McGuffey's Sixth Eclectic Reader Part 7

EXAMPLES. (29)

1. It is our duty to pity', to support', to defend', and to relieve' the oppressed.

2. At the sacred call of country, they sacrifice property', ease', health', applause' and even life'.

3. I protest against this measure as cruel', oppressive', tyrannous', and vindictive'.

4. G.o.d was manifest in the flesh', justified in the Spirit', seen of angels', preached unto the Gentiles', believed on in the world', received up into glory'.

5. Charity vaunteth not itself', is not puffed up', doth not behave itself unseemly', seeketh not her own', is not easily provoked', thinketh no evil'; beareth' all things, believeth' all things, hopeth' all things, endureth' all things.

REMARK.--Some authors give the following rule for the reading of a concluding series: "All the particulars of a concluding series, except the last but one, require the falling inflection." Exception l.--When the particulars enumerated in a concluding series are not at all emphatic, all except the last require the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES (30)

He was esteemed for his kindness', his intelligence', his self-denial', and his active benevolence'.

Exception 2.--When all the terms of a concluding series are strongly emphatic, they all receive the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES. (30)

1. They saw not one man', not one woman', not one child', not one four-footed beast'.

2. His hopes', his happiness', his life', hung upon the words that fell from those lips,

3. They fought', they bled', they died', for freedom.

PARENTHESIS. (30)

RULE XI.--A parenthesis should be read more rapidly and in a lower key than the rest of the sentence, and should terminate with the same inflection that next precedes it. If, however, it is complicated, or emphatic, or disconnected from the main subject, the inflections must be governed by the same rules as in the other cases.

REMARK.--A smooth and expressive reading of a parenthesis is difficult of acquisition, and can be secured only by careful and persistent training.

EXAMPLES. (30)

1. G.o.d is my witness' (whom I serve with my spirit, in the gospel of his Son'), that, without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers; making request' (if, by any means, now at length, I might have a prosperous journey by the will of G.o.d'), to come unto you.

2. When he had entered the room three paces, he stood still; and laying his left hand upon his breast' (a slender, white staff with which he journeyed being in his right'), he introduced himself with a little story of his convent.

3. If you, AEschines, in particular, were persuaded' (and it was no particular affection for me, that prompted you to give up the hopes, the appliances, the honors, which attended the course I then advised; but the superior force of truth, and your utter inability to point any course more eligible') if this was the case, I say, is it not highly cruel and unjust to arraign these measures now, when you could not then propose a better?

4. As the hour of conflict drew near' (and this was a conflict to be dreaded even by him'), he began to waver, and to abate much of his boasting.

CIRc.u.mFLEX. (31)

RULE XII.--The circ.u.mflex is used to express irony, sarcasm, hypothesis, or contrast.

NOTE.--For the reason that the circ.u.mflex always suggests a double or doubtful meaning, it is appropriate for the purposes expressed in the rule. It is, also, frequently used in sportive language; jokes and puns are commonly given with this inflection.

EXAMPLES. (31)

1. Man never is, but always to be, blest.

2. They follow an adventurer whom they fear; we serve a monarch whom we love. They boast, they come but to improve our state, enlarge our thoughts, and free us from the yoke of error. Yes, they will give enlightened freedom to our minds, who are themselves the slaves of pa.s.sion, avarice, and pride. They offer us their protection: yes, such protection as vultures give to lambs, covering and devouring them.

MONOTONE. (32)

RULE XIII.--The use of the monotone is confined chiefly to grave and solemn subjects. When carefully and properly employed, it gives great dignity to delivery.

EXAMPLES. (32)

1. The unbeliever! one who can gaze upon the sun, and moon, and stars, and upon the unfading and imperishable sky, spread out so magnificently above him, and say, "All this is the work of chance!"

2. G.o.d walketh upon the ocean. Brilliantly The gla.s.sy waters mirror back his smiles; The surging billows, and the gamboling storms Come crouching to his feet.

3. I hail thee, as in gorgeous robes, Blooming thou leav'st the chambers of the east, Crowned with a gemmed tiara thick embossed With studs of living light.

4. High on a throne of royal state, which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous east, with richest hand Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted sat.

5. His broad expanded wings Lay calm and motionless upon the air, As if he floated there without their aid, By the sole act of his unlorded will.

6. In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs.

III. ACCENT AND EMPHASIS. (33)

ACCENT.

That syllable in a word which is uttered more forcibly than the others, is said to be accented, and is marked thus, ('); as the italicized syllables in the following words:

morn'ing. pos'si-ble.

ty'rant. re-c.u.m'bent.

pro-cure'. ex-or'bi-tant, de-bate'. com-pre-hen'sive.

Common usage alone determines upon what syllable the accent should be placed, and to the lexicographer it belongs, to ascertain and record its decision on this point.

In some few cases, we can trace the reasons for common usage in this respect. In words which are used as different parts of speech, or which have different meanings, the distinction is sometimes denoted by changing the accent.