priate, pitched firmly on the middle key, with suitable transitions to the high. In remorse, envy, hatred, malice, the Quality of the voice is generally guttural or aspirate; the Time, moderate; the Force either suppressed or loud. Anger, rage, scorn, have the same harshness, but usually the tone is higher. Remonstrance makes the tone lower and smoother. In despair, the voice is low and sullen, or startlingly loud and shrill. Fear, when it leads to action, resembles other vehement passions in many of its effects; but when it entirely relaxes the frame and takes away the power of action, or when it is excited by the contemplation rather than the presence of danger, it comes in either case under a different description. Extraordinary vehemence in any of the passions generally accelerates the rate of utterance; though in hatred and malice it will often be slow and drawling. Opposite to vehemence of manner is the Plaintive, which takes place when the subjects of narration or meditation excite grief in a moderate degree, pity, regret, a soft and tender melancholy, or any kindred feeling. The Quality of voice is here smooth, pure, and melodious; the Time even and moderate; the Pitch inclining to low, but sometimes middle; the Force gentle and subdued. The expression proper for Lively or Joyous subjects is distinguished from the last by requiring a more varied tone of voice and a brisker rate of utterance. It is not always, however, that delight, joy, enthusiasm, rapture, as they are embodied in poetry, demand an expression altogether opposite to the Plaintive; something of tenderness may still discover itself in the tones of the voice, and the manner may be said to be lively rather than gay. But in expressing mirth and raillery, or conveying the Ludicrous, the manner is quite opposite to the Plaintive. Directly opposed to the last-mentioned expression is the Solemn, the Lofty, or Sublime. It embraces such passions and affections as awe, deep melancholy, dread, sublime contemplation, and devotion to a Being infinitely superior. The tone of voice is low, and occasionally tremulous; the rate of utterance is slow and weighty; and the Force subdued and gentle. It should be remarked, that the mode and degree of any particular passion depend almost entirely on the predominant expression of the piece in which it occurs. Thus when any of the passions which require vehemence occur in a piece whose predominant expression is Plaintive, they must be so qualified as to harmonize with the general tone of the whole. On the other hand, the softer passions acquire a degree of vehemence when they occur in a piece whose general expression is of that character; and so of all other cases. In Unimpassioned Reading, the Force is gentle, the Time moderate, the Pitch middle, and the Quality pure and even. The object being to convey the sense as clearly as possible, untinged by feeling, a calm and level utterance is here appropriate. In reading a catalogue or an advertisement, or any merely statistical passage, those earnest intonaPons which add to the meaning in emotional discourse are ludicrously ut of place. EXERCISES. Where the letters EI occur, attached to a word, they refer to it in the Explanatory Index near the end of the volume. § 55. Exercises in Inflection. (See § 30.) nor 1. For I am persuaded that neither death', nor life`angels', nor principalities', nor powers` - nor things present', nor things to come` nor height', nor depth, nor any other` creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God. 2. They, through faith, subdued kingdoms-wrought righteousness' obtained promises' — stopped the mouths of lions' -quenched the violence of fire' escaped the edge of the sword' - out of weakness, were made strong waxed valiant in fight', and turned to flight the armies of the aliens`. 3. Can such things be', And overcome us, like a summer cloud', 4. Who can look down upon the grave, even of an enemy, and not feel a compunctious throb that he should ever have warred with the poor handful of earth that lies mouldering before him`? 5. O my son Absalom'! my son', my son Absalom'! Would God I had died for thee, Absalom', my son', my son'! 6. If I were an American', as I am an Englishman', while a foreign troop was landed in my country', I never` would lay down my arms never! never! never`! ་ 7. Could you come back to me, Douglas', Douglas', I would be so faithful', so loving', Douglas', Stretch out your hand to me', Douglas', Douglas', As I lay my hand on your dead heart, Douglas', 8. How shall I curse' whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy' whom the Lord hath not` defied`? 8 9. Abhor the sword'? Stigmatize the sword'? No! for at its blow a giant nation started from the waters of the Atlantic', and by the redeeming magic of the sword', and in the quivering of its crimson light', the crippled colony sprang into the attitude of a proud republic, - prosperous', limitless', and invincible! 10. "Knowledge is power." - Yes! Power!-power to do what? Power to employ the senses and faculties which God has given us in examining the works which He has made`; and thus to acknowledge, in all creation, "These are Thy glorious works!" 11. Flag of the heroes who left us their glory', Borne through our battle-fields' thunder and flame', Wave o'er us all who inherit thy fame`; Spread its fair emblems from mountain to shore`; Loud rings the nation's cry', Union and Liberty`! one evermore` ! 12. Swear', sir'? I', a man', an American citizen', a Christian', swear to submit myself to the guidance and direction of other men', surrendering my own judgment to their judgment, and my own conscience to their keeping? sir, no! No, 13. Secession'? Peaceable secession'? Sir, your eyes and mine are never destined to see that miracle. The dismemberment of this vast country without convulsion'! The breaking up of the fountains of the great deep without ruffling the surface! Who is so foolish'- I beg everybody's pardon` as to expect to see any such thing? There can be no such thing as a peaceable secession. Peaceable secession is an utter impossibility'. Is the great constitu tion under which we live, covering this whole country, is it to be thawed and melted away by secession, as the snows on the mountain melt under the influence of a vernal sun, disappear almost unobserved, and run off'? No, sir! No, sir! I will not state what might produce the disruption of the Union; but, sir, I see as plainly as I see the sun in heaven, what that disruption itself must produce. I see that it must produce war`, and such a war as I will not describe, in its twofold character. 14. What is a man ́, If his chief good and market of his time' That capability and godlike reason' To rust in us unused'! 15. And what is death', my friends, that I should fear it`? To die'! why, 't is to triumph! 't is to join This is to die! Who would not die for this`? Who would not die' ? Who would not live forever! 16. Show me what thou 'lt do`! Wilt weep'? wilt fight'? wilt fast'? wilt tear' thyself. KI I'll do 't!- Dost thou come here to whine'? To outface me with leaping in her grave'? Be buried quick with her, and so will I': And, if thou prate of mountains', let them throw Singeing his pate against the burning zone, Make Ossa1 like a wart! Nay, an thou 'lt mouˇth, 17. I AM AN AMERICAN CITIZEN! Is not this enough to boast of' ? or must we add, I have a commission`,- I have a diploma, I carry written certificates of my respectability? Time was when the explanation, I am a Roman citizen'! was a passport everywhere; and shall we, who acknowledge no aristocracy but that of nature', who respect no charter of nobility but that which the Almighty has given, by stamping us for men'; shall we, THE PEOPLE, who call ourselves the fountain of all honor, and those to whom we delegate authority our servants', — shall we prostrate ourselves before the images our own fiat has set up'? 18. Homer was the greater genius'; Virgil, the better artist`: in the one, we most admire the man'; in the other, the work`. Homer hurries us with a commanding impetuosity'; Virgil leads us with an attractive majesty'. Homer scatters with a generous profusion'; Virgil bestows with a careful magnificence. Homer, like the Nile, pours out his riches with a sudden overflow'; Virgil, like a river in its banks, with a constant stream. 19. Can Honor's voice provoke the silent dust'? Or Flattery soothe the dull, cold, ear of Death'? 20. ""Tis green, 't is green, sir, I assure ye!” Why, sir, d' ye think I've lost my eyes? 21. Queen. Hamlet, you have your father much offended. Hamlet. Mother, you have my father much offended. 22. If thou dost slander hêr and torture me, Never pray more`: abandon all remorse`. 23. They follow an adventurer whom they feˇar, and obey a power which they hâte; wê serve a monarch whom we love, a God whom we adôre. EI 24. "I hope," says Mr. Hastings, "it will not be a departure from official language to say, that the majesty of justice ought not to be approached without solicitation. She ought not to descend to inflame or provoke, but to withhold her judgment until she is called on to determine." Justice ought not to be approached without solicitation! Justice ought not to descend! |