RISING AND FALLING INFLECTIONS.

Rule XI.—­The different members of a sentence expressing comparison, or contrast, or negation and affirmation, or where the parts are united by or used disjunctively, require different inflections; generally the rising inflection in the first member, and the falling inflection in the second member.  This order is, however, sometimes inverted.

1.  Comparison and contrast.  This is also called antithesis.

Examples.

In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God; by honor’, and dishonor’; by evil’ report, and good’ report; as deceivers’, and yet true’; as unknown’, and yet well’ known; as dying’, and behold we live’; as chastened’, and not killed’; as sorrowful’, yet always rejoicing’; as poor’, yet making many rich’; as having nothing’, yet possessing all’ things.

Europe was one great battlefield, where the weak struggled for freedom’, and the strong for dominion’.  The king was without power’, and the nobles without principle’, They were tyrants at home’, and robbers abroad’.

2.  Negation and affirmation.

Examples.

  He desired not to injure’ his friend, but to protect’ him. 
  We desire not your money’, but yourselves’. 
  I did not say a better’ soldier, but, an elder’.

If the affirmative clause comes first, the order of the inflections is inverted.

Examples.

  He desired to protect’ his friend, not to injure’ him. 
  We desire yourselves’, not your money’. 
  I said an elder’ soldier, not a better’.

The affirmative clause is sometimes understood.

  We desire not your money’. 
  I did not say a better’ soldier. 
  The region beyond the grave is not a solitary’ land.

In most negative sentences standing alone, the corresponding affirmative is understood; hence the following.

Remark.—­Negative sentences, whether alone or connected with an affirmative clause, generally end with the rising inflection.

If such sentences are repeated emphatically, they take the falling inflection according to Rule vi.

Examples.

  We do not’ desire your money. 
  I did not’ say a. better soldier.

3.  Or used disjunctively.

  Did he behave properly’, or improperly’?

  Are they living/, or dead’?

  Is he rich’, or poor’?

  Does God, having made his creatures, take no further’ care of them, or
  does he preserve and guide them’?

Remark.—­Where or is used conjunctively, this rule does not apply; as, Will the law of kindness’ or of justice’ justify such conduct’?

CIRCUMFLEX.

The circumflex is a union of the rising and falling inflections.  Properly speaking, there are two of these, the one called the rising circumflex, in which the voice slides down and then up; and the other, the falling circumflex, in which the voice slides upward and then downward on the same vowel.  They may both be denoted by the same mark, thus, (^).  The circumflex is used chiefly to indicate the emphasis of irony, of contrast, or of hypothesis.