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RULE 2.-When a question commences with a verb, it terminates with the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Shall dust and ashes stand in the presence of that uncreated glory', before which principalities and powers bow down, tremble, and adore'? Shall guilty and condemned creatures appear in the presence of Him, in whose sight the heavens are not clean, and who chargeth his angels with folly'?

What is the happiness that this world can give? Can it defend us from disasters'? Can it preserve our hearts from grief, our eyes from tears, or our feet from falling? Can it prolong our comforts'? Can it multiply our days'? Can it redeem ourselves or our friends from death'? Can it soothe the king of terrors, or mitigate the agonies of the dying'?

Is the chair empty'? Is the sword unsway'd'?
Is the king dead? the empire un possess'd' ?
What heir of York is there alive but we`?

And who is England's king but great York's heir`? Can Rolla's words add vigour to the virtuous energies', which inspire your hearts"?

Can such things be',

And overcome us like a summer cloud',

Without our special wonder" ?

EXCEPTIONS.

Emphasis breaks through this rule.

Was ever woman in this humour wooed'?
Was ever woman in this humour won`?

When a series of questions is long and terminates a paragraph, the last member may take the falling inflec tion, as:

Was the hope drunk

Wherein you dress'd yourself'? Hath it slept since'?
And wakes it now, to look so green and pale,

At what it did so freely'? From this time,

Such I account thy love. Art thou afear'd

To be the same in thire own act' and valour',

As thou art in desire"? Would'st thou have that'
Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life',

And live a coward in thine own esteem",
Letting I dare not' wait upon I would',
Like the poor cat i' the adage`?

RULE III.-Questions introduced by verbs, containing two or more particulars connected by the conjunction OR, terminate sometimes with the rising, and sometimes with the falling inflection. If the question affects the objects disjunctively, the falling inflection is used; if conjunctively, the rising.

EXAMPLES.

Thus, if I say, Is he in London, or Paris? meaning, that I know he is in one of the towns, but that I do not know which one of the two, the rising inflection is on London, and the falling on Paris; but if I ask the question, not knowing that he is in either of the towns, the rising inflection takes place on both. The same inflection would take place, though there were more than two connected by the conjunction or,-thus, Is he in London', or Paris', or Madrid', or Rome'? meaning, in which one is he; or, Is he in London', or Paris', or Madrid', or Rome'? meaning, is he in any of the towns.

Do the perfections of the Almighty lie dormant', or, are they not rather in continual exercise?

Can honour's voice provoke the silent dust'?

Or, flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of death?

Is there a heart, that could drive back the wife, that seeks her bleeding husband'? or, the innocent babe', that cries for his imprisoned father?

Disjunctive. But shall we wear these glories for a day',
Or, shall they last', and we rejoice in them`?"

Conjunctive. Thou fool, will thy discovery of the cause
Suspend the effect', or heal' it.

EXCLAMATION.

RULE IV. The inflection which terminates an exclamation is regulated by the common rules of inflection. This rule is of course broken through by passion, which has slides and notes of its own. As a general rule, it may be stated that exclamations of surprise and indignation take a rising slide in a loud tone; those of sorrow, distress, pity, and love, the rising slide in a gentle tone; and those of adoration, awe, and despair, the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Oh! we shall be so happy'.

What'! am I braved in my own house'?
Oh, that those lips had language'!

Newton was a Christian. Newton'! whose mind burst forth from the fetters cast by nature on our finite conceptions. O, world'! O, life'! O, day'! O, misery"!

COMPACT SENTENCE.

A compact sentence is one, that consists of two principal constructive parts, but which cannot be understood until both are pronounced.

RULE V.-The first principal division of a compact sentence requires the rising inflection; in the second, the voice gradually declines into the falling inflection, as the sense forms.*

EXAMPLES.

Such is the construction of man', that labour may be styled its own reward`.

As we discover the shadow moving along the dial-plate', so the advances we make in knowledge are only perceived by the distance gone over`.

If to do were as easy as to know what were good' to dochapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces`.

While dangers are at a distance, and do not immediately' approach us-let us not conclude that we are secure, unless we use the necessary precautions against them.

As the beauty of the body always accompanies the health' of it-so is decency of behaviour a concomitant to virtue'.

Sympathising with the hatred and abhorrence which other' men must entertain for him-the murderer becomes in some measure the object of his own hatred and abhorrence`.

Formed to excel in peace as well as in war'-Cæsar was ennowed with every great and noble quality, that could give a man the ascendant in society`.

* Mr. Walker's rule of the loose sentence is altogether superfluous. The inflection is governed by the completeness of the sense; and that is all we have to take into consideration.-J. S. KNOWLES.

B

To all the charms of beauty and the utmost elegance of external form', Mary added those accomplishments which render their impression irresistible`.

Your enemies may be formidable by their numbers and by their power', but He, who is with you, is mightier than they`. No man can rise above the infirmities of nature', unless assisted by God'.

NEGATIVE SENTENCE.

RULE VI. Negative sentences, and negative members of sentences, when they do not conclude a paragraph, require the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

You are not left alone' to climb the arduous ascent-God is with you; who never suffers the spirit which rests on him to fail, nor the man who seeks his favour to seek it in vain.`

I tax not you, ye elements, with unkindness';
I never gave you kingdoms'; call'd you children';
You owe me no subscription`; why, then, let fall
Your horrible pleasure: here I stand-your slave-
A poor', infirm', weak", and despised old man`.

Virtue is of intrinsic value' and good desert; not the creature of will', but necessary and immutable`; not local', or, temporary', but of equal extent' and antiquity with the divine mind`; not a mode of sensation', but everlasting truth`; not dependent on power', but the guide of all power`.

I'll say, yon grey is not the morning's eye',-
'Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow`:
I'll say, 'tis not the lark, whose notes do beat
The vaulty heaven, so high above our heads":
Come, Death! and welcome! Juliet wills it so`.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death', I will fear no evil", for, thou art with me`.

Let us walk honestly', as in the day`; not in rioting', and drunkenness', not in chambering and wantonness', not in strife', and envying"; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh', to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Seems, madame'! nay, it is`; I know not seems`.
"Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother',

Nor customary suits of solemn black',
Nor windy suspiration of forc'd breath',
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye',
Nor the dejected 'haviour of the visage',

Together with all forms', modes', shows of grief",
That can denote me truly`: these, indeed, seem',
For they are actions, that a man might play' ;
But I have that within which passeth show`:
These, but the trappings', and the suits of wo`.

RULE VII. When a series of negative sentences concludes a paragraph, the last member of the series takes the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

In death', the poor man' lays down', at last', the burden of his wearisome life'. No more shall he hear the insolent calls of the master', from whom he received his scanty wages. No more shall he be raised from needful slumber on his bed of straw', nor be hurried away from his homely meal", to undergo the repeated labours of the day`,

Duncan is in his grave';

After life's fitful fever, he sleeps well`;
Treason has done his worst': nor poison,
Malice domesuc', foreign levy', nothing"
Can touch him further!

CONCESSION.

RULE VIII. A concession should take the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Painting', poetry', eloquence', and every other art, on which the genius of mankind has exercised itself, may be abused', and prove dangerous in the hands of bad men"; but it were ridiculous to contend', that, on this account', they ought to be abol ished'.

One' may be a speaker', both of much reputation', and much influence', in the calm', argumentative manner"; to attain the pathetic' and the sublime of oratory', requires those strong sensibilities of mind', and that high power of expression', which are given to few`.

This', however', I say concerning the Greeks-1 grant them learning', and the knowledge of many sciences"; I do not deny that they have wit', fine genius', and eloquence"; nay, if they lay claim to many other excellences', I shall not contest their title"; but this I must say; that nation' never paid a proper regard to the religious sanctity of public evidence', and are total strangers to the obligation', authority", and importance of truth`.

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