University of Virginia Library

SECT. IV.

Doubts concerning the Number of Syllables of certain Words.

There is no Language whatsoever that so often joyns several Vowels together to make Dipthongs of them as ours; this appears from our having several compos'd of three different Vowels: as EAU, and EOU in Beauteous: IOU in Glorious, UAI in Acquaint, and several others.

Now from hence may arise some Difficulties concerning the true Pronunciation of those Vowels: Whether they ought to be founded separately in two Syllables, or joyntly in one.

The Ancient Poets made them sometimes of two Syllables, sometimes but of one, as the Measure of their Verse requir'd ; but they are now become to be but of one, and it is a fault to make them of two: From whence we may draw this general Rule;

That whenever one Syllable of a Word ends in a Vowel, and the next begins by one, provided the first of those Syllables be not that on which the Word is accented; those two Syllables ought in Verse to be contracted and made but one. Thus Beauteous is but of two Syllables, Victorious but of three, and it is a fault in Dryden, to make it of four, as he has done in this Verse:

To prove that this Verse wants a Syllable of its due Measure, we have but to add one to it, as,

Where tho' the Syllable now be added to the Verse, it has no more than its due number of Syllables, which plainly proves the other wanted it.

But if the Accent be upon the first of these Syllables, they cannot be contracted to make a Dipthong, but must be computed as two distinct Syllables: Thus Poet, Lyon, Quiet, and the like, must always be of two Syllables: Poetry and the like, of three.

And it is a fault to make Riot, (for Example,) but of one Syllable, as Milton has done in this Verse.

And the same Poet has in another place made use of the same Word twice in one Verse, and made it of two Syllables each time.

And any Ear may discover that this last has its true Measure, the other not.

But there are some words that may be excepted; as Diamond, Violet, Violent, Diadem, and perhaps some others, which though they are accented upon the first Vowel, are sometimes us'd but as two Syllables, as in the following Verses,

Milt. Tate. Cowl. Cowl.

Sometimes three; as,

Blac. Gar.

But this Contraction is not always made of Syllables of the same Word; for the Particle A being plac'd after a Word that ends in a Vowel, will sometimes admit of the like Contradiction: For Example, after the Word Many; as,

Dryd. Dav.

After To; as

Cowl.

After They; as,

Cowl.

After By; as,

Cowl.

And perhaps after some others.

There are also many other Words whose Syllables are sometimes contracted, sometimes not: As Bower, Heaven, Prayer, Nigher, Towards, and many other of the like nature: But they generally ought to be us'd but as one Syllable; and then they suffer an Elision of the e that preceedes their final Consonant, and ought to be written thus: Pow'r, Heav'n, Pray'r, &c.

The Termination ISM is always us'd but as one Syllable; as,

Cowl. Dryd.

And, indeed, considering that it has but one Vowel, it may seem absurd to assert that it ought to be reckon'd two Syllables; and yet in my Opinion, those Verses seem to have a Syllable more than their due Measure, and would run better if we took a Syllable from them; as,

Where griefly Schism, raging Strife appear,
I Rhumatisms send to rack the Joynts.

But this Opinion being contrary to the constant practice of our Poets, I shall not presume to advance it as a Rule for others to follow, but propose it only to the consideration of such as are better Judges of Poetical Numbers, and whose Ears are more Musical than mine. The like too may be said of the Terminations ASM and OSM.