because, by a poetic license, the writer may make the foot in question a Trochee, a Spondee, or a Pyrrhic.

*

It remains to be observed, that if from any verse of ordinary construction we remove any number of syllables, and substitute an equal number of others, exactly corresponding with them in accent, the metre will still be perfect, although the sense may be altered. Thus,

Pělides' wrath, to Greece the direful spring
Of wões unnumbered, heavenly goddess, sing.

Altered thus:

The Frenchman's arts, to Spain the direful spring
Of feuds and carnage, heavenly goddess, sing.
Hark! the numbers, soft and clear,
Gently steal upon the ear.

Altered thus:

Hark! the thunders, loud and clear,
Rudely burst upon the ear.

The Casura (which word means a division) is the separa tion, or pause, which is made in the body of a verse in utterance; dividing the line, as it were, into two members.

In different species of verse, and in different verses of the same species, this pause occurs in different parts of the verse; and serves to give variety to the line. Its position is, for the most part, easily ascertained, by the grammatical construction and the punctuation, which naturally indicate the place where the sense either requires or admits a pause.

The most advantageous position for the Cæsura is generally after the fourth, fifth, or sixth syllable; although it occasionally takes place after the third or the seventh.

In the following lines the figures denote the number of the syllable where the casura belongs.

The Saviour comes 4 || by ancient bards foretold.
From storms a shelter 5 || and from heat a shade.
Exalt thy towering head 6 || and lift thy eyes.
Exploring 3|| till they find their native deep.
Within that mystic circle 7 || safely seek.

Sometimes, though rarely, the cæsura occurs after the second or the eighth syllable: as,

Happy 2 without the privilege of will.

In different individuals 8 || we find.

Sometimes the line requires or admits two pauses or cæsuras. This double pause is by some writers called the cæsura and the demi-cæsura

BS,

Cæsar, 2 || the world's great master, 7 || and his own.
And goodness 3 || like the sun || enlightens all.

See Carey's English Prosody, p. 49.

There are few more melodious instances of these pauses to De found. than in the following lines from one of the most polished poets which the English language has produced.

Warms in the sun, 4 || refreshes 6 || in the breeze,
Glows in the stars, || and blossoms || in the trees;
Lives || through all life, || extends || through all extent,
Spreads || undivided, operates || unspent.

It remains to be observed, that in poetry, as well as in prose, but more especially in poetry, it is esteemed a great beauty when the sound of the verse, or of the feet of which it is composed, corresponds with the signification. Instances of this kind will be found under the head of Onomatopoeia. similar beauty appears in the following lines:

"On the ear

Drops the light drip of the suspended oar."

"The string let fly

Twanged short and sharp, like the shrill swallow's cry."

A

SPECIMENS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ENGLISH VERSE.

Iambic of the shortest form, consisting of an Iambus with an additional syllable; thus coinciding with the amphidrach.

Disdaining.
Complaining.

Consenting.
Repenting.

This form may be found in stanzas of other measure, but is not used alone.

Second form of the Iambic, consisting of two Iambuses.

Three Iambuses, with hypermeter of the same kind.

"T was when the seas were roaring
With hollow blasts of wind,

A damsel lay deploring,

All on a rock reclined.

Four Iambuses.

And may at last my weary age

Find out the peaceful hermitage.

Five lambuses, or the Heroic measure.

Be wise to-day, 't is madness to defer

How loved, how valued once, avails thee not,
To whom related, or by whom begot:
A heap of dust alone remains of thee,

"T is all thou art, and all the proud shall be.

Six Iambuses, or the Aexandrine measure

For thou art but of dust; be humble and be wise.

(The latter of the two following is an Alexandrine.) A needless Alexandrine ends the song,

That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along.

Seven Iambuses.

The melancholy days have come, the saddest of the year,

Of wailing winds, and naked woods, and meadows brown and sere.
The robin and the wren have flown, and from the shrub the jay,

And from the wood top caws* the crow, through all the gloomy day.

This measure is sometimes broken into two lines, thus:

When all thy mercies, O my God!
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.

Trochaic verse of one Trochee and a long syllable.

Tuo Trochces.

Tumult cease
Sink to peace.
See him stride,
Valleys wide,
Over woods,
Over floods.

Rich the treasure,
Sweet the pleasure.
Soft denials

Are but trials.

*This alteration in a line of one of the sweetest pieces of poetry ever written in any language, was suggested by the lamented Mr. Bailey, of the High School for Girls, in this city. In compiling "The Young Ladies' Class Book," he expressed a wish to the author to take this liberty, but he deemed it unwarrantable. The reading is adopted here as a beautiful exemplification of what is stated under Onomatopoeia; and, indeed, when we consider how easily the printer might mistake in manuscript a w for a double 7, it would not be surprising if it should hereafter appear that our gifted countryman originally wrote it caws, and not calls, as it is generally

written

On a mountain, stretched beneath a hoary willow

Anapastic verse consisting of one Anapæst

At the close of the day when the hamlet is still.

Hypermeter of four Anapests.

On the warm cheek of youth, smiles and roses are blending.

VERSES IN WHICH THE SECONDARY FEET ARE ADMITTED TO GIVI VARIETY TO THE MELODY.

The student will observe, by the marks on the vowels, what the secondary feet are, which are introduced in the following lines; the first foot is a spondee

There soon the sufferer sinks to rest.

There too was he, who nobly stemmed the tide.
That breast the seat of sentiment refined.

Hail, long lost Peace! hail, dove-eyed maid divine

*This measure is ambiguous, for by accenting the first and third sylla bles we may make it Troshaic.

A Pyrrhic occurs in the following.

If aught be welcome to our sylvan shed,
Be it the the trav ller who has lost his way.
I sought the beauties of the painted vale,
The flowers I often watered with my tears.
And loaded with my sighs the passing gale

Spondees and Pyrrhics with Iambuses.

Gō pious offspring and restrain those tears;
Ify to regions of eternal bliss.

Heaven in your favor hears my dying prayers;
Take my last blessing in this clay cold kiss.

A Dactyl with Iambuses.

Mūrmuring, and with him fled the shades of righ

Amphibrachs mixed with lambuses.

O'ĕr many a frozěn, mãny a fěry ǎlp.

A Spondee and a Tribrach, with Iambuses.

Innumerable before th' Almighty throne.

It will thus be perceived, that by the mixture of different kinds of feet, all that variety is produced, which renders poetry agreeable to the ear. To constitute verse, it is not sufficient that a ruinber of jarring syllables should be ranged in uncouth lines, with rhyme at the end. Order, regularity, symmetry, and harmony are requisite, while the taste and judgment of the poet are displayed by the proper mixture of accented and unac cented syllables to form an harmonious line.*

The student, having now been made acquainted with the different kinds of verse, may be required to compose verses himself in all the different kinds of measure. As a first ex ercise in versification, he may be permitted to write words in verses without regard to their signification, making what pay be called nonsense verses, as in the following

Example.

Five foot Iambus or Heroic Verse.

Thus man attempts some nobler end to scan.
Bestrides the flood in horror at the plan.

*The harmony of a verse may sometimes be utterly destroyed by the misplacing of a single monosyllable; thus,

"Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just,
And he but naked, though locked up in steel,
Whose conscience is with injustice corrupted."

In this extract, the measure of the third line is utterly destroyed by the misplacing of the word is. It should be,

"Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted."