Stamering And Cognate Defects Of Speech Vol - Ii

MODES OF ENUNCIATION, ETC* 137

On the opposite side of the question we have the
following:

" Were a golden rale for the stammerer to be formulated, it
would doubtless be: * Take care of the vowels, and the con-
sonants will take care of themselves.' "

This last passage unquestionably contains the more
rational suggestion; but neither the maxim ** Take
care of the consonants" nor *4Take care of the
vowels" is very significant, Inasmuch as both are
amorphous generalities.

Kingsley, however, amplifies his advice,"--"Take
care of the consonants/*•-•• and since he is followed
by many modern "speech specialists/' it will be well
to cite Mm in the matter:

u Arid how to take care of the consonants ? By taking care
of the tongue and lips,

** Now, if you will watch any one who speaks beautifully
you will nee that the tongue lien quite quiet, on a level with the
lower front teeth, am! never tliea up In the mouth* You will
set also that they u«e their lips a great deal; and form the
consonants with them. But you will set?, also, that they keep
the upper lip clown and still, so that the upjxsr front teeth are
hardly seen at all; while they move the under lip a great deal,
making It play upon the upjier," *

An American writer finds the remedy for stammer-
ing in a free action of both upper and lower lip:

* " Charlet Kiagtley: Ui Letters and Memories of Ms Life/* Vol Ht
p. a6x*