EXAMPLES. Will you blindly rush on to destruction? Would you say so if the case were your dwn? Now can you complain of mè? EXCEPTION 2. Direct questions, when repeated with earnestness and emphasis, also take the falling slide; as, Are you going to London? If not understood, I repeat it, thus; Are you going to Londòn? RULE 2. Words and clauses connected by the disjunctive or, generally require the rising slide before, and the falling after it. EXAMPLES. Was it from heaven, or of mèn? Is this book yours, or mine? Shall I come to you with a ród, or in lòve ? Is he affluent, or ìndigent? You are either my friend, or my enemy. NOTE. When or is used conjunctively, it takes the rising slide after, as well as before it. EXAMPLE. 'Would the influence of the Bible, even if it were not the record of a divine Revelation, be to render princes more tyrannical, or subjects more ungóvernable; the rich more insolent, or the poor more disórderly; would it make worse párents, or children, husbands, or wives, másters, or sérvants, friends, or neighbors? RULE 3. When negation is opposed to affirmation, the former has the rising, and the latter the falling inflection, in whatever order they occur. QUESTIONS. Give an example illustrating the first exception. What is Exception Second? Will you repeat Rule Second? What example illustrates this rule? When or is used conjunctively, what slide is required? What is Rule Third? EXAMPLES. I do not read for amusement, but for improvement I did not say a better soldier, but an elder. Study not so much to show knowledge, as to acquire it. He did not act prúdently, but imprudently. We are not descendants of the Romans, but of the Saxons EXCEPTION. When negation is attended with strong em. phasis, it requires the falling slide. EXAMPLE We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; pérsecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed. RULE 4. When words or clauses are contrasted, they take opposite inflections; the first member usually requires the rising inflection, and the latter the falling. This order, however, is sometimes reversed. EXAMPLES. By honor and dishonor; by évil report and goòd report; as deceivers, and yet trùe; as unknown, and yet wèll known; as dy'ing, and behold we live ; as chástened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poór, yet making many rìch; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Iler regard to virtue opposes insensibility to shàme; púrity to pollùtion; intégrity to injùstice, virtue to villany; resolution to ràge; and órder to confusion. It is more blessed to do goód, than evil. I would rather gó, than stày. I would rather walk, than ride. It is better to study, than to play. QUESTIONS. When the negative clause follows the affirmative, is the slide changed? Will you illustrate this rule ? Give an example. What is Rule Fourth? Give an example in which the first member begins with the rising slide, and the second ends with the falling. One in which the slides are inverted. Rising Inflection. RULE 5. The pause of suspension, denoting that the sense is unfinished, generally requires the rising inflection. EXAMPLES. The beauty of a pláin, the greatness of a mountain, the ornaments of a building, the expression of a picture, and the composition of a discourse; are to some persons, matters of little or no interest. The mild warmth of spring, the merry song of birds, and the sweet perfume of flowers, conspire to regale the sènses. The rising and setting of the sun, the splendor of Orion in a night of autumn, and the immensity of the océan, awaken ideas of power, awful and magnificent. Her vigor; her constancy; her magnanimity; her penetrátion; her vigilance; and her address; are allowed to merit the highest pràises. NOTE. Sentences implying condition, the case absolute, the infinitive mode used as a nominative, the direct address not attended with strong emphasis, and the close of a parenthesis, are some of the specific cases, to which the rule applies. EXAMPLES. First, Condition. If therefore the whole church be come together into one pláce, and all speak with tongues; and there come in those that are unleárned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? Second, Case Absolute. His father dying, and no heir being left except himself, he suc ceeded to the estàte. Third, Infinitive Mode. To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strẻngth; to consider that she is to shine forever with new accessions of glory, and brighten to all eternity; carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition which is natural to the mind of man. QUESTIONS. What is Rule Fifth ? What are some of the specific cases named in the note to which the rule applies? Fourth, Direct Address. Mén, brethren, and fathers, hearken. It is no surprising thing, sir, that men should sometimes differ in their opinions. Fifth, Parenthesis. If we exercise upright principles, (and we cannot have them unless we éxercise them,) they must be perpetually on the increase. EXCEPTION. The pause of suspension, when attended with strong emphasis, sometimes requires the falling inflection, in order to express the true meaning of the sentence. EXAMPLE. The young man, who indulges in dissipation, if he does not become poor, is in danger of losing his character. The rising inflection on poor, perverts the sense of the passage, and makes it mean, if he become poor, notwithstanding his dissipation, he will not lose his good character. RULE 6. The expression of tender emotions generally inclines the voice to a gentle, upward slide. EXAMPLES. Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spáke? Jesus saith unto her, Máry. My Mother! when I learned that thou wast dead, RULE 7. The last pause but one in a sentence, for the sake of variety and harmony, generally has the rising inflection. EXAMPLES. The minor longs to be of agè, then to be a man of bùsiness, then to make up an estàte, then to arrive at hónors, then to retire. QUESTIONS. What is the exception to the rule for the pause of suspension? What is Rule Sixth? Give an example to illustrate it. What is Rule Seventh? Give an example. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heàrt, and with all thy sòul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. A discreet and virtuous friend relieves the mind; improves the understanding; engenders new thoùghts; awakens good resolutions, and furnishes employment for the most vàcant hours in life. EXCEPTION. Strong emphasis sometimes requires the falling inflection on the penultimate pause. EXAMPLE. They rushed through like a hurricane; like an army of locusts they have devoured the earth; the war has fallen like a waterspout, and deluged the land with blood. Falling Inflection. RULE 8. Indirect questions, or those which cannot be answered by yes or no, generally require the falling inflection, and the answers the same. EXAMPLES. What didst thou answer? Nothing. Where is your màster? Yonder in the tower. For wonder. From the mountains. What dost thou seè? The black-eyed Ròman. At whose breast was your dagger àimed? How shall I learn to meet those tèrrors? Who can fathom the depths of misery, into which intemperance plùnges its victims ? Why should a man be in love with his fetters, though of gold? EXCEPTION. When the indirect question is not at first understood, and a repetition is required, it takes the rising inflection. EXAMPLES. Where are you going? To Pòrtland. Where did you say? To Portland. Where is the burial place of Washington? At Mt. Vernon. QUESTIONS. What is the exception to Rule Seventh? Give an example. What is Rule Eighth? Give an example. What is the exception to this rule? Give an exam ple. |