Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angéls, nor principalities, nor powèrs; nor things presént, nor things to come; nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.

Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charitý, I am nothing.

Iago. My noble lord

Othello. What dost thou say, Iagó?

Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady, Knów of your love?

Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou ask?
Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought;

No further harm.

Oth. Why of thy thought, Iagó?

Iago. I did not think he had been acquainted with it.
Oth. O ́h yès, and went between us very oft.

Iago. Indéed?

Oth. Indeed! ay, indèed--Discern'st thou aught in that? Is he not honést?

Iago. Honést, my lord?

Oth. Ay, honest.

Iago. My lord, for aught I know.

Oth. What dost thou think?

Iago. Think, my lord?

Oth. Think, my lord? By heav'n he echoes me

As if there were some monstèr in his thoughts
Too hideous to be shown.

Did he travel for health-or pleasure?

He travelled neither for health,-nor pleasure.
He must have travelled for health—or pleasure.*

Dr. Porter, in his Rhetorical Reader, says: "When the disjunc-
or connects words or clauses, it has the rising slide before, and

He travelled both for health and pleasure.

He resembled his father and his mother.

He resembled neither his father-nor his mother.
He did resemble his father-or mothér.

I did not say a better soldier-but an eldèr.
Will you go Monday--or Tuesdày?

Will you go Monday-or Tuesday?

The first of these questions means, on which of those days will you go?

The second-with the rising slide on both words—will you go on either of those days?

II. The answer to a question usually takes the falling slide, but not always.

Who say the people that I am? They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say Eliàs, and others say that one of the old prophèts is risen again.

Did you sec William? I díd.

What did he say to you? Not múch.

Can honor set a leg? Nò. Or an árm? Nò. Or take away the grief of a wound? Nó. Honor hath no skill in surgery then? Nò.*

The Circumflex.

III. The union of the two inflections forms the circumflex, which begins with the falling, and ends with the rising slide. It is marked thus: (~) as,-I may possibly go tomorrow, though I cannot go to-day.†

the falling after it." The rule is equally applicable to nor, and to and, when similarly circumstanced. The last example shows, that it is not without exceptions.

The learner must not suppose, that the examples necessarily admit of but one notation. Many of them are susceptible of various inflection, which different readers might make, and with equal taste

+ There is usually a sensible protraction of so he word which has this double inflection.

If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

-What though the field be lost,

All is not lost.

I grant you I was down, and out of breath; and so was he.

-And but for these vile guns,

He would himself have been a soldier.

I knew when seven justices could not make up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an if; as, if you said so, then I said sò; and they shook hands, and were sworn brothers.

Queen. Hamlet, you have your father much offended. Hamlet. Madam, you have my father much offended. If we have no regard for our own character, it is not likely we shall have any for that of others.

Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet, because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge.

The baptism of John, was it from heavén, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him?

LESSON IV.

Inflections Continued.

I. A NICE distinction in sense sometimes depends on inflection :

The dog would have died, if they had not cut off his head.

The falling inflection on died, would make the cutting off his head necessary to saving his life.

"A man who is in the daily use of ardent spirits, if he does not become a drunkàrd, is in danger of losing his health and character."

The rising inflection on drunkard, perverts the meaning wholly; and asserts, that in order to preserve health and character, one must become a drunkard.

I did not give a sixpence.

I did not give a sixpence.

The circumflex on sixpence, implies that I gave more or less than that sum. The falling inflection on the same

word, implies that I gave nothing at all.

A pupil after reading a paragraph indifferently, and being directed to read it again, is told by his teacher, with the falling inflection: "That is better." He understands it as expressing positive approbation. The circumflex on the same word: "That is better,"-would imply only a small improvement.

I would go twenty miles to hear Webster speak.
I would go twenty miles to hear Webster speak.
I would go twenty miles to hear Webstèr speak.

Without any inflection on Webster, this sentence suggests no comparison. With the circumflex on that word, it imports, that I would not go such a distance to hear an ordinary speaker. The falling inflection would insinuate a disparaging comparison between Webster and others.

II. The suspending pause, denoting incomplete sense, commonly takes the rising slide :

If some of the branches be broken óff, and thóu, bėing a wild olive-tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-trée, boast not against the branchés.

He who through vast immensity can piérce;
See worlds on worlds compose one univérse;
Observe how system into system rúns,

What other planets circle other suns;

What varied beings people every stár,

May tell why Heaven has made us as we are.

III. This rule, though asserted by some authors to be universal, admits of exceptions:

An aged màn, without an enemy in the world, in his own house, and in his own béd, is made the victim of a butcherly murder, for mere pay.

Though some of the branches be broken off, and the leaves withèred, the tree must be preserved.

IV. Words in direct address, used as a call to attention, or, as expressive of tenderness and endearment, take the rising inflection :

Well, my old gentlemán, what think you of these things? Fellów, give place!

How now, dame Partlét, have you inquired yet, who picked my pocket?

Thou sún, said I, fair light,

And thou enlightened earth, so fresh and gay,
Ye hills and dáles, ye rivérs, woods, and pláins,
And ye that live and move, fair creatúres, tell,
Tell, if ye saw, how came 1 thus; how here?
Friénds, Románs, countrymén, lend me your ears.
And he saith unto him, Friénd, how camest thou in
hither, not having a wedding garment?

My mother! when I learn'd that thou wast dead,
Say, wast thou conscious of the tears I shed?

Jesus saith unto him, Simón, son of Jonás, lovest thou

me?

Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.. V. When words in direct address, are used in reprehension and reproach, or are expressive of terror, entreaty, surprise, or distress in the speaker, they take the falling slide :

Hence-home, you idle creatures, get you home!

You blocks you stones-you worse than senseless things!

« AnteriorContinuar »