Blair Collection > Celtic researches, on the origin, traditions & language, of the ancient Britons

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kdgcd, and felt, such an affinity, in the works of their
poets, and orators.
It must, in truth, be perceived^ in fact, by those who deny
it in theory.
Of this correspondence, — the most admired, and sagacious
critics upon Homer, Virgil, Milton, and many others,
furnish us with copious examples. They all acknowledge
it, as a source of beauty, and of energy, in the works of these
masters, — though few of them have carried their speculations
so far, as to develop the element^ or principle, from which
it arises.
It cannot be ascribed, implicitly, or entirely, to an arti-
ficial arrangement of dacli/ls, and spondees ; for it \vill
frequently burst upon us, in the midst of a line, consisting
of pure Iambics, it is perceived in prose compositions,
and in single v/ords. It must, therefore, be rooted in the
powers of the letters, — in the choice of elementary sounds,
Avhich have some peculiarity- of relation to the intended
idea. And, if a combination of sounds, possesses a de-
scriptive energy, the elements, and principles of descrip-
tion must exist, in the individual sounds. A multiplica-
tion of mere cyphers, never can produce an efficient
sum.
The perception of such relations, is not an artificial sense,
resulting from the labours of critics, and of rhetoricians.
I never yet knew that schoolboy, who possessed one spark
of genius, that was not immediately roused, by the ma-
gical power of descriptive sounds^ in reading Ovid, or