After simplicity and directness, comes that quality which to advise, is to
become a rock of offence to many. It is the suggestion, "Tell the story
_dramatically_." Yet when we quite understand each other as to the meaning
of "dramatically," I think you will agree with me that a good
story-teller includes this in his qualities of manner. It means, not in
the manner of the elocutionist, not excitably, not any of the things which
are incompatible with simplicity and sincerity; but with a whole-hearted
throwing of oneself into the game, which identifies one in a manner with
the character or situation of the moment. It means responsively, vividly,
without interposing a blank wall of solid self between the drama of the
tale and the mind's eye of the audience.

It is such fun, pure and simple, so to throw oneself into it, and to see
the answering expressions mimic one's own, that it seems superfluous to
urge it. Yet many persons do find it difficult. The instant, slight but
suggestive change of voice, the use of onomatopoetic words, the response
of eyes and hands, which are all immediate and spontaneous with some
temperaments, are to others a matter of shamefacedness and labour. To
those, to all who are not by nature bodily expressive, I would reiterate
the injunction already given,--not to pretend. Do nothing you cannot do
naturally and happily. But lay your stress on the inner and spiritual
effort to appreciate, to feel, to imagine out the tale; and let the
expressiveness of your body grow gradually with the increasing freedom
from crippling self-consciousness. The physique will become more mobile
as the emotion does.

The expression must, however, always _remain suggestive rather than
illustrative_. This is the side of the case which those who are
over-dramatic must not forget. The story-teller is not playing the parts
of his stories; he is merely arousing the imagination of his hearers to