Letters Concerning Poetical Translations / And Virgil's and Milton's Arts of Verse, &c.

by William Benson

[page 69]

LETTER VIII.

SIR,

I

T has been said by several Persons, especially by Foreigners, that there is no such thing as Measure or Feet, or long and short Syllables in English Words. This Mistake, I believe, is chiefly owing to Vossius, who has advanc'd it in his Treatise De Poematum Cantu, &c. As also, that the French Language is more fit for Heroick Verse than the English. To examine one or both of these Points will be the Subject of this Letter.

That our Language does not abound with Dactyls and Spondees is very true; but that we have Words enough which are perfect Iambick and Trochaick Feet is very certain, and this naturally makes our Verse Iambick.

Divine, Attend, Directs, are as perfect Iambicks as any Latin Words of two Syllables, and so are most of our Monosyllable Nouns with their Particles.

The Lord, The Man, The Rock. Every one must perceive that in all these Words, the last Syllable strikes the Ear more than the first, or, in other Words, the last is longer than the first, which is all that makes an Iambick Latin Foot.