PART. IV.

PROSODY.

PROSODY Confifts of two parts: the former teaches the true PRONUNCIATION of words, comprifing ACCENT, QUANTITY, EMPHASIS, PAUSE, and TONE; and the latter, the laws of VERSIFI

CATION.

CHAPTER I.

Of PRONUNCIATION.

SECT. 1. Of Accent.

ACCENT is the laying of a peculiar ftress of the voice, on a certain letter or fyllable in a word, that it may be better heard than the rest, or diftinguished from them: as, in the word prefúme, the ftrefs of the voice must be on the letter u, and fecond fyllable, fume, which take

the accent.

As words may be formed of a different number of fyllables, from one to eight or nine, it was neceffary to have fome peculiar mark to distinguish words from mere fyllables; otherwise speech would be only a continued fucceffion of fyllables, without conveying ideas: for, as words are the marks of ideas, any confufion in the marks, must cause the fame in the ideas for which they ftand. It was therefore neceffary, that the mind fhould at once perceive what number of fyllables belongs to each word, in utterance. This might be done by a perceptible paufe at the end of each word in speaking, as we form a certain distance between them in writing and printing. But this would make difcourfe extremely tedious; and though it

might render words diftinct, would make the meaning of fentences confufed. Syllables might alfo be fufficiently diftinguished by a certain elevation or depreffion of voice upon one fyllable of each word, which was the practice of fome nations. But the English tongue has, for this purpofe, adopted a mark of the eafieft and fimpleft kind, which is called accent, and which effectually answers the end.

Every word in our language, of more than one fyllable, has one of them distinguished from the reft in this manner; and fome writers affert, that every monofyllable of two or more letters, has one of its letters thus diftinguished.

Accent is either principal or fecondary. The principal accent is that which neceffarily diftinguifhes one fyllable in a word from the reft. The fecondary accent is that ftrefs which we may occafionally place upon another syllable, befides that which has the principal accent; in order to pronounce every part of the word more diftin&ly, forcibly, and harmoniously: thus, "Complaifant, caravan," and "violin," have frequently an accent on the first as well as on the last fyllable, though a fomewhat lefs forcible one. The fame may be obferved of " Repartee, referee, privateer, domineer," &c. But it must be obferved, that though an accent is allowed on the first fyllable of these words, it is by no means neceffary; they may all be pronounced with one accent, and that on the last fyllable, without the leaft deviation from propriety.

As emphafis evidently points out the moft fignificant word in a sentence; fo, where other reafons do not forbid, the accent always dwells with greatest force on that part of the word which, from its importance, the hearer has always the greateft occafion to obferve: and this is neceffarily the root or body of the word. But as harmony of termination frequently attracts the accent from the root to the branches of words, fo the first and most natural law of accentuation feems to operate lefs in fixing the stress than any other. Our own Saxon terminations, indeed,

with perfect uniformity, leave the principal part of the word in quiet poffeffion of what seems its lawful property; but Latin and Greek terminations, of which our language is full, affume a right of preferving their original accent, and fubject almost every word they beftow upon us to their own claffical laws.

Accent, therefore, feems to be regulated in a great meafure by etymology. In words from the Saxon, the accent is generally on the root; in words from the learned languages, it is generally on the termination; and if to these we add the different accent we lay on fome words, to diftinguish them from others, we feem to have the three great principles of accentuation; namely, the radical, the terminational, and the diftinctive. The radical: as, "Love, lóvely, lóvelinefs;" the terminational: as, "Hármony, harmónious;" the distinctive: as, "Convert, to convért."

ACCENT ON DISSYLLABLES.

Words of two fyllables have neceffarily one of them accented, and but one. It is true, for the fake of emphasis, we fometimes lay an equal stress upon two fucceffive fyllables; as, "Dí-réct, fóme-tímes ;" but when these words are pronounced alone, they have never more than one accent. The word "á-mén," is the only word which is pronounced with two accents when alone.

Of diffyllables, formed by affixing a termination, the former fyllable is commonly accented: as, Chíldish, kíngdom, ácteft, ácted, tóilfome, lóver, fcóffer, fairer, fóremoft, zealous, fúlnefs, meékly, ártist.”

Diffyllables formed by prefixing a fyllable to the radical word, have commonly the accent on the latter: as, “To befeém, to bestów, to return."

Of diffyllables, which are at once nouns and verbs, the verb has commonly the accent on the latter, and the noun on the former fyllable: as, "To cemént, a cément; to contract, a cóntract; to prefáge, a préfage."

This rule has many exceptions. Though verbs feldom have their accent on the former, yet nouns often have it

on the latter fyllable: as, "Delight, perfume." Those nouns which, in the common order of language, must have preceded the verbs, often tranfmit their accent to the verbs they form, and inverfely. Thus, the noun "water" must have preceded the verb "to wáter," as the verb "to correfpónd," must have preceded the noun "correfpóndent:" and "to purfúe" claims priority to "purfúit." So that we may conclude, wherever verbs deviate from the rule, it is feldom by chance, and generally in those words only where a fuperior law of accent takes place..

All diffyllables ending in y, our, ow, le, ifb, ck, ter, age, en, et: as, Cránny, lábour, willow, wállow;" except ❝allów, avów, endów, belów, bestów ;” “báttle, bánish, cámbric, bátter, coúrage, fásten, quíet ;" accent the former fyllable.

Diffyllable nouns in er, as, " Cánker, bútter," have the accent on the former fyllable.

Diffyllable verbs, terminating in a confonant and e final, as, "Comprífe, efcápe;" or having a diphthong in the last fyllable, as, "Appeafe, revéal;" or ending in two confonants; as, "Attend ;" have the accent on the latter fyllable.

Diffyllable nouns, having a diphthong in the latter fyllable, have commonly their accent on the latter fyllable; as, Appláufe;" except fome words in ain: as, “Cértain, cúrtain, moúntain.”

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Diffyllables that have two vowels, which are separated in the pronunciation, have always the accent on the first fyllable: as, " Líon, ríot, quíet, líar, rúin ;" except "create."

ACCENT ON TRISYLLABLES.

Trifyllables formed by adding a termination, or prefixing a fyllable, retain the accent of the radical word: as, "Lovelinefs, téndernefs, contémner, wággoner, phyfical, befpatter, cómmenting, comménding, affúrance."

Trifyllables ending in ous, al, ion: as, "árduous, cápital, mention," accent the first.

Trifyllables ending in ce, ent, and ate, accent the first. fyllable: as, "Coúntenance, cóntinence, ármament, ímminent, élegant, propagate;" unless they are derived from words having the accent on the laft: as, "Connívance, acquaintance;" and unless the middle fyllable has a vowel before two confonants; as, "Promulgate."

Trifyllables ending in y, as, "E'ntity, fpécify, liberty, victory, fubfidy,," commonly accent the firft fyllable.

Trifyllables in re or le, accent the firft fyllable: as, "Légible, théatre ;" except " Difciple," and fome words which have a prepofition: as, "Exámple, indénture." Trifyllables ending in ude, commonly accent the first fyllable: as, " Plénitude, hábitude, réctitude."

Trifyllables ending in ator, have the accent on the middle fyllable: as, "Spectator, creátor," &c.; except ❝órator, fénator, bárrator, légator."

Trifyllables which have in the middle fyllable a diphthong, as, "Endeavour;" or a vowel before two confonants; as, "Doméstic ;" accent the middle fyllable. Trifyllables that have their accent on the last syllable, are commonly French: as, "Acquiéfce, repartée, magazíne;" or they are words formed by prefixing one or two fyllables to a short fyllable; as, " Immatúre, overcharge.”

ACCENT ON POLYSYLLABLES.

Polyfyllables, or words of more than three fyllables, generally follow the accent of the words from which they are derived: as, " A'rrogating, continency, incóntinently, comméndable, commúnicablenefs."

Words ending in ator have the accent generally on the penultimate, or laft fyllable but one; as, "Emendátor, gladiátor, equivocátor, prevaricátor."

Words ending in le commonly have the accent on the first fyllable: as, " A'micable, défpicable:" unless the fecond fyllable has a vowel before two confonants: as, "Combústible, condemnable."

Words ending in ion, ous, and ty, have their accent on