are called the rising and the falling Inflection. They may be illustrated by the following Example.

Cæsar does not deserve fame, but blame.

Here, in the most natural and obvious mode of reading the sentence, the rising inflection accompanies the pause at fame, and the falling occurs at blame and we find all sentences constructed in the same manner have, like this, the rising inflection on the negative, and the falling on the affirmative member.

to the of the inflections is still better shewn

by placing the same word in opposition to itself.

Does he say fame, or fame?

He does not say fame, but fame.

Every reader, in

ouncing the above phrases, will give the first fame the rising, and the last the falling inflection.

The rising inflection is marked with the acute accent ('); the falling with the grave accent (').

FURTHER EXAMPLES.

Did he do it voluntarily, or involuntarily.
He did it voluntarily, not involuntarily.

Exercise and temperance strengthen the constitution.

Exercise and temperance strengthen the constitution, and sweeten the enjoyments of life.

The variations of tone, which these passages require, are more minutely shewn in the following plate, where the rising and falling inflections are denoted by a corresponding direction of the words.

APLANATION OF THE PLATE.

The sentence, No. I. and any other sentence constructed in exactly the same manner, must necessarily adopt the rising inflection on the first member, and the falling on the on the that is, the rising inflection on voluntarily, and th falling on involuntarily; and this pronunciation is so appropriated to this species of sentence, that the dullest and most unpractised ear would, without the least reflection, adopt it. The same may be

said of the sentence, No. II. which every ear would agree in pronouncing with the same inflections in a contrary order; that is, the falling inflection on voluntarily, and the rising on involuntarily.

No. III. and IV. shew, that the same words take different inflections in correspondence with the sense and structure of the sentence; for as the word constitution, in No. IV. only ends a member of the sentence, and leaves the sense unfinished, it necessarily adopts the suspending or rising inflection; and harmony requires that the preceding words should be so arranged, as to form the greatest harmony and variety, which is done by giving every one of the words an inflection, different from what it has in No. III. where constitution ends the sentence.

The inflections being thus explained, we next proceed to the rules for their application.

COMPACT SENTENCE.

RULE XVII. Every direct period, so constructed as to have its two principal constructive parts connected by correspondent conjunctions, requires the long pause with the rising inflection at the end of the first principal constructive member.

EXAMPLES.

As we cannot discern the shadow moving along the dial-plate, so the advances we make in knowledge are only perceivable by the distance gone over.

As we perceive the shadow to have moved, but did not perceive it móving; so our advances in learning, consisting of insensible steps, are only perceivable by the distance.

As we perceive the shadow to have moved along the dial, but did not perceive it moving; and it appears the grass has grown, though nobody ever saw it grow: so the advances we make in knowledge, as they consist of such minute steps, are only perceivable by the distance.

Each of these three sentences consists of two principal correspondent parts; the first commencing with as, and the last with so; as the first member of the first sentence is simple, it is marked with a comma only

at dial-plate; as the second is compounded, it is marked with a semicolon at moving; and as the last is compounded, it is marked with a colon at grow; for it is certainly proper that the time of the pause should increase with the increase and complexity of the members to which it is annexed, as more time is required to comprehend a large and complicated member than a short and simple one: but whatever may be the time taken up in pausing at the different points, the inflection annexed to them must always be the same; that is, the comma, semicolon, and colon, must invariably have the rising inflection.

The same may be observed of the following sen

tences:

Although I fear it may be a shame to be dismayed at the entrance of my discourse in defence of a most valiant man; and that it no ways becomes me, while Milo is more concerned for the safety of the state than for himself, not to show the same greatness of mind in behalf of him; yet this new form of prosecution terrifies my eyes, which, whatever way they turn, want the ancient custom of the forum, and the former manner of trials.

Cicero's Oration for Milo.

Although, son Marcus, as you have now been a bearer of Cratippus for a year, and this at Athens, you ought to abound in the precepts and doctrines of philosophy, by reason of the great character both of your instructer and the city, one of which can furnish you with knowledge, and the other with examples; yet, as I always to my advantage joined the Latin tongue with the Greek, and I have done it not only in oratory, but likewise in philosophy, I think you ought to do the same that you may be equally conversant in both languages. Cicero's Offices, book 1. chap. 1.

These sentences begin with the concessive conjunction although, and have their correspondent conjunction yet; and these conjunctions form the two principal constructive members. The words him and examples, therefore, at the end of the first members, must have the rising inflection, and here must be the long pause.

RULE XVIII. Every direct period, consisting of two principal constructive parts, and having only the first part commence with a conjunction, requires the rising inflection and long pause at the end of this part.