that are within his own power, and discover others by inference. But
it would be better he should know nothing about these things than that
you should tell him all he is to know about them.
We have an organ that corresponds to that of hearing, that is, the
voice. Sight has nothing like this, for though we can produce sounds,
we cannot give off colors. We have therefore fuller means of
cultivating hearing, by exercising its active and passive organs upon
one another.
The Voice.
Man has three kinds of voice: the speaking or articulate voice, the
singing or melodious voice, and the pathetic or accented voice, which
gives language to passion and animates song and speech. A child has
these three kinds of voice as well as a man, but he does not know how
to blend them in the same way. Like his elders he can laugh, cry,
complain, exclaim, and groan. But he does not know how to blend these
inflections with the two other voices. Perfect music best accomplishes
this blending; but children are incapable of such music, and there is
never much feeling in their singing. In speaking, their voice has
little energy, and little or no accent.
Our pupil will have even a simpler and more uniform mode of speaking,
because his passions, not yet aroused, will not mingle their language
with his. Do not, therefore, give him dramatic parts to recite, nor
teach him to declaim. He will have too much sense to emphasize words
he cannot understand, and to express feelings he has never known.
Teach him to speak evenly, clearly, articulately, to pronounce
correctly and without affectation, to understand and use the accent
demanded by grammar and prosody. Train him to avoid a common fault
acquired in colleges, of speaking louder than is necessary; have him
speak loud enough to be understood; let there be no exaggeration in
anything.
Aim, also, to render his voice in singing, even, flexible, and
sonorous. Let his ear be sensitive to time and harmony, but to nothing
more. Do not expect of him, at his age, imitative and theatrical
music. It would be better if he did not even sing words. If he wished
to sing them, I should try to invent songs especially for him, such as
would interest him, as simple as his own ideas.
The Sense of Taste.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account