It seems more strictly correct, to regard rhythm as a property of poetic numbers, than to identify it with them.  It is their proportion or modulation, rather than the numbers themselves.  According to Dr. Webster, “RHYTHM, or RHYTHMUS, in music [is] variety in the movement as to quickness or slowness, or length and shortness of the notes; or rather the proportion which the parts of the motion have to each other.”—­American Dict. The “last analysis” of rhythm can be nothing else than the reduction of it to its least parts.  And if, in this reduction, it is “identical with time,” then it is here the same thing as quantity, whether prosodical or musical; for, “The time of a note, or syllable, is called quantity.  The time of a rest is also called quantity; because rests, as well as notes are a constituent of rhythm.”—­Comstock’s Elocution, p. 64.  But rhythm is, in fact, neither time nor quantity; for the analysis which would make it such, destroys the relation in which the thing consists.

SECTION II.—­OF ACCENT AND QUANTITY.

Accent and Quantity have already been briefly explained in the second chapter of Prosody, as items coming under the head of Pronunciation.  What we have to say of them here, will be thrown into the form of critical observations; in the progress of which, many quotations from other writers on these subjects, will be presented, showing what has been most popularly taught.

OBSERVATIONS.

OBS. 1.—­Accent and quantity are distinct things;[488] the former being the stress, force, loudness, or percussion of voice, that distinguishes certain syllables from others; and the latter, the time, distinguished as long or short, in which a syllable is uttered.  But, as the great sounds which we utter, naturally take more time than the small ones, there is a necessary connexion between quantity and accent in English,—­a connexion which is sometimes expounded as being the mere relation of cause and effect; nor is it in fact much different from that.  “As no utterance can be agreeable to the ear, which is void of proportion; and as all quantity, or proportion of time in utterance, depends upon a due observation of the accent; it is a matter of absolute necessity to all, who would arrive at a good and graceful delivery, to be master of that point.  Nor is the use of accent in our language confined to quantity alone; but it is also the chief mark by which words are distinguished from mere syllables.  Or rather I may say, it is the very essence of words, which without that, would be only so many collections of syllables.”—­Sheridan’s Lectures on Elocution, p. 61.  “As no utterance which is void of proportion, can be agreeable to the ear; and as quantity, or proportion of time in utterance, greatly depends on a due attention to the accent; it is absolutely necessary for every person, who would attain a just and pleasing delivery, to be master of that point.”—­Murray’s Gram., 8vo, p. 241; 12mo, 194.