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III.-NEGATIVE CLAUSES.

A negative, combined with an affirmative, takes the lower pitch of the voice; and ends with the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. Speaking as a man, - I measure the integrity of men by their conduct, not by their professions; by their deeds, not by their words.

2. True charity is not a meteor, which occasionally glares; but a luminary, which, in its orderly and regular course, dispenses a benignant influence.

3. Before you can expect me to treat you as a friend, or to look upon you otherwise than an enemy, you must show earnestness in the cause of liberty, not lukewarmness; decision, not hesitation; candour, not deceit ; coöperation, not impediment.

4. Rewards! Yes! Let there be rewards! But let them be such as the nation will delight to honour. Rewards of virtue, high character, and high attainments. Rewards of merit, not of importunity; of diligence, energy, self-denial, and public service,-not of idleness, indifference, fawning, and parasitical worthlessness.

IV. QUOTATIONS.

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Words indicating a Quotation, such as-" to quote the words of Johnson," or, as he said," &c., are parenthetical, and must be read accordingly; but when a quotation is combined with comments or remarks, suitable modifications of the voice are necessary.

EXERCISES.

1. A Desert.

"It is difficult," says Belzoni, "to form an idea of a desert without having seen one. It seems to be an endless plain of sand and stones, sometimes mountains of all sizes and heights, without roads or shelter, without any sort of food;" and "it is impossible," adds

Mr. Bartlett, "to convey any idea of the feeling of utter weariness that grows upon the solitary wanderer, as, day by day, he penetrates into the heart of some great and terrible wilderness "—Dr. J. Brown.

2. Reading a Letter.

"But for my own part, my Lord, I could be well contented to be there in respect to the love I bear your house." He could be contented to be there; - why is he not there? "In respect to the love he bears our house"! He shows in this he loves his own barn better than he loves our house. Let me see some more :-" "The purpose you undertake is dangerous." Why, that is certain: it is dangerous to take a cold, to sleep, to drink; but I tell you, that out of this nettle danger, we pluck the flower safety. "The purpose you undertake is dangerous, the friends you have named uncertain, the time itself ill sorted, and your whole plot too light for the counterpoise of so great an opposition." Say you so! say you so! What a lack-brain is this! Why, our plot is as good a plot as ever were laid; our friends true and constant; a good plot, good friends, and full of expectation; an excellent plot, very good friends. What a frosty-spirited rogue this is!-Shakspeare.

3. Justice.

Once says an author - (where, I need not say)
Two travellers found an oyster in their way;
Both fierce, both hungry, the dispute grew strong;
When, scale in hand, dame Justice pass'd along.
Before her, each with clamour pleads the laws;
Explain'd the matter, and would win the cause.
Dame Justice, weighing long the doubtful right,
Takes, opens, swallows it before their sight.
The cause of strife removed so rarely well,
"There - take," says Justice, "take you each a shell:
"We thrive at Westminster on fools like you;
'Twas a fat oyster; - live in peace, - adieu.”

Pope.

Part EE.

EXPRESSION OF SENTIMENT.

·I-Reading of Poetry.

So much poetry has been already read under the direction of the teacher, and, practically at least, so much useful information given, that the pupils may now be considered prepared to understand and apply the few observations which will here be made.

Poetry requires the same accentuation of syllables, the same inflections of voice, and the same regard to sense and expression as prose.

Generally, however, the tones, although fuller and longer, are somewhat lower, in poetry than prose; and the use of the monotone and rising inflection more

common.

The principal faults to be guarded against are the following:

1st, A see-saw mode of reading the accented and unaccented syllables;

2ndly, The use of monotone to the prejudice of emphasis and expression;

3rdly, The sing-song recurrence of metre, whether in the middle, or at the end of lines ;

4thly, A disregard of metre, and an attempt to render verse prosaic; and

5thly, Emphasizing monosyllables, as prepositions, &c.; having regard to sound, not sense.

Different stanzas require, for the most part, different modes of reading. In the case of couplets, it is com

monly recommended, unless some violation of the sense ensues, that the first line end with the rising inflection, and the second with the falling; but here and in like instance, a cultivated taste and correct ear will best direct the style of reading.

Every line, or Verse of poetry, consists of a certain number of syllables; which, according as they are accented or unaccented, make together so many divisions of the verse, which are called Feet.

The different kinds of verse depend on the different kinds and number of Feet which it admits.

Under the head of "Prosody," in most of the English Grammars, all necessary information on this subject will be found; and, therefore, it needs only be observed here, for the sake of illustrating the meaning of Feet, that a short and long syllable following each other, constitute what is called an Iambus; and that five Iambuses ordinarily make up a line or verse of what is termed the Epic or Heroic measure; thus

The muse for-got | and thou | be-lov'd | no more. Here we have five Iambuses in the Heroic line.

In like manner, two short and one long syllables in succession, constitute the Anapæst; thus—

"Tis the voice of the sluggard, I heard him com-plain. Here we have an Anapæstic verse, consisting of four feet.

In or near the middle of a verse, it is usual, in reading, to make a slightly perceptible pause. This is called the Casural Pause, and is marked in the following examples :

1. All are but parts || of one stupendous whole.

2. The field of com-bat || is the field for men.

In the first instance, the pause occurs after the fourth syllable; but in the second, where the final syllable of

the word "combat" is included, the pause is thrown after the fifth syllable.

Whether the inflections of voice at the Casural pause be rising or falling, must depend, as heretofore, upon the nature of the subject.

At the end of each line, a very slight pause, if not prejudicial to the sense, adds greatly to the effect of poetry. In blank verse, however, such pause is seldom allowable. The following examples may be adduced in illustration.

1. Terminational Pause.

Lo, the poor Indian! | whose untutor'd mind'
Sees God in clouds, || or hears him in the wind';
His soul, proud Science || never taught to stray'
Far as the solar walk || or milky way`.

2. Pause, governed only, by the sense.

Did'st thou but view him right, thou'd'st see him black
With murder, treason, sacrilege, and crimes',
That strike my soul with horror' but to name them.

Poetical reading depends very much for effect on a proper regard to time in the pauses, and to a judicious use of monotone; while the necessary use of intonation renders the reading of poetry more difficult than prose, as it increases the danger of sacrificing sense to sound; but, although many qualities may be necessary in a really good reader of poetry, a careful teacher and an attentive pupil, having ordinary powers, will generally produce an agreeable reader.

NOTE. The remaining Exercises in this work should be read by the pupils individually, except where "part reading" occurs. In some instances, indeed, it may be convenient to divide the examples, but the objects of teaching will be best accomplished by each pupil reading the piece entire.

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