3. To express special actions or states, such as opening, separating, joining, measuring, lifting, depositing, balancing, paralleling, comparing, and contrasting. These may be, of course, physical, mental, or emotional in content. Since much has already been said on the subject of analogy, it will be unnecessary to explain why the double-hand gesture is equally expressive of the physical and mental phases instanced above. The first case, taken at random, will be sufficient; the others follow similar analogies. In suggesting a physical opening the moving of the hands apart is the best literal representation of the action in question. Inasmuch as a mental opening bears an obvious resemblance to a physical one the same movement of the hands suggests the idea. The following sentences illustrate the special uses of the double-hand gestures in various positions and forms.

The crowd opened to allow our passage.

(bh mos)

A new path of investigation opened before him. (bh mos)

The men separated at the cross-roads.

(bh mo s)

From that time their plans diverged.

(bh mo s)

In one section, poverty; in the other, luxury.

(bh mos)

PART IV

ACQUIRING FACILITY OF GESTURE

It would be expecting a great deal of students of this subject to direct them to stand before a mirror and go through endless repetitions of motions for acquiring facility. Most students have neither time nor inclination for such uninteresting exercises. For this reason and others they are of doubtful practical worth. An occasional running through of the various positions with the different forms of the hand to gain certainty of execution is advisable. Furthermore, by drilling thoughtfully on the illustrative sentences in Part III of this text, the student will not only improve his execution, but will also fix the underlying principles in his mind and tend to acquire an instinctive association of certain general concepts, such as unity, extent, suppression, repulsion, etc., with their proper means of visible expression. But the most profitable means of improving one's

visible expression is to use it in connection with actual speaking, either with memorized or extemporary addresses, in the classroom or before the public.

At first the speaker may be somewhat hesitant in following the principles advocated in this text, and he will undoubtedly fail occasionally to take advantage of the most appropriate position or hand-form for a given case. But it is to be emphasized that gesture is an art and not an exact science, and if he has thoroughly familiarized himself with the principles, such shortcomings are negligible. The important fact is that a determination to use visible expression and an earnest effort to put into practice the suggestions offered in the foregoing pages will result in increasing ease and effectiveness with each succeeding appearance before an audience.

Especially during the earlier stages of his training in public speaking it is desirable that the student give definite and thoughtful consideration to his gestures. For it is only by attentive application of the theory to actual delivery that he can reach the stage where expressive gesture becomes spontaneous. This end may be accomplished by employing the

gestures in extemporary speaking, but if the student has time and opportunity to practice memorized selections, he is likely to acquire accuracy and facility of gesture even sooner. Memorized selections drawn from various sources naturally call into play a broader scope of gesture than do the extemporary productions of the student himself. Moreover, the memorized selection affords a very desirable opportunity for preliminary study and analysis with respect to gesture.

The following is an excellent method of preparing a selection for delivery. After memorizing the piece and writing it out in manuscript, look it over carefully to ascertain where gestures may be used to aid in effective presentation, at the same time determining exactly the ideas which the gestures are to express, and underscoring the passages, with the appropriate gestures in abbreviation. The next step in preparation is to speak the selection, trying out the gestures chosen and making changes in the manuscript in case the actual delivery suggests improvements. Finally, deliver the speech, following scrupulously the corrected manuscript.

Any piece of prose or poetry, whether descriptive, narrative, expository, or argumenta