diverfified, according to the general nature of the difcourfe, and the particular conftruction and meaning of the fentence. In plain narrative, and efpecially in argumentation, a fmall attention to the manner in which we relate a fact, or maintain an argument, in converfation, will show, that it is frequently more proper to raise the voice, than to let it fall, at the end of a sentence. Some fentences are fo conftructed, that the laft words require a ftronger emphasis than any of the preceding; while others admit of being clofed with a foft and gentle found. Where there is nothing in the fense which requires the last found to be elevated or emphatical, an easy fall, fufficient to show that the fenfe is finished, will be proper. And in pathetic pieces, especially thofe of the plaintive, tender, or folemn kind, the tone of the paffion will often require a still greater cadence of the voice. The beft method of correcting a uniform cadence, is frequently to read select fentences, in which the ftyle is pointed, and in which antithefes are frequently introduced; and argumentative pieces, or fuch as abound with interrogatives, or earnest exclamation.

SECT. 5. Of Tones.

TONES are different both from emphafis and pauses; confisting in the modulation of the voice, the notes or variations of found which we employ in the expreffion of our fentiments.

Emphafis affects particular words and phrafes with a degree of tone or inflection of the voice; but tones, peculiarly fo called, affect fentences, paragraphs, and fometimes even the whole of a difcourfe.

To fhow the ufe and neceffity of tones, we need only obferve, that the mind, in communicating its ideas, is in a continual ftate of activity, emotion, or agitation, from the different effects which those ideas produce in the speaker. Now the end of fuch communication being, not merely to lay open the ideas, but also the different feelings which

they excite in him who utters them, there must be other figns than words, to manifest those feelings; as words uttered in a monotonous manner, can reprefent only a fimilar ftate of mind, perfectly free from all activity or emotion. As the communication of these internal feelings, was of much more confequence in our focial intercourse, than the mere conveyance of ideas, the Author of our being did not, as in that conveyance, leave the invention of the language of emotion, to man; but impreffed it himself upon our nature in the fame manner as he has done with regard to the rest of the animal world: all of which exprefs their various feelings by various tones. Ours indeed, from the fuperior rank that we hold, are in a high degree more comprehenfive; as there is not an act of the mind, an exertion of the fancy, or an emotion of the heart, which has not its peculiar tone, or note of the voice, by which it is to be expreffed; and which is fuited exactly to the degree of internal feeling. It is chiefly in the proper use of these tones, that the life, fpirit, beauty, and harmony of delivery confift.

An extract from the beautiful lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan, may serve as an example of what has been faid on this fubject. "The beauty of Ifrael is flain upon thy high places. How are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath; publish it not in the streets of Afkelon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice; left the daughters of the uncircumcifed triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the fhield of the mighty was vilely cast away; the fhield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil!" The first of thefe divifions expreffes forrow and lamentation; therefore the note is low. The next contains a fpirited command, and fhould be pronounced much higher. The other fentence, in which he makes a pathetic addrefs to the mountains where his friends were flain, must be expreffed in a note quite different from the two former; not fo low as the first, nor

1

fo high as the fecond, in a manly, firm, and yet plaintive tone. *

This correct and natural language of the emotions, is not fo difficult to be attained, as most readers feem to imagine. If we enter into the spirit of the author's fentiments, as well as into the meaning of his words, we shall not fail to deliver the words in properly varied tones. For there are few people, who fpeak English without a provincial tone, that have not an accurate ufe of emphasis, pauses, and tones, when they utter their fentiments in earnest difcourse and the reason that they have not the fame use of them, in reading aloud the fentiments of others, may be traced to the very defective and erroneous method, in which the art of reading is taught; whereby all the various, natural, expreffive tones of speech, are fuppreffed, and a few artificial, unmeaning, reading notes, are substituted for them.

But when we recommend to readers, an attention to the tone and language of emotions, we must be understood to do it with proper limitation. Moderation is neceffary in this point, as it is in other things. For when reading becomes ftrictly imitative, it affumes a theatrical manner, and must be highly improper, as well as give offence to the hearers; because it is inconfiftent with that delicacy and modefty, which are indispensable on fuch occafions.

CHAPTER II.

Of VERSIFICATION.

As there are few perfons who do not fometimes read poetical compofition, it feems neceffary to give the student fome idea of that part of grammar, which explains the principles of verfification; that, in reading poetry, he may be the better able to judge of its correctnefs, and relish its beauties. When this lively mode of exhibiting nature and fentiment, is perfectly chafte, it is often found to be highly interefting and inftructive.

* Herries.

X

VERSIFICATION is the arrangement of a certain number and variety of fyllables, according to certain laws.

Rhyme is the correfpondence of the laft found of one verfe, to the laft found or fyllable of

another.

Feet and paufes are the conftituent parts of verfe. We shall confider these separately.

Of poetical feet.

A certain number of fyllables connected, form a foot. They are called feet, because it is by their aid that the voice, as it were, fteps along through the verfe, in a meafured pace; and it is neceffary that the fyllables which mark this regular movement of the voice, fhould, in fome manner, be diftinguifhed from the others. This distinction was made among the ancient Romans, by dividing their fyllables into long and fhort, and afcertaining their quantity, by an exact proportion of time in founding them; the long being to the fhort, as two to one; and the long fyllables, being thus the more important, marked the movement. In English, fyllables are divided into accented and unaccented; and the accented fyllables being as ftrongly diftinguished from the unaccented, by the peculiar ftrefs of the voice upon them, are equally capable of marking the movement, and pointing out the regular paces of the voice, as the long fyllables were by their quantity, among the Romans.

When the feet are formed by an accent on vowels, they are exactly of the fame nature as the ancient feet, and have the fame juft quantity in their fyllables. So that, in this refpect, we have all that the ancients had, and fomething which they had not. We have in fact duplicates of each foot, yet with fuch a difference, as to fit them for different purposes, to be applied at our pleasure.

Every foot has, from nature, powers peculiar to itself; and it is upon the knowledge and right application of these

powers, that the pleasure and effect of numbers chiefly depend.

All feet ufed in poetry confist either of two, or of three fyllables; and are reducible to eight kinds; four of two fyllables, and four of three, as follows:

A Trochee has the first fyllable accented, and the last unaccented: as, "Häteful, péttifh."

An Iambus has the first fyllable unaccented, and the last accented as," Bětrāy, consist."

A Spondee has both the words or fyllables accented: as, "The pale mōōn.”

as,

A Pyrrhic has both the words or fyllables unaccented: "On the tall tree."

A Dactyl has the first fyllable accented, and the two latter unaccented: as, "Labourer, póffible."

An Amphibrach has the first and last fyllables unaccented and the middle one accented; as, "Delightful, doméstic."

An Anapæft has the two first fyllables unaccented, and the laft accented: as, "Contrǎvēne, acquiéfce." A Tribrach has all its fyllables unaccented: as, měrăble, conquerable."

"Nu

Some of these feet may be denominated principal feet; as pieces of poetry may be wholly, or chiefly formed of any of them. Such are the Iambus, Trochee, Dactyl, and Anapæft. The others may be termed fecondary feet; becaufe their chief ufe is to diverfify the numbers, and to improve the verse.

We fhall firft explain the nature of the principal feet. IAMBIC verfes may be divided into feveral fpecies, according to the number of feet or fyllables of which they are compofed.