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INFLECTIONS TO MARK THE SENSE.

The popular or common direction-drop your voice at the end of a sentence-is illogical and false; and is the cause of a very general bad habit with young readers, and one which they seldom shake off in afterlife except under good instruction,-that of letting the voice sink in pitch and tone and fulness on the concluding word or words of every sentence; the effect of which is, that the last words of a sentence which are essential to complete the whole sense,—and without which the auditor can only guess at the speaker's meaning,—are not heard at all; or, if even heard, are deprived of all force, by the listless manner in which they fall from the mouth. This is, of all things, to be avoided. The last words of a sentence are as important as the first,-indeed, they are generally more so : therefore let them have always full enunciation and weight in delivery; or your meaning will be imperfect and uncertain.

The inflection proper to the close of a sentence depends upon the form or nature of that sentence: whether it be affirmative,-negative, or interrogative; or whether the full sense be complete or suspended; for, as a principle, the rising inflection is the mark of incomplete sense, as the falling inflection denotes the close or completion of the sense of a sentence; and the inflection required is regulated by the condition of the sense.

1. AFFIRMATIVE sense.

RULES.

Sentences containing a simple unqualified affirmative are marked with the falling inflection: as,

I wrote because it amused me. I corrected, because it

was as pleasant to correct as to write.

2. NEGATIVE sense

is marked with the rising inflection: as,

The quality of mercy is not strained.

It is not a book I want.

Note that in this form of sentence the rising inflection is to be placed on the word or thing negatived; the negative particle not has usually a falling inflection, for force.

From the above rules it follows, that

In a sentence containing an affirmative in one branch of it, and a negative or denial in the other,

3. The affirmative part of the sentence receives the falling inflection, the negative part the rising inflection; whatever may be the construction of the sentence as to the precedence of the one branch or the other: as,

I said good, not bad: virtuous, not vicious.

This book is not mine, but yours.

This letter is yours, not mine.

You said you were coming home..

No; I did not.

4. The IMPERATIVE sense

requires the falling inflection.

Hence horrible shadow,

Unreal mockery, hence!

Let me hear no more!

5. INTERROGATIVE sense

is marked by the rising inflection: as,

Did he say he would come?

Will he be here to-day?

Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a

Except:

bed.* (Mark iv., 21.)
bed.*—(Mark

Questions asked with an interrogative pronoun or adverbwho, which, what, when, where, &c., as,

Who said he would come? Why so?

The alternative part of a question, as,

And

Will he live or die?

Did he say he would come or did he say he would not?

A stated or quoted question, occurring in an affirmative sentence, as,

The question is,-shall we proceed.

* See Introduction to this work, in reply to the Rt. Rev. Dr. Whateley's Elements of Rhetoric, Part IV., c. ii., § 12.

D*

He desires me to ask you-will you persevere.

All these exceptions require the falling inflection. But,

Such stated or quoted question occurring in a simple interrogative or negative sentence, will receive the inflection due to the sentence: as,

Will still
you

go

about and ask one another-what news?

I did not ask, what news?

For it is the condition of the sense—i. e., whether finished or unfinished, that governs the inflection due to a sentence.

Departures from the above general rules of inflection for simple, direct sentences, are occasionally made for force and effect under the power of emphasis,which will be presently explained.

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BODY OF A SENTENCE-SUSPENSION OF VOICE

INFLECTION.

There is a distinction to be observed between suspension of voice;-by which I mean, holding the voice up and not letting it fall-and a rising inflection, which, as we have seen, is an actual ascent of the voice.

Inflection marks and denotes meaning, or, the actual condition of the sense; suspension of voice accompanies suspension of sense, while it is in the

course of formation; and the full close of the sense of a sentence, leaving nothing to be added or sup posed, is denoted by the falling inflection. This is clear from the preceding rules: and holds good as to simple sentences; i. e. sentences not having several members intervening (and requiring variety of inflection) between the commencement and the close of the period.

GENERAL RULES.

1. The voice must be suspended till it take an inflection under some rule; and the last word of the suspended sense -immediately preceding that on which the formation of complete sense begins-must be marked with a distinct rising inflection.

This inflection, at this point of the sentence, accompanied by the middle pause, serves to divide a simple sentence into two parts; the opening, or incomplete part, and the closing, or perfect part.-(See Rule 1, of Middle Pause, p. 66.)

2. If the sense be completed before the close of the period, the falling inflection must mark it; and this, even if many other words and members follow-provided their addition do not vary or qualify (though they may explain and strengthen) the previous meaning.

EXAMPLES.

1. Grace of manners is so essential to princes

that, whenever it is neglected, their virtues lose a great degree of lustre.

2. The rule itself is an example in point; at the words, ' mark it' and 'follow'; and the following sentence

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