A Woman’s Voice.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 996, 3 April 1891, Page 4

A Woman’s Voice.

‘Whatever induced you to marry such a plain-looking woman ?’ was a asked of a friend of mine some time ago. *lt was her voice that charmed me,’ Was the reply. I could not wonder at him, for her Voice Was indeed charming. It had those characteristics that Shakespeare praised, the 'sweet low voice,’ one of the greatest Ohhrfns a woman can possess. Many a woman with plain features, awkward figure, ungainly in heir proportions, is. Very attractive if she possesses a sweet voice, Tho is no nation on earth whose women have such changing Voices as the English. True, they ate not all ‘soft and low,’ but in wfeli-brhd families, where careful attention IS paid from infancy, the women's voices are the most charming on earth.

The American belles who now invade England in great shoals yearly have many charms to boast of. They are vlvaoioua, sparkling, witty, handsome, with remarkably fine figures, good features, fair complexions. They dress to perfection, but there is one drop of gall in their cup of conquering happiness—they are obliged to envy the voices of well bred and refined Englishwomen. The wealthy and educated American girl has but the faintest suspicion of any '* twang ’ in her voice. It is only occasionally by her marked pronunciation *>t certain words that yon can trace her origin from across the breezy Atlantic. But, be she over so English, mix she ever so much with the best society, she cannot, except in the most rare oases, ever imitate the voice of the Englishwoman of culture and position. A thousand schemes are devised fdr the improvement of the face or figUrfe, V6t how seldom is any thought or Pare bestowed upon tho voice in these colonies, unless for soms purpose of display. If a girl is inclined to be musical and ehowb signs of promise as a vooalist, parents are only too prone to spend money freely in order that Bhe may excel. But how seldom do we find parents or tescherß training gifcli to speak aa educatodj refined gitib Should speak. A ride on Oftr tranicirfe, V/hen the cars are Well patronised by young girls, shows unmistakably the want of proper voice training. It is true that every voice is not made by Nature musical. There may be natural defects that caunot be overcome, but these cases are rare. In the majority of cases every girl can be taught to speak with a soft, low, yet clearly distinct tone, gracetnlly modulated. I listened tbß other day With pain at the voice of a pretty, Well dressed girl of about 17 years of age. She had no natural defects of the mouth or throat and yet her voice sounded to me suggestive of draughty Btreeb corners, of ungovernable temper, of a domineering mind, a tyrant at home, a rebel abroad. Her voice was rough, harsh, her pitoh almost a falsetto. One would imagine she h»d foryeari past walked the streets of a great city crying ‘ Watercresses, fresh fine watercresses.’ Let this girl marry ever so wealthy a man, let her enter the highest society in the land and not even the advantage of travel and wealth will rob her of her unnatural voice. Her speech will betray her and cultured refined people will consider her as one outside the pale of their order.

It is scarcely possible to take too great pains in teaching our children the art of speech. If they have been endowed by Nature with pleasing voices these should be as carefully tended as any of her other gifts. It will not hurt the voice to use it in mirthful play, shouting and calling aloud. _ It is the strained half articulate cry of passion and fury that creates the harm. Children retain for years, often for life, the intonation of those around them in their young days. How oareful should we be therefore to speak correctly ourselves when we have the care of growing children. In this colony the great fault seems to be that the everyday manner of speech—-the mode of pitching the voice, the intonation, the accent, the habit of inflection—is left to Nature and to ohanee.

The art of elocution is not taught jin onr schools, nor, perhaps, the more useful art of correot speaking in ordinary conversation. Frequently in our streets, or at picnics and other gatherings, it is impossible to tell what class of society a girl belongs to by her speech if one could not tell by her dress and associations.

There is a distinct dialect or brogue-, or provincialism, or call it what you may,spring, ing up in these colonies ; a dialect which will develop by and by into as pronounced a twang as the typical American speeoh. The mixture of races in our schoolrooms its growth. It has a tendency to make voices high pitched, with blurred accents, destroy* iog the soft low musical tones so highly prized in refined sooiety. In another decade a colonial girl visiting England will be at once detected by her speeoh unless, as I hope, parents will see the necessity for having the art of graceful speeoh taught the girls when young. I wonder why qualified teachers do not open olasses to teach our growing girls the art of speaking in a gracefal and refined manner. I feel sure such olaßses would be welt pationiaed. Dora,