NECK MOVEMENTS.
The neck movements are necessary, because many of the disagreeable qualities of the voice are due to inelasticity of the muscles of the neck. The movements are in the same directions as for the body.
1. Bend forward and back.
2. Bend right and left.
3. Turn right and left.
It is not necessary to describe them at length: but, in bending right and left, be careful to keep the head from bending slightly backward or forward at the same time; and, in the turning of head, keep it erect.
Note.—This completes the physical gymnastics. Practise them until the purpose for which they are intended has been accomplished, and afterwards occasionally, to keep what you have gained. Take each exercise two or three times in succession. When thoroughly learned, this will not take more than five minutes. Practise them five minutes at morning and night.
PART TWO.
VOCAL GYMNASTICS.
You have no need to take any special exercise in walking for the ordinary purposes of life; but, if you wished to be a "walkist," you would need special practice to train and develop the muscles for that purpose. You may be a good singer, able to sing for your own amusement or that of your friends, without specially training the singing-voice; but, if you wished to sing in public, you would, if you were wise, train your singing-voice very carefully. As in these cases, so with the voice in speaking. For all ordinary purposes of speech, you need no special training of the speaking-voice; but when, as teacher, clergyman, lawyer, lecturer, actor, public reader, or in any other capacity, you are called upon to do more with the voice than others, you ought to train and develop your vocal powers. For this purpose, the following series of exercises are given for practice.