a. It surmounts the trachea, or windpipe, and is connected by the hyoid bone to the base of the tongue. During the act of swallowing, by an upward movement against the base of the tongue, it is covered by the epiglottis. Beneath this covering lies the cavity of the larynx. This is divided by a central contraction, called the glottis, into a conical chamber above and a cylindrical one below. The glottis is bounded by the projection of two ligamentous bands called the vocal cords (though the term "cord" is misleading), and that of the ventricular bands above. The ventricle of the larynx, situated behind the latter, intensifies the sounds emitted by the vocal cords. These cords are attached to the thyroid (Ovpeos, a shield,) the protecting cartilage of the whole larynx, the arytenoids (apuraiva, cup), and these in turn to the cricoid (Kpikos, ring), the fundamental cartilage. The muscles moving these cartilages affect the tension of the vocal cords and their vibratory length, for, the cords being arranged somewhat in the shape of a V, contraction of the apex has the same result in increasing the pitch of the sounds emitted, as the shortening by the hand of the strings on the neck of a guitar. But pitch is not entirely dependent upon the larynx used as a stringed instrument. It depends also upon variation in length of the resonating columns of air passing through the cords as through reeds.

Exercises of the Vocal Cords. (Attack.)

I. Holding the breath, repeat as rapidly as possible, a soft, short sound, between that of u in up and oo in coo-whispered-then softly vocal-and up and down the scale. Make it in the forward part of the mouth, rather than in the throat, and never after it begins to irritate the organs.

II. If you have a voice of a breathing quality, occasionally, for a few seconds, hold the breath and force it against the vocal cords so as to grate them together, emitting a half-vocalized, constantly interrupted sound.

The organs of Intensification (Resonance), in addition to the tubes and chambers of the lungs and larynx, are the upper throat, or pharynx, the nasal cavities, the mouth, or buccal cavity (bucca, cheek), the hard and soft palates, and the uvula. (See Plate III.)

a. The pharynx is a connecting chamber for the passage from the stomach (the oesophagus), and from the lungs (the larynx), and those from the drums of the ears (Eustachian tubes), and from the nose. It is the stage proper of the theatre of the voice. While it is important that its entrances and exits and resonating "flies" should be kept open and free from obstruction (the Eustachian tubes are easily inflated if mouth and nose be closed), the chief organ of intensification under control of the will is

b. The nose (nasal cavities). Respiration during vocal exercises should usually be through it alone. Its resonance results mainly from the vibration of

c. The hard and soft palates. The former being the hard, bony portion that arches the front of the mouth, serves also as a re

flector of sound for the buccal cavity. It is the dome of the theatre. The soft palate is the movable covering and partition at the back of the mouth. As a covering it is a sort of "proscenium arch" over the stage, or pharynx, and is supported by two muscular ridges on either side, which are called the "pillars

1 The above illustrative cut is taken from "The Mechanism of the Human Voice," by permission of E. S. Werner, publisher.

of the fauces. These can be brought near together at will, narrowing the space between them, called "the isthmus of the fauces."

As a partition, the soft palate answers to the curtain of the stage, affecting resonance by closing at will the openings of the pharynx to the nose and mouth. To do the first, its pendent portion, the uvula, is drawn backward, and a cushion is formed behind it, stopping the nasal passages. The second is accomplished by lowering the soft palate and lifting the back of the tongue till the two meet.

d. It is essential that, throughout all vocalization not imitative, the underlying muscles of the organs of resonance should be in a passive state, leaving the surfaces free to vibrate. With Americans, as a rule, these muscles, especially those below and about the nasal passages, share wrongly in the active work of articulation, which is only appropriately done near the tip of the tongue and the lips. As a result, the sweetness of the voice is impaired and catarrh and laryngitis are contracted, Demosthenes, by practising articulation with a mouth filled with pebbles, not only cured his stammering, but, as we now know, did so by breaking up the connection, merely sympathetic, between the muscles intended for articulation and for resonance.

SUMMARY OF EXERCISES TO BE PRACTISED DAILY FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES.

1. Active and Passive chest, abdomen and sides alternately,with empty and full lungs. Arm movements, page 23.

2. Inhale and exhale slowly,-first at abdomen, then at lower sides, then at chest.

3. With elevated chest, inhale and exhale at abdomen and lower sides.

4. Exhale through one nostril with compressed lips, with whispered ah.

5. Keep moving tongue's tip from lower teeth back along roof of mouth.

6. With tongue's tip out, keep moving its root and the larynx as if swallowing.

7. With fingers between teeth, keep opening lips.

8. Look in a mirror and keep lifting uvula.

9. Sit straight, half fill lungs, hold abdomen stiff—and empty lungs with puffs of p (uh)-p-p.

10. Repeat several times from abdomen wo; waw; and oi, ai, ou. 11. Vocalize and whisper uh, uh, uh.

12. Repeat rapidly until lungs are emptied, la, la, la. Roll r-r-r. Sound ng, ng, k; and ee, ee, mm.

13. Sound each following initial consonant alone; then with the vowels; and then with all the letters following both itself and the other initial consonants:

14. With full orotund tone (see § 134) and deep breathing, repeat, "Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll! Independence, constitution, abounding, amazement.”