§ 1128. We not unfrequently meet with rhymes in Hebrew poetry: thus the two subdivisions of the first clause of a verse rhyme together in Is. 10: 6. 53: 6., and those of the last in Is. 1: 9. 44: 3. 49: 10. Ps. 458.; the two principal clauses of the verse rhyme in Prov. 6:1, 2. Job 6: 9. Is. 1: 29., and in such case the number of words in each is sometimes the same, as in Ps. 72: 10.; and even three rhymes are to be found in a single verse, as in Is. 1: 25.,

.All such resemblances, how . וְאֶצְרֹף כַּבֹּר סְגָיִךְ וְאָסִירָה כָּל־בְּדִילָיִךְ

ever, appear to have occurred without design, with perhaps the exception of the answer of Samson, in Judg. 14:18.,

§ 1129. Taking therefore into consideration all the facts of the case, we feel warranted in coming to the conclusion, that although the close correspondence in meaning which exists between verses and clauses of verses, together with a certain feeling of euphony, have given rise to a similarity in their structure and occasionally in their sound, the Hebrew poet never submitted to dictation with regard either to the number of words or syllables in his verses, or to their endings.

§ 1130. The poetry of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as that of the modern nations of both Europe and Asia, probably bore in their origin a character analogous to that of the Hebrews; but, not content with the internal harmony and fitness of the sense, they sought to establish as an essential attribute of poetry, the external harmony of sound; and in so doing, went so far as to require not only a certain number of syllables in each line, but also a regular and often complicated alternation in the quantity of these syllables, to which was afterwards added the additional ornament of rhyme. Thus we see that metre and rhyme, although their sytematic use is of a comparatively modern date, are to be regarded not as a novel invention altogether without analogy in the practice of the nations of remote antiquity, but only as a more highly developed form of that which is to be found in the Hebrew Scriptures themselves, the oldest intelligible writings in existence. The fine ear of the Greeks appears to have led them first of all to investigate the principles of versification, and to reduce them to certain fixed rules; from this nation the art was borrowed by others, and variously modified to suit the genius of their respective languages. But the Hebrew, as long as it remained a living tongue, preserved in its poetical compositions that originality and simplicity of character which so eminently distinguish its etymological and syntactical structure.

CHAPTER II.

CONSECUTION OF ACCENTS.

§ 1131. In that portion of the work which treats of Orthoëpy and Orthography (Chap. V.), we gave a summary view of the powers of the accents, and of their relative strength as disjunctives and conjunc. tives with regard to their office as signs of interpunction. At the same time we expressed our opinion as to their original design, namely, that they were not intended exclusively either to regulate the pauses of discourse or to determine the mode of cantillation; but that while the former purpose was their principal one, the latter resulted from it as a natural development (§ 47, note). We are now about to discuss their various uses and their consecution; but before entering into details, we will state more fully our views touching their introduction into the orthography of the language.

§ 1132. After the Masorites, or those whoever they were who established the existing orthographical system, had provided each word with the signs of its correct form and pronunciation as considered in itself, and had divided the Hebrew Bible into the portions called verses, there still remained two objects to be accomplished: these were, 1. to furnish the means of distinguishing the several thoughts intended to be conveyed by the combination of words in a verse, i. e. of ascertaining what words belong together in a clause, and are consequently more or less separated from the rest, which constitutes their logical relation; and, 2. to direct the voice in reading or reproducing the words as a living language, showing where to pause and where to hasten onwards, where to depress and where to elevate the tone, agreeably to their rhythmical relation. These different uses of the accents explain the reason of their number as well as of the variety and intricacy of their powers and consecution; at the same time causing us to admire the completeness and symmetry of an orthographical system which determines the exact relation of each part of the sentence to the rest from beginning to end.

§1133. Language, the production of the soul through the agency of the organs of speech, is not a mere succession of articulate sounds or words expressed objectively by the voice, but is dependent in the very

act of its enunciation on the subjective influence of the soul, which controls and modifies the voice in various ways, imparting life and harmony to rational speech. Hence it can never become spiritless and monotonous, but always exhibits in its modulations a variety which while it assists the understanding is pleasing to the ear. This variety is found to exist in two principal particulars, viz. in quantity and in quality the variety in quantity consists in sometimes pausing on a word, and sometimes passing with rapidity from one to another; that in quality is caused by an alternate depression and elevation of the tone. These two elements of vocal modulation form, as we have said, the animating principle of discourse and of rhetorical delivery, which by an increase in degree become heightened into declamation and recitative.

§1134. The modulation of the voice is governed as to quantity chiefly by the logical, and as to quality by the rhythmical relation; although the latter, be it remembered, is always to be considered as subordinate to and a necessary developement of the former. Thus, when the speaker has completed the enunciation of a thought, he naturally makes a pause, partly to indicate the fact to his auditor, and partly to take breath for what he has further to say; while in uttering words which convey an intelligible idea only through their connection with others which follow them, the speaker shows the dependent nature of these intermediate words by pronouncing them with rapidity in order to arrive at the conclusion of the phrase. But while the alternate stopping and hastening onwards of the voice is thus mainly produced by the logical relation of the words composing a sentence, there naturally arises a rhythmical relation in the sounds, which affects their quality : thus, when the speaker pauses on completing a thought, he involuntarily elevates his voice, and lays a stress on the final word, before allowing it to sink into a pause; while in that part of the sentence where the close logical connection of the words causes them to be pronounced rapidly together, the voice, which has no opportunity of raising itself, remains comparatively low.

§ 1135. But besides its quality, the rhythmical relation also affects the modulation of the voice with regard to quantity, thus interfering in some measure with the effect of the logical relation. In this way it determines the length of the pauses, so that they may not be too long or too short to please the ear; and also regulates the velocity of the voice between the pauses, preventing it from advancing either too rapidly or too slowly. Moreover, when the logical relation of the words would 42

VOL. II.

require a succession of pauses, it hinders the voice from satisfying this demand at the expense of euphony, by varying their strength and duration, so that while the principal one receives the emphatic stress, the rest remain comparatively weak; and on the other hand, when a number of words logically connected should be pronounced in rapid succession, which would produce a monotonous effect, the rhythmical relation precludes such a result, by giving to some of them a minor pause and consequently a slighter elevation of the voice.

§1136. This wave-like movement of the voice, this alternate increase and decrease of rapidity and force, is perceivable not only in each clause or combination of words, but also in every word or combination of syllables; so that, as a pause and consequent elevation of the voice is made on the final word of a clause, while the rest are pronounced rapidly together and in a lower tone, in like manner one syllable of a word consisting of several is dwelt on and elevated above the rest, although in a minor degree. Thus we see the same principles pene. trating the whole of discourse, and regulating the relative velocity and strength of tone of its minutest parts.

§ 1137. But this modulation of the voice, which serves to render discourse intelligible and harmonious, would necessarily be lost in written language, did not the system of orthography include signs for its representation. In our modern languages the logical relation only of the periods and principal clauses is indicated by written signs, while the connection of the members of a clause with each other as well as the rhythmical relation, on which depends the elevation and depression of the voice on certain words and syllables, is left to be ascertained from their logical relation.* In Hebrew the case is different: here the accentual system, produced and regulated by the conjoint influence of the logical and rhythmical principles, designates not only the principal pauses of a sentence, but also those of its minutest subdivisions, at the same time indicating the exact degree of stress to be laid on each word and even pointing out the syllable which is to receive it; and this gives to Hebrew orthography a minute accuracy and completeness of which no other language can boast.

It should however be remarked, that it is only in some of these languages, as for instance the German, where the root takes the accent, that the tonesyllable of a word is determined by its logical relation to the rest; while in those of the south of Europe for example, the rhythmical principle alone or for the most part regulates the accent.

1138. As at the end of each verse the thought is regarded as completed, and the voice accordingly after rising emphatically sinks into a pause, the last word always receives the principal pause-accent, Cilluk(); and in a long period including several clauses, the last word of each is accompanied by a disjunctive accent, which indicates its logical relation to the rest, and separates it from those which follow. Again, as these clauses have different logical relations to each other, some being more or less complete in themselves than others, and consequently more or less separated from the following, so too their accompanying disjunctives are of corresponding degrees of strength, and separate the verse according to the logical relation of its several parts into major and minor divisions.

§ 1139. This dividing of the verse however into clauses of various degrees of logical relation to each other, and the consequent use of the several disjunctive accents, are not determined by the logical relation alone, so that a given relation will always be denoted by the same accent wherever it may occur. On the contrary, the rhythmical principle even here exerts its influence, causing each clause to be accented according to its relative degree of completeness; so that a clause which in one verse is considered as separated from the following one in the strongest manner, is in another held to be much less so, because viewed in connection with others which are still more complete in themselves. Hence, as the employment of the several disjunctive accents is regulated by the comparative completeness of the clauses to which they are applied, it follows that their separating power, like the temporal value of the notes and rests in music, is entirely relative.

§ 1140. To the combined operation of the logical and rhythmical principles may also be ascribed the fact that some clauses of a verse are divided absolutely, i. e. only according to their logical relations, and others relatively, i. e. in dependence on the former. Thus, as we have seen, each verse is absolutely divided from the following one, and its final word receives the greatest disjunctive accent. If the verse be short, containing only a simple statement, its clauses are divided relatively, i. e. they receive their disjunctive accents with relation to the last. If however the verse comprise two distinct statements, the concluding word of the first one receives the second disjunctive accent Athnahh(); and the preceding clauses are made relative to this, and receive their minor disjunctives accordingly. Again, if the verse com. prise three independent clauses, the first receives C'gholta (*), and the preceding clauses are accented relatively to it. Into more than three