Rhyme is not lefs unfit for anguish or deep distress, than for fubjects elevated and lofty; and for that reafon has been long difuted in the Englith and Italian tragedy. In a work where the fubject is ferious though not elevated, it has not a good effect; because the airinefs of the melody agrees not with the gravity of the fubject: the Effay on Man, which treats a subject great and important,

important, would fhow much better in blank verfe. Sportive love, mirth, gaiety, humour, and ridicule, are the province of rhyme. The boundaries affigned it by nature, were extended in barbarous and illiterate ages, and in its ufurpations it has long been protected by cuftom: but taste in the fine arts, as well as in morals, improves daily; and makes a progrefs, flowly Indeed, but uniformly, toward perfection; and there is no reafon to doubt, that rhyme, in Britain, will in time be forc'd to abandon its unjust conquests, and to confine itself within its natural limits.

Having thrown out what occurred upon rhyme, I close the section with a general observation, That the melody of verse fo powerfully inchants the mind, as to draw a vail over very grofs faults and imperfections. Of this power a stronger example cannot be given, than the episode of Ariftæus, which clofes the fourth book of the Georgics. To renew a stock of bees when the former is loft, Virgil afferts, that they will be produced in the intrails of a bullock, flain and managed in a certain manner. This leads him to fay, how this ftrange receipt was invented; which is as follows. Ariftæus having loft his bees by disease and famine, never dreams of employing the ordinary means for obtaining a new stock; but, like a froward child, complains heavily of his misfortune to his mother Cyrene, a

water

water-nymph. She advifes him to confult Proteus, a fea-god, not how he was to obtain a new stock, but only by what fatality he had loft his former stock; adding, that violence was neceffary, because Proteus would fay nothing voluntarily. Ariftæus, fatisfied with this advice, though it gave him no profpect of repairing his lofs, proceeds to execution. Proteus is catched fleeping, bound with cords, and compelled to fpeak. He declares, that Ariftæus was punished with the lofs of his bees, for attempting the chastity of Euridice, the wife of Orpheus; fhe having got her death by the fting of a ferpent in flying his embraces. Proteus, whofe fullenness ought to have been converted into wrath by the rough treatment he met with, becomes on a fudden courteous and communicative. He gives the whole history of Orpheus's expedition to hell in order to recover his fpoufe; a very entertaining story, but without the leaft relation to the affair on hand. Ariftaus returning to his mother, is advised to deprecate by facrifices the wrath of Orpheus, who was now dead. A bullock is facrificed, and out of the intrails fpring miraculously a fwarm of bees. How fhould this have led any mortal to think, that, without a miracle, the fame might be obtained naturally, as is fuppofed in the receipt?

A lift of the different FEET, and of their NAMES.

1. PYRRHICHIUS, confifts of two fhort fyllables. Examples: Deus, given, cannot, hillock, running.

2. SPONDEUS, confifts of two long fyllables: omnes, poffefs, forewarn, mankind, fome

time.

3. IAMBUS, compofed of a fhort and a long: pios, intent, degree, appear, confent, repent, demand, report, Suspect, affront, e

vent.

4. TROCHAUS, or CHOREUs, a long and a fhort: fervat, whereby, after, legal, meafure, burden, holy, lofty.

5. TRIBRACHYSs, three fhort: melius, property.

6. MOLOSSUS, three long: delectant.

7. ANAPESTUs, two fhort and a long: animos, condefcend, apprehend, overheard, acquiefce, immature, overcharge, ferenade, opportune.

8. DACTYLUS, a long and two fhort: carmi

na,

na, evident, excellence, eftimate, wonderful, altitude, burdened, minifter, te

nement.

9. BACCHIUS, a fhort and two long: dolores.

IO. HYPPOBACCHIUS, or ANTIBACCHIUS, two long and a short: pelluntur.

11. CRETICUS, or AMPHIMACER, a fhort fyllable between two long: infito, afternoon.

12. AMPHIBRACHYS, a long fyllable between two fhort: honore, confider, imprudent, procedure, attended, propofed, refpondent, concurrence, apprentice, respective,

revenue.

13. PROCELEUSMATICUS, four fhort fyllables: hominibus, neceffary.

14. DISPONDEUS, four long fyllables: infinitis.

15. DIIAMBUS, compofed of two Iambi: fe

veritas.

16. DITROCHAUS, of two Trochai: permanere, procurator.

17. IONICUS, two fhort fyllables and two long

properabant.

M 2

18. Another