Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 12

2. THE OROTUND is a full, deep, round, and pure tone of voice, peculiarly adapted in expressing _sublime_ and _pathetic emotions_.

EXAMPLE.

It thunders! Sons of dust, in reverence bow!

Ancient of Days! Thou speakest from above: Almighty! trembling, like a timid child, I hear thy awful voice. Alarmed--afraid-- I see the flashes of thy lightning wild, And in the very grave would hide my head.

3. THE ASPIRATED TONE of voice is not a pure, vocal sound, but rather a forcible breathing utterance, and is used to express _amazement, fear, terror, anger, revenge, remorse_, and _fervent emotions_.

EXAMPLE.

Oh, coward conscience, how dost thou affright me!

The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight; Cold, fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.

4. THE GUTTURAL QUALITY is a deep, aspirated tone of voice, used to express _aversion, hatred, loathing_, and _contempt_.

EXAMPLE.

Tell me I _hate_ the bowl?

HATE is a feeble word: I _loathe_, ABHOR, my very soul With strong disgust is stirred, Whene'er I see, or hear, or tell, Of the dark beverage of h.e.l.l.

NOTATION IN MODULATION.

(o) high.

(oo) high and loud.

([o]) low.

([oo]) low and loud.

(=) quick.

(_''_) short and quick.

(_sl_.) slow.

(_p_.) soft.

(_pp_.) very soft.

(_f_.) loud.

(_ff_.) very loud.

(_pl_.) plaintive.

(<)>

(>) decrease.

EXAMPLES FOR EXERCISE IN MODULATION.

(_p_.) Soft is the strain when zephyr gently blows, And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows; (_f_.) But when loud surges lash the sounding sh.o.r.e, The hoa.r.s.e rough verse should like the torrent roar.

(_sl_.) When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, The line, too, labors, and the words move slow: (=) Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main. POPE.

(o=) Go ring the bells and fire the guns, And fling the starry banner out; (_ff_.) Shout "FREEDOM" till your lisping ones Give back the cradle shout. WHITTIER.

(_pl_.) "And now, farewell! 'Tis hard to give thee up, With death so like a gentle slumber on thee!-- And thy dark sin!--oh! I could drink the cup If from this woe its bitterness had won thee.

May G.o.d have called thee, like a wanderer, home, My lost boy, Absalom!" WILLIS.

(_sl_.) The sun hath set in folded clouds,-- Its twilight rays are gone, (o) And, gathered in the shades of night, The storm is rolling on.

(_pl_.) Alas! how ill that bursting storm (>) The fainting spirit braves, (_p_.) When they,--the lovely and the lost,-- (_pl_.) Are gone to early graves!

(o) On! onward still! o'er the land he sweeps, (>) With wreck, and ruin, and rush, and roar, Nor stops to look back On his dreary track (_''_) But speeds to the spoils before. MISS J.H. LEWIS.

From every battle-field of the revolution--from Lexington and Bunker Hill--from Saratoga and Yorktown--from the fields of Entaw--from the cane-brakes that sheltered the men of Marion--the repeated, long-prolonged echoes came up--(_f_.) "THE UNION: IT MUST BE PRESERVED"

(<) from="" every="" valley="" in="" our="" land--from="" every="" cabin="" on="" the="" pleasant="" mountain="" sides--from="" the="" ships="" at="" our="" wharves--from="" the="" tents="" of="" the="" hunter="" in="" our="" westernmost="" prairies--from="" the="" living="" minds="" of="" the="" living="" millions="" of="" american="" freemen--from="" the="" thickly="" coming="" glories="" of="" futurity--the="" shout="" went="" up,="" like="" the="" sound="" of="" many="" waters,="" (_ff._)="" "the="" union:="" it="" must="" be="" preserved."="">

(_p_.) Hark!

(_sl_.) Along the vales and mountains of the earth ([o]) There is a deep, portentous murmuring, (=) Like the swift rush of subterranean streams, Or like the mingled sounds of earth and air, When the fierce tempest, with sonorous wing, Heaves his deep folds upon the rushing winds, (<) and="" hurries="" onward,="" with="" his="" night="" of="" clouds,="" against="" the="" eternal="" mountains.="" 'tis="" the="" voice="" of="" infant="" freedom,--and="" her="" stirring="" call="" is="" heard="" and="" answered="" in="" a="" thousand="" tones=""><) from="" every="" hill-top="" of="" her="" western="" home;="" and="" lo!="" it="" breaks="" across="" old="" ocean's="" flood,--="" (oo)="" and="" "freedom!="" freedom!"="" is="" the="" answering="" shout="" of="" nations,="" starting="" from="" the="" spell="" of="" years.="" g.d.="">

(<) the="" thunders="" hushed,--="" the="" trembling="" lightning="" fled="" away="" in="" fear,--="" (_p._)="" the="" foam-capt="" surges="" sunk="" to="" quiet="" rest,--="" the="" raging="" winds="" grew="" still,--="" (_pp_.)="" there="" was="" a="">

(o,o,) "Quick! Man the boat!" (=) Away they spring The stranger ship to aid, (_f_.) And loud their hailing voices ring, As rapid speed they made.

(p) Hush! lightly tread! still tranquilly she sleeps; I've watched, suspending e'en my breath, in fear To break the heavenly spell. (_pp_.) Move silently.

Can it be?

Matter immortal? and shall spirit die?

Above the n.o.bler, shall less n.o.bler rise?

(<) shall="" man="" alone,="" for="" whom="" all="" else="" revives,="" no="" resurrection="" know?=""><) shall="" man="" alone,="" imperial="" man!="" be="" sown="" in="" barren="" ground,="" less="" privileged="" than="" grain,="" on="" which="" he="" feeds?="">

(=) Away! away to the mountain's brow, Where the trees are gently waving; (_''_) Away! away to the vale below, Where the streams are gently laving.

An hour pa.s.sed on;--the Turk awoke;-- That bright dream was his last;-- He woke--to hear his sentry's shriek, (oo) "To ARMS! they come! (_ff_.) THE GREEK! THE GREEK!"

(_pl_.) He woke to die, midst flame and smoke, And shout, and groan, and sabre stroke, And death shots falling thick and fast As lightnings from the mountain cloud; And heard, with voice as trumpet loud, Bozzaris cheer his band;-- (oo) "_Strike_--till the last armed foe expires!

_Strike_--for your altars and your fires!

_Strike_--for the green graves of your sires!

G.o.d, and your native land!" HALLECK.

He said, and on the rampart hights arrayed His trusty warriors, few, but undismayed; (_sl_) Firm paced and slow, a horrid front they form, (_pp_) Still as the breeze, ([oo]) but dreadful as the storm!

(_p_.) Low, murmuring sounds along their banners fly, (_ff_.) REVENGE, or DEATH!--the watchword and reply; (oo) Then pealed the notes, omnipotent to charm, (_f_.) And the loud tocsin tolled their last alarm! CAMPBELL.

([o]') His speech was at first low toned and slow. Sometimes his voice would deepen, ([oo]) like the sound of distant thunder; and anon, (_''_) his flashes of wit and enthusiasm would light up the anxious faces of his hearers, (<) like="" the="" far-off="" lightning="" of="" a="" coming="">

(>) Receding now, the dying numbers ring (_p_.) Fainter and fainter, down the rugged dell: (_pp_.) And now 'tis silent all--enchantress, fare thee well.