6.—CONCLUDING REMARKS.
“Any person acquainted with the voices before described, may imitate many others by contraction and expansion of the glottis, and by modifications of the cavity of the pharynx and mouth. The best way to practise is in a room alone, to talk aloud, and, while so doing, to make all sorts of contortions with the muscles of the mouth and jaws, first fixing the jaws in the manner already described, then drawing the lips inward, next putting them forward, at the same time placing the tongue in different shapes and positions in the mouth; also by speaking in the natural voice, and answering in the falsetto pitch, which is the imitating voice for women and children.”
The ordinary compass of a voice is about twelve notes, and a very good practice to the attainment of the art is to call aloud in a certain note, and then in the octave to that note; do this several times a day, changing the note or pitch, loud at first, and by degrees decrease the sounds; this kind of practice will assist any one in learning to modulate the voice to appear to recede or come near by degrees.
We think enough has been said to enable any boy, sufficiently persevering, to become a good ventriloquist. “Always remember, that to render a voice perspective, the most essential thing is to attend to the study of sound as it falls upon an ear; then imitate that sound by the different contractions and expansions of the muscles of the throat, mouth, face, and jaws. During these various contractions and expansions, draw in a long breath, and talk, first rapidly, then slowly, but always with a slow expiration of breath. Do this a dozen times consecutively for several days, at the same time elevate and depress the roof of the mouth, especially the back part, as this movement causes the voice to appear near or at a distance.”
We have now given our young friends the best practical directions we could obtain from the rules given by a skilful ventriloquist. All boys who have faithfully followed our directions, should try their powers before some friend. We think they will be astonished at their success, and will be pleased to become a source of great amusement to their friends as well as themselves. But beware, boys, of misusing your power; always remember the “golden rule,” and never frighten any person seriously.
Ventriloquism was well known, even before Christ; but it was used only as a means to foster superstition, and often took the form of divination. The statue of Memnon will instantly suggest itself as a familiar example. The gigantic head was heard to speak the moment the sun’s rays glanced on its features. Undoubtedly the magic words were pronounced by the attendant priest, who must have been a ventriloquist. We could give innumerable instances of its use among the ancients; but we will close with an amusing anecdote we once heard of a famous ventriloquist. He was passing through a street with a friend, at the same time a load of hay was passing along. The ventriloquist called the attention of his friend and others passing along to the suffocating cries of a man in the centre of the hay. A crowd gathered round and stopped the astonished carter, and demanded why he was carrying a fellow-creature in his hay. The complaints and cries of the suffocated man now became fainter, and he appeared to be dying. The crowd, instantly proceeded to unload the hay into the street, the smothered voice urging them to make haste. The feelings of the people may be imagined, when the cart was found empty. The ventriloquist and his friend walked off, laughing at the unexpected result of their trick.
Natural Magic.
The Æolian Harp consists of an oblong box of thin deal board, about five or six inches deep, with a circle drawn in the middle of the upper side, an inch and a half in diameter, around which are to be drilled small holes. Along the upper side of the box seven, ten, or more small strings, of very fine gut, are stretched over bridges near each end, like the bridges of a violin, and tightened or relaxed with screw pins. The strings must be tuned to one and the same note, and the instrument placed in some current of air where the wind can pass over its strings with freedom. A window, the width of which is exactly equal to the length of the harp, with the sash just raised to give the air admission, is a good situation. When the wind blows upon the strings, with various degrees of force, different musical tones will be sounded; sometimes the blast brings out all the tones in full concert, and sometimes it sinks them to the softest murmur. In many old castles these harps were fastened in the windows, and their wild music caused the ignorant to think they were haunted.
A colossal imitation of the instrument just described was invented at Milan, in 1786, by Abbate Gattoni. He stretched seven strong iron wires, tuned to the notes of the gamut, from the top of a tower sixty feet high, to the house of a Signor Muscate, who was interested in the success of the experiment and this apparatus, called the giant’s harp, in blowing weather, yielded lengthened peals of harmonious music. In a storm this music was sometimes heard at the distance of several miles.
Simply tying waxed saddler’s silk to little sticks, and pushing them into the crevices of windows, so as to receive a draught of wind (the silk being strained tight), will produce very sweet sounds.