I am glad that my weak words

Have struck but thus much show of fire from

Brutus.

I must therefore desire the reader to remember, that, by the pleasures of the imagination, I mean only such pleasures as arise originally from sight.

VIII. Before the infinitive mood when not immediately preceded by a modifying word.

He left the room to see whether all was secured. The practice among the Turks is to destroy or imprison for life any presumptive heir to the throne.

Now, because our inward passions and inclinations can never make themselves visible, it is impossible for a jealous man to be thoroughly cured of his suspicions.

Where the first verb stands alone, this pause may be omitted; as,

Some persons seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying little.

IX. Before and after a parenthetic member.

It is this sense which furnishes the imagination with its ideas; so that by the pleasures of the imagination or fancy (which I shall use promiscuously) I here mean such as arise from visible objects.

There is a place

(If ancient and prophetic fame in heaven
Err not) another world, the happy seat
Of some new race called man.-Milton...

It must here be observed, that there is often a parenthetic clause where no parenthesis is marked; thus, the words taken in their full extent in the following sentence;

ר

ר

The pleasures of the imagination, taken in their full extent, are not so gross as those of sense, nor so refined, as those of the understanding.

X. Generally before prepositions.

As an example of this, we may take the first passage quoted under the preceding rule.

It is this sense which furnishes the imagination with its ideas, so that by the pleasures of the imagination or fancy (which I shall use promiscuously) I here mean such as arise from visible objects.

It may also be remarked that there should always be a pause near the close of a sentence, and that the pauses in the conclusion of a discourse, or of any impressive paragraph, should be more numerous and longer than they would be if occurring elsewhere.

The above are the principal pauses which good reading requires, in addition to many which are usually indicated by the points in grammar. But it must not be supposed that these are all which are necessary. The form and structure of sentences, and the passions and emotions which they imply, are so various, that it is impossible to lay down rules which shall

apply to every case which may occur: the only general rule which can be given is, that we should endeavour to discover which words in a sentence are most intimately connected together, and which are less so, and to introduce our pauses accordingly. If we would read and speak well, we must pause on an average at every fifth or sixth word, or perhaps oftener; indeed it is much easier to say where a pause can not intervene, than where it can. The only words which seem too intimately connected to admit a pause between them, are,

1st. The article and substantive, or first modifying adjective or adverb in natural order.

2nd. The substantive and its adjective immediately preceding, or a single adjective following. 3rd. The adverb and the verb, or adjective, which it immediately precedes, or which it follows, if single.

4th. The preposition and its object.

5th. The verb and its object, if single, immediately following.

Were it only for the purpose of drawing the breath, the use of the pauses in reading would be sufficiently obvious. If we pronounce too many words in a breath, and neglect those intervals where we may pause the most conveniently, we shall often find ourselves obliged to pause, where the sense is not separable, and consequently shall weaken and obscure the composition. But if we take the opportunity of pausing, where the sense

will admit of it, we shall never be obliged to break in upon the sense, when we find ourselves under the necessity of pausing for want of breath.

This use of rhetorical pauses, as well as some others which will appear in the sequel, are so important, that for the old rule,

Learn to read slow; all other graces
Will follow in their proper places,

it may be well to substitute,

Attend to pause; all other graces
Will follow in their proper places.

CHAPTER II.

INFLECTION. THE NECESSARY INFLECTIONS.

In order to understand what is meant by Inflection, it is necessary to attend to the distinction between musical and speaking sounds. Musical sounds are such as continue for a given time on one precise point of the musical scale, and leap, as it were, from one note to another, while speaking sounds, instead of dwelling on the note they begin with, slide either upwards or downwards to the neighbouring notes, without any perceptible rest on any; so that speaking and musical sounds are essentially distinct, the former being constantly in motion from the moment they commence, the latter being at rest for some given time in one precise note. Accordingly by inflection is meant the slide, whether upwards or downwards, with which each syllable is pronounced.

Inflection is independent of the pitch of the voice, and of the time in which the whole word is pronounced, as well as of the loudness or softness which may accompany any pitch. On whatever point of the musical scale the pronunciation of a syllable begins, and whether the time be quick or slow, or the tone loud or soft,