The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-14
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THE CARE OF THE Voice
lis Cultivation Reflects
Favorably Upon the
Whole Physical
System.
THE KEY TO SUCCESSFUL READING
lnfantile Expressions Of Speech
Things TO Correct and
Encourage.
THE KEY 10 SUCCESSFUL READING

II would give five years of my life, |"
said a young woman enthusiastically
the other day, Ito be able to sing like
that" 1t was a voice of remarkable
sweetness whose notes had just ceased
to vibrate in the room.
You are young" said the white
haired IN by her side, 'sor you
would not bargain away your precious
years."
And she could have added that in
the time thus offered the young
woman might not acquire a voice to
sing; but could certainly gain one to
read and speak with pleasure to ev cry
body who heard her.
If the gift of song has been denied
them, few persons pay any regard to
their voice. Yet song is occasion al,
speech continuous.
Who has not some time come under
the charm of a clear, richly modulated
voice2 And who has not often been
dismayed as some fair-faced woman
opened her mouth and gave utterance
to a ~discordant flow OF speech?
Undoubtedly some voices possess
natural sweetness, but there is no
voice which may not be cultivated and
improved into positive charm by in
struction, and no more practice than
is commonly bestowed on music
scales.
Mrs. Sarah LIE Moyne, the Browning
reader. whose rich, flexible voice is
potent in her interpretations of the
poet of mystery, holds decided opin-
ions upon the development of the
voice. She says:-"There are today
hundreds of parents whose children
twenty years hence will reproach them
for neglecting their voices.
INFANTILE EXPRESSIONS OF SPEECH.
"When a child begins to speak his
voice education should begin. And
how is it begun foryomany children
whose opportunities will be of the
best? By giving them over to the
companionship ofnurses whose speech
is ignorant and coarse. Nasal notes
and harsh burrs give the baby his
early Impressions of the art of speak
ing.
"Many lovely children whom I
know are saddled with the faulty
speech of their nurses, handicapped
with bad talking habits, from which
they will never quite recoyeGe
"Only be sure to ehooseHFotr models.
The great fau IS offactors and readers
have been mannerisms and affecta-
tions, but both stage and platform
are improving every year, and have
now many ~elevating and finished
voices from which to learn.
Il advocate taking the child voice
and moulding it and training it. Vo-
calizing in reading and speaking does
not entail any such strain a vocal
izing in music; generally when an
adult goes to a voice instructor he is
in despair at the condition into which
careless talking and slovenly habits
of speech have brought him. Habit
and speech become fixed with especial
stubbornness.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS.
'iAnd l wish TO impress on you,"
went on Mrs. LIE Moyne, that the
cultivation of the voice does much
for one physically. The effort to
bring out chest tones expands the
lungs, giving them healthful activity.
l have seen it stated that to the daily
singing, repeated at regular Intervals
of nuns may be ascribed almost dir
ectlv their usual excellent health pre-
served. Notwithstanding they have
little exercise and open air"
Mrs. LIE Moyne is a charming expo
nent of all her theories, looking the
picture of vigorous health, with a
superb physique, while her musical,
sympathetic voice, absolutely free
from professional eccentricities, fas-
tens ones attention upon her lightest
word.
Beware of affectations and tricks
of expression. Lessen your faults and
let them teach you something. l
learn every day from my errors
Some one tells me you do SC and so,'
referring to some trick of manner, or
habit of using my features. Then |
watch closely that it does not con-
tinue. | watch for every hint and
criticism.
There is much talk about proper
ways to use ones mouth-one rule has
done for me. | keep my mouth fex-
ible and responsive-that is as good
an exercise as any," and Mrs. LIE
Moyne blew out her lips by simply
squirting the breath through them.
1.-THE key of all successful reading
is to find out what you have to ex-
press, then try over and over again to
express it.
HOW ~ OOQtIk6O4 1oOA0 fOAO1O.
with children of fourteen be on
the watch for ~artificiality and affecta-
ton; you will find that boys are timid
and girls affected in reading. Guard
against the twisting of the lips in
enunciating. and don't permit a
whine, nasally. over a pathetic pas
sage. One can put feeling into ones
voice if n feels something. without
sending the sound through
the nose. Pathos doesn't talk that
way; in speaks in ,broke en- sentences,
perhaps, and rich With feeling, but it
doesn't whine.
1.-THE basis of a good voice is good
lomach. Eat well, sleep well and
wiki well. 1t seems odd, perhaps,
that dropped shoulders and immov-
able hips in walking should affect The
| voice, but they do; whatever adds to
1.-THE breadth OF lungs keeps the voice
full and strong, and that is the voice
that can be trained.
s.It is possible for every
young person to greatly improve