contrary, pride themselves upon the head-tones; but they are none of
them willing to pay much attention to the medium voices: that is too
critical and too delicate a matter, and requires too much trouble, for
the modern art of singing. As a last resort, they bethink themselves of
kind Nature, and lay the blame upon her.

Well, I will say no more upon this point, but will proceed. Have I not
already, in my piano instructions, insisted on the importance of a
gradual and careful use of every proper expedient to extend, strengthen,
beautify, and preserve the voice? I am thought, however, to infringe
upon the office of the singing-masters, who hold their position to be
much more exalted than that of the poor piano-teacher. Still, I must be
allowed to repeat that voices are much more easily injured than fingers;
and that broken, rigid voices are much worse than stiff, unmanageable
fingers, unless, after all, they amount to the same thing. I demand of
singing-teachers that they show themselves worthy of their position,
and allow no more voices to go to destruction, and that they give us
some satisfactory results. I believe in fact, in my homely simplicity,
that the whole thing may be accomplished without any mystery, without
trading in secrets or charlatanry; without the aid of modern anatomical
improvement, or rather destruction, of the worn-out throat, through
shortening or increasing the flexibility of the palate, through the
removal of the unnecessary glands or by attempts to lengthen the vocal
passage, or by remedying a great many other things in which Nature has
made a mistake, and on which special doctors for the voice, in Paris and
London, are now employed.

We supply the want of all these by the following little rule:--

Three trifles are essential for a good piano or singing-teacher,--