I am impelled to the publication of this book by several motives. But chiefly, by the constant and general request for a short but comprehensive manual of practical exercises for vocal training and a list of selections fitted for general drill and practice. This request has seemed to me much more urgent, because of the source from whence it comes. During sɔmething over twelve years of professional work, it has been my pleasant office to appear in over two thousand public entertainments, to drill classes in some sixty Academies, Colleges and Universities, and to have enrolled over twelve thousand students. It is because the request has come and still comes from these patrons and pupils, that I look upon it as not to be disregarded. Many of these former students are at present Principals and Teachers in Schools, Academies and Colleges, more than two hundred of them being professional teachers of Reading and Elocution, and these generally have asked me to put these exercises into book form.

But I have also a more personal reason.-I need this book myself for my present students. These exercises as I have arranged them and teach them are contained in no published work; therefore, I scel to have them printed will greatly advantage my students and thus further my own work of instruction.

The fact is, I have prepared this work for Students-not for any other class of individuals. There are many hundreds of volumes that have been kindly furnished for elocutionists, but the students have been much neglected. It is true that many books in this subject have been written, well written, finely printed and well bound, and are excellent works for elocutionists. But I trust this book, even if deemed unworthy the notice of the few lonely, lofty watchmen on the pinnacles of Expression, may find a welcome and prove beneficent to the many carnest though humbler workers.

I have given principles instead of rules. I wish pupils to learn to think and feel and to express this thought and feeling. I despise all imitations and imitative systems of elocutionary training.

That these principles and exercises are at variance with the opinions and practices of many teachers and books, I have not the slightest doubt; on the contrary, I know this to be the case; for that reason, among others, I publish this book. I give the results of many years experience with the practice and comparsion of many systems and plans of work. I profess and claim still to be an ardent Searcher after facts of Expression. This study has been to me one of benefit and delight. I have learned to look for principles instead of rules and in this book I suggest

what I have found to be most practical as a method of study. I would summarize it thus:-Back of all must be an Intellect to know and think, and a Soul to feel; then, develop and train the mechanism of Voice and Action that all parts respond harmoniously to each impulse of Thought and Feeling.

And so, with high hopes of further advancement on my own part as well as yours,

I am sincerely,

BYRON W. KING.