is powers. This life or vital force is to the
singer a definite, controllable power. "Various terms have been applied to
this mysterious force. Plato called it 'the soul of the world.' Others
called it the 'plastic spirit of the world,' while Descartes gave it the
afterward popular name of 'animal spirits.' The Stoics called it simply
'nature,' which is now generally changed to 'nervous principle.'" "The
far-reaching results of so quiet and yet so tremendous a force may be seen
in the lives of the men and women who have the mental acumen to understand
what is meant by it." The singer who has developed and controlled "the
third power" through the true conditions of voice, never doubts its
reality; and he, and he only, is able to fully appreciate it.

The development of all the above conditions depends upon one important
thing, the education of the body; upon a free, flexible, vitalized body.

ARTICLE SEVEN.

THE INFLUENCE OF RIGHT BODILY ACTION.

In art, as in all things else, man must be under the law until he becomes a
law unto himself. In other words, he must study his technique, his method,
his art, until all becomes a part of himself, becomes, as it were, second
nature. There is a wide difference between art and artificiality. True art
is based upon Nature's laws. Artificiality, in almost every instance, is a
violation of Nature's laws, and at best is but a poor imitation.

The impression prevails that art is something far off, something that is
within the grasp of the favored few only. We say of a man, he is a genius,
and we bow down to him accordingly. The genius is an artist by the grace of
God and his own efforts. Nature has given some men the power to easily and
quickly grasp and understand things which pertain to art, but if such men
do not apply their understanding they never become great or useful artists.
Talent is the ability to study and apply, and is of a little lower order
than genius; but the genius of application, and the talent to apply that
which is learned, have made the great and useful men, the great artists of
the world. As someone has said, "Art is not a thing separate and apart; art
is only the best way of doing things;" and while this is true of all the
arts, it is eminently so of the art of voice and of song.

Artistic tone, as we have found, is the result of certain conditions
demanded by Nature. These conditions are dependent upon form and
adjustment; and form and adjustment, to