Few years but yield us proof of death's ambition,
To cull his victims from the fairest fold,
And sheath his shafts in all the pride of life.

4. When flooded with abundance, and purpled o'er
With recent honors, bloomed with every bliss,
Set up in ostentation, made the gaze,
The gaudy center, of the public eye;

When fortune thus has tossed her child in air,
Snatched from the covert of an humble state,
How often have I seen him dropped at once,
Our morning's envy, and our evening's sigh!

5. Death loves a shining mark, a signal blow;
A blow, which, while it executes, alarms;
And startles thousands with a single fall.

As when some stately growth of oak or pine,
Which nods aloft and proudly spreads her shade,
The sun's defiance and the flocks defence;
By the strong strokes of lab'ring hinds subdued,
Loud groans her last, and rushing from her height,
In cumb'rous ruin, thunders to the ground:
The conscious forest trembles at the shock,
And hill, and stream, and distant dale resound.

Exercise 5-Illustrating Rule 1, Page 18.

1. Banished from Rome! what's banished, but set free From daily contact of the things I loathe?

"Tried and convicted traitor!" Who says this?
Who 'll prove it, at his peril, on
Banished? I thank you for 't.
I held some slack allegiance till
But now my sword 's my own. Smile on, my lords;
I scorn to count what feelings, withered hopes,
Strong provocations, bitter, burning wrongs,
I have within my heart's hot cells shut up,
To leave you in your lazy dignities.

you:

here I fling

2. But here I stand and scoff Hatred and full defiance in your face.

my head?

It breaks my chain ! this hour

Your Consul's merciful.

He dares not touch a hair of Catiline.
"Traitor!" I go
but I return.

Here I devote

senate! your

To stir a fever in the blood of age,

Or make the infant's sinews strong as steel.

This day's the birth of sorrows! This hour's work
Will breed proscriptions. — Look to your hearths, my lords;
For there henceforth shall sit, for household gods,
Shapes hot from Tartarus! all shames and crimes;
Wan treachery, with his thirsty dagger drawn;
Suspicion, poisoning his brother's cup;

Naked rebellion, with the torch and ax,
Making his wild sport of your blazing thrones;
Till anarchy comes down on you like night,
And massacre seals Rome's eternal grave.

For this all thanks.

-

This trial!

I've had wrongs,

CHAPTER IV.

INFLECTION.

INFLECTION is a modification of the voice in reading or speaking, commonly referring to the upward and downward slides.

We shall consider Inflection under the four following heads; viz., Rising Inflection, Falling Inflection, Circumflex, and Monotone.

The first is marked thus ('); the second thus (`); the third thus (~); and the fourth thus (−).

It should be distinctly remembered, that, although each of the above characters indicates an inflection of voice the same in kind, yet in degree, intensity, and significant expressiveness, there is a great variety of shades. Any attempt, therefore, to give definite rules, touching the minor shades of modification, would rather perplex than aid the learner. Good sense, a correct taste, and a delicate ear, will ordinarily adapt the more graceful inflections to the spirit of the piece in the best way, and the most natural manner.

QUESTIONS. What is inflection? Under what four heads is it treated? How are the several inflections marked? What is said of the shades of infection?

The Rising and Falling Inflections.

The RISING INFLECTION is an upward turn or slide of the voice; as, Will you go to-day?

The FALLING INFLECTION is a downward turn or slide of the voice; as, Where has he gone?

The falling slide is sometimes mistaken for the rising, when it is attended with strong emphasis. If the learner is in doubt which has been employed, let him use the doubtful word in the form of a question, thus: Did I say hóme or hòme? In the rising slide, it must be remembered that the voice rises from the general pitch gradually to its highest note; in the falling, it commences above the general pitch and falls down to it, but not below, as in a cadence.

RULE 1. Direct questions, or those that can be answered by yes or no, generally require the rising inflection, and the answers the falling.

EXAMPLES.

Will you go to Baltimore? Nò.

Have you been to New York? Yès.

Are we to interfere in the Greek cause? Certainly not.

Did Clodius waylay Mílo? He did.

Do temptations surround you? Trust in God.

Think you they will come to-day? No, to-morrow.
Was that man George Washington? It wàs.
Does he pronounce correctly? He does not.

Keep you the watch to-night? We dò, my lord.
Can nothing more be done for him? Nothing.

EXCEPTION 1. Direct questions, when attended with earnestness and strong emphasis, the answers being anticipated, ake the falling inflect n.

QUESTIONS. What is the rising inflection? Give the example. How does the falling inflection affect the voice? Will you give one example? What effect has strong emphasis on this inflection? When the learner is in doubt, how can he determine the inflection? In the falling inflection, at what pitch or note does the voice start, and where end? What is Rule First? Will you give an example? How does the voice end in a cadence? What is Exception First?

EXAMPLES.

Will you blindly rush on to destruction?

Would you say so, if the case were your own?
Is not that a beautiful sunset?

Now can you complain of mè ?

EXCEPTION 2. Direct questions, when repeated with earnestness and emphasis, also take the falling slide; as, Are you going to Londón? If not understood, I repeat it, thus, Are you going to Londin?

RULE 2. Words and clauses connected by the disjunctive or, generally require the rising slide before, and the falling after it.

EXAMPLES.

Was it from heaven, or of men?
Shall we remain, or depàrt?

Is this book yoúrs, or mine?

Shall I come to you with a ród, or in lòve?
Does he reside with you, or your brother?
Did he depart for Búffalo, or Ròchester?
Are the people vírtuous, or vicious?
Are they intélligent, or ignorant?
Is he affluent, or indigent?

You are either my friend, or my enemy.

NOTE. When or is used conjunctively, it takes the rising slide after, as well as before it.

EXAMPLES.

Would the influence of the Bible, even if it were not the record of a divine revelation, be to render princes more tyrannical, or subjects more ungóvernable; the rich more insolent, or the poor more disorderly; would it make worse parents, or children, húsbands, or wíves, másters, or sérvants, friends, or neighbors ?

RULE 3. When negation is opposed to affirmation, the former has the rising, and the latter the falling inflection, in whatever order they occur.

QUESTIONS. Give an example illustrating the first exception. What is Exception Second? Will you repeat Rule Second? What example illustrates this rule? When er is used conjunctively, what slide is required? What is Rule Third ?

EXAMPLES..

I do not read for amusement, but for improvement.
He did not come here to remain, but to depùrt.
He will not go to-dáy, but to-mòrrow.

I did not say a better soldier, but an èlder.

Study not so much to show knowledge, as to acquire it.

He did not act prúdently, but imprudently.
We are not descendants of the Rómans, but of the Saxons.
He was esteemed for wisdom, not for wealth.

EXCEPTION. When negation is attended with strong emphasis, it requires the falling slide.

EXAMPLE.

We are troubled on évery side, yet not distressed; perpléxed, but not in despair; pérsecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

RULE 4. When words or clauses are contrasted, they take opposite inflections; the first member usually re•quires the rising inflection, and the latter the falling. This order, however, is sometimes reversed.

EXAMPLES.

By hónor and dishonor; by évil report and goòd report; as decéivers, and yet true; as únknown, and yet well known as dying, and behold we live as chástened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poór, yet making many rìch; as having nóthing, and yet possessing all things.

Her regard to virtue opposes insensibility to shàme; púrity to pollition intégrity to injustice; vírtue to villany; resolution to ràge; and órder to confùsion.

It is more blessed to do good, than evìl.

I would rather go, than stay.

I would rather walk, than ridè.

It is better to stúdy, than to play.

QUESTIONS. When the negative clause follows the affirmative. is the slide changed! Will you illustrate this rule? Give an example. What is Rule Fourth? Give an example in which the first member begins with the rising slide, and the second ends with the falling. One in which the slides are inverted.