And

yet there is hardly one Reader in ten Thousand, who would fit down to recite a Tragedy, or Epic Poem, with that Eafe and Placidity of Countenance he would naturally wear, in repeating a Paragraph in a common News-paper. The Lines drawn up in Rank and File, with a capital Initial at the Head of each, look formidable, and feem to demand a peculiar Degree of Sound and Energy.

Hence it is that we fee, on these Occafions, the very Features of the Reader affume a new Form; an Air of consequential Gravity fettles on his Brow, his Cheeks fwell, and his Lips, forming the Os magna Sonaturum, project with all the ridiculous Importance imaginable.

Will it be objected, that “if Verse were "to be recited like Profe, with a strict "Attention to the Senfe of the Author, "and a very flight one to the Numbers; "the Harmony of those Numbers would "be loft?". By no Means. Preserve the Senfe, and depend on it all the true Harmony will be preserved with it.

By true Harmony, I mean that only which is confiftent with Propriety; the moft flowing Numbers lofing all their Ef

fect,

fect, if they do not properly accompany

the Sense of the Words *.

In Profe, the Harmony of the Periods neceffarily accompanies this Sense, as it is conftituted by the natural Succeffion or Combination of the Accents or Emphafist of the several Words compofing such Periods. In like manner, in reading Poetry, if the Numbers interfere with the Harmony of the Period, there is a Defect in the Compofition: For though the Harmony of profaic Periods is different, or will admit of greater Latitude and Variety, than those of Poetry; yet the Laws of Diction require that the Senfe and Meaning of the Writer fhould be confiftent with both †.

On

* Smoothness, or an eafy Flow of Stile, is but one Species of this Harmony, which does not confift in the fimple Melody of Sound; but in the Accordance of the Sound and Sense of every Period. The Numbers therefore must be smooth or rough, mild or vehement, quick or. flow, as the Subject varies and requires.-This Matter is confidered more at large in the following Sheets.

+ With regard to the Monotony which attends the Repetition of Couplets, where the Senfe and Sound keep' Time exactly together; it is made much more disagreeable than is necessary, by the Neglect of the Poets to introduce that Variety of Numbers of which the Couplet is capable

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On the Whole, as it would be doing the greatest Injuftice to the Poets, to make Nonfenfe of their Writings, because they have not been always fo happy as to make the Sound echo to the Sense; fo it would be paying a very bad Compliment to their divine Art, to pretend that, in reciting Poetry, it is at any Time neceffary to facrifice Senfe to Sound *.

capable. Our most harmonious and correcteft Poets have fallen into this Neglect; and particularly Mr. Pope, whofe Verses are for the moft Part compofed of Hemiftics, which neceffarily occafion a moft unneceffary Homotony But of this hereafter.

*If indeed the Sound is the better of the two, as is not unfrequently the Cafe with the minor Poets, it may not be improper to neglect the worst: It being a Matter of 'very little Importance how Nonfenfe is recited.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

The Analysis of SPEECH.

SECT. I. Of Speech in general.

THE Art

HE Art of Reading confisting in a just and unaffected Imitation of natural Speech, it is expedient to enter first into a fhort Analysis of the Subject imitated : At least, so far as the Relation it bears to the imitative Art is concerned.

Speaking may, with Propriety, be di ftinguished into vocal and Jentimental, agreeable to the two diftinct Parts of its Compofition, Sound and Senfe: The former immediately refpecting the Matter, or common Subject of Speech in general the latter regarding the Significancy and Energy of particular Languages.

SECT. II. Of the vocal Part of Speech.

The vocal Part of Speech, confifts in a diftinct Succeffion of articulate Sounds or Voices, which being intended to exprefs and communicate our Affections or Ideas, muft,

C 2

muft, to that End, be neceffarily uttered with Precifion, and Energy.

Now, it is not only impoffible for us to fpeak with Energy and Precifion (in other Words, to make ourselves clearly underftood) by a regular Succeffion of uniform and unvaried Sounds *; but it is equally impoffible for the Organs to utter more than a certain Number of those articulatë Sounds, without making fome Reft or Paufe in the Pronunciation.

As there are alfo fome Sounds more emphatical, or expreffive of more forcible Affections or Impreffions than others, fo the Voice will either dwell longer on those

* The Ear cannot be long pleased with one and the fame Sound continued, nor different Impreffions be made upon the Soul by the fame Motions and Percuffions of the Air : ! Therefore Nature, or the Reason of Things, has inftructed the Voice in every Language not to move by uniform Sounds.

Let us pronounce, for Inftance, the ten following Syllables with one perpetual, Tenor of the Voice, unchanged alike in Tune or in Accent,

مممد

Be what you will so you be still the fame, and they will appear like furd and unmeaning Sounds.

SAY, on the Harmony, Variety and Power of Numbers:;

Sounds,