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articulate echo, till a young gentleman, who had parted from his 
company in a fummer evening walk, and was calling after them, 
ftumbled upon a very curious one in a fpot where it might Icaft be 
expected. At firft he was much furprifed, and could not be per- 
fuaded but that he was mocked by fome boy; but, repeating his 
trials in feveral languages, and finding his refpondent to be a very 
adroit polyglot, he then difcerned the deception. 
This echo in an evening, before rural noifes ceafe, would re- 
peat ten fyllables moft articulately and diftindly, elpecially it 
quick daftyls were chofen. The laft fyllables of 
" Tityre, tu patul^ recubans - - 
were as audibly and intelligibly returned as the firil : and there is 
no doubt, could trial have been made, but that at midnight, 
when the air is very elaftic, and a dead ftiilnefs prevails, one or 
two fyllables more might have been obtained ; but the diflance 
rendered fo late an experiment very inconvenient. 
Quick dadyls, we obferved, fucceeded beft ; for when we came 
to try it's powers in flow, heavy, embarafled fpondees of the 
fame number of fyllables, 
" Monftrum horrendum, informe, Ingens " 
we could perceive a return but of four or five. 
All echoes have fome one place to which they are returned 
flronger and more diftind than to any other ; and that is always 
the place that lies at right angles with the objed of repercufhon, 
and is not too near, nor too far off. Buildings, or naked rocks, re- 
echo much more articulately than hanging wood or vales ; becaufe 
in the latter the voice is as it were entangled, and embarafTed in 
the covert, and weakened in the rebound, 
Gg The 
