The American literary reciter; readings, delcamations and plays, original compositions and choice selections of the best literature .. . isself-possessed, will speak with ease; and his gesticulation, if not always graceful,will be appropriate and expressive. Before the pupil can be easy and naturalin his action and gesticulation, he musthave perfect control of his voice. Any at-tempt, therefore, which he may give to thecultivation of gesture and action, before hehas obtained a good control of his voice,will be labor spent in vain. Stand or sit erect, in an easy and grace-ful position, and hold
The American literary reciter; readings, delcamations and plays, original compositions and choice selections of the best literature .. . isself-possessed, will speak with ease; and his gesticulation, if not always graceful,will be appropriate and expressive. Before the pupil can be easy and naturalin his action and gesticulation, he musthave perfect control of his voice. Any at-tempt, therefore, which he may give to thecultivation of gesture and action, before hehas obtained a good control of his voice,will be labor spent in vain. Stand or sit erect, in an easy and grace-ful position, and hold the book in the lefthand on a level with the face. Look fromyour book to the audience, as often and aslong at a time as you can, without missingthe place. Make but few gestures, and thenonly when you arc looking at your audi-ence. To gesticulate while your eye isresting upon the book is not only inappro-priate, but ridiculous. In didactic or unimpassioned discourse,gesticulation is not necessary, farther thanoccasionally to slightly change the positionand movement of the hands, or to movethe head and body sufficiently to look at. Ridicule 22 THE ART OF ELOCUTION. your audience from right to left. In dis-course of this character the gestures andmovements should be executed slowly, andas gracefully as possible. In stating un-important particulars, or speaking aboutmatters which require a quiet, narrativestyle, the right arm and hand should bechiefly used. There are three positions in which thehand and arm may rest, and, by slowlychanging from one to the other of thesepositions, stiffness and rigidity in the gest-ures of the arm will be avoided. First: Let the arm hang naturally by theside. Second: Let the hand rest upon the hip,the elbow thrown well backward.
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Keywords: ., bookauthorlinthicu, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1902
