THE ILLUSTRATED PROGRESSIVE SERIES.

THE
FOURTH PROGRESSIVE READER.

CAREFULLY
ARRANGED FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS.

NEW YORK:
P. O’SHEA, PUBLISHER;
27 BARCLAY STREET.
1871.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871,
By P. O’SHEA,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

PREFACE.

The selections for the Fourth Progressive Reader have been made with great care, and, if the judgment of some of our most accomplished teachers may be trusted, with becoming discrimination.

Lessons have been selected that are interesting to the young, and that convey, each, an instructive moral in such a way as to impress itself deeply on the mind of the pupil. They have also been selected and arranged with a view to affording the best possible exercises in reading.

New selections have been made from several distinguished writers. Those from Archbishop Spalding, Father Lacordaire, Doctor Newman, Miss Hoffman, and Brother Philippe, are in every respect excellent.

Short biographical sketches have been appended of the different authors from whose works selections, have been made. In making those selections care has been taken to furnish examples of the various styles of composition, and in doing this whatever could be found most interesting and instructive was sought for; whilst every thing dull, frivolous, or at all tinctured with erroneous views or principles has been rigidly excluded.

The Lessons are a grade higher than those of the Third Reader, but nothing supposed to be above the capacity or intelligence of children who have read through the preceding books of the Series has been introduced.

The instructions on articulation, emphasis, and inflection, will be found to be moderately full and very clear and intelligible.

CONTENTS.

TABLE OF VOWEL SOUNDS.

This table is designed for an exercise upon the vowel elements. These should be pronounced alone as well as in combination with the words given as examples. Let the class first pronounce the table in order, thus:

A long, Fate, ā; A short, Fat, ă, &c.; then pronounce the column of elements alone.

TABLE OF CONSONANT SOUNDS.

This table should be treated by the class in the same manner as the table of vowel sounds. The sound of a consonant may be ascertained by pronouncing a word containing it in a slow and forcible manner.

Vocal Consonants are those uttered with a slight degree of vocality, but less than that of a vowel. They are formed with a vibration of the vocal chords.

Aspirate Consonants are those in which the pure breath alone is heard. They are formed without any vibration of the vocal chords.

Q has the sound of k, and is always followed by u, which, in this position, commonly has the sound of w, but is sometimes silent.

WH is an aspirated w, pronounced as if written hw.

[1] Sometimes called Subvocals, or Subtonics.

[2] H sounded before a vowel, is an expulsion of the breath after the organs are in a position to sound the vowel.

EXERCISES ON THE VOWEL SOUNDS.

In pronouncing the words in the following exercises, special attention should be given to the precise sound of the letters italicized. The sounds of the letters in Italics are the same as the sound of the vowel at the head of the paragraph.

Exercises upon tables of words like the following are valuable, not only for developing vocal power, but as one of the best methods of correcting habitual errors in pronunciation.

a, long, as in fāte.—Fame, blame, sail, cambric, nature, ancient, patron, matron.

a, short, as in făt.—Bat, mat, bad, had, can, cannon, sand, fancy, marry, have.

a, Italian, as in fär.—Are, bar, star, guitar, mart, alarm, parchment, father, heart, hearth, guard, daunt, haunt.

a, broad, as in fâll; and o, as in nör.—Ball, call, tall, nor, form, storm, corn, salt, ought, fought, nought.

a, as in fàre; and e, as in thêre.—Dare, rare, pair, air, share, snare, where, heir, stare, pare.

a, as in fā̇st.—Blast, chance, lance, trance, branch, grasp, graft, grant, grass, pass, class.

e, long, as in mēte; and i, as in marîne.—Be, she, theme, scene, marine, pique, key, fiend, grieve, treaty, Cæsar, critique, relief, belief, leaf, quay, lenient, inherent.

e, short, as in mĕt.—Bed, bread, debt, engine, tepid, get, yes, chest, egg, kettle.

i, long, as in pīne; and y, as in bȳ.—Smile, mile, vine, fly, type, defy, sky, kind, flight, ally, apply, tiny.

i, short, as in pĭn; and y, as in my̆th.—Din, ring, whip, skip, lyric, servile, agile, cygnet, cynic, cylinder.

o, long, as in nōte.—Home, dome, glory, vocal, more, gore.

o, short, as in nŏt.—Mob, rob, sob, dot, got.

o, long and close, as in môve; and u, as in rū̇le.—Prove, mood, lose, rule, true, ruin, druid, moon, root.

u, long, as in tūbe; and ew, as in new̄.—Tune, fuse, cure, lure, duty, curate, few, pew.

u, short, as in tŭb; and o, as in sō̇n.—Just, must, tun, fun, hug, rug, dove, does, rough, son, ton.

u, middle, as in fûll.—Bush, push, butcher, cushion, puss.

u, short and obtuse, as in für; e, as in hër; i, as in fïr; and y, as in mÿrrh.—Burn, murmur, further, herd, fern, person, merge, mercy, sir, bird, virtue, dirk, dirt, mirth, myrrh, myrtle, syrtis.

oi, as in vöĭce; and oy, as in böy̆.—Boil, coil, coy, toy, void, coin, joint, joist, poise, noise, employ, rejoice, avoid, appoint, embroil, foible, oyster.

ou, as in söûnd; and ow, as in nöŵ.—Pound, proud, brown, vow, endow, noun, town, doubt, devout, plough, trout, ground, shout, vowel, thou, around.

INTRODUCTION.

It can not be too often, or too emphatically, impressed on the minds of those who desire to read well, that they must study to acquire the same easy, graceful, and natural tone and manner in reading, which persons of education and taste use in speaking. It is important, therefore, to observe closely the manner of those who read and speak well.

But, of course, no one can be taught to read well until he has learned to articulate distinctly and pronounce his words correctly. He must also pay due attention to time, inflection and emphasis. The following rules and exercises, taken from the best sources, will be found very useful. They are made as simple and plain as possible, but are at the same time moderately full.

PRONUNCIATION.

Pronunciation is good when all the letters and syllables in every word, are uttered with due force and proper fullness of sound. To pronunciation belong articulation and accent.

A correct articulation requires that every vowel, and, of course, every syllable in a word, be uttered with fulness and distinctness.

A correct accentuation requires that a peculiar stress be laid on one or more syllables of a word, and, of course, that the other syllables be pronounced with less stress, or force. In most words it is sufficient to accent one syllable. In monosyllables there can be no accent, as if one syllable were pronounced with force, there would be no syllable left to be passed over lightly.

ARTICULATION.

DIRECTIONS AND EXERCISES.

I. Avoid suppressing any syllable or part of a syllable.

Do not say:

II. Avoid substituting one sound for another. Do not say:

III. Avoid adding to, or taking from the sound of the word.

Do not say:

IV. Avoid pronouncing words alike which are not precisely alike. Do not say:

[See exercises on these and similar words in the author’s “Columbian Spelling Book.”]

V. Avoid blending the end of a word with the beginning of the next. Do not confound—

ACCENT.

The remarks on Accentuation in the third book of this series have already familiarized the learner with the uses of accent. He has learned how accent determines the pronunciation of words, and how it shows, in many cases, the sounds of the vowels. He has also learned, that many words are differently accented, and, of course, differently pronounced, when used as nouns, from the manner in which they are accented and pronounced, when used as verbs.

We shall not repeat what we have there explained; but we will here inform the pupil, that while all words of more than one syllable have one accented syllable, almost all words of more than three syllables have two accented syllables. These two syllables are not accented with equal force, and this makes necessary the terms Primary Accent, and Secondary Accent.

Where two syllables are accented in the same word, that which has the greater amount of stress laid upon it, receives the primary accent (generally marked ˝), and that which has the less amount of stress laid upon it, receives the secondary accent (generally marked ˊ or ˋ).

EXAMPLES.

• edˊ-u-ca˝-tion
• recˊ-o-mend˝
• vo-cab˝-u-larˊ-y
• resˊ-o-lu˝-tion
• amˊ-bi-gu˝-i-ty
• adˊ-mon-i˝-tion
• tem˝-po-raˊ-ry
• mo˝-ment-aˊ-ry
• inˊ-de-pend˝-ence
• conˊ-ver-sa˝-tion
• satˊ-is-fac˝-tion
• mat˝-ri-moˊ-ny
• conˊ-se-quen˝-tial
• rĕˊ-sur-rec˝-tion
• morˊ-ti-fi-ca˝-tion

Observing the proper position of the accent, and paying particular attention to it, is indispensable for good reading. Those who fail to do so, always read with a drawling, monotonous tone, and cannot please their hearers. There is no precision in their pronunciation, and there can be no clearness in their enunciation. (See the “Columbian Spelling Book,” page 105, where the nature and uses of accents are treated of at considerable length.)

TIME.

The second requisite of good reading is, that due regard be paid to time: if the reader hurries on without making the necessary pauses, the pronunciation is not only indistinct, but the sense is often altogether lost; and if he hesitates, making pauses where none should be made, and reads without animation or spirit, the sense is equally injured, or made difficult to ascertain, and the reading is of that drawling kind to which it is so tiresome to listen.

Those who desire to become good readers, then, must pay due attention to the pauses which should be made. Pauses are of two kinds, Grammatical Pauses, which are marked by characters, and Rhetorical Pauses, which are not marked by characters, but which the sense of what you read, requires to be made. We shall first speak of the Grammatical Pauses; they are—

The Parenthesis () is used to inclose some word or words which are not essential to the structure of the sentence; and the Dash (—) is used to denote a sudden breaking or turning off in the discourse or sentence.

When any of these points is met with in reading, there must be a pause of greater or less duration. You should stop at the comma about as long as you would be saying a word, or while you can draw breath; at the others you should stop a little longer, but there can be no proper time fixed upon; the sense and requirements of the sentence or clause must always determine. It is usual to stop longer at each subsequent pause marked in the table, than at the preceding one; thus, longer at the semicolon than the comma, longer at the colon than the semicolon, and so on. This cannot be given as an invariable rule, however, due attention to the sense of the passage read being the best possible, indeed, the only way in which the proper duration of the pause can be determined.

Rhetorical Pauses are such as the sense requires, though not marked by characters. It will be at once perceived, that the proper making of them is much more difficult to the young reader, than those of which we have just spoken; and yet, if he desires to read with grace and elegance, he cannot dispense with them. We do not think that very young learners will be benefited much by studying rules for making rhetorical pauses, (they can be made to understand their proper use and place more readily by a competent teacher,) but we give a few of the most useful and simple.

1. The rhetorical pause should be made after the subject, or nominative, if it consists of several words; as—To express this connection | two marks are used. The love of riches | is not a virtue. The experience of want | enhances the value of plenty.

2. When the subject is an important word there should be a rhetorical pause made after it; as—Charity | like the sun | brightens all its objects. Industry | is the foundation of wealth. God | hath set him over us. Truth | never changes.

3. The rhetorical pause should be made before and after clauses and similes; as—The hope | which we have | as an anchor of the soul. And calm | as a slumber | they die. Hope | the balm of life | hath soothed us. Virtue | like gold | bears to be tried.

4. The rhetorical pause should be made after the objective in sentences of inverted construction; as—To my mother | give my fond remembrance. On all sides | were carnage and death. On Linden | when the sun was low. On this side of the grave | there is no real happiness.

5. A pause should generally be made before the relative pronoun; as—He | who fears God | may be trusted. I have faith | that I may have life. I saw a man | who begged his bread. Nobody loves him | who loves only himself. She gave me this book | which I now hand to you.

6. A pause should generally be made before and after clauses introduced by prepositions; as—It is below me | on his throne | to sit. Work | without show | and without pomp | presides. They spoke to me | of things | which I had seen | and of things | which I had not seen. From law | arises security.

7. A pause should be made before many of the conjunctions and adverbs; as—Honor | and shame | from no condition rise. I fought not for | but against Cæsar. Hast so much wit | and mirth | and spleen about thee. I stood among them | not of them. The region | beyond the grave | is not a solitary land. I shall come | whenever I can. Take heed | lest ye fall. Watch | and pray | lest ye enter into temptation. Though he was learned | yet he was modest.

EMPHASIS.

Emphasis is a peculiar stress laid on words for the purpose of distinguishing them from, or contrasting them with other words; also for the purpose of drawing marked attention to any particular word.

EXAMPLES.

1. I spoke not for | but against Cæsar.

2. I did not say here | but there.

3. You say | he is honest. There is not | a more dishonest man | in town.

4. I care not | who is in | or | who is out.

5. We have offended against the lord | already.

6. He | who cannot bear a joke | should not give a joke.

7. Little minds | are crushed by misfortune, when great ones | rise above it. He raised a mortal to the skies, | she drew an angel down.

8. Many mistake love of virtue | for virtue.

Emphasis is sometimes laid only on particular syllables of a word; as—

1. What is said | cannot be unsaid.

2. He will decrease | but I will increase.

3. There is seldom convenience | without inconvenience.

4. To do | and to undo | are common things.

Emphasis is slight, strong, and vehement; as—

1. Let our motto be | our country, our whole country, and | NOTHING BUT OUR COUNTRY.

2. My first argument | is, that the people | demand it; my second argument | is, that the people | demand it; my third argument | is, that THE PEOPLE | DEMAND IT.

3. If I was an American | as I am an Englishman, I would never lay down my arms—never, never, NEVER.

4. The union, it shall | and MUST be preserved.

5. Rise | arch of the ocean, and queen of the west!

6. Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

The following admirable observations on emphasis are worthy of attention.

“In every sentence, and clause of a sentence, there is one or more words which require to be pronounced with a greater degree of force than the other words. Without knowing and marking the accented syllables in words, we cannot give them their proper pronunciation; nor can we bring out the full meaning of a sentence, unless we know and mark the emphatic words. The accented syllables of words we learn by imitating the pronunciation of correct speakers; and by referring, in cases of doubt, to a dictionary in which they are given. The emphatic words in a sentence we can only learn by knowing their relative importance in it, and the precise meaning which the writer of it intended each of them to convey. In fact, if we know the meaning and drift of the sentence, we shall have no difficulty in discovering the emphatic words. In all such cases they are naturally and spontaneously suggested to us, just as they are to persons uttering or speaking their own sentiments. For even the most illiterate persons are sure, when uttering their own sentiments, to lay the proper emphasis on their words; though they may, and very often do, give them the wrong accents. If a laboring man, for example, were to say, “It is a spade, and not a shovel that I want,” he would be sure to pronounce the words “spade” and “shovel” with a greater degree of force than the other words; because he wishes to draw the particular attention of the person whom he addresses to the ideas or things which they represent. Had he merely said, “It is a spade I want,” he would nevertheless have pronounced the word “spade” emphatically, because he wished it to be particularly understood that it was a spade, and not any other implement, such as a shovel, that he wanted. Should he say, “Is the spade broken?” he would pronounce the word “broken” emphatically; because his object is to obtain precise information on that point. But if he should say, “Is it the spade that is broken?” he will lay the emphasis on the word “spade,” and not upon “broken;” because, understanding that there is some implement broken, he wishes to be informed whether it is the spade. Again, should he say, “Is it my spade that is broken?” he will lay the emphasis on the word “my”; because he desires to know whether the spade that is broken is his or not. Should he ask, “Who broke the spade?” he will lay the emphasis on the word “who;” because, being already aware that the spade is broken, his object in making the inquiry is, to learn the name of the person who broke it. And, lastly should he say, “How was the spade broken?” he will make “how” the emphatic word; because, in this case, he wishes to be informed of the manner or way in which the accident occurred.

“It is obvious from what has been said, that if we understand the meaning of what we read, in the same degree as a person understands the thoughts which he utters, we shall, like him, naturally and spontaneously lay the emphasis on the proper words. It is equally obvious, that if we do not understand the meaning of what we read, we shall either have to pronounce all the words with the same degree of force—which would be absurd—or to run the risk of perverting the meaning of the author, by laying the emphasis on the wrong words. The following sentence will exemplify this:—“O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have written concerning me.” If we perceive that the intention of our Saviour was to reproach his disciples for their backwardness in believing, we shall, in reading it, naturally lay the principal emphasis on the word “slow.” But if we do not see that this was the object of the speaker, the chances are we shall lay the emphasis on one of the other words, and thus change or pervert the meaning. For example, if we lay the emphasis on “believe,” it would imply that the disciples were reproached for believing; if on “all,” then the inference would be that they might have believed some of the things which the prophets had written, but that it was foolish in them to believe all. If we lay the emphasis on “prophets,” it would imply that they might have believed others, but that they were fools for believing the prophets; if on “written,” the inference would be, that though they might have believed what the prophets had said, it was foolish in them to believe what they had written; and, finally, if we lay the emphasis on “me,” it would imply that though they might have believed what the prophets had written concerning others, yet they were fools for believing what they had written concerning the Saviour.

Even in the most familiar sentences, illustrations of this may be found. The simple question, for example: “Do you ride to town to-day?” may, by varying the position of the emphasis, be made to suggest as many different meanings as it contains words. If we lay the emphasis on “you,” we wish to ascertain from the person addressed, whether it is he or some other person that is to ride to town to-day; if on “ride,” we mean to ask him whether he purposes to ride or walk; if on “town,” our purpose is to inquire whether it is to the town or to the country he means to ride; and, finally, if we make “to-day” the emphatic word, we wish him to say whether it is to-day or to-morrow he intends to ride to town. Even the preposition “to,” if made emphatic, would imply, though obscurely, that we wished the person addressed to say whether he intended to ride quite as far as the town, or only part of the way.

“We shall show, by a few illustrations, the power which emphasis has over accent when the sense or meaning requires it:—

1. He must increase, but I must decrease.

2. Neither justice nor injustice has any thing to do with the matter.

3. What is done cannot be undone.

4. Religion raises men above themselves, irreligion sinks them below the brutes.

5. This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

6. To me it was far from being an agreeable surprise; on the contrary, it was a disagreeable one.

7. Thought and language act and react upon each other.

8. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

9. I shall always make nature, truth, and reason, the measures of praise and dispraise.

10. A gentleman who was pressed by his friends to forgive his daughter, who had married against his wishes, promised to do so, but added, that he would have them remember that there was a difference between giving and forgiving.

“In the preceding, and in all similar cases, the position of the accent is completely changed by the emphasis. The reason is obvious: the speaker wishes to draw the special attention of the person addressed to the contrasted parts of the words; and hence he pronounces those parts or syllables emphatically, the effect of which is, in such cases, to change the seat of the accent.

“This transposition of the accent takes place also in words which have a sameness of termination, even though they may not be directly opposed in sense; as in the following examples:—

1. Cataline was expert in all the arts of simulation and dissimulation; covetous of what belonged to others, lavish of his own.

2. In this species of composition, plausibility is more essential than probability.

“From what has been said with regard to emphasis, we may draw the following general conclusion: Whenever a person wishes to bring an idea prominently or forcibly under the notice of the person or persons whom he addresses, he will naturally and instinctively pronounce the word which expresses it with a corresponding degree of emphatic force. The degree or intensity of the emphasis will, of course, depend upon the importance of the idea to be expressed, the nature of the subject, and the feelings or emotions of the speaker. In some cases it will be slight, in others strong, and in others, vehement or energetic; and hence a good general division of emphasis, with regard to its intensity, might be into three degrees, namely slight, strong, and vehement. Of course, there must be a great diversity in the degrees of emphasis, from the slight to the vehement; but the general divisions which we have suggested will be quite sufficient for practical purposes—and we have no other in view.

“Though in all properly constructed sentences, every word is useful and necessary, yet in every sentence the relative importance of the words must be different. Articles, Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Auxiliary Verbs, for example, are less important in their significations than the words which they introduce or connect—as Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, and Adverbs. And hence it may be laid down as a general rule, that the less important words in a sentence should be pronounced with less of force and distinctness than the more important words. And this, as we have seen, we always do in speaking; for it is to the more important words that we naturally desire to draw the special attention of the person or persons whom we address, and not to the ancillary or subordinate words.

“It may also be observed that Pronouns, though important parts of speech, should be classed, with regard to their pronunciation in a sentence, with the less important words, as Articles, Prepositions, and Conjunctions. The reason is obvious: no new idea is introduced by a Pronoun. It stands for, or represents, a word which has been mentioned before, and which is, consequently, already before the mind of the person addressed. Pronouns, therefore, should be always pronounced without emphasis, unless when some contrast or opposition is intended.[3] We shall illustrate this by a familiar sentence or two:—

If John is there, I will thank yŏu to give hĭm this book—though, perhaps, I should give it to you, and not to him. Yŏu are right; it is to me you should give it. You think so, but I think differently; and so, I am sure, does he.

“In the foregoing sentences, the pronouns printed in Italic are emphatical, because they are antithetical, or opposed to each other; while the other pronouns in the same sentence should be pronounced without emphasis, because no contrast or opposition is intended.

“In the same way, any of the less important parts of speech may become emphatical; as—

I told you to bring me the book, not a book. You were told to put the book on the table—not under it. It was and I said—not or.

“From what has been said with regard to emphasis, it is evident that all antithetic or contrasted words are emphatic; and in fact, it is usual to consider such words only as emphatic. Mr. Walker, and his followers, for example, hold that in every case of emphasis there is an antithesis expressed or implied; and that it never can be proper to give emphatic force to a word unless it stands opposed in sense to some other word expressed or understood.[4] But this is to take too narrow a view of emphasis. There are other sources of it besides contrast or antithetic relation. There may be absolute, as well as antithetic emphasis. For example, if the idea to be communicated is of peculiar or paramount importance in itself, the word expressing it should be pronounced with a corresponding degree of emphatic force; and this a person speaking his own sentiments will naturally do, particularly if he is under the influence of passion or emotion. It is evident, too, that this kind of emphasis may extend to several words in succession, and even to whole clauses of sentences. This kind of emphasis Mr. Walker himself admits under the head of “General Emphasis.” The following are examples:—

1. What men could do

Is done already: heaven and earth will witness,

If Rome must fall, that we are innocent.

2. There was a time, then, my fellow citizens, when the Lacedæmonians were sovereign masters both by sea and land; when their troops and forts surrounded the entire circuit of Attica; when they possessed Eubœa, Tanagra, the whole Bœotian district, Megara, Ægina, Cleone, and other islands; while this state had not one ship—no, not—one—wall.

3. Or shall I—who was born I might almost say, but certainly brought up, in the tent of my father—that most excellent general!—shall I the conqueror of Spain and Gaul, and not only of the Alpine nations, but what is greater yet, of the Alps themselves—shall I compare myself with this half-year-captain,—a captain—before whom, should one place the two armies without their ensigns, I am persuaded he would not know to which of them he is consul.

“It is usual to subdivide Antithetic Emphasis into Single, Double, and Treble Emphasis;[5] and to give rules for the proper pronunciation of emphatic words in each case. But the simple principles we have adopted render all such rules superfluous; for in all cases of antithesis the antithetic terms must be either expressed or understood; if they are expressed, which is usually the case, there can be no difficulty with regard to emphasis; for when the words which are opposed to each other in the sentence are expressed in it, the mind instantly perceives the opposition between them and the voice instinctively marks it in the pronunciation. The following are examples:—

SINGLE EMPHASIS.

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

2. He that cannot bear a jest should not make one.

3. We think less of the injuries we do, than of those we suffer.

4. It is not so easy to hide one’s faults, as to mend them.

5. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,

But in ourselves, that we are underlings.

DOUBLE EMPHASIS.

1. To err is human; to forgive, divine.

2. Custom is the plague of wise men, and the idol of fools.

3. The prodigal robs his heir, the miser robs himself.

4. The pleasures of the imagination are not so gross as those of sense, nor so refined as those of the understanding.

5. Grief is the counter passion of joy. The one arises from agreeable, and the other from disagreeable events—the one from pleasure, and the other from pain—the one from good, and the other from evil.

6. One sun by day—by night ten thousand shine.

7. The foulest stain and scandal of our nature

Became its boast—one murder makes a villain,

Millions a hero.

TREBLE EMPHASIS.

1. He raised a mortal to the skies,

She drew an angel down.

2. A friend cannot be known in prosperity; and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

3. The difference between a madman and a fool, is that the former reasons justly from false data; and the latter erroneously from just data.

4. Flowers of rhetoric in sermons or serious discourses are like the blue and red flowers in corn, pleasing to those who come only for amusement, but prejudicial to him who would reap the profit.

5. Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves,

Than that Cæsar were dead, to live all freemen?

“In such cases as the preceding, it is obvious that there can be no difficulty with regard to emphasis; because the words which are opposed to each other in the sentence are expressed. But when only one of the contrasted terms is expressed, as in the following examples, the careless or injudicious reader is apt to overlook its antithetic import, and will consequently fail to give it the emphatic pronunciation which is necessary to bring out the full meaning of the sentence.

1. A child might understand it. [The antithesis implied or suggested in this sentence is obviously—not merely a man or a person of mature judgment, but even a child.]

2. Exercise and temperance will strengthen even an indifferent constitution. [That is, not merely an ordinary or good constitution, but even an indifferent one.]

3. He that runs may read. [That is, not merely a person who walks, and who has therefore leisure to observe, but even he that runs.]

4. We know the passions of men: we know how dangerous it is to trust the best of men with too much power. [That is, not merely bad or ordinary men, but even the best of men.]

5. Tubal. One of them showed me a ring which he had of your daughter for a monkey.

Shylock. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal: it was my turquoise,—I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. [That is, so far from giving it for one monkey, I would not have given it for a whole wilderness of monkeys.]

6. Can a Roman senate long debate

Which of the two to choose, slavery or death!

[That is, other senates may, but can a Roman one?]

7. Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought. [That is, not merely in words or audibly, but even in thy thought.]

8. And think not to say among yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. [That is, not merely from the seed or descendants of Abraham, but even from these stones.]

9. By the faculty of a lively and picturesque imagination, a man in a dungeon is capable of entertaining himself with scenes and landscapes, more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compass of nature. [That is, not only when he is absent from beautiful scenes, but even in a dungeon.]

10. A man of a polite imagination is let in to a great many pleasures that the vulgar are not capable of receiving; he can converse with a picture, and find an agreeable companion in a statue. [That is, he can converse even with a picture, and find an agreeable companion even in a statue, which are pleasures unknown to the vulgar or uneducated.]

“It is obvious, that in each of the preceding examples there is an antithesis implied or understood; and the only rule necessary in such cases is, to pronounce the words which imply it with such a degree of emphatic force as will best bring out the full meaning of the sentence. And this every reader will naturally do, if he keeps in mind, and puts into practice, the great and fundamental rule for good reading, namely, Understand what you read, and read it as if you understood it.”

INFLECTION.

In speaking or reading, the voice must either rise or fall, if it do not continue in the same uniform tone. This rising and falling, or upward and downward sliding of the voice, is called inflection.

When the voice rises, it is, of course, called the rising inflection, and when it falls, the falling inflection.

When the voice, instead of either rising or falling, continues during the utterance of several words in the same tone, it is called a monotone. That falling of the tone which usually takes place at the end of a sentence or paragraph is termed a cadence.

The voice sometimes rises and falls, or falls and rises, on the same word or syllable. This is called a circumflex.

The inflections are generally marked thus:

The following rules will assist the learner in determining the inflections. They are as few and as simple as possible, and can be understood with very little effort, particularly by the aid of a competent teacher.

I. Whenever the voice must be suspended without the sense being complete, the rising inflection should be used.

EXAMPLES.

1. No man can rise above the infirmities of naˊture, unless he is assisˊted by God.ˋ

2. To acquire knowˊledge is the duty of man.

3. Shame being lostˊ, all virtue is lost.

4. Fathˊers, Senators of Romeˊ, arbiters of naˊtions, to you I fly for refuge.

5. Poor were the expectations of the modˊest, the virˊtuousˊ, and the goodˊ, if the reward of their labors were expected only from man.

6. An honest manˊ, (as the poet has saidˊ,) is the noblest work of God.

II. At the end of a sentence, and in all places where the sense is complete, the falling inflection should be used.

EXAMPLES.

1. Peace will soon be estabˋlished; confidence will come with peaceˋ; capˋital will follow conˋfidence; employment will increase with capˋital; educationˊ will be diffuˊsed, and virtue will grow with educaˋtion.

2. It is of the last importance to season the passions of a child with devoˋtion; which seldom dies in a mind that has received an early tincˋture of it.

3. Temˊperance, by fortifying the mind and bodˊy, leads to hapˋpiness.

4. Sincerity is to speak as we thinkˋ, to do as we pretend and professˋ, to perform and make good what we promˋise, and really to be what we appearˋ to be.

5. The consequences of intemperance are disgraceˋ, povˋerty, disease, and premature deathˋ.

6. I could not treat a dogˋ ill. Unkindness seldom produces other than evil effectsˋ.

III. When a question is asked by an interrogative word, the word which asks the question, as well as all other important words in the question, takes the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. Whatˋ will you do in the day of visitaˋtion?

2. Whereˋby shall I knowˋ this? Howˋ shall the manifestaˋtion be madeˋ?

3. Whoˋ do men say that I amˋ? Whomˋ do they represent me to beˋ?

4. Whoˋ is here so braveˋ that he would be a bondˋman?

5. Whatˋ have I doneˋ that you should give me this cruel treatmentˋ?

6. Whyˋ bendest thou in stormˋ; whyˋ lower thy headˋ?

IV. When a question is asked commencing with a verb, the previous rule is reversed, and all the important words in the question, particularly the last, take the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. Is the windˊ blowˊing? Is the sunˊ shinˊing? Is it rainˊing? Is it snowˊing?

2. Do I loveˊ? dost thou loveˊ? do we loveˊ?

3. Are you coldˊ? Is he poorˊ? Is she vainˊ?

4. Has he not involˊved himself by his improvˊidence?

5. Has that poorˊ man been cheatˊed? has his povˊerty been no protecˊtion?

Exception.—When the question defies contradiction, and is only interrogatory in form, being really an assertion, the falling inflection is used: as—

6. Are not the happy rareˋ? Are not the good the most hapˋpy?

7. Does he not possessˋ this world’s goodsˋ as if he possessed them notˋ?

8. How fewˋ can we find whose activˋity has not been misappliedˋ?

V.—Words that are contrasted with one another have opposite inflections; and answers have, generally, opposite inflections to the questions.

EXAMPLES.

1. We see the moteˋ in anothˊer’s eye, but cannot discern the beamˊ in our ownˋ.

2. He strikes othˊers but hurts himselfˋ.

3. We should judge by the heartˋ rather than the headˊ.

4. Did he act justˋly or unjustˊly? He acted justˊly, not unjustˋly.

5. Did he say trueˋ or untrueˊ. He said trueˊ, not untrueˋ.

6. I am more inclined to be gladˋ than sorˊry, to loveˋ than to hateˊ, to make friendsˋ than to deserve foesˊ, to be a good friendˊ than a bad enemyˋ.

VI.—When words express pity, joy, or grief, they take the rising inflection; and in all language expressive of tender emotion the rising inflection predominates.

EXAMPLES.

1. Ohˊ dearˊ me. Oh genˊtle sleepˊ, nature’s soft nurseˊ.

2. Piˊty, kindˊ gentlemen, friendsˊ of humanityˊ.

3. Ohˊ, my lordˊ, let me speak a word in thy earˊ.

4. I am thy fathˊer—oh, my sonˊ! my sonˊ!

5. Poor Maˊry. How my heartˊ bled to see her angˊuish, when she looked upon her departed childˊ.

6. Ohˊ that I knewˊ how I could consoleˊ her, how I could bring peaceˊ to her mind.ˋ

VII.—When words express denunciation, reproach, violent passion, or dignified emotion, they take the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. You wrong me evˋery way—you wrongˋ me, Brutus.

2. Revengeˋ, revengeˋ, Timotheus cries.

3. Let no man dareˋ speak ill of my departed fatherˋ.

4. Oh wretched manˋ. Oh unhapˋpy sinner.

5. Wretchˋ that I amˋ, whereˋ shall I goˋ?

6. Avauntˋ and quit my sightˋ. Let the earth hideˋ thee. Begoneˋ!

7. What a splendid piece of workˋmanship is manˋ.

8. Behold the child of purˋity arrayed in her inˋnocence.

9. Oh, dearˋest to my soulˋ—now goneˋ, alasˋ, from my sight. Woeˋ is me, that my sojourning is prolongˋed.

VIII.—In a commencing series, of three or four numbers, the last number or numbers of the series, and in a concluding series, the last but one, generally takes the rising inflection, and all the other take the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. Honorˋ, virˋtue, and truthˊ, distinguish himˋ.

2. He is distinguished by honˋor, virˊtue, and truthˋ.

3. Haˋtreds, dissenˋtions, disˋcords, and warsˊ are produced by ambiˋtion.

4. You have a friend who will pityˋ, supportˋ, defendˊ, and relieveˋ you.

5. The wind and rain are oˋver; calm is the morn of dayˋ; the clouds are divided in heavˊen; over the green hills flies the inconstant sunˋ.

6. A true friend unbosoms freeˋly, advises justˋly, assists readˋily, takes all paˊtiently, and continues a friend unchangeˋably.

7. A good disposiˋtion, virtuous princiˋples, a liberal educaˋtion, and industrious habˊits, are passports to happiness and honˋor.

8. Hapˋpiness and honorˊ are the reward of a good disˋposition, virtuous prinˋciples, a liberal educaˊtion, and industrious habˋits.

9. If you look about youˊ, and consider the lives of othˊers as well as your ownˋ; if you think how few are bornˋ with honˊor, and how many dieˊ without nameˊ or childˋren; how little beautyˋ we seeˊ, and how few friendsˊ we hearˋ of; how many diseasesˊ and how much povˋerty there is in the worldˊ, you will admireˊ, instead of repinˋing at God’s provˋidence.

CIRCUMFLEX INFLECTION.

In a circumflex the voice is made to bend so that it falls and rises, or rises and falls, during the utterance of a single sound. Circumflex inflection is used in expression of bitter irony or reproach.

EXAMPLES.

1. They offer us their protecˋtion. Yĕs, sŭch protection as vŭltures give to lămbs—covering and devouring themˋ.

2. Gone to be mărried! gone to swĕar a pĕace! gone to be frĭends!

3. He dâres not touch a hâir of Catalineˋ.

4. I may do what I shall be sorˋry for. You hâve done what you shoûld be sorˋry for.

5. So this is yŏu. How glăd I am to meet so trŭe a friend.

MONOTONE.