Imatges de pàgina
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judge. Oh! if it be no otherwise-possible, deliver me, I beseech and implore you, from the Roman power, by death. LIvy, lib. 30. c. 12.

EXCEPTION 2. When contradistinction is implied:

Listen for dear honour's sake,

Goddess of the silver lake,

Listen and save.

MILTON'S COMUS.

i. e. Listen, and not only listen, but save.

N.B. It is to be remembered, that it is only the supplicatory member of the sentence that ends. with a rising inflection. An additional member of any other nature, must terminate according to its proper character. Thus, the conclusion of many of the collects, "through Jesus Christ our Lord,” is not to be considered as a petition, but as a reason assigned for the acceptance of the whole preceding prayer; and therefore it should terminate with the conclusive inflection.

Secondary uses of the Inflections *.

Besides being employed at the end of the

*The only secondary use of the rising inflection is as a harmonic, or preparatory slide. See p. 32.

sentence to express completion, the falling inflection is frequently used to employ a degree of completion. When thus applied it does not descend so low on the scale as at the period, and it may be styled the DISJUNCTIVE SLIDE.

RULE XIII. The disjunctive slide is required at the end of a member which forms perfect sense by itself, but which is followed by some other member or members not restraining or qualifying its signification:

It is of the highest importance to season the passions of a child with devòtion; which seldom dies in a mind that has received an early tincture of it.

RULE XIV. The disjunctive slide is often used to express opposition or contrast *:

Ex. 1. Similarity of sounds weakens cóntrast in sènse.

In this sentence the disjunctive slide is given to the word 'similarity,' in order to oppose it more clearly to contrast,' which being the penultimate, must receive the rising slide.

The student may at first find it difficult to introduce the falling inflection at other places

* Words or members when in apposition, require similar inflections; when in opposition, they require opposite inflections.

besides the end of the sentence. The difficulty may be removed by detaching the word which is marked as requiring this inflection, and using it in a distinct sentence. For example; in reading the above sentence, the falling inflection is wanted for the word 'similarity.' To obtain it, introduce the word into another sentence, thus: 'I want similarity.' The inflection which would be naturally used in concluding this sentence, is that which is to be adopted in the proposed sentence. See p. 9.

RULE XV. The DISJUNCTIVE SLIDE is also used to give distinctness and force in the enumeration of particulars:

Ex. 1. The descriptive part of the allegory in the second book of the Paradise Lost is very strong, and full of sublime ideas: the figure of death, the regal crown upon his head, his menace of Sàtan, his advancing to the combat, the outcry at his birth, are very noble circumstances, and extremely suitable to the great king of terrors.

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The conjunctive slide might be used at the end of each member of this enumeration, but the effect would be comparatively feeble. In either mode of reading, the suspensive slide would be given at the word 'birth,' followed by a considerable pause; by Rule II.

Ex. 2. The persuasion of the truth of the gospel,

without the evidence that accompanies it, would not have been so firm and durable; it would not have acquired new force with àge; it would not have resisted the torrent of time; nor have passed from age to age to our own days.

Here each independent member, except the penultimate, receives force by ending with the disjunctive slide.

In reading a series, or enumeration of particulars, the voice should gradually increase in force upon each succeeding member.

Preparatory, or Harmonic Inflections.

RULE XVI. When the inflections are used for the purpose of preparing for each other, they are called the Preparatory, or Harmonic Inflections. In such cases the rising inflection does not ascend so high as the suspensive slide, nor does the falling inflection descend so low as the conclusive slide.

RULE XVII. The rising inflection is used at the end of the penultimate member of a sentence to prepare for the conclusion:

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like mén, be strong.

RULE XVIII. The most harmonious arrangement of inflections is when they occur in opBoth varieties

posite pairs,

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occur in terminating the following sentence:

1. The immortality of the soul is the basis of morality, and the source of all the pleasing hòpes and sècret jóys, that can arise in the heart of a reasonable

créature.

Extended empire, like expanded gold, exchanges sòlid strength for feéble splèndour.

2. This arrangement of the inflections is well suited to the enumeration of four particulars expressed by single words:

Humanity, justice, generosity, and pátriotism, are the qualities most useful to others.

Attention to this rule may be useful in reading particular parts of the Scriptures. In the narratives of the sacred volume there frequently occurs a succession of short sentences connected by a conjunction; and, according to the usual mode of reading, each member terminates with the conjunctive slide. This produces a monotony extremely wearisome to the ear, whilst the meaning passes off without making any distinct impression on the mind. This effect will be perceptible in the common mode of delivering the following verse:

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