There ought never to be a full close in the fense but at the end of a couplet; and there ought always to be fome pause in the fense at the end of every couplet. The fame period as to fenfe may be extended through feveral couplets; but in this cafe each couplet ought to contain a distinct member, distinguished by a pause in the fenfe as well as in the found; and the whole ought to be clofed with a complete cadence. Rules fuch as these, must confine rhyme within very narrow bounds. A thought of any extent, cannot be reduced within its compass. The fense must be curtailed and broken into pieces, to make it fquare with the curtnefs of melody: and it is obvious, that short periods afford no latitude for inverfion. I have examined this point with the greater accuracy, in order to give a just notion of blank verse ; and to show that a flight difference in form may produce a very great difference in fubstance. Blank verfe has the fame pauses and accents with rhyme; and a pause at the end of every line, like what concludes the first line of a couplet. In a word, the rules of

melody

melody in blank verfe, are the fame that obtain with refpect to the firft line of a couplet. But luckily, being difengaged from rhyme, or, in other words, from couplets, there is access to make every line run into another, precisely as the first line of a couplet may run into the second. There must be a musical pause at the end of every line; but it is not neceffary that it be accompanied with a pause in the sense. The sense may be carried on through dif ferent lines; till a period of the utmost extent be completed, by a full close both in the sense and the found. There is no reftraint, other than that this full close be at the end of a line. This restraint is neceffary in order to preserve a coincidence be→ twixt sense and found; which ought to be aimed at in general, and is indispensable in the cafe of a full close, because it has a ftriking effect. Hence the aptitude of blank verfe for inverfion; and confequently the luftre of its pauses and accents; for which, as observed above, there is greater scope in inverfion, than when words run in their natural order.

In the fecond fection of this chapter it is shown, that nothing contributes more than inverfion to the force and elevation of lan. guage. The couplets of rhyme confine inverfion within narrow limits. Nor would the elevation of inverfion, were there access for it in rhyme, be extremely concordant with the humbler tone of that fort of verse. It is univerfally agreed, that the loftinefs of Milton's ftyle fupports admirably the fublimity of his fubject; and it is not lefs certain, that the loftinefs of his ftyle arifes chiefly from inverfion. Shakefpear deals little in inverfion. But his blank verfe, being a fort of measured profe, is perfectly well adapted to the stage. Laboured inverfion is there extremely improper, because in dialogue it never can appear natural.

Hitherto I have confidered the advantage of laying afide rhyme, with respect to that fuperior power of expreffion which verse acquires thereby. But this is not the only advantage of blank verfe. It has another not lefs fignal of its kind; and that is, of a more extenfive and more complete melody.

.

Its

Its mufic is not, like that of rhyme, confined to a fingle couplet; but takes in a great compass, so as in fome measure to rival mufic properly fo called.

The intervals betwixt its cadences may be long or fhort at pleasure; and, by this means, its modulation, with respect both to richness and variety, is fuperior far to that of rhyme; and fuperior even to that of the Greek and Latin Hexameter. Of this observation no person can doubt who is acquainted with the Paradife Loft. In that work there are indeed many careless lines; but at every turn it fhines out in the richest melody as well as in the fublimeft fentiTake the following fpecimen.

ments.

Now Morn her rofy steps in th'eastern clime
Advancing, fow'd the earth with orient pearl,
When Adam wak'd, fo custom'd, for his fleep
Was aëry light from pure digestion bred,
And temp❜rate vapours bland, which th' only found
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly difpers'd, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough; fo much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With treffes difcompos'd, and glowing cheek,

As

As through unquiet rest: he on his fide
Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand foft touching, whisper'd thus. Awake
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's laft beft gift, my ever new delight,
Awake; the morning fhines, and the fresh field
Calls us, we lofe the prime, to mark how spring
Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed,
How Nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid fweet.

Book 1. l. 1.

Comparing the Latin Hexameter and Eng lish heroic rhyme, the former has obviously the advantage in the following particulars. It is greatly preferable as to arrangement, by the latitude it admits in placing the long and short fyllables. Secondly, the length of an Hexameter line hath a majestic air: ours, by its shortnefs, is indeed more brifk and lively, but much less fitted for the sublime. And, thirdly, the long high-found

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