Remark.—­Parts of a sentence often make complete sense in themselves, and in this case, unless qualified or restrained by the succeeding clause, or unless the contrary is indicated by some other principle, the falling inflection takes place according to the rule.

EXAMPLES

  Truth is wonderful’, even more so than fiction’.

  Men generally die as they live’ and by their actions we must judge of
  their character’.

Exception.—­When a sentence concludes with a negative clause, or with a contrast or comparison (called also antithesis), the first member of which requires the falling inflection, it must close with the rising inflection.  (See Rule XI, and paragraph 2, Note.)

Examples.

No one desires to be thought a fool’.

I come to bury’ Caesar, not to praise’ him.

He lives in England’ not in France’.

Remark.—­In bearing testimony to the general character of a man we say: 

  He is too honorable’ to be guilty of a vile’ act.

But if he is accused of some act of baseness, a contrast is at once instituted between his character and the specified act, and we change the inflections, and say: 

  He is too honorable’ to be guilty of such’ an act.

A man may say in general terms: 

  I am too busy’ for projects’.

But if he is urged to embark in some particular enterprise, he will change the inflections, and say: 

  I am too busy’ for projects’.

In such cases, as the falling inflection is required in the former part by the principle of contrast and emphasis (as will hereafter be more fully explained), the sentence necessarily closes with the rising inflection.  Sometimes, also, emphasis alone seems to require the rising inflection on the concluding word.  See exception to Rule VII.

(5.-2.)

STRONG EMPHASIS.

Rule VII.—­Language which demands strong emphasis generally requires the falling inflection.

Examples.
1.  Command or urgent entreaty; as,

  Begone’,
  Run’ to your houses, fall’ upon your knees,
  Pray’ to the Gods to intermit the plagues.

  0, save’ me, Hubert’ save’ me I My eyes are out
  Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.

2.  Exclamation, especially when indicating strong emotion; as,

  0, ye Gods’! ye Gods’! must I endure all this?

  Hark’!  Hark’! the horrid sound
  Hath raised up his head.

For interrogatory exclamation, see Rule X, Remark.

SERIES OF WORDS OR MEMBERS.

3.  A series of words or members, whether in the beginning or middle of a sentence, if it does not conclude the sentence, is called a commencing series, and usually requires the rising inflection when not emphatic.