Se discovery of so much importance, that I immediately published a small Pamphlet, called The Melody of Speaking Delineated; in which I explained it as well as I was able by writing, but referred the reader to some paffages where he could scarcely fail to adopt it upon certain words, and perceive the juftness of the diftinction. I was confirmed in my opinion by reflecting that à priori, and independently on actual practice, these modifications of the human voice muft neceffarily exift. First, if there was no turn or inflexion of the voice, it must continue in a monotone. condly, if the voice was inflected, it must be either upwards or downwards, and fo produce either the rifing or falling inflexion. Thirdly, if these two were united on the fame fyllable, it could only be by beginning with the rifing, and ending with the falling inflexion, or vice versa ; as any other mixture of thefe oppofite inflexions was impoffible. A thorough conviction of the truth of this distinc tion, gave me a confidence which nothing could shake. I exemplified it, viva voce, to many of my critical friends, who uniformly agreed with me: and this enabled me to conceive and demonftrate the Greek and Latin circumflex, (fo often mentioned, and fo totally unintelligible to the moderns), but occafioned not a little furprife (ince it is as easy to conceive that the voice may fall and rife upon the fame fyllable, as that it may rise and fall) why the ancients had the latter circumflex, and not the former. Some probable conjectures refpecting this point, as well as the nature of accent, ancient and modern, may be seen at the end of a Work lately publifhed, called A Key to the Claffical Pronunciation of Greek and Latin Proper Names. CONTENTS. FIRST PART. INTRODUCTION. Elocution defined General Idea of the common Doctrine of Punctuation, 11, 12, 13 Introduction to the Theory of the Inflexions of the 62, 63 SECOND PART. Page ACCENT 181 Accent defined and explained. English, Scotch, and Irish Accent, how they differ, Introduction to the Theory of Emphafis 185 188 189 Theory of Emphatic Inflexion Practical Syftem of Emphafis Single Emphafis 205 218 219 Harmony of Profe 258 Harmony of Profaic Inflexions Rules for reading Verfe Modulation and Management of the Voice Gesture The Paffions 263 271 290 300 315 PREMONITION ΤΟ THE READER. Ir may not, perhaps, be improper to inform the Reader, that if he wishes fully to understand the following Work, he must first apply himfelf closely to the acquiring of a juft idea of the two radical diftinctions of the Voice into the Rifing and Falling Inflexion, as explained, Part I. p. 74 and 76, and Part II. p. 186. If, however, after all his labour, the Author fhould not have been able to convey an idea of these two diftinctions of Voice upon paper, he flatters himself that thofe parts of the Work, which do not depend upon these distinctions, are sufficiently new and useful to reward the time and pains of a perusal. |