In olden times the importance of this was fully realized.

More than three centuries ago, old Roger Ascham wrote: "All languages, both learned and mother tongues, are begotten and gotten solely by imitation.

For as ye used to hear so ye learn to speak.

If ye hear no other, ye speak not yourself; and of whom ye only hear, of them ye only learn." Nineteen centuries ago Quintillian wrote: "Before all let the nurses speak properly.

The boy will hear them first and will try to shape his words by imitating them." If the right way of using the voice is early taught it will be a guard against the contraction of bad habits which can only be corrected later with infinite trouble.