refpect to the thought and expreffion; for otherwife one may easily be mifled in judging of the melody and next, That these lines be regularly accented before the paufe; for upon a matter abundantly refined in itself, I would not willingly be imbarraffed with faulty and irregular lines.

Thefe preliminaries being adjufted, I begin with fome general obfervations, that will fave repeating the fame thing over and over upon each particular cafe. And, firft, an accent fucceeded by a paufe, as in lines of the first and third order, makes fenfibly a deeper impreffion than where the voice goes on without a stop: for it requires time to make an impreffion, and there is no time where there is no paufe. The fact is fo certain, that no person who has an ear, can be at a loss to diftinguish that particular accent which immediately precedes the full paufe. In this cafe also, the elevation of an accenting tone, produceth in the mind a fimilar elevation, which is continued during the paufe *. Every circumstance is different where the paufe is feparated from the accent by a short fyllable, as in lines of the fecond

Hence the liveliness of the French language as to found, above the English; the laft fyllable in the former being generally long and accented, the long fyllable in the latter being generally as far back in the word as poffible, and often without an accent. For this difference I find no caufe fo probable as tempérament and difpofition; the French being brifk and lively, the English fedate and referved and if this hold, it is a pregnant inftance of the influence the character of a people may have upon their language.

and

and fourth order: the impreffion made by the accent is more flight when there is no ftop; and the elevation of the accent is gone in a moment by the falling of the voice in pronouncing the fhort fyllable that follows. The paufe alfo is fenfibly affected by the position of the accent: in lines of the firft and third order, the clofe conjunction of the accent and paufe, occafions a fudden stop without preparation, which roufes the mind, and bestows on the melody a spirited air: when, on the other hand, the pause is separated from the accent by a short syllable, which always happens in lines of the fecond and fourth order, the paufe is foft and gentle; for this short unaccented fyllable fucceeding one that is accented, muft of course be pronounced with a falling voice, which naturally prepares for a paufe; and the mind falls gently from the accented fyllable, and flides into reft as it were infenfibly. Further, the lines themselves, derive different powers from the position of the paufe, which will thus appear. A pause after the fourth fyllable divides the line into two unequal portions, of which the largest comes laft: this circumstance refolving the line into an afcending feries, inakes an impreffion in pronouncing like that of mounting upward; and to this impreffion contributes the redoubled effort in pronouncing the largest portion, which is laft in order. The mind has a different feeling when the paufe fucceeds the fifth fyllable, which divides the line into two equal

parts: these parts, pronounced with equal effort, are agreeable by their uniformity. A line divided by a pause after the fixth fyllable, makes an impreffion oppofite to that firft mentioned: being divided into two unequal portions, of which the shortest is laft in order, it appears like a flow defcending feries; and the fecond portion being pronounced with lefs effort than the first, the diminished effort prepares the mind for reft. And this preparation for reft is ftill more fenfibly felt where the pause is after the feventh fyllable, as in lines of the fourth order.

No difficulty can occur in applying these obfervations. A line of the firft order is of all the most spirited and lively: the accent, being followed inftantly by a paufe, makes an illuftrious figure the elevated tone of the accent elevates the mind: the mind is fupported in its elevation by the fudden unprepared pause which roufes and animates and the line itself, representing by its unequal divifion an afcending feries, carries the mind still higher, making an impreffion fimilar to that of mounting upward. The fecond order has a modulation fenfibly fweet, foft, and flowing the accent is not fo fprightly as in the former, because a short fyllable intervenes between it and the paufe: its elevation, by the fame means, vanifheth inftantaneously the mind, by a falling voice, is gently prepared for a stop: and the pleasure of uniformity from the divifion of the line into two equal parts, is calm and fweet.

The

The third order has a modulation not fo eafily expreffed in words: it in part resembles the first order, by the livelinefs of an accent fucceeded instantly by a full paufe: but then the elevation occafioned by this circumftance, is balanced in fome degree by the remitted effort in pronouncing the fecond portion, which remitted effort has a tendency to rest. Another circumftance diftinguisheth it remarkably: its capital accent comes late, being placed on the fixth fyllable; and this circumstance beftows on it an air of gravity and folemnity. The last order refembles the fecond in the mildness of its accent, and foftnefs of its paufe; it is ftill more folemn than the third, by the lateness of its capital accent: it alfo poffeffes in a higher degree than the third, the tendency to reft; and by that circumftance is of all the best qualified for clofing a period in the completest manner.

But these are not all the diftinguishing characters of the different orders. Each order alfo, is distinguished by its final accent and paufe: the unequal divifion in the first order, makes an impreffion of afcending; and the mind at the 'clofe is in the highest elevation, which naturally prompts it to put a strong emphafis upon the concluding fyllable, whether by raifing the voice to a sharper tone, or by expreffing the word in a fuller tone. This order accordingly is of all the leaft proper for concluding a period, where a cadence is proper, and not an accent.

The fecond

order,

order, being deftitute of the impreffion of afcent, cannot rival the first order in the elevation of its concluding accent, nor confequently in the dignity of its concluding paufe; for these have a mutual influence. This order, however, with refpect to its clofe, maintains a fuperiority over the third and fourth orders: in thefe the close is more humble, being brought down by the impreffion of defcent, and by the remitted effort in pronouncing; confiderably in the third order, and still more confiderably in the laft. According to this description, the concluding accents and pauses of the four orders being reduced to a fcale, will form a defcending feries probably in an arithmetical progreffion.

After what is faid, will it be thought refining too much to fuggeft, that the different orders are qualified for different purposes, and that a poet of genius will be naturally led to make a choice accordingly? I cannot think this altogether chimerical. As it appears to me, the first order is proper for a fentiment that is bold, lively, or impetuous; the third order is proper for fubjects grave, folemn, or lofty; the second for what are tender, delicate, or melancholy, and in general for all the fympathetic emotions; and the laft for fubjects of the fame kind, when tempered with any degree of folemnity. I do not contend, that any one order is fitted for no other task than that affigned it; for at that rate, no fort of melody would be left for accompanying thoughts

that