EXAMPLES. 1. He must in'crease, but I must de crease. 2. Joseph attends schools reg'ularly; but William, irregularly. 3. Did he perform his part grace'fully, or un'gracefully? 4. There is a difference between possibility and probability. 5. We are not to inquire into the justice or in'justice, the honʼor or dis ́honor of the deed; nor whether it was lawful or un'lawful, wise or un'wise. NOTE VI.-There are two kinds of Emphasis :- -Absolute and Antithetic. ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS is used to designate the important words of a sentence, without any direct reference to other words. 1. EXAMPLES OF ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS. Be we men, 2. And suffer such dishonor? MEN, and wash not To-morrow, didst thou say? TO-MORROW! In all the hoary registers of time. Cotton. 3. I shall know but one country. The ends I aim at, shall be "My COUNTRY's, my GoD's, and TRUTH'S." Webster. 4. I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American. Id. 5. SPEAK OUT, my friends; would you exchange it for the DEMON'S DRINK, ALCOHOL? A shout, like the roar of a tempest, answered, "NO!" 6. You, noble Americans, we bless in the name of the God of liberty. Kossuth. 7. He paused a moment, and with an enchanting smile, whispered softly the name, "England!" Louder he cried, "ENGLAND!" He waved his handkerchief and shouted, "ENGLAND!" 8. O SACRED FORMS! how proud you look! How high you lift your heads into the sky; Knowles. 9. "HOLD !" Tyranny cries; but their resolute breath Sends back the reply, "INDEPENDENCE or DEATH!" QUESTIONS.-How many kinds of Emphasis are there? What is Absolute Emphasis? Give examples. NOTE VII.-ANTITHETIC EMPHASIS is that which is founded on the contrast of one word or clause with another. EXAMPLES OF ANTITHETIC EMPHASIS. 1. If we have no regard for our own character, we ought, at least, to regard the characters of others. 2. The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion. Bible. 3. Living, I shall assert it, dying, I shall assert it. Webster. 4. You were paid to fight Alexander, not to rail at him. 5. He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Bible. 6. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship. NOTE VIII. The following examples contain two or more sets of Antitheses. 1. I will make the stars of the west the suns of the east. Kossuth. 2. We must hold them as we hold the rest of mankind-enemies in war, in peace, friends. Jefferson. 3. The wise man is happy when he gains his own approbation, the fool, when he gains that of others. 4. Without were fightings, within were fears. Bible. 5. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Ibid. 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Ibid. 7. Set honor in one eye, and death in the other, And I will look on both indifferently. 8. A man's first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart; his next, to escape the censure of the world. 9. Religion raises men above themselves; irreligion sinks them beneath the brutes. 10. It is my living sentiment, and, by the blessing of God, it shall be my dying sentiment; independence Now, and independWebster. ence FOREVER. NOTE IX. The sense of a passage is varied by changing the place of the emphasis. QUESTIONS.-What is Antithetic Emphasis ? Give examples. What effect has a change of Emphasis on the sense of a passage? Examples. 1 1. Has James seen his brother to-day? 2. Has James seen his brother to-day? from him. 3. Has James seen his brother to-day? 4. Has James seen his brother to-day? his sister. No; but Charles has. No; but he saw yours. 5. Has James seen his brother to-day? No; but he saw him yesterday REMARK. To determine the emphatic words of a sentence, as well as the degree and kind of emphasis to be employed, the reader must be governed wholly by the sentiment to be expressed. The idea is sometimes entertained that emphasis consists merely in loudness of tone. But it should be borne in mind, that the most intense emphasis may often be effectively expressed, even by a whisper. SECTION III INFLECTIONS. INFLECTIONS are turns or slides of the voice, made in reading or speaking; as, Will you go to New York, All the various sounds of the human voice may be comprehended under the general appellation of tones. The principal modifications of these tones are the MONOTONE, the RISING INFLECTION, the FALLING INFLECTION, and the CIRCUMFLEX. QUESTIONS.-How are the emphatic words of a sentence deterWhat are Inflections? What are the principal modifications of the human voice? mined? The Horizontal Line The Rising Slide The Falling Slide The Curve denotes the Monotone. (/) denotes the Rising Inflection. denotes the Falling Inflection. denotes the Circumflex. The MONOTONE is that sameness of sound, which arises from repeating the several words or syllables of a passage in one and the same general tone. REMARK.-The Monotone is employed with admirable effect in the delivery of a passage that is solemn or sublime. EXAMPLES. 1. Man that is bōrn ōf a wōmān, is ōf fēw days, and full ōf trouble. He cōmēth fōrth like a flōwer, and is cut down: hē flēēth ālsō ās ā shādōw, and continuēth nōt. 2. Man diēth, and wāstēth away: yea, mãn gīvēth up thē ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and thē flōōd dēcāyēth ānd driēth ūp, sō mãn liēth dōwn, and rīsēth nōt; till the hēavēns bē nō mōre, they shall nōt āwāke, nōr bē raised out of their sleep. 3. Fōr thus saith thē high and lofty ōne, that inhabitēth ētērnity, whōse name is Hōly, I dwell in thē high and hōly place. 4. Lōrd, thōu hast bēēn ōur dwelling-place, in all gēnērātiōns. Bēfōre the mountains were brought fōrth, ōr ēvēr thōū hādst fōrmed thē earth and thē wōrld, ēvēn frōm ēvērlāsting tō ēvērlasting, Thōu ārt Gōd. Bible. 5. O thōu that rōllēst ābōve, rōund as the shield ōf my fathers! whence are thỹ bēams, O sūn! thỹ ēverlasting light? Ossian High on a throne of royal state, which far Outshōne the wealth of Ormūs ōr ōf Ind, 6. Or whēre thē gōrgēōūs ēast, with richēst hand, REMARK.-But the inappropriate use of the monotone,— a fault into which young people naturally fall,—is a very QUESTIONS.-How are they sometimes denoted ? What is the Monotone? What passages should be read with the monotone? Give examples. grave and obstinate error. It is always tedious, and often even ridiculous. It should be studiously avoided. The RISING INFLECTION is an upward turn, or slide of the voice, used in reading or speaking; as, Are you prepared to recite your 1éssons? The FALLING INFLECTION is a downward turn, or slide of the voice, used in reading or speaking; as, What are you doing? In the falling inflection, the voice should not sink below the general pitch; but in the rising inflection, it is raised above it. The two inflections may be illustrated by the following diagrams: the 3. If the flight of Dryden is wing. higher, They went Pope continues longer on If the blaze of Dryden's fire is brighter, Pope's is more regular and constant. the heat of QUESTIONS.-What is the Rising Inflection? What is the Falling Inflection? In the falling inflection should the voice sink below the general pitch? Is it raised above the general pitch in the ising Inflection? |