The wrist-and-hand stroke, as it is the most significant, is the most important, component of the gesture stroke; so that any suggestion that may enable us to give it life and verity should be eagerly adopted. While practicing your gesture gymnastics, imagine that you are playing with a magic ball, in size half-way between a tennis ball and a baseball; its magic consisting in the fact that, no matter in what direction or from what posture of the hand you send it from you, it returns directly to the palm of your hand. In preparation, the ball is lightly held with fingers and thumb, and the wrist flexed in readiness to give the impulse to the ball. When the hand, thus carrying the ball, arrives at the intended point, the wrist becomes active, giving the hand stroke, as the fingers and thumb release the ball, and in doing so become tense; so that the hand is in the opening posture— supine, prone, averted, or vertical. The hand is held thus easily tense and open until the ball's prompt return; when the fingers and thumb lightly clasp it, the wrist relaxes, and the hand is trailed to the point of preparation, and a new impulse given at another point; and so on. This imaginary ball-play, suggested by Mr. Murdoch, was of the greatest service to me.

hangs upon 'dream' alone. Immediately following is a series of circumstances that contravene the statement. Mr. Bispham gave them a decided declarative value, each one for itself, and without any suggestion of reference to the statement (See page 455, Examples of Double-wave-rising Sweep, Example 2); and made bad worse by the sin of 'acting-out'-the tempter that stands always at his elbow. The line,

And, leaning back, he yawned and fell asleep,—

was made distinctly humorous, a suppressed yawn in resonance and utterance, and with an almost singing melody. It was beautifully executed, and the auditorium was distinctly brightened by the smile of the audience; more's the pity, for the poet's intention here is profoundly serious. The 'point' was as incongruous as 'mirth in funeral.'

THE NOTATION OF GESTURE.

A compact and rapid mode of recording the gesture scheme of any passage is very desirable. Facility and ease of practice come from frequent and careful repetition; and, unless some mode of record is adopted, there will be unconscious changes from time to time, owing to lapses of memory; or, if a change from one gesture to another is a matter of choice, both can be preserved in notation, and the reason for the change remembered or written down.

Two or three examples of moderate length and representing as many different styles should be mastered, theoretically and practically; that is, there should be a good ground of choice for every gesture, and the passage should be repeated until it is thoroughly at tongue's end and fingers' ends.

Other examples should be read aloud, and the gestures mentally pictured as the reading proceeds. Others again should be carefully analyzed, looking for all the analogies discoverable, and deciding 'at sight' which one. prevail in each case.

should

The following scheme of notation is sufficiently full for the record of all such gestures as belong to oratory.

Where the Preparation is notated, the symbols are in Italics.

Where the Last Letter of the preparation symbol is Roman instead of Italic, it signifies that the wrist and hand become tense in the posture marked, forming a gesture or bearing at the close of the preparation; and before the gesture stroke following begins, the wrist and hand relax, in preparation for the immediately succeeding wrist-and-hand stroke.

The horizontal straight lines preceding, following, or connecting the letters of an aggregate gesture symbol indicate the extent of preparation, arm stroke, or hold.

For the purpose of presenting as much practice as possible in a small compass, the following examples have many more gestures marked than necessity or good taste requires. Facility can come only from practice. By much practice get facility, and then study the when and how much.

In the Patrick Henry speech, a small cluster of sentences is left unmarked. Apply there your own knowledge, taste, and skill, in selection and execution. After thoroughly trying out any of the three examples, as notated, study it with a view to finding other and better action. Don't stop where the book does. The sole purpose of the book is, to get you started in the right direction. Head right, start right, and keep going!

The action of the extract from 'Hamlet' should be purely conversational, except upon the last sentence of each paragraph. The elbow should be kept near the body, and the action restricted to the forearm, wrist, and hand. In the two sentences excepted, the language is more emotional: the whole arm should be freely used, with the shoulder as main center.

A CODE OF GESTURE NOTATION.

THE PREPARATION.

sp supine perpendicular

pp prone perpendicular

is inward supine

ip inward prone

hxs high across, supine

mxs middle across, supine lxs low across, supine hxp high across, prone

ius inward and upward, supine mxp middle across, prone ids inward and downward, supine lxp low across, prone iua inward and upward, averted ida inward and downward,

averted

r relax hand and wrist

hxa high across, averted

mxa middle across, averted lxa low across, averted

Bxv both hands vertical, crossed at wrists.
Bfs both hands in front near breast, supine
rpu relax and retract for push

THE STROKE.

Capital Letter, Prefixed to Set of Three Small Letters:R right hand; L left hand; B both hands.

Set of Three Small Letters:

The First Letter indicates the Altitude:-z zenith; h high; m middle; I low.

The Second Letter indicates the Transverse Point:f front; o oblique; s side; b back.

The Third Letter indicates the Hand Posture at the End of the Gesture:-s supine; p prone; a averted; v vertical; f fist; i index.

Last Two Letters:

When Two Roman Letters supplement the Set of Three or the Italic symbols of Preparation, they indicate some special characteristic of manual Action or Posture, viz.: en enumerating rc recoiling sp springing gr grasping fp fist prone

sh shake ts tossing

cl clasped

ff shuffle

pu pushing

fl folded

th thrusting

bk beckoning rt retracted fs fist supine

(633)

sf snatch across, to prone fist

br hand averted, across on breast

bi hand index averted, across on breast

hl hold posture till the end of the spoken group

fn fist posture, with hand at normal position at the side

pi prone index

si supine index

hh hand on heart

vi vertical index

'GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH.'

Mr. President:-No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. lfs hl.......... The question before the house is one of awful moment to

S..

m.

this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing

x.

.a....

r

less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion

to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of

mos

debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility we hold to God l...........

x.

and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such

a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider