Upon ǎ mōuntăin

Beside a fountain.

3. The third form consists of three Iambuses.

In places fär or near;
Or famous or obscure,

Where wholesome is the air,
Or where the most impure.

It sometimes admits of an additional short syllable: as,
Our hearts no longer languish.

4. The fourth form is made up of four Iambuses. And may ǎt last mỹ weary age,

Find out the peaceful hermitage.

5. The fifth species of English Iambic, consists of five Fambuses.

How lōy'd, how vālŭ'd ōnce, ăvails thee not,
To whom related, or by whom begot:
A heap of dust alone remains of thee;
'Tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be.
Bě wise to-day, 'tis mādness tō dèfer;
Next day the fatal precedent will plead;
Thus on, till wisdom is push'd out of life.

This is called the Heroic measure. In its simplest form it consists of five Iambuses; but by the admission of other feet, as Trochees, Dactyls, Anapasts, &c. it is capable of many varieties. Indeed, most of the English common measures may be varied in the same way, as well as by the different position of their pauses.

6. The sixth form of our Iambic is commonly called the Alexandrine measure. It consists of six Iambuses.

For thōu ǎrt būt of dust; bě humble and be wise. The Alexandrine is sometimes introduced into heroic rhyme; and when used sparingly, and with judgment, occasions an agreeable variety.

The seas shall waste, the skies in smoke decay,
Rocks fall to dust, and mountains melt away;
But fix'd his word, his saving power remains:
Thy realm for ever lasts, thy own Messiah reigns.

7. The seventh and last form of our Iambic measure, is made up of seven Iambuses.

The Lōrd descended from ǎbōve, and bow'd the heavens high.

This was anciently written in one line but is now broken into two; the first containing four feet, and the second three :

When all thy mercies, O my God!
My rising soul surveys,

Transported with the view, I'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise.

In all these measures, the accents are to be placed on even syllables; and every line considered by itself, is, in general, more melodious, as this rule is more strictly observed.

TROCHAIC verse is of several kinds.

1. The shortest Trochaic verse in our language, consists of one Trochee and a long syllable.

Truěst love,

From above,
Being pure,
Will endure.

Tumult cease,

Sink to peace.

This measure is defective in dignity, and can seldom be used on serious occasions.

2. The second English form of the Trochaic consists of two feet; and is likewise so brief, that it is rarely used for any very serious purpose.

On the mountăin

By a fountain.

It sometimes contains two feet or trochees, with an additional long syllable: as,

In the days of ōld

Fables plainly told.

3. The third species consists of three trochees: as, When our hearts ǎre mōurning :

or of three trochees, with an additional long syllable: as, Restless mortals toil for nought;

Bliss in vain from earth is sought;

Bliss, a native of the sky,

Never wanders. Mortals, try;
There you cannot seek in vain ;
For to seek her is to gain.

4. The fourth Trochaic species consists of four trochees: as; Rōund us rōars the tempěst lõudĕr.

This form may take an additional long syllable, as follows:

Idlě after dinner in his chair,

Sat a farmer, ruddy, fat, and fair.

But this measure is very uncommon.

5. The fifth Trochaic species is likewise uncommom It is composed of five trochees.

All that walk on foot or ride in chariots,

All that dwell in palaces or garrets:

6. The sixth form of the English Trochaic consists of six trochees: as,

On ǎ mountain, stretch'd beneath ǎ hoary willow,

Lay a shepherd swain, and view'd the rolling billow. This seems to be the longest Trochaic line that our language admits.

In all these Trochaic measures, the accent is to be placed on the odd syllables.

The DACTYLIC measure being very uncommon, we shall give only one example of one species of it.

From the low pleasures of this făllĕn nātŭre,
Rise we to higher, &c.

ANAPÆSTIC verses are divided into several species. 1. The shortest anapastic verse must be a single anapæst; as,

But in vain,

They complain.

This measure is, however, ambiguous; for, by laying the stress of the voice on the first and third syllables, we might make a trochaic. And therefore the first and simplest form of our genuine Anapæstic verse, is made up of two Anapasts: as,

But his courǎge 'găn fail,

For no arts could avail.

This form admits of an additonal short syllable.
Then his courage 'găn fail him,

For no arts could avail him.

2. The second species consists of three Anapests.
Ŏ yě woods, spread your branches ǎpāce;
To your deepest recesses I fly;

I would hide with the beasts of the chase;
I would vanish from every eye.

This is a very pleasing measure, and much used, both in solemn and cheerful subjects.

3. The third kind of English Anapæstic, consists of four Anapests.

May I gōvěrn my passions with absolute sway;

And grow wiser and etter as life wears away.

This measure will admit of a short syllable at the end: as, On the warm cheek of youth, smiles and roses are blending.

The preceding are the different kinds of the principal feet, in their more simple forms. They are capable of numerous variations, by the intermixture of those feet with each other; and by the admission of the secondary feet.

We have observed, that English verse is composed of feet formed by accent; and that when the accent falls on vowels, the feet are equivalent to those formed by quantity. That the student may clearly perceive this difference, we shall produce a specimen of each kind.

O'er heaps of ruins stālk'd thě stātely hind.

Here we see the accent is upon the vowel in each second syllable. In the following line, we shall find the same Iambic movement, but formed by accent en consonants, except the last syllable.

Then rústling, crackling, cráshing, thunder down.

Here the time of the short accented syllables, is compensated by a short pause, at the end of each word to which they belong.

We now proceed to show the manner in which poetry

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On the fourth syllable, or at the end of the second foot: as,

The silver eel" in shining volumes roll'd,

The yellow carp" in scales bedropp'd with gold.

On the fifth syllable, or in the middle of the third foot: as,
Round broken columns" clasping ivy twin'd,
O'er heaps of ruin" stalk'd the stately hind.
On the sixth syllable, or at the end of the third foot as,
Oh say what stranger cause" yet unexplor❜d,
Could make a gentle belle" reject a lord?

A line may be divided into three portions, by two cx

suras: as,

Outstretch'd he lay" on the cold ground" and oft"
Look'd up to heav'n.

There is another mode of dividing lines, well suited to the nature of the couplet, by introducing semi-pauses, which divide the line into four pauses. This semi-pause may be called a demi-casura.

The following lines admit of, and exemplify it.

Glows' while he reads" but trembles' as he writes.
Reason' the card" but passion' is the gale.

Rides' in the whirlwind" and directs' the storm.

Of Melody, Harmony, and Expression.

Having shewn the general nature of feet and pauses, the constituent parts of verse, we shall now point out, more particularly, their use and importance.

Melody, harmony, and expression, are the three great objects of poetic numbers. By melody, is meant, a pleasing effect produced on the ear, from an apt arrangement of the constituent parts of verse, according to the laws of measure and movement. By harmony, an effect produced by an action of the mind, in comparing the different members of a verse with each other, and preserving a due and beautiful proportion between them. By expression, such a choice and arrangement of the constituent parts of verse, as serve to enforce and illustrate the thought or the sentiment.

We shall consider each of these three objects in versification, both with respect to the feet and the pauses.

1st, With regard to melody.

From the examples which we have given of verses com