INFLECTION.

Inflection is the variation of pitch on a single note or sound; a bending or turning of the voice either upward or downward on a single sound or syllable.

Inflections are distinguished as simple and compound; the latter are more commonly known as waves. When any of these variations in pitch (whether simple or compound) end in an upward turn of voice, they are called rising inflections, and when they end in a downward turn of voice they are termed falling inflections.

As in discrete sounds, the beginning of an inflection is known as its "radical," and the end as its "vanish," or close. A simple inflection is a single upward or downward movement of voice in reading and speaking, and is distinguished as rising (indicated by this mark,—) or falling (indicated by this mark,), according as its vanish is above or below its radical.

A simple rising inflection is a single upward slide of the voice, and suggests incomplete sense.

It is used in direct (and, in case of repetition, in indirect) interrogation, in unemphatic negation, and in exclamations of inquiry; as,

(Direct Interrogation.) Have you read the story of Ruth ?

(Indirect Interrogation.) What did you say?

(Unemphatic Negation.) I would rather not.

(Exclamation of Inquiry.) Ah! Hallo! (meaning "Is that true?" in the first, and "It's you, is it ?" in the last interjection.

A simple falling inflection is a single downward slide of the voice, and suggests complete sense. It is used in exclamation, affirmation, emphatic negation, and in all imperative expressions; as,

(Exclamation.) Truth is eternal.

(Negation.) I tell you I will not.

(Imperative.) Get thee hence! Leave me! Go!

A compound inflection, or wave, is the union of two or more simple inflections upon a single sound or syllable, and expresses surprise, scorn, contempt, sarcasm, mockery, rail

lery, irony, wit, admiration, sorrow, and often a contrast of meaning. Example: Is that the law? Waves are classed as single or double.

A single wave is the union of two simple inflections, and a double wave is the union of more than two simple inflections.*

Single waves are termed equal when the ascent and descent are equal, otherwise unequal.

A single rising wave begins with the simple falling inflection, and ends with the simple rising inflection; as,

(Equal Wave.) Gone to be friends!

(Unequal Wave.) Must Ĭ budge? must I observe you?

A single falling wave begins with the simple rising inflection, and ends with the simple falling inflection; as,

(Equal Wave.) So, you have come.
(Unequal Wave.) "Tell me I hate the bowl?

I loathe, abhor—my very soul
With strong disgust is stirred
Whene'er I see, or hear, or tell
Of the dark beverage of hell."

A double rising wave is a union of three simple inflections, beginning and ending with an upward turn of voice; as, in the play of Julius Caesar, where Cassius says to Brutus, "You love me not!" Brutus replies, "I do not love your faults," and in The School for Scandal, where Sheridan makes Sir Peter say to Lady Teazle, in the quarrel scene, Oons, madam! if you had been born to this, I should not wonder at your talking thus; but you forget what your situation was when I married you." To which she replies, 'No, no, I don't; 'twas a very disagreeable one, or I should never have married you."

A double falling wave is the union of three simple inflections, beginning and ending with a downward turn of voice; as,

They cry for peace, when there is no peace.

*The Irish tone is replete with the simple falling wave, and the Scotch with the simple rising wave..

DEGREES OF INTERVALS.

A degree or interval of inflection is the space upon the scale swept by the voice at one turn or slide.

The intensity of the speaker decides the length of intervals, which is never less than a quarter tone, and seldom exceeds an octave.

These intervals are commonly a third, a fifth, or an octave; i. e. they include a variation of three, five, or eight notes from the radical or opening pitch.

The rising third is used in moderate interrogation, emphasis, and expressions of surprise; as,

(Interrogation.) Is it yours?

(Emphasis.) No, it is not mine, but Mary's.

The falling third expresses emotions of mockery, derision, impetuosity, and courage; as,

(Mockery.) "What drugs, what charms, what conjuration, and what mighty magic."-SHAKSPEARE.

(Derision.) "O excellent interpreter of the laws! corrector and amender of our Constitution!"-CICERO.

(Courage.) "Hurrah! the foes are moving. Hark to the mingled din Of fife, and steed, and trump, and drum, and roaring culverin!"-MACAULAY.

The rising fifth expresses emotions of wonder, admiration, inquiry, doubt, and interrogation, and emphasis stronger than is expressed by the rising third; as,

(Interrogation ("I said an elder soldier, not a better. and Emphasis.) Did I say better?"-JULIUS CESAR.

(Strong Emphasis.)

"Fail!

In the lexicon of youth, which Fate reserves
For a bright manhood, there is no such word
As-fail!"-BULWER'S Play of Richelieu.

The falling fifth expresses determination, indignant rebuke, and excessive grief; as,

(Determination.) "To arms! to arms!' cried Mortimer,

(Rebuke.)

And couched his quivering lance."-GRAY.
"Yet this is Rome,

That sat on her seven hills, and from her throne
Of beauty ruled the world."-MITFORD.

(Supplication.)

Grant me another year, God of my spirit,

But a day to win something to satisfy

This thirst within. I would know something here.
Break for me but one seal that is unbroken,

Speak for me but one word that is unspoken."-WILLIS.

A rising octave expresses the most forcible interrogation and emphasis, contempt, mirth, raillery, and astonishment;

as,

as,

(Interrogation.) You

come to teach the people?

Gesler.

Tell.

(Astonishment.)

"You look upon your boy
As though instinctively you guessed it.

Look upon my boy? What mean you?
Look upon my boy as though I guessed it—
Guessed the trial you'd have me make?"-KNOWLES.

A falling octave expresses intense scorn and indignation;

You pretend to teach a British general!

SPEECH OF LORD CHANCELLOR THURLOW IN REPLY TO THE DUKE OF GRAFTON.

1. MY LORDS,-I am amazed at the attack the noble duke has made upon me. Yes, my lords, I am amazed at his grace's speech. The noble duke can not look before him, behind him, or on either side of him, without seeing some noble peer who owes his seat in this house to his successful exertions in the profession to which I belong.

2. Does he not feel that it is as honorable to owe it to these as to being the accident of an accident! To all these noble lords the language of the noble duke is as applicable and as insulting as it is to myself. But I do not fear to meet it single and alone. No one venerates the peerage more than I do; but, my lords, I must say that the peerage solicited me-not I the peerage.

3. Nay, more; I can and will say, that as a peer of Parliament, as speaker of this right honorable house, as keeper of the great seal, as guardian of his majesty's conscience, as lord high chancellor of England-nay, even in that character alone in which the noble duke would think it an affront to be considered as a MAN, I am at this moment as respecta

G

ble, I beg leave to add, as much respected, as the proudest peer I now look down upon.

The duke had, in the House of Lords, reproached Lord Thurlow with his plebeian extraction and his recent admission to the peerage. Lord Thurlow rose from the woolsack, and, fixing on the duke almost the look of Jove when he grasps the thunder, he spoke as above; and the effect of his speech was so great that it gave him an ascendency, both within the walls of the House and out of them, which no other chancellor ever possessed. It should be given with great and increasing energy.

Rule 1. Exclamations usually take the falling inflection; as,

"Hurrah! hurrah! a single field hath turned the chance of war; Hurrah! hurrah! for Ivry, and Henry of Navarre.”—MACAULAY. Rule 2. An affirmative clause or sentence takes the falling inflection; as,

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."-Psalm xxiv.

Note.-Indifferent answers to questions take the rising inflection; as when, in reply to the question “Which do you prefer?" one says, "I have no choice."

Rule 3. A negative clause or sentence requires the rising inflection, unless made emphatic for the sake of force; as,

* A few rules for inflection are here introduced, which may prove valuable in the hands of judicious teachers. No one of them should be given without explanation and example suited to the comprehension of all the pupils in the class.

Children upon the play-ground, or in unchecked conversation, give the most appropriate and natural inflections possible. They find no difficulty in expressing emotions of joy or sorrow, hope or fear, forgiveness or retaliation, whenever these emotions are excited. These are true models of expression. But as soon as they learn to conceal their feelings, and to read or speak the thoughts of others, they lose this property of intonation, and acquire mannerisms. After this, much time and money is often required to teach them how to do mechanically what was once so natural and involuntary.

In giving the following rules and illustrations, the teacher should be sure that the class understands them, and can make practical application of them to examples selected from the book. Unnecessary pauses and undue emphasis should be avoided. Let the examples be smoothly and continuously rendered, so that every sentence may be borne, as it were, on a wave of sound.