NOTE 2. The immediate succession of similar sounds, and the collision of open vocals, occasion difficult utterance.

EXAMPLES.

For Christ's sake. The youth hates study..

The beasts straggled through the wastes and forests.
The steadfast stranger in the forests strayed.
The barren wastes still stole upon his view.

He twists the texts to suit the several sects.
The heights, depths and breadths of the subject.
He sawed six sleek,slim saplings in twain.
Thou stumbl'st on amidst the mists.

Rough winter rudely rends the robes of autumn.
Up the high hill he heaves a huge round stone.
Tho' oft the ear the open vowels tire.

When a twister, a twisting, will twist him a twist,
For twisting his twist he three twines doth intwist;
But if one of the twines of the twist doth untwist,
The twine that untwisteth, untwisteth the twist.

NOTE 3. Remoteness of accent occasions much difficulty in utterance.

EXAMPLES.

Commu'nicatory. Unrea'sonableness.

Peremptorily. Disin'

terestedness. Peremptoriness. Practicableness. Inex'plicableness. Authoritatively. Inex'orableness.

RULE 2. The sounds of unaccented letters, or syllables, should not be perverted nor improperly suppressed, but fully and correctly uttered.

EXAMPLES.

1. SUPPRESSION OF A LETTER.

Mornin for morning; thousan for thousand; harves for harvest; prvent for prevent; prmote for promote; gospl for gospel; latn for latin.

*In the Greek and French languages a subvocal or aspirate is frequently inserted to prevent the meeting of two vocals.

QUESTIONS. What is Note Second? What sounds are similar in the first example 1 in the second, &c. ? What is Note Third ? What is Rule Third ? What three faults are noted under this rule? Give an example of each.

Popelous for popu

2 PERVERTING A LETTER OR SYLLABLE. lous; singelar for singular; regelar for regular; elemunt for element; gentlemun for gentleman; chickun for chicken; reluctunt for reluctant; evidunce for evidence; theërem for theorem; holler for hollow; winder for window; rebeound for rebound; rute for root.

3. SUPPRESSION OF A SYLLABLE. Histry for history; intrest for interest; uttrance for utterance diffrent for different; refrence for reference; libry for library

CHAPTER II.

ACCENT.

ACCENT is a more forcible utterance of some one syllable of a word, so as to distinguish it from others; and it may be marked thus, (').

Accent in the English language, is generally considered to depend very much upon custom.

This is probably true to some extent; but it is believed that specific, and, in most instances, infallible rules may be given, by which the syllable taking the full accent may be determined; but it is not thought it would be of practical utility to give them at length in this work; therefore but one general principle is laid down.

RULE. Each syllable on which accent falls must be marked by its proper distinctive stress.

NOTE 1. Besides the primary, a half or secondary accent is given upon words when they consist of several syllables. It may be marked thus, (").

QUESTIONS. What is accent? How is it marked? Upon what does it very much depend? Can specific rules be given for it? What is the general rule for accent? On which syllable does it fall in the first examples? In the second? In the third? Wnat is note first? What is meant by primary or full accent? What by the secondary of half accent?

NOTE 2. The meaning of a word is sometimes changed

by changing the place of accent.

The harmony of discourse depends very much upon accent; and however perfect the articulation may be, if the accent is misplaced, an unpleasant harshness is produced, which detracts from the beauty of expression. It is recommended to the pupil to make himself familiar with this subject, by carefully consulting those works in which it is critically treated, and by observing the usage of the best readers and speakers.

CHAPTER III.

EMPHASIS.

EMPHASIS is a forcible stress of voice on some word or words in a sentence, to distinguish them from others.

Emphasis is ranked among the most important principles of elocution, and consequently should be most carefully observed. In many instances it directs and governs other principles of correct speaking, giving animation, strength, and power to delivery.

When words are emphatic, they are commonly printed in italics, if very emphatic, in CAPITALS.

* The power or energy with which words are uttered.

QUESTIONS. What syllables in the examples have the primary accent? What the secondary, and how marked? What is Note Second? What does the noun sometimes become by changing the accent? What is emphasis? How does it rank in elocution What is its influence? How are emphatic words usually printed?

NOTE 1. EMPHASIS frequently changes the meaning of a

sentence.

EXAMPLES.

1. Brutus hath told you that Cæsar was ambitious. 2. Brutus hath told you that Cæsar was ambitious. 3. Brutus hath told you that Cæsar was ambitious. 4. Brutus hath told you that Cæsar was ambitious.

It will be observed, that the meaning of the above sentence is changed whenever a change is made in the empnatic word. Thus : Brutus told you that Cæsar was ambitious; not some other man. Again: Brutus told you that Cæsar was ambitious; he did not tell

me.

NOTE 2. The particles of a sentence are not usually emphatic, but are made so when they become peculiarly signifi cant or important in sense; and when thus emphasized, the meaning of the sentence is frequently changed.

EXAMPLES.

He determined to sail by New York to Boston.

With a strong emphasis on New York, the reader will readily see that the meaning is, he intended to stop there on his way to Boston. But with the emphasis on by, the meaning is entirely changed, and implies that he did not intend to touch at New York at all.

NOTE 3. EMPHASIS frequently changes the accent of words.

EXAMPLES.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

There is a difference between giving and forgiving.

He that descended is the same also that ascended.

This corruptible must put on incorruption.

What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

The subject of Emphasis has been considered by different authors under various divisions, viz., Absolute, Antithetic, Superior and Inferior, Single and Doubie Emphasis, and Emphatic Clause. As Supeior and Inferior Emphasis are distinguished only by the degree of

QUESTIONS. What is Note First? Read the examples. What is Note Second? What is Note Third? Will you explain it by examples? Under what divisions has emphasis been considered by some authors? How are superior and inferior emphasis distinguished?

stress, the former being greater than the latter; and as Single and Double Emphasis refer only to the number of words which are op posed to each other in different clauses of a sentence, it is not thought that it would be of any practical importance to distinguish them in this elementary work.

It is therefore proposed to consider the subject under three heads: Absolute Emphasis, Antithetic Emphasis, and Emphatic Clause.

Absolute Emphasis.

ABSOLUTE EMPHASIS is that stress of voice which is placed upon some word or words, unconnected with contrast, or where the contrast is not expressed or plainly implied.

By some authors it is contended, that in all cases where words are emphatic there is contrast, either expressed or understood. By others, and much the larger number, it is maintained that there are many instances in which the emphatic force laid upon a word is absolute, in the most literal sense of the term, because the thought expressed by it is forcible in itself, without any aid from comparison

or contrast.

From this diversity of opinion, the extreme awkwardness, and, in many instances, great difficulty, of supplying the antithetic word or words, we shall explain this last class of words, together with those in which contrast is not expressed or obviously implied, under the head of absolute emphasis.

RULE 1. All words important in meaning, or peculiarly significant, or which express some incident, object, or subject of discourse, are generally emphatic.

EXAMPLES.

True politeness is based upon sincerity; it flows from the heart. is equally fascinating in the cottage, the court, and the camp; and is capable of softening even an enemy.

The waters swept over the drowning wretches, and hushed their gurgling cry.

Wide and deep chasms also met the eye, both on the summit and

QUESTIONS. How are single and double emphasis distinguished? Under what three neads is emphasis considered in this work? What is absolute emphasis? What opinion is maintained by some authors in regard to emphasis? What by others? What lass of emphatic words is, marked under the head of absolute emphasis? What is le First? How are the emphatic words represented in the examples?