No doubt but yê are the people, and wisdom shall die' with you. But I have understanding as well as yôu: I am not inferior to you.

Art thou the first man that was born'? or wast thôu made before the hills'? Hast thôu heard the secret of God', and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? What knowest thôu that wè know not'? what understândest thou which is not in us'?

The foregoing examples are sufficient to illustrate the rising and falling inflections, together with the circumflex. I have introduced more of the latter than is commonly done in books which treat of them, because the learner is more apt to be troubled in acquiring the proper use of this inflection than of the other. It is recommended to the teacher that he should exercise his pupils on these examples until they become quite familiar with them, and be able to form the different inflections with correctness and ease. He should remember that without this ability there can be no good reading.

CHAPTER II.

RULES FOR USING THE PRIMARY INFLECTIONS.

I shall now give a few general rules for the use of the inflections. It is not my design to enter at large on this part of elocution, but barely to do enough to assist the beginner, and to prepare him for greater progress in the art of reading as future circumstances may direct him. At the same time, it is hoped that the following rules and examples will be of service to readers in general whose opportunities will not allow them to resort to higher sources of instruction.

RULE I.

When a thought or sentiment is left incomplete at a pause, and is still carried forward in what follows, the rising inflection is used on the word or syllable at which the pause is made.

Emphasis may form an exception to this rule, but this will be hereafter considered. Mere exclamations, or broken parts of sentences, are not here embraced. The rule has reference to sentences which have their parts connected.

EXAMPLES.

When you are disposed to be vain of your mental acquire

ments', look up to those who are more accomplished than yourself, that you may be fired with emulation; but when you feel dissatisfied with your circumstances', look down on those beneath you', that you may learn content.

Since the days that are past are gone forever', and those that are to come may not come to thee', it behoveth thee to employ the present time', without regretting the loss of that which is past', or too much depending on that which is to come. Whatsoever thou resolvest to do', do it quickly: defer not till the evening' what the morning may accomplish.

Honor', Prudence', and Pleasure' undertook to keep house together. Honor was to govern the family', Prudence to provide for it', and Pleasure to conduct its arrangements. For sometime they went on exceedingly well', and with great propriety; but, after a while, Pleasure, getting the upper hand', began to carry mirth to extravagance', and filled the house with gay', idle', riotous company'; and the consequent expenses threatened the ruin of the establishment. Upon this', Honor and Prudence', finding it absolutely necessary to break up the partnership', determined to quit the house', and leave Pleasure to go on her own way. This could not continue long', as she soon brought herself to poverty', and came begging to her former companions', Honor and Prudence', who had now settled together in another habitation. However, they would never afterwards admit Pleasure to be a partner in their household', but sent for her occasionally' on holidays' to make them merry, and, in return', they maintained her out of their alms.

A

NOTE. Many persons seem to suppose that a sentence is not completed if a semicolon merely closes the passage, and therefore they read along without either a cadence or a falling inflection. This error should be avoided. sentence is complete when the thought or sentiment intended to be expressed by it is fully brought out and completed; and, when this is done, the voice should denote the fact, whatever grammatical pause the writer or printer may choose to adopt. Thus, in the first example there is a full cadence, with a falling slide, on the word emulation; and near the close of the last example there is the same on the word merry. Another error is, to make a full stop with the voice, that is, to stop it in the manner of a cadence, as often as a semicolon occurs, or perhaps only a comma, although the sense is unfinished, and what follows is essentially connected with what preceded, making part of the thought which the whole is intended to express. Thus, in the fourth example, after the words "filled the house with gay, idle, riotous company," some readers would make a full cadence, whereas the sense requires that the voice should be kept up to the close of the whole sentence. This error is more common than the one first mentioned, and is to be especially guarded against.

In the examples which follow, cases will be found where the rising inflection is used before a semicolon, and when, of course, the voice is to be kept up, and carried forward to the succeeding parts.

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us', even as they' delivered them unto us' which from the beginning were eye-witnesses' and ministers of the word'; it seemed good to mè also', having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first', to write unto thee in order', most excellent Theophilus', that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.

To look upon the soul as going on from strength to strength'; to consider that she is to shine forever with new accessions of glory', and brighten to all eternity'; that she will be still adding virtue to virtue', and knowledge to knowledge'; carries in it something wonderfully agreeable to that ambition' which is natural to the mind of man.

But tell me if there be ought of his doings that fills us with so adoring a veneration' as when we behold the high and lofty One stooping from the high and holy place to feed the hungry', to clothe the naked', to counsel the ignorant', to be the father of the fatherless', the Judge of the widow', to comfort the cast down', to speak peace to the penitent', and, drawing near to the lowly couch of the humblest of his children', to whisper in the ear of the departing spirit', "Fear not, I am with thee'; be not dismayed', I am thy God'. I will strengthen thee'; I will help thee'; yea, I will uphold thee' with the right hand of my righteousness."

NOTE. The pause which is made while the voice is simply kept up, is called the pause of suspension. The inflection used will, of course, be the rising, though it will seldom be intensive.

RULE II.

The last pause but one in a sentence, whether that pause be denoted by a grammatical point, or by the sense merely, or be made for convenience of utterance, will usually have the rising slide.

EXAMPLES.

There cannot be a greater treachery than first to ràise a confidence' and then deceive it.

It is wiser to prevent a quarrel beforehand', than to revenge it afterward.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry', for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you', do ye even so to them', for this is the law and the prophets.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses', your heavenly Father will also forgive you'; but if ye forgive nòt men their trespasses', neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

It is in vain for a rogue in grain' to pass himself off for an honest man.

Every addition of useful knowledge' is adding something to

a man's treasures.

The wants of nature are few': it is the office of reason to regulate both the taste' and the appetitè, and those who are governed by her laws' will be enabled to leave their wealth, their health, and their example', rich endowments to their heirs. All beyond enough' is too much; all beyond nourishment' is luxury; all beyond decency' is extravagance.

RULE III.

Friendly address, invitation, kind entreaty, devotional supplications, and petition in general, require the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Sir', your most obedient' and humble servant'.

Men', brethren, and fathers', hearken.

It is no surprising thing, sir', that men should sometimes differ in their opinions.

Come unto me all ye that labor' and are heavy laden', and I will give you rest.

Ho, every one that thirsteth', come ye to the waters'; and he that hath no money', come ye', buy and eat'; yea come', buy wine and milk' without money' and without price.

My son', hear the instruction of thy father', and forsake not the law of thy mother; for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head', and chains about thy neck'. My son', if sinners entice thee', consent thou not'.

And he lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo, three men stood by him; and, when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself towards the ground, and said, "My Lord', if I have now found favor in thy sight', pass not away', I pray thee', from thy servant'. Let a little water', pray you', be fetched', and wash your feet', and rest yourselves under the tree', and I will fetch a morsel of bread', and comfort ye your hearts. After that' ye shall pass on; for therefore are ye come to your servant'."

I

The following is an example of the most moving entreaty on the part of young prince Arthur to the officer who had been commissioned by the king to burn out his eyes with a hot iron, taken from Shakspeare's tragedy of King John. The passage should be read slow, and with semitones.* Hubert, the officer, first speaks to the attendants.

Hubert. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.
Arthur. Alas, what need you be so boisterous rough'?
I will not strugglé-I will stand stoné still'.

For heaven's saké, Hubert', let me nót be bound';
Nay, hear mé, Hubert', drive these men away'
And I will sit as quiet' as a lamb';

I will not stir', nor wincé, nor speak a word',
Nor look upon the irons' angrily'.

Thrust but these men away', and I'll forgive yoú
Whatever torment you do put me tó.

Have mercy upon mé, O God', according to thy loving-kindness': according unto the multitude of thy tender merciés, blot out my transgressions'. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity', and cleanse me from my sin'.

If this passage be read devotionally, there will be a slight turning of the voice upward in the last syllable of transgressions at the end of the first sentence, and in the word sin at the close of the last. So in the following examples, at the close of a sentence there should be, in most cases, a slight inflection upward on the last syllable in a sentence, although some of the preceding syllables may not require it, and may even demand a small depression of the voice preparatory to its rise.

O my Fathér, if it be possiblé, let this cup pass from mé; nevertheless, not as I will', but as thou wilt'.

O Lord God of Israel', who dwellest between the cherubims', thou art the God', even thou aloné, of all the kingdoms of the earth': thou hast made heaven and earth'. Lord', bow down thine ear', and hear'; open', Lord', thine eyes and seé; and hear the words of Sennacherib who hath sent him to reproach the living God'. Of a truth', Lord', the kings of Assyria h'ave destroyed the nations and their lands', and have cast their gods into the firé, for they were no gods', but the work of men's hands', wood and stone'; therefore they have destroyed them'

*For semitones see page 39.