Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-07-20
Physical Culture.

Francois Alexandria Nicolas Cheri- Del
sarte, the founder OF the Delsartean phi
losophy as applied to art, was born in
Solesmes, France, the 10th Dec, 1911.
He studied at the Conversational from
1926 to 1880, and played a number of
times at the opera comique. Among his
pupils were number of dramatic cele-
berities, as we'll as great many aristoc-
ratio amateurs, who are still heard in the
salons Of the elite. AS singer he pre-
ferred ancient music to modern. He
wrote several romances, and united under
the name of "D'Archioes de Chant" frag-
ments of musical history of tho sixth and
seventeenth centuries. He died on the
10th July, 1871.
Delsarte had that many sided nature
that is necessary for philosopher and
true artist, and his claim was recognized
alike by monarch and peasant. The last
cross Of the Legion of Honor given under
the Empire was bestowed upon him, and
he was also decorated for many scientific
inventions. The elder Garcia in speaking
Of Delsarte said, with no voice at all,
such was his expression that one would
rather listen to him than to the finest
voice In the world.
His voice Is what is called "veiled,"
but his wonderful expression made his
song seem alive. He seemed to have dis
covered the secret Of perpetual youth, for
the Baron dc Moyacque, an old French
man who heard Delsarte when he was
young, saw him twenty years afterwards
and found him physically unchanged.
He was the greatest artist and teacher
Of his time, and nearly all the present
teachers Of the conservatoire studied un :
der him.
The Delsarte system contains the fun
elemental principles Of all art, 1t Is univer-
sal In its application. It is not an inven-
ton, 1t is not something new, it Is simply
concise scientific formulation OF hither-
to undiscovered natural laws, that are the
foundation of every true work of art.
Delsarte found that before bodies could
be moulded to the desired expression OF
high thought and feeling, the human
material must be made plastic, susceptible;
that an undoing process must in nearly
all cases precede an upbuilding process.
BY mental intensity, and muscular re-
straint man is unconsiously restricted In
all his movements, there is stiffness In
the joint or tension In the muscles.
These self imposed restrictions defeat
nature. she cannot harmoniously express
herself through such high-strung in
strument. 1t is an unnecessary expendi-
ture Of vital force, and an undue drain
upon life's reserve capital.
Mr.. Edmund Russell who is now leotur.
ing In New York on high art, and who Is
acknowledged by artists to be the high
priest Of Delssrtism says. Mature is all
right enough II left to herself. What Is
at fault OH the contrary Is the unnatural
life we lcad crowded together In cities,
one half the people doing double share
Of the work Of the world, and the other
half doing nothing at all. Added to this
there Is our mode Of dress which robs the
greater part of our muscles of their use
and beauty. We all are natural born
Delsartean's,-- | may be excused the
term but from the moment our educa-
tion beglns-say at the age Of six years.
nature is slowly but surely stified.
The mental is asslduously cultivated TO
the utter detriment of the physical and
moral, and this in the face Of the ordinary
gymnastics which frequently develops
one set Of muscles at the expense OF the
entire nervous system.
In order to got rid Of such conditions