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The TORSO is the centre from which all gestures or actions proceed. It must maintain the dignity of the body, and does not condescend to great variety of action.

The CHEST, which is its upper part, sympathizes with the condition of the mind to a great extent, however, expanding with strong conditions and noble emotions, and contracting or becoming passive in weak or ignoble conditions.

The SHOULDERS rise more or less under the influence of emotion, according to the degree of its strength. In joy, for instance, the shoulders are elevated considerably, while in great fear or terror they rise to an extreme height and come forward as if to shield the head, which, at the same time, is drawn down between them. In despair or sorrow, the shoulders, like the chest, relax. In defiance or anger, they are drawn back, while the chest expands as if to resist a blow. The shrug of the shoulders, if made slowly, indicates resignation" Still have I borne it with a patient shrug," says old Shylock. When made quickly it carries the opposite meaning, impatience or contempt. Avoid shrugging the shoulders, except when the expression absolutely requires it. Among refined people the shrug is considered vulgar and often impertinent.

The HIPS pushed out in front express pomposity, vulgar pride, or self-assertion; drawn back they indicate timidity, deference, humility. The proper and normal attitude of the hips is just midway between these extremes.

LESSON XXI.

The Torso.

EXAMPLES.

Chest and Shoulders.

I tell thee, thou'rt defied!

And dar'st thou, then, to beard the lion in his den,
The Douglas in his hall?-Scott.

Thou, too, sail on, O ship of state!

Sail on, O Union, strong and great!—Longfellow.

Half choked with rage, King Robert fiercely said :

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Open; 'tis I, the king! Art thou afraid?"

The frightened sexton, muttering with a curse,

"This is some drunken vagabond, or worse!"

Turned the great key and flung the portal wide.-Longfellow.

The second and fourth lines of this last selection are examples of what we call impersonation; that is, speaking or acting not in our own but in another's character. Here you impersonate King Robert and afterward the sexton. Where, as in this example, description of an action or condition is followed by its representation,

as in lines 1, 2, 3, and 4, we save our action for the portion where we impersonate. When the lines are descriptive only, however, we accompany the description with the appropriate action, as in line 5, where it is very effective to imitate, or rather suggest, the turning of the huge key and the opening of the heavy door, while we describe those actions.

He stops-will he fall? Lo! for answer, a gleam like a meteor's track,

And, hurled on the stones of the pavement, the red brand lies shattered and black.-Stansbury.

The very deep did rot: O Christ!

That ever this should be!

Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
Upon the slimy sea.- Coleridge.

How do you do, Cornelia? I heard you were sick, and I stopped in to cheer you up a little. My friends often say: "It's such a comfort to see you, Aunty Doleful. You have such a flow of conversation, and are so lively." Besides, I said to myself, as I came up the stairs: Perhaps it's the last time I'll ever see Cornelia Jane

alive."-Dallas.

NEPHEW. A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!
SCROOGE. Bah! humbug!-Dickens.

The Hips.

I rise--I rise-with unaffected fear,

(Louder! speak louder! who the deuce can hear ?) I rise--I said--with undisguised dismay;

Such are my feelings as I rise, I say!-Holmes.

FALSTAFF. I have pepper'd two of them; two I am sure I have paid, two rogues in buckram suits. Thou knowest my old ward here I lay, and thus [taking attitude of fencer] I bore my point.

--Shakespeare.

FALSTAFF Was it for me to kill the heir apparent; should I turn upon the true prince? Why, thou knowest I am as valiant as Her cules But beware instinct; the lion will not touch the true prince. Instinct is a great matter; I was a coward on instinct. I shall think the better of myself and thee during my life; I for a valiant lion, and thou for a true prince-Shakespeare.

We are very 'umble here, Mister Copperfield.--Dickens

Work out the proper attitudes for these examples by referring to the suggestions in Lesson XX. Of course, there are many actions of the head, feet, and arms that would be necessary to their full expression. These, however, we must leave for the future.

Attitudes in many cases become habits, and are then called bearings. For instance, a pompous indi vidual would carry the hips forward; while a timid or very deferential person would draw the hips back. Aunty Doleful carries her body in quite a different manner from Marmion or Douglas, even when moved by no particular emotion, because the doleful condition of mind has become a habit and is reflected in the outward appearance. We have three sorts of pan

tomimic expression:

Actions or gestures, which are momentary.

Attitudes or positions, which last for a longer or shorter time, but disappear when the emotion changes,

Bearings, which are permanent habits of carrying the body or the limbs, and indicate peculiarities of disposition or mind.

LESSON XXII.

Inflections.—Continued.

Beside the simple rising and falling inflections we have various combinations of rising and falling which are called circumflex inflections. Circumflex inflections are always used when we wish to say something that the words themselves do not express. We often say, "oh, yes" or "oh, no" when it is clear that we mean just the opposite, and this meaning is conveyed to the listener by a circumflex inflection. Here follow a number of examples for practice. Try to put into each the meaning that is indicated. Suppose in reply to a question like "will you do it?" the answer "of course" is given, it may have many meanings, as will be seen.

EXAMPLES.

"Of course," with simple falling inflection, meaning exactly what says, I will."

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"Of course," with surprise, giving "course" with much higher pitch and a slight circumflex turn, meaning "how could you suppose I would do anything else?"

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