In the Italian there are no two equal sounds; the quantity is never uniform.  Italian is, therefore, the most musical of languages.  Where we place one accent upon a vowel, the Italians place ten.

There is a euphonic law for every language; all idioms must have an accent.  In every language there are intense sounds and subdued sounds; the Italians hold to this variety of alternate short and long sounds.  Continuous beauty should be avoided.  A beautiful tone must be introduced to relieve the others.  Monotony in sounds as well as in pronunciation, must be guarded against.  Harmony lies in opposition.

There is but one rule of quantity in French pronunciation.  Here is the text of this law: 

There are and can be only long initial or final vowels—­whence we conclude: 

1.  Every final is long and every penultimate is final, since e mute is not pronounced.

2.  The length of initial vowels depends upon the value of the initial consonants which they precede.

A word cannot contain two long vowels unless it begins with a vowel.  In this case, the vowel of the preceding word is long, and prepares for the enunciation of the consonant according to its degree.

Every first consonant in a word is strong, as it constitutes the radical or invariable part of the word.

The force of this consonant is subordinate to the ruling degree of the idea it is called to decide.  But every vowel which precedes this first consonant is long, since it serves as a preparation for it.  But to what degree of length may this initial vowel be carried?  The representative figure of the consonant will indicate it.

Usually, the first consonant of every word is radical.  Still there might be other radical consonants in the same word.  But the first would rise above the others.

The radical designates the substance of being, and the last consonant the manner.

The whole secret of expression lies in the time we delay the articulation of the initial consonant.  This space arrests the attention and prevents our catching the sound at a disadvantage.

Latin Prosody.

1.  The final of a word of several syllables is usually short.

2.  In words of two syllables, the first is long.  In Latin words of two syllables, the first almost always contains the radical.

3.  In words of three and more syllables, there is one long syllable:  sometimes the first, sometimes another.  We rest only upon this, all the others being counted more or less short.

In compound words no account need be made of prefixes; There are many compound words; and, consequently, it is often the last or next to the last consonant which is the radical.

The last consonant represents always, in variable words, quality, person, mode or time.  The radical, on the contrary, represents the sum and substance.

4.  Monosyllables are long, but they have, especially when they follow each other, particular rules, which result from the sense of the phrases, and from the mutual dependence of words.