McGuffey's Fifth Eclectic Reader by William Holmes McGuffey

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EXAMPLES OF COMMENCING SERIES.

Wine', beauty', music', pomp', are poor expedients to heave off the load
of an hour from the heir of eternity'.

I conjure you by that which you profess,
(Howe'er you came to know it,) answer me;
Though you untie the winds and let them fight
Against the churches'; though the yeasty waves
Confound and swallow navigation' up;
Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down';
Though castles topple on their warders' heads';
Though palaces and pyramids do slope
Their heads to their foundations'; though the treasures
Of nature's germens tumble altogether',
Even till destruction sicken'; answer me
To what I ask' you.

4. A series of words or members which concludes a sentence is called a
concluding series, and each member usually has the falling inflection.

EXAMPLE OF CONCLUDING SERIES.

They, through faith, subdued kingdoms', wrought righteousness' obtained
promises', stopped the mouths of lions', quenched the violence of fire',
escaped the edge of the sword', out of weakness were made strong', waxed
valiant in fight', turned to flight the armies of the aliens'.

REMARK.--When the emphasis on these words or members is not marked, they
take the rising inflection, according to Rule IX.

EXAMPLES.

They are the offspring of restlessness', vanity', and idleness'.
Love', hope', and joy' took possession of his breast.

5. When words which naturally take the rising inflection become emphatic
by repetition or any other cause, they often take the falling inflection.

Exception to the Rule.--While the tendency of emphasis is decidedly to the
use of the falling inflection, sometimes a word to which the falling
inflection naturally belongs changes this, when it is emphatic, for the
rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Three thousand ducats': 't is a good round sum'.
It is useless to point out the beauties of nature to one who is blind'.

Here sum and blind, according to Rule VI, would take the falling
inflection, but as they are emphatic, and the object of emphasis is to
draw attention to the word emphasized, this is here accomplished in part
by giving an unusual inflection. Some speakers would give these words the
circumflex, but it would he the rising circumflex, so that the sound would
still terminate with the rising inflection.

RULE VIII.--Questions which can not be answered by yes or no, together
with their answers, generally require the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Where has he gone'? Ans. To New York'.
What has he done'? Ans. Nothing'.
Who did this'? Ans. I know not'.
When did he go'? Ans. Yesterday'.

REMARK.--It these questions are repeated, the inflection is changed
according to the principle stated under the Exception to Rule VII.

RISING INFLECTION.

RULE IX.--Where a pause is rendered proper by the meaning, and the sense
is incomplete, the rising inflection is generally required.

EXAMPLES.

To endure slander and abuse with meekness' requires no ordinary degree of
self-command',

Night coming on', both armies retired from the field of battle'.

As a dog returneth to his vomit', so a fool returneth to his folly'.

REMARK.--The person or object addressed, in ordinary conversation, comes
under this head.

EXAMPLES.

Fathers'! we once again are met in council.

My lords'! and gentlemen'! we have arrived at an awful crisis.

Age'! thou art shamed.

Rome'! thou hast lost the breed of noble bloods!

Exception.--Where a word which, according to this rule, requires the
rising inflection, becomes emphatic, it generally has the falling
inflec-tion; as, when a child addresses his father, he first says,
Father'! but if he repeats it emphatically, he changes the inflection, and
says, Father'! Father'! The falling inflection is also used in formal
address; as, Fellow--citizens', Mr. President', etc.

EXAMPLES.

When we aim at a high standard, if we do not attain' it, we shall secure a
high degree of excellence.

Those who mingle with the vicious, if they do not become depraved', will
lose all delicacy of feeling.

RULE X.--Questions which may be answered by yes or no, generally require
the rising, and their answers the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Has he arrived'? Yes'.
Will he return'? No'.
Does the law condemn him'? It does not'.

Exception.--If these questions are repeated emphatically, they take the
falling inflection, according to Rule VII.

EXAMPLES.

Has he arrived'?
Will he return'?
Does the law condemn him'?

REMARK.--When a word or sentence is repeated as a kind of interrogatory
exclamation, the rising inflection is used according to the principles of
this rule.

EXAMPLES.

You ask, who would venture' in such a cause! Who would venture'? Rather
say, who would not' venture all things for such an object!

He is called the friend' of virtue. The friend'! ay! the enthusiastic
lover' the devoted protector' rather.

So, also, when one receives unexpected information he exclaims, Ah'!
indeed'!

REMARK.--In the above examples the words "venture," "friend," "ah," etc.,
may be considered as interrogatory exclamations, because if the sense were
carried out it would be in the form of question; as, "Do you ask who would
venture'?" "Do you say that he is the friend' of virtue?" "Is it
possible'?" and thus they would receive the rising inflection according to
this rule.

RISING AND FALLING INFLECTIONS.

RULE XI.--The different members of a sentence expressing comparison, or
contrast, or negation and affirmation, or where the parts are united by or
used disjunctively, require different inflections; generally the rising
inflection in the first member, and the falling inflection in the second
member. This order is, however, sometimes inverted.

1. Comparison and contrast. This is also called antithesis.

EXAMPLES.

In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God; by honor', and
dishonor'; by evil' report, and good' report; as deceivers', and yet
true'; as unknown', and yet well' known; as dying', and behold we live';
as chastened', and not killed'; as sorrowful', yet always rejoicing'; as
poor', yet making many rich'; as having nothing', yet possessing all'
things.

Europe was one great battlefield, where the weak struggled for freedom',
and the strong for dominion'. The king was without power', and the nobles
without principle', They were tyrants at home', and robbers abroad'.

2. Negation and affirmation.

EXAMPLES.

He desired not to injure' his friend, but to protect' him.
We desire not your money', but yourselves'.
I did not say a better' soldier, but, an elder'.

If the affirmative clause comes first, the order of the inflections is
inverted.

EXAMPLES.

He desired to protect' his friend, not to injure' him.
We desire yourselves', not your money'.
I said an elder' soldier, not a better'.

The affirmative clause is sometimes understood.

We desire not your money'.
I did not say a better' soldier.
The region beyond the grave is not a solitary' land.

In most negative sentences standing alone, the corresponding affirmative
is understood; hence the following.

REMARK.--Negative sentences, whether alone or connected with an
affirmative clause, generally end with the rising inflection.

If such sentences are repeated emphatically, they take the falling
inflection according to Rule VI.

EXAMPLES.

We do not' desire your money.
I did not' say a. better soldier.

3. Or used disjunctively.

Did he behave properly', or improperly'?

Are they living/, or dead'?

Is he rich', or poor'?

Does God, having made his creatures, take no further' care of them, or
does he preserve and guide them'?

REMARK.--Where or is used conjunctively, this rule does not apply; as,
Will the law of kindness' or of justice' justify such conduct'?

CIRCUMFLEX.

The circumflex is a union of the rising and falling inflections. Properly
speaking, there are two of these, the one called the rising circumflex, in
which the voice slides down and then up; and the other, the falling
circumflex, 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, of contrast,
or of hypothesis.

EXAMPLES.

1. Queen. Hamlet, you have your father much offended.
Hamlet. Madam, you have my father much offended.

2. They offer us their protec'tion. Yes', such protection as vultures give
to lambs, covering and devouring them.

3. 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
so, then I said so; O ho! did you say so! So they shook hands and were
sworn brothers.

REMARKS.--In the first example, the emphasis is that 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.

In the second example 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 "such protection as
vultures give to lambs," etc.

In the third 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.

MONOTONE.

When no word in a sentence receives an inflection, it is said to be read
in a monotone; that is, in nearly the same tone throughout. This
uniformity of tone is occa-sionally 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 lines following.

EXAMPLES.

Hence! loathed melancholy!
Where brooding darkness spreads her jealous wings,
And the night raven sings;
There, under ebon shades and low-browed rocks,
As ragged as thy locks,
In deep Cimmerian darkness ever dwell.

IV. 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.
This syllable is said to be accented. The accented syllable is
distinguished by this mark ('), the same which is used in inflections.

EXAMPLES.

Love'ly, re-turn', re-mem'ber,
Con'stant, re-main', a-sun'der,
Mem'ber, a-bide', a-ban'don,
Win'dow, a-tone', rec-ol-lect',
Ban'ner, a-lone', re-em-bark',

REMARK.--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.

EXAMPLES.

Con'jure, to practice enchantments. Con-jure', to entreat.
Gal'lant, brave. Gal-lant', a gay fellow.
Au'gust, a month. Au-gust', grand.

REMARK.--A number of words used sometimes as one part of speech, and
sometimes as another, vary their accents irregularly.

EXAMPLES.

Pres'ent, noun. Pres'ent, adjective. Pre-sent', verb.
Com'pact, noun. Com-pact', adjective. Com-pact', verb.

In words of more than two syllables there is often a second accent given,
but more slight than the principal one, and this is called the secondary
accent; as, car'a-van'', rep''ar-tee', where the principal accent is
marked (') and the secondary (''); so, also, this accent is obvious in
nav''-i-ga'tion, com''pre-hen'sion, plau''si-bil'i-ty, etc. The whole
subject, however, properly belongs to dictionaries and spelling books.

V. 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.

REMARK 1.--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, by a change in the inflection, by the use of the
monotone, by pause, or by uttering the words in a very low key. Emphatic
words are often denoted by italics, and a still stronger emphasis by SMALL
CAPITALS or CAPITALS, according to the degree of emphasis desired.

REMARK 2.--Emphasis constitutes the most important feature in reading and
speaking, and, properly applied, gives life and character to language.
Accent, inflection, and indeed everything yields to emphasis.

REMARK 3.--In the following examples it will be seen that accent is
governed by it.

EXAMPLES.

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.

REMARK 4.--There is no better illustration of the nature and importance of
emphasis than the following examples. It will he observed that the meaning
and proper answer of the question vary with each change of the emphasis.

EXAMPLES.

QUESTIONS. ANSWERS.
--------- --------
Did you walk into the city yesterday? No, my brother went.

Did you walk into the city yesterday? No, I rode.

Did you walk into the city yesterday? No, I went into the country.

Did you walk into the city yesterday? No, I went the day before.

ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS.

Sometimes a word is emphasized simply to indicate the importance of the
idea. This is called absolute emphasis.

EXAMPLES.

To arms! they come! the Greek! the Greek!
Woe unto you, PHARISEES! HYPOCRITES!
Days, months, years, and ages shall circle away.

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

RELATIVE EMPHASIS.

Words are often emphasized in order to exhibit the idea they express as
compared or contrasted with some other idea. This is called relative
emphasis.

EXAMPLES.

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

It is much better to be injured than to injure.

REMARK.--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 thousand of my poorest subjects
Are at this hour asleep!"

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

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

EMPHATIC PHRASE.

Sometimes several words in succession are emphasized, forming what is
called an emphatic phrase.

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--YEAR--CAPTAIN?

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!

EMPHATIC PAUSE.

The emphatic expression of a sentence 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.

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.

VI. MODULATION.

Modulation includes the variations of the voice. These may be classed
under the heads of Pitch, Compass, Quantity, and Quality.

PITCH AND COMPASS.

If anyone will notice closely a sentence as uttered in private
conversation, he will observe that very few successive words are
pronounced in exactly the same key or with the same force. At the same
time, however, there is a certain PITCH or key, which seems, on the whole,
to prevail.

This keynote, or governing note, as it may be called, is that upon which
the voice most frequently dwells, to which it usually returns when
wearied, and upon which a sentence generally commences, and very
frequently ends, while, at the same time, there is a considerable play of
the voice above and below it.

This key may be high or low. It varies in different individuals, and at
different times in the same individual, being governed by the nature of
the subject and the emotions of the speaker. It is worthy of notice,
however, that most speakers pitch their voices on a key too high.

The range of the voice above and below this note is called its COMPASS.
When the speaker is animated, this range is great; but upon abstract
subjects, or with a dull speaker, it is small. If, in reading or speaking,
too high a note be chosen, the lungs will soon become wearied; if too low
a pitch be selected, there is danger of indistinctness of utterance; and
in either case there is less room for compass or variety of tone than if
one be taken between the two extremes.

To secure the proper pitch and the greatest compass observe the following
rule:

RULE XII.--The reader or speaker should choose that pitch in which he can
feel himself most at ease, and above and below which he may have most room
for variation.

REMARK 1.--Having chosen the proper keynote, he should beware of confining
himself to it. This constitutes monotony, one of the greatest faults in
elocution. One very important instrument for giving expression and life to
thought is thus lost, and the hearer soon becomes wearied and disgusted.

REMARK 2.--There is another fault of nearly equal magnitude, and of very
frequent occurrence. This consists in varying the pitch and force without
reference to the sense. A sentence is commenced with vehemence and in a
high key, and the voice gradually sinks until, the breath being spent, it
dies away in a whisper.

NOTE--The power of changing the key at will is difficult to acquire, but
of great importance.

REMARK 3.--The habit of singsong, so common in reading poetry, as it is a
variation of pitch without reference to the sense, is a species of the
fault above mentioned.

REMARK 4.--If the reader or speaker is guided by the sense, and if he
gives that emphasis, inflection, and expression required by the meaning,
these faults speedily disappear.

REMARK 5.--To improve the voice in these respects, practice is necessary.
Commence, for example, with the lowest pitch the voice can comfortably
sound, and repeat whole paragraphs and pages upon that key with gentle
force. Then repeat the paragraph with increased force, taking care not to
raise the pitch. Then rise one note higher, and practice on that, then
another, and so on, until the highest pitch of the voice is reached.
Reverse the process, and repeat as before until the lowest pitch is
obtained.

NOTE.--In these and all similar exercises, be very careful not to
confound pitch and force.

QUANTITY AND QUALITY.

The tones of the voice should vary also in quantity, or time required to
utter a sound or a syllable, and in quality, or expression, according to
the nature of the subject.

REMARK.--We notice a difference between the soft, insinuating tones of
persuasion; the full, strong voice of command and decision; the harsh,
irregular, and sometimes grating explosion of the sounds of passion; the
plaintive notes of sorrow and pity; and the equable and unimpassioned flow
of words in argumentative style.

The following direction, therefore, is worthy of attention:

The tones of the voice should always correspond both in quantity and
quality with the nature of the subject.

EXAMPLES.

Passion and Grief

"Come back! come back!" he cried, in grief.
"Across this stormy water,
And I'll forgive your Highland chief,
My daughter! O, my daughter!"

Plaintive
I have lived long enough: my way of life
Is fallen into the sear, the yellow leaf:
And that which should accompany old age,
As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have.

Calm
A very great portion of this globe is covered with water, which is
called sea, and is very distinct from rivers and lakes.

Fierce Anger

Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire,
And shook his very frame for ire,
And--"This to me?" he said;
"And 't were not for thy hoary beard,
Such hand as Marmion's had not spared
To cleave the Douglas' head!

Loud and Explosive

"Even in thy pitch of pride,
Here, in thy hold, thy vassals near,
I tell thee thou 'rt defied!
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 '"

REMARK 1.--In our attempt to imitate nature it is important to avoid
affectation, for to this fault even perfect monotony is preferable.

REMARK 2.--The strength of the voice may be increased by practicing with
different degrees of loudness, from a whisper to full rotundity, taking
care to keep the voice on the same key. The same note in music may be
sounded loud or soft. So also a sentence may be pronounced on the same
pitch with different degrees of loudness. Having practiced with different
degrees of loudness on one key, make the same experiment on another, and
then on another, and so on. This will also give the learner practice in
compass,

VII. POETIC PAUSES.

In poetry we have, in addition to other pauses, poetic pauses. The object
of these is simply to promote the melody.

At the end of each line a slight pause is proper, whatever be the
grammatical construction or the sense. The purpose of this pause is to
make prominent the melody of the measure, and in rhyme to allow the ear to
appreciate the harmony of the similar sounds.

There is, also, another important pause, somewhere near the middle of each
line, which is called the caesura or caesural pause. In the following
lines it is marked thus (||):

EXAMPLES.

There are hours long departed || which memory brings,
Like blossoms of Eden || to twine round the heart,
And as time rushes by || on the might of his wings,
They may darken awhile || but they never depart.

REMARK.--The caesural pause should never be so placed as to injure the
sense. The following lines, if melody alone were consulted, would be read
thus:

With fruitless la || bor Clara bound,
And strove to stanch || the gushing wound;
The Monk with un || availing cares,
Exhausted all || the church's prayers.

This manner of reading, however, would very much interfere with the proper
expression of the idea. This is to be corrected by making the caesural
pause yield to the sense. The above lines should be read thus:

With fruitless labor || Clara bound,
And strove || to stanch the gushing wound;
The Monk || with unavailing cares,
Exhausted || all the church's prayers,

EXERCISES.

I. DEATH OF FRANKLIN.
(To be read in a solemn tone.)

Franklin is dead. The genius who freed America', and poured a
copious stream of knowledge throughout Europe', is returned unto the bosom
of the Divinity'. The sage to whom two worlds' lay claim, the man for whom
science' and politics' are disputing, indisputably enjoyed au elevated
rank in human nature.

The cabinets of princes have been long in the habit of notifying the death
of those who were great', only in their funeral orations'. Long hath the
etiquette of courts', proclaimed the mourning of hypocrisy'. Nations'
should wear mourning for none but their benefactors'. The representatives'
of nations should recommend to public homage' only those who have been the
heroes of humanity'.

II. BONAPARTE.

He knew no motive' but interst'; acknowledged no criterion' but success';
he worshiped no God' but ambition'; and with an eastern devotion', he
knelt at the shrine of his idolatry'. Subsidiary to this, there was no
creed' that he did not profess'; there was no opinion' that he did not
promulgate': in the hope of a dynasty', he upheld the crescent'; for the
sake of a divorce', he bowed before the cross'; the orphan of St. Louis',
he became the adopted child of the republic'; and, with a parricidal
ingrati-tude', on the ruins both of the throne and the tribune, he reared
the throne of his despotism'.

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