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The Canadian Elocutionist by Anna Kelsey Howard
page 22 of 532 (04%)

The first secondary position is taken from the first primary by advancing
the unoccupied foot, and resting the body upon it, leaning forward, the
_left_ foot brought to its support. The second secondary position is
the same as the first with the body resting on the left foot. In assuming
these positions the movements must be made with the utmost simplicity,
avoiding all display or parade, and advancing, retiring or changing with
ease and gracefulness, excepting when the action demands energy or marked
decision. All changes must be made as lightly and as imperceptibly as
possible, without any unnecessary sweep of the moving foot, and in all
changes that foot should be moved first which does not support the weight
of the body. All action should be graceful in mechanism and definite in
expressiveness. The speaker should keep his place--all his motions may be
easily made in one square yard, but the stage or dramatic action requires
more extended movements.

WALKING.

In walking, the head and body should be carried upright, yet perfectly free
and easy, with the shoulders thrown back, the knees should be straight, and
the toes turned out. In the walk or march, the foot should be advanced,
keeping the knee and instep straight, and the toe pointing downward; it
should then be placed softly on the ground without jerking the body; and
this movement should be repeated with the left foot, and the action
continued until it can be performed with ease and elegance.

"In a graceful human step," it has been well observed, "the heel is always
raised before the foot is lifted from the ground, as if the foot were part
of a wheel rolling forward, and the weight of the body, supported by the
muscles of the calf of the leg, rests, for a time, on the fore part of the
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