THE THEORY AND PRACTICE

OF

A NEW METHOD
OF

RESPIRATORY RE-EDUCATION
BY

F. MATTHIAS ALEXANDER

Whoever hesitates: IJUer that which he thinks the highest tru.th, lest it
shold be too much in advance of the time, may reassure himself by looking
at his acts from an irnpenonal point of view. , It is not for nothing that
he has in him these sympathies with som e pdnclples and repugnance to
othrs. He, with all his. capacities, and aspirations, and bellefs, Is not an
accident, but a product o( the time. He must remember that while he il a
descendant of the past he Is a parent of the future ; and that his thoughts
are as children born to bim, which be'may not carelessly let die.'
H&RIIERT SPitNCJ:R.

METHOD IMPARTED IN ITS ENTIRETY

BY

MR . A. R. 8: M I S S ALEXANDER,
AUSTRALIAN BUILDINGS,

49 E.LIZABETH STREET MELBOURNE.

MELBOURNE:

H. HALE,
AUSTRALIAN BUILDINGS, ELIZABETH STREET
1 9 0 7
 Copy of letter received from H B. lrvlng,, EsEJ. xtracts from-"THE ONLOOKER'.' and" DAILY CHRONICLE"

21td Febrttary, I()06,

MY DEAR A;t,EXANDER, Concerning Messrs. ALEXANDER'S method of.
It gives me great pleasure to have a11 opportun ity of
saying how. inuch I appreciate the good you have done me
both hi my work.a.nd my health. You have ma.de.a new mait
of me. I dont thillk I can. say more thatt that. With all

good wishes.
(Signed) H. B. 'IRVING.

All unknown.to the.ritah in the street, or, fortht matter,

Copy:, of .letter received from Oscar; Asche, Esq. to the man. about towri, t)lere hs been working in 6ur midst
9r .tlle pS:st eighteen m onths an elightened Australian, wh<>
Atlel.P/li Tlea.tre, 23nl Jamfa1JI, r,9_q6. .
DA' MR.. :AI.EI>l!;RJ,
+as com.pleily.ovehrown
' '
. . ..-
' ., .
.the Dgonin
. . , : o.. thir
the fo. nli. .
.

ic'leas . and' . theories OIL that profounllauid . imniens.e subj ect,

I think. your s ystem marvellcms. As you know, when
first my wife . went . to you on acco11nt of throat weakness, I
was more than indined to scoff, but before long I .,recognise<l
t:hat you weredoing her good. Now I have no hesitation. in
g Utat tl) you alone is due: the great improvemen 'sp
saym .
.
apparetiit her :w4ereas. befo re she wentto.you the slightest
. .
cold :affected her voiCe now . she is able :to go through . the
most exacting part, even though suffering fro ui a cld, without
strain and in penect voice. .Your system has improve. her
healt and her art. I. hould certainly . ad vise anyoe o
.
Breatbirig...;.o ... f the Loridoil: Medicos.. The. gian t who. has
brought.about this.revoition wa.s led by his 1lWll observations
on the physical differences between the soMcalJ ed civilised;white
rac. es iti general and ilie r:fine'd :En lishman )n particular, and
g
that triost pe rfeCt ra.<:e the Maoris ; an ell' as the restllt of ten
years' humbl sthdy, has made the Appare_ntly astounding
statement that, with few c:;xceptins, all the evils of hyper
civilisatio.n are due .to imperfec t and iitcorrect respiration. To
.
thinkiug m:in(J it will be patent on reflection that' be is in a

great ineasue right.

h

suffers from loss ofvoicetogotoyou for a '''cure:;. However,

your system is a . sure . way of. rem()ving the g asp ing so
SOME .. EMINENT PUPILS
prevalent on the anglisb stage. In conclusion, pleas e accept
myheartfeltthanks forwhat.you havedone !<>r. my wife..
And t}te practice has proved his theory. The fact'that
(Signed) . OSAR ASHE. he br ought. about a com plet e restoration in: a case of spinal
curvature, pr9nqunced incurable, by means of perlec t breathipg,
Copy of le.tter from Mrs. H. BeerbQhm Treo . via perfect' i>osture ;.nd car.riage will serve _'to show that the
success that has attended 'his efforts is not confined to disorders
His Jlfaj'esty' s Theatre, 2Isf..Nove1tther, I905. of .the lungs, i;lii.oat .and rspiratory rgans ; while the fct

PAR. l\1R ALExANDER,

My daugh t er, Miss Viola 'tree, is so anxious to go on
with he:r treatment. : ''!'he g reat ..good you have done her inust
of ncessity.widen. your':ori:ttection,; but Ldaresay it is alr eady
' goe tq ,prove that. h.is system lii a,s :, far remov.ed-,-frop:I the
larg than .you' cail cope with.
(Sig;ned) .
that many of our eminent actors and vocalists-including the
late Sir He1iry Irving,. Mr. H. B. Irv.pg, Mr. Lewis Wailer,
Miss tily Br,9.yton, Miss Viola T ree, and Miss R. Barton_;_h ave
derived incalculable bene.fi.t from this atithoritys instruction,
.
quackery of the socalled ,,;()ice producer as the: proverbial
!\fA UD B. TREE. :mountain f.fom the'tiiolehill.:
EULOGISTIC LETTERS FROM LEADING LONDON BREATH:ING .AND HEALTH.

ARTISTES
f'tiYSlCAL <Body): llV. EL9:Pftii !NT
a:nd B:REATH:I:NG.
Concerning Messrs. ALEXANDER'S new method of

Vocal and:RespiratryRe-Education Leadind members of the Medical Professipn .of London

have expressedthe opinion that the Messrs. Alexander's special
.

Respiratory Method, as applied in

.

F M ALEXANDER. VIctoria Street, Lndon.

.
(l) The -Treatment of Human Dl$orders, under Medical

. supervision,
A. -R. ALEXANDER, 49 Elizabeth St,- Melbourne.

(2) The Cultlt' ron and Development of the Human

. Voice,.
(3) PhysiCal Culture, without dumb-bells or apparatus,
Copy' of letter recelwed from the: late Sir Henry lrvlng.
Surpasses all methods at pre!Jent known to them

DE:AR M:Jt.. AEXANDR. The employment of the Alexander Method,

I am sorry that for a time I am obliged to suspend my under medical Stlper'Vision has sho.wn that it - restores
interesting experiettce. t. am S1lre your method makes only the c.ontrol over the true Thoracic mechanism ; pre
f.
or good, and I look fo.rward to an opportunity of meting


vents sniffing" and. , . Oasping" in breathtaking.;
you .agai-n. 'Vi:th all good wishes. ensures . perfect' .Dilatation -of the nasal. passages ;
(Signed). HV.. IRVING. removes all. strain in respiration and
vocalisation from

the region of the throat;. pre'D.ts. th oraci rigidity in
Copy of letter recei ved from Miss Lily Brayton
physical effort;
makes. Nasal . Respiration
eradicates Moqth Breathing,
posible in vocal and
.and
Arlel.Pizi Tlzcal1e, 26/h]mwary, I9fJ6. physical efforts at all times. and tinder ali rasonable
DEAR. MR. ArEXANDER; circumstanc.es ; .and rende!S a Rigid Thorll:x adequately
mobile, thereby greatly beti.efiting the general health:,
I haYe been wanting for some time to write and thank
you for the great benefit I have derived from you.r method. I and materially assi.stingtlie vital organs in. th'e proper

think your system simply wonderfuL It enable$ one to do .
an .full. perfonnanee.of their. function,al duties .

. .

.the greatest. amount of work wi.thout fatigue. Before t took .

.

The above Methods .are-lrtedJn thelr. entlrety by

lessons from you the slightest (!old. used to affect my voice ; .

now I am a:ble to play a long parteven when suffering from & Mr an:d Miss. ALEXANDER:
s e 'ltere cold without- it beiig noticeable in. my voice. Please
Australian :Buildings, 49 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE.
accept my very grateful thanks.

(Signed) Lll.Y BRAYTON. SPECIAL BROCHUR!;: "'AY BE SE'EN AT ABt)VE ADDRESS.