or heroic, distinguished by six feet dactyls and spondees, the fifth being always a dactyl, and the last a spondee: e. g. Principi-is obsta, se ro medi-cina pa-ratur. The pentameter of five feet, dactyls and spondees, or of six, reckoning two cæsuras. Cum mala per lon-gas invalu-ere mo ras. They had likewise the iambic of three sorts, the dimeter, the trimeter, and the tetrameter, and all the different kinds of lyric verse specified in the odes of Sappho, Alcæus, Anacreon, and Horace. Each of these was distinguished by the number, as well as by the species of their feet; so that they were doubly restricted. Now all the feet of the antient poetry are still found in the versification of living languages; for as cadence was regulated by the ear, it was impossible for a man to write melodious verse without naturally falling into the use of antient feet, though perhaps he neither knows their measure nor denomination. Thus Spenser, Shakspeare, Milton, Dryden, Pope, and all our Poets, abound with dactyls, spondees, trochees, anapests, &c. which they use indiscriminately in all kinds of composition whether Tragic, Epic, Pastoral, or Ode, having in this particular greatly the advantage of the antients, who were restricted to particular kinds of feet in particular kinds of Verse. If we then are confined with the fetters of what is called rhyme, they were restricted to particular species of feet; so that the advantages and disadvantages are pretty equally balanced: but indeed the English are more free in this particular, than any other modern nation. They not only use Blank-verse in Tragedy and the Epic, but even in Lyric Poetry. Milton's translation of Horace's Ode to Pyrrha is universally known and generally admired in our opinion much above its merit. There is an Ode extant without Rhyme addressed to Evening by the late Mr. Collins much more beautiful; and Mr. Warton with some others has happily succeeded in divers occasional pieces, that are free of this restraint: but the number in all of these depends upon the syllables, and not upon the feet, which are unlimited. It is generally supposed that the genius of the English language will not admit of Greek or Latin measure but this, we apprehend is a mistake owing to the prejudice of education. It is impossible that the same measure, composed of the same times, should have a good effect upon the ear in one language, and a bad effect in another. The truth is, we have been accustomed from our infancy to the numbers of English Poetry, and the very sound and signification of the words dispose the ear to receive them in a certain manner; so that its disappointment must be attended with a disagreeable sensation. In imbibing the first rudiments of education, we acquire, as it were, another ear for the numbers of Greek and Latin Poetry and this being reserved entirely for the sounds and significations of the words, that constitute those dead languages, will not easily accommodate itself to the sounds of our vernacular tongue, though conveyed in the same time and measure. In a word Latin and Greek have annexed to them the ideas of the antient measure, from which they are not easily disjoined. But we will venture to say, this difficulty might be surmounted by an effort of attention and a little practice; and in that case we should in time be as well pleased with English as with Latin hexameters. the artist. We are unable to tell why such sounds affect us: they seem no way imitative of the passion they would express, but operate upon us by an inexpressible sympathy; the original of which is as inscrutable as the secret springs of life itself. To this excellence he adds another, in which he is superior to every other artist of the profession, the happy transition from one passion to another. No dramatic poet better knows to prepare his incidents than he : the audience are pleased in those intervals of passion with the delicate, the simple harmony, if I may so express it, in which the parts are all thrown into fugues, or often are barely unison. His melodies also, where no passion is expressed, give equal pleasure from this delicate simplicity: and I need only instance that song in the Serva Padrona, which begins Lo conosco a quegl' occelli, as one of the finest instances of excellence in the duo. The Italian artists in general have followed his manner, yet seem fond of embellishing the delicate simplicity of the original. Their style in music seems somewhat to resemble that of Seneca in writing, where there are some beautiful starts of thought; but the whole is filled with studied elegance and unaffecting affectation. It is Lully in France first attempted the improve ment of their music, which in general resembled that of our old solemn chaunts in churches. worthy of remark in general, that the music of every country is solemn in proportion as the inhabitants are merry; or, in other words, the merriest sprightliest nations are remarked for having the slowest music; and those, whose character it is to be melancholy, are pleased with the most brisk and airy movements. Thus in France, Poland, Ireland, and Switzerland, the national music is slow, melancholy, and solemn; in Italy, England, Spain, and Germany, it is faster, propor not only use Blank-verse in Tragedy and the Epic, but even in Lyric Poetry. Milton's translation of Horace's Ode to Pyrrha is universally known and generally admired in our opinion much above its merit. There is an Ode extant without Rhyme addressed to Evening by the late Mr. Collins much more beautiful; and Mr. Warton with some others has happily succeeded in divers occasional pieces, that are free of this restraint: but the number in all of these depends upon the syllables, and not upon the feet, which are unlimited. It is generally supposed that the genius of the English language will not admit of Greek or Latin measure: but this, we apprehend is a mistake owing to the prejudice of education. It is impossible that the same measure, composed of the same times, should have a good effect upon the ear in one language, and a bad effect in another. The truth is, we have been accustomed from our infancy to the numbers of English Poetry, and the very sound and signification of the words dispose the ear to receive them in a certain manner; so that its disappointment must be attended with a disagreeable sensation. In imbibing the first rudiments of education, we acquire, as it were, another ear for the numbers of Greek and Latin Poetry and this being reserved entirely for the sounds and significations of the words, that constitute those dead languages, will not easily accommodate itself to the sounds of our vernacular tongue, though conveyed in the same time and measure. In a word Latin and Greek have annexed to them the ideas of the antient measure, from which they are not easily disjoined. But we will venture to say, this difficulty might be surmounted by an effort of attention and a little practice; and in that case we should in time be as well pleased with English as with Latin hex ameters. i the artist. We are unable to tell why such sounds affect us: they seem no way imitative of the passion they would express, but operate upon us by an inexpressible sympathy; the original of which is asinscrutable as the secret springs of life itself. To this excellence he adds another, in which he is superior to every other artist of the profession, the happy transition from one passion to another. No dramatic poet better knows to prepare his incidents than he: the audience are pleased in those intervals of passion with the delicate, the simple harmony, if I may so express it, in which the parts are all thrown into fugues, or often are barely unison. His melodies also, where no passion is expressed, give equal pleasure from this delicate simplicity and I need only instance that song in the Serva Padrona, which begins Lo conosco a quegl' occelli, as one of the finest instances of excellence in the duo. The Italian artists in general have followed his manner, yet seem fond of embellishing the delicate simplicity of the original. Their style in music seems somewhat to resemble that of Seneca in writing,. where there are some beautiful starts of thought; but the whole is filled with studied elegance and unaffecting affectation. Lully in France first attempted the improvement of their music, which in general resembled that of our old solemn chaunts in churches. It is worthy of remark in general, that the music of every country is solemu in proportion as the inhabitants are merry; or, in other words, the merriest sprightliest nations are remarked for having the slowest mu sic; and those, whose character it is to be melancholy,. are pleased with the most brisk and airy movements. Thus in France, Poland, Ireland, and Switzerland, the national music is slow, melancholy, and solemn; in Italy, England, Spain, and Germany, it is faster, propor 10 |