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Would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue
In every wound of Cæsar that would move

[Not only the men, but even]

The stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.'

Julius Cæsar, iii. 2.

(ii) Double Antithesis contains four terms :—

6

Prosperity gains friends, and adversity tries them."

(iii) Triple Antithesis contains six terms :

A friend cannot be known in prosperity, and an enemy cannot be hidden in adversity.

78. A Negative in Antithesis to an Affirmative will generally end with a rising inflection: whether it (a) precedes the affirmative, or (b) follows it, or (c) stands. in antithesis to some thought that has not even found expression in words.

(a) 'I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,

(b)

But here I am to speak what I do know.'

Julius Cæsar, iii. 2.

'He was not all unhappy. His resolve

Upbore him, and firm faith, and evermore

Prayer from a living source within the will,
And beating up thro' all the bitter world,

Like fountains of sweet water in the sea,

Kept him a living soul.'-TENNYSON, Enoch Arden.

'We are sent

To give thee, from our royal master, thanks,

Only to herald thee into his sight, not pay thee.'

Macbeth, i. 3.

'The undaunted fiend what this might be admired;

Admired, not feared: God and his Son except,
Created thing nought valued he nor shunned.'

Paradise Lost, ii.

(c) [4 offers B a book. B says:] 'It is not a book I want.' [B is looking for a pen.]

'I have none to spare.' [I have some nevertheless.]

♦ I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.'

Julius Cæsar, iii. 2.

[Where the speaker answers an accusation not yet made, but to which he feels himself open.]

79. Unequal Antithesis. When the contrasted words are not equally emphatic, the antithesis may be called unequal, and the rising inflection due to the negative in the foregoing rule will be given to the weaker member.

(a) 'He is more knave than fool.'

(b) Formed with the qualities that we love, not with the talents that we admire, she was an agreeable woman rather than an illustrious queen.'-ROBERTSON.

(c) More needs she the divine than the physician.'

(d) Better it is to die, better to starve,

Macbeth, v. 1.

Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.'

(e) 'Lady, you utter madness, and not sorrow.'

Coriolanus, ii. 3.

King John, iii. 4.

But the rule must be applied with great judgment. The last example (e) assumes the inflection marked by virtue of the dramatic excitement with which the words are uttered; which, moreover, tends to make the speaker appeal for confirmation of what he says, so making the sentence almost interrogative.

But in

'I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
Than such a Roman.'-Julius Cæsar, iv. 3.

the words of the self-contained Brutus fall from his lips as a statement, the truth of which it is impossible to doubt. Pronounce Coriolanus's speech (d) as a precept from the pulpit, and it would be inflected thus:

'Better it is to die, better to starve,

Than crave the hire which first we do deserve.'

In fact it is impossible to determine the inflection, or indeed anything relating to the delivery of a sentence, without regard to its context. Constance's speech (e) inflected thus

'Lady, you utter madness, and not sorrow,'

would imply that she had intended to express sorrow, than which the context shows nothing is farther from her thought.

80. Appeals, though in the form of assertions, partake of the nature of questions.

'And you'll come sometimes, and see me, where I am lowly laid.' TENNYSON, May Queen.

Here the inflection of the voice verges towards that of a question, as if the speaker mentally added, 'Won't you ?'

Indeed in all such cases a question will be found to be understood.

The air bites shrewdly. It is very cold.' [Is it not?]

Hamlet, i. 4.

'I am not treacherous.' [Am I?]-Macbeth, iv. 3.

81. Compensating Power of Inflection.-And it may be further briefly stated that timidity or courtesy will incline the voice to a rising inflection, as, on the other hand, will positiveness, resistance, threat, or rudeness declare themselves by a falling inflection.

Compare the inflections the words 'Yes, if you please '--will receive according as the offer is accepted as a courtesy or a right. See § 62 for further illustration of the power of inflection to compensate for excess or deficiency in the verbal sign.

82. The Inflection of Questions.-Questions are considered according to their

Meaning,
Form,
Quality, and
Intensity.

83. With regard to their Meaning, questions are divided into

Real and
Pseudo.

84. Real Questions are those in which the speaker is ignorant of the answer.

Are you hungry?

When shall I see you?

I am to go?

85. Pseudo Questions are those to which the speaker knows (or thinks he knows) the answer, or to which he expects no answer.

Pseudo questions are other sentences in the form of questions, and are either Assertive, Imperative, or Exclamatory.

86. Assertive Questions make an assertion in the form of a question :

Is it not so? [='I know it is so,' e.g. the whole is greater than its parts.]

Can this be done? [I know it cannot,' e.g. to square the circle.]

Assertive questions are, in fact, assertions in disguise.

The speaker puts in the form of a question a statement, of the truth of which he himself is, or thinks himself, assured; and appeals to his hearers for a confirmation of the impossibility to the contrary. Hence, assertive questions are sometimes called questions of appeal, inasmuch as they are made, not for information, but for assent. If they are negative in form, the answer or expression of assent will be affirmative, and vice versa.

87. Imperative Questions are commands put in the form of a question.

Will you be quiet? [= Be quiet.]

88. Exclamatory Questions are the effect of emotion which prompts the speaker to seek sympathy by a question, to which, however, he expects no answer.

'Is this the region, this the soil, the clime,
Said then the lost archangel, this the seat

That we must change for Heaven? this mournful gloom
For that celestial light?'-Paradise Lost, i.

'O shame! where is thy blush?'-Hamlet, iii. 4.

89. With regard to their Form, questions are divided into those asked by

(i) Inversion.

(ii) Inflection.

(iii) Interrogatives.

90. Questions by Inversion are those made by inverting the order of the nominative and verb in an assertion.

'Hold you watch to-night.'-Hamlet, i. 2.
'Did you not speak to it?'-Ibid.

91. Questions by Inflection are in form assertions,

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