press the sense, falls naturally into a succession of inflections, which is something similar to that used in the series, and at once gives force and variety : these inflections sometimes take place at the beginning of a sentence, where the members are similar; but most commonly near the end, when the sentence is concluding with several similar members, which, without this inflection on some particular words, would disgust the ear by a succession of similar sounds. This inflection from the obvious use of it, we may call the Harmonick Inflection.

Difficult, and, perhaps, impossible as it is to describe sounds upon paper to those who are wholly unacquainted with them, the task is not quite so arduous when we address those who have a general idea of what we attempt to convey. If the nature of the rising and falling inflections has been sufficiently conceived, the use of them in this particular will be easily pointed out. The harmonick inflection then is, using the rising and falling inflection of the voice upon successive words, principally to please the ear, and break a continued chain of similar pauses: for the rising inflection of the voice has nothing emphatical in it, nor the falling any thing concluding. As this latter inflection, and the small pause that accompanies it, often takes place on words that are immediately connected in sense with what follows, it seems barely a resting place for the voice and ear, and such an enforcing of the sense as naturally arises from a more deliberate pronunciation of the words. That the voice may be in the falling inflection without marking a conclusion in the sense, and even while it excites expectation of something to follow, is evident from the pronunciation of the first member of a series; but this falling inflection of the voice is essentially different from that which we commonly use when we conclude a sentence; for, in the former case, as has been already observed, the voice is pal

3

pably raised higher than on the preceding words, though ending with the falling inflection;* in the latter it falls gradually lower on several of the preceding words, and may properly be said to drop. An example will contribute greatly to the comprehending of this marking inflection, so necessary to the variety and harmony of a sentence.

We may observe, that any single circumstance of what we have formerly seen often raises up a whole scene of imagery, and awakens numberless ideas that before slept in the imagina tion; such a particular smell or colour is able to fill the mind on a sudden with a picture of the fields or gardens where we first met with it; and to bring up into view, al the variety of images that once attended it. Spectator, No. 417.

paus

We may here observe, that the former part of this passage has a succession of similar pauses till it comes to the semicolon, (which from the complete sense it forms might as well have been marked by a colon), and that the succeeding part of the sentence runs exactly into the same succession of similar es: which, if pronounced exactly alike, would offend the ear by a monotony. A good reader, therefore, solicitous to avoid a sameness of sound, throws his voice into the rising inflection upon bring, and into the falling upon view, by which means a variety is introduced, and the period ends more harmoniously from the preparation made for it by the harmonick inflection.

Another instance where this inflection may be repeated successively, is, perhaps, better calculated to convey an idea of it:

We may learn from this observation which we have made on the mind of man, to take particular care, when we have once settled in a regular course of life, how we too frequently indulge ourselves in any of the most innocent diversions and entertainments; since the mind may insensibly fall off from

*See Part I. p. 90, 150.

the relish of virtuous actions, and by degrées exchange that pleasure, which it takes in the performance of its duty, for delights of a much more inferiour and unprofitable nature.

Spect. No. 447.

In this example, we have the same succession of similar pauses as in the last; and though the voice may very properly fix itself in the falling inflection on the word entertainments, and by that means occasion some variety, yet the subsequent part of the period proceeds by similar pauses as well as the former; and therefore, the harmonick inflection introduced upon the words degrees and exchange, and upon that and pleasure, that is, the rising inflection upon degrees and that, and the falling inflection upon exchange and pleasure; by this means, I say, the monotony will be broken, the thought enforced, and the period rendered much more musical. One example more, where this inflection may be. oftener repeated, will still better enable us to show the real nature and use of it:

I must confess I think it below reasonable creatures to be altogether conversant in such diversions as are merely innocent, and have nothing else to recommend them but that there is no hurt in them. Whether any kind of gaming has even this much to say for itself, I shall not determine; but I think it very wonderful to see persons of the best sènse pássing awày a dózen hours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of cards, with no other conversation but whát is made up of a few game phrases, and no other ideas, but those of black and red spots ranged together in different figures. Spect. No. 93.

The necessity of introducing the harmonick inflection in the latter part of this sentence will better appear, by first reading it in the common manner, and afterwards with the inflection we have been describing: this will show the diffiulty of avoiding a monotony without adopting this inflection, and the variety and force it gives to the language and sentiment when it is adopted. The words best and sense;

passing and away; dozen and together; shuffling and dividing; other and conversation; what and made up; these words, I say, will be very apt to drag, and produce a sameness of sound if pronounced in the common way; but if the rising inflection is used on the first, and the falling on the last, of every pair, the monotony will be prevented, and a succession of sounds introduced, very descriptive of the repetition conveyed by the words.

But the great object of the harmonick inflection is forming the cadence: here it is, that harmony and variety are more peculiarly necessary, as the ear is more particularly affected by the close of a subject, or any branch of a subject, than by any other part of the composition. We have had frequent occasion to observe, that though a series of sentences may all require to be pronounced with the falling inflection; yet if they all belong to one subject, or one branch of a subject, usually called a paragraph, that the last of them only demands that depression of voice which marks a conclusion to which observation we may add this general rule.

Rule I. When a series of similar sentences, or members of sentences, form a branch of a subject or paragraph; the last sentence or member must fall gradually into a lower tone, and adopt the harmonick inflection, on such words as form the most agreeable cadence.

EXAMPLES.

has as

One of the most eminent mathematicians of the age sured me, that the greatest pleasure he took in reading Virgil was in examining Æneas's voyage by the map; as I question not but many a modern compiler of history would be delighted with little mòre in that divine aúthor than in the bare matters of fact. Spectator, No. 109.

Here we find placing the rising inflection upon the word little, and the falling upon more; and the fall

ing upon divine, and the rising upon author, gives both a distinctness and harmony to the cadence.

Gratian very often recommends the fine taste as the utmost perfection of an accomplished man. As this word arises very often in conversation, I shall endeavour to give some account of it; and to lay down rules how we may know whether we are possessed of it, and hów we may acquire that fine taste of writing, which is so much talked of among the polite world. Spect. No. 109.

Placing the rising inflection upon how, and the falling upon acquire; the falling inflection upon fine, and the rising upon writing, prevents a sameness which would otherwise arise from the similitude of the three members, and gives an agreeable close to the sentence.

Since I have mentioned this unaccountable zeal which appears in atheists and infidels, I must farther observe, that they are likewise in a most particular manner possessed with the spirit of bigotry. They are wédded to opinions full of contradiction and impossibílity, and at the same time look upon the smállest difficulty in an àrticle of fáith as a sufficient reason for rejecting it. Spect. No. 185.

As the rising inflection on the word wedded, and the falling on the word opinions, the falling on contradiction, and the rising on impossibility, prevents a sameness in the first member of the last sentence arising from its similitude to the closing member of the first; so the rising inflection upon the words same and smallest, and the falling upon time and dif ficulty, and the falling upon article, and the rising upon faith; this arrangement of inflections, I say, on the latter part of the sentence, gives a force, harmony, and variety, to the cadence.

We may be sure the metaphorical word taste would not have been so general in all tongues, had there not been a very great conformity between that mental taste, which is the sub