Chapter XXXIII: Section III: Of Emphasis

Emphasis is the distinguishing of some word or words in a sentence, on which we wish to lay particular stress, by a stronger and fuller sound, and sometimes by a particular tone of the voice.

A few illustrations of the importance of emphasis will be, perhaps, both agreeable and useful.

When a young lady says to a young gentleman, “You are a _nice_ fellow; you _are_!”--she means one thing.

When a young gentleman, addressing one of his own sex, remarks, “_You_’re a nice fellow; _you_ are;”--he means another thing.

“Your friend is a gentleman,” pronounced without any particular emphasis, is the simple assertion of a fact.

“Your _friend_ is a _gentleman_,” with the emphasis on the words “friend” and “gentleman,” conveys an insinuation besides.

So simple a question as “Do you like pine-apple rum?” is susceptible of as many meanings as there are words in it; according to the position of the emphasis.

“_Do_ you like pine-apple rum?” is as much as to say, “Do you, though, really like pine-apple rum?”

“Do _you_ like pine-apple rum?” is tantamount to, “Can it be that a young gentleman (or lady) like you, can like pine-apple rum?”

“Do you _like_ pine-apple rum?” means, “Is it possible that instead of disliking, you are fond of pine-apple rum?”

“Do you like _pine-apple_ rum?” is an enquiry as to whether you like that kind of rum in particular.

And lastly, “Do you like pine-apple _rum_?” is equivalent to asking if you think that the flavour of the pine-apple improves that especial form of alcohol.

A well-known instance of an emphasis improperly placed was furnished by a certain Parson, who read a passage in the Old Testament in the following unlucky manner: “And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass; and they saddled _him_.”

Young ladies are usually very emphatic in ordinary discourse. “What a little _dear_! _Oh!_ how _sweetly_ pretty! Well! I never _did_, I declare! _So_ nice, and _so_ innocent, and _so_ good-tempered, and _so_ affectionate, and _such_ a colour! And _oh! such lovely eyes!_ and such hair! He _was_ a little duck! he _was_, he _was_, he _was_. Tzig a tzig, tzig, tzig, tzig, tzig!” &c. &c. &c.

This emphatic way of speaking is indicative of two very amiable feelings implanted by nature in the female occiput, and called by the Phrenologists Adhesiveness and Philoprogenitiveness. Those who attempt to imitate it will be conscious, while forcing out their words, of a peculiar mental emotion, which we cannot explain otherwise than by saying, that it is analogous to that which attends the act of pressing or squeezing; as when, with the thumb of the right hand, we knead one lump of putty to another, in the palm of the left. Perhaps we might also instance, sucking an orange. In all these cases, the organ of Weight, according to Phrenology, is also active; and this, perhaps, is one of the faculties which induce young ladies to lay a stress upon their words. Nevertheless, we fear that a damsel would hardly be pleased by being told that her _weight_ was considerable, though it would, at the same time, grievously offend her to accuse her of _lightness_. Here we need scarcely observe, that we refer to lightness, not of complexion, but of sentiment, which is always regarded as a _dark_ shade in the character. This defect, we think, we may safely assert, will never be observed in emphatic fair ones.

But we have not yet quite exhausted the subject of emphasis, considered in relation to young ladies. Their letters are as emphatic as their language is, almost every third word being underlined. Such epistles, inasmuch as they are addressed to the heart, ought not to be submitted to the ear; nevertheless we must say that we have occasionally been wicked and waggish enough to read them aloud--to ourselves alone, of course. The reader may, if he choose, follow our example. We subjoin a specimen of female correspondence, endeared to us by many tender recollections, and admirably adapted to our present purpose.

My _dear Paul_,

When we left _Town_ on _Wednesday last_ the weather was so very
_rainy_ that we were _obliged_ to have the _coach windows_ up. I was
_terribly_ afraid that _Matilda_ and I would have caught our _Death_
of _cold_; but thank _Goodness_ no such _untoward_ event took place.
It was _very uncomfortable_, and I _so_ wished _you had been there_.
When we got _home_ who _do you think_ was there? Mr. _Sims_; and he
_said_ he _thought_ that I was _so_ much _grown_. Only _think_. And so
then you know we took some _refreshment_, for _I assure_ you, what
with the _journey_ and _altogether_ we were very _nearly famished_;
and we were _all invited_ to go to the _Chubbs’_ that _Evening_ to a
small _Tea Party_, for which I _must own_ I _thought Mr. Chubb_ a
_nice man_. After tea we had a _carpet waltz_, and although I was
_very tired_ I _enjoyed_ it _much_. There were some _very pretty
girls_ there, and _one_ or _two agreeable young men_; but _oh!_ &c.

The remainder of this letter being of a nature personally interesting to ourselves only, and likely, in the opinion of some readers, to render its insertion attributable to motives of vanity, we shall not be found fault with for objecting to transcribe any more of it.