Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/73

 Lucretius and Virgil were able to do so great Things in their several Ways, their Language enabling them to give the most becoming Beauties to all their Thoughts. But there not being that Variety of Feet in the Latin, which Language, for the most part, abounds in Dactyles, Spondees and Trochees; nor that Sprightliness of Temper, and in-bred Gaiety in the Romans, which the Greeks are to this Day famous for, even to a Proverb, in many Parts of Poetry they yielded, though not without Reluctancy, to a People whom they themselves had conquered. Which shews, that Natural Imperfections cannot be overcome: And when these Imperfections are accidental, as the Language is which every Man speaks at first, though he has equal Parts, and perhaps greater Industry, yet he shall be thrown behind another Man who does not labour under those Inconveniences; and the Distance between them will be greater, or less, according to the Greatness or Quality of these Inconveniences.

If we bring this Thing down to Modern Languages, we shall find them labouring under much greater: For, the Quantities of Syllables being, in a manner, lost in all Modern Languages, we can have no Notion of that Variety of