1. IAMBIC VERSE. 401. Iambic verse is composed of Iambic feet (such as appear, repóse, admire), and has the stress, or accent, on the even syllables-namely, the second, fourth, sixth, &c. It may be of different lengths 1. Iambic of six feet-hexameter or Alexandrine; of which numerous specimens may be found in the poems of Spenser, Thomson, Beattie, and Byron-the last line of each Spenserian stanza being an Alexandrine The múr | m'ring main | was heárd, | and scárce | ly heard, | to flów. But sílence spreads the coúch | of év | er wél | come rést. II. Iambic of five feet-pentameter or heroic. Specimens— Milton's Paradise Lost;' Dryden's Translation of Virgil;' Pope's Homer,' 'Essay on Man,' and 'Epistles;' Addison's Cato;' Thomson's 'Seasons;' Cowper's "Task;' Campbell's 'Pleasures of Hope;' and Pollok's 'Course of Time' Here love his góld | en shafts | employs, here lights His cón | stant lámp, | and wáves | his púr | ple wings.-MILTON. Grow dim with áge,'| and Ná | ture sínk | in years.—ADDISON. A variety of this is the elegiac-four pentameters alternately rhyming. Specimens-Gray's 'Elegy,' and Byron's 'Lines on Newstead Abbey' On some fond heart the parting soul relies, Even in our ashes live their wonted fires.-GRAY. III. Iambic of four feet-tetrameter. Specimens-Gay's 'Fables;' Scott's 'Marmion,' 'Lady of the Lake,' and 'Lay of the Last Minstrel'— What though the sún, | with árd | ent frówn, Had slightly tínged her cheék | with brówn.-SCOTT. I love contém | plating | apárt, From áll his hóm | icidal stó | ry, (odd syllable) The tracts that sóft en tó | our heart Napóleon's gló | ry (odd syllable).—CAMPBELL. Sometimes four feet and a half. Specimens Butler's 'Hudibras;' irregular verses in Scott's 'Marmion;' Moore's Lalla Rookh;' Southey's 'Thalaba;' and Byron's 'Corsair,' 'Giaour,' and Manfred' Profoundly skilled | in án | alýt | ic.—BUTLER. She saw the déus | of éve | besprink | ling The pasture green beneath her eye.-BYRON. IV. Iambic of three feet. Specimens Collins's 'Ode to the Passions,' and Dryden's 'Ode for St Cecilia's Day'— And many a sinner's parting seen, But név er aúght] like this.-SCOTT. v. Iambic of two feet. Specimens-Odes of Pope, Dryden, Mason, and others in Byron's' Manfred.' Hail, wayward quéen!-POPE. Around his waist Are fórests bráced.-BYRON. An iambic verse of two feet has sometimes a beautiful effect Seek out-less often sought than found- Her giant fórm.-WILSON. VI. Iambic of one foot. Specimens in odes of Ben Jonson and Herrick, and in Byron's Heaven and Earth'— We die, As your hours do, and dry Away Like to the summer's rain.-HERRICK. VII. Iambic verse sometimes begins with a trochee. Numerous specimens in Milton, Dryden, Pope, Johnson, Thomson, and Cowper. II. TROCHAIC VERSE. 402. Trochaic verse is formed of trochees (the reverse of iambuses-brávely, áble, hóly), and has the stress or accent on the odd syllables-that is, the first, third, fifth; when there is but a single rhyme, the final short syllable is left out. The same poem often contains verses combining trochees and iambics. 1. Trochaic verse of six feet On' a mountain | strétched be | neáth a | hóary | willow. II. Trochaic of five feet Virtue's bright'ning | ráy shall | béam for | éver. III. Trochaic of four feet When her little | hands shall | préss thee, Think of him whose | prayer shall | bless thee.-BYRON. IV. Trochaic of three feet. Specimen-Byron's 'Manfred'— Wó ismé, Al | háma!-BYRON. J v. Trochaic of two feet Rích the treasure, Swéet the pleasure.-DRYDEN. 403. All these admit of variation, by dropping the final syllable, making each line contain an odd half-foot; thus: I. Five feet and a half The piéce you think | is ín | correct; why táke | it? : I'm all submís | sion; whát | you'd have | it, máke | it.-POPE. II. Four feet and a half I'dle, after dinner, | ín his | cháir Sát a farmer, | rúddy, | fát, and | fáir. III. Three feet and a half Háste thee, nymph, and | bring with ❘ thée Nót a stép is out of tune, As' the tides o | béy the | móon.-BYRON. Sweet is pleasure | áfter | páin.-DRYDEN. Other specimens in Milton's 'L'Allegro,' and choruses in Byron's Manfred' and 'Deformed Transformed.' IV. Two feet and a half Give the vengeance | dué Tó the valiant | créw.-DRYDEN. Other specimens in the lyric verses of Dryden, Pope, Collins, Byron, Hemans, and Moore. v. One foot and a half Fire, assist me to renew Life in what lies in my view III. ANAPAESTIC VERSE. 404. Anapaestic verse is a lively measure, having the accent on every third syllable. Sometimes an anapaestic line begins with an iambic foot. 1. Anapaestic of four feet. Specimen- Lochiel's Warning,' by Campbell For a field of the déad Yet it was not that ná rushes réd on my sight, den are scát | tered in flight.-CAMPBELL. ture had shéd | o'er the scéne.-MOORE. (Iambus) Here lies | our good Ed' | mund, whose génius was such, We scarcely can praíse it or bláme | it too much. II. Anapaestic of three feet— I am out of humán | ity's réach, I must finish my journey alone.-COWPER. GOLDSMITH. III. Anapaestic of two feet When I look on my boys, IV. Anapaestic of one foot 'Hearts of oak!' our captains cried, From its adamantine lips, Threw a death-shade round the ships, Of the sun!-CAMPBELL. IV. DACTYLIC VERSE. 405. Dactylic verse is seldom used pure in English. It has the accent on the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth syllables, twelve forming a line. (See Southey's 'Dactylics.') 1. Four feet Né'er talk of eárs again, | lóok at thy | spélling-book.-GIFFORD. II. Three feet (not found in English verse). · Bright is the | díadem, | boundless the sway.—BYRON. II. Dactyle and trochee— Bút since our | sighing Ends' not in dying.-BYRON. III. Three dactyles and a trochee Knów ye the land where the | cypress and | mýrtle.-BYRON. Exercise. Scan the following; that is, divide it into feet, marking the accented syllables and cesuras, as in the above examples : There was a sound of revelry by night, The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men; A thousand hearts beat happily; and when Music arose with its voluptuous swell, Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again, And all went merry as a marriage-bell; But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell!-BYRON. Across the way I silent sped, That mouldered round the ancient pile.-ANON. Bring me the captive now! My hand feels skilful, and the shadows lift Upon the bended heavens, around me play 'Tis all an illusion; the lamp let us trim; Come, rouse thee, old minstrel, to strains of renown; The old cup is empty, fill round to the brim, And drink the young pair to their chamber just gone. Ha! why is the cup from the lip ta'en away? Why fixed every form like a statue of clay? Say, whence is that noise and that horrible clamour! O heavens! it comes from the marriage bed-chamber.-HOGG. Her giant form, O'er wrathful surge, through blackening storm, Majestically calm would go 'Mid the deep darkness white as snow! But gently now the small waves glide Like playful lambs o'er a mountain's side. So stately her bearing, so proud her array, The main she will traverse for ever and aye. Many ports will exult at the gleam of her mast! -Hush! hush! thou vain dreamer! this hour is her last. Five hundred souls, in one instant of dread, Are hurried o'er the deck; And fast the miserable ship Becomes a lifeless wreck. Her keel hath struck on a hidden rock, Her planks are torn asunder, And down come her masts with a reeling shock, And a hideous crash like thunder. Her sails are draggled in the brine, That gladdened late the skies, And her pendant, that kissed the fair moonshine, Down many a fathom lies. Her beauteous sides, whose rainbow hues, Gleamed softly from below, And flung a warm and sunny flash O'er the wreaths of murmuring snow, To the coral rocks are hurrying down, To sleep amid colours as bright as their own.-WILSON. |