The horizontal circles around the feet, breast, and above the head, denote the direction of the hand and arm in the practice. First use the right-hand palm up, in front; then at right angles with the body, gesticulating to the lower circle; then the same to the middle; then with energy to the upper circle. The

BAKER-CHICA CO

hand moves always from the side in curved lines, and expresses elevated and noble sentiments with the palm up, and repels or condemns with the palm outward or down. The stroke of gesture stops or rests upon the emphatic word. Now we may practise first with the right hand palm up, then the left; then. the right-hand palm down, then the left; then both hands, palms up; then both, palms down-and we have forty-eight gestures. If we select an appropriate sentence for each, we have a most interesting and instructive practice. This system, if carefully

followed after a good model from the living instructor, will secure freedom and grace in the movements of the hands and

arms.

Professor Russell says. "The true speaker must have a true manner; the great attributes of genuine expression, in attitude and action, are truth-firmness-force-freedom and propriety." To speak well, to gesticulate well, the orator must stand well; and much practice in position and gesture is necessary for this.

We know that gesture cannot be made by rule, in speaking; and, in the practice, mechanical precision is not to be enforced, though exactness and uniformity should be insisted

upon.

Some insist that all gestures shall be made with the right hand and arm. We find no good authority either ancient or modern, for thus limiting the gesture.

THE VOCAL ORGANS.

HA

THE LARYNX-ITS MUSCLES AND APPENDAGES.

AVING learned how to stand, how to use the hands and arms, how to sit, and how to breathe, we now proceed to the Vocal Organs and their use.

At the root of the tongue lies a semilunar-shaped bone, which, from its resemblance to a certain Greek letter, is called the hyoid or u-like bone; and immediately from this bone arises a long cartilaginous tube, which extends to the lungs, and conveys the air backward and forward in the process of res piration. This tube is called the trachea, or windpipe; and the upper part of it, or that immediately connected with the hyoid bone, the larynx; and it is this upper part or larynx which constitutes the seat of the voice. The tube of the larynx is formed

of five distinct cartilages, the largest and apparently lowermost of which, together with two other cartilages of a smaller size and power, form the ring or glottis, which is the aperture from the mouth into the larynx. The fourth cartilage lies immediately over the aperture, and closes it in the act of swal lowing, so as to direct the food to the oesophagus, which leads to the stomach. These four cartilages or membranes are sup ported by a fifth, which constitutes their basis. The larynx is contracted and dilated in various ways, by different muscles, and the elasticity of its different coats. It is covered internally with a very sensitive, vascular, and mucous membrane, similar to the membrane of the mouth.

We see, then, that the organ of the voice is the larynx, its muscles and appendages, and the voice itself is the sound of the air propelled through and striking against the sides of the glottis, or opening into the mouth. The modulation of the voice depends upon the internal diameter of the glottis, its elasticity and mobility, and the force with which the air is propelled.

Speech is the modification of the voice into intelligible articulations in the cavity of the glottis itself, or in that of the mouth or the nostrils.

ARTICULATION.

Sheridan says: "A good articulation consists in giving every letter in a syllable its due proportion of sound, according to the most approved custom of pronouncing it; and in making such a distinction between the syllables of which words are composed, that the ear shall, without difficulty, acknowledge. their number, and perceive at once to which syllable each letter belongs. Where these particulars are not observed the articulation is defective."

A good articulation may be acquired by carefully repeating aloud, and in a whisper, the elements of the language. These elements are divided into three classes-- Vocals, Sub- Vocals, and Aspirates.

The vowels, or vocal sounds, are arranged in the following table for individual and class practice:

A long, as in ale, fate, state, lave, gale.

A short, as in at, hat, sat, mat, plaid, charity.
A Italian, as in arm, far, star, heart, mart.

A broad, as in all, fall, water.

A long, before R, as in fare, dare, rare, stare, air.
A intermediate, as in fast, branch, class, mastiff.

E long, as in eve, mete, speed, degree, theme.
E short, as in end, bend, leopard, special, yes
E like A long, before R, as in heir, their.
I long, as in ice, child, sky, smile, flight.

I short, as in it, pin, whip, cynic, ring.

O long, as in old, dome, bourne, more, poet, glow
O short, as in ox, not, got, fond, from, fossil.
O long, as in move, prove, food, remove.

U long, as in few, duty, music, tube.

U short, as in up, tub, must, rug, tongue, sum.
U middle, as in pull, push, puss, should.
U short and obtuse, as in burn, murmur.

Or, as in oil, choice, noise, coin, toy, boil.
Ou, as in out, sound, town, thou, around.

Speak the word distinctly and then the element, exploding it with variety of force and on different notes of the scale. For flexibility of voice and good articulation, there is no better exercise than the utterance of the vowel elements with the different inflections, first rising, then falling, then the circumflexes. The practice of exploding the Vocal elements with a Consonant prefixed, first a Sub-Vocal Consonant, then an Aspirate, is of great value in acquiring control of the mouth, teeth, and lips.

Sub-Vocals or Vocal Consonants should be treated, in the practice, as the Vocals in the preceding table. They are

formed by the vibration of the Vocal chords, modified by the organs of speech :

B, as in bat, bag, beet, babbler, beggar, bound.

D, as in dun, debt, dated, deed, need, did.

G, as in gun, gag, gog, gew-gaw, give.
J, as in jib, joy, judge, June, jury.

L, as in let, lull, wall, isle, lark, loll.
M, as in man, main, mound, mammon, drum.
N, as in nun, nay, noun, name.

Ng, as in sing, king, ring, flinging.

R (trilled), run, rap, Richard, France, round.
R, as in nor, far, border, appear, forbear, ear.
Th, as in thine, thus, thy, beneath, wreathe.
V, as in vent, valve, vine, veer, weave.
W, as in went, wall, one, woo, worn.
Y, as in yes, young, year, yawl, use, you.
Z, as in zeal, as, was, breeze, maze, arise.
Zh, or Z, as in azure, leisure, osier, vision.

Prolong the Sub-Vocal Consonants as follows: bat d- -un, and then pronounce the Sub-Vocal without uttering the word. Then give the Sub-Vocals with the inflections.

b' b' d' d' g' g` j' j` l' l`, etc.

The Aspirate Consonants should be repeated according to the table. Be careful not to waste breath, and utter them with no more power than they require in words:

F, as in fit, fame, fife, fanciful, futile, phantom.
H, as in hat, hope, hay, hap-hazard, hot-house.
K, as in kid, car, coil, king, talk, chasm, chorus.
P, as in pit, pin, pupil, piper, stop, steep, rapid.
S, as in suit, dose, sinless, science, steep, scene.
T, as in top, time, tune, matter, debt, titter, better.
Ch, as in chat, church, churn, child, satchel, chirp.
Sh, as in shun, shade, gash, rash, sash, mansion.
Th, as in thin, thank, thick, breath, thankful.
Wh, as in when, whit, whale, what, why, while, where.