The subject is that of which something is affirmed. In the above example, "Truth" is the subject.

The predicate is that which is affirmed of the subject. In the example, "is eternal" is the predicate.

III. There are two kinds of subjects, grammatical and logical.

The grammatical subject is the simple subject without limiting terms; as, "The man who hesitates is lost." Here "man" is the grammatical subject.

The logical subject comprises the grammatical subject, together with all the qualifying words. In the above example, "The man who hesitates " is the logical subject.

IV. Sentences may contain adjuncts, phrases, and clauses.

An adjunct consists of a preposition and the words that it governs. In the expression, "The history of the American Revolution," the words in Italics are the adjunct of "history."

A phrase is a brief combination of words having no connection with the sentence, either in construction or sense, but conveying a separate idea; as, "In short." "On the contrary." "To confess the truth."

A clause is a part of a sentence incomplete in itself, and generally asserting some additional circumstance of the leading proposition.

V. There are several kinds of clauses, but only four are referred to in this treatise; viz., relative, participial, adverbial, and adjective.

A relative clause is one which begins with a relative pronoun; as, "Man, who is born of a woman, is of few days."

A participial clause is one which begins with a participle; as, "He, being dead, yet speaketh."

An adverbial clause is one which performs the office of an adverb, expressing time, place, or manner; as, "Far away in the distance, a light appeared."

An adjective clause is one that performs the office of an adjective; as, “Awkward in his person, James was ill qualified to command respect."

VI. When a relative clause restricts the general sense of the antecedent to a particular sense, it is called restrictive; as, "Those who sleep late lose the best part of the day." But, as it is obvious that sentences in which the relative may be supplied are subject to the same rule as those in which it is expressed, participial and adjective (which may be converted into relative) clauses may also be restrictive; as, "A man tormented by a guilty conscience cannot be happy." "A man eager to learn will apply himself to study."

NOTE.-Adverbial clauses and adjuncts may also be restrictive; as, "He came when I least expected him." "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

VII. Sentences are divided, in respect to signification, into declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory.

A declarative sentence is one that declares something; as, "God reigns."

An interrogative sentence is one that asks a question; as, "What is truth?" "Art thou that prophet?"

An exclamatory sentence is one that conveys an abrupt or earnest expression of emotion. It has sometimes a declarative, and sometimes an interrogative, form; as, "Our brethren are already in the field!" "Can it be possible!"

NOTE.-Sentences which are partly declarative and partly interrogative or exclamatory are called semi-interrogative or semi-exclamatory; as, "He said unto Simon, 'Seest thou this woman?'" “And he said, ‘O my son Absalom! My son! my son!"

VIII. Interrogative sentences are either direct or indirect.

The former are interrogative in form as well as meaning, and are further divided into definite and indefinite. Definite interrogatives are those which must be definitely answered by yes or no, or the equivalents of those words; as, "Will you go to-day?"

Indefinite interrogatives are such as cannot be answered by yes or no; as, "Why will you go to-day?" They are so called because they require an indefinite answer; that is, one that cannot be known beforehand.

Indirect interrogative sentences have the declarative form with an interrogative meaning; as, "You are not angry, sure?"

NOTE.-These seem always to imply a question immediately following, unexpressed; as, "They were gone on your arrival [were they]?" "He did not share in the unhappy transaction [did he]?"

IX. With regard to their structure, sentences are divided into simple and compound. Simple sentences are such as express but one proposition; as, "Birds sing." "The storm has passed away." Compound sentences express or imply more than one proposition; as, "The boys study, and the girls play. The boys and girls study. The boys study and play."

NOTE. As almost all the principles of elocution which apply to compound, are involved in the delivery of simple, sentences, it has not been thought necessary in this work to make special reference to the former.

X. The structure of sentences is also distinguished into periodic, loose, and compact.

A periodic sentence is composed of parts mutually dependent in construction. It is so called because such a sentence, when completed, presents a rounded form.

A loose sentence is composed of two or more sentences loosely put together.

OBSERVATION.-The following example may illustrate both these forms: "Afterwards we came to anchor, and they put me on shore, where I was welcomed by all my friends, who received me with the greatest kindness." This is a loose sentence, being composed of four distinct sentences with four subjects and four correspondent verbs. It may be moulded into the periodic form, with a single subject, I, and a single stem-sentence, with its dependent clauses, thus: "Having come to anchor, I was put on shore, where I was welcomed by all my friends, and received with the greatest kindness.”

The compact sentence consists of parts beginning with correlative words expressed or understood; as, Though the man was intellectually rich, yet he was morally poor. [Though] "A professed Catholic, [yet] he imprisoned the pope."

NOTE.-Correlative words are such as express reciprocal relations; as, though—yet, such—as, if—then, either—or, etc.

XI. Compellatives are words or phrases of address; as, "Fellow-citizens!" "Ye blind leaders of the blind!" "Princes, potentates, and powers!"

XII. A circumstance is a part of a sentence required by the sense, but not necessary to the construction. It may be either at the beginning, middle, or end of the sentence; as, "On the other hand, there are some who deny the very existence of the Deity." "Far be it from me," cried Demetrius, "to lay so heavy a charge upon him." "Hug not this delusion to your breast, I pray you."

XIII. A parenthesis is a part of a sentence which is not essential either to its sense or its construction; as, "The rocks (hard-hearted varlets!) melted not into tears."

XIV. A series is a succession of two or more words, phrases, or clauses, joined in construction; as, "The hermit's life is calm, devotional, and contemplative." "God's love watcheth over all, provideth for all, maketh wise adaptations for all."

XV. Antithesis is the juxtaposition of contrasted expressions, for the purpose of heightening their effect; as, "Though grave, yet trifling; zealous, yet untrue." "Flattery brings friends; truth brings foes."

Melody in speech is the art of employing and combining inflections.

Inflection is that variation of the voice in reading or speaking which consists in rising or falling in respect to pitch.†

The inflections must be either upward or downward; or else a combination of these.

The upward inflections are the bend and the rising slide.

The downward inflections are the falling slide, the partial close, and the perfect close.

NOTE. For all ordinary purposes of marking the upward and downward inflections, the usual grave and acute accents will be suffficient. No others will be used in this book.

The combination of these appears in the waving slide, the wave of accent, and the wave of emphasis.

NOTE. For directions for marking the wave of emphasis, see p.

* Latin, inflectere: to bend, to turn from a direct line or course.

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† Key, in elocution, has a meaning not essentially different from that which pertains to it in music. It is the prevailing tone; that which you hear in the reading of one in an adjoining room, when you cannot distinguish the words.

Pitch is used rather as a point of elevation, relatively, in a series or scale of tones.