way. It is less a modification of breathing than an attendant noise.

8. Sobbing consists in a cramped contraction of the diaphragm which shakes the whole body and allows itself to be heard at varying intervals through one or more quickly following noises. The noise itself is produced in the glottis by inspiration, which takes place quickly.

9. Coughing is the result of one deep inspiration followed by one or more impulsive expirations in succession, as has been fully stated in Section 8. This process is usually involuntary; it can, however, be brought about quite voluntarily.

10. Sneezing consists in a quick, deep inspiration, followed, usually, by a very powerful expiration sounding like the combination ts. This expiration represents the actual sneeze. Directly before this expiration the nasal cavities are closed by the contact of the soft-palate with the posterior wall of the throat, and they are opened again with the expiration. The muscles of the face are drawn together in the region of the nose and eyes more or less according to circumstances, and resume their original position with the expiration.

II. Loud laughter and weeping are the most difficult to produce without external causes, and it

requires long practice to attain a certain degree of perfection. Most actors laugh and cry unnaturally on the stage; that is to say their laugh does not originate as it does in nature. Laughing consists in sounding expirations, which, broken off short, succeed one another quickly or in slower tempo; it always, however, originates in a shaking of the diaphragm, which must be more marked as the laugh is more violent. We justly say, "My sides shook with laughter." The sides can be made to shake, however, only by means of the diaphragm. Therefore, we call an unnatural laugh, which is not brought about by shaking the diaphragm, a laryngeal laugh; since it is produced principally by a continued monotonous opening and closing of the glottis.

In laughing, expiration goes on with quickly succeeding narrowing and widening of the glottis ; at every narrowing there ensues a jerky noise which derives that quality from the action of the diaphragm. If we desire suddenly to stop violent laughter, we have only to close the glottis, i. e., to hold back the breath; but if the desire to laugh is too violent, and the closed glottis can no longer restrain expiration, there invariably results a sudden expulsion of the air which will drive the lips apart

and thus cause a loud noise. Commonly speaking, we call this" bursting out."

12. Weeping consists in inspiration and expiration; the first takes place quickly and deeply, the second slowly and in jerks with narrowed glottis. The expiration is the real weeping, and is frequently interrupted by fresh inspirations. Yet the inspiration can be slow and deep and the expiration quick, according to circumstances.

SECTION 14.

THE AIR NOT TO BE ASPIRATED DURING PHONATION.

In the formation of a sound (in the beginning as well as in its duration) no wild air- that is, air not brought into permanent vibration,— should be audible. Herein many singers, and actors especially, fail. The remedy for it will be found in the following exercises:

Exercises for the Singer.

The pupil, after bringing the lungs to the "state of readiness," should produce a tone with the vowel A' firm and decided, with the full closure of the glottis ("direct attack," see beginning of Part II); but piano, and without any pressure upon the vocal cords. The tone, at

first short, should be frequently repeated and somewhat prolonged each time, special care being taken that it should not begin with an h, and that there should be no aspiration during its continuance.

Having gone through this exercise for a time, he should now attempt to sing the scale within an octave, but no longer, as before, giving each tone separately, but, on the contrary, seeking to combine the tones ("indirect attack"), and still without aspirating. Not being permitted to exhale more air than is necessary, he will be under the necessity of keeping the vocal cords in the proper tension, and, in a general way, of increasing the activity of the muscles, by which an aspirated tone will be less possible. These exercises should all be performed piano, and only when the pupil has acquired a pretty full control of the vocal cords, should there be any attempt to pass over to crescendo.

Exercises for the Speaker.

Pronounce a short sentence (a line) in one tone; begin with the lungs quite full, and after each syllable take as much breath (quick and inaudible) as was required for the preceding syllable, so that the lungs shall always be in a "state of readiness." The replenishing of the lungs, in this quiet and slow manner, after each syllable, is intended to bring abdominal breathing fully to our consciousness, and to make the necessary muscular movements our second nature. Each syllable being pronounced with full lungs and with careful avoidance of aspiration, the tone will gradually become sonorous, and in this way the pupil will most readily accustom his ear to recognize metallic quality and clearness in tones. When the pupil has for a time pronounced the sentence in this manner, he should start afresh with a slight change, reproducing now half the sentence without taking breath, but pronouncing the syllables as he did before, when he took breath after each, so that the syllables shall all be uttered singly and in the same tone. When this has been done for a time, he should proceed a step farther, uttering the whole sentence in one breath, but still continuing to syllabicate; and, finally, he should utter the whole sentence in one breath, not syllabically but rhetorically, always being careful not to aspirate.

The pupil should, in addition, make the following exercise: utter the whole sentence in the manner of the chromatic scale; that is, begin with a high tone and descend a half tone with each syllable; and having reached the end of the sentence, repeat it in like manner but with each syllable ascending a half tone, his whole attention being directed toward maintaining the correct position of the vocal cords, as has been described in treating of chest-tones; that is to say, he ought always to have that sensation in the larynx which he has when uttering a vowel sound (A', for example) with the spiritus lenis and not with the spiritus asper (hah). By this exercise the voice will be fitted for every modulation.

The pupil should perform these exercises within the compass possessed by his voice. If, for example, this embraces ten tones, he should first utter the whole sentence with all its variations in the lowest tone without any pressure either of the inner (intrinsic) or of the outer (extrinsic) muscles of the larynx; he should then do the same thing with the next tone, then with the third, and so on until he reaches the limit of his compass.

The scholar should here be particularly warned against the attempt to give the tone too great strength and fulness in vocal exercises. If he does this he either presses upon the larynx or squeezes the vocal cords together; and the tone becomes raw, hoarse and full of mannerisms. Without the least pressure he should form the tone very softly, strengthening it gradually; for only long and careful practice, not forced expulsion of air, can add strength and fulness to the tone,