CHAP. I.

PART II. when another is added to the end of it; as in virum and virus; which are always pronounced Of improved as trochees; while virumque and virusque are as Perception. invariably turned into amphibrachys: the first

syllable of the one is, however, uniformly short, and of the other, uniformly long..

36. But notwithstanding these violations of quantity, which all the nations of Europe commit, in different modes and degrees; each finds melody in the verses of the Greek and Latin poets, when pronounced after its own fashion; and the ears of each are equally offended at hearing them pronounced after any other fashion. This alone, were there no other instance, abundantly proves the great influence of habit and imagination, and the little influence of sensation, in matters of this kind. All agree in fixing a pause at the end of the line or stanza; and in giving it a regularly marked termination of some kind or other; and this instantly constitutes verse, which each nation puts into tune according to the particular habitual pronunciation of its own language; and with this tune or mode of reading, be it ever so anomalous, all, who speak that language, are satisfied, and even delighted. Every deviation from it, though strictly according to the laws of metre, offends them because, when their own pronunciation has been

;

familiarized, and, as it were, naturalized, to PART II. their ears, every other sounds foreign, and conse- CHAP. 1. quently ridiculous, upon a principle, that will of improved be explained, when we come to treat of ridi- Perception.

cule.

37. As each of these various modes of reading preserves the character of verse, though all in different ways, and all differing from the metrical laws of the original language, that character may nevertheless be capable of answering its purposes, both in maintaining the character of enthusiasm by giving an uniform exaltation to the style above that of common speech, and in enhancing the charms of point, neatness, and emphasis, in compositions of another kind. Where the sense of the lines is vigorous and impassioned; and strongly expressive of enthusiasm and inspiration, we naturally endeavour to recite them with a correspondent tone of utterance; and how anomalous soever the particular divisions of it may be, the general flow will be sufficiently maintained, by the effort itself, to preserve the character and spirit of poetry. To pretend that the ear is more delighted with the versification of Virgil than with that of Manilius, when every principle of metre is violated in the pronunciation, may seem like affectation: but, nevertheless, the glowing animated sense and

K

CHAP. I.

PART II. polished periods of the one will inspire the reader with a flow and facility in his tone of Of improved utterance, which the other can never obtain Perception. and thus dupe the ear through the medium of the imagination. Hence I have known persons really and sincerely delighted with the versification of the Latin poets, and capable of discriminating accurately their respective merits; who have all violated the metre in different, and even. opposite ways; one by corrupting it to the English, another to the French, another to the German, and another to the Italian standard of pronunciation. It is common, too, in each of these nations, and in none more common than our own, to meet with learned persons, who, while they pronounce without any regard to quantity, are extremely acute in discovering any error or defect in the structure or formation of a verse: but, though they attribute this faculty to nicety of ear, it is in fact merely accuracy of memory, and readiness of discernment, in which the perfection of the organ has no concern; it being employed merely as the instrument of perception. They know the respective quantities of every word in the language, and of every foot in the verse; and therefore immediately perceive a syllable out of its place; but this perception is the result of acquired knowledge, and not of

organic refinement. I remember a copy of Latin PART H. verses being shown to some learned men, in CHAP. which the word gladius was employed as a dac- Of improve tyle; and they all instantly exclaimed against Percept bu the writer for having no ear; at the same time. that each of them pronounced the first syllable of the word, longer than almost any in the language. Had they accused the writer of want of knowledge or memory, and themselves of want of ear, their censures would have been just.

PART II.

CHAP. II.

tion.

CHAPTER II.

OF IMAGINATION.

1. THE habit of associating our ideas having commenced with our earliest perceptions, the Of Imagina- process of it, whatever it was in its beginning, has become so spontaneous and rapid in adult persons, that it seems to be a mechanical operation of the mind, which we cannot directly influence or control: those ideas, which we have once associated, associating themselves again in our memories of their own accord ; and presenting themselves together to our notice, whether we will or not. Hence agreeable and disagreeable trains of thought and imagery are often excited by circumstances no otherwise connected with them than by having before occurred to our minds at the same time, or in the same place, or in the same company; and these trains of thought will continue to haunt us in spite of all that we can do to free ourselves from them 3 so that we feel ourselves in a situation not unlike that of a moth fluttering round a candle. At other times the contrary takes place; and