manner, after the use of the fifth, for emphatic distinction on a single word, the pitch immediately returns to the original line of the current melody.

From the preceding account of the intonation of the octave and of the fifth, we learn, that their effects are cognizable under two different forms, the Concrete rise, and the Radical change; that the octave is impressed more remarkably on the ear; and that the distinction between the interrogative and emphatic use of these intervals, consists in the difference of the number of syllables, to which they are respectively applied.

It was said, the intonation of the octave, whether by concrete or by radical pitch, is rarely employed; since a rise of eight degrees above the ordinary line of utterance carries most speakers into the falsette. And even with those in whom the rise might not exceed the natural voice, the melody when suddenly changed in radical pitch, would often be ludicrous, from contrast; or would be in danger of breaking into the falsette in its variations; or would be beyond the limits of the speaker's skillful execution. These objections do not apply to an occasional skip of radical pitch through the ascent of the fifth; the variation being less striking in contrast; and the interval of a fifth above the common range of the voice, being rarely beyond practicable management.

Besides the above described uses of the octave and fifth, some canting forms of exclamation, and other familiar voices, in common life, are made on these intervals. They require no further notice.

SECTION XVI.

Of the Interval of the Rising Third.

THE concrete rising Third, like the two last named intervals, is used for interrogative expression, and for the intonation of emphasis. But its degree in both these cases, is less than that of the fifth. It is the sign of interrogation in its most moderate form; and carries with it none of those sentiments which, jointly with the question, were allotted to those other move

ments.

Besides the exceptions to the rule of the plain diatonic melody, by an occasional use of the octave and fifth, it must now be added, that the general current of the tone is further varied, by the introduction of the interval of the concrete third, and its change of radical pitch. It is more frequently used than either of the two former; for, although more rarely employed than the fifth, as an interrogative, it is a common form of emphatic intonation. In describing the phrases of melody, it was said, the rising tritone, or upward succession of three radicals, on as many syllables, is occasionally employed. Now by the nature of the scale, three radical places contain the interval of a third: it is therefore the space or interval occupied by the constituents of a tritone, rejecting the vanish of the last, that makes the proper concrete third. This concrete as regards interrogative effect, is more impressive than the discrete rise of the radicals of the tritone: for if the words, Go you there,in grammar equally a command and a question, be uttered with the phrase of the rising tritone, or one syllable successively a tone in its radical pitch above the preceding, with a downward vanish on each, it will have the character of an imperative sentence. But if the first word rise concretely a third, that is through the space occupied by the tritone; and the last two be carried by discrete skip to the hight of the concrete, the effect will

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be interrogative, notwithstanding the last two may bear the downward vanish. The same will be the effect when the second word has the concrete, and the last the radical change; or, when the first and second have the common diatonic melody, and the last alone the concrete rise.

There is a form of replication in common speech, especially used by the Scots, consisting of a repetition of the affirmative yes or aye, in the rising third; and while the words seem to pay the courtesy of assent, the interrogative nature of the intonation still insinuates the hesitation of doubt or surprise. Should the sentiment conveyed by these words be of unusual energy, the expression will assume the form of the fifth, or

octave.

When the reader will hereafter have acquired the prefatory knowledge, necessary for the full comprehension of the nature. of emphasis, it will be definitely explained, in what manner, and on what occasions the octave, fifth, and third, are employed, in this important function of correct and impressive speech. But as the emphasis, given to prominent words of concessive, conditional, and hypothetical sentences, carries with it, in a measure, the latent sentiment of an interrogatory, its application may properly be illustrated here. The following examples of conditionality and concession, call for one of the wider rising intervals, on the words marked in italics :

Then when I am thy captive talk of chains,

Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then,

Far heavier load thyself expect to feel

From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's king
Ride on thy wings.

So in the hypothesis of the following sentence:

If I must contend, said he,

Best with the best, the sender, not the sent.

And the same with the exceptive phrase marked in these lines:

The undaunted fiend what this might be, admired;

Admired, not fear'd. God and his Son except,
Created thing naught valued he, nor shunn'd.

It is not the purpose to decide here, which of the wider intervals is to be set respectively, on the strong words of these examples. The citations were made, merely to show that the rising third, fifth, or octave, may be used on the emphatic syllables of such sentences.

The interval of the minor third, as we have seen in the first section, consists of one tone and a half. It has a plaintive expression, but is not, as far as I have observed, employed in speech for any of those purposes of interrogation, conditionality, or concession, which are here ascribed to the major third.

It may perhaps be useful, in this place, for the reader to take a retrospect over the subject of melody, as it has thus far been described; and to look upon it as consisting of the diatonic phrases formerly enumerated, varied for the purposes of interrogation, and of emphasis, by the occasional introduction of the wider rising intervals of the octave, fifth, and third. In speaking of the melody of simple narrative, the radical changes of that style were reduced to seven elementary phrases. It may be thought, the further use of these wider intervals, in the transitions of radical pitch, justifies an additional nomenclature, for the phrases, employed in expression. It does so; and the Phrase of the Eighth, the Fifth, and the Third, when the transition is made by the radical skip, either in an upward or downward direction, are the terms for designating these new forms of melodial progression in speech.

SECTION XVII.

Of the Intonation of Interrogative Sentences.

HAVING assigned an interrogative expression to the rising octave, fifth, and third, I defer, for a moment, the history of the remaining forms of pitch, to describe the manner of employing those intervals, in the course of an interrogative sentence; and thereby to learn, how they are related both to its current melody, and to its cadence.

With a view to exhibit the striking effect of the interrogative intervals, let us take the following merely declaratory or assertive sentence, as contradistinguished from the grammatical constructions that generally indicate a question:

Give Brutus a statue with his ancestors.

This sentence is significative of an intention to honor the patriot; is imperative in its purpose; and this purpose is expressed by a downward movement on every syllable. But if the versatile plebian should, the next moment, have a new light of discernment, he might affect to refuse the honorary tribute, by repeating the very words of the decree, with the sneering intonation of a question.

Giye Brutus a statue with his ancestors?

The difference of expression in these two instances, would be perceptible to every hearer: nor could the altered intention of the speaker, in the last case, be mistaken. The conspicuous effect of this line, when thus read, proceeds from the use of the rising interval of the fifth or octave, according to the energy of the case, on each of the syllables; and it shows the power of that rise in changing an imperative into an interrogative sentence. In this way only, by the concrete, or the radical rise of