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 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. Clearness, fòrce, and earnestness are the qualities which produce conviction. 3. Eloquence is àction, nòble, sublìme, gòdlike action. 4. Strike-till the last armed foe expires; [Falling Eighth.—Emotional.] 5. O hòrrible! O hòrrible! most horrible! 6. O my prophetic sòul! my ùncle! 7. We heard the piercing shriek of mùrder! 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 crème,-as tyrannous-cruelly and vindictively tyrannous. O'CONNELL. 9. The mustering place is Lanrick mead, 10. Thy threats, thy mercy, I defy, Let recreant yield who fears to die. 11. "Can naught but blood our feud atóne? 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 wish? 3. When was he graduated? 4. Why do you not study your lèsson? 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 say? Oh! you do hear 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 clay: BYRON. 66 2. FROM GOLDSMITH'S DESERTED VILLAGE." Imagination fondly stoops to trace The parlor splèndor of that festive plàce: The whitewashed wall, the nicely sanded floor, A bed by night, a chest of drawers by dày; 3. BACON'S PHILOSOPHY. It has lengthened life; it has mitigated pain; it has extinguished disèases; it has increased the fertility of the soil; it has given new securities to the mariner; it has furnished new arms to the warrior; it has spanned great rivers and estuaries with bridges of form unknown. to our fathers; it has guided the thunderbolt innocuously from heaven to earth; it has lighted up the night with the splendor of the day; it has extended the range of the human vision; it has multiplied the power of the human muscles; it has accelerated motion; it has annihilated distance; it has facilitated intercourse, correspondence, all friendly óffices, all despatch of business; it has enabled men to descend to the depths of the sea, to soar into the air; to penetrate securely into the noxious. recesses of the earth, to traverse the land in cárs which whirl along without horses, and the ocean in ships which run ten knots an hour against the wind. 4. FREEDOM. MACAULAY. I love Freedom better than Slavery. I will speak her words; I will listen to her music; I will acknowledge her impulses; I will stand beneath her flag; I will fight in her ranks; and, when I do so, I shall find myself surrounded by the great, the wise, the good, the brave, the noble of every land. 5. CHOATE'S EULOGY ON WEBSTER. BAKER. We seem to see his form and hear his deep, gráve speech everywhere. By some felicity of his personal life; by some wise, deep, or beautiful word spoken or written; by some service of his own, or some commemoration of the services of others, it has come to páss that "our gránite hills, our inland sèas, prairies, and fresh, unbounded, magnificent wilderness;" our encircling òcean; the resting-place of the Pilgrims; our new-born sister of |