il
passage in Il little book called "Penn's
MaXims' which once quoted in the
House of Commons, in a debate on
Ireland and the Irish Church, which,
if you have not met with it, will, |
doubt not, interest you" 1.-The hum
Lle, merciful, just and devout souls are
everywhere of one religion, and when
death has taken off the mask they will
know one another, though the diverse
livcrIcs they wear here make them
strangers" "What You have spoken
will tend 70 make the dcvout souls
know one another even here"