166 =“ Whether Music is necessary to the Orator,— 
universal character of this syllable called by us the “ accent,” 
was that of elevation or acuteness. 
Remarks.—Notwithstanding the closest investigation of this 
“ accent,”’ it was found impossible to analyse the causes of its 
deviation from its general character; such deviation depending 
to all appearance rather on the mere circumstance of modula- 
tion, or perhaps of habit, than on the nature of the existing sen- 
timent or sentence. Its predominating genius is, for the present, 
sufficiently delineated in that passage which J have already set 
for the reader’s perusal in your Magazine for May ; and which 
passage shall be repeated in the subsequent part of this article. 
Other examples, in due time, may follow. 
Were it now demanded, whether an accentual language like 
the Greek or Roman, or a non-accentual language like our own*, 
(I speak not of Euphony, in which we are infinitely excelled by 
both,) is better calculated for expression ? I would not hesitate 
to declare in favour of the modern; and for this obvious reason— 
The fewer the shackles, the greater the latitude for the per- 
former. Let it not however be understood that I would yield 
the preference to our own, or indeed to any other modern lan- 
guage as generally spoken by the respective people of this or of 
any other country: on the contrary, with all their accentual 
shackles, I would prefer the ancient Greek, and perhaps the 
Roman too, as certainly possessing much more of grace and 
dignity, with an equal if not superior susceptibility of ex- 
pression, 
To form an adequate estimation of the dignity and expression 
of the ancient languages, which were intentionally destined for 
national characteristics, it would be indispensably necessary to 
recite a certain number of original passages, agreeably to the ac- 
knowledged outlines of accent and quantity; or, in other words, 
of tone and of time ;—and to compare them, so recited, with a 
certain number of our own: but this arduous task, which the 
powers of a Catalani or a Braham, combined with oratorical 
judgement, could with difficulty achieve, not being accomplish- 
able by any ordinary musician, even if all the necessary signs 
were previously invented,—we must content ourselves, on the 
" present occasion, with a comparative exhibition of some certain 
passage in our native tongue; and this rather as an object of 
literary curiosity than a decisive instance of Greek or Roman 
preeminence. 
Let us suppose then, that in exemplification of our English 
* The particles with which our language abounds must render all at- 
tempts at regular accentuation unavailing. Our general modulation is go~ 
verned, in a great degree, by necessity, not choice, 
ee ; . usage, 
