courfe confifting most of the strongest Numbers and beft fort of Feet, fuch as the Dactyl, Spondee, Anapest, Molofs, Cretic, &c. regularly compacted, ftands firm and steady, and founds magnificent and agreeable to a judicious Ear. But a Difcourfe made up of the weakest Numbers, and the worst fort of Feet, fuch as the Pyrrhichee, Choree, Trochee, &c. is loofe and languid, and not capable with fuch Advantage to exprefs manly Senfe. It cannot be pronounc'd with eafe, nor heard with patience. The Periods of the Claffics are generally compos'd of the major part of the nobleft Numbers; and when they are forc'd to use weaker and worse-founding Feet and Meafures, they so carefully temper and ftrengthen 'em with firm and nervous Syllables on both fides, that the Imperfection is cover'd, and the Dignity of the Sentence preferv'd and supported.

S. 5. Ano

S. 5. Another Excellency nearly ally'd to this in thefe glorious Writers, is their fuiting the Contexture of their Difcourfe and the Sound of their Syllables to the Nature and Character of their Subjects. That is, they fo contrive and work their Compofition, that the Sound fhall be a Refemblance, or as Longinus fays, an Echo of the Senfe, and Words lively Pictures of Things. In defcribing the Loveliness of Beauty, and the Charms of Joy and Gayety, they avoid difagrecable Elifions; don't make the Discourse harsh by joyning Mutes, and coupling Letters that being united make a distastful and grating Sound: But by the Choice of the best Vowels, and the sweetest Half-Vowels, the whole Compofition is made fmooth and delicate; and glides with Eafinefs and Pleasure thro' the Ear.

In

In defcribing of a Thing or Perfon full of Terror, Ruggednels or Deformity, they use the worst-founding Vowels; and encumber the Syllables with Mutes of the roughest and most difficult Pronunciation. The Rushing of Land-Floods, the Roaring of huge Waters, and the Dafhing of Waves against the Shoars is imitated by Words that make a vast and boisterous Sound, and rudely clafh together.

The great Plato, who had a Genius for all manner of Learning, was difcourag'd from Poetry by reading that Verle in Homer, which fo wonderfully expreffes the Roaring of the Billows.

Ηιόνες βοόωσιν ἐρευγομένης αλὸς ἔξω..

Haft and Swiftnefs is figur'd by fhort Syllables, by quick and rapid Numbers. Slownefs, Gravity, &c.

e Iliad 17. y. 265.

by

by long Syllables, and Numbers ftrong and folemn. I fhall produce fome Inftances, and speak to 'em just as they come into my Thoughts, without any nicety of Method. Virgil, in his Account of the Sufferings of wicked Souls in the Regions of Punishment, fills the Reader with Dread and Amazement; every Syllable founds Terror; Awe and Aftonishment accompany his Majestic Numbers in that Paffage,

f

Tum fava fonare

Verbera, tum Stridor Ferri tracteque Catene.

The hiffing Letter repeated with broad-founding Vowels immediately following, the force and roughness of the Canine Letter fo often us'd, and thofe ftrong Syllables in the fecond third, and fourth Places, emphatical

f Æneid 6. . 558, c.

D

ly

ly express thofe dreadful Sounds. A Man of an Ear will, upon the repetition of 'em, be apt to fancy he hears the Crack of the Furies Whips, and the Rattling and Clank of infernal Chains. Those harsh Elifions, and heavy robuft Syllables in that Defcription of the hideous Cyclops, Monftrum horrendum informe ingens; naturally exprefs the enormous Bulk, and brutish fierceness of that mishapen and horrid Monster.

Our Spencer, one of the best Poets this Nation has bred, and whofe Faults are not to be imputed either to want of Genius or Care, but to the Age he liv'd in, was very happy and judicious in the Choice of his Numbers; of which take this Example, not altogether foreign or unparallel to that of Virgil just mention'd,

He heard a dreadful found, Which through the Wood loud bellowing did rebound.

And