the force of contrast in a stronger light; here we see that though the interrogation, without the interrogative words, necessarily requires the rising inflection, yet when one part of this interrogation is distinctly opposed to, or contrasted with the other, these parts require opposite inflections of voice; and it may without hesitation, be pronounced, that similar inflections of voice upon similar members, or members in apposition, and opposite inflections of voice upon opposite words, or words opposed to, or contradistinguished from each other in sense, are as congenial and essential to language as the marking of different things by different words.

And here it were to be wished we could conclude this article without a mention of those exceptions, which are so apt to discourage inquirers into this subject, and induce them to conclude that there is nothing like rule or method in reading or speaking: but it ought to be remembered, that though there are numerous exceptions to almost every rule in grammar, we do not from this conclude, that grammar has no rules at all; in subjects where custom has so extensive an influence, and where nature seems to vary expression for the sake of variety, if such rules can be drawn out as have a great majority of instances in their favour, we may certainly conclude that this, as well as every other department of language, is not without fixed and settled rules.

That rule which directs us to suspend the voice with the rising inflection at the end of a question formed without the interrogative words, is, perhaps, as general, and as well founded, as any rule in language; but the ear, which is disgusted at too long a suspension of voice, when the question is drawn out to a considerable length, often for the sake of a better sound, converts the interrogative into the declarative tone, and concludes a question of this kind with the falling inflection :

Thus there are few readers who would not conclude the following question with the falling inflection.

Do you think that Themistocles and the heroes who were killed in the battles of Marathon and Platea, do you think the very tombs of your ancestors would not send forth groans, if you crown a man, who, by his own confession, has been for ever conspiring with barbarians to ruin Greece ?

If this question were considered as entirely detached from the rest of the subject, there is no doubt but the ear is much more gratified by this, than by an opposite pronunciation; but when we reflect, that by this pronunciation, though the ear is gratified, it is at the expense of that peculiar poignancy which the rising inflection gives to this species of interrogation, we shall be less satisfied with the sacrifice we make to sound; for though sound has its rights as well as sense, sense seems to have the first claim, especially in prose, and more particularly in this case, where the question loses all its force and vigour,unless pronounced with its specifick inflection: besides, when we consider that in pronouncing a whole subject to the best advantage, perhaps it is not necessary that every part should be so pronounced as to be by itself most agreeable to the ear, we shall perceive that it is possible some parts may be pronounced less harmoniously as parts, which may contribute greatly to the energy, variety, and even harmony of the whole; as less agreeable passages, and even discords in musick, are known to add greatly to the general beauty and effect of a whole composition.

It must, however, be acknowledged, that some questions are so immoderately long, and, losing sight of the first object of interrogation, run into such a variety of after-thoughts, that, preserving the idea of the question all through, and ending it with the rising inflection, would not only be very difficult and inharmonious, but in some measure prejudicial to the

force and energy of the sense: when this is the case, changing the rising to the falling inflection is certainly proper; and what fault there is in the want of correspondence between sense and sound, must be placed to the account of the composition: a reader, like a musical performer, perhaps, can cover a few blemishes in his author, by the elegance and delicacy of the tones he produces; but all his art will not enable him to make bad composition read as well as good; or to make sense and sound accord in the reading, when they are at variance in the composition. Thus in the following sentence:

The Brigantines, even under a female leader, had force enough to burn the enemy's settlements, to storm their camps, and if success had not introduced negligence and inactivity, would have been able entirely to throw off the yoke: And shall not we, untouched, unsubdued, and struggling, not for the acquisition, but the continuance of liberty, declare, at the very first onset, what kind of men Caledonia has reserved for her defence?

In reading this sentence, we find it difficult to give it all its necessary force and harmony, and at the same time pronounce the emphatical word Caledonia, and the following words, with the rising inflection, as the nature of the question seems to demand; on the other hand, if we lay the emphasis with the falling inflection on the word Caledonia, the rising inflection on reserved, and the falling on defence, the cadence will be harmoniously formed, and the sense will appear greatly enforced; but as this sense is not the precise and specifick import of the interrogation, it must be left to the reader's judgment which mode of pronunciation he will adopt.

And here it may be worth observing, that questions without the interrogative words, demanding the rising inflection of voice, are always unfavourable to harmony when they end a branch of a subject, com

monly denoted by the paragraph: And that if the general rule be violated, this position of the question seems the best apology for it; as concluding a question of this kind with the rising inflection seems to leave a demand unanswered, and the branch of the subject imperfect: but if the question does not end the paragraph, but is either directly answered by the speaker, or followed by something so immediately connected with it as to remove the suspense of waiting for an answer; if this is the case, I say, let the train of questions be ever so numerous, it seems quite necessary to conclude with the rising inflection.

EXAMPLE.

Consider, I beseech you, what was the part of a faithful citizen? of a prudent, an active, and an honest minister? Was he not to secure Euboea as our defence against all attacks by séa? Was he not to make Beotia our barrier on the midland side? The cities bordering on Peloponnesus our bulwark on thát quarter? Was he not to attend with due precaution to the importation of corn, that this trade might be protected through all its progress up to our own hárbours? Was he not to cover those districts which we commanded by seasonable detachments, as the Proconesus, the Chersonesus, and Ténedos? To exert himself in the assembly for this purpose? While with equal zeal he laboured to gain others to our interest and alliance, as Byzantium, Abydus. and Euboća? Was he not to cut off the best, and most important resources of our enemies, and to supply those in which our country was deféctive ?-And all this you gained by my counsels and my administration. Leland's Demosthenes.

In pronouncing this passage, we find no method so proper as that of annexing the rising inflection to every single question; and as they are not final, but are closed by a sentence with the falling inflection, the whole comes forcibly to the mind and agreeably to the ear, instead of that hiatus, both in sense and sound, with which the former sentence concludes when we finish it with the rising inflection.

It may be observed, likewise, that when questions are succeeded by answers, it will be necessary to raise the voice in the rising inflection on the question, and after a considerable pause to pronounce the answer in a lower tone of voice, that they may be the better distinguished from each other.

EXAMPLE.

never

My departure is objected to me, which charge I cannot answer without commending myself. For what must I say? That I fled from a consciousness of guilt? But what is charged upon me as a crime, was so far from being a fault, that it is the most glorious action since the memory of màn. That I feared being called to an account by the people? That was talked of; and if it had been done, I should have come off with double honour. That I wanted the support of good and honest mén? That is false. That I was afraid of death? That is a calumny. I must, therefore, say what I would not, unless compelled to it, that I withdrew to preserve the cìty.

Cicero

In pronouncing this passage, we shall find it absolutely necessary, both for the vivacity of the questions, and to distinguish them from the answers, to pronounce the former in a higher, and the latter in a lower tone of voice, and to make a very long pause after each question.

It seems necessary only to make one observation. more before we close this article; and that is, that as questions of this kind, which demand the rising inflection at the end, especially when they are drawn out to any length, are apt to carry the voice into a higher key than is either suitable or pleasant, too much care cannot be taken to keep the voice down, when we are pronouncing the former parts of a long question, and the commencing questions of a long succession of questions; for as the characteristick pronunciation of these questions is, to end with the rising inflection, provided we do but terminate with this, the voice may creep on in a low and almost sameness of