I. Physical

THE THREEFOLD NATURE

The Threefold Nature manifests through chosen tracts as indicated by divisions and subdivisions.

The following physical exercises are based on Psychological principles and the Delsarte Philosophy.

Let us consider briefly Delsarte's threefold division of the body in harmony with the threefold nature as illustrated by the chart. We find the three forms of nature are manifested through the three tracts - from the waist line down the physical, -the head, mental, the chest is a center of the emotive. As an illustration of an expression of the physical is the man who stands with his hands in his pockets and gesticulates with his thumb. An example of the mental, a teacher would be conscious of her head and mark nice mental points with the first and little fingers. An illustration of the emotive, the chest as the leading agent of expression courage, the chest high and square to the front. Pity seems to come from the chest. We turn the chest away from what we dislike, " give the cold shoulder," and "get the back up.

The following exercises aim to give a harmonious action of the parts of the body acting together; for example, in a salutation the expression comes from all the emotive divisions and subdivisions, the chest, the top of the head and the palm of the hand.

Says Henry Ward Beecher whose oratory is still ringing and will continue to ring down through the ages:- "One of the very first steps in Oratory is that which trains the body to be the welcome and glad servant of the soulwhich it is not always; for many and many a one who has acres of thought has little of bodily culture, and as little grace of manners; and many and many a one who has sweetening inside has cacophony when he speaks. Harsh, rude, hard, bruising, are his words. The first work therefore is to teach a man's body to serve his soul."

"Not stark and stiffened persons, but the new-born poetry of God Apollo and the muses chanting still."

PHYSICAL EXERCISES.

POISE. Our first step will be to poise the body properly. As a reason governing what follows we take the chest as the center because it is the seat of manifestation of the highest life. The immortal soul, whose servant is the mind, stands first; not the physical body, for it is not immortal, it soon dies. The highest nature manifests its emotions through the chest, the great emotive center of the whole. So we should aim to train the chest as the center of the body; the center of strength; the center of expression.

Let us now use a Rule to govern the poising of the body. In that the emotive nature is superior to the physical nature and on this account we say, should be carried with greatest prominence, we find a reason for Da Vinci's Law for Posing Statues,— A vertical line from the chest should fall through the ball of the foot. An other poise: stand with the toes about three inches from the wall the chest touching the wall should leave the abdomen free. This poise with the chest over the balls of the feet should be observed in walking and standing. With the chest in the lead instead of the abdomen, one not only presents a better appearance and feels nobler, but it is found in walking gravity works for one instead of against, which is a point of economy of energy. In walking let the chest lead. It is quite impossible to put the weight on the ball of the foot first, but let the chest go first so walking is a series of falling down. Do not strike out and overdo on this way of carrying the body when the idea is new, as the carriage may at first be far from graceful; but practice the poising exercises. Think the idea of proper poise till it naturally takes possession of you, so it may be as natural to carry yourself with ease and grace as it was to do otherwise before. Do not “ put on any unnatural manner.

We need not only to give attention to the position of the chest with relation to the feet but to the positions of the feet themselves.

Principle, Weakness takes a strong attitude and strength a weak attitude. Weakness would stand on a broad base with the feet wide apart, while strength would take a narrow base, feet near together or weight on one foot.

Weakness taking a strong attitude is illustrated in the child learning to walk, or in a drunken person, or the old and feeble who stand with the feet wide apart or braced.

The narrow base is not only an expression of strength but grace as well. The narrow base makes most prominent the longest line of beauty in the body. An active chest bears us up as on wings. Let us rather than plod with the whole flat foot, touch the earth lightly with the ball of the foot.

Poise. Exercise I.

With a sense of strength in the chest, with weight on both feet, poise the body forward while counting one measure then back to position- back- position, (Let the ankles serve as hinges for the sway forward and backward as far as is possible either way without loosing poise.) Now rise on tips of toes- down- rise again hold— down to position.

Right foot. Repeat with weight on right foot same as both feet.

Left foot. Repeat the same as right.

In poising feel you are drawn in each movement by an influence leading or drawing out from the chest.

Hips. Exercise II.

With tips of fingers on shoulders, first count, sway onto right foot; second, push the hip out; third count, still hold push down; forth count, glide weight over onto the left foot and repeat same as right. Repeat right. Repeat left.