Here it is obvious that the poetry is cramped, being confined to one sort of measure; and that the prose is free, continually varying its musical measures, according to accent, emphasis, and the progress of the diction.

Dr. Burney says; "In applying music to words, it frequently happens that the finest sentiments and most polished verses of modern languages are injured and rendered unintelligible, by an inattention to prosody. Even the simple and plain rules of giving a short note to a short syllable, a long to a long; and of accentuating the music by the measure and natural cadence of the verse, which the mere reading would point out to a good ear and understanding, are but too frequently neglected.”

And again he says; "Let the most inventive composer try to set half a dozen Hexameters, Pentameters, pure Iambics, or any other verses that are in regular common or triple time, and he will soon find that no resources of melody are sufficient to disguise or palliate the insipid and tiresome uniformity of the measure; and for any thing like expression, we may as well expect to

Anapest; the 6th a Tribrach; the 7th a Dactyl; the 8th a Dactyl; and the 9th an Amphibrach.

The feet of the prose in the Bible translation are, the 1st a Spondee; the 2d an Anapest; the 3d a Dactyl; the 4th a Spondee; the 5th a Tribrach; the 6th an Amphibrach; the 7th a Dactyl; the 8tlı a Dactyl; and the 9th an Amphibrach.

In this manner any portion of the psalmodic scriptures may be scanned.

be affected by the mechanical strut of a soldier upon the parade. In other metres, where feet of different measures are intermixed, some variety is indeed acquired; but it is a misplaced variety, which, without obviating the tiresome effect of a confinement to two lengths of notes, adds to it that of an awkward and uncouth arrangement. The ear is fatigued with uniformity, where it requires change; and distracted by change, where it requires uniformity.”*

An English poet has comprised the general: character of parochial psalmody in one line, when he says that it is

"Coldly correct—and regularly dull.”

In reading poetry, particularly rhyming pootry, or hearing it read, the ear, however pleased it may be for some time, with the mechanical recurrence of the same measures, and the unisonous chimes of the rhyming syllables; by degrees loses that relish, then. becomes satiated with sameness, and finally quite fatigued; as the eye would be, by beholding the same object attentively for a length of time.

Were a person on horseback to ride a day's journey uniformly in a walk, (in musical language, in Spondees;) or in a trot, (in Proceleusmatics;) or in a canter, (in Dactyls;) he would be much

* Burney's History of Musie, vol. i. p. 84, 85.

more fatigued at night, than if he had used all those movements occasionally diversified. In like manner, a person is more fatigued by walking a few miles on a dead level road, than on one that is varied with curvatures, elevations, and depressions.

Possessing an endless variety of musical feet, occasioned by a strict adherence to accent and emphasis, prose has claims to a musical alliance, superior to what poetry can prefer. Fettered and manacled as poetry always is, it can but rarely avail itself of those advantages, which are continually accessible to prose; and it can seldom apply those rules which are indispensably necessary for promoting perspicuity, precision, strength, and harmony in its periods.

If perfect harmony is looked for, it may be found in the diction of the sacred scriptures; if the ear desires to be gratified with a continually varying modulation, let it listen to the poetic parts of the Book of Revelation. They are already so melodious, so full of musical variety, so abounding with harmony, that a change from their vernacular state into any other form, is both a degradation to their sound, and an injury to their

sense.

So melodious are all the poetical parts of the Old and New Testaments, that it is absolutely impossible for a Clergyman of taste and feeling, to read any one of them without annexing such va

rieties of intonation, as may entitle his perform. ance to be called a song of Zion. In reading them thus, the harmony of their sounds delights the ear, the divinity of the sentiments captivates the heart; and they appear to be what they really are, "the voice of God, and not that of a man.'

That the English language in its natural prosaic state is more harmonious than in an artificial and metrified form, and also better adapted to musical purposes, the compositions of Tallis, Bird, Pureel, Blow, Aldrich, Handel, Green, Kent, Boyce, Nares, Hayden, and of other great masters, are indubitable and permanent proofs. The most eminent composers of Europe have always made choice of prosaic subjects, in preference to verse, whereon to exert their musical talents; and they have but rarely condescended, unless at particular request, or for the sake of popularity, to write music for rhyme. From numberless volumes of prosaic music, I beg leave to mention two compositions only, "The Oratorio of the Messiah by Handel," and "The Oratorio of the Creation by Hayden," which alone were sufficient to prove the superior adaptation of prose to music; and that the English language, without being beholden to poetry, is sufficiently harmonious and vocal, to engage the ear, and elicit the energies of two of the greatest musicians that ever existed.

OBJECTION XV.

Chanting cannot be introduced into a church without the aid of a choir, and choirs generally monopolize the singing.

REPLY.

During the first three centuries, when the hand of bloody persecution was lifted up to exterminate the Christian name, no choral establishments could have been successfully undertaken; but when the Christians were favoured with the blessings of peace under the protection of Constantine and his son Constantius, choirs were established in all the principal churches of the empire, and several councils enacted laws for their regulation.*

The reason for commencing these choral establishments is thus given by Mr. Bingham: "In consequence of the decay or increasing imperfection in the performance, it became necessary to introduce the order of singers into the church. For when it was found by experience, that the negligence or unskilfulness of the people rendered them unfit to perform the service, without some persons more curious and skilful to guide and

Calmet's Dictionary.