252 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the three things necessary to keep the voice in good order are 

 practice, practice, and again practice. A singer who lets his voice 

 lie idle is pretty sure to lose some of his upper notes, his breathing- 

 power falls below its highest standard, and the larynx becomes 

 less supple and less obedient to his will. Another vital point is 

 never, if possible, to use the voice when it is not at its best. The 

 slightest cold deadens to some extent the vibrations of the cords, 

 and the resonators are also thrown out of tune by dryness or ex- 

 cessive moisture of their lining membranes. Bodily weakness or 

 indisposition is reflected in the voice ; the cords do not come firmly 

 together, and their tension is insufficient for perfect purity, much 

 less richness, of tone. A most essential element in the care of the 

 voice is attention to the general health. This is very apt to be 

 neglected by singers, who have rather a tendency, as a class, to 

 lead the life of hot-house plants, living in rooms from which fresh 

 air is shut out almost as if it were a pestilence, and taking little 

 or no physical exercise. It is right, no doubt, that a singer should 

 shield his precious instrument from harm as carefully as a violin- 

 ist protects his Straduarius or Amati, but exaggerated precaution 

 may defeat its object. Even the most dainty of light tenors can 

 not live wrapped up in cotton-wool, and the delicacy engendered 

 by the unhealthy conditions of life which have been referred to 

 makes the slightest exposure to cold or fog almost deadly to his 

 artificially enervated throat. A singer who wishes to keep himself 

 in good voice should rise, if not exactly with his brother minstrel, 

 the lark, at least pretty early, say, before eight in the morning. 

 Tosi says that the best hour for practice is the first of the sun, but 

 this, I fear, is a " counsel of perfection " beyond the virtue of this 

 unheroic age. The singer should take plenty of exercise in the 

 open air, and should harden his constitution by leading, as far as 

 possible, a healthy outdoor life. Nothing gives richness and vol- 

 ume to the voice like vigorous health ; an experienced ear can 

 often tell a man's physical condition by the full, generous " ring " 

 of his tones, both in singing and speaking. 



There is even more superstition among singers than among 

 speakers, as to what is " good for the voice." A formidable list 

 of things which were supposed by the ancients to be injurious is 

 given by Pliny ; it includes such a variety of animal and vegetable 

 substances that one wonders how unfortunate vocalists could have 

 found life worth living under such ultra-Spartan conditions. Our 

 modern artistes tend to err rather in the opposite direction, to 

 judge from their extraordinarily comprehensive views as to what 

 is " good " for the voice. Every species of drink, from champagne 

 to hot water, and almost every recognized article of food, includ- 

 ing that particularly British institution, cold roast beef, has its ' 

 devotees. I have no manner of doubt that every one of these 



