II. Trochaic verses contain from one to seven feet, and most of them may take an additional long syllable at the close. 1. The first species of Trochaic verse, consisting only of one foot, always takes the additional long syllable, as In ǎmaze The example is taken from a burlesque poem, called a Lilliputian Ode, by Swift. 2. The second species has two Trochees, as On the mountain, By a fountain. or two feet with an additional long syllable, as In the days of old, Lovers felt annoy. These lines are from an old ballad. The measure is very uncommon. 3. The third species has three Trochees, as When the seas were rōaring, Phillis lay deploring. Verses of three Trochees and an additional long syllable, are sometimes called Anacreontic, as By the streams that ēvěr flōw, 4. The fourth species is made of four Trochees, as Days of ease and nights of pleasure. or with an additional long syllable, Idle, after dinner, in his chair Sat a farmer, ruddy, fat, and fair. 5. The fifth species, consisting of five Trochees, runs thus, All that walk on foot, or ride in chariots, All that dwell in palaces or garrets. or with an additional long syllable, Pleasǎnt was thẻ mõrning, and the mōnth was May, It may be doubted whether any poems of this measure are to be found in English, but some Scotch ballads are composed in it. 6. The sixth species, consisting of six Trochees, does On ǎ mountain stretch'd, beneath ǎ hōary willow, 7. The seventh species has seven Trochees, but the verse Ås near Portobello lying. On the gently swelling flood, At midnight, with streamers flying, Our triumphant navy rode. This example is taken from one of the finest ballads in the English language. The first foot happens to be an lambus instead of a Trochee, an allowable and common variety; and the verse contains an additional long syllable. Specimens of Trochaic versification may be found in the Greek and Roman poets. III. Anapestic verses contain from one to five feet, and they take occasionally a short syllable at the close. 1. The shortest Anapestic measure must be a single Anapest, as But in vain They complain. but this measure is ambiguous; for by laying the emphasis on the first and third syllables, we make it Trochaic. 2. The second species has two Anapests, as But his courage găn fail, For no arts could avail. 3. The third has three Anapests, as With her mien shě ĕnāmours thě brāve, This is a delightful measure, and it is much used in Diogenes sūrly and proud. and here we may observe that Anapestic verses commonly take an Iambus for the first foot. With an additional short syllable the verse runs thus, Sǎys my Uncle, I pray you discōvěr Why you pine and you whine like a lover. 4. The fourth species has four Anapests, as At the clōse of the dãy when thẻ hāmlět is still. This measure resembles that of the French heroic verse. On the cold cheek of death smiles and roses are blending. and sometimes also between the second and third foot. In the morning when sōběr, In the evening when mellow. 5. The fifth species consists of five Anapests; but verses of this kind are broken into two lines, the former containing three and the latter two feet, as in the witty ballad of Molly Mog, written by Gay, and often imitated. IV. In some Odes we find mixed metres employed, which has an agreeable effect, as in the Allegro and Penseroso of Milton. Iambic But cōme, thou gōddess, fāir ånd free, Trochaic Come and trip it as you gō, On the light fantastic toe. Poetic Licence signifies an allowable, because slight, deviation from that correctness of style which is more easily maintained in prose than in verse; a deviation from the strict rules of grammar, harmony, simplicity, and perspicuity formerly recommended. Thus, the orthography and prosody of syllables may sometimes be altered by contracting or lengthening-the etymology and syntax of words may sometimes be vitiated-the purity of metres may be affected by the admission of other feet, and rhymes may not always perfectly tally-the simplicity of style may be affected by multiplied epithets, circumlocutions, and tautologies-and the admission of antiquated, new coined, and other uncommon words, domestic or foreign, may affect perspicuity. To which may be added the free use of tropes and figures, as also of words commonly termed synonimous. But the Poets' Licence does not terminate in words and syllables. They affect to give laws to mankind; but those laws are favourable to virtue and liberty in good poems, and to licentiousness and ribaldry in bad ones. It is certain that the Druids preserved the laws and history of their country in poetic numbers; and perhaps it is not too much to consider Ossian's Poems as a specimen of their skill in the poetic art. In Epic Poetry and Tragedy, the verses may either rhyme or not, although commonly in Epic Poetry they do, and in Tragedy they do not rhyme. All other verses require the embellishment of rhyme. "With thee conversing, I forget all time; On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flow'r, Milton. "But O, my muse, what numbers wilt thou find, 'Twas then great Marlbro's mighty soul was prov'd And taught the doubtful battle where to rage. Addison. "O thou that rollest above, round as the shield of my fathers! Whence are thy beams, O sun! thy everlasting light? Thou comest forth, in thy awful beauty, and the stars hide themselves in the sky; the moon, cold and pale, sinks in the western wave. But thou thyself movest alone: who can be a companion of thy course? The oaks of the mountains fall; the mountains themselves decay with years; the ocean shrinks and grows again: the moon herself is lost in heaven; but thou art for ever the same; rejoicing in the brightness of thy course! When the world is dark with tempests; when thunder rolls, and lightning flies; thou lookest in thy beauty from the clouds, and laughest at the storm. But to Ossian thou lookest in vain; for he beholds thy beams no more; whether thy yellow hair flows on the eastern clouds, or thou tremblest at the gates of the west. But thou art perhaps like me, for a season, and thy years will have an end." Ossian. |