with ease, in the true colloquial style, let each be required to tell what he knows of punctuation, and what constitutes a sentence. Then let him tell what he understands about the "divisions of sense,” accent, "grouped divisions ;" and the analogy there is in uttering these to that of long words: also what he knows about the bars, half bars, slides, curves, circumflexes: and to prove that he understands them, let him mark with a pencil a number of the paragraphs in this lesson, into the proper divisions, just as his judgment may guide him: then go over the same, and apply the inflections, just as he thinks they should be used in reading the different passages.

LESSON VI.

EMPHASIS AND CADENCE.

It is well to keep these facts constantly in mind, that good reading consists in faithfully copying out the best specimens of extemporaneous address; that its movements are graduated by "divisions" of one or more words, sometimes indicated by punctuation, but oftener left to the good sense of the reader; that the grouped division is read with primary and secondary accent, like the pronunciation of a long word; and that every division is attended with one or more of the inflections called slides, curves and circumflexes.

Emphasis and cadence next claim the attention.

Emphasis, in its ordinary import, is a stress laid upon some significant word or words in a sentence to show its proper meaning; and cadence is simply a falling or lowering of the voice.

Emphasis is a word of Greek origin, and is used to represent that power in expression which serves the most clearly and forcibly to bring out the true signification of the passage. This is generally effected in our language by using a different inflection on the emphatic word, or by marking it with longer pause, or quantity, or stress, than is commonly used at a word having only the simple accent of a "division:" or the proper emphasis may require several of these appliances: and sometimes the emphasis is made more effectively by a sudden lowering, or deep depression of the voice. Hence the following

definition :

Emphasis is the power which marks out in a sentence, some significant word or words on which the meaning depends, by just such stress, inflection, pause, quantity, and occasional depression, as serve best to explain and enforce that meaning: or emphasis consists in whatever is done by the voice and manner of a speaker to draw attention to any word or words uttered by himwhether it be precision in enunciating the whole word, stress of voice on the accented syllable, inflection, prolongation of a sound, a pause before the emphatic word or phrase, or a pause after them. Emphasis may be secured by any one of these methods, or by several of them combined.

Emphasis is, as it were, the pivot on which the whole sense of reading turns; and he who knows well where to

place it, and how to execute it properly, is quite certain to be right in other respects.

Language that is merely narrative, and without comparison, passion or emotion, seldom demands what is properly termed emphasis; e. g., John is a very diligent scholar.

In this sentence, no force is required but the ordinary accent of a division; because there is no emotion, comparison or contrast. But introduce a comparison, and a demand for emphasis is perceived at once; e. g., John is quite as diligent a scholar as James. In reading the sentence now, the emphasis seems to be formed by laying greater stress on the words compared ; but, in truth, it is made by pronouncing John and James with opposite curves, increasing the pause a little at John, and quickening the movement of the middle division. Again: I say John || is a very diligent scholar, not James! Now the emphasis is made on the same words by opposite circumflexes, and the middle division takes the falling slide.

The sleep of the laboring man is sweet. This is simple narrative; and in reading, requires but the simple accent of a division, with the rising slides. But, should the thought of an idle man enter the mind-and it could scarcely be otherwise-nothing more is required to show it in reading, than to give a slight emphasis to laboring by changing the inflection from a rising slide to a rising curve; pause a little more at sleep, and quicken the middle division; thus, The sleep of the laboring mán is sweet.

But, in mere narrative, an important word introdu

·cing a new thought, requires a slight emphasis, which is usually made by a slight pause after the word; as after John and sleep, in the passages above; yet such words have not generally been considered emphatic; though it is impossible to read well without calling attention to them in this way.

If I were an Américan | as I am an Englishmán, while a foreign troop remained in my country, I NEVER would lay down my arms

nèver

néver

nèver.

In the last example, the emphasis is made on American and Englishman by the rising slide, and rising curve, attended with more force than ordinary accent; and on never, the first and second time used, by the falling slide and strong force, proportioned to the degree of emotion implied in the language: and the last never by the falling slide and a deep depression of the voice,—almost to a deep aspirated whisper, drawn up from the very bottom of the chest.

These examples show sufficiently that emphasis, in its stress, pause, inflection and quantity, is as diversified as the sense and feeling designed to be expressed by it; and that sense and feeling furnish the only guides to its proper use.

Some writers have divided emphasis into several kinds, called the inferior and the superior, the secondary and the primary; emphatic stress, compound stress, emphasis of contrast, and many more ;-distinctions which seem to me more likely to confuse than to assist

the student: for, if he fully understand what he reads, and have ready facility in using the various appliances, as already taught, he will very naturally, and perhaps unconsciously, increase or diminish the force of his emphasis, as the language justly demands; so that emphasis will inevitably follow just as he appreciates the sense, and will naturally take the form which will express that sense the best.

In books, where there is any change from a uniform type, the words printed in italics, except in the Bible, are ordinarily intended for emphasis: the words in capitals, for a higher, and those in larger capitals, for a still higher emphasis. In manuscript, these degrees of force are marked by lines drawn under the words intended for emphasis one for italics, two for capitals, and three lines for greater capitals and the same lines may be used to indicate these degrees of emphasis, under words on the printed page.

Cadence. The close of the last example in emphasis illustrates also the cadence. Cadence is a falling of the voice on one or more words in succession; or on one or more syllables of the same word, in some respects like passing down irregular steps, and is generally made at the close of a period or paragraph. The word is of Latin origin, and comes from cadere, to fall; and is apt to be taken in contrast with emphasis, because there can, in fact, be no elevation or turn of the voice amounting to what is called emphasis, without a correspondent depression.

The general fault in making the cadence, is a dull uniformity at the close of successive periods and para