ther sex requiring their support; but these are very different from
stays or waist-bands. I find that an enterprising firm is advertising
corsets for gentlemen (!), and a woodcut may be seen in some papers
representing a young Adonis laced up in regular ladies' fashion, so
that, if it were not for his luxurious moustache, one would certainly
take the drawing to be meant for a woman. It is almost impossible to
imagine that a man could ever make such a fool of himself; on the other
hand, it is clear that these advertisements would not continue to appear
if they did not bring customers. But these poor creatures do not deserve
to be called men, and I am sincerely sorry for them.

With regard to the question whether inspiration should take place
through the mouth or through the nostrils, I must enter my most decided
protest against making it a practice to inhale through the mouth. There
are, of course, occasions when this is unavoidable, as, for instance,
where the singer has rapidly to take what is called a "half breath." But
complete inflation, or, "full breath," is not the work of a moment; it
takes time, and must be done gradually, steadily, and without the
slightest interruption. This should _always_ be done through the
nostrils. The mouth was never intended for breathing, while the nose is
specially and admirably adapted for this purpose. Not only can the lungs
be well and quickly filled through this channel, but it is so cunningly
devised that it acts at the same time as a "respirator," both purifying
and warming the air before it touches the more delicate parts of the
vocal organ. On the other hand, when inhaled through the mouth, the air
carries with it, sometimes right into the voicebox, dust and other
impurities, and its temperature is not materially altered. The
consequence is that the throat and voicebox, when heated by singing or
talking, or by hot rooms, are often exposed to cold, raw, and foggy
winter air, and serious derangements of the respiratory organs are the
natural consequence. If, moreover, this pernicious habit of breathing be
once contracted, we shall soon also sleep with open mouths, thus
parching our throats, and sowing the seeds of many a serious disorder.

On this point I quote a few lines from Dr. Louis Elsberg,[F] professor
of laryngology in the University of New York: "The natural mode of quiet
breathing is through the nose; mouth-breathing is an acquirement. A
new-born infant would choke to