to far as to fay, that Mr. Fofter would have us alter our accent in the pronunciation of our own language. But then I muft fay, that he would have us pronounce our own language by one accent, and the Greek language by another. If he does not mean this, he means nothing. And if he means this, he faith nothing against thofe who are not for pronouncing the Greek language according to accent. For all of them, by thir, mean the prefent modern acute accent, which carrieth fuch a ftrefs as makes the fyllable upon which it is laid, found long to the ear: and it is by this found that the ear judges of [meatures] quantity." Thus hath the learned and judicious Author of the second Differtation brought fufficient proof from ancient authorities, &c. that the acute accent implied quantity, or extenfion of found; and, perhaps, this method of proof is more fatisfactory than if he had entered into a philofophical difcuffion of founds, and proved, that elevation of voice muft neceffarily imply continuance of time. That, however, he might have done demon-" ftrably enough. He next proceeds to state the cafe of the debate concerning accentual pronunciation. "To form a juft notion of the true ftate of the debate between us, who are againft pronouncing the Greek language according to accents, and those who are for it, it will be neceffary to confider in what we agree, and in what we disagree.— Both fides allow the use of accents in the pronunciation of the Greek language. Both fides allow, that the elevation and depreffion of the voice are, in their nature, diftinct from the continuance of fuch elevation or depreffion; i. e. from quantity. [Here our Author feems to be inconfiftent with himself.]-Both fides allow, that each accent, confidered of itfelf, is capable of two modifications in point of time; and may be varied to the compafs of four or five notes. And both fides allow, that in pronouncing the Greek language accents are not to interfere with or fpoil quantity: but we differ in this: that we affert, that fo far as the argument from accent goes, our acute accent carrieth fuch a ftrefs with it, as makes every fyllable over which it is placed, found long to the ear, and fo fpoils the quantity: and Mr. Fofter afferts, that the acute accent ought, when it is placed over a fhort fyllable, to carry with it but half the ftrefs, or time, which it carries with it, when it is placed over a long one, and that by this the quantity would be preferved. "Now, upon this state of the debate, which is the only true one, it is very obvious to obferve, that by the acute accent we mean that accent which we moderns ufe in pronouncing our own anguage language, and which doth, in all cafes, found the fyllable over which it is placed, long; and that Mr. Foster means an accent. which is not in ufe with us. In relation, therefore, to the accent which we mean, and which we all ufe, I really cannot fee that there is any difference between us and Mr. Fofter, if he abides by the principles which he hath laid down, and the conceffions which he hath made. For he alloweth, that the accent we use, doth make all fyllables found long to the ear, and that if the voice is retarded in fome fyllables, by what caufe foever that delay be occafioned, there is truly and formally long quantity. But this is the very thing we contend for; and from which we ftrongly conclude, that the Greek language ought not to be pronounced according to accents, meaning our acute accent. As for those accents which Mr. Foster mentions, and which are to be lengthened or fhortened, we have nothing to do with them in the prefent debate. They are quite another thing. Whatever be comes of them, our pofition is proved upon this principle, which we both admit, viz. that our acute accent maketh all fyllables long, and that this fpoils the Greek quantity." Having thus ftated the cafe of the debate, and defended his own pofition, the Author proceeds to confider, that accent which Mr Fofter defends, and would fubftitute in the place of the modern Greck accent. "The accent of Mr. Fofter is to be high, quick to the fenfe, fharp, inftantaneous, and even when it is joined with a long fyllable, tho' the duration of the found be long, the power and effect of the acute is short and quick to the fenfe, occafioned by a high note fucceeding a low one, or rifing above the grave tone of voice; the perception of which tranfition is sudden and inftantaneous, before the continuance of the note is determined one way or the other, for long or short. And this, Mr. Fofter faith, he clearly perceives, and more clearly than he can perhaps exprefs. But men of common understandings will not, I am apt to think, clearly perceive what an accent this is; and much lefs will they be able to make any use of it in peaking. "To make out the former part of his defcription of the acute accent, Mr: Fofter hath fubjoined a long note, to fhew that us in its confequential figurative fenfe, fignifieth fometimes quick and hafty. But he might have fpared himfelf the trouble of proving what no body does or will deny. It will also be readily allowed, that gus, in its peculiar mufical fenfe, is used for an high tone, without any confideration of length. But then we must remember, what I mentioned before, that vocal utterance is not finging. And becaufe words, borrowed from mufic, are used to exprefs the tones of the voice in speaking, we are not not therefore to conclude, that they are to be taken in their original ftrict fenfe, when they are used in this way. For every thing that is mufical is not mufic; as every thing that is poetical is not poetry. "When Mr. Fofter faith, that tho' the duration of the found of the accent, when joined with a long fyllable, be long, the powerand effect of it is fhart, to me, and, I am apt to think, to every Reader, this is the fame as if he had faid, that though the found of it be long, yet the found of it is fhort. For I take it, that the found of the accent is the fame with the power and effect of it; or, however, that they are infeparable. A vowel that is followed by two half vowels, as in contemnit, the inftance produced by Mr. Fofter, is not, indeed, in ftrictness, so long, as if it were followed by two mute confonants; but still if it be in the order of long fyllables, the acute accent that is over it, or joined with it, cannot have both a long and a fhort found, but muft neceflarily be founded long throughout the whole body of the fyllable. "What makes Mr. Fofter's defcription of his accent the lefs intelligible, is, that he alloweth it to have one measure of time*. For, upon this, one cannot avoid afking, how an accent that hath one measure of time can, on the one hand, be quick, fhort, and inftantaneous? and, on the other hand, how the duration of the found of it can be long? For it fhould feem, that in the former cafe, it would not have one time; and in the latter, that it would have two times. And befides all this, if this acute of one measure of time, be placed over a long fyllable; as it will then reach and operate over but one half, and the firft half of it, what is to become of the remaining half? Is it to have no accent? Yes, it must certainly have fome accent. But this cannot be another acute. It must then be a grave, but an acute and grave over a long fyllable are a circumflex. "If in any other inftance I have miftaken the meaning of Mr. Fofter, I ought to produce fome excufe of my own. But in the prefent cafe, I do not apprehend there is any need of doing this. For I cannot but think, that my inability to comprehend his meaning, if I do not comprehend it, is fufficiently excufed by his confeffion of his inability to exprefs it." After thefe ftrictures on Mr. Fofter's definition of the accentual tone, the Author of the Differtation acknowleges, that the fubject is fill incumbered with difficulties, which he knows not how to remove, and thinks it better to make this acknowlege Effay, page 190. ment, ment, than with a profeffion of removing difficulties, to fuggeft what he cannot clearly exprefs. He then fums up, by way of corollary, the principal points he has had in view, viz. that the ear is the proper judge of founds; that the acute accent which we use, makes all fyllables with which it is joined, found long to the ear; and, therefore, the Greek language ought not to be pronounced according to it; because, by this every short fyllable that has an acute accent will found long. Having thus brought before our Readers the principal arguments on which this debate is founded, and reduced them within as short a compass as the nature of the thing would admit, we fhall difmifs the article with the following obfervations, which we recommend to the Difputants, and fubmit to the Public. It is obvious, that in all living languages the pronunciation is perpetually changing; and though cuftom is the jus et norma dicendi, yet in this there are continual innovations arifing from various caufes. The cant of foreigners, the jargon of mercantile conversation, and the mixture of provincial dialects, will overcome all the efforts of the learned to preferve the ufual accentuation of their language, and to keep it agreeable to nature and time. If we attend to the polyfyllables in our own language, we fhall find that numbers of them have changed their accent within the course of one century: for inftance, the words acceptable, corruptible, &c. are now ácceptable, córruptible, notwithstanding that this accentuation is inconfiftent with analogy and quantity. Numbers of inftances to the fame purpofe might be produced. And is it not to be fuppofed, that the fame caufes would produce the fame change of pronunciation in Greece, in fo long a period, as from the days of Homer to the seventh century? Is it not to be fuppofed, that the Greeks of the lower empire, in teaching foreigners their language, would place the accent agreeably to the pronunciation which then prevailed? and that this pronunciation muft differ widely from that of former times?-Hence, in fome measure, may arife that inconfiftency between the laws of quantity and the prefent mode of accentuation. Conclufion of the Compleat Hiftory of England. By T. Smollett, M.D. Vols. III. and IV. Article continued from page 256. N our introduction to the review of the two preceding vo Ilumes, we took notice of the many difficulties with which a 3 Writer བ་ - sce knows, that the first voEtone cacated to a certain Minifter, who aze the... ce popularity. Every one likewise. se mate of the public partiality in his favour. maschers, had tavithed encomiums on me & well to deserve applaute. But alas! to the but card is bitory, the patriot Statesman deCe e te be to the Historian. Under fuch cirbestbakora Wr.cer to maintain a proper were, and at the fame time preferve a due sites. Neverthelets, our Hittorian has acwas no hall degree of fkill and addrefs. He mors of the Minifter's conduct, and has correct the defcription of his character. He commized the contents of the Commons addrefs to F's Moby the year 1759, the Writer makes the following remaks Very great reafon, indeed, had his Majefty to be faced with an addrefs of such a nature from a Houfe of Commons, in which Oppofition lay ftrangled at the foot of the Minifter; in which thofe Demagogues, who had raifed themselves to reputation and renown, by declaiming against continental menfures, were become fo perfectly reconciled to the object of their former reprobation, as to cultivate it even to a degree of enthufiaim, unknown to any former adminiftration, and lay the nation under fuch contributions in its behalf, as no other M-y darft even meditate. Thus difpofed, it was no wonder they admired the moderation of their Sovereign, in offering to treat of peace, after above a million of men had perifhed by the war, and twice that number been reduced to mifery; after whole provinces had been depopulated, whole countries fubdued, and the victors themselves almoft crufhed by the trophies they had gained." Here it is obfervable, that to avoid any direct imputation on the Minitter's character, the Writer very artfully chooses to speak in the plural number: And he charges thofe Demagogues,' who had declaimed against continental measures, with the inconfittence of cultivating them to a degree of enthusiasm-An inconfittence for which one alone was refponfible. With the fame caution, he makes the following fpirited and ftriking reSections on the fupply granted for the year 1759. "On the whole, the fum total granted in this feffion of Parliament amounted to fifteen millions five hundred three thou. fand undred and fixty-three pounds fifteen fhillings and nine |