ble, but necessary (as, for example, in the expression of anger or rage, or in a comic position), but in general the rule must be observed to make slow and deep inspirations. .

SECTION 20.

BREATHING WHILE THE BODY IS IN ANY POSITION.

When a person has finished an impassioned locution, and the body has for a moment assumed an expectant or defiant attitude, he, as a general thing, retains the breath while that posture lasts (of course, only if the duration be short). But in art it is different. While it should seem as though the breath, like every member of the frame, up to the muscles of the face, were perfectly still, the actor should fill the lungs well, slowly, inaudibly and invisibly (employing that method of respiration best conforming to the momentary position of his frame), in order to have the lungs in a 66 state of readiness" for his next utterance, so that he should appear to have enough air in the lungs for any expiratory movement.

In those cases in which the body has assumed a decided, fixed posture, and it is sought to retain it for a time in this position as firm and immovable as possible, and where a long and deep inspiration, a prolonged retention of the breath and a complete

For

expiration are necessary, then the position of the body will determine the mode of respiration to be resorted to whether abdominal, shoulder or sidebreathing, or a combination of these movements. the attitude of the frame, previous to respiration, will permit certain portions of the lungs to expand more freely than others; that is to say, to become more easily filled with air, so that the mode of respiration is thereby determined to a greater or less

extent.

SECTION 21.

NOT MORE AIR TO BE EXHALED THAN IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

It is astonishing with how little air man may produce sounds, and that the sounds, produced with little air (if the vocal cords are in normal condition), are the finest in piano or in forte, because too much air imparts to the tone a hoarseness, frequently a screeching sound, and both these qualities destroy the tone.

If the rule, to produce a great effect with little air, must be generally observed, it is especially necessary where the utterance is rapid and forcible; here it is necessary to speak, as it were, with diminished consumption of breath, that is, here we must scrupu

lously observe the principle to expire only as much air as is absolutely necessary.

It is especially important to confine ourselves to a small consumption of air, if we wish to change from a chest to a falsetto tone (be it in singing or speaking).

In such cases, that the transition may not be unpleasantly audible, we use but a small quantity of air; in fact it is in this way only that the transition can be made æsthetically.

The slow emission of air from the lungs, for phonetic purposes, is effected by permitting the feeling of expansion, produced in the lower chest. and in the abdominal muscles by a full inspiration, to gradually subside; that is to say, by keeping the upper chest immovable, by allowing the contracted lower external intercostals (see page 36), which raise the ribs, to slowly relax, also allowing the contracted diaphragm to gradually relax; and by the slow contraction-which begins simultaneouslyof the lower internal intercostals (see page 36), which draw the ribs down, and of the abdominal muscles, especially the musculi transversi (see Fig. XIII, c, d), which draw back the abdomen. In addition to the foregoing, the emission of inspired air is made slow by diminishing the opening of the

glottis, as much as possible, but without pressing the vocal cords together. On the other hand, by the rapid sinking of the ribs, the quick yielding of the diaphragm, the immediate relaxation of the vocal cords and the sudden widening of the glottis, the air is at once expelled from the lungs, as we have learned in Section 7.

SECTION 22.

BREATHING THROUGH THE NOSTRILS.

Breathing through the nostrils is very essential, because not only is this less noticeable than breathing through the mouth (with which we inhale usually less air than by means of the nostrils), but it has also the advantage of not drying the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, the entrance to the throat, the throat itself and the vocal cords, as the frequent inspiration through the mouth is apt to do. And the moisture of these parts is one of the most important qualities required in originating a tone.

Every singer or speaker should, therefore, breathe as far as possible through the nose, and should make use of every opportunity that presents itself for doing so. But where is there such an opportunity? Wherever he has two or three seconds' time, which is quite ample for a full inspiration.

But in inspiring through the nose, we should not move the muscles as though we wished to smell; this checks the air which is to be inhaled, and becomes unpleasantly audible. Inspiration should be performed solely with the inspiratory muscles (the diaphragm and the external intercostals), the nostrils to be used only as openings for the passage of the air. We should also be careful not to compress the lips, while inspiring through the nostrils. Compressing the lips tightly reduces the opening of the nostrils, whereby inspiration is rendered infinitely more difficult, and a noise is produced as in audible smelling.

With regard to the health, breathing through the nostrils is also of the greatest importance. Those who are especially interested in this, should read Catlin's "Shut Your Mouth."

SECTION 23.

TIME AND DURATION OF THE EXERCISES.

I propose the following method of exercise, which many years' experience with my pupils has shown to be attended with excellent results:

Having risen in the morning and refreshed the body, or at least the neck and the bust, with a cold ablution (or taken a bath in summer), the pupil should dress, not too heavily or too tightly, and perform a quarter of an hour's bodily exercise, as has been described in Part I, with the proper intervals