AN IN QUIRY INTO THE PRINCIPLES OF HARMONY IN LANGUAGE, AND OF THE MECHANISM OF VERSE, MODERN AND ANTIENT. BY WILLIAM MITFORD, ESQUIRE. THE SECOND EDITION, WITH IMPROVEMENT AND LARGE ADDITION. Θεοὶ δὲ, οικτείραντες τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπίπονον πεφυκὸς γένος, LONDON: Printed by Luke Hanfard, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields, FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, IN THE STRAND ΤΟ JOHN GILPIN, ESQUIRE, HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S VICE-CONSUL FOR THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT AND RHODE-ISLAND. DEAR SIR, THE book which I send you across the Atlantic, it was long my purpose to address to your late excellent Father; unable to foresee that delay in the completion of it, which has extended beyond the term of a life, to the great gratification of his friends, and extenfive benefit among mankind, allowed by divine Providence to be full of years. But, in confidering you as fucceffor to his claim, I do not reckon that I am paying you any great compliment; knowing that I should have had to apologize to him, not for infcribing my book to him, but for having written it;-not perhaps for its defects so much as, if it might have any, for its merits. I will therefore, for apology to you, tell you how I came to write it. When, now near half a century ago, ·I was taught by my invaluable friend, your Father, A 3 |