Some time fince it’s difcovery this echo is become totally filent,
though the objeft, or hop-kiln, remains : nor is there any myftery
in this defeft ; For the field between is planted as an hop-garden,
and the voice of the fpeaker is totally abforbed and loft among the
poles and entangled foliage of the hops. And when the poles are
removed in autumn the difappointment is the fame; becaufe a tall
quick-fet hedge, nurtered up for the purpofe of fhelter to the hop
ground, entirely interrupts the impulfe and repercuffion of the
voice : fo that till thofe obftruftions are removed no more of it’s
garrulity can be expefted.
Should any gentleman of fortune think an echo in his park or
outlet a pleafing incident, he might build one at little or no ex-
penfe. For whenever he had occafion for a new barn, ftable, dog-
kennel, or the like ftrufture, it would be only needful to eredt this
building on the gentle declivity of an hill, with a like rifing oppo-
fite to it, at a few hundred yards diftance; and perhaps fuccefs
might be the eafier enfured could feme canal, lake, or ftream,
intervene, From a feat at the centrum phonicum he and his friends
.might amufe themfelves fometimes of an evening with the prattle
of this loquacious nymph; of whofe complacency and decent reserve
more may be faid than can with truth of every individual o f
her fex; fince fhe is — — — — — — — _ _
— — — — quas nec reticere loquenti,
** Nec prior ipfa loqui didicit refonabilis echo.’* I
I am, &c.
p. s„
P. S. The claffic reader will, I truft, pardon the following
lovely quotation, fo finely defcribing echoes, and fo poetically
accounting for their caufes from popular fuperftition:
(t Quæ bené quom videas, rationem reddere poflls
te Tute tibi atque aliis, quo paéto per loca fola
“ Saxa pareis formas verborum ex ordine reddanty
ff Palanteis comités quom monteis inter opacos
“ Quærimus, et magnâ difperfos voce ciemus.
Sex etiam, aut feptem loca vidi reddere voces!
“ Unam quom jaceres : ita colles collibus iplis
Verba repulfantes iterabant diéla referre.
“ Hæc loca capripedes Satyros, Nymphafque tenere
“ Finitimi fingunt, et Faunos eile loquuntur ;
*' Quorum nodlivago llrepitu, ludoque jocanti
“ Ad firmant vol go taciturna lilentia rumpi,
“ Chordarumque fonos fieri, dulceifque querelas,
“ Tibia quas fundit digitis pulfata canentum :
“ Et genus agricolum late fentifcere, quom Pan
Pinea femiferi capitis velamina quafians,
'* Unco fæpe labro calamos percurrit hianteis,
“ Fiftula filvefirem ne celTet fundere mufam.’ *
Lucretius> Lib. iv. 1.5 76 .