4« 



Latin ratio ; an argument, that well applies to all the fantaftic attempts of 

 different verfe-makers, in different ages, to bend and compel their own 

 tongues to the profody of the Greek and Latin ; a praftice that can- 

 not be more feverely reprehended, or in more dignified language, than 

 in the words of Scaliger on another occafion ; " Hebraifmus, Syriafmus, et 

 " Arabifmus, nullo modo ad metrorum Graecorum aut Latinorum regulam 

 " revocari poffunt ; etiara fi coelum mari mifceatur." (^Scalig, in Chron, 

 Eufeb.^ Writers of this fort have not even the merit of novelty, and 

 the example of the fweet-tongued Ovid, who knew what his own lan- 

 guage was capable of bearing, full as well as any monk whatever, 

 might have taught them a better leffon. 



We have now taken a large view of the queftion. And furely 

 there mufl: be fomething ftrikingly natural in this fpecies of harmony, 

 when all nations, howfoever diftinft and unknown to each other, how- 

 foever differing in the form and llrufture of their language, not only 

 concur in the adoption of the rhime, but apply it, as the faireft grace and 

 ornament of their poetry ! It mud poffefs a charm fweeter than any 

 note in mufic: for we find certain enlightened nations, that have a talle 

 for mufic, and even excel in it, decry and ridicule the mufic of other 

 countries. The Chinefe, whofe ear undoubtedly is more harmonioufly 

 con{tru<aed than ours, treat European mufic with contempt, declaring 

 they cannot comprehend it. We return the compliment ; yet neither 

 ridicules the rh'me of the other, or underflands not its application. I 

 (hall jufl obferve, that with their arms, the defcendants of Timur-lenc 

 carried into India the language and poetry of the PerCans : yet the 

 Indians had their poets long before the time of Timur-lenc, par- 

 particularly Mir RImfr, on whofe poetry, compofed wholly in rhime, 

 not only the Indians, but all the orientals fet the higheft value. The 

 Indian Mahometans, however, entertain fuch refpeft for their prophet, 

 who taught the Perfians a better verfification, that they ufualiy com- 

 pofe in Perfic : and if they do write in Hinduoi, ftill obfervant of the 

 rhime, adapt it to the Perfic ftntaure. Thus, the fun of poetry, that 

 rofe in the eaft, Hill pours its kiftre on the world, illumining all with 

 the rays of rhime ; and fliould it again be eclipfed by barbarifin, its 



fpicndors will fet in the weft. 



Whoevtr 



