truths to seem heavy and dull, and fall ineffectual to the ground, through mere sluggishness in the delivery! How unworthy of one who performs the high function of a religious instructor-upon whom depend, in a great measure, the religious knowledge, and devotional sentiment, and final character, of many fellow-beings-to imagine that he can worthily discharge this great concern by occasionally talking for an hour, he knows not how, and in a manner he has taken no pains to render correct, impressive, or attractive! and which, simply through that want of command over himself which study would give, is immethodical, verbose, inaccurate, feeble, trifling! It has been said of the good preacher, "That truths divine come mended from his tongue." Alas! they come ruined and worthless from such a man as this! They lose that holy energy by which they are to convert the soul and purify man for heaven, and sink, in interest and efficacy, below the level of those principles which govern the ordinary affairs of this lower world. LESSON LXXVI. RHETORICAL PAUSES. RULE IV. Pause before an adjective when it follows the noun to which it relates. EXAMPLES. ... It was a calculation . . . . accurate to the last degree. IF I had thought thou couldst have died, But I forgot, when by thy side, And still upon that face I look, And still the thought I will not brook, But, when I speak, thou dost not say, If thou wouldst stay, e'en as thou art, I still might press thy silent heart, I do not think, where'er thou art, And I, perhaps, may soothe this heart, In thinking, too, of thee: Yet there was round thee such a dawn As Fancy never could have drawn, LESSON LXXVII. RULE V. RHETORICAL PAUSES. WHO, WHICH, when in the nominative case, and the pronoun that, when used for WHO or WHICH, require a short pause before them. To prayer! to prayer!- for the morning breaks, To prayer! for the glorious sun is gone, To prayer! for the day that God has blessed Comes tranquilly on with its welcome rest. It speaks of the Prince who burst the tomb. There are. smiles and tears in the mother's eyes, O, hour of bliss, when the heart o'erflows Let it gush forth in words of fervent prayer; There are smiles and tears in that gathering band, Kneel down by the dying sinner's side, Kneel down at the couch of departing faith, The voice of prayer at the sable bier! A voice to sustain, to soothe, and to cheer. The voice of prayer in the world of bliss! Awake! awake! and gird up thy strength To Him, who unceasing love displays, Whom the powers of nature unceasingly praise, LESSON LXXVIII. RULE VI. When a pause is necessary at prepositions and conjunctions, it must be before and not after them. EXAMPLES. We must not conform to the world . . . . in their amusements and diversions. It is in society only . . . . that we can relish those deli ... pure, cious joys which embellish and gladden the life of man. The Hermit. BEATTIE. Ar the close of the day, when the hamlet is still, And nought but the nightingale's song in the grove; |