ese doctrines might have been
applied in practical instruction nobody is able to tell. Little
attention need be paid to the claim of any modern teacher to possess the
old Italian method of training voices.

So early as 1847 Garcia remarked the dearth of information of a literary
character bearing on the old method. "Unfortunately this epoch has left
us only vague and incomplete documents bearing on its traditions. Of the
methods then followed we have only an approximate and confused idea."
(_Ecole de Garcia_, Mayence, 1847.) Although familiar with the works of
Tosi and Mancini, Garcia was unable to find in their writings any hint
of the means used for imparting the correct vocal action. This same
remark is made by many other investigators.

Yet a reconstruction of the old method is not necessarily a matter of
conjecture. Once the possibility of training the voice by imitation is
established, the old Italian method is easily understood. Speaking of
the glorious past of the art of Voice Culture, Dr. Mills says: "We have
advanced, musically, in many respects since the days of the old Italian
masters, but just as we must turn to the Greeks to learn what
constitutes the highest and best in sculpture, so must we sit at the
feet of these old masters. Consciously or unconsciously they taught on
sound physiological principles." (_Voice Production in Singing and
Speaking._)

Dr. Mills' statement might be more complete if it were made to read,
"consciously or unconsciously they taught on sound physiological and
psychological principles." Vocal instruction on sound principles is
simply the training of the voice by imitation. With the scientific basis
of their method--the laws of physiological psychology--the old masters
were utterly unacquainted. Vocal imitation is purely instinctive.
Probably the old masters could not even have formulated a concise
statement of their reasons for relying on the imitative faculty.

Garcia's complaint of the dearth of literary information regarding the
old method is by no means justified. Naturally there is no record of any
means for imparting a direct mechanical management of the voice. Nothing
of the kind was thought of. But as a description of a course in voice
training by imitation, the works of Tosi and Mancini leave little to be
desired.

Both Tosi and Mancini devote by far the greater portion of their books
to describing the ornaments and embellishments of vocal music. They take
up the s