The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-02-25
CHARACTER In VOICE.
An Irealliiolo Index Of Mans Zeal
Nature.
The Rare Sweetness of the Flute-Liko
yoice-- Harsh, Discordant Tones
That Crate on Scnsi-
p tive Ears.

sof voices, they have a real and practical
value as an index of character, says the
london Saturday Review. The very
phrase, "a Babel of Voices" recognizes
that individuals have each their own
way of speaking, as widely different as
If they used foreign tongues. Grave
voices are considered to belong of neces-
sity TO men of gravity and intelligence,
while flute-lille sounds announce friv-
olity of temperament. Harsh voices in
siicate temper. These definitions ara
somewhat ovcrwide and require them
selves defining.
A grave voice may just as often mean
bad temper as intelligence and it is by
thc tone rather than by the kind Of
voice that passion or emotion is be-
arayed. y man Of very clear intelli-
s,ence naturally has distinct mode of
sltterance. but if he should happen to
be ruffied the tone will sharpen at the
time the voice is used. Novelists call
this rise of tone ga clear and cutting
ennnciat;on," but they consider it to be
u sign of anger with every person,
whereas it chiefly belongs to those who
sNre intelligent by nature, nor does it de-
pend On the amount of education or re-
Gnement they may possess.
4 curious little grittiness in the gen.
erai 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.
Elute-lilie tones are exceedingly rare
- t,> In,,
zion, including mental powers rather
atso1e the average, with character at
clzce gentle, cheerful sociable and
faithful. But on account of their rarity
saEga beauty the limitations are numer-
aMs. For there is sort of passion
among the average specimens of hu-
r1anity to initiate something better
tkaa itself snd thereby to claim dis
tspction.
1t therefore delights in speaking
in ready tones, as hute-like as can
ke nanaged by sdire endeavor, es-
Escially when idleness gives the
tiDqe and opportunity for dis
p1ay. There is very peculiar ring
az khese limitations which suggests that
ii they were submitted to scientific
tests the wave motions would be found
to SO all awry and that no flowers but
D-grown weeds, not curves but ragged
edges, would be formed.
On the other hand, some voices might
be described as empty, as they have
neither volume of sound nor expression.
An inveterate obstinacy of character is
hidden under this harmless defect.
a modern variety not altogether un-
common among girls is a 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, to-
gether with recklessness and ambition.
II appears to be caused by the conflict
ing interests of the speaker, as these
qualities cannot live in the same per-
son without internecine struggle.
A woman's voice being of high regis
ter, 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 women.
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 hin stll speaking.
u should have the specially musical
tone that belongs to the purest perfec-
tioD 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
Eoise and avoids the shrill upper notes.
Each nation has it's own kind of voice,
.lGubtless owing to the climatic condi-
tiQrs 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
sEeraGe 'uc -lbers of another nation,
these individuals will show re,narka-
BILE affection to the language of the
nation they resemble 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 ethnolo-
gists to decide. Perhaps these members
sirs unconscious peacemalsers between
the Babel-sundered nations. From this
fact the following curious result is
seen: Whatever nation man most
s5troaEly re embles it is that nations
Language he will speak the best, wheth-
or il be his native tongue or not. In the
case Of mixed descent real aptitude
for the languages of the different an
cestral races viii be found among such
of the descendants rs may chance to be
intelligent and the resemblance to one
of its progenitors will show at once
which is the best-known language.
A further strange instance of the
power of the human voice in affecting
the face car be noticed here. A man of
t1ninixed descent who is clever and has
O. talent for languages will not fail to
learn whatever language he chooses,
although he will find those most diff
f sa<xlS x.rht Il, oct -,