v^3 CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ENGLISH COLLECTION THE GIFT OK JAMES MORGAN HART PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH ft.a^5-¥i»G Cornell University Library PE 64.B43V93 A. M. Bell F.E.I.S. F.R.S.S.A.. F.A.A. 3 1924 027 321 052 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027321052 ^' With the complitnents of the VoLTA Bureau, "Washington, D. C. 1/ A. M. BELL, F. E. 1. S., F. R. S. S. A., F. A. A. A. S. BIOGRAPHY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. Prepared for the Volta Bureau. WASHINGTON, D. C. Cv 1893. BIOGRAPHY. Professor Alexander Melville Bell is the younger son of the late Alexander Bell, professor of elocution in London and author of several well-known works, including "The Practical Elocu- tionist," "A Treatise on Public Reading," "An Edition of the New Testament, with Rhetorical Punctuation;" "The Bride," a play; "The Tongue," a poem, etc. Professor A. Melville Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scolland, March i, 1819; attended school in Dun- dee, but was mainly educated at home. In 1842, when twenty- three years of age, he announced 10 his friends that he had for- mulated a new theory of articulation and vocal expression. His father, although he did not endorse all the son's conclusions, gave a general approval, summing up his kindly criticisms with the wise and true adage, "That which is best administered is best." The following year, 1843, ^^ contemplated leaving his home in London — where his father was engaged at the time in his pro- fession — for the United States, but was prevailed upon to accept engagements in Edinburgh. There he taught classes in connec- tion with the university, and also with the new college, until the death of his father in 1865, when he returned to London. His elder brother, Professor David C. Bell, meantime had been teaching in Dublin, — the father and the two sons being thus leading elocu- tionists at the three capitals of England, Ireland, and Scotland. Professor A. Melville Bell, in 1849, first published the results of his studies in an 8vo volume, entitled "A New Elucidation of the Principles of Speech and Elocution." This was followed at intervals by other books, and by reproductions of the original large work in two volumes, entitled "The Principles of Elocution " and "The Principles of Speech." He proved himself to be an indefatigable worker, as evinced by the publications issued at this period. In appreciation of Iiis labors, he was honored with the fellowship of the Educational Institute of Scotland, and likewise with the fellowship of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, — the latter society, also, in special recognition of the system of phonetic short-hand writing which he devised, awarding to him its silver medal. In the year 1868 Professor Bell gave his first course of lectures in the United States before the Lowell Institute, Boston, iVlass. ; — returning to his home in London, where he held the appointment of Lecturer on Elocution in University College. In 1870 he returned by invitation to the United States to deliver a second course of twelve lectures before the Lowell Institute; and he had the honor of supplementing the same the following year, 1871, with a third and similar course. After 1870 Professor Bell remained on this side of the Atlantic, and took up his residence at Tutelo Heights, near Brantford, On- tario, Canada. For several years he held the professorship of elocution in Queen's College, Kingston, and gave courses of lec- tures in Montreal, Toronto, London, and other Canadian cities. He also officiated as a member of the Board of Instruction in the School of Vocal Physiology, established in Boston by his dis- tinguished son. Dr. Alex. Graham Bell. In 1 88 1 Professor Bell permanently located in Washington, D. C, and engaged in literary work, preparing for publication and issuing several of his later books, occasionally responding to invi- tations for the delivery of lectures, and verbally imparting infor- mation to members of the profession who personally sought the advice of this Nestor of elocutionary science. In 1885 Professor Bell was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and continues an active member of the Modern Language Association and divers other scientific and educational organizations. BIBLIOGRAPHY. The following is a list of the publications of Professor ALEX. MELVILLE BELL, several of which, however, are now out of print. ELOCUTION, VOCAL PHYSIOLOGY, AND DHFECTS OF SPEECH. 1845. 1849. 1852. 1853 1854 1863, 1866, 1879 1880, 1890, Treatise on the Art of Reading. A New Elucidation of the Principles of Speech and Elocution. Principles of Elocution; "The Elocutionary Man- ual." The Language of the Passions. Expressive Reading and Gesture. Observations on the Cure of Stammering. Lecture on the Art of Delivery. Letters and Sounds. A nursery and school book. The Standard Elocutionist. (One hundred and sixty-eight editions issued up to 1892.) Principles of Speech and Dictionary of Sounds. On Sermon Reading and Memoriter Delivery. The Emphasized Liturgy. On Teaching Reading in Public Schools. The Faults of Speech. Essays and Postscripts on Elocution. Speech-Reading and Articulation Teaching. PHONETICS AND VISIBLE SPEECH. 1866. Visible Speech : A New F;ict Demonstrated. 1867. Visible Speech: The Science of Universal Alpha- betics. Inaugural edition. 1868. English Visible Speech for the Million. " Class Primer of English Visible Speech. 1869. Universal Steno-Phonography on the Basis of Visi- ble Speech. 1870. Explanatory Lecture on Visible Speech. 1881. Sounds and Thejr Relations: Revised Version of Visible Speech. 1882. Lecture upon Letters and Sounds and Visible Speech, before the A.A.A.S. 1883. Visible Speech Reader. 1885. University Lectures on Phonetics. 1886. English Line Writing on the Basis of Visible Speech. 1889. Popular Manual of Visible Speech and Vocal Physi- ology. 1893 Visible Speech in Twelve Lessons. Illustrated. NEW ORTHOGRAPHY OF ENGLISH. World-English : The Universal Language. Hand-Book of World-English. PHONETIC SHORT-HAND WRITING. (For this System the Medal of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, Edinburgh, was awarded to the Author in 1854.) i8s2. Steno-Phonography. 1854. The Short-hand Master-Book. 1855. Popular Stenography: Curt Style. 1857. The Reporters' Manual and Vocabulary of Logo- grams. MISCELLANEOUS. 1851. What is to be done with our Convicts? 1857. Common Sense in its Relation to Homoeopathy and Allopathy. 1869. Colour: The Island of Humanity. A drama. 1 89 1. Address to Members of the Senate and House of Representatives on Amended Orthography. 1892. Popular Short-hand. u«i&1< ^^ V-