Education > British grammar: or, an essay, in four parts, towards speaking and writing the English language grammatically, and inditing elegantly

The British Grammar. 67
is the Ty'rant, not the. Father of his People. His
Subjefts fear him, but do not love him. He will do
it by fair, not by foul Mean?. Are they weary ? fo
are we. If you Hay, fo will T, &c.
Some Sentences arefofolemn, full, and comprehend
five as to fix an Emphafis upon every Word, and
points them out as worthy of Obfervation. As, for
Sleep, and Wine, and Feails, and Strumpets, and
Bagnios, and Reft, that through Cuftono grow every
Day more bewitching, &c.
O Woods, O Fountains, Hillocks, Dales, and
Bovvers, See. And in that pathetic Expoftulation,
Why will ye die ! In which every Word is emphati-
cal.
But ^>me. Sentences are equivocal, that is, contain
in them more Senfes than one ; and we can only un-
derltand the Senfe intended by obferving on what
Word the Emphafis is laid. For Example—Will you
ride to Town To-day ? This Queition is capable of
being taken in four different Serrfes, according to the
different Words on which you place the Emphafis. If
it be laid upon the Word (you), the Anfwermay be,
no, but my Servant will. If the Emphafis be laid on
the Word (ride), the Anfwermay be, no, but I intend
to walk it. If upon (Town), no, fori defign to go
into the Country. And if the Emphafis be laid upon
(To-day), the Anfwermay be, no, but I intend to go
To-morrow. Hence the Importance of proper Em¬
phafis, in order to determine the Senfe of what we
read. Therefor,
1. Monotony fhould be carefully avoided; and the
Voice fhould exprefs, as near as poflible, the very
Senfe or Idea defigned to be conveyed by the empha-
tical Word, by a ftrong, rough, and violent, or a
loft, fmooth, and tender Sound. Thus the different
Paffions of the Mind are to be expreffed by a diffe¬
rent Tone of Voice. Love, by a foft, fmootb, lan-
guifhing Voice ; Anger, by a ftrong, vehement, and
elevated Voice ; Joy, by a quick, fweet, clear Voice;
Sorrow, by a low, flexible, interrupted Voice ; Fear,
by a dejefted, tremulous, hefitating Voice ; Courage,
has a full, bold, and loud Voice ; and Perplexity, a
grave.