wealth of voice combined with a power of dramatic
expression that simply is overwhelming; and she acts the scene of the
killing with sufficient realism to raise her entire performance to the
highest level of vocal dramatic art. An Italian prima donna who has been
heard in the same role at the same opera house sings the invocation
wretchedly, but acts the following scene, the killing of Scarpia, with
startling realism. She wins applause for her performance, as much
applause as the other, which shows that an operatic audience will not
only tolerate, but even applaud a singer who substitutes physical
attractions, temperament and a peculiar wriggle of the spinal column
for beautiful voice and correct method.

We all possess voice-mechanism, and possibly there is no other physical
apparatus that is misused so much. Americans misuse it even in
speech; yet what a valuable possession is an agreeable and pleasant
speaking-voice. This abuse of the vocal organs by the great majority of
Americans makes the establishment of a correct method of voice-production
in this country all the more desirable. Yet, what do we find here? Almost
any charlatan can set up as a singing-teacher, and this despite the fact
that the voice-mechanism is a most delicate and subtle structure, and
that a slight physical disturbance or wrong use of it seriously affects
the quality of the voice produced.

Had I not been a singer before I became a physician, I might not realize
the part that nature, properly guided, plays in the use of the voice.
Had I remained a singer and not become a physician, I might not realize
how important an aid in properly guiding nature in the use of the voice
is a scientific knowledge of the action of the voice-producing organs.
Had I not been a singer and were not now a physician, I might not realize
the influence upon the artist's physical well-being, and especially upon
that delicate apparatus, the voice-mechanism, of temperament, mental
condition and other purely metaphysical factors. This book, then, while
it believes in consulting nature, does not believe in that "natural"
method which simply tells you to stand up and sing; nor does it believe
in that physiological method which instructs you to plant yourself in
front of a mirror and examine your throat with a laryngoscope; nor in
advising you to follow minutely the publications of the Society for
Psychological Research. It believes in a synthetic coordination of the
three.