Thou first and chief, sole sovereign of the vale! Or when they climb the sky, or when they sink,— And you, ye five wild torrents fiercely glad! Your strength, your speed, your fury and your joy, And who commanded-and the silence came 66 'Here let the billows stiffen and have rest?" Ye ice-falls! ye that from the mountain's brow Who made you glorious as the gates of heaven "God!" let the torrents, like a shout of nations, Answer! and let the ice-plain echo, "God!" "God!" sing, ye meadow streams, with gladsome voice Ye pine groves, with your soft and soul-like sounds! And they, too, have a voice, yon piles of snow, And in their perilous fall shall thunder, "God!" Ye living flowers that skirt the eternal frost! Utter forth "God!" and fill the hills with praise! Thou, too, hoar mount! with thy sky-pointing peaks, In adoration, upward from thy base Slow travelling, with dim eyes suffused with tears, To rise before me,-rise, oh, ever rise! Rise, like a cloud of incense, from the earth! -S. T. Coleridge. Note to Lesson XXIII., page 204, and to Lesson XXXVI., Page 232. The accompanying diagram explains the usual stage directions that are found in acting editions of plays and dialogues. Side entrances.-Right or Left, 1st, 2d, 3rd, and upper entrance. Principal characters come to or near the centre, subordinate characters, and principals also, when for the time they give place to others, belong up stage." The actor should stand so that his face is easily seen by the audience, unless there is an especial reason for turning his back upon them; for this reason, the foot nearest the person whom he is addressing on the stage should be the foot furthest "up stage,' and in pacing to and fro the last step at either side of the stage. should always be upon this foot, so that the transition to the other direction can be made without turning the back on the audience. In grouping a number of characters on the stage the chief thing to be borne in mind is that everyone should be so placed that he can be easily seen from the front. The simplest form is the arc of a circle, but if the arc is broken into a number of little groups the effect is more artistic. Often the principals are grouped in the front with subordinates up the stage. One of the most difficult accomplishments of the actor is the exit or departure from the stage. It should always be made expressive in the highest degree. After an impassioned speech amateurs often walk tamely off with an air as if all were finished; on the contrary, the exit should emphasize the prevailing mood, whether of love, hate, joy or sorrow. Entrances, exits and all other changes of position should be accomplished gracefully, avoiding angularity. (244) BY GENEVIEVE STEBBINS. WITH DELSARTE'S ADDRESS BEFORE THE PARIS PHILOTECHNIC SOCIETY. Designed Especially for a Text-Book and for Self-Instruction. A BOOK OF AESTHETIC PHYSICAL TRAINING FOR ALL PERSONS OF CULTURE, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE Elocutionist, Orator, Actor, Public Reader, Lawyer, Preacher, Painter, Sculptor, and all Others who wish to give Expres= sion to their Bodies or to their Work. Every Exercise has been Subjected to Repeated Personal Test, and Great Care Given to the Description of Attitude and Movement. The writings and teachings of Delaumosne, Arnaud and MacKaye (pupils of Delsarte) the author has supplemented with years of study under other masters-in different capi tals, at the Paris Conservatoire, etc.,-and has drawn from various additional sources, ancient and modern. She has taken all they had to give, pruning, analyzing, comparing, adapting, formulating, constructing, and testing theories, principles, rules and methods by years of personal, practical experience as teacher, elocutionist, public reader, and actress. ** Delsarte's gymnastics dif- By a happy, judicious min- The book is arranged in fer from others in that they gling of phi osophy and drill divisions and lessons; with are not mechanical. Each exercises, the author has headings,sub-headings, numhas a mental, emotional, æs- avoided making the book bered paragraphs, the gymthetic value and intent. No either too metaphysical or too nastics grouped and classiexercise is practiced simply mechanical. Both the rea-fied, type of various sizes and for the physical result, but soning student and the practi- differently displayed, an orfor the purpose of developing cal student will be satisfied. der of exercises for systembody, mind and soul, and Every gymnastic has its phil-atic practice, and blank harmonizing their recipro-osophical explanation, every pages for explanations and cal relations, influences and principle its physical applica- remarks.an exhaustiveindex; effects. it is well suited for class-work. SIXTEEN CHARTS (drawn expressly for this book from living models); NINETEEN SETS OF ÆSTHETIC GYMNASTICS, INCLUDING DECOMPOSING EXERCISES, RECOMPOSING EXERCISES, HARMONIC POISE OF BEARING, A GAMUT OF EXPRESSION IN PANTOMIME, SPIRAL MOVEMENT, FEATHER MOVEMENT, ETC. tion. CLOTH, $2.00, POST-PAID. EDGAR S. WERNER, Publisher, 108 East 16th St., New York. With Portrait of Author H ARMONIC GYMNASTICS A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF PSYCHICAL, AESTHETIC AND PHYSICAL CULTURE. BY GENEVIEVE STEBBINS Author of... "The Delsarte System of FROM THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE: "Comparatively few who style themselves Delsartians know any. thing of the vital and deeper principles of François Delsarte. With two or three exceptions, nearly all the books that have come to our notice professing to elucidate the Delsarte System, are chiefly the appropriated ideas of our first work ("The Delsarte System of Expression"), often distorted and badly expressed. Whatever we have to say further upon the subject will be found fully elucidated in "Dynamic Breathing." PUBLISHER'S ANNOUNCEMENT: Eight years ago GENEVIEVE STEBBINS gave to the public "The Delsarte System of Expression," a book that marked an era in the domain of the expressional arts. Critics and imitators have arisen, who remind one of Columbus and the egg; but, notwithstanding all criticisms and imitations, no one has approached either in theory or in practice the formulative and practical work done by her. She stands unexcelled. This first book was followed, in 1888, by "Society Gymnastics and Voice-Culture," a book that has already reached its fourth edition and is used in many of the best schools in all parts of the country, it being in reality a Delsarte primer. The trend of the author's development has been largely philosophic, so it is not surprising that her new book, "Dynamic Breathing and Harmonic Gymnastics," should enter deeply into philosophy, metaphysics, and advanced science. The subjects she treats are fascinating, and have much to do with the practical side of expressional work. The principal topics treated in her new book are: The Breath of Life, The Phenomena of Respiration, The Creative Power of Thought, The Force of the Imagination, Dynamic Breathing, Psycho-Physical Culture, The Basic Principles of True Culture, Relaxation, Breathing Exercises, Relaxation Exercises, Energizing Exercises, Physical Culture Exercises. Price, $1.50 post-paid. ADDRESS THE PUBLISHER, EDGAR S. WERNER, 108 E, 16th St., New York, |