7. BOARDING-SCHOOL CURRICULUM. And thus their studies they pursued:-On Súnday, 66 8. FROM DICKENS'S CHRISTMAS CAROL. HOOD. It was a game called Yes and No, where Scrooge's nephew had to think of something, and the rest must find out what; he only answering to their questions yes or no, as the case was. The fire of questioning to which he was exposed elicited from him that he was thinking of an ánimal, a live animal, rather a disagréeable animal, a súvage animal, an animal that grówled and grúnted sometimes, and tálked sometimes, and lived in London, and walked about the streets, and was n't made a show of, and was n't léd by anybody, and did n't live in a menagerie, and was never killed in a márket, and was not a horse, or an áss, or a ców, or a búll, or a tíger, or a dóg, or a pig, or a cát, or a beàr. 66 9. FROM DICKENS'S CHRISTMAS CAROL." Sitting-room, bedroom, lumber-room, all as they should be. Nobody under the táble; nobody under the sófa; a small fire in the gráte; spoon and basin réady; and the little saucepan of gruel (Scrooge had a cold in his head) upon the hob. Nobody under the béd; nobody in the clóset; nobody in his dressing-gown, which was hanging up in a suspicious attitude against the wall. Lumber-room as usual. Old fíre-guard, old shoes, two físh-baskets, washing-stand on three légs, and a pòker. II. THE FALLING INFLECTION. 1. The falling inflection is the slide of the complete statement. 2. It is the characteristic inflection of assertion, of confidence, of command, of emotion, and of passion. 3. It denotes what is important, interesting, or decisive. It is the prevailing inflection of impressive oratory. RULES FOR THE FALLING INFLECTION. Rule I. The close of a declarative, imperative, or exclamatory sentence is generally marked by the falling inflection. EXAMPLES. 1. The liberty of the press is the highest safeguard to all free government. It is like a greát, exúlting, and abóunding river. 2. Maud Muller, on a summer's day, Raked the meadow sweet with hày. 3. Ye crágs and peaks, I'm with you once again! Rule II. The answer to a direct question generally takes the falling inflection. EXAMPLES. 1. Are you going to school? Yes, I am. 2. Shall traitors lay that greatness lów? EXCEPTIONS. Answers given in a careless or an indifferent manner sometimes take the rising inflection, as, 1. What do you want? Nóthing. 2. Which will you have? I don't care. 3. What did you say? Not múch. 4. May I stay here? Yés, you may if you like. 5. Out spoke the ancient fisherman: "O what was that, my daughter?" "'T was nothing but a pébble, sir, I threw upon the wáter." “And what is that, pray tell me, love, that paddles off so fast?" "It's nothing but a pórpoise, sìr, that's been a swimming pást." Rule III. Impassioned exclamation or very emphatic assertion is characterized by the falling inflection-usually the fifth or eighth. EXAMPLES. [Falling Fifth.] 1. Rise, fellow-mèn, our country yet remains. 2. Clèarness, force, and earnestness are the qualities which produce conviction. 3. Eloquence is àction, nòble, sublime, gòdlike action. 4. Strike-till the last armed foe expires; [Falling Eighth.-Emotional.] 5. O hòrrible! ○ hòrrible! most hòrrible ! 6. O my prophetic sòul! my uncle! 7. We heard the piercing shriek of murder! mùrder! murder! 8. I have done my duty:-I stand acquitted to my cónscience and my country:-I have opposed this measure throughout; and I now protèst against it as harsh, opprèssive, uncàlled for, unjust,—as establishing an infamous prècedent by retaliating crime against crime,—as tyrannous-cruelly and vindictively tyrannous. O'CONNELL. 9. The mustering place is Lanrick mead, 10. Thy threats, thy mercy, I defỳ, Let recreant yield who fears to die. Rule IV. Indirect questions and very emphatic direct questions generally take the falling inflection. Interrogative sentences beginning with who, which, when, where, why, and how, generally take the falling inflection. A direct question if repeated a second or third time, frequently takes the falling inflection for emphasis. EXAMPLES. 1. What constitutes a State? 2. What is it that gentlemen wìsh? 3. When was he graduated? 4. Why do you not study your lesson? 5. "Speak louder; I did not hear your question." "Are you going to Boston?" 6. O why should the spirit of mortal be proud? 7. "Do you hear the rain, Mr. Caudle? I sày, do you hear the rain? Do you hear it against the windows? Do you hear it, I sày? Oh! you dô héar it!” Rule V. Completeness of thought or expression, whether in the clauses of a complex sentence, or in the propositions of a compound sentence, generally requires the falling inflection. EXAMPLES. 1. DEAD HEROES. They fell devóted, but undỳing; The very gale | their names seemed sighing; Claimed kindred | with their sacred clày: 66 2. FROM GOLDSMITH'S DESERTED VILLAGE." Imagination fondly stoops to trace The parlor splendor of that festive plàce: BYRON. The whitewashed wall, the nicely sanded floor, A bed by night, a chest of drawers by dày; |