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the longest members of the period, and the fulleft and moft fonorous words fhould be referved for the conclufion. As an inftance of this, the following fentence

of Addison may be given.

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"It fills the mind with the

largest variety of ideas; converfes with its objects at "the greatest distance; and continues the longest in "action without being tired or fatiated with its prop"er enjoyments." Here every reader must be sensi ble of beauty in the juft diftribution of the paufes, and in the manner of rounding the period, and of bringing it to a full and harmonious close.

It may be remarked, that little words in the conclufion of a sentence are as injurious to melody, as they are inconfiftent with ftrength of expreffion. A musical sclofe in our language feems in general to require either the last fyllable, or the last but one, to be a long fyllable. Words, which confift chiefly of fhort fyllables, as contrary, particular, retrospect, seldom terminate a fentence harmonioufly, unless a previous run of long fyllables have rendered them pleafing to the ear.

Sentences however, which are fo conftructed, as to make the found always fwell toward the end, and rest either on the last or penult fyllable, give a discourse the *tone of declamation. If melody be not varied, the car is foon cloyed with it. Sentences conftructed in the fame manner, with the paufes at equal intervals, fhould never fucceed each other. Short fentences must be

blended with long and fwelling ones, to render difcourfe fprightly as well, as magnificent.

We now proceed to treat of a higher fpecies of harmony; the found adapted to the fenfe. Of this we may remark two degrees. First the current of found fuited to the tenor of a difcourfe. Next a peculiar refemblance effected between fome object and the founds, that are employed in defcribing it.

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Sounds have in many respects an intimate corres pondence with our ideas; partly natural, partly produced by artificial affociations. Hence any one modulation of found, continued, ftamps on ftyle a certain character and expreffion. Sentences, conftructed with Ciceronian fulness, excite an idea of what is important, magnificent, and fedate. But they fuit no violent paffion, no eager reasoning, no familiar addrefs. These require measures brisker, easier, and often more abrupt. It were as abfurd to write a panegyric and an invective in a ftyle of the fame cadence, as to fet the words of a tender love fong to the tune of a warlike march.

Befide the general correfpondence of the current of found with the current of thought a more particular expreffion of certain objects by refembling founds may be attempted. In poetry this resemblance is chiefly to be fought. It obtains fometimes indeed in profe compo fition; but there in an inferior degree,

The founds of words may be employed for reprefent, ing chiefly three claffes of objects; first other founds; fecondly motions; and thirdly the emotions and paffions of the mind. /

In most languages the names of many particular founds are fo formed, as to bear fome resemblance of the found, which they fignify; as with us the whiftling of winds, the buzz and hum of infects, the hifs of ferpents, and the crash of falling timber; and many other instances, where the name is plainly adapted to the found, it reprefents. A remarkable example of this beauty may be taken from two paffages in Milton's Paradise Loft; in one of which he describes the found, made by the opening of the gates of hell; in the other, that made by the opening of the gates of heaven. The contraft between the two exhibits to great advantage the art of the poet. The first is the opening of hell's gates;

-On a fudden open fly

With impetuous recoil and jarring found

The infernal doors; and on their hinges grate
Harth thunder.

Obferve the fmoothness of the other;

Heaven opened wide

Her ever during gates, harmonious found!

On golden hinges turning.

In the fecond place the found of words is fre. quently employed to imitate motion; as it is swift

or flow, violent or gentle, uniform or interrupted,. safy or accompanied with effort. Between found and motion there is no natural affinity; yet in the imagi nation there is a strong one; as is evident from the connection between music and dancing. The poet can therefore give us a lively idea of the kind of motion, he would defcribe, by the help of founds, which in our imagination correspond with that motion.. Long fyl-. lables naturally excite an idea of flow.motion; as in this line of Virgil,

Olli inter fefe magna vi brachia tollunt.

A fucceffion of fhort fyllables gives the impreffion of quick motion; as,

Sed fugit interea, fugit.irreparabile tempus.

The works of Homer and Virgil abound with inftances of this beauty; which are so often quoted, and fo well known, that it is unneceffary to produce them..

The third set of objects, which the found of words is capable of reprefenting, confifts of emotions and pasfions of the mind.. Between fenfe and found there appears to be no natural resemblance. But, if the arrangement of fyllables by their found alone recall one fet of ideas more readily, than another; and dispose. the mind for entering into that affection, which the poet. intends to raife; fuch arrangement may with propriety be faid to refemble the fenfe. Thus, when pleafure, joy,..

and agreeable objects are described by one, who feels his fubject; the language naturally runs in smooth, liquid, and flowing numbers.

-Namque ipfa decoram

Cæfariem nato genetrix, lumenqne juventæ
Purpureum, et lætos oculis afflarat honores.

Brifk and lively fenfations exact quicker and more animated numbers..

-Juvenum manus emicat ardens

Littus in Hefperium.

Melancholy and gloomy fubjects are naturally con nected with flow meafures and long words.

In those deep folitudes and awful cells,
Where heavenly penfive contemplation dwells.

Abundant inftances of this kind are fuggefted by a moderate acquaintance with good poets, either antient or modern..

ORIGIN AND NATURE OF FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE.

FIGURES may be defcribed to be that language,

which is prompted either by the imagination or paffions. They are commonly divided by rhetoricians into two great claffes, figures of words, and figures of thought.

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