e mouth freely and naturally, and let the tone roll out. You will be
surprised to find not only great breath power and control, but a power in
the tone that most singers imagine can be got through physical force alone.
This power is the result of expansion and inflation, the true reinforcing
power. The increased vitalized energy of the tone is the result of the
upward and outward movement. This movement of expansion and inflation
through flexible action, is the true application of strength or of power.
It is that which we call the reverse movement. We sing down and move up. It
is the great movement for developing the low tones of all voices. This
reverse movement may be applied at will to all the studies given; it will
depend upon the effect we may desire to produce. If in descending, a quiet
effect is desired, the movement is with the voice. If we want power we
reverse the action. The body, when properly trained, becomes the servant of
the will, and responds instantly to thought and desire. Hence the
importance of correct thought.

In presenting these ideas to my readers, I realize how difficult it is to
put them in words, and how much they lose when they appear in cold print.
In working with a living, vitalized voice, the effect is so different. The
reader who may desire to experiment with these ideas should place himself
before a mirror, and make his image his pupil, his subject. In this way he
can better study the movements, the action, the position, the level of the
tone, and the breathing.

In private teaching, of course, we do not take up one subject or principle
and finish that, and then take up the next one; but one idea is constantly
built upon another to form the harmonious whole. The formula which we use
here, as we have said, is the one adopted for the normal class at the Point
Chautauqua summer school. This we do in order to have the system properly
arranged for lecture, illustrations, and for a practical study of the
devices, not only from the singer's, but from the teacher's standpoint as
well.

The teacher or singer who studies and masters this course never questions
or doubts the truth and power of automatic breathing and automatic
breath-control; or the wonderful influence on the voice of these movements,
which we call true position and action in singing.[1]

[Footnote 1: The few exercises or studies here given, as well as a number
of others, may be found fully carried out with accompaniment, in "Ex