GIFT OF .. Rogers PRIMER OF ELOCUTION AND ACTION By F. TOWNSEND SOUTHWICK Oiuiin.il Illustrations NEW YORK EDGAR S. WERNER 28 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET 1890 :-..; .-.-:: Copyright, 1890, EDGAR S. WERNER. All Rights Reservtd. TO . ffletcbcr, B./fc., TO WHOM, AS ARTIST, TEACHER, AND FRIEND, I OWE MUCH MORE THAN THIS SIMPLE TRIBUTE CAN REPAY. 869013 THIS little work is intended for beginners in expres- sion. It gives, in as simple language as the writer can command, the elements of the art. The order in which the lessons are given is in accordance with the author's experience in teaching classes of the grade for which it is designed. Teachers of wider experience may find another arrangement preferable ; if so, it is an easy matter to assign the lessons as they pleaso. The difficulty has been to select only such exercises and rules as are absolutely essential for young students. It cannot be expected that all will agree with the author's judgment in this particular; nevertheless, the satisfactory results obtained by adhering strictly to the matter contained herein have convinced him that while much of importance ni'jht easily have been added, nothing that was absolutely necessary has been omitted. Suggestions looking toward improvement will, however, be thankfully re- ceived. Toward the end, the lessons are more difficult and longer than in the beginning. Since the book was planned to cover at least a school-year of ordinary elocutionary training, the latter part, it is hoped, will be found to have but kept pace with the mental and artistic development of the pupil. The chapters on pantomimic expression may, however, be subdivided or reserved for a second year's course, if deemed ad- visable. Many pupils will, of course, go over the whole ground very quickly. I do not advocate memorizing the lessons. The 5 6 PREFACE. constant necessity for applying the instructions to the practical work of expression will soon fix in the pupil's mind all that is of importance. Discuss thoroughly each chapter, multiplying the illustrations and trying to lead the pupil to work out for himself, if possible, the solution of the problems under consideration. Exercises relating to a particular subject are num- bered consecutively throughout the book without re- gard to other exercises that may intervene. For instance, under Breathing, K\> -ivi-, -s 1, 2, and 3 will be found in Lesson IV., and 4, 5, 6, and 7 in Lesson XIX. This will, it is believed, aid in keeping each subject more completely apart from the others than if the ordinary method of numbering wero followed. Little will be found here relating to emotional ex- pression; such work belongs to a later period of mental development than was contemplated in pre- paring this manual. The painful exhibition of preco- cious, hot-house passion has no part in the author's scheme of education. Even those of more mature years who may find this manual useful are advised to thoroughly master its precepts before essaying higher flights. The great essential is a solid foundation of conversational delivery. Emotion that is genuine \\ill find its own outlet, if the channels of expression arc free. It is hard to specify each case of the author's in- debtedness to others. Little can be claimed for the book on the score of originality except in an. ment and selection of material. Much of its contents is the common property of all good teachers ; the few things that are not, the author has paid well for either in money or in hard work. 17 E. 16TH STREET, NEW YORK. August, 1890. CONTENTS. LESSON PAGE Preface, 5 I. The Speaker's Position 11 II. The Speaker's Position, continued, 14 III. Phrasing, 16 IV. Breathing-Exercises 19 V. Emphasis, continued, 2.1 VI. Position, continued 24 VII. Inflection, 26 VIII. Position, continued Flexibility, 29 IX. The Vocal Apparatus, CO x. Vocal Exercfcai 34 XI. Articulation, 36 Xll. Flexibility Hands and Fingers Wrists, ... 38 XIII. Minor Inflections Position, continued 41 XIV. Flexibility, continued The Vowels./continued, . 43 XV. Emphasis, continued, 47 XVI. For Independence of the Legs The Vowels, continued 50 XVII. Rules for Emphasis, continued 52 XVIII. Flexibility, continued The Vowels, continued. 55 XIX. Breathing-Exercises, continued The Vowels, continued, 57 XX. The Language of the Body Pantomimic Expres- sion 59 XXI. The Tors,. 62 XXII. Inflections, continued The Vowels, continued, . 65 XXIII. The Legs 69 XXIV. Articulation The Vowels, continued The Con- sonants, 72 XXV. The Head, 74 XXVI. Articulation, continued Vocal Exercises, con'd. 78 XXVII. Attitudes of the Head, continued, 80 XXVIII. Climax, 84 XXIX. The Eye, 87 XXX. Rhythm 90 XXXI. Actions of the Hand, ..,.,,.... 93 XXXII. Articulation, continued Vocal Exercises, con'd. 96 XXXIII. Actions of the Hand, continued, 98 XX XIV. Pitch, Movement and Volume, 100 XXXV. Full- Arm Gestures, . . . . , 103 XXXVI. Oppositions of the Head and Arms 108 XXXVll. Articulation, con'd Difficult Combinations, . . 115 XXXVIII. Facial Expression, 118 XXXIX. Description, 121 XL. Final Hints on Attitudes and Bearings, .... 124 7 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. P.MiE Fig. 1. Speaker's Position 12 Fig. 2. Attitude of Reap 24 Fig. 3. Swaying the Hip 29 Fig. 4. Relaxing the Hand, : ! Fig. 5. Relaxing the Wrist, 40 Fig. 6. Relaxing the Neck 43 Fig. 7. Swaying the Leg, 44 Fig. 8. The Head Erect ?:, Fig. 9. The Head Bowed, ?.-, Fig. 10. The Head Lifted 76 Fig. 11. The Head Pivoted 76 Fig. 12. The Head Inclined, 80 Fig. 13 The Head Advanced, 81 Fig. 14. The Head Drawn Back, 81 Fig. 15. The Head Hun if 82 Fig. 16. The Head Thrown Back, 82 Fig. 17. Simple Indication, Hand Onlv 93 Fig. 18. Full-Arm Indication. 104 Fig. 19. Indication, Palm I )O\VD, Attitude of Hand, . . 104 Kg. 30. Folding the Ann (a), Pivoting lur, Fig. 21. Folding Hie Arm (ft), at the Wrist 10.-, Fig. 22. Folding the Ann (r\ Completed, .... 105 Fig. 23. Indication with Folding Movement, ... 100 Fig. 24. Oppositions of Head and Arm. Bejfinninif of Indi- cation, . . . . . . . , . 110 Fig. 25. Oppositions of Head and Arm. Conclusion of Indi- cation, 110 Fig. 26. Oppositions in Rejection. Beginning, . . . 111 Fiif. 27. Oppositions in Rejection, ('onclusion. . . . Ill Fig. 28. Oppositions in Atlirmation. Beifinning, . . . 112 Fig. 29. Oppositions in Allirniaiion. Conclusion. Side View, 112 Fig. 30. Oppositions in Atlirmation. Conclusion, Front View 112 Fig. 31. Oppositions in Assertion. Beginning. Fig. 32. Oppositions in Assertion, Conclusion. . . . 113 Fig. 33. Oppositions in Repulsion Advanced Foot, . . 114 Fiif. 34. Oppositions in Repulsion Retired Foot, . . 114 Fig. 35. Attitude of Arms in Reflection, .... 125 8 INDEX. PAGE. Actions (see Gestures), 64 Analysis for Emphasis, Rules for, ..... 47, 52 Arms, The, 125 Articulation 36, 72, 78, 95 Articulation, Difficult Combinations, 115 Attitude (see also Position), 64 Attitude, The Speaker's, 11 Attitude of Respect, 24 Attitude, Laws of, 70, 126 Attitude, Illustrations of, 70 Attitudes and Bearings, Final Hints on, ..... 124 Ball of Foot, For p'tting Weight of Body on, .... 25 Bearings (see also Attitudes), 65 Ho.lv, The, .* 126 Body, The Language of, 59 Bowing, 89 Breast-Bone, . .31 Breathing-Exercises, 19, 20, 57 Chest, The 14, 61, 62, 125 Chest and Shoulders, 62 Climax 84 Consonants, The, 73 Description, 121 Elbow, The, 125 Emphasis, 21, 47, 52 Eye, The 87 Eye, Direct 87 Eye, Indirect, 88 Facial Expression, 118 Feet, The, . . 13, 124 10 INDEX. Flexibility: rv.i. Ex. I. Hands and Fingers, ...... 39 Ex. II. Wrists, 40 Ex. III. For Muscles of the Neck and Jaw, . . .4:: Ex. IV. For Legs, 44 Ex. V. For Arms, . :,:, Ex. VI. For Arms, Forehead, The 118 Free Side, 13 Free Foot, 13 Gestures, ........... r>4 Gestures, Full-arm : Ex. I. Indication (Palm up). ...... KM Ex. II. Indication (Palm down), ..... 104 Ex. III. Indication of Self-fol:ling movement, . . . K>"> Ex. IV. Suspense [06 Ex. V. Returning to K ]>7 Hand, The, !:>: Hands, Actions of the : Ex. I. Simple Indication, ...... 1W Kx. II. Beckoning, ;<:> Ex. III. Admiration 95 Ex. IV. Repulsion, 95 Ex. V. Appeal '.s Ex. VI. Rejection. is Ex. VII. Declaration. 98 Ex. VIII. Declaration with surrender, .... '.<'. Ex. IX. Concealment, Hna.l, The 12. 74 Kx. I. Erect, 7C Ex. II. Bowed 7f> Ex. III. Lifted 7'5 Ex. IV. Pivoted 7: Ex. V. Inclined Ex. VI. Advanced 81 Ex. VII. Drawn Back, .81 Ex. VIII. Hung, 81 Ex. IX. Thrown Back 8! Hips. The. . . - . . . . 13, 14. HI. M. liM INDEX. 10a PAGE. Hip, Swaying the, 29 Imitation, 121 Inflection, 26, 65 Inflection Minor, 41 Inflection Major, 41 Inflection Circumflex, 65 Inflection Double Circumflex, 67 Jaw, Lower, The, 120 Knees, 14, 124 Language of the Body, The, 59 Larynx, ........... 32 Legs, For Independence of the, ...... 50 Weight on om> Foot 69 Weight on Both Feet, 71 Lips, The, 119 Lungs, 30 Mouth, The, 119 Movement, .......... 100 The, 119 Oppositions of the Head and Arms, 108 Ex. I. Indication with 109 Ex. II. Rejection or Denial, 110 Ex. III. Rejection of Trifles, Ill Ex. IV. Affirmation, 112 Ex. V. Assertion 113 Ex. VI. Repulsion, 114 Pantomimic Expression, ........ 59 Phrasing, ........... 16 Pitch, Movement and Volume, 100 Poise, Transition of, ......... 42 Position (see also Attitude) 11, 14, 24, 29, 64 Speaker's, The, 11, 14 Exercises in, Ex. I, 12 Exercises in, Ex. II, 15 Exercises in, Ex. Ill, 24 Exercises in, Ex. IV, 25 Exercises in, Ex. V, 29 Exercises in, Ex. VI, 30 Exercises in, Ex. VII, ... 42 106 IXDEX. r.\<.K. Reading, 1C Rhythm, 90 Shoulders, The, 13. 14, til. 62 Sitting, 16. 71 Standing Front View, 12 Standing Side View, 14 Strong Foot, 13 Strong Side, 13 Torso, The, 61, 62 Vocal Apparatus, The, 30 Vocal Bands, 32 Vocal Exercises, .......... 34 Ex. I. " Start " of the Tone, 34 Ex. II. " Start " of the Tone, 35 Ex. III. " Start " of the Tone, 35 Ex. IV. For Speaking without Waste of Breath, For Forward Placing of the Voice, ... 97 Volume, 100 Vowels, The 36, 45, 52, 56, 58, 67, 72 Wind-Pipe, 31 PRIMEB OP ELOCUTION AND ACTION. LESSON I. The Speaker's Position. The best position for the speaker is that in which he can speak or read effectively for the longest time with the greatest ease, and which, at the same time, allows the greatest freedom of movement. A speaker in a constrained position is always more or less embarrassed, because his attention is called continually to unpleasant sensations in his hands, feet, or head, as the case may be ; on the other hand, a comfortable position puts both speaker and audience at ease. Without a correct and graceful position the gestures will be awkward and unnatural, and the voice will be constrained ; therefore, it is necessary to ac- quire this first of all. 11 12 F1UST LESSON. EXERCISE I. Standing. , Front View. Stand in an animated manner with the weight of the body upon the right foot, which should be firmly planted on the floor; have the chief part of the weight upon the ball of the foot, but do not let the heel rise. Do not let the right 1. and, on the other hand, do not stiffen tin- knee. The RIGHT HI I' will tend outward a little at the side. This i> its natural position ; do not draw up the bod \ that the hip is straight above the foot. The SHon.nr.Ks will incline slightly to the left, just sufficiently to balance the outward position of the hip. If the shoulders are kept exactly even, the right side of the body will seem to overbalance the other side. If the hip and shoulders are rightly balanced, the notch in the collar-bone (which is just half-way be- tween the shoulders) will be exactly over the in-t. -p of the right foot. This will not be the case if either the hip or the shoulders are out of position. The HEAD should not be held stitlh >i\ ct, but al- lowed to incline a very little toward the right shoulder. FIG. 1. THE SPEAKERS POSITION. 13 The ARMS should hang loosely and naturally at the sides, with the palms of the hands toward the body. The LEFT FOOT should be aboiit opposite the right foot at the side, and at a little distance from it, the left leo- being passive. If the attitude is perfectly easy ami natural, the left knee will fall slightly inward. Practise this position with the weight upon the left foot also. You should be able to stand equally well on either foot. In the description of an exercise we usually speak of the foot which supports the weight of the body as the strong foot, and the corresponding side of the body as the strong side. The other foot we call the free foot because, if the body be properly bal- anced, it will have complete freedom of movement in every possible direction. In this position, as we described it, the right side was the strong side, and the left the free side, or, as it i^ sometimes called, the "weak" side. When the weight of the body is transferred to the left foot, that becomes the strong and the right becomes the free foot, and of course the positions of hip, shoulders, and head are reversed. LESSON II. The Speaker's Position. Continued. Standing. Side i Be careful that the KNKI : <>f the strong leg is firm without stiffness. The HIPS should not be thrown forward, which gi\vs one a pompous appearance, nor drawn far back. The CHEST should be active, that is, expanded but not necessarily inflated with air. Do not pull the SHOULDERS back, nor draw them for- ward. Do not draw in the CHIN nor lift the HEAD, but look straight forward toward the audience. Be sure that there is neither stiffness nor limpness anywhere ; try to have a springy, animated condition of the whole body, both in this and in all similar ex- ercises. Avoid nervous twitchiugs of the face and hands, pick- ing with the fingers, twisting about on the ankle, in a word, all unnecessary movements of any part of the body. U THE SPEAKERS POSITION. 15 The important element in every position is the proper balance or poise, as it is called, of the body. If the notch in the collar-bone be kept exactly over the middle of the strong foot, the body is properly poised or balanced, and the arms and free foot can move freely in all directions without cramping or distorting any part. If, on the contrary, the shoulders incline too far either to the right or to the left, there is danger of losing one's balance, while if the hip be drawn in, there will be stiffness and constraint. EXEECISE II. Sitting. Sit erect, with active chest and animated carriage of the whole body. Keep the feet near together, one slightly in advance of the other. Let the hands, if unemployed, lie easily and naturally in the lap. Do not lean against the back of the chair, nor sit stiffly erect, but sway the body slightly forward. To THE TEACHER: Illustrate by example both correct and incorrect attitudes. If pupils are familiar with the law of gravitation, call their attention to its application here. Do not take up any further work in position until these lessons are thoroughly un- derstood; but do not wait for perfect precision before going on. Point out glaring faults as they occur, but do not strive for ideal perfection in attitude ; or, for that matter, in expres- sion of any sort, in the beginning; the result will be loss of spontaneity, which is more valuable than grace or mechanical perfection. If the habitual attitude approximate to the ideal, the less said about details the better. Leave much to nature, especially with very young pupils. LESSON III. Phrasing. Stand in the Speaker's Position. Hold the book unless too heavy, with one hand only that on the strong side, supporting the back with three fingers, and holding down the leaves by means of the thumb aud little finger. Accustom yourself to use either hand. Keep the book at one side and well away from your eyes, so that those in front of you can see your face. 1. Read to bring out ideas, not words. A group of words combined to express an idea is called a phrase, and the grouping of words as we read them, so as to convey the right meaning, is called phrasing. 2. Try to think each idea yourself before speak- ing it. 3. Pause after each word or group of words that expresses a separate idea, both to give your hearers time to understand, and to give yourself an opportu- nity to master the next idea. Do not confine yourself to pausing at the marks of punctuation ; they are in- tended for the eye, not the ear. A good reader will PHRASING. 17 often make a long pause where there is not even a comma, and pause longer at a comma in one place than at a period in another. EXAMPLES. (a) The books which help you most | are those which make you think the most. Ill The hardest way of learning | is by easy read- ing; || but a great book I that comes from a great thinker, I is a ship of thought, II deep freighted with truth I and with beauty. (b) There's no dew left on the daisies and clover, There's no rain left in heaven, I've said my "seven times" over and over, Seven times one are seven. In both the examples above, we make many pauses besides those indicated by the marks of punctuation ; indeed, sometimes a single word will be of sufficient importance to demand a pause. In the second exam- ple, which is light and joyous, the pauses are much slim-tor than in the other, but they must be percepti- ble, however slight they may be. Here is an example of bad phrasing, such as occurs very frequently : Listen my children I and you shall hear II Of the midnight I ride of I Paul Revere. or worse still : Of the mid I night ride I of Paul Revere. I The first phrase is nonsense. How can one " listen my children" or listen any one else's children for that matter ? Evidently we must correct that by pausing 18 THIRD LESSON. after fl listen," as the thought is complete there we are told to listen. Again, we should not pause after " hear," because the idea is incomplete ; we are not to listen in order that we may hear merely, but that we may hear of " the midnight ride of Paul Revere," or, if we wish to be very careful in our phrasing, " of the midnight ride | of Paul Revere," but certainly not "of the midnight" or "of the mid." Correctly phrased, these lines would be read : Listen I ray children I and you shall hear Of the midnight ride I of Paul Revere, the pause after " ride " being comparatively slight. 4. Accustom yourself to take in one or more phrases at a glance, so that you can raise your eyes from the book and speak the words directly to your audience, as if they were your own. To THE TEACHER: Practise pupils daily on analysis for ideas; have them group phrases on the blackboard, and strive in every way to awaken the analytic powers, until they are able to phrase naturally and intelligently. Few teachers, to say nothing of pupils, estimate rightly the value of pause as an element in natural delivery. I have heard eminent readers who had not mastered that means of expression. Pause has a vastly broader field than the mere separation of ideas. Notice how frequently we hesitate in conversation, always thinking the thought before expressing it, and pausing for a greater or less time as the thought is complicated or simple. Again, in the expression of strong emotions, we take time to gather ourselves together for a mightier effort than usual ; and sometimes feeling, especially in emotions that affect the larynx powerfully, seems to stand in the way of expression, choking down the voice, and tying up the muscles, until the pent-up passion at last forces its way through every obstacle. Though our pupils, at this stage of their work, have no use for such extreme expressions, yet by accustoming them to pause frequently and long they not only acquire the power of reposeful expression, but lay the foundation for more difficult achievements. LESSON IV, Breathing-Exercises, Breathing-exercises are intended to increase the power and capacity of the lungs. EXEBCISE I, Standing in the Speaker's Position, place both hands ;it the front of the waist, just below the breast- bone, in such a manner that the middle fingers of one hand just touch tho middle fingers of the other. (1) Keeping the mouth closed, breathe in through the nose until the lungs are comfortably filled with air, Sond the breath down toward the waist as if to push away the hands. (2) Breathe out slowly until you feel a sense of perfect relaxation (not exhaustion) at the waist ; then inhale as before. Eepeat this exercise several times. Let the hand follow the inward movement at the waist when you exhale, without exerting pressure, EXERCISE II, Have the same action of the breath, with the hands at the sides of the waist as in Exercise I. Here the hands may gently assist the inward movement. 19 20 FOURTH LESXOX. EXEUCISE III. Place the hands at the small of the back ami breathe as before. There should be a feeling of expansion and relaxation here, also, but it will not be so marked as in the other exerci CAUTIONS. In all breathing-exercises there must be no con- sciousness of muscular effort. This is an important point. It is easy to push out and draw in the dia- phragm or the abdomen by more or less violent mus- cular action ; and, with a little practice, an abnormal power of expansion and contraction may ! developed in the Waist-region, with the result of producing a strained and "muscular" quality of the voice, and utterly destroying the eas,-, flexibility and unconscious activity which are characteristic of all normal opera- tions of the healthy body. Expansion of the lungs everywhere must seem to be purely an act of the will, and not of the muscles. The air must seem to expand the lungs as a balloon is expanded by gas ; instead of which, vocalists often trv to produce a vacuum by a violent pulling apart of the walls of the chest, and letting tin- air rush in as it will. I call attention to this misconception of the subject, because it is held by teachers who should know better, and is a fruitful source of vocal faults, to say nothing of physical derangements. See that the waist and not the abdomen is the active centre. BREA THING-EXERCISES. 21 Beware of overcrowding the lungs ; it is not the amount but the control of breath that produces re- sults. To THE TEACHER: See that these exercises are performed very gen- tly and slowly, with only a medium supply of breath at first, and for but a short time each day. Delicate pupils are sometimes unequal to more than a few' minutes of lung-exercise. Never force them beyond what can be done with perfect comfort. I am tempted to insert the customary protest against the barbarous and silly custom of tight-lacing, but so much has been written and spoken against this utterly indefensible method of self- destruction, that ignorance on such a vital point is inexcusable. Sensible parents and teachers know their duty ; the law of the survival of the fittest will take care of the rest. LESSON V. Emphasis. JOHN is si lour, .IAMKS is TALL. You could ha nil v make a mistake in the division of t'n is sentence if you tried ; but it may be read in many ways, each of which would convey a different meaning. For instance, if some one had asked which of the boys was short, you would say: "John is short." If he should contradict you, you would assert emphatically : "John is short." If he had asked whether John was short or tall, your reply would be : " John is short" If he had asked how he might know the boys apart, you might answer : " John is short+ James is tall" Each of these meanings is brought out by means of what is called emphasis, and the word that is made prominent is said to be emphatic. 22 FIFTH LESSON. In ordinary conversation, we generally make the emphatic word prominent by giving it a higher pitch. When we are more earnest, we dwell a little longer upon the emphatic word than upon the other words in the phrase. If we wish to be very impressive, or to give the emphatic word extraordinary weight, we pause before it, as if to gather strength for utterance. This keeps the hearer in suspense, and compels liini to notice the emphatic word when it is finally spoken. Beading should seem like conversation, and we should try to use these three methods of emphasis, as far as possible, just as we do in speech. It is not only unnecessary but vulgar in conversa- tion to make the emphatic word louder or rougher than the rest, unless we are expressing some emotion that calls for greater power, or are trying to make our- selves heard, as in the following example : Call naturally, " come here ! come HERE ! come HEEE !" increasing the emphasis with each repetition of the words. You will notice that the pitch of the word "here" is higher at each increase of emphasis. This will serve to illustrate the principle that the greater the emphasis, the higher is the pitch of the emphatic word compared with the pitch of the other words in the phrase, and the longer is it dwelt upon. Practise the following exercises. Notice that in natural speech the voice rises step by step, until the emphatic word is reached, and that if any words fol- 23 low the emphatic word they are spoken more rapidly and with a downward movement of the voice : 9 walk with you. Etc. Practise these with different degrees of emphasis and rates of movement. Emphasis is to a phrase what accent is to a word. For instance, we say " education," just as we say " I am ivriting" Other examples : wrong rith'- You , = a- - cred 'it I wlth you. clis a ble. To THE TEACHER : Write these and similar exercises upon the blackboard, and accustom the pupils to follow the pointer, giv- ing at once whatever emphasis you may indicate. Speak a sim- ple sentence or, better still, a combination of letters, numbers, or vowel-sounds, and have the pupils write it upon the black- board, indicating your emphasis and pauses, if there be any. The emphatic word may be delivered in a much softer tone than the rest of the phrase; and, if pitch and prolongation are cor- rectly given, the meaning will be perfectly clear. This is an ex- cellent exercise for overcoming any tendency to boisteroirsness, and for acquiring a refined and reposeful delivery. LESSON VI. Position. Continued. EXERCISE III ml with the heels touching, tin- feet being turned out at an angle of about sixty degrees. Bear the weight of the body upon the balls of both feet equally. both leg* straight, and knees timi. Have no inclination of the body to either side. Let the head fec% rect, with eyes looking straight forward. The anus fall at the BJ in the Speaker's Position. Do not lift or draw bark the head or shoulders. n,.r push forward the hips so as to hollow the bark. This is called the position of Respect, and is the formal attitude when about to bow. It is very like that of the soldier on dress parade, and says : " I arn at your service." Ki ;. POSITION. 25 EXERCISE IV. For Getting the Weight of the Body upon the Ball of the Foot. Standing as described on page 24, rise slowly upon the balls of the feet until the heels are at a considerable distance from the ground, then slowly return to the original position. Do not change the attitude of the body in the least during this exercise. Inhale slowly as you rise, and let the breath go as slowly while descending. If the body has to poise forward before it can rise, the weight is on the heels and the position is incorrect. Watch that the body does not sag back upon the heels when you return to position, and practise this exercise until carrying the weight of the body upon tin- l>all of the foot becomes a habit; see that you do so at all times while walking or standing. In rising there is often a tendency to push the hips out in front or draw the shoulders back ; avoid even the slightest tendency to do either. Do not cramp the body, but let everything be done with perfect ease. Try to feel as if you were buoyed up by the air, as you would be in the water. Remember that the more slowly you practise all ex- ercises, the greater will be your control over the muscles. Nervous, jerky movements mean lack of con- trol, and result in habits of angular, awkward action, Grace comes from the rr feet command of every mus- cle, even the smallest. LESSON VII. Inflectioh. \Ye have seen that the words in a phrase, like the syllables in a word, differ in pitch; that is, that speech, like music, has melody. Not only is this the case, but in every syllable the voice is constantly moving up or down tin- scale. It is in this respect that speech differs most widely from snng, whore every note must be sustained on a level. This movement or bending of the voice on a word is called inflection. The inflections of the voice are very numerous, and We shall have occasion later to study many of them ; for the present, however, we will confine ourselves to the two simplest: the rising and the falling. The rising inflection (') indicates uncertainty, doubt, indifference, timidity or deference to the will of the person addressed. EXAMPLES. Is it John? = uncertainty, doubt, timidity. Will you come? = deference to the bearer. Certainly = indifference. 26 INFLECTION. 2? the falling inflection ( x ) is positive, and denotes completeness, certainty, and expresses the will of the speaker. EXAMPLES. It is John. "Will you come ?= " you must come." Certainly. Rising inflections start from the lower or middle tones of the voice and sweep upward. Falling inflections strike a high pitch and sweep downward. Just as with the melody of emphasis, the extent of the inflection will depend upon the strength of feeling behind it. Sometimes, as in great surprise, the voice sweeps through the compass of an octave on a single word. In ordinary speech, the range is very narrow. Practise the exercises in Lesson V., with many degrees of both rising and falling inflection, until you can com- mand them at will. In ordinary questions and in phrases which imply indifference or timidity on the part of the speaker, the words following the emphatic word tend upward in- stead of downward, as in a positive statement. Here the wider range of inflection distinguishes the emphatic word from the rest of the phrase. It is as if the im- pulse of the emphatic word carried the remaining words upward in spite of themselves. E.g., Are you sure of it ? When a question is asked with great earnestness it 2S 4SETEXT1I LESSON. often has the falling inflection, much as if it were a positive statement. Compare: Can you prove it? I can prove it. Inflection indicates the state of the speaker's mind ; it has nothing to do with the grammatical construction of the sentence. Positive statements are sometimes put in the form of a question for greater effect E.g., Isn't it Would you have believed it ? Is it not wonderful ? meaning, it is so; you would not have believed it; it is wonderful. Questions like these are not asked for information; they answer themselves. Tlies^ "rhe- torical questions," as they are called, may sometimes be given with a rising inflection; generally, however, they are spoken with a falling slide of the voice. To THE TEACHER : Drill the pupils separately and in unison, in various keys and through as wide a ran ire of inflection a> pi.*- sible without strjininir their voices. The object of this practice; i^ not to lay down cast-iron rules to be follow ed mechanically, but to irive the pupil command over his voice The minute di of inflection which give so many subtile and beautiful effects in conversation, and occasional departures from the ireneral type of melodic movement in phrast > and >cntences, especially in what arc known as " final cadences," should be allowed and encour- aged when they are true to nature. He careful, however, that they do 'not degenerate into mannerisms or tunes. Teach the pupil to associate inflection with conditions of the mind rather than with the ear. For instance, in>tead of sayini; "giT this word a falling inflection," x-iy ">peak more positively" r "more earnestly." When the ear is deficient, this is the only method; but, if patiently followed, it will prove ellicaciou.- in the most obdurate cases. LESSON VIII. Position. Continued. EXERCISE V. Swaying the Hip. Stand in the Speaker's Position, let us say upon the right foot. Place the hands upon the hips at the broadest part (not at the waist). Slowly push the hip across with the right hand until the weight of the body has been changed to the left side. Let everything else follow the move- ment of the hip. When this exer- cise is properly performed, the body will be in perfect poise upon the left foot. Keturn again in the same way to the right foot, and repeat many times. Avoid jerks and twists of the body everywhere. 29 FIG. 3. 30 EIGHTH LESSON. EXERCISE YI. Flexibility. Standing as before, carry the hip outward at the strong side as far as possible, without losing the balance or stiffening the body. The shoulders will, of course, move in the opposite direction. Be care- ful not to bend the knee nor let the chest collapse. Return to the erect position and repeat. Then change the weight to the opposite foot and practise in the same way. To THE TEACHER: Practise these exercises with feet apart at various widths ; and, as soon as the movement is understood, with the arms hanging at the - LESSON IX. The Vocal Apparatus. Whenever we speak or sing, we make use of the lungs, the larynx, the mouth and the nose. The LUNGS are contained in the cavity of the chest and furnish the breath, which is to speech what the steam is to an engine. When the supply of steam is low in the boiler, the engine comes to a standstill, and when the supply of breath is less than it should be, it THE VOOAL APPARATUS 31 is impossible to speak well. It is important, therefore, to learn to keep the breath back while speaking, and not allow it to escape faster than is necessary ; also to increase the capacity of the lungs for containing air. It is for this reason that we practise breathing-exer- cises, which strengthen and develop the lungs and give control of the breath. It is quite as important, however, that we should be able to let the breath go at will as that we should be able to retain it, and we should pay just as much attention to the relaxing movements which occur when we cease to hold the breath. This relaxation must be natural and gentle. The lungs should not collapse like a bursted bag, but the air must pass out quietly as it entered. Until we have gained control of the breath, all exercises should be practised very slowly. After a time, however, we may also practise taking and letting go of the breath suddenly, being very careful that movements are never violent. The BREASTBONE has an important function in voice- production. It acts like the sounding-board of a piano or a violin, and serves to increase the resonance of the voice. If the chest be passive or sunken, the tone will be weak, no matter how much force we use ; on the contrary, if the chest be active, the tones of the voice will be strong and vigorous. The WINDPIPE or TRACHEA is the tube through which the air passes from the mouth to the lungs and back again. At its upper part it expands into a sort of box, 32 NINTH LESSOR the front of which may be felt in the throat under the chin. This part of the windpipe is called the LAKYNX. It opens into the mouth just back of the root of the tongue. When we swallow, this opening is closed so as to prevent the food from getting into the windpipe, which is both unpleasant and dangerous ; when wo speak, however, it is necessary to have this opening as free as possible. All vocal sounds are begun in the larynx, which has within it a pair of lips called the v<>< AI. I'.AM>S or < oi;j)S. The edges of these are set in vibration by tin* air, as a violin string is by the bow or tin- reed of a clarinet by the breath of the player. Those of us who whistle adjust the lips and produce sound in much the same way that nature adjusts the vocal bands and produces speech; only nature, being a much more clever artist than the best whistlei, manages her task in a far more delicate and perfect manner. She knows exaetlv how- to make the sound we wish, and oiil\ asks us to let her alone and give her all the room possible in the mouth, in order to let the sound out after it is made. The throat, therefore, should be perfectly free and unconstrained, and we should particularly avoid mak- ing chewing or swallowing movements during speech, which, as we have seen, tend to shut the voice in. Do not open the mouth so wide that the speech seems labored, nor keep it so tightly closed that the sounds see-M t c UD ii. rough the teeth; it should be opened gently and comfortably. Do not pull the jaw THE VOCAL APPARATUS. 33 down, but let it relax naturally at tlie back, as if it dropped away from the upper jaw. Let the tongue lie loosely and easily in the mouth. Do not twist it about unnecessarily nor cramp it in trying to keep it quiet. If the tongue persists in ris- ing at the back so as to obstruct the sound, practise the vocal exercises with the tip pressed against the teeth and the back drawn down as in gaping, until the bad habit is overcome. Do not make this manner of practising habitual, however, or you will injure your voice. A\V shall have more to- say of the tongue when we come to the subject of articulation. It is important that the passages in the nose be kept free and open for the passage of sound. The practice of hum in ing for a few minutes daily is of value for gaining "head-resonance," as it is called; that is, vibration of the resonance-chambers in the face. T<> Tin; TKACHKU : Illustrate sonic of the wrong ways of using the vocal apparatus ; for instance, speaking with collapsed e. "nasal." "throaty" and "muscular" qualities, and impress upon the minds of pupils the necessity for a simple and unaf- fected manner of speaking with pure, resonant tone. Correct bad habits whenever they appear. If you teach other subjects, do not wait for the elocution hour, but insist that the multipli- cation-table be -riven a meaning as well fts the reading-lesson. The habit of refined conversation is of more importance than the acquirement of a few showy pieces for exhibition purposes. The foregoing lesson may be used with good results as a study in emphasis, as the meaning will thereby be brought home to every pupil an important point, as this lesion furnishes the key to many succeeding exercises. LESSON X. Vocal Exercises. "Start" of the Tone. Practise breathing-exercises for a few minutes as in Lesson IV., but breathing through the mouth as well as through the Dose, letting the jaw fall easily. AVe should always breathe through the nose except ill speaking or singing, when we use the mouth also. I . !K ISK I. (1) Open the month as if to say ah. Be very care- ful that there is no constraint at the throat, and that the back of the tongue does not rise in the mouth. (2) Slowly inhale through the mouth. (3) As soon as an ordinary breath has been taken, trying not to allow any air to escape from the lungs, pronounce in a moderately loud tone tin- vo \\vl-sound ah, as if asking a question. (4) The instant the sound ceases, let the breath go; then, without closing the mouth, and still keeping the jaw relaxed, breathe in again and repeat the exer Practise in a series of ten repetitious. Use also the sounds dj c, 0, and 00, 34 VOCAL EXERCISES. 35 Bemember (a) to retain tlie breath while making the sound ; (b) to let the breath go the instant the sound ceases ; (c) to keep the open, relaxed position of the throat and mouth during each series, EXERCISE II. Practise in the same way, sustaining the tone on a level as in singing. EXERCISE III. Practise with falling inflection. These exercises should also be practised with the hands in tho various positions indicated in Lesson IV., in order to be certain of the proper action of the breathing-apparatus. To THE TEACHER : At first the pupil should not be allowed to pro- long the sound in any of these exercises beyond the time that would naturally be occupied in an ordinary interrogative slide. After practice, however, pupils should be drilled in sustained tones, with instrumental accompaniment if possible, until a fair amount of sustaining power is acquired. Watch carefully : these exercises that the tone starts full and free and with pre- cisely the same quality and volume at the beginning as during the continuation. See that the pupil conquers the tendency to shut the throat just before beginning. Do not work for noise but for good quality of tone. The tone should not be pushed out, but should seem almost to be drawn in from without. See that all activity is confined to the breathing-apparatus ; it is the breath which governs the tone. After a time, practise with crescendo, diminuendo and swell-effects. LESSON XI. Articulation. If we completely relax the jaw, lips, and opening the mouth just wide enough to let out tin* sound, and then vocali/e in the most indifferent man- ner possible, we product- something between a grunt and the sound of // in hurt. The sound is indefinite inarticulate. Very likely the earliest attempt^ at speech were little better than a series of such vague sounds, more or less modified by different positions of the jaw and tongue. As the race progressed in lan- guage-making these sounds became more clearly de- fined and further separated from one another; more delicate variations were introduced, the sounds weiv combined in various ways, until, at last, man possessed articulate langu.i Articulation has been defined as "the correct and elegant delivery of the elementary sounds in sylla- bles and words." These are classified as vowels and consonants. The VOWF.I.S are the foundation-sounds of the lan- guage. They are formed by various positions of the tongue and lips, which modify but do not obstruct the ARTICULATION. 37 flow of sound. Ah (a in father}, cl, e, o, do are exam- ples. The CONSONANTS are formed by positions of the tongue, teeth, or lips, which, for the time, interfere with the vowel-sound. For example, if you press the tip of the tongue against the upper teeth, as if to pro- nounce t or d, you will find it impossible to give a vowel-sound, a, for instance. If, now, you allow the tongue to fall quickly back into its natural position just as you are about to say , you will get the combi- nation td or dti. It is this " recoil " of the tongue, as we call it, that makes the consonant distinct. We begin our studies in articulation with the vow- Is. The tone as it comes from the larynx is molded into the various vowel-sounds by the different posi- tions of the tongue and lips. The jaw always remains relaxed, although in some vowels it is not so wide open as in others. We have already practised some of the vowel-sounds ; we shall now, however, take them up in regular order, beginning with e, as in eel. 1. E is made with the forward part of the tongue near the roof of the mouth. The tongue is higher and the jaws are nearer together in forming this vowel than in any other. For this reason it is one of the most diffi- cult sounds to give properly, that is, with good tone, since the tendency in most of us is to cramp the throat whenever the tongue is active. Ah is one of the easi- est of vowel-sounds, and you will find it useful to 38 TWELFTH LJ make first the sound il or ~> and in the same breath change to e, keeping the quality of voice tin- same and Dot allowing the back of the tongue to rise. In this vowel, as we Lave said, the jaw cannot open so widely as in the more open sounds. Let it take its natural position, without cramping it. "What is said here with regard to the throat, l>ark of tongue and jaw, refer> t otlier \..\\vls as well, and is to be under>toi.d without further repetition. 2. If the middle pf the tongue le v.-r\ ^li-htly de- pi-. BSed while proimuiii-in^ ", the sound heroines that of short /. as in "///. This sound is hard to >iistain at first, as il tends t gn liark to Ion- >, TractiM.' until this teiidi-iu-v is overcome. LESSON XII. Flexibility. Everyone who would speak or recite with good etVect must have not merely mental capacity, but com- mand over the bdy and the voice, the instruments through which he expresses himself. Awkwardness, a weak or disagreeable voice, or in- distinct articulation may spoil the effect of the most brilliant composition ; while a graceful and clear de- livery will often make a very commonplace subject interesting. FLEXIBILITY. 39 Faults in delivery are caused either by wrong con- ditions of the joints and muscles that are used in ges- ture and speech, thereby preventing the proper action of the parts, or by lack of control over the muscles, so that we use the wrong set or do not use the right set properly. It is evident that if we wish to gain control of the body we must first get rid of wrong actions and con- ditions ; in other words, before we begin to strengthen the parts, we must render them flexible and pliable. It is of no use to practise opening the hand, for in- stance, so long as the muscles which shut the hand refuse to relax and allow the other set to act freely ; we shall only be straining the delicate tendons and rendering the action more awkward than before. Therefore we must first learn to relax ; afterward we shall study to get control of the parts. EXERCISE I. Hands and Fingers. Lift the forearm a little in front of the body, with the hand and fingers hanging down in a lifeless man- ner. Hold the arm in this position until the hand has become perfectly passsive and you can feel that its own weight is drawing it downward. This means that the muscles that hold the hand and fingers in position have completely relaxed. See FIG. 4. that the fingers hang as loosely as the fringe on a shawl. 4o T}\/;L /'/'// L When you have attained tliis state of perfect pliabil- ity, which may require many days <>r even weeks of persevering practice, shake tin- hand gently by moviiig the arm up and down, then sideways, and ri- nally in a circle. Be very can-fill that the hand and fingers remain passive and are Dimply shaken about by the arm. Practise this exeivise in various p<>itions, >.<\, palm up, palm down, and with the hand In-ld <-dgewise, until you have gained the ability t<> }ut the hand in a pas- sive state whenever and wherever you wish. Kxr.i;ci>r. IT. ir, Practice the >ame moveim-nts with tin- arm> >tn-tcht-d I "RRF.rT. INCORRECT. FlG. 5. out at the sides and in front, with one arm at a time at first, then with both together. Be careful to hold the arm straight, without relaxing at the elbow, and to move the arm from the shoulder. LESSON XIII. Minor Inflections. The rising and falling inflections used in ordinary discourse are termed major inflections. We have also minor inflections, used in expressions of pity, weakness, or horror. Good examples of the minor in- flection are the cries "Help!" " Mercy!" moans, and similar expressions of physical Buffering ; exclamations of a dejected character like " Oh, dear me !" "Alas !" and expressions of pity such as, "poor fellow," " poor doggie," etc. Minor inflections may be either rising or falling. Oh dear, must I go to school ? Oh dear, I must go to school ! In pathetic passages, readers are apt to overdo the minor inflections, so that the reading becomes little better than a whine. Avoid this ; remember that the use of the minor slide always indicates a degree of weakness in the speaker, and that it is appropriate only when we wish to convey that particular impres- sion. 41 77/77? riTAT// L: XPLEB. <>: : . :> ; v - : - : - - . ::->- _ 80 good, BO aoble, and m> tme a ilr r? 6 my son Absalom ! mj son, my mm Would God I had died for tbce, O Absalom, my son, my am3 Position. - rjasK VH. Transition f the Legs. (a) Stand with one foot on tin- edge of a platform or low bench, so that the free leg lianas over the edge. Be careful to keep well poised. Let the free leg hang until you feel all the muscles about the hip relax and the limb be- COmea a dead weight. ]> sure that the knee and foot ajso are en- tirelv pasaiye, The body should be erect upon the strong foot in a position like that of Respect, so that the Fl 7. hip may be as far as possible over the free side in order to give plenty of room for the free leg. FLEXIBILITY. 45 (ft) Standing as before, lift the free leg in front, with the knee and foot still relaxed, and then allow it to fall back lifelessly. If the muscles of the free leg are per- fectly flexible, the leg will swing back and forth for a considerable time, like a pendulum. Let it come to rest of its own accord. If this exercise is too difficult at first, practise lift- ing and dropping the leg while standing on the floor. Of course, the leg cannot swing to and fro but must come to rest at once. Here the poise of the body should be as in the Speaker's Position. The Voxels. Continued. 3. A, as in die. This vowel has one peculiarity that deserves attention. If we speak a word like pay or may, we notice that the final sound is not that of a at all, but exactly that of long e, thus, pde, mde. You would find it difficult to pronounce either of these words and omit this vanishing sound or "glide," as it is sometimes called. The vanish or glide of the vowel a is- one characteristic of a refined pronunciation. Before the vowel e, however, the vanish vanishes en- tirely, e.g., d-erial. Be careful not to overdo this pe- culiarity ; on the other hand, do not clip the vowel so short that the effect of the glide is lost. 4. Ad before r, as in care, fair, air ; also heard in ivkere, ne'er, Aaron, icear, and similar words. 5. E, short, as in ell, sett, tell ; also many, bury, said, leopard, guess. 46 ForuTi:i:^'ru LESSON. 6. A, short, as in an, can, _///// : also /*/////, /////*>///, etc. Notice that we are studying the A-O//W.V not merely the letters, and that in English one letter lias /"//, "' h- '/" people, /is heard in prf-fty. n-,,,,,. '/. ^| is heard in f/< For that reason, we find it most convenient to call the sounds l>y their numbers rather than by their alphabetical names, thus, 1st or 2d sound, etc. To TIIK TKACHKK: These sounds follow r-arh other in the <>rd.T laid down by Prof. A. Melville Hell. From him I Imvc also taken many of the illustrations. While no one jmpil is deficient in all or many of these sounds, I h;ive rarely found in my own experience a pupil who \vas perfect in every vwel. \Ve have the testimony of no less a celebrity than Wendell Phillips to the practical valui- of careful drill in the elements <,f articulation. Occasional mistakes may be forgiven ; but habitual disregard of the fundamentals of good pronunciation is inexcusable. 1 have not at tempted to ar- range the sounds in the order of their difficulty for the reason that no arrangement could be made that would answer for all or even a majority of our pupils. Special e\eici-e> >ln.i-.:!d !>< asi.r 2d CITIZEN. Nay, I Ixxod, \<>u, sir, be not ont with im- ;y<-t if you 6 out, sir, I can mend you. SI'-- A7?r*ea HORSK. [inii-nsity] my KIN.D<>M fora liorse. Shakespeare. I never would lay down my arms /// r,r. M:\KK. NKVER. III. No word that can be omitted and still leave the meaning of the phrase clear, is emphatic, unless the word is used for intensity. With this exception, that word is most emphatic, which, when left out, would most completely destroy the meaning of the phrase or sentence. MM I 9, True, I have married h< T. Here it is evident that the <>niii"ii <>f "married" would utterly oliscmv the meaning. \Vo conld sav, "True, I have married,'' and the meaning would lu> less obscure. " I liave married her," would not change the meaning in the least; "true married her," while not graceful nor good Knglish, would still be understood in connection with the preceding por- tions of the speech, EMPHASIS. 49 I shall have nothing at all. Iii this example the word that cannot be omitted is certainly " nothing ;" yet we naturally throw the emphasis upon " all," a word that evidently is not necessary to the phrase, for, " I shall have nothing," would express the meaning quite as clearly. The reason for this apparent violation of our rule is that the expression "at all" is inserted especially for emphasis. Like " none whatever," it makes the idea more vivid. A good writer or speaker will use these expressions sparingly ; they are like other extreme means for emphasis, allowable only when simpler ex- pressions fail. NOTE. We sometimes find two or more words com- bined to express what one cannot indicate fully. " Mender-of-bad-soles " is an example. " Nothing-at- all " might be considered as a similar combination. These groups are called " oratorical words," and are read as if they were compound words with the accent falling on the accented syllable of the last word, like "nevertheless," which is really a group of three words. LESSON XVI. For Independence of the Legs. n I. Standing in tin- Speak- -iti<>n, carry the free foot forward as far ax j.. .--il.lc, that is, until the te can barelv touch tin- tln.r ; then carry tin- font back in the same way. Be careful that the body dors not t\\ist around, nor ni<\- fr\\ard and hack with the leg. Have 110 sense of effort anywhere. Exi.i;ri>r. II. Carry the free foot out at the side, then across the body to the opposite side in the same manner as in Exercise I. KxKKi'IsK III. Describe as great a part of a circle as j..ssil>l- with the free foot around the strong foot, the body remain- ing perfectly stationary. Remember that the proper position of the body must be maintained without cramping the muscles or stiffening the joints, which would defeat the object of THE VOWELS. 51 all our exercises, which is to do everything as easily and gracefully as possible. Therefore, begin with slow movements and carry the foot to a moderate distance in each direction, increasing gradually both the rapidity and the extent of the action. The Vowels. Continued. 7. A obscure. This is the sound that is heard in unaccented syllables as, for instance, arrival, avenge, abominable. 8. A intermediate. This sound is between the short, somewhat flat sound of a in an or at, and the so-called " Italian " sound of a in ah, father. Ex- amples : ask, task, fast, not ask, task, fast. 9. A in father, mart, ah, part j also heard in haunt, hearty, guardian. Carefully distinguish between sounds 8 and 9. Practise all vocal exercises and inflections with each sound until it is always at command. Speech Gamut. a 9? a , a " a? a v 7 8 7 rt a a 2 6 7 g 'a Question Answer a '1 Question Answer 9 The voice should run up through the compass of at least an octave, with inflections as in speech. Let the upward movement be a question, and speak the down- ward series as if in answer to it. Breathe between the question and the answer. Practise later with similar groups in circumflexes. (See Lesson XXII.). Use all the vowels as well as groups of words. Enlarge the gamut as you gain in compass. LESSON XVII. Rules for Emphasis. Continued. IV. Emphasis falls on the accented syllable of the word, except where the new idea is contained in an unaccented syllable. This .should 1" :/ -t emphatic word in this sen- tence, and tell why. (4) "And the/"/ " oi "and tin- fart (5) Tw.. words an- especially emphatic hen- : which art- they, and which of the two i> the more emphatic, that is, the more important V AVhich is the most emphatic \\ord in the entire selection, ami why? You cannot, my lords, you cannot (1) conqw-r America. What is your present situation thereV.'J. AVc e, accumulate every assistance, and extend your traflic to the >hambles of every (Jermau . Your attempts will be forever vain and impotent, doubly so, indeed, from this mercenary aid on which you rely ; for it irri- tates to an incurable resentment the minds of your adversaries to overrun them with the mercenary sons of rapine and plunder, devoting them and their possessions to the rapacity of hireling cruelty. If 1 were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was lauded in my country 1 would never lay down iny arms never, never, never ! Lord Ch'tOmm. (1) This is the preferred emphasis. It brings out more strongly the feeling that conquest is impossible than repetition of the word with its ordinary accent could do. (See Rule IV. . (2) "Present" or * ( why not "tliere"! Make this a study iu pause as well, both for the sep- aration of ideas and for emphasis, LESSON XVIII. Flexibility. Continued. EXERCISE Y. The Arms. Raise the arms straight above the head, with the palms up. Now relax them so that they fall of their own weight. If the arms are perfectly flexible and are not interfered with in any way, they will swing to and fro, pendulum-like, and come to rest gradually. Practise this until perfect flexibility is gained, but do not assist the movement by swinging the arms ; they must be perfectly passive. If the clothing or the hips interfere with the arms, practise with one arm at a time, leaning the body over at the side sufficiently to give free play to the arm. EXERCISE VI. The Arms. Standing in the Position of Respect, but with the feet a few inches apart to give greater firmness, turn the body on the ankles as far as possible from one 55 56 side to the other, keeping a perfectly upright ]>si- tion. Tins movement will throw the anus across th body and back. Practise slowly until you can keep the correct position of the body ; then iucr rapidity until the arms are flung about with consider- able violence. Keep the shoulders relaxed. The VOVJQ\S. Continued. 10. E or i before r as in verge, firm, qirl, cirri: : also heard in earn, cj It is very difficult to describe this sound. The best that can be said is that it is not so heavy as the fol- lowing sound (A in nrgc), yet is nearer to it than to the 9th sound (aJi). We generally hoar unrultivat'd speakers pronounce clerk, for instance, cl'irk, while many give it the old-fashioned, quaint pronunciation of dark, which prevails in England. 27 is about mid- way between these extremes. Do not say gyurl nor gurl, but girl. 11. Uin up (short), or u in urn (long quantity of the same sound), urge ; also heard in world, blood, dungeon. 12. in dull, nvt, often ; also in l:n<>irl r l,jr. Do not say an/ten for often, daicg for dog, Gaud for God. LESSON XIX. Breathing-Exercises. Continued. Beview Lesson IV. EXERCISE IV. (1) Place the hands on the upper part of the chest in front ; (2) slowly inhale until the chest is expanded fully ; (3) exhale the breath slowly, pressing in and down upon the chest with the hands as if to squeeze out the air. Do this slowly and very gently at first. (4) Inhale as if trying to press out the hands by means of the breath. Keep the shoulders very quiet. Repeat the exercise several times. EXERCISE V. Place the hands at the sides under the armpits; breathe in the same way as in Exercise IV. EXERCISE VI. Place one hand in front and the other at the back ; expand, etc., as before. When pupils have the bad habit of lifting the shoul- ders in breathing, they should practise 57 58 NINETEENTH LESSON. EXERCISE VII. Seated in a chair, grasp the rounds at the sides in such a way that the arm is stretched fully and it is not possible for the shoulders to rise. In this posi- tion, take slow, full breaths, increasing tin.- rapidity until it is possible to take a very short, quick breath without moving the shoulders. To THE TEACHER: Breathing-exercises are somt time^ very exhaust- ing to delicate pupils. Kxenj-e tin- irnvitest <-auti'/, //';// also in sewer, /HHVI; oar door, four. This soiind of is not the sound of a ; it is nearer to long o. LESSON XX. The Language of the Body. PANTOMIMIC EXPRESSION'. The body, as well as the voice, is a means of ex- pression ; and its language, which we call pantomime, is even more effective than speech. " Actions speak louder than words," says the proverb. You cannot say " I love you," and persuade anybody that you mean it, if 3* our face wears an ugly scowl or your fist threatens mischief. The body is the outward mani- festation of the soul within and faithfully indicates every emotion, however slight. Nor do these mani- festations entirely disappear with the emotion that causes them. Every disagreeable or evil passion is registered upon the organism, until the frequent scowl or sneer becomes a permanent disfigurement of the face, or the slouchy, careless carriage of the body becomes a habit and, finally, a bearing, which is a true index of the lazy or careless spirit within. On the other hand, a happy disposition or a truly brave spirit shows itself in the open countenance or manly bear- ing. The attitude or action of the body has a marked 59 60 TWENTIETH LESSON. effect upon the voice. If you sing the syllable all with an open, relaxed face and easy position and then with a frown and the fists clinched, you will notice a de- cided difference in the quality of the tone. Not only does the mind help to form the body, but pantomimic expression affects the mind or soul. If you remain for a little time in an attitude oxpivssive of deep de- jection, you will feel, in a greater or less degree, a cor- responding mental condition; while a buoyant, strong attitude will often act as a tonic to mind as well as to body. The speaker should have at his command a wide range of attitudes and actions and a thorough knowl- edge of the meaning of what he does, as well as of what he says. Every action of tin- body has a defi- nite meaning, and when we are not embarrassed we express ourselves naturally by means of these actions ; but on coming before an audience, or even when re- hearsing in private, we become self-conscious and con- strained. The practice of exercises in pantomimic ex- pression, however, enables us to feel that sense of re- pose and freedom that always comes with knowledge of our resources and perfect command of them. We cannot take up in this little book all the actions and attitudes, but will endeavor to select those most useful for our present needs. We will consider the body, for convenience, in four divisions : The trunk or torso, as artists call it, the head, the legs, and the arms. THE LANGUAGE Of 1 THE BODY. Gl The TORSO is the centre from which all gestures or actions proceed. It must maintain the dignity of the body, and does not condescend to great variety of ac- tion. The CHEST, which is its upper part, sympathizes with the condition of the mind to a great extent, however, expanding with strong conditions and noble emotions, and contracting or becoming passive in weak or ig- noble conditions. The SHOULDERS rise more or less under the influence of emotion, according to the degree of its strength. In joy, for instance, the shoulders are elevated consid- erably, while in great fear or terror they rise to an ex- treme height and come forward as if to shield the head, which, at the same time, is drawn down between them. In despair or sorrow, the shoulders, like the chest, relax. In defiance or anger, they are drawn back, while the chest expands as if to resist a blow. The shrug of the shoulders, if made slowly, indicates resig- nation " Still have I borne it with a patient shrug," says old Shylock. When made quickly it carries the opposite meaning, impatience or contempt. Avoid shrugging the shoulders, except when the expression absolutely requires it. Among refined people the shrug is considered vulgar and often impertinent. The HIPS pushed out in front express pomposity, vulgar pride, or self-assertion ; drawn back they indi- cate timidity, deference, humility. The proper and normal attitude of the hips is just midway between these extremes. LESSON XXI. The Torso. EXAMPLES. Chest and I tell thee, thou'rt defied! And dar'st thou, then, to beard tin- lion in liis den, The Douglas in his hall ? Scott. Thou, too, sail on, O ship of stale! Sail on, O Union, strong and great! Longfellow. Half choked with rage, King Robert fiercely said : " Open; 'tis I, the king! Art thou afraid?" The frightened sexton, muttering with a curse, "This is some drunken vagabond, or worse!" Turned the great key and flung the portal wide. Longfellow. The second and fourth lines of this last selection are examples of what we call impersonation ; that is, speak- ing or acting not in our own buc in another s character. Here you impersonate King Eobert and afterward the sexton. Where, as in this example, description of an action or condition is followed by its representation, 62 THE TORSO. 63 as iu lines 1, 2, 3, and 4, we save our action for the portion where we impersonate. When the lines are descriptive only, however, we accompany the descrip- tion with the appropriate action, as in line 5, where it is very effective to imitate, or rather suggest, the turn- ing of the huge key and the opening of the heavy door, while we describe those actions. He stops will he fall ? Lo ! for answer, a gleam like a meteor's track, And, hurled on the stones of the pavement, the red brand lies shat- tered and black. Stansb ury. The very deep did rot : O Christ! That ever this should be ! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea.. Coleridge. How do you do, Cornelia ? I heard you were sick, and I stopped in to cheer you up a little. My friends often say: "It's such a com- fort to see you, Aunty Doleful. You have such a flow of conversa- tion, and are so lively." Besides, I said to myself, as I came up the stairs: " Perhaps it's the last time I'll ever see Cornelia Jane alive." Dallas. NEPHEW. A merry Christmas, uncle ! God save you I SCROOGE. Bah ! humbug ! Dickens. The Hips. I rise I rise with unaffected fear, (Louder I speak louder ! who the deuce can hear?) I rise I said with undisguised dismay ; Such are my feelings as I rise, I say ! Holmes, 64 TWENTY-FIRST LESSON. FALSTAFF. I have pepper 'd two of them; two I am sure I have paid, two rogues in buckram suits. Thou kuowest my old ward: here I lay, and thus [taking attitude of fencer] I bore my point. Shakespeare. FALSTAFF. Was it for me to kill the heir-apparent; should I turn upon the true prince? Why, thou knowest I am as valiant as llrr- cules. But beware instinct; the lion will not touch the true prince. Instinct is a great matter; I was a coward on instinct. I shall think the better of myself and thee during my life; I for a valiant lion, and thou fora tnie prince Shakespeare. We are very 'umble here pperfield Dicken* Work out the proper attitudes for these examples by referring to the suggestions in Lesson XX. Of course, there are many actions of tin- head, feet, and arms that would be necessity to their full expression. These, however, we must leave for the future. Attitudes in many cases become habits, and are then called bearings. For instance, a pompous indi- vidual would carry the hips forward ; while a timid or very deferential person would draw the hips back. Aunty Doleful carries her body in quite a different manner from Marmion or Douglas, even when moved by no particular emotion, because the doleful condi- tion of mind has become a habit and is reflected in the outward appearance. AVe have three sorts of pan- tomimic expression: Actions or gestures, which are momentary. Attitudes or positions, which last for a longer or shorter time, but disappear when the emotion changes. INFLECTIONS. 65 Bearings, which are permanent habits of carrying the body or the limbs, and indicate peculiarities of disposition or mind. LESSON XXII. Inflections .Continued. Beside the simple rising and falling inflections we have various combinations of rising and falling which are called circumflex inflections. Circumflex inflec- tions are always used when we wish to say something that the words themselves do not express. We often say, " oh, yes" or " oh, no" when it is clear that we mean just the opposite, and this meaning is conveyed to the listener by a circumflex inflectidn. Here follow a number of examples for practice. Try to put into each the meaning that is indicated. Suppose in re- ply to a question like " will you do it ?" the answer "of course" is given, it may have many meanings, as will be seen. EXAMPLES. "Of course," with simple falling inflection, meaning exactly what it says, "I will." "Of course," with surprise, giving " course" with much higher pitch and a slight circumflex turn, meaning "how could you suppose I would do anything else ?" 66 TWENTY-SECOND LESSON. "Of course," with contempt, "why do you ask such a foolish question ?" "Of course," with a sigh, " I suppose I must " "Of course," with sarcasm (double circumflex), meaning " that is about the last thing I would do." The question may be asked in many ways also, e.g., with reproach, "will you" (of whom I thought better things); with contempt, "you are a likely person to undertake it," with joy, surprise, etc. "Ah !" Calling some one at a distance. " Ah!" Minor, " come help me." "Ah?" Surprise, with rising inflection, "is it really so?" For information. " Ah !" Surprise, with falling inflection, " is it possible !" "well you do astonish 'em!" " Ah !" Playfully. " now I've caught you;" " I see through you." " Ah!" Playfully, but with rising inflection, " did you think you could catch me?" "Oh !" Distress, pain. " Oh !" Meaning 'that relieves my mind;" " that satisfies me;" " that alter? the question." "Oh!" "For shame!" "Yes." Simple assertion, falling inflection. "Yes." Indifferently, "I don't care particularly about it, but if you wish it I will." " Yes." " I suppose I must." "Yes." Joyfully, "I am glad to;" "of course I will, with pleasure." None dared withstand him to his face, But one sly maiden spoke aside: "The little witch is evil-eyed ! Her mother only killed a cow, Or witched a chdrn or dairy pan; But she, forsooth, must charm a mSn. " Whittier. Oh, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. Shakespeare. THE VOWELS. 67 Circumflex inflections are either rising or falling, that is, conclude with a rising or a falling inflection. The rising inflections start from a high pitch, move downward and conclude with an upward turn, The falling inflections start from below, move up- ward and conclude with a downward turn, EXAMPLES, ah. Ah / ah ? Ah' \ih! W Practise these sounds with slight separation at first and then connect them with precisely the same melody. We have also the double circumflex, used in sar- casm, irony, and the like. llnth a d5g nionfcy? Is it possible A cur cuui lend three thousand ducats? Shakespeare. The rising or falling circumflex inflections are gov- erned by^the same laws as the simple inflections ; that is, the rising slides inquire, express deference to the will of the listener, even if it be mock deference, indif- ference, indecision, doubt, or timidity ; the falling cir^ cumflexes are positive, decided, complete, The Vowels. Continued. 15. in old, beau, throe. 16. U in pull, full; also heard in wolf, foot. 17. 00 in pool/ also in rude, rule, shoe, you, cruise. 68 TWi:\ TT-SSCOND LESSON. From 12 on, we notice a gradual protrusion of the lips until in 17 we reach the last of our vowel-Bounds, where the lips are pursed together to a c-onsil<>ral>lt< extent. Try to get these sounds with as little lip-ac- tion as possible. To THK Ti: \niKK : I have indicated in this lesson an interesting and valuable I ; tin- pupi clamations and calls like "ohP "oh de.-ir :" "come h "John !" "ah." etc. Have them also try i the ellip- tical meaning of impromptu exclamations by the teacher. Many excellent examples may be found in Hell's " Principl.-sof Klocu- tion." I do not, however, ad vise the use of marks to indicate the direction of the ini: 'naliy by way of analogy, for the reason that they tend at first to confuse the student, and afterward to cause him to rely overmuch upon the external, mechanical form of the slide rather than UJMUI the inner, mental condition thai should prompt it. In other word-, hi- reading is apt to lie more mechanical than if he discarded all mechanical aids and relied solely upon his art instinct. Airain. it is impos- sible to indie-ate the'moie minute shades of inflection that belong to truly natu: ifoo; so that, after all. any notation falls short o'f absolute fidelity to nature. Sinceit is almost imp- to indicate to the . approximately, the nicer shades of meaning, and since, also, the average Inexperienced pupil makes a very poor connection in his mind between a mark on the black- board ami a sound in his ear, and therefore is quite as likely to be milled as helped by such mark-, it is better to rely upon the ear and the intelligence altogether. The meaning of an ordi- nary inflection is patent lo any intelligent child, and when once the meaninir of an inflection is understood, it i usually coir. with perfect accuracy, s-e that pupils do not < ramp'the throat. Use these inflections for vocal practice; nothing can be better for flexibility of the speaking-voice. Make all exercises in in- flection mental. LESSON XXIII. The Legs. The legs are, as we know, the agents by which we advance or retreat from objects about us, and their attitudes indicate our relations with surrounding per- sons or things. \\V know that usually the body should rest upon one foot ; sometimes, however, the weight is equally upon both feet. We will consider both conditions. Weight on One Foot. We go towards objects that attract us or that we wish to influence ; we draw back from things that displease or repel us. Hence, sympathy, attraction, animation, joy, and all expansive feelings, menace, attack, and pursuit, call for attitudes in which the weight is upon the advanced foot, that is, upon the foot that is supposed to be nearest the object of the action. Antipathy, repulsion, melancholy, indifference, re- flection, concentration, defence, defiance, etc., require the opposite attitude, where the weight is upon the 70 T WEXTY- THIRD /./:' < O~. retired foot, that farthest from the object exciting the emotion. When the body has a position suitable to the exer- cise of great effort, as, for install* , with the feet firmly braced to ivsist a blow, it is said to be in a strong position. "When the body do,-s not offer great aiice, as when the feet are near together, or when the weight is entirely on one foot with the free leg \v -ak. aa in the Speaker's Position, the attitude is said to be weak. Laics of Attitude. I. Conscious strength assumes weak positions; conscious weakness assumes strong positions. When tin- fe.-t art- wide apart, the bod\ is said to have a strong or broad ba>-, \\hriithefeet are near ther, a weak ba- ll. In proportion to the degree of energy will be the strength of the base. ILLfSTllATI' LAW I. A speaker mming before an audience in a timid frame of mind would naturally try to hide his condition : and, in so doing, would stand in a \ ry strong attitude, as much as to say : " I am not afraid ;" while one accustomed to public appearance, and fully confident of his control over his body, would assume the most easy and graceful position at his command. A blustering bully would plant his legs wide apart, and, in other ways which we have mai kel THE LEGS. n out elsewhere, indicate to an experienced observer that lie was assuming a bravery that he really did not possess ; while his antagonist, if cool and collected, would stand in an attitude of comparative weakness, with weight resting lightly on one foot. LAW II. The attitude of respect is unemotional ; but if you were in that attitude, and suddenly saw something that interested you, you would advance, and, if very much excited, might fairly spring toward it, So \oiir attitude when standing still would ex- 9 ^tiong excitement, just in proportion to its sim- ilarity t> the same expression of the legs and feet when in motion. Weight on Both Feet. With the feet as in walking, expresses suspense, un- certainty, as if you did not know whether to advance or retreat. With the feet wide apart sideways, ex- presses vulgar ease, familiarity, pomposity, arrogance. With the feet near together, expresses timidity, re- spect, subordination, weakness. Sitting. Under like conditions, the attitudes of the feet when sitting are the same as in standing. For instance, in animated attention the feet would be well apart, one foot being under the chair, perhaps, as if you were about to spring from your seat, which is just what you would do if your excitement became very great. LESSON XXIV. Articulation. . ('nnfi- We have now p>ne through the list of simple vowol- sounds ; all < >tli-r v< \\ el - Eubinatioilfl of > is 1-17, c\c-}>t \\ln-ii it fol- lows /, when it has thr sound 17 aldic, as in rnlf, true. Careless sj.rai D -,i\ "floot* 1 \\ln-u tlu-y mean flute, "dooty" for ///////, and BO >n. No one, howev. !-, Bays "poo* 1 I'm- y/' /', nor " foo " for /'/', though there is equally L r <><>d r-a><>n I'm- such pronun- ciation. One of the marks of a well-educated person is Lis careful enunciation of this much-abused TO we) ". "When a vowel occurs in an unaccented syllable, it is not pronounced with such rare and exactness as when it receives the accent; for instance, ue say sy1'-1a-l)'t t not ayl' -1 tl -1 >' 1 . The vowels in the second and third syllables here are said to be obscure, bemuse it is not always easy to determine which sound is 72 ARTK ri.ATIoX. 73 given. If our example were spelt " syllibul," it would make scarcely a perceptible difference in the sound of the word. These obscure sounds are generally indi- cated in dictionaries by a single dot under the vowel. The only rule for the pronunciation of obscure vowels is to make the sound as nearly like the full sound as is possible without seeming stilted. The articles, personal pronouns, conjunctions, and short prepositions like of, to, from, and /or, are always obscure, except when they are emphatic. Thus, when i \ , u give it to me," we give the e in me its obscure sound (2d vowel), like i in pin; but when we say " give it to me," we give it its long sound (1st vowel). Nor do we say to (too), but almost tu (llth vowel). Treat such words, as regards pronunciation, exactly like the unaccented syllables in words. To be over exact and pedantic would often alter the meaning of the sentence, as in the illustration above. The Consonants. The consonants are formed by the action of the tongue, palate, and lips. The following consonants are made by compressing the lips and then separating them by a quick recoil and relaxation, b, p. Do not give the consonants their name-sounds in practising, thus : be, pe. Combine these and all following consonants with each of the seventeen vowel-sounds. To THE TEACHER : Rhythmic - like tho following will he found useful in attaining tlexibility and accuracy in UK- u-- i.f the agents of articulation : In common time : / three times, sustaining the last Ii a full heat, making a sion of three triplets and a quarter note; the last time the final ba aa long as possible. 44 4 In common time: / if there were three group- . I, and a quarter note. Distinguish carefully between BUI . .f // and of iib, jki and . Carele practice will roult in something like <-tc. This caution applie-s to many other com- binations. LESSON XXV. The Head. The lioad lias gestures and attitudes. The gestures of the head are law lut full <>f m.-aning. The com- mon ones are the nod, meaning yes ; tho shako of the head, meaning no ; and a contemptuous lling of the Lead to one side, which latter, lik<- a shrug of con- tempt, which it usually accompanies, N to ! -avoided, except when absolutely necessary to tin- i-\j>ivssion. The attitudes or positions of the head are more numerous and important than are its gestures, AVe find nine fundamental positions of the head. THE HEAD. 75 I. The Head Erect. (Fig. 8.) Tliis is the attitude of simple attention without sympathy. We find it in the attitude of Kespect (Lesson VI.). As a bearing or habit, it indicates strong vitality, con- sciousness of power. Be careful that the position of the body, either in sitting or standing, corresponds to that of the head, so far as your knowledge goes. FIG. 8, II. The Head Boived. (Fig. 9.) This indicates one of two conditions : Either the mind is so occupied that the attention is drawn away from surrounding things ; or, we are submitting our- selves to some one or something more powerful than i >ur>olves; we say, for instance, /'man must bow to the inevitable." This, then, is the expression of reflection, thought, mental concentration, or of respect and submission. As a bearing, the bowed head might indicate a thoughtful char- acter, or a very humble, abject person. What would be the difference in tha bearing of the hips and chest ? The ordinary bow means that you o. place yourself at the service of the person you salute. You are, for the time, his " humble servant." The attitude of the body will vary with the condition you wish to represent. T\vi:\TY-rirru III. 77/r /AW Lift,-,!. iFi-. 10.) The Load is lifted in joy, animation, exultation, vehemence, expressions of pride, superiority, and the like, and, aa a bearing, would indicate similar mental characteristics. FIG. 10. IV. The Head Pivoted. (Fig. 11.) The head pivoted or turned toward an object or person shows a feeling of at- traction ; turned from, that is, in an op- posite direction, the pivot indicates dis- like, repulsion, aversion. Thi* i^ ii"t a bearing ; people do not go about habit- ually with the head turned to one side. Fio. 11. [Speaker's Position.] I. EXAMPLES. The train from out the castle drew, But Marraion stopped t<> bid adieu. " Though something I might 'plain," he said, Of cold respect to stranger guest Sent hither by your king's behest, Part we iu friendship from your land And'noble earl, receive my hand." II. [But with coldness.] Scott. My liege, your anger can recall your trust, Annul my office, spoil me of my lands, Rifle my coffers; but my name, my deeds, Are royal in a land beyond your sceptre. Bulwer Lytton. This selection would be begun in the attitude of conscious power (I.), and gradually develop into THE HEAD. 77 (III.) that of conscious superiority, at the words " royal in a land "beyond your sceptre." Of course, a conventional bow at the words " my liege " would be very appropriate. Also, the head might pivot (IV.) toward the imaginary " office," " lands," and " coffers;" but such movements would be very slight, and are not necessary. To be or not to be that is the question. II. Shakespeare. Now glory to the Lord of Hosts, from whom all glories are ! III. Macaulay. NEPHEW. A merry Christmas, imcle ! God save you ! III. SCROOGE. Bah ! humbug I Dickens. IV. Shall I bend low and, in a bondman's key, With 'bated breath and whispering humbleness, say this : " Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last ; You spurned me such a day ; another time You called me dog ; and for these courtesies I'll lend you thus much monies?" Shakespeare. Oh, where is the knight or the squire so bold, As to dive to the howling charybdis below? Schiller. Here the head will pivot from side to side, as the king glances over the assembled courtiers, while his bearing may be either I. or III., more likely the lat- ter, as he is rather a haughty individual. This is an example of the combination of two attitudes. Remember that there are many degrees to all actions and attitudes, and that you must exercise suf- ficiently good taste to avoid overdoing on the one hand and tameness on the other. LESSON XXVI. Articulation. ' With the lips closed wo have ono other sound, //?, sometinit-s called a nasal consonant, because its sound escapes through the nostrils. It is in reality a hum- ming sound, and is ono of tho iV\v consonants that may be sustained for an indefinite time. F and rare fornx d by pressing tin- lower lip against the teeth. W t in trine, irit, in ?/7//W, are formed by rounding the lips somewhat, as in the formation of the vowel do. Wkis really Jnr: we say / //, /urine, not w-hen, n'-lnne. With the tongue in various positions we form the following consonants : T, (/, by the recoil of tho tip of the tongue from the upper teeth. L, n, by keeping the tip of tho tongue in its position against the upper teeth, but more relaxed than in / and d. N is the nasal sound in this position. R is formed in two ways: With the tip of the tongue very much relaxed we get what is commonly ?a VOCAL EXERCISES. 79 called the trilled or rough r; with the tongue curving inward gently, but without any vibration of the tip, we have the smooth or glide r, in care, car, culture, etc. Be sure to give this smooth r its true value ; do not say cdh, call, cultcha. With the tip of the tongue between the teeth we get th, in thin, myth; th, soft, in this, with, beneath. Vocal Exercises. Continued. EXERCISE IV. For Speaking Without Waste of Breath. Wit! i face and throat perfectly relaxed, take a firm, solid breath and call out suddenly and rather forcibly " lu'i !" As you make the sound, expand the waist slightly. Practise this, holding the flame of a candle near the mouth. If more breath is used than is necessary, the flame will flicker as you make the sound ; but when absolute control is gained, it will remain perfectly steady. Of course, the flame will be disturbed when the breath escapes after the exercise ; do not mind that. Use other vowel-sounds in the some way. Make a succession of sounds with one breath, as many as you can, and in various rhythms, LESSON XXVII. Attitudes of the Head. Continued. \. TJ- //""/ Indined .Fig. 12) Indicates ease, trustfulness-, familiarity, or indiffer- enC6. When tin- head is inclined toward a )><-rx>ii or object it indicates affectionate or trustful attention. "When tin- head inclines in the oppo- site direction iVoin the object at which the speaker is looking, it indicates distrust, or criticism. "\Vln-n th< . ii. ; ,U,, is turned away, the expression is of great inditlerencc, inattention. As a bearing, the head may BWSJ from side to >id>. in which case it indicates >elf-esteem, indittereuce to others, egotism, or merely an ra^y-^oing nature, ac- cording to the degree of the m<. vement. The head inclined habitually to one side i> indicative of a senti- mental nature, apt to be indiscriminately trustful. Very great inclination denotes a degree of mental weakness. Usually this, attitude is an affectation. 80 ATTITUDES OF THE HEAD. 81 VI. The Head Advanced (Fig. 13) indicates eagerness, curiosity, and sometimes threat- ening. This also may be a bearing. \II. The Head Drawn Back (Fig. 14) indicates surprise, suspicion, harsh moods of the mind, like hatred, fear, anger or disgust. As a bearing it denotes characteristics of a like unpleasant nature. FIG. 13. FIG. 14. VIII. The Head Hincj (Fig. 15) indicates shame, despair, or bodily weakness. The hung of the head differs from the bow in that all the muscles of the neck relax and the head drops lifelessly forward, while in the bow the neck yields but a very little at the most. As a bearing this would indicate weakness as of a very old man, an invalid, or an im- becile. IX. The Head Throivn Back (Fig. 16) indicates prostration, agony either of mind or of body. We seldom have use for so extreme an attitude as this, 82 TWBNTY-SEVENTH IXSSOM but quite often make a similar movement to express disgust or weariness, throwing back the head &8 it seeking to rest it on an imaginary pillow or on the shoulder. Fio. 15. 10. _riy when you will, it shall li Do what you will, dishonor shall be humor. < < UMJ .- i are yoked with a lamb, That carries anger as the fliut bears tire. V. Shaketpeare. Here is a beautiful example of the indifferent incli- nation an*l action of the head in tin- first t\v:> lines, changing to the affectionate bearing as the anger of Brutus gradually melts. Who is it leans from the belfry with face upturned to the sky, Cliugs to a column and measure.- the dix/.y height with his eye r VI. Stunxbury. How like a fawning publican he lock- V. VII. >'/ Here Sliylock's oxprossion is a mixture of suspicion and jealousy, and the attitude of the head should COV- ATTITUDES OF THE HEAD. 83 respond. The lieacl will not only incline away but be drawn back from Antonio, whose approach he is watch- ing. King Robert crossed both hands upon his breast And meekly answered him [VIII.] " Thou knowest best; My sins as scarlet are; let me ge hence, And in some cloister's school of penitence, Across those stones that pave the way to heaven, Walk barefoot, till my guilty soul be shriven!" Longfellow. Oh, I die, Horatio; The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit. IX. Shakespeare. By my troth, Nerissa, my little body is a-weary of this great \vi-rld. IX. Shakespeare. In practising these attitudes, always try to feel the corresponding emotion. Take a,sentence like " what shall I do," and give it with each attitude, expressing by your voice, as well, the different meanings that it would have. Thus, with I. the question would be simply for in- formation, or to express willingness to perform what might be required. "With IT. it should express submission (willing or unwilling) or great courtesy ; or it might be reflective in character, or indicate that you are greatly per- plexed. With III. it might express joyous willingness, " how can I best show my pleasure?" With IV. it would indicate a degree of uncertainty if you pivoted the head from side to side ; or a great 84 TWENTY-EIGHTH LESS"\. degree of attention if the head were r tt-rrible mental suffering; or, if given with but partial relaxa- tion, weariness or disgust. To TIIK TKXUIKK: Be careful that the pupils do not mix the atti- tudes in practising, as. for instance. bowing and hanirinir, lifting and throwing bark, pivot ini: nnd inclining. At the same lime, do not foriret that many of the^e attitudes may be legitimately combined. Space will not allow of indicating or exemplifying these here, but it will be found very useful to work out such combinations, with their appropriate definitions, as, for instance. inclining and bowinir toward the object denotes trustful submis- sion, while the opposite, inclination would indicate distrustful submission. LESSON XXVIII. Climax. We have studied the relations of the words in a phrase. It remains now to show that the phrases in a sentence are related to one another, just as the words in a phrase are ; that sentences, again, combine in groups, of which one will be the most important ; that, again CLIMAX. 85 these groups or paragraphs bear similar relations to one another. So we shall find, in every piece that we study, ono paragraph that is the most important, one sentence in that paragraph that is the most important, one phrase in that sentence and one word in that phrase that is the most important of all. When we arrive at this word we have reached the climax of that partic- ular piece. We speak of a word being emphatic, and of other words in the phrase as being subordinate to that word. Just as we have a series of emphatic words more or less subordinate to the principal emphatic word in a sentence, so we "have subordinate climaxes in pieces of considerable length. ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE. worse blocks you stones you you tlmii senseless things ! Shakespeare. Here are three emphatic words in as many phrases. Each phrase starts a little higher than the preceding. Each emphatic word is further from the subordinate word that precedes it. "You worse than senseless things" is the climax, and, of course, " blocks" and "stones" are emphases subordinate to "worse," as are their respective phrases to the last phrase. The well-known oration of Mark Antony is a splen- did illustration of a series of climaxes, culminating at 86 TWENTY-EIGHTH LESSON. the very last line. Often the principal climax will be followed by subordinate paf I nit a trulv dra- matic outburst leaves tin- audience at tin- hi-hest pitch of emotion. After a subordinate climax, there should be a period of comparatively quiet expression, gradu- ally culminating in another strongly emphatic pas- sage. Just as a painter g.-ts 1. - of light by putting surrounding objects more or less in shadow, so we in- tensify our climax by using moderation in the passa- ges that precede and follow it. In the above exam- ple if all our force of emphasis were expended upon "you blocks/' there would be nothing left to gi\e added strength to \\hat follows; and if a passage of this kind -were of any great length, the reader would be exhausted before reaching the end, and unable to sustain what force he had already given, the result of which would be an anti-climax, which is usually either very painful to fhe listener or very ridiculous. "King Kob.-rt of Sicily," "Catiline's Defiance," "Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures," " The Vagabonds," " Bay Billy,'' and simila 1 ions, are good exam- pi' s of a succession of clima The means for attaining this effect are various, de- pending upon the kind of emotion portrayed. Some- times the climax is attained simply by high pitch, sometimes by force, and again by sinking the voice and reducing its volume to a whisper. We will di- some of these means in the following lessons. In the THE EY& S? meantime, analyze some of the selections mentioned above, bearing in mind that the rules for emphasis given in previous lessons apply exactly as well to phrases, sentences and paragraphs as to words. LESSON XXIX. The Eye. The eye is the leader in all expression. If we wish to direct attention toward anything about us, we must first look at it ourselves ; if we feel emotion of any sort, the first manifestation of it is seen in the eye. To be exact, we should treat of the actions of the lids and brows separately from those of the eye proper ; but for convenience we will consider the eye as com- prising the upper and lower lids, the eye proper, and the eyebrows above. The eye in its normal condition, looking straight forward, indicates calmness, confidence, equality with the person toward whom we gaze. The eye lifted, looking upward, indicates calm and confident regard of something superior to ourselves ; looking downward indicates regard of an inferior. We call these the direct actions of the eye. Starting from the normal size, the eye opens wider, 88 TWENTT-lflNTB IB880N. through the following : imated attention; uprise, pain, "- frenzj. The ey e contract* through (1) indii: _' slyness, craftiness, scru- tiny, antagonism, to dl, sleep, or death. With ail, ex- cept the last, we ma}' have the three regards of the eye; that i-. we may look toward a superior, an equal, or au inferior with hatred, indifference, animation or -whatever may be the emotion required. The position of the eyebrows would sometimes be parallel with the upper lid, as in surpris.-, when both lid and brow rise, or in opposition, as in horror. In extreme terror the eyobrow> ri-e. In threatening an- p-r, j)hysical pain, tin- l>n>\\s i-ontrart ; tlicv contract with less intensity in pux/h-d thought, aj)plication. The brows risr in surjris,.. ].ati-nt endurance, suffer- ing The indirect eye, as it is called, that is, the eye not looking straight forward, n]>, or down, but more or -ideways, like the indirect intlevtions of tljt- voice, lia- a d'-ubl.' meaning. With the eye indirect we look at an object with suspicion, fear, affection, indifference, raillery, or various other -motions, ai-cordin^ to the attitude of the head. For instance, the indirect eye with the head inclined toward an object, indicates not merely attention, but attention to some one or some thing we are attracted toward; with the head in the opposite direction the indirect eye i- ^uspirious, fear- ful, or, at h-ast critical. It will be seen that the atti- tudes of the head mu>t be carefully studied before we THE EYE. 89 can have certainty in determining the meaning of a glance. The indirect eye may be normal, lifted or lowered, as well as the direct eye. The various attitudes of the head combine with and modify the meaning of the direct eye in many in- stances. Thus, with the head drawn back we would have harsh regard of superior, inferior or equal, as the case might be ; with the head lifted, adoration or contempt, according to the direction of the eye, etc. Bowing. In bowing to an audience the head bends, then the torso inclines slightly ; the torso first returns to an erect position, then the head follows. Be careful to observe this order. The attitude of Kespect is, of course, the proper one for the legs. Do not bend the knees. Glance about the room as you bow, or else bow several times, i. e., to right, to left, and in front ; the first method is much the better. To THE TEACHER : The hints given above regarding the combina- tions of head and eye will suggest to the earnest teacher a broad field for investigation. How far the student may be allowed to work out these problems will depend upon his natural ability and mental advancement. The teacher can demand ns much or little of independent investigation as he deems lit. I have usu- ally found, however, that pupils who are sufficiently advanced to comprehend this work at all, take delight in such problems, and derive much greater benefit from original investigation than from merely learning what is already laid down for them. The order of movement in attention is, first, eye, then, head ; but in declamation and dialogues, where the action is determined and studied beforehand, pupils are very apt to make a mechanical turn of the head in inverse order ; first, head, then, eye. To overcome this may require much patience ; but the habit must be conquered before the pupil proceeds further in pantomime. LESSON XXX. Rhythm. In our first studies in emphasis wo notice that the important word of the phra>e \\as often uwelt upon, while the subordinate words were spoken more rapidly in comparison. For instant-*-, " I stood on the bridge," if spoken naturally, would exhibit quite a variety of movement; the words I stood* 1 would about equal the word "bridge" in time value, while 'on tin- " would be spoken t rare in music. l>ut is much more- common in speech. Tin* relations ,f words, phrases, and sentences are shown (piit.- Afl dearly ly their rhythmical pmpnr- tions as l>y variations in ]itch. It is ea- that imjM.rtant phra>e>. sentenc.-s, and ]ara^rajlis uill, otlier things l.eini: ecjual, have slower movement and broader rhythm than less nec- essary passages, often, however, where the expres- sion is of an impetuous nature, the climax, is attained ly rush and stress, rather than hv breadth. Compare the folh.win- fn.n, Henry I V.." Part T. : KIN*(;. Sirnili, from henceforth Let UK- not h-:ir you speak of Mortimer : Send me your pri^nnci< with the speedieM in- Or you shall hear in such a kind from me A- will di>plea-e you. Send us your prisoner* or you'll hear of it. [Sloir [ Exit . ] impressive . ] HoTsrrn. An if the I'N-vil come and roar for them. 1 will not send them : I will after straight, And tell him so ; for I will ease my heart, Although it be with hazard of my livm.}. Shakespeare. ACTIONS OF THE HAND. 93 Contrast the commanding manner of the king with the impetuosity of the fiery Hotspur. Play uppc, play uppe, O Boston bells ! Ply all your changes, all your swells, Play uppe " The Brides of Ended)y." Jean Ingelow. Here, again, the impetuosity and excitement cause more rapid movement at the climax. " Sheridan's Hide," and Coleridge's "Hymn to Mont Blanc" may be instanced as examples at opposite extremes of rhythmical expression. LESSON XXXI Actions of the Hand, The actions of the arm are what are usually known as gestures. Although, as we have seen, gestures may be made elsewhere, the arm has almost a monopoly of them. The arm is divided into upper arm, fore- arm, and hand. We begin with the hand. I. Simple Indication. (Fig. 17.) Point with the forefinger of either hand toward some object ; be sure that the movement is from the wrist, that is, that the hand alone and not the forearm moves. Have FIO. 17. '.'1 the arm near the l><>y the shutting t 'gather and recoil of the back of the tonkin- and the soft-palate. S'j is the nasal sound in this position. S and .*/* a iv hissing Bounds mad*- through the nearly closed teeth. Z and zh are buzzing sounds in much the same position. (Zh represents tin- sound of z in azure and of g of rouge.} Tsl is tin* l>est representation ( .f tin- sound of <7> in (////, rJinrr]i, much. Dzh is tlic sound of y and soft r. A'-v i> the sound of ./ in r> .r, />,,/. Many consonants stand for different sounds. Jt will be found that the list we have given covers the entire field, the various letters and combinations omitted VOCAL EXERCISES. 97 being simply duplicates of tliese. Tims : ch hard in choir is the sound of k ; c is either s or k, according as it is hard or soft, as in cinder, cat. H is not usually regarded as a true consonant, being simply a rough breathing, or aspiration as it is called. Compare hat, at, oyster, hoister, etc. Th is not an aspirated t, but a separate sound hav- ing its own definite position of the tongue. So ph is not aspirated p, but/. Vocal Exercises. Continued, for Forward Placing of the Voice. 1. Hum very softly the sound m. Open the mouth very gently, still keeping the soft humming sound. 2. Practise the hum with open mouth at the begin- ning. 3. Practise in combination with the various vowel- sounds, thus : m a, mo, prolonging both the liiuii- mmg sound and the vowel. 4. "With full voice explode the sounds md, md, mo, as directed in Lesson XXIX. 5. Also use Id, td, Id, to, both softly and loudly. With no break in the soft humming sound, make a series of vowels like d d e d do with the slightest pos- sible action of the agents of articulation, LESSON XXXIII. Actions of the Hand. Continued. V. J/ //>//. Extend the hand iu front, -with palm up, fingers active, as if to take something. " ( live it to me." This is tlu- action of appeal. It is appropriate not only to a request for some object, but to all questions, of appeal, Mich as "am I not right ?" "won't you do it?" and even to simple interrogations. VI. Reject With the hand extended in front, palm down, as if covering a flat surface, move the hand sideways out- ward, as if trying to push something away with the outer edge of the hand. This is rejection, denial, negation. "Take it av " nonsense," " pshaw," "I don't believe it.' This ac- tion is stronger v\hen the palm is "from earth," that is, as in IV. It is then called demonstrative rejection. VIL Declaration. Fold the hand slightly toward the body as in II., but without special activity of the forefinger; then 98 ACTIONS OF THE HAND. 99 carry the hand outward at the side until the palm is o ward the audience, as if to show that you hare nothing concealed in or about your hand. This is declaration, revelation, "It is so," "yoii can si'i; for yourself." VIII. Declaration until Surrender, As in Y., Imt with a downward inclination of th hand as well. This is a declarative movement with surrender, " You are right," "I acknowledge it," "I was wrong," "I give it up." (The downward tendency of the hand is in proportion to the degree of surrender, the out- ward to that of revelation.) I X. Concealment. Place the hand upon the body, as if to conceal or caress some part of it. This is the opposite of VII. and VIII. It is the ac- tion of apprehension, concealment, self-caress. When we feel pain the hand seeks the suffering part in this way. Practise all the foregoing movements until the hand is flexible and free. At first relax tha hand com- pletely betw r een the -gestures, but when the gestures have been thoroughly learned separately, practise them in a connected series in the order in which they have been given, and in other combinations, i.e., (1) indicate, (2). beckon, (3) admire or caress, (4) repel, (5) 100 THIRTY-FOURTH LESSON. appe. .-ny, (7) reveal, i_8 surrender, .<>> conceal. Practise with each hand until p-stnro is as natural with ono as with tho other. Numbers 2 to 9 inav l>o practised with both hands together. Finally, practise these actions from tho elbow that is, moving the forearm as well as the band. l>o careful to <>!>. -r\- the proper order of movement, munch : the for* arm moves first, then the hand. The hand is surrendered until the forearm is nearly in its place, then the hand acts as before. LESSON XXXIV. Pitch, Movement, and Volume. All li^ f ht, unconstrained feelings manifest themselves by high pitch and more or l.-s^ rapid movement. M'rrily swinrin: mi liricrnml -' of his little n, (n tlio other hand, calls for self-r>straint ; therefore, the movement will l>e slower, tho pitcli lower, and tho pauses more fre- quent and longer in proportion to tho decree of seri- ousness or dignity. \'eiy solemn or sad i-xpiv- would have low tone and \orv slow movement. PITCH, MOVEMENT, AND VOLUME. 101 How long, Catiline, wilt thou abuse our patience ? How long shalt thou baffle justice in thy mad career? Cicero, To be or not to be that is the question. Shakespeare. Break, break, break, At the foot of the crags, O sea ! But the tender grace of a day that is dead Will never come back to me. Tennyson. In excitement the movement is abrupt with frequent pauses. , - ; And lo ! as he looks on the belfry's height A glimmer and then a gleam of light ! A hurry of hoofs in a village street A shape in the moonlight a bulk in the dark And beneath from the pebbles in passing a spark Struck out by a steed flying fearless and fleet, Longfellow. In unemotional reading we have medium pitch and rate, that is, the pitch and rate of ordinary con- versation. There is one accomplishment, in particular, which I would ,,.- nestly recommend to you. Cultivate assiduously the ability to read well. Where one person is really interested by music, twenty are pleased by good reading. Where one person is capable of becoming a skilful musician, twenty may become good readers. Hart. AVith regard to the volume or loudness of the voice, it may be said that, in general, the ordinary speaking- voice is sufficient. In shrieking, calling, shouting, cheering, and the expression of unrestrained anger or defiance, the volume may be very great, but even here do not try to stun your hearers. Never mistake noise or bluster for intensity. True feeling does not manifest itself by explosive utterance, In gentle. LOJ THIRTY-FOURTH LKtsOX. subdued emotions, the v ice U >,,ft ami musical, whilst in avs nd fear, it sinks almost and sometimes quite to a whisper. Remember that in speaking in a largo hall, it is necessary to allow time for tin- voice to roach every 11 in the audience, so we should speak more slowly than when at home, or in the school-room. If we are careful to do this, re n--ed not shout nor strahi tip an use ourevery-day couver- sati"iial ton.- -iiid be perfectly at case. I- . . ; { peak in a n.i -asuivd and stilted manner at anv tiiiif, but keep the same proportion between im- portant and unimportant uordsas in ordinary con- reraatlOIL It i- bea\ fco talk, for the most part, to that portion of the audience that is farthest from YOU. In that way \<>u \\ill h-arn to " project'' the tone so that the words are carried distinctly everywhere. If there is an echo, speak more softly ami slowly than usual. Al\\a\x b, -in (juietly, so that you feel a sense !' reserve p m Carefullv avoid diminishing the V(.lume of the voice in anv phrase after the emphatic Mord ha-> been reached. To -ive the remaining words \\ith less than the jn-evimis degree of strength gives all impression of ]hvsii-al \\eakness. as if the breath had given out. Of roiirse, this rule doe> not apply to instances where that especial etVect i> desired. Do not interpret what has been said here to mean that the volume of the voice is never to vary. In all FULL- ARM GESTURES. 103 strong, vital emotions there will be a mora or less gradual increase of volume corresponding to the cres- cendo in music, culminating on the emphatic word. In very tender emotions, the volume may gradually diminish until the emphatic word is reached. Com- pare " How I hate } r ou," with "How I love you." LESSON XXXV. Full-Arm Gestures. Pull-arm gestures are appropriate where there is great earnestness, strong feeling, or when addressing an audience of any size. We have an almost infinite number of expressive actions of the arm, but a few examples will suffice to illustrate right and wrong ways of making them. One of the most common faults is not observing the proper order of movement, which is : first, upper arm ; second, forearm ; finally, the hand and fingers. An- other fault is to finish the gesture with the arm only partly developed, "broken," as we sometimes say (Fig. 5). EXERCISE I. Indication (palm up). Select an object at the side. Remember that the actions of the eye and head precede that of the arm. 104 TV// /.'7' )'-/// 777 A/ 1. Raise the upper arm, letting the rest of tlio arm han4 lifeless, until the elbow points in the di- 'H Ol the object. _. Btraigh ten the fore- arm, at tin- same time turning it at the elhow BO that the hand, which still remains passive, is FIG. 18. moved edgewise until the wrist is "from earth." brin^in^ the palm up. 3. Straighten out the hand with the forefinger point- - l.-scriluMl in Lesson XXXI. l'e 'verv-da\ -ex- pressions, like " look at that," " take a chair." ! II. LtiJiciitiini ( j*tlin il< This is a more active expression than the former . one. In pointing out objects ft t a -real distance, or where thoi'i 'ness, ex- Fl - w- citement or command, we use this form of indication; the other is more easy and trustful. The order of action is as before, but with the outer ed^e of the hand leading instead of the inner. (Fig. 18.) "Go!" "AVho is it leans from the belfry with face upturned to the sky ?" FULL- ARM GESTURES. 105 Practise these until the three movements blend gracefully. Be very careful not to overdo the move- ments or add affected curves to the forearm and hand movements. Make every gesture as simple as possible. EXERCISE III. Indication of Self Folding Movement. Here the arm folds in instead of developing out- ward. With the arm hanging at the side : (a) Turn the arm slightly, bringing the palm out- ward, at the same time carrying the elbow out a very little distance from the body. (Fig. 20.) Fio. 20. FIG. 21. FIG. 22. (I) Fold the hand so as to bring the fingers point- ing toward the part to be indicated. (Fig. 21.) (c) Fold the forearm, at the same time raising the upper arm and carrying it out from the body, until the fingers touch the spot you wish to indicate. (Fig. 22.) 106 77/77, 7T-/7/-77/ IB8 Stll.lv the movement- Separately, tliel! Melld tlielil. Indicate variiu> part> of the body, using appropri- ate expressions, fnr instance: touching the foreln ad with the forefiu._ " let Hie see;" touching the lips, -hush;" -iii.ii' thr palm -t tin- lu-ai't, "( )h, I have sunVlvd with FIO. 23. those that I saw suf- fer;" touching tlie sido of the nose with the foivtin- ! I. is >1\. xii-." I-'j^. -j:i illustrates an imli- oation preceded by a folding moyemeni AVh-r' tin-re i- ail -<>nal t'fclin--, gestorea are often l>e^un in this way, mental . i starting from the head, einc- tinnal gestures, h.ve, indi- Hat i >n, etc., iVoiu the el)e>t or heart region, vital gestures from tin- waist. EXEIKI- 1 Suspense. An attitude of the hand and arm which often accom- panies the attitude of BH .ration in the ifl that in which the hand is drawn in toward the Itody, the palm downward, the lingers spread well apart, and the elbow active, very much as in Fig. 26, but with the hand much nearer the line <>i the \\ai>t, and .not quite so near the body. Fig. 33 is also an example of another and stronger form of suspensive action, indicating a tendency to repel. These attitudes I FULL- ARM GESTURES. 107 always go finally into some fully developed gesture, varying, of course, according to the emotion that suc- ceeds the state of suspense. EXERCISE Y. Returning to Rest. In bringing the arm to rest again after one or more gestures, if the last gesture has been a folding move- ment, simply unfold again in inverse order (c, &, a) and let the arm fall back in a relaxed position ; if the ges- ture is an extended one, turn the forearm until the \\ 1 1st is downward, "to earth," if not already in that position, then relax the arm, still holding the hand in position, and sink the wrist; let the arm drop at the side, the wrist drawing the hand after it. Practise this slowly until control is gained. Prac- tise also carrying the arm from side to side, the hand following the movement of the arm in the same way, just as a handkerchief waved to and fro follows the hand. Practise all the gestures described in Lessons XXXI. and XXXIII. with full-arm movements. To THE TEACHER: In all gestures made with one hand only, except the very lightest, there is a tendency in the less active hand to sympathize with the action of the other, either by acting in op- position, in less demonstrative parallelism, or by taking an atti- tude expressive of the emotion that prompts the gesture. This action of the weak hand is called the supporting gesture. To enter upon the study of these gestures in detail would be beyond the limits that I have assigned myself in the preparation of this book. The supporting action will be strong in proportion to the strength of the principal gesture. Encourage the pupils in the I 108 THIRTY-SIXTH tSSSOJf. greatest freedom of movement. If there is genuine feelinir he- hind the gesture, the supporting movement or attitude will take care of itself. See that it does not contradict the gesture, and at least insist on a corresponding attitude of the hand if then is reluctance on the part of the pupil to go further. The knowl- edge and ingenuity of the teadur must supplement the instruc- tions given here as eKewherc. The voice and example of a good instructor are worth more than any written description of an rcise. Caution pupils airainst making too many iiesture> and against extravagant action. For instance, in declaration the arm- may rise through all degrees of altitude to a considerable angle above the line of the shoulders, yet in ordinary expression an angle of thirty to forty-live degrees from the perpendicular is amply sufficient, and often, especially in conversation, the arm hardly more than pivots so as to bring the palm out. Teach your scholars that a gesture is a strong form of emphasis, and must be reserved for a climax, and, except in very light, trivial emo- tions, must he sustained until the end of the sentence in which it occurs, unless superseded by another action. LESSON XXXVI. Oppositions of the Head and Arms. If wo wish to be sure that tlio person whom we ad- dress in Indication sees the object indicated, we look back from it to him, still pointing toward the object. For instance, in pointing out an object at the ri^lit, wr would turn the head toward it ; but when the arm began to move toward the object, the head would begin to turn back toward the person addressed. Wlien the head and arm move in the same direction, they art} said to have parallel motion. When, as described above, the head and arm move in opposite directions OPPOSITIONS OF THE HEAD AND ARMS. 109 at the same time, they are said to be in opposition, or to oppose each other. Law : Parallel movements should be successive, opposing movements should be simultaneous. If the head and arm move in the same direction to- gether, the appearance to the beholder is often very ridiculous and always awkward. "When, on the con- trary, opposing movements follow each other, the action seems to drag, and the harmony of the gesture is destroyed. The law applies to the whole body. When we draw back as in fear, the hand and arm go toward the object ; when the hand is drawn back, the body advances. If there is parallel action, as in greet- ing a friend, the body and arm both advancing, be careful that the movements are always successive, the body first, the arm succeeding. EXERCISE I. Indication ivith Opposition of Head and Arm. (Figs. 24, 25.) Order of Movement. First, the eye and head turn toward the object, then as the arm begins to rise to its position, or " develop," as we sometimes say, the head and eyes return to their original position, or if we are addressing a particular individual, until the gaze is fixed upon him. The arm is fully developed just as the eye and hand finish their return movement, so that both come to rest at the same time. With folding movement, fold as the head is turning toward the object. 110 Fio. 34. EXERCISE II. Rejection, nr Denial (Figs. 26, 27.) Action of bead and eye as in Indication, the arm in front, folding it toward tho body while the head turns toward the object rejected. As the head returns, the arm moves outward at the d if pushing BOme- thing away. This may ! ni-acti>L'(l with the -d^v and with tlie jialm. 'I ne edge is more graceful, while the palm gives the im}>r-ssi(.n of greater stn ln-ing ex-r(-d. In the lighter forms of rejection, the arm hardly folds at all, l.mt starts out at once from its position at the side. OPPOSITIONS OF THE HEAD AND ARMS. Ill Tier. 26. EXERCISE III. Rejection of Trifles. Rejection of trifles is made with the weakest part of the hand, i.e., the back, and either outward or up- ward. The latter is the more contemptuous action. In all oppositions, the degree of action in the head is in direct proportion to that of the arm. The head inclines or pivots from the object according to the strength of feeling. The inclination of the head is less powerful than the pivot.. In rejection of trifles the action of the head will be slight ; in fact, the eye alone is often sufficient for this gesture, THIRTY-SIXTH LESSON. Km. &. KXI.K. BE IV. Jflrmatio*. figs, 28, -J'.i. Here the action is up and down instead of outward. The arm first folds as in self-indication, but without brin^in^ tin- hand quite so near to the body, while the head hows toward it. Thru the head rises to the normal attitude, 01 U BYftfl lifted in strong affirmation, while the arm unfolds, finishing its gesture with the palm oj>en toward the audience. Practise this as well as the preceding with three degrees of empha-:- ; 1 moderate ; r2 with consider- able energy; (3) with head uplifted and arm extended OPPOSITIONS OF THE HEAD AND ARMS. 113 straight downward at the front, with the hand fully expanded. Practise also bringing the edge of the hand instead of the palm toward the audience. This is definition, or the teacher's affirmation, and is appro- priate to quiet, earnest moods of the mind. Also with clinched fist. This affirmation is appropriate to anger, defiance, and the like. FIG. 31. Fio. 33. EXEECISE V. Assertion. (Figs. 31, 32.) The head rises, the eye seeking heaven, then returns to the audience white the arm is lifted, 114 77///,''/T-.v/.\T// LESSON. Practise tliis with fnivting^r pointing upward and with ojM-n palm. The former is intellectual, the latter more emotional, njn.-u-ln.-art.-J, >tn>ng. Fio. 33. Fio. 34. Ex: VI. (Figs- 33, 34.) The hands are thrust nut as if to jmsh something away, while the whole body draws l>;ick and turns away as if shrinking 1'rmu some divadcd or displt-asin^ object. Of course, the strength of the action will depend upon the degree of rejuignance. It may vary from playful, or pivt-nd-d ivpulskm to that caused l>y -x- DIFFICULT ARTICULATION, 115 treme fear. Remember to draw back the hips more than the shoulders. Practise in various directions : in front, at the sides, upward, and downward, keeping the eye fixed on the object, and also turning the face away as if unable to endure the sight. LESSON XXXVII. Articulation Continued. Difficult Combinations. The following list of words and sentences contains specimens of nearly every difficult combination of con- sonant-sounds that you are likely to meet in reading. Some are, of course, very rarely found, but all should be practised in order to attain flexibility and accuracy in the use of the agents of articulation. Acts, facts, lists, ghosts, depths, droop'st, adopts, fifths, laughst, hookst, desks, satst, help'st, twelfths, thefts, milk'st, halt'st, limp'st, attemptst, want'st, thinkst, warp'st, dwarf'st, hurtst, sixths, eighths, texts, protects, stifTst, sparkl'st, waken'st, robb'st, amidst, width, digg'st, rav'st, writh'st, prob'dst, hundredths, begg'dst, besieg'dst, catch'dst, troubl'st, trifl'st, shov'lst, kindl'st, struggl'st, puzzl'st, shieldst, revolv'st, help'dst, trembl'dst, trifl'dst, shov'ldst, involv'dst, twinkl'dst, fondl'dst, dazzl'dst, rattl'dst, sendst, wak'n'dst, mad- 1 1 r, Til IRTT 8 /: I " /; N Til I. ESS ON. d'n'dst, lighten'dst, ripen'dst, hearken'dst, doom'dst, o'erwhelm'dsts, absorbst, re^ard'st, cnrb'dst, hurl'dst, charm\lstjvturn\lst,starY\lst,strrai^th'ns, strength Vd, wrong'dst, lengthen'dat, snoth'dst, act'st, lift'st, melt'st, hurt'st, wanl'st, shout'st, tnnch'd, parch'd, help'dst, bark'dst, prompt'st, touc-h'dst, vattr.-t. Put the cut purnpkiii iu a pipkin. Coop up the cook. A l>i<< mad >.. ms. Dick dipped the tippet and dripped it. Gtiddj Kittie's tawdry gewgaws. The needy needlewoman needn't wheedle. TYtch the poor fellow's feather pillow. A very watery western Tapor, Six tliick thistle sticks. She, says she shall sew a sheet. The sun shines on the shop si^ns. A shock- ing sottish set of shopmen. A shoi't soft shot-silk sash. A silly shatter-brained chatterbox. Fetch six chaises. She thrust it through the thatch. Thrice the shrew threw the shoe. The slow snail's slime. 1 snuff shopsnntV, doyoii Bnuffshopsnuifl She sells seasliells. Some shun sunshine. The sweep's suitably sooty suit. A rural ruler. Truly rural. Literally literary. Eobert loudly rebuked Richard, who ran lustily roar- ing round the lobby. His ri^ht le^ la^ed in the race. Amidst the mists with an^ry 1 toasts he thrusts his fists against the posts, and still insists he sees the ghosts. Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. DIFFICULT ARTICULATION. 117 Theophilus Thistle, tlie successful Thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles, thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb ; now if Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles, thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb, see that thou, in sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles, thrust not three thousand thistles through the thick of thy thumb. Success to the successful thistle sifter. My daine has a lame tame crane, My dame has a crane that is tame ; Oh, pray, gentle Jane, Let my dame's lame tame crane Drink and come home again. Laid in the cold ground [not coal ground]. Half I see the panting spirit sigh [not spirit's eye]. Be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire [not thy known]. Oh, the torment of an ever-meddling memory [not a never meddling]. All night it lay an ice-drop there [not a nice drop]. Oh, studied deceit [not study]. A sad dangler [not angler]. Goodness centres in the heart [not enters]. His crime moved me [not cry]. Chaste stars [not chase tars]. She could pain nobody [not pay]. Make clean our hearts [not lean]. His beard descending swept his aged breast [not beer]. Did you say ten minutes to wait, or ten minutes to eight ? A sore eye saw I. Why y ? Thou straightest, fastest strokes struck'dst, Stephen, 118 THIRTT-BIOHTH I.K To TIIK Ti.\< III:K: -Many of tin- above >i-nteiires have been taken from Pro*". Bell's excellent work, " The Principles of Elocu- tion," to which I am glad to refer all teach* r- \\ ho wish to be abreast of the times in our art. Be careful that pupils do not overdo the sound of * so frequent in many of these combinations; irr combinations like *&, in l for overcoming special defi- ciencies as may be necessary in addition to those I have given. LESSON XXXVIII, Facial Expression. The forehead, eyes, nose and mouth are the agents of facial expression. Facial expression comes in or- der of succession before ^-stnivs of any part. The face is next the brain, and is the thxt part to receive impressions from it A smooth FOREHEAD denotes calmness, serenity. The brow drawn down and contracted indicates mental concentration, perplexity, antagonism, resistance to pain, according to tin.' decree of contraction. The brow lifted indicates interested or eager attention, surprise. The brow lifted and contracted denotes sorrow, grief, patient endurance of mental or physical suffering. The brow rises with the " patient shrug." FACIAL EXPRESSION. 110 We have already discussed the EYE in previous les- sons. The NOSE has few actions, and is not capable of many changes. It is the centre of the face, and like the torso, which is the centre of the body, must main* tain a dignity commensurate with its position. The nostrils expand in strong emotions to allow more air .to enter the lungs. A large, open nostril is always a sign of strong vitality ; a pinched or contracted nostril denotes physical weakness. One nostril drawn up in- dicates disgust, contempt; both nostrils drawn up is the bearing of a mean, evil-minded person. The MOUTH is the most expressive feature. Orators have large mouths as a rule. A small mouth shows a delicate, refined, but not powerful nature. We will consider the lips and lower jaw, which give the mouth its expression, separately. Thin LIPS are cold, unemotional ; thick, protruding lips are sensual, coarse. The lips drawn in indicate concentration, primness, severity ; protruded slightly they indicate affection; they are protruded and con- tractedj much as Li whistling, when we are exercising the judgment, discrimination. The pout is a rejection by the lips ; in great disgust we act precisely as if we were trying to gat rid of a disagreeable substance in the mouth. The lips drawn down at the corners indi- cate sadness, disappointment, melancholy ; the corners are drawn up in pleasurable emotions. One side of r.<- TUiKTY-r.itnrni LS88C v. the lip drawn up corresponds to and accompanies the, contemptuous action <>f tin- i A strong I.OWKI: .TAW shows strength, liri character; a receding jaw, weakness. The jaw is set firmly in self control, resistance, antagonism ; it relaxes in pleasure, and opens in admiration, surprise, fear and terror. It lianas lifelessly in weakness, prostra- tion, imbecility, despair. The jaw advances in threat- ening, aii^er, hatred. ()hs.]-\e that almost all the conditions described in this h-ssoii may he hearings, indicating various types of character. Do not lie too hasty in judging your as- sociate by these hints ; there are somet'mes strange exceptioi nrral rules. Socrates, for instance, one of the greatest and noblest of all men, was in ap- pearance almost repulsive. We may do much to over- come natural defects l>y the e\eivUe of the will, and many men have conquered inborn tendencies of the most unlovely character while, still retaining the stamp that nature placed on them at birth. So, many liaturallv symmetrical natures have allowed themselves to be warped out of all true moral poise, and yet to the superficial observer have lost little of their exter- nal beauty. llemember that "'tis the mind that makes the body rich*' or pool-, as tl naj be. To Tin: TKACIIEK: The pupils should work out tin- facial ex- pression of a iriven emotion, say suipri-c, indicating the ex- pression <>f cadi part, then adding the proper itttiUid' actions of the torso anil limhs. More advanced pupils may employ themselves \\ith complex emotions, such as surprise with hatred, with fear, with joy;' joy with humility, allectiou, arro- DESCRIPTION. 121 gance, and the almost infinite number of similar combinations. My purpose in reserving the consideration of this subject until the last (and, indeed, 1 had some doubts as to the advisability of saying as much as I have on the subject) is that untrained pupils are very apt to overdo facial expression if they undertake it at all in the beginning. I have felt that these subtile manifes- tations would develop themselves naturally in connection with the broader phases of gesture and attitude previously discussed, provided those have been accompanied by the proper inward impulse, without which no expression, however studied, seems spontaneous. I have inserted this matter at the request of sev- t-ral teachers whose experience has differed from mine in this respect, and who find that many of their pupils have no facial rxprr sion at all. But I implore all teachers to be exceedingly careful to discourage the writhings of the lips, scowls, affected elevations of the brows, and tine- frenzy-rolling eyes, with which so many would-be-dramatic readers afilict their unfortunate au- diences. LESSON XXXIX. Description Pantomime has another office besides expressing emotions ; it is very useful in assisting us to convey vivid impressions of what we may be describing. This function is called imitation or description. Gestures of indication are descriptive in their character. We convey impressions of great size, volume, majesty, by broad expansion of the arms ; we bring the tips of the fingers of both hands near together to describe small, insignificant objects ; when using one hand, the thumb touching the little finger suggests very tiny objects. THIRTY-NINTH LESSON. Actions that we call functional, like- pushing, pull- 'iammerini:, twisting, tin- action of the hand in writing, playing an instrument, waving a handker- chief, and a hundred others, are used imitativelv. The tremolo of the hand that is, a rapid movement Bta many similar tremu- lous movements in nature, the ripple of water, of sim- shine, tlie movement of the leaves. The tremolo should be verv delicate, and requires much tVxibilitv at the wri-t. All emotional manifestations are Used imitathely when we describe an emotion in another. Descrip- tive fcctioDfl of all kinds must not lie overdone. JJroad iption is allowable only in comedy. In serious readi ather than imitate: the more delicate the si :: the more artistic will be your expres- sion. The voice aNo has an imitative function. All re- productions of peculiar qualities, as of an old man's , nasal, throaty, or tlat tones, the vocal character- istic- of diti'erent nations and races, are vocal imita- lions. The volume of the voice i- sometimes made use of imitativelv, the tone becoming more sonorous in describing grandeur, majesty, ami more than usu- ally delicate in suL r u r '^tin.u r delicate thin^. \\'.- often hear vocal imitations of various sounds in nature, the calls of animals, chirping of birds, the vibration of bells, and the like. Use imitation sparingly. It is very essential in description, as, indeed, in all DESCRIPTION. 123 recitation, that you yourself see vividly the picture or scene that you wish to portray. Cultivate your im- agination until each object and person in your story appears as clearly before your mind's eye as if you had at some time actually seen them. You should be able to describe the dress and peculiarities of appear- ance of a character even in many details that the au- thor lias not suggested, and fill out the barest outline of a scene with mountains, trees, houses, furniture, or whatever would be appropriate to it. Have, too, a definite locality for everything in your picture. Do not place a thing at your left that a moment before was at your right, nor one at your feet that was just now a hundred yards away. Bear in mind, however, that whenever you, as spectator, are supposed to change your position, everything in the picture also changes its position relative to you. In the opening lines of " Barbara Frietchie" the spectator describes the village of Frederick and its surroundings from an imaginary distance of several miles, but soon he finds himself in the village itself. Generally when one person takes two characters, as would be done in reciting the tent scene in " Julius Caesar," it is customary to indicate the change from one character to the other by a change in the direction of attention ; that is, if Brutus is speaking toward the left, Cassius, who is supposed to be on that side of the platform, would speak, when his turn came, toward the right. In impersonation, as in reciting dialogues, 124 rnVTlKTH LESSON. we do not sp.-ak to the audience but to the imaginary Brutus or Cassias, a little t> one side. In descriptive recitation, narrative, or addivss, we keep the attention directed toward the audience, simply glancing at the objects or persons described, and looking back at once toward the audience, but sustaining the gesture, if any , until the verbal description is complete. We said that an attitude of the body should always be sustained until the emotion prompting it is super- b\ another emotion; so a gesture, which, if sustained at all, becomes at <>nce an attitude, is sub- jeet to the same law. Be careful to locate objects and persons a t the >ide rather than directly in front, where your audience is. An angle of from thirty to forty-five degree - to the right or left is usually the most convenient one for iptive purp- LESSON XL. Final Hints on Attitudes and Bearings. The FEET are near together in timidity and weak- ness ; they are separated in active, strong conditions. The KNKKS are relaxed in submission, weakness, fear, horror ; they are normally firm in normal conditions ; they stiffen in defiance. The HIPS thrown forward indicate pomposity, a ITU- ATTITUDES AND BEARINGS. 125 gance, vulgarity ; drawn back they indicate humility, timidity. The CHEST expanded denotes strength, activity, no- bility of mind ; contracted, indicates weakness, either <>f soul or of body, or of both. The attitudes of the HEAD have been fully discussed in previous lessons. Tim ARMS, in repose, fall naturally at the sides when standing, or in the lap when sitting. The hands may also be carelessly locked together in front, or one or both arms allowed to rest easily on the read- ing-desk, table, or arm of the* chair. The arms are folded in front in concen- tnition of thought or emotion, control of passion ; one or both are behind the back in concealment, reflection. If you fold the arms easily and then raise the forearm that is on the outside, so that the hand is at the lips, or the chin or side of the cheek rest upon it, you have another attitude of reflection or concentration of mind that is very common (Fig. 35). Practise going into this attitude without the preliminary fold of the arms, as soon as you have acquired the correct position. The ELBOW turned out indicates arrogance, self-as- sertion, conceit; with the hands on the hips these indications are very marked and generally vulgar, FIG. 35. 126 FORTIETH LESS<>\. The elbow drawn iii indicates weakness, timidity, fear. The normal attitude of the HAND is that which it as- sumes when at rest. The hand expands gently in af- fectionate expressions, as if to caress someone. It opens \\ide in astonishment, admiration, fear and re- ])iilsion. The fingers c -ntract in hatred, jealousy, and like passions, as if von would like to tear the tiesh of your antagonist. The hand is clinched firmly in con- centration of mind or passion, in rage. The fingers work spasmodically when there is an attempt to con- ceal strong passions that overpower the will. The BODY is In-lit and passive in weakness, submis- sion, meanness, old air* ; it is erect and active in all vigorous conditions of mind or body. rf Attitudes. III. An attitude remains unchanged until the emotion that caused it is superseded or modified by a new emotion. Notice that one attitude of a particular part, for ex- ample, the clinched rist, often stands for r its cultivation and management, whether in singing, preaching, lecturing, reading, or conversing; points out the way to remedy its bad habits or defects and to restore it to healthful action, organic and functional. It is a journal which discusses pulpit and secular oratory ; the meth- ods of teaching reading and declamation in schools ; the various systems of cultivating the voice for singing ; elocution; the art of con- versation ; and, in fact, everything pertaining to the speaking and the singing voice. Published Monthly at $1.50 a Year in Advance; Single Copy, 20 cents. Address the Editor and Proprietor, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d Street, New York. DELSARTE '"EXPRESSION By <- 1: M; v 1 1: \ i; vn:nm \>. PRESENTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WAY PLAIN, PRACTICAL, HELPFUL. * * * * Designed Especially for a Text-Book and for Self-Instruction, * * * A BOOK OF /ESTHETIC PHYSICAL TRAINING FOR ALL PER- SONS OF CULTURE. AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE Elocutionist, Orator, Actor, Public Reader, Law- yer, Preacher, Painter, Sculptor, and all Others who wish to give Expres- sion to their Bodies or to their Work. A uthor and Publisher have spared neither labor nor expense in their endeavor to produce a work that shall satisfy the widespread desire for something tangible and serviceable on the Delsarte System. Every exercise has been subjected to repeated Personal test, and great care given to the description of attitude and movement* The writings and teachings of Delaumosne, Arnaud and Mackaye (pupils of Delsarte) the author has supplemented with years of study under other masters in different capitals, at the Paris Conservatoire, etc., and has drawn from various additional sources, ancient and mod- ern. She has taken all they had to give, pruning, analyzing, comparing, adapting, formula- ting, constructing, and testing theories, principles, rules and methods by years of personal, practical experience as teacher, elocutionist, public reader, and actress. So far as the Delsarte System is known, so far as it can be reduced to definitions and exercises, both author and pub- lisher do now place this book before the public as the best that can be written ; trusting that, besides being a guide and help to the oratorical and dramatic student, it will contribute toward rescuing the life-work of Francois Delsarte from the threatening oblivion and from the misun- derstanding, mysticism and contempt into which it has fallen. %* *** *** Delsarte's gymnastics differ from others in that they are not mechanical. Each has a men- ial, emotional, aesthetic value and intent. No exercise is prac- ticed simply for the physical result, but for the purpose of developing body, mind and soul, and harmonizing their re- ciprocal relations, influences and effects. By a happy, judicious ming- ling of philosophy and drill ex- ercises, the author has avoided making the book either 'oo metaphysical or too mechani- cal. Both the reasoning stu- dent and the practical student will be satisfied. Every g m- nastic has its philosophical ex- planation, every principle its physical application. The book is arranged in div k sions and lessons ; with head- ings, sub-headings, numbered paragraphs, the gymnastics grouped and classified, type of various sizes and differently dis- played, an order of exercises f'. r systematic practice and blank pages for explanations and re- marks an exhaustive index ; it is well suited for class-work. SIXTEEN CHARTS (drawn expressly tor this book from living models} ; NINETEEN SETS OF AESTHETIC GYMNASTICS. INCLUDING DECOMPOSING EX- ERCISES, RECOMPOSING EXERCISES, HARMONIC POISE OF BEARING, A GAMUT OF EXPRESSION IN PANTOMIME, SPIRAL MOVEMENT, FEATHER MOVEMENT, ETC. Cloth, $3.OO, postpaid. Address the Publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d Street, New York. THIRTY ELOCUTION LESSON'S TOR *1.25. EMMA DUNNING BANKQ'S Original Recitations with Lesson-Talks. These Sele-t lot is were Written Especially for Recitation, and afford Excellent Opportunities for Poses. Bird-Tones and other Vocal Effects. The pupil is not bothered with arbitrary rules, but is taught in few and plain words the essential points of the piece he is learning, so that every recitation with its lesson-talk is a most valuable lesson in elocution. elcIST 6F AUNT RTloDY'S LREAM.-Yankee dialect of an old woman who. having had a theological controversy with a deacon, dreams that sh.-g.--s to heaven and tin. Is that the various se.-ts are simply doors that all open into t he same heaven. Cos- tume : MONEY MCSK.-Poem by Bayard Taylor. Lesson-Talk by Mrs. Banks. Humorousac- countof a country dance, affording oppor- tunity for dance-steps. M > THE MoT HE Its EAST; -Story of twins, one of whom loses his arm in sav- ing the other from a mad dog ward fall in love with the same girl, when the one-arme lone kills the other he thinks so but he wakes up to find it a dream, and yields th- girl to IPS broth. -r. A QUART OF MILK. Dutch dialect story of a deaf old woman who hailsa milkman. and he, mistakii../ umi>et fora milk-can, pours the milk in it. Humorous. VAN BIBBER'S ROCK. A man pursued bv Indians jumps from a high rock into the water, 'and is rescued by his wife. ALINK'S LoYK SoNi;. -A courting scene, introducing singing ; music given. Co- qu.-tti>h, and specially suitable for encores. PRINCE ERIC'S CHRIST M.\II.- ' f.-rs his hand to her who >ends the fairest lilies on Easter I>ay. Knowing the skill of Lady Constance, he is sure of her success. A plot results in her supposed death, and she. covered with lilies, is about to be buried, but is restored to life. RITHIES EAITH IN PRAYER A little girl buries her doll, and pravs for one and gets it. Suitable to be : before children. <;RANI>MA ROBBINGS TEMPI; MISSION. A stirring temperance recita- tion, introducing a prayer. Grandma Robbins is a host in herself, and the char- acter of Charlie appeals to every one. Pathetic with a happy ending. IN THE DARK.-Humorous Irish dialect. Imi>ersonationof both male and female \ojfes. Coquettish, merrj, and sure to please. :K LANES MARRIAGE.-Story of runaway lovers who, pursued by her father, get marri. <1 on the train. THE SoEMEK'S Joy -Recitation similar Musk " with music. Extremely popular : Introduces a girl first as a child, is the woman who becomes instead of the soldier's a husband's joy. A LEciENDoKRosKSUNlM supp -ianced to he dying in a distant place. ^ happily surprise, i tering the church on Ri.se Sunday to find h.-r there fully rest. .re 1 to health. KEYING JIM'S LAST LEAP. A pursued criminal, who. in return for kindi own him. rescues a little girl from a burning building and loses his life. BRIIM JET'S MISSION .in;.- -Irish dialect recitation, suited tomiionary gatherings. DOTB CHRISTMAS; < -R THE - HAT. A ( '!in-tina> tempera- Kin.- opportunity for characteri/at , suitable for church, parlor or stage. LATRKAME: THE MARBLE i'REAM - A Statue costume recitation on the style of "Pygmalion and (ialatea." Introducing music ; dramatic. oNKTHANiYS<;lYIN<; DAYoFT tt of a young frontiersman, who. on returning home through the W" night, is attacked l,\- \\ MKIN KATRINE'S BRfDHER II Humorous l>utch dialect. Yery funny story and situations. Suitable for gentle- men. PRINCESS IMRA AND THE ;<>ATHERH- Story of a prince, who. disguised as agoat herd, wins a princess. Has bell ' 4 f&~ See next page for conclusion of this list. Nicely printed and bound, Sl.'i.'.. postpaid. Teachers' price &1.1O. by mail. Address the publish* r, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 HVrf 23d St., New Yorh. Elocutionary Studies # Sew Recitations, By Mrs. ANNA RANOALL-DIEHL,, THE EMINENT TEACHER, READER, AND AUTHOR. A Common-Sense and Practical Method of Teaching Reading, Recita- tion, and Declamation. Selections Analyzed and Explained. Directions for Costuming. A Lanjc Vtirii'ty of Entirely New and Original Pieces Suitable for all Occasions. Tliis book meets the wants of nearly every class. There are dramatic selections of the highest order for the professional and amateur reciter ; there are selections for all sorts and occasions, the platform, drawing-room, Sunday-school, temperance meetings, labor mc.-tings, iv form clubs, anniversaries ; there are school declamations, and a few things for very little children. It is more than a collection of new pieces, being a valuable class drill-book in elocution, and is eminently suited for school-work. With its analysis of pieces, its hints and directions for reading, it is an indispensable vade-mecum to the student and the teacher of elocution. Flexible Cloth, 6O Cts.; Paper, 35 Cts., postpaid. Address the Publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d St., New York. Ms! of EMMA DUNNING BANKS'S Recitations concluded from preceding page. A K' > MAN VALENTINE. A Roman maiden whose name is drawn on St. Valentine's I >u\ by an objectionable suitor and by her real lover, tin- ea.se being decided by the emperor giving In-r to t lie man that does the most valiant de.-d. The true lover wins. Can be given in Roman costume. 1 > I A M OND CUT DIAMOND. -Disguised as a waiting-maid a society belle and heiress meets her lover, who is supposed to be an humble boatman. The well-known ballad "Twickenham Ferry" is introduced at intervals with line effect. At the denoue- ment the disguises were rendered useless, eaeli knowing the other's true character and station all the time. THK KLF-CHILD. Poem by James Whit- comh Kiley ; Lesson-Talk by Mrs. Banks. This most successful recitation is a good st udy f< >r childish voice in characterization. TH K PRIDE OF BATTERY B.-Poem by F. H. (iossaway, with Lesson-Talk by Mrs. Banks. In the civil war, a little girl picked up by the Confederates, hearing that they have no tobacco, steals through the lines to the Federals, who upon hearing her story load her with tobacco and send her safely back. KMMA DUNNING BANKS'S MEDLEY. A country girl becomes a successful actress. Yankee, Dutch, Negro and Irish dialect, with a scene from " Leah the Forsaken " and from " London Assurance," with bird- tones and baby cries. TWO THANKSGIVING DANCES. Two lovers quarrel at a Thanksgiving ball and part. Ten years later they meet by chance at another Thanksgiving party and make up. On the style of ' ' Money Musk ' ' and "Soldier's Joy," introducing music and dance-calls. Music given. A RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS. Represents an ice-festival and the plot of a jealous lover, first to kill his rival on the ice and then to have him banished to Siberia on a charge of treason. Ends happily. THE OLD, OLD STORY.-Christmas recita- tion, telling the story of the birth of Christ. Not dramatic. Very suitable for Sunday- school entertainments. HOW CONGRESS FOUGHT FOR SHERI- DAN. A dramatic poem, describing the scenes in Congress during the passage of the bill creating Sheridan General of the Army. Also describes scenes at Sheridan's bedside while he awaits the action of Congress, and the scene when his com- mission is given him. Appropriate for all patriotic occasions. THE SPINNING-WHEEL SONG. Poem by John F. Waller; Lesson-Talk by Mrs. Banks, giving full directions for spinning effects, and introducing airs from "Robin Adair'' and "Comin' thro 1 the Rye." Also opportunity for old woman imper- sonation. Story of a girl who spins her grandmother asleep, and then takes a stroll with her lover. Wtmtcr's READINGS AND RECITATIONS. No. 1. ENcil-ISH CLASSICS. COMPILED ANI> ARRAV,M> r.y SARA SIGOURNEY RICE. CONTENTS. . Duke of <;ueM. r>. < ,\ . N MERE- \ orr. Armaila. MM. M ;.\v. V> liner's H-l.l. \ i Bemr's Daiik'hler ..f i:. ln;,ll (,r*-en. The. Ituililiiik'ot Hi.- II. MIS,-. Hi,.. < MACKAV. I h.irlott- < ..r.l.i > Hiurrli i-t' I'.i.ui. I In-. liinstane- ! llrl.-rl). \\ IHR SCOTT. i >.u ut vli.rrt mul Fair Itotalif. Scorr. l. Mill of Kolaml, I h.-. . . !' Death of JUry Stuart, The. JAMES AN- h.iu.ii.i ami tin- star. ROBERT BR<> Kin h. ss >l.i\ . l.rlm and thr FVrr \ . : '. I l.iin> . Kni.l. i H. The. FKEOEKK k (oil l-n supper. The. ALFKKI I (iuiu>-> ll-art ..I Km.-.-. I'll*-. WILLIAM R. A lluirh Mitli.-rlan.r- l>an I \aiim ili-h. K : MKOXVMNC. kiuir anil tin- Mi:h t JIILM!-*. I he. * KiiiL- John an. I the \l.l...t of Canterbnrjr. Kinv >li-ililail'> l'arailif. IUIN ARNOLD. I. ad) in romii>. I li I..-. in I of St. < luistopher. The. MARY HER. I ittl.- Itliu- l.ittN- .ran|.. r - K H u H. M- - VntoiiM-tl-. I ( .i|.-. The rink-rton's \rail-ni) lor Vonug La- ii-x. \\ AV. >li-. I. i-o Iliint-r. Cl (Mil s. ( laii Chair. Thr. SON. Ol<| x| ; ,,. 's I ..in. Ml . I hr. Orik'in o( Koast I'i^-. I h^. CHARLES LAMB. On. | |:,,a. I'arnrf anil tin- ( u< k>.. I In-. k on tin- Mall. HM-. r.-.tlr, ami His I rniii|. i-t. Hi,-. I IMi-i ien. \\hit,- ship. The. D MK G. RONETTI. iolir. The. RICHARD H. B \IM\M. hip ' l-i Price, 35 cents, postpaid ; cloth, 60 cents, postpaid ; cloth, extra paper, gilt lettering, $1.00, postpaid; with the usual teacher's discount. LIBERAL REDUCTION ll'HEN ORDERED AV Ql'AXTlTIES. Address the Publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 WEST 23o ST., = - NEW YORK. Musically Accompanied Recitations! The Reader does not Sing but recites the Piece in the Usual Way, while another Person Plays the Accompaniment on Piano or Organ, thus Lending the Power of Music to the Reader's Voice in Bringing Out the Effects of the Recitation. MAILING PRICE. AUX IT ALIENS. Poem by Owen Meredith. Music by G. Verdi. As arranged and recited by Mr. Charles Roberts, Jr. This poem is too well known to need descrip- tion. With this musical accompaniment it is doubly effective $0.60 THE LAST HYMN. Poem by Marianne Farningham. Music by P. Giorza. Story of a shipwreck near the shore. A man is seen clinging on a spar, without hope of res. -ue. The people hear him sing " Jesus, lover of my soul." The reader that can sing this simple, familiar hymn will have a most powerful and pathetic piece 50 THE SHADOW OF A SONG. Poem by Campbell Rae-Brown. Music by Edgar S. I 'l.u-e. Story of a girl who sings to her dead, blind, twin brother whom she had tended with marvelous affection. Her lover overhearing her sing, suspects her of communing with a dead love and accuses her. She is so wounded by his suspicion that she leaves him forever, saying as she goes, that she will sing the song again just before she dies. A year afterward, the lover, who is alone and disconsolate, hears the song, and realizes that she (.who is unseen) is dying. Introduces a song. lie singer and the piano are invisible. This is the greatest reading of the year, and, with proper rendering, produces wonderful effect upon an audience 50 Til E TRAGEDY. Poem by T. B Aldrich. Music arranged by P. Giorza from La, Traviata. The poet, while witnessing the play. La Dame aux Camelias, recog- m/es in theaudi6DC6agiri whom he had known years ago, and who has fallen into sin. He muses that the real tragedy that night was this woman who played despair. .50 THE r.iM DICTION. Poem by Francois Coppee. Music by Edgar S. Place. This, as is well known, is a story of the siege of Saragossa, where the troops shot down a lot of monks, finally shooting an old priest at the altar who was in the act of giving the l>enediction. Very dramatic, and one of the chief pieces in the repertoire of Prof. J. W. Churchill and Mr. Charles Roberts, Jr TO HOW WE KEPT THE DAY. Poem by Will Carleton. Music by W. E. G. Evans. This is a humorous account of a country Fourth of July celebration, introducing the various national airs and other tunes usually played on such occasions 75 Til E IN CM., as recited by Henry Irving. Poem by H. G. Bell. Music composed I iy Sir Julius Benedict, expressly for Mr. Irving. Very dramatic story of two brothen uho loved the same woman. The unsuccessful suitor murders his brother by lex-king him in a chest. Years afterward the murderer, in a fitof remorse, tells the story to his nephew, and dies 60 TH E STORY OF SOME BELLS. Music by Edgar S. Place. Story of an artisan who, having cast a tuneful chime that was carried off in war, became disconsolate and wandered for years through. foreign lands in search of his bells. At last he linds th.-m. and as they play" Home. Sweet Home," he dies. Very appropriate for young ladies 50 K I NG ROBERT OF SICILY. Poem by Longfellow. This great poem is too well knoun t<> need description. Every one who recites it should have this musical ac- companiment, which adds greatly to its rendition 1 50 COl'NTRY SLEIGHING. Poem by E. C. Stedman. Charming, semi-humorous description of an old-fashioned country sleigh-ride. Light and frolicsome, with splendid opportunity for by-play 50 Ml SIC ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK. Poem by C. C. Somerville. Story of Northern and Southern armies encamped on the banks of the river, so near that each can hear the other's band. When one army plays a war-tune, the other army responds with its war-tune, until, finally, one side plays "Home, Sweet Home/ 1 which so touches the other side that it joins in, and for the time being the North and the South are one. Appropriate for G. A. R. meetings, etc 50 I DREAM. Poem by Rev. D wight Williams. The happiness and beauty of the here- after as foreshadowed in a dream. Suitable for Sunday-school and church enter- tainments, as well as for other occasions 50 THE FUGITITES. Poem by Shelley. Music by Robert Schumann. -Story of runaway lovers, who are cursed by her father, and who are exposed to a storm. .40 Sent on receipt of price. Address the publisher, EDGAK S. WEBNER, 28 West 23d St., New York. THE DIAPHRAGM AND ITS FUNCTIONS. CnNSlUEKED SPECIALLY IN ITS RELATIONS TO RESPIRATION AND THF PRODUCTION OF Y<>! By J. M. W. KITCHEN, M.D. Original Illustrations. Cloth, Flexible Covers. Price, $1.OO. THE THROAT AND ITS FUNCTIONS IN SWALLOWING, BREATHING AND THE PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. By LOUIS ELSBERG, A.M., M.D. itrations, prepared expressly for th Elocutionary, Singing and School Pupils. I'rtce, !.', Twenty-five illustrations, prepared expressly for this work. A most excellent bo*i ;or " ri'r HABITUAL MOUTH-BREATHING : ITS CAUSES, EFFECTS AND TREATMi By CLINTON WAGNER, M.D. Original Illustrations. There is, perhaps, no habit more common, and none less seriously considered from a medical or saniurv point of view than the habit of mouth-breathing; its effects are per- nicious, often dangerous !//. -'> 0M PRACTICAL METHOD OF SINGING; BASKI) UPON NATURAL AND ARTISTIC PRINCIPLES, INCLUDING A Thorough Course of Training in the Art of Breathing and Voice-Building, together with refully prepared set of Vocal Exercises, the whole forming a Plain, Compre- hensive and Progressive Course for the Cultivation of the Voice. Designed both for Teachers' use and for Students' Self Instruction. By JOSEPHINE RAND. HYGIENE OF THE VOICE. By GHISLANI DURANT, M.D. CONTENTS Sound, Pitch, Intensity. Quality; Theories of the Formation of the Voice ; Anatomy of the Vocal Apparatus ; Formation of the Voice ; Registers of the Voice ; Timbre of the \ ..ifnomyof the Voice ; Respiration ; Alimentation; Sleep; Preservation of the VDKI- , DiMMM of tM Voice ; Prescriptions. 1'rice, $t..~>O. SCIENCE OF VOICE-PRODDCTIOH AND VOICE-PRESERVATION, By GORDON HOLMES, M.D. friVr. .SI. 00. THE CASE OF EMPEROR FREDERICK III. rn.L OFFICIAL REPORTS By the GERMAN PHYSICIANS and SIR MORELL MACKENZIE. THIS is THE ONLY EDITION giving in one book the unabridged reports, with all of the illustrations, of SIR MORELL MACKENZIE and of the GERMAN PHY-I \ /'/*><. .si.:>.- t . Amy of these books sent, postpaid, on receipt of price. .4,Mrs t EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 WEST 23o STREET, NEW YORK. A DELSARTE PRIMER. j&oieftj Ejjmnagtsicg and Voice-tone, ADAPTED FROM THE DELSARTE SYSTEM. Specially for Class Use. Regular Lessons, with Questions for Pupils to Answer and Portions of the Text to be Memorized. MUSIC TO ACCOMPANY THE MOVEMENTS. By QENEVIKVK STKBBINS. The author's exhaustive studies and long experience as a Delsarte- teacher in fashionable young ladies' schools, pre-eminently qualify her to prepare a work on gymnastics and voice-culture according to the in of Francois Delsarte for * Schools of All Grades. ^ The distinguishing characteristic of the Delsarte gymnastics is that they have an aesthetic intent and effect, harmoniously developing the onthv man and not, as do the ordinary and old-time gymnastics, develop- the physical at the expense of the mental, and also resulting in dispro- portionate growth and in angularity instead of grace. They have been developed from studies of the Greek marbles, and are designed to cul- tivate in individuals what Winkelmann styles "the repose in action " of great statues. They give reserve force, habitual grace of movement and sweetness of voice, so essential to all who move in good society. They correct awkwardness or stiffness, whether proceeding from self -conscious- ness or timidity, and eliminate disagreeable qualities from the speaking- voice, siR-h as nasality, harshness or shrillness of any kind. Cloth, Teachers' net price, $1 ; by Mail, $1 .08. Address the Publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d Street, New York. A FEW MOKE COPIES IAA-TI WERNER'S DIRECTORY Of Elocutionists, Readers, Lecturers, and other Public Entertainers. THIS is THE BOOK Yor NEF.D, r.r.< A.UB1 IT CONTAIN^ : 1. A List of over 10,000 Pieces for Declamation and Kecita- tion. Alphabetically Arranged with Authors' Names, and Telling in what Books each Selection may be Pound. Tliis is .f crreat advantage U public readers \\hono\v know where to find any Selection. ami a KM what pi- ces have become naekneved. thus enabling them to prepare Creu jir< "grains. This feature makes it a valuable lx>ok .f ivffn-iirr t" interested in tin- _ English hit-ratui--. 2. A List of 2,500 Dialogues, with Number of Male and Fe- male Parts. Arranged Alphabetically, with Names of Books where the Dialogues may be Found. litablf fr ,; .,]s. authors' Mays, anniversa- i.-ftin.^s, h' ami various OUWT occasions. 3. History of the Literature of English Elocution, Beginning 130 Years ago, and Coming to the Present Time. With a Description of the Principal Books and Methods that have been Published. This is tin- ino-st eoinjilcN- Ubttognphj <>f Kn^lish -loi-ution ever ]nil)li>hrtl. 4. Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Prominent Elocu- tionists. This is tin- f>nl> Ix.dl,- that Drives an account of th- lift- and work of those who liavc nttain.-y for $1.25 postpaid. (The published prico is $3.) Well printed and bound, 8vo, 400 pap-s. Not for sale at bookstores. Send direct to the publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d St., New York. Brown's* Common * School Elocntionary * Selections. A Careful Selection of Prose and Poetical Compositions, Adapted for Public Readings and School Recitations, with a Key Containing the Proper Elements Required in the Delivery of Each Selection. CONTENTS. An Adjuration. D. N. Shelley. Antony's Address to the Romans. Attention the Soul of Genius. Dr. O. Dewey. Aunt Tabitha. Hanoi's Last Banquet, The. A. G. Green. I Van T. II. Robertson. Meantit'iil Smuv, The. James Watson. until of Ragenbach, The. Frank Murray. Unit i is on the Death of Caesar. Uugle Song, The. Alfred Tennyson. Call to Vote, A. < 'atastrophe, A. Peleg Arkwright. ( 'harp- . >( the Light Brigade, The. Alfred Tennyson. Chin. -se Dinner, The. c..l. .red Debating Society, A. Court in'. The. J. R. Lowell. Courtehip under DinVnlnes. Lao! ill-- iseiu. Qeo. \v. Bungay. Darkey's CoiniM'I to the Newly Married. Edmund Kirke. Dead I loll. The. Death of Gaudentis. Harriet Annie. Dm!-, -h Maud Muller, The. Carl Pretzel. Dutchman's Serenade, The. Dutchman's Telephone, The. Kl. iinienei-. Lewis Cass. Km -hant. -.1 Shirt. The. John Hay. Engineer and Child, The. F.\iU 1. 1' U r n>rance, The. Horace Mann. Kxtraer from " Morituri Salutamus." Longfellow. Fa.-.- Against the Pane, The. T. B. Al- drieh. Father Land and Mother Tongue, Samuel Lo\ Find a \Vny or Make it. Mary E. Lambert. Fire Bell's Story, The. George L. Catlin. First Party. The. Josephine Pollard. Flying Jim's Last Leap. Emma Dunning Banks. Gladiator, The. Jones. Gone Before. B. F. Taylor. Good-night, Papa. (i rattan's Reply to Mr. Corry. H. Grattan. (Juiltv or Not (iuilty. Hang up the Baby's Stocking. He and She. Edwin Arnold. Honest Deacon, The. How He Saved St. Michael's. How They Pop the Question. Jf We Knew. Irishman's Panorama, The. James Bur- dette. Katie Lee and Willie Gray. King Volmer and Elsie. John G. Whittier. Larrie O'Dee. W. W. Fink. Larry's on the Force. Irwin Russell. Launching of the Ship. Longfellow. Letter of Marque, The. Caroline F. Orne Little Steenie. Anna L. Ruth. Lodge Night. Lost and Found. Hamilton Aide. MacLaine's Child. Charles Mackay. Magic Isle, The. Mahmoud. Leigh Hunt. Mark Twain's European Guides. Samuel L. Clemens. Marriage of Santa Claus, The. Miss Edith Helps Things Along. Bret Harte. Miss Edith's Modest Request. Bret Harte, Mocking-Bird, The. A. Wopkins. My Daughter Jane. Sarah L. Flowers. Nature Proclaims a Deity. Chateaubriand. Nearer Home. Phoebe Gary. Nebuchadnezzar. Irwin Russell. Night Before Christmas, The. C. C. Moore. Organ Builder, The. Julia C. R. Dorr. Our Best Society. Curtis. Our Country. Daniel Webster. Parson Caldwell. Bret Harte. Parson's Sociable, The. Parrhasius. N. P. Willis. Patient Mercy Jones. Jas. T. Fields. Philosophy of Laughter. Mrs. C. M. Peat. Practical Young Woman, A. Irwin Russell. President Lincoln's Address. A. Lincoln. Progress of Humanity, The. Charts Sum- ner. Regulus to the Carthaginians. E. Kellogg. Setting a Hen. She would be a Mason. James C. Laughton. Similar Case, A. Sneezing Man, The. Ward M. Florence. Something Left Undone. Longfellow. State Immortal, The. Daniel Webster. Sudden Cure, A. There is no Death. Lord Lytton. Two Loves and a Life. William Sawyer. Vas Bender Henshpecked ? Von Boyle. Water. Judge Arrington. Way to Heaven, The. J. G. Holland. Well of St. Keyne, The. Robert Southey. We Shall Know. Annie Herbert. Western Lawyer's Plea against the Fact, A. What is a Minority ? J. B. Gough. When Will You Come Home Again ? Whistler, The. ,'.7 cents, postpaid. 5 copies $1, postpaid. 25 copies $4, postpaid. Address EDGAR S, WERNER, 28 West 23d Street, New Tort A BOOK THAT EVERY VOICE-USER SHOULD HAVE. Gymnastics of the Voice; A SYSTEM OF CORRECT BREATHING IX SINGING AND SPEAK. ING, BASED UPON PHYSIOLOGICAL LAWS. A Practical Guide in the Training and Use of theS|>eakiii^ ami "inking- Voices DESIGNED FOR SCHOOL* AM> FOR SELF -7.V> TRl '(. J7OX. BT OSKAH ( PART I treats of the Anatomy of the Respiratory and Vocal Organs. PART II treats of the Activity of the Vocal Organs. PART III treats of the Correct Pronunciation of Letters and the Correc- tion of Defects. PART IV treats of Respiration in a Masterly Manner, giving full Directions and Exercises for Practice. POINTS OF SUPERIORITY : - (1) It \s founded on natural, scientific laws. (2) It Ifl safe. (3) It is plain and i It has IM-.-U thoroughly tested. (5) It baa produced satisfactory results. (6) It Is recognized as authority in Anu-rie.-i and in Eun ; .- Ix-en tran-latrd into a numlr of lani'iiair.-s. CM It is us-ai^\ 's I aith. Mnnroe'sStory. n's ( 'oiirtship. Death of the Owd Squire. Decoration Day. head Doll. D.'ift Drink Tonight. Eastr-Tide Deliverance. A. D. :M. Knn-rtaining Her Big Sister's Beau. Eulogy on Lincoln. Excelsior. Exhibition. Faithful Unto Death. Fall of Pembertou Mill. Famine. Farmer and Wheel ; or, the New Lochinvar. Finding of the Cross. First Party. Fisher's Daughter. "Flash.' 1 The Fireman's Slory. CONTENTS. Flag. Flood of Years. George Washington, Aunt Polly's. Gettysburg. Ghosts. Girls Study, How. Girl's View of Life, A Little. Gone with a Handsomer Man. Gottlieb's Christmas, Little. Greeting, Domestic. Harry. Heart Throbs. Heroine After All. Hero, The Little. How we Hunted a Mouse. Husband's Grief. Husband's Joy. "Inasmuch," A Christmas Story. Intelligent Bird, A Very. Jamie. Jane Conquest. Jenkins Goes to a Picnic. Jimmy Brown's Sister's Wedding. Jimmy Brown's Steam Chair. Jimmy Butler and the Owl. Kate Shelly. Kentucky Philosophy. Laaca. Legend of the Christ Child. Legend of the Northland. Legend of the Organ-Builder. Lighten Deadman's Bar. Little Children in Heaven. Little Rocket's Christmas. Marit and I. Marriage of Santa Claus. Mary's Night Ride. Mat and Hal and I. Medley. Memorial Day. Memorial Day. Mona's Waters. Mount of the Holy Cross. Mystic. Neighbors. New Cure for Rheumatism. Old Huldah. Old Simon Dole. Old Times and New. Old Woman's Complaint. Order for a Picture. Old Folks. Papa's Letter. Pat's Excelsior. Pequot Idyl. Perplexed Housekeeper. Phantom Ship. Poor-House Nan. Pure as the Snow. Quaker Sinner, The Little. Railway Matinee. Receiving Calls. Red Jacket. Ride of Jennie M'Neal. Robert of Lincoln. "Ruby" Played, How. Rumseller's Refrain. Sam Weller's Valentine. Sandy McDonald's Signal. Saved by a Hymn. Schoolmaster's Guests. Setting a, Hen. Sheridan's Last Battle. She Wanted to Learn Elocu- tion. Ship of Faith. Sioux Chief's Daughter. Tell-Tale. Tilghman's Ride. Tim Crane's Proposal. Tom's Little Sta . Too Late for the Train. Tribulations of Biddy Malone. Trouble in the "Amen Corner." 20th Anniversary of Mystic Valley Institute. "Uncle Ben." What a Christmas Carol Did. What the Choir Sang About the New Bonnet. What the Little Girl Said. Whistling in Heaven. Who Stole the Bird's Nest ? Widder Greene's Last Words. Young Soldier. Yours Truly. Over 5OO pages, well printed and bound in cloth, $ 1 .50, postpaid. Copy for examination will be sent for $ 1 . 1 O, postpaid. Schools and teachers supplied in quantities at liberal reduction. Send for special rates. Address the publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d St., New York. THE WORKS OK A. MELVILLE BELL. 1. Essays and Postscripts on Elocution. Price $1 25. Contents : Tin- Science of Elocution, Faults in Heading and Speaking, English Pronunciation, English Phonetic Kl.-tm nt<. Alphamttoa, Relation of Tonea to Language, The Tones of speech. Tin- [nstrament of speech. Respiration in -peech. Phonetic Svllabication. Accent, Kmphasi-. Rhythm as Aftodiru? Reading. Hhyme a< Atr -i-tinir Pronunciation, Kxpresrators. An Alphabet "f < >r.itor<. A Shadow-Class of Studen it. Principle! of Elocution (new edition.) Price $1.50. This hook contain< u summary of the principle f Vocal Physiolotry: an original analv-is ol the Tones of Speech, and the Laws of Kmphais. and a full .pment of the I tnre etc. Illus- trated by 00 passages marked f<- 3* Principle* of Speech, Dictionary of Sounds and Cun- of stammering. 1'nce S1.50. In tin- Work tiic Theory of Articulation and the Mechanism of Vowel and Consonant Sound- are minutely explained. All the element- id Bujrltsh i.it. i\ treated of In dictionary arrangement, with refeience lo the defects to Which they aie je-t. and 1 d tor the attainm, nt -tammerinur and Stiitterinir are tully detined, and dirc-ct ion- arc m veil l>y which the sufferer can, by h:s own elTort-. remove the inipediii 4. The Fauli- of *,>, . . h. I-. 'A self-corrector and 'I ! maul for the removal of Hef ( -t- of Ar- tictilatio: -imple and |.raeiiral direction- arc liinii-lied lor (lie removal of Stamnn rinu' and Stutti I as I.is|ini;, Burrin_ r and nil mir.or hlemi-lu- of sjM'irh. Kutiivly live from technicalities and equally adapted to the n readier or 5. Sounds and th Inaugural Edition." Illustrated by diagrams. 9. The Emphasized Liturgy. Price $1.00. With an introductory essay on the Principle* of Public Heading, fn this work, the Morning, i:\emn-. < 'ommunion and liuiial Service", and all the Collects, are marked for emphasis and clause. 10. English Line-Writing. Price 60 cent-. On the basis of "Sounds and their Relations." Fn this work the Line- Alphabet is applied to English in two forms:
  • ) exactly phonetic. Heading Kv furnished in both forms, and a theoretical explanation of the alphabet is appended. 11. Lectures on Phonetics. Price 60 cents. Delivered in Johns Hopkins University, and Oxford University (England). &: nt postpaid on receipt of price. Address the Publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d Street, New York. THE ART OF BREATHING As the Basis of Tone-Production. A Book Indispensable to all Educators, Teachers^ Preachers, Lawyers, Singers and Elocutionists, and to Every one Desirous of Having a Pleasant Voice and Good Health. By LEO KOFLER, Organist and Choirmaster of St. Paul's Chapel, Trinity Parish, New York. Bein^ a tici'i sett ami Enlarged Edition of " The Old Italian School of Singing." SOME OF THE SUBJECTS TREATED. History of the Book: Autobiographical Sketch of the Author's Professional Career ' r The study of Physiology Indispensable to the Vocal Teacher ; Imitation or Cultiva- tion by Means of tin- Kar :ui Important Agency ; Singing-Lessons by Mail an Unmiti- gated Humbug: Nationality DO Criterion of a Teacher's Merit; Vocal Critics and Critical Vocalists ; Tin- Act of Inspiration ; Clavicular or High-Chest Breathing? Costal or Rib-Breathing : Diaphragmatic Breathing: Take Breath with the Combined Breathing-Muscles th- Full Breath ; can a woman Accustom Herself to this- Full Diaphragmatic Breath-Taking: The Vagueness of Physiological Terms the cau-e of confusion in Determining toe Method of Breathing ; Take Breath Through th- Nostrils; Obstructed Nostrils; The Regular Process of Respiration Outside of singing and speaking : Tin- Short or Quick Taking of the Breath ; The Act of Expi- ratioii During Singing : Hi -tain tin- Bn-ath a Little While ; The Larynx and the Vocal Ugaments Controlled Automatically by the Breathing-Muscles ; Method of Relaxing" the Lungs During Singing ; General Rule for Taking Breath and for Managing it During Singing and Speaking; Method of Relaxing the Lungs During- speaking; Advice to Singers and Elocutionists; Breathing-Gymnastics the Souree ,,f Health ; Breathing-Gymnastics Indispensable to Every Vocalist ; Direc- tions f,,r the Healthful Ise ot Breathing-Gymnastics ; The Positions of the Body for Practicing the Breathing-Gymnastics ; Laws of Tone-Production ; The So- called sintriuir Methods or Manuals; Preliminary Steps in Voice-Culture ; Time of Life when Cultivation of Voice should Begin ; Selection of a Singing-Teacher ; The- Kanireof Tones and Classification of Voices; Resonance-Chambers for the Format ion of Vowels and Consonants ; The Immovable and the Movable Parts of the Resonance-cavities; How to Form Pure Vowels ; Reading at Sight ; Vocaliza- tion or Articulation Kxercises? The Vowels that should first be Practiced; The Com- pletion of a Tone ; Humming Exercises ; Practice of the Trill ; Swell Tones ; Messa di Voce ; The Staccato ; How to Equalize the Vocal Registers or Breaks of Both. Men and Women ; The Mixed Voice, the Falsetto and the Male Alto ; Male Sopra- nos and Altos of the Old Italian School ; Remedies for Faulty Tone-Production and Other Defects, such as Lisping, Stuttering, Defective r, etc.; Treatment of the Con- sonants. SOME OF THE EXERCISES. The Full Breath with the Combined Breathing-Muscles ; The Healthful Lung-Sweeper ;. To Gain Control of the Air in Slow Expansion of the Lungs ; Holdins: of the Breath ; Opening the Lung-Cells by Percussion of the Upper Chest, Shoulders and Back ; Improving the Elasticity of the Rib-Cartilages ; Expanding the Upper Chest: The Slow Relaxation of the Lungs ; Control of the Breath both in Inspiration and in Kxpiration ; Tension of the Vocal Ligaments; Muscle-Practice for Loud, Sus- tained Tones ; Control of the Slow Relaxation of the Lungs During Speaking and Soft Singing ; Practice of the Explosives and the Repeated Retention of the Breath ; Marcato; Staccato ; Muscle- Practice for the Crescendo and Decrescendo; Muscle- Practice for*the Swell Tones, or the Crescendo and Decrescendo in one Breath ; etc. Finely Prinied and Bound. Numerous cuts and music Illustrations. TEACHERS' NET PRICE, $3.OO POSTPAID. Address the Publisher, EDGAR S. WERNER, 28 West 23d Street, New York, XDELSflRTE REC1THTION BOOK* EDITED BY ELSIE M. WILBOR, Assistant Editor of WEKNEK's VOICE MAGAZINE. Something unique in Recitation Books. Original in design and unequalled in excellence. A NEW MEDALLION PORTRAIT OF DELSARTE, PREPARED SPECIALLY FOR THIS WORK, WITH HIS FAVORITE RECITATIONS. , Monolognrs. 1'itcrs n-ith I'tiototfriii.li* f I, i, ,Ki-. M.., /.x /,/ .(// that are be*t t<> *tnt in - I'll*'-* for L'titirttiintinnts. etc., etc. ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS. A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DELSARTE BY STEELE MACKAYE. :M->:.-I>]< ;ai m- ,f>r Recitation. and <- ( .ni|.il.-r. l.I.Sli: M. WILHoK. from lu-rli.n^ -xperi- nce as one of the editors of WKKNKirs V< !( .'V. MACA/.1NK m journal l.'V(,tel to oral lauguap- . is ]iMiliarly (iit.-.l for th- work, and she has performed h-r task well, cnll.-ctin^ | . ran^in^r from simple, childish to the ino^t int in ' m. from a fine medallion jHirtrait of Delsarte embossed on tht- cover, and from illustrations, pantomimes, and analy- ses according to Delsartean principles. ith.-r written, translated, arranged, or adapted specially for the book, which contains over 300 pages of recitation K*MIIS. not one but has its n//.m il'i'tr, :"yin>; reason for being insert. !. < n r nd l-t\\e.-n them orinrinality is stamped, making it safe to say that no such a recitation book has ,-\. i l>een issued, and that it marks an era in books of this class. r/