There is no necessity for drinking while exercising the voice, no matter how long or how severe the exercise may be. 12. TOBACCO INJURIOUS TO THE VOICE. The use of tobacco, in any form, has a deleterious effect upon the speaking and breathing organs. It enfeebles the nervous system, and tends to make the voice dry, harsh, husky and inflexible. Public speakers who are votaries of the weed, if they can not give it up entirely, ought, by all means, to refrain from the use of it for several hours previous to speaking or engaging in any public vocal exercise. For this brief season of self-denial they will be rewarded by a clearness and fullness of tone, and a flexibility of voice, which will surprise and delight them. 13. STIMULANTS INJURIOUS TO THE VOICE. The public speaker or actor who is in the habit of taking a dram or two before commencing his performance, and an occasional sip during its continuance, hardly ever gets through with what he undertakes in a creditable manner. The speaker excited by strong drink usually speaks with the utmost force, at the top of his voice; the natural consequence is, his memory grows treacherous, his judgment bewildered, while the organs of the voice and throat become irritated and inflamed. Hoarseness ensues, which he tries to overcome by speaking in still louder tones; the result is, his voice soon breaks into a husky, squeaking tone, or becomes so thick and intensely guttural that the words he tries to utter are lost in an inarticulate croaking. Never resort to stimulants of any kind to raise the spirits or strengthen the voice. The excitement they produce in the system is unnatural, and, of course, injurious; and the strength which they create is certain to be followed by a corresponding prostration of power. SPEAKER'S SORE THROAT. Breathing a bad atmosphere when speaking, straining the voice by loud and boisterous talking, or by speaking a long time in too high a key or in guttural tones, or in impure tones of any kind, tends to produce sore throat. Never speak in an impure atmosphere, nor when exposed to a current of air, unless it be unavoidable. When you know that the atmosphere of the place in which you speak is bad, call attention to it, and have the evil remedied immediately by proper ventilation. One of the best remedies for a slight irritation of the throat caused by an improper use of the vocal organs, is table salt dissolved in water, and used as a gargle. When the complaint is chronic, there is but one remedy, and that is to speak in a pure tone of voice, and to carefully avoid vociferation or speaking in too high a key. COLD SPONGE BATH. To remove or greatly diminish weakness, weariness, and lack of vigor, physical or mental, and to tone up the whole system, I know of nothing that is equal to a cold sponge bath taken an hour or two before the time when your speech, lecture, sermon, address, or any other speaking effort has to commence. The colder the water the more pleasantly stimulating and recuperative will be its effects. Apply the water freely with the hand to the entire surface of the body, but especially to the sides, under the arms, over the small of the back, and the inside of the thighs. The sudden dashing of the water on sensitive parts of the body, will cause a sensation like that of a light electric shock. Continue the application freely for a few moments, then wipe the body dry, and with a coarse towel rub very vigorously the whole surface of the body until it is all aglow. Then rub for a few moments from head to heel with the hand; then rest both the body and the mind until the time when your effort must be made. LAUGHING EXERCISE ON THE VOWEL SOUNDS. Put on a mirthful look, draw back the corners of the mouth, as in laughter, and laugh out successively each of the short vocal sounds. Let the tone of voice be subdued, and the movement slow, at first, but rapidly increase, then diminish the degree of force and rapidity with which the sounds are uttered. Occasionally intersperse the exercises with one of the open vowel sounds, expressed with long quantity. In this manner you will relieve yourself, and be enabled to utter the sounds more like those which are heard on the spontaneous breaking forth of real laughter. This is one of the most valuable of the vocal exercises, whether considered with reference to the deepening and mellowing of the voice, which results from it, or from the strengthening and invigorating effect it has upon the throat and lungs. It is highly promotive alike of health of body and cheerfulness of mind. It should, however, be conducted with great moderation at first. As soon as the pupil begins to feel somewhat exhausted by his efforts, he should rest awhile. LANGUAGE OF THE PASSIONS AND EMOTIONS. The natural language of the passions and emotions consists of tones, facial expression, posture and action. In anger and imperative command, the voice is loud; in grief, modesty, and pity, the tones are subdued; secrecy is whis K. N. E.-11. pered; hate is aspirated; love is denoted by a soft, smooth, tone; joy, by a quick, clear, and pleasant tone; sorrow, by a low and interrupted tone; deep anxiety, by a tremulous, hesitating tone; courage, by a full, bold, and rather low tone; extreme fear, boisterous mirth, and many other feelings obtain their appropriate expression in a very high key. Different tones and modulations of the voice, apart from inflection and emphasis, are required to express different sentiments, emotions, and passions. Words are but conventional signs of thought and feeling; but tones, when they are strongly marked, are natural signs that are universally recognized. No rules can be given which can guide the student to the right expression of emotion and passion. He will derive more benefit from the careful study and application of general principles in any department of intellectual or emotional expression than he can derive from any or from all of the arbitrary rules that have been given on the subject. To learn how to portray feeling truthfully, and personate character, the student must study himself, and compare his own experience under anger, fear, pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, grief, hope, despondency, and other feelings and conditions, and endeavor to reproduce these feelings and conditions in his own mind. The skill of the actor lies chiefly in his ability to excite nature by the perfect imitation of nature. By the successful imitation of a feeling, you will be brought sufficiently under its influence to express it correctly and vividly. To express feeling correctly, you must never attempt its imitation till the imagination has conceived so strong an idea of it as to move the same impressive springs within the mind as those by which that passion, when uncoerced, has been excited. Before you attempt to give any passage of pathos or of passion, be sure that you understand every thing about it; then, as far as able, put on the appearance, and use the tones and action by which the feeling you wish to express is characterized. In this way you will soon acquire the art of bringing yourself, to some extent at least, under the influence of any feeling that you understand and appreciate. "To paint the passion's force, and mark it well, No pleasing powers distortions e'er express, And darts its meaning from the speaker's eyes. 1.-MERCY. The quality of mercy is not strain'd; Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; It is enthroned in the hearts of kings; It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's, 2.-UNRELENTING OBSTINACY. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak : |