died, and were translated into the vtnnacular langrnao-c. 

 Though some of these denizens w^ere admitted without ne- 

 cessity, and only through a blind veneration for the dig- 

 nity of polysyllables; they added something to the expres- 

 sion, as Avell as to the harmony 'and variety of the lan- 

 guage. A lively Italian writier* -has niode a remark, Avhich, 

 though singular, appears to be jwst; that the translation 

 of the Bible is the test and standard of the language in 

 England, while the standard in Italy is the Decameron of 

 Boccacio. The consequence of this, in England, was im- 

 portant. The vulgar tongue having become the vehicle of: 

 religion, was regarded, not only with national partiality, 

 but with pious reverence. Even at this day, amidst the 

 great improvements of our language, the old translation 

 of the Bible is read with pleasure, and strikes us with its 

 energy and beauty. This shews us, in the effects of the 

 Reformation, how much the progress of the arts may de- 

 pend on the political circumstances of the country. 



I find, this historical induction has betrayed me into 

 great prolixity; I shall therefore desist, and adduce, in 

 confirmation of what I have already offered, two or three 

 striking and unquestionable facts, from the general state 

 and history of the ;^?!e arts, which strongly shew their de- 

 pendance on the political circumstances of the country. 

 The first fact is, that the English have no. peculiar strains 

 of national melody, like the Scotch, the Welsh, the Irish, 



the 



* Algarotti. 



