2d. The diminution of force must be regular and equablenot more rapid in one part than another, but naturally and gracefully declining to the last. 3d. The final vanish must be delicately formed, without being abrupt on the one hand, or too much prolonged on the other. Thus, a full opening, a gradual decrease, and a delicate termination, are requisite to the perfect formation of a slide. 2. There are three inflections or slides of the voice: the RISING INFLECTION, the FALLING INFLECTION, and the CIR CUMFLEX. 8. THE RISING INFLECTION is the upward bend or slide of the voice; as, 4. THE FALLING INFLECTION is the downward bend or slide of the voice; as, The rising inflection carries the voice upward from the generai pitch, and suspends it on the highest tone required; while the falling inflection commences above the general pitch, and falls down to it, as indicated in the last two examples. 5. THE CIRCUMFLEX is the union of the inflections on the same syllable or word, either commencing with the rising and ending with the falling, or commencing with the falling and ending with the rising, thus producing a slight wave of the voice. 6. The acute accent ['] is often used to mark the rising inflection; the grave accent [`] the falling inflection; as, Will you read or spell? Let the students pronounce the following words with contrasted inflections, using great pains to form the slides in accordance with the preceding directions: 1. Cáll, càll; fár, fàr; fáme, fàme; sháme, shàme; áir, àir; scéne, scène; míle, mìle; píle, pìle. 2. Róam, roam; tool, tool; school, school; púre, pùre; múle, mùle; jóin, jòin; óur, òur. 7. When the circumflex commences with a rising and ends with a falling slide of the voice, it is marked thus; but when it commences with a falling and ends with a rising slide, it is marked thus, which the pupil will see is the same mark inverted; as, You must take me for a fool, to think I could do that. 8. The inflections or slides should be used on the accented syllables of important or emphatic words; as, I will never stay. I said goodly not hómely. D II. RULES IN INFLECTIONS. IRECT QUESTIONS, or those that can be answered by yes or no, usually require the rising inflection; but their answers, the falling; as, Has any one sailed around the earth? Yès, Captain Cook. EXCEPTIONS.-The falling inflection is required when the direct question becomes an earnest appeal, and the answer is anticipated; and when a direct question, not at first understood, is repeated with marked emphasis; as, Will her love survive your neglèct? and may not you expect the sneers, both of your wife, and of her parents? Do you reside in the city? Whát did you say, sír? Do you reside in the city? 2. INDIRECT QUESTIONS, or those that can not be answered by yes or no, usually require the falling inflection, and their answers the same; as, Who said, “A wise man is never less alone than when he is alone?" Swift. EXCEPTIONS. The rising inflection is required when an indirect question is used to ask a repetition of what was not at first understood; and when the answers to questions, whether direct or indirect, are given in an indifferent or careless manner; as, Where did you say? Shall I tell your énemy? As you please! 3. QUESTIONS, WORDS, AND CLAUSES, CONNECTED BY THE DISJUNCTIVE OR, usually require the rising inflection before, and the falling after it; though, when or is used con junctively, it takes the rising inflection after, as well as before it; as, Does he deserve praise, or blame? Can youth, or health, or strength, or hónor, or pléasure, satisfy the soul? 4. WHEN WORDS OR CLAUSES ARE CONTRASTED OR COMPARED, the first part usually has the rising, and the last the falling inflection; though, when one side of the contrast is affirmed, and the other denied, generally the latter has the rising inflection, in whatever order they occur; as, I have seen the effects of love and hatred, jóy and grief, hópe and despair. This book is not mine, but yours. I come to bury Cæsar, not to prúise him. 5. FAMILIAR ADDRESS, and the pause of suspension, denoting condition, supposition, or incompleteness, usually require the rising inflection; as, Friends, I come not here to talk. If thine enemy húnger, give him bread to eat. 6. THE LANGUAGE OF CONCESSION, politeness, admiration, entreaty, and tender emotions, usually requires the rising inflection; as, Your remark is true: the manners of this country have not all the desirable éase and freedom. I pray thee remémber, I have done thée worthy sérvice; told thee no líes, made no mistákes; served without grúdge or grumbling. 7. THE END OF A SENTENCE that expresses completeness, conclusion, or result, usually requires the falling slide of termination, which commences on the general pitch, and falls below it; as, The rose is beautiful 8. AT EACH COMPLETE TERMINATION OF THOUGHT, before the close of a sentence, the falling inflection is usually required; though, when several pauses occur, the last but one generally has the rising inflection; as, Every human being has the idea of dùty; and to unfold this idea is the end for which life was given him. The rock crumbles; the trees fàll; the leaves fáde, and the grass withers. 9. THE LANGUAGE OF COMMAND, rebuke, contempt, exclamation, and terror, usually requires the falling inflection; as, Thou slàve, thou wretch, thou còward! Away from my sight! 10. THE LAST MEMBER OF A COMMENCING SERIES, and the last but one of a concluding series, usually require the rising inflection; and all others the falling; as, A good disposition, virtuous principles, a liberal education, and industrious hábits, are passports to happiness and honor. These reward a good disposition, virtuous principles, a liberal educútion, and industrious hàbits. 11. THE CIRCUMFLEX IS USED when the thoughts employed are not sincere or earnest, but are used in jest, irony, or double-meaning,-in ridicule, sarcasm, or mockery. The circumflex which ends with the rising slide should be given to the negative ideäs, and that which ends with the falling slide to positive ideas; as, This is your plain man, if not your gracious one. Students will be careful to employ the right slides in sentences that are unmarked, and tell what rule or rules are illustrated by each of the following EXERCISES IN INFLECTIONS. 1. Do you see that beautiful stár? Yès: it is splèndid! 2. Will you forsake us? and will you favor us no more? 3. I said an elder soldier, not a bétter. Did I say better? 4. Are you, my dear sir, willing to forgive? 5. Why is the hall crowded? What means this stìr in town? 6. Does that beautiful lady deserve práise, or blame? 7. Will you ride in the carriage, or on horseback? Neither. 8. Hunting mèn, not béasts, shall be his game. 9. I said good, not bád: hàppy, not míserable. 10. O Róme! O my country! how art thou fàllen! 11. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 12. Is a candle to be put under a búshel, or under a béd? 13. Can storied urn, or animated bust, Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? 14. Fíre and wàter, óil and vìnegar, héat and còld, lìght and dárkness, are not more opposed to each other, than is honesty to fráud, or více to vìrtue. 15. Is this a time to be gloomy and sád When our mother Náture laughs around; When even the deep blue heavens look glád, And gládness breathes from the blossoming ground? 16. Can the great statesman, skilled in deep design, Protract but for a day precarious breath ?— Can the tuned follower of the sacred Nine Soothe, with his melody, insatiate Death? 17. Hath a dog móney? Is it possible a cur can lend three thousand dúcats? 18. All the círcumstances and àges of men, poverty, ríches, youth, old àge—all the dispositions and passions, mélancholy, love, grief, conténtment-are capable of being personified in poetry with great propriety. 19. If thou dost slánder her, and torture me-NÈVER PRAY MORE. 20. But, whatever may be our fate, be assured, be assured that this declaration will stand. It may cost treasure, and it may cost blood; but it will stànd, and it will richly compensate for both. 21. The war must go on. We must fight it through. And if the war must go on, why put off longer the declaration of independence? That measure will strengthen us. It will give us character abroad. 22. They boast they come but to improve our state, enlarge our thoughts, and free us from the yoke of error! Yes, they will give enlightened freedom to our minds, who are themselves the slaves of passion, avarice, and pride! They offer us protection! yes, such protection as vultures give to lambs—covering and devouring them! Tell your invaders we seek nò change --and least of all such change as they would bring us! 23. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? |