Rhetorical Dialogue.

RHETORICAL DIALOGUE embraces all compositions in which the writer incidentally introduces two individuals, or more, as speaking. It should be read according to the preceding rule under personation.

EXERCISE.

HELPS TO READ.-BYROM.

1. A CERTAIN artist, I've forgot his name, Had got for making spectacles a fame,

Or "Helps to Read "— as, when they first were sold,

Was writ upon his glaring sign in gold;

And, for all uses to be had from glass,
His were allowed, by readers, to surpass.
There came a man into his shop, one day—
"Are you the spectacle contriver, pray?"
"Yes, sir," said he, "I can in that affair
Contrive to please you, if you want a pair.”-

2. "Can you? pray do then."-So, at first, he chose
To place a youngish pair upon his nose;

And book produced, to see how they would fit;-
Asked how he liked 'em.-" Like 'em? -Not a bit."
แ "Then, sir, I fancy, if you please to try,

These in my hand will better suit your eye."

"No, but they do n't."-" Well, come, sir, if you please,
Here is another sort, we 'll e'en try these;

Still somewhat more they magnify the letter;
Now, sir!"-"Why now,- I'm not a bit the better."-

3. "No! here, take these that magnify still more;
How do they fit?"-"Like all the rest before."

QUESTIONS. What is rhetorical dialogue? How should it be read?

In short, they tried a whole assortment through,
But all in vain, for none of them would do.
The operator, much surprised to find

So odd a case, thought, sure the man is blind!

"What sort of eyes can you have got?" said he.

'Why, very good ones, friend, as you may see." "Yes, I perceive the clearness of the ball,

Pray, let me ask you· Can you read at all?" 4. "No, you great blockhead; if I could, what need Of paying you for any Helps to Read.--' "

And so he left the maker in a heat,

Resolved to post him for an arrant cheat.

SECTION IV.

GRAMMATICAL AND RHETORICAL PAUSES.

PAUSES are suspensions of the voice in reading or speaking. They are necessary, not only to enable the reader or speaker to take breath, but are more especially important in order to give the hearer a distinct understanding of every thought. There are two kinds:

1. The grammatical pauses, or those used in punctuation to mark the sense of written composition.

2. The rhetorical pause, or a suspension of voice where grammatical pauses do not require it. It is employed to produce rhetorical effect, and is marked thus ( | ).

It is supposed that the pupil is already familiar with the characters employed in punctuation, and hence it is unnecessary

QUESTIONS. What are pauses, and for what are they necessary? How many kinds are there to be observed in prose compositions? What are they? For what are grammatical pauses used? What is a rhetorical pause, and for what is it employed?

to introduce them here. It may be well, however, to remark, that no one of them has any uniform or definite length in reading, and must always depend on the emotions of the reader, and his rate of utterance.

But the rhetorical pause deserves the student's most careful attention, for, when properly observed, it adds force and impressiveness to the thought or sentiment uttered. If it precedes an important word or clause, it excites expectation, and prepares the mind for what follows. Its length, like that of grammatical pauses, is indefinite, being governed by the importance of the thought to be expressed. Hence, correct taste will better decide its proper length, and where it should be made, than any set rules.

The following rule, however, embraces a few of the instances where its use is required, and is introduced for the purpose of calling the learner's attention to the subject.

RULE 13. The rhetorical pause is generally required, 1st, Between a verb and its nominative. 2d, Before and after an intervening phrase. 3d, Before an adjective when it follows its noun. 4th, Before the second of two nouns in apposition, the latter being explanatory of the former. 5th, Before the verb when two or more nouns in succession, are nominatives to it. 6th, Before that, when used as a conjunction. 7th, Where the ellipsis occurs. 8th, Before, and sometimes before and after a word specially important. 9th, Before a verb in the infinitive mood, when governed by another verb. 10th, Before who, and which, when in the nominative case. 11th, Before that, when used for who.

QUESTIONS. Have the grammatical pauses any uniform or definite length in reading? What is said of the rhetorical pause? Has it any definite length? What are the specific cases given in the rule, where the rhetorical pause is generally required?

EXAMPLES OF EACH.

1. Kindness begets kindness, and love | begets love.

Conscience is the chamber of justice.

2. Virtue | however it may be neglected for a time will ultimately be respected.

Modesty especially in females | is always attractive.

3. It was a calculation | accurate to the last degree.

He had a mind | energetic, a judgment | discriminating. 4. Hope the balm of life | sooths us under misfortunes. Solomon | the son of David | was king of Israel.

5. Saul and Jonathan | were warm friends.

Riches, pleasures, and health | become evils to those who do not know how to use them.

6. It is in society only | that we can relish those pure joys, which gladden the life of man.

He went to Egypt | that he might see the pyramids.

7. Add to your faith virtue; to virtue | knowledge; to knowledge temperance; to temperance | patience; to patience | godliness; and to godliness | brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness | charity.

8. Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ | like a | God.

I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me | death.

9. He has gone | to convey the intelligence.

The greatest misery is to be self-condemned.

10. Death is the season | which tests men's hopes.

This is the man | who deserves commendation.

11. The general | that commanded the army was slain. No man that is wise, will refuse to comply.

EXERCISE.

REPUBLICAN EQUALITY.-STORY.

1. Gentlemen have argued, as if personal rights only | were the proper objects of government. But what, I would ask, is

life worth, if a man cannot eat | in security | the bread earned by his own industry? If he is not permitted | to transmit to his children the little inheritance, which his affection has destined for their use? What enables us to diffuse education among all classes of society, but | property? Are not our public schools the distinguishing blessing of our land | sustained by its patronage? I will say no more about the rich and the poor. There is no parallel to be run between them, founded on permanent, constitutional distinctions. The rich help the poor, and the poor | in turn | administer to the rich.

2. In our country | the highest man | is not above the people; the humblest | is not below the people. If the rich may be said to have additional protection, they have not additional power. Nor does wealth here | form a permanent distinction of families. Those who are wealthy to-day, pass to the tomb, and their children divide their estates. Property | is thus divided quite as fast as it accumulates. No family can, without its own exertions, stand erect for a long time under our statute of descents and distributions, the only true and legitimate agrarian law. It silently and quietly dissolves the mass, heaped up by the toil and diligence of a long life of enterprise and industry.

3. Property is continually changing, like the waves of the sea. One wave rises and is soon swallowed up in the vast abyss, and seen no more. Another rises, and having reached its destined limit, falls gently away, and is succeeded by yet another, which, in its turn, breaks and dies away silently on the shore. The richest man among us may be brought down to the humblest level; and the child, with scarcely clothes to cover his nakedness, may rise to the highest office in our government. And the poor man, while he rocks his infant on his knees, may justly indulge the consolation, that if he possess talents and virtue, there is no office beyond the reach of his honorable ambition.