Page:The Defence of Poesie - Sidney (1595).djvu/77

 standeth in that like sounding of the words, which we call Rime. Whether of these be the more excellent, wold bear many speeches, the ancient no doubt more fit for Musick, both words and time obseruing quantitie, and more fit, liuely to expresse diuers passions by the low or loftie sound of the well-wayed sillable. The latter likewise with his rime striketh a certaine Musicke to the eare: and in fine, since it dooth delight, though by an other way, it obtaineth the same purpose, there being in eitner sweetnesse, and wanting in neither, maiestie. Truly the English before any Vulgare language, I know is fit for both sorts: for, for the auncient, the Italian is so full of Vowels, that it must euer be combred with Elisions. The Duch so of the other side with Consonants, that they cannot yeeld the sweete slyding, fit for a Verse. The French in his whole language, hath not one word that hath his accent in the last sillable, sauing two, called Antepenultima; and little more hath the Spanish, and therefore verie gracelesly may they vse Dactiles. The English is subiect to none of these defects. Now for Rime, though we doo not obserue quantie, yet wee obserue the Accent verie precisely, which other languages either cannot do, or will not do so absolutely. That Caesura, or breathing place in the midst of the Verse, neither Italian nor Spanish haue: the French and we, neuer almost faile off. Lastly, euen the verie Rime it selfe, the Italian cannot put it in the last sillable, by the French named the Masculine Rime; but still in the next to the last, which the French call the Female; or the next before that, which the Italian Sdrucciola: the example