Jeune et vaillant herôs || dont la haute sagesse Ne’st point la fruit tardîf || d’une lente vieillesse.
Here every circumstance contributes to a most tedious uniformity. A constant return of the same pause and of the same accent, as well as an equal division of every line; by which the latter part always answers to the former, and fatigues the ear without intermission or change. I cannot set this matter in a better light, than by presenting to the reader a French translation of the following passage of Milton.
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native honour clad In naked majesty seem’d lords of all; And worthy seem’d, for in their looks divine The image of their glorious Maker shon, Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure, Severe, but in true filial freedom plac’d; Whence true authority in men: though both Not equal, as their sex not equal seem’d; For contemplation he and valour form’d, For softness she and sweet attractive grace, He for God only, she for God in him.
Were the pauses of the sense and sound in this passage, but a little better assorted, nothing in verse could be more melodious. In general, the great defect of Milton’s versification, in other respects admirable, is the want of coincidence betwixt the pauses of the sense and sound.
The translation is in the following words.
Ce lieu délicieux, ce paradis charmant, Reçoit deux objets son plus bel ornement; Leur port majestueux, et leur démarche altiere, Semble leur meriter sur la nature entiere Ce droit de commander que Dieu leur a donné. Sur leur auguste front de gloire couronné, Du souverain du ciel drille la resemblance: Dans leur simples regards éclatte l’innocence, L’adorable candeur, l’aimable vérité, La raison, la sagesse, et la sévérité Qu’adoucit la prudence, et cet air de droiture Du visage des rois respectable parure. Ces deux objets divins n’ont pas les mêmes traits, Ils paroissent formés, quoique tous deux parfaits; L’un pour la majesté, la force, et la noblesse; L’autre pour la douceur, la grace, et la tendresse: Celui-ci pour Dieu seul, l’autre pour l’homme encor.
Here the sense is fairly translated, the words are of equal power, and yet how inferior the melody!
I take the liberty to add here a speculation, which, though collateral only, arises naturally from the subject, and shall be discussed in a few words. Many attempts have been made to introduce Hexameter verse into the living languages, but without success. The English language, I am inclined to believe, is not susceptible of this melody; and my reasons are these. First, the polysyllables in Latin and Greek are finely diversified by long and short syllables, a circumstance that qualifies them for the melody of Hexameter verse. Ours are extremely ill qualified for this service, because they superabound in short syllables. Secondly, the bulk of our monosyllables are arbitrary with regard to length, which is an unlucky circumstance in Hexameter. Custom, as observed above, may render familiar a long or short pronunciation of the same word: but the mind wavering betwixt the two sounds, cannot be so much arrested with either, as with a word that hath always the same sound; and for that reason, arbitrary sounds are ill fitted for a melody which is chiefly supported by quantity. In Latin and Greek Hexameter, invariable sounds direct and ascertain the melody: English Hexameter would be destitute of melody, unless by artful pronunciation; because of necessity the bulk of its sounds must be arbitrary. The pronunciation is easy in a simple movement of alternate short and long syllables; but would be perplexing and unpleasant in the diversified movement of Hexameter verse.