each other this may be easily conceived after the preceding illuftrations. The one poffeffing union, and the other wanting it, undoubtedly determines the point in favour of the old fonnet. It must be obferved, (although it has been hinted already,) that when we use the terms connection, &c. that they relate entirely to the form, and not to the fubject-a piece may be disjoined in its ftructure, but entire in its fubject, which may prevent the difconnection from being obferved; but if the lines are tyed together, we perceive the effect increased, as the fonnet is one in its thought and expreffion. These irregular little pieces should have fome appropriate term, because the old form of a fonnet feems as effential as its confifting of fourteen lines.* Perhaps * It is not altogether foreign to the subject, to remark, that in Chaucer a paragraph often ends with a half-couplet; which is ftill the cuftom of the Perhaps the above obfervations inay furnish a principle for determining the respective merit of the different kinds of poetry. If it be admitted-blank-verfe is better than rhyme for long worksrhyme better than blank-verse for short pieces alternate rhyme beft for the quatrain; and the fixed form of the ancient fonnet, is to be preferred to the irregular structure of that poem to which the moderns have affixed the fame appellation. the French poets. It certainly has an unpleafing effect, as the sense and the rhyme do not conclude together, but the compleating of the couplet connects the present paragraph with the past. This word is affumed to fave the trouble of frequently using the long term of The four-line ftanza. On Υ Qdd Numbers. THAT there fhould be fome general men, principles which are common to all is easily conceived-but it seems difficult to affign a reason why diftinct nations, having no connection with each other, fhould agree in fome odd peculiarity. To thofe people who are acquainted with numeration beyond the ends of their ten fingers, it seems most natural, that whole numbers fhould be employed for general purposes. Thus we make prizes of £.1000 or £.10,000 in the lottery, rather than 999 or 9999. But if we had chofen the odd numbers, there would have been instances enough to be found in different parts of the world, and even among ourselves, to keep us in counte nance. nance. Take a few as they occur, which might be much increased from accounts of the manners and cuftoms of different nations. "The Mandingoes (an African nation) according to a precept of the Alcoran, limit the number of ftripes for small crimes to forty lacking one, and for greater offences to ninety and nine." (Mathews.) St. Paul fays, he received forty ftripes fave one. A flave in the Weft-Indies is also punished with forty fave one. On board our ships of war all punishments of this fort were formerly inflicted in odd numbers: they gave (as they term it) a merry eleven; and for greater faults, two or three merry elevens-whether this agrees with the prefent difcipline I know not. The game of cribbage is 101-if I die (fay the common people) within a twelve month and a day. Y 2 There There are 999 fish-ponds within the walls of Nankin. The Emperor of China has 9999 boats. The number of idols in a Temple at Jedo, Thunberg tells us, the capital of Japan, is 33333. With the last number we have nothing to compare, but let us not forget our leafes for 999 years. Why people fo different in manners, and distant in fituation, should agree in this peculiarity, which furely is the reverfe of a general principle; or why 11, 39, 99, 999, or laftly 33333, fhould be preferred to the even numbers which stand next them, and have fo fuperior a claim, requires more fkill, than I poffefs, to explain. Is it fuperftition? If so, are all people fuperftitious, and in the fame particular? -The first may be admitted, but not the latter the fame principle, in other instances, is various in its operation. Per haps |