The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-11-05
A lIEALTIIFUL CALLING.
SINGING AND ACTING SAID TO BE
CONDUCIVE TO STRENGTH.

professional singers Might lie Long-Livcd
II They Would Only Live Like Civilized
Beings-Action Of the Lungs-Enects Of
Training.
They were talking about tho healthfulness
Of different occupations the other evening at
IN uptown club, at which two or three bright
young doctors are occasional attendants.
"Other things being equal, said one of the
disciples of Asculapius. "there's no occupa-
ton SO conducive to general good health and
long living us singing Itdoesn't make a par
ticle of difference that lots Of professional
singers die early in life. The hard lives they
lead travelling about from place to place,
keeping all kinds of hours, eating all kinds of
food, and enduring all kinds of exposure,
would break them down anyway, il they had
constitutions of steel. In fact, it is only an
argument for the truth Of my theory that
professional singers are able to live as long as
they do and be as healthy as they are. II
they stayed in one place, kept regular hours
and lived like civilized beings they would be
the longest-lived class of people in the world,
and the healthiest too: though, of course, as
long us there were other singers alive they
wouldn't be the happicst.
FILLING OUT THE LUNGS.
"You see, if person is taught to sing prop
erly in the beginning, and then keeps it up
regularly, the effect is certain to be very bene-
hcial to all the vital organs. For instance, to
begin with, the pupil is taught to breathe as
he should and as very few people do; that is,
by the deep, abdominal method. lifting and
lowering the diaphragm and filling out the
entire lungs below the chest. That develops
the lungs, brings all their surface into action,
ins,lres pure blood and strong and regular
action of the heart Then the act of singing,
by which the lungs are filled to their utmost
capacity in the way | have described, and
then slowly empticd over and over again, is a
splendid exercise for those organs. Nothing,
In fact could be better Then the action of
the diaphragm being pressed strongly down
ward. and the walls of the stomach being
pressed outward. have n certain effect upon
the digestive organs and help to keep them in
tone. Added to all this, the public singer, if
he or she be endowed with the true artistic
instinct has a kind of physical frenzy in
singing that throws Off great deal of mag
netism OF course it often leaves the per-
former weak and exhausted at the end of the |
programme, but it is like the athlete on the
bars. The exhaustion is good sign if it is
not carried too far After rest and recrea-
ton the performer always feels the better for
it.
at would be the same way with actors if it
were not for the severe mental strains they
often undergo, and the fact that many of
them work entirely too hard and too long.
Think of season of forty weeks for a man
who plays the exacting line of characters
performed by the late John Mccullough!
With the exception of Mr. Booth and Mr..
Jefferson, who will not play more than ten or
fifteen weeks in the Year, there is scarcely an
ao5or in America who knows how to take
care of himself.
EFFECTS OF TRAINING.
at is often curious to note the physical de-
velopment that singing, acting or steadily
pursued vocal exercises will bring about. The .
neck grows noticeably larger, the muscles
and cords in it become more prominent, it
carries the head in more erect posture the
chest swells, and the whole frame in time
gets to look more vigorous and commanding
know young man who is this year the
leading support of the best known actor in
The country, who is a forcible illustration of
his.
Four years ago he came out of his law
|chool, to which he had gone from the col
egiate graduation, weak, puny, narrow
,hested, thin-voced and threatened with con-
sumption. He is a very intelligent young
elbow, and he got small part in legitimate
,lay to do, instead of practising law. He has
lone very well in his new profession, but
MS advancement there is nothing to the i'm
,rovement that has taken place in his
physique His shoulders look twice as broad
Is they used to, his chest is deep and power
ul, he has great, hell-toned bass voice, and
,e stands as strong and erect as cedar. II
le had pursued his intentions of a career at
he bar he would have been dead by this
inc. I believe nothing would break up a
endency to consumption SO fast as singing or
locution, sensibly taught and systematically |
ollowed. New York Mail and Express.