TRAINING THE EMOTIVE.

Shakespeare tells us that "it is the mind that makes the body rich. " While this is true, our greatest wealth lies deeper than the mind. It is more precious than the mind. Let us, because of the lack of any all-inclusive term, call this the Emotive Nature. In a multitude of bewildering ideas, without regard to creed or sect, let us meet upon a common ground and call that which wills and feels by a name in order to simplify our study all possible. Let us think of this emotive nature as something just as we think of the brain as something- only this nature is more plastic and impressionable. Think of this pulsating being within our bodies impressed and moved by all that is taking place around us, subject to fear, hate, love and hundreds of emotions. We find some of these emotions are helpful, others are injurious. We have it within our power to choose, to a certain extent, which of these two shall dominate us, even as we may select studies to train the mind. The greatest feelings the most powerful and the farthest reaching are love and hate. We find many feelings are subordinate to or modifications of these two leading feelings. Love is life. It quickens the circulation and places the whole being physical, mental and emotive in the most favorable condition, like a healthy plant growing in the sunlight. Hate is death it not only retards the circulation, but throws poison into the blood, stunts and deforms, chills the very sap of life; a poisonous weed growing rank, in the dark.

Let us consider the effect of these two leading feelings on expression. Love and its modifications known as magnanimity, sympathy, reverence, respect and appreciation and kindred emotions cause a relaxation of the muscles, ease and grace of movement, beautiful tones in the voice, all that is delightful and fascinating, more effective and charming

than anything money can buy or study can attain. But hate tensions the muscles, makes the movements abrupt and angular, imparts harsh and disagreeable tones and ugly inflections. The whole expression is so repellent that the much coveted graces of expression are utterly out of reach. Some of us may be unwilling to believe that this negative element colors and clouds our emotive nature but as we value our success, let us take some fair and honest test examinations of ourselves. Though we may not be afflicted with the most hideous form of this malady yet some germs or mild forms of it may exist and prevent the true, normal action of the emotive even as the mental is not able to calculate correctly with the multiplication table incorrectly learned. "Orient thyself, "that your shadow may not fall before you.

How we feel the condition of the affectional nature is of greater importance than what we eat or what we think, though the three are intimately related. How we feel modifies the whole being.

The highest and most desirable condition for any person where he may receive the best and be the best is when he places himself in the most perfect submission to the Infinite. There is self-aggrandizement in obedience to the greatest commandment,- "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, with all thy mind and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself. When we do even a little of this we may lay up treasures on earth in our own body, mind and spirit and "treasures in heaven " as well. When we have mastered this central lesson, we are ready to respond in body, mind and spirit. "From abundance of life comes sweetness. The most abundant life in the Physical comes by the breath and red blood; the Mental, concentration of thought; the Emotive or spiritual, obedience to the Infinite,

STUDIES FOR PRACTICE

FIRST STEP IN RENDERING.

ANIMATION.

As we enter upon this first step in Rendering we begin to climb stairs. Such should be our whole life's activity physically, mentally, morally, spiritually. We must start climbing from the bottom of the stairs, in nature's own appointed way as at the base of our triangle, with physical, vital life. Animation may be defined as physical life, red blood, energy, spring, bound, hearty. No amount of study can atone for a lack of soul fervor and natural, living spontaneity. You may overdo in animation : swing the pendulum too far and it will return to its center of gravity. Feel a necessity for utterance of deep, intense thought. Do not think how HE would say it but think IT intensely and YOU will say it. Use bold outlines. Do bold sketching. Do not be bound in.

Aim to awaken and animate the three sides of the being,- Physical, Mental, Emotive.

Physical animation comes from dynamic breathing and red blood.

Mental animation comes from imagination and concentration of thought.

Emotive animation comes from obedience.

It is a well-known fact that many who have never giv. en any study to Elocution or Oratory have sometimes tak. en the laurels from students who have given most careful study to these subjects. On this account it would seem to those who fail to look deep enough that only those who have natural talent may hope to succeed. In reality, this natural ability that wins such favor in the market place is largely from a free, fearless, spontaneous expression from a soul alive and animated, responding directly and simply to that which impresses it. On the other hand the student of Expression may be so burdened with rules he has hardly mastered and a vain attempt to put them into practice that the avenues of expression are overloaded with no room for the matter to be rendered, so we have artificial, unnatural expression as a result. As Animation clothes the amateur performer in garments of praise it can do even more for the student of Expression who works long enough on this first step in rendering - Animation.

The starting point in the study of a selection should be made with a pencil. Make a careful analysis, finding the unity as directed in a previous chapter. After a careful analysis has been made strike out free from all restraint. Dare to speak up and speak out. Be true to your own convictions and interpretations. Render it heartily and as if it is the most important thing in the world.

Much freedom may be gained by impersonating some vital character where one need not be particular save to give it with animation. Acting a part in a simple school play has loosened the fetters on many a tongue.

A child learning to walk must be content to use the ability he already has. Should he observe his elders moving with ease and refuse to go only in the same way, he would limit himself for life, but he moves any way, impelled from the life within and so grows. Study the following selections.

THE CHEERFUL LOCKSMITH.

From the workshop of the Golden Key there issued forth a tinkling sound, so merry and good-humored that it suggested the idea of some one working blithely, and made quite pleasant music. Tink, tink, tink-clear as a silver bell, and audible at every pause of the street's harsher noises, as though it said, "I don't care; nothing puts me out; I am resolved to be happy.

Women scolded, children squalled, heavy carts went rumbling by, horrible cries proceeded from the lungs of hawkers; still it struck in again, no higher, no lower, no louder, no softer; not thrusting itself on the people's notice a bit the more for having been outdone by louder sounds,― tink, tink, tink, tink, tink.

It was a perfect embodiment of the still, small voice, free from all cold, hoarseness, huskiness, or unhealthiness of any kind. Foot-passengers slackened their pace, and were disposed to linger near it; neighbors who had got up splenetic that morning felt good-humor stealing on them as they heard it, and by degrees became quite sprightly; mothers danced their babies to its ringing;- still the same magical tink, tink, tink, came gayly from the workshop of the Golden Key.

Who but the locksmith could have made such music? A gleam of sun shining through the unsashed window and checkering the dark workshop with a broad patch of light, fell full upon him, as though attracted by his sunny heart. There he stood working at his anvil, his face radiant with exercise and gladness, his sleeves turned up, his wig pushed off his shining forehead— the easiest, freest, happiest man in all the world.

Beside him sat a sleek cat, purring and winking in the light, and falling every now and then into an idle doze, as