)
It is sometimes said, or implied, that a woman (or a man) sings
better under the influence of sexual emotion. The writer of an
article already quoted, on "Woman in her Psychological Relations"
(_Journal of Psychological Medicine_, 1851), mentions that "a
young lady remarkable for her musical and poetical talents
naively remarked to a friend who complimented her upon her
singing: 'I never sing half so well as when I've had a
love-fit.'" And George Eliot says. "There is no feeling, perhaps,
except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not make a man
sing or play the better." While, however, it may be admitted that
some degree of general emotional exaltation may exercise a
favorable influence on the singing voice, it is difficult to
believe that definite physical excitement at or immediately
before the exercise of the voice can, as a rule, have anything
but a deleterious effect on its quality. It is recognized that
tenors (whose voices resemble those of women more than basses,
who are not called upon to be so careful in this respect) should
observe rules of sexual hygiene; and menstruation frequently has
a definite influence in impairing the voice (H.
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