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At Aulis-one pour'd out a daughter's life,
And gain'd more glory than by all his wars!
Another slew a sister in just rage!

A third, the theme of all succeeding time,
Gave to the cruel axe a darling son!

Nay, some for virtue have entomb'd themselves,
As he of Carthage-an immortal name!

But there is ONE-STEP-LEFT-above them all!
Above their history, above their fable!

A wife !—bride !—mistress unenjoy'd !—Do that!
And tread upon the Greek and Roman glory!

CLIMAX.

RULE XIII. A climax must be read, or pronounced with the voice progressively ascending to the last member; accompanied with increasing energy, animation or pathos, corresponding with the nature of the subject.

EXAMPLES.

It is pleasant to be virtuous and good, because that is to excel many others'; it is pleasant to grow better, because that is to excel ourselves'; it is pleasant to mortify and subdue our lusts, because that is victory'; it is pleasant to command our appetites' and passions', and to keep them in due order', within the bounds of reason and religion", because that is empire`.

See, what a grace was seated on this brow!
Hyperion's curls'; the front of Jove himself':
An eye like Mars', to threaten and command';
A station like the herald Mercury",

New lighted on a heaven-kissing hill`
A combination' and a form' indeed,
Where every god' did seem to set his seal",
To give the world assurance of a man`.

If I were an American as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country, I never would lay down my arms--never, never', never`.

Come, shew me what thou'lt do':

Woul't weep'? Woul't fight'? Woul't fast'? Woul't tear

thyself"?

I'll do t. Dost thou come here to whine'?

To outface me with leaping in her grave'?

Be buried quick with her', and so will I`!

And if thou prate of mountains', let them throw
Millions of acres on us', till our ground,

Singeing his pate against the burning zone",

Make Ossa like a wart! Nay, an thou❜lt mouth',
I'll rant as well as thou!

His display of this day has reflected the highest honour on himself', lustre upon letters', renown upon parliament", glory upon the country`.

We are called upon as members of this house', as men', as Christians, to protest against this horrible barbarity.

ANTI-CLIMAX.

RULE XIV. An anti-climax should be read with decreasing energy, as you proceed; until the last member, being strongly emphatic, takes a fall instead of a rise.

EXAMPLE.

What must the king do now`? must he submit'?
The king shall do it`: must he be depos'd'?
The king shall be contented': must he lose
The name of king'?-let it go!

I'll give my jewels for a set of beads`;
My gorgeous palace' for a hermitage`;
My gay apparel', for an almsman's gown`;
My figur'd goblets', for a dish of wood`;
My sceptre', for a painter's walking staff`;
My subjects', for a pair of carvèd saints`:
And my large kingdom', for a little grave`:-
A little', little grave-an obscure grave`.

ECHO, OR REPETITION.

RULE XV. The repetition of a word or thought introductory to some particulars, requires the high rising inflection, and a long pause after it. This is frequently the language of excitement; the mind recurs to the exciting idea, and acquires fresh intensity from the repetition of it.

EXAMPLES.

Can parliament be so dead to its dignity and duty, as to give its sanction to measures thus obtruded and forced upon them: measures', my lords, which have reduced this late flourishing kingdom to scorn and contempt.

Shall I, who was born, I might almost say, but certainly brought up, in the tent of my father, that most excellent general-shall I', the conqueror of Spain and Gaul, and not only

of the Alpine nations, but of the Alps themselves; shall r* compare myself with this half-year captain? A captain'! before whom should one place the two armies without their ensigns, I am persuaded he would not know to which of them he is consul.

Tell them I grieve not for my death-

Grieve!-Ours hath been a race of steel;
Stedfast and stern--yea, fixed in faith,

Though doom'd Power's scourge to feel.

What motive, then, could have such influence in their bosom? What motive'? That', which Nature, the common parent', plants in the bosom of man`, and which, though it may be less active in the Indian' than in the Englishman', is still congenial with' and makes part of his being`.

Banish'd from Rome? What's banish'd" but set free
From daily contact of the things I loathe?

CIRCUMFLEX.

RULE XVI. A certain sort of emphasis, which unites the rising and falling inflection on the same word, is called circumflex.

When the word terminates with the rising inflection, it is called the rising circumflex: if with the falling inflection, the falling circumflex.

The rising circumflex is marked thus, v, the falling, thus, A.

EXAMPLES.

Yes; they will give enlightened freedom to our minds, who are themselves the slaves of passion', avarice", and pride`, Queen. Hamlet, you have your father much offended.

A

Hamlet. Mother, you have my father much offended.

V

Most courteous tyranis! Romans! rare patterns of humanity"

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RULE XVII. When words are not varied by inflection they are said to be pronounced in a Monotone. This is used when anything awful or sublime is to be expressed.

*The last SHALL I may be considered as emphatic-the height of the climaxand of course takes the strong falling slide.

1

EXAMPLES.

O when he comes',

Rous'd by the cry of wickedness extreme',
To heaven ascending from some guilty land',
Now, ripe for vengeance'; when he comes, array'd
In all the terrors of Almighty wrath',-

Forth from his bosom plucks his lingering arm',
And on the miscreants pours destruction down",
Who can abide his coming? Who can bear
His whole displeasure?

High on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus, and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous cast, with richest hand,
Showers on her kings barbaric, pearls and gold,
Satan exalted sat!

And in the bright blaze of thy festal hall',

When vassals kneel, and kindred smile around thee',
May ruin'd Bertram's pledge hiss in thine ear'—
Joy to the proud dame of St. Aldobrand',

While his cold corse doth bleach beneath her towers!

Oh, crested Lochiel, the peerless in might,
Whose banners arise on the battlements' height'!
Heaven's fire is around thee to blast and to burn.

EXAMPLES

MARKED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING RULES

I.

THE EARTH.

To us, who dwell on its surface', the earth' is by far the most extensive' orb that our eyes' can any' where behold`; it is also clothed' with verdure', distinguished by trees', and adorned' with a variety' of beautiful' decorations'; whereas', to a specator placed on one of the planets', it wears a uniform` aspect; ooks all luminous', and no larger than a spot. To beings' who dwell at still greater' distances, it entirely disappears`. That' which we call alternately the morning` and the evening' star, as in one part of the orbit' she rides' foremost in the proression' of night, in the other ushers in and anticipates the dawn', is a planetary' world' which', with the four others that 50 wonderfully vary their mystic dance', are in themselves dark` bodies, and shine' only by reflection`, have fields`, and seas', and

skies' of their own`; are furnished' with all accommodations' for animal subsistence', and are supposed to be the abodes' of intellectual life; all which, together with our earthly' habitation, are dependent` on that grand dispenser of divine munificence', the sun; receive' their light from the distribution` of his rays', and derive` their comfort' from his benign' agency`.

II.

HEALTH.

Health' is so necessary' to all' the duties, as well as pleasures' of life, that the crime of squandering' it is equal' to the folly`; and he`, that, for a short gratification', brings weakness' and diseases upon himself, and for the pleasures' of a few years passed in the tumults' of diversion and clamours` of merriment', condemns the maturer` and more experienced part of his life to the chamber and the couch', may be justly reproached`, not only as a spendthrift of his own happiness', but as a robber' of the public; as a wretch that has voluntarily disqualified himself for the business of his station', and refused that part' which Providence` assigns' him in the general` task' of human' nature`.

There are perhaps' very few conditions more to be pitied' than that of an active and elevated mind', labouring under the weight' of a distempered body`; the time of such a man' is always spent in forming schemes', which a change of wind hinders' him from executing; his powers' fume away' in projects` and in hope', and the day` of action' never' arrives. He lies' down' delighted' with the thoughts' of to-morrow`, pleases' his ambition with the fame` he shall acquire', or his benevolence' with the good' he shall confer. But in the night', the skies' are overcast, the temper` of the air' is changed`; he wakes in languor`, impatience`, and distraction', and has no longer' any wish but for ease', nor any attention' but to misery. It may be said that disease' generally begins that equality' which death' completes; the distinctions which set one` man so much above another' are very little perceived in the gloom' of a sick`chamber', where' it will be vain to expect entertainment` from the gay', or instruction' from the wise`; when all human glory' is obliterated`, the wit is clouded`, the reasoner perplexed`, and the hero subdued'; where the highest` and brightest' of mortal beings finds nothing left' him but the consciousness' of innocence`.

III.

THE TONGUE.

By the use of the tongue', God hath distinguished' us from beasts, and by the well or ill' using of it, we are distinguished' from one another; and, therefore, though silence be inno

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