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270 ORTHOMETRY. |
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bubble, and a host of others, exhibit a correspondence between sound and sense which is unmistakable. As language is made up of sounds which are more or less expressive of actions and things, we need not wonder that poets especially, whose chief concern is with the form and dress of their thoughts, should avail themselves of any such correspondence between their ideas and expressions as could enhance the impressiveness of their verses. Much has been written upon this subject both in ancient and modern times, and many fruitless attempts have been made to show that there may be an actual resemblance between the rhythm of verse and the things described ; but it will be found, after a careful examination of the most noted experiments that have been made, that a general suitableness of diction, and a pleasing assistance which the similarity of sound gives to the sense, are all that have been really accomplished. This, however, is quite enough to induce writers of verse to avail themselves of such limited embellishment as this Imitative Harmony affords.
Two famous examples of this sound and sense resemblance have often been quoted, the one from Homer:
Avne 'ifttra irilovli xvMvStro Xoac 'avai^f—
the other from Virgil:
Quadrupedante putrem sonitu quatit ungula Campum :
the first describing a heavy stone rolling down a mountain side ; the second, the hoofs of a horse |
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