in which the voice slides upward and then downward on the same vowel. They may both be denoted by the same mark ; thus (^). The circumflex is used chiefly to indicate the emphasis of irony, or of contrast, or of hypothesis.

Λ

Queen. Hamlet, you have your father much offended.

Hamlet. Madam, yôu have my father much offended.

This is the emphasis of contrast. The queen had poisoned her husband, of which she incorrectly supposed her son ignorant, and she blames him for treating his father-in-law with disrespect. In his reply, Hamlet contrasts her deep crime with his own slight offense, and the circumflex upon you, becomes proper.

They offer us their protection. Yes', such protection, as vûltures give to lâmbs, côvering and devôuring them.

Here the emphasis is ironical. The Spaniards pretended, that they would protect the Peruvians, if they would submit to them, whereas, it was evident, that they merely desired to plunder and destroy them. Thus their protection is ironically called sûch protection as vultures give to lâmbs, &c.

I knew when seven justices could not make up a quarrel; but when the parties met themselves, one of them thought but of an if; as, if you said sô, then I said sô; O ho! did you say sô? So they shook hands and were sworn brothers.

In this example, the word "so" is used hypothetically, that is, it implies a condition or supposition. It will be observed that the rising circumflex is used in the first "so," and the falling, in the second, because the first "so" must end with the rising inflection, and the second, with the falling inflection, according to previous rules.

QUESTION S.-What inflections are united to form the circumflex? Explain the two kinds of circumflex. What does the circumflex indicate? Give an example in which it is used to indicate the emphasis of contrast, and explain it. Explain the one, in which the emphasis of irony is illustrated. Give the last example and explain it.

VI. MONOTONE.

WHEN no word in a sentence is inflected, it is said to be read in a monotone; that is, in nearly the same tone throughout. This uniformity of tone is occasionally adopted, and is fitted to express solemnity or sublimity of idea, and sometimes intensity of feeling. It is used, also, when the whole sentence or phrase

is emphatic. In books of elocution, when it is marked at all, it is generally marked thus (—), as in the fourth line following.

Hence! loathed Melancholy !

Where brooding darkness spreads her jealous wings,

And the night raven sings;

There, under bon shades and low-browed rocks,

As ragged as thy locks,

In dark Cimmerian darkness ever dwell.

UESTIONS.-When is a sentence said to be read in a monotone. When is the monotone appropriate? Which line in the example is to be read in this way? Why?

SECTION V.

ACCENT.

In every word, which contains more than one syllable, one of the syllables is pronounced with a somewhat greater stress of voice, than the others; as, love'-ly, where this stress is on the first syllable; and, re-turn', where it is on the last syllable. This syllable is said to be accented. The accented syllable is distinguished by this mark ('), the same which is used in

inflections.

In most cases, custom is the only guide for placing the accent on one syllable rather than another. Sometimes, however, the same word is differently accented, in order to mark its different meanings; as,

Con'-jure, to practice enchantments, and con-jure', to entreat.

Gal'-lant, brave.

Au'-gust, a month.

gal-lant', a gay fellow.

au-gust', grand, &c.

A number of words, also, have their accent on one syllable when verbs or adjectives, and on another, when nouns; as,

Sub'-ject, the noun, and to sub-ject', the verb.

QUESTIONS.- -When is a syllable said to be accented? Give an example. How is the accented syllable marked? What is generally the guide for placing the accent? When is the same word differently accented? Give an example under each head.

SECTION VI.

EMPHASIS.

THAT stress of voice which marks the accent, when increased, forms EMPHASIS. A word is said to be emphasized, when it is uttered with a greater stress of voice, than the other words with which it is connected. This increased stress is, generally, not upon the whole word, but only upon the accented syllable. The object of emphasis is, to attract particular attention to the word upon which it is placed, indicating, that the idea to be conveyed, depends very much upon that word. This object, as just stated, is generally accomplished by increasing the force of utterance, but sometimes, also, other methods are used, as, for instance, a change in the inflection, the use of the monotone, or by uttering the words in a very low or whispering tone. Emphatic words. are often denoted by italics, and a still stronger emphasis, by capitals. Emphasis constitutes the most important feature in reading and speaking, and, properly applied, gives life and character to language. Accent, inflection, and, indeed, every thing yields to emphasis. The inflections, especially, are auxiliary to it. In the article on that subject, it has already been observed, how often they yield to emphasis, or are used to enforce it. In the following examples, it will be seen that accent, in like manner, is governed by it.

What is done, cannot be undone.

There is a difference between giving and forgiving.

He that descended is the same that ascended.

Some appear to make very little difference between decency and indecency, morality and immorality, religion and irreligion.

There is no better illustration of the nature and importance of emphasis, than the following example, which is substantially the same with one given by Blair, and which has been often quoted. It will be observed that the meaning and proper answer of the question varies with each change of the emphasis.

Did you walk into the city yesterday? ns. No, my brother went.

Did

you walk into the city yesterday? Did you walk into the city yesterday? Did you walk into the city yesterday?

Ans. No, I rode.

Ans. No, I went into the country.
Ans. No, I went the day before.

I. ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS.

SOMETIMES a word is emphasized simply to indicate the impor tance of the idea. This is called ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS.

The following are examples:

To arms! they come, the Greek! the Greek!
STRIKE-till the last armed foe expires,
STRIKE for your altars and your fires,
STRIKE for the green graves of your sires,
GOD-and your native land.

Woe unto you PHARISEES! HYPOCRITES!

Days, months, years, and ages, shall circle away,

And still the vast waters above thee shall roll.

In instances like the last, it is sometimes called the emphasis of specification.

II. RELATIVE EMPHASIS.

WORDS are often emphasized, in order to exhibit the idea they express, as compared or contrasted with some other idea.

is called RELATIVE EMPHASIS.

The following are examples:

It is much better to be injured, than to injure.

They fight for plunder, we, for our country.

Homer was the greater genius, Virgil, the better artist.

This

This is sometimes carried through several sets or pairs of antithesis, or contrasted words; as,

A friend cannot be known in prosperity; an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

They follow an adventurer whom they fear; we serve a monarch whom we love.

In

many instances one part only of the antithesis is expressed, the corresponding idea being understood; as,

A friendly eye would never see such faults.

Here the unfriendly eye is understood.

King Henry exclaims, while vainly endeavoring to compose himself to rest,

How many thousands of my subjects are at this hour asleep.

Here the emphatic words thousands, subjects, and asleep, are contrasted in idea with their opposites, and if the contrasted ideas were expressed, it would be done something in this way:

While I alone, their sovereign, am doomed to wakefulness.

III. EMPHATIC PHRASE.

SOMETIMES, several words in succession are emphasized. The following are examples.

Shall I, the conqueror of Spain and Gaul, and not only of the Alpine nations, but of the Alps themselves-shall I compare myself with this HALF-YEARCAPTAIN ?

Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the LAST TEN

YEARS.

And if thou said'st, I am not peer

To any lord in Scotland here,
Lowland or Highland, far or near,

Lord Angus-THOU-HAST-LIED!

IV. EMPHATIC PAUSE.

An emphatic expression of sentiment often requires a pause, where the grammatical construction authorizes none. This is sometimes called the rhetorical pause. Such pauses occur, chiefly, before or after an emphatic word or phrase, and sometimes both before and after it. Their object is, to attract attention to the emphatic idea, or to give the mind time to dwell upon it, and thus increase the impression. Examples:

Rise-fellow men! our country-yet remains!

By that dread name we wave the sword on high,
And swear for her—to live—with her-to die.
But most-by numbers judge the poet's song;
And smooth or rough, with them is-right or wrong.
He said; then full before their sight

Produced the beast, and lo!—'t was white.

QUESTIONS.-When is a word said to be emphasized? Upon what part of the word is the increased stress placed? What is the object of emphasis? In what other way, than the one just mentioned, can this be accomplished? How are emphatic words marked? What is said of the importance of empha sis? What other things yield to emphasis? Give some examples in which accent yields to it. What is absolute emphasis? Give examples. What is meant by relative emphasis? Give the examples, and show the words contrasted. Give the examples, in which the emphasis is carried through several sets of contrasted words, and point out which words are opposed to each other. Is the idea corresponding to the emphatic word ever left out? Explain the two last examples under this head, and show what is the idea opposed to friendly, in the one, and what are opposed to thousands, subjects, and asleep, in the other. What is meant by the emphatic phrase? Give the examples. What do you understand by the emphatic pause? Where does it occur? What is its object? Give examples