radical, together with an increased force on the vanish of the same concrete. The first five of these modes do not alter the singleness of the accentual impression. Something like an exception to the rule of a single accent, seems to exist in the sixth, as will be particularly noticed under the future head of Expression:-but this condition, if an exception at all, is not of common occurrence, and is by no means contemplated here, in looking at the ordinary phenomena of syllabic speech.

From what has been said upon the construction of syllables, the reader will no doubt perceive the causes of their difference in degree, as regards the quality of sound, and the gliding continuity of voice. The most eminent on these points are those formed by a single tonic: and although the concrete rise of a diphthong consists of two dissimilar sounds, it is not inferior, in the above named characteristics to the uniform voice of a monothong.

The next condition of the syllable is that formed by an initial tonic, followed by one or two subtonics, as: aim, ale, arm, earn, elm, orle. These have an easy mingling of their constituents; and their tonic commencement allows an equable concrete movement, from the opening to the close of the syllable.

The equable progress is, to a certain degree, impaired in that order of syllables, of which the first sound is a subtonic, as in mains, gale, warms, zearn, realm. Now since the radical in these cases does not properly begin on the first element, there is a slight Note or level line of pitch on the subtonic which precedes the tonic.

The next of the syllabic combinations are those which contain each of the three kinds of elements, as swarms, strength, throun, smiles. Here the atonic sounds are not agreeable. They prevent the equability of the concrete movement; and though they do not destroy the singleness of impulse, they are attended with some hiatus, from the changes of position in the organs which produce them.

A few syllables, such as the last of little, are made of subtonics and atonics, without the addition of a tonic. They are destitute of force and fulness in the radical opening. They have the nasal kind of vocality which belongs to the subtonics and it is most remarkable in these syllables, because here it is not covered by the clear laryngeal sound of the tonics.

The syllabic impulse has various degrees of smoothness from the perfect coalescence of the two constituents of a diphthongal tonic, when uttered alone as a syllable,—to the transition through an impulse, compounded of all the elements. There is a peculiarity in the structure, and a hiatus in the pronunciation of certain words, from their apparently embracing two concretes in the same syllable. The words flower, higher, boy, voice, and coin, by a slight variation in effort, may each be uttered either as one or as two syllables. Under the first condition, they seem severally to consist of the union of two tonics in one syllable, which is impossible. When flower is pronounced with a single impulse, it must be upon the elements, f, l, ou, and r, and this accords with our history of syllabication. When the tonic e-rr is sounded before r, it is impossible to avoid the double impulse.

We have considered the syllable as essentially a function of the radical and vanish; and this function is equally productive of the syllabic impulse, in a downward as in an upward direction. And it shall be further shown in a future section, when the reader is prepared to understand the explanation, that the unity of a syllable is not destroyed by a movement of the voice, in continuity from the upward into the downward concrete.

The preceding history enables us to explain many causes which must remain hidden to a less searching analysis. Upon our principles of syllabication we may account for the disagreeable effect, produced both in the organs of utterance and on the ear, by the use of the indefinite article a before a vowel (or tonic,) and by other similar successions, as in aorta.

When we utter the tonics in series, we may in a certain manner pass from one to the other without a break, and without the point of junction being appreciable. In this case, the elements are joined to each other by the mediation of the subtonic y-e. But in this continuous mode of utterance, there is an absence of that fulness and abruptness which forms, in its proper place, the character of the tonic radical; since abruptness always requires a previous occlusion of the voice. The effect is different in the continuation of a subtonic into a tonic: for the subtonics having more or less occlusion, and a vocule more or less distinct, means are afforded, by this occlusion and by the outset of this vocule, for the formation of the abrupt sound of the tonic; and consequently a true radical may be made on a tonic which is continuous with a preceding subtonic. Now when the article a is uttered continuously with a tonic at the beginning of a word, an unpleasant perception arises from a want of the radical fulness in that initial tonic. If, however, the article be pronounced separately, in order that the initial tonic may have its full radical opening after the pause, the unpleasant effect will be avoided, though the utterance will be necessarily slower. In this way, a,-owl and a,-age are as unexceptionable, as an owl and an age. The junction of the n with a tonic, and the same is true of all the subtonics, produces an agreeable coalescence, from the slight occlusion between them: whilst the union of the vanish of one tonic with the radical of another, creates a disagreeable effort in the organs, and produces an unpleasant impression on the ear. This hiatus, as it is termed, is caused by a deficiency in the fulness of the radical; by an endeavor to supply this deficiency, and yet at the same time to pass quickly from tonic to tonic; and by the disappointment of the ear, in not receiving the impression of the element, as it is heard in the same word on other occasions. We cannot then in a continuous course of tonic utterance, produce that desirable radical abruptness, which is easily accomplished when the

tonics are pronounced with a pause between them, or after those slight natural pauses or occlusions which belong to the subtonics.

The hiatus accompanying the junction of one tonic with another, will be less remarkable when the last receives no accentual stress. Thus it is less in a account than in a aceident: for in the first example, a full degree of radical abruptness in the tonic a is not required.

It is upon the principle of the syllabic agency of the radical and vanish, that the passed time and perfect participle of some verbs ending in ed, when contracted into one syllable by rejecting the tonic e, change d into t, as: snatched, snatch't; passed, pass't; stopp't; check't. For if the e be dropped, the d which remains having a vocality, and possessing as a subtonic the power of a concrete movement, it must, when preceded by an abrupt or atonic element, as in the above instances, exhibit a radical and vanish, and consequently must make a syllable, in place of that made on ed; which, by the proposition, was to be rejected. But if the abrupt atonic t is substituted for d, that element may be retained without destroying the singleness of the syllabic impulse.

Those irregular verbs which, by contraction, have their present and past times and perfect participle alike, are generally found to end in t, as: beat, hurt, let, left. The economy of utterance or the occasions of poetical measure, producing a contraction of the regular form of beat beated beated, which we may suppose to have been the original structure of the verb, the operation of the radical and vanish in syllabication does not allow the contraction to be made by the mere elision of e. For upon this elision, beated, can be changed to one syllable, as we have seen above, only by substituting the atonic t for the subtonic d, as in beat't, and this being so awkwardly utterable, the single word would be used as the inflection of the verb, and as the participle.

We might still further apply the foregoing principles, in the explanation of many apparent anomalies in speech, which have hitherto passed without scrutity or without satisfactory interpretation. But I have already exceeded my orinal intention, in planning the subject of this section; and must therefore leave other particulars, to the observation and reflection of the reader. Perhaps I do not exceed the bounds of reasonable anticipation in foreseeing his rising interest in this history of the voice. But all these things, and more too that shall be told, may be made to seem only like the preface to a full knowledge of this subject,—if he will adopt the mode of inquiry which has thus far assisted me: if he will become the spy upon nature, through his own watchfulness, and not draw too much from the precarious source of authority:-if he will turn from those discouraging prospects, presented by the result of every attempt to make knowledge out of notions; and by entering into sober communion with his own senses, lay himself open to the advising of those five ministers of knowledge, appointed by nature for his counseling in all truth.

SECTION V.

Of the Causative Mechanism of the Voice,-in relation to its different Qualities.

A DESCRIPTION of the different sorts of sound of the human voice, without an exemplification by actual utterance, is always insufficient and often unintelligible. With a view to facilitate instruction, it is desirable to discover the mechanical movements of the organs, and the mode of action of the