themselves" is implied in the former predicate, "the most humble" the second predicate is subordinate to the first, as being merely a repetition of the same idea in different words. The next sentence is subordinate to the preceding, because the fact it states is advanced in illustration of what was said in the former sentence. "So," '—a connective adverb; very emphatic, because marking the correspondence or analogy between the facts of the two sentences: "those boughs," the subject: "and branches of trees," another subject to the predicate "bend," the leading clausular accent falls on the word "trees," because if it were on "branches," it would imply antithesis between that word and "boughs," but the leading subjective emphasis is on boughs," because that word implies" of trees:" which are most richly laden with fruit,' -a relative sentence limiting the subject, and therefore a first-class subordinate: "bend downwards," the predicate; the leading accent on "bend," because that word, referring to richly laden boughs, implies "downwards:" "and hang lowest," -another predicate to the subject "boughs," the leading accent on "lowest," because all boughs "richly laden with fruit," must "hang."

We use the following marks to denote the comparative elevation or depression of subordinate clauses :-Elevate, [ Depress, L. This mark (1) shows the end of the modulated clause; it is used also to separate unconnected clauses. The full modulative and accentual notation of the above sentence would then be the following:

Generally speak'ing, | those | who have' the most' grace" | and' the great'est gifts," and are' of the great'est usefulness, "are' the most' hum"ble, and think' the most mean"ly of themselves'. So those' boughs" | and branches of trees" | which' are most rich'ly la'den with fruit," | bend" down'wards, | and hang' low"est.

In the two following Extracts, the Subjects and Predicates are printed in italics in the subsequent illustrations, the clausular divisions and the relative modulations are also marked. In reading these Exercises, note,

1st, When the Subject and Predicate stand together, they must (unless when they are without emphasis) be uttered with that deliberation and intervening pause which denote what is most weighty and worthy of attention. 2nd, When they are separated by any clause or clauses, these subordinate parts must be so pronounced as not to interfere with the inflexion and modulation of the principal members; they must be removed from the main level of the sentence -changed to a different key-note; but whether raised to a higher, or depressed to a lower, their syntactical subordination must be distinctly shown, in their more limited inflexions, feebler force, and (generally) quicker time. 3rd, When subordinate clauses precede the subject, though they may be inflected downwards, they cannot terminate with a completive fall; their inflexion must be either of that modified kind which we call Continuative, or else its more emphatic descent must be finished by a slightly rising connecting link. 4th, The Subject must be uttered with such a progression of voice, as plainly to denote

the closeness of connexion that exists between it and the Predicate as members which are mutually necessary to the expression of sense; and the voice must be kept up, or at least kept from making a completive fall at the end of any clause that may intervene between it and the predicate :—if there are several intervening clauses, the last must be pronounced with such an elevation of voice as may premonstrate the coming conclusion. 5th, When subordinate clauses follow the predicate, though they form part of the same period, they must not be allowed to deprive the utterance of the predicate of its completive effect: unless when connexion is purposely maintained by a rise,— -as when the subordinate clauses are intended to limit the acceptation of the predicate,the latter must have a perfect fall, however far from the end of the sentence it may occur. 6th, When Principal Connectives are not immediately followed by the words which they unite in sense, but by some subordinate clause, they must be kept apart in utterance, by a pause and modulative change after them. 7th, The Clausular Accentuations and Relative Emphasis (and, consequently, the arrangement of the Inflexions) must be regulated by the judgement.

And, by opposing, | end them?—To die?—to sleep—
No more and, by a sleep, | to say we end
The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to'tis a consummation

To sleep? perchance to dream!—ay, there's the rub!
For, in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, |

Must give us pause! There's the respect,

That makes calamity of so long life!

For, who would bear the whips and scorns of time, |
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, |

The insolence of office, and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes- |
When he himself, might his quietus make,

With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,

To groan and sweat under a weary life,

* The italics in this and the following similarly printed passages, do not indicate emphasis, but, as stated on the preceding page, denote the principal constructive words in the several sentences. These, whether emphatic or subordinate to the sense, should always be distinctively uttered. The effect and object of the notation will be best seen by first reading the italicised words alone.

But that the dread of something after Death—
[That undiscover'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns! | puzzles the will;
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of.
Thus Conscience does make cowards of us all:
And thus, the native hue of Resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of Thought;
And enterprises of great pith and moment,—
With this regard, their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action!

THE POWER OF HABIT.

Whatever action, either good or bad, | has been done once, is done a second time with more ease, and with a better liking; and a frequent repetition heightens the ease and pleasure of the performance without limit. By virtue of this property of the mind, having done any thing once becomes a motive to doing it again; having done it twice is a double motive; and [so many times the act is repeated, so many times the motive to doing it once more, is multiplied. To this principle, habit owes its wonderful force, [of which it is usual to hear men complain,—[as of something external that enslaves the will. But the complaint in this instance, as in every other in which man presumes to arraign the ways of Providence, is rash and unreasonable. The fault is in man himself, if a principle, implanted in him for his good, becomes, by negligence and mismanagement, | the instrument of his ruin. It is owing to this principle that every faculty of the understanding, and every sentiment of the heart, is capable of being improved by exercise. It is the leading principle | in the whole system of the human constitution; [modifying both the physical qualities of the body, and the moral and intellectual endowments of the mind.

3

Come and stand round! | the widow with her child, |

As when she first forgot her tears and smiled!

They who watch by him | see not; | but he sees,

*Sees | and exults! | -were ever dreams like these?

3

They who watch by him | hear not; | but he hears!
And earth recedes, and heaven itself appears.

"Tis past! that hand we grasped, [alas! [in vain!
Nor shall we look into his face again!

2

The words so precious | which we heard to-night;
[His parting; though | awhile | our sorrow flows,
[Like setting suns, or music at the close!

Then | was the drama ended. | Not till then,
So full of chance and change the lives of men,
Could we pronounce him happy. Then | secure
From pain, from grief, [and all that we endure,
He slept in peace, say rather soared to heaven, |
Upborne from earth | by Him, [to whom 'tis given,
In his right hand to hold the golden key

That opes the portals of eternity.

When by a good man's grave I muse | alone,
Methinks | an angel sits upon the stone:

Like those of old, [on that thrice-hallowed night,
[Who sat and watched | in raiment heavenly bright;
And with a voice inspiring joy, [not fear,
Says, pointing upwards, that he is not here,
That he is risen!

It is almost as difficult to make a man unlearn his errors | as his knowledge. Mal-information is more hopeless than non-information;

8

for, error is always [on which we may

3

more busy than ignorance. Ignorance is a blank sheet, write; but error is a scribbled one, [from which we must first erase. Ignorance is contented to stand still | with her back to the truth; but error is more presumptuous, | *and proceeds in the backward direction. Ignorance has no light, but error follows a false one: the consequence is, that error [when she retraces her footsteps, has farther to go before she can arrive at the truth than ignorance.

Man's uncertain life

Is like a rain-drop [hanging on the bough
[Amongst ten thousand of its sparkling kindred,
[The remnants of some passing thunder shower,
[Which have their moments [dropping one by one,
[And [which shall soonest lose its perilous hold,
We cannot guess.

*The actions of each day are, [for the most part, | links [which follow each other in the chain of custom. Hence the great effort of practical wisdom, is to imbue the mind with right tastes, affections, and habits; [the elements of character | and masters of actions.

Oh, 'twas a gladdening, glorious thing,

To see the sun [in pity [fling

On the poor weeping trees [his ray,

To wipe their falling tears away.
And the rejoicing leaves | the while,
Lit by the sun-beam, | seemed to smile |
[A thousand times, [in our rapt eye,
[More lovely than they were when dry.

Say what impels, amidst surrounding snow
Congealed, [the crocus' flaming bud to glow?
Say what retards, [amidst the summer's blaze
The autumnal bulb, | till pale declining days?

2

The God of Seasons, [whose pervading power Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy shower; He bids each flower his quickening word obey | Or to each lingering bloom | enjoins delay. If thou desire happiness, | desire not to be rich: sesses much, but he that covets no more; enjoys little, [but he that wants too much: the contented mind wants nothing that it hath not, | 'the covetous mind wants [not only what it hath not, but likewise what it hath.

Proud minion of a little hour,
[Receptacle of passing power |

The page of history scan:

[Although the mighty million fling

he is rich, [not who posand he is poor, [not that

A name upon thee, |—call thee king |
Yet art thou still a man.

See how beneath the moonbeam's smile,
Yon little billow heaves its breast, |
And foams and sparkles | for a while,
And murmuring, | then | subsides to rest!
Thus man, [the sport of bliss and care,

Rises on Time's eventful sea;