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ELEMENTS

O F

ELOCUTION.

VOL. IL

THE LIBliART

DNIVERSITY OF CAUSF^mSkM

UM ANGBLB8

ELEMENTS

O F

ELOCUTION.

Being the Subftance of a

COURSE OF LECTURES

O N T H E

ART OF READING;

Delivered at feveral Colleges in the University of OXFORD.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. ir. BY J, WALKER,

Author of the Rhyming and Pronouncing Didionary, Sec. Sec. Eft quodam prodire tenus ^— Hor.

LONDON,

Printed for the Author; And Sold by T. Cadell, in the Stmnd ; T. Becket, Corner of the Adelphi ; G.Robinson, PaternoHer' Row J and J. Dodsley, Pall-Mall, MDCCLXXXI.

mil

YllSe.

CONTENTS

O F T H E

SECOND VOLUME,

ACCENT — — Page i

Accent defined and explained 4

Englifli, Scotch, and Irifti Accent, how

they differ — — 14

Introdudion to the Theory of Emphafis 15 Theory of Emphatic Inflexion — 42 Pradical Syftem of Emphafis — 65

Single Emphafis — 67

Double Emphafis — — 88

Treble Emphafis — — 90

General Emphafis — — 102

Intermediate Member — — 107

Harmonic Inflexion — — 121

Harmony of Profe — — 141

Harmony of Profaic Inflexions — 152 Rules for reading Verfe — — 173

Modulation and Management of the Voice 226 G^flure — — — 260

The

^ c

vi CONTENTS.

The Paffions — Page 272 Tranquility — — 292 Chearfulnefs — — ibid. Mirth — ■ — 293 Raillery , — — 296 Sneer — — 297 Joy -- — 298 Delight — — ^02 Love — — 303 Pity — — 308 Hope — — 312 Hatred, Averfion — •"- 313 Anger, Rage, Fury — — 318 Revenge — — 323 Reproach — — 325 Fear and Terror — «— 328 Sorrow — — ^S^ Remorfe — — 341 Defpair -— — 344 Surprife, Wonder, Amazement, Admi- ration — — 347 Pride — — 351 Confidence, Courage, Boafting — 253 Perplexity, Irrefolution, Anxiety — 357

Vexation

c o	N T E N T	S.	vil
Vexation		—r	Page 361
Peevifhnefs		. «	...	362
Malice		—	—	364
Sufpicion, Jealoufy	—	—	365
Mod e fty. Sub m i (Eon	—	—	371
Shame		—	—	37*
Gravity		■ —	—	273
Enquiry		—	—	374
Attention		—	—	375
Teaching or In	flruair	'g	— •	ibid.
Arguing		—	—	378
Admonition			—	381
Authority		—	—	3S3
CommaiKling		«	—	384
Forbidding			—	3^5
Affirming		—	—,	386
Denyii-^		—	—	388
Differing			—	ibid.
Agreeing		—		39^
Judging		—		391
Reproving			—	392
Acquitting		—	—	393
Condemning				ibid.
Pardoning		—	—	395
			Difmiffinp:

till c d N t Ei N T ^.

Difmiffing — ^ 39^

RefuCing ' — "^397

Giving, or granting — — 399

Gratitude — "^ 4°^

Curiofity -^ -^ 4^*

Promifing — — 4°*

Veneration -^ — 403

Refpea — — 404

Defire — "^ '^^'^^'

Commendation — — 4°5

Exhorting — — 4°^

Complaining — 4^7

Fatigue — •— 4»9

Sicknefs — — 410 Exercifes from Addifon, Shakfpeare, Pope,

&c. — — 412

Monody to the Memory of Garrick — 426

ELE-

( I ) -

ELEMENTS

OF

ELOCUTION.

ACCENT.

AS accent relates to the pronunciation of words taken fmgly, it can have little to do in an eflay on the pronunciation of words infucceffion,as elocution, perhaps, may not improperly be called ; for as words juftly pronounced are merely the materials for delivery, thefe muft all be fuppofed to be in our own poiTeflion before we can poffibly begin to arrange and dif- play them to advantage. A perfon who pronounces every word fmgly with the greateft purity, may not be able to read well i and another may convey the fenfe of an author with great force and beauty, Vol. II. B who

2 £ L E IV^ E N T' S O F

who does not always either pronounce the Words juftly, or place the accent on the proper fyllable. The only point, there- fore, in which it will be neceflary to take notice of accent in reading, is that where the emphafis requires a tranfpofition of it : this happens when two words which have a famenefs in part of their formation, are oppofed to each other in fenfe. Thus, if I pronounce the vfordi?, jnjlice and injvjiice as fmgle words, I naturally place the ac- cent on the penultimate fyllable of both ; but if I contrail; them, and fay — Neither jiijlice nor injufike have any thing to do with the prejent quejiion ; in this fentence I naturally place the accent on the firfl fyllable of ir.jujlicc^ in order the more forcibly and clearly to d'iftinguifh it from jnfiice. This tranfpofition of the accent, Vv^hich is fo evidently dictated by the fenfe, extends itfelf to all words which have a famenefs of termination, though they may

noi

ELOCUTION* 3

«ot be dlredly oppofite in ienfe ; thus, if I wanted more particularly to £how that I meant one requifite of dramatic ftory ra- ther than another, I fhould fay — In this ffec'tes of compqfition^ -plaufibility is much more ejfential than probability ; and in the pronunciation of thefe words, I fhould infallibly tranfpofe the accent of both, from the third to the firjFl: fyllables ; in or- der to contraft thofe parts of the words which are diftinguifhed from each other by the import of the fentence. As an in- ftance of the neceffity of attending to this emphatical accent, as it may be called, we need only give a paflage from the Speaator, N'^ 189.

In this cafe I may uie the faying of an emi- nent wit, who upon fome great men's preffing him to forgive his daughter who had m.arried againft his confent, told them he could refufe nothing to their inftances, but that he would have them remember there was a difference be- tween giving andy£?rgiving.

B 2 Th^

4 ELEMENTS OF

In this example, we find the whole fenfe of the pafTage depends on placing the ac- cent on the firft fyllable oi forgiving, in order to contrail it more ftrongly with giving, to which it is oppofed ; as with- out this tranfpofition of accent, the oppo- fition, on which the fentiment turns, would be loft.

Another inftance will more fully illuf- trate the neceffity of attending to this em- phatical accent.

The prince for the public good has a fovc- rci^T^n property in every private perfon's eilate; iind, confcqnently, his riches muft /^^creaic or ^fcrcafe, in proportion to the number and riches

of his iubjcfts. Spcct, N° 200.

The words iucreafe and decreafe have, in this example, the accent on the firft fyl- lable of each, as ii; is there the contraft in in the fcnfe lies.

What has already been faid of accent, as it relates to the art of reading, is, per-

ELOCUTION. 5

haps, more than fufficient ; but fo much has been faid about the nature of this ac- cent, both in the ancient and modern lan- guages^ that it may not be improper to offer a few thoughts on the fubjedt here. Some authors confidently aflert, that the accented fyllable is pronounced in a higher tone than the reft, and others infift that it is not pronounced higher but louder only. Whatever may have been the nature of accent in the learned languages, certain it is, that the accented fyllable in our own, is always louder than the reft, and if we attend ever fo little to the two kinds of inflexion with which every accented word in a fentence is pronounced, we fhall foon fee that the accented fyllable is either higher or lower than the reft, according to the inflexion which it adopts.

Thus in this fentence, Plate III. N° 8.

Sooner or later viitue mud meet with a re- war d^ .

B 3 Here

6 ELEMENTS OF

Here I fay the laft fyll^ble ^ard kas the falling inflexion, and if we pronounce the word without emphafie, and merely as if we were concluding the fubje<3:, this fyllable will be pronounced louder and lower than the fyllable immediately pre- eeeding 5 but if we give emphafis to this fyllable, by oppofing it to fomething elfe, we fhall find it pronounced both higher and louder than the preceding fyll^bles,. Thus in tlije following fcnte'nce, Plate III,

Virtue will meet with a rczvard^, and not pu- nilhrnent-^.

ilere the word reward has the fame in- flexion as in the fv'rmer initance, and the word puniJJjment ends with the riling in- flexion ; but the fyllable luard is percepti- bly higher as well as louder than the fylr lablc tliat precedes it. Again : if we give this word the rifmg inilexion, we fhall fijid in this cafe, that without emphafis

the

«: i;. o c u T I o N. 7

the ^"Ccented fyilabk war/:/ is pronounced

both louder and higher than the precede

ing fyllables. Thus N'^ II.

If virtue muft have a reward -^y it is our in- tereft to be virtuous.

Thefe obfervations compare the accented fyUable "vyith the preceding fyllables only, it wilj in the next place be necefTary to compare it with thofe that follow : for which purpofe let us obferve the pronun- ciation of this fentence, N*^ III. So that no man living can be faid to be perfect^ . If in this example we pronounce the word perfecl without any emphafis, and merely as if we were concluding a dif- courfe, we fhall find the accented fyllable adopting the falling inflexion, and pro- nounced fomewhat higher and louder than the laft. The fame inflexion of voice upon the accented fyllable, and the higher tone of this fyllable than the laft, will ap- pear much more perceptibly by pronounc- B 4 ing

8 ELEMENTS OF

ing this word in the following fentence, N'^ IV,

We ought to avoid blame, though we can- not beperfe^^.

Here, I fay, if we give the word per-* feB the falling inflexion, and pronounce it with empliafis, we fhall find the firft fyllable very perceptibly higher and louder than the laft ; on the contrary, if we give the word pcrfeB the rifing inflexion, we fliall find the accented fyllable louder than the laft, though not fo high, for the laft fyllable perceptibly Hides into a higher tone. Thus N° V.

If vvc wiih to be Dcrfcct'', we muft imitate God.

Thefe obfervations will, perhaps, be ftill better conceived, by watching our pronun- ciation of a word where the accent is nearly in the middle. Thus in this paf- fjge of Shakefpeare, N^ Vl,

Whav

ELOCUTION. 9

What earthly name to interrog^atories, Shall tafk the free breath of a facred king >

King John,

■ In this paflage, I fay, the fyllable rog

has the rifing inflexion, and is pronounced

perceptibly louder and higher than the

two firft, and louder and lower than the

three laft : but if we give this fyllable the

falling inflexion, as in this fentence,N°VIL

He is neither moved by intreaties nor inter-

rog^atories.

Here, I fay, the fyllable rog if pro- nounced with the leaft degree of emphafis, 16 both louder and higher than either the preceding or fubfequent fyllables.

From thefe obfervations this general conclufion may be drawn ; whatever

INFLECTION IS ADOPTED, THE ACCENT^ ED SYLLABLE IS ALWAYS LOUDER THAN THE REST ; BUT IF THE ACCENT IS PRONOUNCED WITH THE RISING IN- |NF;.EXIONj the ACCENTED SYLLABLE

J8

IP- ELEM^ENTS OF

IS HIGHER THAN THE PRECEDING, AND LOWER THAN THE SUCCEEDING SYLLA- BLE; AND IF THE ACCENT HAS THE FALLING INFLEXION, THE ACCENTED SELLABLE IS PRONOUNCED HIGHEK- THAN AN-y OTHER SYLLABLE, Ei]rHER

p.Rf:cEDiNG OR succf EDiNG. The only exception to this is, th.e fentence, N^ VIIL where the ftccent is on the lail fy liable of a word which has no emphafis, and is pro- nounced as at the conclulion of a difcourfe.

Sooner or later virtue mud meet with its re- ward^ .

Here the laft fyllable, though pronounce ed louder thjin the firft is evidently pro^ jaounced a degree lower.

It may not, perhaps, be improper to Jake notice of a ufage of the word accent, which, though feemingly inaccurate, will be found upon examination, to be a juft :ippUcation of the word. It is the cuftom,' jfiot only of England, but of other parts

of

E |y O C U T I O N. Mr

of the worjdj which are feats pf empire, to call thofe modes of pfonuneiation ijfed in parts dillant from the capital, by the name of accents. Thus we fay, a native pf Ireland fpeaks Englifh with the Iriih, and. a native of Scotland with the Scotch accent ; though both thefe fpeakers pro- nounce every word with the accent on the very fame fyllable as the Englifh. Why then do we fay, they fpeak with a differ- ent accent ? The reafon is, that fpeaking founds have never been fufhciently ana- lyzed, to enable us to difcover their com- ponent parts, which makes us take up with indefinite and unfpecific terms, in- ftead of fuch as are precife and appropriated to their.objed:. This has greatly obfcured the notion of accent, and led feme * to fup~ pofe, that accent in our language is no more than a force upon a certain fyllable of a word which diftingui(hes it from the

* Sheridan's Leftures, 4to. p. 41.

reflj

12 ELEMENTS OF

reft ; but that this accent has no reference to inflexions of voice, and for that reafon the word is ufed by us in the Angular number, f Others have imagined^ that we have two accents, the grave and acute ; but in the definition of thefe, they feem only to mean that the latter has a -greater degree of force than the former. Thus for want of the fimple diftindion of the riiing and falling flide of the voice, with which every accented fyllable muft necef- farily be pronounced, the nature of our own accent feems as obfcure, and as little underftoo4, as thofe of the Greeks and Romans ; and it is to this obfcurity we owe the fuppofed impropriety of calling a dia- led by the name of accent : for though there are other differences in the Scotch and Iriili pronunciation of Englifh befides this, it is to the difference of accent that the chief diverfity is owing : if we under-

-{- Elihy on the Harmony of Language. Rohfon, 177 i^.

iland

ELOCUTION. 13

fland accent only, as force or ftrefs, there is, indeed, the flighteft difference imagin- able ; fmce in both thefe kingdoms the ftrefs is (to the exception of very few words indeed,) laid on the fame fyllable as in England : and, for this reafon, the laws of poetry are exadly the fame in all : but if we divide accent into grave and acute, and call the acute the ftrefs with the riling inflexion, and the grave the ftrefs with the falling inflexion, we ftiall then fee the pro- priety of faying, fuch a one fpeaks with the Irifti or Scotch accent ; for though the Irifti place the ftrefs precifely on the fame fyllable as the Englifli, it is often with a diff"erent inflexion ; and the fame may be faid of the Scotch. Thus the Scotch pro- nounce the far greater part of their words with the acute accent, or rifmg inflexion, and the Irlfli as conftantly make ufe of the grave accent, or falling inflexion, while the Englifli obferve pretty nearly a

due

J4 i^Ltutnrs OF

due mixtBife of each. If we pronounce a feiitence in tliefe three different modes, it may, perhaps, fuggefk to the ear the truth of the foregoing obfervations.

SCOTCH. Ex^'ercife rrrrd tem/pcrance flrerrgt^-^en the

IRISH.

Ex^ercife and rem'^^pGrance ilrength^en the conftitti'^^tion.

ENGLISH.

Ex'^ercife and tem^perance ilrength'^en the conftitu^tion.

If thefe obfervations are juft, the Irifli ought to habituate themfelves to a more frequent ufe of the riling inflexion, and the Scotch to the falling, in order to ac- quire what is not (from this view of the fubje(3:) improjierly called the Engliih ^- cent.

EMPHA^

£ 1 O C tJ T I O N, 15

EMPHASIS.

IntroduSlion to the theory of emphafism

T7MphafiS, in the mofi: ufual fenfe of the word, is that ftrefs with which certain Words are pronounced, fo as to be diftin- guifhed from the reft of the fentence. Among the number of words we make ufe of in difcourfe, there will always be fome which are more neceffary to be un- derftood than others ; thofe things with which we fuppofe our hearers to be pre- acquainted, we exprefs by fuch a fubor- dination of ftrefs as is fuitable to the fmall importance of things already underftood ; while thofe of which our hearers are, ei- ther not fully informed, or which they might poflibly rriifconceive, are enforced with fuch an increafe of ftrefs as makes it impoflible for the hearer to overlook or miftake them. Thus, as in a pidure, the

more

l6 ELEMENTS OF

more eflfential parts of a fentence are ralfeci, as it were, from the level of fpeaking, and the lefs neceffary arc, by this means, funk into a comparative obfcurity.

From this general idea of emphalis, it v<rill readily appear of how much confe- quence it is to readers and fpeakers not to be miftaken in it ; the neceffity of diflin- guiihing the emphatical words from the reft, has made v/riters on this fubjecl ex- tremely folicitous to give fuch rules for placing the emphafis, as may, in fome meafure, facilitate this diflicult part of elo- cution : but few have gone farther than to tell us, that we muft place the emphafis on that word in reading, whicli we Ihould make emphatical in fpeaking ; and though the importance of emphafis is infifted on with the utmoft force and elegance of lan- guage, no alhftance is given us to deter- mine v/hich is the emphatic word where feveral appear equally emphatical, nor

have

£ L o c tr f I 0 N. 17

have we any rule to diflimguKh betweisa thofe words which have a greater, and thofe which have- a lefler degree of ftrefs ; the fenfe of the author is the fole diredion "We are referred to, and all is left to the- tafle^ and \;nd^,rftanding; of the reader.

One ^' writer, indeed, the author of the Philofophical .^ pnq^uiry into the , Delivery of T?vritten J^anguage, .has given us a dif- tindtion of emphafis into two . kinds, which has thrown great light upon this abftrufe fubjeiSt. This gentleman diftin- guifhes the ftrefs into emphafis of force, and emphafis of fenfe. " Emphafis of " force," he tells us, " is that ftrefs we *' lay on alm.ofl every fignificant word ; " emphafis of fenfe, is that ftrefs we lay '' on one or two particular words, which '' diftinguifhes them from all the reft in ** the fentence. The former ftrefs," he obferves, ** is variable, according to the " conception and tafte of the reader, and

Vol. II. G " can-

l8 ELEMENTS OF

" cannot be reduced to any certain rule : " the latter," he fays, " is determined by '* the fenfe of the author, and is always " fixed and invariable." This diftindion, it muft be owned, is, in general, a very juft one ; and a want of attending to it, has occafioned great confufion in this fub- jedl, even in our beft writers ; they per- ceived, that befides thofe words which were ftrongly emphatical, there were many others that had a ftrefs greatly fuperior to the particles and lefs fignificant words, and thefe they jumbled together under the ge- neral term emphafis. Thus when the em- phatical words were to be marked by be- ing printed in a different charad:er, we find in feveral of the modern produdllons on reading, that fomctimes more than half of the words are printed in Italics, and confidered as equally emphatical. Tlie wrong tendency of fuch a praiftice is fuf- ficlently obvious, but its origin was never

pointed

E L O C U T I O ^k I^

pointed out till the publication of the ef- fay above mentioned. This muft be al^ lowed to have thrown confiderable light on the fubjed, and it is by the affiftance which this author has given, that I fhall endeavour to pufh my enquiries into em- phafis ftill farther than he has done : I Ihall not only eftablifli the diftindion he has laid down, but attempt to draw the line between thefe two kinds of emphaiis, fo as to mark more precifely the bounda- ries of each. To this diftindion of em- phafis, I Ihall add another : I fhall make a diftindion of each into two kinds, ac- cording to the inflexion of voice they adopt ; which, though of the utmoft im- portance in conveying a juft idea of em- phafis, has never been noticed by any of our writers on the fubjed. This diftinc- tion of emphafis arifes naturally from the obfervations already laid down, on therifmg and falling inflexion ; v*'e have feen the C 2 im-

26 BLE M E N T S OF

importance of attending to thefe two in- flexions in tlie feverai parts, and ^t tlie end of a fentence ; and it is prefumed, tlie utility of attending to the fame inflexions, when applied to empliaffs, will dppeai' ti6 lefs evident aVid unqueftionable.

But before we enter into this diftinftidri of emphatic inflexion, it may not be im- proper to fliow more precifely the diftinc- tion of emphafis, into that which arifes from the peculiar fenfe of one or twd words in a fentence, and that which arifdd from the greater importance of the nouti^^ verbs, and other fignificant words, than* of Gonnedives and particles. And firft; let us examine feme paflages where only the latter kind of emphafis is found ; thi^ emphaiis, if it m.ay be fo called, takes place on alinofl; every v/crd in a fentence, but the articles, prepohtions, and fmallei' parts of fpeeeh ; and by pronouncing thefe feebly, Vv'e give a force to the other words,

that

ELOCUTION. 21

that is commonly, but improperly flyled emphafis.

Thus in pronouncing the following fen^ tence in the Spectator:

Gratian very often recommends the fine tafte as the utmoft perfedtion of an accomplifhed man. Spe^faior, N^ 409.

We may perceive a very evident differ- ence in the force with which thefe words jire pronounced ; the article t/ie^ the con- junction and particle as the, and the pre- pofition and article of aj?, are very diftin- guilhable from the reft of the words by a lefs forcible pronunciation ; and this lefs forcible pronunciation on the fmaller words, raifes the others to fome degree of emphaiis. If we pronounce the next fen- tence properly, we fhall find feveral other words fmk into an obfcurity of the fame kind, and by their means a comparative degree of force thrown on the reft of the

words.

C 3 As

ja ELEMENTS OF

As this word arifes very often in converra-. tlon, I fhall endeavour to give fome account of it ; and to lay down rules how we may know whether we are pofTefTed of it ; and how we may acquire that fine tafte in writing which is fo much talked pf among the polite world. Ibid.

In this fentence we find the prepofitions, conjundions, and pronoun // pronounced with the fame degree of feeblenefs as in the laft inftance ; and befides thefe, we find the words, 1 pall^ we may^ we arcy and which is^ pronounced much more feebly than the reft of the words ; this can be owing to nothing but the nature of the words themfelves^ which, though in- dicating per/on^ promife^ power ^ and exift^ ence^ exhibit none of thefe particulars em- phatically ; that is, thefe Words imply only fuch general clrcumftances as the ob- je^s are compnonly fuppofed to be accom- panied with, and therefore are anticipated ox rrcfuppofcd by the hearer : for what-

cvcv

ELOCUTION. 23

ever the hearer is fuppofed to he acquaint- ed with, is not the objedt of communica- tion : the perfon fpeaking is under no ne- ceflity of telling his auditors that he in particular fhall do any thing unlefs he means to diftinguifh himfelf from fome other fpeaker ; for that he fpeaks is very well underftood by every one vv^ho hears him ; and for this reafon, whatever has been once mentioned, is generally pro- nounced afterwards with lefs force than at firft, as fuppofed to be already fufBci- ently known.

I fhall offer another inftance to fhow that there is a confiderable difference in the ftrefs we lay on different words in a fentenee, and then proceed to an examin- ation of that flrefs which may be properly ftyled emphatical. Thus if we repeat the following fentenee,

JExercife and temperance ftrengthen the con- ftitution.

C 4 Wfi

fi4 E Lt: M E N T S OT

We find the particles and aiid the^ pro- hdunce^ mtcTi more feebly than the other words, and yet ^thefe other words cannot be properly called emphatical : for "the ftrefs that is feiti on them is no more "than what is ntceflary to convey' diftindly the meaning of each wbrd ; but if an empha- tical word is thrown into this fentence, we fhall foon perceive a ftrlk'in| difference between thefe- words aiid't^^' emphatical one; thuSj'if we wer'etd'fafj^'^"^ '

Excrcife'an'd^tei-npcrance'ftrcihgthen even an indiilercnc conftltution.

Here we flia'll find the word mdifferent pronounced much more forcibly than the words exerclje^ te?nperaj2ce^ ^.n^ftrengthen, as thefe words are more forcibly pronounc- ed than the particles and and the^ and even than tire word" coiiftitution : fcfr 4s this word comes immediately after the empha- tic word indifferent^ and is, by the very impcrt of the cmphafm, in Tome meafure

under-.

ELOCUTION. 25

underftood, it fiiiks into the fame degree of obfcurity with the particles, and cannot 'be raifed from this dbfcurity without di- minifhing the ifofce of the emphatic word itfetf; - . ■

This brings us to a threefold diftinction 'of words with regard to the force with which they are pronounced ; namely, the •conjunctions, particles, and words under- ftood, which are obfcarely and feebly pro- nounced; thefubftantives, verbs, and more fignificant words, which are firmly and diftindly pronounced ; and the emphatical word, whicTi is forcibly pronounced: it is the laft of thefe only which can be pro- perly ftyled emphafis, and it is to a difco- very of the nature and caufe of this em- phafis, that all our attention ought to be directed.

And firft we may obferve, that if thefe diftinc^lions are juft, the common defini- tion of eiBphafis is very faulty. Empha- fis

26 ELEMENTS OF

fis is faid to be a ftrefs laid on one or more words to diftinguifh them from others : but this definition, as we have juft feen, makes almoft every word in a fentence emphatical, and, at the fame time, con- founds the diftindion between words which have force from a peculiarity of meaning, and thofe which have force from having only more meaning than the particles. Here then we mull endeavour to invefti- gate a jufter definition ; fuch a one as will enable us to diftinguifh words which are really emphatical, from thofe which are only pronounced with common force : for, as the ingenious author above mentioned has obferved, thefc latter words may fome- times be forcibly and fometimes feebly pronounced, without any importance to the fenfe ; but the fc)rraer, that is, fuclj yvords as are truly emphatical, muft al- ways have their juft degree of force and «:nergy, or the fenfe will be manifeftly iur-

jured :

E t O C U T I O N, 27

jured : this emphafis, therefore, ought to be the firft objed of enquiry.

The principal circumftance that diftin- guifhes emphatical words from others, feems to be a meaning which points out, or diftinguiflies, fomething as diftind: or oppofite to fome other thing. When this oppofjtion is e^sprpfled in words, it forms an antithefis, the oppofite parts of which are always emphatical. Thus in the fol- lowing couplet from Pope ;

'Tis hard to fay, if greater want of ikill Appear in writing or in judging ill.

The words writing and judging are op- pofed to each other, and are therefore the emphatical words ; where we may like- wife obferve, that the disjunctive <?r, by which the antithefis is connedled, means one of the things exclulively of the other ; the fame may be obferved in another coup- Jet from the fame author ; where one

branch

aS E L £ M','E NTS OF

Vranch K3dF the antithefiB h nqt.^^^seffbd^

but underftoo^.,:. •)r; , i , .i,'! -r!'

tjet wealtli and j)lace, if poflible wkh'grace. If not by atiy "mdaris get wealth and 'place.

Here it appear* ^idently, that , the words anjy means, which are the moftiemphatioal, arediredly oppofed' to the meajis under- ilood by the word^r^^^, and the laft line is perfedly equivalent to this. "If not " by thefe means, by afty other means, *' get wealth and place." ■

In thefe inftances, the oppofition fug- geiled by the emphatical word is evident at firft fight ; in other cafes, perhaps, the antithefis is not quite fo obvious, but if an emphafis can be laid on any word, we may be affured fhat word is in antithefis with fome meaning agreeable to the ge- neral fenfe of the paflage. . To illuftrate this, let us pronounce a line of .iV'Iarcusdn Cato, where expreffing

hivS

ELOCUTION. 2^

his indignation at the behaviour of Csefar, he fays :

' Fm tortuf'd ev'n to madnefs, when I think Of the proud vidtor— —

And we ihall find the greateft ftrefs fall naturally on that word, which feen>s op- pofed to fome common or general mean- ing ; for the young hero does not fay in the common and unemphatic fenfe of the word think^ that he is tortured even to madnefs when thinks on C^efar ; but in the ftrong and emphatic fenfe of this word ; which impUes, not only " when I hear or '' difcourfe of him, but even when I think " of him I am tortured even to madnefs." As the word /te/^ therefore, rifes above the common level of fignification, it. is ■pronounced above the common level of found J and as this fignification is Oppofed to a fignification lefs forcible, the word may be properly faid to be emphatical.

This

3© ELEMENTS OF'

This more than ordinary meaning, oif a meaning oppofed to fome other mean^ ing, feems to be the principal fource of emphafis ; for if, as in the laft inftance, we find the words will bear this oppo- iition to their common fignification, we may be fure they are emphatical ; this will be ftill more evident from another example :

By the faculty of a lively and pidturefquc imagination, a man in a dungeon is capable of entertaining bimfeif with fcencs and land- ikips, more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compafs of nature.

SpeBatory N''4ir. If we read this paflage without that em- phafis which the word dungeon requires, we enervate the meaning, and fcarcely give the fenfe of the author ; for the im- port plainly is, that a lively imagination, not merely abfent from beautiful fcenes, but even in a dungeon, can form fcenes more beautiful than any in nature.

ELOCUTION. 31

This plenitude of meaning in a parti- cular word, is not always fo prominent as to be difcernible by a common reader, but wherever it really exifts, the general meaning of the author is greatly enforced by emphatically pointing it out. — Let us' take an example :

Steele begins one of his letters in the Spedator by the following fentence ;

I have very often lamented, and hinted my forrow in feveral fpecnlations, that the art of painting is fo little made ufe of, to the im- provement of our manners. SpeEi, N<^ 226.

As in this fentence, which Is the firft in the eflay, it is taken from, we find a new and important object introduced, fo if we do not pronounce it with emphafis, it will not be fufficiently noticed. The word pamting^ as it ftands in this fentence, may very well be fuppofed to be in con- traft with other arts, which, though often ufed for the improvement ofjn^nners, are,

per-

^2 D L£M E N T'S V f :

perhaps, riotfei eoj:iducive'tio that end, d§ this particular art : this antithefia is per- fectly underftood if the y^m^-painiing is naade emphatical, but entirely loft if it is pronounced feebly : nay, Aiding it overr without emphafis, will fuppofe the hearer' pre-acquainted with the fubjed: to be treat- ed, contrary to what is realliy the cafe ; this will be ftill more apparent by pro- nouncing- it both ways ; firit, without the proper ftrefs on the word paintings and afterwards with it.

I have very often lamcntcuj zwi}. hinted ni)' forrow in fsvernl lpccul:iLi()n;^^, that th« art of painting is lb little made ufe ot to the ioiprove- nient! of ou;' nirinncrs.

i have very o;tcd lamented, and hinted my forrow in fevcial fpeculations, that the art of painting is fo little made ufe of to the improve- ment of our manners.

In thefe inPLances we iind every empha-* tical word placed in oppoildon as it were?

to-

£ L 6 C tJ T t O Nt 35

to fome meaning which it feems to ex- clude.

Wherever the contrariety or oppofition is exprefled, we are at no lofs for the em- phatical words ; the greateft difficulty in reading, lies in a difcovery of thofe words which are in oppofition to fomething not exprefled, but underftood ; and the beft method to find the emphafis in thefe fen- tences, is to take the word we fuppofe to be emphatical, and try whether it will admit of thofe words being fupplied, which an emphafis on it w^ould fuggeft : if when thefe words are fupplied, we find them not only agreeable to the meaning- of the writer, but an improvement of his meaning, wc may pronounce the w^ord emphatical ; but if thefe words we fupply, are not agreeable to the meaning of the words exprefled, or elfe give them an af- feded and fanciful meaning, w^e ought by no means to lay the emphafis upon them :

Vol, II. D Let

34 ELEMENTS OF

Let us take an example of both thefe kinds of emphails.

Mr. Addifon, in one of his Spectators, fhowing the advantages of good tafte ; fay&j

A man of a polite imagination is let into a great many pleafnres that the vulgar are not capable of receiving ; he can conveiie with a pidlure, and find an agreeable companion in a itatue. Speci.N'' ^11.

We fhall find but few readers lay any confiderable ftrefs upon the word piBure^ in this fentence ; but if .we examine it by the former rule, we fhall find a ftrefs upon this word a confiderable embellifliment to the thought ; for it hints to the mind that a polite imagination does not only find pleafi-ire in converfing with thofe objects . whicii give pleafure to all, but with thofe which give pleafure to fuch only as can convcrfe with them ; here then the em- }->]iafis on the v;ord piaurcy is not only an ;idvantage to the thouglit, but in fome

E L O C U T 1 ON* 3^

ineafure neceflary to it. This will appear ftill more evidently by reading the paffage both ways, as in the laft example.

But if cmphafis does not improve, it al- ways vitiates the fenfe ; and, therefore, fhould be always avoided where the ufe of it is not evident : this will appear by plac- ing an emphafis on a word in a fentence which does not require it.

I have feveral letters by me from people of good fenfe, who lament the depravity or po-^ verty of tafte the town is fallen into with rela- tion to plays and public fpedlacles.

Spe^aior, N° 208.

NovvT if we lay a confiderable degree of emphafis upon the words good fenfe it will ilrongly fuggeft that the people here men- tioned are not common or ordinary people^ which, though not oppofite to the mean- ing of the writer, does not feem neceffary either to the completion or embellifliment of it ; for as particularly marking thefe D 2 peo-

56 ELEMENTS OF

people out as perfons of good fenfe, feems to obviate an objedion that they might pofTibly be fools, and as it would not be very wife to fuppofe this objedion, it would fhow as little wifdom to endeavour to preclude it by a more than ordinary flrefs ; the plain words of the author, therefore, without any emphafis on them, fufficiently {how his meaning.

From thefe obfervations, the following definition of emphafis feems naturally to arife. Em p h a s i s , when applied to parti- cular words, is that stress we lay

ON WORDS WHICH ARE IN CONTRADI- STINCTION TO OTHER WORDS EITHER

EXPRESSED OR UNDERSTOOD: and hencc w^ill follow this general rule. AViierever

THERE IS CONTRADISTINCTION IN THE SENSE OF The WORDS, THERE OUGHT TO BE EMPHASIS IN THE PRONUNCIA- TION OF THEM ; the converfc of this bc- \nr:; equally true, Wfieuever we place

E M -

ELOCUTION. 37

EMPHASIS WE SUGGEST THE IDEA OF CONTRADISTINCTION.

Emphafis thus inveftigated and defined, we may obferve, that all words are pro- nounced either with emphatic force, ac- cented force, or unaccented force ; this laft kind of force we may call by the name of feeblenefs ; or, in other words, where the words are in contradiftindion to other words, or to fome fenfe implied, we may call them emphatic ; where they do not denote contradiftin£l:ion and yet are more important than the particles, we may call them accented, and the particles and lefTer words we may call unaccented or feeble | for if we obferve the pronunciation of thefe latter words, we fhall find they have exactly the fame feeblenefs as the unac- cented fyllables of a word whofe accented •fyllable is pronounced with fome (aegree ■of force: we fhall fee likewife/that aft •accented word, which has a degree of P 3 forccj

38 ELEMENTS OF

force, when compared with unaccented words ; when it is joined with an empha- tic one, and pronounced immediately be- fore or after it, finks into a feeblenefs equal to the unaccented words ; and that the unaccented fyllables, even of an emphatic word, are pronounced with as much lefs force than the accented fyllable, as the un- accented fyllables of an accented word, are lefs forcible than the accented fyllable of an unemphatic word. Thefe obfervations are exemplified in the pronunciation of the following fentences.

Exercife and temperance flrengthen the

conftirution. E^xercife and temperance ftrengthen even

an indifferent conftltulion.

In the firft of thefe fentences the parti- cles atid and the are pronounced like un- ?,ccented fyllables of temperance and con^ itjtution : in the lafl: fentcnce the word (gnjlitution is pronounced with fne fame

feeble*.

ELOCUTION. 39

feeblenefs as the particles and and the ; and the two laft fyllables of the emphatic word indifferent^ are as much below the fecond fyllable in force, as the particles and unaccented fyllables [_are below thofe which have an accent.

By this threefold diftlndion we are en- abled to make very confiderable advances in the methods of conveying inftrud:ion in reading ; we cannot only mark the emphatic words as ufual, but diftinguiih them from the accented : thefe again may be diftinguiflied from the unaccented, and by thefe means we make a nearer approach to the fenfe of compofition, and to a me- thod of conveying our delivery of it to others. But a ftill greater advance re- mains to be made by another difl:in6tion : a diflindlion, which, to the former advan- tages of marking the different degrees of force on words, adds the ftill more ftrik- in^ difference of inflexion of voice. This P 4 diflinC"

4© ELEMENTS OF

diftindion, though obvious and palpable, is perfedly new ; and cannot fail to add greatly to inftrudion in fpeaking, as thefe two different inflexions of voice are the moft marking and fignificant diftindions of fpeech.

As a fpeclmen "of the utility of thefe diftindions of emphafis and inflexion, we may obferve, that a difl'erence of charac- ter may exprefs the different degrees of force with which every word is pronounc- ed, and a different accent may fhow what inflexion each of thefe forces muft adopt. Thus in the following example :

excrafe and temperance Jlnngthen even an IN" DIF^FERENT conftitution.

Here we fee a threefold diflindion of force : the word indifferent is emphatical, and has the greateft ftrefs ; the w^ords ex^ ercije^ temperance^ 2S\.^Jlrengthen^ have a lefler degree of force ; and the words and^ even^ an^ and conJlitutiGn^ have a ftill

fmaller

ELOCUTION. 41

fmaller degree of flrefs, and may be faid to be abfolutely feeble : and thefe different forces are diverfified by the difference of inflexion, as marked in the example. But although in certain critical cafes, where the fenfe of an author is difHcult to point out, all thefe three diftincftions may greatly aflift us in conveying the exad pronuncia^ tion ; yet in general, it will be quite fuf- ficient to mark the emphatic word with fmail Italics^ and the refl with Roman letters, without entering into the diflinc- tinction of the feeble words from thofe that have a fecondary force, which feeble words, if neceffary to be pointed out, may be denoted by the fmall Roman letter, and their different inflexions by a different ac-» cent. \

(j5* Note. If an acute or grave accent is over the accent- ed fyllable of a word, it indicates that the word mu2: be pronounced with the riling or falling inflexion, as much as if thefe accents had been placed at the end gi the word.

THEORY

( 42 )

THEORY OF EMPHATIC INFLEXION.

TTAving thus endeavoured to give a clear "^ and diftindt idea of the two different kinds of emphafis, and attempted to prove, that emphafis, properly fo called, alw^ays fiippofes contradiflindion or antithefis, ei- ther expreffed or imderftood ; it v/ill now be neceffary to fhow that every emphatic word, properly fo called, is as much dif- tinguifhed by the inflexion it adopts, as by the force with w^hich it is pronounced. We have feen already that where there is no emphafis, the moft fignificant words in a fentence adopt a different inflexion of voice for the fake of variety and harmony : for provided the fentence reads well it is of no confcquence on which words the different inflexions are placed. Thus in the following fentence :

Excrcifc"^ and temperance' ftrcngthen^ the coniiitutioa^.

la

ELOCUTION. 43

In this fentence, I fay, the words temper- ance and Jlrengthen have the rlfing, and exerctfe and confiltution the falling infle- xion ; but if this fentence were lengthened by the addition of another member, we fliould find the inflexions fhift their places. Thus in the following fentence :

Exercife^ and temperance^ fl:renpthen^ the conftitution/ and fweeten/ the enjoyments^ of llfeN.

Here, I fay, the words exercife and conftL tution have the rifmg, and temperance and Jtrengthen the falling inflexion, as moft agreeable to the harmony of the whole fentence : but if a word really emphatical had been in the lirfl: fentence, no addi- tional member would have obliged it to alter its inflexion. Thus in the followin'>- fentence :

ExercifeN and temperance^ flrengthen/eveii an indifereni^ conftitution. Here the word indifferent, Y^Kicn is really emphatical, has the falling inflexion ; and

this

44 ELEMENTS OF

this inflexion it will ftill preferve though we lengthen the fentence in imitation of the former by an additional member. For example :

Exercife'' and temperance"^ flrengthen-^ even an indifferent^ conftitution^, and fupply^ in fomc^ meafure the imperfedtions/ of nature^.

Here we find that, however the infle- xion may change place on the reft of the words, the word indifferent muft always have the falling inflexion, or the fenfe of the fentence will not be brought perfedly out. In the fame manner we may ob- ferve, that the fame word in another fen- tence, when it requires ,the rifmg infle- xion, cannot alter that inflexion to the falling, without injuring the fenfe. Thus in the following fentence.

He that has but an indifferent conftitution X)i4ght to flrengihen it by exercife and temper^ ance.

Kere the v/ord indifferent muft necefla- jrily have the cmpliafis with the riflng in-

ELOCUTION. 45

flexion, whatever may be the inflexion ba the other words.

As a farther proof that emphatic words cannot alter their inflexion, we need only attend to the pronunciation of a line in Milton, where two emphatic words are oppofed to each other ; fpeaking of Nim- rod, he fays,

Hunting (and men^ not beajis^ ihall be his game.) B. xii. v. 30.

In pronouncing this pafllage, we fhall find eyery reader lay the falling inflexion on men^ and the rifing on beafts^ as giv- ing them a contrary pofition, that is, pro- nouncing men with the rifmg, and beafts with the falling inflexion, would foon convince us that the former arrangement is precifely what the fenfe demands.

From thefe obfervations this maxim arifes, that as the emphafis of a word de- pends on the fenfe of a fentence, fo the inflexion of voice which this emphatic

word

46 E L E M E N T S O F

word adopts, depends on the fenfe like- wife, and is equally invariable : from whence it will evidently follow, that where there are tvv-o emphatic words in the fame fentence, the fenfe alone can decide which is to have the rihng, and which the fall- ing inflexion of voice.

It has been already proved, that cra- phafis always implies antithefis ; and that where this antithefis is agreeable to the fenfe of the author, the emphafis is pro- per ; but that where there is no antithefis in the thought, there ought to be none on the words ; becaufe, whenever an empha- lis is placed upon an improper word, it v;iH fuggcit an antithefis, which eiilicr does not exift, or is not agreeable to tlie fenfe and intention of the writer. — Here fome new light fcems to be thrown on the nature of cmpluiiis, and a line drav/n to diftinguiih eiii]ihatic vrc.rds Iroin others ; but dill wc arc al a loic. tor the rcaibn

xvLy

ELOCUTION. '47

why one emphatic word fhould adopt the rlfing inflexion, and another the falling : from the foregoing examples, it appears, that every emphatic word requires either the one or the other of thefe inflexions, and that the meaning of an author entirely depends on giving each emphatic word its peculiar inflexion. It does not feem there- fore entirely ufelefs, fo far to enquire into the nature, or fpecific quality, if I may be allowed to call it fo, of thefe two empha- tic inflexions, as to be able to decide which we {hall adopt where the fenfe of the au- thor does not immediately didate. Thus in a former quotation from Milton, when fpeaking of Nimrod, he fays :

Hunting (and me'ii^ not heaJIs^ ihall be his game.

Here I fay, the ear and underfl:anding are both im-mediately fatisned upon pronounc- ing J2ien with the falling, and beafts with the rifrng inflexion ; but in another line

of

48 ELEMENTS OF

of the fame author, when fpeaking of Satan, he calls him,

The tempter e*er the accufer of mankind.

Here, I fay, it is not quite fo clear how we fliall difpofe of thefe two inflexions on the two emphatic words tempter and accufer ; and an enquiry into the nature of thefe inflexions, fo as to fix the pecu- liar import of each, may, perhaps, aflift us in deciding with precifion in this and fimilar inftances.

It has been obferved, that emphafis is divifible into two kinds, namely, into that where the antithefis is exprefled, and that where it is only implied ; or in other words, into that emphafis where there are two or more emphatic words corrcf- ponding to each other, and that where the emphatic word relates to feme other word, not exprefled but underft:ood ; an inflance of the flrll is this :

When

ELOCUTION. 49

When aPerlian foldierwas reviling Alexander the Great, his officer reprimanded him by fay- ing. Sir, you were paid to fight againft Alex- ander and not to rail at him. Spe£lator»

Here we ^ii^Jight and rail are the two emphatic words which correfpond to each other, and that the pofitive member which affirms fomething, adopts the falling in- flexion on Jight^ and the negative mem- ber, which excludes fomething has the rifmg inflexion on rail.

An inftance of the latter kind of em- phafis is this :

By the faculty of a lively and pidlurefque imagination, a man in a dungeon is capable of entertaining himfelf with fcenes and land- ikips, more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compafs of nature.

SpeEtator, N° 411.

Here we find the word dungeon em- phatical, but it has not any correfpondent word as in the other fentence. If we pro-

VoL. IL E nounce

^O ELEMENTS OF

nounce this emphatic word with the fall- ing inflexion the correfpondent words which belong to this emphafis may be imagined to be nearly thefe, not merely abfent from beaufifhl fienes 5 which if add- ed to the word dungeon^ we fhould find perfedly agreeable to the fenfe fuggefted by the emphafis on that word ; if we draw out this latter fentence at length we Ihall find it confift of the fame pofitive and ne- gative parts as the former, and that the pofitive part aflumes the falling, and the negative the rifmg inflexion in both.

EXAMPLES. When a Perfian foldicr was reviHno: Alex- ander the Great, his officer reprimanded him by fiiying ; Sir, you were paid tofgbt^ Alex- ander and not to rail^ at him.

By the faculty of a lively and pifturefque hnagination, a man in a dnn^eot^ ^ and not merely ahfent^ from beautiful fcenes, is capa- ■ble of entertaining himfclf with fcenes and

land-

ELOCUTION. ^t

iandikips, more beautiful than any that can be found ip the whole compafs of nature.

Here then we are advanced one ftep to- wards a knowledge of what inflexion of voice we ought to ufe on one kind of em-

phaflS ; for WHENEVER THE EMPHATIC

Word points out a particular 8emse in exclusion of some other sense, this emphatical word adopts The falling inflexion t the word Jight^ therefore, in the firft, and dungeon in the lafl example, muft necefTarily be pronounced with the falling inflexion, as they tacitly exclude rail., and mere ahfence from beautiful fcenes^ which are in contra-» diftindion to them.

Having thus difcovered the fpecific im- port of one emphatic inflexion, it will not be very difEcult to trace out the other : for as the import of thefe two inflexions may be prefumed to be different, we may, by analogy, be led to conclude, that as the E 2 era-

52 ELEMENTS OF

emphatic word which excludes fomething in contradiftindion to it, demands the falling inflexion, the emphasis with

THE RISING INFLECTION IS TO BE PLACED ON THOSE WORDS, WHICH, THOUGH IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO SOMETHING, ELSE DO NOT ABSOLUTELY

EXCLUDE ITS EXISTENCE. Let US try this by an example. Lothario, in the Fair Penitent, exprefling his contempt for the oppofition of Horatio, fays :

By the joys Which yet my foul has uncontroU'd purfu'd, I would not turn afide from my lealt pleafure Though all thy^ force were arm'd to bar my way. Fair Penitent, A<ft ii.

The word //rt', in this paflage, has the em- phafis with the rifmg inflexion ; which intimates, that however Lothario might be reftrained by the force of others, Ho- ratio's force, at leaft, was too infignificant to control him : and as a farther proof

that

ELOCUTION. 53

tliat this is the fenfe fuggefted by the rif- ing inflexion on the word thy^ if we do but alter the inflexion upon this word, by giving it the emphafis with the falling in- flexion, we fhall find, that inftead of con- tempt and fneer, a compliment will be paid to Horatio ; for it would imply as much as if Lothario had faid, 1 would not turn afide from my leajl pleafure^ not only though common for ce^ but even though thy force^ great as it is^ were armed to bar my ipay : and that this cannot be the fenfe of the paflage is evident.

Here then we feem arrived at the true principle of diftindion in emphafis. All

EMPHASIS HAS AN ANTITHESIS EITHER EXPRESSED OR UNDERSTOOD ; IF THE EMPHASIS EXCLUDES THE ANTITHESIS, THE EMPHATIC WORD HAS THE FALL- ING INFLEXION ; IF THE EMPHASIS DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE ANTITHESIS, THE EMPHATIC WORD HAS THE RISING

E 3 IN-

54 ELEMENTS OF

INFLEXION. The gr^nd dirtindion, therefore, between the two emphatic in- flexions is this ; THE FALLING INFLE- XION AFFIRMS SOMETHING IN THE EMPHASIS, AND DENIES WHAT IS OP- POSED TO IT IN THE ANTITHESIS; WHILE THE EMPHASIS WITH THE RISING INFLEXION, AFFIRMS SOME^ THING IN THE EMPHASIS, VflTHOUT DENYING WHAT IS OPPOSED TO IT IN

THE ANTITHESIS : the former therefore from its affirming and denying abfolutely, may be called the ftrong emphafis, and the latter from its affirming only, and not denying, may be called the weak empha- fis. As a farther trial of the truth of thefe definitions, let us examine them by a few additional examples.

When Richard the Third rejeds the propofal of the duke of Norfolk to par- don the rebels, he fays :

Why

ELOCUTION. 55

Why that, indeed, was our fixth Harry*s way. Which made his reign one fcene of rude com- motion : rU be in men's defpite^ a monarch : no. Let king's ihaxfear^ forgive; blows and revenge For me. Richard IIL Ad: 5.

In this example, we find feveral words emphatical ; but the words defpite d^ViAfear particukrly fo : thefe are always pro- nounced with the ftrong emphafis, which always adopts the falling inflexion. In the foregoing definition of this emphafis, it is fald, that the falling inflexion aflirms fomething in the emphafis, and denies what is oppofed to it in the antithefis ; and we accordingly find, that fomething is affirmed of the words defpite and fear^ and fomething is denied of the antithetic objed:s fuggefted by thefe words, which diXQ favour MsAjearleJjneJs \ for the para- phrafe of thefe words when thus empha- tical, would be, Til be^ not in men s favour ^ E 4 kut

56 ELEMENTS OF

but in their defpite a monarch — and let not me who amfearlefs, but kings that fear ^ for ^ give : by which we perceive, the juftnefs of the definition ; for what is affirmed of the emphatic objed: is denied of the anti- thetic objedt ; agreeably to the definition of the ftrong emphafis, or the emphafis with the falUng inflexion : another exam- ple will ferve farther to illuftrate the na- ture of this fpecies of emphafis.

When Cato is encouraging his little fe- nate to hold out againft Caefar to the laft, he fays :

Why Ihould Rome fall a moment'^ ere her time ?

The emphafis, with the falling inflexion on the word moment^ which is the infle- xion it is always pronounced with, fug- gefts an antithefis oppofed to a moment, which antithefis is, a very Jhort time^ and the import of this emphafis at length, would be equivalent to this : Why Jhould

Romt

ELOCUTION. 57

Rome fall not only a little, but even a mo^ ment before her time ? By which para- phrafe, we fee the definition of this em- phafis again exempUfied ; for fomething" is affirmed of the emphatic object, and fomething is denied of the antithetic obje(3:. Another example will make the juftnefs of the definition ftill more evident. King Henry, in Richard the Third, fpeaking of the foftnefs of his difpofition, fays :

In my eyes jujiice has feem'd bloody.

Rich. III. Ad: i.

In this line the emphafis, with the fall- ing inflexion on the word jujlicey intimates that not only barbarity and cruelty^ but even jujiice feemed bloody : and here, as in. the former examples, the emphatic phrafe is a pofitive propofition, and the antithe- tic phrafe a negative one.

The import of the emphafis with the rifing inflexion, may be exemplified by the following pafllige. Horatio, in the-

Fair

jg E L E M E N T S O F

Fair Penitent, taxing Lothario with for- gery, fays :

*Twas bafe and poor, unworthy of a man^ To forge a fcroll fo villainous and loofe And mark iit with a noble lady*s name.

Fair Penit. Ad ii.

The word man^ in the firft line of this ex- ample, is the emphatic objed:, which muft neceffarily have the rifxng inflexion ; be- caufe this inflexion intimates, that fome- thing is affirmed of the emphatic, which is not denied of the antithetic objedt : the antithetic objed: to the word mariy we may fuppofe, to be fome being of a lower or- der ; and if this emphafis were paraphrafed it would run thus : 'Twas bafe and poor ^ unworthy of a man^ though not unworthy cf a brute. And thus we find, that in this emphafis, what is affirmed of the em- phatic objed is not denied of the antithe- tic objed, agreeably to the defmition laid

down.

In

ELOCUTION. ^g

In the examples which have been hi- therto produced, the emphafis has always clearly fuggefted the antithefis ; and a pa- raphrafe, formed by producing both the emphatic and antithetic objed, has readily prefented itfelf : but there are many in- ftances, where, though the antithetic ob- jed is equally real, it is not fo eafily made out. In order to facilitate this operation, it will be neceflary to obferve, that the human feelings have recourfe to the mofl minute dillindions imaginable for the fake of expreffing thofe feelings with precifion ^nd force.

Thus when Lothario, in the Fair Peni- tent, fays to Lucilla :

I fee thou haft learn'd to rail^.

Fair Penit. A(ft i.

The emphafis with the rifing inflexion

on the word rail^ does not fuggeft any

precife antithetic objed in oppofition to it,

but an indefinite fomething more excellent

than

6o ELEMENTS OF

than railing, as if he had faid, I fee thou hafi learned to rail^ if thou haft not ac^ guired any art more excellent than railing : but whether (he has any fuch acquirement he leaves her to judge.

In the fame manner, when Jane Shore is protefting her fidelity to Edward's iffue, Glofter anfwers ;

'Tis well — we'll iry^ the temper of your heart. Jane Shore, Ad iv.

The emphafis with the falling inflexion on the word try fuggefts an antithefis, which makes it neceflary to have recourfe to the former fpeech : in this we find Jane Shore give proof of her fidelity by pro- teftations ; but Glofter replies, '7/j welly we'll try the temper of your heart ; which is perfectly equivalent to faying, We will not only prove your fidelity by talking^ but by trial \ and as this amplifies and illuftrates the fenfe of the paflage, we may be fure the emphafis is properly placed.

An

ELOCUTION. 6r

An inftance of an antithefis, perhaps, ftill lefs obvious, we have in the following line of Richard the Third, where Prince Edward apologizes for his brother's far- caftic ridicule on the duke of Glocefter ;

I hope your grace knows how to hear^ with him. Richard Act iii.

The word bear^ In this fentence, is the emphatical word, and always pronounced with the rifing inflexion ; but though we perceive at firft hearing, the propriety of adopting this inflexion, we cannot fo rea- dily difcover the antithetic objed intimat- ed by it ; it is not till we confider the definition of the neuter verb to bear^ that we find out what is oppofed to it ; the word bear^ in the paflage alluded to, indi- cates fupporting a degree of difpleafure, fo as to feem pleafed when we are not really fo ; the antithetic objed, therefore, muft be, being really pleafed^ and the paraphrafe, intimated by this emphafis will be this :

/ Iwpe^

6z ELEMENTS OF

1 hope your grace knows how to bear, or t& feem pleafed with him, though not to he really pleafed with him.

Sometimes the fenfe of a pafTage makes It difficult to determine whether we muft ufe the emphafis with the rifmg, or falUng inflexion, and in this cafe, (though it fel- dom happens) we may adopt either the one or the other indifferently. Thus when Horatio, in the Fair Penitent, tells Ca- lifta that he came to her as a friend, {he anfwers :

You are my hujhand's^ friend, tlie friend of Altamo7it !^

The words hujband and Altamont, in thi$ line, are emphatical ; if they are both pro- nounced with the falling inflexion, it im- ports an abfolute denial of the antithetic objed:, which is the frlendjl.np of Horatio to her ; if we pronounce them with th6 rifing inflexion, it only tnfmuates that he is not her friend : and this latter emphafis,

feems

ELOCUTION. '62

feems the moft fuitable to the ntuatlon of CaHfla, as at that time ihe has not fo far broke terms with Horatio as abiblutely to deny that he is her friend.

Thus have I been led infenfibly by my fubjeft into intricacies and diftind:ions, whither, perhaps, but few of my readers will be able to follow me : I might, in- deed, have contented myfelf with lefs mi- nutenefs and precifion, but the fpeculation appeared too curious and ufeful ' to be flightly treated. If what has been ob- ferved of thefe emphatic inflexions be true, we may take occafion to contemplate how few are the principles on which Divine Wifdom conftrudts operations of the greateft extent and variety,: and, it may be prefumcd, that by being acquainted with thefe principles, we Ihall be better enabled to enter into the views of provi- vidence in the gift of fpeech, by perfed:- ing and regulating it according to thefe

views.

64 ELEMENTSOF

views, By a knowledge of the principles of grammar, we are enabled to exprefs our thoughts with greater force, precifion, and perfpicuity ; and it cannot be doubted, that a knowledge of the grammar of pro- nunciation, if it may be called fo, will powerfully tend to the fame ufeful pur« pofe.

PRAC

( 65 )

PRACTICAL SYSTEM OF EMPHASIS.

TTAving endeavoured to fliew the na- ture of emphafis, properly fo called, and attempted to diftinguifh it into its fe- veral kinds, according to the inflexion of voice it adopts ; having made fome efforts to afcertain the peculiar character of each emphatic inflexion, and by this means af- forded fome afliftance to a difcovery of the true emphafis in doubtful cafes : it will be neceflary in the next place to endea- vour to reduce what has been faid into a practical fyftem, and to extend the former obfervations on emphatic inflexion to the pronunciation of every different fpecies of emphafis. Hitherto we have treated chiefly of that en^phafis, which may be called fingle; that is, either where the two emphatic words in antithefis with each other are expreffed ; or where but one of them is exprefled, and the antithefis to it Vol. II. F is

66 ELEMENTSOF

is implied or underflood. But befides thefe, there are inftances where two ern- phatic words are cppofed to two others ; and fometimes, where three emphatic words are oppofed to three others in the fame fentence. Let us take a view of each of thefe different kinds of emphafis in its order :

CExercife and temperance flrengthen even an # indifferent^ conftitution.

f You were paid to fight"^ againft Alexander, 2 and not to rail^ at him.

The pleafures of the imagination are not fo grofs^ as thofe of fenfe^ nor fo refined^ as thofe of the underftanding^ .

C She^ in her girls^ again is courted^ , ^/ 7^ go a zvooing^ with my boys^.

In the firft example, we find the em- phatic word indifferent^ {\\^^^^ an anti- thefis not ^xpreifed, namely, not a good confiitution ; this may be called the fmgle emphafis implied.

la

£ L o c tr r 1 o N. 67

III the fecond example, the word fight and rail are in antithefis with each other, and do not fuggeft any other antithetic objeds ; and this may be called the fmgle emphafis exprefled : but in the next exam- ple, the emphatic words grofs and re^ fined^ are oppofed to each, other, and thefe are contrafted with the other two empha- tic words, finfe and under jianding ; and this mutual correfpondence and oppofition of four parts to each other, may not im- perly be termed the double emphafis j and where three antithetic objects are oppofed to three, as in N° 4. we may call the aflemblage a treble emphafis.

Smgle emphafis.

In the fmgle emphafis we find the in- flexions are fo ftridly appropriated to the nature of the emphafis, that a different arrangement of emphatic inflexion would inevitably alter the fenfe ; this appropria- F 2 tion

6^ ELEMENTS OF

tion of inflexion to fenfe does not feem to hold fo ftridly where the emphafis is double^ or treble ; for here, as tlie anti- thetic objedis are almoft always exprefled, and there is feldom any danger of a jnif- take in the fenfe, we fhall not wonder to find harmony claim her indifputable rights in making this fenfe moft agreeable to the car ; for in an art, whofe intention is to pleafe, as well as inftrucS, we muft never give up what is agreeable but for fake of inftrudion, which is itfelf the greateft pleafure. But though the inflexions of the double and treble emphafis frequently yield to the harmony of arrangement, the Angle emphafis expreffed requires its fpecific inflexion on each part ; for in the fecond example :

You were paid to figbl^ againd Alexander and not to rail^ at him.

Here if we were to place the rlfing infle- xion onjighty and the falling on rail, as

the

ELOCUTION. 69

the harmony of cadeiKe would intimate, we fhoiild foon find, that in the fmgle em- phafis exprefied, there is as ftridt an ap- propriation of inflexion to the fenfe of the emphafis, as when but on€ part of the antithelis is exprefled in the fmgle em- phafis implied. As the inflexions in this fpecies of emphafis therefore, are of much more importance, and much more difficult to fettle than thofe of the double and tre- ble emphafis, it may not be improper, be- fore we enter on the latter, to extend our fpeculations a little on the former.

Whatever may be the reafon Y:^hy the pofitive member of a fentence Ihould adopt the emphafis with the falling inflexion, and the negative member the rifing ; cer- tain it is, that this appropriation of em- phatic inflexion to a pofitive or negative fignification ruo$ through the whole fyf- tem of pronunciation. Agreeably to this -arrangement, we conflantly find good F 3 readers

70 ELEMENTS OF

readers finifh negative fentences with the rifing inflexion, where ordinary readers are fure to ufe the falHng inflexion, and to drop the voice ; and, perhaps this differ- ent pronunciation forms one of the great- eft: differences between good and bad readers : thus in the following fentence from the Oration of Demofl:henes on the Crown, tranflated by Dr. Leland.

Obferve then, i^fchines; our anceftors acfled thus in both thefe inflanccs, not that they acted for their benefadlors^, not that they faw no danger in thefe expeditionfi'^. Such confi-* derations never could induce them to abandon thofe who fled to their protedtion./ No^. From the nobler mctives of glory and renown, they devoted their fcrvices to the diflrefled^.

There are few good readers who will not read the two firft fentences of this pafTagc fo as to terminate them with the riflng inflexion : and this manner of read- ing them we findragreeable to the para^

phrafe

ELOCUTION. 71

phrafe fuggefted by the falling inflexion, adopted by the pofitive fignification of the lall fentence ; by which means all the fen- tences of this pafTage form parts of one thought, and may be reduced to the defi- nition of the emphafis with the falling inflexion ; as, T^hey a5fed from the nobler motives of glory and renown^ , and not in" ferior motives^.

Wherever, therefore, a negative fen- tence, or member of a fentence, is in op- pofition to a pofitive fentence, or member of a fentence, we find it- ufually adopt the rifing inflexion ; and often where there is no correfpondent pofitive mem- ber or fentence exprefled, if the negative member or fentence would admit of a po- fitive, and that the fenfe of this pofitive is agreeable to the general tenor of the compofition ; in this cafe, likewife, we find the negative member or fentence adopt the rifing inflexion. Thus in the F 4 fame

72 ELEMENTS OF

fame oration, Demofthenes, fpeaking of the public works he had ereded, fays,

As to thofe public ivorks (o much the ob- ject of your ridicule, they, undoubtedly, de- mand a due (hare of honour and applaufe ; but 1 rate them far beneath the great merit of my adminillration. It is not with ftones nor bricks that I have fortified the city/. It is not from works like thefe that 1 derive my reputation.^ Would you know my methods of fortifying /? Examine and you will find them, in the arms, the towns, the territories, the harbours I have fecured ; the navies, the troops, the armies I have raifed^.

The two middle negative fentences of this paflage, have not any correfpondent pofitive fentences preceding or following them; but the rifmg inflexion on thefe fentences fuggeft a meaning fo compatible with the mind of the fpeaker, that we cannot doubt of its being the true one ; for it is equivalent to faying, // is not moith works like thefe that I have fortified

the

ELOCUTION. 73

the city^^ hut with fomething much better^. This will receive a farther illuftration from another paflage of the fame orator.

For if you now pronounce, that, as my public condud: hath not be^n right, Ctefiphon muft fland condemned, it muft be thought that yourfelves have adted wrong^, not that you owe your prefent flate to the caprice of fortune /. But it cannot be. No, my country- men ! it cannot be you have aifted wrong, in encountering danger bravely, for the liberty and fafety of all Greece''. No ! by thofe ge- nerous fouls of ancient times, who were ex- pofed at Marathon ! By thofe who flood ar- rayed at Plataea ! By thofe who encountered the Perfian fleet at Salamis ! who fought at Artemilium ! By all thofe illuflrlous fons of Athens, whofc remains lie depofited in the public monuments ! All of whom received the fame honourable interment from their country : not thofe only who prevailed /, not thofe only who were victorious/. And with reafon. What was the part of gallant men they all perform- ed ; their fuccefs was fuch, as the fupreme cii-

redor of the world difpenfed to each.

Tho

74 ELEMENTS OF

The two laft members of the firft fen- tence we find naturally adopt their fpecific inflexions ; that is, the pofitive member, the falling on wrongs and the negative the riling on fortune. The fucceeding fen- tence has a negation in it that fuits the riling inflexion much better than the fall- ing, and therefore Greece has very pro- perly the rifmg inflexion ; and the latter members, not thofe only who prevailed, not iliofe only who were victorious^ will not ad- mit of the falling inflexion without an evident prejudice to the fenfe.

Plaufible, however, as this dodrine may appear, it is not pretended that it is univer- fally true. It is certain, that a negative member of a fentence may often have the falling, and a pofitive member the rifing inflexion : but it is as certain, that where the fentence is fo conftrudted as to require the rifmg inflexion on the negative, and the falling on the pofitive part of the fen- tence,

ELOCUTION. 75

tcnce, there is always both greater force and harmony.

From thefe obfervatlons, therefore, we may conclude, that in the fmgle emphafis where harmony is not groily violated, fenfe ought always to predominate : and hence will arife this general rule : When- ever A SENTENCE IS COMPOSED OF A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PART, IF THIS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPORTS THAT SOMETHING IS AFFIRMED OF ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH IS DENIED OF THE OTHER ; THE POSITIVE MUST HAVE THE FALLING AND THE NEGA- TIVE THE RISING INFLEXION.

Small as the extent of this rule is, it appears to throw fome light on the doc- trine of emphafis ; and particularly where the fenfe of a paflage is not very obvious, and where harmony admits of a diverfity of inflexion. Let us endeavour to reduce

thefe fpeculations to pradice.

In

y6 ELEMENTS OF

In a pafiage of Milton's Paradife Loft, the angel, fpeaking of Nimrod, fays :

Hunting (and men^ not beafls'' fhall be his game.) P. L. B. xii.

Every ear agrees to lay the emphafis with the falling inflexion on men^ and the em- phafis with the rifing inflexion on beajis^ agreeably to the rule jufl: laid down ; but when in the fame author we meet with a defcription of Satan's coming down to be revenged on men in thefe words,—

for now Satan now firft inflam*d with rage came down. The tempter ere th'accufer of mankind. To wreck on innocent frail man his lofs Of that firft battle and his flight to hell.

P. L. B. iv.

In the third line of this paflage we find

no fuch certainty in adapting a difl'erent

inflexion to the two emphatic words

tempter and acciifer^ as in the former in-

ftance.

A little

ELOCUTION. 77

A little reflexion, however, obliges us to give the falling inflexion to tempter^ and the rifing to accufer ; but the reafon of this difpofition does not readily occur, A little farther reflexion will induce us to refolve this arrangement of inflexion into the foregoing rule. For the word ere^ flg- nifying before^ relates to the word now^ in the former line, and the paraphrafe of this emphafis is, The tempter now^ at this time^ not the accufer, as he was afterwards ; whereas a tranfpofition of emphatic infle- xion, that is, the riflng inflexion on tempter^ and the falling on accufer^ would infallibly fuggefl: this fenfe. — The tempter^ not only before he was fomething more in-- imical than accufer^ but before he was even the accufer of mankind. — This paraphrafe agrees fo ill with the fenfe of the paflage, and the former fo well, that we need not hefitate a moment about the true empha- fis.

The

^8 ELEMENTS OF

The reafon for placing the emphafi^ with the rifing iniiexion on accufer^ and that with the failing on tempter^ feems to arife from the fame principle as that of placing the emphafis with the falling in- flexion on the pofitive, and that with the rifmg inflexion on the negative part of a fentence ; for the priority of one thing to another is reducible to its being that thing at that time, and not another thing ; and the preferablenefs of one thing to another is equal to the choice being fixed on one thing and not another. Thus the follow- ing phrafe ; " I would rather * teach the " art of poifoning than that of fophiftry,'* may be reduced to this : if I muft teach one of thefe arts, I will teach poifoning

• This excellent fentiment is Dr. Prieftley's, and as it Hands in his Syftem of Oratory, may ferve for an exam- ple of a beautiful purenthefid ; "If our views really be *' to promote the inrererts of truth (and fooner would I *' teach the art of poifoning than that of fophiilry) this me- *' thod hath another great advantage to recommend it." Byjhm of Oral. p. 4.6. ^iC Parcn'hejjs, p. 330. vol. i.

and

ELOCUTION. j-g

and not fophiftry. But if one of thefe parts of the antithefis admits of emphalis, that is, if it appears to be the intention of the fpeaker, not to fay fimply tliat one thing is prior or preferable to another, but that one of thefe things, in the ftridell fenfe of the word, and oppofed to fome- thing of fmaller import, is prior or prefer- able to another ; or, if one of thefe things is faid to be prior or preferable to another thing, taken in its ftrideil fenfe, and op- pofed to fome other thing of lefs import- ance ; in this cafe, I fay, the emphafis with the falling inflexion is on that part of the anthithefis which intimates fome- thing of more importance than is fimply expreffed. Thus in the following fen- tence,

I would die fooner than mention it. If we mean only to declare our choice be- tween dying and mentioning, the falling inflexion muft be placed on dicy as this is

the

8o ELEMENTS OF

the part of the fentence that correfponds to the pofitive part of the declaration : if we would exprefs this choice with em- phafis, fo as to {how that we would not only undergo great difficulties, but that we would even die fooner than mention it, the fame inflexion is preferved on the fame word, with a fmall addition of emphatic force ; if it were underftood that we would die fooner than mention it, but for fear mention Ihould be taken in too large a fenfe, we wifh to exprefs a refolution of dying before we would difcover the fmall- eft part of it ; in this cafe, I fay, we lliould lay the ftrong emphafis and falling infle- xion on mention^ which would intimate a new antithefis, and be equivalent to fay- ing, / would not only die before 1 would declare or relate it^ but even before 1 would mention it ; and here we find the word die aflume the weak emphafis and rifmg in- flexion, as the queftion in this cafe is not

fo

ELOCUTION* St

fo much about dying, as about the degree of mention we are refolved not to make. But if both parts of the comparifon are underftood, and therefore to be taken fim- ply and without emphafis, and it is the intention of the fpeaker to declare with emphafis the priority or preferabl^nefs only ; in this cafe, the comparative word has the ftrong emphafis and falling infle- xion, and the words compared has the the weak emphafis and riling inflexion. Thus Gay, in his fable of the Elephant and Bookfeller, makes the latter offer the former pay for writing fatire ; and in crder to Ihow there is no necefTity to hire beafl:s to prey on men, while men by envy prey on each other, fays,

Envy^s nJIjarpeA fpur than pa5% ^ Here the word Jbarper has the ftrong em- phafis and falling inflexion, as e/ivy is not faid with emphafis, to be a fharper fpur than pay, as envy is not here oppofcd to

Vol. II, G any

g2 ELEMENTS OF

any other difpofition, or to a difpofition lefs malevolent ; nor is pay oppofed to any other, or to a lefs reward ; but the empha- fis is confined to the comparative word jharper ; as if he had faid, Rnvy is not only a f pur equally p^arpy but Jharper than pay.

On thefe principles we may account for the emphafis which a good a(£tor always places on the firfl part of the antithefis in the following examples :

Uam, What ! look'd he frowning!)' ? //or. A countenance more in forrow^ than in anger-''. Shak/peare's Hamlet j Aft i.

It is a cullom ]More honored in the breacJj^ than the obferv- ancc. Ih'id,

Oh f the blood more"^ flirs. To roLife a lion than to ftart a hare.

Shakjpeare's Flrjt Part Hen. IV. Ad i.

This lall example is the parallel of that from Gay J and it is prcfumed, that a ju- dicious

ELOCtTTIO!^. 83

dicious ador would lay the great ftrefs, that is, the emphafis with the falling iiiw flexion on the word more^ and give the words lion and hare the weak emphafis and rifing inflexion. For Hotfpur, in this paflage, is talking of dangers, and is not fo much comparing them as the advan- tages that arife from them ; and the para- phrafe of this emphafis would be, tJie re-* Jijlance we make to great and fmall daiiger is not equal ; a great danger ft irs the blood much more than a fmall one.

This drawing out the fignification of emphatic words, feems the beft guide in cafes where the fenfe is not quite obvious, and will lead us to decide in many doubt- ful cafes, where nothing but the tafte of the reader is commonly appealed to. To illuftrate this ftiil farther, let us examine a line in Otway's Venice Preferved, where Pierre, expatiating on the VvTetched fl:ite of Venice, fays :

G n Juilx3

&4 ELEMENTS OF

Juftice is ]ame as well as blind among us.

The phrafe, as ivell as, fignifies nothing; more than parity, and is nearly fnnilar in fenfe to the conjundion and; if therefore we lay the falling inflexion on blindy it would be equivalent to faying, Juftice is riot only lame, but blind ; and this is a piece- of information we did not want : for juf- tice is. always fuppofed to be blind. But the falling inflexion on lame, and the rif- ing on blind, is equivalent to faying, yuf- tice is not only blind, as JJ:e is every iDhere elfe, but in Venice fie is lame as well as blind. And that this is the true meaning of the paflage cannot be doubted. If the poet bad written the line in this manner :

Juftice is as lame as {he is blind among us.

The falling inflexion placed on blind, it would imply, that 'Juftice is not only very lame, but even as lame as fie is blind. Thus we fee the fenfe varies with the different

em*

ELOCUTION. S^

emphafis we adopt, and is never fully and forcibly difplayed, without the kind of ■emphalis that is peculiarly fuited to it.

But it may be afked fince the fenfe muft be fully conceived before we can adapt the emphafis to the words, of what ufe it is to ring all thefe changes upon the dif" ferent emphafes, when, though we con- ceive them ever fo diftinvStly, they will only fuggeft one particular fenfe, but will never tell us which we fhall adopt as moil fuitahle to the meaning of the author. To this it may be anfwered, that whatever tends to Ihow the different import of each kind of emphafia, enables us the better to judge of the fuitablenefs or unfuitable- nefs of each emphafis to the fenfe. This unfolding and difplaying of what is fug- gefted by each emphafis is that affiftance to the underdanding, wliich fped;acles are to the eye ; magnifying glalfes are not .calculated for thofe whofe powers of fight G 3 Are

86 ELEMENTS OF

are fo ftrong and clear as to have no need of them, nor for thofe who have no fight at all ; but for fuch as wifh to view objects- diftindily and with lefs labour than with- out this affiftance. Where the fenfe is clear, we need no fuch affiftance j but where the fenfe is obfcure and dubious, it can fcarcely be doubted that difplaying and unfolding it by fuch paraphrafes as are fuggefted by the application of different kinds of emphafis, will tend greatly to take away the ambiguity, and ihow which kind of emphafis is mcil fuitable to the fenfe.

Ab. antlthefis, therefore, either expreff- ed, or undcrftood, is the fole caufe of eniph-ans, it will be deferving of all the reader's application to difcover this anti- thclis where it is concealed, and to difplay it to advantage where it is exprefled : in tiie former inftances we perceived that the ^liiTcrent branches of the antithefis neccf-

farJiy

ELOCUTION. Sy

farily required a different inflexion of voice ; if one branch of the antithefis re- quired the falling, the other neceflarily re- quired the rifmg ; and if the firft branch required the rifing, the other almoft as neceffarily required the falling inflexion : for it is, perhaps, worthy of obfervation, that though the falling inflexion, if it be firft in the fentence, neceffarily requires its correfpondent emphatic word to have the rifing, yet if the firft emphafis adopts the rifing inflexion, it does not fo invariably require its correfpondent emphafis to be of the falling ; but thefe inftances occur fo feldom that they fcarcely form an ex- ception to the contrary, which may there- fore be very juftly called a general rule.

This, perhaps, will be fome guide to us in determining the inflexions we are to ufe on the different branches of an anti- thefis, when thefe branches are complex ; for not unfrequently an antithefis confifts G 4 of

88 E LE M E N T S O F

of four parts, two of which are opposed to two, which is called a double emphaiis ; and fometimes even three parts are op- pofed to three, and then the emphafia may be faid to be trebled.

Double Emphafis,

The double emphafis feems moll fre- quently to be regulated by the harmony of the fentence ; for as it is a general rule, that the rifmg inflexion muft take place in the middle of fuch a fentence, the fecond branch of the firft member muft necefla- rily have the rifmg inflexion, and the reft of the branches muft have fuch an empha- fis and inflexion, as contributes moft to the harmony of the period : with this ge- neral rule, that the two parts of the anti- thcfis have each of them the two different inflexions, arranged in an oppofitc order; that is, as two inflexions in the Hime member cannot be aUke, if the fecond

branch

ELOCUTION. 89

branch of the firft member has the rifmg inflexion, the firft branch muft of courfe have the falling inflexion ; and as the laft branch of the fecond member forms the period, and therefore requires the falling inflexion, the firft branch of this mem-* ber muft neceflarily have the rifing infle- xion ; this is the arrangement of inflexion which feems univerfally adopted by the ear, as it will be found, upon experiment, no other is fo various and mufical. An example will foon convince us of this :

The pleafures of the imagination, taken in their full ejctenr, are not fo grofs^ as thofe of fenje^j nor fo nfined^ as thofe of the underjland"

ing\. Specl. No 411.

In this example, the ear perceives the neceflity of adopting the rifing inflexion on the v,^ord /rJife ; and for the fake of variety, lays the ftrong emphafis and fall- ing inflexion on grofs ; and by the fame anticipation, perceiving the period muft

have

go ELEMENTS OF

hav€ the falling inflexion on imaginatioriy adopts the rlfing inflexion on refined \ by thefe means, the greateft variety Is obtain- ed, and the fenfe inviolably preferved ; for if vye v^ere to repeat this paflage with contrary inflexions on the firfl: member, "Vve (hould focn perceive the impropriety.

The pleafures of imagination, taken in their full extent are not io grofs^ as thofe oi fenje^ ^ nor fo refined as thofe of the iinderfiandtng^ .

Here we perceive the whole fentence is monotonous, by adopting the fame infle- xions in the fame order on the firfl and laft members ; and the fenfe is manlfeftly injured by laying the ftrong cmphafis and falling inflexion In the middle of the fen- tence, contrary to the general rule.

'Treble Emphqfis, The treble emphafis, where all the parts ^re exprefled, occurs but feldom, and when i|: does, there is feldom any difEculty In

pro^

ELOCUTION. 91,

pronouncing it ; for as each part has its correfpondent part exprelTed, there is fcarcely any neceffity to enforce one more than the other, and they eafily fall into a juft and harmonious arrangement. Thus in the following lines :

.^he^ in \itx girls^ again is courted^ I^ go a zvooing^ with my boys^.

Every emphatical words adopt that in- flexion which the harmony of the verfe W'ould necefTarily require, if there were not an emphatical word in the whole coup- let. This arrangement of emphatic in- flexions almoft always takes place when every part of the treble emphafis is ex- preQ'ed, but when the double emphafis has two of its parts fo emphatical as to imply two antithetic objects not expreffed, and fo to form a treble emphafis implied only ; in this cafe, I fay, it is not fo eafily determined how we are to place the em- phatic inflexions. Thus in the following p^ffage of Milton : Farai, hgjty Book I.

g^ ELEMENTS OF

To reign is worth ambition, though in hell ; Better to reign in hell tha« ferve in heaven.

The word heaven and hell, in the laft line, befides the common antithefis which they form to ^ach other, feem to have each of them an antithetic object diftindt and fe- parate, and fo to form a treble emphafis, inftead of a double one ; for the emphafis, with the falling inflexion on hell, feems to intimate, that to reign is fo defn'abie that it is better to reign, not only where it is attended with its urual cares, but even in hell, where it is attended with torments ,; and the fame emphatic inflexion on heaven, implies, that fervitude is not only deteft- iible where it has its ufual conveniencies, but even in heaven where it is attended with pleafures. Thefe paraphrafcs im- plied by the ^mplmfcs with the falling in-r iiexion, feem not only to agree with the fenfe of the author, but necefiariiy to be- long to it J and yet fo agreeable is a con- trary

ELOCUTION. 9j

trary arrangement of inflexion to the ear^ that we feldom find this pafTage pronounc- ed in this manner.

Let a whole aflembly be defired to read thefe hnes in Milton, and a fingle perfon will fcarcely be found whofe ear will not draw him into the common arrangement of emphatic inflexion, though contrary to the flrongefl: fenfe of the paflage :

To reign Is worth ambition though in hell. Better to re'igii^ in hell^, than Jerve^ in heave'/iS .

Moft readers, I fay, in repeating thefe lines will pronounce the lafl: line as it is marked ; that is, they will lay the falling inflexion on reign y and the rifnig inflexion on hell 'y in order to diverfify it from the two concluding branches of the antithefis; that is, the line will be exadly the fame with refped: to inflexion and emphafis as the following ,

Not

04 E L P: M E N T S OF

Not (o grofs^ as thofe of fenfe^, nor fo re^ fined^ as thofe of the underflanding^ .

But if we attend to the fenfe of Milton, We fhall find that the word hell^ though in the middle of the antithefis, feems ne- ceflarrly to require the falling inflexion ; for, as we have obferved, Satan's ambi- tion to reign is fo great, that he wifhes tb reign even in hell ; that is, not ivhere reigning has its vfual cares attending it, but even in hell^ where it is accompanied UHth tortnents^fuited to his fuperior wicked- nefs ; if we wilh to convey this fenfe flrongly, which the words of the author will certainly admit of, we mull necef- farily place the emphafis with the falling inflexion on the word he//^ and negledl the mufic of the line, which would re- quire another arrangement ; for if it is an invariable maxim, that where force and harmony arc inconJlflent, the preference

mufl

ELOCUTION. g^

liiuft be given to the former ; without all queftion, this paflage ought to be read, not as it commonly is, in this manner :

* To reign is worth ambition, though in hell. Better to re/gfi^ in hell^ thany^r^v^ in h^av^n^ .

But in this, To reign is worth ambition though in he!!. Better to reign^ in bell"^ th:inferiJe^ in beav*n^ ,

An emphafis of exadly the fame kind is found in a faying of Julius Casfar, who, when he was palling through an obfcure village in Gaul, made ufe of thefe words :

I uould rather be ihtfirji^ man in that vil- lage^ than the fecond^ in Rome^.

The general harmony of pronunciation invariably inclines us at the firft reading of this paffage, to lay the emphafis with the falling inflexion on Jirji, that with the

• Mr. Garrick, upon being afked to read thefe I'nes, repeated them at firll in the former Tn:>de of placing the emphatic inflexions ; but. upon re-confidsring the.'n, ap- proved of the latter,

rifing

gS ELEMENTS OF

rifrng on village ; the rifing likewife on fecond^ and the faUing on Rome ; but if ■we wifh ftrongly to enforce the fenfe of the words, we muft neceffarily lay the rifing inflexion on Jirft^ and the falhng on village^ in the following manner :

I would rather be \\\Q.jirjl^ man in that vlU Icige^ than iht fccond^ in Rome^.

For in this pronunciation we ftrongly en- fo|*ce the defire he had for fuperiority, by making him prefer it, not only in a com- mon place^ but even in that village^ to infe- riority^ even in Rome, If this latter mode of reading this fentence feems too turgid and emphatic for the hiftoric ftyle, what are we to think of that general rule that feems univerfally to be acknowledged by all readers ; namely, that the fenfe of an author ought always to be enforced to the utmoft, let the harmony be what it will ? This maxim, however, I take to be raihly adopted ; for, as we have before obfervcd,

read-

E L O C tJ T I O N. 97

reading feems to be a compromife betweeri the rights of fenfe and found. Obfcurity is the greateft poffible defed: in reading ; and no harmony , whatever will make amends for it : but if the fenfe of a paf- fage is fufficiently clear, it feems no in- fringement on the rights of the under- ftanding to give this fufficiently clear fenfe an harmonious utterance. In this cafe, it is, perhaps, neceffary to dillinguifh be- tween clear fenfe ^ 2iW^Jlrong fenfe ; the firft, is that which puts the author's meaning beyond the poffibility of miftake ; the latter, as it were, adds fomething to it, and places the fenfe in fuch a point of view as to give it, though not a different, yet a greater force than what the words immediately fuggeft ; but if this addi- tional force becomes harfli, quaint, or affected, the ear claims her rights in fa- vour of harmony ; and good tafte will always admit her claim, when the rights Vol. IL H of

gg ELEMENTS OF

of the underftanding are fufficiently fe-

cured. Thus in that noble fentlment of Cato : A day, an hour of virtuous liberty Is worth a v/hole eternity in bondage.

To pronounce this paflage with the great- eft force, we ought to lay the emphafis with the falling inflexion on eternity ; as this would fuggeft a paraphrafe perfectly illuftrative of the fenfe, which is, that a da)\ or an hour of virtuous liberty is not only ivorth more than the longeji finite du- ration in bondage^ but even a whole eter- nity. This pronunciation, however, would neceffarily give the rifmg inflexion to bon- dage^ which would conclude the paflage fo inharmonioufly, that the ear finds it- felf obliged to negled this fo forcible ex- preflion, and content itfelf with placing the rifing inflexion on eternity^ for the fake of the harmony of the cadence : and a6 the plain import of the word eternity is

fuf-

ELOCUTION. 99

fufficiently ftrong and emphatlcal, fenfe is no great lofer by the facrifice -, if, how- ever the thought could have been fo dif- pofed as to have made a word fo fufcep- tible of force as eternity adopt the falling inflexion and conclude the line, the ex- prellion it is prefumed would have been ilill ftronger. Let us fuppofe, for inftance, the two laft lines had flood thus : A day, an hour, in virtuous liberty. Outweighs in bondage an eternity.

I do not contend that this alteration is not greatly inferior to the original in point of compofition, from the neceffity of adopting words lefs fuitable ; but, I think, I may appeal to the ear of every critical fpeaker for the fuperiority of the latter with re- fpedt to the force and harmony of pronun- ciation. In the fame manner it may be obferved, that if the words in Milton were tranfpofed as in the following line. Better in helh to re'ign^, than/^rw^ in heavn^j Ha the

100 ELEMENTS OF

the falling inflexion on hell^ and the rif- ing on reign would preferve both the force and harmony ; but I am far from prefum- ing to judge whether the line would be better by this alteration. The fame may be obferved of the tranfpofition of the faying of Gsefar :

In that village^ I had rather be the firji vjan^ Xk\2i\M\it fecond-^ m Ro?ne^ .

By this arrangement we fee the ftrongly emphatic words which require the falling infle:^ion are in the beginning and end of the fentence, and the two emphatic words that require the rifmg inflexion in the middle ; and confequently, the inflexions on the two firft and two laft: emphatic words are in a different order. But if a treble antithefis implied will often, for the fake of harmony, negle(fl fuch an cmpha- fis as produces the greatefl: force, there is a much greater neceflity for this facrince to found where every part of the treble

anti-

ELOCUTION. loi

antithefis is exprefled. Thus in the £oU lowing lines :

He^ raifed a mortal^ to the /kies^ She^ drew an an^eU doivriS .

If for the fake of fhowing that Timo- theus did not only raife a mortal very high but even to the Jkt'es ; if, I fay, for the fake of intimating this fenfe we lay the emphafis with the falling inflexion on Jj^ies, we fhall ruin the harmony of the couplet : the fame may be obferved if we lay the fame emphafis on angel; for though this would intimate that St. Cecilia did not draw down a common being, but even an angel, yet this intimation would make no amends for the quaintnefs and difcord this inflexion would occafion ; but if thefe lines had been fo conftrudied as to admit £)f the emphafis with the falling inflexion on thefe words, perhaps we fhould not have found either fenfe or harmony the "Worfe for it.

H 3 He^

102 ELEMENTS O F

lie^ to the^/Vi^ a mortal raifed An angel^ Jl-Je^ dxt\N dowriS .

Thus we perceive there are fome things clear and decided, others ambiguous and indeterminate : the beft decifion in the latter cafe is, to obferve the pronunciation of the beft readers and fpeakers, and to mark it by the inflexions which are here made ufe of. A notation of this kind, will enable us to colled: examples of dif- ferent modes of pronunciation, and to form an opinion from examples of the beft authority ; by this means we ftiall be able to give fome ftability to thofe founds which have hitherto been thought too fleeting and evanefcent for retrofpedion.

General Emphajts,

Hitherto emphafis has been confidered as appropriated to a particular word in a fcnt<?nce, the peculiar fenfe of which de- manded an increafe of force, and an in- flexion

E L O C U T I O N. 103

flexion correfpondent to that fenfe ; we fliail now endeavour to throw fome Hght upon that emphatic force, which, when the compofition is very animated and ap- proaches to a clofe, we often lay upon feveral words in fucceffion : this fucceffive emphatic force does not, like the former, fuggeft any particular meaning excluded by it, and therefore may not improperly be called a general emphafis. This em- phaiis is not fo much regulated by the fenfe of the author, as by the tafte and feelings of the reader ; and therefore does not admit of any certain rule ; but as it is very ftrong and energetic when it is hap- pily applied, it may not be ufelefs to endeavour to give fuch rules as will natu*- jrally arife from a few examples.

When Lycius in Cato feems to have

exhaufted every topic in favour of giving

up a hopelefs war and fubmitting to Caefar,

he concludes with this emphatic period.

H 4 What

104 ELEMENTS OF

What men could do. Is done already : heav'n and earth will vvitncfa If^ Rome^ muft^ jalV , that we are innocent.

The common manner of pronouncing this laft line is to lay an emphafis with the rif-^ ing inflexion on the word mujl^ which is certainly a very juft one, and may be call- ed the particular emphafis ; but if we were to place an emphafis on each of the four words, if^ Rome^ muji^ fo'^^^i that is, the emphafis with the rifing inflexion on ift that with the falling on Rome and mtift^ and the rifing onfall \ if thefe em- phafes, I fay, are pronounced wuth a dif- tincl paufe after each, it is inconceivable the force that will be given to thefe few words.

In the fame manner, when Demoflhenes is dcfcribing the former helplefs ftate of Athens, he fays,

There was a time then my fcllow-clnzcns, when the Laccdsemoninns were fovercign maf-

tcrs

ELOCUTION, 105

ters both by fea and land : when their troops and forts furrounded the intire circuit of At- tica, when they poiTeffed Eubcea, Tanagra, the whole Bccotian diftridt, Megara, JEgina, Cleo- ne, and the other iflands; while this ftate had not one Ihip, «oA one^ zvall^.

The general mode of pronouncing the laft member of this fentence, is, to lay aa emphafis on the lafl word wall: this is unqueftionably proper ; but if we lay an emphafis on the three laft words, that is, the falling on not^ the rifmg on one^ and the falling on wall^ and paufe very dif^ tindly between each ; we fhall be at no lofs to decide on the fuperiority of this ge^ peral emphafis. We have another inftancc of the force of this general emphafis, in that beautiful climax of Zanga, in the tragedy of the Revenge ;

That's truly great! what think you 'twas fet up The Greek and Roman name in fuch a luftre,

IBut

lo6 ELEMENTS OF

But doing right in ftern defpite of nature. Shutting their ears to all her little cries. When great auguft and godlike jufticc call'd. At Aulis one pour'd out a daughter's life, And gain'd more glory than by all his wars; Another flew a filler in juft rage ; A third, the theme of all fucceeding times, Gave to the cruel ax a darling fon : Kay more, for juflice fome devote themfelves As he at Carthage, an immortal name ! Yet there is one^ ftep^ left^ above them all. Above their hiflory, above their fable ; A wife^ , bride^ , miftrej^ , unenjoyed^ Do that, and tread upon the Greek and Ro- man gbry. Mt Iv. Scene laft.

In pronouncing this paflage, we fhall find the generality of readers content them- felves with laying an emphafis upon the word one m the thirteenth line, and pro- nounce the two fucceeding words Jiep and lefl without any particular force ; but if we give emphatic force to each of thefe three words, and at the fame time paufe

con-

ELOCUTION. 107

confiderably after every word, we fhall ^nd the whole Hne glow with meaning and energy ; for though pronouncing the word one^ with the emphafis and rifing inflexion, and the fucceding words Jiep and left with the fame inflexion without emphafis, would undoubtedly bring out the author's fenfe ; yet pronouncing one\ and Jiep^^ both with emphafis and the falling inflexion, feems to fnatch a grace ^ beyond the reach of art, and fall in with the enthufiafm of the poet. The empha- fis with the falling inflexion and increas- ing force, on the four fucceflive words ii'ife^ , bride^ , mijlrejs^ , unenjoyed^ , in the lafl: line but one, crowns the whole cli-. max with fuitable force and harmony.

Intermediate Member^

It now remains to fay fomething of an emphatic circumfl:ance, which, though not mentioned by any of our writers on

the

Io8 E L E M E N T S O F

the fubjedl, feems of the utmoft import*, ance to an accurate idea of pronunciation. It has been already obferved, that em- phatic force is relative : it may be like- wife obferved, that it is not relative only with refpecft to the inferior force which is given to the unemphatic words ; it is re- lative alfo with refpe£t to the inflexion on thofe words that are not emphatical ; that is, emphafis derives as much force from pronouncing thofe words which are not emphatical with a peculiar inflexion, as it docs from pronouncing the emphatic words themfelves, with a fuitable inflexion and greater force. Let us endeavour to illuf- trate this by an example :

Mufl vvc, In your perfon, crown the author of the public calamities, or inuft we deftroy him ? Aifchlnes ai^<-i:,ift D:r)iojthencs.

Here, I fay, in order to preferve to the iwo emphatical words, crown and d^ftroy^

that

ELOCUTION. 109

that force which the contrafi: demands, we mull neceflarily pronounce the inter- mediate member, the author of the public calamities with the rifing inflexion, hke crown^ but in a feebler, though higher tone of voice ; this mode of pronunciation places the oppofite parts in full view, which would be neceflarily obfcured, if the words author of the public calamities^ had the leaft portion either of force or va- riety. This v/ill be farther illuftrated by another example.

It is not he who has ftrengthened our forti- fications, who hath digged our intrenchments, who hath difturbed the tombs of our anceftors, that fhould demand the honours of a patriot minilter, but he who hath procured fome in- trinfic fervices to the ilate.

Here the intermediate member, that Jhould demand the honours of a patriot minifter^ which agrees both with the pofitive and negative part of the fentence, mufl: be

pro-

no ELEMENTS OF

pronounced in fubordinatlon to the word, ancejiors ; that is, as this word has the emphafis with the rifing inflexion, ac- cording to the general rule, the interme- diate member muft have the rifmg infle- xion likewife, in a high and feeble tone of voice, and without any peculiar force up- on any of the words.

Another example will render this rule ftill clearer :

A good man will love himfclf too well to lofe an eftate by gaming, and his neighbour too well to win one.

In this fentence as in the two former, there are two principal confl:ru6:ive parts, and between thefe parts there is a member which relates to both, and muft be pro- nounced in fubordinatlon to both, elfe the force of each will be loft. This member is, an eft ate by gaming ; the firft principal conftrudive part of this fentence ends with the emphatic word lofc^ and as Its

con-

ELOCUTION. irr

connexion with the latter conftrudive part neceflarily requires that it Ihould be pro*- nounced with the rifnig inflexion, every word of the intermediate member which follows it, muft be pronounced with the riling inflexion likewife : for if any em- phafis or variety of inflexion be given to this member, it will infallibly deprive the correfpondent antithetic words, himfelf^ Jofe^ neighbour^ and win^ of all their force and harmony. Every word of this mid- dle member, therefore, mufl: be pronounc- ed with the rifmg inflexion, in a fome- what higher tone than the w^ord lofe^ and nearly approaching a monotone. On the contrary, if we were to place this member at the end of the fentence in this 'manner,

A good man will love himfelf too well to lofe, and his neighbour too well to win an eftate by gaming.

In this arrangement, in order to give force and variety to the correfpondent em- phatic

112 ELEMENTS OF

phatic words, the fame inflexions muft take place as before; that is, himfelf r^vSk. have the falling, hfe the rifing, neighbour the rifing, and ivin the falling inflexion : and to preferve this order, which can alone give the fentence its due precifion, the lafl member, an eft ate hy gaming^ muft be pronounced with the fame inflexion as the word win^ but in a lower tone of voice, and approaching to a monotone : for if any force or variety is given to thefe words, it mufl: necefl'arily be at the expence of thofe that are alone entitled to it. The bad ef- fed:, indeed, of pronouncing fo many words at the end of a fentence in fo low and feeble a tone, is apt to invite the ear to a different pronunciation at firft, but a mo- ment's refledion on the fenfe will induce us rather to difpenfe with a want of found than of meaning. The firfl: of thefe forms of arranging the words is indifputably the belt ; and writers would do v/ell to make

it

£ L O C U T I O Ni II j

it a riile in compofition, never to finifh a fentence with a member that relates to each part of a preceding antithefis ; a neg- lect of this rule occafions many uncouth fentences even in our beft authors.

Mr. Addifon, fpeaking of the power of the imagination, fays,

It would be in vain to enquire whether the power of imagining things ftrongly proceeds any greater perfection in the foul, or from any nicer texture in the brain of one man than of another. SpeSl. N° 417.

In this fentence, in order to prefent each part of the antithefis, y^;^/ and brain ^ clearly and precifely to the mind, it will be neceffary to confine the emphatic force to thefe words alone ; and this can be done no other way than by laying the rifmg inflexion on foul, and the falling on brain, and pronouncing the lafl: member of one man than of another, with the fame inflexion as brain, but in a lower and al-

VoL. IL I mod

Ii4 ELEMENTS OF

moft monotonous tone of voice ; this will neceflarily give an uncouthnefs to the found of the fentence, but is abfolutely neccflary to give the fenfe of it ftrongly and clearly.

It is true, that by this mode of pronun- ciation, the intermediate member is pre- fented lefs clearly to the mind ; but when we confider that the fenfe of it is nearly anticipated by the comparative ^r^^/t^r and nicer^ we fhall with lefs reluctance give it up to the principal emphatic words, foul and brain.

It muft not be diflembled, however, that if this intermediate member contains an emphatical word, or extends to any length, it will be neceflary to confider it as an eflential member of the fentence^ and to pronounce it with emphafis and variety. Thus if the fentence juft quoted had been conftruded in this manner :

A good

JELOCUTION. 11^

A good man will love himfeif too well to lofe, and his neighbour too well to win^ a very confiderable fum by gaming.

If in reading this fentence we were to place the emphafis with the rifing infle- xion on lofe^ and the falling on win^ and were to pronounce the reft of the fentence in a low monotonous tone of voice, in the fame manner as when it contained but half the number of fyllables, we fhouM be both obfcure and difcordant, but as the laft member is lengthened to double the number of fyllables, we find it may be fo pronounced as to form an harmonious ca- dence. Another example will fhow the neceffity of fometimes breaking the gene- ral rule. Mr. Addifon, fpeaking of the mutual polifh and refinement which the in- tercourfe between the fexes gives each other, concludes,

In a word : a man v/ould not only be an

unhappv, but a rude unfinilhed creature, were

I % he

Il6 ELEMENTS OF

he converfant with none but thofe of his own make. SpeSi, N" 433.

Here we find the intermediate member clofe the fentence, and is of fuch a length as to forbid the feeble monotone which is proper in other cafes. It may not, how- ever, be ufelefs to obferve, that when thefe intermediate members are fo long, or of fo much importance as to demand an emphatical pronunciation, the anti- thefis is in fome meafure obfcured, and the fentence is deprived of fpirit and viva- city.

Before we conclude this article, we may obferve, that the emphafis on oppofite parts, which obicures the intermediate member, is calculated more for the pur- pofes of force than harmony ; and there- fore ought to be obferved with Icfs rigour in verfe than profe ; but where the former is familiar, argimientative, and flrongly ernphatical, it feems to recjuire the obfcure

pro-

ELOCUTION. 117

pronunciation of the intermediate mem- ber no lefs than the latter.

EXAMPLE.

Tis hard to fay if greater want of fkill Appear in writing or in judging ill : But of the two iefs dangerous is tK' offence. To tire our patience than mifiead our fenfe ; Some few in that, but numbers err in this, Ten cenfure wrong for one who writes amifs ; A fool might once himfelf alone expofe. Now one in verfe makes many more in profe.

Pope's EJfay on Crif.

In the firfl couplet of this paiTage, the word /'//, which agrees to both the em- phatic words, writing a.nd Judging, is pro- nounced feebly with the falling inflexion, after a ftrong pronunciation of the fame inflexion on Judging. In the next coup- let tire 2ind patienct\ mi/lead and Jenje, form, a double emphafis, and come under the general rule ; but in the next couplet, the words wrong and amifs, being only difFer- I 3 ent

Il8 ELEMENTS OF

cnt expreflions for the fame idea, are to be confidered as an intermediate member to the two emphatic words cenfure and write^ and pronounced feebly with the fame in- flexions as the words they follow.

From what has been faid on this article, it appears of how much importance to reading and fpeaking is a judicious dillri- bution of emphafis ; and if what has been obferved is true, it is evident how ufeful, and even neceifary it muft be, in teaching, to adopt fomething like the method of marking them here pointed out. Methods of this kind are ufually rejedied, becaufe at fiifl; they are found rather to embarrafs than affiil the reader ; but this will be found to be the cafe in every art where improvement arifes chiefly from habit : the principles of niulic would embarrafs and puzzle a performer who had learned only from the ear, but nothing but a knowledge of thefe principles could con- vey

ELOCUTION. 119

vey tb him the difficult paflages of a com- pofer, and enable him to acquire them without the affiftance of a teacher. Read- ing, indeed, may be confidered as a fpe- cies of mulic ; the organs of utterance are the inftruments, but the mind itfelf is the performer ; and, therefore, to purfue the fimilitude, though the mind may have a full conception of the fenfe of an author, and be able to judge nicely of the execu- tion of others, yet if it has not imbibed the habit of performing on its own inftru- ment, no expreffion will be produced. There is a certain mechanical dexterity to be acquired, before the beautiful concep- tions we pofTefs can be communicated to others. This mechanifm is an effential part of all the fine arts. Nothing but ha- bitual practice will give the mufician his neatnefs of execution, the painter his force of colouring, and even the poet the hap- pieft choice and arrangement of his words I 4 and

I20 E LE M EN T S O F, &c.

and thoughts. How then can we exped that a luminous and elegant expreflion in reading and fpeaking can be acquired without a finiilar attention to habitual practice ? This is the golden key to every excellence, but can be purchafed only by labour, unremitting labour, and perfe-i verance.

HAR.

121

HARMONIC INFLEXION.

"pEfides that variety which neceflarily arifes from an attention to the fore- going rules, that is, from annexing cer- tain inflexions to fentences of a particular import or flrudlure, there is ftill another fource of variety, in thofe parts of a fen- tence where the fenfe is not at all con- cerned, and where the variety is merely to pleafe the ear. It is certain, that if the fenfe of a fentence is jftrongly conveyed, it will feldom be inharmonioully pro- nounced ; but it is as certain, there are many members of fentences which may be differently pronounced without affed:- jng the fenfe, but which cannot be differ- ently pronounced without greatly afFe(£t- ing their variety and harmony. Thus in the following fentence :

A§ we perceive the Ihadovv to have moved ^long the dial-plate^ but did not perceive it

moving ;

122 ELEMENTS OF

moving; and it appears that the grafs has grown^ though nobody ever faw it grow^: fo the advances we make in knowledge^, as they confifl: of fuch minute llcps are only perceiv- able by the diftance^ .

In this fentence, provided we do not

drop the voice before the end, the fenle of

the fentence is not at all concerned in any

of the inflexions, except that on grow in

the middle, which muft neceflarily be the

rifing, and that on dljiance at the end,

w^hich muft be the falling inflexion : if

thefe inflexions are preferred on thefe

words, the reft may take their chance, and

the fenfe will be fcarcely affedted ; but

the duUeft ear muft perceive an infinite

advantage to the harmony in placing the

falling inflexion on grown in the firft part

of the fentence, and on knowledge in the

laft : and fo natural is this pronunciation,

that there are few readers fo bad as not

to place thefe inflexions on thefe words

ivithout any other guide than the ear.

This

ELOCUTION. 123

This part of pronunciation, therefore, though of little importance to the fenfe, is of the utmoft importance to the har- mony of a fentence. Every writer on the fubjed: has left it entirely to the ear ; and, indeed, fo nice are the principles on which harmony and variety in pronunciation de- pend, that it is no wonder any analylis of it has been fhifted off, and clafTed among thofe things for which it is utterly impof- fible to give rules. But, as we have of- ten obferved, though the varieties of voice, in other refpeds are almoft infinite, all thefe varieties are Hill reducible to two ra*- dical and eflential differences, the upward and downward Hide or inflexion ; and therefore, though the high and low, the the loud and foft, the quick and flow, the forcible and feeble, admit of almoft infi- nite degrees, every one of thefe diff'er- ences and degrees muft either adopt the riling or falling inflexion of voice ; and

thefe

124 ELEMENTS OF

tliefe inflexions being more effential to the fenfe and harmony than any, or all the other differences, we have in the diftinc- tion of the voice into the riling and fall- ing inflexion, a key to part of the har- mony and variety fo much admired, and, it may be added, a very eflential part. If therefore no rules could be given for the application of thefe inflexions to the pur- pofes of harmony and variety, the prac- ticability of marking upon paper thofe which arc adually made ufe of by good readers and fpeakers, would be of the ut- moft importance to elocution ; but in this as well as in other cafes, an attempt will be made to chalk out fome rules, which it is hoped will not be entirely ufelefs.

TreUminary Ohferi-ations.

When flmilar members of fentences do not run into fuch a feries, as brings them into the enumerative form ; the voice,

both

ELOCUTION. 125

both to relieve the ear, and imprefs the fenfe, falls naturally into a fucceffion of inflexions, which is fomething fimilar to, that ufed in the feries, and at once gives force and variety : thefe inflexions fome- times take place at the beginning of a fen- tence, where the members are fimilar ; but mofl: commonly near the end, when the fentence is concluding with feveral fimilar members, which, without this inflexion on fome particular words, would difguft the ear by a fucceffion of fimilar founds. This inflexion, from the obvious ufe of it, we may call the Harmonic Inflexion.

Difficult, and, perhaps, impoffible as it is to defcribe founds upon paper to thofe who are wholly unacquainted with them, the taflc is not quite fo arduous when we addrefs thofe who have a general idea of what we attempt to convey. If the na- ture of the rifing and falling inflexions has been fufficiently conceived, the ufe of

them

126 ELEMENTS OF

them in this particular will be cafily point- ed out. The harmonic intlexion then is ufing the riling and falling inflexion of the voice upon fuccelTive words, princi- pally, to pleaie the ear, and break a conti- nued chain of fimilar paufes. For the rifing inflexion of the voice has nothing emphatical in it, nor the falling any thing concluding. As this latter inflexion, and the fmall paufe that accompanies it, often takes place on words that are immediately conned;ed in fenfe with what follows, it feems barely a refting place for the voice and ear, and fuch an enforcing of the fenfe as naturally arifes from a more deli- berate pronunciation of the words. That the voice may be in the falling inflexion without marking a conclufion in the fenfe, and even while it excites expectation of fomething to follow, is evident from the pronunciation of the firfl member of a fer- ries ; but this falling inflexion of the

voice

ELOCUTION. 127

voice is effentially different from that which we commonly ufe when we con- clude a fentence ; for, in the former cafe, as has been already obferved, the voice is palpably raifed higher than on the pre- ceding words, though ending with the falling inflexion * ; in the latter, it falls gradually lower on feveral of the preced- ing words, and may properly be faid to drop. An example will contribute greatly to the comprehending of this marking in- flexion, fo neceffary to the variety and harmony of a fentence.

We may obferve, that any fingle circiim- ftance of what we have formerly feen often, raifes up a Whole fccne of imagery, and awakens numberlefs ideas that before flept in the ima- gination ; fuch a particular fmell or colour is able to fill the mind on a fudden with a pic- ture of the fields or gardens where we firft met with it; and to hring^ up mx.o ykzv^ y all the variety of images that once attended it.

SpeBatory N'^417.. ■* See Vol. r, p. 141, 1:^5, 149.

128 ELEMENTS OF

We may here obferve, that the former' part of this letter has a fucceffion of fimi- lar paufes till it comes to the femicolon, (which, from the complete fenfe it forms, might as well have been marked by a co- lon), and that the fucceeding part of the fentence runs exactly into the fame fuc- ceffion of fimilar paufes ; which, if pro- nounced exadly alike, wonld offend the ear by a monotony. - A good reader, therefore, folicitous to avoid a famenefs of found, throws his voice into the rif- ing inflexion upon brings and into the falling upon vieio^ by which means a va- riety is introduced, and the period ends more harmoniouily from the preparation made for it by the harmonic inflexion.

Another inftance where this inflexion may be repeated fucceffively, is, perhaps, better calculated to convey an idea of it.

V/e may It-arn from tliis obicrvation which we have made on the liiir.d of man, to take

par-

.fe L O C U T I O Ni 120

pariicular care, when we have once fettled in a regular courfe of life, how we too frequently indulge ourfclves in any the mod innocent di- verfions and entertainments ; fince the mind may infenfibly fall off from the reliih of vir- tuous adtions, and by degrees-^ exchange^ that'' pleafure^, which it takes in the performance of its duty, for delights of a much more infe- rior and unprofitable nature. SpcB. N*^ 447.

In this example, we have the fame fuc- ceflion of fimilar paufes as in the laft ; and though the voice may very properly fix it- felf in the falling inflexion on the word efi^ tertainments^ and by that means jccafion fome variety, yet the fubfequent part of the period proceeds by fimilar paufes as well as the former, and therefore, the har- monic inflexion introduced upon the words degrees and exchange^ and upon that^ and plea fur c^ that is, the rifing inflexion upon degrees and that^ and the falling inflexion upon exchange and plea fur e ; by this means, I fay, the monotony will be broken, the Vol. IL K thought

I30 ELEMENTS OF

thought enforced, and the period render- ed much more mufical.

One example more, where this inflexion may be oftener repeated, will ftill better enable us to fhow the real nature and ufe of it.

I muil confefs I think it below reafonable creatures to be altogether converfant in fucli diverfions as are merely innocent, and have nothing elfe to recommend them but that there 13 no hurt in them. Whether any kind of gaming has even thus much to fay for itfelf, I fhall not determine ; but I think it is very won- derful to fee perfons of the heft/ i'enk^ pafling^ away^ a dozen/ hours together^ in fhuffling'' and dividing^ a pack of cards, with no othcr^ converfation"^ but what is made up of a few game phrafes, and no other ideas, but thofe of black and red fpots ranged together in dif- ferent figures. Spe^, N'^ 93.

The neceffity of introducing the harmonic inflexion in the latter part of this fentence will better appear, by firfl reading it in

the

ELOCUTION. 131

the Common manner, and afterwards with the inflexion we have been defcribing ; this will ihow the difficulty of avoiding a monotony without adopting this infle- xion, and the variety and force it gives to the language and fentiment when it is adopted. The words bejl and fenfe ; paf- Jing and away ; dozen and together ; Jhuf- fling and dividing ; other and converflition ; thefe words, I fay, will be very apt to drag, and produce a famenefs of found if pronounced in the common way ; but if the rifmg inflexion is ufed on the firft, and the falling on the lafl: of every pair, the monotony will be prevented, and a fucceffion of founds introduced, very de- fcriptive of the repetition conveyed by the words.

Having thus endeavoured to convey a general ideaof theneceffityofthis inflexion, we Ihall attempt to reduce the ufe of it to a few general rules.

K 2 Rule

132 ELEMENTS OF

Rule I. When fimilar members fucceed each other at the beginning of a fentence, and commence a frclh fubjed, or a dif-- tinfk part of a fubje(3:, the harmonic in- flexion is better omitted.

EXAMPLES.

Thofa who arc under the great officers of flate, and arc the inflruments by which they ad:, have more frc(}ucnt opportunities for the cxercifc of companion and benevolence, than their fupcriors thcn:lclves. Spc^l. N*^ 469.

In this example, the firft member com- mences a paragraph, and therefore the harmonic inflexion fliould not be ufed on officers of f. ate : but in the next example, where a fimilar member of a fentence is preceded by three nearly flmilar periods, this inflexion falls very properly on the firft member of the laft of the fucceeding fentences : that is the riflng inflexion on the word plea/tire^ and the falling on the word prcfcnt ; and the falling infle- xion

ELOCUTION. 133

x'lon on happinefs^ and the rifing on herc^ after,

EXAMPLE.

There is nothing which ftrengthens faith more than morality : faith and morality natu- rally produce each other. A man is quickly convinced of the truth of religion who finds it not againft his intereft that it (hould be true, Tht pie af lire ^ he receives at prefent^, and the happinefs^ which he promifes himfelf from it hercaftir^^ will both difpofe him very power- fully to give credit to it, according to the or- dinary obfervation, that we are eafy to believe what we wifh. Spe^i. N° 465.

Were a human foul thus at a ftand in her accompliiliments, were her faculties to be full blown and incapable of further enlargements, I could imagine it might fall away infenlibly, and drop at once into a liate of annihilation. But can we believe a thinking being, that is in a perpetual progrefs^ of improvements^, and travelling on trom perfe6:ion to perfection, iifrer having juft looked abroad into the works'^ of his Creator"^, and made a few difcoveries K 3 of

134 ELEMENTS OF

of his infinite goodncfs, wifdom, and power, mnft perifh at her firft fetting out, and in the very beginning of her enquiries ? SpeB. N° 1 1 1 .

In this laft example, the words p^ogrefs^ hoth^ and itnprovemcnts^ come under the above mentioned rule, and may very pro- perly have the harmonic inflexion ; and as the word works and Creator in the next member but one are under the fame pre- dicament, it will add greatly to the variety of this concluding fentence to pronounce thefe alfo with the fame inflexion.

But the great objed: of the harmonic inflexion is forming the cadence : here it is, that harmony and variety are more pe- culiarly necelTary, as the ear is more par- ticularly afl'eded by the clofe of a fubjedl, or any branch of a fubjedt, than by any other part of the compofition. AVe have had frequent occafion to obferve, that though a feries of fentences may all re- quire to be pronounced with the falling

infle-

ELOCUTION. 135

inflexion ; yet if they all belong to one fubje£i:, or one branch of a fubjed:, ufu- ally called a paragraph, that the laft of them only demands that depreffion of voice which marks a conclufion : to which obfervation we may add this general rule. Rule II. When a feries of fimilar fen- tences, or members of fentences, form a branch of a fubjed; or paragraph ; the laft fentence or member muft fall gradu- ally into a lower tone, and adopt the har- monic inflexion, on fuch words as form the moft agreeable cadence.

EXAMPLE.

One of the moft eminent mathematicians of the age has afiured me, that the greateft pleafure he took in reading Virgil was in exa- mining j^neas's voyage by the map; as I qvieftion not but many a modern compiler of hiftory would be delighted with little / more^ in that divine^ author ^ than in the bare mat- ters of fadt. Spe8. N° ^09.

K 4 Here

136 ELEMENTS OF

Here we. find placing the rifing infle* xion upon the word little, and the falling upon more ; and the falling upon divine^ and the rifing upon author^ gives both a diilindinefs and harmony to the cadence.

Gratian very often recommends the fine tafte as the utmoil: perfedion of an accom- plifhed man. As this word arifes very often in converfation, I Ihall endeavour to give fome account of it ; and to lay down rules how we rnay know whether we are poiTeffcd of it, and how/ we may acquire^ that finc"^ raftc of writ- ing/, which is fo much talked of among the polite world. ZpeH. N^ 109.

Placing the rifing inflexion upon the word hoiv^ and the falling upon the word acquire ; the falling inflexion upon the word^;?^-, and the rifing upon "writings prevents a lamenefs which would other- wife arife from the fimilitude of the three members, and gives an agreeable clofe to the fentence.

Oiii

ELOCUTION. 137

Our general tafte in England is for epigram, turns of wit, and forced conceits; which have no manner of influence either for the bettering or enlarging the mind of him who reads them, and have been carefully ^ avoided^ by the greateft^ writers^ both ancient and modern.

SpeBalor, N^ ^09.

In this iiiftance, by giving the word carefully the riimg, avoided the falling, great eft the falling, and writers the rifing jniiexion, we produce a various and har- monious fall to the period.

I would have cv^^ry zealous man examine his heart thoroughly, and I believe he will of- ten^fino^, that what he calls a zeal for his religion, is either pride, intereft, or ill nature.

Spetlator, N^. 185.

The word ofteJi having the rifmg, and find the falling inflexion, gives a peculiar energy, as well as harmony, to this fen- tence.

And that this temper of mind deludes a man yery often into an opinion of his zeal, may

appear

138 ELEMENTS OF

appear from the common behaviour of the atheifl ; who maintains, and fpreads^ his opi- nions^ with as much^ heat^ as thofe who be- lieve they do it only out of a paffion for God's glory. Spea.N'^ids,

Throwing the harmonic Inflexion on the words Jpreads and opmions^ and much and heat^ adds greatly to the variety and har- mony of this period.

Since I have mentioned this unaccountable zeal which appears in atheids and infidels, 1 muft farther obferve, that they are likewife in a mod particular manner poiTeffed with the fpirit of bigotry. They arc wedded ^ to opi- nions^ full of contradicflion^ and impoflibility ^, and at the fame/ tinie^ look upon the fmall- eft/ difficulty^ in an article^ of faith/ as a fufficient reafon for rejcdling it.

Spetlaior, N^ 185,

As the rifmg inflexion on the word n^edded^ and the falling on the word opi- 7iions^ the falling on contradidiion^ and the

rif-

ELOCUTION. 139

rifing on impojjibility^ prevents a famenefs in the firll member of the laft fentencc arifmg from its fimilitude to the clofmg member of the firft, fo the rifmg inflexion upon the Yiox&sfame diuAJmalleft^ and the falling upon time and difficulty^ and the falling upon article^ and the rifmg upon. faith ; this arrangement of inflexions, I fay, on the latter part of the fentence, gives a force, harmony, and variety, to the cadence.

We may be fure the metaphorical word tafte would not have been fo general in all tongues, had there not been a very great con- formity between that mental tafte, which is the fubjed: of this paper, and that fenfitive taHe which gives us a relilh of every different flavour that affed:s the palate. Accordingly^ we find^, there are as many degrees of refine- ment^ in the intelle(ftual faculty, as in the fenfe which is marked out by this commoa denomination. Spe^. N«* 409.

If

140 ELEMENTS OF

If we do but place the rifing inflexion on accordingly i and the falUng on find, the rifing on many^ and the faUing on refine- ment^ in the laft fentence, we fhall per- ceive a great variety, as well as precifion and harmony, added to the whole paf- fage.

li A R-

ELOCUTION. 141

HARMONY OF PROSE.

npHE foregoing obfervations on the har- mony of the cadence, have, undoubt- edly, fuggefted to the reader, that great object of ancient and modern compofition, the harmony of profe ; this is a fubjed; fo intimately connected with harmonious pronunciation, that it feems neceflary to inveftigate the principles of that compo- fition which is generally efteemed harmo- nious, in order, if pofTible, to throw feme light upon the moft accurate mode of de- livering it.

The ancients thought harmonious prole to be only a loofer kind of numbers, and refolved many paiTages of their moft cele- brated orations into fuch feet as compofed verfe. In modern languages, where ac- cent ftands for the quantity of the anci- ents, w^e find harmonious profe refolvable into an arrangement of accented fyllables,

lb me-

142 ELEMENTS OF

"fomewhat fimilar to that of verfificatlon. The return of the accented fyllable at cer- tain intervals feems the common defini- tion of both.

In verfe we find thefe intervals nearly- equal ; and it is this equality which forms the meafure. Thus in the following couplet :

Short is the date, alas! of modern rhymes ; And 'cIs but juft to let them live betimes.

Pope.

An undifclplined reader in pronouncing this fentence, would be apt, from the greater fmoothnefs of the line, to lay the accent, or metrical emphafis as it may be called, on the word is in the firft line ; but as this vv^ould bring forward a word, which, from its nature is always fuffici- ently underftood, a good reader will place the accent onfiort and date^ and fink the words is the into a comparative obfcurity ; and as this interval of two fyllables hap- pens

ELOCUTION. 143

pens at the beginning of a line, it is fo far from having a bad efFedt on the ear, that it frequently relieves it from the too great famenefs to which rhyming verfe is always liable.

But if this inequality of interval is fome- times for the fake of variety neceffary in verfe, it is not to be wondered, that for a fimilar reafon, we avoid as much as pof- fible too great a regularity of interval be- tween the accented fyllables in profe. Loofe and negligent, however, as profe may appear, it is not entirely deftitute of meafure : for it may be with confidence aiferted, that, wherever a ftyle is remark- ably fmooth and flowing, it is owing in fome meafure to a regular return of ac- cented fyllables. And though a flrength and feverity of ftyle has in it fomethi ng more excellent than the foft and flowing, yet the latter holds certainly a diftinguifh- ed rank in compofitiou. The mufic of

Ian-

144 ELEMENTS OF

language never difpleafes us, but wlien* ; fenfe is facrificed to found ; when both are compatible, we fliould deprive a thought of half its beauty, not to give it all the harmony of which language is fufceptible. As all fubjeds are not mafculine, fublime, and llrong ; all fubjed:s do not require, and, indeed, are not fuited to a ftrength and feverity of ftyle. Thofe, therefore, which are beautiful, didadic, and per- fuafive, demand a fmoothncfs and ele- gance of language ; which is not only agreeable, as it is fuited to the objeds it conveys, but, like fine colours oi' founds, is, in fome mcafure, pleafing for its own fake. Accordingly, wc find, that, though we cannot fo eafily trace that ac- centual rhythmus, which forms the har- mony of the beginning and middle of a fentence, yet the latter part, or what is commonly called the cadence, confills. (when harmonioufly couflrudcd) of fuch

ark

ELOCUTION. 145

an arrangement of accented words, as ap- proaches nearly to verfe. Every ear will immediately find a ruggednefs and want of harmony in the conclufion of the fol- lowing fentence.

We are always complaining our days are few, and acting as though there v/culd be no end of them. Addifo-n.

The reafon of this harflinefs feems to be, that vaft chafm of unaccented words that extends from the word aciing^ to the word end. The ear, indeed, fenfible of the want of accent, lays a little ftrefs upon though^ but this does not quite remedy the evil ; ftill there are fdur words unac- cented, and the fentence remains harfh ; but if we alter its ftructure, by placing a word that admits of an accent in the mid- dle of thefe four words, we fhall find har- mony fucceed to harfhnefs and inequality.

We are alwavs comnlainina; our davs are few, and ailing as though there would never be an end of them.

Vol. II. L This

146 ELEMENTS OF

This difference, therefore, can arife from nothing but an unequal and unmetrical arrangement of accent in the former fen- tence, and a greater approach to equal and metrical arrangement of accent in the lat- ter.

As a farther corroboration of the truth of this opinion, let us take a fentence re- markable for its harmony, and try whe- ther it arifes from the foregoing principles.

We hear at this diftance but a faint echo of that thunder in Demofthcnes, which fhook the throne of Macedon to its foundations ; and are fometimes at a lofs for that convidtion in the arguments of Cicero, that ballanced in the midfl of convulfions the tottering republic of Rome.

In the latter part of this fentence, we find the accented fyllables at exa6l:ly equal intervals from the word fometimes to the word midjl \ that is, there arc three un- accented fyllables between every accented

ELOCUTION. J47

fyllable ; and from the word midft to the word Rome^ there is an exadl equality of intervals, that is, two unaccented fyllables, or, which is perfedly equivalent, fyllables ^6nounced in the time of two, to one unaccented.

Now if we change a few of the words of this fentence to others fof different length and accent, we fhall iind the har- mony of the fentence coniiderably dimi- niflied, though the fenfe may be inviola- bly preferved.

We hear at this diflance but a faint echo of that thunder in Demofthenes which Ihook the throne of Macedon to its foundations ; and are fomctimes~ at a lofs for that force in the proofs of Cicero, which balanced in the midfl of anarchy the tottering ftate of Rome.

That full flow of profaic harmony, fo per- ceptible in the former fentence, is greatly diminifhed in this : and the reafon feems plainly pointed out : for as the harmony L 2 of

148 ELEMENTS OF

of verfe is owing folely to an equal and regular return of accent, the harmony of profe muft arife from the fame Tource : that is, as verfe owes its harmony entirely to a regular return of accent, profe can never be harmonious by a total want of it. The fole difference between them feems to lie in the conftant, regular, and artificial arrangement of accent in the one, and the unftudied, various, and even op- pofite arrangement in the other. Verfe> with fome few exceptions, proceeds in a regular alternation of accent, from one end of the poem to the other ; harmoni- ous profe, on the contrary, in fome mem- bers, adopts one fpecies of arrangement, and in fome another ; but always fo as to avoid fuch clufters of accents in one place, and fuch a total abfence of them in another, as neceffarily occafions a ruggednefs and difficulty of pronunciation.

At

ELOCUTION. 149

At firft fight, perhaps, we fhould be led to fuppofe, that the intervals between the accents ought rather to dimini/h than increafe as they approach the end of a fen- tence ; and yet, if we confuk the ear, we fhall find that intervals of two unaccented fyllables found better even in the clofmg member of a fentence, than intervals of one unaccented ,fyllable only. Let us take the following fentence as an example of this.

Demetrius compares profperity to the indul- gence of a fond mother to a child, which of- ten proves his ruin ; but the affedlion of the di- vine Being to that of a wife father, who would have his fons exercifed in labour, difappoint- ment, and pain, that they may gather ftrength and fortitude.

Now if inftead of the Y^ovdi Jirength^ we fubftitute experience^ though the fenfe may be weakened, the found will, per- haps, be improved ; and if the ears of L 3 others

150 ELEMENTS OF

others fhould agree with mine in this par- ticular, it may be laid down as a rule, that other circumftances being equal, the lafl: members of fentences, ought rather to end in the dadylic than in the iambic r::carure. In this appellation of the mea- fiire of profe, I adopt the terms generally made ufe of, and particularly by Mafon, in his EiTay on Profaic Numbers. This gentleman deferves much praife for his attempt to inveftigate the caufcs of profaic harmony, but appears to me to have an idea of Englifh metre fo blended with that of the Latin and Greek, as to throw con- fufion and error over his whole perform- ance. For what can we make of his placing two long quantities over the two fyllables of the words sentence and fpondee ? Thefe words can have but one accent each, and it is accent, or emphafis, and thefe only, and not any length or opennefs of the vowels that forms Englifh metre, or

that

ELOCUTION, 151

that rhythmus which is analogous to it in profe.

Hitherto i have confidered poetic and profaic harmony as arifing from an har- monious and rhythmical arrangement of accent ; and it is with fome diffidence I venture upon a farther explication of this fubje£t upon principles which have never yet been thought of : but I prefume it will be found, upon enquiry, that the various and harmonious arrangement of the rifmg and falling inflexions of the voice is no iefs the caufe of harmony, both in verfe and profe, than the metrical arrangement vf accent and emphalis.

L4 HAR.

T52

ELEMENTS OF

HARMONY OF PROSAIC INFLEXIONS,

npHE melody both of profe and verfe feems to confift as much in fuch an arrangement of emphatic inflexion, as fuits the fenfe, and is agreeable to the ear, as it does in a rhythmical difpofition of accented and emphatic fyllables. To il- luftrate this obfervation, let us take the famous couplet of Sir John Denham, in Praife of the Thames, marked with the long and fhort quantities by Mr. Mafon, in his EiTay on the Principles of Har- mony, p. 60.

Though deep j yet clear, | though gen | tie yet

not dull, Strong with | outrage; j without j overflow- |

ing full.

Mr. Mafon, by the long quantity m.cans the accented, and by the fhort quantity the unaccented fyllable ; and if we do but read this couplet v.'iUi the fame inflexions

upon

ELOCUTION. 153

upon every fyllable marked with the long quantity, we fhall foon fee how much it owes its harmony to a diverfity of infle- xion, rhythmically arranged. And firft let us read this couplet by placing the ac- cent or emphafis with the rifmg inflexion on every fyllable marked with long quantity.

Though deep'^ yet clear -^^ though gen^tle yet

not dulK Strong/ without rage''; without^ o'erflovv ''ing

full/. In this mode of reading the couplet, we form a fl:refs on nearly alternate fyllables, which confl;itutes th^ eflence of poetry, but by a perfedt famenefs'of inflexion on the accented fyllables we reduce it to a mono- tony worfe than the mofl; inharmonious profe. If we give the falling inflexion to each accented word in this manner ; Though deep\ yet clear^, though gen^tle yet

not duli^, ^trong^ without rage^; without^ o'erflow^ing

fuUA

We

r54 ELEMENTS OF

We (hall find a monotony as difgufting as the former. But if we preferve the fame fyllables accented, and only alter the in- flexion, we fliall foon fee diverfity and harmony inftead of famenefs and monotony.

Though dcep-^ yet clear^, though gen'^tlcyet

not^ dulK, Strong^ without rage'; without^ o'erflow^ing

full\.

By placing the accent or emphafis with the rifing inflexion on deep^ the falling on clear and gentle^ and the rifing on not and </«//, in the firft line ; and the accent or em- ■ phafis with the falling inflexion on Jlrong^ the rifing on ragc^ and the fecond fyllable of 0 erjiowing^ and the falling owfuil in the lafl: line ; by this difpofition of inflexion, I fay, we give that harmonious variety which conftitutes the principal beauty of poetical or profaic pronunciation.

This diverfity in the arrangement of inflexion is not peculiar to thefe celebrated

verfes

ELOCUTION. ij^

verfes ; we find almoft every fmooth har- monious couplet has nearly the fame order of inflexions. Thus in Pope's Prologue to Cato : A brave/ man ftrug^gling in the florms^ of

fate/. And great^ly falKing with a falKing HateA

The firft line of this couplet ends with the rifmg inflexion, to prevent the want of harmony there would be in ending two fucceflive lines with the fame inflexion ; a famenefs for which nothing but empha- fis will ever apologize. As this line ends with the rifmg inflexion, the laft word may not improperly be called the rudder, which diredts the inflexions on the pre- ceding words : for in order to prevent an exa£t return of the fame order of in- flexion, it is not fufficient that the diff^er- ent inflexions fucceed each other alter- nately, this would be like the fucceflive founds of the letters A, B ; A, B ; to

pre-

ic6 ELEMENTS OF

./

prevent a return of founds fo little various, we find the ear generally adopt a fuccef- fion of inflexion, v^hich interpofes two fi- milar inPiexions between two fimilar in- Bexions, and this produces a variety fimi^- lar to the feries

A, B, B, A; or B, A, A, B. The firft line, therefore, of this verfe, neceffariiy ending with the rifing inflexion on the v^ord fate, in order to make the Gther words as various and harmonious as poflible, the falling inflexion is placed on Jl or ms, the fame inflexion onjiruggling, and the rifmg inflexion on brave -, and this, in the firfl: line forms the arrange- ment, rifing, falling, falling, rifmg ; or A, B, B, A. The next line ending the fentence, ne- teflarily adopts the falling inflexion on the iaft; viovdjlate, and this direds the rifmg inflexion to be placed on the two words Jailing, and the fafling inflexion on greatly,

which

E L O C U T I O N. 157

which produces this order, fallings ^Ifi^Zt rifmg^ fallings or B, A; A, B. This or- der of placing theinflexions is not inva- riably adopted, becaufe emphafis fets afide every other rule, and makes harmony fubferyient to fenfe ; but it may be aflert- ed, that this order of arranging the infle- xions is fo generally adopted by the ear, that when emphafis does not forbid, this is the arrangement into which the verfe naturally glides. It may likewlfe be ob- ferved, that where emphafis coincides with this arrangement, the verfe is always the moil harmonious, and the fenfe in its moll poetical drefs. Nay, we fhall find harmo- nious profe where emphafis does not in- terrupt the natural current of inflexion, glide infenfibly into this rhythmical ar- rangement of inflexion. Let us take an example :

Exereife'^ and temperance'' ftrengthen'' the conftitution.'^.

Agree-

158 ELEMENTS OF

Agreeably to the order we have juft taken notice of, we find this fentence adopt the falling inflexion on exercife^ the rifing on temperance dindijlrengthen^ and the falling on conftitution ; but if we add another member to this fentence, fo conne(5led with this, as to require the rifmg infle- xion on conftitution^ we fhall find that the arrangement of inflexion is changed, but the fame order preferved.

EXAMPLE.

Exercifc' and temperance^ ftrengthen^ the conditution^ and fwecten^ the enjoyments'^ of life\.

Here, I fay, contrary to the former ar- rangement, we find the rifmg inflexion on exercife, the falling on temperance and ftrengthen^ and the rifing on conftitution ; becaufe here the fenfe remains fufpended and unfiniflied. See Vol. 1. Plate I. N° 4. A final member fucceeds, confifting of three fignificant words 3 the two laft: of

which

ELOCUTION, 159

which muft always be pronounced with different inflexions ; that is, the penulti- mate with the rifing, and the ultimate with the falling inflexion ; but the anti- penultimate vfovd-fweeten^ may adopt ei- ther the rifmg or falling inflexion, as ei- ther will diverfify it fufEciently from the preceding and fucceeding inflexions ; but the falling inflexion on this word feems to be preferable, as the three vjoxdi^ fweet en y enjoyment y and life^ form one difl:ind: por- tion ; and this portion can be no way fo varioufly pronounced as by the falling in- flexion on fweeten^ the riling on enjoy- ments^ and the falling on life.

But to fliow how much the harmony of profe arifes from the diff^erent order and arrangement of the inflexions, let us read the lafl: fentence with the lafl: member cur- tailed in this manner.

Exercife^ and temperance^ ftrengthen"^ the conilitution^ and fvveeten'' life'^.

Here

l6o ELEMENTS OF

Here we find almoft all the harmony va- nifhed, though we give the rifing infle- xion tofweeten^ and the falling to life^ as in the former conftrudion of this fentence ; ifj however, we lay a ftrong emphafis with the falling inflexion on and^ the ear will be a little relieved by a divcrfity of found, though good fenfe will be hurt at the fl:refs on fo infigniflcant a word. But what can be the reafon that this flrefs fliould occafion fo great a difference in the found of the fentence ? This may be worth enquiry ; for which purpofe, let us lengthen the laft fentence by the interpofition of two accented words in the middle, in this manner ;

Exercife/ and temperance^ are the medi- cine^ of nature^, they ftrengthen^ the confli- tutlon'^ and fwccten^ lifc"^.

Here VvX find harmony in fomc nieafure reftored to the fentence ; and if we en- quire into the caufc, wc [liall find it is by

the

ELOCUTION. i6r

the introduQiion of a greater variety of inflexion : for in the former fentence, wd find the inflexions were rifing upon exer^ cife^ falling upon temperance 2.xAjlrengthen^ rifing upon conjlitut'ion and fweeten^ and falling upon life. As this fentence natu- rally falls into three portions, each por- tion confifliing of two accented words, the order is equivalent to the feries of letters

A, B ; B, A ; A, B. but the additional accented words in the lafl: fentence makes the feries equivalent to thefe letters

A, B ; B, A ; B, A ; A, B. in this order of inflexion, we find mucli greater variety ; for after the four firft have been repeated in one fpecies of ar- rangement, the next four aflume a fpe- cies of arrangement diredly oppofite to the other ; and fo as to fprra an harmo- nious or regular variety. This is the rhythmus of inflexion, which commonly Vol. IL M pre-.

l62 ELEMENTS OF

prevails in the couplet of ten fyllables ; which, in fome meafure, fhows us, that however different profe and poetry may be in the arrangement of accented fylla- bles, yet, in the harmonious pronuncia- tion of them, the inflexions are very fi- milar.

This too may ferve to fhow the reafon why the harmony of this fenten.ce :

Hope^ and fcar^ rule"^ the heart-^ and go- vern'' life^. is very inferior to the following :

Hope^ and fear^ rule^ the heart^ and fhapc' the courfe'^ of life^.

In the former fentence, the inflexions are, Rifmg, faUing ; falling, rifmg ; rili-ng, falling; or,

A, B ; B, A ; A, B. and in the latter,

Rifmg, falling; falling, rifmg ; rifmg, rif- ing, falhng; or,

A, B ; B, A ; A, A, B.

ELOCUTION. 163

Whatever, therefore, may be the order of arrangement in the commencement and middle of a fentence, it is certain, that if we mean to form an harmonious ca- dence, one of thefe two arrangements of inflexion ought to take place at the end of a fentence : that is, if the laft member confifls of four accented words, the fame inflexions ought to take place at the end of a fentence, as we find generally obtain in the lafl: line of a couplet in poetry ; or if the laft member confift of three ac- cented words, fuch inflexions ought to be adopted as will make a feries of three in- flexions moft various, which is, by giv- ing the laft word the falling, the penulti- mate the rifing, and the antipenultimate either the rifing or falling inflexion.

An inftance of the firft arrangement is the following fentence :

The immortality of the foul is the bafis of

morality, and the fource of all the pleafing'^'

M 2 hoptrs^

i64 ELEMENTS OF

hopes^^ and fecret^ joys^, that can arife^ In the heart'' of a reafonable^ creature^.

Spe^ator, N" iii. In the laft member but one of this itrh- tence^ the words pleafmg 2iX\,^joys have the rifmg inflexion, and hopes and fecret the falling ; and in the laft member, the words arife and creature have the falling, and heari and reafonable the riling inflexion^ which is exadly the order of inflexion in the laft couplet of the tragedy of Cato :

Produces'' fraud^ and cruelty^ and ftrife/ And robs the guilty^ world/ of Cato's'^ life^.

where produces and ftrife have the rifing inflexion, 7xn(k fraud and cruelty the fall- ing ; and guilty and life the falling, and world and Cato the rifing inflexion.

An inftance of the other arrangement we find in this fentence :

Cicero "concludes his celebrated books de Oratore, with fome precepts for pronunciation and action ; without which part he affirms,

that

ELOCUTION. 165

that the bell orator in the world can never liicceed, and an indifferent one, who is mailer of this, lliail gain mucii^ greater-^ app la ufe^.

In order to pronounce this fentence with an harmonious cadence, the word this muft have the rifing inflexion, as at the end of the firft line of a couplet, and the three iaft words, much greater apphiufe^ which form the Iaft member, muft be pronounced very diftindlly with the falling inflexion on the Iaft, the riling inflexion on greater^ and the falling on jnucL

The rule, therefore, that arifes from thefe obfervations is, tliat when the Iaft paufe neceflarily leaves the Iaft member of a fentence with four accented words, as in the firft example, they are pronounced with the inflexions in the oicditr fallings rljing^ rifuig falling ; and when the paufe leaves three accented words in the Iaft member, they are pronounced as in the Uft example j that is, either in the order, M 3 fall-

'l66 ELEMENTS OF

falling^ rifmg, f ailing ; or rijing, rifing, falling.

As a corroboration of thefe principles, we may obferve, that where the paufe neceflarily leaves but two accented words in the laft member, and that emphafis forbids the preceding member to be fo pronounced, as to form the order of in- flexions we have prefcribed ; when this is the cafe, I fay, we fhall find the period end inharmonioully. Let us take an ex- ample :

If they do not acquiefc In his judgment, which I think never happened above once or twice -^ at moll^, they appeal'' to me^.

Spcoiator»

Here the fenfe requires, that the emphafis with the falling inflexion fhould be placed on the word nioft : after which mufl: be a paufe ; and as the final member confifl:s only of two accented words, appeal and me^ no tolerable cadence can be formed;

for

ELOCUTION. 167

for thefe words, having neceOarily the rifing and falUng inflexion, are but a re- petition of the fame inflexions, in the fame order as on the words twice and moft^ which forms as monotonous a conclufion as the feries,

A, B ; A, B. It feldom happens, however, that the fentence is fo conftruded as to prevent the ear from fafling into one or other of the two before mentioned arrangements of inflexion. For fo agreeable to the ear is an harmonious cadence, that for the fake of forming one, allowances will be made for giving an emphatic accent even to words not entitled to it from their fenfe. Let us fuppofe the following fentence forming the conclufion of a difcourfe :

So that from what has been faid, we may certainly conclude, that as virtue is not always rewarded in the prcTcnt life, it will be fure to meet with the moft ample and fatisfa(^ory re- ward In the life to come.

M 4 If

l68 ELEMENTS OF

If this fentence is properly pronounced,' there muft be a confiderable paufe at the word reward^ in order to pronounce the laft member with a diflindt and harmo- nious fall ; but if we paufe here, we fhall find it impofTible to pronounce the laft member harmonioufly without laying a ftrefs on the word in ; and though this word has no title either to accent or em-» phafis from the fenfe it conveys, yet the neceffity of concluding a difcourfe, or any capital branch of a difcourfe, with an har- monious fall, will fufficiently authorize a confiderable ftrefs and dillin^t inflexion oa that infignificant word.

A good ear, therefore, will fometimes lay a ftrefs on certain words, and fome^ times omit it for the fake of an harmo- ous cadence. Thus in Sterne's Sermon on the Houfe of Mourning and the Houfe of Feafting, we meet with thi§ paflage ;

From

ELOCUTION. 169

From reflexions of this ferious cad, how in- fenfibly do the thoughts carry us farther ? and from confideruig what we are, what kind of world we live in, and what evils befall us in it, how naturally do they fet us to look for- wards at what poffibly we fhall be ? for what kind of world we are intended — what evils may befall us there- — and vvhat provilion we may make againft them here, whilft we have time and opportunity.

In this paflage we find the laft member, whilft we have time and opportunity^ necef- farily requires that the word whiljl fhould be pronounced with the degree of force due to an accented word, or the cadence would be faulty. But if this laft member were conftrudled in this manner ; whilft we have time and opportunity ajf'orded us ; in this cafe, I fay, we need give no force to the word whilft^ as there are three ac- cented words, time^ opportunity^ and af- forded^ which will be fufficient to form the cadence vyithout it : nay, if we give a

degree

170 ELEMENTS OF

degree of force with the falling inflexion to this word, fo as to make the member confift of four accented inflexions, we fhall hurt the fcnfe, without adding to the harmony. Thefe obfervations necefl^arily fuggeflc the importance of fuch a choice and ar- rangement of words as fall in with the moft harmonious pronunciation. Read- ing and compofing mutually throw light on each other ; they are counterparts of one great operation of the human mind, namely, that of conveying the ideas and feelings of one man to another with force, precifion, and harmony. It will not be very furprifmg, therefore, if the foregoing obfervations on pronunciation (hould have hinted a few rules on the harmony of compofition. We have feen, that the harmony of every fentence depends more particularly on the confl:ru<fl:Ion of the lat- ter part *, as this forms what is commonly

• Quint. L. IX. Cap. iv.

called

ELOCUTION. 171

Called the cadence. This part of the fen- tence, therefore, fhould be more particu- larly attended to. We have feen in a for- mer fentence, namely,

Exercifc-^ and temperance^ flrengthenN the conftitiition/, and fvveeten'^ life^,

that when the firft four accented words form the rhythmical variety, rijing fallings falling rifing^ thefe are' followed by two others, which draw that variety into a famenefs equivalent to the feries rijing falling, falling rijing^ ri/ing falling ; here I fay, we fee a fault in the compofition, which the ear ftrives to amend, by laying a ftrefs and inflexion on and in the lafl member ; we fee likewife, that this fault is rectified either by adding two accented words to the body of the fentence, as,

Exercife'^ and temperance"*^ are the medi- cine'^ of nature'', they flreng:hcrA the condi-' mrioH'^and fwcetcn ' life^',

wdiich

172 ELEMENTS OF

which forms the more varied arrange- ment, rijing fallings falling rif.ng^ falling rijingy rijing falling-, or, by adding one- accented word to the laft member, as,

Exercife^ and temperance^ flrengthen^ the conflitution-^ and fvveeten'^ the enjoyments'^, of life\.

Where we find the order of arrangement

in the laft member different from that in

the former ; and by this means a variety

and harmony produced equivalent to the

feries rifmg fallings y^////?^ f'if^gt falling

rijing^ falling. By this view, I fay, we

may fee the neceffity of fo arranging the

words in the latter members of a fentence

as to let the feven or eight laft inflexions

fall commodioufly on the feven or eight

laft accented words ; and that the laft

paufe, as in the two laft examples, may

always fall betv7cen either the third and

fourth, or the fourth and fifth accented

v.^ord, from the laft.

R U L E S

elocution. 173 'rules for reading verse.

"1 TlyTHatever difficulties we' may find in reading profe, they are greatly in- creafed when the compofition is in verfe ; and more particularly if the verfe be rhyme. The regularity of the feet, and the famenefs of found in rhyming verfe, ftrongly folicits the voice to a famenefs of tone ; and tone, unlefs dired:ed by a judi- cious ear, is apt to degenerate into a fong, and a fong, of all others, the moft dif- gufting to a perfon of juft tafte. If there- fore, there are few who read profe with propriety, there are ftill fewer who fuc- ceed in verfe ; they either want that equa- ble and harmonious flow of found which diftinguifhes it from loofe, unmeafured compofition, or they have not a fufficient delicacy of ear to keep the harmonious fmoothnefs of verfe from fliding into a whining cant : nay, fo agreeable is this

cant

274 ELEAiENTS OF

cant to many readers, that a fimple and natural delivery of verfe feems tame atnd infipid, and much too familiar for the dignity of the language. So pernicious are bad habits in every exercife of the fa- culties, that they not only lead us to falfe objedls of beauty and propriety, but at lafl deprive us of the very power of per- ceiving the miftake. For thofe, therefore, "whofe ears are not juft, and who are to- tally deficient in a true tafte for the mufic of poetry, the beft method of avoiding this impropriety, is to read vcrfc exadlly as if it were profe : for though this may be faid to be an error, it is certainly an error on the fafer fide.

To fay, however, as fome do, that the pronunciation of verfe is entirely deftitute of fong, and that it is no more than a j ufl pronunciation of profe, is as diftant from truth as the whining cant we have been fpeaking of, is from true poetic harmony, , Poetry

ELOCUTION. 175

Poetry without fong is a body without a a foul. The tune of this fong is, indeed, difficult to hit, but when once it is hit, it is fure to give the mofi: exquifite pleafure. It excites in the hearer the moll eager de-. fire of imitation, and if this defire is not accompanied by a jull tafte or good in- ftrudion, it generally fubftitutes the turn ti^ turn ti^ as it is called, for fimple, ele- gant poetic harmony.

It muft, however, be confefTed, that elegant readers of verfe often verge fo nearly on what is a-^^d Jing fojig^ without falling into it, that it is no wonder thofe who attempt to imitate them, Hide into that blemifh which borders fo nearly on a beauty. And, indeed, as an ingenious author obferves ^, " there is fuch an affi- " nity between poetry and mufic, that *' they w^ere in the earlier ages never fe-

♦ Philofophicul F.iluy on the Delivery of written Lan- guage.

" parated 5

176 ELEMENTS OF

" parated ; and though modern refinement " has, in ji great meafure, deftroyed this *' union, yet it is with fome degree of " difficulty, in rehearfmg thefe divine *' compofitions, that we forget the fmg- *' ing of the Mufe."

The truth is, the pronunciation of verfe is a fpecies of elocution very diftin(^ from the pronunciation of profe ; hoth of them have nature for their bafis, but one is com- mon, familiar, and praQical nature ; the other beautiful, elevated, and ideal na- ture ; the latter .0 different from the for- mer as the elegant flep of a minuet is from the common motions in walking. Ac- cordingly, we find, there are many who can read profe well, that are entirely at a lofs for the pronunciation of verfe : for thefe then we will endeavour to lay down a few rules which may ferve to facilitate the acquiring of fo dcllrablc an accom- plilhment.

And

ELOCUTION. 177

But firft it may be obferved, that though all the paffions may be in a poetical drefs, and that the movement of the verfe may be fuited to all their different charaders ; yet as verfe is a fpecies of mufic, none of the paffions appear to fuch advantage in poetry as the benevolent ones ; for as melody is a thing plealing in itfelf, it mull naturally unite with thofe paffions which are pro- dud:ive of plealing fenfations ; in like manner, as graceful a(ftion accords with- a generous fentiment, or as a beautiful countenance gives advantage to an ami- able idea. Thus the noble and generous paffions are the conftant topics of ancient and modern poets ; and of thefe paffions the pathetic feems the favourite and mofl endearing theme. Thofe readers, there- fore, who cannot affiime a plaintive tone of voice, will never fucceed in reading poetry ; and thofe who have this power, will read verfe very agreeably, though

Vol. II. N almoft

ma

173 ELEMENTSOF

almoft every other re(juifite for delivery be wanting.

It has been obferved upon a former oc- cafion*, that the different inflexions of the voice upon particular words are not fb perceptible in verfe as in profe ; and that in the former, the voice fometimes en- tirely finks the inflexion, and Aides into 2 monotone. This propenfity of the voice in reading verfe, fhows how nearly poetry approaches to* mulic ; as thofe notes pro- perly called mufical are really fo many monotones, or notes without Aides, in dif- ferent degrees of the mufieal fcafe, and fometimes in the fame degree. This ap- proach to a monotone, efpeeially in pLiin- tive poetry, makes it often drfficult, and fometimes impolfible to d'iftlnguifli whe- ther the fiides that accompany the paufcs^ and emphafis- of verfe afe rifing or falb- ing-: and at thofe pau^s where we can

'^ Vol. I. p. 147.

eafily

ELOCUTION, 179

feafily dlftinguifli the inflexions, we fome- times find them different from fuch as we fliould adopt in reading the pafTage if it were profe ; that is, we often find the rifing inflexion at a paufe in verfe, where, if it were profe, we flioiild ufe the falling inflexion : an inftance is given of this at the end of the feries ; and to thefe many more might be added. For as pronuncia- tion has for its object the flrongefl and cleareft fenfe, united with the moft agree- able found J if when, in order to be har- monious, we mufl necelTarily enfeeble or obfcure the fenfe ; or, if in order to be ftrong and clear, we find it necelTary to be harfh, the compofition is certainly faulty ; and all a reader can do in this cafe is, to make fuch a compromife be- tween fenfe and found as will produce, upon the whole, the bell effe(^. It has been before obferved, that fometimes in profe, when the meaning is fufficiently N 2 obvi-

i8o ELEMENTS OF

obvious, we may abate an enforcement of the fenfe for the fake of the found ; and in poetry, the facrifice to found is much more neceffary ; that is, if the fenfe be fufficiently clear, for nothing can offend againft every fpecies of pronunciation fo inuch as confufion or obfcurity.

But though an elegant and harmomous pronunciation of verfe will fometimes ob- lige us to adopt different inflexions from thofe we fliould ufe in profaic pronuncia- tion, it may ftill be laid down as a good general rule, that verfe requires the fame inflexions as profe, though lefs ftrongly marked, and more approaching to mono- tones. If therefore we are at a lofs for the true inflexion of voice on any word in poetry, let us reduce it to carnefl convcr- fation, and pronounce it in the luoft fami- liar and proi'aic maciicr ; and \vc ihall for the mofl part fall into lliofe very in lie- xions we ought to adopt in repeating

vcrib :

ELOCUTION, i8i

Terfe : nay, it is the prefervation of thefe profaic inflexions that makes the poetic pronunciation natural : and the whining cant which is adopted by many afFeded readers of poetry, owes, in a great mea- foe, its origin t-o a neglect af this rule. Thus in the following couplet :

Short is the date in which ill ad:s prevail. But honefly's a rock will never fail. Steele. If we pronounce the laft word fail with the rifmg inflexion, Aiding upwards a lit- tle higher than ufual, we fliall infallibly draw the couplet into the whining tone we are here fpeaking of ; but if we pro- nounce every part of the fame fentence exadly in the fame manner, except the lafl: word, and give this the falling infle- ^xion, we fhall find a natural tone pre- ferved, and the whining cant entirely va- nlflied.

This obfervatlon naturally leads us to a

XvXq which may juftly be looked on as the

N 3 funda-

l82 ELEMENTS OF.

fundamentat principle of all poetic pro- nunciation ; which is, that, wherever a fentence, or member of a fentence, would neceOarily require the falling inflexion in, profe, it ought always to have the fame inflexion in poetry ; for though, if we were to read verfe profaically, we fhould often place the falling inflexion where the flyle of verfe would require the rifmg, yet in thofe parts, where, a portion of perfe(5t fenfe, or the conclufion of a fentence ne- ceflarily requires the falling inflexion, the fame inflexion mufl: be adopted both iu verfe and profe.

EXAMPLE. Of man's firft difobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whofe mcwtal tafte Brought death into the world, and all our woe. With lofs of Eden, till one greater man Reflore us, and regain the blifsful feat ; Sing heavenly mufe, that on the fccret top Of Orel), or of Sinai, didft infpirc That flicphcrd, who firfl; taught the chofen itciX

In

ELOCUTION. iS^

In tTie beginning, how the heav'ns and earth Rofe out of chaos. MdtonsParad. Lojl, B. I. v. i.

Though we were to read this paflage quite profaically, it would not admit of the fall- ing inflexion on any of its paufes tiil the find, and here the voice ought to aflume the falling inflexion, and be in a lower tone than at any of the other paufes : but in the following example :

High on a throne of royal ftate, which far Oatflione the wealth of Ormus or of Inde, Or where the gorgeous Eaft witK richeft hand, Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted fat. MiliorCsI'arad. Loji, B. II. v. u

In reading thi§ paflage profaically, we might place the falling inflexion on Tnde ; but the poetical pronunciation of this paf- fage would necefl~arily require a fufpenfion of voice with the riflng inflexion on that word. It may be obferved, indeed, that it is in the frequent ufe of the riflng in- ^exion, where profe would adopt the fall- N 4 ing,

184 E L E M E N T S O F

ing, that the fcng of poetry confifts : fa- tniliar, ftrong, argumentative fubjeds na- turally enforce the language with the fall- ing inflexion, as this is naturally expref- five of adlivity, force, and precifion ; but grand, beautiful, and plaintive fubjeds flide naturally into the rifing inflexion, as this is expreflive of awe, admiration, and melancholy ; where the mind may be faid to be palTive ; and it is this general ten- dency of the plaintive tone to aflume the rifmg inflexion, which inclines injudicious readers to adopt it at thofe paufes where the falling inflexion is abfolutely necef- fary ; and for want of \\ hich the pronun- ciation degenerates into the whine, fo much and fo juftly diiliked ; for it is very re- markable, that if, where the fenfe con- cludes, we are careful to preferve the fall- ing inflexion, and let the voice drop into • the natural talking tone ; the voice may be fufpended in the rifmg inflexion on

an^

ELOCUTION. 185

any other part of the verfe, with very lit- tle danger of falling into the chant of bad readers. Thus in the following paf- fage which opens the tragedy of Cato :

The dawn is overcaft, the morning low'rs. And heavily in clouds brings on the day ; The great, the important day. Big with the fate of Cato and of Rome.

The grandeur of the obje(9:s and fwell of language in this defcription, naturally throw the voice into thofe tones that ex- prefs the awe and dignity which thefe ob- jeds excite in the mind ; and thefe tones being inclined to the plaintive, naturally Hide into the rifmg inflexion on the paufes ; and this is apt to draw the voice into a chant ; but let the word Rome have the falling inflexion and fink into a lower key, in the natural talking tone, and the im- perfedions in pronouncing the former part will be in a great meafure covered ; pn the contrary, though the former part

is

l86 ELEMENTS OF

js pronounced ever lb accurately, if the word Rsme has the rifing inflexion, the whole will appear to have a difagrecable whining tone.

This may fuiEce, to fhew the neceflity of attending to the pronunciation of pe- riods in verfe, and of giving them the fame inflexion of voice they would require in profe ; for it mufl be carefully noted^ that though \V€ often end with the rifing inflexion in verfe, where we fliould ufe the falling in . profe, yet if in profe we ihould end with the rifnig inflexion, v/e ought always to end with the fame infle- xion in verfe ; in this cafe, the rifing in- flexion at the end of a fentence will not appear to have the whining tone. Thus, where a queftion would require the rifing inflexion in profe, verfe will ncceflarily require it to end with the fame inflexion ; and in this cafe, the rifing inflexion will have no bad effed on the ear.

E X A n.

ELOCUTION. 187

EXAMPLE.

What ! Jhall an African, fhall Juba*s h^ir Reproach great Cato's fon, and ihe,w the world A virtue wanting in a Roman foul ?

Here, though every paufe requires the rif- ing inflexion, and the period the fame, yet as this period is an interrogation re- quiring the rifing inflexion, no whining chant is the confequence, but the whole is natural.

From thefe obfervations, this general rule will naturally arife ; that though in verfe we frequently fufpend the voice by the riGng inflexion, where, if the com- pofltion were profe, we fhould adopt the falling : yet, wherever in profe, the mem- ber or fentence would neceflarily require the rifmg inflexion ; this inflexion muft neceflarily be adopted in verfe. An in- ftance of all thefe cafes may be found in the following example from Pope ;

He

lS8 ELEMENTS OF

He who through vafl immenfity can pierce. See worlds on worlds compofe one univerfe; Obferve how fyftem into fyftem runs. What other planets circle other funs ; "What vary'd being peoples ev*ry ftar. May tell why heav'n has made us as we are. But of this frame, the bearings and the tics. The ftrong connexions, nice dependencies. Gradations juft, has thy j^ervading foul Look'd through ? or can a part contain the whole ?

Is the great chain that draws all to agree. And drawn fupports, upheld by God, or thee ?

if this paflage were profe, every line but the fifth might end with the falling infle- jtion like a commencing ferics of five jnembers ; but the fifth, being that where the two principal conftrudlive parts unite and the fenfe begin-s to form, here, both in profe and verfe, muft be the principal paufe, and the rifing inflexion *. Tlie two queftions with which this fentence

* See Vol. I. p. 162.

ends,

ELOCUTION. 189

ends, ought to have the rifing Inflexioa, alfo, as this is the inflexion they would necefTarily have in profe; though from injudicioufly printing the laft couplet fa as to form a frefli paragraph, the word whole is generally pronounced with the falling inflexion, in order to avoid the bad efl^c£t of a queftion with the rifing infle- xion at the end of a paragraph ; which would be eff^edually prevented by unit- ing the lafl: couplet to the reft, fo as to form one whole portion ; and which was undoubtedly the intention of the poet.

Having premifed thefe obfervations, we fliall endeavour to throw together a few rules for the reading of verfe, which by defcending to particulars, it is hoped will be more ufeful than thofe very gene- ral ones which are commonly to be met with on this fubjed;, and which, though very ingenious, feem calculated rather

for

igo ELEMENTS OF

for the making of verfes than the reading ©f them.

Rule I. As the exad tone of the paf- lion, emotion, or fentiment which verfe excites, is not ait firft eafy to hit, it will be proper always to begin a poem in a fimple and almoft profaic ftyle, and fo pro- ceed till we are warmed with the fubjed, and feel the emotion we wifh to exprefs. Thus in Gray's Elegy in a Country Church- yard, if we cannot immediately ftrike into the folemn ftyle with which that poem begins, it will be better to commence with ,an eafier and lefs marking tone ; and fome- what like the ftyle of reading profe, till the fubjeft becomes a little familiar. There are few poems which will not allow of this profaic commencement, and where they^^o not, it is a much lefs fault in reading to begin with too little empha- fis, tlian either to ftrike Into a wrong one, or to execute the right emphafis auk-

wardly.

E L o c tr T I O N'. i<;i

•wardly. Gray's Elegy on the Extii-pationi of the Bards, is alraoft the only oqc that does not admit of commencing m<sderately.

Ruin feize thee ruthlefs king ! Confufion on thy banners wait ! £«f<:.

Rule II. In verfcy every fyllable is tor have the fame accent, and every word the fame emphafis as in profe : for though the rhythmical arrangement of the accent and emphafis is the veiy definition of poetry, yet, if this arrangement tends to give art emphafis to words which would have none in profe, or an accent to fueh fylTables as have properly no accent, the rhythmus, or mufic of the verfe, muft be entirely negleded. Thus the article the ought ne- .ver to have a ftrefs, though placed in that part of the verfe where the ear experts aa Accent.

Of all the caufes which confpire to blind, Man's erring judgment and milguide the mind, 'What the weak head with ftrongeft bias rules. Is prkk-, the never-failing vice of fcols. Pope,

An

192 ELEMENTS OF

An injudicious reader of verfe would bd very apt to lay a ftrefs upon the article the in . the third line, but a good reader would infallibly neglect the ftrefs on this, ' and transfer it to the words what and weaL Thus alfo in the following example, no ftrefs muft be laid on the word of^ becaufe we flioiild not give it any in profaic pro* nunciation.

Afk of thy mother earth why oaks are made Taller and flronger than the weeds they fhade.

Pope. For the fame reafon the word as^ either in the firft or fecond line of the following couplet, ought to have no ftrefs.

Eye nature's walks fhoot folly as it flies. And catch the manners living as they rife. Fope»

The laft fyllable of the word excellent^ in the following couplet, being the place of the ftrefs, is very apt to "draw the organs to a wrong pronunciation of the word in com- pliance with the riiythmus of the verfe.

Their

£ L O C U 1" I O N. 193

0

Their praife is -ftill the ftyle is excellent ; " The fenfe they humbly take upon content. Pope,

But a ftrefs upon the laft fyllable of this word muft, be avoided upon pain of the greateft poffible reproach to a good reader ; which is that of altering the accent of a word, to indulge the ear in a childifh jin^ gle of fyllables. The fanie may be ob- ferved of the word eloquence and, the par- ticle the in the following couplet :

Falfe eloquence like the prifmatic-glafs Its gaudy colours fpreads on ev*ry place. Pope,

If in compliance with the rhythmus, or tune of the verfe, we were to lay a ftrefs on the laft fyllable of ehquence^ and on the particle the in the firft of thefe verfes, fearcely any thing can be conceived more difgufting to a good judge of reading.

This rule, however, admits of fome few exceptions. Milton has fometimea placed words fo unfavourably for pronun^

Vol, II. O ciation

194 ELEMENTS OF

ciation in the common way, that the ear would be more difgufted with the harfh- ncfs of the verfe, if the right accent were preferved, than with a wrong accent, which preferves the harmony of the verfe : for it is not merely reducing a line to profe if the fenfe requires it, which is a capital fault in reading poetry, but reducing it to very harfh and difagreeable profe. Thus the angel, in Milton, reafoning with Adani about the planets, fays :

For fuch vaft room in nature unpoflefs'd By living foul, defert and defolate Only to Ihine yet fcarce to contribute Each orb a glimpfe of light, convey'd fo far Down to this habitable, which returns Light back to them, is obvious to difpute.

Farad. Lofty B. viii. v, 15^.

The word contribute has properly the ac- cent on the fecond fyllable ; but the verfe would be fo harfh with this accent, that it is prefumed a good reader would, for

the

\

ELOCUTION. 195

the fake of found, lay the principal ac- cent on the firft fyllable, and a fubordinate ftrefs on the thitd. The fame may be obferved of the word attribute, in the fol- lowing paflage from the fame author i

The fwiftnefs of thofe circles attribute. Though numberlefs, to his Omnipotence, That, to corporeal fubftances could add Speed almoft fpiritual.

Parad, Loft, B. viii. v, top

Where a word admits of fome diveriltj^ in placing the accent, it is fclreely necef- fary to obferve, that the verfe ought iri this cafe to decide. Thus in the follow-* ing paflage :

Now gentle gales Fanning their odoriferous wings difpenfe Native perfumes, and whifper whence they dole Thofe balmy fpoils. Parad. Loft, B, iv. v. 156.

For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour Hold it a fafhion and a toy in blood, A violet in the youth and prime of nature

O 2 For-

196' ELEMENTS OF

Forward not permanent, though fvveet not

lading, The perfume of a minute. Shakefpeare,

The word perfume in the paflage from Milton ought to be accented on the laft fyllable, and the fame word in Shakefpeare on the firft ; for both thefe modes of plac- ing the accent are allowable in profe, though the laft feems the preferable ; as it is agreeable to that analogy of diifylla- ble nouns and verbs of the fame form, which requires the accent to be on the firft fyllable of the noun, and on the laft of the verb.

But when the poet has with great judg- ment contrived that his numbers fhall be harfti and grating, in order to correfpond to the ideas they fuggeft, the common ac- centuation muft be preferved.

On a fuddcn open fly With impetuous recoil and jarring found Th* infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harfh thunder. Varad. Loji^ B. ii. v. 879.

ELOCUTION. 197

Here the harfhnefs arifing from the ac- cent on the fecond fyllable of the word impetuous^ finely expreffes the recoil and jarring found of the gates of hell.

Rule III. The vowel e^ whicjh is often cut off by an apoftrophe in the word they and in fyllables before r, as dangrous^ genrous^ &c. ought to be preferved in the pronunciation, becaufe the fyllable it forms is fo fhort as to admit of being founded with the preceding fyllable, fo as not to increafe the number of fyllables to the ear, or at all hurt the harmony.

'Tis hard to fay, if greater want of ikill Appear in writing or in judging ill ; But of the two, lefs dang'rous is th' offence. To tire our patience than miflead our fenfe.

Tope,

Him the Almighty power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' etherial iky With hideous ruin and combuftion, down To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell

O 3 In

jg$ ELEMENTS OF

In adamantine chains and penal fire. Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arjps.

Milton.

In the example from Milton, we have an inftance that the particle t/ie may either form a diftin<£t fyllable in poetry or not ; in the firft line it muft neceffarily form a diftind: fyllable ; in the fecond and laft it may be fo blended with the fucceeding word as to be pronounced without elifion, and yet form no diftind: fyllable. ^x. Rule IV. Almoft every verfe admits of a paufe in or near the middle of the line, which is called the csefura ; this muft be carefully obferved in reading verfe, or much of the diftindnefs, and almoft all the harmony will be loft.

EXAMPLE.

Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit, And wifely curb'd proud man's pretending wit ; As on the land while here the ocean gains In other parts it leaves wide fandy plains ;

Thus

ELOCUTION/ 199

Thus in the foul while memory prevails. The folid pow*r of Underftanding fails ; Where beams of warm imagination play The memory's foft figures melt away. P<^e,

Thefe lines have feldom any points in- ferted in the middle, even by the moll fcrupulous punftuifts ; and yet nothing can be more palpable to the ear, than that a paufe in the firft at things^ in the fecond at curbed J in the third at lanJ^ in the fourth at parts ^ and in the fifth dXfouly is abfo- lutely neceflary to the harmony of thefe lines 5 and that the fixth, by admitting no paufe but at underjtanding^ and the fe- venth, none but at imagination^ border very nearly upon profe. The reafon why thefe lines will not admit of a paufe any where but at thefe words, will be evident to thofe who have perufed the former part of this work on the divifion of a fentence*; and if the reader would fee one of the

» Vd. I. page 37,

O 4 moft

aoo E L E M E NT S O F

moft curious pieces of analyfis on this fub- jed: in any language, let him perufe in Lord Kaims's Elements of Criticifm, the chapter on Verification, where he will find the fubje<St of paufing as it relates to verfe difcufl'ed in the deepeft, cleareft, and moft fatisfadtory manner. It will be only ne- ceflary to obferve in this place, that though the moft harmonious place for the capital paufe is after the fourth fyllabie, it may, for the fake of exprefifmg the fenfe ftrongly and fuitably, and fometimes even for the fake of variety, be placed at feveral other intervals.

EXAMPLES.

'Tis hard to fay — if greater want of fkitl. So when an angel— by divine command, With rifing tempefts — fhakes a guilty land. Then from his doling eyes — thy form fhall part. And the laft pang — Ihall tear thee from his

heart. Infpir*d repuls'd battalions — to engage, And taught the doubtful battle— where to rage.

Know

ELOCUTION. 201

Know then thyfelf — prefume not God to fcan ; The proper ftudy of mankind — is man.

But befides the capital paufe, there are cer- tain fubordinate paufes, which though not fo effential as the capital paufe, yet form fome of the greateft delicacies in reading verfe, and are an inexhauftible fource of variety and harmony in the compofi- tion of poetic numbers. This has been fo clearly and philofophically proved by Mr. Sheridan, in the fecond volume of his Art of Reading, that it will only be necefTary here to adduce a few inftances, and refer the reader for the philofophy of verfification to that very ingenious and elegant work. But firft let us hear Lord Kaims's opinion on this fubjedl. " But " befides the capital paufe now mention- " ed, inferior paufes will be difcovered by *' a nice ear ; of thefe, there are com- " monly two in each line ; one before the '' capital paufe, and one after it. The

« for-

tot 15 L E M E N T S or

*' former comes invariably after the firft long fyllable, whether the line begin with a long fyllable, or a fliort : the other, in its variety imitates the capital '' paiijfe : in fbme lines, it comes after ** the fixth fyllable, in fome after the fe- *' venth, and in fome after the eighth : of *' thefe femi-paufes take the following ejf:- *' aniples :

*' Firft and eighth : *' Led I through a fad || variety | of woe. ** Firft and feventh : «* Still I on that bread || enamour'd | let me « lie.

*' Second and eighth : *' From ftorms ] a Ihelter || and froni heat [ a ihade.

** Second and fixth : «' Let wealth | let honour || wait | the wedd- ed dame.

*' Second and feventh :

<* Above I all pain || all paflion | and all

<« pride/*

This

ELOCUTION. 202

This ingenious author muft certainly have been miftaken in his firft example ; for a capital paufe cannot poiGTibly fall be- tween the adjedive and fubftantive in their common order, and we may here, as in many other cafes fuppofe, the want of a capital paufe fupplied by the two femi- paufes at led and variety. Nor is a femi- paufe to be ever admitted in the middle of a word, as this author attempts to prove by the following examples :

Relent | lefs walls || whofe darkfome round | contains. For her | white virgins || hyme | neals fing. In thefe | deep folitudes || and aw | ful ceils.

Nothing could be more puerile and de- ftru6tive of the fenfe than to make paufes as they are here marked in the middle of the words re/ent/efs, hymeneal^ and awful.

Mr. Sheridan tells us, that, " befides "the principal paufe, there is another *' mode of dividing lines well fuited to the

*' nature

204 ELEMENTS OP

*' nature of the couplet, by introducing ** femi-paufes, which divide the hnes into " four portions.

" By a femi-paufe (fays he) I mean *' a fraall reft of the voice, during a por- ** tion of time equal to half of that taken " up by the Ccefura, which may therefore " he called a demi-caefura, as you will per- " ceive in the following lines :

" Glows I while he reads f| but trembles | as

*' he writes. *' Reafon | the card [[ but paffion [ is the gale. ** From men | their cities j| and from gods j

" their fanes. " From ftorms ] a Ihelter || and from heat | a

« Ihade."

Nothing can be more new, more agree- able, and fatisfadiory, than Mr. Sheridan's thoughts on this fubje<ft ; but it muft not be underflood, that every line in verfe ad- mits of this double divifion by a caefura and demi-csefura j on the contrary, many

lines

ELOCUTION. 205

lines admit but of one paufe, and this fuch a paufe only as would be allotted to the demi-caefura ; thus in the laft line of the following couplet from Pope :

Thus in the foul, while mem'ry prevails. The (olid power of underftanding fails.

In the laft line of this couplet, there can- not be any paufe but at the word under- jlanding^ and this but a fmall one. No more than one paufe can be admitted in each of the following lines from Milton, though this paufe may be much longer than the foregoing.

Thou that day Thy father's dreadful thunder didft not fpare. Attended with ten thoufand thoufand faints.

The paufe in thefe lines can only be at thunder and attended.

It will, therefore be a good general rule, not to multiply thefe fubordinate paufes in verfe beyond what the fenfe will

per-

206 ELEMENTSOF

permit. I think it fcarcely poflible for a line of ten fyllabks to be pronounced without one paufe, and at the fame time to be verfe ; but unlefs there is an evident paufe in the fenfe, either from incon- nexion or emphafis, it is prefumed it will be advifable to be fparing in the ufe of the demi-caefura. In the lines quoted by Mr. Sheridan, where he has very properly inferted the demi-caefura, we find an em- phatic oppofition at every one, and thig oppofition always requires a paufe whe- ther in profe or verfe *.

Glows I while he reads || but trembles | as he writes.

Reafon | the card || but paflion [ is the gale.

From men | their cities || and from | gods their fanes.

From ftorms | a Shelter || and from heat [ a fhade.

Rule V. At the end of every line in poetry muft be a paufe proportioned to the

• See Vol. I. p. IC4.

inti-

ELOCUTION. 207.

intimate or remote connexion fubfifting be- tween tlae two lines.

Mr. Sheridan, in his Art of Reading, has infiikd , largely on. the ncceffity of making a paufe at the end of every line; in poetry, whether the fenfe requires it or not ; and this, he obferves, is fo necef- fary, that without it we change the verfe into profe. It is with diffidence I diflent from fo great an authority, efpecially as I have heard it approved by perfons of great judgment and tafte. I mull own, how- ever, that the neceffity of this paufe, where the fenfe does not require it, is not fo evi- dent to me, as to remove every doubt about it : for in the firft place, if the au- th6r has fo united the preceding and fol- lowing lines in verfe as to make them real profe, why is a reader to do that which his author has negleded to do, and indeed feems to have forbidden by the very nature of the compofition ? In the

next

2o8 ELEMENTSOF

next place, this flight and almoft infen- fible paufe of fufpenfion does not feem to anfwer the end propofed by it ; which is, that of making the ear fenfible of the ver- fification, or of the equality of accentual impreflions in every line. For this final paufe is fo fmall, when compared with that which precedes or follows it in the body of the line, and this latter and larger paufe is fo often accompanied with an in- flexion of voice which marks the forma- tion of perfed fenfe, that the boundaries of the verfe become almoft, if not utterly imperceptible, and the compofition, for a few lines, fall into an harmonious kindj of profe. For it is evident, that it is not a fmall paufe at the end of a line in verfe, which makes it appear poetry to the ear, fo much as that adjuftment of the accent- ed fyllables which forms a regular re- turn of ftrefs whether the line is long or ihort. Accordingly, we find, that

thofe

ELOCUTION. 209

thofe lines in blank verfe, which have a long paufe in the middle, from a conclu- fion of the fenfe, and a very fhort one at the end, from the fenfe continuing, are, in fpite of all our addrefs in reading, very profaical* This profaic air in thefe lines may have a very good cfFed: in point of expreflion and variety, but if too fre- quently repeated, will, undoubtedly ren- der the verfe almoft imperceptible : for, as was before obferved, the ear will mea- fure the lines by the greateft paufes, and if thefc fall within, and not at the end of the line, the verfification will feem to be compofed of unequal lines, and will want that melody which the ear always expedls , in verfe, and never difpenfes with, but when variety or expreflion is promoted

by it.

deeds of eternal fame Were done, but infinite ; for wide was fpread That war and various; fometimes on §rn\ ground Vol. II. P A (land-