reality, only an elipfis of the participle paffive, combined with the auxiliary verb has or was) are both fpelt with t rather than d for its termination, which distinguishes thefe from the imperfect tenfe of the verb; and is, in reality, truer to the found. In general, where the Accent falls, with no more than its ufual force, in fuch words as fupreme, the old English Spelling, by the ea dipthong, prevails: otherwife when the Accent is enforced by a more folemn and peculiar pronunciation. The difference will be found in vóluble and volúbil where, with the different pofition in the verse, the Orthography, and the place itself of the Accent changes. The doubled confonant having the effect of indicating a fhort vowel, MILTON fpells folid, metal, &c, with the first confonant doubled. He doubtless thought it of lefs importance to point out a Latin derivation, in fignificant to to those who were not otherwife likely to be acquainted with it, than to mark and ascertain the pronunciation, which feems the prime duty of Orthography, whether in verse or profe; and in Verfe particularly, and fuch Verfe as MILTON's, to mark the most accurately timed, moft graceful, and advantageous pronunciation, Ther is particularly circumftanced and MILTON doubles this very peculiar confonant, as the Greeks do, to mark a more forcible and animated utterance. The s refembles it in this effect of doubling the letter, as may be eafily observed in the difference between was and glass. r, in termination, is very similar to the fhort i; when the voice refts a little longer upon it, ie will express its power better. better. Milton fpells in both ways, Glory, Majesty, and other words of that kind. I have endeavoured to preferve the analogy, fo as beft to indicate the time and cadence, when the last fyllable is short, as, by following a strongly accented fyllable, I have preferred y: where lefs fhort, ie has feemed preferable. It would be an affront, however, to any who are inclined to read Milton-an affront, of which they are very undeferving, to inform them, that I do not mean it as equivalent to the long e; the double e in our language, eta in the Greek, according to the obfolete and now childish or burlefque pronunciation, of which we have abundant inftances in our old English Ballads; and of which Shakespeare feems to have intended a ludicrous Example in his Prologue to that startling interlude in Hamlet. I mean only an indefinite and furd difference of time *. The e final is often in use by Milton: fometimes as the e feminine of the French; giving an infenfible prolongation; fometimes, feemingly, merely as diftinguishing a substantive in the plural from the third perfon fingular, contracted, of its verb. A w fometimes, where we should place an u, feems to reprefent a flower and fuller pronunciation; and ou, where we fhould write ow, a clofer and more contracted. This Analogy is not always kept in the original Editions: but, as it Χρονε άλογον διαφοραν, as the Greek Muficians and Grammarians (with them Grammar was a part of Mufic) would have confidered it. For us, and for our Tragedie, See Cibber's admirable Apology. b 2 has has its ufe, and is fuitable to the other differences adopted by MILTON, I have attempted to make that ufe more sensible and conftant. The late Dr. FRANKLIN, another illuftrious Friend, like MILTON, to Liberty, and the Progress of the human Mind; and, like him, active, as well as contemplative; energic as well as deep-feems to have confidered Orthography fome... what in a fimilar light; as the Guide to Pronunciation not the Slave of Etymology or Custom.. Thefe differences are the most material: others will occur, and be noted as they arife: and with differences that appear to have no fixed Principle, Obfervance, or Effect, I would not embarafs this Edition: I mean, that it should be a likeness of the revered original in every permanent, expreffive, characteristic feature; but not in every freckle, fcar, or cafual blemish. The Reader may expect rarely to find Emphafis marked in this Edition, except where the change of fpelling, originally adopted by the Poet, reprefents it. The fact is, marking the Accent will generally indicate the Emphafis: for Accent, Quantity, and Emphasis, though diftinct properties of speech, are intimately connected and in our language particularly; in which the Emphafis frequently affects the Time; and almost always the Accent, either by enforcing it, or changing it from grave to acute, or sometimes from the acute to grave; in which latter cafe, the remission of Tone is generally accompanied by a diminution of found. For the Piano, or pianif fimo often constitute Emphasis: not less than the Forte in its greatest intensity. Who Whoever has heard this of Isabella*, juftly pronounced, There fpake my Brother :...there my Father's Grave Did utter forth a voice, has felt this. The first four words, in a firm but complacent Tone, beginning with fome furprize, afcend gradually in the Forte, and those which follow, are in a grave Tone and low voice; with a rife only, and that moderate, on the second and third words of the fecond line. The purity and dignity. of the character, the filial veneration, the revival of fifterly Efteem-all depend for their expreffion in this admirable Paffage, on that Emphasis of sentiment, which has other reforts than loudnefs; and ean ftrike awe and fympathy to the Heart, by the remiflion of found, where its intenfity would deftroy, inftead of conveying Emphafis. And indeed this is often true of the fublime and the terrible; no lefs than of the melancholy and the tender, the affectionate and perfuafive. Emphafis, indeed, is merely relative to the place and circumftances of the word, claufe, or fentence on which it falls; the character, fentiment, fituation, and intention of the Speaker. It ufually raises accent, exalts the voice, and accelerates the tone; but it may require, for its effect, the contrary of all these, or of some of them only. And as to the leading Emphafis which characterizes a Speech, it has been well noticed that MILTON ufually gives the intimation of it by the Lines which precede; as in the Defcription which introduces the Speech of Moloch, of Belial, and of Satan, in the fecond Book: (that of Mammon the Reader had been enabled to anticipate by the first:)—and that *Meafure for Meafure, A& III. Scene 1. of of SIN-whose sharp and impaffioned outcry conveys the utterance to the Imagination fo ftrongly, that even in filence it seems to strike upon the ear. And in the first Book, the bold Words previously ascribed to the firft Speech, the quicknefs of Reply to the fecond, the Defpair (in the parenthetic Epiphonema) to the third, give the general Movement almost as distinctly as it is indicated at the head of a Piece of Mufic. My object is, to annex such Marks as may clear the way to a Reader of tafte, judgement, and feeling, from fuch ambiguities of Accent, Emphafis, or Cadence as, without fome appropriated Notation, will ever, in fome degree, embarafs the immediate Perception and Expreffion. To enter into the full Expreffion, and to convey it suitably to others, must be the province of each for themselves. For this reason, the Accents which govern entire Members of a Period, are not marked here: except only the Monotone; the very Effence of which confifts in its being claufular, and not confined to a single word: but the Accent marked over a particular Word often will suggest the leading Tone of a Clause, or entire Sentence. The fame remark will occafionally apply to the influence of the rhythmic Cadence, from its natural connection with the claufular Tone. And, indeed, as the Orthography has thus far been noticed, and modes of Printing which tend to affift the pronunciation and expreffion, it is impoffible not to think of Punctuation: another, and most material Article; in a Poem, which, of all others, requires and merits that its Pronunciation be facilitated, and the Principles of just utter ance |