majority of inftances in their favour, we may certainly conclude that this, as well as every other department of language, is not without fixed and fettled rules.

That rule which directs us to fufpend the voice with the rifing inflexion at the end of a queftion formed without the interrogative words, is, perhaps, as general, and as well founded, as any rule in language; but the ear, which is difgufted at too long a fufpenfion of voice, when the queftion is drawn out to a confiderable length, often for the fake of a better found, converts the interrogative into the declarative tone, and concludes a queftion of this kind with the falling inflexion:

Thus there are few readers who would not conclude the following queftion with the falling inflexion.

"

Do you think that Themistocles and the heroes who were killed in the battles of Marathon and Platea, do you think the very tombs of your ancestors would not fend forth groans, if you crown a man, who, by his own confeffion, has been for ever confpiring with barbarians to ruin Grèece?

If this question were confidered as entirely. detached from the rest of the subject, there is no doubt but the ear is much more gratified by this, than by an oppofite pronunciation; but when we reflect, that by this pronunciation, though the ear is gratified, it is at the expence of that peculiar poignancy which the rifing inflexion gives to this fpecies of interrogation, we shall be lefs fatisfied with the facrifice we make to found; for though found has its rights as well as fenfe, fenfe feems to have the first claim, especially in profe, and more particu larly in this cafe, where the question lofes all

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its force and vigour, unless pronounced with. its fpecific inflexion: befides, when we confider that in pronouncing a whole fubject to the best advantage, perhaps it is not neceffary that every part fhould be fo pronounced as to be by itfelf moft agreeable to the ear, we fhall perceive that it is poffible fome parts may be pronounced lefs harmoniously as parts, which may contribute greatly to the energy, variety, and even harmony of the whole; as lefs agreeable paffages, and even difcords in mufic, are known to add greatly to the general beauty and effect of a whole compofition.

It muft, however, be acknowledged, that fome questions are fo immoderately long, and, lofing fight of the first object of interrogation, run into fuch a variety of after-thoughts, that, preferving the idea of the question all through, and ending it with the rifing inflexion, would not only be very difficult and inharmonious, but in fome measure prejudicial to the force and energy of the fenfe: when this is the cafe, changing the rifing to the falling inflexion is certainly proper; and what fault there is in the want of correfpondence between fenfe and found, must be placed to the account of the compofition: a reader, like a musical performer, perhaps, can cover a few blemishes in his author, by the elegance and delicacy of the tones he produces; but all his art will not enable him to make bad compofition read as well as good; or to make fenfe and found accord in the reading, when they are at variance in the compofition. Thus in the following fen

tence:

The Brigantines, even under a female leader, had force enough to burn the enemy's fettlements, to ftorm their camps, and if success had not introduced negligence and inactivity, would have been able entirely to throw off the yoke: And fhall not we, untouched, unfubdued, and struggling, not for the acquifition, but the continuance of liberty, declare, at the very firft onset, what kind of men Caledonia has referved for her defence?

In reading this fentence, we find it difficult to give it all its neceffary force and harmony, and at the fame time pronounce the emphatical word Caledonia, and the following words, with the rifing inflexion, as the nature of the question feems to demand; on the other hand, if we lay the emphafis with the falling inflexion on the word Caledonia, the rifing inflexion on reserved, and the falling on defence, the cadence will be harmoniously formed, and the fenfe will appear greatly enforced; but as this fenfe is not the precife and specific import of the interrogation, it must be left to the reader's judgment which mode of pronunciation he will adopt.

And here it may be worth obferving, that queftions without the interrogative words, demanding the rifing inflexion of voice, are always unfavourable to harmony when they end a branch of a subject commonly denoted by the paragraph: And that if the general rule be violated, this pofition of the queftion seems the best apology for it; as concluding a question of this kind with the rifing inflexion feems to leave a demand unanswered, and the branch of the fubject imperfect: but if the question does not end the paragraph, but is either directly anfwered by the speaker, or followed by fomething fo immediately connected with it as to remove the fufpenfe of waiting for an anfwer; if this is the cafe, I fay, let the train of queftions be ever fo

numerous, it seems quite neceffary to conclude with the rifing inflexion.

EXAMPLE.

Confider, I beseech you, what was the part of a faithful citizen? of a prudent, an active, and an honeft minifter? Was he not to fecure Euboea as our defence against all attacks by séa? Was he not to make Beotia our barrier on the midland fide? The cities bordering on Peloponnefus, our bulwark on thát quarter? Was he not to attend with due precaution to the importation of corn, that this trade might be protected through all its progrefs up to our own hárbours? Was he not to cover those diftricts which we commanded by feasonable detachments, as the Proconefus, the Cherfonefus, and Ténedos? To exert himfelf in the affémbly for this purpofe? While with equal zeal he la◄ boured to gain others to our intereft and alliance, as Byzantium, Abydus, and Euboea? Was he not to cut off the best and most important refources of our enemies, and to fupply thofe in which our country was defective?-And all this you gained by my counfels and my adminiftration. Leland's Demofthenes.

In pronouncing this paffage, we find no method fo proper as that of annexing the rifing inflexion to every fingle queftion; and as they are not final, but are closed by a sentence with the falling inflexion, the whole comes forcibly to the mind and agreeably to the ear, inftead of that hiatus, both in sense and found, with which the former fentence concludes when we finish it with the rifing inflexion.

It may be obferved, likewife, that when queftions are fucceeded by anfwers, it will be neceffary to raise the voice in the rifing inflexion on the question, and after a confiderable paufe to pronounce the anfwer in a lower tone of voice, that they may be the better distinguished from each other.

EXAMPLE.

My departure is objected to me, which charge I cannot anfwer without commending myfelf. For what muft I sày?

That I fled from a confcioufnefs of guilt? But what is charged upon me as a crime, was fo far from being a fault, that it is the moft glorious action fince the memory of màn. That I feared being called to an account by the people? That was never talked of; and if it had been done, I fhould have come off with double honour. That I wanted the fupport of good and honeft mén? That is fàlfe. That I was afraid of death? That is a càlumny. I muft, therefore, fay what I would not, unlefs compelled to it, that I withdrew to preferve the city.

Cicero.

In pronouncing this paffage, we shall find it abfolutely neceffary, both for the vivacity of the questions, and to distinguish them from the anfwers, to pronounce the former in a higher, and the latter in a lower tone of voice, and to make a very long pause after each question.

It seems neceffary only to make one obfervation more before we close this article; and that is, that as questions of this kind, which demand the rifing inflexion at the end, especially when they are drawn out to any length, are apt to carry the voice into a higher key than is either fuitable or pleasant, too much care cannot be taken to keep the voice down, when we are pronouncing the former parts of a long question, and the commencing queftions of a long fucceffion of questions; for as the characteristic pronunciation of these questions is, to end with the rifing inflexion, provided we do but terminate with this, the voice may creep on in a low and almoft famenefs of tone till the end; and then, if the voice is not agreeable in a high key, which is the cafe with the generality of voices, the laft word of the whole may be pronounced with the rifing inflexion, in nearly the fame low key in which the voice commences.

Perhaps it may not be entirely useless to take

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