to denote some strong or sudden emotion of the mind. EXAMPLES. O! let me listen to the words of life!-Thomson. SECTION VIII.-OF THE CURVES. The Curves, or Marks of Parenthesis, are used to distinguish a clause or hint that is hastily thrown in between the parts of a sentence to which it does not properly belong. EXAMPLES. To others do (the law is not severe) What to thyself thou wishest to be done.-Beattie. Obs. The incidental clause should be uttered in a lower tone, and faster than the principal sentence. It always requires, both before and after it, a pause as great as that of a comma, or greater. SECTION IX.-OF THE OTHER MARKS. There are also other marks that are occasionally used for various purposes, as follow: 1. ['] The Apostrophe usually denotes either the possessive case of a noun, or the elision of one or more letters of a word; as, The girl's regard to her parents' advice;-'gan, lov'd, e'en, thro'; for began, loved, even, through. 2. [-] The Hyphen connects the parts of compound words; as, ever-living. Placed at the end of a line, it shows that one or more syllables of a word are carried forward to the next line. 3. [] The Diaresis, placed over the latter of two vowels, shows that they are not a diphthong; as, aërial. 4. ['1 The Acute Accent marks the syllable which requires the principal stress in pronunciation; as, équal, equality. It is sometimes used in opposition to the grave accent, to distinguish a close or short vowel, or to denote the rising inflection of the voice. 5. [] The Grave Accent is used, in opposition to the acute, to distinguish an open or long vowel, or to denote the falling inflection of the voice. 6. [4] The Circumflex generally denotes either the broad sound of a, or an unusual and long sound given to some other vowel; as in eolât, âll, hêir, machîne, môve, bûll. 7. [] The Breve is used to denote either a close vowel, or a syllable of short quantity; as, răven, to devour. 8. [-] The Macron is used to denote either an open vowel or a syllable of long quantity; as, rāven, a bird. 9. [ -] or [****] The Ellipsis denotes the omission of some letters or words; as, K-g for king. 10. [] The Caret shows where to insert words that have been accidentally omitted. 11. [] The Brace serves to unite a triplet, or to connect several terms with something to which they are all related. 12. [S] The Section marks the smaller divisions of a book or chapter; and, with the help of numbers, serves to abridge refer ences. 13. [T] The Paragraph (chiefly used in the Bible) denotes the commencement of a new subject. The parts of discourse which are called paragraphs, are, in general, sufficiently distinguished, by beginning a new line, and carrying the first word a little forwards or backwards. 14. [""] The Guillemets, or Quotation Points, distinguish words that are taken from some other author or speaker. A quotation within a quotation is marked with single points; which, when both are employed, are placed within the others. 66 Не 15. [[]] The Crotchets, or Brackets, generally inclose some correction or explanation, or the subject to be explained; as, [the speaker] was of a different opinion." 16. [] The Index, or Hand, points out something remarkable. 17. [*] The Asterisk, [†] the Obelisk, [] the Double Dagger, and [] the Parallels, refer to marginal notes. The letters of the alphabet, or the numerical figures, may be used for the same purpose. 18. [***] The Asterism, or Three Stars, a sign not very often used, is placed before a long or general note, to mark it as a note, without giving it a particular reference. 19. [g] The Cedilla is a mark which is sometimes set under a letter to show that its sound, in the given word, is soft; as in façade, where the c sounds as s. CHAPTER II.-UTTERANCE. Utterance is the art of vocal expression. It includes the principles of pronunciation and elocution. SECTION I.- -OF PRONUNCIATION. Pronunciation, as distinguished from elocution, is the utterance of words taken separately. Pronunciation requires a knowledge of the just powers of the letters in all their combinations, and of the force and seat of the accent. 1. The Just Powers of the letters are those sounds which are given to them by the best readers. 2. Accent is the peculiar stress which we lay upon some particular syllable of a word, whereby that syllable is distinguished from and above the rest; as, gram'-mar, gram-ma'-ri-an. Every word of more than one syllable, has one of its syllables accented. When the word is long, for the sake of harmony or distinctness, we often give a secondary, or less forcible accent, to an other syllable; as, to the last of tem'-per-a-ture', and to the second of in-dem'ni-fi-ca'-tion. A full and open pronunciation of the long vowel sounds, a clear articulation of the consonants, a forcible and well placed accent, and a distinct utterance of the unaccented syllables, distinguish the elegant speaker. SECTION II.-OF ELOCUTION. Elocution is the utterance of words that are arranged into sentences, and that form discourse. Elocution requires a knowledge, and right application, of emphasis, pauses, inflections, and tones. 1. Emphasis is the peculiar stress which we lay upon some particular word or words in a sentence, which are thereby distinguished from the rest as being more especially significant. 2. Pauses are cessations in utterance, which serve equally to relieve the speaker, and to render language intelligible and pleasing. The duration of the pauses should be proportionate to the degree of connexion between the parts of the discourse. 3. Inflections are those peculiar variations of the human voice, by which a continuous sound is made to pass from one note, key, or pitch, into an other. The passage of the voice from a lower to a higher or shriller note, is called the rising inflection; the passage of the voice from a higher to a lower or graver note, is called the falling-inflection. These two opposite inflections may be heard in the following examples: 1. The rising, "Do you mean to go?"-2. The falling, When will you go?" Obs.-Questions that may be answered by yes or no, require the rising inflection: those that demand any other answer, must be uttered with the falling inflection. 4. Tones are those modulations of the voice, which depend upon the feelings of the speaker. They are what Sheridan denominates "the language of emotions." And it is of the utmost importance that they be natural, unaffected, and rightly adapted to the subject and to the occasion; for upon them, in a great measure, depends all that is pleasing or interesting in elocution. CHAPTER III.-FIGURES. A figure, in grammar, is an intentional deviation from the ordinary spelling, formation, construction, or application of words. There are, accordingly, figures of Orthography, figures of Etymology, figures of Syntax, and figures of Rhetoric. When figures are judiciously employed, they both strengthen and adorn expression. They occur more frequently in poetry than in prose; and several of them are merely poetic licenses. SECTION I.-FIGURES OF ORTHOGRAPHY. A figure of Orthography is an intentional deviation from the ordinary or true spelling of a word. The principal figures of Orthography are two; namely, Mi-me'-sis and Archa-ism. 1. Mimesis is a ludicrous imitation of some mistake or mispronunciation of a word, in which the error is mimicked by a false spelling, or the taking of one word for an other; as, "Maister, says he, have you any wery good weal in your vâllet?"— Columbian Orator, p. 292. "Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain Gower." -Shak. "I will description the matter to you, if you be capacity of it."-Id. "Perdigious! I can hardly stand."-Lloyd. 2. An Archaism is a word or phrase expressed according to ancient usage, and not according to our modern orthography; as 6 Newe grene chese of smalle clammynes comfortethe a hotte stomake." -T. PAYNEL: Tooke's Diversions, ii, 132. "With him was rev'rend Contemplation pight, Bow-bent with eld, his beard of snowy hue."-Beattie. SECTION II.-FIGURES OF ETYMOLOGY. A figure of Etymology is an intentional deviation from the ordinary formation of a word. The principal figures of Etymology are eight; namely, A-phær e-sis, Pros'-the-sis, Syn'-co-pe, A-poc-o-pe, Par-a-go'ge, Di-ar1·e-sis, Syn-ar-e-sis, and Tme'-sis, 1. Apheresis is the elision of some of the initial letters of a word; as, 'gainst, 'gan, 'neath,-for against, began, beneath. 2. Prosthesis is the prefixing of an expletive syllable to a word; as, adown, appaid, bestrown, evanished,-for down, paid, strown, vanished. 3. Syncope is the elision of some of the middle letters of a word; as, medicine, for medicine; e'en, for even; o'er, for over. 4. Apocope is the elision of some of the final letters of a word; as, tho', for though; th', for the; t'other, for the other. 5. Paragoge is the annexing of an expletive syllable to a word; as, withouten, for without; my deary, for my dear. 6. Diaresis is the separating of two vowels that might form a diphthong; as, cooperate, not cooperate; orthoëpy, not orthopy. 7. Synæresis is the sinking of two yllables into one; as, seest, for seest; tacked, for tack-ed. Obs. When a vowel is entirely suppressed in pronunciation, (whether retained in writing or not,) the consonants connected with it, fall into an other syllable: thus, loved or lov'd, lovest or lov'st, are monosyllables, except in solemn discourse, in which the e is made vocal. 8. Tmesis is the inserting of a word between the parts of a compound; as, "On which side soever;"-" To us ward;"-" To God ward."-Bible. SECTION III.-FIGURES OF SYNTAX. A figure of Syntax is an intentional deviation from the ordinary construction of words. The principal figures of Syntax are five; namely, El-lip'-sio, Ple'o-nasm, Syl-lep'-sis, En-al-la-ge, and Hy-per-ba-ton. 1. Ellipsis is the omission of some words which are necessary to complete the construction, but not necessary to convey the meaning; as, "Who did this?' 'I' [did it.]" Such words are said to be understood; because they are received as belonging to the sentence, though they are not uttered. 2. Pleonasm is the introduction of superfluous words. This figure is allowable only, when in animated discourse, it abruptly introduces an emphatic word, or repeats an idea to impress it more strongly; as, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!"-"I know thee who thou art." A pleonasm is sometimes impressive and elegant; but an unemphatic repetition of the same idea, is one of the worst faults of bad writing. 3. Syllepsis is agreement formed according to the figurative sense of a word, or the mental conception of the thing spoken of, and not according to the literal or common use of the term; it is therefore, in general, connected with some figure of rhetoric: as, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory."John, i, 14. "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them."-Acts, viii, 5. "While Evening draws her crimson curtain round." |