of this kind alters its form, and changes it in effect into a queftion without the interrogative word; as the member, where grows, in the laft example, is equivalent to the sentence, Do you afk where it grows? an ellipfis in the words, not altering in the leaft the import of the fen

tence.

An inftance, that the exclamation may be mixed with interrogations of both kinds, may be seen in the following fpeech of Gracchus, quoted by Cicero, and inferted in the Spectator, No 541.

Whither fhall I turn? Wretch that I am! to what place fhall I betake myfelf? Shall I go to the Capitol? alas! it is overflowed with my brother's blood! or fhall I retire to my hòufe? yet there I behold my mother plunged in mifery, weeping and defpàiring!

Every distinct portion of this passage may be truly faid to be an exclamation; and yet we find, in reading it, though it can fcarcely be pronounced with too much emotion, the inflexions of voice are the fame as if pronounced without any emotion at all: that is, the portion, Whither fall I turn, terminates like a queftion with the interrogative word, with the falling inflexion.

The member, Wretch that I am, like a member forming incomplete fenfe, with the rifing inflexion; the queftion, without the interrogation word, Shall I go to the Capitol, with the rifing inflexion; alas! it is overflowed with my brother's blood, with the falling: The queftion commencing with the disjunctive or, or shall I retire to my house, with the falling inflexion, but in a lower tone of voice.

Thus we fee how vague and indefinite are the general rules for reading this point, for want of

distinguishing high and low tones of voice from thofe upward and downward flides, which may be in any note of the voice, and which, from their radical difference, form the most marking differences in pronunciation.

Parenthefis.

The parenthesis is defined by our excellent grammarian, Dr. Lowth, to be a member of a fentence inserted in the body of a sentence, which member is neither neceffary to the fenfe, nor at all affects the conftruction. He obferves, alfo, that in reading or fpeaking, it ought to have a moderate depreffion of the voice, and a pause greater than a comma. This is, perhaps, as juft a definition of the parenthesis as could be given in fo few words, and may serve to regulate our opinion of it when the marks of it in printing are either omitted or used improperly; but feveral other particulars refpecting this grammatical note may be remarked, which will tend greatly to acquaint us with the true nature of it, and fhew us how it may be pronounced to advantage.

And firft it may be obferved, that the parenthefis feems to have been much under-rated by the generality of writers on compofition, who confider it rather as a blemish than an advantage to style, and have almost entirely prohibited the ufe of it. This, however, cannot be done without arraigning the taste of the best writers, both ancient and modern, who frequently make use of this figure of grammar, and often with great advantage: for though, when used injudiciously, it interrupts the courfe

of the thought, and obfcures the meaning; yet fometimes it so happily conveys a fentiment or ftroke of humour, as to entitle it to no fmall merit among the grammatical figures, and to rank it even with thofe of oratory and eloquence. What, for example, can add greater force to a pathetic fentiment than a thought rifing up from the fullness of the heart, as it were in the middle of another sentence? What can add greater poignancy to a fally of wit, than conceiving it as fpringing naturally from the luxuriancy of the fubject, without the leaft effort or premeditation of the writer? What can give fuch importance to a tranfient thought, as producing it in the negligence of an intervening member; and how much is compofition familiarized, and rendered natural and eafy, by the judicious introduction of thefe tranfient unpremeditated thoughts! This manner of conveying a thought makes us efteem it the more in proportion as the author feems to esteem it lefs; and if, to this advantage of the parenthefis, we add that of the conciseness of thought and variety of pronunciation, it fometimes beftows on the style and cadence of a sentence, we fhall by no means think it a trifling or infignificant part of compofition.

But though the parenthesis has often an excellent effect, both in compofition and delivery, yet, when it is ufed too frequently, or extended to too great a length, it embarrasses the reader, and obfcures rather than illuftrates the meaning of the author; for which reason we find good writers conftantly avoid a long and complicated parenthefis. The beft parenthesis, therefore, is the shorteft; for as the main current of the

fentence is ftanding ftill while this intervening member is pronounced, the thread of the difcourfe is broken, and, if difcontinued too long, is with difficulty taken up again.

The real nature of the parenthefis once understood, we are at no lofs for the true manner of delivering it. The tone of voice ought to be interrupted, as it were, by fomething unforefeen; and, after a paufe, the parenthefis fhould be pronounced in a lower tone of voice; at the end of which, after another pause, the higher tone of voice, which was interrupted, fhould be refumed, that the connection between the former and latter part of the interrupted fentence may be restored. It may be observed, too, that in order to preserve the integrity of the principal members, the parenthesis ought not only to be pronounced in a lower tone, but a degree fwifter than the reft of the period, as this ftill better preferves the broken fenfe, and diftinguishes the explanation from the text. For that this is always the cafe in converfation, we can be under no doubt, when we confider, that whatever is fuppofed to make our auditors wait, gives an impulfe to the tongue, in order to relieve them as foon as poffible from the fufpense of an occafional and unexpected interruption.

Rule I. The most general rule is, that the parenthesis always terminates with that pause and inflexion of voice with which the interrupted part of the sentence that precedes it is marked; for any clofer connection between the parenthesis and the latter, than between the parenthefis and the former part of the fentence, would form a fresh member, compounded of

the parenthesis and the latter part, and by this means leave the former impertect. Accordingly, when the member immediately preceding the parenthefis ends with imperfect fenfe, or a comma and the rifing inflexion, (which is almost always the cafe,) the parenthefis ends with a comma, and the rifing inflexion likewife.

EXAMPLE.

Know ye not, brethren, (for I fpeak to them that know the law, that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? Rom. vii, 1.

When it ends with perfect fenfe, generally marked with a colon, and confequently requires the falling inflexion of voice (which very feldom happens,) the parenthesis ends with a colon and falling inflexion alfo.

EXAMPLE.

Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence; (for they feared the people, left they should have been fiòned :) And when they had brought them, they fet them before the council. Acts v. 26, 27.

But before we proceed to give other examples, it will be neceffary to take notice, that though the paufe and inflexion, terminating the parenthefis and the member that precedes it, may be faid to be the fame, it must ftill be understood to mean the fame only as far as the dif ference of tone with which the parenthefis is pronounced will permit; for if the parenthesis is to be pronounced in a lower tone than the principal fentence, which feems univerfally allowed, the paufe and inflexion of voice with which the parenthefis ends, must neceffarily be pronounced lower than the fame paufes and inflexions terminating the preceding member: