To conclude this article, the accents are not, like the fyllables, confined to a certain number: fome lines have no fewer than five, and there are lines that admit not above one. This variety, as we have feen, depends entirely on the different powers of the component words: particles, even where they are long by pofition, cannot be accented; and polyfyllables whatever space they occupy, admit but one accent. Polyfyllables have another defect, that they generally exclude the full paufe. It is fhown above, that few polyfyllables can find place in the conftruction of English verfe; and here are reafons for excluding them, could they find place.

I am now ready to fulfil a promise concerning the four forts of lines that enter into English Heroic verfe. That these have, each of them, a peculiar melody distinguishable by a good ear, I ventured to fuggeft, and promifed to account for and though the fubject is extremely delicate, I am not without hopes of making good my engagement. But first, by way of precaution, I warn the candid reader not to expect this peculiarity of modulation in every inftance. The reafon why it is not always perceptible has been mentioned more than once, that the thought and expreffion have a great influence upon the melody; fo great, as in many inftances to make the pooreft melody pafs for rich and fpirited. This confideration makes me infift upon a conceffion or two that will not be thought unreasonable: first, That the experiment be tried upon lines equal with refpect to the thought and expreffion for otherwife one may easily be mifled in judging of the melody and next, That thefe lines be regularly accented before the paufe; for upon a matter abundantly refined in itself, I would not willingly be em. barraffed with faulty and irregular lines.

Thefe preliminaries adjufted, I begin with fome general obfervations, that will fave repeating the fame thing over and over upon every example. And, first, an accent fucceeded by a paufe, as in lines of the first and third order, makes a much greater figure than where the voice goes on without a ftop. The fact is fo certain, that no perfon who has an ear can be at a lofs to diftinguifh that accent from others. Nor have we far to feek for the efficient caufe: the elevation of an accenting tone produceth in the mind a fimilar elevation, which continues during the paufe:* but where the paufe is feparated from the accent by a fhort fyllable, as in lines of the fecond and fourth order, the impreffion made by the accent is more flight when there is no ftop, and the elevation of the accent is gone in a moment by the falling of the voice in pronouncing the fhort fyllable that follows. The paufe alfo is fenfibly affected by the position of the accent. In lines of the first and third order, the clofe conjunction of the accent and paufe, occafions a fudden stop without preparation, which roufes the mind, and beftows on the melody a fpirited air. When, on the other hand, the paufe is feparated from the accent by a fhort fyllable, which always happens in lines of the fecond and fourth order, the paufe is foft and gentle for this fhort unaccented fyllable, fucceeding one that is accented, muft of courfe be pronounced with a falling voice, which naturally prepares for a paufe; and the mind falls, gently

Hence the liveliness of the French language as to found, above the English; the last fyllable in the former being generally long and accented, the long fyllable in the latter being generally as far back in the. word as poflib'e, and often without an accent. For this difference I find no caufe fo probable as temperament and difpofition; the French being brifk and lively, the English fedate and referved: and this, if it hold, is a pregnant inftance of a refemblance between the character of a people and that of their language.

gently from the accented fyllable, and flides into reft.
as it were infenfibly. Further, the lines themselves
derive different powers from the pofition of the paufe,
which will thus appear. A paufe after the fourth
fyllable divides the line into two unequal portions, of
which the larger comes laft; this circumitance re-
folving the line into an afcending feries, makes an
impreflion in pronouncing like that of afcending;
and to this impreffion contribute the redoubled effort
in pronouncing the larger portion, which is laft in
order. The mind has a different feeling when the
paufe fucceeds the fifth fyllable, which divides the
line into two equal parts: thefe parts, pronounced
with equal effort, are agreeable by their uniformity.
A line divided by a paufe after the fixth fyllable,
makes an impreffion oppofite to that first mentioned:
being divided into two unequal portions, of which
the fhorter is laft in order, it appears like a flow de-
fcending feries; and the fecond portion being pro-
nounced with lefs effort than the first, the diminith-
ed effort prepares the mind for reft.
And this prep-
And this
aration for reft is ftill more fenfibly felt where the
paufe is after the feventh fyllable, as in lines of the
fourth order.

To apply thefe obfervations is an eafy tafk. A line of the firft order is of all the moft fpirited and lively the accent, being followed inftantly by a pause, makes an illuftrious figure; the elevated tone of the accent elevates the mind: the mind is fupported in its elevation by the fudden unprepared paufe, which roufes and animates: and the line itfelf, reprefenting by its unequal divifion an afcending feries, carries the mind ftill, higher, making an impreflion fimilar to that of going upward. The fecond order has a modulation fenfibly fweet, foft, and flowing; the accent is not fo fprightly as in the former,

former, because a short fyllable intervenes between it and the pause its elevation, by the fame means, vanifheth inftantaneously: the mind, by a falling voice, is gently prepared for a ftop and the pleasure of uniformity from the divifion of the line into two equal parts, is calm and fweet. The third order has a modulation not fo eafily expreffed in words: it in part resembles the first order, by the livelinefs of an accent fucceeded inftantly by a full paufe: but then the elevation occafioned by this circumftance, is balanced in fome degree by the remitted effort in pronouncing the fecond portion, which remitted effort has a tendency to reft. Another circumftance diftinguifheth it remarkably its capital accent comes late, being placed on the fixth fyllable: and this circumstance bestows on it an air of gravity and folemnity. The last order resembles the fecond in the mildness of its accent, and softness of its paufe; it is ftill more folemn than the third, by the lateness of its capital accent: it alfo poffeffes in a higher degree than the third, the tendency to reft; and by that circumftance is of all the best qualified for clofing a period in the completest manner.

But these are not all the distinguishing characters of the different orders. Each order alfo is diftinguifhed by its final accent and paufe: the unequal divifion in the first order, makes an impreffion of afcending; and the mind at the clofe is in the highest elevation, which naturally prompts it to put a strong emphasis upon the concluding fyllable, whether by raifing the voice to a fharper tone, or by expreffing the word in a fuller tone. This order accordingly is of all the leaft proper for concluding a period, where a cadence is proper and not an accent. The fecond order being deftitute of the impression of afcent; cannot rival the first order in the elevation of

its

its concluding accent, nor confequently in the dignity of its concluding paufe; for these have a mutual influ ence. This order however with refpect to its close, maintains a fuperiority over the third and fourth orders in these the clofe is more humble, being brought down by the impreffion of defcent, and by the remitted effort in pronouncing: confiderably in the third order, and ftill more confiderably in the last. According to this defcription, the concluding accents and paufes of the four orders being reduced to a fcale, will form a defcending feries probably in an arithmetical progreffion.

After what is faid, will it be thought refining too much to fuggeft, that the different orders are qualified for different purposes, and that a poet of genius will naturally be led to make a choice accordingly? I cannot think this altogether chimerical. As it appears to me, the first order is proper for a fentiment that is bold, lively, or impetuous; the third order is proper for what is grave, folemn, or lofty; the fecond for what is tender, delicate, or melancholy, and in general for all the fympathetic emotions; and the laft for fubjects of the fame kind when tempered with any degree of folemnity. I do not contend, that any one order is fitted for no other task than that affigned it; for at that rate, no fort of melody would be left for accompanying thoughts that have nothing peculiar in them. I only venture to fuggeft, and I do it with diffidence, that each of the orders is peculiarly adapted to certain fubjects, and better qualified than the others for exprefling them. The beft way to judge is by experiment'; and to avoid the imputation of a partial fearch, I fhall confine my in, ftances to a fingle poem, beginning with the