it converses with them. To sentient natures, this is a pleasure; but it converses with them at the greatest distance, and must necessarily increase this pleasure. For what can be more agreeable than the commerce of communication with distant objects? but how is this agreeableness heightened, by its being kept long in action, and that too without being tired or satiated with its proper enjoyment? 221. The same holds in melody, that was observed to take place with respect to significancy; that a falling off at the end is always injurious to the object which the speaker has in view. For this reason, particles, pronouns, and little words, are as ungracious to the ear, at the conclusion, as we formerly shewed they were inconsistent with strength of expression. (Art. 176, 177, 178, and 179.) Obs. The sense and the sound have here a mutual influence on each other. That which hurts the ear, seems to mar the strength of the meaning; and that which really degrades the sense, in consequence of this primary effect, appears also to have a bad sound. Example. How disagreeable is the following sentence of an author, speaking of the Trinity! It is a mystery, which we firmly believe the truth of, and humbly adore the depth of." And how easily might it have been mended by this transposition! "It is a mystery, the truth of which we firmly believe, and the depth of which we humbly adore." Corol. In general, it seems to hold, that a musical close, in our language, requires either the last syllable, or the last but one, to be a long syllable. Words which consist mostly of short syllables, as contrary, particular, retrospect, seldom conclude a sentence harmoniously, unless a train of long syllables, before, has rendered them agreeable to the ear. 222. Sentences, so constructed as to make the sound always swell and grow towards the end, and to rest either on a long or a penult long syllable, give a discourse the tone of declamation. The ear soon becomes acquainted with the melody, and is apt to be cloyed with it. If we would keep up the attention of the reader or hearer, if we would preserve vivacity and strength in our composition, we must be very attentive to vary our measures. Illus. This regards the distribution of the members, as well as the cadence of the period. Sentences constructed in a similar manner, with the pauses falling at equal intervals, should never follow one another. Short sentences should be intermixed with long and swelling ones, to render discourse sprightly as well as magnificent. Even discords properly introduced, abrupt sounds, departures from regular cadence, have sometimes a good effect. Monotony is the great fault into which writers are apt to fall, who are fond of harmonious arrangement and to have only one tune or measure, is not much better than having none at all. A very vulgar ear will enable a writer to catch some one melody, and to form the run of his sentences according to it. This soon proves disgusting. But a just and correct ear is requisite for varying and diversifying the melody, and hence we seldom meet with authors, who are remarkably happy in this respect. 223. Though attention to the music of sentences must not be neglected, yet it must also be kept within proper bounds for all appearances of an author's affecting harmony, are disagreeable; especially when the love of it betrays him so far, as to sacrifice, in any instance, perspicuity, precision, or strength in sentiment, to sound. (Example 1. Art. 206.) Illus. 1. All unmeaning words, introduced merely to round the period, or fill up the melody, are great blemishes in writing. They are childish and puerile ornaments, by which a sentence always loses more in point of weight, than it can gain by such additions to the beauty of its sound. 2. Sense has its own harmony, as well as sound; and where the sense of a period is expressed with clearness, force, and dignity, the words will almost always strike the ear agreeably; at least, a very moderate attention is all that is requisite for making the cadence of such a period pleasing: and the effect of greater attention is often no other, than to render composition languid and enervated. 3. After all the labour which Quinctilian bestows on regulating the measures of prose, he comes at last, with his usual good sense, to this conclusion: "Upon the whole, I would rather choose that composition should appear rough and harsh, if that be necessary, than that it should be enervated and effeminate, such as we find the style of too many. Some sentences, therefore, which we have studiously formed into melody, should be thrown loose, that they may not seem too much laboured; nor ought we ever to omit any proper or expressive word for the sake of smoothing a period."* 4. Cicero, as we have elsewhere observed, is one of the most remarkable patterns of a harmonious style. His love of it, however, is too visible; and the pomp of his numbers sometimes detracts from his strength. 5. That noted close of his, esse videatur, which, in the oration Pro Lege Manilia, occurs eleven times, exposed him to censure among his contemporaries. We must observe, however, in defence of this great orator, that in his style there is a remarkable union of harmony with ease, which is always a great beauty; and if his harmony were studied, that study appears to have cost him but little trouble. 6. Among our English classics not many are distinguished for musical arrangement. Milton, in some of his prose works, has very finely turned periods; but the writers of his age indulged a liberty of inversion, which would now be reckoned contrary to purity cf style; and though this allowed their sentences to be more stately and sonorous, yet it gave them too much of a Latinised construction and order. 7. Of English writers, Lord Shaftesbury is, upon the whole, the most correct in his numbers. As his ear was delicate, he has attended to music in all his sentences; and he is peculiarly happy in this *"In universum, si sit necesse, duram potiùs atque asperam compositionem malim esse, quam effeminatam ac enervem, qualis apud multos. Ideòque, vincts quædam de industria sunt solvenda, ne laborata videantur; neque ullum idoneum aut aptum verbum prætermittamus, gratiâ lenitatis." Lib. ix. c. 4. respect, that he has avoided the monotony into which writers, who study the grace of sound, are very apt to fall, and has diversified his periods with great variety. 8. Addison has also much harmony in his style; more easy and smooth, but less varied than Lord Shaftesbury. Sir William Temple is, in general, very flowing and agreeable. Archbishop Tillotson is often careless and languid; and is much outdone by Bishop Atterbury in the music of his periods. Dean Swift despised musical arrangement altogether. Burke excels in harmonious periods. Johnson's style is generally pompous, sometimes lofty, and always Latinised. Corol. Hitherto we have considered agreeable sound, or modulation, in general. It yet remains to treat of a higher beauty of this kind; the sound adapted to the sense. The former was no more than a simple accompaniment, to please the ear; the latter supposes the peculiar expression given to the music. We may remark two degrees of it; first, the current of sound, adapted to the tenour of a discourse; next, a particular resemblance effected between some object, and the sounds that are employed in describing it. 224. First, the current of sound may be adapted to the tenour of a discourse. Sounds have, in many respects, a correspondence with our ideas; partly natural, partly the effect of artificial associations. Hence it happens, that any one modulation of sound continued, imprints on our style a certain character and expression. Illus. Sentences, constructed with the Johnsonian fulness and swell, produce the impression of what is important, magnificent, sedate; for this is the natural tone which such a course of sentiment assumes.But they suit no violent passion, no eager reasoning, no familiar address. These always require measures brisker, easier, and often more abrupt. And, therefore, to swell, or to let down the periods, as the subject demands, is a very important rule in oratory. No one tenour whatever, supposing it to produce no bad effect from satiety, will answer to all different compositions; nor even to all the parts of the same composition. It were as absurd to write a panegyric, and an invective, in a style of the same cadence, as to set the words of a tender love-song to the air of a warlike march. Corol. What is requisite, therefore, is, that we previously fix in our mind a just idea of the general tone of sound which suits our subject; that is, which the sentiments we are to express, most naturally assume, and in which they most commonly vent themselves; whether round and smooth, or stately and solemn, or brisk and quick, or interrupted and abrupt. 225. But, besides the general correspondence of the current of sound with the current of thought, there may be a more particular expression attempted, of certain objects, by means of resembling sounds. This can be sometimes accomplished in prose composition; but there only in a more faint degree; nor is it there so much expected. In poetry, chiefly, it is looked for; when attention to sound is more demanded, and where the inversions and liberties of poetical style give us a greater command of euphony. CHAPTER X. RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN SOUND AND SENSE-INVERSION. 226. THE sounds of words may be employed for representing, chiefly, three classes of objects; first, other sounds; secondly, motion; and, thirdly, the emotions and passions of our mind. Illus. Though two motions have no connection, yet in many particulars they may be said to have a resemblance. The motions of a vortex and a whirlwind are perfectly similar. All mankind have felt the analogy between dancing and music. All quick, or slow, or difficult motions, though performed in different circumstances, and by different agents, may in loose phraseology be said to resemble one another. Spoken language is a collection of successive and significant sounds, uttered by the speaker; composition is a certain series of those sounds, indicated by a particular sign to each, (Art. 37.) which can be run over by the reader; and it is obvious, that the motion of the voice of the speaker or the reader may resemble most other motions, at least in the general properties of quickness, slowness, ease, or difficulty. This is the foundation of the resemblance, that takes place between the sound and the sense, in the construction of language. 227. Words or sentences consisting chiefly of short syllables, and of course pronounced with rapidity, bear an analogy to quick motion, and may fairly be said to form a resemblance of it; as, impetuosity, precipitation. Example. Virgil describes a horse at full gallop, in the following pieturesque line. "Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula campum.” Example 2. The same author paints the rapid flight of a pigeon hastening to her nest. "Radit iter liquidum celeres neque commovet alas." 228. The English heroic verse affords not a proper picture of quick motion. It is limited to ten syllables, while the hexameter may extend from thirteen to seventeen. The hexameter acquires this advantage by the admission of five feet of dactyles, which throw into the line a large proportion of short syllables; and the preceding lines of Virgil are pertinent examples. The English heroic verse cannot augment the number of its syllables, and preserve its measure. The only resource left to our poets in this case is, to employ an Alexandrine line, consisting of twelve syllables. Ilus. Pope has frequently adopted this expedient, but with little success; for of all the poetical lines we have, the Alexandrine is perhaps the slowest, as it consists generally of monosyllables, which, to be understood, must be slowly pronounced. This was Pope's own opinion; for he observes, in his Essay on Criticism, that "A needless Alexandrine ends the song, And like a wounded snake drags its slow length along." Example. But Pope, notwithstanding, makes use of this verse to describe quick motion. "Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er th' unbending corn, and skims along the main." Analysis. It is probable, that this great poet sacrificed, on this and some other similar occasions, a portion of his own taste to gratify the public ear. He was conscious the verse was faulty, but perhaps concluded, that many of his readers would take for a beauty, what was really a blemish; that those who could discern the error, would discern also the proper apology for it; or would allow him, when he could not imitate a quick motion, to approach it as near as possible, by substituting in its place the continuance of a slow one. 229. A word consisting of long syllables, or a sentence of monosyllables, may resemble solemn, harsh, or difficult motion; as, forewarn, mankind. Example 1. Thus Pope, in his Essay on Criticism, "But when loud surges lash the sounding shore, The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar." Example 2. Again, "With many a weary step, and many a groan, Up the high hill he heaves a huge round stone." Analysis. The last line possesses uncommon beauty; for, besides that the words are all monosyllables, which renders a pause necessary after each of them in the pronunciation, the artful repetition of the aspiration paints very forcibly the loss of breath under which Sisyphus might be supposed to labour from the violent exertion of his force. This circumstance is not in the original, which also possesses extraordinary merit. Homer fixes his attention on the muscular exertions and the motions of Sisyphus. He has, however, the advantage of his translator, by the superiority his language gives him, in contrasting the slow and difficult motion upwards, with the rapid and furious motion downwards.* 230. Pope employs again the Alexandrine to describe the motion downward. Example. "The huge round stone, resulting with a bound, Thunders impetuous down, and smokes along the ground." 231. Easy or smooth motion may be painted by a succession of soft and harmonious sounds. *The lines in the original run thus: “ Και μην Σίσυφον εἰστεῖδον κρατέρ' αλεγε έχοντα |