Exception. Emphasis, which controls every other rule in reading, forms an exception to this; which is, that where an emphatic word is in the first member of a sentence, and the last has no emphatical word, this penultimate member then terminates with the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

I must therefore desire the reader to remember, that by the pleasures of the imagination, I mean only such pleasures as arise originally from sight; and that I divide these pleasures into two kinds.

Spect. No. 411.

In this sentence the word sight is emphatical, and therefore, though in the penultimate member, must not have the rising, but the falling inflection, as this is the inflection best suited to the sense of the emphatic phrase.

FINAL PAUSE.

RULE XXIV. The final pause or period in a sentence requires the falling inflection, and a descending tone of voice on the concluding words.

EXAMPLES.

Exercise and temperance strengthen the constitution.

Exercise and temperance strengthen the constitution, and sweeten the enjoyments of life.

Here the words constitution and life, as they successively terminate the sentence, naturally assume the falling inflection.

Exception. An exception to this rule has been already referred to, under the head of Rule XIX. It occurs where the first part of an antithetic sentence requires the strong emphasis and falling inflection; in consequence of which the latter adopts the rising.

EXAMPLES.

If we have no regard for religion in youth, we ought to have some regard for it in agé.

If content cannot remove the disquietudes of mankind, it will at least alléviate them.

Another exception is, where the last member of a sentence is negative, in opposition to an affirmative, either expressed or understood. See Plate No. II. This will be again considered, under the head of Emphasis.

SERIES.

A succession of similar members, succeeding each other in the same sentence, is called a Series.

If these members consist of single words, they form a Simple Series; if of several, a Compound Series.

SIMPLE SERIES.

RULE XXV. When two members, consisting of single words, commence a sentence, the first must have the falling and the last the rising inflection.

Exercise and témperance strengthen the constitution.

The difference of tone which distinguishes the commencing words of this sentence, will be much more perceptible, by referring to the explanation of the Plate.

RULE XXVI. When two members, consisting of single words, conclude a sentence, as the last must naturally have the falling inflection, the last but one assumes the rising inflection.

The constitution is strengthened by éxercise and tèmperance.

This rule is the converse of the former. It must, however, be observed, that sentences of this kind, which can scarcely be called a series of particulars, may, when commencing, assume a different order of inflections on the first words, when the succeeding clause does not conclude the sentence. This may be illustrated by consulting the Plate No. III. and ÏV.; where we see exercise and temperance, when the next clause concludes the sentence, as in No. III. adopt one order of inflections; and the same words, when the next clause does not conclude, as in No. IV. adopt a quite opposite order. Not that this order in No. IV.

is absolutely necessary, as that in No. III.; but it may always be adopted when we wish to be more harmonious and emphatical.

RULE XXVII. When three members of a sentence, consisting of single words, succeed each other in a commencing series, the two last are to be pronounced as in Rule XXV. and the first with the falling inflection, in a somewhat lower tone than the second.

EXAMPLES.

Manufactures, trade, and agriculture, naturally employ more than nineteen parts of the species in twenty. Spect. No. 115.

A man that has a taste of music, painting, or architecture, is like one that has another sense, when compared with such as have no relish for those arts. Ibid. No. 93.

RULE XXVIII. When three members of a sentence, consisting of single words, succeed each other in a concluding series, the two last are to be pronounced as in Rule XXV. and the first with the rising inflection in a little higher tone than the second.

EXAMPLE.

A modern Pindaric writer compared with Pindar, is like a sister among the Camisars compared with Virgil's Sybil; the one gives that divine impulse which raises the mind above itself, and makes the sounds more than human, while the other abounds with nothing but distortion, grimace, and outward figure.

Exception. Sometimes, when the subject demands unusual force or solemnity, the first of three concluding: members requires the falling inflection.

RULE XXIX. When four members of a sentence, consisting of single words, succeed each other in a commencing series, they may be divided into two equal portions: the first member of the first portion must be pronounced with the rising, and the second with the falling inflection, as in Kule XXVI.; and the two men ers of the last portion exactly the reverse, that is, according to Rule XXV.

EXAMPLES.

Métals, minerals, plants, and méteors, contain a thousand curious properties which are as engaging to the fancy as to the reason. Spect. No. 420.

Proofs of the immortality of the soul may justly be drawn from the nature of the Supreme Being, whose justice, goodness, wisdom, and veracity, are all concerned in this great point. Spect. No. 111.

The florist, the planter, the gardener, the húsbandman, when they are only accomplishments to the man of fortune, are great reliefs to a country life, and many ways useful to those who are possessed of them. Ibid. No. 93.

RULE XXX. When four members of a sentence, consisting of single words, succeed each other in a concluding series, a pause may, as in the former rule, divide them into two equal portions: but they are to be pronounced with exactly contrary inflections; that is, the two first must be pronounced according to Rule XXV. and the two last according to Rule XXVI.

EXAMPLE.

There is something very engaging to the fancy as well as to our reason, in the treatises of mètals, minerals, plants, and mèteors. Spect. No. 420.

An instance of the variety of inflection with which a series of four particulars is pronounced, and of the diversity of inflection which the series requires, as it is either commencing or concluding, will be illustrated by the following example:

He who resigns the world, has no temptation to envy, hatred, malice, ánger, but is in constant possession of a serene mind; he who follows the pleasures of it, which are in their very nature disappointing, is in constant search of care, solicitude remorse, and confusion. Spectator, No. 282.

The first series in this sentence, being a commencing series, is pronouuced as in Rule XXIX.; and the last, as a concluding series, according to Rule XXX.

These rules might be carried to a much greater length; but too nice an attention to them in a long series, might not only be very difficult, but give an air of stiffness to the pronunciation, which would not be compensated by the propriety. It may be sufficient therefore, to observe, that in a long enumeration of particu

lars, it would not be improper to divide them into portions of three; and if we are not reading extempore, as it may be called, this division of a series into portions of three ought to commence from the end of the series; that if it is a commencing, we may pronounce the last portion as in Rule XXVII.; and if it is a concluding series, we may pronounce the last portion according to the Exception annexed to Rule XXVIII.

COMMENCING SERIES.

EXAMPLE.

Love, joy, peace; long suffering, gentleness, goodness; faith, meekness, temperance, are the fruits of the Spirit, and against such there is no law.

CONCLUDING SERIES.

EXAMPLE.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace; long suffering, gentleness, goodness; faith, méekness, tèmperance:-Against such there is no law. Galatians, chap. v.

COMPOUND SERIES.

When the members of a series consist of several words, or comprehend several distinct members of sentences, they are under somewhat different laws from those consisting of single words. In a single series the ear is chiefly consulted, and the inflections of voice are so arranged as to produce the greatest variety; but in a compound series the understanding takes the lead : For as a number of similar members of sentences in succession form a sort of climax in the sense, this climax can be no way pronounced so forcibly as by adopting the same inflection which is used for the strong emphasis; for, by this means, the sense is not only placed in a more distinct point of view, but the voice enabled to rise gradually upon every particular, and thus add to force an agreeable variety.

In pronouncing the compound series, therefore, it must be carefully noted, that the second member ought to be pronounced a little higher, and more forcibly than the first, the third than the second, and so on: and for