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rank, his superior eloquence, his splendid qualities, his eminent services, the vast space he fills in the world's eye, and—more than all the rest-his fall from power (which, like death, canonizes and sanctifies a great character,) will not suffer me to censure any part of his conduct. I am afraid to flatter him; I am sure I am not disposed to blame him. Let those who have betrayed him by their adulation, insult him with their malevolence. But, what I do not presume to censure, I may have leave to lament.

For a wise man, he seemed to me, at that time, to be governed too much by general maxims. I speak with the freedom of history, and I hope without offence. One or two of these maxims, flowing from an opinion not the most indulgent to our unhappy species, (and surely a little too general,) led him into measures that were greatly mischievous to himself,— and, for that reason (among others) perhaps, fatal to his country,-measures, the effects of which, I am afraid, are for ever incurable. He made an administration so checkered and speckled; he put together a piece of joinery so crossly indented and whimsically dove-tailed-a cabinet so variously inlaid—such a piece of diversified mosaic-such a tesselated pavement without cement; here a bit of black stone, and there a bit of white; patriots and courtiers, king's friends and republicans; whigs and tories; treacherous friends and open enemies ;-that it was, indeed, a very curious show, but utterly unsafe to touch, and unsure to stand on. The colleagues whom he had assorted at the same boards stared at each other, and

were obliged to ask, "Sir, your name ?"-" Sir, you have the advantage of me."-"Mr. Such-a-one, I beg a thousand pardons!" I venture to say, it did so happen, that persons had a single office divided between them who had never spoke to each other in their lives; until they found themselves-they knew not how-pigging together, heads and points, in the same truckle-bed.—Burke.

END OF PART II. OF SECOND DIVISION.

SECOND DIVISION.

PART III.

1. COMPOUND INFLECTIONS.

2. PAUSE OF FORCE, OR EXPRESSION.

3. CUMULATIVE EMPHASIS.

COMPOUND INFLECTIONS.

I have previously mentioned compound inflections, and it is now time to explain their force and use. They are distinguished from the simple rise and fall, by a greater range of ascent and descent, comprehending tones, double tones, and half tones, (carrying the voice over an interval of five tones, and sometimes even of an octave.)

The compound inflections are

1. The compound rising-thus marked

2. The compound falling-thus ~

The curved line is chosen to indicate them, because in making them, the voice does not rise or fall directly, but in a sort of curve, taking in (or slurring over) intermediate half-tones in its ascent or descent to the extreme point of inflection.

The use of these inflections does not set aside the rules for inflection, so far as to the point whether the

inflection shall be rising or falling; but it increases the pitch, and power of the inflection.

Thus, if I ask you—

Did you say yes?

with the simple rising inflection, the question is an indifferent one,-in fact, a simple interrogation: it might be thus marked on a diagram, indicating the descent and ascent of the voice, and the extreme point of inflection.

Did you say

Or, in music, it might be thus scored—

yes?

Did you say

yes?

Here the ascent or rise is of three tones,-or, as it is called, in thirds.

But, if I am anxiously desirous to know what your answer was --and in my question wish to express that I shall be very much surprised if you have said "Yes," my question would be inflected with the compound (or curved) inflection, thus:

Did you say ye

or in musical score:

[blocks in formation]

in which there is on the word yes both a descent and an ascent -(that is, a double or compound inflection), the ascent being two tones higher than that of the simple inflection in the simple question; and the curved line denotes the slur of the voice in passing from the low tone to the high one.

In the same manner, the simple falling is changed, for expression and force, to the compound falling inflection. Thus, in reply to the above question, if you give a simple answer, you will say-No-with the simple falling inflection; but if (in answer to my compound inflection) you desire to imply “by no means; nothing could be further from my thoughts; and I am surprised you should ask such a question ;”—then you will reply with the compound falling inflection,

No

No

commencing on a high pitch of voice, and making a sweep or curve of descent equal and corresponding to the curve of ascent in the compound rising inflection of my question.

That ascent and descent are usually in fifths, as above; but when the speaker is under strong passion, his voice will ascend a full octave. Such, for example, should be the range of the inflection on the questions by Hamlet to Laertes at Ophelia's grave:

"Dost thou come here to whine?

To outface me with leaping in her grave ?"

Hamlet, act iv., sc. 1.

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