"_Angels_, for ye behold him, and with Song.

And again,

"_Fountains_, and ye that warble as ye flow.

Nov. 27. 1736.

_I am_, SIR, _&c._




LETTER IX.


_SIR,_

To reply to the Opinion that _Vossius_ has given in favour of _French_
Verse compared with _English_, I would observe in the first Place that
what the _French_ call Heroick Verse, is the very worst Sort of Verse
that can be contriv'd. If the Excellence of Verse consists chiefly in
varying the Pause, as I have shewn it does in the _Latin_, and could
do the same in the _Greek_ and other Languages; what must be thought
of that Sort of Versification in which the Pause is most strictly
preserv'd in the same Place in every Line, be it for 10 or 20 thousand
together, especially in Verses of 12 Syllables? Perhaps an
_Englishman_ may not be a very proper Person to make this Objection to
_French_ Verse: I will therefore produce the Opinion of several of
their own Writers.