ACCENT.

The accented syllable is sometimes designated thus: (); as, com-mand'-ment.

NOTE I.-Words of more than two syllables generally have two or more of them accented.

The more forcible stress of voice, is called the Primary Accent; and the less forcible, the Secondary Accent.

EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY ACCENT.

Farm'-er, hon'-or, pat'-tern, rem'-nant, a-bide', con-clude', af-fect', expand', a-tone'-ment, be-hav'-ior, con-tent'-ment, un-grate'-ful, in-tens'-ive, trans-ac'-tion.

EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ACCENT.

In the following examples the Primary Accent is designated by double accentual marks, thus:

Ed"-u-cate', ed'-u-ca"-tion. mul"-ti-ply', mul'-ti-pli-ca"-tion, sat"'-is-fy', sat-is-fac"-tion, com'-pre-hend", com-pre-hen"-sion, rec'-om-mend", rec'-ommend-a-tion, mo''-ment-a'-ry, com-mu"-ni-cate', com'-pli-ment''-al, ́indem'-ni-fi-ca"-tion,"ex′-tem-po-ra"-ne-ous, coun'-ter-rev'-o-lu''-tion-a-ry.

NOTE II.—The change of accent on the same word, often changes its meaning.

col'-league, a partner. con'-duct, behavior.

des'-cant, a song or tune. ob'-ject, ultimate purpose. ref'-use, worthless remains. proj'-ect, a plan; a scheme.

in'-ter-dict, a prohibition. o'-ver-throw, ruin; defeat.

EXAMPLES.

col-league', to unite with.
con-duct', to lead.

des-cant', to comment.

ob-ject', to oppose.

re-fuse', to deny; reject.

pro-ject', to jut out.

in-ter-dict', to forbid.

o-ver-throw', to throw down.

QUESTION.-Which accent has the more forcible stress of voice, the primary, or secondary? What effect does the change of accent on the same word produce? Give examples.

NOTE III.-Emphatic words are often printed in Italics. When, however, different degrees of emphasis are to be denoted, the higher degrees are designated by the use of Capitals, LARGER or SMALLER, according to the degree of intensity.

EXAMPLES.

1. To arms to ARMS! to ARMS! they cry.

2.

Awake, my heart, AWAKE!

Green vales and icy cliffs, ALL join my hymn.

3. And Agrippa said unto Paul: Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said: I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and ALTOGETHER such as I am, except these bonds.

4. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be, and that which is done, is that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

NOTE IV.-Emphasis, as before intimated, varies in degrees of intensity.

EXAMPLES

OF

INTENSIVE

EMPHASIS.

1. ARM, warriors, ARM for the conflict!

2. The war is inevitable-and LET IT COME! I repeat it, Sir,-LET IT COME! Patrick Henry.

3. I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me LIBERTY, or give me DEATH! Idem.

4.

The conflict deepens! ON, ye brave,

Who rush to glory, or the grave!

5. If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop remained in my country, I never would lay down my arms.NEVER, NEVER, never. Pitt.

NOTE V.-Emphasis sometimes changes the seat of accent from its ordinary position.

QUESTIONS. How are emphatic words often denoted? How are those denoted, which are very emphatic? How is Emphasis varied? Repeat the examples of intensive emphasis. What effect has Emphasis sometimes on accent? Give examples.

EXAMPLES.

1. Ho must increase, but I must decrease.

2. Joseph attends school reg'ularly; but William, irʼregularly. 3. Did he perform his part grace'fully, or un'gracefully?

4. There is a difference between possibility and prob'ability.

5. We are not to inquire into the justice or in'justice. the honʼor or dis honor of the deed; nor whether it was law'ful or un'lawful, wise or un'wise.

NOTE VI.-There are two kinds of Emphasis :-Absolute and Antithetic. ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS is used to designate the important words of a sentence, without any direct reference to other words.

1.

EXAMPLES OF

ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS.

Be we men,

2.

And suffer such dishonor? MEN, and wash not
The stain away in BLOOD?

To-morrow, didst thou say? TO-MORROW?
It is a period nowhere to be found

In all the hoary registers of time.

Cotton.

3. I shall know but one country. The ends I aim at, shall be "MY COUNTRY'S, my GOD's, and TRUTH'S." Webster.

4. I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American. Id.

5. SPEAK OUT, my friends; would you exchange it for the DEMON'S DRINK, ALCOHOL? A shout, like the roar of a tempest, answered

"NO!'

6. You, noble Americans, we bless in the name of the God of liberty. Kossuth.

7. He paused a moment, and with an enchanting smile, whispered softly the name, England!" Louder he cried, "ENGLAND !" He waved his handkerchief and shouted, "ENGLAND!"

8.

9.

O SACRED FORMS! how proud you look!

How high you lift your heads into the sky;

How huge you are! how mighty and how free! Knowles. "HOLD!" Tyranny cries; but their resolute breath

Sends back the reply, "INDEPENDENCE or DEATH!"

QUESTIONS.-How many kinds of Emphasis are there? What is Absolute Emphasis? Give examples.

NOTE VII.-ANTITHETIC EMPHASIS is that which is founded on the contrast of one word or clause with another.

EXAMPLES OF

ANTITHETIC

EMPHASIS.

1. If we have no regard for our own character, we ought, at least, to regard the characters of others.

2. The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Bible.

3. Living I shall assert it, dying, I shall assert it.

Webster.

4. You were paid to fight Alexander, not to rail at him.

5. He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. Bible.

6. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship.

NOTE VIII.-The following examples contain two or more sets of Antitheses.

1. I will make the stars of the west the suns of the east. Kossuth. 2. We must hold them as we hold the rest of mankind—enemies in war, in peace, friends. Jefferson.

3. The wise man is happy when he gains his own approbation, the fool, when he gains that of others.

4. Without were fightings, within were fears. Bible.

5. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Ibid.

6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Ibid.

7.

Set honor in one eye, and death in the other.

And I will look on both indifferently.

8. A man's first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart; his next, to escape the censure of the world.

9. Religion raises men above themselves; irreligion sinks them beneath the brutes.

10. It is my living sentiment, and, by the blessing of God, it shall be my dying sentiment; independence NOW, and independence FOREVER! Webster.

NOTE IX. The sense of a passage is varied by changing the place of the emphasis.

QUESTIONS.-What is Antithetic Emphasis? Give examples. What effect has a change of Emphasis on the sense of a passage? Examples.

5. Has James seen his brother to-day? No; but he saw him yesterday.

REMARK.-To determine the emphatic words of a sentence, as well as the degree and kind of emphasis to be employed, the reader must be governed wholly by the sentiment to be expressed. The idea is sometimes entertained, that emphasis consists merely in loudness of tone. But it should be borne in mind, that the most intense emphasis may often be effectively expressed, even by a whisper.

SECTION III.

INFLECTIONS.

INFLECTIONS are turns or slides or slides of the voice, made in reading or speaking; as, Will you go to

All the various sounds of the human voice may be comprehended under the general appellation of tones. The principal modifications of these tones are the MONOTONE, the RISING INFLECTION, the FALLING INFLECTION, and the CIRCUM

FLEX.

QUESTION.-How are the emphatic words of a sentence determined? What are inflections? What are the principal modifications of the hu man voice?