Imatges de pàgina
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EXPLANATION OF THE CHARACTERS USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE BOTANICAL DESCRIP-
TIONS. In the botanical descriptions, the botanical name of the plant is first given in
italics; then follow the common name, Linnæan class, Linnæan order, native color of blos-
som (or of plant when it has no blossom), ordinary height or length of plant, and native
country. r. designates red, pk. pink, w. white, or. orange, pu. purple, y. yellow, cr. cream,
s. or sc. scarlet, g. or gr. green, br. brown, li. lilac, lem. lemon; ap. means apetalous, or
flowerless. The months are designated as follows, beginning with January: J., F., M., A.,
My., Jn., Jl., Au., S., O., N., D.

For the "Pronouncing Key" and "Alphabetical List of Authors," see end of
the volume.

PART I.

ELOCUTIONARY.

I. ELEMENTS OF ELOCUTION.

INFLECTIONS.

THE character of the inflections, or slides of the voice, and the marks used to designate them, were briefly explained in the Second Reader of this series.

Instead of placing the marks of the inflections over the accented syllables of inflected words, or over the emphatic words, as most writers on Elocution have done, we have generally placed them at the end of the inflected word or clause. As accent and emphasis are entirely distinct from inflection, there seems to be no good reason for uniting them; and, indeed, it often happens that the accented syllable of a word is not the one which is inffected. Thus, in the example, "Did he answer satisfactorily'?" as usually spoken, the voice does not begin to rise until it has pronounced the accented syllable; and in the example, "Did he resemble his father', or his mother'?" in which Dr. Porter, in his excellent work, places the inflections over the accented syllables of the inflected words, it is very certain that the closing syllables have the greatest degree of inflection; and that, in the word "father'," the accented syllable is not inflected at all, but is pronounced in the same tone as the preceding part of the sentence.

As an emphatical word usually bears the same rhetorical relation to the clause in which it is placed as the accented syllable does to the word of which it forms a part, so there is no more propriety in placing the mark of inflection over an emphatic word than over an accented syllable. Therefore, in the following examples,

Did he show compassion for me'?

To what place shall I betake myself?

we would place the inflections at the close of the sentences. We thus avoid confounding emphasis with inflection, an error which has led many learners astray; and if we emphasize the words "compassion" and "betake," we shall be sure to give them the right tone if we keep in view the inflections at the close.

We would give the following rules for the position of the marks of inflection:

1st. When the entire rising or downward slide, or much the greater part of it, occurs on an emphatic word, and is not continued to the end of the clause or sentence, the mark may be placed at the end of such inflected word, as:

I dare' accusation. I defy the honorable gentleman.

2d. When the rising, or the downward slide, wherever it occurs, is con

tinued to the end of a clause, so that the greatest rise or fall is at the end, the mark should be placed at the end, as in the following:

Charity envieth not'; charity vaunteth not itself'; is not puffed up'.

In this example the downward slide begins at en, vaun, and is, and is continued to the end of each member respectively, where is the greatest extent of the slide.

A very satisfactory reason for placing the mark of inflection at the end of "not," rather than over the accented syllable of "envieth," is, that it is a guide to the correct pronunciation of the sentence in the former case, but no guide at all in the latter case; for if it be placed over "envieth," the end of the sentence may, nevertheless, have the rising inflection, as in the example:

Charity envieth not'; but is kindly disposed to all'.

Here envieth is pronounced the same as in the former case, and yet the rising inflection is required at the end of the clause, while the downward inflection is required in the former case. For the mark to be a correct guide, it must be placed at the end of the clause in both cases.

ELEMENTARY RULES.

"Speak clearly, if you speak at all;

Carve every word before you let it fall;
Don't, like a lecturer or dramatic star,

Try over hard to roll the British R;

Do put your accents in the proper spot;

Don't let me beg you-don't say "How?" for "What?"

And when you stick on conversation's burs,

Don't strew the pathway with those dreadful urs."-O. W. HOLMES.

RULE I.-Direct questions, or those that can be answered by yes or no, generally require the rising inflection, and their answers the falling.

EXAMPLES. Do you think he will come to-day'? No'; I think he will not-Was that Henry'? No; it was John'.-Did you see William'? Yes, I did.-Are you going to town to-day'? No, I shall go to-morrow'.

MODIFICATIONS OF RULE I.

NOTE I.-Answers that are given in a careless or indifferent manner, or in a tone of slight disrespect, take the rising inflection in all cases.

EXAMPLES. Did you see William'? I did'.-What did he say to you'? Not much'. See, also, Lesson II., p. 39, of Second Reader.

NOTE II.-Direct questions, when they have the nature of an appeal, or are spoken in an exclamatory manner, take the falling inflection. In these cases the voice often falls below the general pitch, contrary to the general rule for the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.-Is not that a beautiful sight?-Will you persist in doing it`?—Is it right`? -Is it just`?

Was ever woman in this humor wooed'?
Was ever woman in this humor won'?

NOTE III.-When a direct question is not understood, and is repeated with emphasis, the repeated question takes the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.-Will you speak to him to-day'? If the question is not understood, it is repeated with the falling inflection, thus: Will you speak to him to-day`?—Are you going to Salem'? I said, Are you going to Salem'?

RULE II. The pause of suspension, denoting that the sense is unfinished,

such as a succession of particulars that are not emphatic, cases of direct address, sentences implying condition, the case absolute, etc., generally requires the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.-John', James', and William', come here. The great', the good', the honored', the noble,' the wealthy', alike pass away.

Friends', Romans', countrymen', lend me your ears.

Jesus saith unto him, Simon', son of Jonas', lovest thou me'?

Ye hills', and dales', ye rivers', woods', and plains',
And ye that live and move, fair creatures', tell',
Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus'; how here'?

NOTE.-For cases in which emphatic succession of particulars modifies this rule, see Rule VIII.

RULE III.—Indirect questions, or those which can not be answered by yes or no, generally require the falling inflection, and their answers the

same.

EXAMPLES.-When did you see him? Yesterday'.-When will he come again'? To

morrow'.

Who say the people that I am? They answering, said, John the Baptist'; but some say Elias; and others say that one of the old prophets' is risen again.

NOTE.-But when the indirect question is one asking a repetition of what was not at first understood, it takes the rising inflection. "What did he say?" is an indirect question, with the falling inflection, asking for information. But if I myself heard the person speak, and did not fully understand him, and then ask some person to repeat what he said, I give my question the rising inflection, thus, "What did he say'?" (Remark.— Perhaps the true reason of the rising inflection here on the word say is because it is preceded by an emphatic word (what) with the falling inflection. See note to Rule IV.)

RULE IV.-A completion of the sense, whether at the close or any other part of the sentence, requires the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.-He that saw me' saw you also', and he who aided me once' will aid me

again.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth'. And the earth was without form, and vc'd'; and darkness was on the face of the deep': and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

NOTE.-But when strong emphasis, with the falling inflection, comes near the close of a sentence, the voice often takes the rising inflection at the close.

EXAMPLES.-If William does not come, I think John' will be here'.-If he should come, what would you do'?

CASSIUS. What night is this?

CASCA. A very pleasing night to honest' men'.

Proceed, I am attentive'.

This is the course rather of our enemies, than of friends' of our country's liberty." If the witness does not believe in God, or a future state, you can not swear him'.

RULE V.-Words and clauses connected by the disjunctive or, generally require the rising inflection before the disjunctive, and the falling after it. Where several words are thus connected in the same clause, the rising inflection is given to all except the last.

EXAMPLES.-Will you go' or stay? I will go'.-Will you go in the buggy', or the carriage', or the cars', or the coach? I will go in the cars'.

He may study law', or medicine', or divinity'; or', he may enter into trade'.

The baptism of John, was it from heaven', or of men'?

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