Page images
PDF
EPUB

fay upon this fpecies of verse, under the four following heads; of number, arrangement, pause, and accent; for as to quantity, so far as concerns the present point, what is obferved above may fuffice.

Hexameter lines are, with refpect to time, all of the fame length. A line may confift of feventeen fyllables; and when regular and not Spondaic, it never has fewer than thirteen. Hence it is plain, that where the fyllables are many, the plurality must be fhort; where few, the plurality must be long. And upon the whole, the number of fyllables in every line with respect to the time taken in pronouncing, are equivalent to twelve long fyllables, or twenty-four fhort.

[ocr errors]

With regard to arrangement, this line is fufceptible of much variety. The fucceffion of long and fhort fyllables, may be greatly varied without injuring the melody. It is fubjected however to laws, that confine its variety within certain limits. For trying the arrangement, and for determining whether it be perfect or faulty, grammarians have invented a rule by Dactyles and Spon

dees,

dees, which they denominate feet. One at firft view is led to think, that these feet are alfo intended to regulate the pronunciation. But this is far from being the cafe. It will appear by and by, that the rules of pronunciation are very different. And indeed were one to pronounce according to these feet, the melody of a Hexameter line would be deftroy'd, or at best be much inferior to what it is when properly pronounced *. These feet then must be confined to their

[blocks in formation]

After fome attention given to this fubject, and weighing deliberately every circumftance, I have been forc'd to reft upon the foregoing conclufion, That the Dactyle and Spondee are no other than artificial measures invented for trying the accuracy of compofition. Repeated experiments convince me, that though the fenfe fhould be altogether neglected, an Hexameter line read by Dactyles and Spondees, will not be melodious. And the compofition of an Hexameter line demonftrates this to be true, without neceffity of an experiment. It will appear afterward, that in an Hexameter line, there must always be a capital pause at the end of the fifth long fyllable, reckoning, as above, two fhort for one long. And when we measure this line by Dactyles and Spondees, the pause now mentioned divides always a Dactyle or a Spondee: it never falls in at the end of either of these feet. Hence it is evident, that if a line be pronounced, as it is scanned, by Dactyles and Spondees, the pause must be utterly neglected; which confe

[merged small][ocr errors]

fole province of regulating the arrangement, for they serve no other purpose. They are withal fo artificial and complex, that, neglecting them altogether, I am tempted to fubftitute in their room, other rules, more fimple and of more easy application; for example, the following. Ift, The line must always commence with a long fyllable, and close with two long preceded by two short. 2d, More than two fhort can never be

found

quently must destroy the melody, because a paufe is effential to the melody of an Hexameter verse. If, on the other hand, the melody be preferved by making this paufe, the pronouncing by Dactyles and Spondees must be abandoned.

What has led grammarians into the ufe of Dactyles and Spondees, feems not beyond the reach of conjecture. To produce melody, the latter part of a Hexameter line confisting of a Dactyle and a Spondee, must be read according to thefe feet in this part of the line, the Dactyle and Spondec are diftinctly expreffed in the pronunciation. This discovery, joined with another, that the foregoing part of the verse could be measured by the fame feet, has led grammarians to adopt thefe artificial measures, and perhaps rafhly to conclude, that the pronunciation is directed by these feet as well as the compolition. The Dactyle and Spondee at the clofe, ferve indeed the double purpose of regulating the pronunciation as well as the compofition but in the foregoing part of the line, they regulate the compofition only, not the pronunciation.

:

found in any part of the line, nor fewer than two if any. And, 3d, Two long fyllables which have been preceded by two fhort, cannot alfo be followed by two short. These few rules fulfil all the conditions of a Hexameter line, with relation to order or arrangement. To thefe again a fingle rule

may

be fubftituted, for which I have a ftill greater relish, as it regulates more affirmatively the conftruction of every part. That I may put this rule into words with the

If we must have feet in verfe to regulate the pronunciation, and confequently the melody, thefe feet must be determined by the pauses. The whole fyllables interjected betwixt two pauses ought to be deemed one musical foot; becaufe, to preferve the melody, they must all be pronounced together, without any ftop. And therefore, whatever number there are of paufes in a Hexameter line, the parts into which it is divided by these pauses, make juft fo many mufical feet.

Connection obliges me here to anticipate, by obferving, that the fame doctrine is applicable to English heroic verse. Confidering its compofition merely, it is of two kinds. One is composed of five lambi; and one of a Trochæus followed by four Iambi. But these feet afford no rule for pronouncing. The musical feet are obviously those parts of the line that are interjected betwixt two paufes. To bring out the melody, thefe feet must be expreffed in the pronunciation; or, which comes to the fame, the pronunciation must be directed by the pauses, without regard to the Iambus or Trochæus.

greater

fole province of regulating the arrangement, for they serve no other purpose. They are withal fo artificial and complex, that, neglecting them altogether, I am tempted to fubftitute in their room, other rules, more fimple and of more eafy application; for example, the following. Ift, The line muft always commence with a long fyllable, and close with two long preceded by two short. 2d, More than two fhort can never be found

quently must destroy the melody, because a paufe is effential to the melody of an Hexameter verse. If, on the other hand, the melody be preserved by making this pause, the pronouncing by Dactyles and Spondees must be abandoned.

What has led grammarians into the ufe of Dactyles and Spondees, feems not beyond the reach of conjecture. To produce melody, the latter part of a Hexameter line confift ing of a Dactyle and a Spondee, must be read according to thefe feet in this part of the line, the Dactyle and Spondee are diftinctly expreffed in the pronunciation. This discovery, joined with another, that the foregoing part of the verse could be measured by the fame feet, has led grammarians to adopt thefe artificial measures, and perhaps rafhly to conclude, that the pronunciation is directed by these feet as well as the compolition. The Dactyle and Spondee at the clofe, ferve indeed the double purpose of regulating the pronunciation as well as the compofition: but in the foregoing part of the line, they regulate the compofition only, not the pronunciation.

a

320

E

« PreviousContinue »