dulator work I at first avoid beginning in the lower keys where the
thick register would naturally be used. By thus constantly cultivating
the thin register, never allowing faulty intonation to pass unnoticed,
and always checking the natural tendency of boys to sing coarsely;
together with a free use of ear exercises, in which they are taught to
recognise tones by their mental effect, I succeed at last in getting
fairly good tone. It is, however, a work of time and difficulty, on
account of the daily surroundings of the boys, and the habitually coarse
way in which they are allowed to sing in school. To avoid flattening, I
believe the course I have indicated to be the best remedy, as eye, ear,
and voice are cultivated simultaneously.

"In training the thin register special care must be taken that the Upper
Thin is brought out at [Illustration: high d] and it is often better
that the C also should be taken in the Upper Thin. A strained Lower Thin
on C sharp or D will be sure to induce flattening, while if the Upper
Thin is properly used there is no difficulty whatever in using the high
D and E within reasonable limits as the reciting note in chanting. When
the music moves about stepwise in close proximity above and below the
breaks, we have another cause of flattening. As most of our country
choirs consist at the best of but partly-trained voices, composers and
choirmasters should bear this in mind. It must not be supposed that boys
are the sole cause of flattening. Far from it, they are too often the
victims of an untuneful tenor or bass.

"From the first moment a boy comes under my care he is encouraged to
take the Tonic Sol-fa certificates, and few leave the choir without
having passed the Intermediate. I am of course now speaking of those
boys who remain with us till they are no longer of use as boys."

* * * * *

I append an extract from a letter by Mr. J. C. E. Taylor, master of the
Boys' National School at Penzance, and choirmaster of St. Mary's Church,
which is interesting as showing the extent to which singing by ear can
be carried:--

"The children here, as in most Cornish towns, are fond of music, and
have a quick ear. I pick my boys from a school of nearly 400. I choose
them by the way they _read_ in school. They are generally of Standard
V., and between ten and eleven years of age. If younger the Psalms
puzzle them. I try a new boy's voice at the choir practice. If he has a