CHAPTER XVII.

ENERGY OF ABRUPTNESS.

THE generic idea in this type of energy is that of arrest. It applies to any kind of utterance that is designed to startle, rouse, or incite by giving something of shock, of unexpected impact of will upon will. It is either the lightest or the most impulsive form of volitional action. Some varieties are:

I. Didactic Impulse.

This is the mere promptness or animation that accompanies forcible explanation, arousing the mind to attend to facts or truths presented. In this form we have the weakest perceptible action of the will; and that which is nearest to mere deliberation. The abruptness of mere animation or of didactic utterance is naturally associated with normal feeling in the type of cheer, or pleasure of communication, and employs, therefore, a simple, pure tone. Even in passages which are predominantly deliberative or discriminative there may yet be a proportion of energy, which may be recognized and classified. In order to be energetic, in this technical sense, there must be traceable a purpose to move the will. For example:

Stand you directly in Antonius' way

When he doth run his course.

Such purpose is not always clearly indicated in the phraseology; as,

This is the way, walk ye in it.

This sentence may have for its prevailing purpose an explanation of the way; or it may express a discrimination between this way and some other; or it might even hint at emotion; but even though one of these should be the prevailing purpose, there may be mingled with that the design to move upon the will. This constitutes the energetic element in the utterance. If the purpose is to arrest the attention, to give, as it were, a shock or sudden impulse, then the energy is of the form of abruptness.

2. Prompt Decision.

This may result from normal feeling or from some degree of sternness or harshness.

EXAMPLES.-Leave me this instant.

I'll watch to-night: perchance 'twill walk again.

-Ham. I., 2.

3. Arbitrary or Impulsive Command; prompted almost necessarily by some degree of harshness or severity. EXAMPLES.-Down, slave, upon your knees and beg for mercy! Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.

-Mer. Ven. II., 5.

4. Volition prompted by Surprise.

The energy accompanying surprise may have an emotional background of gladness, of suppression, of intensity, or of harshness; and the quality of the voice will be decided accordingly.

EXAMPLES.-Yet here, Laertes, aboard! aboard! for shame!

Could anything be a subject of more just alarm to America, than to see you go out of the plain high-road of finance, and give up your most certain revenues and your clearest interests, merely for the sake of insulting your Colonies?-Burke.

5. Abrupt Energy prompted by Petulance, Impatience, or Uncontrolled Anger.

This variety will naturally be accompanied by feelings of the harsh order.

EXAMPLES.-Away, slight man!

We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence,

Pooh! You speak like a green girl.

In this last case emotion far transcends energy, yet there is beneath the emotion the evident purpose to move the will.

I an itching palm!

You know that you are Brutus that speak this,

Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

Many other cases might be found, but all would come under the generic idea of abruptness or suddenness of volitional action.

Its vocal exponent is Initial Stress (>); that is, a form of utterance in which the full impulse of the tone is felt at the beginning. It is not always explosive or violent; it may be gently prompt. Quickness of touch is essential for expressing this element of suddenness. The degree of loudness is not important; the tone may range all the way from very soft to very loud.

soft to very loud.

The essential point to be observed is the sudden, unexpected impulse or stroke, which typifies the abrupt and instan

taneous action of the mind.

In gesture, the expression of abruptness will consist in quick pulse, especially of palm and finger, usually "horizontal front." We can scarcely exaggerate the importance of securing flexibility, elasticity, and vigor in the hand itself. Strength of gesture depends much more upon the quality as affected by the action of the hand, than upon the extent, produced by the swing of the arm.

This form of energy is the weakest, not only as lying nearest to mere deliberation-volitionally, it is the weakest in this sense; it represents also a rather uncontrolled, ungoverned action of the will, prompted by sudden and unrestrained impulses; its more marked forms are childish, rather than manly. In this respect it is the opposite of the second form; namely, Insist

ence.

Abruptness may be paraphrased by repetition of synonyms; thus:

Or, the same sentence may be paraphrased by addition of intensifying words; thus:

The former is more objective; the latter, more sub

jective.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ENERGY OF INSISTENCE.

THIS is a stronger and nobler form of volitionality. It has not the impulsiveness of Abrupt Energy. It is less emotional; the will comes into more direct and immediate connection with the intellect. It is preeminently the expression of conviction. It represents the self-controlled, the consciously powerful; it is the deliberate pressure, or bearing, of one will upon another. Generically, it is domination.

Insistence in all its types will, however, have been prepared and colored by emotions of firmness, sternness, dignity; and will employ mild forms of the tense or rigid quality.

Cases of it are:

1. Settled Determination.

EXAMPLES.-Come one, come all; this rock shall fly

From its firm base as soon as I.

Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.-Acts iv. 19, 20.

Here I stand; God help me: I cannot do otherwise.-Luther.

I appeal unto Cæsar.-Acts xxv. II.

Nothing but truth could give me this firmness; but plain truth and clear evidence can be beat down by no ability.

I speak with great confidence. I have reason for it. The ministers are with me. They at least are convinced that the repeal of the Stamp