To preserve equality or proportion in time, seems to be a governing principle in versification; and variations in the position of the poetic accent or in the number of unaccented syllables, are allowable where the chief poetic pauses occur,-at the beginnings or the ends of lines, and at the casural pause. Ex. "And give me fór my búshel sówn "Keeping time, time, time, In a sort of Rúnic rhýme."-Poe. (Prolong the sound as you read.) "Ye've tráiled me through the forest; | ye've tráiled me o'er the stream; And struggling through the éverglade your bristling bayonets gleam."—Patton. This is a very important principle; for by means of it most of the apparent irregu larities in versification may be explained. Stanzas. Lines are formed into stanzas. A stanza is a complete group of lines constructed in a certain way with respect to one another. Two consecutive lines form a couplet or distich; three, a triplet. Such lines are usually understood as rhyming together. Short lines are seldom formed into stanzas, unless in combina tion with long lines. The greater portion of our poetry consists of lines of medium length. Long lines are sometimes broken at the cæsural pause, and written in two lines each. Rhymes must begin with different letters, but end with the same or nearly the same sound. Rhymes that are not exact, yet authorized, are called allowable rhymes. Rhymes may run back into the lines as far as three syllables. Hence they are classified thus: Single rhymes, double rhymes, and triple rhymes. A rhyming element usually corresponds to but one other one; but sometimes to more. Lines are sometimes so formed as to have rhyming syllables within them, as well as at the end. See P. 308. Some verse has no rhyme. Such is styled blank verse. Blank verse, being without the music of rhyme, must usually, to sustain the dignity of poetry, excel in other respects. Verse. The word verse is properly applicable to any single line of poetry; but, by synecdoche, it may be applied to a stanza, or to poetry in general, as a modest term, meaning something that has at least the form, if not the spirit, of poetry. Verse, according to what foot prevails in it, is usually divided into four kinds; iambic, anapestic, trochaic, and dactylic. Verse that is very irregular in its feet, or in the combination of its lines, has been styled composite. SCANNING. To scan verse is to show how it is formed in respect to its feet, -to analyze its versification. Each line is usually scanned by itself; but it seems best to scan continuously from one line into another, when we can thus avoid irregularities. Ex. "Tis the last rose of summer Left blooming alone; (4 feet.) All its lovely companions Are faded and gone." (4 feet.) Sometimes more than one mode of scanning, may be applied to the same poem. That mode is always preferable which is simplest or most musical, THE ELEMENTARY COMBINATIONS OF LINES IN ENGLISH POETRY. To a person wishing to write verse, perhaps nothing can be presented more useful than a general circuit of the combinations of poetic lines, with their scansion; especially if so selected as to embrace all the various deviations, or licenses, of which poets may avail themselves. The letters f, i, a, t, d, and c, placed on the left of the stanzas, denote respectively feet, iambics, anapests, trochees, dactyls, and cæsuras; the letters above the stanzas show the rhyme; the sign plus (+) denotes hypermeter syllables; accentual marks are used to aid in showing the versification, and sometimes they show irregular versification; and upright dashes are sometimes used to show casural pauses. 4i "If sólid happiness we prize, Within our bréast the jewel lies; And they are foóls who róam: 8 i 24. a bab "Gay, guiltless páir, What seek ye from the fields of héaven? Ye have no need of prayer, Ye have no sins to be forgiven.' Sprague. 26. a b c b d d The world has nothing to bestow; si+ "It was a súmmer évening, From our own selves our joys must flow, And that dear hut-our home." 27. COMMON-METRE STANZA. (Martial.) 4i Old Kaspar's work was done, a ba b. (Sentimental.) 4f"A violět bý a móssy stóne, 3 i Half-hidden from the eye, Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky." Words worth. "To hunt the deer with hound and horn, Earl Percy took his way; 28. a b c b 29. a bab 4f" Fair scénes for childood's ópěning 4i+ "The Ocean looketh up to heaven, blócm, 8i+ For spórtive youth to stray in; For manhood to enjoy his strength, And age to wear away in." Wordsworth. 3 i As 'twére a living thing; The homage of its waves is given, In ceaseless worshiping." Whittier. 31. a bab "Her heart is like a faded flower, Whose beauty's lóst and sweet ness flówn; Forgot, neglected in the bower, 33. abab 4 "Those evening bélls! those évening 4i "All thoughts, all pássions, áll de bélls! lights, Whatever stirs this mortal fraine, Are all but ministers of love, And feed his sacred flame." 37. "Oh, néver tálk again to mé Óf northern climes and British ládies; It has not been your lot to see, Like me, the charming girl of Cadiz."-Byron. 38. a b c c b 4i "To horse! to hórse! the stándard 4i 4f flies, The búgles sound the cáll; The Gallic navy stems the seas, a b a b c c "You have the Pyrrhic dánce as yét, Where is the Pyrrhic phalanx gone? Of two such lessons why forget The nobler and the manlier óne? 4i You have the letters Cadmus gaveThink you he meant them for a slave?"-Byron. 42. 4i+"Thou árt not fálse, but thou art 4i+"Two spirits réached this world of 4 i oúrs: The lightning's locomotive powers 8itor 4i Were slow to their agility: In broad daylight they moved incog., Enjoying, without mist or fog, Entire invisibility." 43. a a a b Campbell. 4i fickle, To those thyself so fondly sought; The tears that thou hast forced to 4f "Thou gréwěst à goodly trée, with 4f 2i+ 4i 2f+ shoots [roots Fánning thě ský, and earth-bound And zephyrs rock with lightest wing, From thy firm trunk unmoved didst fling Témpěst and thunder." Magazine: Charter-oak. Observe how the change of feet in the last line, improves the vigor of the stanza. |
