176 WHERE AND HOW TO LAY EMPHASIS.

It is very difficult to lay down rules for emphasis. Very much must be left to the taste and general intelligence of the reader. Some people read so emphatically, that is to say, they lay emphasis on so many words, that instead of throwing light on the author's meaning, they encumber the whole passage, and make it, irremediably, dull and pompous. This error is quite as serious as that of omitting emphasis altogether.

Theu again, it must be remembered that different words require different degrees of emphasis, according to the shade of thought or feeling which is intended. to be expressed. But this can only be accomplished by readers who have a delicate and just perception of the meaning of their author.

As a general rule, emphasis supposes antithesis; that is to say, we make a word emphatic in order to distinguish it from its antithesis, or opposite, either expressed or implied. Thus, in the instance first quoted, we made the word "ride" emphatic, to distinguish it from its opposite, walking; and "to-day," as opposed to to-morrow, or any other time. In these cases the antithesis is only supposed.

The following example will shew the same thing, with this difference, that the antithesis or opposite is expressed :

"Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull;

Strong without rage; without o'erflowing, full."

FOR PRACTICE IN EMPHASIS.

THE CHAMELEON.

OFT has it been my lot to mark
A proud, conceited, talking spark,
With eyes that hardly served at most
To guard their master 'gainst a post;
Yet round the world the blade has been
To see whatever could be seen.
Returning from his finished tour,
Grown ten times perter than before,
Whatever word you chance to drop,
The travelled fool your mouth will stop,
"Sir, if my judgment you'll allow-
I've seen-and sure I ought to know”—
So begs you'd pay a due submission,
And acquiesce in his decision.

Two travellers of such a cast,
As o'er Arabia's wilds they past,
And on their way in friendly chat,
Now talked of this, and then of that,
Discoursed a while, 'mongst other matter,
Of the Chameleon's form and nature.
"A stranger animal," cries one,
"Sure never lived beneath the sun:

A lizard's body lean and long,
A fish's head, a serpent's tongue,
Its foot with triple claw disjoined;
And what a length of tail behind!
How slow its pace! and then its hue-
Who ever saw so fine a blue!"

"Hold, there!" the other quick replies,

'Tis green-I saw it with these eyes,
As late with open mouth it lay,

And warmed it in the sunny ray;
Stretched at its ease the beast I viewed,

And saw it eat the air for food."

M

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178

THE CHAMELEON.

"I've seen it, sir, as well as you
And must again affirm it blue.
At leisure I the beast surveyed,
Extended in the cooling shade."

"'Tis green, 'tis green, sir, I assure ye”—"Green!" cries the other in a fury

66

'Why, sir,-d'ye think I've lost my eyes?"
""Twere no great loss," the friend replies;
'For, if they always serve you thus,
You'll find 'em but of little use."

So high, at last, the contest rose,
From words they almost came to blows:
When luckily came by a third-
To him the question they referred;
And begged he'd tell 'em, if he knew,
Whether the thing was green or blue.

"Sirs," cries the umpire, "cease your pother,
The creature's neither one nor t'other,
I caught the animal last night,
And viewed it o'er by candlelight:
I marked it well-'twas black as jet-
You stare-but, sirs, I've got it yet,
And can produce it,"-"Pray sir, do:
I'll lay my life the thing is blue."
"And I'll be sworn, that when you've seen
The reptile, you'll pronounce him green."
"Well, then, at once to end the doubt,"
Replies the man, "I'll turn him out:
And when before your eyes I've set him,
If you don't find him black, I'll eat him."
He said; then full before their sight
Produced the beast, and lo!-'twas white.

Merrick

EMPHASIS being that stress or force of voice with which certain words are pronounced, so as to distinguish them from the other words of a sentence, accent may be considered as emphasis restricted to syllables. In the sentences

He must increase, but I must decrease;

This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality;

There is a great difference between giving and forgiving;

He was charged with simulation and dissimulation; the contrast is restricted to syllables, and is called Accent.

The placing of the accent, like that of the general emphasis, must be determined by the mind of the reader, and it will in all cases depend on his knowledge of the subject and the correctness of his ear.

As a general rule, the accented syllable is pronounced louder than the others. If, however, the accent be pronounced with the rising inflection, the accented syllable is higher than the preceding, and lower than the succeeding, syllable. If the accent. have the falling inflection, the accented syllable is pronounced higher than any other syllable, either preceding or succeeding.

The correct placing of the accent is often essential to the right understanding or meaning of the word, as will be seen by carefully reading aloud the following words; which, though spelt alike, depend for their meaning entirely on the accent:

The following words, which are alike in spelling, but different in accent and meaning, may be studied as a useful exercise.