Fenno's Science of Speech: A Condensed and Comprehensive Treatise on the Culture of Body, Mind and Voice, to Be Used in Connection with the Art of Rendering

From the Preface.

The following work, taught in connection with the "Art of Rendering," has been for a number of years given to pupils in notes, and is now published for the first time.

The principles presented in the two books are not vain experiments, for results are manifest in the successful pupils who are filling places as teachers, preachers, readers, lecturers and entertainers.

No claim is made to present some wonderful, new and original system, but both new and old that have been tested and found most helpful from Shoemaker, Emerson, Curry, Brown, Murdoch, Bush, Austin, Plumptre, Delsarte and others, are the sources from which this system is formed.

In "The Science of Speech" and "The Art of Rendering" are given principles in the simplest, most concentrated form, which might easily be expanded into chapters. The statements are, as far as possible, shorn of philosophic argument, though there is abundant proof for their truthfulness. On account of brevity and so that the principles may be easily understood, no attention has been given to a fine style but, on the contrary, the matter has been treated with homely language and illustrations, with much given in outline, some thoughts even repeated. The "Laws" were arranged especially for a short course at a Chautauqua Summer School. They have since been found useful to busy people.

In this work, which is the result of the author's careful investigations during many years, the unchangeable Laws of Voice and Action are developed step by step, formulated and taught. In this Natural Scientific Method of Voice Culture, Gesture, Enunciation, and Modulation the principle is "Not imitation, but strict conformity to the Laws of Speech, and these laws the only basis of criticism." In thus training the speaking voice, the Keynote is Emotion- Adaptation.

This New Method, evolved out of old and new truth, is with confidence presented to the attention of all desirous of improving their vocal powers. It constitutes what might almost be termed an exact Science of Speech, based upon the facts: 1, that human utterance depends upon immutable laws and is not subject to the caprice of every speaker; 2, that imitation is not the faculty through which we should acquire knowledge of reading and speaking; and 3, that every person has as distinct an individuality of speech as of feature that should be carefully preserved, grafting upon it excellencies and pruning it of faults. It is an eminently practical system, with no abstruse philosophy and fanciful reasoning.

"The Science of Speech" may be used for lessons one day a week in regular daily class work, in connection with the Steps in Rendering and other drill found in " The Art of Rendering" which should be taken up on the other four lesson days; or the two works may be adapted to suit the time for lessons in near this proportion.