§ 12. Let him not be unmindful to teach the Manner of mixing the Piano with the Forte in the Divisions; the Glidings or Slurs with the Mark'd, and to intermix the Close Shake; especially on the pointed Notes, provided they be not too near one another; making by this Means every Embellishment of the Art appear.
§ 13. Of all the Instructions relating to Divisions, the most considerable seems to be That, which teaches to unite the Beats and short Shake with them; and that the Master point out to him, how to execute them with Exactness of Time, and the Places where they have the best Effect: But this being not so proper for one who teaches only the first Rules, and still less for him that begins to learn them, it would be better to have postponed this (as perhaps I should have done) did I not know, that there are Scholars of so quick Parts, that in a few Years become most excellent Singers, and that there is no want of Masters qualified to instruct Disciples of the most promising Genius; besides, it appeared to me an Impropriety in this Chapter on Divisions (in which the Beats and Close Shake appear with greater Lustre than any other Grace) not to make Mention of them.
§ 14. Let the Scholar not be suffered to sing Divisions with Unevenness of Time or Motion; and let him be corrected if he marks them with the Tongue, or with the Chin, or any other Grimace of the Head or Body.
§ 15. Every Master knows, that on the third and fifth Vowel, the Divisions are the worst; but every one does not know, that in the best Schools the second and fourth were not permitted, when these two Vowels are pronounced close or united.
§ 16. There are many Defects in the Divisions, which it is necessary to know, in order to avoid them; for, besides that of the Nose or the Throat, and the others already mentioned, those are likewise displeasing which are neither mark'd nor gliding; for in that Case they cannot be said to sing, but howl and roar. There are some still more ridiculous, who mark them above Measure, and with Force of Voice, thinking (for Example) to make a Division upon A, it appears as if they said Ha, Ha, Ha, or Gha, Gha, Gha; and the same upon the other Vowels. The worst Fault of all is singing them out of Tune.
§ 17. The Master should know, that though a good Voice put forth with Ease grows better, yet by too swift a Motion in Divisions it becomes an indifferent one, and sometimes by the Negligence of the Master, to the Prejudice of the Scholar, it is changed into a very bad one.
§ 18. Divisions and Shakes in a Siciliana are Faults, and Glidings and Draggs are Beauties.
§ 19. The sole and entire Beauty of the Division consists in its being perfectly in Tune, mark'd, equal, distinct, and quick.
§ 20. Divisions have the like Fate with the Shakes; both equally delight in their Place; but if not properly introduced, the too frequent Repetition of them becomes tedious if not odious.
§ 21. After the Scholar has made himself perfect in the Shake and the Divisions, the Master should let him read and pronounce the Words, free from those gross and ridiculous Errors of Orthography, by which many deprive one Word of its double Consonant, and add one to another, in which it is single.[44]