to secure the obedience of all our activities to the higher laws through
which they can fulfil the purpose for which they were created.

This harmonizing of the forces having been once accomplished, little time
is required to keep in tune this harp of the soul; while the broader
culture and the higher realization of all meanings that can be expressed
are constantly sought in such discipline of the mind itself as shall
secure the activity of its highest powers. The whole aim is to secure the
development of character by the expression of the highest elements of
character.

Although the voice, like all other agents of expression, is naturally the
reflector of the individual and his states, it is necessary to understand
what that statement implies in order to appreciate the great need for the
higher culture of the vocal organism. If the individual's condition were
attuned to perfect harmony, to perfect unity of action, and to singleness
of purpose, together with the habit of personal expression rather than
expression through some limited mode of action--if, indeed, this were so,
his voice would scarce need training,--certainly not corrective
training,--nor would he need "culture" of any kind, being already a
perfect human being.

Those who postulate the "perfectly natural" voice, _i.e._, one that
is unconscious of its own art, either presuppose this condition of innate
perfection or assume that the simple wish to speak--and its exercise--will
be sufficient to overcome wrong habits and conditions. Will it? Let us
see.

The culture of expression is a very different thing from the artful
imitation of the signs of feeling and purpose. If we are to have a real