as the first line of a couplet may run into the fecond. 'There must be a mufical paufe at the end of every line; but it is not neceffary that it be accompanied with a paufe in the fenfe. The fenfe may be car-. ried on through different lines; till a period of the utmost extent be completed, by a full close both in the fenfe and the found. There is no restraint, other than that this full close be at the end of a line. This reftraint is neceffary in order to preferve a coincidence betwixt fenfe and found; which ought to be aimed at in general, and is indifpenfable in the cafe of a full clofe, because it has a striking effect. Hence the aptitude of blank verfe for inverfion; and confequently the luftre of its paufes and accents; for which, as obferved above, there is greater scope in inverfion, than when words run in their natural order.

In the fecond fection of this chapter it is fhown, that nothing contributes more than inverfion to the force and elevation of language. The couplets of rhyme confine inverfion within narrow limits. Nor would the elevation of inverfion, were there accefs for it in thyme, be extremely concordant with the humble tone of that fort of verfe. 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. Shakespear deals little in inverfion. But his blank verfe, being a fort of measured profe, is perfectly well adapted. to the ftage. Laboured inversion is there extremely improper, because in a dialogue it never can appear natural.

Hitherto I have confidered the advantage of laying afide rhyme, with refpect to that fuperior power of expreffion which verfe 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 extensive and more complete melody. 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 refpect 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 obfervation no perfon can doubt who is acquainted with the Paradife Loft. In that work there are indeed many carelefs lines; but at every turn it fhines out in the richest melody as well as in the fublimeft fentiments. Take the following fpecimen.

Now Morn her rofy steps in th' castern 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, bu
And temp'rate vapours bland, which th' only found
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly difpers'd, and the fhrill matin fong
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 through unquiet reft: 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 lose the prime, to mark how fpring

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 v. l. 1.

Comparing the Latin Hexameter and English 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 fhort fyllables. Secondly, the length of an Hexameter line hath a majestic air : ours, by its fhortnefs, is indeed more brifk and lively, but much lefs fitted for the fublime. And. thirdly, the long high-founding words that Hexameter admits, add greatly to its majesty. To compenfate these advantages, English rhyme poffeffes a greater number and greater variety both of paufes and of accents. Thefe two forts of verse ftand indeed pretty much in oppofition: in the Hexameter, great variety of arrangement, none in paufes or accents: in the English rhyme, great variety in the pauses and accents, very little in the arrangement..

In blank verfe are united, in a good measure, the feveral properties of Latin Hexameter and English rhyme; and it poffeffes befide many fignal properties of its own. It is not confined, like an Hexameter, by a full close at the end of every line; nor, like rhyme, by a full clofe at the end of every couplet. This form of conftruction, which admits the lines to run into each other, gives it a still greater majefty than arises from the length of an Hexameter line. By the fame means, it admits inversion even beyond the Latin or Greek Hexameter, which fuffer fome confinement by the regular clofes at the end of eveline. In its mufic it is illuftrious above all. melody of Hexameter verfe, is circumfcribed to a

ry

The

line; and of English rhyme, to a couplet. The melody of blank verfe is under no confinement, but enjoys the utmost privilege of which the melody of verfe is fufceptible, and that is to run hand in hand with the fenfe. In a word, blank verfe is fuperior to the Hexameter, in many articles; and inferior to it in none, fave in the latitude of arrange ment, and in the use of long words. **.

In the French heroic verfe, there are found, on the contrary, all the defects of the Latin Hexame→→ ter and English rhyme, without the beauties of erther. Subjected to the bondage of rhyme, and to the full clofe at the end of each couplet, it is further peculiarly disgustful by the uniformity of its paufes and accents. The line invariably is divided by the paufe into two equal parts, and the accent is invari ably placed before the paufe:

Jeune et vaillant herôs || dont la haute fageffe
Ne'st point la fruit tardif || d'une lente vieilleffe.
Here every circumstance contributes to a most tedi-
ous uniformity. A conftant return of the fame
pause and of the fame accent, as well as an equal
divifion of every line; by which the latter part
always answers to the former, and fatigues the ear
without intermiffion or change, I cannot fet this
matter in a better light, than by presenting to the
reader a French tranflation of the following paffage
of Milton.....

Two of far nobler fhape, erect and tall,
Godlike erect, with native honour clad
In naked majefty feem'd lords of all ;-
And worthy feem'd, for in their looks divine.
The image of their glorious Maker shone,
Truth, wifdom, fanctitude fevere and pure,
Severe, but in true filial freedom plac'd;
Whence true authority in men: though both
E-5

Not

Not equal, as their fex not equal feem'd;
For contemplation he and valour form'd,
For foftnefs the and sweet attractive grace,
He for God only, the for God in him.

Were the pauses of the fenfe and found in this paffage, but a little better afforted, nothing in verse could be more melodious. In general, the great defect of Milton's verfification, in other refpects admirable, is the want of coincidence betwixt the paufes of the fenfe and found.

The tranflation is in the following words.
Ce lieu délicieux, ce paradis charmant,
Reçoit deux objets fon plus bel ornement;
Leur port majestueux, et leur démarche altiere,
Semble leur meriter fur la nature entiere
Ce droit de commander que Dieu leur a donné..
Sur leur augufte front de gloire couronné,
Du fouverain du ciel drille la refemblance;
Dans leur fimples regards éclatte l'innocence,
L' adorable candeur, l' aimable vérité,
La raifon, la fageffe, et la sévérité
Qu'adoucit la prudence, et cet air de droiture
Du vifage des rois refpectable parure.

Ces deux objets divins n'ont pas les mêmes traits,.
Ils paroiffent formés, quoique tous deux parfaits;
L'un pour la majesté, la force et la noblesse;

L'autre pour la douceur, la grace, et la tendresse: Celui-ci pour Dieu feul, l'autre pour l'homme en

cor.

Here the fenfe is fairly tranflated, the words are of equal power, and yet how inferior the. melody!

I take the liberty to add here a fpeculation, which, though collateral only, arifes naturally from the subject, and shall be difcuffed in a few words.

Many