"Matilda's eyes a light disclôse,Which with the star of Eve might vie;Oh! that such lovely orbs as thoseShould sparkle at an apple-pie!"Thy love I thought was wholly mine,Thy heart I fondly hoped to rule;Its throne I cannot but repineAt sharing with a goosb'ry fool!"Thou swear'st no flatterer can decéiveThy mind,—thy breast no coxcomb rifle;Thou art no trifler, I beliéve,But why so plaguy fond of trifle?"Why, when we're wed—I don't inténdTo joke, Matilda, or be funny;I really fear that you will spendThe Honey Moon in eating honey!"
Mostdissyllabic nouns, having a dipthong in the latter syllable, have the aécent also on that syllable: as,
"A Hamlet that drawsIs sure of applâuse."
A Hamlet that draws? There are not many who can give even an outline of the character.
In a few words ending inainthe accent is placed on the former syllable: as, "Villain," which is pronounced as the natives of Whitechapel pronounce "willing." Those dissyllables, the vowels of which are separated in pronunciation, always have the accent on the first syllable: as, lion, scion, &c.
When is a young and tender shootLike a fond swain? When 'tis a scion.What's the most gentlemanly bruteLike, of all flow'rs? Adandylion.'
Trisyllables, formed by adding a termination or prefixing a syllable, retain the accent of the radical word: as, "Lôveliness, shéepishness, knâvery, assûrance." The first syllable of trisyllables ending in ons, al, ion, is accented in the generality of cases: as in the words "sérious, câpital," &c.
"Dr. Johnson declared, with a sérious face,That he reckoned a punster a villain:What would he have thought of the horrible caseOf a man who makes jokes that are killing?"In his diction to speak 'tis not easy for one Who mustfurnish both reason and rhyme:"Sir, the rogue who has utter'd a câpital pun,Has committed a câpital crime.'
Trisyllablesending in ce, ent, ate, y, re, le, and ude, commonly accent the first syllable. Many of those, however, which are derived from words having the accent on the last syllable and of those of which the middle syllable has a vowel between two consonants, are excepted.
They who would elegantly speakShould not say "impudence," but "cheek;"Should all things éatable call "prog;"Eyes "ogles," côuntenance "phisog."A coach should nôminate a "drag,"And spécify as "moke," a nag:For éxcellent, use "prime" or "bang up,"Or "out and out;" and "scrag," for hang up.The théâtre was wont to teachThe public réctitude of speech,But we who live in modern ageConsult the gallery, not the stage.
Trisyllables ending in ator have the accent placed on the middle syllable; as, "Spectâtor, narrâtor," &c. except ôrator, sénator, and a few other words.
Take care that you never pronounce the common name of the vegetable sometimes called Irish fruit, "purtator."
A dipthong in the middle syllable of a trisyllable is accented: as also, in general, is a vowel before two consonants: as, "Doméstic," "endéavor."
An endeavor to appear domesticated, or in common phraseology, to "do" the domestic, is sometimes made by young gentlemen, and generally with but an ill grace.Avoid such attempts, reader, on all occasions: and in particular never adventure either to nurse babies, or (when you shall have "gone up to the ladies") to pour water into the tea-pot from the kettle. A legal or medical student sometimes thinks proper, from a desire of appearing at once gallant and facetious, to usurp the office of pouring out the tea itself, on which occasions he is very apt to betray his uncivilised habits by an unconscious but very unequivocal manipulation used in giving malt liquor what is technically termed a "head."
Many polysyllables are regulated as to accent by the words from which they are derived: as, "Inex-préssibles, Sûbstituted, Unobjéctionably, Désignated, Transatlàntic, Délicacy, Decidedly, Unquéstionable."
Words ending in ator are commonly accented on the last syllable but one, let them be as long as they may: as, respirâtor, regulator, renovâtor, indicâtor, and all the other alors that we see in the newspapers.
Many words ending in ion, ous, ty, ia, io, and cal, have their accent on the last syllable but two: as, "Con-si-de-râ-ti-on, pro-di-gi-ous, im-pe-ne-tra-bil-i-ty, en-cy-clo-pæ'-di-a, brag-ga-dô-ci-o, an-ti-mo-nârch-i-cal," all of which words we have divided into syllables, by way of a hint that they are to be pronounced (comically speaking) after the manner of Dominie Sampson.
Words that end in le usually have the accent on the first syllable: as, "Amicable, déspicable," &c.: although we have heard people say "despicable."
"I never see such a despicable fellow, not in all my born days."
Words of this class, however, the second syllable of which has a vowel before two consonants, are often differentlyaccented: as in "Respéctable, contémptible.
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Having, in compliance with grammatical usage, laid down certain rules with regard to accent, we have to inform the reader that there are so many exceptions to almost all of them, that perhaps there is scarcely one which it is worth while to attend to. We hope we have some measure amused him; but as to instruction, fear that, in this part of our subject, we have given himvery little of that. Those who would acquire a correct accent had better attend particularly to the mode of speaking adopted in good society; avoid debating clubs; and go to church. For farther satisfaction and information we refer them, and we beg to say that we are not joking—toWalker.
The quantity of a syllable means the time taken up in pronouncing it. As there is in Arithmetic a long division and a short division, so in Prosody is Quantity considered as long or short.
A syllable is said to be long, when the accent is on the vowel, causing it to be slowly joined in pronunciation to the next letter: as, "Flea, small, creature."
A syllable is called short, when the accent lies on the consonant, so that the vowel is quickly joined to the succeeding letter: as "Crack, little, devil."
The pronunciation of a long syllable commonly occupies double the time of a short one: thus, "Pâte," and "Broke," must be pronounced as slowly again as "Pàt," and "Knôck."
We have remarked a curious tendency in the more youthful students of Grammar to regard the quantity of words (in their lessons) more as being "small" or "great" than as coming under the head of "long" or "short." Their predilection for small quantities of words is very striking and peculiar; food for the mind they seem to look upon as physic; and all physic, in their estimation, is most agreeably taken in infinitesimal doses. The Homoeopathic system of acquiring knowledgeis more to their taste than even the Hamiltonian.
It is quite impossible to give any rules as to quantity worth reading. The Romans may have submitted to them, but that is no reason why we should. We will pronounce our words as we please: and if foreigners want to know why, we will tell them that, when there is no law to the contrary, we always does as we likes with our own.
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Emphasisis the distinguishing of some word or words in a sentence, on which we wish to lay particular stress, by a stronger and fuller sound, and sometimes by a particular tone of the voice.
A few illustrations of the importance of emphasis will be, perhaps, both agreeable and useful.
When a young lady says to a young gentlemen, "You are anicefellow; youare!"—she means one thing.
When a young gentleman, addressing one of his own sex, remarks, "You'rea nice fellow;youare;"—he means another thing.
"Your friend is a gentlemen," pronounced without any particular emphasis, is the simple assertion of a fact.
"Your friend is a gentleman," with the emphasis on the words "friend" and "gentleman," conveys an insinuation besides.
So simple a question as "Do you like pine-apple rum?" is susceptible of as many meanings as there are words in it; according to the position of the emphasis.
"Doyou like pine-apple rum?" is as much as to say, "Do you, though, really like pine-apple rum?"
"Doyoulike pine-apple rum?" is tantamount to,
"Can it be that a young gentleman (or lady) like you, can like pine-apple rum?"
"Do youlikepine-apple rum?" means, "Is it possible that instead of disliking, you are fond of pine-apple rum?"
"Doyou likepine-applerum?" is an enquiry as to whether you like that kind of rum in particular.
And lastly, "Do you like pine-applerum?" is equivalent to asking if you think that the flavor of the pineapple improves that especial form of alcohol.
A well-known instance of an emphasis improperly placed was furnished by a certain Parson, who read a passage in the Old Testament in the following unlucky manner: "And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass; and they saddledhim."
Young ladies are usually very emphatic in ordinary discourse. "What a littledear!Oh! howsweetlypretty! Well! I neverdid, I declare!Sonice, andsoinnocent, andsogood-tempered, andsoaffectionate, andsucha color! Andoh! such lovely eyes!and such hair! Hewasa little duck! he was, he was, he was. Tzig a tzig, tzig, tzig, tzig, tzig!" &c. &c. &c.
This emphatic way of speaking is indicative of two very amiable feelings implanted by nature in the female occiput, and called by the Phrenologists Adhesiveness and Philoprogenitivenes. Those who attempt to imitate it will be conscious, while forcing out their words, of a peculiar mental motion, which we cannot explain otherwise than by saying, that it is analogous to that which attends the act of pressing or squeezing; as when, with the thumb of the right hand, we knead one lump of putty to another, in the palm of the left. Perhaps we might also instance, sucking an orange. In all these cases, the organ of Weight, according to Phrenology, is also active; and this, perhaps, is one of the faculties which induce young ladies to lay a stress upon their words. Nevertheless, we fear that a damselwould hardly be pleased by being told that her weight was considerable, though it would, at the same time, grievously offend her to accuse her of lightness. Here we need scarcely observe, that we refer to lightness, not of complexion, but of sentiment, which is always regarded as a dark shade in the character. This defect, we think, we may safely assert, will never be observed in emphatic fair ones.
But we have not quite yet exhausted the subject of emphasis, considered in relation to young ladies. Their letters are as emphatic as their language is, almost every third word being underlined. Such epistles, inasmuch as they are addressed to the heart, ought not to be submitted to the ear; nevertheless we must say that we have occasionally been wicked and waggish enough to read them aloud—to ourselves alone, of course. The reader may, if he choose, follow our example. We subjoin a specimen of female correspondence, endeared to us by many tender recollections, and admirably adapted to our present purpose.
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I was terribly afraid that Matilda and I would have caught our Death of cold; but thank Goodness no such untoward event took place. It was very uncomfortable and I so wished you had been there.. When we got home who do you think was there? Mr. Sims; and he said he thought that I was so much grown. Only think. And so then you know we took some refreshment, for I assure you, what with the journey and altogether we were very nearly famished; and we were all invitedto go to the Chubbs' that Evening to a small Teà Party, for which I must own I thought Mr. Chubb a ism* man. After tea we had a carpet waltz, and although I was very tired I enjoyed it much. There were some very pretty girls there, and one or two agreeable young men; but oh! &c.
The remainder of this letter being of a nature personally interesting to ourselves only, and likely, in the opinion of some readers, to render its insertion attributable to motives of vanity, we shall not be found fault with for objecting to transcribe any more of it.
APause, otherwise called a rest, is an absolute cessation of the voice, in speaking or reading, during a perceptible interval, longer or shorter, of time.
Comic Pauses often occur in Oratory. "Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking," is usually followed by a pause of this sort. A young gentleman, his health having been drunk at a party, afforded, in endeavoring to return thanks, a signal illustration of the Pause Comic. "Gentlemen," he began, "the Ancient Romans,"—(A pause,)—"gentlemen, the Ancient Romans,"—(Hear!)—"The Ancient Romans, Gentlemen,"—(Bravo! hear! hear!)—"Gentlemen—that is—the Ancient Romans"—"were very fine fellows, Jack, I dare say," added a friend, pulling the speaker down by the coat-tail.
That notable Ancient Roman, Brutus, is represented by Shakspeare as making a glorious pause: as "Who's hereso vile that would not love his country? If any, speak, for him have I offended. I pause for a reply."
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Here of course, Brutus pauses, folds his arms, and looks magnanimous. We have heard, though, of an idle and impudent schoolboy, who, at a public recitation, when he had uttered the words "I pause for a reply,"gravely took out his penknife and began paring his nails.
This was minding his paws with a vengeance.
Tones consist of the modulations of the voice, or the notes or variations of sound which we use in speak-ing: thus differing materially both from emphasis, and pauses.
An interesting diversity of tones is exhibited by the popular voice at an election.
Also by charcoal-men, milk-men, and chimneysweeps; and by fruit-sellers, and news-boys.
We cannot exactly write tones (though it is easy enough to write notes,) but we shall nevertheless endeavor to give some idea of their utility.
Observe, that two doves billing resemble two magistrates bowing;—because they are beak to beak.
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Alover and a police-magistrate (unless the two characters should chance to be combined, which sometimes happens, that is, when the latter is a lover of justice) would say, "Answer me," in very different tones.
A lover again would utter the words "For ever and ever," in a very different tone from that in which a minister would repeat them.
A young lady, on her first introduction to you, says, "Sir," in a tone very unlike that in which she sometime afterwards delivers herself of the same monosyllable when she is addressing you under the influence of jealousy.
As to the word "Sir," the number of constructions which, according to the tone in which it is spoken, it may be made to bear, are incalculable. We may adduce a few instances.
"Please, Sir, let me off."
"No, Sir!"
"Waiter! you, Sir."
"Yes, Sir! yes, Sir!"
"Sir, I am greatly obliged to you."
"Sir, you are quite welcome."
"Your servant, Sir" (by a man who brings you a challenge.)
"Servant, Sir" (by a tailor bowing you to the door.) "Sir, you are a gentleman!"
"Sir, you are a scoundrel!"
We need not go on with examples ad infinitum. If after what we have said anybody does not understand the nature of Tone, all we shall say of him is, that he is aTonyLumpkin.
Itis with peculiar pleasure that we approach this part of Prosody. We belong to a class of persons to whom a celebrated phrenological manipulator ascribes "some poetical feeling, if studied or called forth;" and, to borrow another expression from the same quarter, we sometimes "versify a little;" that is to say, we versify our literary occupations by an occasional flirtation with the muses.
We have a great respect for the memory of our old schoolmaster; notwithstanding which, we think we can beat him (which, we shall be told by the wags, would be tit for tat) at poet-making, though, indeed, he was a magician in his way. "I'll make thee a poet, my boy," he used to say, "or the rod shall."
Let us try what we can do.
A verse consists of a certain number and variety of syllables, put together and arranged according to certain laws.
Verses being also called dulcet strains, harmonious numbers, tuneful lays, and so forth, it is clear that such combination and arrangement must be so made as to please the ear.
Versification is the making of verses. This seems such a truism as to be not worth stating; but it is necessary to define what Versification is, because many people suppose it to be the same thing with poetry. We will prove that it is not.
"Much business in the Funds has lately beenTransacted various monied men between;Though speculation early in the weekWent slowly; nought was done whereof to speak.The largest operations, it was found,Were twenty-five and fifty thousandpound."
Wemight proceed in the same strain, but we have already done half a dozen lines without a particle of poetry in them; and we do not wish to overwhelm people with proofs of what a great many will take upon trust.
Every fool knows what Rhyme is; so we need not say anything about that.
Poetical feet! Why, Fanny Elsler's feet and Taglioni's feet are poetical feet—are they not? or else what is meant by calling dancing the poetry of Motion? And cannot each of thoseartistesboast of a toe which is the very essence of all poetry—a TO' KAAO'N?
No. You may make versesonTaglioni's feet, (though if she be a poetess, she can do that better than you, standing, too, on one leg, like the man that Horace speaks of;) but you cannot make themofher feet. Feet of which verses are composed are made of syllables, not of bones, muscles, and ligaments. Feet and pauses are the constituent parts of a verse.
We have heard one boy ask of another, who was singing, "How much is that a yard?" still the yard is not a poetical measure.
The feet which are used in poetry consist either of two or three syllables. There are four kinds of feet of two, and an equal number of three syllables. Four and four are eight: therefore Pegasus is an octoped; and if our readers do not understand this logic, we are sorry for it. But as touching the feet—we have
1. TheTrochee, which has the first syllable accent, ed, and the last unaccented: as, "Yànkëe dôodlë."
2. The Iambus, which has the first syllable unaccented, and the last accented: as, "Thé mâid hërsëlf with roûge, àlâs! bëdaübs."
3. The Spondee, which has both the words or syllables accented: as, "âll hâil, grëat king, Tom Thumb, all hail!"
4. The Pyrrhic, which has both the words or syllables unaccented: as, "ôn thë tree'top."
5. The Dactyl, which has the first syllable accented and the two latter unaccented: as, "Jônàthin, Jëffër-sôn."
6. The Amphibrach has the first and last syllables unaccented and the middle one accented: as, "Oë'r-whelmïng, transported, ecstatic, delightful, àccéptëd, àddrëssës."
7. The Anapaest (or as we used to say,Nasty-beast) has the two first syllables unaccented and the last accented: as, "ôvërgrôwn grënàdiër."
8. The Tribrach has all its syllables unaccented: as, "Matrïmôny, exquisite nëss."
These feet are divided into principal feet, out of which pieces of poetry may be wholly or chiefly formed; and secondary feet, the use of which is to diversify the number and improve the verse.
We shall now proceed to explain the nature of the principal feet.
Iambic verses are of several kinds, each kind consisting of a certain number of feet or syllables.
1. The shortest form of the English Iambic consists of an Iambus, with an additional short syllable thus coinciding with the Amphibrach: as,
"What Sùsàn,My beauty!Refuse oneSo true t' ye?This dittyOf sadnessBegs pityFor madness."
2. The second form of the English Iambic consists of two Iambuses, and sometimes takes an additional short syllable: as,
"My eÿe, whàt fün.With dog and gun,And song and shout,To roam about!And shoot our snipes!And smoke our pipes!Or eat at ease,Beneath the trees,Our bread and cheese!To rouse the hareFrom gloomy lair;To scale the mountainAnd ford the fountain,While rustics wonderTo hear our thunder."
3. The third form consists of three Iambuses: as in the followingmorceau, the author of which is, we regret to say, unknown to us; though we did once hear somebody say that it was Mr. Anon.
"Jâck Spràtt éat âll thé fât,His wife eat all the lean,And so between them both,They lick'd the platter clean."
Inthis verse an additional short syllable is also admitted: as,
"Âlëxïs yoüthful ploügh-bôy,A Shepherdess adored,Who loved fat Hodge, the cow-boy,So t'other chap was floored."
4. The fourth form is made up of four Iambuses: as,
"Àdieü my boots, cômpàniôns old,New footed twice, and four times soled;My footsteps ye have guarded long,Life's brambles, thorns, and flints among;And now you're past the cobbler's art,And fate declares that we must part.Ah me! what cordial can restoreThe gaping patch repatch'd before?What healing art renew the wealOf subject so infirm of heel?What potion, pill, or draught controlSo deep an ulcer of the sole?
5. The fifth species of English Iambic consists of five Iambuses: as,
You Côme, Tràgïc Müse, ïn tâttèr'd vést ârrày'd,And while through blood, and mud, and crimes I wade,Support my steps, and this, my strain, inspireWith Horror's blackest thoughts and bluest fire!"
The Epic of which the above example is the opening, will perhaps appear hereafter. This kind of Iambic constitutes what is called the heroic measure:—of which we shall have more to say by and by; but shall onlyremark at present that it, in common with most of the ordinary English measures, is susceptible of many varieties, by the admission of other feet, as Trochees, Dactyls, Anapaests, &c.
6. Our Iambic in its sixth form, is commonly called the Alexandrine measure. It consists of six Iambuses: as,
"His worship gâve thë word, ànd Snôoks was borne âwày."
The Alexandrine is sometimes introduced into heroic rhyme, and when used, as the late Mr. John Reeve was wont to say, "with a little moderation," occasions an agreeable variety. Thus the example quoted is preceded by the following lines:—
"What! found at midnight with a darkey, lit,A bull-dog, jemmy, screw, and centre-bitAnd tongueless of his aim? It cannot beBut he was bent, at least, on felony;He stands remanded. 'Ho! Policeman A!'His worship gave the word, and Snooks was borne away."
7. The seventh and last form of our Iambic measure is made up of seven Iambuses. This species of verse has been immortalised by the adoption of those eminent hands, Messrs. Sternhold and Hopkins. It runsthus:—
Goôd pëople âll, I prây dràw nëar, fôr yôu I needs müst têll,That William Brown is dead and gone; the man you knew full well.A broad-brimm'd hat, black breeches, and an old Welch wig he wore:And now and then a long brown coat all button'd up before."The present measure is as admirably adapted for thePlatform as for the Conventicle."My name it is Bill Scroggins, and my fate it is to die,For I was at the Sessions tried and cast for felony.My friends, to these my dying words I pray attention lend,The public-house has brought me unto this untimely end."
Verses of this kind are now usually broken into two lines, with four feet in the first line, and three in the second: as,
"I wish I wëre â little pigTo wallow in the mire,To eat, and drink, and sleep at easeIs all that I desire."
Trochaic verse is of several kinds.
1. The shortest Trochaic verse in the English language consists of one Trochee and a long syllable: as,
"Billy BlackGot the sack."
Lindley Murray asserts that this measure is defective in dignity, and can seldom be used on serious occasions. Yet it is Pope who thus sings:
"Dreadful screams,Dismal gleams.Fires that glow,Shrieks of woe," &c.
And for our own poor part, let us see what we can make out of a storm.
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2. The second English form of the Trochaic consists of two feet: as,
"Vermicelli,Cürrànt jêlly."
It sometimes contains two feet, or trochees, with an additional long syllable: as,
"Youth inclined tô wed,Go and shave thy head."
3. The third species consists of three trochees: as,
"Sing a song ôf sixpence.
Or of three trochees, with an additional long syllable: as,
"Thrice mÿ côat, hâve o'er thée rôll'd,Summer hot and winter cold,Since the Snip's creative artInto being bade thee start;Now like works the most sublime,Thou displaty'st the power of time.Broad grey patches plainly trace,Right and left each blade-bone's place;When thy shining collar's scann'd,Punsters think on classic land:Thread-bare sleeves thine age proclaim,Elbows worn announce the same;Elbows mouldy-black of hue,Save where white a crack shines through;While thy parting seams declareThou'rt unfit for farther wear—Then, farewell! "What! Moses! ho!""Clo', Sir? clo', Sir? clo', Sir? clo'?"
4. The fourth Trochaic species consists of four trochees, as:
"Ugh! yôu little lümp ôf blübbër,Sleep, oh! sleep in quiet, do!Cease awhile your bib to slobber—Cease your bottle mouth to screw."How I wish your eyelids neverWould unclose again at all;For I know as soon as everYou're awake, you're sure to squall."Dad and Mammy's darling honey,Tomb-stone cherub, stuff'd with slops,Let each noodle, dolt, and spooneySmack, who will, your pudding chops."As for me, as soon I'd smother,As I'd drown a sucking cat,You, you cub, or any other,Nasty little squalling brat."
"Would you, you disagreeable old Bachelor?"
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This form may take an additional long syllable, but this measure is very uncommon. Example:
"Chrônônhôtônthôlôgôs the Great,Godlike in a barrow kept his state."
5. The fifth Trochaic species is likewise uncommon; and, as a Bowbellian would say, "uncommon" ugly, It contains five trochees: as,
"Hëre lies Màrÿ, wife ôf Thômas Càrtër,Who to typhus fever proved a martyr."
These are a specimen of the "uncouth rhymes" so touchingly alluded to by Gray.
6. The sixth form of the English Trochaic is a line of six trochees: as,
"Môst bëwitching damsel, charming Aràbéllâ,Prithee, cast an eye of pity on a fellow."
The Dactylic measure is extremely uncommon. The followingmay be considered an example of one species of it:
"Cëlià thé crüël, resolv'd nôt tô mârry sôon,Boasts of a heart like a fortified garrison,Bulwarks and battlements keeping thebeauxall off,Shot from within knocking lovers like foes all off."
Anapaestic verses are of various kinds.
1. The shortest anapæstic verse is a single anapaest:
"In thë glassThere's an ass."
This measure, after all, is ambiguous; for if the stress of the voice be laid on the first and third syllables, it becomes trochaic. Perhaps, therefore, it is best to consider the first form of our Anapæstic verse, as made up of two anapaests: as,
"Sët â schôolbôy ât wôrkWith a knife and a fork."
And here if you like, you may have another short syllable: as,
"And hôw sôon thë yoüng glüttônWill astonish your mutton!"
2. The second species consists of three anapaests: as,
"Amàrÿllïs was slëndër ànd tail,Colin Clodpole was dumpy and fat;And tho' she did'n't like him at all,Yet he doted on her for all that."
This metre is sometimes denominated sing-song.
3. The third kind of English Anapæstics may be very well exemplified by an Irish song:
"Hâve yôu e'er hàd thë lück tô sëe Dônnÿbrôok Fair?"
Itconsists, as will have been observed, of four ana-pæsts. Sometimes it admits of a short syllable at the end of the verse: as,
In the dëad ôf thë night, when with dire càtërwàulingOf grimalkins in chorus the house-tops resound:All insensibly drunk, and unconsciously sprawlingIn the kennel, how pleasant it is to be found!"
The various specimens of versification of which examples have been given, may be improved and varied by the admission of secondary feet into their composition; but as we are not writing an Art of Poetry, we cannot afford to show how: particularly as the only way, after all, of acquiring a real knowledge of the structure of English verse, is by extensive reading. Besides, there yet remain a few Directions for Poetical Beginners, which we feel ourselves called upon to give, and for which, if we do not take care, we shall not have room.
The commencement of a poet's career is usually the writing ofnonsenseverses. The nonsense of these compositions is very often unintentional; but sometimes words are put together avowedly without regard to sense, and with no other view than that of acquiring a familiarity with metrical arrangement: as,
"Approach, disdain, involuntary, tell."
But this is dry work. It may be necessary to compose in this way just at first, but in our opinion, there is a good and a bad taste to be displayed even in writing nonsense verses; that is, verses which really deserve that name. We recommend the young poet to make it his aim to render his nonsense as perfect as——
Itwere manifestly culpable to make no mention, in a work of this sort, of certain measures which are especially and essentially, of a comic nature. Some of these have been already adverted to, but two principal varieties yet remain to be considered.
1. Measures taken from the Latin, in which the structure of the ancient verse, as far as the number and arrangement of the feet are concerned, is preserved, but the quantity of which is regulated in accordance with the spirit of our own language. The character of such verses will be best displayed by employing them on sentimental or serious subjects. Take, for example, Long and Short, or Hexameter and Pentameter verses.
"Jülïà, girl ôf my heart, ïs thàn jëssâmïne swëetër, ôr frësh mëadsHày-côvër'd; whât rôse tints thôse ôn hër chëeks, thàt flôurish,Approach? those bright eyes, what stars, what glittering dew-drops?And oh! what Parian marble, or snow, that bosom?If she my love return, what bliss will be greater than mine; butWhat more deep sadness if she reprove my passion?Either a bridegroom proud yon ivy-clad church shall receive meSoon; or the cold church-yard me with its turf shall cover."
Or the Sapphic metre of which the late Mr. Canning's "Knife-Grinder" is so brilliant an example. Sappho, fair reader, was a poetess, who made love-verses which could be actually scanned. History relatesthat, for the sake of some unprincipled or unfeeling fellow, she committedfelo de se.
"I can endüre this crüël pain nô lôngër;Fare ye well, blue skies, rivers, fields, and song-birds!'Thus the youth spoke; and adding,'Oh, Jemima!' Plunged in the billow!"
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2. Measures reducible to no rule, or Doggrel. Sternhold and Hopkins were illustrious as Doggrel writers.
Doggrelis commonly used by anonymous poets for the purpose of embodying the moral reflections which a homicide or an execution excites in the sensitive mind. May we hope that our remarks on Prosody will in some little degree tend to facilitate, perhaps to improve, the future treatment of those two deeply interesting subjects—Love and Murder?
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Mindyour stops." This is one of the earliest maxims inculcated by the instructors of youth. Hence it is clear that the subject of Punctuation is an important one: but inasmuch as the reader, who has arrived at the present page, has either not understood a word that he has been reading, or else knows as much about the matter as we can tell him, we fear that a long dissertation concerning periods, commas, and so on, would only serve to embarrass his progress in learning with useless stops. We shall, therefore, confine ourselves to that notice of Punctuation, and that only, which the peculiar nature of our work may require.
First, it may be remarked, that the notes of admiration which we so often hear in theatres, may be called notes of hand. Secondly, that notes of interrogation are not at all like bank notes; although they are largely uttered in Banco Regino. Let us now proceed with our subject.
Punctuation is the soul of Grammar, as Punctuality is that of business.
Perhaps somebody or other may take advantage of what we have said, to prove both Punctuation and Punctuality immaterial. No matter.
Itis both absurd and inconvenient to stand upon points.