ou that tellest,' or such a passage as the following without letting
his break be felt at all:

[Illustration: For Thou hast been my hope, hast been my hope.]

This passage,[B] which is from the anthem, 'Hear my crying,' by Weldon,
I have heard sung by an adult alto, who broke badly between E flat and
F. The effect was funny beyond description. In fact, if a boys' break is
about C or D (3rd space or 4th line), and he [Illustration: musical
notation] is never allowed to practise above that, there will be no
question of break arising. My alto boys can get a good round G, and five
out of the six can go up without break to C. [Illustration: musical
notation] The advantage of this in chanting the Psalms is obvious. What
can an adult alto be expected to do in a case where the reciting note is
close to his break? These are considerations which may fairly be taken
into account even when the decision is to be made between _possible_
courses; when there _is_ a choice. In many cases there is none. It must
be (as you say) boy alto, or no alto. I am quite sure that careful
training is all that is needed to make boy altos most efficient members
of a choir. Or rather, I ought to say that careful selection and
training are both needed. To take a young boy as an alto because he
happens to have three or four raucous notes from, say, B flat to E flat
[Illustration: musical notation] while he has a bad break between E flat
[Illustration: musical notation] and F is, of course, to court failure.
I prefer taking a boy whose break lies higher, and training his voice
downwards. If, as a probationer, he can get a fairly good round B
natural [Illustration: musical notation] or B flat; lower notes can
certainly be produced as he grows older.]

"Yours very truly,

"GEORGE GARRETT."

[B] I have transposed the passage from the alto clef.--J. S. C.

* * * * *

A remark may be interposed here that from a physiological point of view
we must expect voices of different pitch in boys, just as in girls,
women, and men. Boys differ in height, size, and in the pitch of the
speaking voice, which is a sure guide to the pitch of the singing voice.
There is thus no physiological ground for supposing all boys to be
trebles.

* * * * *

The following letter is from the Rev. W. E. Dickson, Precentor of Ely:--

"The College, Ely, _October 30th_, 1890.

"_Dear Sir_,--I have much pleasure in rep