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exactly under the fame predicament with the member of the two former examples, which is marked with a femicolon; and which is unquestionably the true method of pointing them: for though, in the compact fentence, where the fenfe is fufpended till the whole is finished, the femicolon and colon have the rifing inflexion, as in examples, p. 67; yet, in the loofe fentence, these points are generally accompanied by the falling inflexion,. as in the laft examples: and it must be infifted on, that unless the line be drawn between fuch members as contain perfect, and fuch as contain imperfect fenfe, the parts of a fentence cannot be pronounced to the, beft advantage; if by continuing the voice exactly in the fame fufpenfe, one thought is run into another which does not really belong to it, the fense must be injured; and though the mind is often too well informed of the subject to be much at a lofs for the fenfe, let the punctuation be what it will, yet it is impoffible the fense of an author can be readily perceived in its full beauty, when it is obfcured by an erroneous pronunciation of the sentence which conveys it.

But though fenfe is often, harmony is much more frequently concerned, in a proper ufe of this disjunctive inflexion. The comma occurs fo much oftener than any other pause, that it is highly important to harmonious delivery that it should not be introduced oftener than is neceffary; every good reader, therefore, will take frequent opportunities of changing the comma into the femicolon, as it is chiefly from not attending to this diftinction that the common H

punctuation is fo unfavourable to variety. And if the correctors of the prefs, who are generally very intelligent men, would but adopt this diftinction of, a period into a compact and loose sentence, and in the latter always place a femicolon, or colon, where the former part of the fentence forms perfect fenfe, and is not modified by the latter, it is inconceivable how many errors in reading might be avoided: it must be owned, indeed, that the difficulty of always precisely diftinguishing between a member, which, by modifying the preceding member, is neceffarily connected with it, and another, which only adds to what precedes, without modifying the fenfe, is no fmall extenuation of this common error of printers; but it is prefumed, that our not being able to do it in difficult cafes is no reafon we fhould neglect it in obvious ones, and these are fufficiently numerous to be of the utmost importance to our pronunciation. This will more evidently appear by the following rules, on the use of the falling inflexion in the loose fentence.

Rule I. Every member of a sentence forming confiftent fenfe, and followed by two other members which do not modify or restrain its fignification, admits of the falling inflexion.

EXAMPLES.

In fhort, to cut off all cavilling against the ancients, and particularly thofe of the warmer climates, who have most heat and life in their imaginations, we are to confider that the rule of obferving what the French call the bienfeance in an allufion, has been found out of later years, and in the còlder regions of the world; where we would make fome amends for our want of force, and fpirit, by a fcrupulous nicety and exactness in our compofitions. Spectator, N° 160.

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In this example we fee the falling inflexion at world very properly marked with a femicolon, though followed by the word where, which feems fo intimately to connect them; and which might be shown in a thoufand fimilar paffages, to induce our printers to mark these members with a comma only.

It is this that recommends variety, where the mind is every inftant called off to fomething new, and the attention not fuffered to dwell too long on any particular object.

Spectator, No 412.

For this reafon, there is nothing more enlivens a profpect than rivers, jetteaus, and falls of water, where the fcene is perpetually thifting and entertaining the fight every moment with fomething that is new. Ibid. No 412.

In these inftances, though the word water in the last sentence, and the word variety in the preceding example, are marked with a comma only, precifion, as well as harmony, require the falling inflexion; the firft member is a kind of text to the whole sentence, and is not fo clofely connected with the fucceeding members as these last are with each other; an occafional fenfe of the propriety of this distinction makes our printers fometimes point the first member of a fimilar fentence with the femicolon.

EXAMPLE.

At a little distance from my friend's houfe, among the ruins of an old abbey, there is a long walk of aged èlms; which are fhot up fo very high, that when one paffes under them, the rooks and crows that reft upon the tops of them seem to be cawing in another region. Spectator, Ño 110.

Here the first member is very properly pointed with a femicolon at elms, and the emphatic pause on this word gives a precision and variety to the whole sentence; but as an instance how

little the generality of our punctuifts are guided by the fenfe of the fentence, we need only produce the period which immediately follows:

I am very much delighted with this fort of noife, which I confider as a kind of natural prayer to that Being who fupplies the wants of his whole creation, and who, in the beautiful language of the Pfalms, feedeth the young ravens that call upon him. Ibid.

In these two laft inftances, the first part of each sentence is connected with the fucceeding member by the relative which; but as this word does not reftrain, but only explain and extend the meaning of the preceding member, the latter, like the former, ought to be marked with the femicolon, and pronounced with the falling inflexion.

Cicero concludes his celebrated books de Oratore with fome precepts for pronunciation and action; without which part he affirms, that the best orator in the world can never fucceed, and an indifferent one who is mafter of this shall gain much greater applaufe. Spect. N° 541.

In this inftance we find the word action often pointed with a comma only, though it is certain that it ought to be pronounced with the falling inflexion; for as the fucceeding word without does not modify it, and as the next member neceffarily requires the rifing inflexion at fucceed, the falling inflexion on the word action adds greatly to the precision and variety of the whole fentence.

Antithetic Member.

When fentences have two parts correfponding with each other, fo as to form an anti

thefis, the first part must always terminate with the rifing inflexion.

EXAMPLES.

We are always complaining our days are few, and acting as though there should be no end of them. Spectator, N° 93.

I imagined that I was admitted into a long fpacious gallery, which had one fide covered with pieces, of all the famous painters who are now living; and the other with the greatest masters who are dead. Ibid. No 83.

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The wicked may indeed taste a malignant kind of pleasure, in those actions to which they are accustomed whilft in this life but when they are removed from all those objects which are here apt to gratify them, they will naturally become their own tormentors. İbid. N° 447•

The pleasures of the imagination are not fo grofs as those of sénse, nor fo refined as those of the understanding. Ibid. N° 411.

In all these examples, the first part of every antithefis might form a perfect fentence by itself; but the mutual relation between the former and latter part, forms as neceffary a connection between them as if the former part formed no fenfe by itself, and the latter part modified and reftrained the fenfe of the former; and therefore the word few, in the first example, the word fenfe in the fecond, the word living in the third, and the words this life in the fourth, must neceffarily adopt the rifing inflexion. For the fame reason, the fame inflexion must take place at the word fucceed in the following example:

Cicero concludes his celebrated books de Oratore, with fome precepts for pronunciation and action; without which part, he affirms, that the best orator in the world can never fucceed, and an indifferent one, who is mafter of this fhall gain much greater applaufe. Spectator, N° 541.

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