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Rising Inflection.

RULE 5. The pause of suspension, denoting that the sense is unfinished, generally requires the rising inflec

tion.

EXAMPLES.

The beauty of a pláin, the greatness of a moúntain, the ornaments of a building, the expression of a picture, and the composition of a discourse, are to some persons matters of little or no interest.

The mild warmth of spring, the merry song of birds, and the sweet perfume of flowers, conspire to regale the sènses.

The rising and setting of the sún, the splendor of Orion in a night of aútumn, and the immensity of the ocean, awaken ideas of power, awful and magnificent.

Her vígor, her cónstancy, her magnanímity, her penetrátion, her vígilance, and her address, are allowed to merit the highest pràises.

NOTE. Sentences implying condition, the case absolute, the infinitive mode used as a nominative, the direct address not attended with strong emphasis, and the close of a parenthesis, are some of the specific cases to which the rule applies.

EXAMPLES.

First, Condition.

If, therefore, the whole church be come together into one pláce, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unléarned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mád ?

Second, Case Absolute.

His father dying, and no heir being left except himself, he succeeded to the estàte.

Third, Infinitive Mode.

To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strength; to consider that she is to shine forever with new accessions of glóry, and brighten to all eternity; carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man.

QUESTIONS. What is Rule Fifth? What are some of the specific cases named in the note to which the rule applies?

Fourth, Direct Address.

Mén, brethren, and fathers, hearken.

It is no surprising thing, sír, that men should sometimes differ in their opinions.

Fifth, Parenthesis.

If we exercise upright principles, (and we cannot have them unless we éxercise them,) they must be perpetually on the increase.

EXCEPTION. The pause of suspension, when attended with. strong emphasis, sometimes requires the falling inflection, in order to express the true meaning of the sentence.

EXAMPLE.

The young man who indulges in dissipation, if he does not become poor, is in danger of losing his character.

The rising inflection on poor, perverts the sense of the passage, and makes it mean, if he become poor, notwithstanding his dissipation, he will not lose his good character.

RULE 6. The expression of tender emotions generally inclines the voice to a gentle, upward slide.

Is

EXAMPLES.

your father well, the old mán of whom ye spáke?

Is hé yet alive?

Jesus saith unto her, Máry.

My Mother! when I learned that thou wast déad,
Say, wast thou conscious of the tears I shed?
Hovered thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing són,
Wretch even thén, life's journey just begún?
I heard the bell tolled on thy burial day,
I saw the hearse that bore thee slow away,
And turning from my nursery window, drew
A long, long sigh, and wept a last adièu.

RULE 7. The last pause but one in a sentence, for the sake of variety and harmony, generally has the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

The minor longs to be of agè, then to be a man of bùsiness, then to make up an estàte, then to arrive at hónors, then to retire.

QUESTIONS. What is the exception to the rule for the pause of suspension? What is Rule Sixth? Give an example to illustrate it. What is Rule Seventh? Give an example.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heàrt, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.

A discreet and virtuous friend relieves the mind; improves the understanding; engenders new thoughts; awakens good resolutions; and furnishes employment for the most vàcant hours in life.

EXCEPTION. Strong emphasis sometimes requires the falling inflection on the penultimate pause.

EXAMPLE.

They rushed through like a hurricane; like an army of locusts have they devoured the earth; the war has fallen like a waterspout, and deluged the land with blood.

Falling Inflection.

RULE 8. Indirect questions, or those which cannot be answered by yes or no, generally require the falling inflection, and the answers the same.

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What dost thou see? The black-eyed Ròman.

At whose breast was your dagger àimed?

How shall I learn to meet those tèrrors?

Who can fathom the depths of misery into which intemperance plunges its victims ?

Why should a man be in love with his fètters, though of gold? If thou canst do man good, why dost thou not?

EXCEPTION. When the indirect question is not, at first, understood, and a repetition is required, it takes the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Where are you going? To Pòrtland.

Where did you say? To Pòrtland.

Where is the burial-place of Wàshington? At Mt. Vernon.
Where did you say? At Mt. Vernon.

NOTE. If the answers of questions, whether direct or

QUESTIONS. What is the exception to Rule Seventh? Give an example. What is Rule Eighth? Give an example. What is the exception to this rule? Give an example.

indirect, are given in a careless and indifferent manner, they take the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Are you desirous to return? Not véry.
Would you like to visit Álbany? I should.

How are you pleased with the country? Tolerably well.
Have you read Shakspeare? I have looked it óver.

RULE 9. Language of authority, surprise, denunciation, exclamation and terror, generally requires the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Authority.

Charge, Chester! Chùrge! On, Stanly! òn!
Awùke, ye sons of Spain ! — awùke, — advànce.
Surprise.

What a piece of work is màn! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties! In form and moving, how express and àdmirable! In action, how like an àngel! In apprehension, how like a Gòd! Denunciation.

Woe unto you, Pharisees! Woe unto you, scribes!

Paul said unto Elymas, O, full of all subtlety, and all mischief! Thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all rìghteousness!

Exclamation and Terror.

A month! Oh for a single week! I ask not for years! though an age were too little for the much I have to do!

They come they còme! the Greek! the Greek!

Cæsar cried, help me, Cassius, or I sink?

EXCEPTION.

When exclamatory sentences become questions, or are expressive of tender emotions, they usually require the rising slide.

EXAMPLES.

They planted by your cáre! Nò, your oppressions planted them in Amèrica. They nourished by your indúlgence! They grew by your neglect. They protected by your arms! They have nobly taken up arms in your defence.

.

O my son Ábsalom! —my són, my sòn Absalom!

RULE 10. Emphatic succession of particulars, and emphatic repetition, require the falling inflection.

QUESTIONS. What is the note? What is Rule Ninth? Give an example. Are there any exceptions to Rule Ninth? What is Bule Tenth.

EXAMPLES.

Thrice was I beaten with rods; once was I stoned; thrice I suf fered shipwreck; a night and a day have I been in the deep.

Go and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. - Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity ènvieth not; charity vaùnteth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly; seeketh not her òwn is not easily provóked; thinketh no evil.

The sentence is passed; you are condemned to die.
You wrong me every way; you wròng me, Brutus !

The war is inevitable; and, let it còme! I repeat it, sir, LET IT COME!!

EXCEPTION. The penultimate pause has the rising inflection, according to Rule Seventh.

NOTE. When the principle of emphatic succession of particulars interferes with the pause of suspension, the former requiring the falling slide and the latter the rising, it is frequently difficult for the learner to determine which to employ. In such cases he must be guided by the emphasis, giving the falling inflection when it is intense, and the rising when it is slight.

RULE 11. Whenever the sense is complete, whether at the close, or any other part of the sentence, the falling inflection should be employed.

EXAMPLE.

He that receiveth you, receiveth mè; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

EXCEPTION. When strong emphasis with the falling slide, comes near the end of the sentence, it turns the voice upward at the close.

EXAMPLE.

If we have no regard for religion in youth, we ought to have some respect for it in áge.

Circumflex.

The CIRCUMFLEX is the union* of the falling and rising

*This union commonly begins with the falling slide, and ends with the rising. This order, however, is sometimes reversed.

QUESTIONS. Give an example. What is the exception to this rule ? What is Rule Eleventh? Give an example. What is the exception? What is Circumflex.

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