Imatges de pàgina
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This Emphasis belongs to "THE EMPHASIS OF SENSE, (see ante, EMPHASIS,) and may be distinguished as the "Emphasis with pronominal phrase." [See SERIES-Pronominal Series.]

SERIAL SENTENCES.

THE SERIES, in rhetoric, (a succession of words or phrases linked together in construction,) constantly occurs; its delivery puzzles the reader who has no certain rule to guide him,-and his, consequently, confused and unconnected manner, in turn, puzzles his hearers.

There are, therefore, Rules in Elocution for the delivery of serial sentences,-certain and easy.

FORM OF SERIES.

The Series is-(first),

1.

SIMPLE. -2. COMPOUnd.

1. Simple, when it consists of single words (or single ideas) in succession.

2. Compound, when it is composed of members in succession, each composed of several words-conveying several ideas.

These, again, are—(second,)

1. COMMENCING.-2. CONCLUDING.

1. Commencing, when they commence a sentence, or where the sense is unfinished at their close.

2. Concluding, when they conclude or perfect the

sense.

EXAMPLES.

SIMPLE, commencing, Series.

Faith, hope, and charity,

are cardinal virtues.

May faith, hope, charity, peace, and patience

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COMPOUND, commencing Series.

An amiable disposition, virtuous principles, a liberal education, and industrious habits,

lead to contentment, happiness, and honor.

COMPOUND, Concluding.

Contentment, happiness, and honor, are the reward of an amiable disposition, virtuous principles, a liberal education, and industrious habits.

We have also the

Negative Series,

Interrogative Series,

Antithetical Series,

and other variations on the regular series, which we shall take in their proper order.

So much for the rhetorical form of the Series; now we proceed to the Elocutionary

RULES for Inflection of the Series.

1. A simple, commencing Series

takes a rising inflection on every member of the Series except the penultimate (or last but one), which has a falling inflection.

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[For the pause proper to Series, see ante, PAUSE.]

2. A simple, concluding Series

takes a rising inflection on every member of the series but the last.

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May our souls be possessed with

faith,- (1)

hope, (2)

charity, (3)

peace, (4)

and patience! (5)

COMPOUND SERIES.

1. Commencing, takes a falling inflection on every member

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(3)

a liberal education,

and industrious habits, (4)

are passports to happiness and honor.

2. Concluding, takes the falling inflection on every member but the penultimate.

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EXAMPLE.

Contentment, happiness, and honor, reward

a good disposition, (1)

virtuous principles,

(2)

a liberal education,- (3)

and industrious habits. (4)

DIVISION OF A LONG SIMPLE SERIES.

RULE.

When a simple series exceeds five members, avviae the whole into two or more shorter series; and read the divisions according to rule,―marking each division with the middle pause.

EXAMPLE.

The works of the flesh are manifest; which are these:

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,

emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.-Gal.

In a series of so many members as this, the division (as above) prevents that unpleasing and cataloguelike monotony, which is produced by reading the whole as one series, with an unbroken succession of rising inflections. The division is of course arbitrary, as to the number of members which may be allotted to each division; but the object to be aimed at in the separation of the members is a distinct classification; so that things, objects or ideas, resembling or allied to each other in quality or degree, shall be kept together, and not be thrown in confusedly with others of a different nature.

Now, in the above example, such a distinct classification is rendered difficult, if not impossible, to the reader, by the absence of order and classification in the passage itself. It may indeed be remarked, with

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