are extremely ill qualified for that service, because they fuperabound in fhort fyllables. Secondly, the bulk of our monofyllables are arbitrary with regard to length, which is an unlucky circumftance in Hexameter: for though custom, as obferved above, may render familiar a long or a short pronunciation of the fame word, yet the mind wavering between the two founds, cannot be fo much affected with either, as with a word that hath always the fame found; and for that reafon, arbitrary founds are ill fitted for a melody which is chiefly fupported by quantity: in Latin and Greek Hexameter, invariable founds direct and afcertain the melody: English Hexameter would be deftitute of melody, unless by artful pronunciation; because of neceffity the bulk of its founds must be arbitrary. The pronunciation is easy in a fimple movement of alternate long and fhort fyllables; but would be perplexing and unpleasant in the diversified movement of Hexameter verse. Rhyme makes fo great a figure in modern poetry, as to deferve a folemn trial. I have for that reafon referved it to be examined with deliberation; in order to discover, if I can, its peculiar beauties, and the degree of merit it is intitled to. The first view of this fubject leads naturally to the following reflection: "That rhyme having no relation to sentiment, nor any effect upon the ear other than a mere jingle, ought to be "banished all compofitions of any dignity, as affording "but a trifling and childish pleasure." It will alfo be obferved, "That a jingle of words hath in fome mea"fure a ludicrous effect, witness the double rhymes of "Hudibras, which contribute no fmall fhare to its drol 66 lery; that in a ferious work this ludicrous effect would "be equally remarkable, were it not obfcured by the "prevailing gravity of the fubject; that having howe "ever a conftant tendency to give a ludicrous air to "the compofition, more than ordinary fire is requifite "to fupport the dignity of the fentiments againft such "an undermining antagonist *. These * Voffius, de poematum cantu, p. 26. fays, "Nihil æque gravitati orationis officit, quam in fono ludere fyllabarum." Thefe arguments are fpecious, and have undoubtedly fome weight. Yet, on the other hand, it ought to be confidered, that in modern tongues rhyme has be come univerfal among men as well as children; and that it cannot have fuch a currency without fome foundation in human nature. In fact, it has been fuccefsfully employ'd by poets of genius, in their ferious and grave compofitions, as well as in those which are more light and airy. Here, in weighing authority against argument, the fcales feem to be upon a level; and therefore, to come at any thing decifive, we must pierce a little deeper. : Mufic has great power over the foul; and may fuccessfully be employ'd to inflame or footh paffions, if not actually to raise them. A fingle found, however sweet, is not inufic; but a fingle found repeated after intervals, may have the effect to roufe attention, and to keep the hearer awake and a variety of fimilar founds, fucceeding each other after regular intervals, muft have a still ftronger effect. This confideration is applicable to rhyme, which connects two verfe-lines by making them clofe with two words fimilar in found. And confidering attentively the musical effect of a couplet, we find, that it roufes the mind, and produceth an emotion moderately gay without dignity or elevation: like the murmuring of a brook gliding through pebbles, it calms the mind when perturbed, and gently raises it when funk, Thefe effects are scarce perceived when the whole poem is in rhyme; but are extremely remarkable by contrast, in the couplets that clofe the feveral acts of our later tragedies: the tone of the mind is fenfibly varied by them, from anguish, diftrefs, or melancholy, to fome degree of cafe and alacrity. For the truth of this obfervation, I appeal to the fpeech of Jane Shore in the fourth act, when her doom was pronounced by Glo'tter; to the fpeech of Lady Jane Gray at the end of the firft act; and to that of Califta, in the Fair Penitent, when the leaves the ftage, about the middle of the third act. The fpeech of Alicia, at the close of the fourth act of Jane Shore, puts the matter beyond doubt: in a scene of deep diftrefs, the rhymes which finish the act, produce a certain gaiety and chearfulness, far from according with the tone of the paffion; Alicia. Alicia. For ever? Oh! For ever! Oh! who can bear to be a wretch for ever! Having defcribed, the beft way I can, the impreffion that rhyme makes on the mind; I proceed to examine whether there be any fubjects to which rhyme is peculiarly adapted, and for what fubjects it is improper. Grand and lofty fubjects, which have a powerful influence, claim precedence in this inquiry. In the chapter of grandeur and fublimity it is eftablished, that a grand or fublime object, infpires a warm enthufiaftic emotion difdaining strict regularity and order; which emotion is very different in its tone from that infpired by the moderately enlivening mufic of rhyme. Suppofing then an elevated subject to be expreffed in rhyme, what inuft be the effect? The intimate union of the mufic with the fubject, produces an intimate union of their emotions; one infpired by the subject, which tends to elevate and expand the mind; and one infpired by the mufic, which, confining the mind within the narrow limits of regular cadency, and fimilar found, tends to prevent all elevation above its own pitch. Emotions fo little con cordant, cannot in union have a happy effect. But it is fcarce neceffary to reafon upon a cafe that never did, and probably never will happen, viz. an important fubject clothed in rhyme, and yet fupported in its utmost elevation. A happy thought or warm expreffion, may at times give a fudden bound upward; but it requires a genius greater than has hitherto exift ed, ed, to fupport a poem of any length in a tone elevated much above that of the..melody: Taffo and Ariosto ought not to be made exceptions, and still lefs Voltaire. And after all, where the poet has the dead weight of rhyme confiantly to ftruggle with, how can we expect an uniform elevation in a high pitch; when fuch elevation, with all the fupport it can receive from language, requires the utmost effort of the human genius? ་ But now, admitting rhyme. to be an unfit drefs for grand and lofty images; it has one advantage however, which is, to raise, a low fubject to its own degree of elevation. Addison * obferves, "That rhyme, without any other affiftance, throws the language off from profe, and very often makes an indifferent phrafe pafs unregarded; but where the verfe is not built upon rhymes, there, pomp of found and energy of expref"fion are indifpenfably neceffary, to fupport the tyle, "and keep it from falling into the flatnefs of profe." This effect of rhyme is remarkable in the French verfse, which, being finple, and in a good measure unqualified for inverfion, readily finks down to profe where not artificially fupported: rhyme is therefore indifpenfable in the French tragedy, and may be proper even in their comedy. Voltaire † affigns that very reafon for adhering to rhyme in thefe compofitions. He indeed candidly owns, that, even with the fupport of rhyme, the tragedies of his country, are little better than converfation pieces; which shows, that the French language is weak, and an improper drefs for any grand fubject. Voltaire was fenfible of this imperfection; and yet Voltaire attempted an epic poem in that language... The chearing and enlivening power of rhyme, is ftill more remarkable in poems of fhort lines, where the rhymes return upon the ear in a quick fucceffion; and for that reafon, rhyme is perfectly well adapted to gay, light, and airy fubjects: witness the following... O the pleafing, pleafing anguish. *Spectator, N° 285. Wishes + Preface to his OEdipus, and in his difcourfe upon tragedy, prefixed to the tragedy of Brutus. Wishes rifing, O the pleafing, pleasing anguish ! Rofamond, a. 1. fc. 2.. For that reafon, fuch frequent rhymes are very improper for any fevere or ferious paffion: the diffonance be tween the fubject and the melody, is very fenfibly felt : witnefs the following. Again: Ardito ti renda, T'accenda Di fdegno E'dolce ad un'alma Che afpetta Fra l'ile del cor. Metaftafio. Artaserse, að 3. ft. 3. Now under hanging mountains, Or where Hebrus wanders, Unheard, unknown, He trembles, he glows, Pope, Ode for Mufic, 1. 97. Rhyme is not lefs unfit for anguish or deep distress, than |