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"Not an eminent orator has lived

but is an example of industry. Yet the almost universal feeling appears to be that eminence is the result of accident; thus multitudes who come forth as teachers and guides suffer themselves to be satisfied with the most indifferent attainments—a miserable mediocrity.

For any other art they would have served an apprenticeship, and would be ashamed to practice it in public before they had learned it. If one were learning to play the flute for public exhibition, how many hours and days would he spend in giving facility to his fingers and attaining the power of the sweetest and most expressive execution! If he were devoting himself to the organ, how many months and years would he labor that he might know its compass and become master of its keys and be able to draw out at will all its various combinations of sound,—its full richness and delicacy of expression! And yet, he will fancy the grandest of all instruments may be played upon without study or practice! He comes to it a mere uninstructed tyro and thinks at once to manage all its stops and command the whole compass of its varied and comprehensive power. He finds himself a bungler; is mortified at his failure and settles it in his own mind that the attempt is unavailing."-WARE.

I

DEFINE PRACTICE OF SPEECH as the Art of expressing Thought and Emotion. The media of Expression are three: Voice, Action

Words.

The first and second are natural; the last, artificial. It is the object of these exercises to develop the student in three ways:

I. To develop and cultivate the Voice-to render it powerful, flexible, sympathetic and durable.

2. To gain full control of the Body, to make him master of himself, that every part of the Body shall respond harmoniously to to each impulse of Thought and Emotion.

3. The Use of Words.-To trace the line of Thought throughout the phrases and sentences of Discourse, and apply the powers of Voice and Action to the ideas exclusively.

These, then, are three essentials for the speaker: good Voice, good Action, good Adaptation of Voice and Action.

By "Practice of Speech," I mean the Art of Actual Speaking-the facts of expression as opposed to theories. I desire to be practical throughout.

WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF THE SPEAKER?

Briefly stated,-to make his auditors think as he thinks, feel as he feels, determine as he has determined. He is an earnest man who has persuaded himself and is now trying to persuade others. He would convince them with Reason, sway them with Emotion and govern them with the power of his Will.

"But all cannot do this!" Why not? If mankind are not equally gifted, are they not similarly so? Some indeed think more profoundly, feel more deeply and determine more fully; but why should not any man give the fullest expression to his best conceptions, thoughts and emotions?

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In other matters, we all say with Shakespeare's character: "Have we not eyes? Have we not hands, organs, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food? Subject to the same diseases; healed by the same means? Warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? If we are like all the rest, shall we not be like you in that ?"

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So, if we are alike in form of flesh and bone and blood, breathing and sensible, illumed by soul-fire to feel and to discern, to reason and determine, why not, at least, similar in expression of Thought, Feeling and Will?

Surely no one can be found whose composition is so entirely of clay, that he is insensible to the physical, mental and moral world about him! Whose blood never warms with love, nor chills with fear; whose pulse is not stirred by anger, nor slowed with sorrow; who cannot admire heroism, nor despise a craven deed; whose eye never shows sign of pity, wonder, or astonishment; whose lip is guiltless of mirth, or of scorn; or, whose body bows not in reverence to his Maker, nor rises proudly erect to resent insult! But, if such, he cannot acquire the spell that binds and moves and melts and sways a multitude. It needs a man to sway men—not an idiot or a brute. Expression is but the manifestation of the invisible, indwelling Life.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD VOICE?

I would say, a good Voice is clear, full, deep, round, 1 esonant, well-modulated, sympathetic and durable.

To be more definite: By clearness, I mean a ringing, bell-like quality; by fulness, I mean a large amount of sound; by depth, I mean an undertone or sonorous quality; by roundness, I mean a smooth, tube-like quality; by resonance, I mean a vibratory quality, such as the tone of a violin; by modulation, the power of changing from one pitch to another in harmony with the sentiment or thought, and also, the power of making the tones soft or strong upon any pitch or any quality of voice; by sympathetic voice, I mean a voice that by its tones, inflexions and cadences alone,-independent of words—can portray all changes of Thought and shades of Feeling; by a durable voice, I mean one that is capable of two, four, six, or eight hours of use daily, without causing hoarseness, huskiness or irritation of the vocal organs.

To obtain these characteristics or qualities of voice is our present aim.

VOICE FORMATION.

"I would advise every aspirant to eloquence to carefully CULTIVATE his voice, to acquire a perfect command of that organ, if possible. By careful, earnest frequent training, a defective voice may not only be improved, but an astonishing mastery gained over it. A naturally harsh voice, which, without training, would grate upon the ears of others, may be so brought into subjection as to become musical in all its modulations. A power may be gained of uttering clear, pro

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