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for nothing fo much contributes to change the form of a language as 

 iranjlation, which neceffarily carries with it many of the idioms and modes 

 of phrafe peculiar to its original ; and whofe multiplied transfufions mufh 

 in the end deftroy the charafter of any tongue. But the poetry of 

 England appeared to little advantage till about the beginning of the 

 thirteenth century, when the language, then almoft wholly Saxon, but 

 now incorporating with the Norman, firfl began to flrike root. For, as 

 the civil wars of France, and other troubles, had for a long time impeded 

 the advancement of the French language ; the espullion by the Saxons 

 of the old Britons to a corner of the ifland, followed by the barbarous 

 jnvafion of the Danes, and afterward of the Normans, fufpended the 

 progreflion of Englifli poetry, in a degree that can hardly be conceived. 

 Such indeed had been the miferable flate of Englifh verfe, if that may 

 be called verfe, whofe fcanfion at once defies and fliocks the ear, that 

 for feveral centuries the language itfelf cannot be faid to have had exigence, 

 at leaft for any literary purpofe. In vain therefore ftiall we feek for the 

 rhime, where there was almoft no verfe at all. Add to this, the early 

 Saxons did not rhime what little poetry they had, the inflected call of 

 their language, like that of Greece and of Rome, not favoring the 

 correfponding clofe. But when its involutions had unfolded themfelves 

 into a more fimple and fettled order, then we fee their poetry embrace 

 the rhime. So that its abfence in the early Saxon verfe proves only, 

 that the ftrufture of their poetry at that period refilled it : but, the im- 

 pediment removed, that their verfe fell naturally into rhime. Contrary 

 therefore to a great authority,* the Saxons did not " imitate" their 

 neighbours, but yielded as of neceflity to the final harmony, impofed by 

 the temperate order of their verfe. Still however, the Englifli verfe, 

 like the imbued veffel, retains a ftrong timflure of the Saxon tranfpoCtive, 

 and while it receives the rhime, abounds in more inverfions than any 

 other of the polifhed European tongues. 



To 



* Doftor Samuel Johnfon. 



