And fo true are thefe obfervations, for it is to nature we muft trace 

 this univerfal harmony, that the moft unpoliflied nations of the world, as 

 well as the mofl civilized, adopt the rhime as a conftituent part of their 

 poetry : for every nation hath its poetry and its rhythm, from the war- 

 fong to the amatory ode : and without this rhythm, it would ceafe to be 

 poetry. " Tollas compofitionem et partium varietatera, fimul quoque tol- 

 las pulchritudinem : tollas rhythmum, frafta et fine viribis crit oratio." 

 Vojfius. Mofl; of the American tribes, of which we have any knowledge, 

 make the rhime an eflential part in their fongs : though Father Lafitau 

 {Mceurs des Sauvages, Tom. 2.) fays that the rhime or teleutic mufic does 

 not enter the rhythm of the Hurons and Troquois. But though I would 

 not argue, a pojfe, ad ejfe, I think it highly probable, the learned father 

 might have been miftaken, through his want of a thorough and perfeft 

 acquaintance with the language of thefe Savages ; the polifhed European 

 ear not always being able to difliinguifti, aHfi&u^, the juft pronunciation of a 

 barbarous tongue ; and fliill lefs, to fix the correfponding founds in their pro- 

 per places. And this obfervation is ftrengthened by Mr. Carver, who, after 

 premifmg, that " as the Indians are not acquainted with letters, it is very 

 " difficult to convey with precifion the exad found of their words^' g;ives 

 us one of the hunting fongs of the Naudowefjies, a tribe clofely bordering 

 on the Hurons, and which, fpeaking a language ufed on folemn occafions 

 by the Hurons and Troquois themfelves, viz. the Chipeway, do rhime 

 their verfe. The writer then gives us this fong : 



" Meoh accoowah efhtaw paatah negufhtarvgaw (hejah menah. Tongo wakon meoh 

 " wa(hta, paatah acboowah. Hopiniyahie oweeh accooyee meoh, woflita patah otoh to- 

 " hinjoh meoh teebee." 



Though Mr. Carver has not noted the rhimes, the academy cannot fail 

 to obferve them, notwithflianding the frequent recurrence of the fame or 

 fimilar founds, may not allow us Europeans to determine their fpecific 

 places. Which is thus tranflated, as litterally as the genius of the two 

 languages will admit. 



B 2 Ere 



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