"In the fame original connection of things refides the expreffion of mufic, or the irresistible tendency of the modulations of found to ftir and agitate the different paffions. Hence the afto nifhing effect afcribed to mnfic in ancient times, and the empire it ftill maintains, in a peculiar manner, over rude and unpolifhed nations. "A writer *, who exhaufts on his favourite science fo much ingenuity and learning, has affigned indeed other caufes for the empire of mufic among the antients, befides its intrinfic excellence. "I oppofe not fuch refpectable authority. But though the fcience of harmony is progreffive; though fimultaneous harmony, or mufic in parts, is entirely modern, yet the union of found and fenfe is an original union; and the most wonderful effects of that union are prior to the age of refinement. "The recitative in mufic, according to the obfervation of an exquifite judge *, is only a more tuneable fpeaking; it is a kind. of profe in mufic; its beauty confifts in coming nearer nature, and improving the natural accents of words by more pathetic and emphatical tones." "The scale of inufic in different countries is the fame; and all the variety of its expreffion throughout the earth forms but fo many dialects of one univerfal language as unalterable as the human paffions. "Such causes then, in the infancy of mankind, operating alone, or with litte aid, feemed to fupercede all motives to invention; while affairs, however, were gradually approaching towards a different stage. "Next to the impulfes of appetite, and the focial paffions, the talent of imitation difplays its force. Nor is this talent the gift of heaven to man alone. He fhares it in common with the creatures below him, fome of whom avail themselves of its exertions in the pursuit of their prey. That even the mufical notes of birds are not altogether innate, but rather acquired by imitation, is a propofition fupported by late obfervations. Yet in confequence of a predilection, not eafily explained, fimilar or kindred notes appear to be univerfally characteristic of the fame fpecies, varying only in different regions of the globe, like different dialects of the fame tongue. One fpecies of birds excels in imitation, and a variety of note; another in the perfection of mufical organs; and hence, by combining the peculiar excellencies of different fpecies, an inge nious naturalift has fuggested a method of improving upon the mu fic of the grove. "Among animals, however, the talent of imitation occurs more rarely, or is limited to a few performances, and these resorted to as an expedient, rather than as an ultimate end. "But the performances of man are confpicuous, and various, almost without bounds. He is prompted to imitation from a lɔve * Dr. Burney's Gen. Hift. of Mufic. + Congreve. Fff of of the effect, and exclufive of all reference to farther end, enters it into the lift of his pleasures. Often this fecondary pleasure exceeds the primary. And there are few, I imagine, who would reject an entertainment of this fort, on the fame principle with Agefilaus of Sparta. When invited to hear a performer who mimicked the nightingale to great perfection, the faftidious king replied, I have heard the nightingale herself.' The entertain ment might be unworty of a king; but it was declined, on a principle that forms an exception to the general tafte. And imita, tion may be justly called the first intellectual amufement congenial with our being in confirmation of which we might appeal to the first effays of infancy, to the taste for the imitative arts fo predominate in youth, and to the earliest compofitions of antiquity. Man alone is capable of imitating every creature, while he is, if I may fay fo, himself a creature which no other can pretend to imitate. In the indulgence then of this talent, he adopts, as it were, every mode of inftinet, and re-echoes every voice in the foreft. Even ftill life attracts his attention; and the application of the fame talent to every subject, renders him a master in expreffion, and ripens his genius while it exercises his mechanical powers. "Thus is he occupied in borrowing not only from his own fpecies, but in tranfcribing, for his amufement, the appearances of the natural and of the animal world; in collecting materials, without knowing their importance, and in laying with an active, though undefigning hand, the foundations of all arts and fciences. "This imitative faculty operates fo vigorously on the organs of fpeech, that in fome cafes found in general feems to become an object of imitation, without any particular archetype, Hence the mechanical trials of children in the easier expreffions, when their organs are incapable of other articulation. And hence the fame found run uniformly through all languages, to denote either parent, to whom the carliest expreffions are prefumed to be addreffed. "By fuch exertions are we rendered incapable of indicating, by intelligible figns, the more ftriking and familiar objects. But to give an addition compafs to the powers of fpeech was reserved for another principle allied to the former, and often undiftinguished in its operations, which may be denominated the analogical faculty, A faculty which has vaft power in binding the asfociations of thoughts, and in all the mental arrangements; but with whofe influence on language alone we are at present concerned, "Hitherto language confifted in the voice of inftinct, or was drawn by imitation from an actual fimilarity in the nature of things, Now analogical connections fupply the place of real refemblance. Now inftinct borrows aid from imagination; and it is the weakness of this principle which impofes the law of filence, and excludes all poffibility of improvement in the animal world. Here commences the reign of invention, and here perhaps we fhould ftop, and draw the boundary of art and nature. There is not an object that can prefent itself to the fenfes, or to the imagination, which the mind, by its analogical faculty, cannot affimilate to fomething antecedently in its poffeffion. By confequence, a term already appropriated, and in ufe, will, by no violent tranfition, be fhaped and adjusted to the new idea. And thus the divifion and compofition of the primary figns will constitute relations in found, correfpondent with those relations, real or imaginary, which fubfift among the objects of human knowledge. Thus the language of the Chinese confifts of a few words only, which, by a variation of tone merely, become the reprefentatives of all the ideas of that enlightened people. "This mode of proceeding is fo confpicuous in our first attempts, that it is with reluctance children adopt a word altogether new, fo long as they can affimilate the object to any of their former acquaintance. And it is wonderful to obferve with what promptitude, facility, and apparent ingenuity, they can draw fuch various expreffion out of their little ftore. It is accordingly no illiberal entertainment in presenting ftrange objects to their fight, to wait by way of experiment for their own conclufions, and to caufe them to diftinguish each by names of their own invention. This would be, perhaps, no improper exercise in training their infant faculties; and it feems to have been upon the fame principle that the first of mankind, at the defire and with the approbation of his Creator, was able to name fo readily all the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven. "Many fubfequent innovations in language may be traced up to the fame fource; and figns apparently the most arbitrary are either the refult of fome more refined connection, or are fe. parated from their primitives by a longer chain of analogy. 66 By this power the fame natural fign, befides its primary, admits of a fecondary, and even of various import; and what originally denoted an outward object, is by a certain fubtlety of apprehenfion transferred to the qualities of the mind. Thus language becomes figurative; and, without any extenfion of the vocabulary, takes in the compafs of our intellectual ideas. It is this principle likewife which conducts the fame fign from the individual to the fpecies, and by the frequent application of it, on fimilar occafions, confers on it a larger and a larger import, till at last it acquires a general acceptation, without any painful or laborious effort. "This process of the mind accounts for the generation of all the different parts of fpeech, as might be fhewn more particularly in the rife of that effential constituent of language, which by reafon of its importance is denominated the verb. Sermons, by Hugh Blair, D. D. one of the Minifters of the High Church, and Profeffor of Rhetoric and Belles Lettres in the University of Edinburgh. vol. 2d. 5s. 8vo. fewed. Cadell. [Continued from page 295.] As we find nothing to reprehend either in Dr. Blair's style or fentiments, we shall conclude our account of this fecond volume of his fermons with the following extract from the tenth Difcourfe on Candour. "Let us begin with obferving what a neceffary requifite it is to the proper difcharge of all the focial duties. I need not spend time in fhowing that these hold a very high rank in the Christian fyftem. The encomium which the Apoftle in this chapter bestows upon charity, is alone fufficient to prove it. He places this grace at the head of all the gifts, and endowments, which can be poffeffed by man; and affures us that though we had all faith so that we could remove mountains, yet if we be deftitute of charity, it will profit us nothing. Accordingly, love, gentleness, meekness and long fuffering, are enumerated as diftinguishing fruits of the spirit of Chrift. But it is impoffible for fuch virtues as thefe to find place in a breast, where the propenfity to think evil of others is predominant. Charitable and candid thoughts of men are the necessary introduction to all good will and kindness. They form, if we may fpeak fo, the only climate in which love can grow up, and flourish. A fufpicious temper checks in the bud every kind affection. It hardens the heart, and eftranges man from man. What friendship or gratitude can you expect from him, who views all your conduct with distrustful eyes, and afcribes every benefit you confer te artifice and stratagem? The utmost which you can hope from one of this character, is juftice in his dealings; nor even that can you be affured of; as the fufpicions to which he is a prey will afford him frequent pretexts for departing from truth, and for defending himfelf with the fame arms which he conceives to be employed against him. Unhappy will they be who are joined with him by any close connexion; expofed to every malignant fufpicion which arifes in his own mind, and to every unjuft fuggeftion which the matice of others may infinuate against them. That store of poifon which is collected within him frequently throws out its venom on all who are within its reach. As a companion, he will be fevere and fatirical; as a friend, captious and dangerous; in his domestic fphere, harfh, jealous and irafcible; in his civil capacity, feditious and turbulent, prone to impute the conduct of his fuperiors to improper motives, and upon loose information to condemn theit conduct. "The contrary of all this may be expected from a candid temper. Whatever is amiable in manners, or ufeful in fociety, na *Galat. v. 22, 23. turally 1 turally and easily ingrafts itself upon it. Gentleness, humanit and compaffion flow from it, as their native fpring. Open avv cheerful in itself, it diffuses cheerfulness and good-humour over all who are under its influence. It is the chief ground of mutun confidence and union among men. It prevents thofe animofities from arifing which are the offspring of groundless ́prejudice; or, by its benign interpofition, allays them when arifen. In the magiftrate, it tempers juftice with lenity. Among fubjects it promotes good order and fubmiffion. It connects humanity with piety. For he who is not given to think evil of his fellowcreatures, will not be ready to cenfure the difpenfations of his Creator. Whereas the fame turn of mind which renders one jealous ahd unjuft towards men, will incline him to be querulous and impious towards God. "In the fecond place, as a fufpicious, uncharitable spirit is inconfiftent with all focial virtue and happinefs, fo, in itfelf, it is unreasonable and unjust. In order to form found opinions concerning characters and actions, two things are especially requifite, information and impartiality. But fuch as are most forward to decide unfavourably, are commonly deftitute of both. Inftead of poffeffing, or even requiring, full information, the grounds on which they proceed are frequently the most flight and frivolous. A tale, perhaps, which the idle have invented, the inquifitive have liftened to, and the credulous have propagated; or a real incident which rumour, in carrying it along, has exaggerated and disguised, fupplies them with materials of confident affertion, and decifive judgment. From an action they prefently look into the heart, and infer the motive. This fuppofed motive, they conclude to ble the ruling principle; and pronounce at once concerning the whole character. "Nothing can be more contrary both to equity and to found reafon, than fuch precipitate judgments. Any man who attends to what paffes within himfelf, may easily difcern what a compli cated fyftem the human character is, and what a variety of circumstances must be taken into the account, in order to estimate it truly. No fingle inftance of conduct whatever, is fufficient to determine it. As from one worthy action, it were credulity, not charity, to conclude a perfon to be free from all vice; fo from one which is cenfurable, it is perfectly unjust to infer that the author of it is without confcience, and without merit. Did you know all the attending circumstances, it might appear in an excufable light; nay, perhays, under a commendable form. The motives of the actor may have been entirely different from thofe which you afcribe to him; and where you fuppofe him impelled by bad defign, he may have been prompted by confcience and mistaken principle. Admitting the action to have been in every view criminal, he may have been hurried into it through inadvertency and furprise. He may have fincerely repented; and the virtuous principle may now have gained its full vigour. Perhaps this was the corner of frailty; the quarter on which he lay open to the incurfions |