EMPHASIS AND ACCENT. Contrasted words are sometimes emphasized by changing the accent, or by accenting the syllable in which they differ. EXAMPLES. 1. That is a complex, not a compound sentence. 2. Learn to unlearn what you have learned amiss. 3. I said "material," not "immaterial." 4. Some are honest, and some dishonest. 5. What is the difference between approbation and reprobation. 6. I attend school regularly, not irregularly. EMPHASIS AND INFLECTION. Emphasis sometimes changes the inflection from the rising to the falling, and from the falling to the rising. EXAMPLES. 1. You do not know him, my lord, as we do. 2. If you have no regard for your character, you ought to have some regard for your interesť. 3. Three thousand ducats'; 't is a good', round' sum'. 4. It is useless to expatiate upon the beauties of nature to one who is blind'. EMPHATIC PHRASE. Each word of a phrase, and the parts of a compound word, are sometimes independently emphasized. 1. EXAMPLES. Heaven and earth will witness, 2. But-see!-the enemy retire. 3. Just keep this wholesome truth in mind, 'Tis-better-late-than-never. 4. Lord Angus, thou-hast-lied. 5. Shall I compare myself with this half-year—captain? EMPHATIC PAUSE. An emphatic pause is a pause made before or after, and sometimes both before and after, an emphatic word or phrase. The pause before the word or phrase awakens curiosity and excites expectation; the pause after the word or phrase gives the reader or hearer time to fix the thought in his memory. EXAMPLES. 1. He takes the strangest-liberties— 3. There-in his dark, carved, oaken chair 4. Hath a dog-money? Is it possible A cur-can lend three-thousand-ducats? 5. Mirth-is like a flash of lightning, that glitters for a moment; cheerfulness-keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind. 6. Some place the bliss in action; some-in ease; Those call it pleasure, and contentment-these. PITCH AND COMPASS. The key-note, or governing note, of the voice is that upon which it most frequently dwells, and to which it usually returns when wearied. This is called the natural pitch of the voice. The range of voice above and below this note is called its compass. In reading or speaking, the voice should rise above or fall below this pitch, to avoid monotony, but always with reference to the sense of that which is read or spoken. To secure the proper natural pitch, and the greatest compass, the reader or speaker should choose that pitch above and below which he may have the most room for variation. DIRECTIONS FOR PRACTICE.-Select a short sentence; repeat it, several times in succession, in as low a key as the voice can sound naturally; then rise one note higher, and practice on that; then another; and so on, until the highest pitch of the voice has been reached. Next, reverse the process, until the lowest pitch has been reached. EXAMPLES IN PITCH. High Pitch. 1. "Fôrward', the Light Brigade'! Chärge for the guns!" he said. 2. A hôrse' a hôrse'! mỹ kingdom' for a horse'! 3. Rouse', yẽ Rōmăns! Rouse', yē slāves'! 4. "Charge! Chester', chärge'! On'! Stănley', ŏn'!” Were the låst words of Märmion'. 5. On', to the Fōrum! Beâr the body hěnce, high in the public view, through all the streets! On', Rōmăns', Ŏn'! The fool shall set you free! 6. Strike, till the låst ärmed fōe expires'! 7. It is în vain to extenuate the måttěr. cry peace! peace'! but thêre is no peace! Gentlemen may that sweeps from the Nôrth will bring to our ears the clash of resounding ärms! Our brethren are already` în the field'. Why stand wē here idle? Middle Pitch. 1. Mỹ heärt leaps up when I bēhōld A rainbow in the sky': Sō was it when my life bēgǎn'; Sō be it when I shall grow ōld, Or let me die'. 2. Măn mày sẽe ănd hear, ănd read ănd lẽarn, whatěvěr he pleases', ănd ăş much' ăş hẽ plēages'; but he will never knōw ǎny thing except that which hẽ hăş thôught over-that which, by thinking, hẽ hăṣ made the property of hiş mind'. Măn, by thinking only', becomes a true măn. Take away thôught from mǎn's life, ănd whạt rēmāins\? 3. Better to weave in the web of life And to do God's will with a ready heart', And then blame heaven fôr tăngled ends, Low Pitch. 1. The cûrfew tōlls the knell of pärting day`, And leaves the world to därkness' and to mẽ'. 2. Of ōld hast thou laid the foundation of the earth': ănd the heavens äre the work of thy hands'. They shall perish, but thou shalt ĕndūre': yea, all of them shåll wăx ōld, like a gärmĕnt`; ăş a věstūre shălt thou change them', ănd they shåll bē changed: but thou ärt the same; and thỹ years shall have nō ĕnd'. 3. Night', sable goddess'! from her ĕbon thrōne', Her leaden scepter o'er a slumbĕring world'. Creation sleeps'. 'Tis as the gěněrǎl pulse ăş Of life stood still', ănd nātūre made a pause- QUANTITY. QUANTITY, in reading and speaking, means the length of time occupied in uttering a syllable or a word. It may be classified as Long, Medium, and Short. DIRECTION FOR PRACTICE IN MEDIUM AND LONG QUANTITY.-Select some word of one syllable ending with a long vocal or a subvocal sound; pronounce it many times in succession, increasing the quantity at each repetition, until you can dwell upon it any desired length of time, without drawling, and in a natural tone. EXAMPLES IN QUANTITY. 1. O Lôrd', our Lôrd', how excellent is thỹ name in all the earth'! who hast set thỹ glōry ǎbove the heavens'. When I consider thy heavens', the work of thỹ fingers'; the moon and the stärs which thou hast ôrdained'; what iş măn', thăt thou ärt mindful of him? ănd the son of măn', that thou vişĭtěst him? Fôr thou hăst made him a little lower than the angels', ǎnd hăst crowned him with glōry` ănd honor. Thou mādest him to have dōminion ōver the works of thỹ hǎnds; thou hăst put all` things under his feet'. O Lôrd, our Lôrd, how excellent is thỹ name in all the earth. 2. The sky is changed`!—ănd such a change! O night', And storm', and därkness', yē äre wondrous strong, Yět lovely in your strength', ăş is the light Of a därk eye in womǎn'! Fär ålõng, From peak to pēak', the rǎttling crăgs amỏng, Leaps the live thunder! 3. The day is cōld', ănd därk', ănd dreary'; The vine still clings to the moldering wall", |