SECTION XIII. FORCE. Force is the degree of intensity with which the sound is sent forth from the vocal organs. Volume and loudness, though not identical with force, are dependent upon it. A full volume is produced by energetic or impassioned force with Orotund quality in all forms; great loudness by impassioned force, Pure Tone, or Orotund, High Pitch, and in all forms. No amount of force can give volume or loudness to aspirate quality in any of its forms. Volume relates to the amount of space filled with the sound, loudness to the distance at which a sound can be heard. The low, deep tones of the organ fill a vast space, though they would not be heard at a great distance. The high, shrill notes of the fife can be heard at a great distance, yet they do not have great volume of sound. Force may, for convenience, be divided into Subdued, Moderate, Energetic, and Impassioned. These may again be subdivided at pleasure. Perfect command of force, in all its divisions, is indispensable to excellence in Reading and Speaking. To acquire this power the voice must be disciplined by cultivation. This may be done by practicing the elements, words, and sentences as directed in the following exercise. Repeat each element and word at least a dozen times, beginning with the most delicate sound that can be uttered in Pure Tone, and gradually increase the force until the utmost power of the voice is reached. In this exercise be very careful to retain the same pitch in the repetition of each element. After practicing a number of times on one key change the pitch, first two or three notes higher, and then two or three notes lower. Exercises of this kind practiced for a few minutes daily will, in a short time, greatly increase the power and vigor of the vocal organs. The scale of dots indicates to the eye the exercise described above. Each dot represents the same word or sound repeated with gradually increasing force. The repetition of the same word or sound is preferred to a change of elements, as thereby the ear will more readily observe the different degrees of force, and detect any change in pitch. FORCE-SECOND EXERCISE. Repeat in the same manner the following words. To SECTION XIV. SUBDUED FORCE. Subdued is that degree of force which ranges from the slightest sound that can be uttered in Pure Tone to the milder tones of ordinary conversation. It is the degree of force, in connection with the Pure Tone, Effusive Form, appropriate for the expression of pathetic, solemn, serious and tranquil thought. EXAMPLES: I. PATHOS. Subdued Force, Pure Tone, Effusive Form. II. SOLEMNITY. Subdued Force, Pure Tone, Effusive Form. [From "Only Waiting.”—Anon.] Of the day's last beam is flown; Till the night of earth is faded From the heart once full of day; Only waiting till the reapers Have the last sheaf gathered home, And the autumn winds have come. The last ripe hours of my heart, III. TRANQUILLITY. Subdued Force, Pure Tone, Effusive Form. A plain New England home. And sighs from hearts oppressed, SECTION XV. MODERATE FORCE. Moderate force is the degree of intensity heard in the ordinary conversational tones. It is the appropriate force, combined with Pure Tone, Expulsive Form, for the utterance of narrative, descriptive, didactic and unemotional thought; with the Orotund, Effusive Form, for the utterance of sublimity, reverence and devotion; and with the Orotund, Expulsive Form, for the introduction to orations, speeches and oratorical sermons. EXAMPLES: I. NARRATIVE. Moderate Force, Pure Tone, Expulsive Form. [From "The Blacksmith of Ragenbach."—Anon.] In the principality of Hohenlohe, now a part of the kingdom of Wirtemberg, is a village called Ragenbach, where, about twenty years ago, the following event took place: One afternoon in early autumn, in the tavern-room of Ragenbach, several men and women, assembled from the village, sat at their ease. The smith formed one of the merry company. He was a strong man, with resolute countenance and daring mien, but with such a good-natured smile on his lips that every one who saw him admired him. His arms were like bars of iron, and his fists like a forge-hammer, so that few could equal him ir strength of body. II. DESCRIPTIVE. Moderate Force, Pure Tone, Expulsive Form. [From "The Cynic."-Beecher.] The Cynic is one who never sees a good quality in a man, and never fails to see a bad one. He is the human owl, vigilant in darkBess and blind to light, mousing for vermin, and never seeing noble game. The Cynic puts all human actions into only two classes: openly bad and secretly bad. All virtue, and generosity, and disinterested. ness, are merely the appearance of good, but selfish at the bottom. Te holds that no man does a good thing except for profit. The effect of his conversation upon your feelings is to chill and sear them; to send you away sour and morose. III. DIDACTIC. Moderate Force, Pure Tone, Expulsive Form. [From "Talk to the Point."] The faculty Talk to the point, and stop when you reach it. which some possess of making one idea cover a quire of paper is despicable. To fill a volume upon nothing is a credit to nobody, though Chesterfield wrote a very clever poem upon Nothing. There are men who get one idea into their heads, and but one, and they make the most of it. You can see it and almost feel it in their presence. On all occasions it is produced, till it is worn as thin as charity. They remind you of a twenty-four pounder discharging at a humming-bird. You hear a tremendous noise, see a volume of smoke, but you look in vain for the effects. The bird is scattered to atoms. IV. ANIMATED THOUGHT. Moderate Force, Pure Tone, Expulsive Form. [From "The Personality and Uses of a Laugh."—Anon.] I would be willing to choose my friend by the quality of his laugh, and abide the issue. A glad, gushing outflow, a clear, ringing, mel low note of the soul, as surely indicates a genial and genuine nature, as the rainbow in the dew-drop heralds the morning sun, or the frail flower in the wilderness betrays the zephyr-tossed seed of the par terre. |