e unable to
vibrate sufficiently to produce tone. But whether slight or great, the
cold demands rest. Otherwise permanent injury may be done to the voice.

The second caution relates to the preservation, not of the boy's voice,
but of the man's. There is no doubt that it is undesirable for a boy to
continue to sing after his voice has shown signs of "breaking." What are
the first signs of this change? Choirmasters notice that the middle
register becomes weak, without any diminution in the power and quality
of the upper notes, but that at the same time the thick register grows
stronger, and the boy can strike middle C with firmness. "The striking
of middle C," says Mr. G. Bernard Gilbert, "is usually sufficient to
decide the point." The tradition of teachers is in favour of rest at
this time, and a well-founded public impression counts for a good deal.
The fact is that during the time of change not only do the vocal cords
lengthen, but they are congested. An inflammatory action, like that
which takes place during a cold, is set up. Hence rest is desirable.
Nature herself also counsels rest because she reduces the musical value
of the voice at this time to a low ebb. It becomes husky and of
uncertain intonation. No doubt cases can be quoted of boys who have sung
on uninterruptedly and developed into good tenors or basses, but there
are cases equally strong in which the man's voice has completely failed
after such a course. Sir Morell Mackenzie is the only medical writer who
has advocated singing during change of voice, but not even his authority
can upset the weight of evidence on the other side.

Nevertheless, on the principle of "hear both sides" I quote the
following from a letter by Mr. E. H. Saxton, choirmaster of St. James's
church, at Buxton:--

"Upon the question of resting completely from singing during the period
of change of voice, I hold that one must be guided by the circumstances
of each individual case. I carefully watch each boy when I am expecting
the change to commence, and it usually shows itself by the upper thin
register giving way. If I cannot immediately spare the boy from the
treble part (and good leading boys are not plentiful), I caution him to
leave high notes alone, never to force them, and as soon as possible I
relegate him to the alto part, where he often remains useful to me for a
year or eighteen months. All the time he is singing the alto part I keep
watch over him, and forbid his singin