how graceful the action of a speaker may be, if he does not understand his subject he must of necessity be unintelligible to his hearers. Be in earnest. Unless a speaker appears by his look and action to be animated by the truths he is uttering, he will not animate his hearers. It is the live coal that kindles others, not the dead. The same principle applies to all speaking. The power of Demosthenes-the greatest of orators-consisted chiefly in his being under the influence of the feeling with which he wished to inspire others. That which is most necessary to successful extemporaneous public speaking is that the speaker discuss a subject in which he feels a deep interest, and one concerning which he feels anxious to impart to others, and that he shall be so intent on accomplishing some desirable practical result by his effort that he will forget himself, and have not a thought of what his audience may possibly think of his performance.”—Dr. Jewet.

2. Every man has a language and a style that is peculiar to himself alone. Be yourself, use your own thoughts, your own language, and your own style-then you will be original.

3. To acquire facility and elegance of expression, the thoughts must be rapidly suggested to the mind of the speaker, and the words must be prompted by the thought.

4. To acquire the power of speaking to a point at a moment's notice, in a fluent, forcible and logical manner, you must frequently engage in the exercise of thinking, talking, and acting at the same time.

5. Whenever a good thought is suggested to your mind, as soon as possible write it out with the utmost clearness, in the best language you can command. Afterwards recall the fact or the thought, and express it by such language as may be suggested at the moment.

6. Cultivate self-possession. The speaker who loses his self-possession will soon lose control of his voice and command of his audience.

7. Practice alone, affirming, denying, interrogating, explaining, reasoning, and expressing your thoughts, sentiments, views, and feelings with every degree of force, from the whisper to the boldest utterance. The memory must supply, on the instant needed, the thoughts, facts, or illustrations, and the proper words to express them.

8. Take some simple, practical subject, and, as far as possible, exclude all other subjects from your mind; continue to think upon it. When a good thought, an important fact, or a pertinent illustration is suggested, make a note of it. When you have obtained material to commence with, write out a plan or a skeleton; then think over the subject again, and note down new thoughts and facts that are suggested. While so engaged, re-arrange your plan, and make other divisions, if necessary.

9. To speak well you must think well; and to think well requires extensive knowledge and a well disciplined mind.

10. Some one has defined an extemporaneous speaker to be one who knows what he is going to say, without knowing how he is going to say it.

11. Have something to say that you believe worth saying, and that you desire to say, and that you know or strongly believe to be true.

12. Do not try to speak like any body else: if your delivery be natural to yourself, you will speak as yourself and differently from any one else.

13. There is no such thing as a born orator or a born poet: there are self-educated orators and self-educated poets, but none who are born such.

14. Never attempt extemporaneous speaking without knowing what you wish to say. The greatest and the worst defect of a speaker is that of having nothing to say.

15. Both the beginner and the experienced speaker should not only practice speaking a good deal, but should also write much and carefully.

BODILY EXERCISE AND PURE AIR.

There are no two things more necessary to physical health, energy, and endurance than bodily exercise and pure air. A strong, clear, resonant voice is never found associated with a weak or sickly body. It is impossible to strengthen, deepen, or to increase the compass of the voice, or the energy and impressiveness of delivery, except by strengthening the body. He, then, who would increase his vocal power and his effectiveness in declamation or in public discourse, must take much bodily exercise.

Students of every class, and all persons engaged in sedentary pursuits, can keep the body strong by exercising in a pure atmosphere, ten minutes at a time, three times a day. To obtain the benefits resulting from athletic exercises, it is not necessary that you should have a well appointed gymnasium in which to practice. Free gymnastics, or gymnastic exercises without apparatus, will serve the needs of all but those who desire to acquire remarkable muscular power or great athletic skill. There are but few exercises with apparatus that may not be almost as profitably practiced without apparatus. By executing the movements of the woodman, when chopping, the same muscles are brought into action and in the same way as if chopping with an ax; you can tax your muscles almost as much by lifting at an imaginary weight as if practicing upon the health-lift, and can expend as much strength pulling at an imaginary rope as a real one.

The best time to take exercise is when you are reminded by your feelings that you need it. The greater the number of muscles that are brought into play in any exercise, the greater will be the benefit derived from it if it be energetically practiced. Quick and vigorous exercises, such as running, jumping, boxing, fencing, etc., increase the action of the lungs, and cause rapid breathing. They should be practiced with moderation at first, but the rapidity and

energy of the movements ought to be increased with every repetition. In prolonged, sustained, muscular exertion, as in heavy lifting, in pushing and in pulling, the lungs must be filled just as the effort is about to be made, and the breath held hard until it is ended. In exercises of this class, tax your strength and endurance to the utmost. Any unpleasant feeling that you may experience while putting forth the effort will pass away the moment the effort ceases. Whatever exercise you engage in, practice it with energy, and continue it until you perspire freely-the more freely the better and immediately after the exercise wash your face, hands, and wrists in cold water; it will refresh you, and almost entirely remove your liability to take cold.

Commence with any of the following exercises, and as soon as you become tired with one take another. By varying the exercises you rest the muscles that are tired, and bring into action others that were at rest. Keep the head erect, the chest expanded, and the body straight. Do not practice any thing in a careless, awkward manner, but endeavor to do every thing that you attempt, gracefully and well. A course of training in free and light gymnastics is the very best preparation that a student can have for exercises in action, gesture, and dramatic expression.

GYMNASTIC EXERCISES.

1. Strike out vigorously from the shoulder, with clenched fist, several times in succession, first with the right hand, then with the left; then alternate, delivering a blow with one hand, then with the other: energize the entire muscular system, and spring on tip-toe the moment the blow is delivered; instantly afterwards relax the muscles, and let the heels come to the ground.

2. Raise the hands above the head, keep the arms and the knees straight, then bend slowly downward from the

hips until the hands touch the feet, in which position remain for a few moments, then return slowly to the first position. Repeat the movement as often as you can do it without suffering.

3. Extend the arms at full length in front, on a level with the shoulder, the palms of the hands touching, then throw the arms forcibly backwards, so that the backs of the hands are brought as near together as possible.

4. Swing the arms in a circle; begin by moving the arms from the sides upward, directly to the front, then by the sides of the head backward and downward, behind, as far back as possible. The movement should be quick and vigorous, and when the arms come down, spring up on tip-toe, with the knees straight, and the trunk erect.

5. Miscellaneous Exercises.-Imitate as perfectly as you can the motions of the head, trunk, and limbs of a person engaged in turning a large grindstone, or ringing a very large bell, in chopping with an ax, working with a sledgehammer or a heavy maul, or with a cross-cut saw; when pulling at a rope, lifting on a health-lift machine, or moving in any other way; in swimming, in pitching a ball, throwing a lance, in boxing, fencing, or any other athletic

exercise.

SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS OF READING AND ELOCUTION.

1. The teacher who is unable to explain readily, clearly, and fully whatever it may be necessary for him to explain to his pupils concerning the subjects on which they are receiving instruction from him, or who is incapable of doing in a creditable manner that which it is his duty to teach his pupils how to do, is incompetent to fill his position. To teach art successfully, the teacher must have a critical and practical knowledge of the art.