ceptible. Far from it. Far from it. The impreffion made by a period, whether it be verfe or profe, is occafioned chiefly by the thought, and in an inferior degree by the words and these articles are fo intimately united with the melody, that they have each of them a ftrong influence upon the others. With refpect to the melody in particular, inftances are without number, of melody, in itself poor and weak, paffing for rich and fpirited where it is fupported by the thought and expreffion. I am therefore intitled to infift, that this experiment be tried upon lines of equal rank. And to a void the perplexity of various cafes, I must also infift, that the lines chofen for a trial be regularly accented before the paufe: for upon a matter abundantly refined in itself, I would not willingly be imbarraffed with faulty and irregular lines. These preliminaries being adjusted, I begin with some general obfervations, that will fave repeating the fame thing over and over upon each particular cafe. And, first, an accent fucceeded by a pause, makes fenfibly a deeper impreffion than where the voice goes on with out out a stop to make an impreffion requires time; and there is no time where there is no pause. The fact is fo certain, that in running over a few lines, there is fcarce an ear fo dull as not readily to diftinguifh from others, that particular accent which immediately precedes the full pause. In the next place, the elevation of an accenting tone, produceth in the mind a fimilar elevation, which is continued during the pause. Every circumftance is different where the paufe is feparated from the accent by a short fyllable. The impreffion made by the ac cent is more flight when there is no stop; and the elevation of the accent is gone moment by the falling of the voice in pronouncing the short fyllable that follows. The paufe alfo is fenfibly affected by the pofition of the accent. In lines of the first and third order, the clofe conjunction of the accent and paufe, occafions a fudden ftop without preparation, which rouses 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 in a lines lines of the fecond and fourth order, the paufe is foft and gentle. This fhort unac cented fyllable fucceeding one that is accented, muft of courfe be pronounced with a falling voice, which naturally prepares for a pause. The mind falls gently from the accent ed fyllable, and flides into reft as it were infenfibly. Further, the lines themfelves, derive different powers from the position of the pause. A paufe after the fourth fyllable divides the line into two unequal por tions, of which the largest comes laft This circumstance refolving the line into an afcending feries, makes an impression in pronouncing like that of mounting upward And to this impreffion contributes the re doubled effort in pronouncing the largest portion, which is laft in order. The mind has a different feeling when the paufe fucceeds the fifth fyllable. The line being divided into two equal parts by this paufe, thefe parts, pronounced with equal effort, are agreeable by their uniformity. A line divided by a pause after the fixth fyllable, makes an impreffion oppofite to that first mentioned, Being divided into two uneIs qual qual portions, of which the fhortest is laft in order, it appears like a flow defcending feries; and the fecond portion being pronounced with lefs effort than the first, the diminished effort prepares the mind for rest. And this preparation for reft is still more fenfibly felt where the paufe is after the feventh fyllable, as in lines of the fourth örder. No perfon can be at a lofs in applying these observations. A line of the first order is of all the moft fpirited and lively. To produce this effect, feveral of the circum ftances above mentioned concur. The accent, being followed inftantly by a paufe, makes an illustrious 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 itself, reprefenting by its unequal divifion an afcending feries, carries the mind still higher, making an impreffion fi milar to that of mounting upward. The fecond order has a modulation fenfibly fweet, foft, and flowing. The accent is not fo fprightly as in the former, because a VOL. II. 3 H short fhort fyllable intervenes betwixt it and the pause its elevation, by the fame means, vanifheth inftantaneoufly: the mind, by a falling voice, is gently prepared for a stop: 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 liveliness of an accent fucceeded instantly by a full paufe. But then the elevation oc cafioned by this circumftance, is balanced in fome degree by the remitted effort in pronouncing the fecond portion, which remitted effort has a tendency to teft. Another circumftance diftinguisheth it remark ably. Its capital accent comes late, being placed on the fixth fyllable; and this circumftance beftows on it an air of gravity and folemnity. The laft order refembles the fecond in the mildness of its accent and foftnefs of its paufe. It is ftill more folemn than the third, by the latenefs 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 qua |