Relations of animals to each other--Common properties of living matter--Explanation of these--The mammal and man--The stimulus and its results--The one-celled animal--Various "systems"necessary--Complexity of structure and function--Harmony through the nervous system--The rule of nervous centres--Means by which they are influenced, and by which they influence--Reflex action--Muscular mechanisms and neuro-muscular mechanisms--Work of the singer and speaker largely reflex in character--Summary 34 CHAPTER III. BREATHING CONSIDERED THEORETICALLY AND PRACTICALLY. Breathing the great essential--Misconceptions--Purpose of breathing as a vital process--The respiratory organs--Their nature--Relations of the lungs to the chest-wall--Expansion of the chest--Its diameters--The muscles of respiration--Personal observation--The diaphragm--Varying quantities of air breathed--Breathing when properly carried out by the singer or speaker is healthful 44 CHAPTER IV. BREATHING FURTHER CONSIDERED THEORETICALLY AND PRACTICALLY. Relations of the nervous system to breathing--The respiratory centre--Reflex action in breathing--Methods of preventing nervousness--Tones produced by the outgoing breath--Waste of breath--The happy combination for good singing or speaking 57 CHAPTER V. BREATHING WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS. The well-developed chest--The voice-user a kind of athlete--The tremolo--Exercises recommended for the development of the chest--Forms of dress that hamper breathing--Weighing and measuring, re-measurement, etc.--Specific directions for methods to develop the chest--Warnings--Additional exercises--Breathing through the nose and through the mouth--Exercises for the development of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles--Relation of the diaphragm to the staccato effect--Forms of general exercise for the voice-user--Summary 62 CHAPTER VI. THE SPECIAL VOICE-PRODUCING MECHANISM, THE LARYNX. Not the only voice-producing apparatus--Specific structures of the larynx in use when the subject phonates--Muscles and their attachments--The cartilages of the larynx--The lining mucous membrane--Changes in it when one has a "cold"--The vocal bands--Functions of the epiglottis--The "middle line" and relative position of parts--Adam's apple--Ventricle of the larynx--The importance of the arytenoid cartilages--Muscles of the larynx in detail--Sphincter action--Straining--Position of the larynx--Practical considerations--Dissection of a "pluck" and especially of the larynx--Hygiene--How disorder of one part may affect another--Summary 74 CHAPTER VII. SOUND--THE LARYNGOSCOPE--THE LARYNX RECONSIDERED.