Of vivacity as depending on the arrangement of the words. passive voice hath been given already, in the second example. I shall here observe, that in one passage of scripture, our translators, by not attending to this small circumstance, that the import of the passive verb lies in the participle, have, without necessity, not only given up the emphatical arrangement, but, in order to be literal, have copied a figure, which, though forcible in the original, is, in the place assigned it in the translation, rather unnatural and insignificant, The passage alluded to is this: "Another angel fol"lowed, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great "city *."-Here, as it was the event itself that chief * Rev. xiv. 8. Gr. Επςσεν, επεσε Βαβυλων, ή πολις ή μεγαλη. Αδ the expression is taken from Isaiah xxi. 9. the same order is found All the Latin translations that. נפלה בבל נפלה ,in the Hebrew 66 I have seen, have followed the same order. Cecidit, cecidit Ba. "bylon, urbs, illa magna." Le Clerc and Saci, in the French, both agree with the arrangement in the English. "Babylone est tom"bée; elle est tombée; cette grande ville." Beausobre's version, in that tongue is rather better, as it comes nearer the order of the words in the Greek. He begins with the pronoun, and puts the name after the verb. "Elle est tombée, elle est tombée, Baby"lone la grande ville." This, I believe, is as near the original as the idiom of the French will permit. In the Italian, Diodati hath preserved entirely the vivacity resulting both from the disposition of the words, and the reduplication of the verb, and hath given the passage that turn which the English interpreters might and should have given it: "Caduta, caduta e Babilonia la gran citta." It is evident that in this matter the Italian allows more liberty than the French, and the English more than the Italian. The truth of this observation will appear more fully afterwards. ly occupied the angel's mind, the verb in the Greek with great propriety begins the proclamation: Again, as it was an event of so surprising a nature, and of such mighty consequence, it was natural to attempt, by repeating the word, to rivet it in the minds of the hearers, ere he proceeded any further. The words is fallen, in our language, answer to the single word by which the verb is expressed in the original. Our translators were sensible they could not say, " Is fal"len, is fallen, Babylon that great city." This could convey no meaning, being neither affirmation nor interrogation, hypothesis nor wish. For this reason they have preferred the colder arrangement, prescribed by grammarians, though by so doing they have also lost the effect of the reduplication. A little at tention to the genius of our tongue would have shown them, that all the effect, both of the order and of the figure, would have been preserved by saying," Fal 66 len, fallen, is Babylon, the great city †." OFTEN a particle, such as an adverb or preposition belonging to a compound verb (for it matters not in Somewhat similar is the admirable example we have in this passage of Virgil, Me, me, adsum qui feci, in me convertite ferrum. Æn. L. ix. The emphasis here is even the stronger, that the pronoun so happily begun with and repeated, is perfectly irregular, it being quite detached from the construction of the sentence. Of vivacity as depending on the arrangement of the words. 66 which way you consider it), emphatically begins the sentence, as in that formerly quoted for another purpose. Up goes my grave Impudence to the maid." In the particle up, that circumstance is denoted, which particularly marks the impudence of the action. By the help of it too, the verb is made to precede the nominative, which otherwise it could not do. In negations it holds very generally, that the negative particle should be joined to the verb. Yet in some cases the expression is greatly enlivened, and consequently the denial appears more determinate, by beginning the sentence with the adverb. Not every one," says our Saviour," that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of hea 66 66 66 66 66 ven; but he that doth the will of my Father who " is in heaven *" Vary but the position of the negative in the first member, and say, Every one that "saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven," and you will flatten the expression exceedingly. On so slight a circumstance in the arrangement does the energy of a sentence some * Matt. vii. 21. Gr. Ου πας ὁ λεγων μοι, Κύριε Κυρίε, ειςελευσαι εις τὴν βασίλειαν των ουρανων. All the Latin translators, however differently they express the sense, agree in beginning with the negative particle. So also doth Diodati in the Italian: "Non chiun"que mi dice, Signore, Signore, entrera nel regno de' cieli."Not so the French. Le Clerc and Beausobre thus: "Tous ceux "qui me disent, Seigneur Seigneur, n'entreront pas dans le royaume "du ciel." Saci thus: "Ceux qui me disent, Seigneur Seigneur, "n'entreront pas tous dans le royaume des cieux.” times depend. We have some admirable examples of the power of this circumstance in Shakespeare. In the conference of Malcolm with Macduff, after the former had asserted, that he himself was so wicked, that even Macbeth, compared with him, would appear innocent as a lamb, Macduff replies with some warmth, Not in the legions Of horrid hell, can come a devil more damn'd, The arrangement in this sentence is admirably adapt- I PROCEED to observe, that when a sentence begins with a conjunction, whether it be expressed in one word or more, with naming or titling the persons addressed, with a call to attention, or even with a term that is little more than an expletive, the place imme + Macbeth. Of vivacity as depending on the arrangement of the words. diately following such phrase, title, or connective, will often give the same advantage to the expression that fills it, as in other cases the first place will do. The first term or phrase is considered only as the link which connects the sentence with that which went before; or, if it have no relation to the preceding, as an intimation that something is to be said. Of this a few examples will suffice. The place immediately after a conjunction which begins the sentence is sometimes emphatical, as in that of Milton: -At last his sail broad vans He spreads for flight *; where the description is the more picturesque that the verb is preceded by its regimen. The possessive pronoun, and the epithet, unless when a particular emphasis rests upon one of them, are regarded only as constituting parts of one complex sign with the noun. Secondly, the place after the address, as in that of the same author, Me, tho' just right and the fixt laws of heaven Did first create your leader †, Nothing could better suit, or more vividly express, the pride and arrogance of the archapostate, than the manner here used of introducing himself to their notice. Thirdly, the place after a call to attention, as + Ibid. *Paradise Lost, B. II, |