For the purpose of presenting as much practice as possible in a small compass, the following examples have many more gestures marked than necessity or good taste requires. Facility can come only from practice. By much practice get facility, and then study the when and how much. In the Patrick Henry speech, a small cluster of sentences is left unmarked. Apply there your own knowledge, taste, and skill, in selection and execution. After thoroughly trying out any of the three examples, as notated, study it with a view to finding other and better action. Don't stop where the book does. The sole purpose of the book is, to get you started in the right direction. Head right, start right, and keep going! The action of the extract from 'Hamlet' should be purely conversational, except upon the last sentence of each paragraph. The elbow should be kept near the body, and the action restricted to the forearm, wrist, and hand. In the two sentences excepted, the language is more emotional: the whole arm should be freely used, with the shoulder as main center. A CODE OF GESTURE NOTATION. THE PREPARATION. sp supine perpendicular pp prone perpendicular is inward supine ip inward prone ius inward and upward, supine hxs high across, supine mxs middle across, supine lxs low across, supine hxp high across, prone mxp middle across, prone ids inward and downward, supine lxp low across, prone averted hxa high across, averted mxa middle across, averted lxa low across, averted Bxv both hands vertical, crossed at wrists THE STROKE. Capital Letter, Prefixed to Set of Three Small Letters:R right hand; L left hand; B both hands. Set of Three Small Letters: The First Letter indicates the Altitude:-z zenith; h high; m middle; 1 low. The Second Letter indicates the Transverse Point:f front; o oblique; s side; b back. The Third Letter indicates the Hand Posture at the End of the Gesture:-s supine; p prone; a averted; v vertical; f fist; i index. Last Two Letters: When Two Roman Letters supplement the Set of Three or the Italic symbols of Preparation, they indicate some special characteristic of manual Action or Posture, viz.: en enumerating rc recoiling pu pushing sp springing gr grasping fl folded th thrusting fp fist prone sh shake ts tossing cl clasped ff shuffle bk beckoning rt retracted fs fist supine sf snatch across, to prone fist br hand averted, across on breast bi hand index averted, across on breast hl hold posture till the end of the spoken group fn fist posture, with hand at normal position at the side pi prone index si supine index hh hand on heart vi vertical index 'GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME DEATH.' Mr. President:-No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the house. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments. freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. S... ..p Ifs hl... The question before the house is one of awful moment to m. this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of mos debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a hl... r a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an hfa sp and hl.... act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I relax and drop slowly. revere above all earthly kings. Mr. President, it is natural for man to indulge in the moa m. r illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a mfs i... painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she P Isp i......s mfs transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, i............ mos th B.... engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are v hl... S .X. we disposed to be of the number of those, who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly R m....x....a S B mfs concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever hfa sh.. r and turn palm for supine anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole lfs m truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. l.... x. a r x. los th S I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging .S mbs th i........S I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the mfs British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes i S with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir: it will xp loa ff.. m. prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious preparations which cover our waters and darken our land? Rm....x......a x. .a Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconIfs th m........... moa hl................ ciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling r Ifp rc hl......... to be Ifs reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? l................ x. a Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements lop ff.. рр Isa hl of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings B mfs hl............ Bfs resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, P B Ifp hl.......... B p... S B mfs......... S. s hl............. gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? B.... Can B f Has i.. Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world, to i.............. U.. gr They are sent over to bind and rivet i... ..P upon us those chains which the British ministry have been |