OF SELBORNE. 29 



much surprised, and could not be persuaded 

 but that he was mocked by some boy ; but, 

 repeating his trials in several languages, and 

 finding his respondent to be a very adroit 

 polyglot, he then discerned the deception. 

 This echo in an evening, before rural 

 noises cease, would repeat ten syllables 

 most articulately and distinctly, especially 

 if quick dactyls were chosen. The last 

 syllables of 



" Tityre, tu patulae recubans " 



were as audibly and intelligibly returned as 

 the first : and there is no doubt, could trial 

 have been made, but that at midnight, 

 when the air is very elastic, and a dead 

 stillness prevails, one or two syllables more 

 might have been obtained : but the distance 

 rendered so Jate an experiment very incon- 

 venient. 



Quick dactyls, we observed, succeeded 

 best ; for when we came to try its powers 

 in slow, heavy, embarrassed spondees of 

 the same number of syllables, 



, " Monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens— -*' 



we could perceive a return but of four ox 

 five. 



