things it resembles not otherwife than by the effects produced in the mind.

I have had occafion to obferve, that to complete the resemblance between found and fenfe, artful pronunciation contributes not a little. Pronunciation therefore may be confidered as a branch of the prefent fubject; and with fome obfervations it the section fhall be concluded.

upon

In order to give a juft idea of pronunciation, it must be distinguished from finging. The latter is carried on by notes, requiring each of them a different aperture of the windpipe: the notes properly belonging to the former, are expreffed by different apertures of the mouth, without varying the aperture of the windpipe. This however doth not hinder pronunciation to borrow from finging, as one fometimes is naturally led to do, in expreffing a vehement paffion.

In reading, as in finging, there is a key-note: above this note the voice is frequently elevated, to make the found correfpond to the elevation of the fubject but the mind in an elevated state, is difposed to action; therefore, in order to a reft, it must be brought down to the key-note. Hence the term cadence.

The only general rule that can be given for directing the pronunciation, is, To found the words in such a manner as to imitate the things they fignify. In pronouncing words fignifying what is elevated, the voice ought to be raised above its ordi

nary

nary tone; and words fignifying dejection of mind, ought to be pronounced in a low note. To imitate a stern and impetuous paffion, the words ought to be pronounced rough and loud; a fweet and kindly paffion, on the contrary, ought to be imitated by a soft and melodious tone of voice in Dryden's ode of Alexander's feast, the line Faln, faln, faln, faln, represents a gradual finking of the mind; and therefore is pronounced with a falling voice by every one of tafte, without inftruction. In general, words that make the greatest figure ought to be marked with a peculiar emphafis. Another circumftance contributes to the refemblance between sense and found, which is flow or quick pronunciation: for though the length or fhortness of the fyllables with relation to each other, be in profe afcertained in fome measure, and in verfe accurately; yet, taking a whole line or period together, it may be pronounced flow or faft. A period accordingly ought to be pronounced flow, when it expreffes what is folemn or deliberate; and ought to be pronounced quick, when it expreffes what is brisk, lively, or impetuous.

The art of pronouncing with propriety and grace, being intended to make the found an echo to the sense, scarce admits of any other general rule than that above mentioned. It may indeed be branched out into many particular rules and obfervations but without much fuccefs; because no language furnisheth words to fignify the diffe

rent degrees of high and low, loud and foft, faft and flow. Before these differences can be made the subject of regular inftruction, notes muft be invented, resembling thofe employ'd in mufic. We have reason to believe, that in Greece every tragedy was accompanied with fuch notes, in order to ascertain the pronunciation; but the moderns hitherto have not thought of this refinement. Cicero indeed *, without the help of notes, pretends to give rules for afcertaining the various tones of voice that are proper in expreffing the different paffions; and it must be acknowledged, that in this attempt he hath exhaufted the whole power of language. At the fame time, every perfon of discernment will perceive, that these rules avail little in point of inftruction: the very words he employs, are not intelligible, except to those who beforehand are acquainted with the subject.

To vary the scene a little, I propose to close with a flight comparison, between finging and pronouncing. In this comparison, the five following circumftances relative to articulate found, must be kept in view. ft, A found or fyllable is harsh or fmooth. 2d, It is long or fhort. 3d, It is pronounced high or low. 4th, It is pronounced loud or foft. And, laftly, A number of words in fucceffion, conftituting a period or member of a period, are pronounced flow or quick. Of these

five

* De oratore,

1.

3. cap. 58.

five the first depending on the component letters, and the second being afcertained by cuftom, admit not any variety in pronouncing. The three last are arbitrary, depending on the will of the person who pronounces; and it is chiefly in the artful management of these that juft pronunciation confifts. With refpect to the firft circumftance, mufic has evidently the advantage; for all its notes are agreeable to the ear; which is not always the case of articulate founds. With respect to the fecond, long and short fyllables variously combined, produce a great variety of feet; yet far inferior to the variety that is found in the multiplied combinations of mufical notes. With refpect to high and low notes, pronunciation is ftill more inferior to finging; for it is obferved by Dionyfius of Halicarnaffus*, that in pronouncing, i. e. without altering the aperture of the windpipe, the voice is confined within three notes and a half: finging has a much greater compass. With respect to the two last circumftances, pronunciation equals finging.

In this chapter, I have mentioned none of the beauties of language but what arife from words taken in their proper fenfe. Beauties that depend on the metaphorical and figurative power of words, are reserved to be treated chap. 20.

SECT.

* De ftructura orationis, fect. 2.

SE.C T. IV.

VERSIFICATION.

HE mufic of verfe, though handled by every

THE of

grammarian, merits more attention than it has been honoured with. It is a fubject intimately connected with human nature; and to explain it thoroughly, several nice and delicate feelings must be employ'd. But before entering upon it, we must see what verfe is, or, in other words, by what mark it is diftinguished from profe; a point not so easy as may at first be apprehended. It is true, that the conftruction of verfe is governed by precife rules; whereas profe is more loofe, and fcarce fubjected to any rules. But are the many who have no rules, left without means to make the distinction? and even with refpect to the learned, must they apply the rule before they can with certainty pronounce whether the compofition be profe or verfe? This will hardly be maintained; and therefore instead of rules, the ear must be appealed to as the proper judge. But by what mark does the ear distinguish verfe from profe? The proper and fatisfactory answer is, That these

make