crates,
Plato and Caesar is therefore of trifling significance in helping us to
find out more than how highly the art was regarded. The absurd antics of
Nero, in his ambition to distinguish himself as a singer, indicated in
some more or less indefinite way the importance given to singing in the
heyday of Rome. The incessant references to singing, in Greek
literature, tell us that singing was looked upon not merely as an
accomplishment but as one of the necessary arts.

Coincident with the coming of Italian opera, about 1600, we find a
great revival of the art of singing; and many of the old Italian masters
have bequeathed us some fairly instructive comments upon the art of _bel
canto_. That these old Italian teachers were largely individualists and
taught empirically, with no set methods other than that which their own
ears determined, seems to be accepted quite generally by investigators
at this date. The _Osservazione sopra il Canto figurato_ of Pietro
Francesco Tosi (procurable in English), published in 1723, and the
_Reflessioni pratichi sul Canto figurato_, published in 1776, are
valuable documents for the serious student, particularly because these
men seemed to recognize that the so-called registers should be
equalized. With them developed an ever-expanding jargon of voice
directions which persist to this day among vocal teachers. Such
directions as "sing through the mask" (meaning the face); "sing with the
throat open"; "sing as though you were just about to smile"; "sing as
though you were just about to experience the sensation of swallowing"
(_come bere_); "support the tone"; etc., etc., are often more confusing
than helpful. Manual Garcia (1805-1906), who invented the laryngoscope
in 1855, made an earnest effort to bring scientific observation to the
aid of the vocal teacher, by providing a tiny mirror on the end of a
rod, enabling the teacher to see the vocal cords during the process of
phonation. How much this actually helped the singing teacher is still a
moot point; but it must be remembered that Garcia had many extremely
successful pupils, including the immortal Jenny Lind.

The writer again advises the serious student of singing to spend a great
deal of time in forming his own conception of the principles by which he
can get the most from his voice. Any progressive artist teacher will
encourage him in this course. In other words, it is not enough in these
days that he shall sing; but he must know how h