say upon this species 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 observed above may suffice. Hexameter lines are, with refpect to time, all of the same length. A line may confift of seventeen syllables; and when regular and not Spondaic, it never has fewer than thirteen. Hence it is plain, that where the syllables are many, the plurality must be short; 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 syllables, or twenty-four short. With regard to arrangement, this line is susceptible of much variety. The fucceffion of long and short fyllables, may be greatly varied without injuring the melody. It is subjected 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 Spondees, dees, which they denominate feet. One at first 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 destroy'd, or at best be much inferior to what it is when properly pronounced *. These feet then must be confined to their fole : * After some attention given to this subject, and weighing deliberately every circumstance, I have been forc'd to rest 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 sense should be altogether neglected, an Hexameter line read by Dactyles and Spondees, will not be melodious. And the composition of an Hexameter line demonstrates 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 syllable, reckoning, as above, two short 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 confequently ( sole province of regulating the arrangement, for they serve no other purpose. They are withal so artificial and complex, that, neglecting them altogether, I am tempted to substitute in their room, other rules, more simple and of more easy application; for example, the following. Ist, The line must always commence with a long syllable, and close with two long preceded by two short. 2d, More than two short can never be found found in any part of the line, nor fewer than two if any. And, 3d, Two long syllables which have been preceded by two short, cannot also be followed by two short. These few rules fulfil all the conditions of a Hexameter line, with relation to order or arrangement. To these again a fingle rule may be substituted, for which I have a still greater relish, as it regulates more affirmatively the construction of every part. That I may put this rule into words with the quently must destroy the melody, because a pause is essential 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 use of Dactyles and Spondees, feems not beyond the reach of conjecture. To produce melody, the latter part of a Hexameter line confifting of a Dactyle and a Spondee, must be read according to these feet: in this part of the line, the Dactyle and Spondee are diftinctly expressed in the pronunciation. This discovery, joined with another, that the foregoing part of the verse could be measured by the same feet, has led grammarians to adopt these artificial measures, and perhaps rashly to conclude, that the pronunciation is directed by these feet as well as the composition. The Dactyle and Spondee at the close, serve indeed the double purpose of regulating the pronunciation as well as the composition: but in the foregoing part of the line, they regulate the composition only, not the pronunciation. If we must have feet in verse to regulate the pronunciation, and confequently the melody, these feet must be determined by the pauses. The whole fyllables interjected betwixt two pauses ought to be deemed one musical foot; because, to preserve the melody, they must all be pronounced together, without any stop. And therefore, whatever number there are of pauses in a Hexameter line, the parts into which it is divided by these pauses, make just so many musical feet. Connection obliges me here to anticipate, by observing, that the fame doctrine is applicable to English heroic verse. Confidering its composition merely, it is of two kinds. One is composed of five Iambi; 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 pauses. To bring out the melody, these feet must be expressed in the pronunciation; or, which comes to the fame, the pronunciation must be directed by the pauses, without regard to the lambus or Trochæus. greater : sole province of regulating the arrangement, quently must destroy the melody, because a pause is essential What has led grammarians into the use of Dactyles and ar by 20 Pau the Be te ! 1 |