Dr. Barnes on Poetry. 67 
all thefe different founds, to all the variety of 
metrical modulation.” In thefe lafb words, 
metrical modulation is fuppofed to be a neceffary 
adjunct to knowledge, and imagination. In 
another place, he lays, “ It is by the mufic of 
metre, that poetry has been difcriminated, in 
all languages.” And yet he had juft before faid, 
“ That, perhaps, of poetry, as a mental operation, 
metre ox mufic is no neceffary adjunct.” I am unwil¬ 
ling to draw any other inference from thefe paf- 
fages, than this, that, fuch is the difficulty of 
fettling with precifion the poetic effence, even 
Dr. Joh nson is inaccurate, and inconftftent. 
If, in order to avoid this charge, it be faid, 
that a diftindtion is made, between poetry, as a 
menial operation , and poetry, as an actual expref- 
fton of the thoughts in language , then it will 
follow, that a perfon may be a mental Poet, with¬ 
out being a pradlical one 3 becaufe he may pofiefs 
imagination, feeling, &c. without being able to 
exprefs thefe mental operations, in a proper 
manner. He may have poetical ideas, but not 
poetical file. And, exadlly in the fame fenle, a 
man might be an orator , or a painter , without 
being able to /peak in public, or to ufe the pencil. 
I beg leave to finifti the fubjedt, by a few 
oblervations on modulation of language, which 
have fuggefted themfelves, in the courfe of the 
foregoing fpeculations. 
F 2 
Different 
