ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

It is not to small portions of time, a few years, a few generations, a few ages, that our speculations are here lim"ited: they embrace eternity.

Hark how I'll bribe thee:

Not with fond shekels of the tested gold,
Or stones, whose rate is either rich or poor,
As fancy values them; but with true prayers,
That shall be up at heaven, and enter there,
Ere the sun rise.

184. When sentences, negative in construction, express conviction or certainty, or are affirmative in their nature, they should be read with a Falling Inflexion.

Thou shalt do no murder.

Thou shalt not steal".

He shall not touch a hâir of Catiline.

Though I should die wîth thee, yet will I not deny" thee.

185. RULE V.-Words or clauses that convey opposition in sense require opposition of inflexion. In unemphatic composition, the first member may be read with a Rising, and the second with a Falling Inflexion. In emphatic sentences, the absolute or positive member should be read with a Falling, and the negative or relative member with a Rising Circumflex.

Prosperity gains" friends, and adversity tries" them.

A friend" cannot be known" in prosper"ity, and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

Why beholdest thou the mote" that is in thy broth"er's eye, but perceivest not the beam" that is in thine own eye?

Virtuous and vicious every man must be;

Few in the extreme", but all" in the degree".
The rogue" and fool" by fits are fair" and wisell,
And even the bêst, by fits, what they despise :
'Tis but by pârts we follow good" or ill";
For, vice" or virtue, Sêlf directs it still.

186. Indirect antithesis, contrast, and comparison, require opposite inflexions.

Rational lib"erty is opposed to the wild"ness of anarchy. Bended knees", while you are clothed with pride"; heavenly petitions, while you are hoarding up treasures upon earth",

* The Inflexions must be so arranged that the first division of the sentence shall be terminated, according to Rule I., with a Rising Inflexion. The inflexions of unemphatic antithesis may be thus represented:

[blocks in formation]

ho'ly devotions, while you live in the follies of the world"; prayers of meek'ness and charity, while your heart is the seat of spite and resent"ment; hours" of pray"er, while you give up days' and years to idle diversion, impertinent visits, and foolish pleasure;-are as absurd, unacceptable services to God, as forms of thanks"giving from a person that lives in repi'ning and discontent".

187. Frequently, the antithesis is not formally expressed, but implied. In sentences of this nature, the omitted member must be suggested by the forcible inflexion of the one which is expressed. The positive member requires a Falling, the negative a Rising Circumflex.

I'll be, in men's despîte, a monarch!

They are only the fragments of enemies.

How beautiful is Nature in her wildest scenes!

I have thought some of Nature's joûrneymen had made

men.

He requires a vôluntary service.

We shudder at the thought of dissolution.

He could not treat a dôg ill.

They that are whôle, need not a physician.

I'm tortured, even to mâdness, when I think

Of the proud victor.

A fiery deluge, and without an ark.

Were I Brutus,

And Brutus Antony, there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar, that should move
The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny!

ENCLITIC CLAUSES.

188. Frequently, a portion of the antithetic member is expressed with one word, and understood, or only expressed pronominally, with the other. The member so omitted is called elliptical, and follows the inflexion of that which is expressed, but in a weaker voice, to mark its enclitic nature.

Shall we, in your person, crown" the author of the public calamities, or shall we destroy" him?

Shall we, in your person, crown", or shall we destroy" the

author of the public calamities?

A good man will love himself" too well to lose", and his neighbour too well to win", an estate by gaming.

A good man will love himself too well to lose" an estate by gaming, and his neigh"bour too well to win" one.

189. RULE VI.-Questions that are indeterminate in their signification require a Rising Inflexion. (Such questions are generally, but not necessarily, asked by verbs, and answerable by yes or no.)

Would an infinitely wise Being create man for a mean" purpose? Can He delight in the production of abortive intelligence, of short"-lived reasonable crea'tures? Would He give us talents that are not to be exerted? capacities that are not to be gratified?

Can the soldier, when he girdeth on his armour, boast like him that putteth it off"? Can the merchant predict that the speculation on which he has entered will be infallibly crowned with success"? Can even the husbandman, who has the promise of God that seed-time and harvest shall not fail, look forward with assured confidence to the expected increase of his fields"? In these, and in all similar cases, our resolution to act can be founded on probability alone.

The miser has long been ardently endeavouring to fill his chest and, lo! it is now full. Is he hap'py? Does he use it? Does he gratefully think of the Giv'er of all good things'? Alas! these interests have no place in his heart.

190. Questions, indefinite in structure, become definite by reiteration, and then require a Falling Inflexion. In this form, they generally express a threat, or a command.

Are you prepared? Do you hear"? Will you go"?

191. Questions, definite in structure, become indefinite by reiteration, and should then be read with a Rising Inflexion.

What do you say? What' o'clock was' it? going?

How" shall we accomplish it'?
Where" did you say you were

192. A question quoted in a sentence should be read as part of it. The true consideration is, Has he abused" his power?

I have generally observed, when a man is talking of his country-house, that the first question usually asked is, Are you in a good" neighbourhood?

193. RULE VII.-Questions that are determinate in their signification require a Falling Inflexion: (Such questions are usually introduced by means of pronouns, adverbs, or prepositions, and are not answerable by yes or no.)

On whom does time hang so heavily as on the slothful and in"dolent? To whom are the hours so ling`ering? Who are so often devoured with spleen, and obliged to fly to every expedient, which can help them to get rid of themselves"?

Who continually supports and governs this stupendous system? Who preserves ten thousand times ten thousand worlds in perpetual harmony? Who enables them always to observe such time, and obey such laws, as are most exquisitely adapted for the perfection of the wondrous whole"? How could they preserve and direct themselves"? Who feels not that they were created, and must therefore be dependent? How, then, can they be so actuated and directed, but by the unceasing energy of the Great Supreme"?

Whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire,
This longing, after Immortality?

Or, whence this secret dread and inward horror
Of falling into nought"? Why shrinks the soul
Back on herself, and startles at destruction?

194. RULE VIII.-Questions in apposition require the same inflexions Questions that are antithetic require opposite inflexions.

Is a candle brought to be put under a bush"el, or under a bed"?

Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribula"tion, or distress", or persecution, or fam"ine, or na ̋kedness, or per'il, or sword"?

Can the world defend us from disasters, or protect us from diseases? Can it preserve our hearts from grief, our eyes from tears, or our feet from fall"ing? Can it prolong our comforts, or multiply our days"? Can it redeem ourselves, or our friends, from death"? Can it soothe the king of terrors, or mitigate the agonies of the dying?

195. The interrogative words are sometimes omitted, or an interrogative sentence assumes a declarative form. In these cases the reader will always attend to the import, rather than to the grammatical structure.

Open your lips, ye wonderful and fair!

Speak! speak!-the mysteries of those starry worlds
Unfold !-No lan"guage? Everlasting light",

And everlasting silence? Yet the eye

May read and understand.

196. The answer to a question is generally read in a different tone from that in which the question is asked. (See Exercises on Modulation.)

197. RULE IX.-Sentences or clauses that convey doubt, appeal, admiration, suspense, surprise, &c., in general take a Rising Inflexion throughout their delivery.

You have no' just' cause' to be displeased" with' me'.

It is his fam'ily in"fluence, not' his mer"it, which has helped' him on'.

He said he would call, if you would consent to see" him'.

What! Michael Cassio, that came a wooing with you,
And, many a time, when I have spoke of you
Disprăisingly, hath tǎ'en your părt―to have
So much to do to bring him" in?

198. RULE X.-Sentences or clauses that are expressive of conviction, dislike, hatred, &c., take a Falling Inflexion throughout.

You have no' just" cause to be displeased" with me.

It is his family influence, not his merit, which has helped" him on'.

He said he would call, if you would consent to see" him. How like a fawn"ing pub"lican he looks'!

I hate him! for, in low' simplic" ity,

Hê lends out' mon"ey grâtis.

199. Words expressive of any tender emotion or affection, and the reverential language of prayer, incline to the Rising Inflexion: words which convey any violent passion-the language of authority, reprehension, and denunciation-should be read with an emphatic Falling Inflexion.

Hide thy face from my sins', and blot out all mine iniquities'.

Lord, let me know mine end', and the number of my days'. God is not a man', that He' should lie"; neither the son of man, that He should repent." Hath He said" it? and shall He not do it? Hath He spoken" it? and shall He not

make it good"?

Judge me, ye gods'! wrong I mine enemies?

And if not so, how should I wrong my brother?

200. Exclamation (especially when it is interrogative in its nature) and Echo, require a Rising Inflexion.

You lament the loss of the Roman armies; Mark Antony destroyed them: you resent the death of so many noble citizens; Mark An'tony was their death: the authority of the Senate is invaded; Mark An"tony invades it.

Newton was a Christian!-New'ton! whose mind burst forth from the fetters cast by nature on our finite conceptions;-Newton! whose science was truth, and the foundation of whose knowledge of it was philosophy;—not those visionary and arrogant presumptions which too often usurp

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »