The Use and Cultivation of the Voice I '*The Persian poet Saadi tells us that a person with a disagreeable voice was reading the Koran aloud, when a holy man, passing by, asked what was his monthly stipend. He answered, 'Nothing at all.' 'But why then do you take so much trouble?' He replied, 'I read for the sake of God.' The other rejoined:
'For God's sake do not read; for if you read the Koran in this manner you will destroy the splendour of Islamism.'"
The Use and Cultivation of the Voice N the preface to Wesley's Works the editor observes: 'Judging from internal evidence the following tracts are believed not to have been originally written by Mr. Wesley; but as the means of ascertaining their authors were not at hand, they have been again inserted in his works."
In the list that follows is included— Directions Concerning Pronunciation and Gesture, contained in volume xiii.
It may seem presumptuous to question the. editor's judgment, and yet these directions can hardly be read without feeling that they manifest the **terseness, perspicuity, simplicity,
John Wesley on Preaching and force'' which he enumerates as the characteristics of Wesley's style.
If internal evidence is to decide the matter, there seems to be no reason to believe that Wesley did not write them, seeing that in their practical directness and pithiness of phrasing they are strikingly akin to other utterances, about which no doubt is raised.
In any case, the fact that they have come to be included in his works, and that he read them with his preachers,* would seem to indicate plainly his strong approval of them, and believing that they abound in valuable hints for young preachers, I have not hesitated to reproduce them in full, with such comments as may serve to enforce their teaching.
* Journal, ii. p. 128.
Use and Cultivation of Voice Section I "* How we may speak so as to be heard wethout difficulty and wth pleasure.
'*T, Before we enter upon particular rules, I would advise all who can ''(1) To study the art of speaking betimes, and to practise it as often as possible before they have contracted any of the common imperfections or vices of speaking; for these may easily be avoided at first, but when they are once learned, it is extremely difficult to unlearn them.
'*T advise all young persons, '*(2) To be governed in speaking, as in all other things, by reason rather than example, and, therefore, to have an especial care whom they imitate therein, and to imitate only what is
John Wesley on Preaching right in their manner of speaking, not their blemishes and imperfections.
''T]. The first business of a speaker is so to speak that he may be heard and understood with ease. In order to this it is a great advantage to have a clear, strong voice ; such, at least, as will fill the place where you speak, so as to be heard by every person in it.
To strengthen a weak voice, read or speak something aloud for at least half an hour every morning ; but take care not to strain your voice at first.
Begin low, and raise it by degrees to the height.
'III. If you are apt to qdalterem your speech, read something in private daily, and pronounce every word and syllable so distinctly that they may all have their full sound and_ proporUse and Cultivation of Voice tion. If you are apt to stammer at such and such expressions, take particular care first to pronounce them plainly. When you are able to do this, you may learn to pronounce them more fluently at your leisure.
'* The chief faults of speaking are :— '*(1) The speaking too loud. This is disagreeable to the hearers, as well as inconvenient for the speaker. For they must impute it either to ignorance or affectation, which is never so inexcusable as in preaching.
''Every man's voice should indeed fill the place where he speaks; but if it exceeds its natural key, it will be neither sweet, nor soft, nor agreeable, were it only on this account, that he cannot then give every word its proper and distinguishing sound.
G 81 John Wesley on Preaching ''(2) The speaking too low. This is, of the two, more disagreeable than the former. Take care, therefore, to keep between the extremes, to preserve the key—the command of your voice, and to adapt the loudness of it to the place where you are, or the number of persons to whom you speak.
''Tn order to this, consider whether your voice be naturally loud or low; and if it incline to either extreme, correct this first in your ordinary conversation. If it be too low, converse with those that are deaf; if too loud, with those who speak softly.
'"(3) The speaking in a thick, cluttering manner. Some persons mumble, or swallow some words or syllables, and do not utter the rest
Use and Cultivation of Voice articulately or distinctly. This is sometimes owing to a natural defect, sometimes to a sudden flutter of spirits, but oftener to a bad habit.
'"To cure this, accustom yourself, both in conversation and reading, to pronounce every word distinctly.
Observe how full a sound some give to every word, and labour to imitate them. If no other way avail, do as Demosthenes did, who cured himself of this natural defect by repeating orations every day with pebbles in his mouth."
This legend of Demosthenes has served a pretty turn among the teachers of elocution, but it is doubtful if any of them have ever sought to verify it in practice. Pebbles in his mouth would probably be of as John Wesley on Preaching much value to a man in speaking as peas in his boots would be in walking. He might, as the pilgrim did, boil his peas, but pebbles are less easily softened, and choking would seem to be a much more likely outcome of their employment than fluency.
''(4) The speaking too fast. This is a common fault, but not a little one, particularly when we speak of the things of God. It may be cured by habituating yourself to attend to the weight, sense, and propriety of every word you speak.
'"(s) The speaking too slow is not a common fault, and when we are once warned of it it may be easily avoided."
Rapid speech, if it be distinct, is Use and Cultivation of Voice not disagreeable—indeed, is often impressive—but a tediously slow utterance wearies and irritates the listener.
The late Dr. Punshon spoke with great rapidity, but his enunciation was so clear as to make the speed a positive gain. When words come so slowly that the hearer feels as if he wanted to help the speaker on, more than half the joy of listening departs.
'*(6) The speaking with an irregular, desultory, and uneven voice, raised or depressed unnaturally or unreasonably. To cure this you should take care not to begin your periods either too high or too low, for that would necessarily lead you to an unnatural and improper variation of the voice.
And remember never either to raise John Wesley on Preaching or sink your voice without a particular reason, arising either from the length of the period or the sense or spirit of what you speak.
'*(7) But the greatest and most common fault of all is the speaking with a tone. Some have a womanish, squeaking tone; some a singing or canting one; some a high, swelling, theatrical tone, laying too much emphasis on every sentence; some have an awful, solemn tone; others an odd, whimsical, whining one, not to be expressed in words.
'"*To avoid all kinds of unnatural tones the only rule is this: Endeavour to speak in public just as you do in common conversation.
Attend to your subject, and deliver it in the same manner as if you were Use and Cultivation of Voice talking of it to a friend. This, if carefully observed, will correct both this and almost all the other faults of a bad pronunciation.
'*For a good pronunciation is nothing but a natural, easy, and graceful variation of the voice, suitable to the nature and importance of the sentiments we deliver.
""TV. If you would be heard with pleasure, in order to make the deepest impression on your hearers, First, study to render your voice as soft and sweet as possible; and the more if it be naturally harsh, hoarse, or obstreperous ; which may be cured by constant exercise. By carefully using this every morning, you may in a short time wear off these defects and contract such a smooth and tuneful
John Wesley on Preaching delivery as will recommend whatever you speak.
''Secondly, labour to avoid the odious custom of coughing and spitting while you are speaking. And if at some time you cannot wholly avoid it, yet take care you do not stop in the middle of a sentence, but only at such times as will least interrupt the sense of what you are delivering.
'' Above all take care, Thirdly, to vary your voice according to the matter on which you speak. Nothing more grates the ear than a voice still in the same key. And yet nothing is more common, although this monotony is not only unpleasant to the ear, but destroys the effect of what is spoken.
''The best way to learn how to vary the voice is to observe common Use and Cultivation of Voice discourse. Take notice how you speak yourself in ordinary conversation, and how others speak on various occasions.
After the very same manner you are to vary your voice in public, allowing for the largeness of the place and the distance of the hearers."
What impresses one in these directions in their common-sense. Wesley in this, as in most other matters, was one of the most practical men of his time ; as quick to suggest the remedy as to note a fault. And yet over-preciseness may beget evils worse than those we are here exhorted to avoid.
Rules are often best kept by violating them: seizing the spirit and ignoring the letter. The way to become independent of all precepts is to be perfectly natural, and rules are only
John Wesley on Preaching valuable as they seek to slay themselves, z.e. as they become steps to raise us to a height on which we can do without them, crumbling under our feet as we ascend. Those who are servants of the letter, and carry their rules with them into the pulpit, may attain correctness, but need hardly hope for power. In conversation we are never happy and successful until we forget ourselves in what we are saying, and the best public speaking, as Wesley wisely reminds us, is only conversation in a higher key. The man who converses with his congregation in a natural, dignified tone will impress them much more favourably than he who bawls or mumbles as one apart.
In view of its being regarded as a Use and Cultivation of Voice model for more formal modes of utterance, how important it is to keep our ordinary conversation on a high level both in substance and manner, avoiding the inelegant and slipshod forms of expression so prevalent to-day.
With a little attention, and without encouraging a pedantic formalism, there is no reason why our everyday speech may not manifest a correctness and charm such as will convey both instruction and pleasure, and be a training for higher and more important discourse. The Bishop of Durham, in a recent address, said so little attention was given to the King's English that it was in danger.
Only the other day he was shown a letter from a young clergyman of great ability and fair position, and John Wesley on Preaching four-fifths of that letter, he was ashamed to say, consisted of slang.
Slang was well enough in its place, but the very opposite when out of it.
He besought his hearers to maintain pure English, and preserve intact the grandest language that ever was upon the earth. When people grew old they were disposed to prophesy, and he sometimes thought that the English language would soon be nothing else but slang and initials.
Wesley's dislike of all ungraceful peculiarities and extravagances in preaching is further evidenced by the following extracts :— 'All particular tones both in prayer and preaching should be avoided with the utmost care."'—(1758.) ''Likewise be temperate in speakUse and Cultivation of Voice ing ; never too loud, never too long; else Satan will befool you; and on pretence of being more useful, quite disable you from being useful at all." —
Letter to Mr. Thomas Rankin (1765).
'Pray warn your young man continually (and yourself): 'Not too long or too loud!'"—Letter to Mr.
'¢'Scream no more, at the peril of your soul. God now warns you by me whom he has set over you. Speak as earnestly as you can, but do not scream. It was said of our Lord, 'He shall not cry'; the word properly means, He shall not scream. Herein be a follower of me as I am of Christ.
I often speak loud, even vehemently: but I never scream, I never strain myself; I dare not: I know it would John Wesley on Preaching be a sin against God and my own soul. Perhaps one reason why that good man, Thomas Walsh, yea, and John Manners too, were in such grievous darkness before they died was because they shortened their own lives. O John, pray for an advisable and teachable temper."— Letter to Mr. John King (1775).
''If John Broadbent has a turn for learning languages, by all means let him learn Welsh. This will turn to good account. And now is his time; you can direct and assist him herein.
Meantime, persuade him to refrain from screaming, and he will do well."
—Letter to Mr. Walter Churchey (1775) ''T buried the remains of John Cowmeadow, another martyrto loud Use and Cultivation of Voice and long preaching. To save his life, if possible, when he was half dead, I took him to travel with me.
But.it was too late. He revived a little, but soon relapsed, and after a few months died in peace." —/ournal (1786).
*'T should think brother Jackson or Sagar might set the heads of the people at Bacup right. Brother Jackson should advise brother Ridall not to please the devil by preaching himself to death."'—Letter to Mr. Samuel
The Use and Cultivation of the Voice II ''In the church I call him only a good reader who can read sense and poetry into any hymn in the hymn-book. Plutarch, in his enumeration of the ten Greek orators, is careful to mention their excellent voices, and the pains bestowed by some of them in training these. What character, what infinite variety belong to the voice? sometimes it is a flute, sometimes a trip-hammer; what range of force! In moments of clearer thought or deeper sympathy, the voice will attain a music and penetration which surprises the speaker as much as the auditor ; he also is a sharer of the higher wind that blows over his strings."
The Use and Cultivation of the Voice »\ Oy SEcTION II ra i '""General Rules for the Variation of the Vozce I us HE voice may be varied in three ways: First, as to height or lowness; Secondly, as to vehemence or softness; Thirdly, as to swiftness or slowness.
''And (1) as to height, a medium between the extremes is carefully to be observed. You must neither strain your voice by raising it always to the highest note it can reach, nor John Wesley on Preaching sink it always to the lowest note, which would be to murmur rather than to speak.
'*(2) As to vehemence, have a care how you force your voice to the last extremity. You cannot hold this long without danger of its cracking and failing you on a sudden. Nor yet ought you to speak in too faint and remiss a manner, which destroys all the force and energy of what is spoken.
'*(3) As to swiftness, you ought to moderate the voice so as to avoid all precipitation, otherwise you give the hearers no time to think, and so are not likely either to convince or to persuade them. Yet neither should you speak slower than men generally do in common conversation. It is a Use and Cultivation of Voice fault to draw out your words too slow, or to make needless breaks or pauses. Nay, to drawl is (of the two) worse than to hurry. The speech ought not to drop, but to flow along. But then it ought to flow like a gliding stream, not as a rapid torrent.
"IT. Yet let it be observed that the medium I recommend does not consist in an indivisible point. It admits of a considerable latitude. As to the height or lowness of the voice, there are five or six notes whereby it may be varied between the highest and the lowest, so here is abundant room for variation, without falling into either extreme. There is also sufficient room between the extremes of violence and of softness to proJohn Wesley on Preaching nounce either more vehemently or more mildly, as different subjects may require. And as to swiftness or slowness, though you avoid both extremes, you may nevertheless speak faster or slower, and that in several degrees, as best answers the subject and passions of your discourse.
"III. But it should likewise be observed that the voice ought not to be varied too hastily in any of these respects; but the difference is to be made by degrees, and almost insensibly ; too sudden achange being unnatural and affected, and consequently disagreeable to the hearers."
Use and Cultivation of Voice Section III '"'Particular Rules for Varying the Voce ''(1) If you speak of natural things merely to make the hearers understand them, there needs only a clear and distinct voice. But if you would display the wisdom and power of God therein, do it with a stronger and more solemn accent.
'*(2) The good and _ honourable actions of men should be described with a full and 'ofty accent; wicked and infamous actons with a strong and earnest voice, 41d such a tone as expresses horror and letestation.
**(3) In congratulating the happy events of life we speak with a lively John Wesley on Preaching and cheerful accent; in relating misfortunes (as in funeral orations) with a slow and mournful one.
''(4) The voice should also be varied according to the greatness or importance of the subject, it being absurd either to speak in a lofty manner where the subject is of little concern, or to speak of great and important affairs with a low, unconcerned, and familiar voice.
'*€(5) On all occasions let the things you are to speak be deeply imprinted on your own heart; and when you are sensibly touched yourself, you will easily touch others by adjusting your voice to every passion which you feelin This paragraph contains the essence of all these rules. The philosophy of Use and Cultivation of Voice the whole matter is: We speak as we feel; let the feeling be true, and the utterance will correspond.
One hears it asked sometimes whether emphasis should be laid on this or that word. Such a question never occurs to the mind of him who has thoroughly mastered and who adequately realises what he has to read or speak. It is intelligence and imagination that are lacking when proper emphasis fails.
I remember years ago a class of younger ministers reading aloud a chapter from the Bible, a few verses at a turn, under the superintendence of an able but somewhat eccentric teacher of elocution. When it came to the turn of one of the brethren whose voice was extremely effeminate,
John Wesley on Preaching he inquired in a timorous, nambypamby tone, and in direct violation of the instructions he had received, '*Shall I lay emphasis on such and such words, sir?"
'*Go on, sir,' thundered the irate professor. ''You have nothing to do with laying emphasis, any more than you have to do with laying eggs.
The rebuke was rude, but effectual.
Emphasis, like ornament in architecture, is always a failure when it is laid on from without rather than evolved from within. The tongue never hesitates as to emphasis in an earnest conversation, because it is under the domination of feeling, and he who puts himself as naturally into the speech of the pulpit as he does
Use and Cultivation of Voice into that of the fireside will hardly fail to give each word its proper tone and weight.
It is not meant that rules are to be entirely ignored. For instance, it is a common thing in public reading to hear the negatives, xo, not, nor, with the prefixes zz, wz, slurred over as if they were of little importance. He does wisely who makes it a rule to accord them due enunciation. What a difference, e.g. there is between reading—'' Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they ave not," and '' Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not,'' the voice sustained pathetically on the final syllable.
One may remark in passing also, John Wesley on Preaching how frequently the letter i is deprived of its due by both preachers and choirs, especially the latter, in such words as infinity, felicity, eternity, by converting it into er, and saying or singing infinerty, felicerty, eternerty.
**(6) Love is shown by a soft, smooth, and melting voice; hate, by a sharp and sullen one; joy, by a full and flowing one; grief, by a dull, languishing tone, sometimes interrupted by a sigh or groan; fear is expressed by a trembling and _ hesitating voice; boldness, by speaking loud and strong; anger is shown by a sharp and impetuous tone, taking the breath often and speaking short; compassion requires a soft and submissive voice.
''(7) After the expression of any Use and Cultivation of Voice violent passion, you should gradually lower your voice again. Readiness in varying it on all kinds of subjects as well as passions is best acquired by frequently reading or repeating aloud either dialogues, select plays, or such discourses as come nearest to the dramatic style.
*€(8) You should begin a discourse low, both as it expresses modesty and as it is best for your voice and strength, and yet so as to be heard by all that are present. You may afterwards rise as the matter shall require. The audience likewise, being calm and unmoved at first, are best suited by a cool and dispassionate address.
'*(g) Yet this rule admits of some exceptions; for on some extraordinary John Wesley on Preaching occasions you may begin a discourse abruptly and passionately, and consequently with a warm and passionate accent.
''(10) You may speak a little louder in laying down what you design to prove, and in explaining it to your hearers. But you need not speak with any warmth or emotion yet; it is enough if you speak articulately and distinctly.
'*(11) When you prove your point, and refute your adversary's objections, there is need of more earnestness and exertion of voice. And here chiefly it is that you are to vary your voice, according to the rules above recited.
''(12) A little pause may then precede the conclusion, in which you may gradually rise to the utmost Use and Cultivation of Voice strength of pronunciation, and finish all with a lively, cheerful voice, expressing joy and satisfaction.
'(13) An exclamation requires a loud and strong voice, and so does an oath or strong asseveration, as, 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!' 'I call God to record upon my soul!'
(14) In a prosopopeeia* the voice should be varied according to the character of the persons introduced; in an apostrophe,} according to the circumstances of the person or thing to which you address your speech, which, if directed either to God or to * A figure in rhetoric by which things inanimate are spoken of as animated beings.
+ A direct address to a person or thing in the course of a speech.
John Wesley on Preaching inanimate things, ought to be louder than usual.
"'(15) In reciting and answering objections the voice should be varied as if two persons were speaking.
And so in dialogue, or whenever several persons are introduced as disputing or talking together.
'¢(16) In a climax the voice must be gradually raised to answer every step of the figure. In an aposiopesis* the voice, which was raised to introduce it, must be lowered considerably. In an antithesis} the points are to be distinguished, and the former to be pronounced with a stronger tone than the latter; but in * A sudden stopping short and leaving a statement unfinished for the sake of effect.
+ A figure by which contraries are opposed to contraries.
Use and Cultivation of Voice an anadiplosis* the word repeated is pronounced the second time louder and stronger than the first.
(17) Take care never to pause in the middle of a word or sentence; but only where there is such a pause in the sense as requires, or, at least, allows of it. You may make a short pause after every period, and begin the next generally a little lower than you concluded the last ; but on some occasions a little higher, which the nature of the subject will easily determine.
(18) I would likewise advise every speaker to observe those who speak well, that he may not pronounce any word in an improper manner. And in case of doubt let * In rhetoric a repetition.
I 118 John Wesley on Preaching him not be ashamed to ask how such a word is to be pronounced, or to desire others that they would inform him whenever they hear him _ pronounce any word improperly.
'*(19) Lastly, take care not to sink your voice too much at the conclusion of a period; but pronounce the very last words loud and distinct, especially if they have but a weak and dull sound of themselves."
This final counsel is particularly sane. Many a discourse is obscured by the common but foolish habit of dropping the voice at the end of a sentence. The tone that begets expectancy in the mind of the listener should be preserved to the end of the service, and even when the benediction is reached, to linger upon the Use and Cultivation of Voice final word with a sustained and upward intonation is much more conducive to reverence than a fall which indicates that all is over. The sustained utterance leaves the hearers in a stillness they will hardly break by a hurried and unseemly exit from the sanctuary.