d_, an undulating "wave of feeling passes over him and his
whole body becomes eloquent." A bow may be so careless and jerky as to
be almost an insult, or it may be so gracious as to seem a caress.
Again, the real self, gracious and beautiful, may strive to express
itself through a set of faculties that are hardened and narrowed by
decades of self-constraint on the part of himself and his ancestors.

"Physical habits have a way of making themselves felt by a reflex
action on the inner nature," and with this axiom in view we feel that
cultivation of the Delsartean Art of Expression becomes a vital part
of our education to the end that all our emotions and all our tones
may become "the outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual
nature." This principle may be called the keynote of Delsarteanism,
and Edmond Russell, that modern exponent thereof, claims that as these
beautiful, expressive gymnastics are for the purpose of correcting
individual deviations from grace, no regular set of rules should be
printed for the use of all, but that each special angularity of person
or harshness of tone must be corrected by special exercises.

Harmonious Development of the Body.

Nevertheless, there are many set forms of movements by the practice of
which none can fail to derive benefit both for the inner and the outer
man. Other physical gymnastics seek to give strength to certain sets
of muscles to the neglect of others. The rythmical movements of the
Delsarte system bring into action each muscle of the body without
wearying any, to the harmonious developing of all, since in all, save
exceptional cases, it will be found, upon beginning this treatment,
that more than half the muscles of the body are unused, while the
other, and overworked half, move in stiff and angular fashion.

All students will discover it is first requisite that an "undoing
process" shall precede the "upbuilding process." Stiffness of joint,
or tension of muscles, whether recognized or not, must first be done
away with before "the body can be molded to the expression of high
thought." For this purpose the "decomposing," "relaxing" or
"devitalizing" motions are given. The old gymnast doubled up the fist
and, with great tension, gave a blow which jarred the whole nervous
system. The "freeing" motions of Delsarte give harmonious, restful,
wave movements to all portions of the anatomy.

Graceful motions are never in the nature of a blow struck straight
fr