The vanishing stress,' that abrupt force which is given with a sudden jerk of the voice, on the very last of a syllable, is used in nature, to express 'impatience,' defiance,' 'revenge,' 'contempt,'' scorn,' &c. 6 The compound stress,' with abruptness on both the opening and closing parts, is necessary to give emphatic ridicule,' 'sarcasm,'' insinuation,' 'irony,' &c. The thorough stress,' which sustains the opening boldness throughout, is appropriate in bold, martial command.' 6 The The tremor of the voice adds nervous intensity to the abrupt stress;' but it is most effective, when inspired by strong feeling, with the smooth' or 'median' stress. 'soft and slow tremor' expresses 'pity' and 'feebleness'; the smooth, rapid tremor,' expresses fervent 'joy' or 'tenderness.' 6 Examples of long quantity' and abrupt force' on the very opening of the emphatic tone or the 'radical' stress. 1. "Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I." - 2. "There is, however, one man, who distinctly and audaciously tells the Irish people that they are not entitled to the same privileges as Englishmen, and pronounces them, in race, identity, and religion, to be aliens, to be aliens in race, to be aliens in country, to be aliens in religion! Aliens? Good God! was Arthur, Duke of Wellington, in the House of Lords, and did he not start up and exclaim, Hold! I have seen the aliens do their duty?'" 6 Examples of very long quantity,' with very loud vanishing stress' or 'abrupt force' on the very last part of the emphatic tone. 1. "Shame! shame! that in such a proud moment of life, Worth ages of history, when had you but hurled One bolt at your bloody invader, that strife Between freemen and tyrants had spread through the world, That then, oh! disgrace upon manhood! — e'en then You should falter, should cling to your pitiful breath,Cower down into beasts, when you might have stood men, And prefer a slave's life to a glorious death!" The corse, the mangled corse, and then I cried For vengeance! Rouse, ye Romans! Rouse, ye slaves! Painful earnestness, anxiety, or entreaty, also demand the vanishing stress.' 3. "I never heard entreaties for life poured forth with such agony of spirit. He prayed but for life, for life he would give all he had in the world. It was but life he asked, life, if it were to be prolonged under tortures and privations." Examples of compound stress' or 'abrupt force' on both the very first and very last parts of a syllable. This double stress is only used with the double or circumflex slides. 1. "What has there been in the conduct of the British ministry to justify these hòpes? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love?" 2. "Sir, the atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honorable gentleman has, with such spirit and decency, charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with hoping that I may be one of those whose follies cease with their youth, and not of that number, who, as they have advanced in age, have receded from virtue, and become more wicked with less temptation." 3. 66 They planted by your care? No, your oppressions planted them in America. They nourished up by your indul gence? They grew by your neglect of them. They protected by your arms! They have nobly taken up arms in your defence." 6 Examples of thorough stress,' with a sustained bold force on the whole tone. 1. "Strike till the last arm'd foe expires, Strike-for your altars and your fires, and your native land!" 2. But if ye are men, then follow me ! Strike down yon sentinel, and gain the mountain passes; and there do bloody work as did your sires at old Thermopyla!" Examples for the median stress,' with a smooth tremulous swell. First, the slow tremor,' as in the feeble, pathetic pleading of the dying child, very short slides,' and very soft force.' 1. 6 “Give me three grains of corn, mother, Only three grains of corn; It will keep the little life I have, Till the coming of the morn. I am dying of hunger and cold, mother, And half the agony of such a death 2. "I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Show you sweet Cæsar's wounds, And bid them speak for me." vor. poor, poor dumb mouths, Second, rapid tremor' of joy, tenderness, rapture, or fer 1. "The heart of the sleeper beats high in his breast; Joy quickens his pulses, his hardships seem o'er, And a murmur of happiness steals through his rest,- 2. On board, we hailed the lad beloved, With many a manly shout: The father drew with silent joy Those wet arms round his neck, And folded to his heart his boy, Then fainted on the deck." -- In fervent admiration the median stress may be given with the tremulous swell.' Examples of full and lively median stress.' 1. "O young Lochinvar is come out of the west, 2. Through all the wide border his steed was the best, "But thou, O Hope! with eyes so fair, And bade the lovely scenes at distance — hail. And from the rocks, the woods, the vale, A soft responsive voice was heard at every close; Rapturous joy, like Romeo's, should have the longest and smoothest and happiest tremulous median stress.' "But soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! "She speaks: O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art "O blessed, blessed night! I am afear'd, With very long slides,' and 'loud force,' and 'high pitch,' the tremulous vanishing stress' is natural and most effective in the following example of impassioned fear and entreaty. "Oh! save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out I will not struggle; I will stand stone-still. I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word, Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, QUALITY OF VOICE. Quality of voice is 'pure' or 'impure.' It is 'pure' when all the breath used is vocalized. It is impure' or aspirated when only a part of the breath is vocalized. PRINCIPLE. Pure quality' should be used to express all purs ideas; that is, all good and agreeable ideas. |