the natural concrete, magnified by force. It is not distinguishable on a very short quantity; the radical stress being the proper mode of intension on such syllables.

As far as I perceive, it has no peculiar character of expression. It is introduced here, only because it will be referred to, in a future section, on accent.

All the modes of stress which have thus been enumerated, may be applied to the various tremulous concretes, and to the tremulous wave. They give energy and variety to a tremor of the wider intervals, which serves for laughter, for interrogation, and for emphasis: and to that of the semitone, which constitutes the function of crying, and of plaintiveness in speech.

THE PROPERT

SECTION XL.

Of the Time of the Concrete.

THE radical and vanishing movement was represented as having an equable continuation of time throughout its progress; and as having thereby a marked distinction from the varied proportions of the radical and vanish, in Recitative and Song.

The purposes of expression sometimes demand a change of this equability of the concrete, into a quicker utterance of its beginning, or middle, or end. This condition of time is closely connected with the application of the different modes of stress: for it is difficult to give stress without running into quickness of time, and it is as difficult to give quickness to time, without marking the rapid part of the concrete with stress. The connate relation of these functions

utterance.

is most conspicuous in the radical stress; for its sudden burst is necessarily followed by a momentary quickness of The median and the vanishing stress, when strongly emphatic, likewise carry with them a rapid run of time for there is in this forcible execution of these last named functions, an endeavor to reach, as far as can be, on an unbroken concrete, the explosive nature of the radical. These fitful gusts of breath, if I may so call the quick transits through the radical, median, and vanishing places, may be employed, like the stress itself which respectively accompanies them, on all the intervals of the scale, and at the same places of the wave on which the stress is applied. There may also be a compound quick time of the concrete, attendant on the compound stress, in the prolonged movements of speech.

On the whole, regarding the time of the concrete separately from stress, it cannot be recommended as a matter of any importance in the work of expression. It was my purpose to analyze speech. This quickness was perceived; and it is therefore transiently noticed.

SECTION XLI.

Of the Aspiration.

WE have thus far learned that five accidents of sound,Quality, Time, Pitch, Abruptness, and Force, together with the absence of all impression in the Pause, do by their separate and their mingled influences produce the varied effects of speech already described.

The works of nature are cunning patterns of combination: and the function which is now to be considered, will make a new disclosure of the means for diversifying the effect of these elementary agents. The subject of this section does properly belong to the head of quality of voice. But since it has received a place and name among the alphabetic elements, and has peculiar properties, it has here a separate notice. I shall therefore endeavor to show that the element symbolized by the letter h, or, as it is called, the Aspiration, has eminent powers of force and expression.

By calling ha mere breathing, some authors imagine they insure the right to reject this element from the alphabet. Let it be said in truth, that the aspiration is suited only to near audience; and that it wants the fine vocal qualities of the tonics. But whilst harrow and arrow shall owe the difference of their meanings respectively to the presence and absence of the element, that breathing will fulfil the purpose of articulation, though it may not conform to the exact definition of it. Notwithstanding, the defects of the aspiration cannot be denied, under the cold measurment of orthoëpy, it is still pre-eminently entitled to notice as a powerful agent in oratorical expression.

The element his slightly susceptible of pitch and abruptness; but it admits freely of time. Through the exercise of this function it must be redeemed from an alleged insignificance, by furnishing the expressive interjection of Sighing. It admits, to a certain degree, of the variations of force; exhibiting most remarkably, under the calls of emphasis, the median stress. In uncompounded words it is almost exclusively found at their beginning; where its force may be most effectually exerted. This element is frequently a constituent of those words which have universally an energetic meaning, as havoc, horror and huzza; and it exists in most of the interjections in all languages.

Besides the abovementioned instances of its expression, where common orthography has given it a literal place, it is in certain cases of emphasis engrafted on the several tonics

and subtonics. For though the aspiration, as we have seen, does serve the purpose of a distinct constituent of words; yet it may be severally joined to all those elements which have a vocality, without destroying their individual characThe pure quality of the tonic is indeed impaired by the union; for the excellency of this species of element was negatively defined, by declaring its freedom from aspiration: but the loss of purity is supplied by other advantages of the association.

ters.

There is some inexplicable mechanism of the organs of speech, by which a strenuous pronunciation of the tonic elements becomes semi-aspirated. If we suppose the word horrible to be deprived of its aspirate, it will be found impossible to give the fragment orrible, in prolonged and energetic exclamation, without restoring in, a great degree, the abstracted element. The question, how far this unavoidable combination operated to introduce the aspirated element, for the expression of the force of instinctive animal feeling, which may have prevailed at what is called the origin of language, we will leave to the everlasting disputes of those who look for truth in fancy, and who teaze themselves in the pursuit of undiscoverable things.

Vociferations on syllables which do not orthographically contain the aspiration, nevertheless assume it, and corrupt thereby that pure quality of the tonics which characterizes their abated utterance. Nay, in the excessive force of such exertion of the organs, the voice is sometimes lost, from the atonic aspiration overruling the tonic vocality. The nature of the conjoined functions, thus exhibited in the vehement force of the voice, may be illustrated by the subtonics y-e, and wo, which are respectively a compound of aspiration with the monothongs ee-l, and oo-ze. The other three monothongs e-rr, e-nd, i-n, when united with the aspiration become obscurely the basis of the several other subtonics. And though the subtonics are thus, in a manner, formed by the mingling of vocalities with aspiration, they

are yet capable of a further addition, for the purpose of force or oratorical expression.

The diphthongal tonics do not receive the aspiration with the same effect as the monothongs: since there is something in the nature of the diphthongs, which prevents as great a change upon them as takes place on the monothongs, by a union with the aspiration.

It was shown formerly that whispering, which is only the articulated mode of aspiration, has its pitch formed upon a succession of different alphabetic elements. Now whatever may be its difficulties of intonation as a simple breathing, it does when joined with the tonics move through all the intervals of the scale, and take on every form of stress.

In order to show how far this function assists in the operations of speech, let us keep in mind what was said above, on the spontaneous connexion between a vehement exertion of the voice, and its aspiration; and consider, further, the two following forms of expression.

There is a sort of facetious comment of surprise and incredulity, consisting of an effort of aspiration modified by the tongue and lips, into what I formerly called the sufflated whisper. The movement of this sufflated interjection is that of an unequal direct wave: the first constituent being a tone or wider interval, according to the spirit of the expression; and the second a descent to the utmost audible pitch of the breath.

The other effort of aspiration to which I alluded, is made by the larynx alone. It is the function of Sighing: and its pitch is sometimes the simple rising, but more frequently the falling concrete through a second or wider interval, according to the intensity of the feeling which prompts it. This is well known to be the symbol of distress, grief, and anxiety; and of fatigue and exhaustion, both of body and mind. Now since these different cases include the general powers of expression, in the simple and natural aspiration, we can therefore infer what will be the effect when this aspiration is joined with the vocality of speech.