our Monosyllables: A Person not at all prepossessed in favour of our
Language.

"The _English_ Language, besides the most significant Words borrowed
from the _Latin_, _Greek_, &c. and often shortned, hath a vast Stock
of its own, and being for the most part Monosyllables, no Speech is
capable of expressing Thought in Sounds so few as the _English_ does:
This is easily observed by the Translations of the _English_ into
Foreign Languages.

"The Strength and Conciseness that Monosyllables (especially in
Verbs) produce, are of wonderful Use in Lyrick Poetry, because they
Enter into any Foot or Measure of Verses, by different
Transpositions; so that I dare venture to assert, there is no
_Italian_ or Foreign Song, which _English_ Words will not suit; the
Variety of Feet and Metres producing equal Variety of Mode and
Movements in Composition. The want of this is what makes the
_French_ vocal Musick so confined and uniform; for I cannot
recollect above two of their Verbs in use in the infinitive Mood,
that are Monosyllables, and not one exact Dactile in all their
Polysyllables."
_Röner_'s Preface to his _Melopeïa Sacra_.

Sept. 13. 1736.

_I am_, SIR, _&c._