folely, is transferred to the words, which by that means resemble in appearance the thought that is expreffed by them.* I have great reafon to recommend thefe obfervations to the reader, confidering how inaccurately the prefent fubject is handled by critics: not one of them diftinguishes the natural refemblance of found and fignification, from the artificial refem, blances now defcribed; witnefs Vida in particular, who in a very long paffage has given very few examples but what are of the latter kind.† · That there may be a refemblance of articulate founds to fome that are not articulate, is felf-evident; and that in fact there exift fuch refemblances fuccefsfully employed by writers of genius, is clear from the foregoing examples, and from many others that might be given. But we may fafely pronounce, that this natural refemblance can be carried no farther : the objects of the different fenfes, differ fo widely from each other, as to exclude any refemblance; found in particular, whether articulate or inarticu late, resembles not in any degree tafte, fmell, nor motion; and as little can it refemble any internal fentiment, feeling or emotion, But muft we then admit, that nothing but found can be imitated by found? Taking imitation in its proper fenfe, as importing a refemblance between two objects, the propofition must be admitted and yet in many paffages that are not defcriptive of found, every one must be fenfible of a peculiar concord between the found of the words and their meaning. As there can be no doubt of the fact, what remains is to inquire into its caufe. Refembling caufes may produce effects that have no resemblance; and caufes that have no refem blance blance may produce refembling effects. A magnifi cent building, for example, refembles not in any." degree an heroic action; and yet the emotions they produce, are concordant, and bear a refemblance to each other. We are still more fenfible of this resem blance in a fong, when the mufic is properly adapted to the fentiment: there is no refemblance between thought and found; but there is the strongest refemblance between the emotion raised by mufic tender and pathetic, and that raised by the complaint of an unfuccefsful lover. Applying this obfervation to the prefent fubject, it appears, that in fome inftances, the found even of a fingle word makes an impreffion resembling that which is made by the thing it fignifies witnefs the word running, compofed of two fhort fyllables; and more remarkably the words rapidity, impetuofity, precipitation. Brutal manners produce in the fpectator an emotion not unlike what is produced by a harsh and rough found; and hence the beauty of the figurative expreflion rugged manners. Again, the word little, being pronounced with a very small aperture of the mouth, has a weak and faint found, which makes an impreffion refembling that made by a diminutive object. This refemblance of effects is ftill more remarkable where a number of words are connected in a period: words pronounced in fucceffion make often a ftrong impreffion; and when this impreffion happens to accord with that made by the fenfe, we are fenfible of a complex emotion, peculiarly pleafant; one proceeding from the fentiment, and one from the melody or found of the words. But the chief pleasure proceeds from having these two concordant emotions combined in perfect harmony, and carried on in the mind to a full clofe:* Except in the fingle cafe where found See chap. 2. part 4. found is defcribed, all the examples given by critics of fenfe being imitated in found, refolve into a refemblance of effects: emotions raised by found and fignification may have a refemblance; but found itfelf cannot have a refemblance to any thing but found. Proceeding now to particulars, and beginning with thofe cafes where the emotions have the ftrongest refemblance, I obferve, firft, That by a number of fyllables in fucceffion, an emotion is fometimes raifed extremely fimilar to that raised by fucceffive motion; which may be evident even to those who are defective in tafte, from the following fact, that the term movement in all languages is equally applied to both. In this manner, fucceffive motion, fuch as walking, running, galloping, can be imitated by a fucceffion of long or fhort fyllables, or by a due mixture of both. For example, flow motion may be juftly imitated in a verfe where long fyllables prevail; especially when aided by a flow pro nunciation. Illi inter fefe magnâ vi brachia tollunt. Georg. iv. 174. On the other hand, fwift motion is imitated by a fucceffion of fhort fyllables: Quadrupedante putrem fonitu quatit ungula campum. Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas. Thirdly, A line compofed of monofyllables, makes an impreflion, by the frequency of its paufes, fimilar to what is made by laborious interrupted motion; E. 4 With With many a weary ftep, and many a groan; Odyffey, xi. 736. First march the heavy mules fecurely flow; 'O'er hills, o'er dales, o'er craggs, o'er rocks they go. Iliad, xxiii. 138. Fourthly, The impreffion made by rough founds in fucceffion, refembles that made by rough or tumultuous motion on the other hand, the impref-, fion of fmooth founds refembles that of gentle motion. The following is an example of both. Two craggy rocks projecting to the main, Another example of the latter : Odyffey, iii. 118. Soft is the ftrain when Zephyr gently blows, Fifthly, Prolonged motion is expreffed in an Alex andrine line. The firft example fhall be of flow motion prolonged. A needlefs Alexandrine ends the fong; That like a wounded snake, drags its flow length along. Effay on Crit. 356. The next example is of forcible motion prolonged The waves behind impel the waves before, The last shall be of rapid motion prolonged : Not fo when fwift. Camilla fcours the plain, Ellay on Crit. 373. Again speaking of a rock torn from the brow of a mountain : Still gath'ring force, it smokes, and urg'd amain, Sixthly, a period confifting moftly of long fyllables, that is, of fyllables pronounced flow, produceth an emotion refembling faintly that which is produced by gravity and folemnity. Hence the beauty of the following verfe: Olli fedato refpondit corde Latinus. It resembles equally an object that is infipid and uninterefting. Tædet quotidianarum harum formarum. Terence, Eunuchus, act 2. fc. 3. Seventhly, A flow fucceffion of ideas is a circumftance that belongs equally to fettled melancholy, and to a period compofed of polyfyllables pronounc ed flow and hence by fimilarity of emotions, the latter is imitative of the former: In those deep folitudes, and "awful cells, Pope, Eloifa to Abelard. Eighthly, A long fyllable made fhort, or a fhort Hyllable made long, raifes, by the difficulty of pronouncing contrary to cuftom, a feeling fimilar to that of hard labour: When Ajax ftrives fome rock's vaft weight to throw, The line too labours, and the words move flow. Efay on Crit. 370. Ninthly, Harfh or rough words pronounced with difficulty, excite a feeling fimilar to that which proceeds from the labour of thought to a dull writer: Juft |