,transcriber's ,notes3 ,this e-text uses the ,latin-#a ,,iso #hhei-a character set4 ,the following conventions are used to represent non-,latin-#a characters used in the original3 x represents letter 'x' with macron4 7x represents letter 'x' with breve4 gh represents yogh4 oe represents oe ligature4 represents a 'pause' mark in poetry4 x represents the letter 'x' superscripted4 ,the following ,latin-#a characters which may be unfamiliar are used in this e-text3 1 - upper and lower case thorn4 1 - upper and lower case eth4 ,footnotes have been numbered sequentially and moved to the end of each chapter4 ,minor corrections to punctuation and capitalisation have been made without note4 ,variant spelling1 especially in ,anglo-,saxon and middle ,english poems1 is as per the original4 ,the following corrections to typographical errors have been made3 p4#abi3 ,i hope to get safely out of the turmoil 7had 444 safety 4447 p4#dja3 ,it cannot be said1 however1 7,had ,in 4447 p4#deg3 ,lotos-,eaters 7,index entry1 had ,lotus-,eaters7 ,,english ,,verse ,,specimens ,,illustrating ,,its ,,principles ,,and ,,history ,,chosen ,,and ,,edited ,,by ,,raymond ,,macdonald ,,alden1 ,,ph4,d4 ,associate ,professor in ,leland ,stanford ,junior ,university ,illustration ,,new ,,york ,,henry ,,holt ,,and ,,company ,,copyright1 #aijc1 ,,by ,,henry ,,holt ,,co4 ,,to my ,father and ,mother ,,who ,,have ,,given ,,both ,,the ,,inspiration ,,and ,,the ,,opportunity ,,for ,,all ,,my ,,studies ,,preface ,the aim of this book is to give the materials for the inductive study of ,english verse4 ,its origin was in certain university courses1 for which it proved to be necessary--often for use in a single hour's work--to gather almost numberless books1 some of which must ordinarily be inaccessible except in the vicinity of large libraries4 ,i have tried to extract from these books the materials necessary for the study of ,english verse-forms1 adding notes designed to make the specimens intelligible and useful4 ,dealing with a subject where theories are almost as numerous as those who have written on it1 it has been my purpose to avoid the setting forth of my own opinions1 and to present the subject-matter in a way suited1 so far as possible1 to the use of those holding widely divergent views4 ,in the arrangement and naming of the earlier sections of the book1 some systematic theory of the subject--accepted at least tentatively--was indeed indispensable2 but ,i trust that even here those who would apply to ,english verse a different classification or terminology may be able to discard what they cannot approve and to make use of the specimens from their own standpoint4 ,even where 7as in these introductory sections7 the notes seem to overtop the text somewhat threateningly1 they are invariably intended--as the type indicates--to be subordinate4 ,where it has been possible to do so1 ,i have preferred to present comments on the specimens in the words of other writers1 and have not confined these notes to opinions with which ,i wholly agree1 but only to those which seem worthy of attention4 ,my own views on the more disputed elements of the subject 7such as the relations of time and accent in our verse1 the presence of quantity in ,english1 and the terminology of the subject7 ,i have reserved for ,part ,three1 where ,i trust they will be found helpful by some readers1 but where they may easily be passed over4 ,to classify the materials of this subject is peculiarly difficult1 and one who tries to solve the problem will early abandon the hope of being able to follow any system with consistency4 ,main divisions and subdivisions will inevitably conflict and overlap4 ,for practical purposes1 basing my arrangement in part on that found convenient in university lectures 7which it will be seen is not altogether unlike that followed by ,schipper in his ,englische ,metrik71 ,i have divided the specimens of verse into two main divisions1 each of which is suggested by a word in the sub-title of the book4 ,part ,one contains specimens designed to illustrate the principles of ,english verse1 arranged in topical order4 ,part ,two contains specimens designed to illustrate the history of the more important forms of ,english verse1 arranged--in the several divisions--in chronological order4 ,part ,three has already been spoken of4 ,part ,four contains extracts from important critical writers on the place and function of the verse-element in poetry1--matters which give us the raison d'tre for the whole study of versification4 ,if there had ever been hope of making the collection of specimens fairly complete1 even in a representative sense1 this would have been dissipated by the discovery1 during the very time of the book's going through the press1 of a number of additional specimens which it seemed wicked to omit4 ,doubtless every reader will miss some favorite selection which might well have been included1 and suggestions as to important omissions will be received gratefully4 ,the attempt has been to put students on the track of all the more important lines of development of ,english verse1 and to indicate1 by including a considerable number of specimens from early periods1 the continuity of this development from the times of our ,saxon forefathers to our own4 ,little consistency can be claimed for the practice observed in the matter of modernizing texts that date from transition periods like the sixteenth century4 ,in some cases the text has been modernized1 or retained in its original form1 according as it seemed well to emphasize either the permanent significance or the historical position of the specimen in question4 ,in other cases the form of the text was determined merely by the best edition accessible for purposes of reproduction4 ,dates have been appended to the specimens in those sections where chronology is a significant element4 ,it has not always been possible to verify these dates with thoroughness1 or to distinguish between the date of writing and that of publication2 but it is hoped that inaccuracies of this sort will at least not be found of a character to misrepresent the historical relations of the specimens4 ,dates are not ordinarily given for the poems of writers still living4 ,in the notes on the specimens ,i have tried to distinguish between material likely to be useful for all students of the subject and that going more into detail1 which is intended only for advanced or special students4 ,notes of the second class are printed in smaller type4 ,there has been no attempt to give the notes of a bibliographical character any pretension to completeness4 ,one may well hesitate to add1 in this direction1 to the admirable material presented in the ,methods and ,materials of ,literary ,criticism of ,professors ,gayley and ,scott4 ,i have resisted strenuously all temptation to choose or to annotate specimens on general grounds of sthetic enjoyment1 apart from the distinct study of verse-forms4 ,yet it would be useless to deny having sometimes made choice of particular verses1 all other considerations being equal1 for their poetic or literary value over and above their prosodical4 ,i shall not claim for the collection what ,boswell did for ,dr4 ,johnson's ,dictionary1 that he was so attentive in the choice of the illustrative passages that one may read page after page 444 with improvement and pleasure2 yet ,i may say that1 so far from fearing that the enjoyment of any poem will be injured by a proper attention to the elements of its metrical form1 it is my hope that many a haunting verse may linger1 a perpetual possession of beauty1 in the memory of the student who first found it here classified under a technical name4 ,many obligations are to be acknowledged to scholars of whose advice ,i have availed myself4 ,most kindly aid has been received from ,professor ,g4 ,l4 ,kittredge and ,dr4 ,fred ,n4 ,robinson1 of ,harvard ,university2 from ,professor ,felix ,e4 ,schelling1 of the ,university of ,pennsylvania2 from my friend1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,p4 ,earle1 of ,stanford ,university2 and from my colleague1 ,dr4 ,ewald ,flgel4 ,my obligation to ,schipper's monumental works on ,english verse will be obvious to every scholar4 ,they suggested many of the specimens of verse-forms1 and are also represented by translations or paraphrases in the notes2 references to ,schipper1 without full title1 are to the ,englische ,metrik1--the larger work4 ,i have also made thankful use of ,mr4 ,john ,addington ,symonds's essays on ,blank ,verse1 and of ,professor ,corson's ,primer of ,english ,verse1--both somewhat unscientific but highly suggestive works4 ,the section on ,artificial ,french ,forms obviously owes very much to ,mr4 ,gleeson ,white's ,ballades and ,rondeaus4 ,a book to which my obligation is out of all proportion to the number of actual quotations from it is ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre4 ,this modest but satisfying volume seemed to me1 when ,i first was taking up the study of ,english verse1 to be a grateful relief from the thorny and often fruitless discussions with which the subject had been overgrown2 and in returning to it again and again1 ,i have never failed to renew the impression4 ,its suggestions underlie a good part of the system of classification and terminology adopted for this book4 ,the new and enlarged edition came to hand too late for use1 but ,i was able to include references to it in the notes4 ,i must also record thanks to those authors and publishers who have courteously given permission for the reproduction of their publications3 to ,mr4 ,john ,lane1 for permission to quote from the works of ,mr4 ,william ,watson and ,mr4 ,stephen ,phillips2 to ,messrs4 ,houghton1 ,mifflin and ,company1 for permission to make extracts from the poems of ,mr4 ,william ,vaughn ,moody and from ,mr4 ,stedman's ,nature and ,elements of ,poetry2 to ,macmillan and ,company1 ,limited1 of ,london1 for permission to make extracts from ,professor ,butcher's ,aristotle's ,theory of ,poetry and from ,mr4 ,courthope's ,life in ,poetry and ,law in ,taste2 to ,professor ,f4 ,b4 ,gummere and ,the ,macmillan ,company of ,new ,york1 for permission to quote from the former's ,beginnings of ,poetry2 to the ,lothrop ,publishing ,company of ,boston1 for permission to reprint ,mr4 ,clinton ,scollard's villanelle1 ,spring ,knocks at ,winter's ,frosty ,door1 from the volume entitled ,with ,reed and ,lyre2 to ,mrs4 ,charlotte ,perkins ,gilman1 for permission to reprint her rondeau1 ,a ,man must ,live1 from the volume entitled ,on ,this ,our ,world 7published by ,small1 ,maynard and ,company72 to ,dr4 ,samuel ,minturn ,peck1 for permission to reprint one of the triolets called ,under the ,rose1 from his volume entitled ,cap and ,bells2 to the ,frederick ,a4 ,stokes ,company1 for permission to reprint ,mr4 ,frank ,d4 ,sherman's ,ballade to ,austin ,dobson1 from the volume entitled ,madrigals and ,catches4 ,dr4 ,s4 ,weir ,mitchell1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,e4 ,henley1 and ,mr4 ,edmund ,gosse have given generous permission to quote freely from their poems4 ,mr4 ,henley was also good enough to suggest the choice of the rondeau from his ,bric--,brac2 and ,mr4 ,gosse1 whose unfailing courtesy follows up his numerous published aids to students of ,english poetry1 has also added some personal notes on the history of the heroic couplet4 ,finally1 it should be said that a considerable part of the studies resulting in this book was carried on while the editor held the ,senior ,fellowship in ,english on the ,harrison ,foundation in the ,university of ,pennsylvania4 ,if1 therefore1 the book should prove of service to any1 the fact will be a single additional tribute to the munificence of that foundation4 ,r4 ,m4 ,a4 ,,stanford ,,university1 ,,california1 ,november1 #aijb4 ,,contents ,,part ,,one ,,page ,i4 ,,accent ,,and ,,time #c ,a4--,kinds of ,accent #c ,b4--,time-intervals #aa i4 ,regular intervals between accents #ab ii4 ,irregular intervals #ac iii4 ,silent intervals 7pauses7 #af ,,ii4 ,,the ,,foot ,,and ,,the ,,verse #bd ,one-stress iambic #be ,two-stress iambic #bf ,two-stress trochaic #bg ,two-stress anapestic #bh ,two-stress dactylic #cj ,two-stress irregular #ca ,three-stress iambic #cb ,three-stress trochaic #cc ,three-stress anapestic #cd ,three-stress dactylic #cg ,four-stress iambic #cg ,four-stress trochaic #cg ,four-stress anapestic #ci ,four-stress dactylic #dj ,five-stress iambic #da ,five-stress trochaic #da ,five-stress anapestic #db ,five-stress dactylic #db ,six-stress iambic #dc ,six-stress trochaic #dc ,six-stress anapestic #dc ,six-stress dactylic #dd ,seven-stress iambic #dd ,seven-stress trochaic #de ,seven-stress anapestic #de ,seven-stress dactylic #df ,eight-stress iambic #df ,eight-stress trochaic #df ,eight-stress anapestic #dh ,eight-stress dactylic #dh ,combinations and ,substitutions #di i4 ,different feet regularly combined #di ii4 ,individual feet altered #ee ,,iii4 ,,the ,,stanza #fb ,tercets #fc ,quatrains #fi ,refrain ,stanzas #gh ,various ,stanza-forms abccb #ia ababb #ia aabbb #ia aabcdd #ia aaaabb #ib ababab #ib ababcc #ib ababbcc 7,rime royal7 #ic ababcca #ie ababccb #ie abababab #if ababbaba #if ababbcbc #if ababccdd #ig abababcc 7ottava rima7 #ih aabaabbab #aja ababcccdd #aja ababbcbcc 7,spenserian stanza7 #ajb abababccc #ajg aabaabcc #ajg ababbcbcdd #ajg aabbbcc #ajh ababababbcbc #ajh aabccbddbeebffgggf #aji ababccdeed #aaa aabccbddbeeb #aaa abcbdcdceccce #aab ,,iv4 ,,tone-,,quality #aac ,a4--,as a ,structural ,element #aac i4 ,assonance #aac ii4 ,alliteration #aaf iii4 ,end-rime #aba ,double and triple rime #abh ,broken rime #aca ,internal rime #acb ,b4--,as a ,sporadic ,element 7,tone-color7 #ace ,,part ,,two ,i4 ,,four-,,stress ,,verse #aea ,a4--,non-syllable-counting #aea ,b4--,syllable-counting 7,octosyllabic ,couplet7 #afj ,,ii4 ,,five-,,stress ,,verse #agd ,a4---,the ,decasyllabic ,couplet #agd ,b4--,blank ,verse #bac ,,iii4 ,,six-,,stress ,,and ,,seven-,,stress ,,verse #beb ,a4--,the ,alexandrine 7,iambic ,hexameter7 #beb ,b4--,the ,septenary #bei ,c4--,the ,poulter's ,measure #bfe ,,iv4 ,,the ,,sonnet #bfg ,a4--,the ,regular 7,italian7 ,sonnet #bgj ,b4--,the ,english 7,shaksperian7 ,sonnet #bij ,v4 ,,the ,,ode #bih ,a4--,regular ,pindaric #bii ,b4--,irregular 7,cowleyan7 #cjg ,c4--,choral #cbc ,,vi4 ,,imitations ,,of ,,classical ,,metres #ccj ,a4--,lyrical ,measures #cca ,b4--,dactylic ,hexameter #cdj ,,vii4 ,,imitations ,,of ,,artificial ,,french ,,lyrical ,,forms #ceh ,a4--,the ,ballade #cfj ,b4--,the ,rondeau and ,rondel #cfh i4 ,rondel type #cfi ii4 ,rondeau type #cga ,c4--,the ,villanelle #cgf ,d4--,the ,triolet #cha ,e4--,the ,sestina #chc ,,part ,,three ,,the ,,time-,,element ,,in ,,english ,,verse #cia ,,part ,,four ,,the ,,place ,,and ,,function ,,of ,,the ,,metrical ,,element ,,in ,,poetry #dac ,aristotle #dac ,sir ,philip ,sidney #daf ,samuel ,johnson #dag ,wordsworth #dag ,coleridge #dbj ,shelley #dbb ,william ,hazlitt #dbc ,leigh ,hunt #dbe ,theodore ,watts #dbf ,edmund ,gurney #dbg ,w4 ,j4 ,courthope #dbi ,e4 ,c4 ,stedman #dcb ,f4 ,b4 ,gummere #dcc ,,appendix ,,table ,,illustrating ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,heroic ,,couplet #dcg ,,part ,,one ,,english ,,verse ,i4 ,,accent ,,and ,,time ,a4--,,kinds ,,of ,,accent ,the accents of ,english syllables as appearing in verse are commonly classified in two ways3 according to degree of intensity1 and according to cause or significance4 ,obviously there can be no fixed limits to the number of degrees of intensity recognized in syllabic accent or stress4 ,it is common to speak of three such degrees3 syllables having accent 7stressed71 syllables having secondary accent1 and syllables without accent 7unstressed74 ,schipper makes four groups3 ,principal ,accent 7,hauptaccent or ,hochton71 ,secondary ,accent 7,nebenaccent or ,tiefton71 ,no ,accent 7,tonlosigkeit71 and ,disappearance of ,sound 7,stummheit74 ,in illustration he gives the word ponderous1 where the first syllable has the chief accent1 the last a secondary accent1 the second no accent2 while in the verse ,most ponderous and substantial things the second syllable is suppressed or silent4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,j4 ,ellis1 in like manner1 recognized three principal classes of syllables3 those stressed in the first degree1 those stressed in the second degree1 and those unstressed4#a ,in the following lines from ,paradise ,lost he indicated these three degrees1 as he recognized them1 by the figures #b1 #a1 #j1 written underneath4 ,of man's first disobedience1 and the fruit #j #b #a #j #j #b #j #j #j #b ,of that forbidden tree1 whose mortal taste #j #a #j #b #j #a #j #b #j #b ,brought death into the world1 and all our woe1 #a #b #j #j #j #b #j #a #j #b ,with loss of ,eden1 till one greater man #j #a #j #b #j #j #j #b #j #b ,restore us1 and regain the blissful seat1 #j #b #j #j #j #b #j #b #j #b ,sing1 heavenly ,muse1 that1 on the secret top #b #b #j #b #a #j #j #b #j #a ,of ,horeb or of ,sinai1 didst inspire #j #b #j #j #j #b #j #a #j #b ,that shepherd1 who first taught the chosen seed #a #b #j #j #b #b #j #b #j #b ,in the beginning1 how the heavens and earth #j #j #j #b #j #a #j #b #j #b ,rose out of chaos4#b #b #j #j #b #j ,it is worthy of note that the secondary accent seems originally to have been a more important factor in ,english verse than it is commonly considered to be in modern periods4 ,in ,anglo-,saxon verse the combination of a primary stress1 a secondary stress1 and an unstressed syllable1 is a recognized type4 ,in modern verse the reader is likely to make an effort to reduce all syllables to the type of either stress or no-stress4 ,in such a verse as the following1 however 7from ,matthew ,arnold's ,forsaken ,merman71-- ,and ,i lose my poor soul1 ,merman1 here with thee1-- we may find such a combination as that just referred to as familiar in ,anglo-,saxon rhythm4 ,the syllables soul1 ,merman are respectively cases of primary stress1 secondary stress1 and no-stress4 ,on this matter see further the remark of ,luick1 cited on p4 #aef1 below4 ,the element of ,pitch is not ordinarily included in the treatment of versification1 as it is not ordinarily recognized as having any significance peculiar to verse4 ,according to ,professor ,j4 ,w4 ,bright1 however1 there is such a thing as a pitch-accent which plays an important part in verse where the word-accent conflicts with that of the regular metre4 ,under certain exigencies1 he says1 un-governed1 pre-cisely1 re-markable1 and ,je-rusalem 444 are naturally pronounced with a pitch-accent upon the first syllables1 and with the undisturbed expiratory word-accent upon the second4 ,it will of course be understood that when the word-accent is defined as expiratory this term does not exclude the inherent pitch of ,english stress4 ,force1 quantity1 and pitch are combined in our word-stress 7or word-accent71 both primary and secondary2 but in the secondary stress used as ictus there is a noticeable change in the proportions of these elements1 the pitch being relatively increased4 ,an answer is thus won for the question3 ,how do we naturally pronounce two stresses in juxtaposition on the same word1 or on adjacent words closely joined grammatically8 ,this is further illustrated in the specially emphasized words of such expressions as ',the idea6' where ,professor ,bright marks the pitch-accent on the first syllable of idea1 retaining the stress-accent on the second syllable4 ,in the line ,of man's first disobedience1 and the fruit he marks a pitch-accent where the word-stress and metrical stress are in conflict1 that is1 on the syllables dis- and and4 ,the rhythmic use of 'disobedience1' he says1 illustrates with its four syllables 7as here used7 as many recognizable varieties of stress4 ,the first syllable has a secondary word-accent1 raised to a pitch-accent for ictus2 the second is wholly unaccented2 the third has the chief word-accent1 employed as ictus 7the accent of the preceding word1 first1 is subordinate to the rhythm72 the fourth has a secondary word-accent which remains unchanged in the thesis4 ,the conclusion is that ictus in conflict requires a pitch-accent4 7,all these quotations are from an article on ',proper ,names in ,old ,english ,verse1' in the ,publications of the ,modern ,language ,association1 n4s4 vol4 vii4 ,no4 #c74 ,professor ,bright's theory of pitch-accent is a part of his general theory of opposition to what he calls the sense-doctrine of the reading of verse1--that is1 the accepted doctrine that the word and sentence accents must ordinarily take precedence of the metrical accent4 ,according to cause or significance1 accents are commonly classed in three groups3 ,etymological or ,word ,accent1 ,syntactical or ,rhetorical ,accent1 and ,metrical ,accent4 ,accents of the first class are due to the original stress of the syllable in ,english speech2 those of the second class are due to the importance of the syllable in the sentence2 those of the third class are due to the place of the syllable in the metrical scheme4 ,in the verse ,mary had a little lamb1 the first syllable may be said to be stressed primarily for etymological reasons1 the seventh primarily for syntactical or rhetorical reasons1 and the third 7which would not be accented in prose7 for metrical reasons4 ,the general law of ,english verse is that only those syllables which bear the accent of the first class 7that is1 which are stressed in common speech71 together with monosyllables which on occasion are stressed in common speech1 shall be placed so as to receive the metrical stress2 and that1 if the word-stress and the metrical stress apparently conflict1 the metrical stress must yield4 ,less generally1 the rhetorical or syntactical accent in the same way takes precedence of the metrical4 ,in both cases exceptions are of course numerous4 ,the following are examples of verses showing a conflict between the normal prose-accent and the normal verse-accent1 where--as commonly read--the prose- 7word-7 accent triumphs4 ,the blessed damozel leaned out ,from the gold bar of heaven4 7,,rossetti3 ,the ,blessed ,damozel47 ,love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs2 ,being purged1 a fire sparkling in lover's eyes2 ,being vexed1 a sea nourished with lover's tears4 7,,shakspere3 ,romeo and ,juliet1 ,i4 i4 #aif ff47 ,art thou so bare and full of wretchedness1 ,and fear'st to die8 famine is in thy cheeks1 ,need and oppression starveth in thine eyes4 7,,shakspere3 ib4 ,v4 i4 #fh ff47 ,till1 at his second bidding1 ,darkness fled1 ,light shone1 and order from disorder sprung4 ,swift to their several quarters hasted then ,the cumbrous elements--,earth1 ,flood1 ,air1 ,fire2 ,and this ethereal quintessence of ,heaven ,flew upward1 spirited with various forms1 ,that rolled orbicular1 and turned to stars ,numberless1 as thou seest1 and how they move4 7,,milton3 ,paradise ,lost1 iii4 #gab ff47 ,she was a gordian shape of dazzling hue1 ,vermilion-spotted1 golden1 green1 and blue2 ,striped like a zebra1 freckled like a pard1 ,eyed like a peacock1 and all crimson barred4 7,,keats3 ,lamia1 i4 #dg ff47 ,boys6 shriek'd the old king1 but vainlier than a hen ,to her false daughters in the pool2 for none ,regarded2 neither seem'd there more to say4 ,back rode we to my father's camp1 and found ,he thrice had sent a herald to the gates4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,princess1 v4 #cah ff47 ,sequestered nest6--this kingdom1 limited ,alone by one old populous green wall2 ,tenanted by the ever-busy flies1 ,gray crickets and shy lizards and quick spiders2 ,each family of the silver-threaded moss-- ,which1 look through near1 this way1 and it appears ,a stubble-field or a cane-brake1 a marsh ,of bulrush whitening in the sun3 laugh now6 7,,browning3 ,paracelsus1 i4 #cf ff47 ,on the other hand1 we find verses showing a conflict between prose and verse accent1 where the verse-accent may be regarded as triumphing wholly or in part4 ,where this triumph is complete1 the accent is said to be wrenched2 as1 for example1 in old ballad endings like north countree4#c ,where there is a compromise effected in reading1 the accent is said to be hovering2 as in one of ,shakspere's songs1-- ,it was a lover and his lass 444 ,that o'er the green corn-field did pass4 ,i sat with ,love upon a woodside well1 ,leaning across the water1 ,i and he2 ,nor ever did he speak nor looked at me1 ,but touched his lute wherein was audible ,the certain secret thing he had to tell3 ,only our mirrored eyes met silently ,in the low wave2 and that sound came to be ,the passionate voice ,i knew2 and my tears fell4 ,and at their fall1 his eyes beneath grew hers2 ,and with his foot and with his wing-feathers ,he swept the spring that watered my heart's drouth4 ,then the dark ripples spread to waving hair1 ,and as ,i stooped1 her own lips rising there ,bubbled with brimming kisses at my mouth4 7,,rossetti3 ,willowwood4 ,house of ,life1 ,sonnet xlix47 ,i wish my grave were growing green1 ,a winding-sheet drawn ower my een1 ,and ,i in ,helen's arms lying1 ,on fair ,kirconnell lea4 7,fair ,helen2 old ballad47 ,for the stars and the winds are unto her ,as raiment1 as songs of the harp-player4 7,,swinburne3 ,chorus in ,atalanta in ,calydon47 ,nothing is better1 ,i well think1 ,than love2 the hidden well-water ,is not so delicate to drink3 ,this was well seen of me and her4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,leper47 ,these wrenched accents are characteristic of one phase of the so-called pre-,raphaelite poetry of the ,victorian period2 in part1 no doubt1 they are due to the influence of the old ballads4 ,my colleague ,professor ,newcomer has suggested that they are partly due1 also1 to a dislike for the combative accent which would occur where two heavy syllables came together 7accented as commonly7 in a compound like harp-player4 ,of special interest are the examples of wrenched and hovering accent found in the verse of ,sir ,thomas ,wyatt and the ,earl of ,surrey1--more especially in ,wyatt4 ,these mark the time when the syllable-counting principle was coming into prominence in ,english verse1 under the new culture of the days of ,henry ,,viii4 ,the first conscious followers of this principle seem to have given it such prominence that a verse seemed good to them if it contained the requisite number of syllables1 whether the accents conformed to any regular system or not4 ,in the case of ,wyatt we can also compare the original forms of many of his poems1 as preserved in manuscript1 with the revised forms as printed in ,tottel's ,miscellany 7#aeeg74 7,see ,dr4 ,flgel's transcriptions from the ,wyatt ,mss41 in ,anglia1 vol4 xviii47 ,the following is the octave of one of the sonnets1 as found in the ,ms43 ,avysing the bright bemes of these fayer ,iyes where he is that myn oft moisteth and wassheth the werid mynde streght from the hert departeth for to rest in his woroldly paradise ,and fynde the swete bitter under this gyse what webbes he hath wrought well he parceveth whereby with himselfe on love he playneth that spurreth with fyer3 and bridillith with ,ise4 7,anglia1 xviii4 #dfe47 ,compare this with the revised form in ,tottel's edition3 ,avisyng the bright beames of those fayre eyes1 ,where he abides that mine oft moistes and washeth3 ,the weried mynd streight from the hart departeth1 ,to rest within hys worldly ,paradise1 ,and bitter findes the swete1 under this gyse4 ,what webbes there he hath wrought1 well he preceaveth ,whereby then with him self on love he playneth1 ,that spurs wyth fire1 and brydleth eke with yse4 7,arber ,reprint1 p4 #dj47 ,it appears that this revision was the work of the editor1 who had a better sense of true ,english rhythm than the poet himself4 ,alscher1 however1 in his work on ,wyatt1 contends that ,wyatt doubtless revised his own verses so as to give them their finished form4 7,see ,sir ,thomas ,wyatt und ,seine ,stellung1 etc41 p4 #di47 ,other lines in ,wyatt's verse where the number of syllables is counted but where the accents are faulty1 are these3 ,the long love that in my thought ,i harbour4 ,and there campeth displaying his banner4 ,and there him hideth and not appeareth4 ,for good is the life1 ending faithfully4 ,another large group of hovering accents is that formed by ,french words with such terminations as -our1 -ance1 -ace1 -age1 -ant1 -ess4 ,in such cases the original tendency of the word was to accent the final syllable2 but the general tendency of ,english accents being recessive1 the words often passed through a transitional period when the accent was variable or hovering4 ,the first of the four lines just quoted shows us a word of this character4 ,for an interesting presentation of certain phases of the laws of stress in ,english verse1 see ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody 7ed4 #aija71 ,appendix ,j1 on the ,rules of ,stress ,rhythms4 ,b4--,,time-,,intervals ,the fundamental principle of the rhythm of ,english verse 7and indeed of any rhythm7 is that the accents appear at regular time-intervals4 ,in practice there is of course great freedom in departing from this regularity1 the equal time-intervals being at times only a standard of rhythm to which the varying successions of accented and unaccented syllables are mentally referred4 ,where the equal time-intervals are observed with substantial regularity1 two sorts of verse are still to be clearly distinguished3 that in which not only the intervals of time but the numbers of syllables between the accents are substantially equal and regular1 and that in which the number of syllables varies4 ,the latter class is that of the native ,germanic metres2 the former is that of the ,romance metres1 and of modern ,english verse as influenced by them4 ,with the development of regularity in the counting of syllables there has perhaps also taken place a development of regularity in the regular counting of the time-intervals4 ,in other words1 the modern ,english reader1 where the number of syllables between accents is variable1 makes the time-intervals as nearly equal as possible by lengthening and shortening the syllables in the manner permitted by the freedom of ,english speech2 in early ,english verse1 where the number of syllables between accents varied very greatly1 we cannot be sure that the time-intervals were so accurately felt or preserved in recitation4 i4 ,verse showing fairly regular intervals between accents ,avoid extremes2 and shun the fault of such ,who still are pleas'd too little or too much4 ,at every trifle scorn to take offence1 ,that always shows great pride1 or little sense3 ,those heads1 as stomachs1 are not sure the best1 ,which nauseate all1 and nothing can digest4 ,yet let not each gay turn thy rapture move2 ,for fools admire1 but men of sense approve3 ,as things seem large which we through mist descry1 ,dulness is ever apt to magnify4 7,,pope3 ,essay on ,criticism1 ll4 #chd-cic47 ,louder1 louder chant the lay-- ,waken1 lords and ladies gay6 ,tell them youth and mirth and glee ,run a course as well as we2 ,time1 stern huntsman6 who can baulk1 ,staunch as hound and fleet as hawk2 ,think of this1 and rise with day1 ,gentle lords and ladies gay6 7,,scott3 ,hunting ,song47 ,larger constellations burning1 mellow moons and happy skies1 ,breadths of tropic shade and palms in cluster1 knots of ,paradise4 7,,tennyson3 ,locksley ,hall47 ,wild ,april1 enkindled to laughter and storm by the kiss of the wildest of winds that blow1 ,calls loud on his brother for witness2 his hands that were laden with blossom are sprinkled with snow4 7,,swinburne3 ,march47 ii4 ,verse showing irregular intervals between accents ,gegrette a gumena gehwylcne1 hwate helm-berend1 hindeman sie1 swse gesias3 ,nolde ic sweord beran1 wpen to wyrme1 gif ic wiste hu wi am aglcean elles meahte gylpe wigripan1 swa ic gio wi ,grendle dyde2 ac ic r heau-fyres hates wene1 orees ond attres2 foron ic me on hafu bord ond byrnan4 ,nelle ic beorges weard oferfleon fotes trem1 ac unc sceal weoran t wealle1 swa unc wyrd geteo1 ,metod manna gehws4 ,ic eom on mode from1 t ic wi one gu-flogan gylp ofersitte4 7,beowulf1 ll4 #beaf-bebh4 ab4 #gjj47 ,ich herde men upo mold make muche mon1 hou he be itened of here tilyynge3 gode yeres corn boe be agon1 ne kepe here no sawe ne no song synge4 ,nou we mote worche1 nis er non oer won1 mai ich no lengore lyue wi mi lesinge4 ,yet er is a bitterore bit to e bon1 for euer e fure peni mot to e kynge4#d 7,the ,farmer's ,complaint1 ab4 #acjj2 in ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #ajb1 and ,wright's ,political ,songs1 p4 #adi47 ,i will speake out aloude1 ,i care not who heare it3 ,sirs1 see that my harnesse1 my tergat and my shield ,be made as bright now as when ,i was last in fielde1 ,as white as ,i shoulde to warre againe to-morrowe2 ,for sicke shall ,i be but ,i worke some folke sorow4 ,therefore see that all shine as bright as ,sainct ,george1 ,or as doth a key newly come from the smiths forge4 7,n4 ,,udall3 ,ralph ,roister ,doister1 ,,iv4 iii4 #ac-ai4 #aeff47 ,to this1 this ,oake cast him to replie ,well as he couth2 but his enemie ,had kindled such coles of displeasure1 ,that the good man noulde stay his leasure1 ,but home him hasted with furious heate1 ,encreasing his wrath with many a threat3 ,his harmefull ,hatchet he hent in hand1 7,alas6 that it so ready should stand67 ,and to the field alone he speedeth1 7,aye little helpe to harme there needeth67 ,anger nould let him speake to the tree1 ,enaunter his rage mought cooled bee2 ,but to the roote bent his sturdie stroake1 ,and made many wounds in the waste ,oake4 7,,spenser3 ,shepherd's ,calendar1 ,february4 #aegi47 ,through many a dark and dreary vale ,they passed1 and many a region dolorous1 ,o'er many a frozen1 many a fiery ,alp1 ,rocks1 caves1 lakes1 fens1 bogs1 dens1 and shades of death-- ,a universe of death1 which ,god by curse ,created evil1 for evil only good2 ,where all life dies1 death lives1 and ,nature breeds1 ,perverse1 all monstrous1 all prodigious things1 ,abominable1 inutterable1 and worse ,than fables yet have feigned1 or fear conceived4 7,,milton3 ,paradise ,lost1 ,,ii4 #fah ff4 #affg47 ,the night is chill2 the forest bare2 ,is it the wind that moaneth bleak8 ,there is not wind enough in the air ,to move away the ringlet curl ,from the lovely lady's cheek-- ,there is not wind enough to twirl ,the one red leaf1 the last of its clan1 ,that dances as often as dance it can1 ,hanging so light1 and hanging so high1 ,on the topmost twig that looks up at the sky4 7,,coleridge3 ,christabel1 ,part ,i4 #ahaf47 ,in his ,preface to this poem ,coleridge said3 ,the metre of the ,christabel is not1 properly speaking1 irregular1 though it may seem so from its being founded on a new principle2 namely1 that of counting in each line the accents1 not the syllables4 ,though the latter may vary from seven to twelve1 yet in each line the accents will be found to be only four4 ,nevertheless this occasional variation in number of syllables is not introduced wantonly1 or for the mere ends of convenience1 but in correspondence with some transition1 in the nature of the imagery or passion4 ,the verse is accurately described1 but it has frequently been pointed out as curious that ,coleridge should have spoken of it as founded on a new principle1 when the principle in question was that of native ,english verse from the earliest times4#e ,for other specimens of verse showing irregularity in the number of syllables between the accents1 see ,part ,two1 under ,non-syllable-counting ,four-stress ,verse4 iii4 ,silent ,time-intervals between ,syllables 7,pauses7 7a7 ,pauses not filling the time of syllables4 ,most ,english verses of more than eight syllables are divided not only into the time-intervals between the accents1 but also into two parts 7which ,schipper calls rhythmical series7 by the ,cesura4 ,the ,cesura is a pause not counted out of the regular time of the rhythm1 but corresponding to the pauses between phrases in music1 and nearly always coinciding with syntactical or rhetorical divisions of the sentence4 ,the medial cesura is the typical pause of this kind1 dividing the verse into two parts of approximately equal length4 ,in much early ,english verse1 and in ,french verse1 this medial cesura is almost universal2 in modern ,english verse 7and in that of some early poets1 notably ,chaucer7 there is great freedom in the placing of the cesura1 and also in omitting it altogether4 ,the importance of this matter in the history of ,english decasyllabic verse will appear in ,part ,two4 ,in the early ,elizabethan period the impression was still general that there should be a regular medial cesura4 ,spenser seems to have been the first to imitate the greater freedom of ,chaucer in this regard4 ,see the ,latin dissertation on ,spenser's verse of ,e4 ,legouis 7,quomodo ,e4 ,spenserus1 etc41 ,paris1 #ahif71 and the summary of its results by ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,fletcher in ,modern ,language ,notes for ,november1 #ahih4 ,spenser1 says ,mr4 ,fletcher1 revived for 'heroic verse' the neglected variety in unity of his self-acknowledged master1 ,chaucer4 ,in ,gascoigne's ,notes of ,instruction concerning the making of verse or ryme in ,english 7#aege71 we find3 ,there are also certayne pauses or restes in a verse whiche may be called ,ceasures4444 ,in mine opinion in a verse of eight sillables1 the pause will stand best in the middest1 in a verse of tenne it will be placed at the ende of the first foure sillables2 in a verse of twelve1 in the midst4444 ,in ,rithme royall1 it is at the wryters discretion1 and forceth not where the pause be untill the ende of the line4 ,this greater liberty allowed the rime royal is doubtless due to the influence of ,chaucer on that form4 ,for ,gascoigne's practice in printing his verse with medial cesura1 even without regard to rhetorical divisions1 see the specimen given below4 ,another interesting ,elizabethan account of the cesura is found in ,puttenham's ,arte of ,english ,poesie 7#aehi71 where the writer compares the verse-pause to a stop made by a traveler at an inn for rest and refreshment4 7,arber's ,reprint1 p4 #hh47 ,specimen of ,french alexandrine1 showing the regular medial cesura3 ,trois fois cinquante jours le gnral naufrage ,dgasta l'univers2 en fin d'un tel ravage ,l'immortel s'mouvant1 n'et pas sonn si tt ,la retraite des eaux que soudain flot sur flot ,elles gaignent au pied2 tous les fleuves s'abaissant4 ,le mer rentre en prison2 les montagnes renaissent4 7,,du ,,bartas3 ,la ,premire ,semaine4 #aegi47 ,see further1 on the character of the ,french alexandrine and its medial cesura1 in ,part ,two1 under ,six-stress ,verse4 ,specimen of early blank verse printed with regular medial cesura3 ,o ,knights1 ,o ,squires1 ,o ,gentle blouds yborne1 ,you were not borne1 al onely for your selves3 ,your countrie claymes1 some part of al your paines4 ,there should you live1 and therein should you toyle1 ,to hold up right1 and banish cruel wrong1 ,to helpe the pore1 to bridle backe the riche1 ,to punish vice1 and vertue to advaunce1 ,to see ,god servde1 and ,belzebub supprest4 ,you should not trust1 lieftenaunts in your rome1 ,and let them sway1 the scepter of your charge1 ,whiles you 7meane while7 know scarcely what is don1 ,nor yet can yeld1 accompt if you were callde4 7,,gascoigne3 ,the ,steel ,glass1 ll4 #dci ff4 #aegf47 ,for specimens of regular medial cesura1 and of variable cesura1 in modern verse1 see under the ,decasyllabic ,couplet and ,blank ,verse1 in ,part ,two4 ,the ,cesura is called masculine when it follows an accented syllable4 7,for examples1 see previous specimen from ,gascoigne47 ,it is called feminine when it follows an unaccented syllable4 ,two varieties of the feminine cesura are also distinguished3 the ,lyric1 when the pause occurs inside a foot2 e4g43 ,this wicked traitor1 whom ,i thus accuse2 the ,epic1 when the pause occurs after an extra 7hypermetrical7 light syllable2 e4g43 ,to ,canterbury with ful devout corage4 ,but how of ,cawdor8 the thane of ,cawdor lives4 ,the epic cesura is quite as characteristic of dramatic blank verse as of epic4 ,the pause occurring at the end of a line is equally regular with the medial pause1 and corresponds in the same way to a phrase-pause in music4 ,it is an element of the same character1 then1 as the cesura1 though not bearing the same name4 ,it coincides less closely than the cesura with syntactical and rhetorical pauses4 ,when there is no corresponding syntactical or rhetorical pause at the end of the line 7in other words1 when the metrical pause marking the end of the verse cannot be prominently represented in reading without interfering with the expression of the sense71 the line is said to be run-on4 ,such an ending is also called enjambement4 ,the importance of this distinction between end-stopped and run-on lines will appear in the notes on the ,decasyllabic ,couplet and ,blank ,verse1 in ,part ,two4 7b7 ,pauses filling the time of syllables4 ,a second class of silent time-intervals1 or pauses1 is to be distinguished from the cesural pause by the fact that in this case the time of the pause is counted in the metrical scheme4 ,pauses of this class correspond to rests in music2 and as in the case of such rests1 their occurrence is exceptional4 ,of fustian he wered a gipoun ,al bismotered with his habergeoun4 ,for him was lever have at his beddes heed ,twenty bokes1 clad in blak or reed4 7,,chaucer3 ,prologue to ,canterbury ,tales1 #ge f4 and #bic f47 ,this omission of the first light syllable is characteristic of ,chaucer's couplet and of ,middle ,english verse generally4 7,see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 p4 #dfb1 and ten ,brink's ,chaucer's ,sprache und ,verskunst1 p4 #age47 ,in modern verse it is not usually permitted4 ,the time doth pass1 yet shall not my love4 7,,wyatt3 ,the joy so short1 alas67 ,the omitted syllable following the medial pause is closely parallel to that at the beginning of the verse4 ,stay6 ,the king hath thrown his warder down4 7,richard ,,ii1 ,i4 iii4 #aah47 ,kneel thou down1 ,philip4 ,but rise more great4 7,king ,john1 ,i4 i4 #afa47 ,in drops of sorrow4 ,sons1 kinsmen1 thanes4 7,macbeth1 ,i4 iv4 #ce47 ,than the soft myrtle4 ,but man1 proud man4 7,measure for ,measure1 ,,ii4 ii4 #aag47 ,these specimens of pauses in ,shakspere's verse indicate the natural varieties of dramatic form4 ,in such cases the pause often occurs between speeches1 or where some action is to be understood as filling the time2 as in the second instance1 where the accolade is given in the middle of the line4 7,see ,abbott's ,shakespearian ,grammar1 pp4 #dac ff47 ,break1 break1 break1 ,on thy cold gray stones1 ,o ,sea6 ,and ,i would that my tongue could utter ,the thoughts that arise in me4 7,,tennyson3 ,break1 ,break1 ,break47 ,in ,lanier's ,science of ,english ,verse1 p4 #aja1 this stanza is represented in musical notation1 with rests1 to show that rhythm may be dependent on silences4 ,should auld acquaintance be forgot1 ,and never brought to mind8 ,should auld acquaintance be forgot1 ,and auld lang syne8 7,,burns3 ,auld ,lang ,syne47 ,here the syllables auld and lang may be regarded as lengthened so as to fill the time of the missing light syllables4 ,so in many cases there is a choice between compensatory lengthening and compensatory pause4 ,thus said the ,lord in the ,vault above the ,cherubim1 ,calling to the angels and the souls in their degree3 ,lo6 ,earth has passed away ,on the smoke of ,judgment ,day4 ,that ,our word may be established shall ,we gather up the sea8 ,loud sang the souls of the jolly1 jolly mariners3 ,plague upon the hurricane that made us furl and flee6 ,but the war is done between us1 ,in the deep the ,lord hath seen us-- ,our bones we'll leave the barracout'1 and ,god may sink the sea6 7,,kipling3 ,the ,last ,chantey47 ,this is an instance of a pause forming a regular part of the verse-rhythm4 ,thus in the first verse of each stanza the second and sixth syllables are omitted1 and the result gives the characteristic effect of the rhythm4 ,in measures where there is regular catalexis 7that is1 where the last light syllable of the verse is regularly omitted7 the phenomenon is really of the same kind4 ,these1 these will give the world another heart1 ,and other pulses4 ,hear ye not the hum ,of mighty workings8---- ,listen awhile1 ye nations1 and be dumb4 7,keats3 ,sonnet to ,haydon47 ,call her once before you go1-- ,call once yet6 ,in a voice that she will know1-- ,margaret6 ,margaret6 ,children's voices should be dear 7,call once more7 to a mother's ear2 ,children's voices1 wild with pain1-- ,surely she will come again6 ,call her once1 and come away2 ,this way1 this way6444 ,come1 dear children1 come away down3 ,call no more6 ,one last look at the white-walled town1 ,and the little gray church on the windy shore2 ,then come down6 ,she will not come1 though you call all day2 ,come away1 come away6 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,the ,forsaken ,merman47 ,in this specimen no attempt has been made to indicate the pauses1 as different readers would interpret the verse variously4 ,it will be found that this whole poem is a study in delicate changes and arrangements of time-intervals4 ,the four stresses characteristic of the rhythm can be accounted for in such short lines as the second and tenth1 properly read4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,transactions of the ,philological ,society1 #ahge-gf4 #b ,according to a more elaborate system ,mr4 ,ellis recognized nine varieties of force or stress1 which he named in order as follows3 subweak1 weak1 superweak1 submean1 mean1 supermean1 substrong1 strong1 superstrong4 ,in like manner he named nine degrees each of length1 pitch1 weight1 and silence4 ,length and ,silence are both terms of duration of time4 ,the meaning of ,weight has not been generally understood1 nor is the term ordinarily recognized4 ,mr4 ,ellis described it as due to expression and mental conceptions of importance1 resulting partly from expression in delivery1 produced by quality of tone and gliding pitch1 and partly from the mental effect of the constructional predominance of conceptions4 ,on this whole scheme of ,mr4 ,ellis's1 ,mr4 ,mayor remarks interestingly3 ,whilst ,i admire1 ,i with difficulty repress a shudder at the elaborate apparatus he has provided for registering the minutest variations of metrical stress4 ,not only does he distinguish nine different degrees of force1 but there are the same number of degrees of length1 pitch1 silence1 and weight1 making altogether forty-five varieties of stress at the disposal of the metrist 444 ,if the analysis of rhythm is so terribly complicated1 let us rush into the arms of the intuitivists and trust to our ears only1 for life is not long enough to admit of characterizing lines when there are forty-five expressions for each syllable to be considered4 7,chapters on ,english ,metre1 p4 #fi47 #c ,the term wrenched was used originally1 it would seem1 as one of reprobation4 ,thus ,puttenham1 in his ,arte of ,english ,poesie 7#aehi71 said2 ,there can not be in a maker a fowler fault1 than to falsifie his accent to serve his cadence1 or by untrue orthographie to wrench his words to helpe his rime4 7,arber ed41 p4 #id47 #d ,it is interesting to compare with these irregular lines another stanza of similar form1 of about the same date1 from an ,elegy on ,edward ,i41 in ,bddeker's ,collection1 p4 #adj1 and ,wright's ,political ,songs1 p4 #bdf4 ,alle at beo of huerte trewe1 a stounde herkne to my song of duel1 at de ha diht vs newe 7at make me syke ant sorewe among67 of a knyht1 at wes so strong1 of wham god ha don ys wille2 me unche at de ha don vs wrong1 at he so sone shal ligge stille4 ,the comparatively great regularity of the measures in this second stanza is due to the fact that it was under the syllable-counting influence of the ,french1 being in fact a translation of a ,french original4 #e ,leigh ,hunt said that ,coleridge saw the mistake which had been made with regard to this measure1 and restored it to the beautiful freedom of which it was capable1 by calling to mind the liberties allowed its old musical professors the minstrels1 and dividing it by time instead of syllables4 7,see the entire passage on ,christabel1 in the ,introduction1 on ,what is ,poetry81 to ,imagination and ,fancy4 ,for a criticism of the metrical structure of ,christabel1 see ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody 7ed4 #aija1 pp4 #gc-ge747 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,foot ,,and ,,the ,,verse ,english verse is commonly measured by feet1 a determinate number of which go to form a verse or line4 ,the foot is determined by the distance from one accented syllable to another in the regular scheme of the metre4 ,the usual metrical feet are either dissyllabic or trisyllabic4 ,the dissyllabic foot is commonly called an iambus 7or iamb7 if the unaccented syllable precedes the accented1 and a trochee if the accented precedes the unaccented4 ,the trisyllabic foot is commonly called an anapest if the two unaccented syllables precede the accented syllable1 and a dactyl if they follow the accented syllable4#f ,it will be observed that the fundamental rhythm of both iambic and trochaic verse is the same1 as is also that of both anapestic and dactylic verse2 the distinction belonging only to the metre as measured into regular lines4 ,iambic and anapestic verse 7in which the light syllables commonly open the verse7 are sometimes called ascending rhythm2 trochaic and dactylic verse 7in which the accented syllables commonly open the verse7 descending rhythm4 ,ascending rhythm is very greatly in predominance in ,english poetry4 ,the normal verse of any poem is therefore described by indicating the name of the foot and the number of feet in the verse4 ,the number of feet is always indicated by the number of stresses or principal accents in the normal verse4 ,as the light or unaccented syllables may vary from the typical number1 it may also be necessary to indicate that the line is longer than its name would imply1 by reason of ,feminine ,ending 7a light syllable added at the end7 or ,anacrusis 7a light syllable prefixed72 or that it is shorter than its name would indicate by reason of ,catalexis or ,truncation 7the light syllable at the end--or less frequently at the beginning--being omitted74 ,in like manner1 any particular verse or line is fully described by indicating3 7#a7 the typical foot2 7#b7 the number of feet2 7#c7 the place of the cesura2 7#d7 the presence or absence of a final pause 7end-stopped or run-on72 7#e7 the presence of such irregularities as 7a7 ,anacrusis or feminine ending1 7b7 ,catalexis 7or truncation71 7c7 ,substitution of exceptional feet for the typical foot1 7d7 ,pauses other than the cesural4 ,one-stress iambic4 ,thus ,i ,pass by ,and die ,as one ,unknown ,and gone4 7,,herrick3 ,upon his ,departure ,hence4 #afdh47 7,in combination with two-stress and three-stress37 ,no more ,i'll vaunt1 ,for now ,i see ,thou only hast the power ,to find ,and bind ,a heart that's free1 ,and slave it in an hour4 7,,herrick3 ,his ,recantation4 #afdh47 ,two-stress iambic4 ,most good1 most fair1 ,or things as rare ,to call you 's lost2 ,for all the cost ,words can bestow ,so poorly show1444 7,,drayton3 ,amouret ,anacreontic4 ab4 #afjj47 ,because ,i do ,begin to woo1 ,sweet singing ,lark1 ,be thou the clerk1 ,and know thy when ,to say ,amen4 7,,herrick3 ,to the ,lark4 #afdh47 ,the raging rocks1 ,and shivering shocks1 ,shall break the locks ,of prison-gates2 ,and ,phibbus' car ,shall shine from far1 ,and make and mar ,the foolish ,fates4 7,,shakspere3 ,bottom's song in ,midsummer ,night's ,dream1 ,i4 ii4 ab4 #aeie47 7,in combination with three-stress37 ,only a little more ,i have to write2 ,then ,i'll give o'er1 ,and bid the world good-night4 ',tis but a flying minute ,that ,i must stay1 ,or linger in it2 ,and then ,i must away4 7,,herrick3 ,his ,poetry his ,pillar4 #afdh47 ,in the second stanza we have the same measure with feminine ending4 7,in combination with four-stress37 ,thus let me live1 unseen1 unknown1 ,thus unlamented let me die2 ,steal from the world1 and not a stone ,tell where ,i lie4 7,,pope3 ,ode on ,solitude4 ab4 #agjj47 ,two-stress trochaic4 ,could ,i catch that ,nimble traitor1 ,scornful ,laura1 ,swift-foot ,laura1 ,soon then would ,i ,seek avengement4 7,,campion3 ,anacreontics1 in ,observations in the ,art of ,english ,poesie4 #afjb47 7,in combination with four-stress37 ,dust that covers ,long dead lovers ,song blows off with breath that brightens2 ,at its flashes ,their white ashes ,burst in bloom that lives and lightens4 7,,swinburne3 ,song in ,season47 7,catalectic1 and in combination with three-stress37 ,summer's crest ,red-gold tressed1 ,corn-flowers peeping under2-- ,idle noons1 ,lingering moons1 ,sudden cloud1 ,lightning's shroud1 ,sudden rain1 ,quick again ,smiles where late was thunder4 7,,george ,,eliot3 ,song from ,the ,spanish ,gypsy1 ,bk4 i4 #ahfh47 ,the trochaic measures in ,the ,spanish ,gypsy are in imitation of the similar forms in ,spanish poetry4 ,see p4 #aad1 below4 ,two-stress anapestic4 7,in combination with three-stress37 ,like a gloomy stain ,on the emerald main ,alpheus rushed behind1-- ,as an eagle pursuing ,a dove to its ruin ,down the streams of the cloudy wind4 7,,shelley3 ,arethusa4 #ahbj47 7,with feminine ending37 ,he is gone on the mountain1 ,he is lost to the forest1 ,like a summer-dried fountain1 ,when our need was the sorest4 ,the font1 reappearing1 ,from the raindrops shall borrow1 ,but to us comes no cheering1 ,to ,duncan no morrow6 7,,scott3 ,coronach1 from ,the ,lady of the ,lake1 ,canto #c4 #ahaj47 7,in combination with four-stress37 ,fear death8--to feel the fog in my throat1 ,the mist in my face4 ,when the snows begin1 and the blasts denote ,i am nearing the place1 ,the power of the night1 the press of the storm1 ,the post of the foe2 ,where he stands1 the ,arch ,fear in a visible form1 ,yet the strong man must go4 7,,browning3 ,prospice4 #ahfd47 ,these specimens1 as is usual in anapestic verse1 show considerable freedom in the treatment of the part of the foot containing the light syllables1 substituted iambi being very common4 ,note the iambi in the ,shelley stanza1 line #a1 second foot1 and line #e1 first foot4 ,in the latter case1 however1 the first light syllable of line #e is really supplied by the syllable added to make the feminine ending of line #d4 ,in like manner1 in the ,scott stanza1 the first syllable of line #h is really supplied by the -ing of line #g2 and where we have both feminine ending 7in line #a7 and a full anapest following1 the effect is that of a hypermetrical syllable which must be hurried over in the reading4 ,in the specimen from ,browning we find an iambus in the opening foot in lines #b and #f 7also1 of course1 in lines #a and #e74 ,two-stress dactylic4 ,one more ,unfortunate1 ,weary of breath1 ,rashly importunate1 ,gone to her death6 ,take her up tenderly1 ,lift her with care2 ,fashioned so slenderly1 ,young1 and so fair6 7,,thomas ,,hood3 ,the ,bridge of ,sighs4 ab4 #ahcj47 ,here the alternate lines are catalectic1 both light syllables being wanting4 ,cannon to right of them1 ,cannon to left of them1 ,cannon in front of them ,volley'd and thunder'd2 ,storm'd at with shot and shell1 ,boldly they rode and well1 ,into the jaws of ,death1 ,into the mouth of ,hell ,rode the six hundred4 7,,tennyson3 ,charge of the ,light ,brigade4 #ahed47 ,here the fourth and ninth lines are catalectic4 ,loudly the sailors cheered ,svend of the ,forked ,beard1 ,as with his fleet he steered ,southward to ,vendland2 ,where with their courses hauled ,all were together called1 ,under the ,isle of ,svald ,near to the mainland4 7,,longfellow3 ,saga of ,king ,olaf1 xvii4 #ahfc47 ,in the reading of these stanzas from ,tennyson and ,longfellow there is so marked a stress on the final syllable as to make the second dactyl 7except in the opening lines of the ,tennyson stanza7 more like a ,cretic 7in the classical terminology72 i4e4 a foot made up of two heavy syllables with a light syllable between them4 ,but no such foot is generally recognized in ,english verse4 ,two-stress irregular4 ,on the ground ,sleep sound3 ,i'll apply ,to your eye1 ,gentle lover1 remedy4 ,when thou wak'st1 ,thou tak'st ,true delight ,in the sight ,of thy former lady's eye4 7,,shakspere3 ,puck's ,song in ,midsummer ,night's ,dream1 ,,iii4 ii4 ab4 #aeie47 ,what ,i hate1 ,be consecrate ,to celebrate ,thee and ,thy state1 ,no mate ,for ,thee2 ,what see ,for envy ,in poor me8 7,,browning3 ,song in ,caliban upon ,setebos4 #ahfd47 ,in the usual printing of ,caliban upon ,setebos this song is brought into the form of the five-accent lines4 ,it is evidently intended1 however1 to be read in two-accent groups4 ,professor ,moulton has remarked interestingly that ,browning gives the unique figure of ,caliban not only a grammar but a prosody of his own4 ,though my rime be ragged1 ,tattered and jagged1 ,rudely raine-beaten1 ,rusty and moth-eaten2 ,if ye take wel therewith1 ,it hath in it some pith4 7,,john ,,skelton3 ,colyn ,cloute4 ab4 #aeaj47 ,this is a specimen of what ,mr4 ,churton ,collins calls that headlong voluble breathless doggrel which1 rattling and clashing on through quick-recurring rhymes1 444 has taken from the name of its author the title of ,skeltonical verse4 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 i4 p4 #ahe47 ,the number of accents1 as well as the number of syllables1 is irregular1 being quite as often 7perhaps more often7 three as two4 ,three-stress iambic4 ,o let the solid ground ,not fail beneath my feet ,before my life has found ,what some have found so sweet2 ,then let come what come may1 ,what matter if ,i go mad1 ,i shall have had my day4 7,,tennyson3 ,song in ,maud1 xi4 #ahee47 7,in combination with verse of four1 five1 and six stresses37 ,the ,oracles are dumb2 ,no voice or hideous hum ,runs through the arched roof in words deceiving4 ,apollo from his shrine ,can no more divine1 ,with hollow shriek the steep of ,delphos leaving3 ,no nightly trance or breathed spell ,inspires the pale-eyed priest from the prophetic cell4 7,,milton3 ,ode on the ,morning of ,christ's ,nativity4 #afbi47 ,here1 in line #e1 we have an instance of a verse truncated at the beginning1--rare in modern ,english poetry4 7,with feminine ending37 ,the mountain sheep are sweeter1 ,but the valley sheep are fatter2 ,we therefore deemed it meeter ,to carry off the latter4 ,we made an expedition2 ,we met an host and quelled it2 ,we forced a strong position1 ,and killed the men who held it4 7,,thomas ,,love ,,peacock3 ,war ,song of ,dinas ,vawr1 from ,the ,misfortunes of ,elphin4 #ahbi47 ,in line #b is an instance of anacrusis4 ,three-stress trochaic4 7,in combination with iambic37 ,go where glory waits thee1 ,but1 while fame elates thee1 ,oh6 still remember me4 ,when the praise thou meetest ,to thine ear is sweetest1 ,oh6 then remember me4 7,,thomas ,,moore3 ,go ,where ,glory ,waits ,thee4 ab4 #ahbj47 7,in combination with six-stress verses37 ,hail to thee1 blithe ,spirit6 ,bird thou never wert1 ,that from heaven1 or near it1 ,pourest thy full heart ,in profuse strains of unpremeditated art4 ,higher still and higher ,from the earth thou springest1 ,like a cloud of fire ,the blue deep thou wingest1 ,and singing still dost soar1 and soaring ever singest4 7,,shelley3 ,to a ,skylark4 #ahbj47 ,here lines #b and #d are catalectic4 ,three-stress anapestic4 ,i am monarch of all ,i survey2 ,my right there is none to dispute2 ,from the centre all round to the sea ,i am lord of the fowl and the brute4 7,,cowper3 ,verses supposed to be written by ,alexander ,selkirk4 #aghb47 ,in this specimen lines #b1 #e1 #f1 and #h show initial truncation1 the first light syllable being missing4 7,with two-stress verse37 ,his desire is a dureless content1 ,and a trustless joy2 ,he is won with a world of despair ,and is lost with a toy4444 ,but true love is a durable fire1 ,in the mind ever burning1 ,never sick1 never old1 never dead1 ,from itself never turning4 7,,sir ,,walter ,,raleigh 7873 ,pilgrim to ,pilgrim4 ,in ,,ms4 ,rawl4 #he2 in ,schelling's ,elizabethan ,lyrics1 p4 #c47 ,the metres of the earlier years of ,elizabeth's reign are so overwhelmingly iambic1 ,professor ,schelling observes1 that this perfectly metrical1 if somewhat irregular1 anapstic movement comes like a surprise4 ,professor ,gummere1 of ,haverford ,college1 calls my attention to three epigrams--printed among the poems of ,raleigh1 ed4 ,hannah1 p4 #ee--;all of them in more or less limping anapsts1 but not of this measure4 ,it is quite possible that the time to which these verses were sung may have affected the measure4 7,notes to ,elizabethan ,lyrics1 pp4 #baa1 #bab47 7,with initial truncation37 ,she gazed1 as ,i slowly withdrew1 ,my path ,i could hardly discern2 ,so sweetly she bade me adieu1 ,i thought that she bade me return4 7,,shenstone3 ,pastoral ,ballad4 #agdc47 ,mr4 ,saintsbury praises highly the anapests of ,shenstone 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 iii4 p4 #bgb71 saying that he taught the metre to a greater poet than himself1 ,cowper1 and these two between them have written almost everything that is worth reading in it1 if we put avowed parody and burlesque out of the question4 ,but this is probably to be regarded as overstating the case4 7,with feminine ending37 ,if you go over desert and mountain1 ,far into the country of sorrow1 ,to-day and to-night and to-morrow1 ,and maybe for months and for years2 ,you shall come1 with a heart that is bursting ,for trouble and toiling and thirsting1 ,you shall certainly come to the fountain ,at length1--to the ,fountain of ,tears4 7,,arthur ,o',,shaughnessy3 ,the ,fountain of ,tears4 #ahgj47 ,here the extra light syllable at the end of the line is really the initial light syllable of the following line1 as in the specimen on p4 #bi1 above4 ,so this is a psalm of the waters1-- ,the wavering1 wandering waters3 ,with languages learned in the forest1 ,with secrets of earth's lonely caverns1 ,the mystical waters go by me ,on errands of love and of beauty1 ,on embassies friendly and gentle1 ,with shimmer of brown and of silver4 7,s4 ,,weir ,,mitchell3 ,a ,psalm of the ,waters4 #ahij47 ,here1 also1 the final light syllable might be said to take the place of the missing initial syllable2 but the structure of the verse1 with the fact that the initial anapest is always truncated and that the final syllable is never accented1 indicates that the verse as it stands is the norm of the poem--three-stress anapestic1 with initial truncation and feminine ending4 ,three-stress dactylic4 7,catalectic37 ,this is a spray the ,bird clung to1 ,making it blossom with pleasure1 ,ere the high tree-top she sprung to1 ,fit for her nest and her treasure4 7,,browning3 ,misconceptions4 #ahee47 ,four-stress iambic4 7,for specimens1 see ,part ,two47 ,four-stress trochaic4 ,maiden1 crowned with glossy blackness1 ,lithe as panther forest-roaming1 ,long-armed naiad1 when she dances1 ,on a stream of ether floating4 7,,george ,,eliot3 ,song from ,the ,spanish ,gypsy1 ,book i4 #ahfh47 ,westward1 westward ,hiawatha ,sailed into the fiery sunset1 ,sailed into the purple vapors1 ,sailed into the dusk of evening4 7,,longfellow3 ,hiawatha4 #ahee47 ,honour1 riches1 marriage-blessing1 ,long continuance1 and increasing1 ,hourly joys be still upon you6 ,juno sings her blessings on you4 7,,shakspere3 ,juno's ,song in ,the ,tempest1 ,,iv4 i4 ab4 #afaj47 7,catalectic37 ,on a day1 alack the day6 ,love1 whose month is ever ,may1 ,spied a blossom passing fair ,playing in the wanton air3 ,through the velvet leaves the wind1 ,all unseen1 can passage find2 ,that the lover1 sick to death1 ,wish himself the heaven's breath4 7,,shakspere3 ,love's ,labor's ,lost1 ,,iv4 #c4 ab4 #aeij47 ,haste thee1 ,nymph1 and bring with thee ,jest1 and youthful jollity1 ,quips and cranks and wanton wiles1 ,nods and becks and wreathed smiles1 ,such as hang on ,hebe's cheek1 ,and love to live in dimple sleek4 7,,milton3 ,l',allegro4 #afcd47 ,souls of ,poets dead and gone1 ,what ,elysium have ye known1 ,happy field or mossy cavern1 ,choicer than the ,mermaid ,tavern8 ,have ye tippled drink more fine ,than mine host's ,canary wine8 ,or are fruits of ,paradise ,sweeter than those dainty pies ,of venison8 ,o generous food6 ,drest as though bold ,robin ,hood ,would1 with his maid ,marian1 ,sup and bowse from horn and can4 7,,keats3 ,lines on the ,mermaid ,tavern4 #ahbj47 ,four-stress anapestic4 ,what ,i speak1 my fair ,chloe1 and what ,i write1 shows ,the difference there is betwixt nature and art3 ,i court others in verse2 but ,i love thee in prose3 ,and they have my whimsies2 but thou hast my heart4 7,,prior3 ,a ,better ,answer4 ab4 #agaj47 ,prior's anapests well illustrate the appropriateness of the measure for light tripping effects1 such as are sought vers de socit4 ,see also the measure of ,goldsmith's ,retaliation1 especially the passage beginning-- ,here lies ,david ,garrick1 describe me who can2 ,an abridgment of all that was pleasant in man4 ,the small birds rejoice in the green leaves returning1 ,the murmuring streamlet winds clear through the vale2 ,the hawthorn trees blow in the dews of the morning1 ,and wild scatter'd cowslips bedeck the green dale4 7,,burns3 ,the ,chevalier's ,lament4 #aghh47 ,the ,assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold1 ,and his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold2 ,and the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea1 ,when the blue wave rolls nightly on deep ,galilee4 7,,byron3 ,the ,destruction of ,sennacherib4 #ahae47 7,with three-stress37 ,believe me1 if all those endearing young charms1 ,which ,i gaze on so fondly to-day1 ,were to change by to-morrow1 and fleet in my arms1 ,like fairy-gifts fading away1 ,thou wouldst still be ador'd1 as this moment thou art1 ,let thy loveliness fade as it will1 ,and around the dear ruin each wish of my heart ,would entwine itself verdantly still4 7,,thomas ,,moore3 ,believe me1 if all those endearing young charms4 ab4 #ahbe47 four-stress dactylic4 ,after the pangs of a desperate lover1 ,when day and night ,i have sighed all in vain2 ,ah1 what a pleasure it is to discover ,in her eyes pity1 who causes my pain6 7,,dryden3 ,song in ,an ,evening's ,love4 #affh47 ,of this song ,mr4 ,saintsbury says that it is one of the rare examples of a real dactylic metre in ,english1 where the dactyls are not1 as usual1 equally to be scanned as anapests4 7,life of ,dryden1 ,men of ,letters ,series1 p4 #fb47 ,here1 as almost always in ,english1 the measure is catalectic1 a final dactyl being instinctively avoided1 except in short two-stress lines4 ,warriors and chiefs6 should the shaft or the sword ,pierce me in leading the host of the ,lord1 ,heed not the corse1 though a king's1 in your path3 ,bury your steel in the bosoms of ,gath6 7,,byron3 ,song of ,saul before his ,last ,battle4 #ahae47 ,kentish ,sir ,byng stood for his ,king1 ,bidding the crop-headed ,parliament swing3 ,and1 pressing a troop1 unable to stoop ,and see the rogues flourish and honest folk droop1 ,marched them along1 fifty-score strong1 ,great-hearted gentlemen1 singing this song4 7,,browning3 ,cavalier ,tunes4 #ahdc47 ,here the metre is varied interestingly by pauses4 ,thus in lines #a and #e the light syllables of the second foot are wholly wanting4 ,five-stress iambic4 7,for specimens1 see ,part ,two47 ,five-stress trochaic4 ,what1 there's nothing in the moon noteworthy8 ,nay3 for if that moon could love a mortal1 ,use1 to charm him 7so to fit a fancy71 ,all her magic 7'tis the old sweet mythos71 ,she would turn a new side to her mortal1 ,side unseen of herdsman1 huntsman1 steersman-- ,blank to ,zoroaster on his terrace1 ,blind to ,galileo on his turret1 ,dumb to ,homer1 dumb to ,keats--him1 even6 7,,browning3 ,one ,word ,more4 #ahee47 ,this is a rare specimen of unrimed verse in other than iambic rhythm4 7,catalectic37 ,then methought ,i heard a mellow sound1 ,gathering up from all the lower ground2 ,narrowing in to where they sat assembled ,low voluptuous music winding trembled1 ,wov'n in circles3 they that heard it sighed1 ,panted1 hand-in-hand with faces pale1 ,swung themselves1 and in low tones replied2 ,till the fountain spouted1 showering wide ,sleet of diamond-drift and pearly hail4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,vision of ,sin4 #ahdb47 ,five-stress anapestic4 ,as thy ,love is discovered almighty1 almighty be proved ,thy power1 that exists with and for it1 of being beloved6 ,he who did most1 shall bear most2 the strongest shall stand the most weak4 ',tis the weakness in strength that ,i cry for6 my flesh1 that ,i seek ,in the ,godhead6 ,i seek and ,i find it4 ,o ,saul1 it shall be ,a ,face like my face that receives thee2 a ,man like to me1 ,thou shalt love and be loved by1 forever3 a ,hand like this hand ,shall throw open the gates of new life to thee6 ,see the ,christ stand6 7,,browning3 ,saul4 #ahde47 ,let it flame or fade1 and the war roll down like a wind1 ,we have proved we have hearts in a cause1 we are noble still1 ,and myself have awaked1 as it seems1 to the better mind2 ,it is better to fight for the good than to rail at the ill2 ,i have felt with my native land1 ,i am one with my kind1 ,i embrace the purpose of ,god1 and the doom assign'd4 7,,tennyson3 ,maud1 ,,iii4 vi4 #ahee47 ,here frequent iambi are substituted for anapests2 as in line #a1 second and fourth feet2 lines #b and #c1 fifth foot2 line #e1 third foot4 ,five-stress dactylic4 ,this form is almost unknown4 ,in the following lines we find five-stress catalectic verse of dactyls and trochees combined3 ,surely the thought in a man's heart hopes or fears ,now that forgetfulness needs must here have stricken ,anguish1 and sweetened the sealed-up springs of tears4 7,,swinburne3 ,a ,century of ,roundels47 ,six-stress iambic4 7,for specimens1 see ,part ,two47 ,six-stress trochaic4 7,with alternate lines catalectic37 ,day by day thy shadow shines in heaven beholden1 ,even the sun1 the shining shadow of thy face3 ,king1 the ways of heaven before thy feet grow golden2 ,god1 the soul of earth is kindled with thy grace4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,last ,oracle47 ,six-stress anapestic4 ,for ,i trust if an enemy's fleet came yonder round by the hill1 ,and the rushing battle-bolt sang from the three-decker out of the foam1 ,that the smooth-faced snubnosed rogue would leap from his counter and till1 ,and strike1 if he could1 were it but with his cheating yard-wand1 home4 7,,tennyson3 ,maud1 ,i4 i4 #ahee47 7,see note on p4 #da47 ,all under the deeps of the darkness are glimmering3 all over impends ,an immeasurable infinite flower of the dark that dilates and descends1 ,that exalts and expands in its breathless and blind efflorescence of heart ,as it broadens and bows to the wave-ward1 and breathes not1 and hearkens apart4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,garden of ,cymodoce1 in ,songs of the ,springtides47 ,six-stress dactylic4 7,for this1 see chiefly ,part ,two47 7,catalectic37 ,dosn't thou 'ear my 'erse's legs1 as they canters awaay8 ,proputty1 proputty1 proputty--that's what ,i 'ears 'em saay4 ,proputty1 proputty1 proputty--,sam1 thou's an ass for thy paains3 ,theer's moor sense i' one o' 'is legs nor in all thy braains4 7,,tennyson3 ,northern ,farmer--new style4 ab4 #ahfj47 ,thee ,i behold as a bird borne in with the wind from the west1 ,straight from the sunset1 across white waves whence rose as a daughter ,venus thy mother1 in years when the world was a water at rest4 7,,swinburne3 ,hesperia47 ,seven-stress iambic4 ,there's not a joy the world can give like that it takes away ,when the glow of early thought declines in feeling's dull decay2 ',tis not on youth's smooth cheek the blush alone1 which fades so fast1 ,but the tender bloom of heart is gone1 ere youth itself be past4 7,,byron3 ,stanzas for ,music4 #ahae47 ,here we have anacrusis in lines #b and #d4 ,beyond the path of the outmost sun1 through utter darkness hurled-- ,further than ever comet flared or vagrant star-dust swirled-- ,live such as fought and sailed and ruled and loved and made our world4 7,,kipling3 ,wolcott ,balestier47 7,see also under ,seven-stress ,verse1 in ,part ,two47 ,seven-stress trochaic4 7,catalectic37 ,clear the way1 my lords and lackeys1 you have had your day4 ,here you have your answer1 ,england's yea against your nay2 ,long enough your house has held you3 up1 and clear the way6 7,,swinburne3 ,clear the ,way47 ,seven-stress anapestic4 7,with feminine ending37 ,come on then1 ye dwellers by nature in darkness1 and like to the leaves' generations1 ,that are little of might1 that are moulded of mire1 unenduring and shadowlike nations1 ,poor plumeless ephemerals1 comfortless mortals1 as visions of creatures fast fleeing1 ,lift up your mind unto us that are deathless1 and dateless the date of our being4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,birds1 from ,aristophanes47 ,of this translation ,mr4 ,swinburne says that it was undertaken from a consideration of the fact that the marvellous metrical invention of the anapestic heptameter was almost exactly reproducible in a language to which all variations and combinations of anapestic1 iambic1 or trochaic metre are as natural and pliable as all dactylic and spondaic forms of verse are unnatural and abhorrent4 444 ,i have not attempted1 he says further1 the impossible and undesirable task of reproducing the rare exceptional effect of a line overcharged on purpose with a preponderance of heavy-footed spondees4444 ,my main desire 444 was to renew as far as possible for ,english ears the music of this resonant and triumphant metre1 which goes ringing at full gallop as of horses who 'dance as 'twere to the music ,their own hoofs make4' 7,studies in ,song1 p4 #fh47 ,seven-stress dactylic4 ,this form of verse may be said to be wanting4 ,schipper quotes as possible examples some lines which 7as he remarks7 seem to be made merely for the metrical purpose3 ,out of the kingdom of ,christ shall be gathered1 by angels o'er ,satan victorious1 ,all that offendeth1 that lieth1 that faileth to honor his name ever glorious4 7,englische ,metrik1 vol4 ii4 p4 #dai47 ,eight-stress iambic4 ,this is almost unknown in ,english verse1 because where conceivably occurring it shows an irresistible tendency to break up into two halves of four stresses each4 ,william ,webbe1 in his ,discourse of ,english ,poetrie 7#aehf71 quoted these lines as the longest verse in length which ,i have seen used in ,english3 ,where virtue wants and vice abounds1 there wealth is but a baited hook1 ,to make men swallow down their bane1 before on danger deep they look4 ,eight-stress trochaic4 7,catalectic37 ,love took up the glass of ,time1 and turn'd it in his glowing hands2 ,every moment1 lightly shaken1 ran itself in golden sands4 ,love took up the harp of ,life1 and smote on all the chords with might2 ,smote the chord of ,self1 that1 trembling1 pass'd in music out of sight4 7,,tennyson3 ,locksley ,hall4 #ahdb47 ,open then ,i flung the shutter1 when1 with many a flirt and flutter1 ,in there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore4 ,not the least obeisance made he2 not an instant stopped or stayed he2 ,but1 with mien of lord or lady1 perched above my chamber door1-- ,perched upon a bust of ,pallas1 just above my chamber door4 7,,poe3 ,the ,raven4 #ahde47 ,night1 in utmost noon forlorn and strong1 with heart athirst and fasting1 ,hungers here1 barred up forever1 whence as one whom dreams affright1 ,day recoils before the low-browed lintel threatening doom and casting ,night4 7,,swinburne3 ,night in ,guernsey47 ,in the last line of this specimen we have a nine-accent verse1--very rare in ,english poetry4 ,the tendency of all eight-accent lines being to break up into halves of four accents1 the distinction between four-stress and eight-stress verse may be at times only a question of printing4 ,thus1 ,thackeray's ,sorrows of ,werther might be regarded as eight-stress trochaic1 though commonly printed in short lines3 ,werther had a love for ,charlotte ,such as words could never utter4 ,would you know how first he saw her8 ,she was cutting bread and butter4 ,eight-stress anapestic4 ,ere frost-flower and snow-blossom faded and fell1 and the splendor of winter had passed out of sight1 ,the ways of the woodlands were fairer and stranger than dreams that fulfil us in sleep with delight2 ,the breath of the mouths of the winds had hardened on tree-tops and branches that glittered and swayed ,such wonders and glories of blossomlike snow1 or of frost that out-lightens all flowers till it fade1 ,that the sea was not lovelier than here was the land1 nor the night than the day1 nor the day than the night1 ,nor the winter sublimer with storm than the spring3 such mirth had the madness and might in thee made1 ,march1 master of winds1 bright minstrel and marshal of storms that enkindle the season they smite4 7,,swinburne3 ,march47 ,eight-stress dactylic4 ,onward and onward the highway runs to the distant city1 impatiently bearing ,tidings of human joy and disaster1 of love and of hate1 of doing and daring4 7,,longfellow3 ,golden ,legend1 iv4 #ahea47 ,the breathlessly continuous character of such long anapestic or dactylic lines may of course be interrupted1 by way of relief1 by the substitution of iambi or trochees4 ,in the specimen from ,swinburne such a resting-place is found in line #c1 where a light syllable is omitted after winds4 ,in the specimen from ,longfellow the words high-way1 distant1 human1 of course1 fill the places of complete dactyls4 ,,combinations ,,and ,,substitutions i4 ,verses in which different sorts of feet are more or less regularly combined4 ,in the morning1 ,o so early1 my beloved1 my beloved1 ,all the birds were singing blithely1 as if never they would cease3 ',twas a thrush sang in my garden1 ,hear the story1 hear the story6 ,and the lark sang ,give us glory6 and the dove said ,give us peace4 7,,jean ,,ingelow3 ,give us ,love and ,give us ,peace47 ,fair is our lot--,o goodly is our heritage6 7,humble ye1 my people1 and be fearful in your mirth67 ,for the ,lord our ,god ,most ,high ,he hath made the deep as dry1 ,he hath smote for us a pathway to the ends of all the ,earth6 7,,kipling3 ,a ,song of the ,english47 ,in both these specimens the full accent regularly recurs in only the alternate feet4 ,thus while the first specimen is technically eight-stress trochaic1 there are in the normal reading of it only four full accents to the line4 ,in other words the first1 third1 fifth1 and seventh feet are regularly pyrrhics4 7,see p4 #ee47 ,the same thing appears in the specimen from ,kipling3 ye1 and1 in 7in line #b7 are accented only in a distinctly secondary fashion4 ,some have suggested1 for such rhythms as these1 the recognition of a foot made up of one stressed and three unstressed syllables4 ,lanier represents such measures 7in ,the ,science of ,english ,verse7 in four-eight time4 ,fear death8--to feel the fog in my throat1 ,the mist in my face1 ,when the snows begin1 and the blasts denote ,i am nearing the place1 ,the power of the night1 the press of the storm1 ,the post of the foe2 ,where he stands1 the ,arch ,fear in a visible form1 ,yet the strong man must go4 7,,browning3 ,prospice47 ,here the tendency is to use iambi and anapests in alternate feet2 see especially lines #b1 #c1 and #e4 ,all we have willed or hoped or dreamed of good1 shall exist2 ,not its semblance1 but itself2 no beauty1 nor good1 nor power ,whose voice has gone forth1 but each survives for the melodist ,when eternity affirms the conception of an hour4 ,the high that proved too high1 the heroic for earth too hard1 ,the passion that left the ground to lose itself in the sky1 ,are music sent up to ,god by the lover and the bard2 ,enough that ,he heard it once3 we shall hear it by-and-by4 7,,browning3 ,abt ,vogler47 ,here we have a hexameter which is neither iambic nor anapestic1 but a combination of the two rhythms4 ,so in the following specimens dissyllabic and trisyllabic feet are used interchangeably4 ,when the lamp is shatter'd ,the light in the dust lies dead-- ,when the cloud is scatter'd ,the rainbow's glory is shed4 ,when the lute is broken1 ,sweet tones are remember'd not2 ,when the lips have spoken1 ,loved accents are soon forgot4 7,,shelley3 ,the ,flight of ,love47 ,the sea is at ebb1 and the sound of her utmost word ,is soft at the least wave's lapse in a still small reach4 ,from bay unto bay1 on quest of a goal deferred1 ,from headland ever to headland and breach to breach1 ,where earth gives ear to the message that all days preach4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,seaboard47 ,england1 none that is born thy son1 and lives1 by grace of thy glory1 free1 ,lives and yearns not at heart and burns with hope to serve as he worships thee2 ,none may sing thee3 the sea-bird's wing beats down our songs as it hails the sea4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,armada1 vii47 ,this life of ours is a wild olian harp of many a joyous strain1 ,but under them all there runs a loud perpetual wail1 as of souls in pain4 7,,longfellow3 ,the ,golden ,legend1 iv47 ,come away1 come away1 ,death1 ,and in sad cypress let me be laid2 ,fly away1 fly away1 breath2 ,i am slain by a fair cruel maid4 ,my shroud of white1 stuck all with yew1 ,o prepare it6 ,my part of death1 no one so true ,did share it4 7,,shakspere3 ,twelfth ,night1 ,,ii4 iv47 ,the characteristic irregularity in this stanza is the variation from trochaic to iambic rhythm4 ,in this case the variations are in part due1 no doubt1 to the fact that the words were written for music4 ,maud with her exquisite face1 ,and wild voice pealing up to the sunny sky1 ,and feet like sunny gems on an ,english green1 ,maud in the light of her youth and her grace1 ,singing of ,death1 and of ,honor that cannot die1 ,till ,i well could weep for a time so sordid and mean ,and myself so languid and base4 7,,tennyson3 ,maud1 ,i4 v47 ,in this specimen the characteristic rhythm of lines #a1 #d1 and #e is dactylic1 that of the remainder anapestic-iambic4 ,the trumpet's loud clangor ,excites us to arms ,with shrill notes of anger ,and mortal alarms4 ,the double double double beat ,of the thundering drum ,cries1 hark6 the foes come2 ,charge1 charge1 'tis too late to retreat4 ,the soft complaining flute ,in dying notes discovers ,the woes of helpless lovers1 ,whose dirge is whispered by the warbling lute4 7,,dryden3 ,song for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day1 #afhg47 ,in this famous stanza the rhythm changes for obvious purposes of imitative representation4 ,children dear1 was it yesterday 7,call yet once7 that she went away8 ,once she sate with you and me1 ,on a red gold throne in the heart of the sea1 ,and the youngest sate on her knee4 ,she combed its bright hair1 and she tended it well1 ,when down swung the sound of a far-off bell4 ,she sighed1 she looked up through the clear green sea2 ,she said1 ,i must go1 for my kinsfolk pray ,in the little gray church on the shore to-day4 ',twill be ,easter-time in the world--ah me6 ,and ,i lose my poor soul1 ,merman6 here with thee4 ,i said1 ,go up1 dear heart1 through the waves2 ,say thy prayer1 and come back to the kind sea-caves6 ,she smiled1 she went up through the surf in the bay4 ,children dear1 was it yesterday8 444 ,down1 down1 down6 ,down to the depths of the sea6 ,she sits at her wheel in the humming town1 ,singing most joyfully4 ,hark what she sings3 ,o joy1 ,o joy1 ,for the humming street1 and the child with its toy6 ,for the priest1 and the bell1 and the holy well2 ,for the wheel where ,i spun1 ,and the blessed light of the sun6 ,and so she sings her fill1 ,singing most joyfully1 ,till the spindle drops from her hand1 ,and the whizzing wheel stands still4 ,she steals to the window1 and looks at the sand1 ,and over the sand at the sea2 ,and her eyes are set in a stare2 ,and anon there breaks a sigh1 ,and anon there drops a tear1 ,from a sorrow-clouded eye1 ,and a heart sorrow-laden1 ,a long1 long sigh1 ,for the cold strange eyes of a little mermaiden1 ,and the gleam of her golden hair4 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,the ,forsaken ,merman47 ,then the music touch'd the gates and died2 ,rose again from where it seem'd to fail1 ,storm'd in orbs of song1 a growing gale2 ,till thronging in and in1 to where they waited1 ,as 'twere a hundred-throated nightingale1 ,the strong tempestuous treble throbbed and palpitated2 ,ran into its giddiest whirl of sound1 ,caught the sparkles1 and in circles1 ,purple gauzes1 golden hazes1 liquid mazes1 ,flung the torrent rainbow round3 ,then they started from their places1 ,moved with violence1 changed in hue1 ,caught each other with wild grimaces1 ,half-invisible to the view1 ,wheeling with precipitate paces ,to the melody1 till they flew1 ,hair1 and eyes1 and limbs1 and faces1 ,twisted hard in fierce embraces1 ,like to ,furies1 like to ,graces1 ,dash'd together in blinding dew4 7,,tennyson3 ,vision of ,sin47 ii4 ,verses in which individual feet are altered from the metrical scheme4 ,even in metre exhibiting no marked irregularities1 it is of course rather exceptional than otherwise to find all the feet in a verse conforming to the type-foot of the metre4 ,departures from the typical metre may be conveniently classified in five groups3 ,deficiency in accent2 excess of accent2 inversion of accent2 light syllable added to dissyllabic foot2 light syllable omitted in trisyllabic foot4 ,deficiency of accent is the most common of all the variations1 if we understand by accent such syllabic stress as would be ordinarily appreciable in the reading of the word in question4 ,it would be safe to say that in ,english five-stress iambic verse1 read with only the ordinary etymological and rhetorical accents1 twenty-five per cent of the verses lack the full five stresses characteristic of the type4 ,in many cases1 too1 a foot with deficiency in stress is compensated for by another foot in the same verse showing excess of stress4 ,feet thus deficient in stress may conveniently be called pyrrhics1 the pyrrhic being understood as made up of two unstressed syllables4 ,this term has never become fully domesticated in ,english prosody1 and some object to its use on the ground that we have no feet wholly without stress4 ,its use in the sense just indicated1 however1 seems to be an unquestionable convenience4 ,excess of accent1 while less common than deficiency of accent1 is even more easily recognizable4 ,the foot containing two stressed syllables1 even though one of the stresses may be distinctly stronger than the other1 may conveniently be called a spondee4 ,inversion of accent is exceedingly familiar1 especially at the beginning of the verse and after the medial pause4 ,it consists1 technically speaking1 in the substitution of a trochee for an iambus or an iambus for a trochee 7the latter very rarely74 ,a light syllable inserted in dissyllabic measure is not unusual1 though by no means so common as the variations previously enumerated4 ,such a syllable is frequently spoken of as hypermetrical2 or1 the variation may be considered as the substitution of an anapest for an iambus1 in iambic measure1 or the substitution of a dactyl for a trochee1 in trochaic measure4 ,the omission of one of the two light syllables from the foot in trisyllabic verse is so common as to make it difficult to find pure anapestic or dactylic verse in ,english4 ,this fact is due in part to preference for dissyllabic measures1 and in part to the usual indifference1 in all ,germanic verse1 to accuracy in the number of light syllables4 ,the variation may frequently be regarded as involving a prolongation of the light syllable of the foot1 or a pause equal to the time of the omitted syllable2 technically speaking1 it consists in the substitution of an iambus for an anapest1 or a trochee for a dactyl4 ,examples of all these variations may best be found in the specimens of verse included in the preceding pages4 ,a few specimens of detail are added here1 for the sake of greater clearness4 ,deficiency in accent 7substituted pyrrhic74 ,to further this1 ,achitophel unites ,the malcontents of all the ,israelites1 ,whose differing parties he could wisely join ,for several ends to serve the same design2 ,the best 7and of the princes some were such7 ,who thought the power of monarchy too much2 ,mistaken men and patriots in their hearts1 ,not wicked1 but seduced by impious arts2 ,by these the springs of property were bent1 ,and wound so high they crack'd the government4 7,,dryden3 ,absalom and ,achitophel1 ,i47 ,excess of accent 7substituted spondee74 ,and ten low words oft creep in one dull line4 7,,pope3 ,essay on ,criticism47 ,rocks1 caves1 lakes1 fens1 bogs1 dens1 and shades of death4 7,,milton3 ,paradise ,lost1 ,,ii4 #fba47 ,see1 see where ,christ's blood streams in the firmament6 7,,marlowe3 ,faustus1 sc4 xvi47 ,o great1 just1 good ,god6 ,miserable me6 7,,browning3 ,the ,ring and the ,book1 ,,vi47 ,a tree's head snaps--and there1 there1 there1 there1 there6 7,,browning3 ,caliban upon ,setebos47 ,inversion of accent 7substituted trochee74 ,thou detestable maw1 thou womb of death1 ,gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth4 7,,shakspere3 ,romeo and ,juliet1 ,v4 iii4 #de f47 ,finds tongues in trees1 books in the running brooks1 ,sermons in stones1 and good in every thing4 7,as ,you ,like ,it1 ,,ii4 i4 #af f47 ,the watery kingdom whose ambitious head ,spits in the face of heaven4 7,merchant of ,venice1 ,,ii4 vii4 #dd f47 ,long lines of cliff breaking have left a chasm4 7,,tennyson3 ,enoch ,arden47 ,there whirled her white robe like a blossomed branch ,rapt to the horrible fall3 a glance ,i gave1 ,no more2 but woman-vested as ,i was ,plunged2 and the flood drew2 yet ,i caught her2 then ,oaring one arm1444 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,princess47 ,stabbed through the heart's affections to the heart6 ,seethed like a kid in its own mother's milk6 ,killed with a word worse than a life of blows6 7,,tennyson3 ,merlin and ,vivien47 ,he flowed ,right for the polar star1 past ,orgunje1 ,brimming1 and bright1 and large2 then sands begin1444 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,sohrab and ,rustum47 ,hypermetrical syllable 7substituted anapest74 ,let me see1 let me see1 is not the leaf turn'd down8 7,,shakspere3 ,julius ,csar1 ,,iv4 iii4 #bga47 ,leviathan1 which ,god of all his works ,created hugest that swim the ocean stream4 7,,milton3 ,paradise ,lost1 ,i4 #bja f47 ,this passage was one of those where ,bentley made himself ridiculous in his edition of ,milton4 ,to smooth it he changed the lines to read-- ,leviathan1 whom ,god the vastest made ,of all the kinds that swim the ocean stream1-- not perceiving1 what ,cowper pointed out1 that ,milton had designedly used the word hugest where it may have the clumsiest effect4444 ,smoothness was not the thing to be consulted when the ,leviathan was in question4 ,so he with difficulty and labour hard ,moved on1 with difficulty and labour he4 7ib4 ,,ii4 #ajba f47 ,the sweep ,of some precipitous rivulet to the wave4 7,,tennyson3 ,enoch ,arden47 ,the sound of many a heavily galloping hoof4 7,,tennyson3 ,geraint and ,enid47 ,i wish that somewhere in the ruin'd folds1444 ,or the dry thickets1 ,i could meet with her ,the ,abominable1 that uninvited came4 7,,tennyson3 ,,oenone47 ,do you see this square old yellow book ,i toss ,i' the air1 and catch again1 and twirl about ,by the crumpled vellum covers2 pure crude fact-- 7,,browning3 ,the ,ring and the ,book1 ,i47 ,that plant ,shall never wave its tangles lightly and softly ,as a queen's languid and imperial arm4 7,,browning3 ,paracelsus1 ,i47 ,a distinction should be made between these hypermetrical syllables which change the character of the foot from dissyllabic to trisyllabic1 and syllables 7in a sense hypermetrical7 which are slurred or elided in the reading4 ,the word radiance1 for example1 is regarded as trisyllabic in prose1 but in the verse-- ,girt with omnipotence1 with radiance crowned1 it is made dissyllabic by instinctive compression1 and in no proper sense makes an anapest of the fifth foot4 ,of the same character are the numerous cases where a vowel is elided before another vowel--especially the vowel of the article the4#g ,on the elisions of ,milton's verse1 see ,mr4 ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody2 on those of ,shakspere's verse1 see ,abbott's ,shakespearian ,grammar4 ,in modern verse the use of elision and slurring is ordinarily that found in common speech4 ,omitted syllable 7substituted iambus74 ,as a vision of heaven from the hollows of ocean1 that none but a god might see1 ,rose out of the silence of things unknown of a presence1 a form1 a might1 ,and we heard as a prophet that hears ,god's message against him1 and may not flee4 7,,swinburne3 ,death of ,richard ,wagner47 ,see also specimens on pp4 #db1 #dc1 #dh1 above4 ,mr4 ,mayor considers the question as to how far substitution of other than the typical foot may be carried in a verse1 without destroying the genuineness of the fundamental rhythm4 ,his conclusions are these3 7#a7 ,the limit of trochaic substitution is three feet out of five1 with the final foot iambic2 or two out of five1 if the fifth foot is inverted4 7#b7 ,a spondee is allowable in any position2 the limit is four out of five1 with either the fourth or fifth foot remaining iambic4 7#c7 ,a pyrrhic may occur in any position2 the limit is three out of five1 with the other feet preferably spondees4 7#d7 ,the limit for trisyllabic substitution is three out of five4 7,chapters on ,english ,metre1 chap4 ,v47 ,professor ,corson discusses the sthetic effect of these changes from the typical metre3 ,the true metrical artist 444 never indulges in variety for variety's sake4444 ,all metrical effects are to a great extent relative--and relativity of effect depends1 of course1 upon having a standard in the mind or feelings4444 ,now the more closely the poet adheres to his standard--to the even tenor 7modulus7 of his verse--so long as there is no logical nor sthetic motive for departing from it1 the more effective do his departures become when they are sufficiently motived4 ,all non-significant departures weaken the significant ones4444 ,the normal tenor of the verse is presumed to represent the normal tenor of the feeling which produces it4 ,and departures from that normal tenor represent1 or should represent1 variations in the normal tenor of the feeling4 ,outside of the general law 444 of the slurring or suppression of extra light syllables1 which do not go for anything in the expression1 an exceptional foot must result in emphasis1 whether intended or not1 either logical or emotional4444 ,a great poet is presumed to have metrical skill2 and where ripples occur in the stream of his verse1 they will generally be found to justify themselves as organic2 i4e4 they are a part of the expression4 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 pp4 #dh-ej47 ,on the sthetic symbolism of various metrical movements1 see ,g4 ,l4 ,raymond's ,poetry as a ,representative ,art1 pp4 #aac ff4 ,,footnotes3 #f ,the names of the several kinds of feet are of course borrowed from classical prosody1 where they are used to mark feet made up not of accented and unaccented1 but of long and short syllables4 ,the different significance of the terms as applied to the verse of different languages has given rise to some confusion1 and it is proposed by some to abandon the classical terms2 their use1 however1 seems to be too well established in ,english to permit of change4 ,some would even abandon the attempt to measure ,english verse by feet1 contending that its rhythm is too free to admit of any such measuring process2 thus1 see ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,robertson1 in the ,appendix to ,new ,essays toward a ,critical ,method1 and ,mr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,symonds in his ,blank ,verse4 ,see also in ,mr4 ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody1 ,appendix ,g ,on the ,use of ,greek ,terminology in ,english ,prosody4 7#aija ed4 p4 #gg47 #g ,on the historical problem of the distinction between elided and genuinely hypermetrical syllables in the ,french and ,english decasyllabic verse1 see ,mother3 ,les thories du vers hroique anglais et ses relations avec la versification franaise 7,havre1 #ahhf74 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,stanza ,the stanza1 or strophe1 is the largest unit of verse-measure ordinarily recognized4 ,it is based not so much on rhythmical divisions as on periods either rhetorical or melodic2 that is1 a short stanza will roughly correspond to the period of a sentence1 and a long one to that of a paragraph1 while in lyrical verse the original idea was to conform the stanza to the melody for which it was written4 ,thus ,schipper observes3 ,the word strophe properly signifies a turning1 and originally indicated the return of the song1 as sung1 to the melody with which it began4 ,schipper defines a stanza as a group of verses of a certain number1 so combined that all the stanzas of the same poem will be identical in the number1 the length1 and the metre of the corresponding verses2 in rimed verse1 also1 the arrangement of the rimes will be identical4 7,see ,grundriss1 p4 #bfh47 ,the form of a stanza1 then1 is determined and described 7the fundamental metre being assumed7 by the number of verses1 the length of verses1 and the arrangement of rimes4 ,the usual and convenient method of indicating these conditions is to represent all the verses that rime together by the same letter1 while the number of feet in the verse is written like an algebraic exponent4 ,thus a quatrain in common metre 7four-stress and three-stress lines71 riming alternately1 is represented by the formula a#d;b#c;a#d;b#c4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the appearance of the stanza in ,english verse is always the sign of foreign influence4 ,the ,west ,germanic verse1 as far back as we have specimens of it1 is uniformly stichic 7that is1 marked by no periods save those of the individual verse71 not stanzaic4#h ,on the other hand1 we find the stanza in the ,old ,norse verse4 ,sievers's view is that originally the two sorts of verse existed side by side1 the stanzaic being preferred for chorus delivery1 the stichic for individual recitation2 one form at length crowding out the other4 ,the great organizer of the stanza is1 of course1 the element of rime4 ,while unrimed stanzas are familiar in classical verse1 the two innovations1 rime and stanza1 were introduced together into ,english verse1 under both ,latin and ,french influences1 and have almost invariably been associated4 ,for notes on the history of the beginnings of stanza-forms in ,english1 see therefore under ,rime1 in the following section4 ,,tercets ,truth may seem1 but cannot be2 ,beauty brag1 but 'tis not she2 ,truth and beauty buried be4 7,,shakspere3 ,the ,phoenix and the ,turtle4 #afja47 ,o praise the ,lord1 his wonders tell1 ,whose mercy shines in ,israel1 ,at length redeem'd from sin and hell4 7,,george ,,sandys3 ,paraphrase upon ,luke i4 ab4 #afcj47 ,love1 making all things else his foes1 ,like a fierce torrent overflows ,whatever doth his course oppose4 7,,sir ,,jno4 ,,denham3 ,against ,love4 ab4 #afdj47 ,children1 keep up that harmless play3 ,your kindred angels plainly say ,by ,god's authority ye may4 7,,landor3 ,children ,playing in a ,churchyard4 #aheh47 ,whoe'er she be1 ,that not impossible ,she ,that shall command my heart and me2 ,where'er she lie1 ,lock'd up from mortal eye ,in shady leaves of destiny3444 --,meet you her1 my ,wishes1 ,bespeak her to my blisses1 ,and be ye call'd1 my absent kisses4 7,,crashaw3 ,wishes for the ,supposed ,mistress4 #afdf47 ,i said1 ,i toil beneath the curse1 ,but1 knowing not the universe1 ,i fear to slide from bad to worse4 ,and that1 in seeking to undo ,one riddle1 and to find the true1 ,i knit a hundred others new4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,two ,voices4 #ahcc47 ,like the swell of some sweet tune1 ,morning rises into noon1 ,may glides onward into ,june4 7,,longfellow3 ,maidenhood4 #ahdb47 ,whenas in silks my ,julia goes1 ,then1 then 7methinks7 how sweetly flows ,that liquefaction of her clothes4 7,,herrick3 ,to ,julia4 #afdh7 ,the fear was on the cattle1 for the gale was on the sea1 ,an' the pens broke up on the lower deck an' let the creatures free-- ,an' the lights went out on the lower deck1 an' no one down but me4 7,,kipling3 ,mulholland's ,contract47 ,terza rima 7aba1 bcb1 etc474 ,a spending hand that alway poureth out ,had need to have a bringer in as fast2 ,and on the stone that still doth turn about ,there groweth no moss4 ,these proverbs yet do last3 ,reason hath set them in so sure a place1 ,that length of years their force can never waste4 ,when ,i remember this1 and eke the case ,wherein thou stand'st1 ,i thought forthwith to write1 ,bryan1 to thee4 ,who knows how great a grace1444 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,how to use the court and himself therein1 written to ,sir ,francis ,bryan4 ab4 #aedb47 ,the terza rima is1 strictly speaking1 a scheme of continuous verse rather than a stanza1 each tercet being united by the rime-scheme to the preceding4 ,its use in ,english has always been slight1 and always due to conscious imitation of the ,italian4 ,no successful attempt has been made to use it for a long poem1 as ,dante did in the ,divina ,commedia4 ,wyatt's specimen is the earliest in ,english2 he chose the form for his three satires imitating those of ,alamanni4 ,once1 ,o sweet once1 ,i saw with dread oppressed ,her whom ,i dread2 so that with prostrate lying ,her length the earth ,love's chiefe clothing dressed4 ,i saw that riches fall1 and fell a crying3-- ,let not dead earth enjoy so deare a cover1 ,but decke therewith my soule for your sake dying2 ,lay all your feare upon your fearfull lover3 ,shine1 eyes1 on me1 that both our lives be guarded3 ,so ,i your sight1 you shall your selves recover4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,thyrsis and ,dorus1 in the ,countess of ,pembroke's ,arcadia4 ab4 #aehj47 ,why do the ,gentiles tumult1 and the nations ,muse a vain thing1 the kings of earth upstand ,with power1 and princes in their congregations ,lay deep their plots together through each land ,against the ,lord and his ,messiah dear8 ,let us break off1 say they1 by strength of hand ,their bonds1 and cast from us1 no more to wear1 ,their twisted cords4 ,he who in ,heaven doth dwell ,shall laugh4 7,,milton3 ,psalm ,,ii4 #afec47 ,o wild ,west ,wind1 thou breath of ,autumn's being1 ,thou from whose unseen presence the leaves dead ,are driven1 like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing1 ,yellow1 and black1 and pale1 and hectic red1 ,pestilence-stricken multitudes6 ,o thou ,who chariotest to their dark wintry bed ,the winged seeds1 where they lie cold and low1 ,each like a corpse within its grave1 until ,thine azure sister of the ,spring shall blow ,her clarion o'er the dreaming earth1 and fill 7,driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air7 ,with living hues and odors plain and hill3 ,wild ,spirit1 which art moving everywhere2 ,destroyer and ,preserver2 hear1 oh hear6 7,,shelley3 ,ode to the ,west ,wind4 #ahai47 ,in this case the tercets are united in groups of three to form a strophe of fourteen lines together with a final couplet riming with the middle line of the preceding tercet4 ,the true has no value beyond the sham3 ,as well the counter as coin1 ,i submit1 ,when your table's a hat1 and your prize a dram4 ,stake your counter as boldly every whit1 ,venture as warily1 use the same skill1 ,do your best1 whether winning or losing it1 ,if you choose to play6--is my principle4 ,let a man contend to the uttermost ,for his life's set prize1 be it what it will6 7,,browning3 ,the ,statue and the ,bust4 #ahee47 ,the effort to translate ,dante in the original metre is especially interesting1 and marked by great difficulties2 to furnish the necessary rimes1 without introducing expletive words that mar the simplicity of the original1 being a serious problem4 ,the following are interesting specimens of translations where this problem is grappled with2 the first is a well-known fragment1 the second a portion of a still unpublished translation of the ,inferno1 reproduced here by the courtesy of the author4 ,then she to me3 ,the greatest of all woes ,is to remind us of our happy days ,in misery1 and that thy teacher knows4 ,but if to learn our passion's first root preys ,upon thy spirit with such sympathy1 ,i will do even as he who weeps and says4 ,we read one day for pastime1 seated nigh1 ,of ,lancelot1 how love enchained him too4 ,we were alone1 quite unsuspiciously4 ,but oft our eyes met1 and our cheeks in hue ,all o'er discolored by that reading were2 ,but one point only wholly us o'erthrew2 ,when we read the long-sighed-for smile of her1 ,to be thus kissed by such devoted lover1 ,he who from me can be divided ne'er ,kissed my mouth1 trembling in the act all over4 ,accursed was the book and he who wrote6 ,that day no further leaf did we uncover4 7,,byron3 ,francesca of ,rimini1 from ,dante's ,inferno1 ,canto ,v4 #ahbj47 ,wherefore for thee ,i think and deem it well ,thou follow me1 and ,i will bring about ,thy passage thither where the eternal dwell4 ,there shalt thou hearken the despairing shout1 ,shalt see the ancient spirits with woe opprest1 ,who craving for the second death cry out4 ,then shalt thou those behold who are at rest ,amid the flame1 because their hopes aspire ,to come1 when it may be1 among the blest4 ,if to ascend to these be thy desire1 ,thereto shall be a soul of worthier strain2 ,thee shall ,i leave with her when ,i retire3 ,because the ,emperor who there doth reign1 ,for ,i rebellious was to his decree1 ,wills that his city none by me attain4 ,in all parts ruleth1 and there reigneth he1-- ,there is his city and his lofty throne3 ,o happy they who thereto chosen be6 7,,melville ,b4 ,,anderson3 ,dante's ,inferno1 ,canto i4 ll4 #aab-abi47 ,,quatrains aaaa ,suete iesu1 king of blysse1 ,myn huerte love1 min huerte lisse1 ou art suete myd ywisse1 ,wo is him at e shal misse6 7,song from ,harleian ,ms4 #bbec--abth century1 ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #aia47 aabb ,o ,lord1 that rul'st our mortal line1 ,how through the world ,thy name doth shine2 ,thou hast of ,thy unmatched glory ,upon the heavens engrav'd ,thy story4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,psalm viii4 ab4 #aehj47 ,a ,sensitive ,plant in a garden grew1 ,and the young winds fed it with silver dew1 ,and it opened its fan-like leaves to the light1 ,and closed them beneath the kisses of night4 7,,shelley3 ,the ,sensitive ,plant4 #ahbj47 abcb ,in somer1 when the shawes be sheyne1 ,and leves be large and long1 ,hit is full mery in feyre foreste ,to here the foulys song4 7,ballad of ,robin ,hood and the ,monk4 ,in ,gummere's ,english ,ballads1 p4 #gg47 ,this is the familiar stanza of the early ballads4 ,the omission of rime in the third line signalizes the fact that the stanza could be 7and was7 regarded indifferently as made up either of two long lines or four short ones4 ,thus the famous ,chevy ,chase ballad is found 7,ashmole ,ms41 of about #aefj7 written in long lines3 ,the yngglyshe men hade ther bowys ybent yer hartes wer good ynoughe ,the first off arros that the shote off seven skore spear-men the sloughe4 7,see in ,flgel's ,neuenglisches ,lesebuch1 vol4 i4 p4 #aii47 ,the same thing occurs also where there are two rimes to the stanza4 ,originally1 the extra internal rime was no doubt the cause of the breaking up of the long couplet into two short lines4 7,see examples in ,part ,two1 in the case of the septenary47 ,ye flowery banks o' bonnie ,doon1 ,how can ye bloom sae fair6 ,how can ye chant1 ye little birds1 ,and ,i sae fu' o' care6 7,,burns3 ,bonnie ,doon4 ab4 #agij47 abab e grace of god ful of might at is king and ever was1 ,mote among us alight ,and ghive us alle is swet grace4 7,from the ,harleian ,ms4 #iac4 ,in ,mtzner's ,altenglische ,sprachproben1 vol4 i4 p4 #abe47 ,furnivall prints this in long lines with internal rime1 which of itself seems to form the short-line stanza from the long lines4 ,of al this world the wyde compas ,hit wol not in myn armes tweyne4-- ,who-so mochel wol embrace ,litel thereof he shal distreyne4 7,,chaucer3 ,proverb4 ab4 #achj47 ,when youth had led me half the race1 ,that ,cupid's scourge me caus'd to run1 ,i looked back to meet the place ,from whence my weary course begun4 7,,earl ,,of ,,surrey3 ,description of the restless state of a lover4 ab4 #aede47 ,weep with me1 all you that read ,this little story2 ,and know1 for whom a tear you shed ,death's self is sorry4 7,,ben ,,jonson3 ,epitaph on ,salathiel ,pavy4 #afaf47 ,and now the weary world's great medicine1 ,sleep1 ,this learned host dispensed to every guest1 ,which shuts those wounds where injured lovers weep1 ,and flies oppressors to relieve the opprest4 7,,sir ,,william ,,davenant3 ,gondibert1 ,bk4 i4 ,canto #f4 #afea7 ,now like a maiden queen she will behold ,from her high turrets hourly suitors come2 ,the ,east with incense and the ,west with gold ,will stand like suppliants to receive her doom4 7,,dryden3 ,annus ,mirabilis1 stanza #big4 #affg47 ,the boast of heraldry1 the pomp of power1 ,and all that beauty1 all that wealth e'er gave1 ,await alike the inevitable hour4 ,the paths of glory lead but to the grave4 7,,gray3 ,elegy ,written in a ,country ,churchyard4 #agea47 ,to ,davenant's ,gondibert is usually traced the use of this heroic stanza 7abab in iambic five-stress lines7 in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries4 ,in his preface the author said3 ,i believed it would be more pleasant to the reader1 in a work of length1 to give this respite or pause1 between every stanza1 444 than to run him out of breath with continued couplets4 ,nor doth alternate rime by any lowliness of cadence make the sound less heroic1 but rather adapt it to a plain and stately composing of music4 ,dryden followed ,davenant in using the stanza for his ,annus ,mirabilis1 saying in his preface3 ,i have chosen to write my poem in quatrains1 or stanzas of four in alternate rhyme1 because ,i have ever judged them more noble1 and of greater dignity1 both for the sound and number1 than any other verse in use amongst us4444 ,i have always found the couplet verse most easy 7though not so proper for this occasion71 for there the work is sooner at an end1 every two lines concluding the labor of the poet2 but in quatrains he is to carry it further on1 and not only so1 but to bear along in his head the troublesome sense of four lines together4 ,dryden did not use the stanza again1 however1 and it is obviously unsuited to a long narrative poem4 ,saintsbury says3 ,with regard to the nobility and dignity of this stanza1 it may safely be said that ,annus ,mirabilis itself1 the best poem ever written therein1 killed it by exposing its faults4444 ,it is chargeable with more than the disjointedness of the couplet1 without the possibility of relief2 while1 on the other hand1 the quatrains have not1 like the ,spenserian stave or the ottava rima1 sufficient bulk to form units in themselves4 7,life of ,dryden1 ,men of ,letters ,series1 p4 #cd47 ,it is hard to say what ,mr4 ,saintsbury means in speaking of the ,annus ,mirabilis as the best poem ever written in the heroic quatrain1 when we remember that it is the quatrain of ,gray's ,elegy4 ,on the possible sources of his use of it1 see ,gosse's ,life of ,gray1 in the ,men of ,letters ,series1 p4 #ih 7also his ,from ,shakespeare to ,pope1 p4 #adj74 ,mr4 ,gosse refers to the use of the quatrain by ,sir ,john ,davies in the ,nosce ,teipsum 7#aeii71 with which ,gray was familiar1 and 7in addition to ,davenant1 ,dryden1 and ,hobbes's ,homer7 to the ,love ,elegies of ,james ,hammond1 published #agdc4 ,it is believed that the printing of ,hammond's verses incited ,gray to begin his ,churchyard ,elegy1 and to make the four-line stanza the basis of most of his harmonies4444 ,the measure itself1 from first to last1 is an attempt to render in ,english the solemn alternation of passion and reserve1 the interchange of imploring and desponding tones1 that is found in the ,latin elegiac2 and ,gray gave his poem1 when he first published it1 an outward resemblance to the text of ,tibullus by printing it without any stanzaic pauses4 ,mr4 ,gosse neglects the elegies of ,william ,shenstone1 which were also in the quatrain1 and some of which had apparently been published before the ,churchyard ,elegy4 ,on this matter see ,beers's ,romanticism in the ,eighteenth ,century1 p4 #acg1 where ,shenstone is said to have borrowed the stanza from ,hammond1 and ,gray from ,shenstone4 ,shenstone1 in his ,prefatory ,essay on ,elegy1 defended the metrical form and referred to the elegies of ,hammond4 ,heroic metre1 with alternate rhyme1 seems well enough adapted to this species of poetry2 and1 however exceptionable upon other occasions1 its inconveniencies appear to lose their weight in shorter elegies1 and its advantages seem to acquire an additional importance4 ,the world has an admirable example of its beauty in a collection of elegies not long since published4 7,chalmers's ,english ,poets1 vol4 xiii4 p4 #bfd47 ,for there was ,milton like a seraph strong1 ,beside him ,shakespeare bland and mild2 ,and there the world-worn ,dante grasped his song1 ,and somewhat grimly smiled4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,palace of ,art4 #ahcc47 abba ,yet those lips1 so sweetly swelling1 ,do invite a stealing ,kiss4 ,now will ,i but venture this2 ,who will read1 must first learn spelling4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,astrophel and ,stella1 ,song ii4 ab4 #aehj47 ,let the bird of loudest lay1 ,on the sole ,arabian tree1 ,herald sad and trumpet be1 ,to whose sound chaste wings obey4 7,,shakspere3 ,the ,phoenix and the ,turtle1 #afja47 ,though beauty be the mark of praise1 ,and yours of whom ,i sing1 be such ,as not the world can praise too much1 ,yet is't your virtue now ,i raise4 7,,ben ,,jonson3 ,elegy1 in ,underwoods4 #afaf47 ,lord1 in thine anger do not reprehend me1 ,nor in thy hot displeasure me correct2 ,pity me1 ,lord1 for ,i am much deject1 ,and very weak and faint2 heal and amend me4 7,,milton3 ,psalm vi4 #afec47 ,away1 those cloudy looks1 that lab'ring sigh1 ,the peevish offspring of a sickly hour6 ,nor meanly thus complain of fortune's power1 ,when the blind gamester throws a luckless die4 7,,coleridge3 ,to a ,friend4 ab4 #agie47 ,twelve struck4 ,that sound1 by dwindling years ,heard in each hour1 crept off2 and then ,the ruffled silence spread again1 ,like water that a pebble stirs4 7,,rossetti3 ,my ,sister's ,sleep4 #ahej47 ,i hold it true1 whate'er befall2 ,i feel it when ,i sorrow most2 ',tis better to have loved and lost ,than never to have loved at all4 7,,tennyson3 ,in ,memoriam1 xxvii4 #ahej47 ,sweet after showers1 ambrosial air1 ,that rollest from the gorgeous gloom ,of evening over brake and bloom ,and meadow1 slowly breathing bare ,the round of space1 and rapt below ,thro' all the dewy-tasselled wood1 ,and shadowing down the horned flood ,in ripples1 fan my brows and blow ,the fever from my cheek1 and sigh ,the full new life that feeds thy breath ,throughout my frame1 till ,doubt and ,death1 ,ill brethren1 let the fancy fly ,from belt to belt of crimson seas ,on leagues of odor streaming far1 ,to where in yonder orient star ,a hundred spirits whisper ,peace4 7,,tennyson3 ibid41 lxxxiv47 ,this stanza 7abba in four-stress iambics7 is commonly known as the ,in ,memoriam stanza1 from its familiar use by ,tennyson4 ,tennyson is indeed said to have invented it for his own use1 not knowing of its earlier appearance in the works of ,jonson and ,rossetti4 ,professor ,corson has an interesting passage on the poetic quality of the stanza3 ,by the rhyme-scheme of the quatrain1 the terminal rhyme-emphasis of the stanza is reduced1 the second and third verses being most closely braced by the rhyme4 ,the stanza is thus admirably adapted to that sweet continuity of flow1 free from abrupt checks1 demanded by the spiritualized sorrow which it bears along4 ,alternate rhyme would have wrought an entire change in the tone of the poem4 ,to be assured of this1 one should read1 aloud of course1 all the stanzas whose first and second1 or third and fourth1 verses admit of being transposed without affecting the sense4 ,by such transposition1 the rhymes are made alternate1 and the concluding rhymes more emphatic4 ,compare the stanza quoted above from section xxvii4 with the transposed form3 ,i feel it when ,i sorrow most2 ,i hold it true1 whate'er befall2 ',tis better to have loved and lost ,than never to have loved at all4 ,on the passage quoted from section lxxxiv4 ,professor ,corson also observes3 ,the four stanzas of which it is composed constitute but one period1 the sense being suspended till the close4 ,the rhyme-emphasis is so distributed that any one1 hearing the poem read1 would hardly be sensible of any of the slightest checks in the continuous and even movement of the verse4444 ,there is no other section of ,in ,memoriam in which the artistic motive of the stanza is so evident4 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 pp4 #gj-gg47 aaba ,doubt you to whom my ,muse these notes entendeth1 ,which now my breast1 surcharg'd1 to music lendeth6 ,to you1 to you1 all song of praise is due1 ,only in you my song begins and endeth4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,astrophel and ,stella4 ,song i1 ab4 #aehj47 ,here the third line 7the same in all the stanzas7 has an additional internal rime4 ,oh1 make the most of what we yet may spend1 ,before we too into the dust descend2 ,dust into dust1 and under dust1 to lie1 ,sans wine1 sans song1 sans singer1 and--sans end6 7,,edw4 ,,fitzgerald3 ,paraphrase of the ,rubiyt of ,omar ,khayyam4 #ahei47 ,for groves of pine on either hand1 ,to break the blast of winter1 stand2 ,and further on1 the hoary ,channel ,tumbles a billow on chalk and sand4 7,tennyson3 ,to the ,rev4 ,f4 ,d4 ,maurice4 #ahed47 ,this delightful stanza 7used also by ,tennyson in ,the ,daisy7 seems to be an imitation of the well-known ,alcaic stanza of ,horace3 ,vides1 ut alta stet nive candidum ,soracte1 nec jam sustineant onus ,silvae laborantes1 geluque ,flumina constiterint acuto4 ,ah1 yet would ,god this flesh of mine might be ,where air would wash and long leaves cover me1 ,where tides of grass break into foam of flowers1 ,or where the wind's feet shine along the sea4 7,,swinburne3 ,laus ,veneris47 ,,refrain ,,stanzas ,in this group of refrain stanzas there is no attempt to make the range of illustrations complete1 but only to suggest how the refrain idea has been variously used in forming the structure of the stanza4 ,in some cases1 for example1 it will be seen that the refrain is a mere appendage or coda to the stanza2 in others it is made by rime a part of the organized structure4 ,blow1 northerne wynd1 ,sent ou my suetyng6 ,blow1 norern wynd1 ,blou6 blou6 blou6 7,song from ,harleian ,ms4 #bbec2 ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #afh47 ,i that in heill wes and glaidness1 ,am trublit now with gret seikness1 ,and feblit with infirmitie2 ,timor ,mortis conturbat me4 7,,william ,,dunbar3 ,lament for the ,makaris4 ab4 #aejj47 ,now ,simmer blinks on flowery braes1 ,and o'er the crystal streamlets plays2 ,come1 let us spend the lightsome days ,in the birks of ,aberfeldy4 7,,burns3 ,the ,birks of ,aberfeldy4 #aghg47 ,i wish ,i were where ,helen lies2 ,night and day on me she cries2 ,o that ,i were where ,helen lies ,on fair ,kirconnell lea6 7,fair ,helen2 old ballad47 ,o sing unto my roundelay1 ,o drop the briny tear with me1 ,dance no more at holy-day1 ,like a running river be4 ,my love is dead1 ,gone to his death-bed1 ,all under the willow tree4 7,,chatterton3 ,minstrel's ,roundelay from lla4 ab4 #aggj47 ,the twentieth year is well-nigh past1 ,since first our sky was overcast2 ,ah1 would that this might be the last6 ,my ,mary6 7,,cowper3 ,my ,mary4 #agic47 ,duncan ,gray cam' here to woo-- ,ha1 ha1 the wooing o't6 ,on blithe ,yule night1 when we were fou-- ,ha1 ha1 the wooing o't6 ,maggie coost her head fu' heigh1 ,looked asklent and unco skeigh1 ,gart poor ,duncan stand abeigh2 ,ha1 ha1 the wooing o't6 7,,burns3 ,duncan ,gray4 ab4 #agij47 ,my heart is wasted with my woe1 ,oriana4 ,there is no rest for me below1 ,oriana4 ,when the long dun wolds are ribb'd with snow1 ,and loud the ,norland whirlwinds blow1 ,oriana1 ,alone ,i wander to and fro1 ,oriana4 7,,tennyson3 ,ballad of ,oriana4 ab4 #ahcj47 ,oh1 the little birds sang east1 and the little birds sang west1 7,toll slowly7 ,and ,i smiled to think ,god's greatness flowed around our incompleteness-- ,round our restlessness ,his rest4 7,,elizabeth ,b4 ,,browning3 ,rhyme of the ,duchess ,may4 ab4 #ahde47 ,ah6 what white thing at the door has cross'd1 ,sister ,helen8 ,ah6 what is this that sighs in the frost8 ,a soul that's lost as mine is lost1 ,little brother6 7,o ,mother1 ,mary ,mother1 ,lost1 lost1 all lost1 between ,hell and ,heaven67 7,,rossetti3 ,sister ,helen4 #ahgj47 ,laetabundus ,exultet fidelis chorus1 ,alleluia6 ,egidio psallat coetus ,iste laetus1 ,alleluia6 7,,st4 ,,bernard3 ,de ,nativitate ,domini47 ,sermone ,marcus ,tullius1 ,fortuna ,cesar ,julius ,tibi non equantur4 ,tibi summa prudentia1 ,prefulgens et potentia ,celesti dono dantur4 7,from a #abth c4 ,,ms43 ,regulae de ,rhythmis4 ,in ,schipper's ,englische ,metrik1 vol4 i4 p4 #ced47 ,quant li solleiz conviset en leon ,en icel tens qu'est ortus pliadon ,perunt matin1 ,une pulcellet odit molt gent plorer ,et son ami dolcement regreter1 ,ex si lli dis4 7,early ,french version of the ,song of ,songs1 quoted in ,,lewis's ,foreign ,sources of ,modern ,english ,versification1 p4 #hi47 ,the special form of refrain stanza appearing in the first of these foreign specimens 7the ,alleluia hymn form7 is generally thought to have been the source of the tail-rime stanza illustrated in the other two specimens1 and in the several pages which follow4 ,the characteristic feature of this stanza is the presence of two short lines riming together and serving as tails to the first and second parts of the body of the stanza4 ,the same name appears in all the languages3 versus caudati in the medival ,latin1 rime coue in the ,french1 and ,schweifreim in modern ,german4 ,it is easy to see1 what the following specimens illustrate1 how stanzas constructed on this fundamental principle might be varied greatly in particular forms1 according to the number1 length1 and rime-arrangement of the longer lines4 ,men may merci have1 traytour not to save1 for luf ne for awe1 ,atteynt of traytorie1 suld haf no mercie1 wi no maner lawe4 7,,robert ,,manning of ,brunne3 ,chronicle4 ab4 #accj47 ,for ,edward gode dede e ,baliol did him mede a wikked bounte4 ,turne we ageyn to rede and on our geste to spede a ,maddok er left we4 7,ibid47 ,manning's chronicle was a translation of the ,french chronicle of ,pierre de ,langtoft4 ,although the translator designed to avoid the various complicated measures used in the original1 and kept pretty closely to alexandrines 7see p4 #bed1 below71 in the passages here represented he followed the tail-rime of the original4 ,in the first case the stanza form is not represented in the manuscript1 though of course implicit in the rimes4 ,the name of the stanza1 rime coue1 appears very early in ,manning's ,prologue1 in the famous passage in which he expressed his preference for metrical simplicity3 ,als ai haf wrytenn and sayd ,haf ,i alle in myn ,inglis layd1 ,in symple speche as ,i couthe1 ,that is lightest in mannes mouthe4 ,i mad noght for no disours1 ,ne for no seggers no harpours1 ,bot for e luf of symple menn ,that strange ,inglis cann not kenn4 ,for many it ere that strange ,inglis ,in ryme wate never what it is1 ,and bot ai wist what it mente ,ellis me thoght it were alle shente4 ,i made it not for to be praysed1 ,bot at e lewed menn were aysed4 ,if it were made in ryme couwee1 ,or in strangere or entrelace1 at rede ,inglis it ere inowe at couthe not haf coppled a kowe1 at outhere in couwee or in baston ,som suld haf ben fordon1 ,so at fele men at it herde ,suld not witte howe at it ferde4 444 ,and forsoth ,i couth noght ,so strange ,inglis as ai wroght1 ,and menn besoght me many a tyme ,to turne it bot in light ryme4 ai sayd1 if ,i in strange it turne1 ,to here it manyon suld skurne4 ,for it ere names fulle selcouthe1 at ere not used now in mouthe4 ,and therfore for the comonalte1 at blythely wild listen to me1 ,on light lange ,i it begann1 ,for luf of the lewed mann4 7,hearne ed41 vol4 i4 pp4 xcix1 c47 ,lines #ae-bb may be paraphrased thus3 ,if it were made in rime coue1 in rime strangere1 or rime entrelace1 there are plenty of those who read ,english who could not have put the tail-verses together2 so that either in the tail-verse or the baston some would have been confused1 and many men that heard it would not know how it went4 ,the interlaced 7alternate7 rime was a familiar form4 ,baston seems usually to be an equivalent for stanza or stave4 ,it seems uncertain whether by rime strangere ,manning had in mind any particular form of stanza or rime-arrangement4 ,stand wel1 moder1 under rode1 ,byholt y sone wi glade mode2 ,blye1 moder1 myht ou be6 ,sone1 hou shulde y blye stonde8 ,y se in fet1 y se in honde ,nayled to e harde tre4 7,song from ,harleian ,,ms4 #cbec2 ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #bjf47 ,listeth1 lordes1 in good entent1 ,and ,i wol telle verrayment ,of mirthe and of solas2 ,al of a knyght was fair and gent ,in bataille and in tourneyment1 ,his name was sir ,thopas 444 ,an elf-queen wol ,i love1 y-wis1 ,for in this world no womman is ,worthy to be my make ,in toune2 ,alle othere wommen ,i forsake1 ,and to an elf-queen ,i me take ,by dale and eek by doune6 7,,chaucer3 ,sir ,thopas1 from ,canterbury ,tales4 ab4 #ache47 ,the tail-rime stanza had become a favorite for the metrical romances of the fourteenth century2 but ,chaucer evidently saw its inappropriateness for long narrative poems1 and ridiculed it--with certain other elements of the romances--in this ,rime of ,sir ,thopas4 ,the ,host is made to interrupt the story3 ',myn eres aken of thy drasty speche2 ,now swiche a rym the devel ,i beteche6 ,this may wel be rym dogerel'1 quod he4 ,my patent pardouns1 ye may se1 ,cum fra the ,cane of ,tartarei1 ,weill seald with oster schellis2 ,thocht ye have na contritioun1 ,ye sall have full remissioun1 ,with help of buiks and bellis4 7,,sir ,,david ,,lindsay3 ,ane ,satyre of the ,three ,estates4 ab4 #aedj47 ,seinte ,marie6 levedi briht1 ,moder thou art of muchel miht1 ,quene in hevene of feire ble2 ,gabriel to the he lihte1 ,tho he brouhte al wid rihte ,then holi gost to lihten in the4 ,godes word ful wel thou cnewe2 ,ful mildeliche thereto thou bewe1 ,and saidest1 ,so it mote be6 ,thi thone was studevast ant trewe2 ,for the joye that to was newe1 ,levedi1 thou have merci of me6 7,quinque ,gaudia4 ,in ,mtzner's ,altenglische ,sprachproben1 vol4 i4 p4 #ea47 ,here the principle of the tail-rime is extended to four tail-verses4 ,see also the specimen on p4 #aaa1 below4 ,all1 dear ,nature's children sweet1 ,lie 'fore bride and bridegroom's feet1 ,blessing their sense6 ,not an angel of the air1 ,bird melodious or bird fair1 ,be absent hence4 7,song from ,the ,two ,noble ,kinsmen1 by ,shakspere and ,fletcher4 pub4 #afcd47 ,fair stood the wind for ,france1 ,when we our sails advance1 ,nor now to prove our chance ,longer not tarry2 ,but put unto to the main1 ,at ,caux1 the mouth of ,seine1 ,with all his martial train1 ,landed ,king ,harry4 7,,drayton3 ,agincourt4 ab4 #afjj47 ,i am a man of war and might1 ,and know thus much1 that ,i can fight1 ,whether ,i am i' th' wrong or right1 ,devoutly4 ,no woman under heaven ,i fear1 ,new oaths ,i can exactly swear1 ,and forty healths my brains will bear ,most stoutly4 7,,sir ,,john ,,suckling3 ,a ,soldier4 ab4 #afce47 ,the stanzas that follow show various combinations and applications of the same principle--the use of shorter verses in connection with longer4 ,a wayle whyte ase whalles bon1 ,a grein in golde at goldly shon1 ,a tortle at min herte is on1 ,in toune trewe2 ,hire gladshipe nes never gon1 ,whil y may glewe4 7,song from ,harleian ,,ms4 #bbec2 ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #afa47 ,of on that is so fayr and bright1 velut maris stella1 ,brighter than the day is light1 parens et puella2 ,ic crie to the1 thou se to me1 ,levedy1 preye thi sone for me1 tam pia1 ,that ic mote come to the ,maria4 7,hymn to the ,virgin1 from ,egerton ,,ms4 #fac4 ,in ,mtzner's ,altenglische ,sprachproben1 vol4 i4 p4 #ec47 ,oh1 wad some power the giftie gie us ,to see oursel's as ithers see us6 ,it wad frae monie a blunder free us ,an' foolish notion3 ,what airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us1 ,an' e'en devotion6 7,,burns3 ,to a ,louse on a ,lady's ,bonnet4 #aghf47 ,o goodly hand1 ,wherein doth stand ,my heart distract in pain2 ,dear hand1 alas6 ,in little space ,my life thou dost restrain4 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets4 pub4 #aeeg47 ,old ,ocean's praise ,demands my lays2 ,a truly ,british theme ,i sing2 ,a theme so great1 ,i dare compete1 ,and join with ,ocean1 ,ocean's king4 7,,edward ,,young3 ,ocean1 an ,ode4 #agbh47 ,no more1 no more ,this worldly shore ,upbraids me with its loud uproar6 ,with dreamful eyes ,my spirit lies ,under the walls of ,paradise6 7,,thomas ,,buchanan ,,read3 ,drifting4 ab4 #ahej47 ,in these stanzas a pair of long lines bind together the first and second parts of the composition1 just as the short lines do in the original rime coue4 ,young was and is universally condemned for choosing this form of stanza for his odes4 ,he was led to do so by his admiration for the passage in ,dryden's ,ode for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day1 running3 ,assumes the god1 ,affects to nod1 ,and seems to shake the spheres4 ,here1 said ,young1 ,dryden was expressing majesty2 hence1 since he wished his odes to be majestic1 he used the short1 choppy measure throughout4 7,see his ,introductory ,essay to his ,odes1 in ,chalmers's ,english ,poets1 vol4 xiii47 ,on the other hand1 the stanza as used by ,read has been almost universally admired4 ,hail1 old ,patrician ,trees1 so great and good6 ,hail1 ye ,plebeian ,underwood6 ,where the poetic birds rejoice1 ,and for their quiet nests and plenteous food ,pay with their grateful voice4 7,,cowley3 ,of ,solitude4 ab4 #afej47 ,to-night this sunset spreads two golden wings ,cleaving the western sky2 ,winged too with wind it is1 and winnowings ,of birds2 as if the day's last hour in rings ,of strenuous flight must die4 7,,rossetti3 ,sunset ,wings4 #ahha47 ,ye dainty ,nymphs1 that in this blessed brook ,do bathe your breast1 ,forsake your watery bowers1 and hither look ,at my request3 ,and eke you ,virgins that on ,parnasse dwell1 ,whence floweth ,helicon1 the learned well1 ,help me to blaze ,her worthy praise1 ,which in her sex doth all excel4 7,,spenser3 ,the ,shepherd's ,calendar1 ,april4 #aegi47 ,you1 that will a wonder know1 ,go with me1 ,two suns in a heaven of snow ,both burning be2 ,all they fire1 that do but eye them1 ,but the snow's unmelted by them4 7,,carew3 ,in ,praise of his ,mistress4 ab4 #afce47 ,go1 lovely ,rose6 ,tell her1 that wastes her time and me1 ,that now she knows1 ,when ,i resemble her to thee1 ,how sweet and fair she seems to be4 7,,waller3 ,go1 lovely ,rose4 ab4 #afej47 ,the use of short lines somewhat intricately introduced among longer ones1 is characteristic of the stanzas of the lyrical poets of the first part of the seventeenth century4 ,it may perhaps be traced in part to the influence of ,donne4 ,where the quiet-colored end of evening smiles ,miles and miles ,on the solitary pastures where our sheep ,half-asleep ,tinkle homeward thro' the twilight1 stray or stop ,as they crop4 7,,browning3 ,love among the ,ruins4 #ahee47 ,compare with this 7although it is not divided into stanzas7 ,herrick's ,thanksgiving to ,god3 ,lord1 thou hast given me a cell ,wherein to dwell2 ,a little house1 whose humble roof ,is weatherproof2 ,under the spars of which ,i lie ,both soft and dry4 ,when ,god at first made ,man1 ,having a glass of blessings standing by1 ,let us 7said ,he7 pour on him all we can3 ,let the world's riches1 which dispersed lie1 ,contract into a span4 7,,george ,,herbert3 ,the ,gifts of ,god4 #afca47 ,the following specimens illustrate various forms of stanzas distinguished by arrangement of rime1 without reference to the length of lines3 abccb ,in vain1 through every changeful year ,did ,nature lead him as before2 ,a primrose by a river's brim ,a yellow primrose was to him1 ,and it was nothing more4 7,,wordsworth3 ,peter ,bell4 #agih47 ababb ,survival of the fittest1 adaptation1 ,and all their other evolution terms1 ,seem to omit one small consideration1 ,to wit1 that tumblebugs and angleworms ,have souls3 there's soul in everything that squirms4 7,,william ,,vaughn ,,moody3 ,the ,menagerie4 #aija47 aabbb ,mary mine that art ,mary's ,rose1 ,come in to me from the garden-close4 ,the sun sinks fast with the rising dew1 ,and we marked not how the faint moon grew2 ,but the hidden stars are calling you4 7,,rossetti3 ,rose ,mary4 #ahha47 aabcdd ,hail seint michel1 with the lange sper6 ,fair beth thi winges3 up thi scholder ,thou hast a rede kirtil a non to thi fote4 ,thou ert best angle that ever god makid4 ,this vers is ful wel i-wrogght2 ,hit is of wel furre y-brogght4 7,satire on the ,people of ,kildare1 from ,harleian ,ms4 #iac1 in ,guest's ,english ,rhythms1 ,skeat ed41 p4 #faf47 aaaabb ,what beauty would have lovely styled1 ,what manners pretty1 nature mild1 ,what wonder perfect1 all were filed ,upon record in this blest child4 ,and till the coming of the soul ,to fetch the flesh1 we keep the roll4 7,,ben ,,jonson3 ,epitaph2 ,underwoods1 liii4 #afaf47 ababab ,she walks in beauty1 like the night ,of cloudless climes and starry skies3 ,and all that's best of dark or bright ,meet in her aspect and her eyes2 ,thus mellowed to that tender light ,which heaven to gaudy day denies4 7,,byron3 ,she ,walks in ,beauty4 #ahae47 ababcc ,i wandered lonely as a cloud ,that floats on high o'er vales and hills1 ,when all at once ,i saw a crowd1 ,a host1 of golden daffodils2 ,beside the lake1 beneath the trees1 ,fluttering and dancing in the breeze4 7,,wordsworth3 ,i wandered lonely as a cloud4 #ahjd47 ,o1 how her eyes and tears did lend and borrow6 ,her eyes seen in her tears1 tears in her eye2 ,both crystals1 where they view'd each other's sorrow1-- ,sorrow that friendly sighs sought still to dry2 ,but like a stormy day1 now wind1 now rain1 ,sighs dry her cheeks1 tears make them wet again4 7,,shakspere3 ,venus and ,adonis1 st4 #afa4 #aeic47 ababbcc 7,rime royal7 ,humblest of herte1 hyest of reverence1 ,benigne flour1 coroune of vertues alle1 ,sheweth unto your rial excellence ,your servaunt1 if ,i durste me so calle1 ,his mortal harm1 in which he is y-falle1 ,and noght al only for his evel fare1 ,but for your renoun1 as he shal declare4 7,,chaucer3 ,compleynte unto ,pite4 ab4 #acgj47 ,and on the smale grene twistis sat ,the lytil suete nyghtingale1 and song ,so loud and clere1 the ympnis consecrat ,of luvis use1 now soft now lowd among1 ,that all the gardynis and the wallis rong ,ryght of thaire song1 and on the copill next ,of thaire suete armony1 and lo the text4 7,,james ,i4 of ,scotland3 ,the ,king's ,quhair1 st4 #cc4 ab4 #adbe47 ,for men have marble1 women waxen1 minds1 ,and therefore are they form'd as marble will2 ,the weak oppress'd1 the impression of strange kinds ,is form'd in them by force1 by fraud1 or skill3 ,then call them not the authors of their ill1 ,no more than wax shall be accounted evil1 ,wherein is stamp'd the semblance of a devil4 7,,shakspere3 ,the ,rape of ,lucrece1 st4 #agh4 #aeid47 ,in a far country that ,i cannot name1 ,and on a year long ages past away1 ,a ,king there dwelt in rest and ease and fame1 ,and richer than the ,emperor is to-day3 ,the very thought of what this man might say ,from dusk to dawn kept many a lord awake1 ,for fear of him did many a great man quake4 7,,william ,,morris3 ,the ,earthly ,paradise2 ,the ,proud ,king4 #ahfh47 ,the rime royal stanza is one of ,chaucer's contributions to ,english verse1 and about #ad1jjj lines of his poetry are in this form4 ,its use by ,king ,james in the ,king's ,quhair was formerly thought to be the source of the name2 but it seems more likely that the name1 like the form1 was of ,french origin1 and is to be connected with such terms as chant royal and ballat royal1 familiar in the nomenclature of courtly poetry 7see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 p4 #dbf74 ,the stanza was used by ,chaucer with marvellous skill for purposes of continuous narrative1 and was a general favorite among his imitators in the fifteenth century1 being used by ,lydgate1 ,occleve1 ,hawes1 ,dunbar1 then by ,skelton1 and by ,barclay in the ,ship of ,fooles4 ,it appears popular as late as the time of ,sackville's part of the ,mirror for ,magistrates 7#aefc74i ,later than ,shakspere's ,rape of ,lucrece it is rarely found4 7,but see ,milton's unfinished poem on ,the ,passion1 where he used a form of the rime royal with concluding alexandrine47 ,strictly speaking1 the rime royal is always in five-stress verse1 but in the following specimen the same rime-scheme appears in the irregular six-or-seven-stress verse of one of the ,mysteries4 ,the story sheweth further1 that1 after man was blyste1 ,the ,lord did create woman owte of a ribbe of man1 ,which woman was deceyvyd with the ,serpentes darkned myste2 ,by whose synn ower nature is so weake no good we can2 ,wherfor they were dejectyd and caste from thence than ,unto dolloure and myseri and to traveyle and payne1 ,untyll ,godes spryght renuid2 and so we ende certayne4 7,prologue to ,norwich ,whitsun ,play of the ,creation and ,fall4 ,in ,manly's ,specimens of the ,pre-,shaksperean ,drama1 vol4 i p4 #e47 ababcca ,dear and great ,angel1 wouldst thou only leave ,that child1 when thou hast done with him1 for me6 ,let me sit all the day here1 that when eve ,shall find performed thy special ministry1 ,and time come for departure1 thou1 suspending ,thy flight1 may'st see another child for tending1 ,another still1 to quiet and retrieve4 7,,browning3 ,the ,guardian ,angel4 #ahee47 ababccb ,the ,city is of ,night2 perchance of ,death1 ,but certainly of ,night2 for never there ,can come the lucid morning's fragrant breath ,after the dewy dawning's cold grey air2 ,the moon and stars may shine with scorn or pity2 ,the sun has never visited that city1 ,for it dissolveth in the daylight fair4 7,,james ,,thomson3 ,the ,city of ,dreadful ,night4 #ahgd47 abababab ,trew king1 that sittes in trone1 ,unto the ,i tell my tale1 ,and unto the ,i bid a bone1 ,for thou ert bute of all my bale3 ,als thou made midelerd and the mone1 ,and bestes and fowles grete and smale4 ,unto me send thi socore sone1 ,and dresce my dedes in this dale4 7,,laurence ,,minot3 ,battle of ,halidon ,hill4 #aceb47 ,on ,minot's lyrics see ten ,brink's ,history of ,english ,literature1 ,kennedy translation1 vol4 i4 p4 #cbc4 ababbaba ,since love is such that as ye wot ,cannot always be wisely used1 ,i say1 therefore1 then blame me not1 ,though ,i therein have been abused4 ,for as with cause ,i am accused1 ,guilty ,i grant such was my lot2 ,and though it cannot be excused1 ,yet let such folly be forgot4 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,that the power of love excuseth the folly of loving1 ab4 #aeej47 ababbcbc ,in a chirche er i con knel is ender day in on morwenynge1 ,me lyked e servise wonder wel1 ,for i e lengore con i lynge4 ,i seigh a clerk a book for bringe1 at prikked was in mony a plas2 ,faste he soughte what he schulde synge1 ,and al was ,deo gracias6 7,from the ,vernon and ,simeon ,,mss42 in ,anglia1 vii4 #bhg47 ,this ,julius to the ,capitolie wente ,upon a day1 as he was wont to goon1 ,and in the ,capitolie anon him hente ,this false ,brutus1 and his othere foon1 ,and stikede him with boydekins anoon ,with many a wounde1 and thus they lete him lye2 ,but never gronte he at no strook but oon1 ,or elles at two1 but if his storie lye4 7,,chaucer3 ,the ,monk's ,tale1 ll4 #gac-gbj4 ab4 #acge47 ,this stanza is sometimes called the ,monk's ,tale stanza1 from its use by ,chaucer in that single tale of the ,canterbury group4 ,although it has been little used by later poets1 it may have given ,spenser a suggestion for his characteristic stanza 7see below1 p4 #ajb74 ,farewell6 if ever fondest prayer ,for other's weal availed on high1 ,mine will not all be lost in air1 ,but waft thy name beyond the sky4 ',twere vain to speak1 to weep1 to sigh3 ,oh6 more than tears of blood can tell1 ,when rung from guilt's expiring eye1 ,are in that word--,farewell6--,farewell6 7,,byron3 ,farewell1 if ever fondest prayer4 #ahjh47 ababccdd ,will no one tell me what she sings8 ,perhaps the plaintive numbers flow ,for old1 unhappy1 far-off things1 ,and battles long ago3 ,or is it some more humble lay1 ,familiar matter of to-day8 ,some natural sorrow1 loss1 or pain1 ,that has been1 and may be again6 7,,wordsworth3 ,the ,solitary ,reaper4 #ahjc47 abababcc 7ottava rima7 ,she sat1 and sewed1 that hath done me the wrong ,whereof ,i plain1 and have done many a day2 ,and1 whilst she heard my plaint in piteous song1 ,she wished my heart the sampler1 that it lay4 ,the blind master1 whom ,i have served so long1 ,grudging to hear that he did hear her say1 ,made her own weapon do her finger bleed1 ,to feel if pricking were so good in deed4 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,of his love that pricked her finger with a needle1 in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets4 pub4 #aeeg47 ,this ottava rima is a familiar ,italian stanza made classic by ,ariosto and ,tasso1 and introduced into ,england by ,wyatt1 together with the sonnet and other ,italian forms4 ,professor ,corson says1 ,such a rhyme-scheme1 especially in the ,italian1 with its great similarity of endings1 is too 'monotonously iterative'2 and the rhyming couplet at the close seems1 as ,james ,russell ,lowell expresses it1 'to put on the brakes with a jar4' 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 pp4 #hi f47 ,o6 who can lead1 then1 a more happie life ,than he that with cleane minde1 and heart sincere1 ,no greedy riches knowes nor bloudie strife1 ,no deadly fight of warlick fleete doth feare2 ,ne runs in perill of foes cruell knife1 ,that in the sacred temples he may reare ,a trophee of his glittering spoyles and treasure1 ,or may abound in riches above measure4 7,,spenser3 ,virgil's ,gnat1 ll4 #aba-abh4 #aeia47 ,for as with equal rage1 and equal might1 ,two adverse winds combat1 with billows proud1 ,and neither yield 7seas1 skies maintain like fight1 ,wave against wave oppos'd1 and cloud to cloud72 ,so war both sides with obstinate despite1 ,with like revenge2 and neither party bow'd3 ,fronting each other with confounding blows1 ,no wound one sword unto the other owes4 7,,daniel3 ,history of the ,civil ,war1 bk4 vi4 ab4 #afjj47 ,thus sang the uncouth swain to the oaks and rills1 ,while the still morn went out with sandals gray2 ,he touch'd the tender stops of various quills1 ,with eager thought warbling his ,doric lay3 ,and now the sun had stretch'd out all the hills1 ,and now was dropt into the western bay3 ,at last he rose1 and twitch'd his mantle blue3 ,to-morrow to fresh woods1 and pastures new4 7,,milton3 ,lycidas2 ,epilogue4 #afch47 ,this is a single stave of the ottava rima1 at the close of the varying metrical forms of ,lycidas4 ,professor ,corson says3 ,the ,elegy having come to an end1 the ottava rima is employed1 with an admirable artistic effect1 to mark off the ,epilogue in which ,milton 444 speaks in his own person4 ,they looked a manly1 generous generation2 ,beards1 shoulders1 eyebrows1 broad1 and square1 and thick1 ,their accents firm and loud in conversation1 ,their eyes and gestures eager1 sharp1 and quick1 ,showed them prepared1 on proper provocation1 ,to give the lie1 pull noses1 stab and kick2 ,and for that very reason1 it is said1 ,they were so very courteous and well-bred4 7,,john ,,hookham ,,frere3 ,the ,monks and the ,giants4 #ahag47 ,with every morn their love grew tenderer1 ,with every eve deeper and tenderer still2 ,he might not in house1 field1 or garden stir1 ,but her full shape would all his seeing fill2 ,and his continual voice was pleasanter ,to her1 than noise of trees or hidden rill2 ,her lute-string gave an echo of his name1 ,she spoilt her half-done broidery with the same4 7,,keats3 ,isabella4 #ahbj47 ,as boy1 ,i thought myself a clever fellow1 ,and wished that others held the same opinion2 ,they took it up when my days grew more mellow1 ,and other minds acknowledged my dominion3 ,now my sere fancy falls into the yellow ,leaf1 and ,imagination droops her pinion1 ,and the sad truth which hovers o'er my desk ,turns what was once romantic to burlesque4 7,,byron3 ,don ,juan1 canto iv4 st4 #c4 #ahba47 ,of the ottava rima1 as used by ,frere and ,byron1 ,austin ,dobson says3 ,it had already been used by ,harrington1 ,drayton1 ,fairfax1 and 7as we have seen7 in later times by ,gay2 it had even been used by ,frere's contemporary1 ,william ,tennant2 but to ,frere belongs the honor of giving it the special characteristics which ,byron afterward popularised in ,beppo and ,don ,juan4 ,structurally the ottava rima of ,frere singularly resembles that of ,byron1 who admitted that ,whistlecraft was his 'immediate model4' 444 ,byron1 taking up the stanza with equal skill and greater genius1 filled it with the vigor of his personality1 and made it a measure of his own1 which it has ever since been hazardous for inferior poets to attempt4 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 iv4 p4 #bdj47 ,byron may indeed be said--in the words of the present specimen--to have turned what was commonly a romantic stanza to burlesque4 aabaabbab ,o hie honour1 sweit hevinlie flour degest1 ,gem verteous1 maist precious1 gudliest4 ,for hie renoun thow art guerdoun conding1 ,of worschip kend the glorious end and rest1 ,but quhome in richt na worthie wicht may lest4 ,thy greit puissance may maist avance all thing1 ,and poverall to mekill availl sone bring4 ,i the require sen thow but peir art best1 ,that efter this in thy hie blis we ring4 7,,gawain ,,douglas3 ,the ,palace of ,honour4 ab4 #aejj47 ababcccdd ,my love is like unto th' eternal fire1 ,and ,i as those which therein do remain2 ,whose grievous pains is but their great desire ,to see the sight which they may not attain3 ,so in hell's heat myself ,i feel to be1 ,that am restrained by great extremity1 ,the sight of her which is so dear to me4 ,o6 puissant love6 and power of great avail6 ,by whom hell may be felt e'er death assail6 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,of the extreme torment endured by the unhappy lover4 ab4 #aeej47 ababbcbcc 7,spenserian stanza7 ,by this the ,northerne wagoner had set ,his sevenfold teme behind the stedfast starre ,that was in ,ocean waves yet never wet1 ,but firme is fixt1 and sendeth light from farre ,to all that in the wide deepe wandring arre2 ,and chearefull ,chaunticlere with his note shrill ,had warned once1 that ,phoebus fiery carre ,in hast was climbing up the ,easterne hill1 ,full envious that night so long his roome did fill4 7,,spenser3 ,the ,faerie ,queene1 bk4 i4 canto #b1 st4 #a4 #aeij47 ,and more to lulle him in his slumber soft1 ,a trickling streame from high rock tumbling downe1 ,and ever-drizling raine upon the loft1 ,mixt with a murmuring winde1 much like the sowne ,of swarming ,bees1 did cast him in a swowne4 ,no other noyse1 nor peoples troublous cryes1 ,as still are wont t'annoy the walled towne1 ,might there be heard2 but carelesse ,quiet lyes ,wrapt in eternall silence farre from enimyes4 7,,spenser3 ib4 bk4 i4 canto #a1 st4 #da47 ,this stanza1 which ,spenser invented for his own use and to which his name is always given1 was apparently formed by adding an alexandrine to the ababbcbc stanza of ,chaucer4 ,in it ,spenser wrote the greater part of his poetry1 and its use marks the ,spenserian influence wherever found1 especially among the poets of the eighteenth century1--,thomson1 ,shenstone1 ,beattie1 and the like4 ,james ,russell ,lowell1 in his ,essay on ,spenser1 comments as follows3 ,he found the ottava rima 444 not roomy enough1 so first ran it over into another line1 and then ran that added line over into an alexandrine1 in which the melody of one stanza seems forever longing and feeling forward after that which is to follow4444 ,wave follows wave with equable gainings and recessions1 the one sliding back in fluent music to be mingled with and carried forward by the next4 ,in all this there is soothingness1 indeed1 but no slumberous monotony2 for ,spenser was no mere metrist1 but a great composer4 ,by the variety of his pauses--now at the close of the first or second foot1 now of the third1 and again of the fourth--he gives spirit and energy to a measure whose tendency it certainly is to become languorous4 7,works1 vol4 iv4 pp4 #cbh1 #cbi47 ,see also the chapters on the ,spenserian stanza in ,corson's ,primer of ,english ,verse1 where its use for pictorial effects is interestingly discussed4 ,a pleasing land of drowsy-head it was1 ,of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye1 ,and of gay castles in the clouds that pass1 ,forever flushing round a summer sky3 ,there eke the soft delights1 that witchingly ,instil a wanton sweetness through the breast1 ,and the calm pleasures always hovered nigh2 ,but whate'er smacked of noyaunce1 or unrest1 ,was far far off expelled from this delicious nest4 7,,thomson3 ,the ,castle of ,indolence1 canto i4 #agdh47 ,her cap1 far whiter than the driven snow1 ,emblem right meet of decency does yield3 ,her apron dyed in grain1 as blue1 ,i trowe1 ,as is the hare-bell that adorns the field3 ,and in her hand1 for sceptre1 she does wield ,tway birchen sprays1 with anxious fear entwined1 ,with dark distrust and sad repentance filled1 ,and stedfast hate1 and sharp affliction joined1 ,and fury uncontrolled and chastisement unkind4 7,,shenstone3 ,the ,schoolmistress4 #agdb47 ,thomson's ,castle of ,indolence1 although not published till #agdh1 seems to have been written and circulated before ,shenstone's ,schoolmistress4 ,thomson caught the spirit of ,spenser and his stanza better than any other imitator until the days of ,keats4 ,on the revival of the stanza at this period1 see ,beers's ,english ,romanticism in the ,eighteenth ,century1 chap4 iii41 on the ,spenserians4 ,earliest of the group1 according to ,mr4 ,gosse1 was ,akenside's ,virtuoso 7#agcg4 ,see ,eighteenth ,century ,literature1 p4 #caa74 ,o ,scotia6 my dear1 my native soil6 ,for whom my warmest wish to ,heaven is sent1 ,long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil ,be blest with health1 and peace1 and sweet content6 ,and oh1 may ,heaven their simple lives prevent ,from luxury's contagion1 weak and vile6 ,then1 howe'er crowns and coronets be rent1 ,a virtuous populace may rise the while1 ,and stand a wall of fire around their much-loved ,isle4 7,,burns3 ,the ,cotter's ,saturday ,night4 #aghe47 ,i stood in ,venice1 on the ,bridge of ,sighs2 ,a palace and a prison on each hand3 ,i saw from out the wave her structures rise ,as from the stroke of the enchanter's wand3 ,a thousand years their cloudy wings expand ,around me1 and a dying glory smiles ,o'er the far times1 when many a subject land ,looked to the winged ,lion's marble piles1 ,where ,venice sate in state1 throned on her hundred isles4 7,,byron3 ,childe ,harold's ,pilgrimage1 canto iv1 st4 i4 #ahah47 ,a casement high and triple-arch'd there was1 ,all garlanded with carven imag'ries ,of fruits1 and flowers1 and bunches of knot-grass1 ,and diamonded with panes of quaint device1 ,innumerable of stains and splendid dyes1 ,as are the tiger-moth's deep-damask'd wings2 ,and in the midst1 'mong thousand heraldries1 ,and twilight saints1 and dim emblazonings1 ,a shielded scutcheon blush'd with blood of queens and kings4 7,,keats3 ,eve of ,st4 ,agnes4 #ahbj47 ,professor ,corson remarks3 ,probably no ,english poet who has used the ,spenserian stanza1 first assimilated so fully the spirit of ,spenser1 444 as did ,keats2 and to this fact may be partly attributed his effective use of it as an organ for his imagination in its 'lingering1 loving1 particularizing mood4' 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 p4 #abd47 ,the splendors of the firmament of time ,may be eclips'd1 but are extinguish'd not2 ,like stars to their appointed height they climb1 ,and death is a low mist which cannot blot ,the brightness it may veil4 ,when lofty thought ,lifts a young heart above its mortal lair1 ,and love and life contend in it for what ,shall be its earthly doom1 the dead live there ,and move like winds of light on dark and stormy air4 7,,shelley3 ,adonais1 st4 #dd4 #ahba47 ,with reference to his use of this stanza ,shelley remarked1 in the ,preface to ,the ,revolt of ,islam3 ,i have adopted the stanza of ,spenser 7a measure inexpressibly beautiful71 not because ,i consider it a finer model of poetical harmony than the blank verse of ,shakespeare and ,milton1 but because in the latter there is no shelter for mediocrity3 you must either succeed or fail4444 ,but ,i was enticed also by the brilliancy and magnificence of sound which a mind that has been nourished upon musical thoughts can produce by a just and harmonious arrangement of the pauses of this measure4 ,professor ,corson 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 p4 #aab7 quotes ,mr4 ,todhunter as saying3 ,compare the impetuous rapidity and pale intensity of ,shelley's verse with the lulling harmony1 the lingering cadence1 the voluptuous color of ,spenser's1 or with the grandiose majesty of ,byron's4444 ,in ,adonais1 indeed1 a poem on which he bestowed much labor1 he handles the stanza in a masterly manner1 and endows it with an individual music beautiful and new4 ,courage6 he said1 and pointed toward the land1 ,this mounting wave will roll us shoreward soon4 ,in the afternoon they came unto a land ,in which it seemed always afternoon4 ,all round the coast the languid air did swoon1 ,breathing like one that hath a weary dream4 ,full-faced above the valley stood the moon2 ,and like a downward smoke1 the slender stream ,along the cliff to fall and pause and fall did seem4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,lotos-,eaters4 #ahcc47 abababccc ,a fisher boy1 that never knew his peer ,in dainty songs1 the gentle ,thomalin1 ,with folded arms1 deep sighs1 and heavy cheer1 ,where hundred nymphs1 and hundred muses in1 ,sunk down by ,chamus' brinks2 with him his dear ,dear ,thyrsil lay2 oft times would he begin ,to cure his grief1 and better way advise2 ,but still his words1 when his sad friend he spies1 ,forsook his silent tongue1 to speak in watry eyes4 7,,phineas ,,fletcher3 ,piscatory ,eclogues4 ab4 #afcj47 ,fletcher was an imitator of ,spenser1 and here devises a stanza differing little from his master's4 ,the final alexandrine is used with the same effect4 ,for other instances of final alexandrines1 doubtless used under the general influence of the ,spenserian stanza1 see the following specimens4 aabaabcc ,ring out1 ye crystal spheres6 ,once bless our human ears1 ,if ye have power to touch our senses so2 ,and let your silver chime ,move in melodious time2 ,and let the bass of heaven's deep organ blow2 ,and with your ninefold harmony1 ,make up full consort to the angelic symphony4 7,,milton3 ,on the ,morning of ,christ's ,nativity4 #afbi47 ababbcbcdd ,what8 lla dead8 and ,bertha dying too8 ,so fall the fairest flowrets of the plain4 ,who can unfold the works that heaven can do1 ,or who untwist the roll of fate in twain8 lla1 thy glory was thy only gain2 ,for that1 thy pleasure and thy joy was lost4 ,thy countrymen shall rear thee on the plain ,a pile of stones1 as any grave can boast4 ,further1 a just reward to thee to be1 ,in heaven thou sing of ,god1 on earth we'll sing of thee4 7,,chatterton3 lla1 st4 #adg4 #agfh47 ,this is the ten-line ,chatterton stanza1 a variant of the ,spenserian stanza1 devised by ,chatterton1 which he claimed ante-dated ,spenser by one or two centuries4 ,his claim for it was of course purely fictitious4 aabbbcc ,build thee more stately mansions1 ,o my soul1 ,as the swift seasons roll6 ,leave thy low-vaulted past6 ,let each new temple1 nobler than the last1 ,shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast1 ,till thou at length art free1 ,leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea6 7,,oliver ,,wendell ,,holmes3 ,the ,chambered ,nautilus4 #aheh47 ,see also the notable use of the alexandrine in ,shelley's ,skylark1 p4 #cd1 above4 ababababbcbc ,the dubbement dere of doun and dalez1 ,of wod and water and wlonke playnez1 ,bylde in me blys1 abated my balez1 ,fordidde my stresse1 dystryed my paynez4 ,doun after a strem that dryghly halez1 ,i bowed in blys1 bred-ful my braynez2 ,the fyrre ,i folghed those floty valez1 ,the more strenghthe of joye myn herte straynez1 ,as fortune fares theras ho fraynez1 ,whether solace ho sende other ellez sore1 ,the wygh1 to wham her wylle ho waynez1 ,hyttez to have ay more and more4 7,the ,pearl1 st4 xi4 ,fourteenth century47 ,mr4 ,israel ,gollancz says1 in his ,introduction to this poem3 ,i can point to no direct source to which the poet of ,pearl was indebted for his measure2 that it ultimately belongs to ,romance poetry ,i have little doubt4 ,these twelve-line verses seem to me to resemble the earliest form of the sonnet more than anything else ,i have as yet discovered4444 ,be this as it may1 all will1 ,i hope1 recognize that there is a distinct gain in giving to the #aja stanzas of the poem the appearance of a sonnet sequence1 marking clearly the break between the initial octave and the closing quatrain4444 ,the refrain1 the repetition of the catch-word of each verse1 the trammels of alliteration1 all seem to have offered no difficulty to our poet2 and if power over technical difficulties constitutes in any way a poet's greatness1 the author of ,pearl1 from this point of view alone1 must take high rank among ,english poets4 7,introduction1 pp4 xxiv1 xxv47 ,other examples of intricate stanza structure are found in ,sir ,gawain and the ,green ,knight1 supposed to be by the author of ,pearl4 ,see in ,part ,two1 p4 #aef4 aabccbddbeebffgggf ,ne mai no lewed lued libben in londe1 be he never in hyrt so haver of honde1 ,so lerede us biledes4 ghef ich on molde mote wi a mai1 y shal falle hem byfore lurnen huere lay1 ant rewen alle huere redes4 ah bote y be e furme day on folde hem byfore1 ne shaly nout so skere scapen of huere score2 so grimly he on me gredes1 at y ne mot me lede er wi mi lawe2 on alle maner oes at heo me wulle awe1 heore boc ase on bredes4 heo wende bokes on brad1 ant make men a mone a mad2 of scae y wol me skere1 ant fleo from my fere2 ne rohte hem whet yt were1 boten heo hit had4#aj 7,song from ,harleian ,,ms4 #bbec4 ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #aji47 ,this and the two following specimens1 together with some included earlier under the head of ,tail-,rime1 illustrate the interest in complex lyrical measures characteristic of the period of ,french influence in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries4 ,in #aaeb ,henry of ,normandy 7who ascended the throne in #aaed7 married ,eleanor of ,poitou1 and in her train there came to ,england the great troubadour ,bernart de ,ventadorn4 ,on the poems of this troubadour and others of the same school1 see ten ,brink's ,english ,literature1 ,kennedy translation1 vol4 i4 pp4 #aei-afd4 ,other troubadours followed1 and found a home in the court of ,richard the ,lion-,hearted1 who himself entered the ranks of the poets4 ,the result was a great mass of ,norman ,french lyrical poetry1 often in intricate forms1 and a smaller mass of imitative lyrics in ,middle ,english4 ,as ,schipper observes1 the elaborate lyrical forms were inconsistent with ,english taste1 and it was only the simpler ones which were widely adopted4 ,on the general character of the ,romance stanza-forms1 and their influence in ,england1 see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 pp4 #cji ff4 ababccdeed ,iesu1 for i muchele miht ou ghef us of i grace1 at we mowe dai nyht enken o i face4 in myn herte hit do me god1 when y enke on iesu blod1 at ran doun bi ys syde1 from is herte doun to is fot2 for ous he spradde is herte blod1 his wondes were so wyde4 7,song from ,harleian ,,ms4 #bbec2 in ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #bjh47 aabccbddbeeb ,lenten ys come wi love to toune1 wi blosmen wi briddes roune1 at al is blisse brynge2 dayes eghes in is dales1 notes suete of nyhtegales1 uch foul song singe4 e restelcoc him rete oo2 away is huere wynter woo1 when woderove springe4 is foules singe ferly fele1 ant wlyte on huere wynter wele1 at al e wode rynge4 7,song from ,harleian ,,ms4 #bbec2 ,bddeker's ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #afd47 abcbdcdceccce ,trowe ghe1 sores1 and ,god sent an angell ,and commawndyd ghow ghowr chyld to slayn1 ,be ghowr trowthe ys ther ony of ghow ,that eyther wold groche or stryve ther-ageyn8 ,how thyngke ghe now1 sorys1 ther-by8 ,i trow ther be iii or iiii or moo4 ,and thys women that wepe so sorowfully ,whan that hyr chyldryn dey them froo1 ,as nater woll and kynd1-- ,yt ys but folly1 ,i may well awooe1 ,to groche a-ghens ,god or to greve ghow1 ,for ghe schall never se hym myschevyd1 wyll ,i know1 ,be lond nor watyr1 have thys in mynd4 7,epilogue of ,brome ,play of ,abraham and ,isaac4 ,in ,manly's ,specimens of the ,pre-,shaksperean ,drama1 vol4 i4 p4 #ef47 ,this verse of the early ,mystery ,plays and connected forms of the drama shows an extraordinary variety of measures4 ,in general1 the effort of the writers seems to have been to show some artistic ingenuity of structure1 and at the same time keep to the free popular dialogue verse which was associated with the plays4 ,we find1 therefore1 tumbling verse1 alexandrines1 septenaries1 and intricate strophic forms1 all commonly written with slight regard for syllable-counting principles4 ,,footnotes3 #h ,there is a single well-known exception3 the ,anglo-,saxon poem known as ,deor's ,lament1 which is divided into irregularly varying strophes1 all ending with the same refrain4 7,see ten ,brink's ,english ,literature1 ,kennedy translation1 vol4 i1 p4 #fj47 ,see also on the strophic formation of the ,first ,riddle of ,cynewulf1 an article by ,w4 ,w4 ,lawrence1 in ,publications of the ,mod4 ,lang4 ,assoc41 ,n4,s4 vol4 x4 p4 #bdg4 #i ,gascoigne1 in his ,notes of ,instruction 7#aege71 mentions this form of stanza as a royall kinde of verse1 serving best for grave discourses1 a statement in which he is followed by ,king ,james in his ,reulis and ,cautelis 7#aehe74 ,puttenham1 in the ,arte of ,english ,poesie 7#aehi71 speaks of the stanza as the chiefe of our ancient proportions used by any rimer writing any thing of historical or grave poeme1 as ye may see in ,chaucer and ,lidgate4 7,arber ,reprint1 p4 #hj47 #aj ,the appendage to a stanza1 based on one or more short lines1 is sometimes called a bob-wheel4 ,see ,guest's ,history of ,english ,rhythms1 ,skeat ed41 pp4 #fba ff41 for an account of various forms of these wheels4 ,,iv4 ,,tone-,,quality ,the quality of the sounds of the words used in verse1 although in no way concerned in the rhythm1 is an element of some importance4 ,the sound-quality may be used in either of two ways3 as a regular cordinating element in the structure of the verse1 or as a sporadic element in the beauty or melody of the verse4 ,a4 ,,as ,a ,,structural ,,element ,in this capacity1 similar qualities of sound indicate cordinated parts of the verse-structure1 thus emphasizing the idea of similarity 7corresponding to that of symmetry in arts expressed in space7 which is at the very basis of rhythmical composition4 ,obviously1 the similarity may exist between vowel sounds1 consonant sounds1 or both2 more specifically1 it is found either in initial consonants1 in accented vowels1 or in accented vowels plus final consonants4 ,properly speaking1 the term ,rime is applicable to all three cases2 the first being distinguished as initial rime or ,alliteration 7,german ,anreim or ,stabreim72 the second as ,assonance 7,stimmreim71 the third as complete ,rime 7,vollreim74 ,english usage commonly reserves the term ,rime for the third class4 i4 ,assonance ,assonance was the characteristic cordinating element in the verse of the early ,romance languages1 the ,provenal1 ,old ,french1 and ,spanish4 ,thus in the ,chanson de ,roland 7eleventh century7 we find the verses of each laisse1 or strophe1 bound together by assonance4 ,frequently this develops into full rime by chance or convenience4 ,the following is a characteristic group of verses from the ,roland3 ,li reis ,marsilies esteit en ,sarragoce4 ,alez en est un vergier soz l'ombre2 ,sor un pedron de marbre bloi se colchet3 ,environ lui at plus de vint milie homes4 ,il en apelet et ses dus et ses contes3 ,odez1 seignor1 quels pechiez nos encombret4 ,li emperedre ,charles de ,france dolce ,en cest pais nos est venuz confondre4 ,the following specimen of ,old ,spanish verse shows the nature of assonance as regularly used in that language3 ,fablo myo id bien e tan mesurado3 ,grado a ti1 seor padre1 que estas en alto6 ,esto me han buelto myos enemigos malos4 ,alli pieussan de aguijar1 alli sueltan las rriendas4 ,a la exida de ,bivar ovieron la corneja diestra1 ,e entrando a ,burgos ovieron la siniestra4 ,meio myo id los ombros e engrameo la tiesta3 ,albricia1 ,albarffanez1 ca echados somos de tierra6 7,poema del ,cid4 ,twelfth century47 ,maiden1 crowned with glossy blackness1 ,lithe as panther forest-roaming1 ,long-armed naiad1 when she dances1 ,on a stream of ether floating1-- ,bright1 ,o bright ,fedalma6 ,form all curves like softness drifted1 ,wave-kissed marble roundly dimpling1 ,far-off music slowly winged1 ,gently rising1 gently sinking1-- ,bright1 ,o bright ,fedalma6 7,,george ,,eliot3 ,song from ,the ,spanish ,gypsy1 book i47 ,this song was written in avowed imitation of the ,spanish verse1 illustrating its prevailingly trochaic rhythm as well as alliteration4 ,elsewhere verse bound together only by assonance is almost unknown in ,english poetry4 ,in the ,contemporary ,review for ,november1 #ahid1 ,mr4 ,william ,larminie has an interesting article giving a favorable account of the use of assonance in ,celtic 7,irish7 verse1 and proposing its larger use in ,english poetry1 as a relief from the--to him--almost cloying elaborateness of rime4 ,in the following specimen1 assonance seems in some measure to take the place of rime4 ,haply1 the river of ,time-- ,as it grows1 as the towns on its marge ,fling their wavering lights ,on a wider1 statelier stream-- ,may acquire1 if not the calm ,of its early mountainous shore1 ,yet a solemn peace of its own4 ,and the width of the waters1 the hush ,of the gray expanse where he floats1 ,freshening its current and spotted with foam ,as it draws to the ocean1 may strike ,peace to the soul of the man on its breast1-- ,as the pale waste widens around him1 ,as the banks fade dimmer away1 ,as the stars come out1 and the night-wind ,brings up the stream ,murmurs and scents of the infinite sea4 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,the ,future47 ii4 ,alliteration ,alliteration appears sporadically in the verse of all literary languages1 but as a means for the cordination of verse it is characteristic of the primitive ,germanic tongues4 ,hwt6 we nu gehyrdan1 hu t hlubearn urh his hydercyme hals eft forgeaf1 ,gefreode ond gefreoade folc under wolcnum ,mre meotudes sunu1 t nu monna gehwylc1 ,cwic endan her wuna1 geceosan mot ,swa helle hienu swa heofones mru1 ,swa t leohte leoht swa a laan niht1 ,swa rymmes rce swa ystra wrce1 ,swa mid dryhten dream swa mid deoflum hream1 ,swa wite mid wraum swa wuldor mid arum1 ,swa lif swa dea1 swa him leofre bi ,to gefremmanne1 enden flsc ond gst ,wunia in worulde4 ,wuldor s age rynysse rym1 onc butan ende6 7,,cynewulf3 ,crist4 ll4 #ehf-eii4 ,eighth century47 ,this specimen represents the use of alliteration in the most regularly constructed ,anglo-,saxon verse4 ,the two half-lines are united into the long line by the same initial consonant in the important syllables4 ,in the first half-line the alliteration is on the two principally stressed syllables1 or on one of them alone 7most frequently the first72 in the second half-line it is commonly found only on the first4 ,alliterating unstressed syllables are usually regarded as merely accidental4 ,any initial vowel sound alliterates with any other vowel sound4 ,the most regular verse appears in ,anglo-,saxon poetry of what may be called the classical period1--#gjj ,a4,d4 and for a century following1--represented by ,beowulf and the poems of ,cynewulf4 ,by the time of lfric1 who wrote about #ajjj ,a4,d41 there appear signs of a breaking in the regular verse-form4 7,see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 pp4 #fj ff47 ,for example1 two alliterative syllables often appear in the second half-line2 one half-line may be without alliteration2 alliteration may bind different long-lines together2 or alliteration may be altogether wanting4 ,there are also additions of many light syllables1 resulting almost1 as ,schipper observes1 in rhythmical prose4 ,these tendencies resulted in the wholly irregular use of alliteration appearing in much of the verse of the early ,middle ,english period1 illustrated in the specimens that follow4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the origins of alliteration in ,germanic verse are lost in the general mass of ,germanic origins4 ,it is almost universally regarded as a purely native development1 although ,m4 ,kawczynski 7,essai ,comparatif sur l',origine et l',histoire des ,rythmes2 ,paris1 #ahhi7 sets forth the remarkable opinion that the ,germans derived their alliteration from the ,romans4 ,we must remember1 he says1 the schools of rhetoric existing in ,gaul in the sixth and seventh centuries1 where alliteration seems to have been held in esteem4444 ,it became more and more frequent in the ,latin poetry of the ,carlovingian period1 and it will suffice to cite here the following verses from ,milo of ,saint ,amand3 ',pastores pecum primi pressique pavore ,conspicuos cives carmen caeleste canentes ,audivere astris arrectis auribus2 auctor ,ad terras 444' ,it early passed to ,ireland1 and the ,irish made use of it in their ,latin poetry and in their national poetry4 ,the example of the ,irish was followed by the ,anglo-,saxons1 although these last had derived the same rules from the ,latin writers4444 ,the ,anglo-,saxons1 who sent the second series of apostles to the ,germans1 taught them the use of alliteration in poetry4 ,the ,scandinavians1 on their side1 learned it also from the ,anglo-,saxons4 ,this theory has found no adherents among scholars1 and ,m4 ,kawczynski's illustrations are probably most useful in emphasizing the natural pleasure in similarity of sound found among all peoples4 ,see below1 on the related question of the origin of end-rime4 e leun stant on hille1 and he man hunten here1 oer urg his nese smel1 smake that he negge1 bi wilc weie so he wile to dele nier wenden1 alle hise fet steppes after him he fille1 drage dust wi his stert er he steppe1 oer dust oer deu1 at he ne cunne is finden1 drive dun to his den ar he him bergen wille4 7,the ,bestiary1 from ,,ms4 ,arundel4 ,in ,mtzner's ,altenglische ,sprachproben1 vol4 i4 p4 #eg47 ,see also the specimen from ,bddeker1 p4 #ad1 above4 ,cristes milde moder1 seynte ,marie1 mines lives leome1 mi leove lefdi1 to e ich buwe and mine kneon ich beie1 and al min heorte blod to e ich offrie4 7,on ,god ,ureisun of ure ,lefdi4 ,in ,morris's ,old ,english ,homilies1 first series1 p4 #aia4 ,zupitza's ,alt-und ,mittelenglisches bungsbuch1 p4 #gf47 ,kaer ,leir hehte e burh3 leof heo wes an kinge4 a we an ure leod-quide3 ,leirchestre cleia4 gheare a an holde dawen3 heo wes swie ael burh4 seoen er seh toward3 swie muchel seorwe4 at heo wes al for-faren3 urh ere leodene vl4 ,sixti winter hefde ,leir3 is lond al to welden4 e king hefde reo dohtren3 bi his drihliche quen4 nefde he nenne sune3 er fore he war sari4 his manscipe to holden3 buten a reo dohtren4 a ldeste dohter haihte ,gornoille3 a oer ,ragau4 a ridde ,cordoille4 7,,layamon3 ,brut1 ll4 #biab-bica4 ,madden ed41 vol4 i4 p4 #abc4 ab4 #abjj47 ,the ,brut of ,layamon represents typically the transition period1 when alliteration and end-rime were struggling for the mastery in ,english verse4 ,schipper points out that we find in the poem four kinds of lines3 #a4 ,simple alliterative lines in more or less strict adherence to the old rules4 #b4 ,lines combining alliteration and rime or alliteration and assonance4 #c4 ,lines showing rime or assonance1 without alliteration4 #d4 ,four-stress lines with neither rime nor alliteration4 ,the present specimen shows the preference for alliteration2 that on p4 #abg1 below1 represents the introduction of rime4 ,in a somer seson 4 whan soft was the sonne1 ,i shope me in shroudes 4 as ,i a shepe were1 ,in habite as an heremite 4 unholy of workes1 ,went wyde in this world 4 wondres to here4 ,ac on a ,may mornynge 4 on ,malverne hulles ,me byfel a ferly 4 of fairy me thoughte2 ,i was wery forwandred 4 and went me to reste ,under a brode banke 4 bi a bornes side1 ,and as ,i lay and lened 4 and loked in the wateres1 ,i slombred in a slepyng 4 it sweyved so merye4 7,,william ,,langland 7873 ,piers the ,plowman1 ,prologue1 ll4 #a-aj4 ,b-text4 ,fourteenth century47 ,piers the ,plowman represents the revival of the alliterative long line1 with fairly strict adherence to the old rules1 by contemporaries of ,chaucer1 in the fourteenth century4 ,for this verse1 see further in ,part ,two1 pp4 #aee1 #aef4 ,apon the ,midsumer evin1 mirrest of nichtis1 ,i muvit furth allane1 neir as midnicht wes past1 ,besyd ane gudlie grene garth1 full of gay flouris1 ,hegeit1 of ane huge hicht1 with hawthorne treis2 ,quhairon ane bird1 on ane bransche1 so birst out hir notis ,that never ane blythfullar bird was on the beuche harde3 ,quhat throw the sugarat sound of hir sang glaid1 ,and throw the savar sanative of the sueit flouris2 ,i drew in derne to the dyk to dirkin eftir myrthis2 ,the dew donkit the daill1 and dynarit the foulis4 7,,william ,,dunbar3 ,the ,tua ,mariit ,wemen and the ,wedo1 ll4 #a-aj4 ,ed4 ,scottish ,text ,society1 vol ii4 p4 #cj47 ,see notes on ,dunbar as a metrist1 in this edition1 vol4 i4 pp4 cxlix and clxxii1 and ,t4 ,f4 ,henderson's ,scottish ,vernacular ,literature1 pp4 #aec-afd4 ,alliteration as an organic element of verse was especially favored in the ,north country1 and its popularity in ,scotland--illustrated in the present specimen from ,dunbar--considerably outlasted its use in ,england4 ,the famous words of ,chaucer's ,parson will be recalled3 ,but trusteth wel1 ,i am a ,southren man1 ,i can nat geste--rum1 ram1 ruf--by lettre4 ,we find ,king ,james1 as late as #aehe 7,reulis and ,cautelis71 giving the following instructions3 ,let all your verse be ,literall1 sa far as may be1 444 bot speciallie ,tumbling verse for flyting4 ,by ,literall ,i meane1 that the maist part of your lyne sall rynne upon a letter1 as this tumbling lyne rynnis upon ,f3 ,fetching fude for to feid it fast furth of the ,farie4 ,the following specimen is one of the latest examples of fairly regular alliterative verse1 written in ,england1 that has come down to us4 ,it is from a ballad of the battle of ,flodden ,field 7#aeac74 ,archers uttered out their arrowes1 and egerlie they shotten4 ,they proched us with speares1 and put many over1 ,that the blood outbrast at there broken harnish4 ,there was swinging out of swords1 and swapping of headds2 ,we blanked them with bills through all their bright armor1 ,that all the dale dunned of their derfe strokes4 7,scotishe ,ffielde1 from ,percy's ,folio ,,ms4 ,in ,,fl,,gel',s ,neuenglisches ,lesebuch1 vol4 i4 p4 #aef47 iii4 ,rime 7i4e4 end-rime7 ,full rime1 or end-rime1 involves the principally stressed vowel in the riming word1 and all that follows that vowel4 ,when there is an entire unstressed syllable following1 the rime is called double1 or feminine4 ,triple rime is also recognized1 though rare4#aa ,end-rime being a stranger to the early ,germanic languages1 its appearance in any of them may commonly be taken as a sign of foreign influence4 ,in general1 of course1 rime and the stanza were introduced together into ,english verse1 under the influence of ,latin hymns and ,french lyrics4 ,the functions of rime in ,english verse may perhaps be grouped under three heads3 the function of emphasis1 the function of forming beautiful or pleasurable sounds1 and the function of combining or organizing the verses4 ,it is with reference to the first of these that ,professor ,corson speaks of rime as an enforcing agency of the individual verse4 ,under the second head rime is considered simply as a form of tone-color1 and as furnishing a part of the melody of verse4 ,the third function1 by which individual verses are bound into stanzas1 is1 in a sense1 the most important4 ,on the subject of the sthetic values of rime1 see the chapter on poetic unities in ,corson's ,primer of ,english ,verse1 and ,ehrenfeld's ,studien zur ,theorie des ,reims 7,zrich1 #ahig74 ,the problem of the relative values of rimed and unrimed verse will come up in connection with the history of the heroic couplet and of blank verse4 ,the objection always urged against rime is that its demands are likely to turn the poet aside from the normal order of his ideas4 ,herder1 as ,ehrenfeld points out1 thought that this was particularly true of ,english verse1 the uninflected language not providing so naturally for cases where thought and sound are parallel4 ,a recent protest against the tyranny of rime is found in the article by ,mr4 ,larminie1 cited on page #aae1 where it is claimed that undue attention to form is thinning out the substance of modern poetry1 and that the demands of rime should be relaxed4 ,see also ,ben ,jonson's ,fit of ,rhyme against ,rhyme1 for a humorous complaint against the requirements of rime upon the poet4 ,the origin of rime has been a subject of prolonged controversy4 ,see the monograph by ,ehrenfeld already cited2 ,meyer's ,anfang und ,ursprung der rythmischen ,dichtung 7,munich1 #ahhd72 ,w4 ,grimm's ,geschichte des ,reims 7#ahea72 ,norden's ,antike ,kunstprosa 7,leipzig1 #ahih2 ,anhang ueber die ,geschichte des ,reims72 ,kluge's article1 ,zur ,geschichte des ,reimes im ,altgermanischen1 in ,paul u4 ,braune's ,beitrge1 vol4 ix4 p4 #dbb2 and ,schipper1 vol4 i4 pp4 #cd ff4 ,meyer's work is an exposition of the theory that rime was an importation from the ,orient4 ,in like manner1 it has been held by many that the poetry of ,otfried 7the first regularly rimed ,german verse7 was produced under ,latin influence wholly1 and that rime was introduced by him to the ,germans 7see the work by ,kawczynski1 cited p4 #aag74 ,herder 7see ,ehrenfeld's monograph7 regarded rime as a natural growth of the instinct for symmetry in all human taste1 closely connected with dance-rhythms1 all forms of parallelism1 and the like4 ,similarity of inflectional endings in similar clauses1 he pointed out1 would naturally develop rime in any inflected language4 ,this view is in line with the tendency of recent opinion4 ,schipper says1 in effect3 ,is rime to be regarded as the invention of a special people1 like the ,arabian1 or is it a form of art which developed in the poetic language of the ,aryan peoples1 separately in the several nations8 ,in the opinion of the principal scholars the latter opinion is the correct one4 ,the chief support of this opinion is the fact that traces of rime1 in greater or less number1 appear in the oldest poetry of almost all the partially civilized peoples4 ',it is1' says ,c4 ,f4 ,meyer1 'something inborn1 original1 universally human1 like poetry and music1 and no more than these the special invention of a single people or a particular time4' ,in fact1 traces of rime may be noticed in the poetry of the ,greeks1 in ,homer1 schylus1 ,sophocles1 ,aristophanes1 as also in the poetry of the ,romans2 in a more developed form it appears in the late middle ,latin clerical poetry4 ,in the ,celtic languages1 moreover1 rime is the indispensable mark of the poetic form1 even in the oldest extant specimens4 ,the ,latin poetry just referred to gives interesting evidence that rime is a characteristic sign of popular poetry4 ,while the quantitative system became dominant1 with the artistic verse-forms of the ,greeks1 in the ,golden ,age of ,roman literature1 the early ,saturnian verses1 written in free rhythms1 already showed the popular taste for similarity of sound in the form of alliteration2 and in the post-classical time1 with the fall of the quantitative metres1 rime again came to the front in songs intended for the people4 ,the same element was made so essential a characteristic in the organization of verse in the medival ,latin1 that 'carmen rhythmicum' came to signify a rimed poem1 and the later ,latinists used the word 'rhythmus' precisely in the sense of 'rime4' ,schipper goes on to inquire whether this medival ,latin poetry was the means of introducing rime to the ,germanic peoples4 ,wackernagel held it as certain that ,otfried learned his rimes from ,latin poems2 but as ,otfried declares that his poetry is intended to take the place of useless popular songs1 it seems probable that he was not using an innovation1 and that rime was already popular in ,old ,high ,german4 ,indeed1 it appears sporadically in the ,hildebrandslied and the ,heliand4 ,grimm observes that it is theoretically unlikely that alliteration should have vanished suddenly and rime as suddenly have taken its place4 ,the gradual development of rime from assonance among the ,romance peoples suggests the same thing4 ,the early appearance of rime by the side of alliteration is illustrated by ,c4 ,f4 ,meyer 7,historische ,studien1 ,leipzig1 #ahea7 from the ,norse ,edda1 from ,beowulf1 ,cdmon1 etc4 ,in the later ,anglo-,saxon period rime was evidently securing a considerable though uncertain hold4 ,the ,riming ,poem suggests what development rime might have had in ,english without the incoming of ,romance influences4 ,grimm observes that1 while to his mind alliteration was a finer and nobler quality than rime1 there was need of a stronger sound-likeness which should hold the attention more firmly by its unchanging place at the end of the line4 ,schipper remarks1 finally1 that the fact that the use of rime in connection with alliteration was especially popular in the southern half of ,england1 where the ,romance influence was strongest1 may suggest why in the more purely ,germanic northern half alliteration remained the single support of the poetic form well into the fifteenth century4 ,the appendix to the work of ,norden1 cited above1 is a fuller development of ideas frequently suggested by the sporadic appearance of rime in early ,greek and ,latin literature4 ,norden gives many examples of this rhetorical rime1 as well as of rime arising naturally from parallelism of sentence structure found in primitive charms1 incantations1 and the like4 ,in particular he emphasizes the influence of the figure of homoeoteleuton as used in the literary prose of the classical languages4 ,his conclusion is as follows3 ,rime1 then1 was potentially as truly present in the ,greek and ,latin languages1 from the earliest times1 as in every other language2 but in the metrical 7quantitative7 poetry it had no regular place1 and appeared there in general only sporadically and by chance1 being used by only a few poets as a rhetorical ornament4 ,it became actual by the transition from the metrical poetry to the rhythmical 7that is1 the syllable-counting1 in which--in the ,latin--the chief consideration is still for the word-accent72 and this transition was consummated by the aid of the highly poetic prose1 already used for centuries1 which was constructed according to the laws of rhythm1 and in which the rhetorical homoeoteleuton had gained an ever-increasing significance4 ,in particular1 rime found an entrance through sermons composed in such prose1 and delivered in a voice closely approaching that of singing1 into the hymn-poetry which was intimately related to such sermons4 ,from the ,latin hymn-poetry it was carried into other languages1 from the ninth century onward4 ,it is self-evident that in these languages also rime was potentially present before it became actual through the influence of foreign poetry2 for in this region also there operates the highest immanent law of every being and every form of development1--that in the whole field of life nothing absolutely new is invented1 but merely slumbering germs are awakened to active life4 7,antike ,kunstprosa1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #hfg ff47 ,me lifes onlah4 se is leoht onwrah4 and t torhte geteoh4 tillice onwrah4 gld ws ic gliwum4 glenged hiwum4 blissa bleoum4 blostma hiwum4 ,secgas mec segon4 symbel ne alegon4 feorh-gife gefegon4 frtwed wgon4 wic ofer wongum4 wennan gongum4 lisse mid longum4 leoma getongum4 7,from the ,riming ,poem of the ,codex ,exoniensis47 ,this puzzlingly early appearance of rime in ,anglo-,saxon verse1 in conjunction with fairly regular alliteration1 is of especial interest4#ab ,it is supposed1 says ,schipper1 that this new form has for its foundation the ,scandinavian ,runhenda1 and that this was known to the ,anglo-,saxons through the ,old ,norse poet1 ,egil ,skalagrimsson1 who was living in ,england in the tenth century1 and who stayed twice in ,england at ,athelstan's court1 writing a poem in ,northumbria in the same form4 ,he also observes that the attempt to attain something like equality of feet and half-lines suggests the ,norse models4 ,sainte ,marie1 ,cristes bur1 ,maidenes clenhad1 moderes flur1 ,dilie mine sinne1 rixe in min mod1 ,bring me to winne with self god4 7,verses attributed to ,st4 ,godric4 ab4 #aajj47 ,godric1 the hermit of ,norfolk1 lived about #ajfe-aagj4 ,these verses seem to give the earliest extant appearance of end-rime in ,middle ,english4 ,the ,romance words in the hymn indicate the presence of ,french influence4 7,on this hymn see article in ,englische ,studien1 vol4 xi4 p4 #dja47 ,woden hehde a hhste laghe3 an ure lderne dghen4 he heom wes leof3 fne al swa heore lif4 he wes heore walden3 and heom wurscipe duden4 ene feore di i ere wike3 heo ghiven him to wurscipe4 a unre heo ghiven ures di3 for i at heo heom helpen mi4 ,freon heore lfdi3 heo ghiven hire fridi4 ,saturnus heo ghiven stterdi3 ene ,sunne heo ghiven sonedi4 ,monenen heo ghivenen monedi3 ,tidea heo gheven tisdi4 us seide ,hngest3 cnihten alre hendest4 7,,layamon3 ,brut1 ll4 #aciba-acich4 ,madden ed41 vol4 ii4 p4 #aeh4 ab4 #abjj47 ,on the verse of the ,brut see above1 p4 #aai4 ,ich m elder en ich wes a wintre and alore4 ,ic wlde more aune ic dude mi wit ah to ben more4 ,wel lange ic habbe child ibeon a weorde end ech adede4 eh ic beo awintre eald tu ghyng i eom a rede4444 ,mest al at ic habbe ydon ys idelnesse and chilce4 ,wel late ic habbe me bi oht bute me god do milce4 7,poema ,morale1 ll4 #a-d1 #g1 #h4 ,in ,zupitza's ,alt-und ,mittelenglisches bungsbuch1 p4 #eh4 ab4 #abjj47 ,the ,poema ,morale1 evidently one of the most popular poems of the early ,middle ,english period1 seems to be the earliest one of any considerable length in which end-rime was used regularly4 ,for other early examples of rime introduced into ,english under foreign influence1 see above1 in the section on the ,stanza4 ,double and triple rime4 ,to our theme4--,the man who has stood on the ,acropolis1 ,and looked down over ,attica2 or he ,who has sailed where picturesque ,constantinople is1 ,or seen ,timbuctoo1 or hath taken tea ,in small-eyed ,china's crockery-ware metropolis1 ,or sat amidst the bricks of ,nineveh1 ,may not think much of ,london's first appearance-- ,but ask him what he thinks of it a year hence8 7,,byron3 ,don ,juan1 canto xi4 st4 vii47 ',tis pity learned virgins ever wed1 ,with persons of no sort of education1 ,or gentlemen1 who1 though well born and bred1 ,grow tired of scientific conversation2 ,i don't choose to say much upon this head1 ,i'm a plain man1 and in a single station1 ,but--oh6 ye lords of ladies intellectual1 ,inform us truly1 have they not hen-pecked you all8 7,ib41 canto i4 st4 xxii47 ,so the painter ,pacchiarotto ,constructed himself a grotto ,in the quarter of ,stalloreggi-- ,as authors of note allege ye4 ,and on each of the whitewashed sides of it ,he painted--7none far and wide so fit ,as he to perform in fresco7-- ,he painted nor cried quiesco ,till he peopled its every square foot ,with ,man--from the ,beggar barefoot ,to the ,noble in cap and feather2 ,all sorts and conditions together4 ,the ,soldier in breastplate and helmet ,stood frowningly--hail fellow well met-- ,by the ,priest armed with bell1 book1 and candle4 ,nor did he omit to handle ,the ,fair ,sex1 our brave distemperer3 ,not merely ,king1 ,clown1 ,pope1 ,emperor-- ,he diversified too his ,hades ,of all forms1 pinched ,labor and paid ,ease1 ,with as mixed an assemblage of ,ladies4 7,,browning3 ,pacchiarotto1 v47 ,what's a man's age8 ,he must hurry more1 that's all2 ,cram in a day1 what his youth took a year to hold3 ,when we mind labor1 then only1 we're too old-- ,what age had ,methusalem when he begat ,saul8 ,and at last1 as its haven some buffeted ship sees 7,come all the way from the north-parts with sperm oil71 ,i hope to get safely out of the turmoil ,and arrive one day at the land of the ,gypsies1 ,and find my lady1 or hear the last news of her ,from some old thief and son of ,lucifer1 ,his forehead chapleted green with wreathy hop1 ,sunburned all over like an thiop4 7,,browning3 ,the ,flight of the ,duchess1 xvii47 ,these passages illustrate sufficiently the grotesque effects of double and triple rime in ,english verse1--effects of which ,byron and ,browning are the unquestioned masters4 ,professor ,corson observes that the double rime is to be regarded as the means of some special emphasis1 whether serious or humorous4 ,more commonly the effect is humorous1 of course1 as in ,don ,juan1 where the rimes indicate the lowering of the poetic key--the reduction of true poetic seriousness4 ,the rimes in the ,flight of the ,duchess ,mr4 ,edmund ,gurney has said sometimes produce the effect of jokes made during the performance of a symphony4 ,the specimen which follows illustrates the use of these double and triple rimes for a wholly serious purpose4 ,professor ,corson remarks that in this case the rime serves as a most effective foil to the melancholy theme4 ,it is not unlike the laughter of frenzied grief4 ,it is interesting to note that in the ,italian language1 where double rimes are almost constant1 masculine rimes are sometimes used for grotesque effect in the same way that ,english poets use the feminine4 ,perishing gloomily1 ,spurred by contumely1 ,cold inhumanity1 ,burning insanity1 ,into her rest4-- ,cross her hands humbly1 ,as if praying dumbly1 ,over her breast4 ,owning her weakness1 ,her evil behaviour1 ,and leaving1 with meekness1 ,her sins to her ,saviour6 7,,thomas ,,hood3 ,the ,bridge of ,sighs47 ,roll the strong stream of it ,up1 till the scream of it ,wake from a dream of it ,children that sleep1 ,seamen that fare for them ,forth1 with a prayer for them2 ,shall not ,god care for them1 ,angels not keep8 ,spare not the surges ,thy stormy scourges2 ,spare us the dirges ,of wives that weep4 ,turn back the waves for us3 ,dig no fresh graves for us1 ,wind1 in the manifold gulfs of the deep4 7,,swinburne3 ,winter in ,northumberland1 xiv47 ,into the woods my ,master went1 ,clean forspent1 forspent4 ,into the woods my ,master came1 ,forspent with love and shame4 ,but the olives they were not blind to ,him1 ,the little gray leaves were kind to ,him3 ,the thorn-tree had a mind to ,him ,when into the woods he came4 7,,sidney ,,lanier3 ,a ,ballad of ,trees and the ,master47 ,broken rime4 ,there first for thee my passion grew1 ,sweet1 sweet ,matilda ,pottingen6 ,thou wast the daughter of my tu- tor1 law-professor at the ,u- niversity of ,gottingen4 ,sun1 moon1 and thou1 vain world1 adieu6 ,that kings and priests are plotting in2 ,here doomed to starve on water gru- el1 never shall ,i see the ,u- niversity of ,gottingen4 7,,george ,,canning3 ,song in ,the ,rovers2 ,anti-,jacobin1 ,june #d1 #agih4ac7 ,winter and summer1 night and morn1 ,i languish at this table dark2 ,my office-window has a corn- er looks into ,st4 ,james's ,park4 7,,thackeray3 ,ballads1 ,what ,makes my ,heart to ,thrill and ,glow87 ,internal rime4 ,internal rime may be regarded on the one side as only a matter of the division of the verse1 since if it occurs regularly at the medial cesura1 it practically breaks the verse into two parts4 ,on the other side1 if used only sporadically1 it is a matter of tone-color4 ,it sometimes appears1 however1 in forms which entitle it to recognition by itself4 ,the earliest of these forms is the ,leonine rime1 which is said to have taken its name from ,leoninus of ,st4 ,victor1 who in the twelfth century wrote elegiacs 7hexameters and pentameters7 in which the syllable preceding the cesura regularly rimed with the final syllable4 ,obviously lines of this kind would easily break up into riming half-lines4 ,similarly1 in septenary verse internal rime was often used together with end-rime1 with a resulting resolution into short-line stanzas riming either aabb or abab4#ad ,the following specimen from a celebrated ballad shows the popular use of a somewhat complex system of internal rime4 ,be it right or wrong1 these men among on women do complaine1 ,affirming this1 how that it is a labour spent in vaine1 ,to love them wele1 for never a dele they love a man agayne4 ,for lete a man do what he can1 ther favour to attayne1 ,yet yf a newe to them pursue1 ther furst trew lover than ,laboureth for nought1 and from her thought he is a bannisshed man4 7,ye ,nutbrowne ,maide4 ,from ,arnold's ,chronicle1 printed ab4 #aejb4 ,in ,flgel's ,neuenglisches ,lesebuch1 vol4 i4 p4 #afg47 ,haill rois maist chois till clois thy fois greit micht1 ,haill stone quhilk schone upon the throne of licht1 ,vertew1 quhais trew sweit dew ouirthrew al vice1 ,was ay ilk day gar say the way of licht2 ,amend1 offend1 and send our end ay richt4 ,thow stant1 ordant as sanct1 of grant maist wise1 ,till be supplie1 and the hie gre of price4 ,delite the tite me quite of site to dicht1 ,for ,i apply schortlie to thy devise4 7,,gawain ,,douglas3 ,a ballade in the commendation of honour and verteu2 at the end of the ,palace of ,honor47 ,douglas1 like his countryman ,dunbar1 was something of a metrical virtuoso1 and his use of internal rime in this ballade is one of his most remarkable achievements4 ,in the first stanza there are two internal rimes in each line1 in the second three1 and in the third 7here quoted7 four4 ,i cannot eat but little meat1 ,my stomach is not good1 ,but sure ,i think that ,i can drink ,with him that wears a hood4 ,though ,i go bare1 take ye no care1 ,i nothing am a-cold1 ,i stuff my skin so full within ,of jolly good ale and old4 7,drinking ,song in ,gammer ,gurton's ,needle47 ,the fair breeze blew1 the white foam flew1 ,the furrow stream'd off free2 ,we were the first that ever burst ,into that silent sea4 7,,coleridge3 ,rime of the ,ancient ,mariner47 ,the splendor falls on castle walls1 ,and snowy summits old in story2 ,the long light shakes across the lakes1 ,and the wild cataract leaps in glory4 7,,tennyson3 ,song in ,the ,princess1 iv47 ,england1 queen of the waves whose green inviolate girdle enrings thee round1 ,mother fair as the morning1 where is now the place of thy foemen found8 ,still the sea that salutes us free proclaims them stricken1 acclaims thee crowned 4444 ,england1 none that is born thy son1 and lives1 by grace of thy glory1 free1 ,lives and yearns not at heart and burns with hope to serve as he worships thee2 ,none may sing thee3 the sea-wind's wing beats down our songs as it hails the sea4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,armada1 vii47 ,here the third and eighth syllables of each verse rime1 giving the effect of a separate melody only half heard under that of the main rime-scheme4 ,this is especially subtle where there is no possible pause after the riming word1 as in the sing of the last line quoted4 ,ah1 broken is the golden bowl6 the spirit flown forever6 ,let the bell toll6--a saintly soul floats on the ,stygian river2 ,and1 ,guy de ,vere1 hast thou no tear8--weep now or nevermore6 ,see on yon drear and rigid bier low lies thy love1 ,lenore6 ,come1 let the burial rite be read--the funeral song be sung3 ,an anthem for the queenliest dead that ever died so young1 ,a dirge for her the doubly dead in that she died so young4 7,,poe3 ,lenore47 ,i did not take her by the hand1 7,though little was to understand ,from touch of hand all friends might take17 ,because it should not prove a flake ,burnt in my palm to boil and ache4 ,i did not listen to her voice1 7,though none had noted1 where at choice ,all might rejoice in listening17 ,because no such a thing should cling ,in the wood's moan at evening4 7,,rossetti3 ,penumbra47 7,see also ,love's ,nocturn1 p4 #adf1 below47 ,b4 ,,as ,a ,,sporadic ,,element 7,,tone-,,color7 ,this division includes the use made of the qualities of sound for the purpose of adding to the melodiousness of verse1 or of expressing in some measure the ideas to be conveyed by means of the very sounds employed4 ,sometimes this takes the form of alliteration1 differing from that of early ,english verse only in that it follows no regular structural laws4 ,on the other hand1 it may take the form of onomatopoeia1 the figure of speech in which sound and sense are closely related1--as in descriptive words like buzz1 hiss1 murmur1 splash1 and the like4 ,the term ,tone-color is formed by analogy with the ,german ,klangfarbe1 an expression apparently due to the feeling that the sound-qualities of speech have somewhat the same function as the various colors in a picture4 ,it is unquestionably true that the selection of sounds1 whether vowel or consonantal1 has much to do with the melodious effect of very much poetry4 ,the poet may choose the different sound-qualities 7so far as the sense permits7 just as the musician may choose the varying qualities of the different instruments in the orchestra or the different stops in the organ4 ,strictly speaking1 this matter of ,tone-color is not a part of verse-form in the same sense as matters of rhythm1 rime1 and the like2 for it may appear in prose as well as in verse1 and is not in any case reducible to formal principles or laws4 ,yet its use in actual verse is so important1 and it is so closely related to the use of sound-quality in the form of rime and alliteration1 that it seems well to include it here4#ae ,dr4 ,guest treats sounds as having in themselves the suggestion of more or less definite ideas1 this suggestiveness being explainable by physical causes4 ,thus the trembling character of l suggests trepidation1 as in ,double1 double1 toil and trouble4 ,r suggests harsh1 grating1 or rattling noises2 the sibilants are appropriate to the expression of shrieks1 screams1 and the like2 b and p1 because of the compression of the lips1 suggest muscular effort2 st1 from a sudden stopping of the s1 suggests fear or surprise2 f and h also fear1 because of their whispering quality4 ,hollow sounds 7au1 ow1 o1 and the like7 suggest depth and fulness4 ,guest quotes in this connection an interesting passage from ,bacon's ,natural ,history 7ii4 #bjj73 ,there is found a similitude between the sound that is made by inanimate bodies1 or by animate bodies that have no voice articulate1 and divers letters of articulate voices2 and commonly men have given such names to those sounds as do allude unto the articulate letters2 as trembling of hot water hath resemblance unto the letter l2 quenching of hot metals with the letter z2 snarling of dogs with the letter r2 the noise of screech-owls with the letter sh2 voice of cats with the diphthong eu2 voice of cuckoos with the diphthong ou2 sounds of strings with the diphthong ng4 ,a4 ,w4 ,schlegel went even farther in suggesting a subtle symbolism in sounds apart from descriptive qualities4 ,thus he regarded a as suggestive of bright red1 and as symbolizing youth1 joy1 or brightness 7as in the words ,strahl1 ,klang1 ,glans72 i as suggestive of sky-blue1 symbolic of intimacy or love2 and so with other vowel sounds4 7,see ,ehrenfeld's monograph1 p4 #eg47 ,in general it may be said that it is dangerous to attempt to explain the special effects of tone-color in verse1 except where it is obviously descriptive1 the appreciation of such effects being a subtle and a more or less individual matter4 ,on this subject ,mr4 ,gurney makes some interesting observations1 in the essays cited above4 ,he believes that the pleasurable effect of the sound-qualities in verse can never be dissociated from the sense of the words2 that the most melodious verse cannot be appreciated if in a foreign language1 unless read with particular expressiveness2 and that the pleasure derived from what we roughly call melodious or harmonious verses is always due to the mystical combination of the appropriate sound with the poetic content4 ,dr4 ,johnson ridiculed the idea of tone-color1 as appearing in ,pope's teaching that the sound should be an echo to the sense4 ,see his ,life of ,pope1 and especially the ,idler for ,june #i1 #agei1 in which he describes ,minim the critic as reading all our poets with particular attention to this delicacy of versification4 ,such a critic discovers wonders in these lines from ,hudibras3 ,honor is like the glossy bubble1 ,which cost philosophers such trouble2 ,where1 one part crack'd1 the whole does fly1 ,and wits are crack'd to find out why4 ,in these verses1 says ,minim1 we have two striking accommodations of the sound to the sense4 ,it is impossible to utter the first two lines emphatically without an act like that which they describe2 bubble and trouble causing a momentary inflation of the cheeks by the retention of the breath1 which is afterwards forcibly emitted1 as in the practice of blowing bubbles4 ,but the greatest excellence is in the third line1 which is crack'd in the middle to express a crack1 and then shivers into monosyllables4 ,in an article on ,some ,technical ,elements of ,style in ,literature 7originally published in the ,contemporary ,review1 ,april1 #ahhe2 reprinted in the ,scribner edition of ,stevenson's ,works1 vol4 xxii4 p4 #bdc7 ,robert ,louis ,stevenson discussed some of the more subtle effects of vowel and consonant color1 as appearing in both prose and verse4 ,the combination and repetition of the consonants ,,pvf he found to be particularly frequent4 ,the pervading sound-elements in the two following passages he analyzed by means of the key-letters in the margin3 ,in ,xanadu did ,kubla ,khan 7,,kandl7 ,a stately pleasure-dome decree1 7,,kdlsr7 ,where ,alph the sacred river ran 7,,kandlsr7 ,through caverns measureless to man1 7,,kanlsr7 ,down to a sunless sea4 7,,ndls7 7,,coleridge47 ,but in the wind and tempest of her frown1 ,w4,p4,v4,f4 7st7 7ow7 ,distinction with a loud and powerful fan1 ,w4,p4,f4 7st7 7ow7 ,l4 ,puffing at all1 winnows the light away2 ,w4,p4,f4,l4 ,and what hath mass and matter by itself ,w4,f4,l4,m4,a4 ,lies rich in virtue and unmingled4 ,v4,l4,m4 7,,shakspere3 ,troilus and ,cressida47 ,no attempt has been made to classify the specimens that follow4 ,nor does comment seem necessary1 in order to make clear the particular qualities of the sounds of the verse4 ,the heraudes lefte hir priking up and doun2 ,now ringen trompes loude and clarioun2 ,there is namore to seyn1 but west and est ,in goon the speres ful sadly in arest2 ,in goth the sharpe spore in-to the syde4 ,ther seen men who can juste1 and who can ryde2 ,ther shiveren shaftes up-on sheeldes thikke2 ,he feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke4 ,up springen speres twenty foot on highte2 ,out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte4 ,the helmes they to-hewen and to-shrede2 ,out brest the blood1 with sterne stremes rede4 ,with mighty maces the bones they to-breste4 ,he thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste4 ,ther stomblen stedes stronge1 and doun goth al4 7,,chaucer3 ,knight's ,tale1 ll4 #agda-agee47 ,and in his house heap pearls like pebble-stones1 ,receive them free1 and sell them by the weight2 ,bags of fiery opals1 sapphires1 amethysts1 ,jacinths1 hard topaz1 grass-green emeralds1 ,beauteous rubies1 sparkling diamonds1 ,and seld-seen costly stones of so great price1 ,as one of them indifferently rated1 ,and of a carat of this quantity1 ,may serve in peril of calamity4 7,,marlowe3 ,the ,jew of ,malta1 ,i4 i47 ,be kind and courteous to this gentleman2 ,hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes2 ,feed him with apricocks and dewberries1 ,with purple grapes1 green figs and mulberries2 ,the honey-bags steal from the humble-bees1 ,and for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs1 ,and light them at the fiery glow-worm's eyes1 ,to have my love to bed and to arise2 ,and pluck the wings from painted butterflies1 ,to fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes3 ,nod to him1 elves1 and do him courtesies4 7,,shakspere3 ,midsummer ,night's ,dream1 ,,iii4 i4 #afg-agg47 ,now entertain conjecture of a time ,when creeping murmur and the poring dark ,fills the wide vessel of the universe4 ,from camp to camp1 through the foul womb of night1 ,the hum of either army stilly sounds1 ,that the fix'd sentinels almost receive ,the secret whispers of each other's watch3 ,fire answers fire2 and through their paly flames ,each battle sees the other's umber'd face3 ,steed threatens steed1 in high and boastful neighs ,piercing the night's dull ear2 and from the tents ,the armourers1 accomplishing the knights1 ,with busy hammers closing rivets up1 ,give dreadful note of preparation4 ,the country cocks do crow1 the clocks do toll1 ,and the third hour of drowsy morning name4 7,,shakspere3 ,henry ,v41 ,chorus to ,act ,,iv47 ,forthwith the sounds and seas1 each creek and bay1 ,with fry innumerable swarm1 and shoals ,of fish that1 with their fins and shining scales1 ,glide under the green wave in sculls that oft ,bank the mid-sea4 ,part1 single or with mate1 ,graze the sea-weed1 their pasture1 and through groves ,of coral stray1 or1 sporting with quick glance1 ,show to the sun their wav'd coats dropt with gold1 ,or1 in their pearly shells at ease1 attend ,moist nutriment1 or under rocks their food ,in jointed armor watch2 on smooth the seal ,and bended dolphins play3 part1 huge of bulk1 ,wallowing unwieldy1 enormous in their gait1 ,tempest the ocean4 ,there leviathan1 ,hugest of living creatures1 on the deep ,stretch'd like a promontory1 sleeps or swims1 ,and seems a moving land1 and at his gills ,draws in1 and at his trunk spouts out1 a sea4 7,,milton3 ,paradise ,lost1 ,,vii4 #cii-daf47 ,then in the key-hole turns ,the intricate wards1 and every bolt and bar ,of massy iron or solid rock with ease ,unfastens4 ,on a sudden open fly1 ,with impetuous recoil and jarring sound1 ,the infernal doors1 and on their hinges grate ,harsh thunder1 that the lowest bottom shook ,of ,erebus4 7,ib41 ,,ii4 #hgf-hhc47 ,avenge1 ,o ,lord1 thy slaughtered saints1 whose bones ,lie scattered on the ,alpine mountains cold2 ,even them who kept thy truth so pure of old1 ,when all our fathers worshipped stocks and stones1 ,forget not3 in thy book record their groans ,who were thy sheep1 and in their ancient fold ,slain by the bloody ,piemontese1 that rolled ,mother with infant down the rocks4 ,their moans ,the vales redoubled to the hills1 and they ,to heaven4 ,their martyred blood and ashes sow ,o'er all the ,italian fields1 where still doth sway ,the triple ,tyrant2 that from these may grow ,a hundredfold1 who1 having learnt thy way1 ,early may fly the ,babylonian woe4 7,,milton3 ,sonnet on the ,late ,massacre in ,piedmont47 ,and when they list1 their lean and flashy songs ,grate on their scrannel pipes of wretched straw2 ,the hungry sheep look up1 and are not fed1 ,but1 swoln with wind and the rank mist they draw1 ,rot inwardly1 and foul contagion spread2 ,besides what the grim wolf with privy paw ,daily devours apace1 and nothing said4 7,,milton3 ,lycidas1 ll4 #abc-abi47 ,the soft complaining flute ,in dying notes discovers ,the woes of helpless lovers1 ,whose dirge is whispered by the warbling lute4 ,sharp violins proclaim ,their jealous pangs and desperation1 ,fury1 frantic indignation1 ,depth of pains and height of passion1 ,for the fair1 disdainful dame4 7,,dryden3 ,song for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day1 #afhg47 ,soft is the strain when ,zephyr gently blows1 ,and the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows2 ,but when loud surges lash the sounding shore1 ,the hoarse1 rough verse should like the torrent roar3 ,when ,ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw1 ,the line too labors1 and the words move slow2 ,not so1 when swift ,camilla scours the plain1 ,flies o'er th' unbending corn1 and skims along the main4 7,,pope3 ,essay on ,criticism1 ll4 #cff-cgc47 ,was nought around but images of rest3 ,sleep-soothing groves1 and quiet lawns between2 ,and flowery beds that slumberous influence kest1 ,from poppies breath'd3 and beds of pleasant green1 ,where never yet was creeping creature seen4 ,meantime unnumber'd glittering streamlets played1 ,and hurled everywhere their waters' sheen2 ,that1 as they bickered through the sunny shade1 ,though restless still themselves1 a lulling murmur made4 7,,thomson3 ,castle of ,indolence1 canto i4 st4 #c47 ,yes1 ,i will be thy priest1 and build a fane ,in some untrodden region of my mind1 ,where branched thoughts1 new grown with pleasant pain1 ,instead of pines shall murmur in the wind3 ,far1 far around shall those dark-cluster'd trees ,fledge the wild-ridged mountains steep by steep2 ,and there by zephyrs1 streams1 and birds1 and bees1 ,the moss-lain ,dryads shall be lull'd to sleep2 ,and in the midst of this wide quietness ,a rosy sanctuary will ,i dress ,with the wreath'd trellis of a working brain1 ,with buds1 and bells1 and stars without a name1 ,with all the gardener ,fancy e'er could feign1 ,who breeding flowers will never breed the same4 7,,keats3 ,ode to ,psyche47 ,strike for the ,king and die6 and if thou diest1 ,the ,king is ,king1 and ever wills the highest4 ,clang battleaxe1 and clash brand6 ,let the ,king reign4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,coming of ,arthur47 ,he could not see the kindly human face1 ,nor ever hear a kindly voice1 but heard ,the myriad shriek of wheeling ocean-fowl1 ,the league-long roller thundering on the reef1 ,the moving whisper of huge trees that branch'd ,and blossom'd in the zenith1 or the sweep ,of some precipitous rivulet to the wave1 ,as down the shore he ranged1 or all day long ,sat often in the seaward-gazing gorge1 ,a shipwreck'd sailor1 waiting for a sail3 ,no sail from day to day1 but every day ,the sunrise broken into scarlet shafts ,among the palms and ferns and precipices2 ,the blaze upon the waters to the east2 ,the blaze upon his island overhead2 ,the blaze upon the waters to the west2 ,then the great stars that globed themselves in heaven1 ,the hollower-bellowing ocean1 and again ,the scarlet shafts of sunrise--but no sail4 7,,tennyson3 ,enoch ,arden1 ll4 #egg-eie47 ,but follow2 let the torrent dance thee down ,to find him in the valley2 let the wild ,lean-headed eagles yelp alone1 and leave ,the monstrous ledges there to slope1 and spill ,their thousand wreaths of dangling water-smoke1 ,that like a broken purpose waste in air3 ,so waste not thou2 but come2 for all the vales ,await thee2 azure pillars of the hearth ,arise to thee2 the children call1 and ,i ,thy shepherd pipe1 and sweet is every sound1 ,sweeter thy voice1 but every sound is sweet2 ,myriads of rivulets hurrying through the lawn1 ,the moan of doves in immemorial elms1 ,and murmurings of innumerable bees4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,princess1 ,,vii47 ,heap cassia1 sandal-buds and stripes ,of labdanum1 and aloe-balls1 ,smeared with dull nard an ,indian wipes ,from out her hair3 such balsam falls ,down sea-side mountain pedestals1 ,from tree-tops where tired winds are fain1 ,spent with the vast and howling main1 ,to treasure half their island-gain4 7,,browning3 ,paracelsus1 ,,iv47 ,good sappy bavins that kindle forthwith2 ,billets that blaze substantial and slow2 ,pine-stump split deftly1 dry as pith2 ,larch-heart that chars to a chalk-white glow2 ,then up they hoist me ,john in a chafe1 ,sling him fast like a hog to scorch1 ,spit in his face1 then leap back safe1 ,sing ',laudes' and bid clap-to the torch4 7,,browning3 ,the ,heretic's ,tragedy47 ',will sprawl1 now that the heat of day is best1 ,flat on his belly in the pit's much mire1 ,with elbows wide1 fists clenched to prop his chin4 ,and1 while he kicks both feet in the cool slush1 ,and feels about his spine small eft-things course1 ,run in and out each arm1 and make him laugh3444 ,he looks out o'er yon sea which sunbeams cross ,and recross till they weave a spider-web4 7,,browning3 ,caliban upon ,setebos47 ,master of the murmuring courts ,where the shapes of sleep convene6 ,lo6 my spirit here exhorts ,all the powers of thy demesne ,for their aid to move my queen4 ,what reports ,yield thy jealous courts unseen8 ,vaporous1 unaccountable1 ,dreamland lies forlorn of light1 ,hollow like a breathing shell4 ,ah6 that from all dreams ,i might ,choose one dream and guide its flight6 ,i know well ,what her sleep should tell to-night4 7,,rossetti3 ,love's ,nocturn47 ,when the hounds of spring are on winter's traces1 ,the mother of months1 in meadow or plain1 ,fills the shadows and windy places ,with lisp of leaves and ripple of rain4 7,,swinburne3 ,chorus in ,atalanta in ,calydon47 ,till1 as with clamor ,of axe and hammer1 ,chained streams that stammer and struggle in straits1 ,burst bonds that shiver1 ,and thaws deliver ,the roaring river in stormy spates4 7,,swinburne3 ,winter in ,northumberland47 ,but1 oh6 that deep romantic chasm which slanted ,down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover6 ,a savage place6 as holy and enchanted ,as e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted ,by woman wailing for her demon-lover6 ,and from this chasm1 with ceaseless turmoil seething1 ,as if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing1 ,a mighty fountain momently was forced3 ,amid whose swift half-intermitted burst ,huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail1 ,or chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail2 ,and 'mid these dancing rocks at once and ever ,it flung up momently the sacred river4 ,five miles meandering1 with a mazy motion1 ,through wood and dale the sacred river ran1 ,then reach'd the caverns measureless to man1 ,and sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean4 7,,coleridge3 ,kubla ,khan47 ,,footnotes3 #aa ,perfect rime is a term applied to rimes between two words identical in form1 but different in meaning4 ,it is inadmissible in modern ,english verse1 although it was considered entirely proper in ,middle ,english times 7compare ,chaucer's-- ,the holy blisful martir for to seke1 ,that hem hath holpen1 whan that they were seke471 and is still common in ,french verse4 ,schipper gives a separate paragraph also to unaccented rime1 where the similarity of sound belongs wholly to final1 unstressed syllables4 ,generally speaking1 this is inadmissible in ,english verse4 ,schipper quotes from ,thomas ,moore3 ,down in yon summervale ,where the rill flows1 ,thus said the ,nightingale ,to his loved ,rose4 ,it might be said1 however1 that the final syllables of summervale and nightingale are not wholly unstressed2 moreover1 they are in the first and third verses of the stanza1 where rime is not indispensable4 ,unaccented rime is most noticeable in some of the verse of the transition period in the sixteenth century1 when the syllable-counting principle was so emphasized as to admit any license of accent so long as the proper number of syllables was observed4 ,thus1 in the verse of ,wyatt we find such rimes as dreadeth and seeketh1 beginning and eclipsing1 etc4 ,see p4 #aj1 above4 ,imperfect rime1 occurring where the vowel sounds are only similar1 not identical1 or where the consonants following them are not identical1 is commonly regarded as an imperfection in verse form4 ,the most common of these imperfect rimes are in cases where the spelling would indicate perfect rime 7hence where1 in many cases1 the words rimed originally1 but have separated in the changes of pronunciation71 such as love and move1 broad and load1 and the like4 ,for a defence of these rimes to the eye1 and other imperfect rimes1 with a study of their use by ,english poets1 see articles by ,prof4 ,a4 ,g4 ,newcomer in the ,nation for ,january #bf and ,february #b1 #ahii4 #ab ,rime also appears in a short passage in ,cynewulf's ,elene4 ,some have thought it a later interpolation1 but ,schipper thinks it indicates that ,cynewulf was a ,northumbrian4 ,grein believes him to have been the author also of the ,riming ,poem1 but1 as ,rieger points out1 the rimes of ,cynewulf are of a much less systematic character4 7,on this see ,wlcker's ,grundriss zur ,geschichte der ,angelschsischen ,literatur1 pp4 #baf1 #bag47 #ac ,the second of these stanzas is said to have been added to ,canning's song by ,willian ,pitt4 #ad ,see notes on the ,septenary1 in ,part ,two1 p4 #bei4 #ae ,on the subject of ,tone-color in ,english verse1 see ,guest's ,english ,rhythms1 chap4 ii42 ,lanier's ,science of ,english ,verse1 part iii4 7,colors of ,english ,verse72 ,corson's ,primer of ,english ,verse 7chapter on ,poetic ,unities72 ,edmund ,gurney's ,tertium ,quid 7essays on ,poets1 ,critics1 and ,class-,lists and ,the ,appreciation of ,poetry72 ,professor ,j4 ,j4 ,sylvester's ,laws of ,verse 7,london1 #ahgj72 ,g4 ,l4 ,raymond's ,poetry as a ,representative ,art and ,rhythm and ,harmony in ,poetry and ,music2 and ,ehrenfeld's ,studien zur ,theorie des ,reims4 ,,part ,,two ,i4 ,,four-,,stress ,,verse ,english verse of four stresses is chiefly to be divided into two groups3 that representing the primitive ,germanic tendency to emphasize the element of accent rather than the counting of syllables1 and that produced under foreign influence1 showing comparative regularity in the number of syllables to the verse4 ,the first group is made up of the various descendants of the original long line1 sometimes rimed and sometimes unrimed2 the second group of forms of the familiar octosyllabic couplet4 7,of modern verse only iambic measures are included here47 ,a4--,,non-,,syllable-,,counting ,the earliest ,english verse1 like early ,germanic verse generally1 is based on the recurrence of strong accents1 and is composed of a long line made up of two short lines1 or half-lines1 which are bound together by alliteration4 ,as to the number of accents to be counted in the line1 there are two theories1 the two-accent and the four-accent4 ,according to the first1 we should count two accents to the half-line1 and four to the long line2 according to the second1 we should count four to the half-line and eight to the long line4 ,the distinction is not so marked1 however1 as would appear at first thought2 for the two-accent theorists recognize a considerable number of secondary accents in addition to the principal ones1 while the four-accent theorists recognize half the accents as being commonly weaker than the other half4 ,the four-accent theory is that of ,lachmann1 represented chiefly in more recent scholarship by ten ,brink and ,kaluza4 ,lachmann took1 as the typical ,germanic line1 such a verse as this from the ,hildebrandlied1-- ,garutun se iro guhama3 gurtun sih iro suert ana2 but admitted that the ,anglo-,saxon line was a departure from the type in the direction of fewer accents4 ,ten ,brink1 however1 found the full number of accents in the typical ,anglo-,saxon line4 ,it is based upon a measure which belonged to the antiquity of all ,germanic races1 namely1 the line with eight emphatic syllables1 divided into equal parts by the cesura4 7,english ,literature1 trans4 ,kennedy1 vol4 i4 pp4 #ba1 #bb47 ,the principal representative of the two-accent theory is ,sievers1 whose conclusions have been pretty generally accepted by ,english and ,american scholars4 ,he admits that very many1 perhaps most1 ,anglo-,saxon lines can be read with eight accents1 but shows that there is still a large proportion 7some eleven hundred in ,beowulf7 which cannot be so read without wrenching the natural reading4 ,on this subject1 see ,westphal's ,allgemeine ,metrik1 ,sievers's ,altgermanische ,metrik1 ,kaluza's ,der ,altenglische ,vers1 and the articles by ,sievers1 ,luick1 and ten ,brink in ,paul's ,grundriss der ,germanische ,philologie4 ,aside from the two-part structure of the long line1 the number of accents1 and the alliteration1 ,anglo-,saxon verse is marked by the usual coincidence of the principal accents with long syllables4 ,the unaccented parts of the line vary in both the number and length of the syllables4 ,in general1 each half-line is divided into two feet1 or measures2 and1 according to the structure of these feet1 the ordinary half-lines of ,anglo-,saxon verse have been reduced by ,sievers to five fundamental types4 ,type ,a is represented by such a half-line as stium wordum4 ,type ,b inverts the rhythm of ,a1 as in the half-line ne winterscur4 ,type ,c is characterized by the juxtaposition of the two accents1 as in the half-line and for gangan4 ,type ,d commonly has only the accented syllable in the first foot1 while the second foot is characterized by a sort of dactylic rhythm1 as in the half-lines sliende and flet innanweard4 ,type ,e inverts the rhythm of ,d1 as in the half-line gylp-wordum sprc4#af ,in all the types many variations are found4 ,the beginning of the line may show anacrusis1 and two short syllables may take the place of a long syllable2 while an indeterminate number of light syllables may often be introduced before or after the principal accents4 ,hafa us alyfed lucis auctor1 t we motun her merueri godddum begietan gaudia in celo1 r we motun maxima regna secan and gesittan sedibus altis1 lifgan in lisse lucis et pacis1 agan eardinga alm letit1 brucan blddaga blandem et mitem geseon sigora ,frean sine fine1 and him lof singan laude perenne eadge mid englum ,alleluia4 7,from the ,anglo-,saxon ,phoenix4 ab4 #gjj ,a4,d47 ,these closing lines of the poem furnish an important opportunity to compare the ,latin half-lines with those in ,anglo-,saxon4 ,each half seems to be influenced by the metrical nature of the other2 the ,anglo-,saxon being a little more regular in the number of syllables than usual1 the ,latin less regular4 ,since1 to the ear of the writer1 the two halves of each verse were doubtless fairly equivalent1 metrically1 and since each of the ,latin half-lines appears to have two accents1 these combination verses have been thought to be an argument for the two-accent theory of ,anglo-,saxon verse4 ,on the other hand1 the advocates of the four-accent theory would read the ,latin half-lines with four stresses each1 on the ground that nearly every syllable was stressed in the chanting of such religious verse 7l-cs ac-tr1 etc474 ,see also the specimens on pp4 #ac and #ad1 above4 ,alle beon he blie at to my song lye3 ,a song ihc schal ghou singe ,of ,mury e kinge4 ,king he was bi weste ,so longe so hit laste4 ,godhild het his quen1 ,fairer ne mighte non ben4 ,he hadde a sone at het ,horn1 ,fairer ne mighte non beo born1 ,ne no rein upon birine1 ,ne sunne upon bischine4 7,king ,horn1 ll4 #a-ab4 ab4 #abjj-abej47 ,the metre of ,king ,horn is very irregular1 and has proved somewhat puzzling to scholars4 ,it seems to be the direct result of the primitive long line broken into two halves by internal rime4 ,the number of accents varies greatly3 we may have verses which are easily read with two1 such as-- ,into schupes borde ,at the furst worde4 ,yet these it is evident might also be read with three accents1 as in the following couplet also3 ,the se bigan to flowe1 ,and ,horn child to rowe4 ,according as one reads the ,anglo-,saxon verse with two or four accents to the half-line1 he will regard the typical half-line of ,king ,horn as made up of two or four accents4 ,if the fundamental number was two1 the additional accented syllables were doubtless introduced under the influence of the ,french eight-syllable couplet4 ,it is not difficult to see how the more regular 7,latin or ,french7 and the less regular 7native7 measures might have been confused1 and soon have coalesced in popular use4 ,ten ,brink1 reading the ,king ,horn lines with four accents1 speaks of them as formed entirely on the ,teutonic principle1 with two accents upon the sonorous close of the verse1 so that it appears to be an organic continuation of the chief form in ,layamon and in lfred's ,proverbs4 ,this circumstance makes the poem exceptional among the early ,english romances4 ,he also speaks of an unmistakably strophic construction in the text as we have it4 7,english ,literature1 ,kennedy translation1 vol4 i4 p4 #bbg47 ,anon out of e north est e noys bigynes3 ,when boe brees con blowe upon blo watteres1 ,rogh rakkes per ros with rudnyng anunder1 e see soughed ful sore1 gret selly to here1 e wyndes on e wonne water so wrastel togeder1 at e wawes ful wode waltered so highe ,and efte busched to e abyme1 at breed fysches1 ,durst nowhere for rogh arest at e bothem4 ,when e breth and e brok and e bote metten1 ,hit watz a ioyles gyn1 at ,ionas watz inne2 ,for hit reled on roun upon e roghe yes4 7,patience1 ll4 #acg-adg4 ab4 #acge47 ,til e knyght com hym-self1 kachande his blonk1 ,sygh hym byde at e bay1 his burnegh bysyde1 ,he lyghtes luflych adoun1 levegh his corsour1 ,braydegh out a bryght bront1 bigly forth strydegh1 ,foundegh fast urgh the for1 er e felle byde1 e wylde watgh war of e wyghe with weppen in honde4 ,hef hyghly e here1 so hetterly he fnast1 at fele ferde for e frekegh1 lest felle hym e worre e swyn settegh hym out on e segge even1 at e burne e bor were boe upon hepegh1 ,in e wyght-est of e water1 e worre had at oer2 ,for e mon merkkegh hym wel1 as ay mette fyrst1 ,set sadly e scharp in e slot even1 ,hit hym up to e hult1 at e hert schyndered1 he gharrande hym ghelde1 ghedoun e water1 ful tyt2 ,a hundreth houndegh hym hent1 at bremely con hym bite1 ,burnegh him broght to bent1 doggegh to dethe endite4 7,sir ,gawayne and the ,green ,knight1 strophe xviii4 ab4 #acge47 ,these two specimens1 both doubtless the work of the same author 7to whom are also attributed the ,pearl and ,cleanness71 represent the patriotic revival of the alliterative long line by contemporaries of ,chaucer in the latter half of the fourteenth century4 ,in ,sir ,gawayne the rimeless long line is gathered into strophes1 each of which concludes with four riming lines4 7,see above1 p4 #aji47 ,for analysis of this revived alliterative verse1 see a valuable article by ,dr4 ,luick1 ,die ,englische ,stabreimzeile im #adn1 #aen1 und #afn ,jahrhundert1 in ,anglia1 vol4 xi4 pp4 #cib and #eec4 ,luick analyzes not only the poems of the ,pearl poet1 but also the ,troy ,book1 the ,alexander ,fragments1 ,william of ,palerne1 ,joseph of ,arimathea1 ,morte ,arthure1 and minor poems4 ,he finds the ,troy ,book the most regular alliterative poem of ,middle ,english1 but in all of the group a general tendency to preserve not only the early laws of alliteration but also the five types of ,sievers's ,anglo-,saxon metrics4 ,dr4 ,luick attributes the final decline of the old measure in large degree to the falling away of the final syllables in -e1 etc42 without these numerous feminine endings the primitive long line was impossible4 ,this he regards as regrettable1 since the old alliterative verse1 growing up on native soil with the language itself1 represented the natural accent-relations of the ,germanic languages1 especially the recognition of two principal degrees of accent2 whereas the modern rimed verse requires the reduction of this to a uniform tick-tack of alternating stress and non-stress4 ,he put on his back a good plate-jack1 ,and on his head a cap of steel1 ,with sword and buckler by his side2 ,o gin he did not become them weel6 7,ballad of ,bewick and ,grahame4 ,in ,,gummere',s ,english ,ballads1 p4 #agf47 ,the regular stanza of the old ballads was of this four-stress type1 with extra light syllables admitted anywhere yet not in great numbers4 ,more commonly1 however1 the fourth stress was lost from the second and fourth lines4 7,see p4 #bfd1 below47 ,i thanke hym full thraly1 and sir1 ,i saie hym the same1 ,but what marvelous materes dyd this myron ther mell8 ,for all the lordis langage his lipps1 sir1 wer lame1 ,for any spirringes in that space no speche walde he spell4 7,york ,mystery ,plays3 ,the ,trial before ,pilate4 ,ed4 ,l4 ,t4 ,,smith1 p4 #cbb47 ,as ,gammer ,gurton1 with manye a wyde styche1 ,sat pesynge and patching of ,hodg her mans briche1 ,by chance or misfortune1 as shee her geare tost1 ,in ,hodge lether bryches her needle shee lost4 7,gammer ,gurton's ,needle1 ,prologue4 #aeff47 ,in these specimens we have the later descendant of the long line as used in the early drama of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries1--the tumbling verse1 regular in rhythm and rime1 but indifferent to the number of syllables4#ag ,sometimes1 where most regular1 as in lines #b-d of the second specimen1 the measure approximates closely to regular four-stress anapestic4 ,the time was once1 and may againe retorne1 7,for ought may happen that hath bene beforne71 ,when shepheards had none inheritaunce1 ,ne of land1 nor fee in sufferaunce1 ,but what might arise of the bare sheepe1 7,were it more or lesse7 which they did keepe4 ,well ywis was it with shepheards thoe3 ,nought having1 nought feared they to forgoe2 ,for ,pan himselfe was their inheritaunce1 ,and little them served for their mayntenaunce4 ,the shepheards ,god so wel them guided1 ,that of nought they were unprovided2 ,butter enough1 honye1 milke1 and whay1 ,and their flockes' fleeces them to araye4 7,,spenser3 ,the ,shepherd's ,calendar1 ,may4 #aegi47 ,spenser's use of the tumbling verse in the ,shepherd's ,calendar was a part of his imitation of older forms for the sake of an uncultivated1 bucolic effect4 ,in his hands the irregular measure showed a tendency to reduce itself to regular ten-syllable lines1 like the first two of the present specimen1 which1 by themselves1 might easily be read as decasyllabic iambics4 ,on this1 see further under ,five-,stress ,verse4 ,spenser was perhaps the last cultivated poet to use the irregular measure1 until we come to modern imitators of the early popular poetry4 ,the following specimen is of this class4 ,it was up in the morn we rose betimes ,from the hall-floor hard by the row of limes4 ,it was but ,john the ,red and ,i1 ,and we were the brethren of ,gregory2 ,and ,gregory the ,wright was one ,of the valiant men beneath the sun1 ,and what he bade us that we did1 ,for ne'er he kept his counsel hid4 ,so out we went1 and the clattering latch ,woke up the swallows under the thatch4 ,it was dark in the porch1 but our scythes we felt1 ,and thrust the whetstone under the belt4 ,through the cold garden boughs we went ,where the tumbling roses shed their scent4 ,then out a-gates and away we strode ,o'er the dewy straws on the dusty road1 ,and there was the mead by the town-reeve's close ,where the hedge was sweet with the wilding rose4 7,,william ,,morris3 ,the ,folk-,mote by the ,river4 ,in ,poems by the ,way4 #ahif47 ,b4--,,syllable-,,counting 7,,octosyllabic ,,couplet7 ,the more regular four-stress verse1 in rimed couplets showing a tendency to be octosyllabic1 we have seen to be generally attributed to the influence of the ,french octosyllabics1 which were in common use in late medival ,french poetry1 such as that of ,wace and ,chrestien de ,troyes4 ,according to ,stengel 7in ,grber's ,grundriss der ,romanischen ,philologie71 this octosyllabic ,french verse goes back to a lost vulgar ,latin verse2 this view is opposed by ,dr4 ,c4 ,m4 ,lewis1 in his ,foreign ,sources of ,modern ,english ,versification 7,yale ,studies in ,english1 #ahih71 who finds its origin in the tetrameter of the ,latin hymns4 ,dr4 ,lewis also attributes to this ,latin verse more direct influence on ,english verse than is commonly assumed4 ,thus he finds in it1 rather than in the ,french octosyllabics1 the model of the verse of the ,pater ,noster1 quoted below4 ,the argument is briefly this3 the ,latin verse was both accentual and syllabic2 the ,french verse was syllabic but not accentual2 that of the ,pater ,noster is accentual but not syllabic2 hence it is more nearly like the ,latin than the ,french4 ,a stanza of the ,latin tetrameter1 cited by ,dr4 ,lewis from the hymn ,aurora lucis rutilat1 is as follows3 ,tristes erat apostoli de nece sui ,domini1 quem poena mortis crudeli servi damnarunt impii4 ,compare these lines from the ,brut of ,wace3 ,adunt apela ,cordeille qui esteit sa plus joes ne fille2 pur ce que il l'aveit plus chiere que ,raga ne la premiere quida que el e cunest que plus chier des al tres l'est4 ,cordeil le out bien escut et bien out en sun cuer not cument ses deus sorurs parlont1 cument lur pere losengont4 ,the last four verses of this passage are cited by ,schipper as illustrating the regular iambic character of the ,french octosyllabics2 but ,dr4 ,lewis regards the measure as purely syllabic1 with no regard for alternation of accents1 and instances the earlier lines of the passage as being quite as nearly anapestic as iambic4 7,see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 p4 #ajg1 and ,lewis's monograph1 as cited above1 pp4 #gc ff4 ,see also ,crow3 ,zur ,geschichte des ,kurzen ,reimpaares in ,mittel ,englisch47 ,dr4 ,lewis's conclusion is3 ,we may therefore sum up the whole history of our octosyllabic verse in this way3 we borrowed its number of accents from the ,latin1 but owing to the vitality of our own native traditions we at first borrowed nothing further2 the syllabic character of the verse 7so far as it has been imported at all71 came in only gradually1 against stubborn resistance2 and it came not directly from the ,latin1 but indirectly1 through the ,french 7pp4 #ig1 #ih74 ,some of these statements are open to question2 but however we may interpret the ,french verse of ,wace and his contemporaries1 it is obvious that in ,english the influence of the ,latin and the ,french poetry would very naturally be fused1 with no necessarily clear conception of definite verse-structure4 ,whether under ,french or ,latin influence1 however1 the new tendency was for the more accurate counting of syllables4 ,we may see some suggestion of this in the verses of ,st4 ,godric1 quoted on p4 #abf1 above1 although they are not regularly iambic4 ,the poem on the ,eleven ,pains of ,hell 7in the ,old ,english ,miscellany7 shows the ,french influence clearly marked by the language of its opening verses3 ,ici comencent les unze peynes ,de enfern1 les queus seynt pool vist4 ,ure feder et in heovene is1 et is al so ful iwis6 ,weo moten to theor weordes iseon1 et to live and to saule gode beon1 et weo beon swa his sunes iborene1 et he beo feder and we him icorene1 et we don alle his ibeden ,and his wille for to reden4 7,the ,pater ,noster1 ab4 #aage4 ,in ,morris's ,old ,english ,homilies1 p4 #ee47 ,this poem is sometimes said to show the first appearance of the octosyllabic couplet in ,english4 ,it suggests the struggle between native indifference to syllable-counting and imitation of the greater regularity of its models4 ,as ,dr4 ,morris says of the next specimen3 ,the essence of the system of versification which the poet has adopted is1 briefly1 that every line shall have four accented syllables in it1 the unaccented syllables being left in some measure1 as it were1 to take care of themselves4 ,but this does not altogether do justice to the new regularity4 ,schipper says that of the first #ajj lines of the poem #bj are perfectly regular4 7,see his notes in vol4 i4 p4 #aji47 ,in the following specimens we may trace the gradual growth of skill and accuracy4 o herde ,abraham stevene fro gode1 newe tiding and selku bode3 'tac in sune ,ysaac in hond and far wi him to sihinges lond4 and or a salt him offren me1 on an hil1 or ic sal taunen e4 7,genesis and ,exodus1 ll4 #abhe-abij4 ab4 #abej-acjj47 ,abid6 abid6 the ule seide4 ,thu gest al to mid swikelede2 ,all thine wordes thu bi-leist1 ,that hit thincth soth al that thu seist2 ,alle thine wordes both i-sliked1 ,an so bi-semed and bi-liked1 ,that alle tho that hi avoth1 ,hi weneth that thu segge soth4 7,the ,owl and the ,nightingale1 ll4 #hce-hdb4 ,thirteenth century47 ,quhen is wes said1 ai went are way1 and till e toun soyn cumin ar thai sa prevely bot noys making1 at nane persavit air cummyng4 ai scalit throu e toune in hy and brak up dures sturdely and slew all1 at ai mycht ourtak2 and ai1 at na defens mycht mak1 fall pitwisly couth rair and cry1 and ai slew ame dispitwisly4 7,,barbour3 ,bruce1 v4 #hi-ih4 ab4 #acge47 ,ghyf ou ever urghe folye ,dydyst ought do nygromauncye4 ,or to the devyl dedyst sacryfyse urghe wychcraftys asyse1 ,or any man ghaf e mede ,for to reyse e devyl yn dede1 ,for to telle1 or for to wrey1 ynge at was don awey2 ghyf ou have do any of ys1 ou hast synnede and do a mys1 ,and ou art wury to be shent urghe ys yche commaundement4#ah 7,,robert ,,manning of ,brunne3 ,handlyng ,synne1 ll4 #cci-cej4 ab4 #acjj47 ,herknet to me1 gode men1 ,wives1 maydnes1 and alle men1 ,of a tale at ich you wile telle1 ,wo so it wile here1 and er-to duelle4 e tale is of ,havelok i-maked2 ,wil he was litel he yede ful naked3 ,havelok was a ful god gome1 ,he was ful god in everi trome1 ,he was e wicteste man at nede1 at urte riden on ani stede4 at ye mowen nou y-here1 ,and e tale ye mowen y-lere4 ,at the beginning of ure tale1 ,fil me a cuppe of ful god ale2 ,and y wile drinken her y spelle1 at ,crist us shilde alle fro helle6 7,lay of ,havelok the ,dane4 ll4 #a-af4 ab4 #acjj47 ,for lays and romances1 both ,french and ,english1 the four-stress couplet was an easy and favorite form4 ,compare the remarks of ten ,brink3 ,we see how the short couplet1 which is the standing form of the court-romance1 was not only transmitted to it from the legendary1 didactic1 and historical poems1 but was also suggested to it by those songs to which it was indebted for its own subject-matter4 ,other tokens indicate that a short strophe composed of eight-syllabled lines1 with single or alternating rhymes1 was a favorite form for many subjects in this jongleur poetry4444 ,the simple form of the short couplet offered to the romance-poet no scope to compete in metrical technique with the skilled court-lyrists4 ,he could prove his art only within a limited portion of this field3 in the treatment of the enjambement and particularly of rhyme4 ,the poet strove not only to form pure rhymes1 but often to carry them forward with more syllables than were essential1 and he was fond of all sorts of grammatical devices in rhyme4 7,english ,literature1 ,kennedy trans41 vol4 i4 pp4 #agd1 #age47 ,the world stant ever upon debate1 ,so may be siker none estate2 ,now here1 now there1 now to1 now fro1 ,now up1 now down1 the world goth so1 ,and ever hath done and ever shal2 ,wherof ,i finde in special ,a tale writen in the bible1 ,which must nedes be credible1 ,and that as in conclusion ,saith1 that upon division ,stant1 why no worldes thing may laste1 ,til it be drive to the laste1 ,and fro the firste regne of all ,unto this day how so befall ,of that the regnes be mevable1 ,the man him self hath be coupable1 ,whiche of his propre governaunce ,fortuneth al the worldes chaunce4 7,,john ,,gower3 ,prologue to ,confessio ,amantis4 ,ed4 ,,pauli1 vol4 i4 pp4 #bb1 #bc4 ab4 #acij47 ,o god of science and of light1 ,apollo1 through thy grete might1 ,this litel laste bok thou gye6 ,nat that ,i wilne1 for maistrye1 ,here art poetical be shewed2 ,but1 for the rym is light and lewed1 ,yit make hit sumwhat agreable1 ,though som vers faile in a sillable2 ,and that ,i do no diligence ,to shewe craft1 but o sentence4 ,and if1 divyne vertu1 thou ,wilt helpe me to shewe now ,that in myn hede y-marked is-- ,lo1 that is for to menen this1 ,the ,hous of ,fame to descryve-- ,thou shalt see me go1 as blyve1 ,unto the nexte laure ,i see1 ,and kisse hit1 for hit is thy tree4 7,,chaucer3 ,house of ,fame1 ll4 #ajia-aajh4 ab4 #ache47 ,it was ,gower and ,chaucer1 in the fourteenth century1 who brought the use of the eight-syllable couplet to the point of accuracy and perfection4 ,gower made it the vehicle of the interminable narrative of the ,confessio ,amantis1 using it with regularity but with great monotony4 ,chaucer transformed it into a much more flexible form 7with freedom of cesura1 enjambement1 and inversions71 using it in about #cejj lines of his poetry 7excluding the translation of the ,roman de la ,rose71 but early leaving it for the decasyllabic verse4 ,in modern ,english poetry this short couplet has rarely been used for continuous narrative of a serious character1 except by ,byron and ,wordsworth4 ,but let my due feet never fail ,to walk the studious cloister's pale1 ,and love the high embowed roof1 ,with antique pillars massy proof1 ,and storied windows richly dight1 ,casting a dim religious light4 ,there let the pealing organ blow1 ,to the full-voiced choir below1 ,in service high1 and anthems clear1 ,as may with sweetness1 through mine ear1 ,dissolve me into ecstasies1 ,and bring all heaven before my eyes4 7,,milton3 ,il ,penseroso1 ll4 #aee-aff4 #afcd47 ,a sect whose chief devotion lies ,in odd1 perverse antipathies1 ,in falling out with that or this ,and finding something still amiss2 ,more peevish1 cross1 and splenetic ,than dog distract or monkey sick3 ,that with more care keep holyday ,the wrong1 than others the right way2 ,compound for sins they are inclined to ,by damning those they have no mind to4444 ,rather than fail they will defy ,that which they love most tenderly2 ,quarrel with mince-pies1 and disparage ,their best and dearest friend plum-porridge1 ,fat pig and goose itself oppose1 ,and blaspheme custard through the nose4 7,,samuel ,,butler3 ,hudibras1 ,part ,i4 #affc47 ,butler made the octosyllabic couplet so entirely his own1 for the purposes of his jogging satiric verse1 that ever since it has frequently been called ,hudibrastic4 ,the ingenuity of his rimes added not a little to its effectiveness4 ,in the ,spectator 7,no4 #bdi7 ,addison said that burlesque poetry runs best in doggrel like that of ,hudibras1 444 when a hero is to be pulled down and degraded2 otherwise in the heroic measure4 ,he speaks also of the generality of ,butler's readers as being wonderfully pleased with the double rhymes4 ,how deep yon azure dyes the sky1 ,where orbs of gold unnumber'd lie1 ,while through their ranks in silver pride ,the nether crescent seems to glide6 ,the slumbering breeze forgets to breathe1 ,the lake is smooth and clear beneath1 ,where once again the spangled show ,descends to meet our eyes below4 ,the grounds which on the right aspire1 ,in dimness from the view retire3 ,the left presents a place of graves1 ,whose wall the silent water laves4 ,that steeple guides thy doubtful sight ,among the livid gleams of night4 ,there pass1 with melancholy state1 ,by all the solemn heaps of fate1 ,and think1 as softly-sad you tread ,above the venerable dead1 ',time was1 like thee they life possest1 ,and time shalt be1 that thou shalt rest4' 7,,thomas ,,parnell3 ,a ,night-,piece on ,death1 ab4 #agae47 ,mr4 ,gosse speaks of ,parnell's employment of the octosyllabic couplet in this poem as wonderfully subtle and harmonious4 7,eighteenth ,century ,literature1 p4 #acg47 ,a ,hare who1 in a civil way1 ,complied with everything1 like ,gay1 ,was known by all the bestial train ,who haunt the wood1 or graze the plain4 ,her care was never to offend1 ,and every creature was her friend4 ,as forth she went at early dawn1 ,to taste the dew-besprinkled lawn1 ,behind she hears the hunter's cries1 ,and from the deep-mouthed thunder flies3 ,she starts1 she stops1 she pants for breath2 ,she hears the near advance of death2 ,she doubles1 to mislead the hound1 ,and measures back her mazy round3 ,till1 fainting in the public way1 ,half dead with fear she gasping lay4 7,,john ,,gay3 ,the ,hare and ,many ,friends1 in ,fables4 #agbg47 ,gay's use of the short couplet in his ,fables sometimes shows it at its best for narrative purposes4 ,my female friends1 whose tender hearts ,have better learned to act their parts1 ,receive the news in doleful dumps3 ',the ,dean is dead3 7,pray what is trumps87 ,then1 ,lord have mercy on his soul6 7,ladies1 ,i'll venture for the vole47 ,six ,deans1 they say1 must bear the pall3 7,i wish ,i knew what king to call74 ,madam1 your husband will attend ,the funeral of so good a friend8 ,no1 madam1 'tis a shocking sight3 ,and he's engaged to-morrow night3 ,my ,lady ,club will take it ill1 ,if he should fail her at quadrille4 ,he loved the ,dean--7,i lead a heart7 ,but dearest friends1 they say1 must part4 ,his time was come3 he ran his race2 ,we hope he's in a better place4' 7,,swift3 ,on the ,death of ,dr4 ,swift4 #agca47 ,swift made use of the octosyllabic couplet in nearly all his verse1 and with no little vigor and originality4 ,mr4 ,gosse remarks3 ,his lines fall like well-directed blows of the flail1 and he gives the octosyllabic measure1 which he is accustomed to choose on account of the ,hudibrastic opportunities it offers1 a character which is entirely his own4 7,eighteenth ,century ,literature1 p4 #aec47 ,ye forms divine1 ye laureat band1 ,that near her inmost altar stand6 ,now soothe her to her blissful train ,blithe concord's social form to gain2 ,concord1 whose myrtle wand can steep ,even anger's bloodshot eyes in sleep2 ,before whose breathing bosom's balm ,rage drops his steel1 and storms grow calm2 ,her let our sires and matrons hoar ,welcome to ,britain's ravaged shore2 ,our youths1 enamored of the fair1 ,play with the tangles of her hair1 ,till1 in one loud applauding sound1 ,the nations shout to her around1-- ,o how supremely thou art blest1 ,thou1 lady1 thou shalt rule the ,west6 7,,collins3 ,ode to ,liberty4 #agdf47 ,when chapman billies leave the street1 ,and drouthy neibors1 neibors meet2 ,as market days are wearing late1 ,and folk begin to tak the gate1 ,while we sit bousing at the nappy1 ,an' getting fou and unco happy1 ,we think na on the lang ,scots miles1 ,the mosses1 waters1 slaps and stiles1 ,that lie between us and our hame1 ,where sits our sulky1 sullen dame1 ,gathering her brows like gathering storm1 ,nursing her wrath to keep it warm4 7,,burns3 ,tam ,o',shanter1 ll4 #a-ab4 #agij47 ,they chain'd us each to a column stone1 ,and we were three--yet1 each alone2 ,we could not move a single pace1 ,we could not see each other's face1 ,but with that pale and livid light ,that made us strangers in our sight3 ,and thus together--yet apart1 ,fetter'd in hand1 but joined in heart1 ',twas still some solace1 in the dearth ,of the pure elements of earth1 ,to hearken to each other's speech1 ,and each turn comforter to each1 ,with some new hope1 or legend old1 ,or song heroically bold4 7,,byron3 ,the ,prisoner of ,chillon1 iii4 #ahaf47 ,a mortal song we sing1 by dower ,encouraged of celestial power2 ,power which the viewless ,spirit shed ,by whom we first were visited2 ,whose voice we heard1 whose hand and wings ,swept like a breeze the conscious strings1 ,when1 left in solitude1 erewhile ,we stood before this ruined ,pile1 ,and1 quitting unsubstantial dreams1 ,sang in this ,presence kindred themes4 7,,wordsworth3 ,white ,doe of ,rylstone1 canto vii4 ll4 #bhb-bia4 #ahae47 ,ill fared it then with ,roderick ,dhu1 ,that on the field his targe he threw1 ,whose brazen studs and tough bull-hide ,had death so often dash'd aside2 ,for1 train'd abroad his arms to wield1 ,fitz-,james's blade was sword and shield4444 ,three times in closing strife they stood1 ,and thrice the ,saxon blade drank blood2 ,no stinted draught1 no scanty tide1 ,the gushing flood the tartans dyed4 ,fierce ,roderick felt the fatal drain1 ,and shower'd his blows like wintry rain2 ,and1 as firm rock1 or castle-roof1 ,against the winter shower is proof1 ,the foe1 invulnerable still1 ,foil'd his wild rage by steady skill2 ,till1 at advantage ta'en1 his brand ,forced ,roderick's weapon from his hand1 ,and backward borne upon the lea1 ,brought the proud ,chieftain to his knee4 7,,scott3 ,the ,lady of the ,lake1 canto v4 st4 xv4 #ahaj47 ,how this their joy fulfilled might move ,the world around ,i know not well2 ,but yet this idle dream doth tell ,that no more silent was the place1 ,that new joy lit up every face1 ,that joyous lovers kissed and clung1 ,e'en as these twain1 that songs were sung ,from mouth to mouth in rose-bowers1 ,where hand in hand and crowned with flowers1 ,folk praised the ,lover and ,beloved ,that such long years1 such pain had proved2 ,but soft1 they say1 their joyance was ,when midst them soon the twain did pass1 ,hand locked in hand1 heart kissing heart1 ,no more this side of death to part-- ,no more1 no more--full soft ,i say ,their greetings were that happy day1 ,as though in pensive semblance clad2 ,for fear their faces over-glad ,this certain thing should seem to hide1 ,that love can ne'er be satisfied4 7,,william ,,morris3 ,the ,earthly ,paradise2 ,the ,land ,east of the ,sun4 #ahgj47 ,,footnotes3 #af ,for ,sievers's analysis of ,anglo-,saxon verse into these types1 see his articles in ,paul and ,braune's ,beitrge1 vols4 x4 and xii42 and the brief statement in the ,appendix to ,bright's ,anglo-,saxon ,reader1 from which the examples just quoted are taken4 #ag ,the term tumbling verse1 used for obvious reasons1 appears at least as early as #aehe1 when ,king ,james1 in his ,reulis and ,cautelis for ,scotch ,poetry1 said3 ,for flyting1 or ,invectives1 use this kynde of verse following1 callit ,rouncefallis1 or ,tumbling verse3 ',in the hinder end of harvest upon ,alhallow ene1 ,quhen our gude nichtbors rydis 7nou gif ,i reid richt7 ,some bucklit on a benwod1 and some on a bene1 ,ay trott and into troupes fra the twylicht4' ,and again3 ,ye man observe that thir ,tumbling verse flowis not on that fassoun1 as utheris dois4 ,for all utheris keipis the reule quhilk ,i gave before1 ,to wit1 the first fute short the secound lang1 and sa furth4 ,quhair as thir hes twa short1 and ane lang throuch all the lyne1 quhen they keip ordour3 albeit the maist part of thame be out of ordour1 and keipis na kynde nor reule of ,flowing1 and for that cause are callit ,tumbling verse4 7,arber ,reprint1 pp4 #fh1 #fc1 #fd47 ,see further on the persistent use of this rough measure in ,english1 side by side with the more regular syllable-counting verse1 ,schipper's observations and examples in the ,grundriss der ,englische ,metrik1 pp4 #aji ff4 ,as a modern example ,schipper cites one of ,thackeray's ballads3 ,this ,mary was pore and in misery once1 ,and she came to ,mrs4 ,roney it's more than twelve monce4 ,she adn't got no bed1 nor no dinner nor no tea1 ,and kind ,mrs4 ,roney gave ,mary all three4 #ah ,this poem of ,robert ,manning's was a translation of a ,norman ,french work1 ,waddington's ,manuel des ,pechiez4 ,the following is the original of the passage here reproduced3 ,si vus unques par folye ,entremeissez de nigremancie1 ,ou feites al deable sacrifise1 ,ou enchantement par fol aprise2 ,ou1 a gent de tiel mester ,ren donastes pur lur jugler1 ,ou pur demander la verite ,de chose qe vous fut a dire1-- ,fet avez apertement ,encuntre ceo commandement2 ,ceo est grant mescreaunceie1 ,duter de ceo1 ne devez mie4 7,furnivall ed4 of ,manning1 p4 #ab4 ll4 #ajgh-ajhi47 ,,ii4 ,,five-,,stress ,,verse ,the five-stress or decasyllabic verse 7iambic pentameter7 is so much more widely used in modern ,english poetry than any other verse-form1 that its history is of special interest4 ,it is curious that a form so completely adopted as the favorite of ,english verse should be borrowed rather than native2 but1 the syllable-counting principle once being admitted1 there is nothing in five-stress verse inconsistent with native ,english tendencies4 ,a very great part of such verse has really only four full accents1 and this we have seen to be the number of accents in the native ,english verse4 ,on this point1 see further remarks in connection with the specimen from ,spenser1 p4 #ahj below4 ,this verse appears in two great divisions1 rimed 7the decasyllabic couplet7 and unrimed 7blank verse74 ,the rimed form was the earlier1 the unrimed being merely a modification of it under the influence of other unrimed metres4 ,a4--,,the ,,decasyllabic ,,couplet ,lutel wot hit anymon1 hou love hym have ybounde1 at for us oe rode ron1 ant boht us wi is wounde4 e love of hym us have ymaked sounde1 ant ycast e grimly gost to grounde4 ,ever oo1 nyht day1 he have us in is ohte1 ,he nul nout leose at he so deore bohte4 99 99 99 99 99 ,his deope wounde blede fast1 of hem we ohte munne6 ,he ha ous out of helle ycast1 ybroht us out of sunne2 ffor love of us his wonges waxe unne1 ,his herte blod he ghaf for al mon kunne4 ,ever oo1 etc4 7,song from ,harleian ,,ms4 #bbec4 ,in ,b,,ddeker',s ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 p4 #bca47 ,this early religious lyric is of interest as containing the first known use of the five-stress couplet in ,english4 ,here it is only in a few lines that the couplet occurs1 and so sporadic an occurrence should perhaps be regarded as due to nothing more than chance4 ,see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 p4 #dci1 and ten ,brink's ,chaucer's ,sprache und ,verskunst1 p4 #agc f4 ,ten ,brink calls attention to another fairly regular five-stress verse1 found on p4 #bec of ,wright's ,political ,songs3 ,for miht is riht1 the loud is laweless4#ai ,and1 as for me1 though that my wit be lyte1 ,on bokes for to rede ,i me delyte1 ,and in myn herte have hem in reverence2 ,and to hem yeve swich lust and swich credence1 ,that ther is wel unethe game noon ,that from my bokes make me too goon1 ,but hit be other up-on the haly-day1 ,or elles in the joly tyme of ,may2 ,whan that ,i here the smale foules singe1 ,and that the floures ginne for to springe1 ,farwel my studie1 as lasting that sesoun6 ,now have ,i therto this condicioun ,that1 of alle the floures in the mede1 ,than love ,i most these floures whyte and rede1 ,swiche as men callen daysies in our toun4 ,to them have ,i so greet affeccioun4 7,,chaucer3 ,legend of ,good ,women1 ,prologue1 ll4 #bi-dd4 ,text ,a4 ab4 #ache47 ,a good man was ther of religioun1 ,and was a povre ,persoun of a toun2 ,but riche he was of holy thoght and werk4 ,he was also a lerned man1 a clerk1 ,that ,cristes gospel trewely wolde preche2 ,his parisshens devoutly wolde he teche4 ,benigne he was1 and wonder diligent1 ,and in adversitee ful pacient2444 ,he wayted after no pompe and reverence1 ,ne maked him a spyced conscience1 ,but ,cristes lore1 and his apostles twelve1 ,he taughte1 and first he folwed it himselve4 7,,chaucer3 ,prologue to ,canterbury ,tales1 ll4 #dgg-dhd1 #ebe-ebh4 ab4 #ache47 ,with ,chaucer we have the first deliberate use of the five-stress couplet1 in continuous verse1 known to ,english poetry4 ,his earliest use of the pentameter line was in the ,compleynt to ,pitee 7perhaps written about #acga71 in the rime royal stanza2 his earliest use of the pentameter couplet was in the ,legend of ,good ,women1 usually dated #ache4 ,from that time the measure became almost his only instrument1 and we find altogether in his poetry some #af1jjj lines in the couplet1 besides some #ad1jjj more in rime royal4 ,too much praise cannot be given ,chaucer's use of the couplet4 ,although it was an experiment in ,english verse1 it has perhaps hardly been used since his time with greater skill4 ,he used a variety of cesuras 7see ten ,brink's monograph for the enumeration of them71 a very large number of feminine endings 7such as the still pronounced final-e and similar syllables easily provided71 free inversions in the first foot and elsewhere1 and many run-on lines 7in a typical #ajj lines some #af run-on lines and #g run-on couplets appearing74 ,the total effect is one of combined freedom and mastery1 of fluent conversational style yet within the limits of guarded artistic form4 ,much more regularly than the ,french and ,provenals1 and yet without pedantic stiffness1 he made his verse advance with a sort of iambic gait1 and he was therefore able to give up and exchange for a freer arrangement the immovable cesura1 which these poets had always made to coincide with a foot-ending4 7,ten ,brink1 in ,english ,literature1 ,kennedy trans41 vol4 ii4 p4 #dh47 ,on ,chaucer's verse1 see1 besides the monograph of ten ,brink already cited1 ,lounsbury's ,studies in ,chaucer1 vol4 iii4 pp4 #big ff41 and ,schipper1 vol4 i4 pp4 #ddb ff4 ,the common assumption is1 that ,chaucer borrowed the pentameter couplet directly from ,french poetry4 ,on the history of this in ,france1 see ,stengel1 in ,grber's ,grundriss der ,romanischen ,philologie4#bj ,the decasyllabic verse was fairly common in ,france in the fourteenth century 7being called vers commun according to ,stengel72 but in the form of the couplet it was not4 ,professor ,skeat says3 ,to say that it ,chaucer's couplet was derived from the ,french ten-syllable verse is not a complete solution of the mystery2 for nearly all such verse is commonly either in stanzas1 or else a great number of successive lines are rimed together2 and these1 ,i believe1 are rather scarce4 ,after some search ,i have1 however1 fortunately lighted upon a very interesting specimen1 among the poems of ,guillaume de ,machault1 a ,french writer whom ,chaucer is known to have imitated1 and who died in #acgg4 ,in the edition of ,machault's poems edited by ,tarb1 ,reims and ,paris1 #ahdi1 p4 #hi1 there is a poem of exactly this character1 of no great length1 but fortunately dated2 for its title is ',complainte crite aprs la bataille de ,poitiers et avant le sige de ,reims par les ,anglais' 7#acef-aceh74 ,the first four lines run thus3 ',a toy1 ,henry1 dous amis1 me complain1 ,pour ce que ne cueur ne mont ne plein2 ,car a piet suy1 sans cheval et sans selle1 ,et si n'ay mais esmeraude1 ne belle4' 444 ,now as ,chaucer was taken prisoner in ,france in #acei1 he had an excellent opportunity for making himself acquainted with this poem1 and with others1 possibly1 in a similar metre1 which have not come down to us4 7,the ,prioress's ,tale1 ,introduction1 pp4 xix1 xx47 ,paris has shown that the real date of the poem in question was #acdj2 the title quoted by ,skeat is ,tarb's modern ,french caption4 ,professor ,kittredge has called my attention to the fact that there is another poem of ,machault's in the same metre 7,p4 ,paris's edition of ,voir-,dit1 p4 #ef71 and also a poem by ,froissart1 the ,orloge ,amoureus4 ,ten ,brink calls attention to the possibility of the influence upon ,chaucer's couplet of the ,italian hendecasyllabic verse4 ,the ,compleynte to ,pitee1 it is true1 was written probably before the ,italian journey of #acgb-acgc2 but in ,italy the full significance of the metre may have become clear to ,chaucer4 ,after that journey the heroic verse appears almost exclusively as his poetic instrument4444 ,of still greater significance is the fact that ,chaucer's heroic verse differs from the ,french decasyllabic in all the particulars in which the ,italian hendecasyllabic departs from the common source1 and approaches the verse of ,dante and ,boccaccio as closely as the metre of a ,germanic language can approach a ,romance metre4 ,it may be added also that the heroic verse in the ,compleynte to ,pitee stands nearer the ,french decasyllabic than that of the ,troilus or the ,canterbury ,tales4 ,dr4 ,lewis1 on the other hand1 in ,the ,foreign ,sources of ,english ,versification1 would minimize the foreign sources of ,chaucer's couplet4 ,not only the unaccentual character of the ,french verse is opposed to the theory of the ,french source1 but also1 he believes1 the fixed cesura4 ,in the ,english verse there is no such thing3 indeed there is no cesura at all1 in the ,french sense of the word4444 ,schipper relegates to a foot-note the suggestion that our heroic verse may have originated in a different way1 either through an abridgment of the alexandrine or through an extension of the four-foot line4 ,this is of course more nearly the true view1 but it is entirely immaterial which of the last two explanations we hit upon4 ,accentual verses of four1 six1 and seven feet were already familiar long before ,chaucer's time4 ,they exhibited a more or less regular alternation of arsis and thesis4 ,to devise a verse which should be essentially the same in principle1 but should have five accents instead of four1 six1 or seven1 was a task that ,chaucer's genius might well achieve unaided 7pp4 #ih1 #ii74 ,it is quite possible that a combination of all these views may be nearest the truth4 ,the objection to the ,french influence on the ground of the syllabic 7non-accentual7 quality of the ,french verse does not seem to be serious1 since any imitation of ,french verse by an ,englishman would be likely to take on the accentual form2 and1 that once done1 the need for the fixed cesura would vanish4 ,but it is worth while to emphasize the fact that the genius of ,english verse was not so averse to the formation of a decasyllabic five-stress line as to make it a serious innovation4 ,this view is further emphasized by the next specimen4 ,is not thilke the mery moneth of ,may1 ,when love-lads masken in fresh aray8 ,how falles it1 then1 we no merrier bene1 ,ylike as others1 girt in gawdy greene8 ,our bloncket liveryes bene all to sadde ,for thilke same season1 when all is ycladd ,with pleasaunce3 the grownd with grasse1 the ,woods ,with greene leaves1 the bushes with bloosming buds4 444 ,tho to the greene ,wood they speeden hem all1 ,to fetchen home ,may with their musicall3 ,and home they bringen in a royall throne1 ,crowned as king3 and his ,queene attone ,was ,lady ,flora1 on whom did attend ,a fayre flocke of ,faeries1 and a fresh bend ,of lovely ,nymphs4 7,o that ,i were there1 ,to helpen the ,ladyes their ,maybush beare67 ,ah6 ,piers1 bene not thy teeth on edge1 to thinke 7,,spenser3 ,the ,shepherd's ,calendar1 ,may4 #aegi47 ,this specimen is properly not in five-stress verse1 but in irregular four-stress 7tumbling verse72 compare the specimen on p4 #aeh1 above4 ,we have a close approach1 however1 to the regular five-stress verse1 in such lines as the fourth1 fifth1 eleventh1 thirteenth1 and seventeenth4 ,on this and similar passages in the ,shepherd's ,calendar1 as illustrating the close relation between the native measure and the newer one1 see an article by ,professor ,gummere1 in the ,american ,journal of ,philology1 vol4 vii4 pp4 #ec;ff4 ,other verses cited by ,dr4 ,gummere are3 ,whose way is wildernesse1 whose ynne ,penaunce4 ,and dirks the beauty of my blossomes rownd4 ,that oft the blood springeth from woundes wyde4 ,there at the dore he cast me downe hys pack4 ,it is pointed out that the regular five-stress line1 when having--as very frequently--only four full stresses 7two or three light syllables coming together1 especially at the pause71 can hardly be distinguished from certain forms of the native four-stress verse4 ,see also the ,eclogues for ,february and ,august1 in the ,shepherd's ,calendar4 ,dr4 ,gummere's conclusion is1 that practically all the elements of ,anglo-,saxon verse are preserved in our modern poetry1 though in different combinations1 with changed proportional importance4 ,but the false ,fox most kindly played his part2 ,for whatsoever mother-wit or art ,could work1 he put in proof3 no practice sly1 ,no counterpoint of cunning policy1 ,no reach1 no breach1 that might him profit bring1 ,but he the same did to his purpose wring4444 ,he fed his cubs with fat of all the soil1 ,and with the sweet of others' sweating toil2 ,he crammed them with crumbs of benefices1 ,and fill'd their mouths with meeds of malefices4 444 ,no statute so established might be1 ,nor ordinance so needful1 but that he ,would violate1 though not with violence1 ,yet under color of the confidence ,the which the ,ape repos'd in him alone1 ,and reckon'd him the kingdom's corner-stone4 7,,spenser3 ,mother ,hubbard's ,tale1 ll4 #aacg-aaff4 #aeia47 ,spenser's use of the heroic couplet for the ,mother ,hubbard's ,tale is the earliest instance of its adoption in ,english for satirical verse1--a purpose for which its later history showed it to be peculiarly well fitted4 ,upon her head she wore a myrtle wreath1 ,from whence her veil reach'd to the ground beneath3 ,her veil was artificial flowers and leaves1 ,whose workmanship both man and beast deceives3 ,many would praise the sweet smell as she past1 ,when 'twas the odor which her breath forth cast2 ,and there for honey bees have sought in vain1 ,and1 beat from thence1 have lighted there again4 ,about her neck hung chains of pebble-stone1 ,which1 lighten'd by her neck1 like diamonds shone4 7,,marlowe3 ,hero and ,leander1 ll4 #ag-bf4 ab4 #aeij1 pub4 #aeih47 ,too popular is tragic poesy1 ,straining his tip-toes for a farthing fee1 ,and doth beside on rimeless numbers tread2 ,unbid iambics flow from careless head4 ,some braver brain in high heroic rhymes ,compileth worm-eat stories of old times3 ,and he1 like some imperious ,maronist1 ,conjures the ,muses that they him assist4 ,then strives he to bombast his feeble lines ,with far-fetch'd phrase4-- 444 ,painters and poets1 hold your ancient right3 ,write what you will1 and write not what you might3 ,their limits be their list1 their reason will4 ,but if some painter in presuming skill ,should paint the stars in centre of the earth1 ,could ye forbear some smiles1 and taunting mirth8 7,,joseph ,,hall3 ,virgidemiarum ,libri ,,vi41 bk4 i4 satire #d4 #aeig47 ,joseph ,hall was the most vigorous satirist of the group of ,elizabethans who1 in the last decade of the sixteenth century1 were imitating the satires of ,horace1 ,juvenal1 and ,persius4 ,hall's satires have a curiously eighteenth-century flavor1 and his couplets are frequently very similar to those of the age of ,pope4 ,thus ,thomas ,warton 7in his ,history of ,english ,poetry7 observed of ,hall that the fabric of the couplets approaches to the modern standard2 and ,anderson1 who edited the ,british ,poets in #agie1 said3 ,many of his lines would do honor to the most harmonious of our modern poets4 ,the sense has generally such a pause1 and will admit of such a punctuation at the close of the second line1 as if it were calculated for a modern ear4 ,on the verse of these ,elizabethan satirists in general1 see ,the ,rise of ,formal ,satire in ,england1 by the present editor 7,publications of the ,univ4 of ,penna474 ,on the other hand1 the verse of the satires of ,john ,donne1 from which the following specimen is taken1 is the roughest and most difficult of all the satires of the group4 ,the reputation of ,donne's satires for metrical ruggedness has affected unjustly that of his other poetry and that of the ,elizabethan satires in general4 ,dryden said3 ,would not ,donne's ,satires1 which abound with so much wit1 appear more charming if he had taken care of his words and of his numbers8 7,essay on ,satire47 ,and ,pope versified two of them1 so as to bring them into a form pleasing to the ear of his age4 ,therefore ,i suffered this3 towards me did run ,a thing more strange than on ,nile's slime the sun ,e'er bred1 or all which into ,noah's ark came3 ,a thing which would have posed ,adam to name2 ,stranger than seven antiquaries' studies1 ,than ,afric's monsters1 ,guiana's rarities2444 ,sleeveless his jerkin was1 and it had been ,velvet1 but 'twas now 7so much ground was seen7 ,become tufftaffaty2 and our children shall ,see it plain rash awhile1 then nought at all4 ,this thing hath travelled1 and faith1 speaks all tongues1 ,and only knoweth what to all states belongs4 7,,john ,,donne3 ,satire iv4 ll4 #ag ff4 ab4 #aeic47 ,this fellow pecks up wit1 as pigeons peas1 ,and utters it again when ,god doth please4 ,he is wit's pedlar1 and retails his wares ,at wakes1 and wassails1 meetings1 markets1 fairs2 ,and we that sell by gross1 the ,lord doth know1 ,have not the grace to grace it with such show4 ,this gallant pins the wenches on his sleeve4 ,had he been ,adam1 he had tempted ,eve4 ,he can carve too1 and lisp3 why1 this is he ,that kiss'd his hand away in courtesy2 ,this is the ape of form1 monsieur the nice1 ,that1 when he plays at tables1 chides the dice ,in honorable terms3 nay1 he can sing ,a mean most meanly1 and1 in ushering1 ,mend him who can3 the ladies call him sweet2 ,the stairs1 as he treads on them1 kiss his feet4 7,,shakspere3 ,love's ,labor's ,lost1 ,v4 ii4 #cae-ccj4 ab4 #aeij47 ,the use of rimed couplets in ,shakspere's dramas is especially characteristic of his earlier work4 ,in this play1 ,love's ,labor's ,lost1 ,dowden says1 there are about two rhymed lines to every one of blank verse 7,shakspere ,primer1 p4 #dd74 ,in the late plays1 on the other hand1 rime disappears almost altogether4 ,it will be observed that while ,shakspere's heroic verse is usually fairly regular1 with not very many run-on lines1 it yet differs in quality from that of satires4 ,the dramatic use moulds it into different cadences1 and the single couplet is1 perhaps1 less noticeably the unit of the verse4 ,shepherd1 ,i pray thee stay4 ,where hast thou been8 ,or whither goest thou8 ,here be woods as green ,as any2 air likewise as fresh and sweet ,as where smooth ,zephyrus plays on the fleet ,face of the curled streams2 with flowers as many ,as the young spring gives1 and as choice as any2 ,here be all new delights1 cool streams and wells1 ,arbors o'ergrown with woodbines1 caves1 and dells2 ,choose where thou wilt1 whilst ,i sit by and sing1 ,or gather rushes1 to make many a ring ,for thy long fingers2 tell thee tales of love1-- ,how the pale ,phoebe1 hunting in a grove1 ,first saw the boy ,endymion1 from whose eyes ,she took eternal fire that never dies2 ,how she conveyed him softly in a sleep1 ,his temples bound with poppy1 to the steep ,head of old ,latmus1 where she stoops each night1 ,gilding the mountain with her brother's light1 ,to kiss her sweetest4 7,,fletcher3 ,the ,faithful ,shepherdess1 ,i4 iii4 ab4 #afaj47 ,fletcher uses the couplet in this drama with a freedom hardly found elsewhere until the time of ,keats2 see the remark of ,symonds1 quoted p4 #baj1 below4 ,if ,rome so great1 and in her wisest age1 ,fear'd not to boast the glories of her stage1 ,as skilful ,roscius1 and grave sop1 men1 ,yet crown'd with honors1 as with riches1 then2 ,who had no less a trumpet of their name ,than ,cicero1 whose every breath was fame3 ,how can so great example die in me1 ,that1 ,allen1 ,i should pause to publish thee8 ,who both their graces in thyself hast more ,outstript1 than they did all that went before3 ,and present worth in all dost so contract1 ,as others speak1 but only thou dost act4 ,wear this renown4 ',tis just1 that who did give ,so many poets life1 by one should live4 7,,ben ,,jonson3 ,epigram ,,lxxxix1 to ,edward ,allen4 #afaf47 ,jonson is thought by some to have been the founder of the classical school of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries1 which made the heroic couplet peculiarly its own4 ,see on this subject an article by ,prof4 ,f4 ,e4 ,schelling1 ,ben ,jonson and the ,classical ,school1 in the ,publications of the ,modern ,language ,association1 n4 s4 vol4 vi4 p4 #bba4 ,professor ,schelling finds in ,jonson's verse all the characteristics of the later couplet of ,waller and ,dryden3 end-stopped lines and couplets1 a preference for medial cesura1 and an antithetical structure of the verse4 ,no better specimen of ,jonson's antithetical manner could be found1 he says further1 than the ,epigram here quoted4 ,so far as this antithetical quality of ,jonson's verse is concerned1 ,professor ,schelling's view cannot be questioned2 but that ,jonson shows any singular preference for end-stopped lines and couplets may be seriously questioned4 ,these mighty peers placed in the gilded barge1 ,proud with the burden of so brave a charge1 ,with painted oars the youths begin to sweep ,neptune's smooth face1 and cleave the yielding deep2 ,which soon becomes the seat of sudden war ,between the wind and tide that fiercely jar4 ,as when a sort of lusty shepherds try ,their force at football1 care of victory ,makes them salute so rudely breast to breast1 ,that their encounters seem too rough for jest2 ,they ply their feet1 and still the restless ball1 ,tossed to and fro1 is urged by them all3 ,so fares the doubtful barge 'twixt tide and winds1 ,and like effect of their contention finds4 7,,waller3 ,of the ,danger his ,majesty being ,prince escaped in the ,road at ,st4 ,andrews4 #afbc87 ,such is the mould that the blest tenant feeds ,on precious fruits1 and pays his rent in weeds2 ,with candied plantains1 and the juicy pine1 ,on choicest melons and sweet grapes they dine1 ,and with potatoes fat their wanton swine2 ,nature these cates with such a lavish hand ,pours out among them1 that our coarser land ,tastes of that bounty1 and does cloth return1 ,which not for warmth but ornament is worn2 ,for the kind spring1 which but salutes us here1 ,inhabits there and courts them all the year2 ,ripe fruits and blossoms on the same trees live1 ,at once they promise what at once they give2 ,so sweet the air1 so moderate the clime1 ,none sickly lives1 or dies before his time4444 ,o how ,i long my careless limbs to lay ,under the plantain's shade1 and all the day ,with amorous airs my fancy entertain1 ,invoke the ,muses1 and improve my vein6 7,,waller3 ,the ,battle of the ,summer ,islands1 canto i4 #afch47 ,edmund ,waller is the chief representative of the early classical poetry of the seventeenth century1 and of the polishing and regulating of the couplet which prepared the way for the verse of ,dryden and ,pope4 ,the dominant characteristic of this verse is its avoidance of enjambement1 or run-on lines1 still more of run-on couplets4 ,the growing precision of ,french verse at the same time was perhaps influential in ,england4 ,malherbe1 who was at the ,french court after #afje1 set rules for more regular verse1 and forbade1 among other things1 the use of run-on lines--a precept which held good in ,french poetry until the nineteenth century4 ,the influence of ,waller in ,england was1 for a considerable period1 hardly less than that of ,malherbe in ,france4 ,dryden said that the excellence and dignity of rime were never known till ,mr4 ,waller taught it2 he first made writing easily an art2 first showed us to conclude the sense most commonly in distichs1 which1 in the verse of those before him1 runs on for so many lines together that the reader is out of breath to overtake it4 ,this sweetness of ,mr4 ,waller's lyric poesy was afterward followed1 in the epic1 by ,sir ,john ,denham1 in his ,cooper's ,hill4 7,epistle ,dedicatory of ,the ,rival ,ladies47 ,in another place ,dryden observed that only ,waller1 in ,english1 had surpassed ,spenser in the harmony of his verse4 ,dryden's view was later echoed by ,pope1 who exhorted his readers to praise the easy vigor of a line ,where ,denham's strength and ,waller's sweetness join4 7,essay on ,criticism1 l4 #cfj47 ,but the most remarkable praise of ,waller is found in the ,preface to his posthumous poems1 #afij1 generally attributed to ,bishop ,atterbury4 ,he was indeed the parent of ,english verse1 and the first that shewed us our tongue had beauty and numbers in it4444 ,the tongue came into his hands like a rough diamond2 he polished it first1 and to that degree that all artists since him have admired the workmanship1 without pretending to mend it4444 ,he undoubtedly stands first in the list of refiners1 and for aught ,i know1 last1 too2 for ,i question whether in ,charles the ,second's reign ,english did not come to its full perfection2 and whether it has not had its ,augustan ,age1 as well as the ,latin4444 ,we are no less beholding to him for the new turn of verse1 which he brought in1 and the improvement he made in our numbers4 ,before his time men rhymed1 indeed1 and that was all3 as for the harmony of measure1 and that dance of words which good ears are so much pleased with1 they knew nothing of it4 ,their poetry then was made up almost entirely of monosyllables1 which1 when they come together in any cluster1 are certainly the most harsh1 untunable things in the world4 ,if any man doubts of this1 let him read ten lines in ,donne1 and he'll quickly be convinced4 ,besides1 their verses ran all into one another1 and hung together1 throughout a whole copy1 like the hook't atoms that compose a body in ,des ,cartes4 ,there was no distinction of parts1 no regular stops1 nothing for the ear to rest upon4 ,but as soon as the copy began1 down it went like a larum1 incessantly2 and the reader was sure to be out of breath before he got to the end of it4 ,so that really verse in those days was but downright prose1 tagged with rhymes4 ,mr4 ,waller removed all these faults1 brought in more polysyllables and smoother measures1 bound up his thoughts better and in a cadence more agreeable to the nature of the verse he wrote in3 so that wherever the natural stops of that were1 he contrived the little breakings of his sense so as to fall in with 'em4 ,and for that reason1 since the stress of our verse lies commonly upon the last syllable1 you'll hardly ever find him using a word of no force there4#ba ,waller's editor thus clearly discerns the very characteristics of his verse which are avoided by the master-poets--the coincidence of phrase-pauses and verse-pauses1 and regularity in the placing of stress4 ,the most important discussion of the influence of ,waller on ,english poetry1 and on the heroic couplet in particular1 is found in ,mr4 ,gosse's book1 ,from ,shakespeare to ,pope4 ,mr4 ,gosse regards ,waller as inventing for himself the couplet of the classical school2 master1 in #afbc1 of such verse as was not imitated by a single poet for nearly twenty years 7p4 #ej74 ,this view is criticised in an interesting article by ,dr4 ,henry ,wood1 in the ,american ,journal of ,philology1 vol4 xi4 p4 #ee4 ,while ,mr4 ,gosse places ,waller's earliest couplets in #afba and #afbc1 ,dr4 ,wood would date them as late as #afbf1 and shows that ,waller wrote nothing else until #afce4 ,meantime had appeared 7the first volume at least as early as #afbc7 the translation of ,ovid's ,metamorphoses1 by ,george ,sandys1 in which1 says ,wood1 all the characteristics of ,waller's verse appear4 ,at all events1 is his conclusion1 it was ,sandys1 and not ,waller1 who at the beginning of the third decade of the century1 first of all ,englishmen1 made a uniform practice of writing in heroic couplets1 which are1 on the whole1 in accord with the ,french rule1 and which1 for exactness of construction1 and for harmonious sification1 go far towards satisfying the demands of the later 'classical' school in ,england4 ,dr4 ,wood emphasizes the probable influence of the ,french poets on these early heroic couplets1 calling attention to the fact that ,sandys was in ,france in #afaj4 ,there is no evidence1 however1 that he was there for more than a few days1 en route to more eastern countries4 ,waller was not in ,france till #afdc4 ,the whole question of the influence of ,french poetry in ,england before the ,restoration still remains to be carefully investigated4 ,meantime1 the cautious student will hesitate to put too much stress on any single point of departure for the new style of versification4 ,many influences must have combined to make it popular4 ,we have seen ,professor ,schelling emphasizing the influence of ,jonson2 he also very justly points out that it is a mistake to consider that the ,elizabethans often practised the couplet with the freedom1 not to say license1 that characterizes its nineteenth century use in the hands of such poets as ,keats4 ,compare the couplets of even so romantic a poet as ,marlowe1 in the specimen given above from ,hero and ,leander4 ,and even ,mr4 ,gosse1 in partial divergence from the doctrines of ,from ,shakespeare to ,pope1 says of the satiric verse of the ,elizabethan ,rowlands3 ,there are lines in this passage which ,pope would not have disdained to use4 ,it might1 indeed1 be employed as against that old heresy1 not even yet entirely discarded1 that smoothness of heroic verse was the invention of ,waller4 ,as a matter of fact1 this1 as well as all other branches of the universal art of poetry1 was understood by the great ,elizabethan masters2 and if they did not frequently employ it1 it was because they left to such humbler writers as ,rowlands an instrument incapable of those noble and audacious harmonies on which they chiefly prided themselves4 7,introduction to the ,works of ,rowlands1 ,hunterian ,club ed41 p4 #af47 ,a tribute to the incoming influence of the couplet is cited by ,dr4 ,wood from the poems of ,sir ,john ,beaumont 7#aehb-afbg74 ,in his verses ,to ,his ,late ,majesty1 concerning the ,true ,forme of ,english ,poetry1 ,beaumont said3 ,in every language now in ,europe spoke ,by nations which the ,roman empire broke1 ,the rellish of the ,muse consists in rime1 ,one verse must meete another like a chime4444 ,in many changes these may be exprest1 ,but those that joyne most simply run the best3 ,their forme surpassing farre the fetter'd staves1 ,vaine care1 and needlesse repetition saves4 7,,chalmer',s ,english ,poets1 vol4 vi4 p4 #ca47bb ,rough ,boreas in olian prison laid1 ,and those dry blasts which gathered clouds invade1 ,outflies the ,south with dropping wings2 who shrouds ,his terrible aspect in pitchy clouds4 ,his white hair streams1 his swol'n beard big with showers2 ,mists bind his brows1 rain from his bosom pours4 ,as with his hands the hanging clouds he crushed1 ,they roared1 and down in showers together rushed4 ,all-colored ,iris1 ,juno's messenger1 ,to weeping clouds doth nourishment confer4 ,the corn is lodged1 the husbandmen despair1 ,their long year's labor lost1 with all their care4 ,jove1 not content with his ethereal rages1 ,his brother's auxiliaric floods engages4 7,,george ,,sandys3 ,ovid's ,metamorphoses1 bk4 i4 #afba47 ,on the significance of ,sandys's verse1 see preceding notes on ,waller1 and the note on its possible relation to ,pope1 p4 #bja below4 ,my eye1 descending from the hill1 surveys ,where ,thames amongst the wanton valleys strays2 ,thames1 the most loved of all the ,ocean's sons ,by his old sire1 to his embraces runs1 ,hasting to pay his tribute to the sea1 ,like mortal life to meet eternity4444 ,no unexpected inundations spoil ,the mower's hopes1 nor mock the ploughman's toil1 ,but godlike his unwearied bounty flows1 ,first loves to do1 then loves the good he does2 ,nor are his blessings to his banks confined1 ,but free and common as the sea or wind4444 ,o could ,i flow like thee1 and make thy stream ,my great example1 as it is my theme6 ,though deep1 yet clear1 though gentle1 yet not dull1 ,strong without rage1 without o'erflowing full4 7,,sir ,,john ,,denham3 ,cooper's ,hill4 #afdb47 ,denham1 says ,mr4 ,gosse1 was the first writer to adopt the precise manner of versification introduced by ,waller4 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 ii4 p4 #bgi47 ,on his praise by ,dryden and ,pope1 see notes on p4 #ahh above4 ,the last four lines of the specimen here given have been universally admired4 ,but say1 what is't that binds your hands8 does fear ,from such a glorious action you deter8 ,or is't religion8 ,but you sure disclaim ,that frivolous pretence1 that empty name2 ,mere bugbear word1 devis'd by us to scare ,the senseless rout to slavishness and fear1 ,ne'er known to awe the brave1 and those that dare4 ,such weak and feeble things may serve for checks ,to rein and curb base-mettled heretics1 444 ,such whom fond in-bred honesty befools1 ,or that old musty piece1 the ,bible1 gulls4 7,,john ,,oldham3 ,satires upon the ,jesuits1 ,sat4 i4 #afgi47 ,oldham was the first1 says ,mr4 ,gosse1 to liberate himself1 in the use of the distich1 from this under-current of a stanza1 and to write heroic verse straight on1 couplet by couplet1 ascending by steady strides and not by irregular leaps4 7,any one who will venture to read ,oldham's disagreeable ,satire upon the ,jesuits1 written in #afgi1 will see the truth of this remark1 and note the effect that its versification had upon that series of ,dryden's satires which immediately followed it47 ,in ,pope's best satires we see this art carried to its final perfection2 after his time the connecting link between couplet and couplet became lost1 and at last in the decline poems became1 as some one has said1 mere cases of lancets lying side by side4 ,but in ,dryden's day the connection was still only too obvious1 and it strikes me that it may have been from a consciousness of this defect1 that ,dryden adopted that triplet1 with a final alexandrine1 which he is so fond of introducing4 7,from ,shakespeare to ,pope1 p4 #bja47 ,of these the false ,achitophel was first1 ,a name to all succeeding ages curst3 ,for close designs and crooked counsels fit1 ,sagacious1 bold1 and turbulent of wit1 ,restless1 unfixed in principles and place1 ,in power unpleased1 impatient of disgrace2 ,a fiery soul1 which1 working out its way1 ,fretted the pigmy body to decay1 ,and o'er-informed the tenement of clay4 ,a daring pilot in extremity1 ,pleased with the danger1 when the waves went high1 ,he sought the storms2 but1 for a calm unfit1 ,would steer too nigh the sands1 to boast his wit4 ,great wits are sure to madness near allied1 ,and thin partitions do their bounds divide2 ,else1 why should he1 with wealth and honor blest1 ,refuse his age the needful hours of rest8 ,punish a body which he could not please1 ,bankrupt of life1 yet prodigal of ease8444 ,in friendship false1 implacable in hate1 ,resolved to ruin or to rule the state2 ,to compass this the triple bond he broke1 ,the pillars of the public safety shook1 ,and fitted ,israel for a foreign yoke2 ,then1 seized with fear1 yet still affecting fame1 ,usurped a patriot's all-atoning name4 7,,dryden3 ,absalom and ,achitophel1 part ,i4 ll4 #aej-agi4 #afha47 ,dryden was the first great ,english poet after ,chaucer to make the heroic couplet his chief vehicle of expression1 and he put far more variety and vigor into it than had been achieved by his nearer predecessors4 ,as ,pope said3 ,waller was smooth1 but ,dryden taught to join ,the varying verse1 the full resounding line1 ,the long majestic march1 the energy divine4 7,epistle ii41 #bfg47 ,and ,gray1 some years later1 symbolized ,dryden's couplet in these fine lines of the ,progress of ,poesy3 ,behold1 where ,dryden's less presumptuous car1 ,wide o'er the fields of glory bear ,two coursers of ethereal race1 ,with necks in thunder clothed1 and long-resounding pace4 ,on ,dryden's development of the couplet1 see especially ,saintsbury's ,life of ,dryden 7,english ,men of ,letters ,series71 pp4 #ag1 #aga4 ,the whole structure of the decasyllabic line before the middle of the seventeenth century was ill calculated for the perfecting of the couplet4 ,accustomed either to the stately plainness of blank verse1 or to the elaborate intricacies of the stanza1 writers had got into the habit of communicating to their verse a slow and somewhat languid movement4 7p4 #ag47 ,in versification the great achievement of ,dryden was the alteration of what may be called the balance of the line1 causing it to run more quickly1 and to strike its rhymes with a sharper and less prolonged sound4 ,one obvious means of obtaining this was1 as a matter of course1 the isolation of the couplet1 and the avoidance of overlapping the different lines one upon the other4 ,the effect of this overlapping1 by depriving the eye and voice of the expectation of rest at the end of each couplet1 is always one of two things4 ,either the lines are converted into a sort of rhythmic prose1 made musical by the rhymes rather than divided by them1 or else a considerable pause is invited at the end of each1 or of most lines1 and the cadence of the whole becomes comparatively slow and languid4 ,both these forms1 as may be seen in the works of ,mr4 ,morris1 as well as in the older writers1 are excellently suited for narration of some considerable length4 ,they are less well suited for satire1 for argument1 and for the moral reflections which the age of ,dryden loved4 ,he therefore set himself to elaborate the couplet with its sharp point1 its quick delivery1 and the pistol-like detonation of its rhyme4 ,but there is an obvious objection1 or rather there are several obvious objections which present themselves to the couplet4 ,it was natural that to one accustomed to the more varied range of the older rhythm and metre1 there might seem to be a danger of the snip-snap monotony into which1 as we know1 it did actually fall when it passed out of the hands of its first great practitioners4 ,there might also be a fear that it would not always be possible to compress the sense of a complete clause within the narrow limits of twenty syllables4 ,to meet these difficulties ,dryden resorted to three mechanical devices--the hemistich1 the alexandrine1 and the triplet1 all three of which could be used indifferently to eke out the space or to give variety of sound4444 ,in poetry proper the hemistich is anything but pleasing1 and ,dryden1 becoming convinced of the fact1 almost discarded it4 ,the alexandrine and the triplet he always continued to use4 7pp4 #aga1 #agb47 ,do you remember1 when their tasks were done1 ,how all the youth did to our cottage run8 ,while winter winds were whistling loud without1 ,our cheerful hearth was circled round about3 ,with strokes in ashes1 maids their lovers drew2 ,and still you fell to me1 and ,i to you4444 ,i know too well when first my love began1 ,when at our wake you for the chaplet ran3 ,then ,i was made the lady of the ,may1 ,and1 with the garland1 at the goal did stay3 ,still1 as you ran1 ,i kept you full in view2 ,i hoped1 and wished1 and ran1 methought1 for you4 ,as you came near1 ,i hastily did rise1 ,and stretched my arm outright1 that held the prize4 ,the custom was to kiss whom ,i should crown2 ,you kneeled1 and in my lap your head laid down3 ,i blushed1 and blushed1 and did the kiss delay2 ,at last my subjects forced me to obey3 ,but1 when ,i gave the crown1 and then the kiss1 ,i scarce had breath to say1 ,take that1--and this4 7,,dryden3 ,marriage la ,mode1 ,,ii1 i4 #afgb47 ,the use of the heroic couplet in the drama marks its effort to conquer the last citadel of ,english poetry2 an attempt which1 under the leadership of ,dryden1 seemed to succeed1 but soon gave way to better judgment4 ,dryden favored the experiment in the ,preface to ,the ,rival ,ladies 7#affc71 and inserted a few couplets in that play4 ,etheredge accepted the suggestion1 and put the serious parts of ,the ,comical ,revenge 7largely prose7 into couplets1 in #affd4 ,in the same year ,the ,indian ,queen 7by ,dryden and ,sir ,robert ,howard7 appeared in heroic verse1 and the fashion soon became so general that in the ,essay on ,heroic ,plays1 prefixed to ,the ,conquest of ,granada 7#afgb71 ,dryden could say3 ,whether ,heroic ,verse ought to be admitted into serious plays1 is not now to be disputed3 'tis already in possession of the stage2 and ,i dare confidently affirm1 that very few tragedies1 in this age1 shall be received without it4 ,only six years later1 however1 in #afgh1 he returned to blank verse in ,all for ,love1 saying3 ,i have disencumbered myself from rhyme4 ,not that ,i condemn my former way1 but that this is more proper to my present purpose4 ,in all about five plays of ,dryden's are in couplets2 after #afgh he rarely returned to rime for the drama4 ,as ,atterbury said in his ,preface to ,waller's poems3 ',twas the strength of his genius that first brought it into credit in plays2 and 'tis the force of his example that has thrown it out again4 ,the fashion of rhyme in the drama1 then1 to be exact1 says ,mr4 ,gosse1 flourished from #affd until 444 #afgh4 ,some justification for its use is to be found in the wretched condition into which blank verse had fallen4 ,the blank iambics of the romantic dramatists had become so execrably weak and distended1 the whole movement of dramatic verse had grown so flaccid1 that a little restraint in the severe limits of rhyme was absolutely necessary4 7,gosse1 in ,seventeenth ,century ,studies1 p4 #bfd47 ,the present specimen is from a play in which the couplet was used but slightly2 but it shows ,dryden's use of it at its best4 ,in the drama1 as already remarked1 the couplet is naturally less epigrammatic and pointed than in didactic and satiric verse4 ,for the arguments with which ,dryden defended the use of rime in the drama1 see the ,preface to ,the ,rival ,ladies1 the ,essay of ,heroic ,plays1 the ,essay of ,dramatic ,poesy1 and the ,defence of an ,essay of ,dramatic ,poesy4 ,in the quickness of reparties 7which in discoursive scenes fall very often71 it has so particular a grace1 and is so aptly suited to them1 that the sudden smartness of the answer1 and the sweetness of the rhyme1 set off the beauty of each other4 ,but that benefit which ,i consider most in it1 because ,i have not seldom found it1 is1 that it bounds and circumscribes the fancy4 7,essays of ,dryden1 ed4 ,w4 ,p4 ,ker1 vol4 i4 p4 #h47 ,in the ,essay of ,dramatic ,poesy1 ,crites1 representing ,sir ,robert ,howard1 opposes the use of rime on the ground of ,aristotle's dictum that tragedy is best written in the kind of verse which is nearest prose4 ,a play being an imitation of ,nature1 the nearer anything comes to the imitation of it1 the more it pleases4 ,neander1 representing ,dryden1 answers that this line of argument will equally forbid blank verse4 ,blank verse is properly but measured prose2 and rime may be made as natural as blank verse1 by the well placing of the words1 etc4 ,but ,i need not go so far to prove that rhyme1 as it succeeds to all other offices of ,greek and ,latin verse1 so especially to this of plays1 since the custom of all nations at this day confirms it1 all the ,french1 ,italian1 and ,spanish tragedies are generally writ in it2 and sure the universal consent of the most civilized parts of the world ought in this1 as it doth in other customs1 to include the rest4 7,ibid4 p4 #ih47 ,again1 while a play is a representation of ,nature1 it is ,nature wrought up to an higher pitch2 and for this purpose heroic rhyme is nearest ,nature1 as being the noblest kind of modern verse4 7pp4 #ajj1 #aja47 ,in the ,essay of ,heroic ,plays ,dryden again summarizes the case for the other side by saying that all the arguments which are formed against it can amount to no more than this1 that it is not so near conversation as prose1 and therefore not so natural4 ,but it is very clear to all who understand ,poetry1 that serious plays ought not to imitate conversation too nearly4 ,if1 therefore1 we begin to leave the mere imitation of ordinary converse1 we should go on consistently to the last perfection of ,art4 ,it was only custom which cozened us so long2 we thought1 because ,shakespeare and ,fletcher went no farther1 that there the pillars of poetry were to be erected2 that1 because they excellently described passion without rhyme1 therefore rhyme was not capable of describing it4 ,but time has now convinced most men of that error4 7,ibid4 pp4 #adh1 #adi47 ,dryden was of course quite right in objecting to the claim that imaginative poetry ought to seek the form closest to the language of real life4 ,the real question is whether rimed verse is a more imaginative and highly poetic form than blank verse2 modern opinion would unanimously answer in the negative4 ,it strikes a modern reader as curious that ,dryden and his contemporaries should have advocated the use of rime in tragedy rather than in comedy2 but we have the clew to their feeling in the saying that serious plays ought not to imitate conversation too nearly4 ,in the ,restoration period the comedy was thought of as a realistic representation of life2 hence its characters should speak in natural prose1 as they have continued to do1 for the most part1 ever since4 ,the tragedy or heroic play1 on the other hand1 was in the region of artistic convention1 much farther removed from reality2 hence its language was to be raised above the life4 ,this distinction between the range of comedy and that of tragedy1 which would have seemed strange to the ,elizabethans1 explains the widely diverging lines which we find the two forms of the drama following from the time of the ,restoration4 ,on the verse of ,dryden's rimed plays1 see ,schipper1 vol4 ii4 p4 #bad1 and ,o4 ,speerschneider's ,metrische ,untersuchungen ber den heroischen ,vers in ,john ,drydens ,dramen 7,halle1 #ahig74 ,but ,o1 my muse1 what numbers wilt thou find ,to sing the furious troops in battle join'd6 ,methinks ,i hear the drum's tumultuous sound1 ,the victor's shouts and dying groans confound1 ,the dreadful burst of cannon rend the skies1 ,and all the thunder of the battle rise4 ',twas then great ,marlbro's mighty soul was prov'd1 ,that1 in the shock of charging hosts unmov'd1 ,amidst confusion1 horror1 and despair1 ,examin'd all the dreadful scenes of war4444 ,so1 when an angel by divine command ,with rising tempests shakes a guilty land1 ,such as of late o'er pale ,britannia past1 ,calm and serene he drives the furious blast2 ,and pleas'd th' ,almighty's orders to perform1 ,rides in the whirlwind1 and directs the storm4 7,,addison3 ,the ,campaign4 #agjd47 ,but most by numbers judge a poet's song1 ,and smooth or rough1 with them1 is right or wrong3 ,in the bright ,muse1 tho' thousand charms conspire1 ,her voice is all these tuneful fools admire2 ,who haunt ,parnassus but to please their ear1 ,not mend their minds2 as some to church repair1 ,not for the doctrine1 but the music there4 ,these equal syllables alone require1 ,tho' oft the ear the open vowels tire2 ,while expletives their feeble aid do join2 ,and ten low words oft creep in one dull line2 ,while they ring round the same unvaried chimes1 ,with sure return of still expected rhymes2 ,where'er you find 'the cooling western breeze1' ,in the next line1 it 'whispers through the trees'2 ,if crystal streams 'with pleasing murmurs creep1' ,the reader's threaten'd 7not in vain7 with 'sleep'3 ,then1 at the last and only couplet fraught ,with some unmeaning thing they call a thought1 ,a needless alexandrine ends the song1 ,that1 like a wounded snake1 drags its slow length along4 ,leave such to tune their own dull rhymes1 and know ,what's roundly smooth1 or languishingly slow2 ,and praise the easy vigor of a line ,where ,denham's strength and ,waller's sweetness join4 7,,pope3 ,essay on ,criticism1 ll4 #ccg-cfa4 #agaa47 ,why boast we1 ,glaucus1 our extended reign ,where ,xanthus' streams enrich the ,lycian plain1 ,our numerous herds that range the fruitful field1 ,and hills where vines their purple harvest yield1 ,our foaming bowls with purer nectar crowned1 ,our feasts enhanced with music's sprightly sound8 ,why on those shores are we with joy surveyed1 ,admired as heroes1 and as gods obeyed2 ,unless great acts superior merit prove1 ,and vindicate the bounteous powers above8 ',tis ours1 the dignity they give to grace2 ,the first in valor1 as the first in place3 ,that when with wondering eyes our martial bands ,behold our deeds transcending our commands1 ,such1 they may cry1 deserve the sovereign state1 ,whom those that envy dare not imitate6 ,could all our care elude the gloomy grave1 ,which claims no less the fearful than the brave1 ,for lust of fame ,i should not vainly dare ,in fighting fields1 nor urge the soul to war4 ,but since1 alas6 ignoble age must come1 ,disease1 and death's inexorable doom2 ,the life which others pay let us bestow1 ,and give to fame what we to nature owe2 ,brave though we fall1 and honored if we live1 ,or let us glory gain1 or glory give6 7,,pope3 ,iliad1 bk4 xii47 ,pope's couplet1 while less vigorous and varied than ,dryden's1 has been generally considered the most perfect development of the typical measure of the classical school4 ,mr4 ,courthope thinks that in this speech from the ,iliad1 ,pope perhaps attains the highest level of which the heroic couplet is capable4 7,works of ,pope1 vol4 v4 p4 #afg47 ,what he learned from ,dryden1 ,mr4 ,courthope says in another place1 was the art of expressing the social and conversational idiom of the language in a metrical form4 ,his conception of metrical harmony was1 however1 altogether different from his professed master's1 and rather resembled that of ,sandys1 whose translation of ,ovid's ,metamorphoses he told ,spence he had read when very young1 and with the greatest delight4 ,he explains the system in a letter to ,cromwell1 dated ,november #be1 #agaj4 '7#a7 ,as to the hiatus1 it is certainly to be avoided as often as possible2 but on the other hand1 since the reason of it is only for the sake of the numbers1 so if1 to avoid it1 we incur another fault against their smoothness1 methinks the very end of that nicety is destroyed4444 '7#b7 ,i would except against the use of all expletives in verse1 as do before verbs plural1 or even the frequent use of did or does to change the termination of the rhyme4444 '7#c7 ,monosyllable lines1 unless very artfully managed1 are stiff1 languishing1 and hard4 '7#d7 ,the repeating the same rhymes within four or six lines of each other1 which tire the ear with too much of the like sound4 '7#e7 ,the too frequent use of alexandrines1 which are never graceful1 but where there is some majesty added to the verse by them1 or when there cannot be found a word in them but what is absolutely needful4 '7#f7 ,every nice ear must1 ,i believe1 have observed that in any smooth ,english verse of ten syllables1 there is naturally a pause either at the fourth1 fifth1 or sixth syllables4444 ,now ,i fancy that1 to preserve an exact harmony and variety1 none of these pauses should be continued above three lines together1 without the interposition of another2 else it will be apt to weary the ear with one continued tone4' 7,ibid4 pp4 #bj1 #ba47 ,here are implied all the characteristics of the ,popean couplet4 ,the cesura is to vary1 but not from a fundamentally medial position4 ,the avoidance of enjambement is not mentioned1 doubtless because it is assumed as an essential of couplets professing any degree of correctness4 ,mr4 ,andrew ,lang protests against the monotony of the verse of ,pope's ,iliad in some lines which cleverly adopt the same sort of measure3 ,my childhood fled your couplet's clarion tone1 ,and sought for ,homer in the prose of ,bohn4 ,still through the dust of that dim prose appears ,the flight of arrows and the sheen of spears2 ,still we may trace what hearts heroic feel1 ,and hear the bronze that hurtles on the steel6 ,but ah1 your ,iliad seems a half-pretence1 ,where wits1 not heroes1 prove their skill in fence1 ,and great ,achilles' eloquence doth show ,as if no centaur trained him1 but ,boileau6 ,again1 your verse is orderly1--and more1-- ,the waves behind impel the waves before2 ,monotonously musical they glide1 ,till couplet unto couplet hath replied4 ,but turn to ,homer6 ,how his verses sweep6 ,surge answers surge and deep doth call on deep2 ,this line in foam and thunder issues forth1 ,spurred by the ,west or smitten by the ,north1 ,sombre in all its sullen deeps1 and all ,clear at the crest1 and foaming to the fall2 ,the next with silver murmur dies away1 ,like tides that falter to ,calypso's ,bay6 7,,andrew ,,lang3 ,letters to ,dead ,authors2 ,pope47 ,compare with this the equally clever defence of ,pope's verse by ,mr4 ,dobson3 ,suppose you say your ,worst of ,pope1 declare ,his ,jewels ,paste1 his ,nature a ,parterre1 ,his ,art but ,artifice--,i ask once more ,where have you seen such ,artifice before8 ,where have you seen a ,parterre better grac'd1 ,or gems that glitter like his ,gems of ,paste8 ,where can you show1 among your ,names of ,note1 ,so much to copy and so much to quote8 ,and where1 in ,fine1 in all our ,english ,verse1 ,a ,style more trenchant and a ,sense more terse8 ,so ,i1 that love the old ,augustan ,days ,of formal ,courtesies and formal ,phrase2 ,that like along the finish'd line to feel ,the ,ruffle's ,flutter and the ,flash of ,steel2 ,that like my ,couplet as compact as clear2 ,that like my ,satire sparkling tho' severe1 ,unmix'd with ,bathos and unmarr'd by ,trope1 ,i fling my ,cap for ,polish--and for ,,pope6#bc 7,,austin ,,dobson3 ,dialogue to the ,memory of ,mr4 ,alexander ,pope47 ,sweet was the sound1 when oft at evening's close ,up yonder hill the village murmur rose2 ,there1 as ,i passed with careless steps and slow1 ,the mingling notes came softened from below2 ,the swain responsive as the milkmaid sung1 ,the sober herd that lowed to meet their young2 ,the noisy geese that gabbled o'er the pool1 ,the playful children just let loose from school2 ,the watchdog's voice that bayed the whispering wind1 ,and the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind2 ,these all in sweet confusion sought the shade1 ,and filled each pause the nightingale had made4 ,but now the sounds of population fail1 ,no cheerful murmurs fluctuate in the gale1 ,no busy steps the grass-grown footway tread1 ,for all the bloomy flush of life is fled4 7,,goldsmith3 ,the ,deserted ,village4 #aggj47 ,the heroic couplet1 says ,mr4 ,gosse1 was never employed1 even by ,pope himself1 with more melody than by ,goldsmith in this poem4 7,eighteenth ,century ,literature1 p4 #cbj47 ,its use at this time1 when the revival of blank verse by ,thomson and others had seriously affected the prestige of the couplet1 was a sign of ,goldsmith's reactionary tendency toward the school of ,pope4 ,his dislike of blank verse he expressed in his early work on the ,present ,state of ,polite ,learning1 saying that it might be reckoned among several disagreeable instances of pedantry lately proceeding from a desire in the critic of grafting the spirit of ancient languages upon the ,english4 7,works1 ,globe ed41 p4 #dci47 ,this opinion was of course shared by ,goldsmith's friend1 ,dr4 ,johnson1 whose two important poems 7,london and ,the ,vanity of ,human ,wishes7 stand with the two of ,goldsmith as the last notable pieces of ,english poetry of the classical school4 ,while ,johnson admitted that he could not wish that ,milton had been a rhymer1 yet he never lost an opportunity to speak contemptuously of blank verse as a poetic form1 and quoted approvingly the saying of a critic that it seems to be verse only to the eye4 7,life of ,milton47 ,in front of these came ,addison4 ,in him ,humor1 in holiday and sightly trim1 ,sublimity and ,attic taste combined ,to polish1 furnish1 and delight the mind4 ,then ,pope1 as harmony itself exact1 ,in verse well-disciplined1 complete1 compact1 ,gave virtue and morality a grace ,that1 quite eclipsing pleasure's painted face1 ,levied a tax of wonder and applause1 ,even on the fools that trampled on their laws4 ,but he 7his musical finesse was such1 ,so nice his ear1 so delicate his touch7 ,made poetry a mere mechanic art1 ,and every warbler has his tune by heart4 ,nature imparting her satiric gift1 ,her serious mirth1 to ,arbuthnot and ,swift1 ,with droll sobriety they raised a smile ,at folly's cost1 themselves unmoved the while4 ,that constellation set1 the world in vain ,must hope to look upon their like again4 7,,cowper3 ,table ,talk4 #aghb47 ,behold6 in various throngs the scribbling crew1 ,for notice eager1 pass in long review3 ,each spurs his jaded ,pegasus apace1 ,and rhyme and blank maintain an equal race2 ,sonnets on sonnets crowd1 and ode on ode2 ,and tales of terror jostle on the road2 ,immeasurable measures move along2 ,for simpering folly loves a varied song1 ,to strange mysterious dulness still the friend1 ,admires the strain she cannot comprehend4 ,thus ,lays of ,minstrels--may they be the last6-- ,on half-strung harps whine mournful to the blast2 ,while mountain spirits prate to river sprites1 ,that dames may listen to the sound at nights2 ,and goblin brats1 of ,gilpin ,horner's brood1 ,decoy young border-nobles through the wood1 ,and skip at every step1 ,lord knows how high1 ,and frighten foolish babes1 the ,lord knows why4 7,,byron3 ,english ,bards and ,scotch ,reviewers4 #ahji47 ,view now the winter storm6 above1 one cloud1 ,black and unbroken1 all the skies o'ershroud3 ,the unwieldy porpoise through the day before ,had rolled in view of boding men on shore2 ,and sometimes hid and sometimes showed his form1 ,dark as the cloud and furious as the storm4 ,all where the eye delights yet dreads to roam1 ,the breaking billows cast the flying foam ,upon the billows rising--all the deep ,is restless change2 the waves so swelled and steep1 ,breaking and sinking1 and the sunken swells1 ,nor one1 one moment1 in its station dwells4444 ,darkness begins to reign2 the louder wind ,appals the weak and awes the firmer mind2 ,but frights not him whom evening and the spray ,in part conceal--yon prowler on his way4 ,lo1 he has something seen2 he runs apace1 ,as if he feared companion in the chase2 ,he sees his prize1 and now he turns again1 ,slowly and sorrowing--,was your search in vain8 ,gruffly he answers1 ',tis a sorry sight6 ,a seaman's body3 there'll be more to-night6 7,,crabbe3 ,the ,borough1 letter i4 #ahaj47 ,crabbe's poems are the latest to use the strict ,popean couplet for narrative and descriptive purposes1 and his couplets have a certain characteristic reticence and vigor4 ,professor ,woodberry praises them in an interesting passage on the old heroic rhymed couplet1 that simplest form of ,english verse music1 which could rise1 nevertheless1 to the almost lyric loftiness of the last lines of the ,dunciad2 so supple and flexible2 made for easy simile and compact metaphor2 lending itself so perfectly to the sudden flash of wit or turn of humor2 the natural shell of an epigram2 compelling the poet to practice all the virtues of brevity2 checking the wandering fancy1 and repressing the secondary thought2 requiring in a masterly use of it the employment of more mental powers than any other metrical form2 despised and neglected now because the literature which is embodied in it is despised and neglected1 yet the best metrical form which intelligence1 as distinct from poetical feeling1 can employ4 7,makers of ,literature1 p4 #ajd47 ,the flower-beds all were liberal of delight3 ,roses in heaps were there1 both red and white1 ,lilies angelical1 and gorgeous glooms ,of wall-flowers1 and blue hyacinths1 and blooms ,hanging thick clusters from light boughs2 in short1 ,all the sweet cups to which the bees resort2 ,with plots of grass1 and leafier walks between ,of red geraniums1 and of jessamine1 ,and orange1 whose warm leaves so finely suit1 ,and look as if they shade a golden fruit2 ,and midst the flowers1 turfed round beneath a shade ,of darksome pines1 a babbling fountain played1 ,and 'twixt their shafts you saw the water bright1 ,which through the tops glimmered with showering light4 7,,leigh ,,hunt3 ,the ,story of ,rimini4 #ahaf47 ,of this poem ,mr4 ,c4 ,h4 ,herford says3 ,the ,story of ,rimini is the starting-point of that free or ,chaucerian treatment of the heroic couplet1 and of the colloquial style1 eschewing epigram and full of familiar turns1 which ,shelley in ,julian and ,maddalo and ,keats in ,lamia made classical4 7,age of ,wordsworth1 p4 #hc47 ,the treatment of the couplet is still characterized by but slight use of run-on lines1 and a preference for the medial cesura2 but on the other hand there is a large degree of freedom in the inversion of accents and other alterations of the regular stress4 ,compare the last line of the present specimen1 and such other lines as ,of crimson cloths hanging a hand of snow4 ,some1 with a drag1 dangling from the cap's crest4 ',who's there8' said that sweet voice1 kindly and clear4 ,the other with the tears streaming down both his cheeks4 ,the last of these lines1 an alexandrine1 is also characteristic4 ,hunt imitated ,dryden in the use of both alexandrine and triplet4 ,of the latter he said3 ,i confess ,i like the very bracket that marks out the triplet to the reader's eye1 and prepares him for the music of it4 ,it has a look like the bridge of a lute4 7,preface to ,works1 #ahcb47 ,mr4 ,a4 ,j4 ,kent1 in an article in the ,fortnightly ,review1 says of ,leigh ,hunt that he became the greatest master since the days of ,dryden of the heroic couplet4 7#ahha1 p4 #bbd47 ,a thing of beauty is a joy forever3 ,its loveliness increases2 it will never ,pass into nothingness2 but still will keep ,a bower quiet for us1 and a sleep ,full of sweet dreams1 and health1 and quiet breathing4 ,therefore1 on every morrow are we wreathing ,a flowery band to bind us to the earth1 ,spite of despondence1 of the inhuman dearth ,of noble natures1 of the gloomy days1 ,of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways ,made for our searching3 yes1 in spite of all1 ,some shape of beauty moves away the pall ,from our dark spirits4 ,such the sun1 the moon1 ,trees old and young1 sprouting a shady boon ,for simple sheep2 and such are daffodils ,with the green world they live in2 and clear rills ,that for themselves a cooling covert make ',gainst the hot season2 the mid-forest brake1 ,rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms3 ,and such too is the grandeur of the dooms ,we have imagined for the mighty dead2 ,all lovely tales that we have heard or read3 ,an endless fountain of immortal drink1 ,pouring unto us from the heaven's brink4 7,,keats3 ,endymion1 ll4 #a-bd4 #ahah47 ,in the couplet of ,keats1 and of a number of his successors1 we have a really different measure from the heroic couplet proper4 ,the individual line and the couplet alike cease to be prominent units of the verse4 ,the effect is therefore closely allied to that of blank verse2 the rimes1 not being emphasized by marked pauses1 serving rather as means of tone color than as organizers of the verse4 ,see ,mr4 ,saintsbury's remarks 7quoted in the notes on ,dryden1 p4 #aie1 above71 on lines made musical by the rhymes rather than divided by them4 ,in like manner ,mr4 ,symonds says that the couplets of ,marlowe1 ,fletcher1 ,shelley1 and ,keats follow the laws of blank verse1 and add rhyme--that is to say1 their periods and pauses are entirely determined by the sense4 7,blank ,verse1 p4 #ff47 ,this is true of the couplets of ,shelley and ,keats1 and to a less degree of those of ,fletcher's ,faithful ,shepherdess1 but will hardly apply to ,marlowe1 nor1 as we have seen1 to the ,elizabethans in general4#bd ,there was a ,being whom my spirit oft ,met on its visioned wanderings1 far aloft1 ,in the clear golden prime of my youth's dawn4 ,upon the fairy isles of sunny lawn1 ,amid the enchanted mountains1 and the caves ,of divine sleep1 and on the air-like waves ,of wonder-level dream1 whose tremulous floor ,paved her light steps2--on an imagined shore1 ,under the gray beak of some promontory ,she met me1 robed in such exceeding glory1 ,that ,i beheld her not4 7,,shelley3 ,epipsychidion1 ll4 #aij-bjj4 #ahba47 ,shelley carries the free treatment of this measure to the utmost limit4 ,the couplet is not felt to be of significance1 and many lines are so irregular in stress as to make scansion difficult4 ,compare this passage3 ,the ringdove in the embowering ivy yet ,keeps up her love-lament2 and the owls flit ,round the evening tower2 and the young stars glance ,between the quick bats in their twilight dance4#be ,the woods were long austere with snow3 at last ,pink leaflets budded on the beech1 and fast ,larches1 scattered through pine-tree solitudes1 ,brightened1 'as in the slumbrous heart o' the woods ,our buried year1 a witch1 grew young again ,to placid incantations1 and that stain ,about were from her caldron1 green smoke blent ,with those black pines'--so ,eglamor gave vent ,to a chance fancy4 ,when a just rebuke ,from his companion2 brother ,naddo shook ,the solemnest of brows2 ',beware1' he said1 ',of setting up conceits in nature's stead4' 7,,browning3 ,sordello1 ii4 #a-ab4 #ahdj47 ,above the stem a gilded swallow shone1 ,wrought with straight wings and eyes of glittering stone ,as flying sunward oversea1 to bear ,green summer with it through the singing air4 ,and on the deck between the rowers at dawn1 ,as the bright sail with brightening wind was drawn1 ,sat with full face against the strengthening light ,iseult1 more fair than foam or dawn was white4 ,her gaze was glad past love's own singing of1 ,and her face lovely past desire of love4 ,past thought and speech her maiden motions were1 ,and a more golden sunrise was her hair4 ,the very veil of her bright flesh was made ,as of light woven and moonbeam-colored shade ,more fine than moonbeams2 white her eyelids shone ,as snow sun-stricken that endures the sun1 ,and through their curled and colored clouds of deep ,luminous lashes1 thick as dreams in sleep1 ,shone as the sea's depth swallowing up the sky's ,the springs of unimaginable eyes4 7,,swinburne3 ,tristram of ,lyonesse2 the ,sailing of the ,swallow47 ,the huge high presence1 red as earth's first race1 ,reared like a reed the might up of his mace1 ,and smote3 but lightly ,tristram swerved1 and drove ,right in on him1 whose void stroke only clove ,air1 and fell wide1 thundering athwart3 and he ,sent forth a stormier cry than wind or sea ,when midnight takes the tempest for her lord2 ,and all the glen's throat seemed as hell's that roared2 ,but high like heaven's light over hell shone ,tristram's sword1 ,falling1 and bright as storm shows ,god's bare brand ,flashed1 as it shore sheer off the huge right hand ,whose strength was as the shadow of death on all that land4 7,ibid43 ,the ,last ,pilgrimage47 ,it will be noticed that in ,swinburne's use of the couplet the single line is even less the unit of measure than in ,keats and ,shelley2 the periods correspond closely to those in the blank verse of ,milton and ,tennyson4 ,compare the specimens of blank verse on pp4 #bcj and #bde4 ,the second specimen shows the occasional use of the triplet and alexandrine4 ,so stood she murmuring1 till a rippling sound ,she heard1 that grew until she turned her round ,and saw her other sisters of the deep ,her song had called while ,hylas yet did sleep1 ,come swimming in a long line up the stream1 ,and their white dripping arms and shoulders gleam ,above the dark grey water as they went1 ,and still before them a great ripple sent4 ,but when they saw her1 toward the bank they drew1 ,and landing1 felt the grass and flowers blue ,against their unused feet2 then in a ring ,stood gazing with wide eyes1 and wondering ,at all his beauty they desired so much4 ,and then with gentle hands began to touch ,his hair1 his hands1 his closed eyes2 and at last ,their eager naked arms about him cast1 ,and bore him1 sleeping still1 as by some spell1 ,unto the depths where they were wont to dwell2 ,then softly down the reedy bank they slid1 ,and with small noise the gurgling river hid ,the flushed nymphs and the heedless sleeping man4 7,,william ,,morris3 ,life and ,death of ,jason1 iv4 #fba-fda4 #ahfg47 ,b4--,,blank ,,verse ,unrimed five-stress verse early became the accepted form for ,english dramatic poetry1 and in the modern ,english period has become the favorite form for long continuous poems1 narrative and reflective as well4 ,in general1 as will appear from the specimens1 it is marked not only by the absence of rime but by a prevalent freedom of structure rarely found in the couplet4 ,the impetus toward the writing of blank verse seems to have been given by the influence of classical humanism1 the representatives of which grew sceptical as to the use of rime1 on the ground that it was not found in classical poetry4 ,in ,italy ,giovanni ,trissino wrote his ,sophonisbe and ,italia ,liberata 7#aeae-aedh7 in rimeless verses1 and was looked upon as the inventor of versi sciolti1 i4e4 verses freed from rime4 7,see ,schipper1 vol4 ii4 p4 #d47 ,see also below1 in the notes on ,surrey1 and later under ,imitations of ,classical ,verse1 for notes on the same movement4 ,on the nature of ,english blank verse1 see ,j4 ,a4 ,symonds's ,blank ,verse 7#ahie71 a reprint of essays in the ,appendix to his ,sketches and ,studies in ,southern ,europe4 ,in his ,chapters on ,english ,metre 7chap4 iv471 ,mr4 ,j4 ,b4 ,mayor criticises what he calls ,mr4 ,symonds's sthetic intuitivism4 ,on the early history of ,english blank verse1 see the article by ,schrer1 ,anfnge des ,blankverses in ,england1 ,anglia1 vol4 iv4 p4 #a1 and ,mr4 ,g4 ,c4 ,macaulay's ,francis ,beaumont1 pp4 #ci-di4 ,of ,mr4 ,symonds's remarks on the general nature of blank verse the following are especially interesting3 ,english blank verse is perhaps more various and plastic than any other national metre4 ,it is capable of being used for the most commonplace and the most sublime utterances4444 ,originally instituted for the drama1 it received in ,milton's hands an epical treatment1 and has by authors of our own day been used for idyllic and even for lyrical compositions4 ,plato mentions a ,greek musical instrument called panharmonion1 which was adapted to express the different modes and systems of melodious utterance4 ,this name might be applied to our blank verse2 there is no harmony of sound1 no dignity of movement1 no swiftness1 no subtlety of languid sweetness1 no brevity1 no force of emphasis1 beyond its scope4 7,blank ,verse1 pp4 #af1 #ag47 ,it seems adapted specially for thought in evolution2 it requires progression and sustained effort4 ,as a consequence of this1 its melody is determined by the sense which it contains1 and depends more upon proportion and harmony of sounds than upon recurrences and regularities of structure4444 ,another point about blank verse is that it admits of no mediocrity2 it must be either clay or gold4444 ,hence1 we find that blank verse has been the metre of genius1 that it is only used successfully by indubitable poets1 and that it is no favorite in a mean1 contracted1 and unimaginative age4 ,the freedom of the renaissance created it in ,england4 ,the freedom of our century has reproduced it4 ,blank verse is a type and symbol of our national literary spirit--uncontrolled by precedent or rule1 inclined to extravagance1 yet reaching perfection at intervals by an inner force and vivida vis of native inspiration4 7,ibid4 pp4 #gj-gb47 ,the earliest use of the term blank verse1 noted in the ,new ,english ,dictionary1 is in ,nash's ,preface to ,greene's ,menaphon1 #aehi3 the swelling bumbast of bragging blanke verse4 ,some ten years later ,shakspere used it in ,much ,ado about ,nothing1 ,v4 ii41 where ,benedick speaks of those heroes whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of blank verse1 but will not rime easily4 ,in ,chapman's ,all ,fools 7#afje7 the young gallant1 in describing his manifold accomplishments1 says he could write ,sonnets in ,dozens1 or your ,quatorzains ,in any rhyme1 ,masculine1 ,feminine1 ,or ,sdruciolla1 or couplets1 or ,blank ,verse4 ,sdruciolla is the ,italian term for triple-rimed endings4 ,forthwith ,fame flieth through the great ,libyan towns3 ,a mischief ,fame1 there is none else so swift2 ,that moving grows1 and flitting gathers force3 ,first small for dread1 soon after climbs the skies1 ,stayeth on earth1 and hides her head in clouds4 ,whom our mother the ,earth1 tempted by wrath ,of gods1 begat3 the last sister1 they write1 ,to ,coeus1 and to ,enceladus eke3 ,speedy of foot1 of wing likewise as swift1 ,a monster huge1 and dreadful to descrive4 ,in every plume that on her body sticks1-- ,a thing in deed much marvelous to hear1-- ,as many waker eyes lurk underneath1 ,so many mouths to speak1 and listening ears4 ,by night she flies amid the cloudy sky1 ,shrieking1 by the dark shadow of the earth1 ,ne doth decline to the sweet sleep her eyes3 ,by day she sits to mark on the house top1 ,or turrets high1 and the great towns affrays2 ,as mindful of ill and lies as blazing truth4 7,,earl ,,of ,,surrey3 neid1 book ,,iv4 #bbc-bdb4 ab4 #aedj4 pub4 #aeeg47 ,surrey's translation of two books of the neid may have been suggested by the translation 7#aeda7 made by ,francesco ,maria ,molza1 attributed at the time to ,cardinal ,ippolito de ,medici4 ,this was in ,italian unrimed verse4 7,see ,henry ,morley's ,first ,sketch of ,english ,literature1 p4 #bid1 and his ,english ,writers1 vol4 viii4 p4 #fa47 ,the verse of ,surrey1 like ,wyatt's1 shows a somewhat mechanical adherence to the syllable-counting principle1 in contrast to regard for accents4#bf ,thus we find such lines as3 ,each palace1 and sacred porch of the gods4 ,by the divine science of ,minerva4 ,there is a fairly free use of run-on lines2 according to ,schipper1 #ce in the first #bej of the translation4 ,nevertheless1 the general effect is monotonous and lacking in flexibility4 ,o ,jove1 how are these people's hearts abused6 ,what blind fury thus headlong carries them1 ,that1 though so many books1 so many rolls ,of ancient time record what grievous plagues ,light on these rebels aye1 and though so oft ,their ears have heard their aged fathers tell ,what just reward these traitors still receive1-- ,yea1 though themselves have seen deep death and blood ,by strangling cord and slaughter of the sword ,to such assigned1 yet can they not beware1 ,yet cannot stay their lewd rebellious hands1 ,but1 suff'ring too foul reason to distain ,their wretched minds1 forget their loyal heart1 ,reject all truth1 and rise against their prince8 7,,sackville and ,,norton3 ,gorboduc1 or ,ferrex and ,porrex1 ,v4 ii4 #a-ad4 #aefe47 ,this tragedy1 although ,dryden curiously instanced it in defence of the use of rime on the stage1 was the earliest ,english drama in blank verse4 ,the metre is decidedly more monotonous than ,surrey's1 and gives little hint of the possibilities of the measure for dramatic expression4 ,in general1 the early experiments in blank verse suggest--what they must often have seemed to their writers--the mere use of the decasyllabic couplet deprived of its rime4 ,nevertheless1 as ,mr4 ,symonds remarks of a passage in ,gorboduc1 we yet may trace variety and emphasis in the pauses of these lines beyond what would at that epoch have been possible in sequences of rhymed couplets4 7,blank ,verse1 p4 #bj47 ,for a specimen of the blank verse of ,gascoigne's ,steel ,glass 7#aegf1 the earliest didactic poem in ,english blank verse71 see p4 #ah1 above4 ,paris1 ,king ,priam's son1 thou art arraigned of partiality1 ,of sentence partial and unjust1 for that without indifferency1 ,beyond desert or merit far1 as thine accusers say1 ,from them1 to ,lady ,venus here1 thou gavest the prize away3 ,what is thine answer8 ,paris's oration to the ,council of the ,gods3 ,sacred and just1 thou great and dreadful ,jove1 ,and you thrice-reverend powers1 whom love nor hate ,may wrest awry2 if this1 to me a man1 ,this fortune fatal be1 that ,i must plead ,for safe excusal of my guiltless thought1 ,the honor more makes my mishap the less1 ,that ,i a man must plead before the gods1 ,gracious forbearers of the world's amiss1 ,for her1 whose beauty how it hath enticed1 ,this heavenly senate may with me aver4 7,,george ,,peele3 ,the ,arraignment of ,paris1 ,,iv4 i4 #fa-ge4 #aehd47 ,this specimen shows the new measure introduced into the drama in connection with the earlier rimed septenary4 ,peele's verse in general is characterized by sweetness and fluency1 but there is still no hint of the possibilities of the unrimed decasyllabics4 ,schrer1 in the article cited from ,anglia1 enumerates the following additional specimens of blank verse before the appearance of ,marlowe's ,tamburlaine2 ,grimald's ,death of ,zoroas and ,death of ,cicero1 in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets1 #aeeg2 ,jocasta1 by ,gascoigne and ,kinwelmarshe1 #aeff2 ,turberville's translation of ,ovid's ,heroical ,epistles1 #aefg2 ,spenser's unrimed sonnets1 in ,van der ,noodt's ,theatre for ,worldlings1 #aefi2 ,barnaby ,rich's ,don ,simonides1 #aehd2 parts of ,lyly's ,woman in the ,moon1 #aehd2 ,greene's ,description of ,silvestro's ,lady1 in ,morando1 #aehg2 ,the ,misfortunes of ,arthur1 #aehg2--the last two appearing probably in the same year with ,tamburlaine1 whether earlier or later is uncertain4 ,most of these specimens are short1 and all are comparatively unimportant4 ,now clear the triple region of the air1 ,and let the ,majesty of ,heaven behold ,their scourge and terror tread on emperors4 ,smile stars1 that reigned at my nativity1 ,and dim the brightness of your neighbor lamps6 ,disdain to borrow light of ,cynthia6 ,for ,i1 the chiefest lamp of all the earth1 ,first rising in the ,east with mild aspect1 ,but fixed now in the ,meridian line1 ,will send up fire to your turning spheres1 ,and cause the sun to borrow light of you4 ,my sword struck fire from his coat of steel ,even in ,bithynia1 when ,i took this ,turk2 ,as when a fiery exhalation1 ,wrapt in the bowels of a freezing cloud ,fighting for passage1 makes the welkin crack1 ,and casts a flash of lightning to the earth4 7,,marlowe3 ,tamburlaine1 ,part ,i1 ,,iv4 ii4 #cj-df4 pub4 #aeij47 ,ah1 ,faustus1 ,now hast thou but one bare hour to live1 ,and then thou must be damned perpetually6 ,stand still1 you ever-moving spheres of ,heaven1 ,that time may cease1 and midnight never come2 ,fair ,nature's eye1 rise1 rise again1 and make ,perpetual day2 or let this hour be but ,a year1 a month1 a week1 a natural day1 ,that ,faustus may repent and save his soul6 ,o lente1 lente1 currite noctis equi6 ,the stars move still1 time runs1 the clock will strike1 ,the ,devil will come1 and ,faustus must be damned4 ,o1 ,i'll leap up to my ,god6 ,who pulls me down8 ,see1 see where ,christ's blood streams in the firmament6 ,one drop would save my soul--half a drop3 ah1 my ,christ6 ,ah1 rend not my heart for naming of my ,christ6#bg ,yet will ,i call on him3 ,o spare me1 ,lucifer6 7,,marlowe3 ,doctor ,faustus1 sc4 xvi4 ll4 #fe-ha4 ,printed #afjd2 written before #aeic47 ,marlowe is universally and rightly regarded as the first ,english poet who used blank verse with the hand of a master1 and showed its possibilities4 ,with him it became practically a new measure4 ,mr4 ,symonds says3 ,he found the ten-syllabled heroic line monotonous1 monosyllabic1 and divided into five feet of tolerably regular alternate short and long4 ,he left it various in form and structure1 sometimes redundant by a syllable1 sometimes deficient1 enriched with unexpected emphases and changes in the beat4 ,he found no sequence or attempt at periods2 one line succeeded another with insipid regularity1 and all were made after the same model4 ,he grouped his verse according to the sense1 obeying an internal law of melody1 and allowing the thought contained in his words to dominate their form4444 ,used in this fashion1 blank verse became a ,proteus4 ,it resembled music1 which requires regular time and rhythm2 but1 by the employment of phrase1 induces a higher kind of melody to rise above the common and despotic beat of time4444 ,it is true that1 like all great poets1 he left his own peculiar imprint on it1 and that his metre is marked by an almost extravagant exuberance1 impetuosity1 and height of coloring4 7,blank ,verse1 pp4 #bb-bg47 ,in the earlier verse of ,tamburlaine1 while showing these new qualities of a metrical master1 ,marlowe yet kept pretty closely to the individual1 end-stopped line2 in his later verse1 as illustrated in the fragmentary text of ,faustus1 he seems to have attained much more freedom1 resembling that of the later plays of ,shakspere4#bh ,is it mine eye1 or ,valentinus' praise1 ,her true perfection1 or my false transgression1 ,that makes me1 reasonless1 to reason thus8 ,she's fair1 and so is ,julia that ,i love1-- ,that ,i did love1 for now my love is thawed1 ,which1 like a waxen image 'gainst a fire1 ,bears no impression of the thing it was4 ,methinks my zeal to ,valentine is cold1 ,and that ,i love him not1 as ,i was wont3 ,o6 but ,i love his lady too too much2 ,and that's the reason ,i love him so little4 ,how shall ,i dote on her with more advice1 ,that thus without advice begin to love her8444 ,if ,i can check my erring love1 ,i will2 ,if not1 to compass her ,i'll use my skill4 7,,shakspere3 ,two ,gentlemen of ,verona1 ,,ii4 iv4 #aif-bjh2 #bac1 #bad4 ab4 #aeij47 ,ay1 but to die1 and go we know not where2 ,to lie in cold obstruction and to rot2 ,this sensible warm motion to become ,a kneaded clod2 and the delighted spirit ,to bathe in fiery floods1 or to reside ,in thrilling regions of thick-ribbed ice2 ,to be imprisoned in the viewless winds1 ,and blown with restless violence about ,the pendant world2 or to be worse than worst ,of those that lawless and incertain thoughts ,imagine howling1--'tis too horrible6 ,the weariest and most loathed worldly life1 ,that age1 ache1 penury1 and imprisonment ,can lay on nature1 is a paradise ,to what we fear of death4 7,,shakspere3 ,measure for ,measure1 ,,iii4 i4 #aah-acb4 ab4 #afjc47 ,this ,mr4 ,symonds cites as a single instance of the elasticity1 self-restraint1 and freshness of the ,shaksperian blank verse2 of its freedom from ,marlowe's turgidity1 or ,fletcher's languor1 or ,milton's involution2 of its ringing sound and lucid vigor4444 ,it illustrates the freedom from adventitious ornament and the organic continuity of ,shakspere's versification1 while it also exhibits his power of varying his cadences and suiting them to the dramatic utterance of his characters4 7,blank ,verse1 p4 #ca47 ,ye elves of hills1 brooks1 standing lakes1 and groves2 ,and ye that on the sands with printless foot ,do chase the ebbing ,neptune1 and do fly him ,when he comes back2 you demi-puppets1 that ,by moonshine do the green-sour ringlets make1 ,whereof the ewe not bites2 and you1 whose pastime ,is to make midnight mushrooms2 that rejoice ,to hear the solemn curfew2 by whose aid 7,weak masters though ye be7 ,i have bedimm'd ,the noontide sun1 called forth the mutinous winds1 ,and 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault ,set roaring war3 to the dread rattling thunder ,have ,i given fire1 and rifted ,jove's stout oak ,with his own bolt3 the strong-bas'd promontory ,have ,i made shake2 and by the spurs pluck'd up ,the pine and cedar3 graves1 at my command1 ,have wak'd their sleepers1 op'd1 and let them forth ,by my so potent art4 7,,shakspere3 ,the ,tempest1 ,v4 i4 #cc-ej4 ab4 #afaj47 ,no attempt can be made to represent adequately the blank verse of ,shakspere4 ,the specimens1 chosen respectively from his earlier1 middle1 and later periods1 illustrate the trend of development of his verse4 ,in the earlier period it was characterized by the slight use of feminine endings and enjambement2 in the later by marked preference for both1 and by general freedom and flexibility4 ,in other words1 ,shakspere's own development represents1 in a sort of miniature1 that of the history of dramatic blank verse4 ,according to ,furnivall's tables1 the proportion of run-on lines to end-stopped lines in ,the ,two ,gentlemen of ,verona is one in ten1 while in ,the ,tempest it is one in three4 ,the increased use of light and weak endings is closely analogous4 ,professor ,wendell says of the verse of ,cymbeline3 ,end-stopped lines are so deliberately avoided that one feels a sense of relief when a speech and a line end together4 ,such a phrase as ',how slow his soul sail'd on1 how swift his ship' is deliberately made1 not a single line1 but two half-lines4 ,several times1 in the broken dialogue1 one has literally to count the syllables before the metrical regularity of the verse appears4444 ,clearly this puzzling style is decadent2 the distinction between verse and prose is breaking down4 7,william ,shakspere1 p4 #ceg47bi ,i1 that did help ,to fell the lofty cedar of the world ,germanicus2 that at one stroke cut down ,drusus1 that upright elm2 withered his vine2 ,laid ,silius and ,sabinus1 two strong oaks1 ,flat on the earth2 besides those other shrubs1 ,cordus and ,sosia1 ,claudia ,pulchra1 ,furnius and ,gallus1 which ,i have grubbed up2 ,and since1 have set my axe so strong and deep ,into the root of spreading ,agrippine2 ,lopt off and scattered her proud branches1 ,nero1 ,drusus2 and ,caius too1 although replanted4 ,if you will1 ,destinies1 that after all1 ,i faint now ere ,i touch my period1 ,you are but cruel2 and ,i already have done ,things great enough4 ,all ,rome hath been my slave2 ,the senate sate an idle looker-on1 ,and witness of my power2 when ,i have blushed ,more to command than it to suffer3 all ,the fathers have sat ready and prepared1 ,to give me empire1 temples1 or their throats1 ,when ,i would ask 'em2 and1 what crowns the top1 ,rome1 senate1 people1 all the world have seen ,jove but my equal2 ,csar but my second4 ',tis then your malice1 ,fates1 who1 but your own1 ,envy and fear to have any power long known4 7,,ben ,,jonson3 ,sejanus1 ,v4 iv4 #afjc47 ,jonson's blank verse1 says ,mr4 ,symonds1 is that of a scholar--pointed1 polished1 and free from the lyricisms of his age4 ,it lacks harmony and is often labored2 but vigorous and solid it never fails to be4 ,he also instances the opening lines of the ,sad ,shepherd as exceptional in their delicate music4 ,beaumont's verse is in many ways similar in structure to ,jonson's1 yet commonly more melodious4 ,he is all 7,as he stands now7 but the mere name of ,csar1 ,and should the ,emperor enforce him lesser1 ,not coming from himself1 it were more dangerous3 ,he is honest1 and will hear you4 ,doubts are scattered1 ,and almost come to growth in every household2 ,yet1 in my foolish judgment1 were this mastered1 ,the people1 that are now but rage1 and his1 ,might be again obedience4 ,you shall know me ,when ,rome is fair again2 till when1 ,i love you4 ,no name6 ,this may be cunning2 yet it seems not1 ,for there is nothing in it but is certain1 ,besides my safety4 ,had not good ,germanicus1 ,that was as loyal and as straight as he is1 ,if not prevented by ,tiberius1 ,been by the soldiers forced their emperor8 ,he had1 and 'tis my wisdom to remember it3 ,and was not ,corbulo 7even that ,corbulo1 ,that ever fortunate and living ,roman1 ,that broke the heart-strings of the ,parthians1 ,and brought ,arsaces' line upon their knees1 ,chained to the awe of ,rome71 because he was thought 7,and but in wine once7 fit to make a ,csar1 ,cut off by ,nero8 ,i must seek my safety2 ,for 'tis the same again1 if not beyond it4 7,,fletcher3 ,valentinian1 ,,iv4 i4 ab4 #afae47 ,i can but grieve my ignorance3 ,repentance1 some say too1 is the best sacrifice2 ,for sure1 sir1 if my chance had been so happy 7,as ,i confess ,i was mine own destroyer7 ,as to have arrived at you1 ,i will not prophesy1 ,but certain1 as ,i think1 ,i should have pleased you2 ,have made you as much wonder at my courtesy1 ,my love and duty1 as ,i have disheartened you4 ,some hours we have of youth1 and some of folly2 ,and being free-born maids1 we take a liberty1 ,and1 to maintain that1 sometimes we strain highly4444 ,a sullen woman fear1 that talks not to you2 ,she has a sad and darkened soul1 loves dully2 ,a merry and a free wench1 give her liberty1 ,believe her1 in the lightest form she appears to you1 ,believe her excellent1 though she despise you2 ,let but these fits and flashes pass1 she will show to you ,as jewels rubbed from dust1 or gold new burnished4 7,,fletcher3 ,the ,wild-,goose ,chase1 ,,iv4 i4 #afba47 ,the verse of ,fletcher is highly individual among the ,jacobean dramatists1 though in a sense typical of the breaking down of blank verse1 in the direction of prose1 which was going on at this period4 ,the distinguishing feature of ,fletcher's verse is the constant use of feminine endings1 and the extension of these to triple and even quadruple endings1 by the addition of one or more syllables4 ,twelve-syllable lines 7not alexandrines1 but ordinary lines with triple endings7 are not at all uncommon2 and the additional syllable or syllables may even be emphatic4 ,in general the tendency was in the direction of the freedom of conversational prose4 ,such a line as ,methinks you are infinitely bound to her for her journey would not be recognized1 standing by itself1 as a five-stress iambic verse2 properly read1 however1 it takes its place without difficulty in the scheme of the metre4#cj ,whatever ails me1 now a-late especially1 ,i can as well be hanged as refrain seeing her2 ,some twenty times a day1 nay1 not so little1 ,do ,i force errands1 frame ways and excuses1 ,to come into her sight2 and ,i've small reason for't1 ,and less encouragement1 for she baits me still ,every time worse than other2 does profess herself ,the cruellest enemy to my face in town2 ,at no hand can abide the sight of me1 ,as if danger or ill luck hung in my looks4 ,i must confess my face is bad enough1 ,but ,i know far worse has better fortune1 ,and not endur'd alone1 but doted on2 ,and yet such pick-hair'd faces1 chins like witches'1 ,here and there five hairs whispering in a corner1 ,as if they grew in fear of one another1 ,wrinkles like troughs1 where swine-deformity swills ,the tears of perjury1 that lie there like wash ,fallen from the slimy and dishonest eye2 ,yet such a one plucks sweets without restraint4 7,,thomas ,,middleton3 ,the ,changeling1 ,,ii4 i4 ab4 #afbc47 ,middleton carried on the work of fitting blank verse for plausibly conversational1 as distinguished from poetic1 effects4 ,often his lines are more difficult to scan than ,fletcher's1 and still less seek melodiousness for its own sake4 ,characteristic specimens are verses like these3 ,i doubt ,i'm too quick of apprehension now4 ,with which one gentleman1 far in debt1 has courted her4 ,to call for1 'fore me1 and thou look'st half ill indeed4 ,what would it pleasure me to have my throat cut ,with diamonds8 or to be smothered ,with cassia8 or to be shot to death with pearls8 ,i know death hath ten thousand several doors ,for men to take their exits2 and 'tis found ,they go on such strange geometrical hinges1 ,you may open them both ways2 any way1 for ,heaven sake1 ,so ,i were out of your whispering4 ,tell my brothers ,that ,i perceive death1 now ,i am well awake1 ,best gift is they can give or ,i can take4444 --,pull1 and pull strongly1 for your able strength ,must pull down ,heaven upon me3-- ,yet stay2 ,heaven-gates are not so highly arched ,as princes' palaces2 they that enter there ,must go upon their knees4--,come1 violent death1 ,serve for mandragora to make me sleep6-- ,go tell my brothers1 when ,i am laid out1 ,they then may feed in quiet4 7,,john ,,webster3 ,the ,duchess of ,malfi1 ,,iv4 ii4 #afbc47 ,webster1 says ,mr4 ,symonds1 used his metre as the most delicate and responsive instrument for all varieties of dramatic expression4444 ,scansion in the verse of ,webster is subordinate to the purpose of the speaker4 7,blank ,verse1 pp4 #de-dg47 ,he also calls attention to such remarkable lines as-- ,cover her face2 mine eyes dazzle2 she died young4 ,other sins only speak2 murder shrieks out4 ,are you not frightened with the imprecations ,and curses of whole families1 made wretched ,by your sinister practices8-- --,yes1 as rocks are1 ,when foamy billows split themselves against ,their flinty ribs2 or as the moon is moved1 ,when wolves1 with hunger pined1 howl at her brightness4 ,i am of a solid temper1 and1 like these1 ,steer on1 a constant course3 with mine own sword1 ,if called into the field1 ,i can make that right ,which fearful enemies murmured at as wrong4 ,now1 for these other piddling complaints ,breathed out in bitterness2 as when they call me ,extortioner1 tyrant1 cormorant1 or intruder ,on my poor neighbor's right1 or grand incloser ,of what was common1 to my private use2 ,nay1 when my ears are pierced with widows' cries1 ,and undone orphans wash with tears my threshold1 ,i only think what 'tis to have my daughter ,right honorable2 and 'tis a powerful charm ,makes me insensible of remorse1 or pity1 ,or the least sting of conscience4 7,,philip ,,massinger3 ,a ,new ,way to ,pay ,old ,debts1 ,,iv4 i4 #afcc47 ,massinger's verse is more regular than that of ,fletcher and others1 in the matter of extra final syllables and the like1 but free and flexible in the use of run-on lines and generally progressive movement4#ca ,it is an error to assume that there was no good blank verse written in this period when the drama in general is said to have been in a state of decadence4 ,the verse of ,ford1 for example1 is noticeably strong and restrained 7compare the remark of ,mr4 ,symonds1 on its glittering regularity74 ,on the other hand1 one may see the dramas of ,richard ,brome for specimens of the decadent metre at its worst4 ,brome wrote comedies both in prose and verse1 and there is little difference between the two forms in his hands4 ,see also the crude and lax verse of some of the early plays of ,dryden1 illustrated on p4 #bcd below4 ,it was verse of this kind which1 as ,mr4 ,gosse observes1 justified the introduction of the heroic couplet in all its strictness4 ,all in a moment through the gloom were seen ,ten thousand banners rise into the air ,with orient colors waving3 with them rose ,a forest huge of spears3 and thronging helms ,appear'd1 and serried shields in thick array ,of depth immeasurable3 anon they move ,in perfect phalanx to the ,dorian mood ,of flutes and soft recorders2 such as rais'd ,to height of noblest temper heroes old ,arming to battle1 and in stead of rage ,deliberate valor breath'd1 firm and unmov'd ,with dread of death to flight or foul retreat1 ,nor wanting power to mitigate and swage ,with solemn touches1 troubl'd thoughts1 and chase ,anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain ,from mortal or immortal minds4444 444 ,and now his heart ,distends with pride1 and hardening in his strength ,glories3 for never since created man ,met such embodied force1 as nam'd with these ,could merit more than that small infantry ,warr'd on by cranes3 though all the giant brood ,of ,phlegra with th' heroic race were joined ,that fought at ,thebes and ,ilium1 on each side ,mixed with auxiliar gods2 and what resounds ,in fable or romance of ,uther's son ,begirt with ,british and ,armoric knights2 ,and all who since1 baptiz'd or infidel1 ,jousted in ,aspramont or ,montalban1 ,damasco1 or ,morocco1 or ,trebizond1 ,or whom ,biserta sent from ,afric shore ,when ,charlemagne with all his peerage fell ,by ,fontarabbia4 7,,milton3 ,paradise ,lost1 ,book ,i4 ll4 #edd-eei2 #ega-ehg4 #affg47 ,with head a while inclined1 ,and eyes fast fixed1 he stood1 as one who prayed1 ,or some great matter in his mind revolved3 ,at last1 with head erect1 thus cried aloud3-- ,hitherto1 ,lords1 what your commands imposed ,i have performed1 as reason was1 obeying1 ,not without wonder or delight beheld2 ,now1 of my own accord1 such other trial ,i mean to show you of my strength1 yet greater1 ,as with amaze shall strike all who behold4 ,this uttered1 straining all his nerves he bowed2 ,as with the force of winds and waters pent ,when mountains tremble1 those two massy pillars1 ,with horrible convulsion to and fro ,he tugged1 he shook1 till down they came1 and drew ,the whole roof after them with burst of thunder ,upon the heads of all who sat beneath4 7,,milton3 ,samson ,agonistes1 ll4 #afcf-afeb4 #afga47 ,the blank verse of ,milton is characterized by greater freedom and flexibility than that of any earlier poet4 ,the single line practically ceases to be the unit of the verse1 which is divided rather into metrical paragraphs1 or1 as some would even call them1 stanzas4 ,professor ,corson quotes an interesting passage from a letter of ,coleridge1 giving an account of a conversation in which ,wordsworth expressed his view of this sort of blank verse4 ,my friend gave his definition and notion of harmonious verse1 that it consisted 7the ,english iambic blank verse above all7 in the apt arrangement of pauses and cadences1 and the sweep of whole paragraphs1 with many a winding bout ,of linked sweetness long drawn out1 and not in the even flow1 much less in the prominence or antithetic vigor of single lines1 which were indeed injurious to the total effect1 except where they were introduced for some specific purpose4 7,corson's ,primer of ,english ,verse1 p4 #bah47 ,in like manner ,mr4 ,symonds says3 ,the most sonorous passages begin and end with interrupted lines1 including in one organic structure1 periods1 parentheses1 and paragraphs of fluent melody4444 ,in these structures there are many pauses which enable the ear and voice to rest themselves1 but none are perfect1 none satisfy the want created by the opening hemistich1 until the final and deliberate close is reached4 7,blank ,verse pp4 #ef1 #eg47 ,in ,milton's own prefatory note to ,paradise ,lost1 he called his blank verse ,english heroic verse without rime4 ,rime he spoke of as the invention of a barbarous age1 444 graced indeed since by the use of some famous modern poets1--not least among them1 he might have said1 being ,john ,milton himself4 ,he described also the special character of his verse in saying that true musical delight 444 consists only in apt numbers1 fit quantity of syllables1 and the sense variously drawn out from one verse into another1--that is1 by enjambement4 ,this neglect then of rime so little is to be taken for a defect1 444 that it rather is to be esteemed an example set1 the first in ,english1 of ancient liberty recovered to heroic poem from the troublesome and modern bondage of riming4#cb ,it appears from this note that ,milton regarded his heroic blank verse as a different measure from the familiar dramatic blank verse4 ,the latter he used in ,samson ,agonistes1 the verse-structure of which will be seen to differ from that of ,paradise ,lost2 the most salient distinction is the more frequent use of feminine endings4 ,mr4 ,symonds remarks interestingly on the difference between ,shaksperian and ,miltonic1 between dramatic and epical blank verse4 ,the one is simple in construction and progressive1 the other is complex and stationary4444 ,the one exhibits a thought1 in the process of formation1 developing itself from the excited fancy of the speaker4 ,the other presents to us an image crystallized and perfect in the poet's mind2 the one is in time1 the other in space--the one is a growing and the other a complete organism4444 ,the one1 if we may play upon a fancy1 resembles ,music1 and the other ,architecture4 7,blank ,verse1 p4 #eh47 ,methinks ,i do not want ,that huge long train of fawning followers1 ,that swept a furlong after me4 ',tis true ,i am alone2 ,so was the godhead1 ere he made the world1 ,and better served himself than served by nature4 ,and yet ,i have a soul ,above this humble fate4 ,i could command1 ,love to do good1 give largely to true merit1 ,all that a king should do2 but though these are not ,my province1 ,i have scene enough within ,to exercise my virtue4 ,all that a heart1 so fixed as mine1 can move1 ,is1 that my niggard fortune starves my love4 7,,dryden3 ,marriage la ,mode1 ,,iii4 i4 #afgb47 ,she lay1 and leaned her cheek upon her hand1 ,and cast a look so languishingly sweet1 ,as if1 secure of all beholders' hearts1 ,neglecting1 she could take them3 boys1 like ,cupids1 ,stood fanning1 with their painted wings1 the winds ,that played about her face3 but if she smiled1 ,a darting glory seemed to blaze abroad1 ,that men's desiring eyes were never wearied1 ,but hung upon the object4 ,to soft flutes ,the silver oars kept time2 and while they played1 ,the hearing gave new pleasure to the sight1 ,and both to thought4 ',twas heaven1 or somewhat more2 7,,dryden3 ,all for ,love1 ,,iii4 i4 #afgh47 ,the first of these specimens of ,dryden's blank verse illustrates the loose form of it found in many of the comedies1 ill distinguished from prose and used interchangeably with prose1 as in the case of the late ,jacobean dramatists4 ,it was with ,all for ,love that ,dryden dropped the use of the rimed couplet in tragedy1 and turned his hand toward the construction of really noble blank verse4 ,this play was professedly an imitation of ,shakspere1 and the passage here quoted is a paraphrase of one in ,antony and ,cleopatra1 ,,ii4 ii4 ,shakspere's blank verse doubtless exerted a good influence on the quality of ,dryden's4 ,from this time on1 says ,mr4 ,gosse1 ,dryden's blank verse was more severe than any which had been used1 except by ,milton1 since ,ben ,jonson4 7,eighteenth ,century ,literature1 p4 #ad47 ,then hear me1 bounteous ,heaven6 ,pour down your blessings on this beauteous head1 ,where everlasting sweets are always springing3 ,with a continual-giving hand1 let peace1 ,honor1 and safety always hover round her2 ,feed her with plenty2 let her eyes ne'er see ,a sight of sorrow1 nor her heart know mourning3 ,crown all her days with joy1 her nights with rest ,harmless as her own thoughts1 and prop her virtue ,to bear the loss of one that too much loved2 ,and comfort her with patience in our parting4444 --,then hear me too1 just ,heaven6 ,pour down your curses on this wretched head1 ,with never-ceasing vengeance2 let despair1 ,danger1 or infamy1 nay1 all surround me4 ,starve me with wantings2 let my eyes ne'er see ,a sight of comfort1 nor my heart know peace2 ,but dash my days with sorrow1 nights with horrors ,wild as my own thoughts now1 and let loose fury ,to make me mad enough for what ,i lose1 ,if ,i must lose him--if ,i must6 ,i will not4 7,,thomas ,,otway3 ,venice ,preserved1 ,v4 ii4 #afhb47 ,this play was one of those marking the return of the serious drama to blank verse1 after the brief domination of the couplet on the stage4 ,while ,otway's verse is not as good as ,dryden's best1 it is of fairly even merit1 and shows that something had been learned from the practice of the couplet4 ,eternity6 thou pleasing1 dreadful thought6 ,through what variety of untried being1 ,through what new scenes and changes must we pass6 ,the wide1 the unbounded prospect lies before me2 ,but shadows1 clouds1 and darkness rest upon it4 ,here will ,i hold4 ,if there's a power above us 7,and that there is all nature cries aloud ,through all her works71 he must delight in virtue2 ,and that which he delights in must be happy4444 444 ,the soul1 secured in her existence1 smiles ,at the drawn dagger1 and defies its point4 ,the stars shall fade away1 the sun himself ,grow dim with age1 and nature sink in years1 ,but thou shalt flourish in immortal youth1 ,unhurt amidst the wars of elements1 ,the wrecks of matter1 and the crush of worlds4 7,,addison3 ,cato1 ,v4 i4 ll4 #aj-ah2 #be-ca4 #agac47 ,tell us1 ye dead6 will none of you1 in pity ,to those you left behind1 disclose the secret8 ,oh6 that some courteous ghost would blab it out1-- ,what 'tis you are1 and we must shortly be4 ,i've heard that souls departed have sometimes ,forewarn'd men of their death4 ',twas kindly done ,to knock1 and give the alarum4 ,but what means ,this stinted charity8 ',tis but lame kindness ,that does its work by halves4 ,why might you not ,tell us what 'tis to die8 ,do the strict laws ,of your society forbid your speaking ,upon a point so nice8 ,i'll ask no more3 ,sullen1 like lamps in sepulchres1 your shine ,enlightens but yourselves4 ,well1 'tis no matter2 ,a very little time will clear up all ,and make us learn'd as you are1 and as close4 7,,robert ,,blair3 ,the ,grave4 #agdc47 ,this poem was one of those connected with the revival of blank verse1 for didactic poetry1 near the middle of the eighteenth century4 ,of ,blair's verse ,mr4 ,saintsbury says that it is by no means to be despised4 ,technically its only fault is the use and abuse of the redundant syllable4 ,the quality 444 is in every respect rather moulded upon dramatic than upon purely poetical models1 and he shows little trace of imitation either of ,milton1 or of his contemporary1 ,thomson4 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 iii4 p4 #bag47 ,through the hushed air the whitening shower descends1 ,at first thin wavering2 till at last the flakes ,fall broad1 and wide1 and fast1 dimming the day ,with a continual flow4 ,the cherished fields ,put on their winter-robe of purest white4 ',tis brightness all2 save where the new snow melts ,along the mazy current4 ,low the woods ,bow their hoar head2 and1 ere the languid sun ,faint from the west emits his evening ray1 ,earth's universal face1 deep-hid and chill1 ,is one wild dazzling waste1 that buries wide ,the works of man4 ,drooping1 the laborer-ox ,stands covered o'er with snow1 and then demands ,the fruit of all his toil4 ,the fowls of heaven1 ,tamed by the cruel season1 crowd around ,the winnowing store1 and claim the little boon ,which ,providence assigns them4 ,one alone1 ,the redbreast1 sacred to the household gods1 ,wisely regardful of the embroiling sky1 ,in joyless fields and thorny thickets leaves ,his shivering mates1 and pays to trusted man ,his annual visit4 ,half-afraid1 he first ,against the window beats2 then1 brisk1 alights ,on the warm hearth2 then1 hopping o'er the floor1 ,eyes all the smiling family askance1 ,and pecks1 and starts1 and wonders where he is-- ,till1 more familiar grown1 the table-crumbs ,attract his slender feet4 7,,thomson3 ,the ,seasons2 ,winter4 #agbf47 ,thomson's ,seasons was undoubtedly the most influential of the poems of the blank-verse revival of this period4 ,saintsbury says3 ,his blank verse in especial cannot receive too much commendation4 ,with that of ,milton1 and that of the present ,poet ,laureate ,tennyson1 it must rank as one of the chief original models of the metre to be found in ,english poetry4 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 iii4 p4 #afi47 ,other influential poems of the same period1 written in blank verse1 were ,glover's ,leonidas 7#agcg71 ,young's ,night ,thoughts 7#agdb-agdd71 and ,akenside's ,pleasures of the ,imagination 7#agdd74 ,much earlier than these had come the curious poem of ,john ,philips on ,cider 7#agjh74 ,philips is praised by ,thomson as the successor of ,milton in some lines of ,autumn3 ,philips1 ,pomona's bard1 the second thou ,who nobly durst1 in rhyme-unfetter'd verse ,with ,british freedom sing the ,british song4 ,in general1 the blank verse of all these poets shows the influence of the couplet and lacks flexibility4 ,thus ,mr4 ,symonds says3 ,the use of the couplet had unfitted poets for its composition4 ,their acquired canons of regularity1 when applied to loose and flowing metre1 led them astray4444 ,hence it followed1 that when blank verse began again to be written1 it found itself very much at the point where it had stood before the appearance of ,marlowe4 ,even ,thomson 444 wrote stiff and languid blank verse with monosyllabic terminations and monotonous cadences--a pedestrian style4 7,blank ,verse1 pp4 #fa1 #fb47cc ,here unmolested1 through whatever sign ,the sun proceeds1 ,i wander2 neither mist1 ,nor freezing sky nor sultry1 checking me1 ,nor stranger intermeddling with my joy4 ,even in the spring and playtime of the year1 ,that calls the unwonted villager abroad ,with all her little ones1 a sportive train1 ,to gather kingcups in the yellow mead1 ,and prink their hair with daisies1 or to pick ,a cheap but wholesome salad from the brook1 ,these shades are all my own4 ,the timorous hare1 ,grown so familiar with her frequent guest1 ,scarce shuns me2 and the stockdove unalarmed ,sits cooing in the pine-tree1 nor suspends ,his long love-ditty for my near approach4 ,drawn from his refuge in some lonely elm ,that age or injury has hollowed deep1 ,where on his bed of wool and matted leaves ,he has outslept the winter1 ventures forth ,to frisk awhile1 and bask in the warm sun1 ,the squirrel1 flippant1 pert1 and full of play4 ,he sees me1 and at once1 swift as a bird1 ,ascends the neighboring beech2 there whisks his brush1 ,and perks his ears1 and stamps and scolds aloud1 ,with all the prettiness of feigned alarm1 ,and anger insignificantly fierce4 7,,cowper3 ,the ,task1 book ,,vi4 ll4 #bie-cbj4 #aghe47 ,the blank verse of ,cowper's ,task is admirably adapted to the theme1 says ,professor ,corson4 ,cowper saw farther than any one before him had seen1 into the secrets of the elaborate music of ,milton's blank verse1 and availed himself of those secrets to some extent--to as far an extent as the simplicity of his themes demanded4 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 p4 #bba47 ,professor ,ward speaks1 however1 of the lumbering movement of ,cowper's blank verse as being in contrast to the neatness and ease of his rhymed couplets4 7,english ,poets1 vol4 iii4 p4 #dcb47 ,cowper prided himself1 not without reason1 on the individuality of his blank verse4 ,in a letter to the ,rev4 ,john ,newton 7,dec4 #aa1 #aghd7 he said3 ,milton's manner was peculiar4 ,so is ,thomson's4 ,he that should write like either of them1 would1 in my judgment1 deserve the name of a copyist1 but not of a poet4444 ,blank verse is susceptible of a much greater diversification of manner than verse in rhyme3 and why the modern writers of it have all thought proper to cast their numbers alike1 ,i know not4 ,in another letter 7to ,lady ,hesketh1 ,march #bj1 #aghf7 ,cowper reveals his careful study of ,milton's verse3 ,when the sense requires it1 or when for the sake of avoiding a monotonous cadence of the lines1 of which there is always danger in so long a work1 it shall appear to be prudent1 ,i still leave a verse behind me that has some uneasiness in its formation4 ,it is not possible to read ,paradise ,lost1 with an ear for harmony1 without being sensible of the great advantage which ,milton drew from such a management4444 ,uncritical readers find that they perform a long journey through several hundred pages perhaps without weariness2 they find the numbers harmonious1 but are not aware of the art by which that harmony is brought to pass1 much less suspect that a violation of all harmony on some occasions is the very thing to which they are not a little indebted for their gratification4 ,thou too1 hoar ,mount6 with thy sky-pointing peaks1 ,oft from whose feet the avalanche1 unheard1 ,shoots downward1 glittering through the pure serene ,into the depth of clouds1 that veil thy breast-- ,thou too again1 stupendous ,mountain6 thou ,that as ,i raise my head1 awhile bowed low ,in adoration1 upward from thy base ,slow travelling with dim eyes suffused with tears1 ,solemnly seemest1 like a vapory cloud1 ,to rise before me--,rise1 ,o ever rise1 ,rise like a cloud of incense from the earth6 ,thou kingly spirit throned among the hills1 ,thou dread ambassador from ,earth to ,heaven1 ,great ,hierarch6 tell thou the silent sky1 ,and tell the stars1 and tell yon rising sun1 ,earth1 with her thousand voices1 praises ,god4 7,,coleridge3 ,hymn before ,sunrise1 in the ,vale of ,chamouni1 ll4 #gj-he4 #ahjb47 ,it was a den where no insulting light ,could glimmer on their tears2 where their own groans ,they felt1 but heard not1 for the solid roar ,of thunderous waterfalls and torrents hoarse1 ,pouring a constant bulk1 uncertain where4 ,crag jutting forth to crag1 and rocks that seem'd ,ever as if just rising from a sleep1 ,forehead to forehead held their monstrous horns2 ,and thus in thousand hugest phantasies ,made a fit roofing to this nest of woe4 ,instead of thrones1 hard flint they sat upon1 ,couches of rugged stone1 and slaty ridge ,stubborn'd with iron4 ,all were not assembled3 ,some chain'd in torture1 and some wandering4 ,coeus1 and ,gyges1 and ,briareus1 ,typhon1 and ,dolor1 and ,porphyrion1 ,with many more1 the brawniest in assault1 ,were pent in regions of laborious breath2 ,dungeon'd in opaque element1 to keep ,their clenched teeth still clench'd1 and all their limbs ,lock'd up like veins of metal1 crampt and screw'd2 ,without a motion1 save of their big hearts ,heaving in pain1 and horribly convuls'd ,with sanguine feverous boiling gurge of pulse4 7,,keats3 ,hyperion1 book ,,ii4 #ahbj47 ,in ,keats at last1 says ,mr4 ,symonds1 we find again that inner music which is the soul of true blank verse4444 ,his ,hyperion is sung1 not written4444 ,its music is fluid1 bound by no external measurement of feet1 but determined by the sense and intonation of the poet's thought1 while like the crotalos of the ,athenian flute-player1 the decasyllabic beat maintains an uninterrupted undercurrent of regular pulsations4 7,blank ,verse1 p4 #fd47 ,i have learned ,to look on nature1 not as in the hour ,of thoughtless youth2 but hearing oftentimes ,the still1 sad music of humanity1 ,nor harsh nor grating1 though of ample power ,to chasten and subdue4 ,and ,i have felt ,a presence that disturbs me with the joy ,of elevated thoughts2 a sense sublime ,of something far more deeply interfused1 ,whose dwelling is the light of setting suns1 ,and the round ocean and the living air1 ,and the blue sky1 and in the mind of man3 ,a motion and a spirit1 that impels ,all thinking things1 all objects of all thought1 ,and rolls through all things4 7,,wordsworth3 ,lines ,composed a few miles above ,tintern ,abbey4 #agih47 ,let not high verse1 mourning the memory ,of that which is no more1 or painting's woe ,or sculpture1 speak in feeble imagery ,their own cold powers4 ,art and eloquence1 ,and all the shows o' the world1 are frail and vain ,to weep a loss that turns their lights to shade4 ,it is a woe 'too deep for tears1' when all ,is reft at once1 when some surpassing ,spirit1 ,whose light adorned the world around it1 leaves ,those who remain behind1 not sobs or groans1 ,the passionate tumult of a clinging hope2 ,but pale despair and cold tranquillity1 ,nature's vast frame1 the web of human things1 ,birth and the grave1 that are not as they were4 7,,shelley3 ,alastor1 ll4 #gjg-gbj4 #ahae47 ,the old order changeth1 yielding place to new1 ,and ,god fulfils himself in many ways1 ,lest one good custom should corrupt the world4 ,comfort thyself3 what comfort is in me8 ,i have lived my life1 and that which ,i have done ,may ,he within himself make pure6 but thou1 ,if thou shouldst never see my face again1 ,pray for my soul4 ,more things are wrought by prayer ,than this world dreams of4 ,wherefore let thy voice ,rise like a fountain for me night and day4 ,for what are men better than sheep or goats ,that nourish a blind life within the brain1 ,if1 knowing ,god1 they lift not hands of prayer ,both for themselves and those who call them friend8 ,for so the whole round earth is every way ,bound by gold chains about the feet of ,god4 ,but now farewell4 ,i am going a long way ,with these thou seest--if indeed ,i go 7,for all my mind is clouded with a doubt7-- ,to the island-valley of ,avilion2 ,where falls not hail1 or rain1 or any snow1 ,nor ever wind blows loudly2 but it lies ,deep-meadow'd1 happy1 fair with orchard-lawns ,and bowery hollows crown'd with summer sea1 ,where ,i will heal me of my grievous wound4 7,,tennyson3 ,idylls of the ,king2 ,the ,passing of ,arthur4 #ahfi47 ,but that large-moulded man1 ,his visage all agrin as at a wake1 ,made at me thro' the press1 and1 staggering back ,with stroke on stroke the horse and horseman1 came ,as comes a pillar of electric cloud1 ,flaying the roofs and sucking up the drains1 ,and shadowing down the champaign till it strikes ,on a wood1 and takes1 and breaks1 and cracks1 and splits1 ,and twists the grain with such a roar that ,earth ,reels1 and the herdsmen cry2 for everything ,gave way before him3 only ,florian1 he ,that loved me closer than his own right eye1 ,thrust in between2 but ,arac rode him down3 ,and ,cyril seeing it1 push'd against the ,prince1 ,with ,psyche's color round his helmet1 tough1 ,strong1 supple1 sinew-corded1 apt at arms2 ,but tougher1 heavier1 stronger1 he that smote ,and threw him3 last ,i spurr'd2 ,i felt my veins ,stretch with fierce heat2 a moment hand to hand1 ,and sword to sword1 and horse to horse we hung1 ,till ,i struck out and shouted2 the blade glanc'd2 ,i did but shear a feather1 and dream and truth ,flow'd from me2 darkness closed me2 and ,i fell4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,princess1 v4 #ahdg47 ,she knew me1 and acknowledg'd me her heir1 ,pray'd me to keep her debts1 and keep the ,faith2 ,then claspt the cross1 and pass'd away in peace4 ,i left her lying still and beautiful1 ,more beautiful than in life4 ,why would you vex yourself1 ,poor sister8 ,sir1 ,i swear ,i have no heart ,to be your queen4 ,to reign is restless fence1 ,tierce1 quart1 and trickery4 ,peace is with the dead4 ,her life was winter1 for her spring was nipt2 ,and she loved much3 pray ,god she be forgiven4 7,,tennyson3 ,queen ,mary1 ,v4 v4 #ahge47 ,fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail1 ,that brings our friends up from the underworld1 ,sad as the last which reddens over one ,that sinks with all we love below the verge2 ,so sad1 so fresh1 the days that are no more4 ,ah1 sad and strange as in dark summer dawns ,the earliest pipe of half-awaken'd birds ,to dying ears1 when unto dying eyes ,the casement slowly grows a glimmering square2 ,so sad1 so strange1 the days that are no more4 7,,tennyson3 ,the ,princess1 iv42 ,tears1 ,idle ,tears4 #ahdg47 ,the blank verse of ,tennyson is probably to be regarded as the most masterly found among modern poets4#cd ,its flexibility is almost infinite1 yet never unmelodious4 ,the last of the specimens just quoted illustrates his use of blank verse for short lyrical poems1--an unusual and notable achievement4 ,perhaps only ,collins's ,ode to ,evening can be compared with his success in this direction1 and ,collins used a more elaborate strophe to fill1 in part1 the place of rime4 ,of the unrimed lyrics in ,the ,princess1 ,mr4 ,symonds says that they are perfect specimens of most melodious and complete minstrelsy in words4 ,in the ,tears1 ,idle ,tears1 he goes on to say1 the verse is divided into periods of five lines1 each of which terminates with the words 'days that are no more4' ,this recurrence of sound and meaning is a substitute for rhyme1 and suggests rhyme so persuasively that it is impossible to call the poem mere blank verse4 ,see also the specimens on p4 #add above4 ,in the case of both ,tennyson and ,browning the student should compare the form of the narrative blank verse on the one hand with that of the dramatic on the other4 ,yet in a sense all ,browning's blank verse is dramatic4 ,it is no less flexible than ,tennyson's1 but 7as in most of ,browning's poetry7 sacrifices more of melody in adapting itself to the thought4 ,to live1 and see her learn1 and learn by her1 ,out of the low obscure and petty world-- ,or only see one purpose and one will ,evolve themselves i' the world1 change wrong to right3 ,to have to do with nothing but the true1 ,the good1 the eternal--and these1 not alone1 ,in the main current of the general life1 ,but small experiences of every day1 ,concerns of the particular hearth and home3 ,to learn not only by a comet's rush ,but a rose's birth1--not by the grandeur1 ,god1 ,but the comfort1 ,christ4 ,all this1 how far away6 ,mere delectation1 meet for a minute's dream6-- ,just as a drudging student trims his lamp1 ,opens his ,plutarch1 puts him in the place ,of ,roman1 ,grecian2 draws the patch'd gown close1 ,dreams1 ,thus should ,i fight1 save or rule the world6 ,then smilingly1 contentedly1 awakes ,to the old solitary nothingness4 ,so ,i1 from such communion1 pass content4-- ,o great1 just1 good ,god6 ,miserable me6 7,,browning3 ,the ,ring and the ,book2 ,caponsacchi4 #ahfh47 ,the ,ring and the ,book ,professor ,corson calls the greatest achievement of the century 444 in the effective use of blank verse in the treatment of a great subject4444 ,its blank verse1 while having a most complex variety of character1 is the most dramatic blank verse since the ,elizabethan era4444 ,one reads it without a sense almost of there being anything artificial in the construction of the language2 444 one gets the impression that the poet thought and felt spontaneously in blank verse4 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 pp4 #bbd1 #bbe47 ,this eve's the time1 ,this eve intense with yon first trembling star ,we seem to pant and reach2 scarce aught between ,the earth that rises and the heaven that bends2 ,all nature self-abandoned1 every tree ,flung as it will1 pursuing its own thoughts ,and fixed so1 every flower and every weed1 ,no pride1 no shame1 no victory1 no defeat2 ,all under ,god1 each measured by itself4 ,these statues round us stand abrupt1 distinct1 ,the strong in strength1 the weak in weakness fixed1 ,the ,muse forever wedded to her lyre1 ,nymph to her fawn1 and ,silence to her rose3 ,see ,god's approval on his universe6 ,let us do so--aspire to live as these ,in harmony with truth1 ourselves being true6 ,take the first way1 and let the second come6 7,,browning3 ,in a ,balcony4 #ahee47 ,the very ,god6 think1 ,abib2 dost thou think8 ,so1 the ,all-,great were the ,all-,loving too-- ,so1 through the thunder comes a human voice ,saying1 ,o heart ,i made1 a heart beats here6 ,face1 my hands fashioned1 see it in myself6 ,thou hast no power nor may'st conceive of mine1 ,but love ,i gave thee1 with myself to love1 ,and thou must love me who have died for thee4 ,the madman saith ,he said so3 it is strange4 7,,browning3 ,epistle of ,karshish4 #ahee47 ,god's works--paint any one1 and count it crime ,to let a truth slip4 ,don't object1 ,his works ,are here already2 nature is complete3 ,suppose you reproduce her--7which you can't7 ,there's no advantage6 you must beat her1 then4 ,for1 don't you mark8 we're made so that we love ,first when we see them painted1 things we have passed ,perhaps a hundred times nor cared to see2 ,and so they are better1 painted--better to us1 ,which is the same thing4 ,art was given for that2 ,god uses us to help each other so1 ,lending our minds out4 7,,browning3 ,fra ,lippo ,lippi4 #ahee47 ,of some of ,browning's blank verse ,mr4 ,mayor observes3 ,the extreme harshness of many of these lines is almost a match for anything in ,surrey1 only what in ,surrey is helplessness seems the perversity of strength in ,browning4444 ,the ,aristophanic vein in ,browning is continually leading him to trample under foot the dignity of verse and to shock the uninitiated reader by colloquial familiarities1 'thumps upon the back1' such as the poet ,cowper resented2 yet no one can be more impressive than he is when he surrenders himself to the pure spirit of poetry1 and flows onward in a stream of glorious music1 such as that in which ,balaustion pictures ,athens overwhelmed by an advance of the sea 7,aristophanes' ,apology1 p4 #b74 7,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 pp4 #baf1 #bag47 ,but the majestic river floated on1 ,out of the mist and hum of that low land1 ,into the frosty starlight1 and there mov'd1 ,rejoicing1 through the hush'd ,chorasmian waste1 ,under the solitary moon3 he flow'd ,right for the ,polar ,star1 past ,orgunje1 ,brimming1 and bright1 and large3 then sands begin ,to hem his watery march1 and dam his streams1 ,and split his currents2 that for many a league ,the shorn and parcell'd ,oxus strains along ,through beds of sand and matted rushy isles-- ,oxus1 forgetting the bright speed he had ,in his high mountain cradle in ,pamere1 ,a foil'd1 circuitous wanderer3--till at last ,the long'd-for dash of waves is heard1 and wide ,his luminous home of waters opens1 bright ,and tranquil1 from whose floor the new-bath'd stars ,emerge1 and shine upon the ,aral ,sea4 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,sohrab and ,rustum4 #ahec47 ,here is the place3 but read it low and sweet4 ,put out the lamp6 --,the glimmering page is clear4 ,now on that day it chanced that ,launcelot1 ,thinking to find the ,king1 found ,guenevere ,alone2 and when he saw her whom he loved1 ,whom he had met too late1 yet loved the more2 ,such was the tumult at his heart that he ,could speak not1 for her husband was his friend1 ,his dear familiar friend3 and they two held ,no secret from each other until now2 ,but were like brothers born--my voice breaks off4 ,read you a little on4 --,and ,guenevere1 ,turning1 beheld him suddenly whom she ,loved in her thought1 and even from that hour ,when first she saw him2 for by day1 by night1 ,though lying by her husband's side1 did she ,weary for ,launcelot1 and knew full well ,how ill that love1 and yet that love how deep6 ,i cannot see--the page is dim3 read you4 --,now they two were alone1 yet could not speak2 ,but heard the beating of each other's hearts4 ,he knew himself a traitor but to stay1 ,yet could not stir3 she pale and yet more pale ,grew till she could no more1 but smiled on him4 ,then when he saw that wished smile1 he came ,near to her and still near1 and trembled2 then ,her lips all trembling kissed4 --,ah1 ,launcelot6 7,,stephen ,,phillips3 ,paolo and ,francesca1 ,,iii4 iii4 #aija47 ,the blank verse of ,stephen ,phillips is the most important--one may say perhaps the only important--that has been written since ,tennyson's2 and it is of especial interest as forming an actual revival of the form on the ,english stage4 ,aside from the dramas1 it is seen at its best in ,marpessa4 ,imitating ,milton1 and at the same time handling the measure with original force1 ,mr4 ,phillips introduces unusual cadences1 for which he has been severely reproached by the critics4 ,such lines as the following are typical of these variations from the normal rhythm3 ,o all fresh out of beautiful sunlight4 ,agamemnon bowed over1 and from his wheel4 ,and to dispel shadows and shadowy fear4 ,my bloom faded1 and waning light of eyes4 ,for a criticism of ,mr4 ,phillips's verse1 see ,mr4 ,william ,archer's ,poets of the ,younger ,generation1 pp4 #cac-cbg4 ,,footnotes3 #ai ,one may easily find other instances of the sporadic appearance of the same measure in the midst of irregular long lines or rough alexandrines and septenaries4 ,compare1 for example1 the following1 from early plays in ,manly's ,specimens of the ,pre-,shaksperean ,drama3 ,to be alone1 nor very convenyent4 ,ye shall not touche yt1 for that ,i forbede4 ,but ye shuld be as godes resydent4 ,and many a chaumbyr thou xalt have therinne4 ,in this flood spylt is many a mannys blood4 ,therfore be we now cast in ryght grett care4 ,the context of many of these lines shows that they were intended to be read as four-stress rather than five-stress2 but such examples serve to make clear how easily ,english rhythm would fall into the decasyllabic line4 #bj ,see also an account of ,zarncke's monograph 7#ahfe7 ,ueber den fnffussiger ,iambus1 in ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 ,postscript4 #ba ,see the entire ,preface in ,chalmers's ,english ,poets1 vol4 viii4 p4 #cb1 and in the ,appendix to ,gosse's ,from ,shakespeare to ,pope4 ,for an analysis of ,waller's verse with reference to this ,preface1 see ,a ,note upon ,waller's ,distich1 by ,h4 ,c4 ,beeching1 in the ,furnivall ,miscellany 7#aija71 p4 #d4 #bb ,beaumont's own verse is of no little interest1 and ,mr4 ,gosse1 in a recent letter to the present editor1 observes that he finds in ,beaumont1 far more definitely than in ,george ,sandys1 the principal precursor of ,waller4 #bc ,see also the verses of ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes on ,the ,strong ,heroic ,line 7in ,stedman's ,american ,anthology1 p4 #afa71 where he says3 ,nor let the rhymester of the hour deride ,the straight-backed measure with its stately stride3 ,it gave the mighty voice of ,dryden scope2 ,it sheathed the steel-bright epigrams of ,pope2 ,in ,goldsmith's verse it learned a sweeter strain2 ,byron and ,campbell wore its clanking chain2 ,i smile to listen while the critic's scorn ,flouts the proud purple kings have nobly worn4 #bd ,on the verse of ,keats in general1 see the remarks of ,mr4 ,robert ,bridges in his ,introduction to the ,muses' ,library edition of ,keats4 #be ,on ,shelley's metres1 see ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 chap4 xiv4 #bf ,on the verse of ,surrey in general1 see ,w4 ,j4 ,courthope1 in his ,history of ,english ,poetry1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #ib-if4 ,mr4 ,courthope speaks highly of ,surrey as a metrist1 in particular attributing to him certain reforms in the handling of ,english verse3 the attempt to use five perfect iambic feet to the line1 the harmonious placing of the cesura1 the avoidance of rime on weak syllables1 the preservation of the accent on the even-numbered syllables4 7,to some of these reforms1 as has been indicated1 there are not a few exceptions47 ,in like manner ten ,brink observes that ,surrey is more successful than ,wyatt in adapting foreign rules to the rhythmical accent of the ,english language1 and thus he is in reality the founder of the ,new-,english metrical system4 7,english ,literature1 ,kennedy trans41 vol4 iii4 p4 #bdc47 ,on the blank verse of ,surrey1 see also an article by ,prof4 ,o4 ,j4 ,emerson1 in ,modern ,language ,notes1 vol4 iv4 col4 #dff1 and ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 chap4 x4 #bg ,the edition of #afaf has3 ,one drop of blood will save me3 ,o my ,christ6 ,rend not my heart for naming of my ,christ6 and omits the preceding line4 7,see ,bullen ed41 vol4 i4 pp4 #bgi1 #bhj47 #bh ,on ,marlowe's verse see also ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 chap4 x4 #bi ,on the technical problems of ,shakspere's verse1 see ,fleay's ,shakspere ,manual2 ,abbott's ,shakespearean ,grammar2 ,g4 ,browne's ,notes on ,shakspere's ,versification2 and ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre4 #cj ,in a play of #bejj lines ,massinger might possibly have as many as #abjj double or triple endings1 ,shakspere in his last period might have as many as #hej1 while ,fletcher would normally have at least #agjj1 and might not improbably give as many as #bjjj4 7,g4 ,c4 ,macaulay1 in ,francis ,beaumont1 pp4 #dc1 #dd4 ,see the entire passage on ,fletcher's metre as a test of authorship4 ,mr4 ,macaulay also remarks interestingly that ,fletcher's metrical style is an outgrowth of his general use of the loose or disjointed1 as opposed to the periodic or rounded1 style of speech4 ,to this ,shakspere worked his way slowly1 while ,fletcher seems to have at once and naturally adopted it47 ,see also ,fleay's ,shakespeare ,manual1 p4 #aec4 #ca ,on ,massinger's verse see also ,fleay's ,shakespeare ,manual1 p4 #aed4 #cb ,on ,milton's verse1 see1 besides the entire third essay in ,mr4 ,symonds's book1 ,masson's edition of ,milton1 vol4 iii4 pp4 #ajg-acc2 ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody2 ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 pp4 #ga-gg and #if-aje2 chapter xii4 of ,corson's ,primer of ,english ,verse2 and a passage in ,de ,quincey's essay on ,milton v4 ,southey and ,landor1 in his works1 ed4 ,masson1 vol4 xi4 pp4 #dfc ff4 ,says ,de ,quincey3 ,you might as well tax ,mozart with harshness in the divinest passages of ,don ,giovanni as ,milton with any such offence against metrical science4 ,be assured it is yourself that do not read with understanding1 not ,milton that by possibility can be found deaf to the demands of perfect harmony4 #cc ,aaron ,hill 7#afhe-agej71 an admirer of ,thomson1 wrote a ,poem in ,praise of ,blank ,verse1 opening3 ,up from ,rhyme's poppied vale6 and ride the storm ,that thunders in blank verse6 ,on the other hand1 there were not wanting protestants against the form1 like ,dr4 ,johnson and ,goldsmith 7see above1 p4 #bje74 ,robert ,lloyd 7#agcc-agfd7 wrote3 ,some ,milton-mad 7an affectation ,glean'd up from college-education7 ,approve no verse1 but that which flows ,in epithetic measur'd prose2444 the metre which they call ,blank1 classic blank1 their all in all4 7,quoted in ,perry's ,english ,literature in the ,eighteenth ,century1 p4 #che47 #cd ,on its analysis1 see ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 chap4 xiii4 ,,iii4 ,,six-,,stress ,,and ,,seven-,,stress ,,verse ,a4--,,the ,,alexandrine 7,,iambic ,,hexameter7 ,the alexandrine was introduced into ,english from ,french verse1 as early 7according to ,schipper7 as the early part of the thirteenth century4 ,early poems in this metre alone1 however1 are almost wholly wanting1 if they ever existed4 ,the early alexandrines usually appear in conjunction with the septenary 7seven-stress verse74 ,the ,french alexandrine has almost always been characterized by a regular and strongly marked medial cesura1 and this very commonly appears in the ,english form1 but by no means universally4 ,the ,french alexandrine is of uncertain origin4 ,kawczynski would trace it to the classical ,asclepiadean verse1 as in ,mcenas atavis edite regibus1 which at least has the requisite number of syllables4 ,it appeared in ,france as early as the first part of the twelfth century1 and in four-line stanzas was the favorite for didactic poetry as late as the beginning of the fifteenth century2 otherwise1 in the close of the fourteenth century1 it was supplanted by the decasyllabic4 ,in the middle of the sixteenth century it again won precedence over the decasyllabic--in part through the influence of ,ronsard--and is of course the standard measure of modern ,french poetry4 ,the name alexandrine seems to have been applied in the fifteenth century1 from the familiar use of the measure in the ,alexander romance4 ,the earliest known mention of the term is in ,herenc's ,doctrinal de la secunde ,retorique4 7,see ,stengel's article in ,grber's ,grundriss der ,romanischen ,philologie1 from which these statements are taken47 ,the ,french alexandrine is in a sense a quite different measure from the ,english form4 ,accent is an element of so comparatively slight importance in the ,french language and ,french rhythm1 that its place seems partly to be filled by regularity of cesural pause and regularity in the counting of syllables4 ,the ,french alexandrine1 therefore1 may often be described as a verse of twelve syllables1 divided into two equal parts by a pause1 with marked accents on the sixth and twelfth syllables1 but with the other accents irregularly disposed4 ,often it seems to an ,english reader to have an anapestic effect1 and to be best described as anapestic tetrameter4 ,in ,english1 however1 while the regularity in the number of syllables is followed1 and very commonly the medial pause1 there is also observed the regularity of alternate accents which gives the verse the characteristic form indicated by the term six-stress4 ',ye nuten hwat ye bidde1 at of gode nabbe imone2 for al eure bileve is on stokke oer on stone3 ac eo1 at god iknowe1 heo wyten myd iwisse1 at hele is icume to monne of folke judaysse4' ',loverd1' heo seyde1 'nu quidde men1 at cumen is ,messyas1 e king1 at wur and nuen is and ever yete was4 hwenne he cume1 he wyle us alle ryhtleche2 for he nule ne he ne con nenne mon bipeche4' 7,de ,muliere ,samaritana1 ll4 #ea-eh4 ,in ,morris's ,old ,english ,miscellany1 p4 #hd2 and ,zupitza's ,alt- und ,mittelenglisches bungsbuch1 p4 #hc4 ab4 #abej47 ,this early poem illustrates the irregular use of alexandrines near the time of their introduction into ,english4 ,the poem opens with a septenary-- ,tho ,iesu ,crist an eorthe was1 mylde weren his dede2 and septenaries and alexandrines are used interchangeably4 ,dr4 ,triggs says1 in his notes on the poem in ,mc,lean's edition of ,zupitza's bungsbuch1 that lines #e1 #f1 #i-ah1 #be-bh1 #ci1 #dj1 #dc1 #dd1 #di-ed1 #eg1 #eh1 #fc1 #fd1 #ff1 #fg1 #gj-gb1 #gd1 #ge are alexandrines4 7,introduction1 p4 lxii47 ,the ,english tendency toward indifference to regularity in the counting of syllables is also noticeable4 ,in the same way the early poem called ,the ,passion of our ,lord 7ed4 ,morris1 ,e4,e4,t4,s4 xlix4 #cg71 which is thought from the heading--,ici cumence la passyun ihesu crist en engleys--to be a translation from the ,french1 shows a preponderance of alexandrines1 although it opens in septenary4 ,see also such poems as the ,death1 ,doomsday1 etc41 in the ,old ,english ,miscellany4 ,the alexandrine was easily confused by the ,middle ,english writers1 not only with the septenary1 but with the native long line1 and it is often difficult to say just what rhythm was in the writer's mind4 ,thus a line like ,be stille1 leve soster1 thin herte the to-breke1 from the ,judas1 may be regarded either as an alexandrine or a long four-stress line4 ,in ,westsex was an a kyng1 his name was ,sir ,ine4 ,whan he wist of the ,bretons1 of werre ne wild he fine4 ,messengers he sent thorghout ,inglond ,unto e ,inglis kynges1 at had it in er hond1 ,and teld how e ,bretons1 men of mykelle myght1 e lond wild wynne ageyn orh force and fyght4 ,hastisly ilkone e kynges com fulle suythe1 ,bolde men and stoute1 er hardinesse to kie4 ,in a grete ,daneis felde er ei samned alle1 at ever sien hiderward ,kampedene men kalle4 7,,robert ,,manning of ,brunne3 ,chronicle of ,peter de ,langtoft4 ,hearne ed41 vol4 i4 p4 #b4 ab4 #acbe47 ,this poem is one of the very few representatives of distinctly alexandrine verse in ,middle ,english4 ,the original poem being in alexandrines1 ,manning followed it closely4 ,in the first part1 however1 he put rimes only at the ends of the verses1 whereas later he introduced internal rime1 thus resolving the verse into short lines of three stresses4 ,schipper observes that the four following lines are each representative of a familiar type of the ,french alexandrine3 ,messengers he sent orghout ,inglond ,unto the ,inglis kynges1 at had it in er hond4 ,after ,ethelbert com ,elfrith his broer1 at was ,egbrihtes sonne and ghit er was an oer4 7,englische ,metrik1 vol4 i4 p4 #beb47 ,the so-called ,legend-,cycle is also marked by a sort of alexandrine couplet4 7,see ten ,brink's ,english ,literature1 ,kennedy trans41 vol4 i4 p4 #bgd47 ,o6 think ,i1 had ,i wings like to the simple dove1 ,this peril might ,i fly1 and seek some place of rest ,in wilder woods1 where ,i might dwell far from these cares4 ,what speedy way of wing my plaints should they lay on1 ,to 'scape the stormy blast that threatened is to me8 ,rein those unbridled tongues6 break that conjured league6 ,for ,i decipher'd have amid our town the strife4 7,,earl ,,of ,,surrey3 ,psalm4 ,,lv4 ab4 #aedj47 ,this is a not very successful experiment in unrimed alexandrines4 ,others of ,surrey's ,psalms are in rimed ,poulter's ,measure 7alexandrines alternating with septenary74 ,o1 let me breathe a while1 and hold thy heavy hand1 ,my grievous faults with ,shame enough ,i understand4 ,take ruth and pity on my plaint1 or else ,i am forlorn2 ,let not the world continue thus in laughing me to scorn4 ,madam1 if ,i be he1 to whom you once were bent1 ,with whom to spend your time sometime you were content3 ,if any hope be left1 if any recompense ,be able to recover this forepassed negligence1 ,o1 help me now1 poor wretch1 in this most heavy plight1 ,and furnish me yet once again with ,tediousness to fight4 7,the ,marriage of ,wit and ,science1 ,v4 ii41 in ,dodsley's ,old ,english ,plays1 ed4 ,hazlitt1 vol4 ii4 p4 #chf4 ab4 #aegj47 ,in this play the alexandrine is the dominant measure1 though mingled with occasional septenaries still4 7,see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 p4 #bef47 ,while favor fed my hope1 delight with hope was brought1 ,thought waited on delight1 and speech did follow thought2 ,then grew my tongue and pen records unto thy glory1 ,i thought all words were lost that were not spent of thee1 ,i thought each place was dark but where thy lights would be1 ,and all ears worse than deaf that heard not out thy story4 7,,sidney3 ,astrophel and ,stella1 ,fifth ,song4 ,in stanzas aabccb4 ab4 #aehj47 ,see also ,sidney's sonnet in alexandrines1 p4 #bgb1 below4 ,of ,albion's glorious isle the wonders whilst ,i write1 ,the sundry varying soils1 the pleasures infinite1 7,where heat kills not the cold1 nor cold expels the heat1 ,the calms too mildly small1 nor winds too roughly great1 ,nor night doth hinder day1 nor day the night doth wrong1 ,the summer not too short1 the winter not too long7 ,what help shall ,i invoke to aid my ,muse the while8 ,thou ,genius of the place 7this most renowned isle7 ,which livedst long before the all-earth-drowning flood1 ,whilst yet the world did swarm with her gigantic brood1 ,go thou before me still thy circling shores about1 ,and in this wand'ring maze help to conduct me out4 7,,drayton3 ,polyolbion1 ll4 #a-ab4 #afac47 ,this is by all odds the longest ,modern ,english poem in alexandrines1 and while the verse is often agreeable1 it illustrates the unfitness of the measure--to ,english ears--for long1 continuous poems4 ,the dew was falling fast1 the stars began to blink2 ,i heard a voice2 it said1 ,drink1 pretty creature1 drink6 ,and looking o'er the hedge1 before me ,i espied ,a snow-white mountain-lamb with a ,maiden at its side4 7,,wordsworth3 ,the ,pet ,lamb4 #ahjj47 ,if hunger1 proverbs say1 allures the wolf from wood1 ,much more the bird must dare a dash at something good3 ,must snatch up1 bear away in beak1 the trifle-treasure ,to wood and wild1 and then--,o how enjoy at leisure6 ,was never tree-built nest1 you climbed and took1 of bird1 7,rare city-visitant1 talked of1 scarce seen or heard17 ,but1 when you would dissect the structure1 piece by piece1 ,you found1 enwreathed amid the country-product--fleece ,and feather1 thistle-fluffs and bearded windlestraws-- ,some shred of foreign silk1 unravelling of gauze1 ,bit1 maybe1 of brocade1 mid fur and blow-bell-down3 ,filched plainly from mankind1 dear tribute paid by town1 ,which proved how oft the bird had plucked up heart of grace1 ,swooped down at waif and stray1 made furtively our place ,pay tax and toll1 then borne the booty to enrich ,her paradise i' the waste2 the how and why of which1 ,that is the secret1 there the mystery that stings6 7,,browning3 ,fifine at the ,fair1 ix4 #ahgb47 ,browning has made of the alexandrine in this poem an almost new measure1 hardly more like the alexandrine couplet of earlier days than the measure of ,sordello is like the heroic couplet proper4 ,in general1 the modern use of the alexandrine is characterized by increased freedom in the placing of the cesura4 ,it is also distinguished from the early ,french and ,middle ,english forms by the fact that the cesura and the ending are commonly masculine4 ,by far the most frequent use of the alexandrine in ,english poetry is as a variant from the five-stress line4 ,for instances of this1 see the section on the ,spenserian stanza1 pp4 #ajb-ajh1 above1 and ,corson's chapters on the ,spenserian stanza and its influence1 in his ,primer of ,english ,verse4 ,in connection with ,dryden's use of the alexandrine as a variant from the heroic couplet1 ,mr4 ,saintsbury makes some interesting observations on the measure3 ,the metre1 though a well-known ,english critic has maltreated it of late1 is a very fine one2 and some of ,dryden's own lines are unmatched examples of that 'energy divine' which has been attributed to him4 ,in an essay on the alexandrine in ,english poetry1 which yet remains to be written1 and which would be not the least valuable of contributions to poetical criticism1 this use of the verse would have to be considered1 as well as its regular recurrent employment at the close of the ,spenserian stanza1 and its continuous use4444 ,an examination of the ,polyolbion and of ,fifine at the ,fair1 side by side1 would1 ,i think1 reveal capacities1 somewhat unexpected even in this form of arrangement4 ,but so far as the occasional alexandrine is concerned1 it is not a hyperbole to say that a number1 out of all proportion1 of the best lines in ,english poetry may be found in the closing verses of the ,spenserian stave as used by ,spenser himself1 by ,shelley1 and by the present ,laureate1 and in the occasional alexandrines of ,dryden4 ,the only thing to be said against this latter use is1 that it demands a very skilful ear and hand to adjust the cadence4 7,life of ,dryden1 in ,men of ,letters ,series1 pp4 #agb1 #agc47 ,b4--,,the ,,septenary ,the septenary1 or seven-stress verse 7sometimes called the septenarius1 from the ,latin form of the word7 was a familiar measure of medival ,latin poetry4 ,there it was more commonly trochaic than iambic1 as in the famous drinking song of the ,goliards3 ,meum est propositum in taberna mori3 ,vinum sit appositum morientis ori1 ,ut dicant cum venerint angelorum chori1 ',deus sit propitius huic potatori6' 7,see the ,confessio ,goliae1 in ,latin ,poems attributed to ,walter ,mapes1 ed4 ,wright1 p4 #ga47 ,another form of the measure is illustrated by some verses quoted by ,schipper3 ,fortunae rota volvitur1 descendo minoratus1 ,alter in altum tollitur1 nimis exaltatus4 ,in ,english1 naturally enough1 the measure always tended to be iambic4 ,in both ,latin and ,english there was considerable freedom as to the number of light syllables4 ,it will be noticed that in the specimens just quoted from the ,latin there is rime not only between the ends of the verses but between the syllables just preceding the cesura4 ,where this was the case there was a tendency toward the breaking up of the verse into a quatrain of verses in four and three stresses1 riming abab2 such septenaries1 indeed1 were written at pleasure either in couplets or quatrains4 ,we shall see the same phenomena in the ,english forms of the measure4 ,but the seven-stress rhythm is not easily lost or mistaken1 in whatever form it appears1 and has a certain charm which at one time appealed very widely to metrical taste4 ,the earliest appearance of the septenary in ,english is in the ,poema ,morale1 dated about #aagj by ,zupitza1 by others somewhat later4 ,for a specimen of this1 see p4 #abg1 above4 ,here there is only end-rime1 and the individuality of the long line is well preserved4 ,there is some freedom1 however1 as to the number of light syllables1 and some variation between the iambic and trochaic rhythm4 ,blessed beo thu1 lavedi1 ful of hovene blisse1 ,swete flur of parais1 moder of miltenisse2 ,thu praye ,jhesu ,crist thi sone that he me i-wisse1 ,thare a londe al swo ihc beo1 that he me ne i-misse4 7,hymn to the ,virgin1 in ,mtzner's ,altenglische ,sprachproben1 vol4 i4 p4 #ed47 ,mtzner prints this poem in short lines of four and three stresses1 the cesura making such a division natural enough4 ,the next specimen is also frequently printed with the same division4 iss boc iss nemmnedd ,orrmulum1 forr i att ,orrm itt wrohhte1 annd itt iss wrohht off quarigan1 off goddspellbokess fowwre1 off quarigan ,amminadab1 off ,cristess goddspellbokess2 forr ,crist maghgh urh ,amminadab rihht full wel ben bitacnedd2 forr ,crist toc d o rodetre all wi hiss fulle wille2 annd forri att ,amminadab o latin spche iss nemmnedd o latin boc spontaneus annd onn ennglisshe spche att weppmann1 att summ dede do wi all hiss fulle wille1 fori maghgh ,crist full wel ben urrh ,amminadab bitacnedd4 7,the ,ormulum1 ll4 #a-i4 ab4 #abjj47 ,in this specimen we have the septenary without rime1 a rare form4 ,orm's septenaries are also the most regular of the ,middle ,english period1 preserving an almost painful accuracy throughout the #bj1jjj extant lines of the poem4 ,in general the measure appears in this period in combination with alexandrines and other measures1 and with much irregularity4 ,like the alexandrine1 it was sometimes confused with the long four-stress line4 ,in the well-known poem called ,a ,little ,soth ,sermun the first line is an unquestionable septenary 7,herkneth alle gode men and stylle sitteth a-dun71 but presently we find verse of six stresses1 and even short four-stress couplets4 ,torne we aghen in tour sawes1 and speke we atte frome of erld ,olyver and his felawes1 at ,sarazyns habbe ynome4 e ,sarazyns pryka faste away1 as harde as ay may hye1 and lede wi hymen at riche pray1 e flour of chyvalrye4 7,sir ,fyrumbras1 ll4 #aajd-aajg4 ,in ,zupitza',s ,alt- und ,mittelenglisches bungsbuch1 p4 #ajg4 ab4 #achj47 ,in this specimen--from a popular romance--we have the use of cesural rime as well as end-rime1 just as in the ,latin specimens cited above4 ,i tell of things done long ago1 ,of many things in few3 ,and chiefly of this clime of ours ,the accidents pursue4 ,thou high director of the same1 ,assist mine artless pen1 ,to write the gests of ,britons stout1 ,and acts of ,english men4 7,,william ,,warner3 ,albion's ,england1 ll4 #a-h4 #aehf47 ,here we have the measure in its resolved or divided form1 printed as short four-stress and three-stress lines1 although with rime only at the seventh stress4 ,compare the common metre of modern hymns3 ,must ,i be carried to the skies ,on flowery beds of ease1 ,while others fought to win the prize ,and sailed through bloody seas8 ,as when about the silver moon1 when air is free from wind1 ,and stars shine clear1 to whose sweet beams1 high prospects1 and the brows ,of all steep hills and pinnacles1 thrust up themselves for shows1 ,and even the lowly valleys joy to glitter in their sight1 ,when the unmeasured firmament bursts to disclose her light1 ,and all the signs in heaven are seen1 that glad the shepherd's heart2 ,so many fires disclosed their beams1 made by the ,trojan part1 ,before the face of ,ilion1 and her bright turrets show'd4 ,a thousand courts of guard kept fires1 and every guard allow'd ,fifty stout men1 by whom their horse eat oats and hard white corn1 ,and all did wishfully expect the silver-throned morn4 7,,chapman3 ,iliad1 book ,,viii4 #afaj47 ,chapman's translation of ,iliad is the longest modern ,english poem in septenaries4 ,professor ,newman1 however 7whose translation gave rise to ,matthew ,arnold's lectures ,on ,translating ,homer71 used the same measure unrimed and with feminine endings2 thus1-- ,he spake1 and yelling1 held afront the single-hoofed horses4 ,arnold objected to ,chapman's measure that it has a jogging rapidity rather than a flowing rapidity1 and a movement familiar rather than nobly easy4 ,rejoice1 oh1 ,english hearts1 rejoice6 rejoice1 oh1 lovers dear6 ,rejoice1 oh1 city1 town and country6 rejoice1 eke every shire6 ,for now the fragrant flowers do spring and sprout in seemly sort1 ,the little birds do sit and sing1 the lambs do make fine sport2 ,and now the birchen-tree doth bud1 that makes the schoolboy cry2 ,the morris rings1 while hobby-horse doth foot it feateously2 ,the lords and ladies now abroad1 for their disport and play1 ,do kiss sometimes upon the grass1 and sometimes in the hay4 7,,beaumont3 ,the ,knight of the ,burning ,pestle1 ,,iv4 v4 ab4 #afaj47 ,here the septenary is introduced in the ,may-day song of ,ralph1 the ,london apprentice1 doubtless because of its popularity for such unliterary verse4 ,in somer1 when the shawes be sheyne1 ,and leves be large and long1 ,hit is full mery in feyre foreste ,to here the foulys song4 7,ballad of ,robin ,hood and the ,monk1 in ,gummere's ,english ,ballads1 p4 #gg47 ,it is an ancient ,mariner1 ,and he stoppeth one of three4 ,by thy long grey beard and glittering eye1 ,now wherefore stopp'st thou me8 444 444 ,he prayeth best1 who loveth best ,all things both great and small2 ,for the dear ,god who loveth us1 ,he made and loveth all4 7,,coleridge3 ,the ,ancient ,mariner1 ll4 #a-d1 #fad-fag4 #agih47 ,these specimens show the ballad stanza1 which is made of a sort of septenary resolved into short lines of four and three accents4 ,it is often assumed that the measure was derived from the ,latin septenary2 but owing to the difficulty of supposing that a foreign metre should have been adopted for the most popular of all forms of poetry1 some scholars prefer to think that the ballad stanza of this form is the same as that in which all lines have four accents 7see specimen on p4 #aeg1 above71 the last accent of the second and fourth lines having dropped off by natural processes4 ,on the ballad stanzas in general1 see ,gummere's ,english ,ballads1 ,appendix ,,ii4 p4 #cjc4 ,compare with the present specimens the metre of ,cowper's ,john ,gilpin4 ,that cross he now was fastening there1 as the surest power and best ,for supplying all deficiencies1 all wants of the rude nest ,in which1 from burning heat1 or tempest driving far and wide1 ,the innocent boy1 else shelterless1 his lonely head must hide4 7,,wordsworth3 ,the ,norman ,boy4 #ahdb47 ,this is a rare instance of the use of the long septenary in nineteenth-century poetry4 ,certainly in ,wordsworth's verses the metrical effect cannot be called happy2 the measure is made especially clumsy by the introduction of hypermetrical light syllables4 ,in the succeeding specimen the same measure is used with feminine ending4 ,o poets1 from a maniac's tongue was poured the deathless singing6 ,o ,christians1 at your cross of hope a hopeless hand was clinging6 ,o men1 this man in brotherhood your weary paths beguiling1 ,groaned inly while he taught you peace1 and died while ye were smiling6 7,,elizabeth ,,barrett ,,browning3 ,cowper's ,grave4 #ahcc47 ,c4--,,the ,,poulter',s ,,measure4 ,in the ,elizabethan age the alexandrine and the septenary were each used chiefly in conjunction with the other1 in alternation of six-stress and seven-stress verses4 ,the name commonly applied to the combination is taken from ,gascoigne's ,notes of ,instruction 7#aege71 where he says3 ,the commonest sort of verse which we use now adayes 7viz4 the long verse of twelve and fourtene sillables7 ,i know not certainly howe to name it1 unlesse ,i should say that it doth consist of ,poulters measure1 which giveth xii4 for one dozen and xiiii4 for another4 7,arber's ,reprint1 p4 #ci47 ,it strikes the reader with surprise to find the measure thus spoken of as the commonest sort of verse1 but a glance at any of the early ,elizabethan anthologies will show the justness of ,gascoigne's words4 ,yet the measure1 while exceedingly popular1 seems to have been instinctively avoided by the best poets 7after the days of ,surrey and ,sidney72 hence it is unfamiliar to modern readers4 ,the use of alexandrines and septenaries together1 we have seen1 was common even in the ,middle ,english period1 but not in regular alternation4 ,the ,chronicle of ,robert of ,gloucester 7about #acjj7 mingles both measures1 but with alexandrines predominating4 ,in some of the early ,mystery ,plays they are found in alternation2 for example1 where ,jacob1 in one of the ,towneley plays1 is relating his hunger to ,esau3 ,meat or drink1 save my life1 or bread1 ,i reck not what3 ,if there be nothing else1 some man give me a cat4 ,see also the specimen from ,the ,marriage of ,wit and ,science1 p4 #bef1 above4 ,schipper says that he does not know who first brought the two measures together in alternate use for lyrical poetry4 ,guest says that the ,poulter's ,measure came into fashion soon after #aejj 7,history of ,english ,rhythms71 but gives no examples so early4 ,the history of the measure should be further investigated4 ,after the ,elizabethan period the ,poulter's ,measure practically disappears from ,english poetry4 ,a curious suggestion of it may be found in a little poem of ,leigh ,hunt's 7,wealth and ,womanhood71 cited by ,schipper1 who calls the verse ,poulter's ,measure in trochaics3 ,have you seen an heiress in her jewels mounted1 ,till her wealth and she seemed one1 and she might be counted8 ,laid in my quiet bed1 in study as ,i were1 ,i saw within my troubled head a heap of thoughts appear3 ,and every thought did show so lively in mine eyes1 ,that now ,i sighed1 and then ,i smiled1 as cause of thought doth rise4 7,,earl ,,of ,,surrey3 ,how no ,age is ,content with his ,own ,estate1 in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets4 ,arber's ,reprint1 p4 #cj4 ,pub4 #aeeg47 ,her forehead jacinth like1 her cheeks of opal hue1 ,her twinkling eyes bedeck'd with pearl1 her lips as sapphire blue2 ,her hair like crapal stone1 her mouth ,o heavenly wide2 ,her skin like burnish'd gold1 her hands like silver ore untried4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,mopsa1 in the ,arcadia4 ab4 #aehj47 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,sonnet ,the sonnet is an ,italian verse-form1 in fourteen five-stress lines1 introduced into ,england at the time of the ,italian literary influences of the sixteenth century4 ,almost from the first1 the ,english sonnet has been divided into two classes3 one based on more or less strict imitation of the structure of the ,italian form1 and variously called the ,italian1 the regular1 or the legitimate sonnet2 the other taking the ,italian sonnet as the point of departure1 but constructed according to more familiar ,english rime-schemes1 and commonly called the ,shaksperian or the ,english sonnet4 ,the origin of the sonnet in southern ,europe is a matter of some disagreement4 ,some scholars trace it to the canzone strophe 7e4g4 ,gaspary1 in his ,geschichte der ,italienischen ,literatur71 others to the combination of the ottava rima with a six-line stanza 7,welti1 in his ,geschichte des ,sonettes in der deutschen ,dichtung71 others to ,provenal and even ,german influence4 7,see ,schipper1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #hce ff41 and ,lentzner's ,das ,sonett und seine ,gestaltung in der englischen ,dichtung1 p4 #a47 ,it seems first to have been a recognized form in ,italy in the latter part of the thirteenth century 7see ,tomlinson's ,the ,sonnet3 its ,origin1 ,structure1 and ,place in ,poetry72 and was made glorious by ,dante1 ,michael ,angelo1 ,tasso1 ,ariosto1 and--above all--,petrarch4 ,on the different forms of the ,italian sonnet1 see ,tomlinson's essay1 just cited4 ,the object of the regular or legitimate ,italian sonnet1 says ,mr4 ,tomlinson1 is to express one1 and only one1 idea1 mood1 sentiment1 or proposition1 and this must be introduced 444 in the first quatrain1 and so far explained in the second1 that this may end in a full point2 while the office of the first tercet is to prepare the leading idea of the quatrains for the conclusion1 which conclusion is to be perfectly carried out in the second tercet1 so that it may contain the fundamental idea of the poem4 7pp4 #bg1 #bh47 ,the ,italian form is always marked by the division into octave and sestet1 although ,english usage has been very irregular in marking this division by a full pause4 ,the octave is based on only two rimes 7abbaabba72 the sestet on either two or three1 the most common arrangements being cdecde1 cdcdcd1 cdedce1 and cddcee4 ,with regard to the pause at the point of division ,lentzner says3 ,it should not be a full pause1 because this would produce the effect of a gap or breaking-off1 444--not like the speaker who has reached the end of what he has to say1 but like one who reflects on what has already been said1 and then takes fresh breath to complete his theme4#ce ,most critics prefer those forms of sestet which avoid a final riming couplet4 ,this ,mr4 ,courthope explains as follows3 ,the reason for the avoidance of the couplet in the second portion of the sonnet is1 ,i think1 plain4 ,in the first eight lines the thought ascends to a climax2 this part of the sonnet may be said to contain the premises of the poetical syllogism4 ,in the last six lines the idea descends to a conclusion1 and as the two divisions are of unequal length it is necessary that the lesser should be the more individualised4 ,hence while1 in the first part1 the expression of the thought is massed and condensed by reduplications of sound1 and the general movement is limited by quatrains2 in the second part the clauses are separated by the alternation of the rhymes1 the movement is measured by tercets1 and the whole weight of the rhetorical emphasis is thrown into the last line4 7,history of ,english ,poetry1 vol4 ii4 p4 #ia47 ,the sonnet has remained1 since its introduction into ,english poetry1 a favorite form among poets and critics1 but has never become genuinely popular4 ,it is suited1 of course1 only for the expression of dignified and careful thinking2 and the difficulty of giving it unity and confining the content to the precise limit of fourteen lines has made perfect success in the form a rare attainment4 ,furthermore1 the complexity of the rime-scheme--the distance at which one rime responds to another--makes the appreciation of the form a matter of some delicacy1 less suited to the prevailingly simple taste of the ,english ear than to the more complex taste of the ,italian4 ,the following specimens are classified only in the two principal groups of the ,italian and the ,english form4 ,the common test of the ,italian form is that the rime-scheme shall separate the first eight lines from the rest1 these eight lines ordinarily showing inclusive rime of the abba type2 the test of the ,english form is that the rime-scheme shall separate the first twelve lines from the last two1 the twelve lines ordinarily showing alternate rime4 ,schipper groups ,english sonnets in five classes3 7#a7 the strict ,italian form1 with pause between octave and sestet2 7#b7 the ,surrey-,shakspere or ,english form2 7#c7 the ,spenserian form2 7#d7 the ,miltonic form1 with correct rime-arrangement but general neglect of the bipartite structure2 7#e7 the modern ,italian or ,wordsworthian form1 following the regular rime-scheme in general1 but often with a third or even a fourth rime in the octave1 and treated as a single strophe4 7,englische ,metrik1 vol4 ii4 p4 #hgh47cf ,a4--,,the ,,regular 7,,italian7 ,,sonnet ,in this group the student of the subject should note the detailed variations of the rime-scheme of the sestet1 and the varying practice of the poets as to the division between octave and sestet4 ,in view of the connection of ,petrarch's sonnets with ,wyatt's introduction of the form into ,england1 the first of them is reproduced as a typical specimen of the strict ,italian form4 ,voi ch' ascoltate in rime sparse il suono ,di quei sospiri ond' io nudriva 'l core ,in su 'l mio primo giovenile errore1 ,quand' era in parte altr' uom da quel ch' i' sono1 ,del vario stile1 in ch' io piango e ragiono ,fra le vane speranze e 'l van dolore1 ,ove sia chi per prova intenda amore ,spero trovar piet1 non che perdono4 ,ma ben veggi' or s come al popol tutto ,favola fui gran tempo1 onde sovente ,di me medesmo meco mi vergogno2 ,e del mio vaneggiar vergogna 'l frutto1 ,e 'l pentirsi1 e 'l conoscer chiaramente ,che quanto piace al mondo breve sogno4 7,,petrarca3 ,sonetto i47 ,the longe love that in my thought ,i harber1 ,and in my heart doth kepe his residence1 ,into my face preaseth with bold pretence1 ,and there campeth1 displaying his banner4 ,she that me learns to love1 and to suffer1 ,and willes that my trust1 and lustes negligence ,be reined by reason1 shame1 and reverence1 ,with his hardinesse takes displeasure4 ,wherwith love to the hartes forest he fleeth1 ,leavyng his enterprise with paine and crye1 ,and there him hideth and not appeareth4 ,what may ,i do8 when my maister feareth1 ,but in the field with him to live and dye1 ,for good is the life1 endyng faithfully4 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,the lover hideth his desire1 etc41 in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets1 p4 #cc4 pub4 #aeeg47 ,it was ,wyatt who introduced the sonnet into ,england4 ,thirty-one of his sonnets were published in ,tottel's ,miscellany1 of which about a third are said to be translations or paraphrases of ,petrarch's4 ,wyatt followed1 of course1 the regular ,italian structure1 but used unhesitatingly the form of sestet with the concluding couplet 7cddcee74 ,on this point ,mr4 ,courthope says3 ,wyatt was evidently unaware of the secret principle underlying the extremely complex structure of the ,italian sonnet2 444 and being unfortunately misled by his admiration for the ,strambotti of ,serafino1 which sum up the conclusion in a couplet1 he endeavored to construct his sonnets on the same principle1 thereby leading all sonnet writers before ,milton on a wrong path4 7,history of ,english ,poetry1 vol4 ii4 p4 #ia47 ,loving in truth1 and fain in verse my love to show1 ,that she1 dear she1 might take some pleasure of my pain1-- ,pleasure might cause her read1 reading might make her know1 ,knowledge might pity win1 and pity grace obtain1-- ,i sought fit words to paint the blackest face of woe2 ,studying inventions fine1 her wits to entertain1 ,oft turning others' leaves1 to see if thence would flow ,some fresh and fruitful showers upon my sun-burn'd brain4 ,but words came halting forth1 wanting ,invention's stay2 ,invention1 ,nature's child1 fled step-dame ,study's blows1 ,and others' feet still seem'd but strangers in my way4 ,thus1 great with child to speak1 and helpless in my throes1 ,biting my truant pen1 beating myself for spite1-- ',fool1' said my ,muse to me1 ',look in thy heart1 and write4' 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,astrophel and ,stella1 i4 ab4 #aehj47 ,with how sad steps1 ,o ,moon1 thou climb'st the skies6 ,how silently1 and with how wan a face6 ,what1 may it be that e'en in heavenly place ,that busy archer his sharp arrows tries6 ,sure1 if that long-with-love-acquainted eyes ,can judge of love1 thou feel'st a lover's case1 ,i read it in thy looks2 thy languish'd grace1 ,to me1 that feel the like1 thy state descries4 ,then1 e'en of fellowship1 ,o ,moon1 tell me1 ,is constant love deem'd there but want of wit8 ,are beauties there as proud as here they be8 ,do they above love to be loved1 and yet ,those lovers scorn whom that love doth possess8 ,do they call virtue1 there1 ungratefulness8 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,astrophel and ,stella1 xxxi4 ab4 #aehj47 ,sidney's favorite form for the sonnet sestet was that shown in these specimens 7cdcdee71 a form that suggests the influence of the ,surrey or ,english sonnet rather than the ,italian4 ,the first of the sonnets is of course exceptional in being written in alexandrines1 but is among the finest in the sequence4 ,see also ,sidney's sonnet of the ,english type1 p4 #bia1 below4 ,the ,astrophel and ,stella 7containing #aaj sonnets7 is the earliest of the great sonnet-sequences or sonnet-cycles of ,english poetry1 those of ,spenser1 ,shakspere1 ,rossetti1 and ,mrs4 ,browning being later representatives4 ,in the ,elizabethan age the fashion of writing sonnets1 and sonnet-sequences in particular1 was at its height1 especially in the last decade of the century 7#aeij-afjj74 ,on this subject1 see the ,introduction to ,professor ,schelling's ,elizabethan ,lyrics1 in the ,athenum ,press ,series1 and ,mr4 ,sidney ,lee's ,life of ,shakspere4 ,other noteworthy sonnet-sequences besides those of ,sidney1 ,spenser1 and ,shakspere were ,constable's ,diana1 ,daniel's ,delia1 ,lodge's ,phyllis1 ,watson's ,tears of ,fancy1 ,barnes's ,parthenophil1 ,giles ,fletcher's ,lycia1 and ,drayton's ,idea1--all published in the years #aeib-aeid4 ,a now forgotten poet by the name of ,lok produced more than four hundred sonnets1 proving himself an ,elizabethan rival to ,wordsworth4 ,i know that all beneath the moon decays1 ,and what by mortals in this world is brought ,in time's great periods shall return to naught2 ,that fairest states have fatal nights and days4 ,i know how all the ,muse's heavenly lays1 ,with toil of spirit which are so dearly bought1 ,as idle sounds1 of few or none are sought2 ,and that naught lighter is than airy praise4 ,i know frail beauty like the purple flower1 ,to which one morn oft birth and death affords2 ,that love a jarring is of minds' accords1 ,where sense and will invassall reason's power4 ,know what ,i list1 this all can not me move1 ,but that1 ,o me6 ,i both must write and love4 7,,william ,,drummond of ,hawthornden3 ,sense of the ,fragility of ,all ,things1 etc4 #afaf47 ,drummond was a sonneteer of great skill1 and used many original combinations of rime-schemes1--some forty in all1--yet usually approximating to the ,italian type4 ,leigh ,hunt says3 ,drummond's sonnets1 for the most part1 are not only of the legitimate order1 but they are the earliest in the language that breathe what may be called the habit of mind observable in the best ,italian writers of sonnets2 that is to say1 a mixture of tenderness1 elegance1 love of country1 seclusion1 and conscious sweetness of verse4 7,essay on the ,sonnet1 in ,the ,book of the ,sonnet1 vol4 i4 pp4 #gh1 #gi47 ,death1 be not proud1 though some have called thee ,mighty and dreadful1 for thou art not so2 ,for those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow ,die not1 poor ,death2 nor yet canst thou kill me4 ,from rest and sleep1 which but thy pictures be1 ,much pleasure3 then from thee much more must flow2 ,and soonest our best men do with thee go-- ,rest of their bones1 and souls' delivery4 ,thou'rt slave to fate1 chance1 kings1 and desperate men1 ,and dost with poison1 war1 and sickness dwell1 ,and poppy or charms can make us sleep as well ,and better than thy stroke4 ,why swell'st thou then8 ,one short sleep past1 we wake eternally1 ,and death shall be no more3 ,death1 thou shalt die4 7,,john ,,donne3 ,holy ,sonnets1 ,x4 #afce47 ,donne's series of ,holy ,sonnets was one of the few ,elizabethan sequences1 or cycles1 which dealt with other than amatory subjects4 ,the seven sonnets of the series called ,la ,corona are bound together into a crown of sonnets1--an ,italian fashion1 according to which the first line of each sonnet is the same as the last of the sonnet preceding1 and the last line of the last sonnet the same as the first line of the first4 ,when ,i consider how my light is spent ,ere half my days1 in this dark world and wide1 ,and that one talent which is death to hide ,lodged with me useless1 though my soul more bent ,to serve therewith my ,maker1 and present ,my true account1 lest ,he returning chide1-- ,doth ,god exact day-labor1 light denied8 ,i fondly ask3--,but patience1 to prevent ,that murmur1 soon replies3 ,god doth not need ,either man's work1 or ,his own gifts2 who best ,bear ,his mild yoke1 they serve ,him best3 ,his state ,is kingly2 thousands at ,his bidding speed ,and post o'er land and ocean without rest3-- ,they also serve who only stand and wait4 7,,milton3 ,on his ,blindness4 ab4 #afee47 ,milton learned the sonnet direct from the ,italian1 and wrote five in that language4 ,while following the ,italian rime-schemes1 however1 he was not careful to observe any division between octave and sestet4 ,like ,donne1 he turned the sonnet to other subjects than that of love1 or--in ,landor's words-- ,he caught the sonnet from the dainty hand ,of ,love1 who cried to lose it1 and he gave ,the notes to ,glory4 7,to ,lamartine47 ,compare1 also1 ,wordsworth's saying that in ,milton's hand ,the ,thing became a trumpet1 whence he blew ,soul-animating strains--alas1 too few6 ,besides the eighteen ,english sonnets in regular form1 ,milton wrote a tailed1 or caudated1 sonnet1 following an ,italian fashion1--,on the ,new ,forcers of ,conscience under the ,long ,parliament4 ,he intended it1 says ,masson1 to be what may be called an ,anti-,presbyterian and ,pro-,toleration ,sonnet2 but by going beyond fourteen lines1 converted it into what the ,italians called a 'sonnet with a tail4' 7,globe ed41 p4 #ddj47 ,the tail rimes cfffgg4 ,deem not devoid of elegance the sage1 ,by ,fancy's genuine feelings unbeguiled1 ,of painful pedantry the poring child1 ,who turns1 of these proud domes1 th' historic page1 ,now sunk by ,time1 and ,henry's fiercer rage4 ,think'st thou the warbling ,muses never smiled ,on his lone hours8 ,ingenuous views engage ,his thoughts1 on themes1 unclassic falsely styled1 ,intent4 ,while cloistered ,piety displays ,her mouldering roll1 the piercing eye explores ,new manners1 and the pomp of elder days1 ,whence culls the pensive bard his pictured stores4 ,nor rough nor barren are the winding ways ,of hoar ,antiquity1 but strown with flowers4 7,,thomas ,,warton3 ,in a ,blank ,leaf of ,dugdale's ',monasticon4' ab4 #agge47 ,after ,milton1 the sonnet fell into disuse for a century4 ,walsh1 says ,mr4 ,gosse1 is the author of the only sonnet written in ,english between ,milton's1 in #afeh1 and ,warton's1 about #agej4 7,ward's ,english ,poets1 vol4 iii4 p4 #g47 ,see1 however1 that of ,gray on ,west1 written in #agdb1 quoted p4 #bie1 below4 ,to the ,warton brothers1 pioneers in so many ways of the romantic revival1 chief credit is given for the revival of the sonnet in the eighteenth century4 ,other sonneteers of the period were ,william ,mason1 ,thomas ,edwards1 ,benjamin ,stillingfleet1 and ,thomas ,russell 7see ,seccombe's ,age of ,johnson1 pp4 #bed1 #bee1 and ,beers's ,english ,romanticism in the ,eighteenth ,century1 pp4 #afj1 #afa74 ,o ,time6 who know'st a lenient hand to lay ,softest on sorrow's wound1 and slowly thence 7,lulling to sad repose the weary sense7 ,the faint pang stealest1 unperceived1 away2 ,on thee ,i rest my only hope at last1 ,and think when thou hast dried the bitter tear ,that flows in vain o'er all my soul held dear1 ,i may look back on every sorrow past1 ,and meet life's peaceful evening with a smile4 ,as some lone bird1 at day's departing hour1 ,sings in the sunbeam1 of the transient shower ,forgetful1 though its wings are wet the while3 ,yet ah6 how much must that poor heart endure ,which hopes from thee1 and thee alone1 a cure6 7,,william ,,lisle ,,bowles3 ,to ,time4 #aghi47 ,bowles 7#agfb-ahej7 wrote numerous sonnets1 and was influential in carrying on the movement begun by the ,wartons4 ,his sonnets were admired1 in particular1 by ,coleridge and ,wordsworth1 the former poet dedicating to him a sonnet beginning3 ,my heart has thanked thee1 ,bowles6 for those soft strains ,whose sadness soothes me4 ,his sonnets were1 however1 neglectful of the regular ,italian structure1 so that under his influence1 as ,leigh ,hunt observed1 the illegitimate order 444 became such a favorite with lovers of easy writing who could string fourteen lines together1 that 444 it continued to fill the press with heaps of bad verses1 till the genius of ,wordsworth succeeded in restoring the right system4 7,essay on the ,sonnet1 p4 #he47 ,but see the notes on ,wordsworth's sonnets1 p4 #bhj1 below4 ,mary6 ,i want a lyre with other strings1 ,such aid from ,heaven as some have feigned they drew1 ,an eloquence scarce given to mortals1 new ,and undebased by praise of meaner things1 ,that1 ere through age or woe ,i shed my wings1 ,i may record thy worth with honor due1 ,in verse as musical as thou art true1 ,and that immortalizes whom it sings4 ,but thou hast little need4 ,there is a book ,by ,seraphs writ with beams of heavenly light1 ,on which the eyes of ,god not rarely look1 ,a chronicle of actions just and bright3 ,there all thy deeds1 my faithful ,mary1 shine1 ,and1 since thou own'st that praise1 ,i spare thee mine4 7,,cowper3 ,to ,mrs4 ,unwin4 #agic47 ,nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room2 ,and hermits are contented with their cells2 ,and students with their pensive citadels2 ,maids at the wheel1 the weaver at his loom1 ,sit blithe and happy2 bees that soar for bloom1 ,high as the highest peak of ,furness ,fells1 ,will murmur by the hour in foxglove bells4 ,in truth the prison unto which we doom ,ourselves no prison is2 and hence to me1 ,in sundry moods1 'twas pastime to be bound ,within the sonnet's scanty plot of ground1 ,pleased if some souls 7for such there needs must be7 ,who have felt the weight of too much liberty1 ,should find brief solace there1 as ,i have found4 7,,wordsworth3 ,the ,sonnet4 #ahjf47 ,scorn not the ,sonnet2 ,critic1 you have frowned1 ,mindless of its just honors2 with this key ,shakspere unlocked his heart2 the melody ,of this small lute gave ease to ,petrarch's wound2 ,a thousand times this pipe did ,tasso sound2 ,with it ,camoens soothed an exile's grief2 ,the ,sonnet glittered a gay myrtle leaf ,amid the cypress with which ,dante crowned ,his visionary brow3 a glow-worm lamp1 ,it cheered mild ,spenser1 called from ,faery-land ,to struggle through dark ways2 and1 when a damp ,fell round the path of ,milton1 in his hand ,the ,thing became a trumpet1 whence he blew ,soul-animating strains--alas1 too few6 7,,wordsworth3 ,scorn not the ,sonnet4 #ahbg47 ,the ,world is too much with us2 late and soon1 ,getting and spending1 we lay waste our powers2 ,little we see in ,nature that is ours2 ,we have given our hearts away1 a sordid boon6 ,this ,sea that bares her bosom to the moon1 ,the winds that will be howling at all hours ,and are up-gather'd now like sleeping flowers1 ,for this1 for every thing1 we are out of tune2 ,it moves us not4--,great ,god6 ,i'd rather be ,a ,pagan suckled in a creed outworn1-- ,so might ,i1 standing on this pleasant lea1 ,have glimpses that would make me less forlorn2 ,have sight of ,proteus rising from the sea2 ,or hear old ,triton blow his wreathed horn4 7,,wordsworth3 ,the ,world is too much with us4 #ahjf47 ,wordsworth's complaint as to the number of ,milton's sonnets 7alas1 too few67 certainly cannot be applied to his own4 ,they number about five hundred1 ranking him as the most prolific ,english sonneteer4 ,these include some of the finest sonnets in the language1 and very many of admittedly indifferent quality4 ,mr4 ,swinburne regards his sonnets as on the whole the best out of sight in our poetry4 ,in general he followed the ,italian model1 but with very great liberty4 ,he not only practised great variety of rime-arrangement in the sestet1 but frequently altered the scheme of the octave to such forms as abbaacca2 see1 for example1 the specimen beginning ,scorn not the ,sonnet4 ,wordsworth also showed no regard for the careful division of thought between octave and sestet4 ,indeed in a letter to ,dyce1 in #ahcc1 he said that he regarded the sonnet not as a piece of architecture1 but as an orbicular body1--a sphere or a dew-drop4 7,works1 ed4 ,knight1 vol4 xi4 p4 #bcb47 ,its excellence seemed to him to consist mainly in a pervading sense of intense unity4 ,nevertheless1 he admitted that a sonnet will often be found excellent1 where the beginning1 the middle1 and the end are distinctly marked1 and also where it is distinctly separated into two parts1 to which1 as ,i before observed1 the strict ,italian model1 as they write it1 is favorable4 ,mysterious ,night6 when our first parent knew ,thee from report divine1 and heard thy name1 ,did he not tremble for this lovely frame1 ,this glorious canopy of light and blue8 ,yet 'neath a curtain of translucent dew1 ,bathed in the rays of the great setting flame1 ,hesperus with the host of heaven came1 ,and lo6 creation widened in man's view4 ,who could have thought such darkness lay concealed ,within thy beams1 ,o ,sun6 or who could find1 ,whilst fly1 and leaf1 and insect stood revealed1 ,that to such countless orbs thou mad'st us blind8 ,why do we1 then1 shun death with anxious strife8 ,if light can thus deceive1 wherefore not life8 7,,joseph ,,blanco ,,white3 ,to ,night4 ab4 #ahbe4 ,in ,the ,book of the ,sonnet1 i4 #beh47 ,this famous sonnet was called by ,coleridge the best in the ,english language4 ,he seems1 however1 to have been led to this opinion rather by the thought than the form4 ,i met a traveler from an antique land1 ,who said3 ,two vast and trunkless legs of stone ,stand in the desert4 ,near them on the sand1 ,half sunk1 a shatter'd visage lies1 whose frown ,and wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command ,tell that its sculptor well those passions read ,which yet survive1 stamp'd on these lifeless things1 ,the hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed2 ,and on the pedestal these words appear3 ,my name is ,ozymandias1 king of kings3 ,look on my works1 ye mighty1 and despair6 ,nothing beside remains4 ,round the decay ,of that colossal wreck1 boundless and bare1 ,the lone and level sands stretch far away4 7,,shelley3 ,ozymandias of ,egypt4 #ahag47 ,shelley wrote but few sonnets1 and all but one 7,to the ,nile7 are irregular in structure4 ,the rime-scheme of the present specimen is1 of course1 wholly eccentric4 ,the poetry of earth is never dead3 ,when all the birds are faint with the hot sun1 ,and hide in cooling trees1 a voice will run ,from hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead3 ,that is the ,grasshopper's2 he takes the lead ,in summer luxury2 he has never done ,with his delights1 for1 when tired out with fun1 ,he rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed4 ,the poetry of earth is ceasing never3 ,on a lone winter evening1 when the frost ,has wrought a silence1 from the stove there shrills ,the ,cricket's song1 in warmth increasing ever1 ,and seems to one in drowsiness half lost ,the ,grasshopper's among some grassy hills4 7,,keats3 ,the ,grasshopper and ,cricket4 #ahag47 ,keats's sonnets are for the most part regular in both rime-scheme and bipartite structure2 but a number of the posthumous sonnets are in the ,english form4 ,the present specimen 7which competes with the more familiar sonnet on ,chapman's ,homer for the chief place among those of ,keats7 is a particularly good example of the bipartite structure and its organic relation to the thought of the sonnet4 ,amazing monster6 that1 for aught ,i know1 ,with the first sight of thee didst make our race ,forever stare6 ,o flat and shocking face1 ,grimly divided from the breast below6 ,thou that on dry land horribly dost go ,with a split body and most ridiculous pace1 ,prong after prong1 disgracer of all grace1 ,long-useless-finned1 haired1 upright1 unwet1 slow6 ,o breather of unbreathable1 sword-sharp air1 ,how canst exist8 ,how bear thyself1 thou dry ,and dreary sloth6 ,what particle canst thou share ,of the only blessed life1 the watery8 ,i sometimes see of ye an actual pair ,go by1 linked fin by fin6 most odiously4 7,,leigh ,,hunt3 ,the ,fish to the ,man4 #ahcf47 ,if ,i leave all for thee1 wilt thou exchange ,and be all to me8 ,shall ,i never miss ,home-talk and blessing1 and the common kiss ,that comes to each in turn1 nor count it strange1 ,when ,i look up1 to drop on a new range ,of walls and floors1--another home than this8 ,nay1 wilt thou fill that place by me which is ,fill'd by dead eyes1 too tender to know change8 ,that's hardest6 ,if to conquer love1 has tried1 ,to conquer grief tries more1 as all things prove3 ,for grief indeed is love1 and grief beside4 ,alas1 ,i have grieved so ,i am hard to love-- ,yet love me--wilt thou8 ,open thine heart wide1 ,and fold within the wet wings of thy dove4 7,,elizabeth ,,barrett ,,browning3 ,sonnets from the ,portuguese1 xxxv4 #ahej47 ,the forty-four ,sonnets from the ,portuguese 7the title1 of course1 being purely fanciful7 constitute one of the chief sonnet-sequences of the modern period4 ,while true to the ,italian rime-structure1 ,mrs4 ,browning cannot be said to have treated the sonnet either as a two-part poem or as a unit4 ,only three of the series1 says ,professor ,corson 7the first1 fourth1 and thirteenth71 can be said to realize with any distinctness the idea and the peculiar artistic effect of the sonnet proper4 ,hence while calling them the most beautiful love-poems in the language1 he thinks they cannot be classed as sonnets4 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 pp4 #age1 #agf47 ,a ,sonnet is a moment's monument1-- ,memorial from the ,soul's eternity ,to one dead deathless hour4 ,look that it be1 ,whether for lustral rite or dire portent1 ,of its own arduous fulness reverent3 ,carve it in ivory or in ebony1 ,as ,day or ,night may rule2 and let ,time see ,its flowering crest impearled and orient4 ,a sonnet is a coin3 its face reveals ,the soul1--its converse1 to what ,power 'tis due3-- ,whether for tribute to the august appeals ,of ,life1 or dower in ,love's high retinue1 ,it serve2 or1 'mid the dark wharf's cavernous breath1 ,in ,charon's palm it pay the toll to ,death4 7,,rossetti3 ,sonnet preceding ,the ,house of ,life4 #ahha47 ,when do ,i see thee most1 beloved one8 ,when in the light the spirits of mine eyes ,before thy face1 their altar1 solemnize ,the worship of that ,love through thee made known8 ,or when in the dusk hours 7we two alone71 ,close-kissed and eloquent of still replies ,thy twilight-hidden glimmering visage lies1 ,and my soul only sees thy soul its own8 ,o love1 my love6 if ,i no more should see ,thyself1 nor on the earth the shadow of thee1 ,nor image of thine eyes in any spring1-- ,how then should sound upon ,life's darkening slope ,the ground-whirl of the perished leaves of ,hope1 ,the wind of ,death's imperishable wing8 7,,rossetti3 ,the ,house of ,life3 ,sonnet iv4 ,lovesight4 #ahgj47 ,the sonnets of ,rossetti are undoubtedly the most perfect representatives of the ,italian form in ,english poetry of the nineteenth century1 and ,the ,house of ,life 7in #aja sonnets7 is probably to be regarded as the most important sonnet-sequence since the ,elizabethan age4 ,the bipartite character of ,rossetti's sonnets is marked1 in editions of his poems1 by the printing of the octave and sestet with a space between them4 ,they rose to where their sovran eagle sails1 ,they kept their faith1 their freedom1 on the height1 ,chaste1 frugal1 savage1 armed by day and night ,against the ,turk2 whose inroad nowhere scales ,their headlong passes1 but his footstep fails1 ,and red with blood the ,crescent reels from fight ,before their dauntless hundreds1 in prone flight ,by thousands down the crags and through the vales4 ,o smallest among peoples6 rough rock-throne ,of ,freedom6 warriors beating back the swarm ,of ,turkish ,islam for five hundred years1 ,great ,tsernagora6 never since thine own ,black ridges drew the cloud and brake the storm ,has breathed a race of mightier mountaineers4 7,,tennyson3 ,montenegro4 #ahgg47 ,it is curious that the two chief representatives of ,english poetry of the ,victorian period1 ,tennyson and ,browning1 should neither of them have given much attention to the sonnet nor have achieved any notable success in the form4 ,among ,tennyson's poems there are some seventeen sonnets1 of which the present specimen was considered by the poet to be the best4 ,it represents a common form of the bipartite structure1 where the octave is a narrative1 and the sestet a comment upon what has been narrated4 ,in the following specimen1 from ,matthew ,arnold1 the structure is similar4 ,lentzner quotes the ,east ,london1 in his monograph on the ,english sonnet1 as a case where the octave represents the thought in particular1 the sestet in the abstract2 in other cases the order is the reverse4 ',twas ,august1 and the fierce sun overhead ,smote on the squalid streets of ,bethnal ,green1 ,and the pale weaver1 through his window seen ,in ,spitalfields1 looked thrice dispirited4 ,i met a preacher there ,i knew1 and said3 ',ill and o'er-worked1 how fare you in this scene8' ',bravely6' said he1 'for ,i of late have been ,much cheered with thoughts of ,christ1 the ,living ,bread6' ,o human soul6 so long as thou canst so ,set up a mark of everlasting light ,above the howling senses' ebb and flow1 ,to cheer thee and to right thee if thou roam1 ,not with lost toil thou laborest through the night6 ,thou mak'st the heaven thou hop'st indeed thy home4 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,east ,london4 #ahfg47 ,why8 ,because all ,i haply can and do1 ,all that ,i am now1 all ,i hope to be1-- ,whence comes it save from fortune setting free ,body and soul the purpose to pursue1 ,god traced for both8 ,if fetters1 not a few1 ,of prejudice1 convention1 fall from me1 ,these shall ,i bid men--each in his degree ,also ,god-guided--bear1 and gayly too8 ,but little do or can the best of us3 ,that little is achieved through ,liberty4 ,who1 then1 dares hold1 emancipated thus-- ,his fellow shall continue bound8 ,not ,i4 ,who live1 love1 labor freely1 nor discuss ,a brother's right to freedom4 ,that is ,why4 7,,browning3 ,why ,i am a ,liberal4 #ahhe47 ,browning's sonnets are few in number1 mostly occasional1 and none of them can be considered notable4 ,for a study of them1 see the article by ,lentzner in ,anglia1 vol4 xi4 p4 #ejj4 ,dr4 ,lentzner includes nine in his list1 not all of which are included in ,browning's collected poems4 ,three are so closely connected as practically to form a poem in three stanzas 7appended to ,jochanan ,hakkadosh1 #ahhc74 ,one saith3 the whole world is a ,comedy ,played for the mirth of ,god upon his throne1 ,whereof the hidden meanings will be known ,when ,michael's trumpet thrills through earth and sea4 ,fate is the dramaturge2 ,necessity ,allots the parts2 the scenes1 by ,nature shown1 ,embrace each element and every zone1 ,ordered with infinite variety4,another saith3 no calm-eyed ,sophocles ,indites the tragedy of human doom1 ,but some cold scornful ,aristophanes1 ,whose zanies gape and gibber in thick gloom1 ,while nightingales1 shrill 'mid the shivering trees1 ,jar on the silence of the neighboring tomb4 7,,john ,,addington ,,symonds3 from ,sonnets on the ,thought of ,death4 ab4 #ahhj47 ,yon silvery billows breaking on the beach ,fall back in foam beneath the star-shine clear1 ,the while my rhymes are murmuring in your ear ,a restless lore like that the billows teach2 ,for on these sonnet-waves my soul would reach ,from its own depths1 and rest within you1 dear1 ,as1 through the billowy voices yearning here1 ,great ,nature strives to find a human speech4 ,a sonnet is a wave of melody3 ,from heaving waters of the impassioned soul ,a billow of tidal music one and whole ,flows in the octave2 then1 returning free1 ,its ebbing surges in the sestet roll ,back to the deeps of ,life's tumultuous sea4 7,,theodore ,,watts-,,dunton3 ,the ,sonnet's ,voice2 a ,metrical ,lesson by the ,sea-shore4 ,athenum1 ,sept4 #ag1 #ahha47 ,the sonnet on the sonnet has become so familiar in recent times that a volume of such sonnets has been compiled1 and a writer of humorous verse has satirized the fashion in a ,sonnet on the ,sonnet on the ,sonnet4 ,doubtless the two specimens quoted from ,wordsworth lead all others of the class2 but the present specimen is an interesting attempt to represent the characteristic metrical expressiveness of the form4 ,oft have ,i seen at some cathedral door ,a laborer1 pausing in the dust and heat1 ,lay down his burden1 and with reverent feet ,enter1 and cross himself1 and on the floor ,kneel to repeat his ,paternoster o'er2 ,far off the noises of the world retreat2 ,the loud vociferations of the street ,become an undistinguishable roar4 ,so1 as ,i enter here from day to day1 ,and leave my burden at this minster gate1 ,kneeling in prayer1 and not ashamed to pray1 ,the tumult of the time disconsolate ,to inarticulate murmurs dies away1 ,while the eternal ages watch and wait4 7,,longfellow3 ,sonnets on the ,divina ,commedia1 i4 #ahfd47 ,caliph1 ,i did thee wrong4 ,i hailed thee late ,abdul the ,damned1 and would recall my word4 ,it merged thee with the unillustrious herd ,who crowd the approaches to the infernal gate-- ,spirits gregarious1 equal in their state ,as is the innumerable ocean bird1 ,gannet or gull1 whose wandering plaint is heard ,on ,ailsa or ,iona desolate4 ,for1 in a world where cruel deeds abound1 ,the merely damned are legion3 with such souls ,is not each hollow and cranny of ,tophet crammed8 ,thou with the brightest of ,hell's aureoles ,dost shine supreme1 incomparably crowned1 ,immortally1 beyond all mortals1 damned4 7,,william ,,watson3 ,to the ,sultan1 in ,the ,year of ,shame4 #ahig47 ,mr4 ,william ,archer says of ,mr4 ,watson's political sonnets1 that the form becomes in his hands a weapon like the sling of ,david4 ,in the octave he whirls it round and round with ever-gathering momentum1 and in the sestet sends his scorn or rebuke singing through the air1 arrow-straight to its mark4 7,poets of the ,younger ,generation1 p4 #ejc47 ,b4--,,the ,,english 7,,shaksperian7 ,,sonnet ,from ,tuskane came my ,ladies worthy race3 ,faire ,florence was sometyme her auncient seate3 ,the ,western yle1 whose pleasaunt shore dothe face ,wilde ,cambers clifs1 did geve her lively heate3 ,fostered she was with milke of ,irishe brest3 ,her sire1 an ,erle2 her dame1 of princes blood4 ,from tender yeres1 in ,britain she doth rest1 ,with kinges childe1 where she tasteth costly food4 ,honsdon did first present her to mine yien3 ,bright is her hewe1 and ,geraldine she hight4 ,hampton me taught to wishe her first for mine3 ,and ,windsor1 alas1 dothe chase me from her sight4 ,her beauty of kind1 her vertues from above4 ,happy is he that can obtaine her love4 7,,earl ,,of ,,surrey3 ,description and praise of his love ,geraldine4 ,in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets1 p4 #i4 ,pub4 #aeeg47 ,surrey experimented with the ,italian sonnet as it had been introduced into ,england by his master ,wyatt1 but soon devised a variation from the ,italian form1 and wrote a majority of his sonnets in the new ,english form 7nine out of the sixteen which are printed in ,tottel's ,miscellany74 ,this new form is divided1 not into octave and sestet1 but into three quatrains1 with alternate rime1 and a couplet4 ,it produces1 therefore1 an effect quite different from that of the legitimate ,italian sonnet1 the couplet at the end giving it a more epigrammatic structure4 ,surrey's form seems more consonant with common ,english taste for simplicity of rime-structure1 and1 besides being honored by its adoption by ,shakspere1 has remained a favorite side by side with the more correct original4#cg ,come1 ,sleep6 ,o ,sleep1 the certain knot of peace1 ,the baiting-place of wit1 the balm of woe1 ,the poor man's wealth1 the prisoner's release1 ,the indifferent judge between the high and low2 ,with shield of proof shield me from out the press ,of those fierce darts ,despair at me doth throw4 ,o make me in those civil wars to cease2 ,i will good tribute pay1 if thou do so4 ,take thou of me smooth pillows1 sweetest bed1 ,a chamber deaf of noise and blind of light1 ,a rosy garland and a weary head3 ,and if these things1 as being thine in right1 ,move not thy heavy grace1 thou shalt in me1 ,livelier than elsewhere1 ,stella's image see4 7,,sidney3 ,astrophel and ,stella1 xxxix4 ab4 #aehj47 ,care-charmer ,sleep1 son of the sable ,night1 ,brother to ,death1 in silent darkness born1 ,relieve my languish1 and restore the light2 ,with dark forgetting of my care return4 ,and let the day be time enough to mourn ,the shipwreck of my ill-adventured youth3 ,let waking eyes suffice to wail their scorn1 ,without the torment of the night's untruth4 ,cease1 dreams1 the images of day-desires1 ,to model forth the passions of to-morrow2 ,never let rising ,sun approve you liars1 ,to add more grief to aggravate my sorrow3 ,still let me sleep1 embracing clouds in vain1 ,and never wake to feel the day's disdain4 7,,samuel ,,daniel3 ,care-charmer ,sleep4 #aeib47 ,daniel was one of the most skilful of the ,elizabethans in the use of the ,english form of the sonnet4 ,the greater number of his ,sonnets to ,delia are of this type4 ,the subject of the present sonnet was a fashionable one in the sixteenth century 7compare ,sidney's1 quoted above74 ,since there's no help1 come let us kiss and part1-- ,nay ,i have done1 you get no more of me2 ,and ,i am glad1 yea1 glad with all my heart1 ,that thus so cleanly ,i myself can free2 ,shake hands for ever1 cancel all our vows1 ,and when we meet at any time again1 ,be it not seen in either of our brows ,that we one jot of former love retain4 ,now at the last gasp of love's latest breath1 ,when1 his pulse failing1 passion speechless lies1 ,when faith is kneeling by his bed of death1 ,and innocence is closing up his eyes1 --,now if thou would'st1 when all have given him over1 ,from death to life thou might'st him yet recover6 7,,drayton3 ,love's ,farewell4 #aeid47 ,rossetti called this sonnet perhaps the best in the language4 ,drayton's sonnet-sequence1 the ,idea1 follows the ,shaksperian form2 and the present specimen illustrates how the important division of this type of sonnet is between the quatrains and the final couplet4 ,one day ,i wrote her name upon the strand2 ,but came the waves and washed it away3 ,again ,i wrote it with a second hand1 ,but came the tide and made my pains his prey4 ,vain man6 said she1 that dost in vain essay ,a mortal thing so to immortalize2 ,for ,i myself shall like to this decay1 ,and eke my name be wiped out likewise4 ,not so 7quoth ,i72 let baser things devise ,to die in dust1 but you shall live by fame2 ,my verse your virtues rare shall eternize1 ,and in the heavens write your glorious name1-- ,where1 whenas death shall all the world subdue1 ,our love shall live1 and later life renew4 7,,spenser3 ,amoretti1 lxxv4 #aeie47 ,the sonnets in ,spenser's collected poems number #agg1 of which fifty-six are in the common ,english 7,surrey7 form1 the remainder--like the present specimen--riming ababbcbccdcdee4 ,this order of rimes reminds us of that in the ,spenserian stanza1 and must have been devised by ,spenser at about the same time4 ,it has never been adopted by other poets4 ,when1 in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes1 ,i all alone beweep my outcast state1 ,and trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries1 ,and look upon myself and curse my fate2 ,wishing me like to one more rich in hope1 ,featured like him1 like him with friends possest1 ,desiring this man's art1 and that man's scope1 ,with what ,i most enjoy contented least2 ,yet in these thoughts myself almost despising1 ,haply ,i think on thee--and then my state1 ,like to the lark at break of day arising ,from sullen earth1 sings hymns at heaven's gate2 ,for thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings ,that then ,i scorn to change my state with kings4 7,,shakspere3 ,sonnet xxix4 #afji47 ,that time of year thou may'st in me behold ,when yellow leaves1 or none1 or few1 do hang ,upon those boughs which shake against the cold1 ,bare ruin'd choirs1 where late the sweet birds sang3 ,in me thou see'st the twilight of such day ,as after sunset fadeth in the west1 ,which by and by black night doth take away1 ,death's second self1 that seals up all in rest3 ,in me thou see'st the glowing of such fire ,that on the ashes of his youth doth lie1 ,as the death-bed whereon it must expire1 ,consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by3 --,this thou perceiv'st1 which makes thy love more strong1 ,to love that well which thou must leave ere long4 7,,shakspere3 ,sonnet lxxiii4 #afji47 ,these two specimens1 perhaps the favorites of as many readers as any which could be chosen1 must serve to represent the sonnets of ,shakspere4 ,the whole number of these is #aed1 and all are in the ,english form4 ,slight irregularities in the rime-scheme will be found in about fifteen4 ,number #ii has fifteen lines and #abf 7sometimes called the ,epilogue to the first part of the series7 has only twelve4 ,number #bj is wholly based on feminine rimes4#ch ,lord1 with what care hast ,thou begirt us round6 ,parents first season us2 then schoolmasters ,deliver us to laws2 they send us bound ,to rules of reason1 holy messengers1 ,pulpits and ,sundays1 sorrow dogging sin1 ,afflictions sorted1 anguish of all sizes1 ,fine nets and stratagems to catch us in1 ,bibles laid open1 millions of surprises1 ,blessings beforehand1 ties of gratefulness1 ,the sound of glory ringing in our ears2 ,without1 our shame2 within1 our consciences2 ,angels and grace1 eternal hopes and fears4 ,yet all these fences and their whole array ,one cunning bosom-sin blows quite away4 7,,george ,,herbert3 ,sin4 #afca47 ,in vain to me the smiling mornings shine1 ,and reddening ,phoebus lifts his golden fire2 ,the birds in vain their amorous descant join1 ,or cheerful fields resume their green attire4 ,these ears1 alas6 for other notes repine1 ,a different object do these eyes require2 ,my lonely anguish melts no heart but mine1 ,and in my breast the imperfect joys expire4 ,yet morning smiles the busy race to cheer1 ,and new-born pleasure brings to happier men2 ,the fields to all their wonted tribute bear2 ,to warm their little loves the birds complain2 ,i fruitless mourn to him that cannot hear1 ,and weep the more because ,i weep in vain4 7,,gray3 ,on the ,death of ,richard ,west4 #agdb47 ,on the place of this sonnet in the eighteenth century1 see p4 #bgg1 above4 ,oh it is pleasant1 with a heart at ease1 ,just after sunset1 or by moonlight skies1 ,to make the shifting clouds be what you please1 ,or let the easily-persuaded eyes ,own each quaint likeness issuing from the mould ,of a friend's fancy2 or1 with head bent low ,and cheek aslant1 see rivers flow of gold ',twixt crimson bank2 and then1 a traveler1 go ,from mount to mount through ,cloudland1 gorgeous land6 ,or listening to the tide1 with closed sight1 ,be that blind bard who1 on the ,chian strand ,by those deep sounds possessed with inward light1 ,beheld the ,iliad and the ,odyssee ,rise to the swelling of the voiceful sea4 7,,coleridge3 ,fancy in ,nubibus4 #ahai47 ,the sonnets of ,coleridge1 as has already been noted1 were written under the influence of those of ,bowles1 and are not of the ,italian type4 ,he defined the sonnet as a short poem in which some lonely feeling is developed1 thus emphasizing1 like ,wordsworth1 the idea of unity rather than of progressive structure4 ,darkly1 as by some gloomed mirror glassed1 ,herein at times the brooding eye beholds ,the great scarred visage of the pompous ,past1 ,but oftener only the embroidered folds ,and soiled regality of his rent robe1 ,whose tattered skirts are ruined dynasties ,and cumber with their trailing pride the globe1 ,and sweep the dusty ages in our eyes2 ,till the world seems a world of husks and bones ,where sightless ,seers and ,immortals dead1 ,kings that remember not their awful thrones1 ,invincible armies long since vanquished1 ,and powerless potentates and foolish sages ,lie 'mid the crumbling of the mossy ages4 7,,william ,,watson3 ,history47 ,,footnotes3 #ce ,it will perhaps be found of interest to reproduce the ,ten ,commandments of the ,sonnet given by ,mr4 ,sharp in his ,introduction to ,sonnets of this ,century 7p4 lxxviii73 #a4 ,the sonnet must consist of fourteen decasyllabic lines4 #b4 ,its octave1 or major system1 whether or not this be marked by a pause in the cadence after the eighth line1 must 7unless cast in the ,shakespearian mould7 follow a prescribed arrangement in the rhyme-sounds--namely1 the first1 fourth1 fifth1 and eighth lines must rhyme on the same sound1 and the second1 third1 sixth1 and seventh on another4 #c4 ,its sestet1 or minor system1 may be arranged with more freedom1 but a rhymed couplet at the close is only allowable when the form is the ,english or ,shakespearian4 #d4 ,no terminal should also occur in any other portion of any other line in the same system2 and the rhyme-sounds 7#a7 of the octave should be harmoniously at variance1 and 7#b7 the rhyme-sounds of the sestet should be entirely distinct in intonation from those of the octave4444 #e4 ,it must have no slovenliness of diction1 no weak or indeterminate terminations1 no vagueness of conception1 and no obscurity4 #f4 ,it must be absolutely complete in itself--i4e41 it must be the evolution of one thought1 or one emotion1 or one poetically apprehended fact4 #g4 ,it should have the characteristic of apparent inevitableness1 and in expression be ample1 yet reticent4444 #h4 ,the continuity of the thought1 idea1 or emotion must be unbroken throughout4 #i4 ,continuous sonority must be maintained from the first phrase to the last4 #aj4 ,the end must be more impressive than the commencement4 ,these rules of course represent the ideal of the strictest ,italian form1 and are by no means derived from the prevailing practice of ,english poets4 #cf ,on the structure and history of the sonnet1 see ,schipper1 as cited above2 ,c4 ,tomlinson3 ,the ,sonnet1 its ,origin1 ,structure1 and ,place in ,poetry 7#ahgd72 ,k4 ,lentzner3 ,ueber das ,sonett und seine ,gestaltung in der englischen ,dichtung bis ,milton 7#ahhf72 ,leigh ,hunt and ,s4 ,a4 ,lee3 ,the ,book of the ,sonnet 7with introductory essay1 #ahfg72 ,w4 ,sharp3 ,sonnets of ,this ,century 7with essay1 #ahhf72 ,s4 ,waddington3 ,english ,sonnets by ,poets of the ,past1 and ,english ,sonnets by ,living ,poets2 ,hall ,caine3 ,sonnets of ,three ,centuries 7#ahhb72 ,h4 ,corson3 ,primer of ,english ,verse1 chap4 x4 #cg ,in #aege1 when ,gascoigne wrote his ,notes of ,instruction1 he found it necessary to say3 ,some thinke that all ,poemes 7being short7 may be called ,sonets1 as in deede it is a diminutive worde derived of ,sonare1 but yet ,i can beste allowe to call those ,sonnets whiche are of fouretene lynes1 every line conteyning tenne syllables4 ,the firste twelve do ryme in staves of foure lines by crosse meetre1 and the last two ryming togither do conclude the whole4 7,arber's ,reprint1 pp4 #ch1 #ci47 ,it is1 of course1 the ,english sonnet which ,gascoigne thus describes4 #ch ,shakspere also introduced sonnets into some of his earlier plays3 ,love's ,labor's ,lost1 ,all's ,well that ,ends ,well1 ,romeo and ,juliet1 and ,henry ,v4 ,see ,fleay's ,chronicle of the ,english ,drama1 vol4 ii4 p4 #bbd1 and ,schelling's ,elizabethan ,lyrics1 p4 xxx4 ,v4 ,,the ,,ode ,the term ,ode is used of ,english poetry with considerable vagueness4 ,the ,century ,dictionary defines the word thus3 ,a lyric poem expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion1 especially one of complex or irregular metrical form2 originally and strictly1 such a composition intended to be sung4 ,compare with this the definition of ,mr4 ,gosse1 in his collection of ,english ,odes3 ,any strain of enthusiastic and exalted lyrical verse1 directed to a fixed purpose1 and dealing progressively with one dignified theme4 ,viewed from the purely metrical standpoint1 ,english odes are commonly either 7a7 regular ,pindaric odes1 imitative of the structure of the ,greek ode1 or 7b7 irregular1 so-called ,pindaric or ,cowleyan odes4 ,a third group may be made of forms based on the imitation of the choral odes of the ,greek drama4 ,there is also a class of odes called ,horatian1 made up of simple lyrical stanzas2 the name ode is applied here only because of the content of the poem or because of resemblance to the so-called odes 7properly carmina or songs7 of ,horace1 and since these ,horatian odes show no metrical peculiarities they will not be represented here4#ci ,the characteristic effect of the ode is produced by the varying lengths of lines employed1 and the varying distances at which the rimes answer one another4 ,this variety1 in the hands of a master of verse1 is capable of splendid effectiveness1 but it gives dangerous license to the unskilled writer4 ,a4--,,regular ,,pindaric ,,iii4#a ,the ,strophe1 or ,turn ,it is not growing like a tree ,in bulk1 doth make men better be2 ,or standing long an oak1 three hundred year1 ,to fall a log at last1 dry1 bald1 and sear3 ,a lily of a day ,is fairer far1 in ,may1 ,although it fall and die that night2 ,it was the plant of flower and light4 ,in small proportions we just beauties see2 ,and in short measures life may perfect be4 ,,iii4#b ,the ,antistrophe1 or ,counter-turn ,call1 noble ,lucius1 then for wine1 ,and let thy looks with gladness shine2 ,accept this garland1 plant it on thy head1 ,and think1 nay know1 thy ,morison's not dead4 ,he leap'd the present age1 ,possess'd with holy rage1 ,to see that bright eternal day2 ,of which we priests and poets say ,such truths as we expect for happy men3 ,and there he lives with memory1 and ,ben4 ,,iii4#c ,the ,epode1 or ,stand ,jonson1 who sung this of him1 ere he went1 ,himself1 to rest1 ,or taste a part of that full joy he meant ,to have express'd1 ,in this bright asterism6-- ,where it were friendship's schism1 ,were not his ,lucius long with us to tarry1 ,to separate these twi- ,lights1 the ,dioscuri2 ,and keep the one half from his ,harry4 ,but fate doth so alternate the design1 ,whilst that in heaven1 this light on earth must shine4 7,,ben ,,jonson3 ,a ,pindaric ,ode on the death of ,sir ,h4 ,morison4 #afbi47 ,this ode of ,jonson's is apparently the earliest1 and remained for a long time the only1 notable ,english ode based on the strict structure of the ,greek original4 ,the ,greek ode was commonly divided into the strophe1 the antistrophe1 and the epode2 the strophe and antistrophe being identical in structure1 though varying in different odes1 and the epode being of different structure4 ,jonson therefore followed the classical form carefully1 and introduced ,english terms to express the original three divisions4 ,professor ,bronson observes1 in his ,introduction to the ,odes of ,collins3 ,it is a commonplace that the ,pindaric ,ode in ,english is an artificial exotic1 of slight native force1 and unable to reproduce the effects of the ,greek original4 ,the reason is obvious4 ,the ,greek odes were accompanied by music and dancing1 the singers moving to one side during the strophe1 retracing their steps during the antistrophe1 444 and standing still during the epode4 ,the ear was thus helped by the eye1 and the divisions of the ode were distinct and significant4 ,but in an ,english ,pindaric the elaborate correspondences and differences between strophe1 antistrophe1 and epode are lost upon most readers1 and even the critical reader derives from them a pleasure intellectual rather than sensuous4 7,edition of ,collins1 ,athenum ,press ,series1 ,introduction1 pp4 lxxiv1 lxxv47 ,i#a ,daughter of ,memory1 immortal ,muse1 ,calliope1 what poet wilt thou choose1 ,of ,anna's name to sing8 ,to whom wilt thou thy fire impart1 ,thy lyre1 thy voice1 and tuneful art1 ,whom raise sublime on thy ethereal wing1 ,and consecrate with dews of thy ,castalian spring8 ,i#b ,without thy aid1 the most aspiring mind ,must flag beneath1 to narrow flights confin'd1 ,striving to rise in vain2 ,nor e'er can hope with equal lays ,to celebrate bright ,virtue's praise4 ,thine aid obtain'd1 even ,i1 the humblest swain1 ,may climb ,pierian heights1 and quit the lowly plain4 ,i#c ,high in the starry orb is hung1 ,and next ,alcides' guardian arm1 ,that harp to which thy ,orpheus sung1 ,who woods and rocks and winds could charm2 ,that harp which on ,cyllene's shady hill1 ,when first the vocal shell was found1 ,with more than mortal skill ,inventor ,hermes taught to sound3 ,hermes on bright ,latona's son1 ,by sweet persuasion won1 ,the wondrous work bestow'd2 ,latona's son1 to thine ,indulgent1 gave the gift divine3 ,a god the gift1 a god th' invention show'd4 7,,congreve3 ,a ,pindaric ,ode on the victorious progress of her ,majesty's ,arms4 #agjf47 ,to ,congreve is due the credit for the revival of the regular ode in the eighteenth century1 after it had been long forgotten by ,english poets4 ,meantime the irregular form1 devised by ,cowley1 had become popular2 and against the license of this ,congreve protested in his ,discourse on the ,pindaric ,ode1 prefixed to his ,ode of #agjf4 7,see ,mr4 ,gosse's ,introduction to ,english ,odes1 p4 xvii41 and his ,life of ,congreve1 p4 #aeh47 ,congreve said in his ,discourse3 ,the following ode is an attempt towards restoring the regularity of the ancient lyric poetry1 which seems to be altogether forgotten1 or unknown1 by our ,english writers4 ,there is nothing more frequent among us than a sort of poems entitled ,pindaric ,odes1 pretending to be written in imitation of the manner and style of ,pindar1 and yet ,i do not know that there is to this day extant1 in our language1 one ode contrived after his model4444 ,the character of these late ,pindarics is a bundle of rambling incoherent thoughts1 expressed in a like parcel of irregular stanzas1 which also consist of such another complication of disproportioned1 uncertain1 and perplexed verses and rhymes4444 ,on the contrary1 there is nothing more regular than the odes of ,pindar1 both as to the exact observation of the measures and numbers of his stanzas and verses1 and the perpetual coherence of his thoughts4444 ,though there be no necessity that our triumphal odes should consist of the three afore-mentioned stanzas1 yet if the reader can observe that the great variation of the numbers in the third stanza 7call it epode1 or what you please7 has a pleasing effect in the ode1 and makes him return to the first and second stanzas with more appetite than he could do if always cloyed with the same quantities and measures1 ,i cannot see why some use may not be made of ,pindar's example1 to the great improvement of the ,english ode4 ,there is certainly a pleasure in beholding anything that has art and difficulty in the contrivance1 especially if it appears so carefully executed that the difficulty does not show itself till it is sought for4444 ,having mentioned ,mr4 ,cowley1 it may very well be expected that something should be said of him1 at a time when the imitation of ,pindar is the theme of our discourse4 ,but there is that great deference due to the memory1 great parts1 and learning1 of that gentleman1 that ,i think nothing should be objected to the latitude he has taken in his ,pindaric odes4 ,the beauty of his verses is an atonement for the irregularity of his stanzas4444 ,yet ,i must beg leave to add that ,i believe those irregular odes of ,mr4 ,cowley may have been the principal1 though innocent1 occasion of so many deformed poems since1 which1 instead of being true pictures of ,pindar1 have 7to use the ,italian painters' term7 been only caricatures of him4 7,discourse on the ,pindaric ,ode1 in ,chalmers's ,english ,poets1 vol4 x4 p4 #cjj47 ,who shall awake the ,spartan fife1 ,and call in solemn sounds to life ,the youths whose locks divinely spreading1 ,like vernal hyacinths in sullen hue1 ,at once the breath of fear and virtue shedding1 ,applauding ,freedom lov'd of old to view8 ,what new ,alcus1 fancy-blest1 ,shall sing the sword1 in myrtles drest1 ,at ,wisdom's shrine awhile its flame concealing 7,what place so fit to seal a deed renowned871 ,till she her brightest lightnings round revealing1 ,it leap'd in glory forth1 and dealt her prompted wound8 ,o goddess1 in that feeling hour1 ,when most its sounds would court thy ears1 ,let not my shell's misguided power ,e'er draw thy sad1 thy mindful tears4 ,no1 ,freedom1 no1 ,i will not tell ,how ,rome before thy weeping face1 ,with heaviest sound1 a giant statue1 fell1 ,push'd by a wild and artless race ,from off its wide ambitious base1 ,when ,time his ,northern sons of spoil awoke1 ,and all the blended work of strength and grace1 ,with many a rude repeated stroke1 ,and many a barb'rous yell1 to thousand fragments broke4444 ,beyond the measure vast of thought1 ,the works the wizard ,time has wrought6 ,the ,gaul1 'tis held of antique story1 ,saw ,britain link'd to his now adverse strand2 ,no sea between1 nor cliff sublime and hoary1 ,he pass'd with unwet feet thro' all our land4 ,to the blown ,baltic then1 they say1 ,the wild waves found another way1 ,where ,orcas howls1 his wolfish mountains rounding2 ,till all the banded ,west at once 'gan rise1 ,a wide wild storm ev'n ,nature's self confounding1 ,with'ring her giant sons with strange uncouth surprise4 ,this pillar'd earth so firm and wide1 ,by winds and inward labors torn1 ,in thunders dread was push'd aside1 ,and down the should'ring billows borne4 ,and see1 like gems1 her laughing train1 ,the little isles on every side6 ,mona1 once hid from those who search the main1 ,where thousand elfin shapes abide1 ,and ,wight1 who checks the west'ring tide2 ,for thee consenting ,heaven has each bestowed1 ,a fair attendant on her sovereign pride4 ,to thee this blest divorce she ow'd1 ,for thou hast made her vales thy lov'd1 thy last abode6 7,,collins3 ,ode to ,liberty1 strophe and antistrophe4 #agdf47 ,this ode consists of strophe1 epode1 antistrophe1 and second epode4 ,the antistrophe corresponds metrically to the strophe1 as usual2 the epodes are in four-stress couplets4 ,it was ,collins's habit to place the epode between the strophe and antistrophe1 perhaps1 as ,professor ,bronson suggests1 in order that it may produce an impression of its own analogous to that of the ,greek epode1 namely1 an impression of relief and repose4 ,mr4 ,bronson says further of ,collins's odes3 ,collins was less scholarly than ,gray1 but he was bolder and more original2 and consciously or unconsciously he so constructed his odes that their organic parts stand out clearly distinct and produce effects analogous to those produced by the ,greek ode4 ,in brief1 his method was1 first1 to make large divisions of the thought correspond to the large divisions of the form2 and1 second1 to throw out into relief the complex strophe and antistrophe by contrasting them with a simple epode4 ,the reader may not perceive the minute correspondences in form between strophe and antistrophe1 but he can hardly fail to feel that the two answer to one another in a general way4 7,athenum ,press edition of ,collins1 ,introduction1 p4 lxxv47 ,,iii#a ,far from the sun and summer-gale1 ,in thy green lap was ,nature's ,darling laid1 ,what time1 where lucid ,avon strayed1 ,to him the mighty ,mother did unveil ,her awful face4 ,the dauntless ,child ,stretched forth his little arms1 and smiled4 ,this pencil take 7she said7 whose colors clear ,richly paint the vernal year2 ,thine too these golden keys1 immortal ,boy6 ,this can unlock the gates of ,joy1 ,of ,horror that1 and thrilling ,fears1 ,or ope the sacred source of sympathetic ,tears4 ,,iii#b ,nor second he1 that rode sublime ,upon the seraph-wings of ,ecstasy1 ,the secrets of th' ,abyss to spy1 ,he pass'd the flaming bounds of ,place and ,time2 ,the living ,throne1 the sapphire-blaze1 ,where ,angels tremble while they gaze1 ,he saw2 but1 blasted with excess of light1 ,clos'd his eyes in endless night4 ,behold1 where ,dryden's less presumptuous car ,wide o'er the fields of glory bear ,two coursers of ethereal race1 ,with necks in thunder cloth'd1 and long-resounding pace4 ,,iii#c ,hark1 his hands the lyre explore6 ,bright-eyed ,fancy hovering o'er ,scatters from her pictured urn ,thoughts that breathe1 and words that burn4 ,but ah6 'tis heard no more-- ,oh6 ,lyre divine1 what daring spirit ,wakes thee now8 tho' he inherit ,nor the pride1 nor ample pinion1 ,that the ,theban ,eagle bear ,sailing with supreme dominion ,thro' the azure deep of air2 ,yet oft before his infant eyes would run ,such forms as glitter in the ,muse's ray ,with orient hues1 unborrow'd of the sun2 ,yet shall he mount1 and keep his distant way ,beyond the limits of a vulgar fate1 ,beneath the good how far--but far above the great4 7,,gray3 ,the ,progress of ,poesy4 #ageg47 ,gray's ,progress of ,poesy is probably to be regarded as the chief of all ,english odes of the regular ,pindaric form4 ,mr4 ,lowell said1 indeed1 that it overflies all other ,english lyrics like an eagle4 ,the ,bard is in precisely the same form1 and shows the same skill in the wielding of the intricately varying melodies of the lines of different length4 ,b4--,,irregular 7,,cowleyan7 ,whom thunder's dismal noise1 ,and all that ,prophets and ,apostles louder spake1 ,and all the creatures' plain conspiring voice1 ,could not1 whilst they liv'd1 awake1 ,this mightier sound shall make ,when dead t' arise1 ,and open tombs1 and open eyes1 ,to the long sluggards of five thousand years4 ,this mightier sound shall wake its hearers' ears4 ,then shall the scatter'd atoms crowding come ,back to their ancient home4 ,some from birds1 from fishes some1 ,some from earth1 and some from seas1 ,some from beasts1 and some from trees4 ,some descend from clouds on high1 ,some from metals upwards fly1 ,and where th' attending soul naked and shivering stands1 ,meet1 salute1 and join their hands1 ,as dispers'd soldiers at the trumpet's call ,haste to their colors all4 ,unhappy most1 like tortur'd men1 ,their joints new set1 to be new-rack'd again1 ,to mountains they for shelter pray2 ,the mountains shake1 and run about no less confus'd than they4 ,stop1 stop1 my ,muse6 allay thy vig'rous heat1 ,kindled at a hint so great4 ,hold thy ,pindaric ,pegasus closely in1 ,which does to rage begin1 ,and this steep hill would gallop up with violent course2 ',tis an unruly and a hard-mouth'd horse1 ,fierce1 and unbroken yet1 ,impatient of the spur or bit2 ,now prances stately1 and anon flies o'er the place2 ,disdains the servile law of any settled pace2 ,conscious and proud of his own natural force1 ',twill no unskilful touch endure1 ,but flings writer and reader too that sits not sure4 7,,cowley3 ,the ,resurrection1 strophes iii4 and iv4 #afef74 ,cowley1 as has already appeared1 introduced the irregular ode into ,english poetry1 calling it ,pindaric under a misapprehension of the real structure of the ,greek odes4 ,he published fifteen ,pindarique ,odes in #afef 7see the ,preface to these1 in ,grosart's edition of his works1 vol4 ii4 p4 #d74 ,the present specimen illustrates the really not unskilful use which ,cowley made of the varying cadences of the form1 and also sets forth--in the amusing concluding lines--his own idea of its difficulties4 ,under the influence of ,cowley's odes1 the new form speedily became popular4 ,according to ,dr4 ,johnson1 this lax and lawless versification so much concealed the deficiencies of the barren1 and flattered the laziness of the idle1 that it immediately over-spread our books of poetry2 all the boys and girls caught the pleasing fashion1 and they who could do nothing else could write like ,pindar4 7,life of ,cowley47 ,compare also the remarks of ,mr4 ,gosse3 ,until the days of ,collins and ,gray1 the ode modelled upon ,cowley was not only the universal medium for congratulatory lyrics and pompous occasional pieces1 but it was almost the only variety permitted to the melancholy generations over whom the heroic couplet reigned supreme4 7,seventeenth ,century ,studies1 p4 #baf47 ,it has been the habit of modern critics to treat the irregularities of the ,cowleyan ode with no little contempt1 and it is undoubtedly true that in the hands of small poets its liberties are dangerous2 but it is also true that some of the greatest modern poets have adopted the form for some of their best work1 and that they have generally preferred it to that of the regular ,pindaric ode4 ,when in mid-air the golden trump shall sound1 ,to raise the nations under ground2 ,when in the valley of ,jehoshaphat ,the judging ,god shall close the book of ,fate1 ,and there the last assizes keep ,for those who wake and those who sleep2 ,when rattling bones together fly ,from the four corners of the sky2 ,when sinews o'er the skeletons are spread1 ,those cloth'd with flesh1 and life inspires the dead2 ,the sacred poets first shall hear the sound1 ,and foremost from the tomb shall bound1 ,for they are covered with the lightest ground2 ,and straight1 with inborn vigor1 on the wing1 ,like mounting larks1 to the new morning sing4 ,there thou1 sweet saint1 before the choir shalt go1 ,as harbinger of heaven1 the way to show1 ,the way which thou so well hast learn'd below4 7,,dryden3 ,to the ,pious ,memory of ,mistress ,anne ,killigrew1 strophe x4 #afhf47 ,see also specimen from the ,ode for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day1 quoted above1 p4 #eb4 ,dryden's odes for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day 7especially the ,alexander's ,feast7 are among the most highly esteemed of his poems2 but parts1 at least1 of the ode on ,mistress ,killigrew are no less fine1 and in this case we have a purely literary ode1 whose irregularities are not designed--as in the case of the others--to fit choral rendering4 ,the conclusion of the ode1 here quoted1 seems to owe something of both substance and form to the conclusion of ,cowley's ,resurrection ,ode 7see preceding specimen74 ,dr4 ,johnson called ,dryden's ,killigrew ,ode undoubtedly the noblest ode that our language ever has produced4 ,last came ,joy's ecstatic trial4 ,he1 with viny crown advancing1 ,first to the lively pipe his hand addrest2 ,but soon he saw the brisk awak'ning viol1 ,whose sweet entrancing voice he loved the best4 ,they would have thought1 who heard the strain1 ,they saw in ,tempe's vale her native maids1 ,amidst the festal sounding shades1 ,to some unwearied minstrel dancing1 ,while1 as his flying fingers kiss'd the strings1 ,love fram'd with ,mirth a gay fantastic round2 ,loose were her tresses seen1 her zone unbound1 ,and he1 amidst his frolic play1 ,as if he would the charming air repay1 ,shook thousand odors from his dewy wings4 7,,collins3 ,the ,passions4 #agdf47 ,i marked ,ambition in his war-array6 ,i heard the mailed ,monarch's troublous cry-- ,ah6 wherefore does the ,northern ,conqueress stay6 ,groans not her chariot on its onward way8 ,fly1 mailed ,monarch1 fly6 ,stunned by ,death's twice mortal mace1 ,no more on murder's lurid face ,the insatiate hag shall gloat with drunken eye6 ,manes of the unnumbered slain6 ,ye that gasped on ,warsaw's plain6 ,ye that erst at ,ismail's tower1 ,when human ruin choked the streams1 ,fell in conquest's glutted hour1 ,mid women's shrieks and infants' screams6 ,spirits of the uncoffined slain1 ,sudden blasts of triumph swelling1 ,oft1 at night1 in misty train1 ,rush around her narrow dwelling6 ,the exterminating fiend is fled-- 7,foul her life1 and dark her doom7-- ,mighty armies of the dead ,dance1 like death-fires1 round her tomb6 ,then with prophetic song relate ,each some tyrant-murderer's fate6 7,,coleridge3 ,ode on the ,departing ,year1 strophe iii4 #agif47 ,this ode was evidently intended to be in the regular ,pindaric form1 and was divided into strophes1 antistrophes1 and epodes2 but it soon broke into irregularity4 ,on ,coleridge's odes see some remarks by ,mr4 ,theodore ,watts in the article on ,poetry in the ,encyclopdia ,britannica4 ,our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting3 ,the ,soul that rises with us1 our life's ,star1 ,hath had elsewhere its setting1 ,and cometh from afar3 ,not in entire forgetfulness1 ,and not in utter nakedness1 ,but trailing clouds of glory do we come ,from ,god1 who is our home4 ,heaven lies about us in our infancy6 ,shades of the prison-house begin to close ,upon the growing boy1 ,but he beholds the light1 and whence it flows1 ,he sees it in his joy2 ,the youth1 who daily farther from the east ,must travel1 still is ,nature's priest1 ,and by the vision splendid ,is on his way attended2 ,at length the man perceives it die away1 ,and fade into the light of common day4444 ,o joy6 that in our embers ,is something that doth live1 ,that nature yet remembers ,what was so fugitive6 ,the thought of our past years in me doth breed ,perpetual benediction3 not indeed ,for that which is most worthy to be blest2 ,delight and liberty1 the simple creed ,of childhood1 whether busy or at rest1 ,with new-fledged hope still fluttering in his breast3-- ,not for these ,i raise ,the song of thanks and praise2 ,but for those obstinate questionings ,of sense and outward things1 ,fallings from us1 vanishings2 ,blank misgivings of a creature ,moving about in worlds not realized1 ,high instincts before which our mortal nature ,did tremble like a guilty thing surprised3 ,but for those first affections1 ,those shadowy recollections1 ,which1 be they what they may1 ,are yet the fountain light of all our day1 ,are yet a master light of all our seeing2 ,uphold us1 cherish1 and have power to make ,our noisy years seem moments in the being ,of the eternal ,silence3 truths that wake ,to perish never2 ,which neither listlessness1 nor mad endeavor1 ,nor man nor boy1 ,nor all that is at enmity with joy1 ,can utterly abolish or destroy6 ,hence in a season of calm weather1 ,though inland far we be1 ,our souls have sight of that immortal sea ,which brought us hither1 ,can in a moment travel thither1 ,and see the children sport upon the shore1 ,and hear the mighty waters rolling evermore4 7,,wordsworth3 ,intimations of ,immortality1 strophes v4 and ix4 #ahjg47 ,in this poem the ,english ode may be said to have reached its high-water mark4 ,professor ,corson observes3 ,the several metres are felt1 in the course of the reading of the ,ode1 to be organic--inseparable from what each is employed to express4 ,the rhymes1 too1 with their varying degrees of emphasis1 according to the nearness or remoteness1 and the length1 of the rhyming verses1 are equally a part of the expression4444 ,the feelings of the reader of ,english poetry get to be set1 so to speak1 to the pentameter measure1 as in that measure the largest portion of ,english poetry is written2 and1 accordingly1 other measures derive some effect from that fact4 ,in the theme-metre1 generally1 the more reflective portions of the ,ode1 its deeper tones1 are expressed4 ,the gladder notes come in the shorter metres4444 ,wordsworth never wrote any poem of which it can be more truly said than of his great ,ode1 ',of the soul the body form doth take4' 7,primer of ,english ,verse1 pp4 #cb-cd47 ,then gentle winds arose ,with many a mingled close ,of wild olian sound and mountain-odor keen2 ,and where the ,baian ocean ,welters with airlike motion1 ,within1 above1 around its bowers of starry green1 ,moving the sea-flowers in those purple caves ,even as the ever stormless atmosphere ,floats o'er the ,elysian realm1 ,it bore me like an ,angel1 o'er the waves ,of sunlight1 whose swift pinnace of dewy air ,no storm can overwhelm2 ,i sailed1 where ever flows ,under the calm ,serene ,a spirit of deep emotion ,from the unknown graves ,of the dead kings of ,melody4 ,shadowy ,aornos darkened o'er the helm ,the horizontal ether2 heaven stripped bare ,its depths over ,elysium1 where the prow ,made the invisible water white as snow2 ,from that ,typhan mount1 ,inarime1 ,there streamed a sunlight vapor1 like the standard ,of some ethereal host2 ,whilst from the coast1 ,louder and louder1 gathering round1 there wandered ,over the oracular woods and divine sea ,prophesyings which grew articulate-- ,they seize me--,i must speak them--be they fate6 7,,shelley3 ,ode to ,naples1 strophe ii4 #ahai47 ,bury the ,great ,duke ,with an empire's lamentation1 ,let us bury the ,great ,duke ,to the noise of the mourning of a mighty nation1 ,mourning when their leaders fall1 ,warriors carry the warrior's pall1 ,and sorrow darkens hamlet and hall4 ,where shall we lay the man whom we deplore8 ,here1 in streaming ,london's central roar4 ,let the sound of those he wrought for1 ,and the feet of those he fought for1 ,echo round his bones for evermore4 ,lead out the pageant3 sad and slow1 ,as fits an universal woe1 ,let the long long procession go1 ,and let the sorrowing crowd about it grow1 ,and let the mournful martial music blow2 ,the last great ,englishman is low4444 444 ,we revere1 and while we hear ,the tides of ,music's golden sea ,setting toward eternity1 ,uplifted high in heart and hope are we1 ,until we doubt not that for one so true ,there must be other nobler work to do ,than when he fought at ,waterloo1 ,and ,victor he must ever be4 ,for though the ,giant ,ages heave the hill ,and break the shore1 and evermore ,make and break1 and work their will2 ,though world on world in myriad myriads roll ,round us1 each with different powers1 ,and other forms of life than ours1 ,what know we greater than the soul8 ,on ,god and ,godlike men we build our trust4 ,hush1 the ,dead ,march wails in the people's ears3 ,the dark crowd moves1 and there are sobs and tears3 ,the black earth yawns3 the mortal disappears2 ,ashes to ashes1 dust to dust2 ,he is gone who seemed so great4-- ,gone2 but nothing can bereave him ,of the force he made his own ,being here1 and we believe him ,something far advanced in state1 ,and that he wears a truer crown ,than any wreath that man can weave him4 ,speak no more of his renown1 ,lay your earthly fancies down1 ,and in the vast cathedral leave him4 ,god accept him1 ,christ receive him4 7,,tennyson3 ,on the ,death of the ,duke of ,wellington1 strophes i1 ii1 iii1 ix 7in part74 #aheb47 ,this ode of ,tennyson's is one of the few poems in which he gave himself such liberty of form 7compare some of the irregular measures of ,maud74 ,it shows his usual skill in the adaptation of metrical effects to the purposes of description4 ,dr4 ,henry ,van ,dyke has suggested that the varying--almost lawless--movements of the opening lines are designed to suggest the surging of the crowd through the streets of ,london1 before the entrance into the cathedral for the funeral4 ,bow down1 dear ,land1 for thou hast found release6 ,thy ,god1 in these distempered days1 ,hath taught thee the sure wisdom of ,his ways1 ,and through thine enemies hath wrought thy peace6 ,bow down in prayer and praise6 ,no poorest in thy borders but may now ,lift to the juster skies a man's enfranchised brow4 ,o ,beautiful6 my ,country6 ours once more1 ,smoothing thy gold of war-dishevelled hair ,o'er such sweet brows as never other wore1 ,and letting thy set lips1 ,freed from wrath's pale eclipse1 ,the rosy edges of their smile lay bare1 ,what words divine of lover or of poet ,could tell our love and make thee know it1 ,among the ,nations bright beyond compare8 ,what were our lives without thee8 ,what all our lives to save thee8 ,we reck not what we gave thee2 ,we will not dare to doubt thee4 ,but ask whatever else1 and we will dare6 7,,lowell3 ,harvard ,commemoration ,ode1 strophe xii4 #ahfe47 ,this is undoubtedly the finest of odes by ,american poets1 and remains one of the glories of new-world poetry4 ,its irregular measures were designed by ,mr4 ,lowell to fit the poem for public reading 7see his letter to ,mr4 ,gosse on the subject1 quoted in the ,appendix to ,gosse's ,seventeenth ,century ,studies74 ,in the ,year of the great ,crime1 ,when the false ,english nobles and their ,jew1 ,by ,god demented1 slew ,the ,trust they stood thrice pledged to keep from wrong1 ,one said1 ,take up thy ,song1 ,that breathes the mild and almost mythic time ,of ,england's prime6 ,but ,i1 ,ah1 me1 ,the freedom of the few ,that1 in our free ,land1 were indeed the free1 ,can song renew8 ,ill singing 'tis with blotting prison-bars1 ,how high soe'er1 betwixt us and the stars2 ,ill singing 'tis when there are none to hear2 ,and days are near ,when ,england shall forget ,the fading glow which1 for a little while1 ,illumes her yet1 ,the lovely smile ,that grows so faint and wan1 ,her people shouting in her dying ear3 ,are not jays twain worth two of any swan6 ,harsh words and brief asks the dishonor'd ,year4 7,,coventry ,,patmore3 ,ode ix4 ,printed #ahfh47 ,mr4 ,patmore's use of the irregular ode forms is of particular interest4 ,he made a special study of the form1 and applied it more widely than is commonly done4 ,his first odes were printed 7not published7 in #ahfh1 and from one of these the present specimen is taken4 ,later 7#ahgg71 in connection with ,the ,unknown ,eros1 he set forth his view of the ode form1 treating it not as lawless but as governed by laws of its own4 ,nearly all ,english metres1 he said1 owe their existence as metres to 'catalexis1' or pause1 for the time of one or more feet1 and1 as a rule1 the position and amount of catalexis1 are fixed4 ,but the verse in which this volume is written is catalectic par excellence1 employing the pause 7as it does the rhyme7 with freedom only limited by the exigencies of poetic passion4 ,from the time of ,drummond of ,hawthornden to our own1 some of the noblest flights of ,english poetry have been taken on the wings of this verse2 but with ordinary readers it has been more or less discredited by the far greater number of abortive efforts1 on the part sometimes of considerable poets1 to adapt it to purposes with which it has no expressional correspondence2 or to vary it by rhythmical movements which are destructive of its character4 ,some persons1 unlearned in the subject of this metre1 have objected to this kind of verse that it is 'lawless4' ,but it has its laws as truly as any other4 ,in its highest order1 the lyric or 'ode1' it is a tetrameter1 the line having the time of eight iambics4 ,when it descends to narrative1 or the expression of a less exalted strain of thought1 it becomes a trimeter1 having the time of six iambics1 or even a dimeter1 with the time of four2 and it is allowable to vary the tetrameter 'ode' by the occasional introduction of passages in either or both of these inferior measures1 but not1 ,i think1 by the use of any other4 ,the license to rhyme at indefinite intervals is counterbalanced 444 by unusual frequency in the recurrence of the same rhyme4 7,from ,patmore's ,prefatory ,note to ,the ,unknown ,eros2 quoted by ,william ,sharp1 in the ,introduction to ,great ,odes1 p4 xxxii47#dj ,on the shores of a ,continent cast1 ,she won the inviolate soil ,by loss of heirdom of all the ,past1 ,and faith in the royal right of ,toil6 ,she planted homes on the savage sod3 ,into the wilderness lone ,she walked with fearless feet1 ,in her hand the divining-rod1 ,till the veins of the mountains beat ,with fire of metal and force of stone6 ,she set the speed of the river-head ,to turn the mills of her bread2 ,she drove her ploughshare deep ,through the prairie's thousand-centuried sleep4 ,to the ,south1 and ,west1 and ,north1 ,she called ,pathfinder forth1 ,her faithful and sole companion ,where the flushed ,sierra1 snow-starred1 ,her way to the sunset barred1 ,and the nameless rivers in thunder and foam ,channeled the terrible canyon6 ,nor paused1 till her uttermost home ,was built1 in the smile of a softer sky ,and the glory of beauty yet to be1 ,where the haunted waves of ,asia die ,on the strand of the world-wide sea4 7,,bayard ,,taylor3 ,national ,ode1 strophe iii4 #ahgf47 ,soon shall the ,cape ,ann children shout in glee1 ,spying the arbutus1 spring's dear recluse2 ,hill lads at dawn shall hearken the wild goose ,go honking northward over ,tennessee2 ,west from ,oswego to ,sault ,sainte-,marie1 ,and on to where the ,pictured ,rocks are hung1 ,and yonder where1 gigantic1 willful1 young1 ,chicago sitteth at the northwest gates1 ,with restless violent hands and casual tongue ,moulding her mighty fates1 ,the ,lakes shall robe them in ethereal sheen2 ,and like a larger sea1 the vital green ,of springing wheat shall vastly be outflung ,over ,dakota and the prairie states4 ,by desert people immemorial ,on ,arizonan mesas shall be done ,dim rites unto the thunder and the sun2 ,nor shall the primal gods lack sacrifice ,more splendid1 when the white ,sierras call ,unto the ,rockies straightway to arise ,and dance before the unveiled ark of the year1 ,sounding their windy cedars as for shawms1 ,unrolling rivers clear ,for flutter of broad phylacteries2 ,while ,shasta signals to ,alaskan seas ,that watch old sluggish glaciers downward creep ,to fling their icebergs thundering from the steep1 ,and ,mariposa through the purple calms ,gazes at far ,hawaii crowned with palms ,where ,east and ,west are met1-- ,a rich seal on the ocean's bosom set ,to say that ,east and ,west are twain1 ,with different loss and gain3 ,the ,lord hath sundered them2 let them be sundered yet4444 444 ,ah no6 ,we have not fallen so1 ,we are our fathers' sons3 let those who lead us know6 ',twas only yesterday sick ,cuba's cry ,came up the tropic wind1 ',now help us1 for we die6' ,then ,alabama heard1 ,and rising1 pale1 to ,maine and ,idaho ,shouted a burning word4 ,proud state with proud impassioned state conferred1 ,and at the lifting of a hand sprang forth1 ,east1 west1 and south1 and north1 ,beautiful armies4 ,oh1 by the sweet blood and young1 ,shed on the awful hill slope at ,san ,juan1 ,by the unforgotten names of eager boys ,who might have tasted girls' love and been stung ,with the old mystic joys ,and starry griefs1 now the spring nights come on1 ,but that the heart of youth is generous1-- ,we charge you1 ye who lead us1 ,breathe on their chivalry no hint of stain6 ,turn not their new-world victories to gain6 ,one least leaf plucked for chaffer from the bays ,of their dear praise1 ,one jot of their pure conquest put to hire1 ,the implacable republic will require4 7,,william ,,vaughn ,,moody3 ,an ,ode in ,time of ,hesitation1 strophes iii4 and ix4 #aijj47 ,c4--,,choral ,different from either of the two classes of odes already represented are the irregular choral measures used by a few ,english poets in translation or imitation of the odes of the ,greek drama4 ,chorus4 ,o dearly bought revenge1 yet glorious6 ,living or dying thou hast fulfilled ,the work for which thou wast foretold ,to ,israel1 and now liest victorious ,among thy slain self-killed2 ,not willingly1 but tangled in the fold ,of dire ,necessity1 whose law in death conjoined ,thee with thy slaughtered foes1 in number more ,than all thy life had slain before4 ,semi-chorus4 ,while their hearts were jocund and sublime1 ,drunk with idolatry1 drunk with wine ,and fat regorged of bulls and goats1 ,chaunting their idol1 and preferring ,before our living ,dread1 who dwells ,in ,silo1 his bright sanctuary1 ,among them he a spirit of phrenzy sent1 ,who hurt their minds1 ,and urged them on with mad desire ,to call in haste for their destroyer4 ,they1 only set on sport and play1 ,unweetingly importuned ,their own destruction to come speedy upon them4 ,so fond are mortal men1 ,fallen into wrath divine1 ,as their own ruin on themselves to invite1 ,insensate left1 or to sense reprobate1 ,and with blindness internal struck4 ,semi-chorus4 ,but he1 though blind of sight1 ,despised1 and thought extinguished quite1 ,with inward eyes illuminated1 ,his fiery virtue roused ,from under ashes into sudden flame1 ,and as an evening dragon came1 ,assailant on the perched roosts ,and nests in order ranged ,of tame villatic fowl1 but as an eagle ,his cloudless thunder bolted on their heads4 ,so ,virtue1 given for lost1 ,depressed and overthrown1 as seemed1 ,like that self-begotten bird ,in the ,arabian woods embost1 ,that no second knows nor third1 ,and lay erewhile a holocaust1 ,from out her ashy womb now teemed1 ,revives1 reflourishes1 then vigorous most ,when most unactive deemed2 ,and1 though her body die1 her fame survives1 ,a secular bird1 ages of lives4 7,,milton3 ,samson ,agonistes1 ll4 #affj-agjg4 #afga47 ,of this passage ,mr4 ,swinburne says3 ,it is hard to realize and hopeless to reproduce the musical force of classic metres so recondite and exquisite as the choral parts of a ,greek play4 ,even ,milton could not2 though with his godlike instinct and his godlike might of hand he made a kind of strange and enormous harmony by intermixture of assonance and rhyme with irregular blank verse1 as in that last ,titanic chorus of ,samson which utters over the fallen ,philistines the trumpet-blast and thunder of its triumphs4 7,essays and ,studies1 pp4 #afb1 #afc47 ,the lyre's voice is lovely everywhere2 ,in the court of gods1 in the city of men1 ,and in the lonely rock-strewn mountain-glen1 ,in the still mountain air4 ,only to ,typho it sounds hatefully1-- ,to ,typho only1 the rebel o'erthrown1 ,through whose heart ,etna drives her roots of stone1 ,to embed them in the sea4 ,wherefore dost thou groan so loud8 ,wherefore do thy nostrils flash1 ,through the dark night1 suddenly1 ,typho1 such red jets of flame8 ,is thy tortured heart still proud8 ,is thy fire-scathed arm still rash8 ,still alert thy stone-crushed frame8 ,doth thy fierce soul still deplore ,thine ancient rout by the ,cilician hills1 ,and that curst treachery on the ,mount of ,gore8 ,do thy bloodshot eyes still weep ,the fight which crowned thine ills1 ,thy last mischance on this ,sicilian deep8 ,hast thou sworn1 in thy sad lair1 ,where erst the strong sea-currents sucked thee down1 ,never to cease to writhe1 and try to rest1 ,letting the sea-stream wander through thy hair8 ,that thy groans1 like thunder prest1 ,begin to roll1 and almost drown ,the sweet notes whose lulling spell ,gods and the race of mortals love so well1 ,when through thy caves thou hearest music swell8 ,but an awful pleasure bland ,spreading o'er the ,thunderer's face1 ,when the sound climbs near his seat1 ,the ,olympian council sees2 ,as he lets his lax right hand1 ,which the lightnings doth embrace1 ,sink upon his mighty knees4 ,and the eagle1 at the beck ,of the appeasing1 gracious harmony1 ,droops all his sheeny1 brown1 deep-feathered neck1 ,nestling nearer to ,jove's feet2 ,while o'er his sovran eye ,the curtains of the blue films slowly meet4 ,and the white ,olympus-peaks ,rosily brighten1 and the soothed gods smile ,at one another from their golden chairs1 ,and no one round the charmed circle speaks4 ,only the loved ,hebe bears ,the cup about1 whose draughts beguile ,pain and care1 with a dark store ,of fresh-pulled violets wreathed and nodding o'er2 ,and her flushed feet glow on the marble floor4 7,,matthew ,,arnold3 ,empedocles on ,etna1 ,act ,,ii4 ,song of ,callicles4 #ahec47 ,wherefore to me1 this fear-- ,groundedly stationed here ,fronting my heart1 the portent-watcher--flits she8 ,wherefore should prophet-play ,the uncalled and unpaid lay1 ,nor--having spat forth fear1 like bad dreams--sits she ,on the mind's throne beloved--well-suasive ,boldness8 ,for time1 since1 by a throw of all the hands1 ,the boat's stern-cables touched the sands1 ,has passed from youth to oldness1-- ,when under ,ilion rushed the ship-borne bands4 ,and from my eyes ,i learn-- ,being myself my witness--their return4 ,yet1 all the same1 without a lyre1 my soul1 ,itself its teacher too1 chants from within ,erinus' dirge1 not having now the whole ,of ,hope's dear boldness3 nor my inwards sin-- ,the heart that's rolled in whirls against the mind ,justly presageful of a fate behind4 ,but ,i pray--things false1 from my hope1 may fall ,into the fate that's not-fulfilled-at-all6 ,especially at least1 of health that's great ,the term's insatiable3 for1 its weight --,a neighbor1 with a common wall between-- ,ever will sickness lean2 ,and destiny1 her course pursuing straight1 ,has struck man's ship against a reef unseen4 ,now1 when a portion1 rather than the treasure ,fear casts from sling1 with peril in right measure1 ,it has not sunk--the universal freight1 7,with misery freighted over-full17 ,nor has fear whelmed the hull4 ,then too the gift of ,zeus1 ,two-handedly profuse1 ,even from the furrows' yield for yearly use ,has done away with famine1 the disease2 ,but blood of man to earth once falling1--deadly1 black1-- ,in times ere these1-- ,who may1 by singing spells1 call back8 ,zeus had not else stopped one who rightly knew ,the way to bring the dead again4 ,but1 did not an appointed ,fate constrain ,the ,fate from gods1 to bear no more than due1 ,my heart1 outstripping what tongue utters1 ,would have all out3 which now1 in darkness1 mutters ,moodily grieved1 nor ever hopes to find ,how she a word in season may unwind ,from out the enkindling mind4 7,,browning3 ,agamemnon2 chorus4 #ahgg47 ,of the same general metrical character as the irregular odes are certain poems 7like some of ,patmore's7 with no regularly organized structure and varying lengths of line4 ,see1 for example1 ,milton's verses ,at a ,solemn ,music and ,on ,time2 ,swinburne's ,thalassius and ,on the ,cliffs2 and ,william ,morris's ,on a fair ,spring ,morning4 ,compare1 also1 the effect of the irregular strophic forms in ,southey's ,curse of ,kehama1 ,shelley's ,queen ,mab1 and the like4#da ,,footnotes3 #ci ,on ,english ode-forms1 see the introductions to ,mr4 ,gosse's ,english ,odes and ,mr4 ,william ,sharp's ,great ,odes2 also ,schipper1 vol4 ii4 p4 #gib4 #dj ,mr4 ,patmore has used the same sort of verse for narrative poetry1 with unusual daring but also with unusual success4 ,for an example see his ,amelia1 included in the ,golden ,treasury1 ,second ,series4 ,the following passage exhibits the metrical method of the poem at its best3 ,and so we went alone ,by walls o'er which the lilac's numerous plume ,shook down perfume2 ,trim plots close blown ,with daisies1 in conspicuous myriads seen1 ,engross'd each one ,with single ardor for her spouse1 the sun2 ,garths in their glad array ,of white and ruddy branch1 auroral1 gay1 ,with azure chill the maiden flower between2 ,meadows of fervid green1 ,with sometime sudden prospect of untold ,cowslips1 like chance-found gold2 ,and broadcast buttercups at joyful gaze1 ,rending the air with praise1 ,like the six-hundred-thousand-voiced shout ,of ,jacob camp'd in ,midian put to rout2 ,then through the ,park1 ,where ,spring to livelier gloom ,quickened the cedars dark1 ,and1 'gainst the clear sky cold1 ,which shone afar ,crowded with sunny alps oracular1 ,great chestnuts raised themselves abroad like cliffs of bloom4 #da ,the easy abuse of these irregular measures is amusingly parodied by ,mr4 ,owen ,seaman1 in a burlesque of an ode of ,mr4 ,le ,gallienne's3 ,is this the ,seine8 ,and am ,i altogether wrong ,about the brain1 ,dreaming ,i hear the ,british tongue8 ,dear ,heaven6 what a rhyme6 ,and yet 'tis all as good ,as some that ,i have fashioned in my time1 ,like bud and wood2 ,and on the other hand you couldn't have a more precise or neater ,metre4 7,the ,battle of the ,bays1 p4 #cg47 ,,vi4 ,,imitations ,,of ,,classical ,,metres ,while ,english verse is generally admitted to be based on a different system from that of ,greek and ,latin poetry 7the element of accent obscuring that of quantity in ,english prosody1 as the element of quantity obscures that of accent in classical prosody71 there have been repeated attempts to introduce the more familiar classical measures into ,english4 ,most of these attempts have been academic and have attracted the attention only of critics and scholars2 a few have interested the reading public4 ,imitations of classical verse in ,english may conveniently be divided into two classes3 imitations of lyrical measures1 and imitations of the dactylic hexameter4 ,the latter group is of course much the larger1 especially in modern poetry4 ,it will appear that the classical measures might also be divided into two groups according to another distinction3 those attempting to observe the quantitative prosody of the original language1 and those in which the original measure is transmuted into frankly accentual verse4 ,the original impulse toward this classical or pseudo-classical verse was a product of the ,renaissance1 when all forms of art not based on ,greek and ,latin models were suspected4 ,rime1 not being found in the poetry of the classical languages1 was treated as a product of the dark ages1--the invention of ,goths and ,huns4 ,see ,roger ,ascham's ,schoolmaster 7#aegj7 for the most characteristic representative of this phase of thought in ,england4 ,the new forms of verse were1 naturally enough1 first tried in ,italy4 ,schipper traces the beginning of the movement to ,alberti 7#adjd-adhd74 ,a century later ,trissino wrote his ,sophonisbe and ,italia ,liberata in unrimed verse1 in professed imitation of ,homer1 and was looked upon as the inventor of versi sciolti1 that is1 verses freed from rime 7compare the remarks of ,milton in the prefatory note to ,paradise ,lost74 ,in #aeci ,claudio ,tolomei wrote ,versi e ,regole della ,poesia ,nuova1 a systematic attempt to introduce the classical versification4 ,he also wrote hexameters and sapphics4 ,in ,france there were similar efforts in the sixteenth century4 ,mousset translated ,homer into hexameters in #aecj1 and ,a4 de ,baf1 a member of the ,pleiade 7#aecb-aehi71 devised some ,french hexameters which he called vers bafins4 ,the ,english experiments were worked out independently1 and yet under the same neo-classical influences4 ,on this subject1 see ,schipper1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #b-ab1 #dci-dfd4 ,a4--,,lyrical ,,measures ,reason1 tell me thy mind1 if here be reason ,in this strange violence1 to make resistance ,where sweet graces erect the stately banner ,of ,virtue's regiment1 shining in harness ,of ,fortune's diadems1 by ,beauty mustered3 ,say1 then1 ,reason1 ,i say1 what is thy counsel8 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,phaleuciakes1 from the ,arcadia1 ab4 #aehj47 ,this is the measure commonly called ,phalcian4 ,compare ,tennyson's imitation of it1 in his ,hendecasyllabics quoted below4 ,o sweet woods1 the delight of solitariness6 ,o how much ,i do like your solitariness6 ,where man's mind hath a freed consideration ,of goodness to receive lovely direction4 ,where senses do behold the order of heavenly host1 ,and wise thoughts do behold what the ,creator is4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,asclepiadics1 from the ,arcadia4 ab4 #aehj47 ,this is the measure now called ,lesser ,asclepiadean4 ,my ,muse1 what ails this ardor ,to blaze my only secrets8 ,alas1 it is no glory ,to sing my own decay'd state4 ,alas1 it is no comfort ,to speak without an answer2 ,alas1 it is no wisdom ,to show the wound without cure4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,anacreontics1 from the ,arcadia4 ab4 #aehj47 ,sidney was a member of the little group of classical students who called themselves the ,areopagus1 and who were interested in introducing classical measures into ,english verse4 ,others of the group were ,gabriel ,harvey and ,edmund ,spenser1 from whose correspondence most of our information regarding the movement is derived4 7,see the letters in ,grosart's edition of ,harvey's ,works1 vol4 i4 pp4 #g-i1 #bj-bd1 #ce-cg1 #ge-gf1 #ii-ajg47 ,spenser's only known efforts in the same direction are also preserved in this correspondence2 a poem in twenty-one iambic trimeters1 and this tetrasticon3-- ,see yee the blindfoulded pretie god1 that feathered archer1 ,of lovers miseries which maketh his bloodie game8 ,wote ye why his moother with a veale hath coovered his face8 ,trust me1 least he my loove happely chaunce to beholde4 ,it would seem that ,spenser was attempting1 more conscientiously than ,sidney did1 to follow the classical rules of quantity in making his verses2 hence they are more difficult to read according to ,english rhythm4 ,sidney's experiments in the classical versification are perhaps the most successful1 to modern taste1 of all those made in the ,elizabethan period4 ,among the other songs in the ,arcadia will be found sapphics and hexameters4 ,see especially ,spenser's letter of ,april1 #aehj1 and ,harvey's reply 7op4 cit41 vol4 i4 pp4 #ce1 #ii71 for notable passages indicating the seriousness with which the members of the ,areopagus were trying to orm ,english verse so as to bring it under the rules of classical prosody4 ,the relations of quantity and accent were not understood1 as indeed they may be said still not to be understood for the ,english language4 ,spenser suggests1 in a frequently quoted passage1 that in the word carpenter the middle syllable is short in speech1 when it shall be read long in verse1--that is1 because the vowel is followed by two consonants2 hence it seemeth like a lame gosling that draweth one legge after her4444 ,but it is to be wonne with custome1 and rough words must be subdued with use4 ,harvey resented the idea that the common pronunciation of words could be departed from in order to conform them to arbitrary metrical rules1 and in his reply said3 ,you shall never have my subscription or consent 444 to make your ,carpenter our ,carp7enter1 an inche longer or bigger1 than ,god and his ,englishe people have made him4444 ,else never heard ,i any that durst presume so much over the ,englishe 444 as to alter the quantitie of any one sillable1 otherwise than oure common speache and generall receyved custome woulde beare them oute4 ,but while all ,english verse must be consistent with the vulgare and naturall mother prosodye1 ,harvey does not despair of finding a system that shall be at the same time countervaileable to the best tongues in making possible quantitative verse4 ,the whole passage is well worth reading4 ,the best account of the movement toward classical versification in the days of the ,areopagus will be found in ,professor ,schelling's ,poetic and ,verse ,criticism in the ,reign of ,elizabeth 7,publications of the ,university of ,pennsylvania74 ,o ye ,nymphes most fine who resort to this brooke1 ,for to bathe there your pretty breasts at all times3 ,leave the watrish bowres1 hyther and to me come at my request nowe4 ,and ye ,virgins trymme who resort to ,parnass1 ,whence the learned well ,helicon beginneth3 ,helpe to blase her worthy deserts1 that all els mounteth above farre4 7,,william ,,webbe3 ,sapphic ,verse1 in ,a ,discourse of ,english ,poetrie4 #aehf47 ,webbe was another of those who believed that if the true kind of versifying in immitation of ,greekes and ,latines1 had been practised in the ,english tongue1 444 it would long ere this have aspyred to as full perfection1 as in anie other tongue whatsoever4 ,so he added to his ,discourse 7see ,arber ,reprint1 pp4 #fg-hd7 a discussion of the principles of quantitative prosody1 and some specimens of what might be done by way of experiment4#db ,the ,sapphics from which the present specimen is taken are a paraphrase of ,spenser's praise of ,elizabeth in the fourth eclogue of the ,shepherd's ,calendar4 7,for a specimen of ,webbe's hexameters1 see p4 #ccd1 below47 ,greatest in thy wars1 ,greater in thy peace1 ,dread ,elizabeth2 ,our muse only truth1 ,figments cannot use1 ,thy ritch name to deck ,that itselfe adorns3 ,but should now this age ,let all poesye fayne1 ,fayning poesy could ,nothing faine at all ,worthy halfe thy fame4 7,,thomas ,,campion3 ,iambic ,dimeter1 an example ,lyrical1 in ,observations in the ,art of ,english ,poesie4 #afjb47 ,rose-cheekt ,lawra come ,sing thou smoothly with thy beawtie's ,silent musick1 either other ,sweetely gracing4 ,lovely formes do flowe ,from concent devinely framed1 ,heav'n is musick1 and thy beawtie's ,birth is heavenly4 7,,thomas ,,campion3 ,trochaic ,dimeter1 ib47 ,the full title of ,campion's work was3 ,observations in the ,art of ,english ,poesie2 wherein it is demonstratively proved1 and by example confirmed1 that the ,english toong will receive eight severall kinds of numbers1 proper to it selfe1 which are all in this booke set forth1 and were never before this time by any man attempted4 ,campion1 like other classical versifiers1 condemned rime as a barbarity2 but in imitating the classical measures he does not violate the normal ,english accent1 so that his verses read smoothly in ,english rhythm4 ,curiously enough1 he includes among his innovations an iambic measure which proves to be ordinary decasyllabic verse3 ,goe numbers boldly passe1 stay not for ayde ,of shifting rime1 that easie flatterer1 ,whose witchcraft can the ruder eares beguile4 ,professor ,schelling exclaims3 ,where could the musical ,doctor have kept his ears all this time8 to propose this measure thus innocently for the drama1 when the ,english stage had been ringing with his 'licentiate iambics' for more than two decades6 ,the second of the specimens quoted above ,campion describes as a dimeter whose first foote may either be a ,sponde or ,trochy3 the two verses following are both of them ,trochaical1 and consist of foure feete1 the first of either of them being a ,spondee or ,trochy1 the other three only ,trochyes4 ,the fourth and last verse is made of two ,trochyes4 ,the number is voluble and fit to expresse any amorous conceit4 7,see also another of ,campion's measures1 in ,part ,one1 p4 #bg47dc ,in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries few1 if any1 notable ,english poems were written in the classical measures4 ,goldsmith1 in one of his essays 7xviii1 on ,versification71 maintained the possibility of reducing ,english words to the classical prosody1 and said3 ,we have seen several late specimens of ,english hexameters and sapphics so happily composed that1 by attaching them to the idea of ancient measure1 we found them in all respects as melodious and agreeable to the ear as the works of ,virgil and ,anacreon1 or ,horace4 ,but whose these were it seems to be impossible to say4 ,needy knife-grinder6 whither are you going8 ,rough is the road1 your wheel is out of order-- ,bleak blows the blast2--your hat has got a hole in't1 ,so have your breeches6 ,weary knife-grinder6 little think the proud ones ,who in their coaches roll along the turnpike- road1 what hard work 'tis crying all day1 ,knives and ,scissors to grind ,o6 7,,canning and ,,frere3 ,sapphics2 the ,friend of ,humanity and the ,knife-,grinder1 in the ,anti-,jacobin1 ,november1 #agig74 ,these ,sapphics were a burlesque of some by ,southey in similar stanzas1 opening3 ,cold was the night wind1 drifting fast the snow fell1 ,wide were the downs and shelterless and naked1 ,when a poor wanderer struggled on her journey1 ,weary and way-sore4 ,in this poem1 said the ,anti-,jacobin1 not unjustly1 the pathos of the matter is not a little relieved by the absurdity of the metre4 ,o mighty-mouth'd inventor of harmonies1 ,o skill'd to sing of ,time or ,eternity1 ,god-gifted organ-voice of ,england1 ,milton1 a name to resound for ages2 ,whose ,titan angels1 ,gabriel1 ,abdiel1 ,starr'd from ,jehovah's gorgeous armories1 ,tower1 as the deep-domed empyrean ,rings to the roar of an angel onset4 7,,tennyson3 ,milton2 ,alcaics47 ,o you chorus of indolent reviewers1 ,irresponsible1 indolent reviewers1 ,look1 ,i come to the test1 a tiny poem ,all composed in a metre of ,catullus1 ,all in quantity1 careful of my motion1 ,like the skater on ice that hardly bears him1 ,lest ,i fall unawares before the people1 ,waking laughter in indolent reviewers4 ,should ,i flounder awhile without a tumble ,thro' this metrification of ,catullus1 ,they should speak to me not without a welcome1 ,all that chorus of indolent reviewers4 ,hard1 hard1 hard is it1 only not to tumble1 ,so fantastical is the dainty metre4 ,wherefore slight me not wholly1 nor believe me ,too presumptuous1 indolent reviewers4 7,,tennyson3 ,hendecasyllabics47 ,on the first of these stanzas of ,tennyson1 compare his stanzas to ,maurice1 and note1 p4 #gg1 above4 ,with the hendecasyllabics1 compare the ,phaleuciakes of ,sidney1 p4 #cca1 above1 and ,hendecasyllabics in ,swinburne's ,poems and ,ballads4 ,tennyson took no little interest in the relations of classical and ,english metres1 and seems to have believed in the possibility of genuine ,english quantitative verse4 ,he did not1 however1 regard it as of practical value1 and treated his own experiments as trifles4 ,in his ,memoirs1 written by his son1 ,tennyson is said to have observed that he knew the quantity of every ,english word except scissors1 a mysterious saying which may be set beside ,southey's declaration that ,egypt is the only spondee in the ,english language4 ,his son also preserves an extemporaneous line composed by ,tennyson to illustrate the observance of quantity regardless of accent3 ,all men alike hate slops1 particularly gruel2 and a sapphic stanza1 also extemporized1 quantitative but conforming to common accent3 ,faded ev'ry violet1 all the roses2 ,gone the glorious promise2 and the victim1 ,broken in this anger of ,aphrodite1 ,yields to the victor4 7,memoir1 vol4 ii4 p4 #bca47 ,god1 on verdurous ,helicon ,dweller1 child of ,urania1 ,thou that draw'st to the man the fair ,maiden1 ,o ,hymenus1 ,o ,hymen1 ,o ,hymenus6 7,,robinson ,,ellis3 ,poems of ,catullus1 ,,lxi4 #ahga47 ,mr4 ,ellis's translations from ,catullus are all in the metres of the original1 and are among the most interesting specimens of modern classical versifying4 ,tennyson's ,alcaics and ,hendecasyllabics1 he said in his ,preface1 suggested to me the new principle on which ,i was to go to work4 ,it was not sufficient to reproduce the ancient metres1 unless the ancient quantity was reproduced also4 ,of special interest is the imitation of the almost unapproachable galliambic verse of the ,attis 7pp4 #di-ec73 ,when awoke the sun1 the golden1 that his eyes heaven-orient ,scann'd lustrous air1 the rude seas1 earth's massy solidity1 ,when he smote the shadowy twilight with his healthy team sublime1 ,then arous'd was ,attis2 o'er him sleep hastily fled away ,to ,pasithea's arms immortal with a tremulous hovering4 ,as ,mr4 ,ellis observes1 the metre of ,tennyson's ,boadicea was modelled on this of ,catullus4 ,compare also ,mr4 ,george ,meredith's ,phathon1 attempted in the galliambic measure3 ,at the coming up of ,phoebus1 the all-luminous charioteer1 ,double-visaged stand the mountains in imperial multitudes1 ,and with shadows dappled1 men sing to him1 ,hail1 ,o ,beneficent2 ,for they shudder chill1 the earth-vales1 at his clouding1 shudder to black4 --,saw the white implacable ,aphrodite1 ,saw the hair unbound and the feet unsandalled ,shine as fire of sunset on western waters2 ,saw the reluctant ,feet1 the straining plumes of the doves that drew her1 ,looking always1 looking with necks reverted1 ,back to ,lesbos1 back to the hills whereunder ,shone ,mitylene4 7,,swinburne3 ,sapphics1 in ,poems and ,ballads47 ,love1 what ailed thee to leave life that was made lovely1 we thought1 with love8 ,what sweet visions of sleep lured thee away1 down from the light above8 ,what strange faces of dreams1 voices that called1 hands that were raised to wave1 ,lured or led thee1 alas1 out of the sun1 down to the sunless grave8 7,,swinburne3 ,choriambics1 in ,poems and ,ballads1 ,second ,series1 #ahgh47 ,swinburne's imitations of classical measures are frankly accentual1 with no effort to introduce fixed quantities into ,english4 ,b4--,,dactylic ,,hexameter ,lady1 reserved by the heavens to do pastors' company honor1 ,joining your sweet voice to the rural ,muse of a desert1 ,here you fully do find this strange operation of love1 ,how to the woods ,love runs1 as well as rides to the palace1 ,neither he bears reverence to a prince nor pity to beggar1 ,but 7like a point in midst of a circle7 is still of a nearness1 ,all to a lesson he draws1 neither hills nor caves can avoid him4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,dorus and ,zelmane1 in the ,arcadia4 ab4 #aehj47 ,sidney was evidently trying to write genuinely quantitative hexameters4 ,thus of love1 in the third line1 may be regarded as a quantitative spondee 7the o being followed by two consonants71 although the of would not naturally be stressed4 ,in like manner it is very possible that pallace was spelled with two l's in order to make the first syllable seem long4 ,sidney's hexameters are the first in literary verse which have come down to us2 but there must have been earlier efforts at least by the time of ,ascham's ,schoolmaster 7#aegj71 which vigorously attacked our rude beggerly ryming1 brought first into ,italie by ,gothes and ,hunnes1 444 and at last receyved into ,england by men of excellent wit in deede1 but of small learning1 and less judgement in that behalfe4 7,arber ,reprint1 p4 #ade47 ,one hexameter distich by a contemporary and friend of ,ascham's1 ,master ,watson of ,cambridge1 is handed down to us by ,webbe1 as being common in the mouthes of all men3 ,all travellers doo gladlie report great praise to ,ulisses ,for that he knewe manie mens maners1 and saw many citties4 7,discourse of ,english ,poetrie1 p4 #gb47 ,but the ,queene in meane while with carks quandare deepe anguisht1 ,her wound fed by ,venus1 with firebayt smoldred is hooked4 ,thee wights doughtye manhood leagd with gentilytye nobil1 ,his woords fitlye placed1 with his hevnly phisnomye pleasing1 ,march throgh her hert mustring1 al in her brest deepelye she printeth4 ,theese carcking cratchets her sleeping natural hynder4 ,thee next day foloing ,phoebus dyd clarifye brightlye ,thee world with luster1 watrye shaads ,aurora remooved1 ,when to her deere sister with woords haulf gyddye she raveth4 ,sister ,an1 ,i merveyle1 what dreams me terrefye napping1 ,what newcom travayler1 what guest in my harborye lighted8 ,how brave he dooth court yt8 what strength and coorrage he carryes8 ,i beleve yt certeyn 7ne yet hold ,i yt vaynelye reported7 ,that fro the great linnadge of gods his pettegre shooteth4 7,,richard ,,stanyhurst3 ,vergil's neid1 bk4 iv4 #aehb47 ,stanyhurst's ,vergil is one of the curiosities of ,elizabethan literature1 not only from its verse-form but from its spelling and diction4 ,the translator declares himself a disciple of ,ascham1 in his antipathy to rimed verse2 ,what ,tom ,towly is so simple1 he asks1 that wyl not attempt too bee a rithmoure8 ,in an address to the ,learned ,reader he explains his system of ,english quantitative prosody4 ,in #aeic ,stanyhurst's hexameters were severely noticed in a passage by ,thomas ,nash directed primarily against the classical versifying of ,gabriel ,harvey4 ,the hexamiter verse1 said ,nash1 ,i graunt to be a gentleman of an auncient house 7so is many an ,english begger71 yet this clyme of ours he cannot thrive in2 our speech is too craggy for him to set his plough in2 hee goes twitching and hopping in our language1 like a man running upon quagmiers1 up the hill in one syllable and down the dale in another1 retaining no part of that stately smooth gate which he vaunts himselfe with among the ,greeks and ,latins4444 ,master ,stannyhurst 7though otherwise learned7 trod a foule lumbring boystrous wallowing measure1 in his translation of ,virgil4 7,works of ,nash1 ,grosart edition1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #bcg1 #bch47 ,stanyhurst was also ridiculed by ,joseph ,hall1 in the ,satires of his ,virgidemiarum 7#aeig73 ,another scorns the home-spun thread of rhymes1 ,match'd with the lofty feet of elder times3 ,give me the numbred verse that ,virgil sung1 ,and ,virgil's self shall speak the ,english tongue3 ,manhood and garboiles shall he chaunt with chaunged feet ,and head-strong dactyls making music meet4 ,the nimble dactyl striving to out-go1 ,the drawling spondees pacing it below4 ,the lingring spondees1 labouring to delay1 ,the breathless dactyls with a sudden stay4 ,whoever saw a colt wanton and wild ,yok'd with a slow-foot ox on fallow field1 ,can right areed how handsomely besets ,dull spondees with the ,english dactylets4 7,,chalmers',s ,english ,poets1 vol4 v4 p4 #bff47 ,compare the lines of ,chapman1 in his ,hymn to ,cynthia1 where he says that sweet poesy ,will not be clad in her supremacy ,with those strange garments 7,rome's hexameters7 ,as she is ,english2 but in right prefers ,our native robes4 ,see also1 in ,arber's edition of ,stanyhurst in the ,english ,scholar's ,library1 an account of another work in hexameters1 published anonymously in #aeii3 the ,first ,booke of the ,preservation of ,king ,henry the ,,vii4 ,this writer admired ,stanyhurst's effort1 but desired him to refile his verses into more polished ,english3 ,if the ,poet ,stanihurst yet live and feedeth on ay-er1 ,i do request him 7as one that wisheth a grace to the meter7 ,with wordes significant to refile and finely to polishe ,those fower neis1 that he late translated in ,english4 ,in the same connection the writer tells us definitely what is to be hoped from the trew kind of ,hexametred and ,pentametred verse4 ,first it will enrich our speach with good and significant wordes3 ,secondly it will bring a delight and pleasure to the skilfull ,reader1 when he seeth them formally compyled3 ,and thirdly it will incourage and learne the good and godly ,students1 that affect ,poetry1 and are naturally enclyned thereunto1 to make the like3 ,fourthly it will direct a trew ,idioma1 and will teach trew ,orthography4#dd ,tityrus1 happilie thou lyste tumbling under a beech tree1 ,all in a fine oate pipe these sweete songs lustilie chaunting3 ,we1 poore soules goe to wracke1 and from these coastes be remooved1 ,and fro our pastures sweete3 thou ,tityr1 at ease in a shade plott ,makst thicke groves to resound with songes of brave ,amarillis4 7,,william ,,webbe3 ,vergil's ,first ,eclogue1 in ,a ,discourse of ,english ,poetrie4 #aehf47 ,webbe prefaces his hexameters with a reference to those made by ,gabriel ,harvey1 and says3 ,i for my part1 so farre as those examples would leade me1 and mine owne small skyll affoorde me1 have blundered upon these fewe2 whereinto ,i have translated the two first glogues of ,virgill3 because ,i thought no matter of my owne invention1 nor any other of antiquitye more fitte for tryal of thys thyng1 before there were some more speciall direction1 which might leade to a lesse troublesome manner of wryting4 7,arber ,reprint1 p4 #gb47 ,thou1 who roll'st in the firmament1 round as the shield of my fathers1 ,whence is thy girdle of glory1 ,o ,sun6 and thy light everlasting8 ,forth thou comest in thy awful beauty2 the stars at thy rising ,haste to their azure pavilions2 the moon sinks pale in the waters2 ,but thou movest alone2 who dareth to wander beside thee8 ,oaks of the mountains decay1 and the hard oak crumbles asunder2 ,ocean shrinks and again grows2 lost is the moon from the heavens2 ,whilst thou ever remainest the same to rejoice in thy brightness4 7,,william ,,taylor3 ,paraphrase of ,ossian's ,hymn to the ,sun4 #agif47 ,when ,english hexameters were revived at the end of the eighteenth century1 it was in good part under ,german influence4 ,bodmer1 ,klopstock1 and ,voss1 followed later by ,goethe1 made the ,german hexameter popular2 and ,william ,taylor of ,norwich1 who in many ways helped to familiarize his countrymen with ,german literature1 became interested in the form4 ,in #agif1 the year of ,goethe's ,hermann und ,dorothea1 he contributed to the ,monthly ,magazine an article called ,english ,hexameters ,exemplified1 in which occurred the paraphrase from ,ossian here quoted4 ,taylor pointed out that the hexameter of the ,germans was purely accentual4 ,they were obliged1 by the scarceness of long vowels and the rifeness of short syllables in their language1 to tolerate the frequent substitution of trochees for spondees in their hexameter verse2 and they scan1 like other modern nations1 by emphasis1 not by position4 7,quoted in ,j4 ,w4 ,robberds's ,memoir of ,william ,taylor of ,norwich1 vol4 i4 pp4 #aeg ff47 ,most later writers of ,english hexameters have followed the line here indicated1 and have frankly abandoned the effort to represent the quantities of classical prosody4 ,earth6 thou mother of numberless children1 the nurse and the mother1 ,sister thou of the stars1 and beloved by the ,sun1 the rejoicer6 ,guardian and friend of the moon1 ,o ,earth1 whom the comets forget not1 ,yea1 in the measureless distance wheel round and again they behold thee6 ,fadeless and young 7and what if the latest birth of creation87 ,bride and consort of ,heaven1 that looks down upon thee enamoured6 7,,coleridge3 ,hymn to the ,earth4 #agii47 ,coleridge made several experiments in hexameters at this time1 and planned1 together with ,southey1 a long hexameter poem on ,mohammed4 ,to ,wordsworth he sent an experiment of the same kind in a lighter vein3 ,smooth out the folds of my letter1 and place it on desk or on table2 ,place it on table or desk2 and your right hands loosely half-closing1 ,gently sustain them in air1 and extending the digit didactic1 ,rest it a moment on each of the forks of the five-forked left hand1 ,twice on the breadth of the thumb1 and once on the tip of each finger1 ,read with a nod of the head in a humoring recitativo2 ,and1 as ,i live1 you will see my hexameters hopping before you4 ,this is a galloping measure1 a hop1 and a trot1 and a gallop6 7,wordsworth's ,memoirs1 quoted in ,coleridge's ,poems1 ,aldine edition1 vol4 ii4 p4 #cjg47 ,coleridge also translated from ,schiller the well-known distich describing and exemplifying the elegiac verse of ,ovid3 ,in the hexameter rises the fountain's silvery column2 ,in the pentameter aye falling in melody back4 ,this distich1 it is interesting to find1 was revised by ,tennyson so as to represent the measure quantitatively rather than accentually3 ,up springs hexameter1 with might1 as a fountain arising1 ,lightly the fountain falls1 lightly the pentameter4 ,lift up your heads1 ye gates2 and ye everlasting portals1 ,be ye lift up6 ,behold1 the ,worthies are there to receive him1-- ,they who1 in later days or in elder ages1 ennobled ,britain's dear name4 ,bede ,i beheld1 who1 humble and holy1 ,shone like a single star1 serene in a night of darkness4 ,bacon also was there1 the marvellous ,friar2 and he who ,struck the spark from which the ,bohemian kindled his taper2 ,thence the flame1 long and hardly preserved1 was to ,luther transmitted1-- ,mighty soul2 and he lifted his torch1 and enlightened the nations4 7,,southey3 ,a ,vision of ,judgment1 ix4 #ahba47 ,southey followed the example of ,william ,taylor in attempting to construct hexameters which would be perfectly consistent with the character of our language1 and capable of great richness1 variety and strength1 yet which should not profess to follow rules which are inapplicable to our tongue4 7,preface to ,vision of ,judgment1 ,southey's ,works1 ed4 #ahch1 vol4 x4 p4 #aie47de ,in the same ,preface he briefly reviewed the history of earlier efforts to introduce the classical measures into ,english4 ,it is to be feared that ,southey's hexameters are to be counted among the worst of modern times4 ,meanwhile apart1 in the twilight gloom of a window's embrasure1 ,sat the lovers and whispered together1 beholding the moon rise ,over the pallid sea and the silvery mist of the meadows4 ,silently one by one1 in the infinite meadows of heaven1 ,blossomed the lovely stars1 the forget-me-nots of the angels4 ,thus was the evening passed4 ,anon the bell from the belfry ,rang out the hour of nine1 the village curfew1 and straightway ,rose the guests and departed2 and silence reigned in the household4 7,,longfellow3 ,evangeline1 ,part4 ,i4 #ahdg47 ,evangeline is undoubtedly the most popular and widely read poem in ,english hexameters1 and may be said to have revived the vogue of the measure in the middle of the nineteenth century4 ,yet its metrical qualities have not pleased most careful critics4 ,matthew ,arnold said that the reception which the poem met with indicated that the dislike for the metre is rather among professional critics than among the general public4 ,yet1 he went on to say1 a version of ,homer in hexameters of the ,evangeline type would not satisfy the judicious1 nor is the definite establishment of this type to be desired4 7,on ,translating ,homer1 ,macmillan ed41 p4 #bhd47 ,mr4 ,arnold had previously suggested that the lumbering effect of such hexameters as ,longfellow's is caused by their being much too dactylic2 more spondees should be introduced4 ,the editor of the ,riverside edition of ,evangeline remarks interestingly3 ,the measure lends itself easily to the lingering melancholy which marks the greater part of the poem4 ,the fall of the verse at the end of the line and the sharp recovery at the beginning of the next will be snares to the reader1 who must beware of a jerking style of delivery4444 ,a little practice will enable one to acquire that habit of reading the hexameter which we may liken1 roughly1 to the climbing of a hill1 resting a moment on the summit1 and then descending the other side4 ,longfellow's hexameters were criticised most severely by his countryman1 ,edgar ,poe4 ,poe denied the possibility of any adequate representation of the classical hexameter in ,english1 largely because of the impossibility of using ,english spondees4 ,the only genuine hexameters he knew1 he declared1 were some he had himself made1 running3 ,do tell6 when may we hope to make men of sense out of the ,pundits1 ,born and brought up with their snouts deep down in the mud of the ,frog-pond8 7,see ,poe's ,works1 ed4 ,stedman and ,woodberry1 vol4 vi4 p4 #ajd47 ,another interesting ,american experiment in hexameters is found in the ,home ,pastorals of ,bayard ,taylor 7#ahfi-ahgd74 ,taylor modeled his verses after those of the ,germans1 particularly ,goethe's in ,hermann und ,dorothea4 ,see1 for example1 the opening lines of ,november3 ,wrapped in his sad-colored cloak1 the ,day1 like a ,puritan1 standeth ,stern in the joyless fields1 rebuking the lingering color1-- ,dying hectic of leaves and the chilly blue of the asters1-- ,hearing1 perchance1 the croak of a crow on the desolate tree-top1 ,breathing the reek of withered reeds1 or the drifted and sodden ,splendors of woodland1 as whoso piously groaneth in spirit3 ',vanity1 verily2 yea1 it is vanity1 let me forsake it6' ,but as the light of day enters some populous city1 ,shaming away1 ere it come1 by the chilly day-streak signal1 ,high and low1 the misusers of night1 shaming out the gas-lamps-- ,all the great empty streets are flooded with broadening clearness ,which1 withal1 by inscrutable simultaneous access ,permeates far and pierces to the very cellars lying in ,narrow high back-lane1 and court1 and alley of alleys3-- ,he that goes forth to his walks1 while speeding to the suburb1 ,sees sights only peaceful and pure2 as laborers settling ,slowly to work1 in their limbs the lingering sweetness of slumber2 ,humble market-carts1 coming in1 bringing in1 not only ,flower1 fruit1 farm-store1 but sounds and sights of the country ,dwelling yet on the sense of the dreamy drivers2 soon after ,half-awake servant-maids unfastening drowsy shutters ,up at the windows1 or down1 letting in the air by the doorway1 ,school-boys1 school-girls soon1 with slate1 portfolio1 satchel1 ,hampered as they haste1 those running1 these others maidenly tripping2444 ,meantime above purer air untarnished of new-lit fires2 ,so that the whole great wicked artificial civilised fabric-- ,all its unfinished houses1 lots for sale1 and railway out-works-- ,seems reaccepted1 resumed to ,primal ,nature and ,beauty4 7,,arthur ,,hugh ,,clough3 ,the ,bothie of ,tober-na-,vuolich4 #ahdh47 ,clough's hexameters are quite unlike any others in ,english poetry1 both in their metrical quality and in their use for serio-comic verse4 ,as ,matthew ,arnold observed1 they are excessively1 needlessly rough1 but their free1 garrulous effect has a charm of its own4 ,clough also wrote some hexameters intended to be strictly quantitative4 7,for a detailed criticism of the verse of the ,bothie1 see ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody1 #aija ed41 ,appendix ,j47 ,it was ,clough's hexameters1 together with some ,english ,hexameter ,translations by ,dr4 ,hawtrey and ,mr4 ,lockhart 7#ahdg71 that chiefly encouraged ,matthew ,arnold to believe that the measure might be well adapted to a translation of ,homer4 ,the hexameter1 whether alone or with the pentameter1 possesses a movement1 an expression1 which no metre hitherto in common use amongst us possesses1 and which ,i am convinced ,english poetry1 as our mental wants multiply1 will not always be content to forego4 7,ib41 p4 #baj47 ,mr4 ,james ,spedding replied to ,mr4 ,arnold's suggestion1 from the point of view of the classical scholar1 urging that only hexameters purely quantitative could properly represent those of ,vergil4 ,he illustrated his views by an amusing hexametrical dialogue1 conducted alternately in ,vergilian measure and in that of ,longfellow4 ,of the former are the lines3 ,verses so modulate1 so tuned1 so varied in accent1 ,rich with unexpected changes1 smooth1 stately1 sonorous1 ,rolling ever forward1 tidelike1 with thunder1 in endless ,procession1 complex melodies--pause1 quantity1 accent1 ,after ,virgilian precedent and practice1 in order ,distributed--could these gratify th' ,etonian ear-drum8 7,,james ,,spedding3 ,reviews and ,discussions1 #ahgi4 p4 #cbg47 ,arnold1 however1 wisely declined to be led into a discussion of the relations of accent and quantity in ,english4 ,all we are here concerned with1 he said1 is the imitation1 by the ,english hexameter1 of the ancient hexameter in its effect upon us moderns4444 ,the received ,english type1 in its general outlines1 is1 for ,england1 the necessary given type of this metre2 it is by rendering the metrical beat of its pattern1 not by rendering the accentual beat of it1 that the ,english language has adapted the ,greek hexameter4444 ,i look with hope towards continued attempts at perfecting and employing this rhythm2 but my belief in the immediate success of such attempts is far less confident than has been supposed4 7,see the whole passage1 ,on ,translating ,homer1 pp4 #bge-bhd47 ,the hexameters of ,dr4 ,hawtrey1 quoted by ,arnold1 are these3 ,clearly the rest ,i behold of the dark-eyed sons of ,achaia2 ,known to me well are the faces of all2 their names ,i remember2 ,two1 two only remain1 whom ,i see not among the commanders1 ,kastor fleet in the car1--,polydeukes brave with the cestus1-- ,own dear brethren of mine1--one parent loved us as infants4 ,are they not here in the host1 from the shores of loved ,lakedaimon1 ,or1 though they came with the rest in ships that bound through the waters1 ,dare they not enter the fight or stand in the council of heroes1 ,all for fear of the shame and the taunts my crime has awakened8 --,so said she4 ,they long since in ,earth's soft arms were reposing1 ,there1 in their own dear land1 their fatherland1 ,lakedaimon4 7,from ,english ,hexameter ,translations1 p4 #bdb47 ,arnold also illustrated his doctrine in some hexameters of his own1 which have not usually been regarded as a happy experiment4 ,they run in part as follows3 ,truly1 yet this time will we save thee1 mighty ,achilles6 ,but thy day of death is at hand2 nor shall we be the reason-- ,no1 but the will of heaven1 and ,fate's invincible power4 ,for by no slow pace nor want of swiftness of ours ,did the ,trojans obtain to strip the arms from ,patroclus2 ,but that prince among gods1 the son of the lovely-haired ,leto1 ,slew him fighting in front of the fray1 and glorified ,hector4 ,but1 for us1 we vie in speed with the breath of the ,west-,wind1 ,which1 men say1 is the fleetest of winds2 'tis thou who art fated ,to lie low in death1 by the hand of a god and a mortal4 7,ib41 p4 #bcd47 ,tennyson evidently viewed with small respect these various efforts to render ,homer in ,english hexameters4 ,see his lines beginning3 ,these lame hexameters the strong-wing'd music of ,homer6 ,no--but a most burlesque barbarous experiment4 7,in ,quantity3 ,hexameters and ,pentameters47 ,compare the amusing lines of ,walter ,savage ,landor3 ,askest thou if in my youth ,i have mounted1 as others have mounted1 ,galloping ,hexameter1 ,pentameter cantering after1 ,english by dam and by sire2 bit1 bridle1 and saddlery1 ,english2 ,english the girths and the shoes2 all ,english from snaffle to crupper2 ,everything ,english about1 excepting the tune of the jockey84444 ,seldom my goosequill1 of goose from ,germany1 fatted in ,england1 7,frolicsome though ,i have been7 have ,i tried on ,hexameter1 knowing ,latin and ,greek are alone its languages4 ,we have a measure ,fashioned by ,milton's own hand1 a fuller1 a deeper1 a louder4 4444 ,peace be with all6 but afar be ambition to follow the ,roman1 ,led by the ,german uncombed and jigging in dactyl and spondee1 ,lumbering shapeless jackboots which nothing can polish or supple4 ,much as old metres delight me1 'tis only where first they were nurtured1 ,in their own clime1 their own speech3 than pamper them here1 ,i would rather ,tie up my ,pegasus tight to the scanty-fed rack of a sonnet4 7,english ,hexameters1 in ,the ,last ,fruit off an ,old ,tree47 ,in like manner ,mr4 ,swinburne says3 ,i must say how inexplicable it seems to me that ,mr4 ,arnold1 of all men1 should be a patron of ,english hexameters4 ,his own ,i have tried in vain to reduce by scansion into any metrical feet at all2 they look like nothing on earth1 and sound like anapests broken up and driven wrong4444 ,and at best what ugly bastards of verse are these self-styled hexameters6 how human tongues or hands could utter or could write them except by way of burlesque improvisation ,i could never imagine1 and never shall4 7,essays and ,studies1 p4 #afc47 ,from this condemnation ,mr4 ,swinburne excepts only the hexameters of ,dr4 ,hawtrey1 but that is simply a graceful interlude of pastime4 ,see also the essay called ,remarks on ,english ,hexameters1 in the ,hor ,hellenic of ,professor ,john ,stuart ,blackie4 ,hovering over the water he came1 upon glittering pinions1 ,living1 a wonder1 outgrown from the tight-laced fold of his sandals2 ,bounding from billow to billow1 and sweeping the crests like a sea-gull2 ,leaping the gulfs of the surge1 as he laughed in the joy of his leaping4 ,fair and majestic he sprang to the rock2 and the maiden in wonder ,gazed for a while1 and then hid in the dark-rolling wave of her tresses1 ,fearful1 the light of her eyes2 while the boy 7for her sorrow had awed him7 ,blushed at her blushes1 and vanished1 like mist on the cliffs at the sunrise4 ,fearful at length she looked forth3 he was gone3 she1 wild with amazement1 ,wailed for her mother aloud3 but the wail of the wind only answered4 7,,charles ,,kingsley3 ,andromeda4 #aheh47 ,kingsley believed in the possibility of representing the quantitative verse of classical poetry in ,english1 and at the same time holding to genuinely ,english rhythm4#df ,thus he tried to introduce more real spondees into his hexameters than ,longfellow and others had done4 ,compare such a line as ,longfellow's-- ,man is unjust1 but ,god is just2 and finally justice-- with ,kingsley's-- ,then as a pine upon ,ida when south-west winds blow landward4 ,in the former the dissyllabic feet are in no sense spondees2 in the latter there is an effort to fill them with genuinely long syllables4 ,lover whose vehement kisses on lips irresponsive are squandered1 ,lover that wooest in vain ,earth's imperturbable heart2 ,athlete mightily frustrate1 who pittest thy thews against legions1 ,locked with fantastical hosts1 bodiless arms of the sky2 ,sea that breakest for ever1 that breakest and never art broken1 ,like unto thine1 from of old1 springeth the spirit of man1-- ,nature's wooer and fighter1 whose years are a suit and a wrestling1 ,all their hours1 from his birth1 hot with desire and with fray4 7,,william ,,watson3 ,hymn to the ,sea1 ii47 ,here the alternate lines represent the pentameter of the ,latin elegiac verse1 where the light syllables were omitted at the cesura and the end of the line4 ,when they came to the fair-flowing river and to the places ,where stood pools in plenty prepared1 and water abundant ,gushed up1 a cure for things manifold uncleanly1 the mules were ,unyoked from the waggons1 driven off to the bindweed pastures ,by the rushing swirling river1 and the women set about it ,unloading the waggons1 carrying clothes down to the water1 ,one with other striving1 stepping hastily into the wash-troughs4 ,when washing and rinsing were done1 they brought the linen down ,on to the sea-shore1 and set it all out thereupon in rows ,where the pebbles thrown up by the waves most thickly abounded4 7,,william ,,johnson ,,stone3 ,translation of ,odyssey1 vi4 #he ff41 in ,the ,use of ,classical ,measures in ,english4 #ahii47 ,mr4 ,stone1 like the ,elizabethan classical versifiers1 seeks to write purely quantitative verse in ,english1 and1 so far from aiming at the same time to preserve the rhythm of the usual ,english hexameter1 he regards the clash between accent and quantity as a beauty rather than a defect4 ,the verses he intends to be read with the natural accent unimpaired1 the reader listening for the regular quantities at the same time4 ,the views of ,mr4 ,stone on the nature of ,english accent and quantity are perhaps unique among modern writers on the subject4 ,the ordinary unemphatic ,english accent is exactly a raising of pitch1 and nothing more1 as in ,greek4 ,the accent of emphasis is something quite different in character from the ordinary accent4 ,to those who insist that to them the second syllable of carpenter is distinctly short1 ,mr4 ,stone replies3 ,you are associating yourselves by such an admission with the vulgar actors of ,plautus rather than the educated readers of ,virgil2--a truly terrible charge6 ,mr4 ,stone gives an interesting critical history of earlier efforts to introduce classical measures into ,english4 ,his monograph is reprinted1 but without the specimen translation1 as the second part of the #aija edition of ,robert ,bridges's ,milton's ,prosody4 ,for further discussion of the relations of classical and ,english prosody1 and of accent and quantity in ,english1 see ,schipper1 vol4 i4 pp4 #ba-bg2 ,a4 ,j4 ,ellis3 article in the ,transactions of the ,philological ,society1 #ahge-ahgf2 ,t4 ,d4 ,goodell3 article on ,quantity in ,english ,verse1 in the ,proceedings of the ,american ,philological ,society1 #ahhe2 ,edmund ,gurney3 ,the ,power of ,sound1 pp4 #dbi-dci2 ,j4 ,m4 ,robertson3 ,appendix to ,new ,essays towards a ,critical ,method1 #ahig2 and the discussion in ,part ,three of the present volume4 ,,footnotes3 #db ,puttenham's treatise on ,english poetry1 which followed ,webbe's 7#aehi71 and was the most thorough treatment of the subject written in the ,elizabethan period1 also discussed the reformed versifying1 but with less respect4 ,the chapter is entitled3 ,how if all maner of sodaine innovations were not very scandalous1 specially in the lawes of any langage or arte1 the use of the ,greeke and ,latine feete might be brought into our vulgar ,poesie1 and with good grace inough4 7,arber ,reprint of ,the ,arte of ,english ,poesie1 p4 #abf47 ,puttenham seems to see the relations of quantity and accent somewhat more clearly than most of his contemporaries1 and while he gives rules for adapting ,english words to quantitative prosody1 he is disposed to think that peradventure with us ,englishmen it be somewhat too late to admit a new invention of feete and times that our forefathers never used nor never observed till this day 7p4 #acb74 #dc ,campion's ,observations are reprinted in ,mr4 ,bullen's edition of his poems1 and also in ,rhys's ,literary ,pamphlets1 vol4 i4 ,his attack on the customary ,english rimed verse was answered by the poet laureate1 ,samuel ,daniel1 who published in the same year 7#afjb7 his ,defence of ,ryme against a ,pamphlet entituled ,observations in the ,art of ,english ,poesie4 ,wherein is demonstratively prooved that ,ryme is the fittest harmonie of words that comports with our ,language4 ,daniel struck at the root of all the principles of the classical versifiers1--the supreme authority of the classics4 ,we are the children of nature as well as they1 he exclaims with reference to the ancients4 ,it is not the observing of ,trochaiques nor their ,iambiques1 that will make our writings ought the wiser4 ,and he expounds the ,english accentual verse-system with clearness and vigor4 ,this essay of ,daniel's may be said to mark the end1 if it did not bring about the end1 of the ,elizabethan experiments in classical metres4 ,for other contemporary criticism of the effort1 see under the following section1 on the ,hexameter4 #dd ,on the history of the ,english hexameter1 see the admirable account in ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 #b;d ed41 chap4 xv4 #de ,southey's effort was attacked by the ,rev4 ,s4 ,tillbrook1 ,fellow of ,peterhouse1 in a pamphlet entitled ,historical and ,critical ,remarks upon the ,modern ,hexameters1 and upon ,mr4 ,southey's ,vision of ,judgment4 ,to this ,southey replied in the second edition of his poem1 saying to ,mr4 ,tillbrook3 ,you try the measure by ,greek and ,latin prosody3 you might as well try me by the ,laws of ,solon1 or the ,twelve ,tables4 ,i have distinctly stated that the ,english hexameter is not constructed upon those canons4 ,he further appealed to the success of the hexameter in ,germany1 and concluded3 ,i am glad that ,i have made the experiment1 and quite satisfied with the result4 ,the critics who write and talk are with you3 so ,i dare say are the whole posse of schoolmasters4 ,the women1 the young poets1 and the docile bairns are with me4 7,op4 cit41 ,preface to the ,present ,edition1 pp4 xix1 xxi47 #df ,for ,kingsley's exposition of his theories1 see the ,letters and ,memories1 edited by his wife1 vol4 i4 pp4 #cch-cdd4 ,he declined to yield to trocheism one atom4 ,my ear always demands the equivalent of the 'lost short syllable4' ,and again3 ,every argument you bring convinces me more and more that the theory of our prosody depending on accent is false1 and that it really is very nearly identical with the ,greek4444 ,i am glad to hear 7being a lazy man7 that ,i have more license than ,i wish for2 but ,i do think that1 with proper care1 you may have as many spondees1 without hurting the rhythm1 in ,english as you have in ,greek1 and my ear is tortured by a trochee instead4444 ,i must try for ,homer's average of a spondee a line4 ,,vii4 ,,imitations ,,of ,,artificial ,,french ,,lyrical ,,forms ,a number of artificial lyrical forms1 originating in the ingenuity of the medival ,provenal poets1 were adopted by the ,middle ,english imitators of the ,romance lyrists1 and were revived with no little vigor in the ,victorian period4 ,chief among the influential models for these forms1 in early times1 were the poems of ,machault 7#abhd-acgg71 ,deschamps 7#acbh-adae71 ,froissart 7#accg-adaj71 and ,villon 7#adca-adhe74 ,again in the seventeenth century such forms as the rondeau were revived in ,france by ,voiture 7#aeih-afdh71 but with little effect in ,england4 ,finally1 in the nineteenth century1 the forms were reintroduced by ,m4 ,thodore de ,banville1 and later into ,england by ,mr4 ,lang1 ,mr4 ,austin ,dobson1 ,mr4 ,gosse1 and others4 ,for the history of these fashions in outline1 see the admirable introduction to ,mr4 ,gleeson ,white's ,ballades and ,rondeaus 7#ahic72 also ,mr4 ,andrew ,lang's ,lays and ,lyrics of ,old ,france 7#ahgb72 ,mr4 ,austin ,dobson's ,note on some ,foreign ,forms of ,verse1 in the collection of ,latter ,day ,lyrics 7#ahgh72 and an article by ,mr4 ,edmund ,gosse in the ,cornhill ,magazine1 ,july1 #ahgg4 ,says ,mr4 ,dobson3 ,it may be conceded that the majority of the forms now in question are not at present suited for 444 the treatment of grave or elevated themes4 ,what is modestly advanced for some of them 444 is that they may add a new charm of buoyancy1--a lyric freshness1--to amatory and familiar verse1 already too much condemned to faded measures and out-worn cadences4 ,further1 444 that they are admirable vehicles for the expression of trifles or jeux d'esprit4 ,they have also a humbler and obscurer use4 ,if1 to quote the once-hackneyed1 but now too-much-forgotten maxim of ,pope-- ',those move easiest that have learned to dance1' what better discipline1 among others1 could possibly be devised for 'those about to versify' than a course of ,rondeaux1 ,triolets1 and ,ballades8 ,mr4 ,dobson refers to the article by ,mr4 ,gosse already cited1 and to the ,odes ,funambulesques1 the ,petit ,trait de ,posie ,franaise1 and other works of ,m4 ,thodore de ,banville4 ,to ,m4 de ,banville in particular and to the second ,french ,romantic ,school in general1 the happy modernization in ,france of the old measures of ,marot1 ,villon1 and ,charles of ,orleans is mainly to be ascribed4 7,latter ,day ,lyrics1 ed4 ,w4 ,d4 ,adams1 pp4 #ccd ff47#dg ,says ,mr4 ,gleeson ,white3 ,the taste for these tours de force in the art of verse-making is no doubt an acquired one2 yet to quote the first attempt to produce a lyric with a repeated burden would take one back to the earliest civilization4444 ,whether the first refrains were used for decorative effect only1 or to give the singer time to recollect or improvise the next verse1 it matters little1 since the once mere adjunct was made in later ,french use an integral and vital part of the verse4 ,the charm of these strictly written verses is undoubtedly increased by some knowledge of their technical rules4444 ,to approach ideal perfection1 nothing less than implicit obedience to all the rules is the first element of success2 but the task is by no means finished there4 ,every quality that poetry demands1 whether clearness of thought1 elegance of expression1 harmonious sound1 or faultless rhythm1 is needed as much in these shapes as in unfettered verse4444 ,it may be said1 without fear of exaggeration1 that all the qualities required to form a perfect lyric in poetry are equally needful here1 plus a great many special ones the forms themselves demand4 ,to the students of any art there is always a peculiar charm when the highest difficulties are surmounted with such ease that the consummate art is hidden to all who know not the magic password to unveil it4 7,ballades and ,rondeaus1 ,introduction1 pp4 xli1 xlii47 ,no one is compelled to use these complex forms1 but if chosen1 their laws must be obeyed to the letter if success is to be obtained4 ,the chief pleasure they yield consists in the apparent spontaneity1 which is the result of genius1 if genius be indeed the art of taking infinite pains2 or1 if that definition is rejected1 they must yet exhibit the art which conceals art1 whether by intense care in every minute detail1 or a happy faculty for naturally wearing these fetters4 7,ib41 pp4 l1 li47 ,a4--,,the ,,ballade ,the ballade commonly consists of three stanzas1 with an envoy4 ,in modern usage the stanzas usually contain either eight or ten lines1 and the envoy half as many as the stanza2 but in earlier usage both stanza and envoy varied1 and the latter might be omitted altogether4 ,the rimes in all the stanzas must be identical in the corresponding lines1 but the riming words must be different4 ,the most characteristic element is the refrain1--the keynote of the poem1--which forms the last line of each stanza1 including the envoy4 ,the favorite rime-scheme for the eight-line stanza is ababbcbc1 with the envoy bcbc4 ,mr4 ,white says of the envoy that it is not only a dedication1 but should be the peroration of the subject1 and richer in its wording and more stately in its imagery than the preceding verses1 to convey the climax of the whole matter1 and avoid the suspicion that it is a mere postscript4 ,flee fro the prees1 and dwelle with sothfastnesse1 ,suffyce unto thy good1 though hit be smal2 ,for hord hath hate1 and climbing tikelnesse1 ,prees hath envye1 and wele blent overal2 ,savour no more than thee bihove shal2 ,werk wel thy-self1 that other folk canst rede2 ,and trouthe shal delivere1 hit is no drede4 ,tempest thee noght al croked to redresse1 ,in trust of hir that turneth as a bal3 ,gret reste slant in litel besinesse2 ,and eek be war to sporne ageyn an al2 ,stryve noght1 as doth the crokke with the wal4 ,daunte thy-self1 that dauntest otheres dede2 ,and trouthe shal delivere1 hit is no drede4 ,that thee is sent1 receyve in buxumnesse2 ,the wrastling for this worlde axeth a fal4 ,her nis non hoom1 her nis but wildernesse3 ,forth1 pilgrim1 forth6 ,forth1 beste1 out of thy stal6 ,know thy contree1 look up1 thank ,god of al2 ,hold the hye wey1 and lat thy gost thee lede3 ,and trouthe shal delivere1 hit is no drede4 ,envoy ,therfore1 thou vache1 leve thyn old wrecchednesse ,unto the worlde2 leve now to be thral2 ,crye him mercy1 that of his hy goodnesse ,made thee of noght1 and in especial ,draw unto him1 and pray in general ,for thee1 and eek for other1 hevenlich mede2 ,and trouthe shal delivere1 hit is no drede4 7,,chaucer3 ,balade de bon conseyl4 ab4 #ache47 ,here ,chaucer follows the rules of the ballade carefully1 but in the rime royal stanza4 ,it will be noticed that the rime-word al seems to be repeated1 but it is used each time in a distinct sense1 hence--according to the rules of ,chaucer's time1 as of modern ,french--is regarded as a different rime-word each time4 ,compare1 also1 ,chaucer's ,fortune 7,balades de visage sanz peinture71 made of three ballades1 with one envoy2 the ,balade to ,rosemound and ,moral ,balade on ,gentilesse1 without envoys2 the ballades on ,lak of ,stedfastnesse and the ,compleint of ,chaucer to his ,empty ,purse1 with envoys addressed to the king2 also the ballade in the ,prologue to the ,legend of ,good ,women1 ,b-text1 ll4 #bdi-bfi4 ,the ,compleynt of ,venus1 like ,fortune1 is in three ballades1 with one envoy1 and is of special interest as being based on three ,french ballades of ,graunson4#dh ,says ,chaucer3 ,and eek to me hit is a greet penaunce1 ,sith rym in ,english hath swich scarsitee1 ,to folowe word by word the curiositee ,of ,graunson1 flour of hem that make in ,fraunce4 ,in the ,prologue to the ,legend of ,good ,women1 when ,chaucer is accused by the god of love for his translation of the ,romance of the ,rose1 ,alcestis defends him by enumerating his other works1 which include3 many an ympne for your halydayes1 ,that highten ,balades1 ,roundels1 ,virelayes4 7,b-text1 ll4 #dbb f47 ,on the roundels1 see below2 none of ,chaucer's virelays have come down to us4 ,chaucer's contemporary1 ,john ,gower1 also wrote ballades1 but in ,french4 ,tell me now in what hidden way is ,lady ,flora the lovely ,roman8 ,where's ,hipparcha1 and where is ,thais1 ,neither of them the fairer woman8 ,where is ,echo1 beheld of no man1 ,only heard on river and mere1-- ,she whose beauty was more than human8-- ,but where are the snows of yester-year8 ,where's ,hloise1 the learned nun1 ,for whose sake ,abeillard1 ,i ween1 ,lost manhood and put priesthood on8 7,from love he won such dule and teen67 ,and where1 ,i pray you1 is the ,queen ,who willed that ,buridan should steer ,sewed in a sack's mouth down the ,seine8-- ,but where are the snows of yester-year8 ,white ,queen ,blanche1 like a queen of lilies1 ,with a voice like any mermaiden1-- ,bertha ,broadfoot1 ,beatrice1 ,alice1 ,and ,ermengarde the lady of ,maine1-- ,and that good ,joan whom ,englishmen ,at ,rouen doomed and burned her there1-- ,mother of ,god1 where are they then8-- ,but where are the snows of yester-year8-- ,nay1 never ask this week1 fair lord1 ,where they are gone1 nor yet this year1 ,except with this for an overword1-- ,but where are the snows of yester-year8 7,,rossetti3 ,the ,ballad of ,dead ,ladies1 from the ,french of ,franois ,villon1 #adej47 ,this is a notable translation of a notable ballade1 but it will be observed that it does not follow the strict rules as to the number of rimes4 ,in ,mr4 ,andrew ,lang's ,ballades of ,blue ,china is a formally correct translation4 ,where are the cities of the plain8 ,and where the shrines of rapt ,bethel8 ,and ,calah1 built of ,tubal-,cain8 ,and ,shinar whence ,king ,amraphal ,came out in arms1 and fought1 and fell1 ,decoyed into the pits of slime ,by ,siddim1 and sent sheer to hell2 ,where are the cities of old time8 ,where now is ,karnak1 that great fane ,with granite built1 a miracle8 ,and ,luxor smooth without a stain1 ,whose graven scriptures still we spell8 ,the jackal and the owl may tell1 ,dark snakes around their ruins climb1 ,they fade like echo in a shell2 ,where are the cities of old time8 ,and where is white ,shusan1 again1 ,where ,vashti's beauty bore the bell1 ,and all the ,jewish oil and grain ,were brought to ,mithridath to sell1 ,where ,nehemiah would not dwell1 ,because another town sublime ,decoyed him with her oracle8 ,where are the cities of old time8 ,envoy ,prince1 with a dolorous1 ceaseless knell1 ,above their wasted toil and crime ,the waters of oblivion swell3 ,where are the cities of old time8 7,,edmund ,,gosse3 ,ballad of ,dead ,cities47 ,in this ballade ,mr4 ,gosse finely reproduces the more serious tones of the old form1 and imitates the ancient custom of addressing the envoy to royalty4 ,this motif1 of old things lost1 is a favorite one for the serious ballade1 being suggested by ,villon's ,ballade of ,dead ,ladies4 ,compare ,mr4 ,lang's ,ballade of ,dead ,cities1 in ,ballades of ,blue ,china4 ,on the other hand1 the next specimen illustrates the use of the form for the light familiarity of vers de socit and parody4 ,he lived in a cave by the seas1 ,he lived upon oysters and foes1 ,but his list of forbidden degrees ,an extensive morality shows2 ,geological evidence goes ,to prove he had never a pan1 ,but he shaved with a shell when he chose1 ',twas the manner of ,primitive ,man6 ,he worshipp'd the rain and the breeze1 ,he worshipp'd the river that flows1 ,and the ,dawn1 and the ,moon1 and the trees1 ,and bogies1 and serpents1 and crows2 ,he buried his dead with their toes ,tucked up1 an original plan1 ,till their knees came right under their nose1 ',twas the manner of ,primitive ,man6 ,his communal wives1 at his ease1 ,he would curb with occasional blows2 ,or his state had a queen1 like the bees 7,as another philosopher trows73 ,when he spoke it was never in prose1 ,but he sang in a strain that would scan1 ,for 7to doubt it1 perchance1 were morose7 ',twas the manner of ,primitive ,man6 ,envoy ,max1 proudly your ,aryans pose1 ,but their rigs they undoubtedly ran1 ,for1 as every ,darwinian knows1 ',twas the manner of ,primitive ,man6 7,,andrew ,,lang3 ,ballade of ,primitive ,man47 ,in ,mr4 ,lang's ,ballades of ,blue ,china this appears as a double ballade1 with three more stanzas4 ,from the sunny climes of ,france1 ,flying to the west1 ,came a flock of birds by chance1 ,there to sing and rest3 ,of some secrets deep in quest1-- ,justice for their wrongs1-- ,seeking one to shield their breast1 ,one to write their songs4 ,melodies of old romance1 ,joy and gentle jest1 ,notes that made the dull heart dance ,with a merry zest2-- ,maids in matchless beauty drest1 ,youths in happy throngs2-- ,these they sang to tempt and test ,one to write their songs4 ,in old ,london's wide expanse ,built each feathered guest1-- ,man's small pleasure to entrance1 ,singing him to rest1-- ,came1 and tenderly confessed1 ,perched on leafy prongs1 ,life were sweet if they possessed ,one to write their songs4 ,envoy ,austin1 it was you they blest3 ,fame to you belongs6 ,time has proven you're the best ,one to write their songs4 7,,frank ,,dempster ,,sherman3 ,to ,austin ,dobson47 ,mr4 ,austin ,dobson is said to have been the first to reintroduce the ballade into ,english poetry1 and the present specimen is a tribute to his success by an ,american poet4 ,bird of the bitter bright gray golden morn ,scarce risen upon the dusk of dolorous years1 ,first of us all and sweetest singer born ,whose far shrill note the world of new men hears ,cleave the cold shuddering shade as twilight clears2 ,when song new-born put off the old world's attire ,and felt its tune on her changed lips expire1 ,writ foremost on the roll of them that came ,fresh girt for service of the latter lyre1 ,villon1 our sad bad glad mad brother's name6 7,,swinburne3 ,ballad of ,franois ,villon1 ,prince of all ,ballad-,makers1 st4 i47 ,this specimen represents the ballade in ten-line stanzas4 ,there is also an extended form of the ballade1 called the ,chant ,royal1 with five stanzas and envoy1 the stanzas consisting of eleven verses4 ,the usual rime-scheme is ababccddede1 with envoy ddede4 ,for admirable specimens1 see ,mr4 ,dobson's ,dance of ,death and ,mr4 ,gosse's ,praise of ,dionysus1 in ,ballades and ,rondeaus1 pp4 #ih1 #ajj4 ,mr4 ,white says of this form3 ,the chant royal in the old form is usually devoted to the unfolding of an allegory in its five stanzas1 the envoy supplying the key2 but this is not always observed in modern examples4 ,whatever be the subject1 however1 it must always march in stately rhythm with splendid imagery1 using all the poetic adornments of sonorous1 highly-wrought lines and rich embroidery of words1 to clothe a theme in itself a lofty one4 ,unless the whole poem is constructed with intense care1 the monotony of its sixty-one lines rhymed on five sounds is unbearable4 7,ballades and ,rondeaus1 ,introduction1 p4 liv47 ,b4--,,the ,,rondeau ,,and ,,rondel ,rondel is the old ,french form of the word rondeau1 and the terms are therefore naturally interchangeable4 ,they have been applied to a number of different forms1 all characterized by a refrain so repeated as to link together different parts of the structure4 ,two of these forms are particularly familiar4 ,the first 7called more commonly the rondel7 consists of fourteen lines1 with only two rimes2 the first two lines constitute the refrain1 and are commonly repeated as the seventh and eighth and again as the thirteenth and fourteenth4 ,the rime-scheme varies1 but is often ,a,bba1 ab,a,b1 abba,a,b 7the capitals indicating the repeated lines of the refrain74 ,sometimes the form is shortened to thirteen lines1 the second line of the refrain not being repeated at the close4 ,the second principal form 7called more commonly the rondeau7 consists of thirteen lines1 with two rimes1 and an unrimed refrain1 taken from the opening words of the first line1 which follows the eighth line and is again repeated at the end4 ,the common rime-scheme is aabba1aab 7refrain71 aabba 7refrain74 ,both these forms are found in early ,french poetry1 together with many variations4 ,the modern distinction between rondeau and rondel is artificial but convenient4 i4 ,rondel ,type ,now welcom somer1 with thy sonne softe1 ,that hast this wintres weders over-shake1 ,and driven awey the longe nightes blake6 ,seynt ,valentyn1 that art ful hy on-lofte1 ,thus singen smale foules for thy sake3 ,now welcom somer1 with thy sonne softe1 ,that hast this wintres weders over-shake4 ,wel han they cause for to gladen ofte1 ,sith ech of hem recovered hath his make2 ,ful blisful may they singen whan they wake3 ,now welcom somer1 with thy sonne softe1 ,that hast this wintres weders over-shake1 ,and driven awey the longe nightes blake4 7,,chaucer3 ,qui bien aime a tard oublie1 in ,the ,parlement of ,foules1 ll4 #fhj-fib4 ab4 #achj47 ,this is the roundel sung by the birds to do ,nature honour and plesaunce4 ,the note we are told was made in ,france4 ,it will be seen that ,chaucer employs a form with three-line refrain1 of which the first two lines are twice repeated1 the last only once3 ,,abb1ab,a,b1abb,a,b,b4 ,the same form is used in the three roundels of ,merciles ,beaute4 ,too hard it is to sing ,in these untuneful times1 ,when only coin can ring1 ,and no one cares for rhymes6 ,alas6 for him who climbs ,to ,aganippe's spring3-- ,too hard it is to sing ,in these untuneful times6 ,his kindred clip his wing2 ,his feet the critic limes2 ,if ,fame her laurel bring ,old age his forehead rimes3-- ,too hard it is to sing ,in these untuneful times6 7,,austin ,,dobson3 ,too hard it is to sing47 ,underneath this tablet rest1 ,grasshopper by autumn slain1 ,since thine airy summer nest ,shivers under storm and rain4 ,freely let it be confessed ,death and slumber bring thee gain ,spared from winter's fret and pain1 ,underneath this tablet rest4 ,myro found thee on the plain1 ,bore thee in her lawny breast1 ,reared this marble tomb amain ,to receive so small a guest6 ,underneath this tablet rest1 ,grasshopper by autumn slain4 7,,edmund ,,gosse3 ,after ,anyte of ,tegea47 ,in this the second line of the refrain is omitted where we should expect it as line eight1 the scheme of the first part of the rondel being changed to ,a,bab1 abb,a4 ,the ways of ,death are soothing and serene1 ,and all the words of ,death are grave and sweet4 ,from camp and church1 the fireside and the street1 ,she signs to come1 and strife and song have been4 ,a summer night descending1 cool and green ,and dark1 on daytime's dust and stress and heat1 ,the ways of ,death are soothing and serene1 ,and all the words of ,death are grave and sweet4 ,o glad and sorrowful1 with triumphant mien ,and hopeful faces look upon and greet ,this last of all your lovers1 and to meet ,her kiss1 the ,comforter's1 your spirit lean4-- ,the ways of ,death are soothing and serene4 7,w4 ,e4 ,,henley3 ,the ,ways of ,death47 ii4 ,rondeau ,type ,ma foi1 c'est fait de moi1 car ,isabeau ,m'a conjur de lui faire un rondeau4 ,cela me met en peine extrme4 ,quoi6 treize vers1 huit en -au1 cinq en -me6 ,je lui ferais aussitt un bateau4 ,en voil cinq pourtant en un monceau1 ,faisons-en huit1 en invoquant ,brodeau1 ,et puis mettons1 par quelque stratagme3 ,ma foi1 c'est fait4 ,si je pouvais encore de mon cerveau ,tirer cinq vers1 l'ouvrage serait beau2 ,mais cependant je suis dedans l'onzime3 ,et si je crois que je fais le douzime1 ,en voil treize ajusts au niveau4 ,ma foi1 c'est fait6 7,,voiture3 ,rondeau1 ab4 #afdj4 ,in ,,oeuvres de ,voiture1 ed4 ,ubicini1 vol4 ii4 p4 #cad47 ,this is perhaps the most famous of rondeaus of the type which ,voiture did much to make popular4 ,what no pardy ye may be sure ,thinck not to make me to yor lure ,with wordes and chere so contrarieng ,swete and sowre contrewaing ,to much it were still to endure ,trouth is tryed where craft is in ure ,but though ye have had my herte cure ,trow ye ,i dote withoute ending ,what no pardy ,though that with pain ,i do procure ,for to forgett that ons was pure ,wtin my hert shall still that thing ,unstable unsure and wavering ,be in my mynde without recure ,what no pardye4 7,,sir ,,thomas ,,wyatt3 ,rondeau in ,wyatt ,,ms41 reproduced in ,anglia1 vol4 xviii4 p4 #dgh4 ab4 #aedj47 ,besides the rondeaus found in the ,wyatt ,,ms41 three poems of ,wyatt's1 published in ,tottel's ,songs and ,sonnets 7#aeeg71 were evidently intended as rondeaus 7see ,arber's ,reprint1 pp4 #ec1 #gc74 ,the editor1 not understanding the form or thinking it too unfamiliar to be popular1 seems to have changed it to a sort of sonnet1 omitting the refrain at the end and making a complete line of it as the ninth of the poem4 ,these hidden rondeaus were discussed by ,mr4 ,dobson in the ,athenum for #ahgh 7vol4 i4 p4 #chj72 see also ,alscher's ,sir ,thomas ,wyatt und seine ,stellung1 etc4 ,thou fool6 if madness be so rife1 ,that1 spite of wit1 thou'lt have a wife1 ,i'll tell thee what thou must expect-- ,after the honeymoon neglect1 ,all the sad days of thy whole life2 ,to that a world of woe and strife1 ,which is of marriage the effect-- ,and thou thy woe's own architect1 ,thou fool6 ,thou'lt nothing find but disrespect1 ,ill words i' th' scolding dialect1 ,for she'll all tabor be1 or fife2 ,then prythee go and whet thy knife1 ,and from this fate thyself protect1 ,thou fool6 7,,charles ,,cotton3 ,rondeau4 ab4 #afge4 ,quoted by ,guest1 ,english ,rhythms1 ,skeat ed41 p4 #fde47 ,a good rondeau ,i was induced to show ,to some fair ladies some short while ago2 ,well knowing their ability and taste1 ,i asked should aught be added or effaced1 ,and prayed that every fault they'd make me know4 ,the first did her most anxious care bestow ,to impress one point from which ,i ne'er should go3 ,upon a good beginning must be based ,a good rondeau4 ,zeal bid the other's choicest language glow3 ,she softly said3 ,recount your weal or woe1 ,your every subject1 free from pause or haste2 ,ne'er let your hero fail1 nor be disgraced4 ,the third3 ,with varying emphasis should flow ,a good rondeau4 7,j4 ,r4 ,,best3 ,ung ,bon ,rondeau1 in ,rondeaulx4 ,translated from the ,french1 ed4 #aebg4 #ahch4 ,quoted in ,ballades and ,rondeaus1 ,introduction1 p4 xxxviii47 ,death1 of thee do ,i make my moan1 ,who hadst my lady away from me1 ,nor wilt assuage thine enmity ,till with her life thou hast my own2 ,for since that hour my strength has flown4 ,lo6 what wrong was her life to thee1 ,death8 ,two we were1 and the heart was one2 ,which now being dead1 dead ,i must be1 ,or seem alive as lifelessly ,as in the choir the painted stone1 ,death6 7,,rossetti3 ,to ,death1 of his ,lady1 from the ,french of ,villon1 #adej47 ,this represents an early short form of the rondeau4 ,with pipe and flute the rustic ,pan ,of old made music sweet for man2 ,and wonder hushed the warbling bird1 ,and closer drew the calm-eyed herd1-- ,the rolling river slowlier ran4 ,ah6 would1--ah6 would1 a little span1 ,some air of ,arcady could fan ,this age of ours1 too seldom stirred ,with pipe and flute6 ,but now for gold we plot and plan2 ,and from ,beersheba unto ,dan ,apollo's self might pass unheard1 ,or find the night-jar's note preferred4-- ,not so it fared1 when time began ,with pipe and flute6 7,,austin ,,dobson3 ,with ,pipe and ,flute47 ,what is to come we know not4 ,but we know ,that what has been was good--was good to show1 ,better to hide1 and best of all to bear4 ,we are the masters of the days that were3 ,we have lived1 we have loved1 we have suffered--even so4 ,shall we not take the ebb who had the flow8 ,life was our friend4 ,now1 if it be our foe-- ,dear1 though it break and spoil us6--need we care ,what is to come8 ,let the great winds their worst and wildest blow1 ,or the gold weather round us mellow slow3 ,we have fulfilled ourselves1 and we can dare ,and we can conquer1 though we may not share ,in the rich quiet of the afterglow ,what is to come4 7,w4 ,e4 ,,henley3 ,what is to ,come47 ,a man must live6 ,we justify ,low shift and trick to treason high1 ,a little vote for a little gold1 ,to a whole senate bought and sold1 ,with this self-evident reply4 ,but is it so8 ,pray tell me why ,life at such cost you have to buy8 ,in what religion were you told ,a man must live8 ,there are times when a man must die4 ,imagine for a battle-cry ,from soldiers with a sword to hold-- ,from soldiers with the flag unrolled-- ,this coward's whine1 this liar's lie1 ,a man must live6 7,,charlotte ,,perkins ,,stetson3 ,a ,man ,must ,live47 ,a ,roundel is wrought as a ring or a starbright sphere1 ,with craft of delight and with cunning of sound unsought1 ,that the heart of the hearer may smile if to pleasure his ear ,a roundel is wrought4 ,its jewel of music is carven of all or of aught-- ,love1 laughter1 or mourning--remembrance of rapture or fear-- ,that fancy may fashion to hang in the ear of thought4 ,as a bird's quick song runs round1 and the hearts in us hear-- ,pause answers to pause1 and again the same strain caught1 ,so moves the device whence1 round as a pearl or tear1 ,a roundel is wrought4 7,,swinburne3 ,the ,roundel1 in ,a ,century of ,roundels47 ,mr4 ,swinburne has reintroduced the old word-form roundel1 to distinguish this style of rondeau1 of his own devising1 with nine long lines1 riming aba1 bab1 aba1 the refrain riming also with the b lines4 ,c4--,,the ,,villanelle ,this highly intricate form was originally used for pastoral or idyllic verse1 and it is commonly reserved1 as ,mr4 ,dobson observes1 for subjects full of sweetness and simplicity4 ,in its typical form it consists of nineteen lines1 divided into five groups or stanzas of three and one of four4 ,there are but two rimes1 and the two verses which constitute the refrain recur again and again1 line #a reappearing as line #f1 line #ab1 and line #ah1 while line #c reappears as line #i1 line #ae1 and line #ai4 ,the rime scheme of all the tercets is aba1 of the conclusion abaa4 ,those villanelles are considered most highly finished in which the refrain recurs with slightly different significations4 ,on the history of this form1 see ,j4 ,boulmier's ,les ,villanelles1 ,paris1 #ahgh4 ,the modern development of the villanelle has been largely influenced by the work of ,passerat 7#aecd-afjb71 whose most famous villanelle is the following specimen3 ,j'ay perdu ma tourterelle2 ,est-ce-point elle que j'oy8 ,je veux aller aprs elle4 ,tu regrettes ta femelle2 ,hlas6 aussy fay-je moy3 ,j'ay perdu ma tourterelle4 ,si ton amour est fidle1 ,aussy est ferme ma foy2 ,je veux aller aprs elle4 ,ta plainte se renouvelle8 ,toujours plaindre je me doy3 ,j'ay perdu ma tourterelle4 ,en ne voyant plus la belle ,plus rien de beau je ne voy3 ,je veux aller aprs elle4 ,mort1 que tant de fois j'apelle1 ,prens ce que se donne toy3 ,j'ai perdu ma tourterelle4 ,je veux aller aprs elle4 7,,jean ,,passerat3 ,villanelle47 ,when ,i saw you last1 ,rose1 ,you were only so high2-- ,how fast the time goes6 ,like a bud ere it blows1 ,you just peeped at the sky1 ,when ,i saw you last1 ,rose6 ,now your petals unclose1 ,now your ,may-time is nigh2-- ,how fast the time goes6 ,and a life1--how it grows6 ,you were scarcely so shy ,when ,i saw you last1 ,rose6 ,in your bosom it shows ,there's a guest on the sly2 ,how fast the time goes6 ,is it ,cupid8 ,who knows6 ,yet you used not to sigh1 ,when ,i saw you last1 ,rose2-- ,how fast the time goes6 7,,austin ,,dobson3 ,when ,i ,saw ,you ,last1 ,rose47 ,a dainty thing's the ,villanelle4 ,sly1 musical1 a jewel in rhyme1 ,it serves its purpose passing well4 ,a double-clappered silver bell ,that must be made to clink in chime1 ,a dainty thing's the ,villanelle2 ,and if you wish to flute a spell1 ,or ask a meeting 'neath the lime1 ,it serves its purpose passing well4 ,you must not ask of it the swell ,of organs grandiose and sublime-- ,a dainty thing's the ,villanelle2 ,and1 filled with sweetness1 as a shell ,is filled with sound1 and launched in time1 ,it serves its purpose passing well4 ,still fair to see and good to smell ,as in the quaintness of its prime1 ,a dainty thing's the ,villanelle1 ,it serves its purpose passing well4 7,w4 ,e4 ,,henley3 ,villanelle47 ,wouldst thou not be content to die ,when low-hung fruit is hardly clinging ,and golden ,autumn passes by8 ,beneath this delicate rose-gray sky1 ,while sunset bells are faintly ringing1 ,wouldst thou not be content to die8 ,for wintry webs of mist on high ,out of the muffled earth are springing1 ,and golden ,autumn passes by4 ,o now when pleasures fade and fly1 ,and ,hope her southward flight is winging1 ,wouldst thou not be content to die8 ,lest ,winter come1 with wailing cry ,his cruel icy bondage bringing1 ,when golden ,autumn hath passed by2 ,and thou with many a tear and sigh1 ,while life her wasted hands is wringing1 ,shall pray in vain for leave to die ,when golden ,autumn hath passed by4 7,,edmund ,,gosse3 ,villanelle47 ,spring knocks at winter's frosty door3 ,in boughs by wild ,march breezes swayed ,the bonnie bluebirds sing once more4 ,the brooks have burst their fetters hoar1 ,and greet with noisy glee the glade2 ,spring knocks at winter's frosty door4 ,the swallow soon will northward soar1 ,the rush uplift its gleaming blade1 ,the bonnie bluebirds sing once more4 ,soon sunny skies their gold will pour ,o'er meads that breezy maples shade2 ,spring knocks at winter's frosty door4 ,along the reedy river's shore1 ,fleet fauns will frolic unafraid1 ,the bonnie bluebirds sing once more4 ,and ,love1 the ,love we lost of yore1 ,will come to twine the myrtle braid2 ,spring knocks at winter's frosty door1 ,the bonnie bluebirds sing once more4 7,,clinton ,,scollard3 ,spring ,knocks at ,winter's ,frosty ,door47 ,d4--,,the ,,triolet ,the triolet is really a diminutive form of the ,rondeau1 and was not originally distinguished by name4 ,it consists of eight lines1 with two rimes1 lines #a and #b recurring as lines #g and #h1 and line #a also as line #d4 ,the rime-scheme is ,a,ba,aab,a,b4 ,here1 as in the villanelle1 a change of signification in the repeated lines is thought to add to the charm of the form4 ,a ,french specimen1 from ,ranchin1 is cited by ,mr4 ,gleeson ,white as being called by some the king of triolets3 ,le premier jour du mois de mai ,fut le plus heureux de ma vie3 ,le beau dessein que je formai1 ,le premier jour du mois de mai6 ,je vous vis et je vous aimai4 ,si ce dessein vous plut1 ,sylvie1 ,le premier jour du mois de mai ,fut le plus heureux de ma vie4 ,easy is the ,triolet1 ,if you really learn to make it6 ,once a neat refrain you get1 ,easy is the ,triolet4 ,as you see6--,i pay my debt ,with another rhyme4 ,deuce take it1 ,easy is the ,triolet1 ,if you really learn to make it6 7,w4 ,e4 ,,henley47 ,rose kissed me to-day1 ,will she kiss me to-morrow8 ,let it be as it may1 ,rose kissed me to-day4 ,but the pleasure gives way ,to a savor of sorrow2-- ,rose kissed me to-day1-- ,will she kiss me to-morrow8 ,i intended an ,ode1 ,and it turned to a ,sonnet4 ,it began la mode1 ,i intended an ,ode2 ,but ,rose crossed the road ,in her latest new bonnet4 ,i intended an ,ode1 ,and it turned to a ,sonnet4 7,,austin ,,dobson3 ,rose ,leaves47 ,in an earlier version of this last rose-leaf the ode is said to have turned into triolets1 when ,rose crossed the road with a bunch of fresh violets4 ,a little kiss when no one sees1 ,where is the impropriety8 ,how sweet amid the birds and bees ,a little kiss when no one sees6 ,nor is it wrong1 the world agrees1 ,if taken with sobriety4 ,a little kiss when no one sees1 ,where is the impropriety8 7,,samuel ,,minturn ,,peck3 ,under the ,rose47 ,worldly designs1 fears1 hopes1 farewell6 ,farewell all earthly joys and cares6 ,on nobler thoughts my soul shall dwell6 ,worldly designs1 fears1 hopes1 farewell6 ,at quiet1 in my peaceful cell1 ,i'll think on ,god1 free from your snares2 ,worldly designs1 fears1 hopes1 farewell6 ,farewell all earthly joys and cares6 7,,patrick ,,carey3 in ,trivial ,poems and ,triolets1 #afea2 reprinted by ,scott1 #ahai2 this triolet also quoted in ,ballades and ,rondeaus1 ,introduction1 p4 xxxvi47 ,originally1 the triolet was often used for serious sentiment4 ,the present and the following specimen are rare instances of its serious use in ,english4 ,in his arms thy silly lamb ,lo6 he gathers to his breast6 ,see1 thou sadly bleating dam1 ,see him lift thy silly lamb6 ,hear it cry1 ,how blest ,i am6-- ,here is love and love is rest4 ,in his arms thy silly lamb ,see him gather to his breast6 7,,george ,,macdonald47 ,e4--,,the ,,sestina ,this form1 although originally found in ,provenal like the others of the group1 has been more used in ,italy than in ,france1 and1 as the ,english form of the word indicates1 was introduced into ,england under ,italian influence4 ,it was invented at the end of the thirteenth century1 by the troubadour ,arnaut ,daniel1 celebrated in the following specimen4 ,the common form of the sestina has six stanzas of six lines each1 with a tercet at the end4 ,there is usually no rime1 but the stanzas are based on six end-words1 which are the same in all stanzas2 in the tercet three of these words are used in the middle of the lines1 and three at the ends4 ,the order of the end-words changes in each stanza according to a complex system3 thus 7in the common modern form7 if the end-words of the first stanza be represented by #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 the order in the second stanza will be #f1 #a1 #e1 #b1 #d1 #c2 in the third1 #c1 #f1 #d1 #a1 #b1 #e2 in the fourth1 #e1 #c1 #b1 #f1 #a1 #d2 in the fifth1 #d1 #e1 #a1 #c1 #f1 #b2 in the sixth1 #b1 #d1 #f1 #e1 #c1 #a4 ,sometimes the end-words also rime by twos and threes4 ,in fair ,provence1 the land of lute and rose1 ,arnaut1 great master of the lore of love1 ,first wrought sestines to win his lady's heart2 ,for she was deaf when simpler staves he sang1 ,and for her sake he broke the bonds of rhyme1 ,and in this subtler measure hid his woe4 ,harsh be my lines1 cried ,arnaut1 harsh the woe1 ,my lady1 that enthroned and cruel rose1 ,inflicts on him that made her live in rhyme6 ,but through the metre spake the voice of ,love1 ,and like a wildwood nightingale he sang ,who thought in crabbed lays to ease his heart4 ,it is not told if her untoward heart ,was melted by her poet's lyric woe1 ,or if in vain so amorously he sang4 ,perchance through crowd of dark conceits he rose ,to nobler heights of philosophic love1 ,and crowned his later years with sterner rhyme4 ,this thing alone we know3 the triple rhyme ,of him who bared his vast and passionate heart ,to all the crossing flames of hate and love1 ,wears in the midst of all its storm and woe-- ,as some loud morn of ,march may bear a rose-- ,the impress of a song that ,arnaut sang4 ,smith of his mother-tongue1 the ,frenchman sang ,of ,lancelot and of ,galahad1 the rhyme ,that beat so bloodlike at its core of rose1 ,it stirred the sweet ,francesca's gentle heart ,to take that kiss that brought her so much woe1 ,and sealed in fire her martyrdom of love4 ,and ,dante1 full of her immortal love1 ,stayed his drear song1 and softly1 fondly sang ,as though his voice broke with that weight of woe2 ,and to this day we think of ,arnaut's rhyme1 ,whenever pity at the laboring heart ,on fair ,francesca's memory drops the rose4 ,ah6 sovereign ,love1 forgive this weaker rhyme6 ,the men of old who sang were great at heart1 ,yet have we too known woe1 and worn thy rose4 7,,edmund ,,gosse3 ,sestina47 ,for a specimen of the rimed sestina1 see ,swinburne's ,poems and ,ballads1 ,second ,series1 p4 #df4 ,the ,virelai1 which we have seen was one of the forms used by ,chaucer1 though not represented in his extant poetry1 has been but slightly imitated in ,english4 ,it was a poem of indeterminate length1 composed of longer and shorter lines1 the longer lines in each stanza riming1 the shorter lines in the same stanza also riming1 while in the succeeding stanza the short-line rime of the previous stanza became the long-line rime4 ,the last stanza took the unrepeated rime of the first stanza as its new rime2 so that in the whole poem each rime was used in two stanzas4 ,charles ,cotton1 one of whose rondeaus has been quoted1 also wrote a virelai4 ,a modern specimen1 by ,mr4 ,john ,payne1 is quoted in ,ballades and ,rondeaus1 p4 #bgf4 ,the ,pantoum is another very interesting form belonging in this group rather than elsewhere1 although it originated not in ,france but ,malaysia4 ,it was imitated in ,french by ,victor ,hugo and other poets1 and through ,french influence has found a place in ,english verse4 ,it consists of an indeterminate number of stanzas of four lines each1 the second and fourth line of each stanza being repeated as the first and third of the succeeding stanza1 while the second and fourth lines of the last stanza repeat the first and third lines of the first stanza4 ,thus the whole forms a sort of interwoven circle1 and is used most appropriately to represent any kind of monotony1--the dull round of repetition4 ,from ,love in ,idleness 7#ahhc7 ,mr4 ,white reprints the following admirable specimen3 ,monologue d'outre ,tombe4 ,morn and noon and night1 ,here ,i lie in the ground2 ,no faintest glimmer of light1 ,no lightest whisper of sound4 ,here ,i lie in the ground2 ,the worms glide out and in2 ,no lightest whisper of sound1 ,after a lifelong din4 ,the worms glide out and in2 ,they are fruitful and multiply2 ,after a lifelong din ,i watch them quietly4 ,they are fruitful and multiply1 ,my body dwindles the while2 ,i watch them quietly2 ,i can scarce forbear a smile4 ,my body dwindles the while1 ,i shall soon be a skeleton2 ,i can scarce forbear a smile1 ,they have had such glorious fun4 ,i shall soon be a skeleton1 ,the worms are wriggling away2 ,they have had such glorious fun1 ,they will fertilize my clay4 ,the worms are wriggling away1 ,they are what ,i have been2 ,they will fertilize my clay2 ,the grass will grow more green4 ,they are what ,i have been4 ,i shall change1 but what of that8 ,the grass will grow more green1 ,the parson's sheep grow fat4 ,i shall change1 but what of that8 ,all flesh is grass1 one says4 ,the parson's sheep grow fat1 ,the parson grows in grace4 ,all flesh is grass1 one says2 ,grass becomes flesh1 one knows2 ,the parson grows in grace3 ,i am the grace he grows4 ,grass becomes flesh1 one knows4 ,he grows like a bull of ,bashan4 ,i am the grace he grows2 ,i startle his congregation4 ,he grows like a bull of ,bashan1 ,one day he'll be ,bishop or ,dean4 ,i startle his congregation2 ,one day ,i shall preach to the ,queen4 ,one day he'll be ,bishop or ,dean1 ,one of those science-haters2 ,one day ,i shall preach to the ,queen4 ,to think of my going in gaiters6 ,one of those science-haters1 ,blind as a mole or bat2 ,to think of my going in gaiters1 ,and wearing a shovel hat6 ,blind as a mole or bat1 ,no faintest glimmer of light1 ,and wearing a shovel hat1 ,morning and noon and night4 ,,footnotes3 #dg ,on the early history of these forms in ,france1 see ,stengel's article in ,grber's ,grundriss der ,romanischen ,philologie4 vol4 ii4 pp4 #hg-if4 #dh ,on these ballades of ,graunson1 a knight of ,savoy1 see the articles by ,a4 ,piaget1 in ,romania1 vol4 xix41 and ,lounsbury's ,studies in ,chaucer1 vol4 iii4 p4 #dej4 ,,part ,,three ,,the ,,time-,,element ,,in ,,english ,,verse#di ,nearly all modern writers on the theory of verse have admitted that ,english words have no fixed syllabic quantities such as are postulated for the classical languages1 but that ,english quantities1 so far as they exist1 are variable and 7in part at least7 subjective in character4 ,to this it is true there are exceptions1 chiefly among the poets1 like some of those considered in the preceding section on ,imitations of ,classical ,metres4 ,writers who have agreed that ,english words have no fixed quantities1 are still at variance as to the relation of the element of syllabic time to the element of accent in ,english verse4 ,two extremes may at once be distinguished3 that represented by the familiar statement that our rhythms differ from those of classical poetry in being based wholly on accent1 and that represented most notably by the late ,sidney ,lanier1 who held that syllabic time-values in ,english verse are as exact and regular 7hence as accurately measurable7 as the notes of music4 ,lanier applied his theory with admirable consistency1 and represented all sorts of ,english verse1 even that of the ,anglo-,saxon period1 in musical notation4 ,he is almost universally regarded1 however1 as having been led by the analogy between music and poetry to carry his method to quite impossible lengths4 ,the most characteristic example of this is his representation of the familiar blank verse measure in three-four time1 each accented syllable being given a time-value twice as long as that of the adjacent unaccented syllable--a method of reading which can easily be shown to be contrary to all common practice4 ,it should not be forgotten1 however1 that a debt of gratitude is owed ,mr4 ,lanier for having been one of the first to emphasize adequately the fact that verse1 like music1 is rhythmical sound4 ,besides those who make ,english verse to depend wholly on accent1 and those who give it time-values equally regular and measurable with those of music1 there is a third class disposed to confuse the two elements of quantity and accent4 ,of this class was ,edgar ,poe1 who in his essay on ,the ,rationale of ,verse constantly spoke of accented and unaccented syllables as long and short1 respectively1 and was even disposed to carry the identification into ,latin verse itself4 ,this essay of ,poe's has lately been defended by ,mr4 ,john ,m4 ,robertson1 in the interesting ,appendix to his ,new ,essays toward a ,critical ,method 7#ahig74 ,unfortunately ,mr4 ,robertson seems to have perpetuated deliberately the confusion which he found in ,poe in the use of the terms accent and quantity4 ,he even says that the attempt to distinguish them is ill-founded1 that quantity in speaking must amount substantially to the same thing as stress1 and1 again1 that ,poe's identification of stress with length is perfectly sound4 ,whatever be the fundamental fact here1 the use of terms cannot be commended4 ,if quantity is swallowed up in accent1 so that accent alone dominates our verse1 that is one thing2 if the conditions are such that a heavy stress and a long quantity nearly always coincide1 that is also a possible doctrine2 but that is not to say that the two things should be identified4 ,if all tall men wear long coats1 or if all men--tall and short--wear long coats1 it follows in neither case that tallness and long-coatedness are the same thing4 ,it is a mere matter of physics that duration of sound and intensity of sound are perfectly distinguishable1 and that they have no necessary connection with each other4 ,the problem is3 how are they related in practice8 ,it has already been observed that ,mr4 ,lanier did good service in emphasizing the analogy between music and poetry1 but that he carried the analogy too far4 ,it may1 therefore1 be worth while to consider at just this point the elements of likeness and of difference in the two forms of art4 ,both are forms of rhythmical art3 music and verse are alike rhythmical sound4 ,lanier showed with sufficient certainty that rhythm is dependent upon both time and accent4 ,he said1 to be sure1 that time is the essential element2#ej but this does not seem to have been altogether what he meant1 for he himself pointed out that the ear insistently marks off time-elements by the sense of variation of stress1 even when there is no real variation1 as in the tick-tack of the clock4 ,he also pointed out that accent marks the rhythm of music quite as truly as that of verse1 the rule being that ordinarily the first note of each measure shall receive a special stress4 ,it seems1 then1 that the rhythm of music is based on the recurrence of accented sounds at equal time-intervals4 ,the same thing is true of the rhythm of verse4 ,for every kind of metre there is a normal verse-rhythm which is present in the mind as the basis on which the verse is built up1 no matter how many variations may constantly occur4 ,this normal rhythm is formed by a succession of accents at exactly equal time-intervals1#ea such as can be marked off by a metronome1 or by the mechanical beating of the foot on the floor4 ,we realize that the verse as commonly read frequently departs from this regularity of intervals2 but without the regularity as a norm to which to refer it1 we should not recognize it as verse4 ,the normal accent-interval we call a foot4 ,exception must therefore be taken1 it seems to me1 to another contention of ,mr4 ,robertson's2 namely1 that there is no time-unit4 ,our feet1 he says1 are a pure convention1 and the sole rhythmic fact is the fluctuant relativity of long and short1 or stress and slur4 ,i am glad to be able to believe that the fundamental rhythmic fact is something more definite than this4#eb ,but the latest writer on the subject1 ,mr4 ,mark ,liddell1 in his ,introduction to the ,scientific ,study of ,poetry1 joins ,mr4 ,robertson in finding no feet in ,english verse4 ,nay1 he represents the metrist who makes use of the old conventions of rhythmical measurement as one who will flounder ceaselessly amid the scattered timbers of iambuses1 spondees1 dactyls1 tribrachs1 never reaching the firm ground of truth6 ,mr4 ,liddell points out that we do not pronounce ,english words1 even in verse1 with mechanically regular alternations of stress2 and he rejects the explanation that there is nevertheless a typical form in the poet's and the reader's mind1 on the ground that it is a strange state of affairs that the sthetically imperfect should produce a greater pleasure than the sthetically perfect4 ,strange1 perhaps1 but as familiar as sunrise1 if by sthetically perfect we mean absolutely regular4 ,here we need to recur to the analogy of music1 where the phenomenon in question is so obvious4 ,let any one attempt to follow a symphony with a metronome in his hand1 and he will soon discover that if the metronome represents the sthetically perfect rhythm1 the orchestra represents a more pleasurable imperfection4 ,its accelerations and retardations carry on a continual conflict with the typical time of the music1 yet that typical time is not only printed on every sheet1 but is in the mind of every player4 ,it is precisely so with verse4 ,it is true1 of course1 that the variations from regularity of rhythm are more numerous and conspicuous in verse than in music4 ,the reason is obvious3 the sounds of verse have constantly to effect a compromise between the typical rhythm to which they are set and the irregular stress-and time-variations of human speech1 while music has no such complicated task4 ,lyrical verse1 being closest to music1 keeps the typical rhythm freest from interruption2 and it is worthy of remark that ,mr4 ,liddell's study of ,english rhythms is based very largely on those of a non-lyrical character1 although he himself points out 7p4 #bga7 that these are the least regular4 ,the drama is dominated1 most of all forms of verse1 by the necessity of representing natural human speech2 hence it is not the place to look for the fundamental laws of verse at their purest4 ,there is1 then1 a unit of time on which all verse-rhythms1 like all musical rhythms1 are based2 and this is what we commonly call in music the measure1 and in verse1 the foot1 ,i shall recur to this matter a little later in considering the terminology of the subject2 for the present let us return to the relations of verse and music4 ,both1 we have seen1 are based on the recurrence of accented sounds at equal time-intervals4 ,there is some difference1 however1 in the emphasis which one naturally places on the respective parts of the statement4 ,in music we feel that the fact of chief importance is that the measures shall be equal in time1 while the recurring accent seems a mere means of marking this equality2 but in verse we feel that the chief fact is that the accents shall recur1 the equality of time-intervals being in a sense a secondary source of pleasure4 ,in music1 therefore1 as we have seen1 we treat departures from regularity of time-intervals as somewhat more exceptional than in verse4 ,but the rhythm would suffer1 would even disappear1 were either element wholly removed4 ,if we look for further distinctions between verse and music1 we find them in the separate sounds which go to make up the unit-measures4 ,not only are the measures of music of mathematically equal length1 but all the sounds bear exact time-relations to each other3 each is either half as long1 or twice as long1 or a quarter as long1 or four times as long1 as its neighbor4 ,on the other hand1 the number of separate sounds in the measure constantly varies2 it is sufficient that the total length be that of the full measure4 ,in verse these conditions are reversed4 ,the separate syllables1 while they doubtless vary in length1 are not mathematically cordinated as to duration by the ordinary reader4 ,it is almost as difficult to say just what the time-relation of any two adjacent syllables is1 as to be sure that one is stressed just twice as strongly as the other4 ,on the other hand1 the number of syllables in the foot 7in good modern ,english verse7 is tolerably constant4 ,for the sake of completeness1 one may add two other fundamental distinctions which1 apart from the elements of rhythm1 differentiate verse from music4 ,music1 apart from rhythm1 characteristically depends on variation of pitch1 and only incidentally 7as in the case of the use of different instruments in orchestration7 on variation of sound-quality2 whereas verse1 apart from rhythm1 characteristically depends on variation of sound-quality1--that is1 on the different sounds of the different words1--and only incidentally on changes of pitch4 ,finally1 the changing sounds of music are only vaguely symbolic1 while the changing sounds of verse are symbolic of definite ideas4 ,for the sake of easy comparison we may put these observations in a rough sort of table3 ,,music ,,verse ,rhythmical ,sound1 i4e4 ,recurrence of accented sounds ,recurrence of accented sounds at equal time-intervals4 at equal time-intervals4 ,separate sounds mathematically ,separate sounds not mathematically related in length1 and constantly related in length1 and varying in number and arrangement4 generally with unchanged number and arrangement4 ,apart from rhythm1 dependent on ,apart from rhythm1 dependent on variation of pitch 7incidentally variation of sound-quality on sound-quality74 7incidentally on pitch74 ,sounds vaguely symbolic4 ,sounds symbolic of definite ideas4 ,let us now consider more closely the time-values of the separate syllables of verse1 asking just what we mean by a long or a short syllable in ,english4 ,it has already been indicated that the ear recognizes no such fixed proportions in the length of our syllables as are recognized for musical notes1 or as are postulated for the syllables of ,greek and ,latin verse4 ,it must also be remembered that the terms long and short1 as commonly used of ,english vowels1 are of little significance for the matter of real quantity4 ,they are applied for historical reasons1 and do not describe present facts4 ,thus we call the o in hotel long1 and that in cot short2 but it is fairly clear that the o of cot takes rather more time1 as commonly uttered1 than that of hotel4 ,the so-called short o is1 in fact1 a sound so open that it has lost the o-quality4 ,in the same way what we call long a is a short-e sound diphthongized4 ,we cannot be said to preserve in modern ,english any single vowels with fixed long quantity1 such as we hear in ,german words like ,saal and ,see1--sounds which obviously take more time in utterance than others4 ,can we speak accurately1 then1 of long syllables and short syllables in modern ,english8 ,it may be said that we have a large number of genuine diphthongs2 and such double sounds1 especially where they are so open as to require unusual effort on the part of the vocal organs 7like -ow1 for example71 may be assumed to take a longer time in utterance than monophthongs4 ,even such a sound as is represented by -au or -aw1 though it has but slight diphthongal quality1 seems to sound longer than most monophthongs4 ,but in none of these cases does ordinary pronunciation make the sound-length at all conspicuous1 except where it coincides with strong stress2 and it requires a moment's reasoning to convince one's self that the vowel in fine is any longer than that in fan4 ,it is more than doubtful1 then1 whether our vowel sounds can be regarded as of significance for metrical time4 ,a word like saw or now1 occurring in such a place in the verse as to be passed over with the briefest and lightest utterance1 would be pronounced with rapidity by the ordinary reader1 with no thought that the vowel-sound was too long4 ,but in the earlier languages a syllable might be long1 not only from the presence of a long vowel1 but also from the presence of two or more consonants following the vowel4 ,may this be said to hold good for modern ,english8 ,in general1 prolonged consonantal sounds seem to be avoided1 as in the case of vowels4 ,we pass over them rapidly1 and have1 for instance1 no such clearly stopped syllables due to double consonants as are heard in ,italian words like madonna4 ,yet we cannot doubt that two or three consonants require more time than one1 and in words like strength1 flushed1 fists1 and the like1 every one would find the consonantal length perceptible4 ,more than this1 two consonants often serve to close the preceding syllable1 by making it impossible to run the consonant at the end of it over into the following syllable1 and hence really lengthen it4 ,this1 of course1 is the reason why the first syllable of the ,latin avis is said to be short1 but that of alvus to be long4 ,the ,elizabethan metrists tried to apply these ,latin rules of quantity by position to all ,english words2 and many modern ,english writers1 who have been trained from childhood in the appreciation of ,latin quantities1 easily perceive the differing consonantal quantities of ,english words4 ,these quantities may1 then1 certainly be said to exist2 but in ordinary ,english pronunciation1 and to the ordinary1 untrained ,english ear1 they must be strongly marked in order to attract attention4 ,when thus strongly marked1 they doubtless play some part in the structure of verse4 ,in some lines attributed to ,raleigh1 ,his desire is a dureless content1 ,and a trustless joy1 the syllable trust-occupies the time of two syllables2 the typical metre would require something like ,and a pitiless joy4 ,now1 the fact that trust-is a noticeably long syllable1 especially when closed by the following l1 makes it well fitted to fill the place of two syllables2 and we should find the line distinctly less pleasing if a short syllable were there instead4 ,boundless would do as well1 because equally long2 trusty would not be quite so good2 silly would be very bad4 ,conversely1 when a noticeably long syllable occupies the place of a light syllable1 in rapid tri-syllabic verse1 we feel that the verse is injured4 ,mr4 ,william ,larminie criticises a line of ,mr4 ,swinburne's on this ground1-- ,time sheds them like snow on strange regions2#ec the combination -ange1 with its final -nj sound1 made still longer by the following r1 and preceded1 too1 by the combination n-st1 has too much quantity for the place where it stands in the verse4 ,in the verse of inferior writers many worse cases could easily be found4 ,these illustrations1 then1 may serve to show that while we do not cordinate our consonantal syllable-lengths as absolute shorts and longs1 we perceive certain degrees of length1 and find these playing a part in our verse4 ,so much for intrinsic quantity as found in ,english syllables4 ,but there is much more to be said for syllables made long or short at the will of the speaker1 under certain conditions4 ,if we address a friend in surprise1 saying1 ,why1 ,john6 we not only throw a heavy stress on both the words1 but also perceptibly prolong them4 ,in like manner1 we realize that unimportant words1 especially proclitics 7like the italicized words in the phrase ,the land of the free7 are not only unstressed1 but are hurried over in shorter moments than the accented words4 ,examples like this suggest what may in fact be expressed in a general statement1 that accented syllables are very commonly prolonged4 ,this is not1 as we have seen1 from any essential connection between the nature of accent and the nature of quantity4 ,in certain cases1 unaccented syllables even show a tendency to length beyond that of those bearing the stress1 as in words like follow1 dying1 and others where the final sound is easily prolonged4 ,the coincidence of stress and length1 then1 is due simply to the operation of the same cause--the grammatical or rhetorical importance of the syllable in question4 ,this fact1 that the important 7stressed7 syllables are likely to be held a little longer than the others1 will not warrant us in representing them as twice as long1 in the exact mathematical relations of musical notes2 but it may explain why a musician like ,lanier tried to represent them in such notation4 ,it must also be the cause of ,mr4 ,robertson's attempt to identify quantity and stress4 ,his statement that quantity in fact1 in spoken verse1 consists of stress and of the consonantal total of syllables1 may be regarded as much more satisfactory than those already quoted from his essay4 ,it is1 however1 not quite accurate4 ,still another kind of relative syllable-length remains to be considered1 and for metrical purposes it is probably the most important4 ,the accents of ,english words not only vary in degree according to the different stresses which they receive in different prose sentences1 but in verse they are made artificially to vary also so as to conform as closely as possible to the scheme of the metre4 ,thus the first syllable of the word over is accented far more strongly when it occurs at the opening of a dactylic verse1 ,over the ocean wave1 than when it occurs at the opening of an anapestic verse1 ,over land1 over sea4 ,this being the case with accent1 which tends to be strongly fixed in ,english words1 we might naturally expect that it would be still more clearly the case with the element of time2 and so it is4 ,syllables will be lengthened and shortened by the reader in order to preserve as nearly as possible the fundamental equal time-intervals between the principal accents4 ,this is most easily recognized1 and most commonly practised1 in the case where syllables are shortened because there are more of them than the normal scheme of the verse would imply4 ,the old tumbling verse of our ancestors depended on this principle1 and so did the revival of it in ,coleridge's ,christabel4 ,for example3 ,a little door she opened straight1 ,all in the middle of the gate1 ,the gate that was ironed within and without1 ,where an army in battle array had marched out4 ,here the rhythm of the last verse is brought into the four-beat measure of the first verse1 by passing lightly and rapidly over all syllables save the four that mark the metre4 ,in prose1 the word marched would be stressed quite as much as the word out1 but there is no difficulty in reducing the stress in reading the verse4#ed ,it cannot be said1 however1 that there is no difficulty in reducing its length1 for the final consonant combination -cht takes up considerable time1 and the whole word follows a syllable 7had7 which has been closed and so lengthened by the d m4 ,sensitive readers would probably agree1 therefore1 that the quantity in this verse is too much for the smoothness of the rhythm4 ,on the other hand1 the long syllable ironed helps us to fill the place of the light syllable which is missing after it1 and we find the rhythm easier than it would be in this form3 ,the gate that was ironed both within and without4 ,once more1 for the sake of convenience1 let us attempt to put our conclusions into the form of a summary4 ,an ,english syllable may be said to be long1 not absolutely but relatively1 from3 #a4 ,the naturally long character of its vowel-sound1 due either to open quality or diphthongization4 #b4 ,the presence of two or more consonants which require a perceptible time for utterance4 #c4 ,prolongation by the speaker 7a7 because of the importance of the syllable1 or 7b7 because of the time which it ought to occupy in the scheme of the verse4 ,the artificial lengthening and shortening of syllables1 then1 is constantly and naturally practised in the reading of verse which has a strong lyrical swing such as guides the reader into a sense of its structure4 ,in verse more subtle and less lyrical in character the time-intervals are not so strongly marked1 and by the ear not trained to listen for rhythm they are not so easily observed4 ,the five-stress iambic line1 especially when unrimed1 has developed far more freedom and subtlety in ,english poetry than any other measure1 and it is to this that one finds these writers invariably turning who wish to prove that our verse is not based on regular time-intervals4 ,a verse like this3 ,the lone couch of his everlasting sleep1 if read as an ordinary prose phrase1 has no obvious metrical character4 ,the second foot 7couch of7 inverts the normal order of accent and no-accent1 and in common speech the second and third syllables would be long and followed by a phrase-pause1 while the fourth and fifth syllables would be made very short and jointed closely to what follows4 ,there is no rhythm in such a group of words4 ,but when we know that they are part of a poem in five-stress verse1 we can readjust them so as to approach more closely to the rhythmical scheme in our minds4 ,we cannot accent either of or his1 without destroying the sense2 nor can we deprive either lone or couch of its accent2 but we can lengthen the words of his beyond their natural time in speech1 pronouncing them more deliberately1 and we can also1 perhaps1 diminish the phrase-pause after couch4 ,this would tend to equalize the five time-intervals to which the verse1 as a verse1 should fit itself4 ,it would be too much to say that this is what the ordinary reader would do1 because the ordinary reader is likely to have his mind fixed on expressing the sense1 neglecting the rhythm which is equally an element of the poetry2 but it is what the careful reader could do without difficulty4 ,the first line of ,paradise ,lost1 ,of man's first disobedience1 and the fruit1 always a favorite specimen for metrists to dissect1 is of like character4 ,mr4 ,robertson1 in the essay already cited1 makes considerable use of this verse as showing the vanity of the usual method of dividing verses into equal feet4 ,he quotes approvingly ,professor ,shairp's account of the way in which ,clough analyzed the line3 ,the two feet 'first disobe-' took up the time of four syllables1 two iambic feet3 the voice rested awhile on the word 'first'2 then passed swiftly over 'diso-1' then rested again on 'be-' so as to recover the previous hurry4 ,now this seems to be merely a description of the way in which the words would be uttered in prose1 and to neglect the rhythm of the poem in which they stand4 ,in the second foot one can and should give the syllable dis- full syllabic time1 instead of hurrying over it as in prose speech1--a rendering made easy by the fact that it frequently has a marked secondary accent4 ,conversely1 one can give first somewhat less time than it would occupy in prose1 without thereby diminishing its accent4 ,the word and1 in the fourth foot1 would in prose utterance be allowed almost no time-value2 and it may be treated in the same way in the verse1 by permitting the pause at the comma to fill up the normal time of the foot4 ,it would seem to be better1 however1 to give and a fairly distinct utterance for metrical purposes 7without1 of course1 adding any stress71 and thus to approach more closely to the scheme of time-intervals4 ,it is highly improbable that any one would read this verse--or almost any other verse of ,paradise ,lost--with such exact observance of the equal time-intervals as would appear in regular lyrical poetry4 ,we have already seen that blank verse departs more constantly from the typical scheme of the measure than any other of our verse-forms4 ,nevertheless1 the reader with a well-trained ear listens always for the flow of the typical metre underneath the surface irregularities1 and1 by a delicate adjustment of syllable-lengths1 can bring the poet's words into far more rhythmical utterance than they would find in prose4 ,there is one other method of varying the time-elements in verse which has already been suggested by what was said of the pause at the comma in the line of ,paradise ,lost4 ,it will be seen very generally that light syllables1 such as one wishes to utter in brief periods of time1 are found on either side of the phrase-pauses in our verse4 ,the first in valor1 as the first in place is a typical line in this respect4 ,the natural pause1 indicated by the comma1 takes up part of the time of the third foot1 which there are no syllables fitted wholly to fill4 ,it might almost be said that1 in ordinary five-stress verse1 such verses are quite as numerous as those with five complete feet4 ,the pause satisfies the ear1 so far as the time-intervals are concerned1 quite as well as a long syllable4 ,pauses not only fill up the incomplete time of a foot containing only short syllables1 but they also fill the time of wholly missing syllables4 ,in the verse ,come from the dying moon1 and blow we start out with trisyllabic rhythm1 but have only two syllables in the second and in the third foot4 ,it does not seem certain whether the missing syllable after dying is to have its place filled by a pause or by a prolongation of either or both of the syllables dy-ing--perhaps by all three means combined4 ,in the same way the missing syllable after moon may have its place filled either by the prolongation of the oo1 or by the pause indicated by the comma1 or by both4 ,but in other cases the pause occupies the entire syllable-moment2 for examples1 see under ,pauses in pages #bj-bb above4 ,the whole matter was well summed up in ,lanier's saying that rhythm may be dependent on silences as well as on sounds4 ,let us now try to gather what we have been considering into the form of definite statements regarding the place of the time-element in our verse4 #a4 ,in the normal verse1 accents appear at equal time-intervals4 ,this1 of course1 does not preclude all manner of variations2 the unit of measure is not the distance between the accents as they are found in each verse1 but between the points where they belong in the typical metre4 #b4 ,there is a tendency toward the coincidence of long and accented1 and of short and unaccented1 syllables4 ,this we have seen to be true in two different senses4 ,in the first place1 an accented syllable is likely to be lengthened for the same reason that it is accented--because of its relative importance in the place where it stands4 ,in the second place1 syllables noticeably long are avoided in those places in the verse where the accent does not fall1 and are preferred where the stress is heavy4 #c4 ,in the reading of verse1 the length of the syllables is varied artificially1 so as to tend to preserve the equal time-intervals4 #d4 ,in like manner1 pauses are introduced where syllables are short or wanting1 to preserve these intervals4 ,it is quite possible that these laws might be stated more fully and definitely4 ,in ,anglo-,saxon verse the conditions were perhaps not so different from those of modern ,english as we are likely to think2 there we know that the principal stresses of the verse always fell on long syllables1 and scholars like ,sievers1 by analyzing the remains of our early poetry1 have formulated certain other laws as to the position and relations of the short syllables4 ,if similar laws were to be formulated for our modern verse1 we should probably find them no more perplexing than our ancestors would find those we have formulated for their verse4 ,in every case the law is only an attempt to express what the ear has long known and obeyed4 ,mr4 ,goodell1 in an article on ,quantity in ,english ,verse1 in the ,proceedings of the ,american ,philological ,society for #ahhe1 attempted to do for our verse what has just been suggested4 ,he stated such laws as these3 ,the thesis becomes a triseme if the next syllable bears the ictus4 ,no syllable can be placed in this position which is incapable of prolongation4 ,if the arsis is monosyllabic1 a short vowel in the thesis followed by a single consonant is not lengthened by the ictus2 the arsis is instead prolonged4 ,with arsis monosyllabic1 the strong tendency is to make the thesis short4 ,perhaps these rules are on the right track2 the terminology is somewhat difficult1 and makes one hesitate to criticise carefully4 ,but since1 as we have seen1 the terms long and short1 as applied to ,english syllables1 have come to be so purely relative1 since our syllabic quantities vary so much at the will of the reader1 and since the whole matter of the reading of our verse is in good measure one of subjective interpretation1 it seems very doubtful whether any statements more explicit than those already laid down would be found of practical service4 ,finally1 we come back to the question whether we shall use for ,english verse the classical terminology which has for so long been applied to it4 ,those who object to such terminology do so either on the ground that it implies that ,english accented and unaccented syllables are equivalent respectively to ,latin long and short syllables1 or on the still more fundamental ground that there is nothing in our verse which can properly be called a foot4 ,it is undoubtedly true that the use of terms based on quantity has given rise to some confusion when applied to phenomena based on accent1 yet the terms are now understood with as fair a degree of clearness as any terms relating to so disputed a subject as ,english verse2 and it seems very doubtful whether it is not easier to explain them than to introduce new ones4 ,experiments in the latter direction have not been very successful4 ,the latest writer on the subject objects1 with considerable severity1 to the classical nomenclature hardly pressed and barbarously misapplied4 ,our current prosody1 he says later1 ignores the frequent occurrence of an accented syllable at the beginning of a line of ,shakspere's verse1 turning it off with the statement that 'a trochaic foot may begin an iambic verse4' ,yet when we reach the summary of the author's discussion of the subject1 we find the same phenomenon turned off with this statement3 ,in rising rhythm a thought-moment may begin with a falling wave-group4 ,one cannot avoid querying whether this interesting combination of words conveys any simpler and better idea to the normal ,english reader than the familiar statement that a trochaic foot may begin an iambic verse4 ,the case is instructive as to the danger of attempting a new terminology where one is already established1 and of imagining that one has thereby made the discussion of the subject more scientific4 ,the second of the objections to the usual terminology1 that there is no real foot in ,english verse1 has already been considered4 ,if there are no regular units of measure in our verse1 then to attempt constantly to find such units1 and to use terms that imply their existence1 is certainly a mistake4 ,but those are on the wrong track who would find the divisions of the verse in the natural phrase-divisions of ,english speech4#ee ,in arma virumque cano the syllable vi- is far more closely connected with the syllable -rum1 for all prose purposes1 than with the preceding syllables2 but in the verse the ,romans thought of it as being in the same foot with arma2 and later in the verse the last syllable of cano is rhythmically connected 7over the barrier of a comma7 with the first of ,troj4 ,indeed1 the ,latin poets instinctively avoided the regular coincidence of metrical units with word or sentence units4 ,precisely the same thing is true of ,english verse4 ,it has been suggested more than once that the great preponderance1 among ,english dissyllables1 of those accented on the first syllable1 goes to explain our preference for iambic over trochaic measures2 and that one reason why the rhythm of ,hiawatha1 for example1 so soon wearies the ear1 is because its metrical divisions and word divisions so frequently coincide4 ,the fundamental principle of verse is that it sets up a new order of progress which constantly conflicts with1 yet without destroying1 the order of progress of common prose speech4 ,so the foot means1 not a unit of measure for the words1 but for the syllables viewed as rhythmical sound2 and the attempt has already been made to show that it represents the time-interval between the regularly recurring accents of the normal metre4 ,when there are two syllables in the interval1 it is convenient to call the foot an iambus1 a trochee1 a pyrrhic1 or a spondee2 when there are three1 it is convenient to call the foot an anapest or a dactyl4 ,according to this system1 the number of feet in the metre will always depend on the number of regularly recurring accents1 which of course is not the case in classical prosody4 ,for the same reason1 all exceptional feet can be named by one of the six terms indicated1 except where 7as in ,swinburne's ,choriambics7 some classical metre is deliberately imitated4 ,there is no sufficient reason for speaking of the choriambus as occurring in ,shakspere's verse1 because where four syllables occur in such succession as to form a sort of choriambus1 they will be found to fill the place of two ordinary feet1 not of one2 hence it would be irrational to combine them into one exceptional foot4 ,but on this matter of convenience in the terminology of verse1 one cannot do better than to refer the reader to ,mr4 ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 where a refreshingly simple system is set forth1 such as will not break down under any reasonable test4 ,there is one defect1 it may be freely admitted1 in these classical names of feet4 ,they provide no place for the secondary accent4 ,a foot made up of a fully accented plus a slightly accented syllable must be called either a spondee 7the second syllable being thought of as approaching the stress of the first7 or a trochee 7the syllable being thought of as approaching no stress74 ,the abundant use of secondary or compromised accents--and one might say1 too1 of secondary or compromised quantities--is a ,germanic characteristic1 for which no classical terminology can provide4 ,there is1 theoretically1 room for some new names of feet recognizing these ambiguous syllables4 ,yet since degrees of accent are purely relative1 and no two readers would be sure of agreeing as to which syllables are fully stressed1 and which are half-stressed1 it is not likely that such additional terms would make our terminology any more exact for practical purposes4 ,the present system does1 in fact1 represent a characteristic feature of modern ,english as distinguished from early ,english verse2 namely1 that our metres strive after a regular alternation of stress and no-stress1 and that the ear imagines this alternation even where 7if it were a matter of prose utterance7 it can scarcely be said to exist4 ,it would be absurd to strive with any warmth for the classical system of terminology in ,english prosody4 ,it is undoubtedly not an ideal system1 nor such a one as we should adopt if we were naming everything anew2 few existing terminologies are4 ,the only object of the present defence of its carefully limited use is to show that it does stand for some fundamental facts in our verse1 and to suggest that it is usually wiser to make the best of the vocabulary we have than to fly to one we know not of4 ,the important thing1 in any case1 is not the question of terms1 but the end that we should not lose hold of the musical rhythms of our verse1 made up of delicately adjusted elements of accent and time4 ,,footnotes3 #di ,this discussion is in part a reproduction of an article with the same title originally published in ,modern ,language ,notes1 ,december1 #ahii4 #ej ,science of ,english ,verse1 p4 #fe4 #ea ,on the nature of our sense of rhythm1 see ,mr4 ,t4 ,l4 ,bolton's account of his experiments relating to the subject1 given in the ,american ,journal of ,psychology1 vol4 vi1 p4 #ade4 ,he reaches the conclusion that1 in order to awaken the sense of rhythm1 it is necessary that the accents in a line shall recur at regular intervals4 #eb ,similarly1 so distinguished a scholar as ,professor ,skeat has lately opposed the scansion of ,english verse by feet1 in the ,transactions of the ,philological ,society for #ahig-ahih4 ,for an ample examination of his views the reader must be referred to the new edition of ,mr4 ,mayor's ,chapters on ,english ,metre1 chap4 vii4 #ec ,see ,mr4 ,larminie's article on ,the ,development of ,english ,metres in the ,contemporary ,review for ,november1 #ahid4 ,in this article there is one of the clearest statements of the place of quantity in our verse that one can easily find4 ,mr4 ,larminie seems disposed1 however1 to place too much stress on the element of fixed or natural quantity1 and sometimes to use the terms long and short with merely traditional meanings4 ,the most characteristic feature of his discussion is1 that he establishes certain principles of quantity1 and judges the poets by their conformity to these principles4 ,the inductive method is less pretentious and perhaps safer3 to inquire what the poets do1 and how in the reading of their verse we may preserve the rhythm which they undoubtedly had in mind4 ,both methods are legitimate4 ,one will lay down rules for the poet1 another for the reader2 and there is perhaps as much chance of one being followed as of the other4 #ed ,at least no difficulty has generally been found2 but ,mr4 ,liddell marks the word as one which must be stressed from its grammatical importance4 ,he even finds ,coleridge untrue to the metre in putting where in an unstressed place in the verse1 on the ground that it means through which4 ,it would perhaps be safe to guess that no unsophisticated ,english reader has ever found difficulty in the accents of the line in question4 ,the matter is worthy of remark as illustrating the tendency of one class of readers to emphasize sense-reading at the expense of rhythm4 ,on the other hand1 for an illustration of the opposite extreme see ,professor ,bright's article on ,grammatical ,ictus in ,english ,verse1 in the ,furnivall ,miscellany 7#aija71 where we are told1 in effect1 that the metrical accent must always triumph over the sense-accent4 ,as usual1 the truth seems to lie somewhere between the extremes4 #ee ,this seems to be a part of the old effort to seek a grammatical rather than a musical origin for metre4 ,on this subject the reader should see the brilliant discussion of ,professor ,gummere in ,the ,beginnings of ,poetry1 from which a few paragraphs are quoted in ,part ,four4 ,,part ,,four ,,the ,,place ,,and ,,function ,,of ,,the ,,metrical ,,element ,,in ,,poetry ,the following extracts from important critical discussions are selected with reference to their bearing on two questions3 ,is metre an essential or only an incidental element of poetry8 and1 ,what are its functions in the total content and effect of poetry8 ,the student of the subject will do well to analyze the answers to the second question1 determining under how many aspects of the metrical element they can be grouped4 ,poetry in general seems to have sprung from two causes1 each of them lying deep in our nature4 ,first1 the instinct of imitation is implanted in man from childhood4444 ,next1 there is the instinct for harmony and rhythm1 metres being manifestly sections of rhythm4 ,persons1 therefore1 starting with this natural gift developed by degrees their special aptitudes1 till their rude improvisations gave birth to ,poetry4 7,,aristotle3 ,poetics1 iv4 ,butcher's translation1 pp4 #ae1 #ag47 ,poetry1 music1 and dancing constitute in ,aristotle a group by themselves1 their common element being imitation by means of rhythm--rhythm which admits of being applied to words1 sounds1 and the movements of the body4 ,the history of these arts bears out the views we find expressed in ,greek writers upon the theory of music2 it is a witness to the primitive unity of music and poetry1 and to the close alliance of the two with dancing4444 ,the intimate fusion of the three arts afterward known as the musical arts--or rather we should perhaps say1 the alliance of music and dancing under the supremacy of poetry--was exhibited even in the person of the artist4 ,the office of the poet as teacher of the chorus demanded a practical knowledge of all that passed under the term dancing1 including steps1 gestures1 attitudes1 and the varied resources of rhythmical movement4444 ,the poet1 lyric or dramatic1 composed the accompaniment as well as wrote the verses2 and it was made a reproach against ,euripides1 who was the first to deviate from the established usage1 that he sought the aid of ,iophon1 son of ,sophocles1 in the musical setting of his dramas4 ,the very word poet in classical times often implies the twofold character of poet and musician1 and in later writers is sometimes used1 like our composer1 in a strictly limited reference to music4 ,aristotle does full justice to the force of rhythmic form and movement in the arts of music and dancing4 ,the instinctive love of melody and rhythm is1 again1 one of the two causes to which he traces the origin of poetry1 but he lays little stress on this element in estimating the finished products of the poetic art4 ,in the ,rhetoric he observes that if a sentence has metre it will be poetry2 but this is said in a popular way4 ,it was doubtless the received opinion1 but it is one which he twice combats in the ,poetics1 insisting that it is not metrical form that makes a poem4444 ,the general question whether metre is necessary for poetical expression has been raised by many modern critics and poets1 and has sometimes been answered in the negative1 as by ,sidney1 ,shelley1 ,wordsworth4 ,it is1 however1 worth observing that from ,aristotle's point of view1 which was mainly one of observation1 the question to be determined was rather as to the vehicle or medium of literary mimesis2 and so far as the mimesis doctrine is concerned1 it is undeniable that some kinds of imaginative subject-matter are better expressed in prose1 some in verse1 and that ,aristotle1 who had before him experimental examples of writings poetic in spirit1 but not metrical in form1 had sufficient grounds for advocating an extension of meaning for the term poietes4 ,but as regards the ,art of ,poetry1 his reasoning does not lead us to conclude that he would have reckoned the authors of prose dialogues or romances among poets strictly so called4 ,as ,mr4 ,courthope truly says1 he does not attempt to prove that metre is not a necessary accompaniment of the higher conceptions of poetry1 and he1 therefore1 cannot be ranged with those who support that extreme opinion4 ,still there would appear to be some want of firmness in the position he takes up as to the place and importance of metre4 ,in his definition of tragedy 7chap4 vi4 #b7 embellished language is included among the constituent elements of tragedy2 and the phrase is then explained to mean language that has the twofold charm of metre 7which is a branch of rhythm7 and of melody4 ,but these elements are placed in a subordinate rank and are hardly treated as essentials4 ,they are in this respect not unlike scenery or spectacular effect1 which1 though deduced by ,aristotle from the definition1 is not explicitly mentioned in it4 ,the essence of the poetry is the imitation2 the melody and the verse are the seasoning of the language4444 ,aristotle1 highly as he rates the sthetic capacity of the sense of hearing in his treatment of music1 says nothing to show that he values at its proper worth the power of rhythmical sound as factor in poetry2 and this is the more striking in a ,greek1 whose enjoyment of poetry came through the ear rather than the eye1 and for whom poetry was so largely associated with music4 ,after all1 there can hardly be a greater difference between two ways of saying the same thing than that one is said in verse1 the other in prose4 ,there are some lyrics which have lived and will always live by their musical charm1 and by a strange magic that lies in the setting of the words4 ,we need not agree with a certain modern school who would empty all poetry of poetical thought and etherealize it till it melts into a strain of music2 who sing to us we hardly know of what1 but in such a way that the echoes of the real world1 its men and women1 its actual stir and conflict1 are faint and hardly to be discerned4 ,the poetry1 we are told1 resides not in the ideas conveyed1 not in the blending of soul and sense1 but in the sound itself1 in the cadence of the verse4 ,yet1 false as this view may be1 it is not perhaps more false than that other which wholly ignores the effect of musical sound and looks only to the thought that is conveyed4 ,aristotle comes perilously near this doctrine4 7,s4 ,h4 ,,butcher3 ,aristotle's ,theory of ,poetry and ,fine ,art4 pp4 #ach-adg47 ,it is not riming and versing that maketh a poet1 no more than a long gown maketh an advocate2 who1 though he pleaded in armor1 should be an advocate and no soldier4 ,but it is that feigning notable images of virtues1 vices1 or what else1 with that delightful teaching which must be the right describing note to know a poet by2 although1 indeed1 the senate of poets hath chosen verse as their fittest raiment1 meaning1 as in matter they passed all in all1 so in manner to go beyond them3 not speaking 7table-talk fashion1 or like men in a dream7 words as they chanceably fell from the mouth1 but poyzing each syllable of each word by just proportion according to the dignity of the subject4444 ,it is already said 7and as ,i think1 truly said7 it is not riming and versing that maketh poesy4444 ,but yet1 presuppose it were inseparable 7as1 indeed1 it seemeth ,scaliger judgeth7 truly it were an inseparable commendation4 ,for if oratio next to ratio1 speech next to reason1 be the greatest gift bestowed upon mortality1 that cannot be praiseless1 which doth most polish that blessing of speech1 which considers each word1 not only 7as a man may say7 by his forcible quality1 but by his measured quantity1 carrying even in themselves a harmony1 without 7perchance7 number1 measure1 order1 proportion1 be in our time grown odious4 ,but lay aside the just praise it hath1 by being the only fit speech for music 7music1 ,i say1 the most divine striker of the senses72 thus much is undoubtedly true1 that if reading be foolish1 without remembering1 memory being the only treasurer of knowledge1 those words which are fittest for memory are likewise most convenient for knowledge4 ,now1 that verse far exceedeth prose in the knitting up of the memory1 the reason is manifest4 ,the words 7besides their delight1 which hath a great affinity to memory71 being so set1 as one word cannot be lost1 but the whole work fails1 which accuseth itself1 calleth the remembrance back to itself1 and so most strongly confirmeth it4 ,besides1 one word so as it were begetting another1 as be it in rime or measured verse1 by the former a man shall have a near guess to the follower4444 ,so that1 verse being in itself sweet and orderly1 and being best for memory1 the only handle of knowledge1 it must be in jest that any man can speak against it4 7,,sir ,,philip ,,sidney3 ,an ,apologie for ,poetrie47 ,versification1 or the art of modulating his numbers1 is indispensably necessary to a poet4 ,every other power by which the understanding is enlightened1 or the imagination enchanted1 may be exercised in prose4 ,but the poet has this peculiar superiority1 that to all the powers which the perfection of every other composition can require1 he adds the faculty of joining music with reason1 and of acting at once upon the senses and the passions4 ,i suppose there are few who do not feel themselves touched by poetical melody1 and who will not confess that they are more or less moved by the same thoughts1 as they are conveyed by different sounds1 and more affected by the same words in one order than another4 ,the perception of harmony is1 indeed1 conferred upon men in degrees very unequal2 but there are none who do not perceive it1 or to whom a regular series of proportionate sounds cannot give delight4 7,,samuel ,,johnson3 ,the ,rambler1 ,no4 #hf47 ,various causes might be pointed out why1 when the style is manly1 and the subject of some importance1 words metrically arranged will long continue to impart such a pleasure to mankind as he who proves the extent of that pleasure will be desirous to impart4 ,the end of poetry is to produce excitement in coexistence with an overbalance of pleasure2 but1 by the supposition1 excitement is an unusual and irregular state of the mind2 ideas and feelings do not1 in that state1 succeed each other in accustomed order4444 ,now the co-presence of something regular1 something to which the mind has been accustomed in various moods and in a less excited state1 cannot but have great efficacy in tempering and restraining the passion by an intertexture of ordinary feeling1 and of feeling not strictly and necessarily connected with the passion4 ,this is unquestionably true2 and hence1 though the opinion will at first appear paradoxical1 from the tendency of metre to divest language1 in a certain degree1 of its reality1 and thus to throw a sort of half-consciousness of unsubstantial existence over the whole composition1 there can be little doubt but that more pathetic situations and sentiments--that is1 those which have a greater proportion of pain connected with them--may be endured in metrical composition1 especially in rime1 than in prose4444 ,this opinion may be further illustrated by appealing to the reader's own experience of the reluctance with which he comes to the reperusal of the distressful parts of ,clarissa ,harlowe1 or the ,gamester2 while ,shakspere's writings1 in the most pathetic scenes1 never act upon us as pathetic beyond the bounds of pleasure--an effect which1 in a much greater degree than might at first be imagined1 is to be ascribed to small1 but continual and regular impulses of pleasurable surprise from the metrical arrangement4#ef ,on the other hand 7what it must be allowed will much more frequently happen71 if the poet's words should be incommensurate with the passion1 and inadequate to raise the reader to a height of desirable excitement1 then 7unless the poet's choice of his metre has been grossly injudicious71 in the feelings of pleasure which the reader has been accustomed to connect with metre in general1 and in the feeling1 whether cheerful or melancholy1 which he has been accustomed to connect with that particular movement of metre1 there will be found something which will greatly contribute to impart passion to the words1 and to effect the complex end which the poet proposes to himself4 ,if ,i had undertaken a systematic defence of the theory here maintained1 it would have been my duty to develop the various causes upon which the pleasure received from metrical language depends4 ,among the chief of these causes is to be reckoned a principle which must be well known to those who have made any of the ,arts the object of accurate reflection2 namely1 the pleasure which the mind derives from the perception of similitude in dissimilitude4 ,this principle is the great spring of the activity of our minds1 and their chief feeder4444 ,it would not be a useless employment to apply this principle to the consideration of metre1 and to show that metre is hence enabled to afford much pleasure1 and to point out in what manner that pleasure is produced4 ,but my limits will not permit me to enter upon this subject1 and ,i must content myself with a general summary4 ,i have said that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings2 it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity2 the emotion is contemplated till1 by a species of reaction1 the tranquillity gradually disappears1 and an emotion1 kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation1 is gradually produced1 and does itself actually exist in the mind4 ,in this mood successful composition generally begins1 and in a mood similar to this it is carried on2 but the emotion1 of whatever kind1 and in whatever degree1 from various causes1 is qualified by various pleasures1 so that in describing any passions whatsoever1 which are voluntarily described1 the mind will1 upon the whole1 be in a state of enjoyment4 ,if ,nature be thus cautious to preserve in a state of enjoyment a being so employed1 the ,poet ought to profit by the lesson held forth to him1 and ought especially to take care that1 whatever passions he communicates to his reader1 those passions1 if his reader's mind be sound and vigorous1 should always be accompanied with an overbalance of pleasure4 ,now the music of harmonious metrical language1 the sense of difficulty overcome1 and the blind association of pleasure which has been previously received from works of rime or metre of the same or similar construction1 an indistinct perception perpetually renewed of language closely resembling that of real life1 and yet1 in the circumstance of metre1 differing from it so widely--all these imperceptibly make up a complex feeling of delight1 which is of the most important use in tempering the painful feeling always found intermingled with powerful descriptions of the deeper passions4 ,this effect is always produced in pathetic and impassioned poetry2 while1 in lighter compositions1 the ease and gracefulness with which the ,poet manages his numbers are themselves confessedly a principal source of the gratification of the reader4 ,all that it is necessary to say1 however1 upon this subject1 may be effected by affirming1 what few persons will deny1 that of two descriptions1 either of passions1 manners1 or characters1 each of them equally well executed1 the one in prose and the other in verse1 the verse will be read a hundred times where the prose is read once4 7,,wordsworth3 ,preface to the ,lyrical ,ballads1 #b;d ed47 ,the true question must be1#eg whether there are not modes of expression1 a construction1 and an order of sentences1 which are in their fit and natural place in a serious prose composition1 but would be disproportionate and heterogeneous in metrical poetry2 and1 vice versa1 whether in the language of a serious poem there may not be an arrangement both of words and sentences1 and a use and selection of 7what are called7 figures of speech1 both as to their kind1 their frequency1 and their occasions1 which on a subject of equal weight would be vicious and alien in correct and manly prose4 ,i contend that in both cases this unfitness of each for the place of the other frequently will and ought to exist4 ,and1 first1 from the origin of metre4 ,this ,i would trace to the balance in the mind effected by the spontaneous effort which strives to hold in check the workings of passion4 ,it might be easily explained likewise in what manner this salutary antagonism is assisted by the very state which it counteracts2 and how this balance of antagonists became organized into metre 7in the usual acceptation of that term7 by a supervening act of the will and judgment1 consciously and for the foreseen purpose of pleasure4 ,assuming these principles as the data of our argument1 we deduce from them two legitimate conditions1 which the critic is entitled to expect in every metrical work4 ,first1 that as the elements of metre owe their existence to a state of increased excitement1 so the metre itself should be accompanied by the natural language of excitement4 ,secondly1 that as these elements are formed into metre artificially1 by a voluntary act1 with the design and for the purpose of blending delight with emotion1 so the traces of present volition should throughout the metrical language be proportionally discernible4444 ,secondly1 ,i argue from the effects of metre4 ,as far as metre acts in and for itself1 it tends to increase the vivacity and susceptibility both of the general feelings and of the attention4 ,this effect it produces by the continued excitement of surprise1 and by the quick reciprocations of curiosity still gratified and still re-excited1 which are too slight indeed to be at any moment objects of distinct consciousness1 yet become considerable in their aggregate influence4 ,as a medicated atmosphere1 or as wine during animated conversation1 they act powerfully1 though themselves unnoticed4 ,where1 therefore1 correspondent food and appropriate matter are not provided for the attention and feelings thus roused1 there must needs be disappointment felt2--like that of leaping in the dark from the last step of a staircase1 when we had prepared our muscles for a leap of three or four4 ,the discussion on the powers of metre1 in the ,preface1 is highly ingenious1 and touches at all points on truth4 ,but ,i cannot find any statement of its powers considered abstractly and separately4 ,on the contrary1 ,mr4 ,wordsworth seems always to estimate metre by the powers which it exerts during 7and1 as ,i think1 in consequence of7 its combination with other elements of poetry4 ,thus the previous difficulty is left unanswered1 what the elements are with which it must be combined in order to produce its own effects to any pleasurable purpose4444 ,for any poetic purposes1 metre resembles 7if the aptness of the simile may excuse its meanness7 yeast1 worthless or disagreeable by itself1 but giving vivacity and spirit to the liquor with which it is proportionally combined4444 ,metre in itself is simply a stimulant of the attention1 and therefore excites the question1 ,why is the attention to be thus stimulated8 ,now the question cannot be answered by the pleasure of the metre itself2 for this we have shown to be conditional1 and dependent on the appropriateness of the thoughts and expressions to which the metrical form is superadded4 ,neither can ,i conceive any other answer that can be rationally given1 short of this3 ,i write in metre1 because ,i am about to use a language different from that of prose4444 ,thirdly1 ,i deduce the position from all the causes elsewhere assigned which render metre the proper form of poetry1 and poetry imperfect and defective without metre4 ,metre1 therefore1 having been connected with poetry most often1 and by a peculiar fitness1 whatever else is combined with metre must1 though it be not itself essentially poetic1 have nevertheless some property in common with poetry1 as an intermedium of affinity4 7,,coleridge3 ,biographia ,literaria1 chap4 xviii47 ,in the youth of the world1 men dance and sing and imitate natural objects1 observing in these actions1 as in all others1 a certain rhythm or order4 ,and1 although all men observe a similar1 they observe not the same order1 in the motions of the dance1 in the melody of the song1 in the combinations of language1 in the series of their imitations of natural objects4 ,for there is a certain order or rhythm belonging to each of these classes of mimetic representation1 from which the hearer and the spectator receive an intenser and purer pleasure than from any other3 the sense of an approximation to this order has been called taste by modern writers4444 ,language1 color1 form1 and religious and civil habits of action are all the instruments and materials of poetry2 and they may be called poetry by that figure of speech which considers the effect as a synonym of the cause4 ,but poetry in a more restricted sense expresses those arrangements of language1 and especially metrical language1 which are created by that imperial faculty whose throne is curtained within the invisible nature of man4 ,and this springs from the nature itself of language1 which is a more direct representation of the actions and passions of our internal being1 and is susceptible of more various and delicate combinations than color1 form1 or motion1 and is more plastic and obedient to the control of that faculty of which it is the creation4444 ,sounds as well as thoughts have relation both between each other and towards that which they represent1 and a perception of the order of those relations has always been found connected with a perception of the order of the relations of thoughts4 ,hence the language of poets has ever affected a certain uniform and harmonious recurrence of sound1 without which it were not poetry1 and which is scarcely less indispensable to the communication of its influence than the words themselves1 without reference to that peculiar order4444 ,an observation of the regular mode of the recurrence of harmony in the language of poetical minds1 together with its relation to music1 produced metre1 or a certain system of traditional forms of harmony and language4 ,yet it is by no means essential that a poet should accommodate his language to this traditional form1 so that the harmony1 which is its spirit1 be observed4 7,,shelley3 ,a ,defence of ,poetry47 ,poetry1 in its matter and form1 is natural imagery or feeling1 combined with passion and fancy4 ,in its mode of conveyance1 it combines the ordinary use of language with musical expression4 ,there is a question of long standing in what the essence of poetry consists1 or what it is that determines why one set of ideas should be expressed in prose1 another in verse4 ,milton has told us his idea of poetry in a single line3 ,thoughts that voluntary move ,harmonious numbers4 ,as there are certain sounds that excite certain movements1 and the song and dance go together1 so there are1 no doubt1 certain thoughts that lead to certain tones of voice1 or modulations of sound1 and change the words of ,mercury into the songs of ,apollo4 444 ,the jerks1 the breaks1 the inequalities and harshnesses of prose are fatal to the flow of a poetical imagination1 as a jolting road or a stumbling horse disturbs the reverie of an absent man4 ,but poetry makes these odds all even4 ,it is the music of language1 answering to the music of the mind1 untying1 as it were1 the secret soul of harmony4 ,wherever any object takes such a hold of the mind as to make us dwell upon it1 and brood over it1 melting the heart in tenderness1 or kindling it to a sentiment of enthusiasm2 wherever a movement of imagination or passion is impressed on the mind1 by which it seeks to prolong and repeat the emotion1 to bring all other objects into accord with it1 and to give the same movement of harmony1 sustained and continuous1 or gradually varied1 according to the occasion1 to the sounds that express it--this is poetry4 ,the musical in sound is the sustained and continuous2 the musical in thought is the sustained and continuous also4 ,there is a near connection between music and deep-rooted passion4 ,mad people sing4 ,as often as articulation passes naturally into intonation1 there poetry begins4444 ,it is to supply the inherent defect of harmony in the customary mechanism of language1 to make the sound an echo to the sense1 when the sense becomes a sort of echo to itself--to mingle the tide of verse1 the golden cadences of poetry1 with the tide of feeling1 flowing and murmuring as it flows--in short1 to take the language of the imagination from off the ground2 and enable it to spread its wings where it may indulge its own impulses3 ,sailing with supreme dominion ,through the azure deep of air1 without being stopped1 or fretted1 or diverted with the abruptnesses and petty obstacles1 and discordant flats and sharps of prose1 that poetry was invented4 ,it is to common language what springs are to a carriage1 or wings to feet4 ,in ordinary speech we arrive at a certain harmony by the modulations of the voice2 in poetry the same thing is done systematically by a regular collocation of syllables4 ,it has been well observed1 that every one who declaims warmly1 or grows intent upon a subject1 rises into a sort of blank verse or measured prose4444 ,an excuse might be made for rime in the same manner4 ,it is but fair that the ear should linger on the sounds that delight it1 or avail itself of the same brilliant coincidence and unexpected recurrence of syllables1 that have been displayed in the invention and collocation of images4 ,it is allowed that rime assists the memory4444 ,but if the jingle of names assists the memory1 may it not also quicken the fancy8 7,,william ,,hazlitt3 ,on ,poetry in ,general47 ,with regard to the principle of ,variety in ,uniformity by which verses ought to be modulated1 and oneness of impression diversely produced1 it has been contended by some that poetry need not be written in verse at all2 that prose is as good a medium1 provided poetry be conveyed through it1 and that to think otherwise is to confound letter with spirit1 or form with essence4 ,but the opinion is a prosaical mistake4 ,fitness and unfitness for song1 or metrical excitement1 just make all the difference between a poetical and prosaical subject2 and the reason why verse is necessary to the form of poetry is that the perfection of poetical spirit demands it--that the circle of its enthusiasm1 beauty1 and power is incomplete without it4 ,i do not mean that a poet can never show himself a poet in prose2 but that being one1 his desire and necessity will be to write in verse2 and that1 if he were unable to do so1 he would not and could not deserve his title4 ,verse to the true poet is no clog4 ,it is idly called a trammel and a difficulty4 ,it is a help4 ,it springs from the same enthusiasm as the rest of his impulses1 and is necessary to their satisfaction and effect4444 ,verse is the final proof to the poet that his mastery over his art is complete4 ,it is the shutting up of his powers in measureful content2 the answer of form to his spirit2 of strength and ease to his guidance4444 ,verse1 in short1 is that finishing1 and rounding1 and tuneful planeting of the poet's creations which is produced of necessity by the smooth tendencies of their energy or inward working1 and the harmonious dance into which they are attracted round the orb of the beautiful4 ,poetry1 in its complete sympathy with beauty1 must of necessity leave no sense of the beautiful1 and no power over its forms1 unmanifested2 and verse flows as inevitably from this condition of its integrity as other laws of proportion do from any other kind of embodiment of beauty4444 ,every poet1 then1 is a versifier2 every fine poet an excellent one2 and he is the best whose verse exhibits the greatest amount of strength1 sweetness1 straightforwardness1 unsuperfluousness1 variety1 and oneness2--oneness1 that is to say1 consistency in the general impression1 metrical and moral2 and variety1 or every pertinent diversity of tone and rhythm1 in the process4444 ,it is thus that versification itself becomes part of the sentiment of a poem1 and vindicates the pains that have been taken to show its importance4 ,i know of no very fine versification unaccompanied with fine poetry2 no poetry of a mean order accompanied with verse of the highest4 7,,leigh ,,hunt3 ,what is ,poetry8 ,cook ed41 pp4 #cg-dj1 #fa47 ,no literary expression can1 properly speaking1 be called poetry that is not in a certain deep sense emotional1 whatever may be its subject-matter1 concrete in its method and its diction1 rhythmical in movement1 and artistic in form4444 ,that poetry must be metrical or even rhythmical in movement1 however1 is what some have denied4 ,here we touch at once the very root of the subject4444 ,while prose requires intellectual life and emotional life1 poetry seems to require not only intellectual life and emotional life but rhythmic life4444 ,unless the rhythm of any metrical passage is so vigorous1 so natural1 and so free that it seems as though it could live1 if need were1 by its rhythm alone1 has that passage any right to exist8 and should it not1 if the substance is good1 be forthwith demetricized and turned into prose8 444 ,aristotle ignored1 and ,plato slighted1 the importance of versification 7though ,plato on one occasion admitted that he who did not know rhythm could be called neither musician nor poet74444 ,on the whole1 however1 the theory that versification is not an indispensable requisite of a poem seems to have become nearly obsolete in our time4 ,perhaps1 indeed1 many critics would now go so far in the contrary direction as to say with ,hegel 7sthetik1 iii4 p4 #bhi7 that metre is the first and only condition absolutely demanded by poetry1 yea even more necessary than a figurative picturesque diction4 7,,theodore ,,watts3 ,article on ,poetry in ,encyclopdia ,britannica47 ,verse-rhythm in words is the imposition of a sensible order on what naturally and normally has only a logical order2 and there is piquancy in the feeling that so little is this ideal control a fettering instrument1 that each order seems to gain verve and spontaneity from the other1 or rather from the latent sense that the other1 though present and operative1 is powerless to hamper it4 ,much more important1 however1 is it to notice how the sense that one single thing--the word-series--is lending itself to this joint dominance may take the form of a sort of transfigured surprise4 7,the root-principle here involved is the old one of unity in variety1 the single line of words1 dominated at once by the idea which they express in their grammatical connection and by their metrical adjustment1 clearly possessing two independent functions or aspects4 ,see the fuller discussion of ,the ,sound-element in ,verse1 in chapter xix4 of ,the ,power of ,sound47 444 ,when1 as in verse1 the sounds are pointedly addressed both to the ear and to the understanding1 the rarity of the combination of aspects contributes a strain of feeling partly akin to that with which we follow an exhibition of skill1 and partly to that with which we receive an unexpected gratuity4444 ,nor is this all4 ,rhythm perpetually not only transfigures the poetical expression of an idea1 but makes the existence of that expression possible4 ,this is tolerably obvious in the case of what is often called par excellence poetical language--language which keeps clear of prosaic homeliness and prosaic precision and of technical and abstract terms1 and confines itself to a more picturesque and loftier vocabulary4444 ,clearly it is the rarity of rhythmic1 as compared with non-rhythmic1 speech that supports such rarity of poetic as compared with non-poetic diction2 that is to say1 verse1 being in one respect--namely1 its effect on the ear--a marked exception from ordinary language1 thereby establishes for itself the means of being exceptional1 without seeming unnatural1 in other ways4444 444 ,in dwelling on the non-reasonable part in poetical beauty1 ,i am in no way committed to the assertion that all its constituents are excluded from prose1 but only to the assertion that the metrical form makes a difference of kind4 ,it cannot be for nothing that the very idea of poetical prose inspires dread2 and the instances of prose-writing where we find delight of the intangible and non-reasonable kind are exceptions that only prove the rule4 ,one has but to test by self-examination the living force of words in a specimen of verse and of poetical prose which may respectively seem to oneself first-rate of their kind4 ,for such typical passages may often be regarded as fairly on a par in respect of the ideas and emotions which they reasonably express2 and the prose may unquestionably further resemble the poetry in a certain subtle individuality of life in its more prominent words1 so far as this life can be quickened in them by the idea itself1 aided by such qualities of sound-arrangement as are possible apart from metre4 ,so far the poetical merits of the respective passages may be equal2 yet only one of them is ,poetry4444 ,language1 which in prose does little more than transmit thought1 like clear glass1 becomes--even as that becomes--by art's adjustments and the moulding of measured form1 a lens1 where the thought takes fire as it passes4 ,the poet speaks through a medium which seems to intensify the point and to extend the range of what he would tell us by some power outside his own volition4 ,such a power1 in fact1 a rhythmic order1 in its fundamental appeal to human nerves1 literally is4444 ,the ictus of the verse comes upon us as the operative force which shocks the words into their unwonted life4 444 ,in considering the total contribution of metre to imaginative language1 it is impossible to overlook the quality of permanence4 ,i do not mean permanence merely in the sense that metrical words live in the memory4444 ,this is1 of course1 a most important fact2 but ,i am here dealing only with elements of effect that enter into the actual moment of enjoyment4444 ,it is a sense of combined parts1 and their indispensableness one to another1 which gives us a sense of permanence in an arch as compared with a casual heap of stones2 it is a similar indispensableness which gives to metrical language an air of permanence impossible even to the most harmonious sentence whose sounds conform to no genuine scheme4 ,and again1 in the case of this constituent as of the others1 we have no difficulty in seeing that its influence is really a joint one of sound and sense--that1 though founded in the nature of metrical sound as such1 it is not merely a sound-quality superposed ab extra on the intelligible beauty of the words1 but depends for its existence on their intelligible character4444 ,we cannot glory in the enshrining for memory of things that we do not care to remember4 ,but for that which is of true spiritual significance the fairly-fitted body of sound is greeted as the inevitable investiture2 and thus justified and quickened1 the strength of the mutually indispensable parts seems no longer that of mere structure but of organic life4 7,,edmund ,,gurney3 ,essay on ,poets1 ,critics1 and ,class-,lists1 in ,tertium ,quid1 vol4 ii4 pp4 #afb-agi1 passim47 ,why have poets always written in metre8 ,the answer is1 ,because the laws of artistic expression oblige them to do so4 ,when the poet has been inspired from without in the way in which we saw ,scott was inspired to conceive the ,lay of the ,last ,minstrel--that is to say1 when he has found his subject-matter in an idea1 universally striking to the imagination1 when he has received this into his own imagination1 and has given it a new and beautiful form of life there1 then he will seek to express his conception through a vehicle of language harmonizing with his own feelings and the nature of the subject1 and this kind of language is called verse4 ,for example1 when ,marlowe wishes to represent the emotions of ,faustus1 after he has called up the phantom of ,helen of ,troy1 it is plain that some very rapturous form of expression is needed to convey an adequate idea of such famous beauty4 ,marlowe rises to the occasion in those mighty lines of his3 ,was this the face that launched a thousand ships1 ,and burned the topless towers of ,ilium8 ,but it is certain that he could only have ventured on the sublime audacity of saying that a face launched ships and burned towers by escaping from the limits of ordinary language1 and conveying his metaphor through the harmonious and ecstatic movements of rhythm and metre4444 ,i think ,wordsworth's analysis of emotion is clearly wrong4 ,the reason why the harrowing descriptions of ,richardson are simply painful1 while ,shakspere's tragic situations are pleasurable1 is that the imagination shrinks from dwelling on ideas so closely imitated from real objects as the scenes in ,clarissa ,harlowe1 but contemplates without excess of pain the situation in ,othello1 for example1 because the imitation is poetical and ideal4 ,prose is used by ,richardson because his novel professedly resembles a situation of real life2 metre is needed by ,shakspere to make the ideal life of his drama real to the imagination4 ,wordsworth1 if ,i may say so1 has put the poetical cart before the horse4444 ,the propriety of poetical expression is the test and the touch-stone of the justice of poetical conception4444 ,poetry lies in the invention of the right metrical form--be it epic1 dramatic1 lyric1 or satiric--for the expression of some idea universally interesting to the imagination4 ,when the form of metrical expression seems natural--natural1 that is1 to the genius of the poet and the inherent character of the subject--then the subject-matter will have been rightly conceived4444 ,apply this test of what is natural in metrical expression to any composition claiming to be poetically inspired1 and you will be able to decide whether it fulfils the universal conditions of poetical life1 or whether it is one of those phantoms1 or1 as ,bacon calls them1 idols of the imagination1 which vanish as soon as the novelty of their appearance has exhausted its effect4 ,for instance1 the ,american poet1 ,walt ,whitman1 announces his theme1 and asks for the sympathy of the reader in these words3 ,oneself ,i sing1 a simple1 separate person1 ,yet utter the word ,democratic1 the word ,en ,masse4 ,poets to come1 orators1 singers1 musicians to come1 ,not to-day is to justify me and answer what ,i am for1 ,but you1 a new brood1 native1 athletic1 continental1 greater than before known1 ,arouse6 for you must justify me6444 ,to this appeal ,i think the reader may reply3 ,the subject you have chosen is certainly an idol of the imagination4 ,for if you had anything of universal interest to say about yourself1 you could say it in a way natural to one of the metres1 or metrical movements1 established in the ,english language4 ,what you call metre bears precisely the same relation to these universal laws of expression1 as the ,mormon church and the religion of ,joseph ,smith and ,brigham ,young bear to the doctrines of ,catholic ,christendom4#eh 444 ,why do we so often find men in these days1 either using metre 444 where they ought to have expressed themselves in prose1 or expressing themselves in verse in a style so far remote from the standard of diction established in society that they fail to touch the heart8 ,i think the explanation of this curious phenomenon is that1 though metre can only properly be used for the expression of universal ideas1 there is in modern society an eccentric or monastic principle at work1 which leads men to pervert metre into a luxurious instrument for the expression of merely private ideas4 7,,william ,,john ,,courthope3 ,life in ,poetry1 ,law in ,taste1 pp4 #ga-hc47 ,language is colloquial and declarative in our ordinary speech1 and on its legs for common use and movement4 ,only when it takes wings does it become poetry4 ,as the poet1 touched by emotion1 rises to enthusiasm and imaginative power or skill1 his speech grows rhythmic1 and thus puts on the attribute that distinguishes it from every other mode of artistic expression--the guild-mark which1 rightly considered1 establishes the nature of the thing itself4444 ,our new empiricism1 following where intuition leads the way1 comprehends the function of vibrations3 it perceives that every movement of matter1 seized upon by universal force1 is vibratory2 that vibrations1 and nothing else1 convey through the body the look and voice of nature to the soul2 that thus alone can one incarnate individuality address its fellow2 that1 to use old ,bunyan's imagery1 these vibrations knock at the ear-gate1 and are visible to the eye-gate1 and are sentient at the gates of touch of the living temple4 ,the word describing their action is in evidence2 they thrill the body1 they thrill the soul1 both of which respond with subjective1 interblending vibrations1 according to the keys1 the wave-lengths1 of their excitants4 ,thus it is absolutely true that what ,buxton ,forman calls idealized language1--that is1 speech which is imaginative and rhythmical1--goes with emotional thought2 and that words exert a mysterious and potent influence1 thus chosen and assorted1 beyond their normal meanings4444 ,aside from the vibratory mission of rhythm1 its little staff of adjuvants1 by the very discipline and limitations which they impose1 take poetry out of the plane of common speech1 and make it an art which lifts the hearer to its own unusual key4 ,schiller writes to ,goethe that rhythm1 in a dramatic work1 treats all characters and all situations according to one law4444 ,in this manner it forms the atmosphere for the poetic creation4 ,the more material part is left out1 for only what is spiritual can be borne by this thin element4 ,in real1 that is1 spontaneous minstrelsy1 the fittest assonance1 consonance1 time1 even rime1 444 come of themselves with the imaginative thought4444 ,such is the test of genuineness1 the underlying principle being that the masterful words of all poetic tongues are for the most part in both their open and consonantal sounds related to their meanings1 so that with the inarticulate rhythm of impassioned thought we have a correspondent verbal rhythm for its vehicle4 ,the whole range of poetry which is vital1 from the ,hebrew psalms and prophecies1 in their original text and in our great ,english version1 to the ,georgian lyrics and romances and the ,victorian idyls1 confirms the statement of ,mill that the deeper the feeling1 the more characteristic and decided the rhythm4 ,the rapture of the poet governs the tone and accent of his high and passionate thoughts ,to their own music chanted4 7,,edmund ,,clarence ,,stedman3 ,the ,nature and ,elements of ,poetry1 pp4 #ea-ee47 ,we agree1 then1 to call by the name of poetry that form of art which uses rhythm to attain its ends1 just as we call by the name of flying that motion which certain animals attain by the use of wings2 that the feelings roused by poetry can be roused by unrhythmic order of words1 and that rhythmic order of words is often deplorably bad art1 or unpoetic1 have as little to do with the case as the fact that a greyhound speeding over the grass gives the spectator quite the exhilaration and sense of lightness and grace which is roused by the flight of a bird1 and the fact that an awkward fowl makes itself ridiculous in trying to fly1 have to do with the general proposition that flying is a matter of wings4444 ,as a matter of fact1 all writers on poetry take rhythm for granted until some one asks why it is necessary2 whereupon considerable discussion1 and the protest signed by a respectable minority1 but a minority after all1 that rhythm is not an essential condition of the poetic art4 ,this discussion1 as every one knows1 has been lively and at times bitter4 ,a patient and comprehensive review of it in a fairly impartial spirit has led to the conclusion1 first1 that no test save rhythm has been proposed which can be put to real use1 even in theory1 not to mention the long reaches of a historical and comparative study2 secondly1 that all defenders of the poem in prose are more or less contradictory and inconsistent1 making confusion between theory and practice2 and thirdly1 that advocates of a rhythmic test1 even in abstract definition1 seem to have the better of the argument4444 ,all reports of primitive singing1 that is1 of singing among races on a low plane of culture1 make rhythm a wholly insistent element of the verse4444 ,rhythm is obscured or hidden by declamation only in times when the eye has usurped the functions of the ear1 and when a highly developed prose makes the accented rhythm of poetry seem either old-fashioned or a sign of childhood4 ,not that one wishes to restore a sing-song reading1 but rather a recognition of metrical structure1 of those subtle effects in rhythm which mean so much in the poet's art2 verse1 in a word1 particularly lyric verse1 must not be read as if it were prose4 ,dramatic verse is a difficult problem4444 ,for in drama one wishes nowadays to hear not rhythm1 but the thought1 the story1 the point4444 ,as thought recedes1 as one comes nearer to those primitive emotions which were untroubled by thought1 they get expression more and more in cadenced tones4 ,and again1 this cadenced emotional expression1 as it grows stronger1 grows wider2 the barriers of irony and reserve1 which keep a modern theatre tearless in the face of ,lear's most pathetic utterance1 break down2 first1 as one recedes from modern conditions1 comes the sympathetic emotion of the spectators expressed in sighs and tears2 444 then comes the partial activity of the spectators by their deputed chorus2 and at last the throng of primitive times1 common emotion in common expression1 with no spectators1 no audience1 no reserve or comment of thought1--for thought is absorbed in the perception and action of communal consent2 and here1 by all evidence1 rhythm rules supreme4444 ,if1 now1 the curve of evolution in ,aryan verse begins with an absolutely strict rhythm and alternate emphasis of syllables1 often1 as in ,iranian1 to the neglect of logical considerations2 if the course of poetry is to admit logical considerations more and more1 forcing in at least one case the abandoning of movable accent and the agreement of verse-emphasis with syllabic-emphasis1 an undisputed fact2 if poetry1 too1 first shakes off the steps of dancing1 then the notes of song1 finally the strict scanning of the verse1 until now recited poetry is triumphantly logical1 with rhythm as a subconscious element2 if1 finally1 this process exactly agrees with the gradual increase of thought over emotion1 with the analogous increase of solitary poetry over gregarious poetry1--then1 surely1 one has but to trace back this curve of evolution1 and to project it into prehistoric conditions1 in order to infer with something very close to certitude that rhythm is the primal fact in the beginnings of the poetic art4444 ,the hold of rhythm upon modern poetry1 even under conditions of analytic and intellectual development which have unquestionably worked for the increased importance of prose1 is a hold not to be relaxed1 and for good reason4 ,the reason is this4 ,in rhythm1 in sounds of the human voice1 timed to movements of the human body1 mankind first discovered that social consent which brought the great joys and the great pains of life into a common utterance4444 ,the mere fact of utterance is social2 however solitary his thought1 a poet's utterance must voice this consent of man with man1 and his emotion must fall into rhythm1 the one and eternal expression of consent4 ,this1 then1 is why rhythm will not be banished from poetry so long as poetry shall remain emotional utterance2 for rhythm is not only sign and warrant of a social contract stronger1 deeper1 vaster1 than any fancied by ,rousseau1 but it is the expression of a human sense more keen even than the fear of devils and the love of gods--the sense and sympathy of kind4#ei 7,francis ,b4 ,gummere3 ,the ,beginnings of ,poetry1 chap4 ii1 ,rhythm as the ,essential ,fact of ,poetry4 ,pp4 #cj1 #ca1 #hb-he1 #aad1 #aae47 ,,footnotes3 #ef ,compare with this a passage in a letter of ,goethe's to ,schiller about ,faust3 ,some tragic scenes were done in prose2 by reason of their naturalness and strength they are quite intolerable in relation to the other scenes4 ,i am1 therefore1 now trying to put them into rime1 for there the idea is seen as if under a veil1 and the immediate effect of this tremendous material is softened4 7,translation of ,professor ,f4 ,b4 ,gummere1 in ,the ,beginnings of ,poetry1 p4 #gc47 #eg ,in these chapters of the ,biographia ,literaria1 ,coleridge was replying to the theories of ,wordsworth as set forth in his ,preface4 #eh ,compare the amusingly vigorous remarks of ,mr4 ,swinburne on the want of metre in ,whitman's poems3 ',did you ask dulcet rhymes from me8' inquires ,mr4 ,whitman4 444 ,no1 my dear good sir3 444 not in the wildest visions of a distempered slumber could ,i have dreamed of doing anything of the kind4 444 ,but metre1 rhythm1 cadence1 not merely appreciable but definable and reducible to rule and measurement1 though we do not expect from you1 we demand from all who claim1 we discern in the works of all who have achieved1 any place among poets of any class whatsoever4444 ,the question is whether you have any more right to call yourself a poet1 or to be called a poet1 444 than to call yourself or to be called1 on the strength of your published writings1 a mathematician1 a logician1 a painter1 a political economist1 a sculptor1 a dynamiter1 an old parliamentary hand1 a civil engineer1 a dealer in marine stores1 an amphimacer1 a triptych1 a rhomboid1 or a rectangular parallelogram4 7,studies in ,prose and ,poetry1 pp4 #acc1 #acd47 #ei ,professor ,gummere also gives this analysis of ,karl ,bcher's essay on ,labor and ,rhythm 7,arbeit und ,rhythmus1 ,leipzig1 #ahif73 ,fatigue1 which besets all work felt as work by reason of its continued application of purpose1 vanished for primitive man1 as it vanishes now for children1 if the work was once freed from this stress of application and so turned to a kind of play4 ,the dance itself is really hard work1 exacting and violent2 what makes it the favorite it is with savages as with children8 ,simply its automatic1 regular1 rhythmic character1 the due repetition of a familiar movement which allows the mind to relax its attitude of constant purpose4 ,the purpose and plan of work involve external sources and external ends2 rhythm is instinctive1 and springs from the organic nature of man2 it is no invention4 ,the song that one sings while at work is not something fitted to the work1 but comes from movements of the body in the specific acts of labor2 and this applies not only to the rhythm1 but even to the words4 ,so it was in the festal dance4444 ,that poetry and music were always combined by early man1 and1 along with labor1 made up the primitive three-in-one1 an organic whole1 labor being the basal fact1 with rhythm as an element common to the three2 and that not harmony or pitch1 but this overmastering and pervasive rhythm1 exact1 definite1 was the main factor of early song1--these are conclusions for which ,bcher offers ample and convincing evidence4 7,ib4 pp4 #ajh1 #aji47 ,,appendix ,,table ,,illustrating ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,heroic ,,couplet ,the following table is designed1 in the first place1 to illustrate the history of the decasyllabic couplet in ,english verse1 by making possible a comparison of the characteristic details of its form in different periods2 and1 in the second place1 to suggest a method by which1 through the careful tabulation of facts1 one may substantiate or correct general statements as to the qualities of verse4 ,any such statistics as are here presented must be accepted1 if at all1 with no little caution4 ,the table is based on passages of one hundred lines each1 believed to be fairly representative of the verse of the several authors4 ,no passage of this length1 however1 can be known to be perfectly typical4 ,a still greater difficulty is found in the necessarily subjective character of any such tabulation4 ,most lines of ,english decasyllabic verse can be read--with reference to the distribution of accents and pauses--in more than one way4 ,it is unlikely1 therefore1 that any two readers would reach the same results in trying to form a table of this kind4 ,the absolute validity of the figures is therefore doubtful2 but on condition that they all have been computed by the same person1 consistently with a single standard of judgment1 their relative validity1 for purposes of comparison1 may be fairly assumed4 ,the facts here set down for each specimen of verse group themselves in four divisions4 ,in the first place1 each line of verse is either run-on or end-stopped2 and1 in riming couplets1 it is also of interest to know whether the second line of the couplet is run-on into the following couplet4 ,in the second place1 the cesural pause occurs either near the middle of the line or elsewhere1 or--it may be--is omitted altogether4 ,in the third place1 the line may have a feminine ending4 ,in the fourth place1 it may contain some other foot than the regular iambus4 ,there is some room for difference of judgment as to whether a given line is end-stopped or run-on2 but with occasional exceptions the presence or want of a mark of punctuation may be made the determining element4 ,obviously one may find such clear phrase-pauses1 without punctuation1 as will justify the caption end-stopped4 ,there is far more divergence of judgment in the recognition of the cesura4 ,some writers on prosody treat practically every line of ten syllables as having a cesural pause1 and certainly some slight phrase-pause may almost always be found4 ,in the following table1 however1 the cesura has been recognized only when there is a grammatical or rhetorical pause so considerable as--in most cases--to require a mark of punctuation4 ,such a verse1 then1 as-- ,fate snatch'd her early to the pitying sky is counted as having no cesura4 ,the cesura is counted as medial when occurring after the fourth1 fifth1 or sixth syllable2 elsewhere it is regarded as variant4 ,the significance of this distinction is very clear in the comparison of the heroic couplet of the classical with that of the romantic school of poets4#fj ,it is in the last group of facts1 those relating to substituted feet1 that the subjective element is most embarrassing4 ,there can be no very general agreement among readers as to the degree of accent necessary to change a pair of syllables from an iambus to a pyrrhic or a spondee4 ,the other two forms of substitution 7inverted accent1 giving trochees1 and trisyllabic feet1 giving anapests7 are somewhat more definitely determinable4 ,in the following table the naming of all these feet is based on what is believed to be the natural reading of the verse1 with a due regard for both rhetorical and metrical accent4 ,in the verse-- ,by these the springs of property were bent the fourth foot is counted a pyrrhic2 so also in this-- ,their busy teachers mingled with the ,jews1 although here a certain secondary accent on the eighth syllable is possible4 ,in such a verse as-- ,there is a path on the sea's azure floor the third foot is counted a pyrrhic and the fourth a spondee4#fa ,one may get1 then1 from a table of this sort1 a general view of the character of any particular piece of verse1 in respect to the poet's preference for run-on lines1 for feminine endings1 for breaking the verse into two equal parts1 for varying the cesura1 or for substituting exceptional feet4 ,the description would be more nearly complete if there were also indicated the places in the verse where substituted feet occur2 a trochee in the second foot is a very different thing from one in the first2 but it is difficult to tabulate facts of this order without complicating one's results beyond the point of serviceable clearness4 ,some students of verse are doubtless offended by the use of statistics in connection with a subject of this kind2 and it is easy to ridicule the obvious incongruity of mathematical methods and poetry4 ,a recent magazine critic makes merry over certain statistical studies in rhythm1 carried on in a laboratory by recording the beats in nursery-rimes on the one hand and in hymns on the other4 ,there is a certain class of problems1 he observes most justly1 whose external aspects may possibly yield to statistical tabulation1 but which in the last resort must be spiritually discerned4#fb ,poetry is unquestionably of this class4 ,yet this would not seem to forbid the study1 by scientific methods1 of those external aspects admittedly susceptible of tabulation4 ,one is not likely to recommend elementary students to count trochees and cesuras in order to increase their appreciation of good verse4 ,but when one comes to the point of generalizing as to the laws or history of verse-forms1 it is well to have a method of correction1 representable in figures black and white1 for the vague impressions which are all that appreciative reading can give4 ,perhaps the real service of such a method as has just been described is to prevent one from making hasty generalizations which statistics will not support4 ,obviously the same system can be applied to blank verse1 with the omission of the second category in the table4 ,a convenient method of making such a study is to use sheets of paper ruled for twenty-five lines and seven columns4 ,each horizontal line represents a line of verse analyzed4 ,the columns are headed ,cesura1 ,t1 ,p1 ,s1 ,a1 ,run-on1 and ,fem4 ,ending4 ,a cesural pause between the third and fourth syllables is indicated by the figures #c_/d in the first column4 ,a trochee in the first foot is indicated by the figure #a in the ,t column2 a spondee in the fourth foot by the figure #d in the ,s column2 and so on4 ,a simple check-mark in the sixth or seventh column indicates respectively a case of enjambement or of feminine ending4 ,when the tabulation is complete1 one can easily note the proportion of run-on lines and exceptional cesuras1 and can also determine at a glance not only the number of exceptional feet but the parts of the verse in which they occur4 ,in the following table the figures regarding the couplets of ,spenser are based on his ,mother ,hubbard's ,tale2 those relating to ,joseph ,hall1 on the ,satires of his ,virgidemiarum 7see p4 #ahb72 those relating to ,leigh ,hunt1 on ,the ,story of ,rimini2 those relating to ,keats1 on ,endymion2 to ,browning1 on ,sordello4 ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,chaucer ,joseph 7ab4 ,spenser ,hall ,jonson ,waller #ache7 7#aeia7 7#aeig7 7#afaf7 7ab4 #afej7 ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,run-on ,lines #af #ad #aj #bf #af ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,run-on ,couplets #g #d #a #h #b ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,medial ,cesura #cc #ca #cg #dh #ej ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,no ,cesura #eh #fd #eh #bi #db ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,variant ,cesura #i #e #e #bc #h ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,feminine ,endings #fd #f #j #f #j ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,trochees #ae #ac #ah #bb #bc ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,pyrrhics #bf #bi #bd #ce #df ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,spondees #j #ac #ad #ah #ad ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,anapests #d #j #j #f #j ---------------------------------------- --------------- ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,leigh ,dryden ,pope ,hunt ,keats ,browning 7ab4 #afhj7 7ab4 #agbe7 7#ahaf7 7#ahah7 7#ahdj7 ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,run-on ,lines #aa #d #ac #dj #eh ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,run-on ,couplets #a #j #j #be #bg ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,medial ,cesura #eb #dg #df #ec #cj ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,no ,cesura #dj #dd #ce #bg #be ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,variant ,cesura #h #i #ai #bj #de ---------------------------------------- --------------- ,feminine ,endings #j #b #f #f #j ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,trochees #ae #be #bi #bi #cd ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,pyrrhics #df #bg #dj #cg #cd ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,spondees #a #aa #i #ai #ai ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,anapests #j #a #a #c #a ---------------------------------------- --------------- a ,no account is taken in the table of more than a single occurrence of the same exceptional foot in any one line4 ,,footnotes3 #fj ,here a word of caution is needed4 ,it will be observed that the regularly balanced line of the classical couplet requires not only a medial pause1 but also a pause at the end4 ,hence where we find1 as in the verse of ,keats1 a large number of medial cesuras but at the same time a very large number of run-on lines1 the characteristic effect of the medial pause is almost entirely lost1 and the number of medial pauses is not significant4 #fa ,this combination 7of pyrrhic and spondee7 is of course very frequent2 and where both substitutions occur together1 the general average of accents is maintained1 only with exchange of position4 ,on the other hand1 where there appears a large number of pyrrhics with almost no spondees 7as in the case of ,dryden71 a different sort of verse is indicated1--one where the lines gain a certain lightness and rapidity from the lack of the full number of fully accented syllables4 #fb ,divination by ,statistics1 in the ,atlantic ,monthly1 ,january1 #aijb4 ,,index ,names of poems are arranged alphabetically under authors4 ,an asterisk in connection with the page number indicates that the poem is quoted at least in part4 ,abraham and ,isaac 7,mystery ,play71 #aab994 ,accents1 arbitrary variation of1 #djj2 conflict of1 #g-aa2 deficiency in1 #ee1ef2 degrees of1 #c-e2 excess of #ee1 #eg2 hovering1 #i-aa2 inversion of1 #g1 #h1 #ee1 #ef1 #eg f42 kinds of1 #c1 #f2 relation of different kinds1 #g2 relation to quantity1 #dje f42 secondary1 #c1 #e1 #aef1 #dji2 time-intervals of1 #aa1 #cic-cif2 wrenched1 #h-aa4 ,,addison3 ,campaign1 #aii992 ,cato1 #bcf992 on verse of ,butler1 #afg f4 ,,lfric1 verse of1 #aaf f4 ,,akenside3 ,pleasures of the ,imagination1 #bch2 ,virtuoso1 #ajd4 ,,alamanni1 influence on ,wyatt1 #fe4 ,,alberti1 classical metres of1 #ccj4 ,alcaic stanza1 #gg4 ,alexandrine1 #beb-bei2 developed by ,browning1 #beh2 ,french1 #ah2 in five-stress verse1 #aie1 #bjh1 #beh2 in sonnet1 #bgb f42 in ,spenserian stanza1 #ajc2 unrimed1 #bee2 used at end of stanzas other than ,spenserian1 #ajg4 ,alliteration1 #aac1 #aaf-aba2 in medival ,latin1 #aag2 sporadic1 #ace4 ,alliterative long line1 #aai1 #aef4 ,,alscher1 on ,wyatt1 #aa4 ,anacrusis1 #be4 ,anapest1 #bd2 substituted for iambus1 #eh f4 ,anapestic verse1 two-stress1 #bh f42 three-stress1 #cd-cf2 four-stress1 #ci f42 five-stress1 #db2 six-stress1 #dc2 seven-stress1 #de2 eight-stress1 #dh2 in vers de socit1 #ci4 ,,anderson1 ,m4 ,b43 ,inferno1 #fh f4994 ,,anderson1 ,r41 on verse of ,joseph ,hall1 #ahb4 ,anglo-,saxon verse1 alliteration in1 #aaf f42 relation of accent and quantity in1 #dje f42 rime in1 #abd1 #abe f42 stanzas in1 #fb n42 two theories of1 #aea-aed2 types of1 #aeb f4 ,,archer1 ,w41 on ,watson's sonnets1 #bij4 ,areopagus1 #ccb f4 ,,aristophanes1 ,swinburne on verse of1 #de f4 ,,aristotle1 his theory of metre1 #dac-daf4 ,,arnold1 ,m43 ,east ,london1 #bhf992 ,empedocles on tna1 #cbe-cbg992 ,forsaken ,merman1 #e991 #bb f4991 #ec f4992 ,future1 #aae992 on ,chapman's septenary1 #bfb2 on ,english hexameters1 #cea-cec2 on ,longfellow's hexameters1 #cdh2 ,sohrab and ,rustum1 #eh991 #bdi f4994 ,,arnaut1 the troubadour1 sestina of1 #chc4 ,ascending rhythm1 #bd4 ,,ascham3 ,schoolmaster1 #ccj1 #cda4 ,asclepiadean verse1 #cca4 ,assonance1 #aac-aae2 in ,celtic verse1 #aae2 in verse of ,romance languages1 #aac f4 ,,atterbury1 on ,dryden's influence1 #aig2 on ,waller1 #ahh f4 ,aurora lucis rutilat1 #afj994 ,,bacon1 ,f41 on significant sounds1 #acf4 ,,ba,f1 ,,de1 ,a41 classical metre of1 #cca4 ,ballade1 #cfj-cfg4 ,ballads1 stanza of1 #gj1 #bfd2 verse of1 #aj1 #aeg4 ,,banville1 ,,de1 ,t41 #ceh1 #cei4 ,,barbour3 ,bruce1 #afb f994 ,,barclay3 ,ship of ,fooles1 #id4 ,,barnes3 ,parthenophil1 #bgc4 ,baston1 #hc4 ,,beaumont1 ,f43 ,knight of the ,burning ,pestle1 #bfc994 ,,beaumont1 ,j41 on heroic couplet1 #aij f42 verse of1 #aia n4 ,,beers1 on heroic stanza1 #gc4 ,,bentley1 on ,milton's verse1 #eh4 ,beowulf1 #ac994 ,,bernard 7,,st473 ,de ,nativitate ,domini1 #hj994 ,,bernart1 ,,de ,,ventadorn1 #aaj4 ,,best1 ,j4 ,r43 ,bon ,rondeau1 #cgc994 ,bestiary1 #aah994 ,bewick and ,grahame 7ballad71 #aeg994 ,,blair3 ,grave1 #bcf f4994 ,blank verse1 #bac-bea2 abandoned in ,restoration drama1 #aif-aii2 early use of term1 #bae2 in lyrical poems1 #bdf2 its decadence1 #bcj1 #bcd2 revival in #ahth century1 #bch2 unpopular in #ahth century1 #bjd f4 ,blow1 northern wind1 #gh994 ,bob-wheel1 #aaj n4 ,b,,ddeker3 ,altenglische ,dichtungen1 cited1 #ad1 #fi1 #gh1 #hd1 #hf1 #aaj1 #aaa1 #age4 ,,bolton1 ,t4 ,l41 on nature of rhythm1 #cic n4 ,,bowles1 ,w4 ,l43 ,sonnet1 #bgg992 sonnets of1 #bgh4 ,,bright1 ,j4 ,w41 on pitch-accent1 #e f42 theory of metrical accent1 #dja n4 ,,brome1 ,r41 blank verse of1 #bcj4 ,,bronson1 on ,greek and ,english ode1 #cjj2 on odes of ,collins1 #cje4 ,,browning1 ,e4 ,b43 ,cowper's ,grave1 #bfd992 ,rhyme of the ,duchess ,may1 #hj992 ,sonnets from the ,portuguese1 #bhc992 sonnets of1 #bhd4 ,,browning1 ,r43 ,abt ,vogler1 #ej992 ,agamemnon1 #cbg f4992 blank verse of1 #bdg-bdi2 ,caliban upon ,setebos1 #ca f4991 #eg991 #ade f4992 ,cavalier ,tunes1 #dj992 ,epistle of ,karshish1 #bdh992 ,fifine at the ,fair1 #beg f4992 ,flight of the ,duchess1 #abi992 ,fra ,lippo ,lippi1 #bdi992 ,guardian ,angel1 #ie992 ,heretic's ,tragedy1 #ade992 ,in a ,balcony1 #bdh992 ,love among the ,ruins1 #ij992 ,misconceptions1 #cg992 ,one ,word ,more1 #da992 ,pacchiarotto1 #abh f4992 ,paracelsus1 #h991 #ei991 #ade992 ,prospice1 #bi991 #ej992 ,ring and the ,book1 #eg991 #ei991 #bdg992 ,saul1 #db992 sonnets of1 #bhf1 #bhg2 ,sordello1 #baa992 ,statue and the ,bust1 #fg992 ,why ,i am a ,liberal1 #bhg994 ,b,,cher1 ,k43 ,labor and ,rhythm1 #dcf n4 ,,burns3 ,auld ,lang ,syne1 #ba992 ,birks of ,aberfeldy1 #gh992 ,bonnie ,doon1 #gj992 ,chevalier's ,lament1 #ci992 ,cotter's ,saturday ,night1 #ajd992 ,duncan ,gray1 #gi992 ,tam ,o',shanter1 #aga992 ,to a ,louse1 #hg994 ,,butcher1 ,s4 ,h41 on ,aristotle's view of metre1 #dac-daf4 ,,butler3 ,hudibras1 #acg991 #afg994 ,,byron3 ,childe ,harold1 #aje992 ,destruction of ,sennacherib1 #ci992 ,don ,juan1 #ajj991 #abh992 double rimes of1 #abh1 #abi2 ,english ,bards and ,scotch ,reviewers1 #bjf992 ,farewell1 if ever1 #ig992 ,francesca of ,rimini1 #fh992 ,prisoner of ,chillon1 #aga992 ,she ,walks in ,beauty1 #ib992 ,song of ,saul1 #dj992 ,stanzas for ,music1 #dd992 use of ottava rima1 #aja4 ,,campion1 ,t43 ,anacreontics1 #bg992 ,iambic ,dimeter1 #ccd f4992 ,observations in the ,art of ,english ,poesie1 #cce f42 ,trochaic ,dimeter1 #cce994 ,,canning3 ,rovers1 #aca994 ,,canning 7and ,,frere73 ,sapphics1 #ccg994 ,canzone1 influence of1 on the sonnet1 #bfg4 ,,carew3 ,in ,praise of his ,mistress1 #hi994 ,,carey1 ,p43 ,triolet1 #chb f4994 ,catalexis1 #bb1 #be2 in the ode1 #cai4 ,,catullus1 metres of1 imitated1 #cci4 ,caudated sonnet1 #bgf4 ,celtic verse1 alliteration in1 #aag2 assonance in1 #aae2 rime in1 #abd4 ,cesura1 #ag-ai2 in alexandrine1 #bec1 #beh2 kinds of1 #ai4 ,chant ,royal1 #cfg f4 ,,chapman3 ,all ,fools1 #bae992 ,hymn to ,cynthia1 #cdc992 ,iliad1 #bfb994 ,,chatterton3 lla1 #gi991 #ajg f4992 his variant of ,spenserian stanza1 #ajh4 ,,chaucer3 ,balade de bon conseyl1 #cfj;f4992 ,balade on ,gentilesse1 #cfb2 ,balade to ,rosemound1 #cfb2 ,complaint to his ,empty ,purse1 #cfb2 ,compleynt of ,venus1 #cfb2 ,compleynte unto ,pite1 #ic991 #agg1 #agh2 decasyllabic verse of1 #agg-agi2 ,fortune1 #cfb2 free cesura in verse of1 #ag2 ,french lyrical forms used by1 #cfb2 ,house of ,fame1 #afe f4992 influence on form of ,spenserian stanza1 #ajc2 ,knights ,tale1 #ach f4992 ,lak of ,stedfastnesse1 #cfb2 ,legend of ,good ,women1 #agf99 7ballade in1 #cfb72 ,monk's ,tale1 #ig992 octosyllabic couplet of1 #aff2 omission of opening syllable in verse of1 #bj2 on alliteration1 #abj2 ,parlement of ,foules1 #cfi992 perfect rime in1 #aba n42 ,prologue1 #bj991 #agf992 ,proverb1 #ga992 rime royal introduced by1 #id2 ,sir ,thopas1 #hd994 ,chevy ,chase 7ballad71 #gj994 ,choral odes1 #cbc-cbh4 ,choriambus1 #djh4 ,cid1 ,poema del1 #aad994 ,classical metres1 imitations of1 #ccj-ceg4 ,,clough1 ,a4 ,h43 ,bothie of ,tober-na-,vuolich1 #cej992 hexameter of1 #cea2 his analysis of a line of blank verse1 #djc4 ,,coleridge3 ,ancient ,mariner1 #acc991 #bfc992 ,christabel1 #ae991 #dja992 ,fancy in ,nubibus1 #bif992 hexameters of1 #cdf2 his theory of metre1 #dbj-dbb2 ,hymn before ,sunrise1 #bda992 ,hymn to the ,earth1 #cde f4992 ,kubla ,khan1 #ach991 #adg992 ,ode on the ,departing ,year1 #caa992 on sonnet of ,white1 #bha2 on sonnets of ,bowles1 #bgh2 sonnets of1 #bif2 ,to a ,friend1 #ge994 ,,collins3 ,ode to ,evening1 #bdf2 ,ode to ,liberty1 #agj991 #cjc f4992 on verse of ,skelton1 #cb2 ,passions1 #caj994 ,common metre1 #bfa f4 ,confessio ,goliae1 #bei994 ,,congreve3 ,discourse on ,pindaric ,ode1 #cjb f42 ,pindaric ,ode1 #cja f4994 ,consonants1 as lengthening ,english syllables1 #cif-cii4 ,,constable3 ,diana1 #bgc4 ,,corson1 on blank verse of ,browning1 #bdg f42 on double rime1 #abi f42 on ,in ,memoriam stanza1 #gf f42 on ,mrs4 ,browning's sonnets1 #bhd2 on ottava rima1 #ih1 #ii2 on rime1 #abb2 on ,spenserian stanza of ,keats1 #aje2 on variety in verse movement1 #fa2 on verse of ,cowper1 #bdj2 on ,wordsworth's ,immortality ,ode1 #cac f4 ,,cotton1 ,c43 ,rondeau1 #cgb f4992 ,virelai of1 #che4 ,couplet 7see under ,decasyllabic and ,octosyllabic74 ,,courthope1 on ,aristotle's view of metre1 #dae2 on the sonnet1 #bfh1 #bgb2 on verse-form in poetry1 #dbi-dcb2 on verse of ,pope1 #bja2 on verse of ,surrey1 #baf4 ,,cowley1 ,congreve on the odes of1 #cjc2 introduction of irregular ode by1 #cjh2 ,resurrection1 #cjg f4992 ,solitude1 #hh994 ,cowleyan ode1 #bih1 #cjg-cbc4 ,,cowper3 ,alexander ,selkirk1 #cd992 anapests of1 #ce2 blank verse of1 #bdj f42 ,john ,gilpin1 #bfd2 ,my ,mary1 #gi992 on ,milton's verse1 #eh f42 ,sonnet to ,mrs4 ,unwin1 #bgh992 ,table ,talk1 #bje992 ,task1 #bci f4994 ,,crabbe3 ,borough1 #bjf;f4994 ,,crashaw3 ,wishes for the ,supposed ,mistress1 #fd994 ,creation and ,fall 7,mystery ,play71 #ie994 ,cretic1 #ca4 ,crown of ,sonnets1 #bge4 ,,cynewulf3 ,crist1 #aaf992 ,elene1 rime in1 #abf n42 ,riddle of 7strophic71 #fc n4 ,dactyl1 #bd4 ,dactylic verse1 two-stress1 #cj2 three-stress1 #cg2 four-stress1 #dj2 five-stress1 #db2 six-stress1 #dd2 seven-stress1 #df2 eight-stress1 #dh4 ,,daniel3 ,care-charmer ,sleep1 #bia f4992 ,civil ,war1 #ii992 ,defence of ,rime1 #cc n42 ,delia1 #bgc1 #bib4 ,,dante1 terza rima of1 #fe1 #fg-fi4 ,,davenant3 ,gondibert1 #ga991 #gb4 ,,davies1 ,sir ,j43 ,nosce ,teipsum1 #gc4 ,decasyllabic couplet1 #agd-bac2 ,chaucer's1 #agg2 in ,elizabethan age1 #aij2 in the drama1 #aif-aii2 of the romantic poets1 #bji;f41 #bab2 ,saintsbury on qualities of1 #aid;f4 ,de ,muliere ,samaritana1 #bec994 ,,denham3 ,against ,love1 #fc992 ,cooper's ,hill1 #aia;f4994 ,deo ,gracias1 #if994 ,deor's ,lament1 #fbn4 ,,de ,,quincey1 on ,milton's verse1 #bccn4 ,descending rhythm1 #be4 ,,deschamps1 #ceh4 ,,dobson1 ,a41 ballades of1 #cfg2 ,dance of ,death1 #cfh2 on ,french lyrical forms1 #ceh;f42 on ottava rima1 #aja2 on ,pope1 #bjc2 ,rose ,leaves1 #cha;f4992 ,too ,hard it is to ,sing1 #bfi;f4992 ,when ,i ,saw you ,last1 ,rose1 #cgh992 ,with ,pipe and ,flute1 #cgd994 ,,donne1 critics on the verse of1 #ahc2 ,holy ,sonnets1 #bgd;f4992 influence of1 on lyrical forms of #agth century1 #ij2 ,la ,corona1 #bge2 ,satires1 #ahc994 ,,douglas1 ,g43 ,palace of ,honour1 #aja991 #acc994 ,,dowden1 on ,shakspere's verse1 #ahd4 ,drama1 rime in1 #ahd2 verse of1 characteristic1 #cie4 ,,drayton3 ,agincourt1 #hf992 ,amouret ,anacreontic1 #bf992 ,idea1 #bgc1 #bic2 ,love's ,farewell1 #bib992 ,polyolbion1 #bef;f4994 ,,drummond1 ,w43 ,sonnet1 #bgd994 ,,dryden3 ,absalom and ,achitophel1 #ef;f4991 #aic;f4992 ,alexander's ,feast1 #caj2 ,all for ,love1 #aif1 #bcd992 ,annus ,mirabilis1 #gb992 blank verse of1 #bcd;f42 ,conquest of ,granada1 #aif2 ,evening's ,love1 #dj992 heroic couplet of1 #aid;f42 his introduction of rimed dramatic verse1 #aif-aii2 ,indian ,queen1 #aif2 ,marriage la ,mode1 #aie;f4991 #bcd992 ,ode for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day1 imitated by ,young1 #hh2 ,ode on ,mistress ,killigrew1 #cji;f4992 odes of1 #caj2 on heroic stanza1 #gb2 on verse of ,denham and ,waller1 #ahh2 on verse of ,donne1 #ahc2 ,song for ,st4 ,cecilia's ,day1 #eb;f4991 #adb994 ,,du ,,bartas3 ,la ,premire ,semaine1 #ah994 ,,dunbar3 ,lament for the ,makaris1 #gh992 rime royal of1 #id2 ,tua ,mariit ,wemen1 #aai;f4994 ,,edwards1 ,t41 sonnets of1 #bgg4 ,elegiacs 7hexameter and pentameter71 #cdf1 #cee;f4 ,eleven ,pains of ,hell1 #afa4 ,,eliot1 ,,george3 ,spanish ,gypsy1 #bh991 #cg991 #aad994 ,elision1 #ei;f4 ,,ellis1 ,a4 ,j41 on degrees of accent1 #c1 #dn4 ,,ellis1 ,r43 ,attis1 #cci992 ,hymenus of ,catullus1 #cci992 on classical metres1 #cci4 ,end-stopped lines1 #ai1 #ahg-aij4 ,enjambement1 #ai3 avoidance of in heroic verse1 #ahg1 #bjb2 in ,chaucer1 #agg2 in couplets of the romantic poets1 #bjh-bab2 in ,milton1 #bcc2 in ,shakspere's verse1 #bbc4 ,,etheredge3 ,comical ,revenge1 #aif4 ,fair ,helen 7ballad71 #i991 #gi994 ,farmer's ,complaint1 #ad4 ,feet1 as measures of verse1 #bd2 combinations and substitutions of1 #di2 names of1 #bd1 #ee;f41 #djh;f4 ,feminine ending1 #be1 #cc2 in ,elizabethan blank verse1 #bbf-bbh4 ,feminine rime1 #aba1 #abh;f4 ,,fitzgerald3 ,rubiyt1 #gg994 ,five-stress verse1 #agd-bea2 early examples of1 #age2 introduced by ,chaucer1 #agg4 ,,fletcher1 ,g43 ,lycia1 #bgc4 ,,fletcher1 ,j41 blank verse of1 #bbf-bbh2 couplets of1 #baj2 ,faithful ,shepherdess1 #ahd;f4992 ,valentinian1 #bbe994 ,,fletcher1 ,j4 7and ,,shakspere73 ,two ,noble ,kinsmen1 #he994 ,,fletcher1 ,j4 ,b41 on ,spenser1 #ag4 ,,fletcher1 ,p43 ,piscatory ,eclogues1 #ajg994 ,foot1 significance of the term1 #bd1 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,,godric 7,,st473 ,sainte ,marie1 #abf992 verse of1 #afa4 ,god ,ureisun1 #aah994 ,,goethe1 hexameters of1 #cde1 #cdi2 his view of metre in the drama1 #dah n4 ,,goldsmith3 ,deserted ,village1 #bjd992 ,essay on ,versification1 #ccf2 on blank verse1 #bje2 ,retaliation1 #ci994 ,,gollancz1 ,i41 on the stanza of ,the ,pearl1 #aji4 ,,goodell1 ,t4 ,g43 ,quantity in ,english ,verse1 #djf4 ,,gosse1 ,e43 ,after ,anyte of ,tegea1 #cgj992 ,ballad of ,dead ,cities1 #cfd992 on ,cowleyan ode1 #cji2 on decadent blank verse1 #bcj2 on ,dryden's blank verse1 #bce2 on heroic stanza1 #gc2 on ode1 #bih2 on rime in the drama1 #aig2 on sonnet of ,walsh1 #bgg2 on verse of ,denham1 #aib2 on verse of ,goldsmith1 #bjd2 on verse of ,oldham1 #aic2 on verse of ,parnell1 #afh2 on verse of ,swift1 #agj2 on verse of ,waller and contemporaries1 #ahi1 #aij1 #aia n42 ,praise of ,dionysus1 #cfh2 ,sestina1 #chd f4992 ,villanelle1 #cgi f4994 ,,gower1 ballades of1 #cfb2 ,confessio ,amantis1 #afe992 couplets of1 #aff4 ,grace of 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sonnets of ,drummond1 #bgd2 on verse-form in poetry1 #dbe f42 ,story of ,rimini1 #bjg f4992 ,the ,fish to the ,man1 #bhc992 ,wealth and ,womanhood1 #bff994 ,hymn to the ,virgin 7,blessed beo thu71 #bfj992 7,of on that is71 #hg994 ,hypermetrical syllables1 #eh-fj4 ,iambic verse1 one-stress1 #be2 two-stress1 #bf f42 three-stress1 #cb f42 four-stress1 #afj-agc2 five-stress1 #agd-bea2 six-stress1 #beb-beh2 seven-stress1 #dd f41 #bfj-bfd2 eight-stress1 #df4 ,iambus1 #bd2 substituted for trisyllabic foot1 #fj4 ,inclusive rime1 #gd-gf4 ,,ingelow1 ,j43 ,give us ,love and ,give us ,peace1 #di994 ,in ,memoriam stanza1 #gf4 ,inversion of accent1 #g1 #h1 #ee1 #ef1 #eg f4 ,italian sonnet1 #bfg-bga4 ,italian verse1 influence on ,chaucer1 #agh f42 rimes in1 #acj2 terza rima derived from1 #fe4 ,,james ,i4 7of ,england73 ,reulis and ,cautelis cited1 #id n41 #abj1 #aeg n4 ,,james ,i4 7of ,scotland73 ,king's ,quhair1 #ic994 ,jesu for thi muchele miht1 #aaa994 ,,johnson1 ,s43 ,london1 #bje2 on blank verse1 #bje2 on ,cowleyan ode1 #cjh f42 on ,dryden's ,killigrew ,ode1 #caj2 on tone-color1 #acg2 on verse-form in poetry1 #dag2 ,vanity of ,human ,wishes1 #bje4 ,,jonson1 ,b43 ,elegy1 #gd992 ,epigrams1 #ahe992 ,epitaph1 #ib992 ,epitaph on ,salathiel ,pavey1 #ga992 ,fit of ,rhyme against ,rhyme1 #abc2 influence on classical school of verse1 #ahf2 ,pindaric ,ode1 #bii f4992 ,sad ,shepherd1 #bbe2 ,sejanus1 #bbd994 ,judas1 #bed4 ,,kawczynski1 on alliteration1 #aag2 on origin of alexandrine1 #beb4 ,,keats3 ,chapman's ,homer1 #bhb2 ,endymion1 #bji992 ,eve of ,st4 ,agnes1 #aje992 ,grasshopper and ,cricket1 #bhb992 ,hyperion1 #bdb992 ,isabella1 #ajj992 ,lamia1 #h992 ,mermaid ,tavern1 #ch992 ,ode to ,psyche1 #adc992 ,sonnets of1 #bhb2 ,sonnet to ,haydon1 #bb994 ,,kent1 ,a4 ,j41 on verse of ,leigh ,hunt1 #bjh f4 ,king ,horn1 #aed994 ,,kingsley1 ,c43 ,andromeda1 #ced994 ,,kipling1 ,r43 ,last ,chantey1 #ba f4992 ,mulholland's ,contract1 #fe992 ,song of the ,english1 #di992 ,wolcott ,balestier1 #dd 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,legend-,cycle1 #bee4 ,,legouis1 ,e41 on ,spenser's verse1 #ag4 ,lenten ys come1 #aaa994 ,,lentzner1 on the sonnet1 #bfh1 #bhf1 #bhg4 ,leonine rime1 #acb4 ,,lewis1 ,c4 ,m41 on octosyllabic couplet1 #afj f42 on sources of ,chaucer's verse1 #agi4 ,,liddell1 ,m41 his theories of ,english verse1 #cid f41 #dja n41 #djg4 ,,lindsay1 ,d43 ,satyre of the ,three ,estates1 #he994 ,little ,soth ,sermun1 #bfa4 ,,lloyd1 ,r41 verses against blank verse1 #bci n4994 ,,lodge3 ,phyllis1 #bgc4 ,,lok1 sonnets of1 #bgc4 ,,longfellow3 ,evangeline1 #cdh992 ,golden ,legend1 #dh991 #ea992 hexameters of1 #cdh f41 #cee2 ,hiawatha1 #cg991 #djh2 ,maidenhood1 #fd992 ,saga of ,king ,olaf1 #cj f4992 ,sonnets on ,divina ,commedia1 #bhi994 ,love in ,idleness1 pantoum from1 #chf-chh994 ,,lowell3 ,commemoration ,ode1 #cag992 on ,gray's ,progress of ,poesy1 #cjg2 on ,spenserian stanza1 #ajc4 ,,luick1 on revival of alliterative verse1 #aef4 ,lutel wot hit anymon1 #agd f4994 ,,lydgate1 rime royal of1 #id4 ,,lyly3 ,woman in 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