the normal tone. It is produced with regular vocalization of the vowels and semi-consonants, and with the walls of the resonance cavities in normal position. Since the great bulk of our utterance, whether in conversation or speech-making, calls for the normal quality, it is especially desirable that it should be clear, resonant, and agreeable to the ear. Some people are naturally gifted with beautiful speaking voices. This is an enviable possession, which will always, probably, be limited to the favored few. The vast majority of us have ordinarily agreeable voices, capable, on the one hand, of much improvement by intelligent use, and, on the other hand, of deterioration by neglect, rough usage, and bad habits, such as yelling, excessive smoking, etc. Not infrequently a person's normal quality is gruff, strident, husky, nasal, thin, or squeaky. He should take immediate steps to overcome his fault, whatever it may be.

Every student should cultivate the ability to listen critically to the sound of his own voice, and note if it has any of the shortcomings mentioned above. Moreover, he should observe the voices of others for the purpose of comparing them with his own. Some one's strong, clear, pleasing voice may serve as a helpful standard for a less fortunate person's imitation. The student should try to produce a clear, agreeable quality in his every-day speaking as well as in his class-room work. The final suggestion is that the student observe that a relaxed throat, clear, open nasal passages, an avoidance of undue forcing of the breath, freely-moving jaws and lips for the unhindered outflow of sounds, and a mental tone image of the desired voice product — these are essential to an effective and pleasing voice quality.

EXERCISES TO DEVELOP GOOD NORMAL QUALITY

I. Sound the long vowels a-e-i-o-u, using a middle pitch, and sustaining each vowel as long as a full, unwavering tone can be comfortably produced. Note carefully that no nasal, throaty, or other disagreeable element is allowed to appear.

II. Utter the same vowel sounds, slowly, beginning each one moderately low and raising the voice smoothly to a higher pitch.

III. Use the same sounds, substituting a downward movement on each one.

IV. Pronounce slowly, and in clear, resonant tones, the following words: beam - bold - clear - far - gay - hold keen law loom - muse nine- ocean pealing - roar soothing - time - vain - wander - way - weep - wine - woo. V. Read the following sentences, slowly, and with the idea of giving each one a clear, agreeable expression: a. Blow, bugle, blow; set the wild echoes flying. (TENNYSON)

b. Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me! (TENNYSON)

c. Alone, alone, all, all alone, alone on a wide, wide

d. The quality of mercy is not strained;

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven,

Upon the place beneath. (SHAKESPEARE)

e. It is, indeed, the empire of Death; his great shadowy palace, where he sits in state, mocking at the relics of human glory, and spreading dust and forgetfulness on the monuments of Princes. (IRVING)

f. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The

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brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. (LINCOLN)

(INGERSOLL)

g. They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds,
careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the
windowless palace of rest. Earth may run red
with other wars; they are at peace.
h. Will no one tell me what she sings?
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago. (WORDSWORTH)
i. Over the sea our galleys went,

With cleaving prows in order brave

To a speeding wind and a bounding wave-
A gallant armament. (BROWNING)

j. While the present century was in its teens, and on
one sunshiny morning in June, there drove up to
the great iron gate of Miss Pinkerton's academy
for young ladies, . . . a large family coach, with
two fat horses in blazing harness, driven by a fat
coachman in a three-cornered hat and wig.

(THACKERAY)

SELECTIONS FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATION

THE BUFFOON AND THE COUNTRYMAN

A rich nobleman once opened the theaters without charge to the people, and gave public notice that he would handsomely reward any person who should invent a new amusement for the occasion. Various public performers contended for the prize. Among them came a buffoon well known among the populace for his jokes, and said that he had a kind of entertainment which had

never been brought out on any stage before. This report being spread about made a great stir in the place, and the theater was crowded in every part. The buffoon appeared alone upon the boards, without any apparatus or confederates, and the very sense of expectation caused an intense silence. The buffoon suddenly bent his head toward his bosom, and imitated the squeaking of a little pig so admirably with his voice, that the audience declared that he had a porker under his cloak, and demanded that it should be shaken out. When this was done, and yet nothing was found, they cheered the actor, and loaded him with the loudest applause. A countryman in the crowd, observing all that had passed, said, “So help me, Hercules, he shall not beat me at that trick!" and at once proclaimed that he would do the same thing on the next day, though in a much more natural way. On the morrow a still larger crowd assembled in the theater; but now partiality for their favorite actor generally prevailed, and the audience came rather to ridicule the countryman than to see the spectacle. Both of the performers appeared, however, on the stage. The buffoon grunted and squeaked very fast, and obtained, as on the preceding day, the applause and cheers of the spectators. Next the countryman commenced, and pretending that he concealed a little pig beneath his clothes (which in truth he did, but not suspected of the audience) contrived to lay hold of and pull his ear, when he began to squeak, and to express in his pain the actual cry of the pig. The crowd, however, cried out with one consent that the buffoon had given a far more exact imitation, and clamored for the countryman to be kicked out of the theater. On this the rustic produced the little pig from his cloak, and

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showed by the most positive proof the greatness of their mistake. "Look here," he said, "this shows what sort of judges you are." (ESOP: The Buffoon and the Countryman)

ENGLAND AND AMERICA

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, if it be true that I have been so fortunate as to contribute in any way to the friendly relations which exist at present between England and America, it is simply because I have taken a plain, downright course for effecting this object. The fact of it is, gentlemen, that, according to old customs, when any causes for difference, however slight, existed between our two governments, down sat Her Majesty's Representative at his desk, and down sat the United States Secretary of State at his desk, and each penned to the other very pithy and pertinent despatches, showing the great motives for grievance there were on both sides, and then those despatches were carefully circulated throughout both countries; but when there were only causes for mutual good-will and satisfaction, no one thought it worth while to take notice of so simple a fact, nor to state to the English and American public what strong reasons, both in sentiment and interest, there existed for their maintaining the closest and most friendly relations with each other. This was the old school of diplomacy, gentlemen; but I am of the new school and my theory and practice are just the reverse of what I have been describing. I am for keeping as quiet as possible all those small differences which must occasionally take place between any two great States, having vast and complicated interests; but which differences are always easy of adjustment when they are not