Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-14

nohuay evening. was auenueu Dy large ana
apprecative audience. who were delighted with
the able and entertaining presentation Of the
subject, No better proof Of the
Professors power can be given than the state
ment that for two hours he held an Ellsworth
audience listening and attentive.
We can reproduce but the general outline of
the Professors rapid and intensely interesting,
two-hour, illustrated lecture. He stated that
there are two general departments Of the sub
ject under consideration-viz., 'Preparation,"
which is purely mechanical, and Execution
which consists in the laws Of taste controlling
and directing the mechanical preparation. The
speaker who can afford to trust himself TO the
full liberty Of expressing his thoughts and feel
ings is he who has graduated with full houors
In these lsborious schools Of preparation and
execution. Before a single word Is uttered
these are preliminary movements which re-
quIre attention; for the first thing noticed BY
the audience Is the man woman rs such.
apart from any other consideration. The eye
Of the audience almost unerringly drinks in the
man or woman at once. and the first impress
sion is Of the utmost importance, as IL often
decides the favor or disfavor Of the audience
toward the speaker. II q lady takes the stage
or platform in a fashionable way. her body
swaying to and fro, hands Ia kangaroo, and
with n simpering expression Of countensncc,
an impression detrscting from the ladys digni-
~ is at once formed. II man comes forward
in a slovenly, hesitating OF dignifed manner, n
corresponding impression Is produced ON the
hearers. The professor gave very amusing H.
Illustrations Of the many ways Of coming before
an audience. The general direction is, take the
platform or stage a. master Of the situation; II
YOU are not. YOU have no business there. Get
before YOUR audience I'm the easiest possible way
consistent with grace and dignity. Rest Is
near 10 the front OF the platform possible,
leaving sufficient space only for your necessary
advance in excited delivery. A too retired POI
stion on the stag. rohs both speaker and audi
tor of that unseen but potent magnetic inter
change Of sympathy which is the atmosphere
in which lives eloquent effect. Pause mo-
meni in dignited but unre strained position.
with one knee bent; then make YOUR bow by
bending the whole body gently forward, just
enough In straighten the limb that Is bent, keep
ing your eyes on the general line OF the audi
ence. aftcr which Resume your former position.
dionce in that impressive thought-.ilcncc imme-
diaiely preceding the frsi words uttered. when
speaker snd hearers are measuring each other.
get their animal magnetism which bind, YOU
and Them firmly in sympathy and then proceed.
The professor then introduced his analysis Of
ac,ion. He said all our thoughts and feelings
for the purposes Of gesture may be clAssed un-
der three general divisions. viz: Congenial
states Of mind. demanding curves in the posi-
ton Of the arms and hands and in their move
menis emphatic states, demanding straight
lines and angles both IN the position and move
menis OF the arms aud hand, ayersye or dis
approbaiisc and reprcssi,e states, demanding
more or less strongly marked straight lines and
angles both in position and movement. differ
ing from the emphatic in that the palms are re-
ycr,cd. Hence We have Congcnial. Emphatic
and A,cr,iyc gestures. These thrcc general
kinds Of gestures arr made in three general di-
rcrtions-low, middle and high. according 10
the locality Of objects. or character Of ideas
expressed. The THREE main PARTICULAR Of the
mechanism Of tho - gestures are. first, prcpar-
aiory, or bringing the hand. toward and in re-
lstion 10 the body, second, moving the arms
phatic worl or word, appropriate TO receive
/ gesiieulaiory emphasis, and third. returning
/ the limb, Ia a rcpose position. These move
moni.. to rate. intensity and extent. must he
I IN harmony with the character and degree OF
excitement expressed The professor illustrA
! ted each form Of gesture. analy ring their mech
4 anisrn and proving their necessity and power
/ g. elements Of expression. His imperson alto n
/ OF the fastldious young lady who thought IT " a,
unladylikc 10 gesticulaie, and the manner in
which he ridiculed her out Of her foolish ohicc-
1900, -ascu MS auuir..~~ .....e 49,; =
/ lie also gaze illustrations Of what he termed
/ descriptive, imper-onaiiye, dcsignaiiye and con
/ ocnirat'e gestures, por,raying the almos; inf
mite variety Of movement and expression o.
/ which the arm and hands arr capable by III,
Use Of the straight line. angle and curye-th.
three principles u form in nature and art II,
gave amusing portrayals Of the uncultured Us,
| OF gesture, vnd illustrated the utter fallacy o
| the old instruction, ''be NATURAL The move
| menis VI the lower limbs, As related 10 EXPIRE,
SION, were then analysed and classified As ex
pressiye Of kinds and degrees OF excitement.
| The great study Of the orator and actor In thin
connection |, 10 know what kind Of action is re
| quired. when 10 use Il, and TO b. able to use |
in the best way. He should through practice
! under broad and all including analysis hay.
such command Of expressive action. that h.
can afprd to trust imself in the expression o
any state Of mind whatever, without = though
a. Ia his style. We are all obliged to use AZ
ton in our expression Of mental states Tn.
simple question j., can We afford To be natura al
I hat - t.t.s
times out Of ten, more or less awkward, indeii
nit.. stupid indifferent unme aningly yehe
ment: A moments reflection win prove to II
that there is a law Of action, which. If obsery
ed. VIII improve the best Of Us Here the Pro
frssor gave very amusing impersouaiion Of
hslf-hedged Western orator he heard in Egypt
Ill.,. who ia trusting TO his natural genius ex
pressed his patriotic sentiments in the most Ia
dicrous way imaginable.
The speaker then proceeded To illustrate hi
analysis and expression of the vocal element.
assisting his audience 10 clearer comprehen
sion of his stateme nts by means Of r diagram.
! lie said;-"For convenience, l divide tn
TONES VI Voice into j We divisions and have civ
en- them names expressive u their character
VIZ: Whispering, expires siye of caution, seers
cy. fear, etc; Half whispering, expressive Q
awe, deep reverence, etc. Pure Tone, expires
sive Of simple perception, memories, reelection
and sentiments; Orotund, expressive Of III,
higher or grand sentiments, and BAsilar, ex
pressiye OF the passions and lower sentiments
These divided with reference TO the mail
degrees Of excitement with which any one o
the tise general departments Of mental charae
ter may be entertained. Thus, having caution
secresy or fear kind Of mental state, IL 1t /
entertained but feebly, that is with little excite
Dent, that character Of mental condition wOul,
be expressed by the term Gentle Whisperin,
Quaiity; greater excitement Of the same kim
by the term Abrupt Whisper. The Half Wits
per, expressing awe, etc., j. divided in tn
same way. The Pure Tone Quality only ex
pressing unexcited condition Of thought, per
ception and memory, moderate expressions O
feeling and moderate excitements, Is divide,
into Gentle and Moderately Forcible expressly,
departments. The Orotund Quality-which /
pure tone voluminized and intensified, expires
siye of grandeur, sublimity, power and maiest,
, of thought and faeling-may he Divided iut.