to that degree of resemblance which we conceive
to subsist betwixt the Original and the Copy[5]." By Harmony he
understands not the numbers or measures of poetry only, but that music
of language, which when it is justly adapted to variety of sentiment or
description, contributes most effectually to unite the pleasing with the
instructive[6]. This indeed seems to be the opinion of all the Ancients
who have written on this subject. Thus Plato says expressly, that those
Authors who employ numbers and images without music have no other merit
than that of throwing prose into measure[7].

[Footnote 3: +Eoikasi de gennesai men holos ten Poietiken, aitiai
duo kai autai phusikai. To mimeisthai sumphuton tois anthropois+,
&c. +Kai Harmonia kai ruthmos ex arches hoi pephukotes pros auta
malista kata mikron proagontes egeinesan ten Poiesin;+ Arist. Poet.
c. 4.]

[Footnote 4: The Reader of curiosity may see this subject
particularly discussed in Dacier's Remarks on the Poeticks of
Aristotle, c. 4.]

[Footnote 5: +Ha gar auta luperos horomen, touton tas eikonas tas
malista ekribomenas, chairomen theorountes, hoitines thereon te
morphas ton agriotaton kai nekron+, &c. Poet. c. 4.]

[Footnote 6: +Ta gar metra hoti moiron ton ruthmon esti, phaneron.+
Ub. sup.]

[Footnote 7: +Rhuthmon men kai schemata melous choris logous psilous
eis metra tithentes.+ The persons who do this, he compares to
Musicians. +Melos de au kai ruthmous aneu rema{ton} psile kitharixei
te kai aulesei proschromenoi.+ Plat. de Legib. Lib. XI.]

You will no doubt be of opinion, my Lord, upon reflecting on this
subject, that Poetry was originally of an earlier date than Philosophy,
and that its different species were brought to a certain pitch of
perfection before that Science had been cultivated in an equal degree.
Experience informs us on every occasion, that Imagination shoots forward
to its full growth, and even becomes wild and luxuriant, when the
reasoning Faculty is only beginning to open, and is wholly unfit to
connect the series of accurate deduction. The information of the senses
(from which Fancy generally borrows her images) always obtains the
earliest credit, and makes for that reason the most lasting impressions.
The sallies of this irregular Faculty are likewise abrupt and
instantaneous, as they are generally the effects of a sudden impulse
which reason is not permitted to restra