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Accent and Feet.

Upon careful observation, it will be seen that we involuntarily divide a line of rhythmical verse into meter, by a sort of keeping time with hands and feet: accenting at regular intervals certain syllables, thus giving the peculiar musical accompaniment which makes poetry attractive.

There are four kinds of feet in English verse called Iambus, Trochee, Anapest and Dactyl. The distinguishing characteristic of Iambic verse is, that we always accent the second syllable in reading the same; as " Beh61d, how gre"at."

The Trochee, like the Iambus, consists of two syllables, with the accent ou the first syllable; as "S6e the distant f6rest dark and waving."

The Anapest has the first two syllables unaccented, and the last accented; as " O'er the land of the fre*e and the home of the brave."

The Dactyl contains three syllables, with the accent on the first; as durable, brdvery.

Meters.

Verse is also named according to the number of feet in each line; a foot in Iambic being two syllables. Monometer is a line of one foot; dimeter, of two feet; trimeter, of three feet; tetrameter, of four feet; pentameter, of five feet; hexameter, of six feet; heptameter, of seven feet; odometer, of eight feet.

Examples.

The following examples represent the Iambic, Trochaic, Anapestic, and Dactylic, in the different kinds of meter. A straight line (") over a syllable, shows that such syllable is accented. A curved line (" ) indicates the unaccented.

Iambic.— One foot.

"Th«y go
To sow."

Iambic.—Two feet.

"T6 me | the rose
No longer glows,"

"Their love | and awe
Supply | the law."

Iambic.—Three feet.

"Blie light [ nlngs slnije | the wives.
And thunder rends the rock."

Iambic.—Four feet.

"And cold | 6r still | the winds | did blow.
And darker hours of night came on."

Iambic.—Five feet.

"For praise | t5o dear | ly lov'd | or warm | ly sought. Enfeebles all internal strength of thought."

Iambic.—Six feet.

"His heart | Is sad, | his hope | Is gone, | his light | Is passed. He sits and mourns in silent grief the lingering day."

Iambic.—Seven feet.

"The lof | ty hill, I the hum | ble lawn, | with count | less

beau | ties shine; The silent grove, the solemn shade, proclaim thy power divine."

Note.—It hae become common in writing modern poetry to divide this kind of verse into four lines; alternate lines having four and three feet; thus,—

"The lofty hill, the hnmble lawn.
With countless beauties shine;
The silent grove, the solemn shade,
Proclaim thy power divine."

Iambic.—Eight feet.

O all ) ye peo | pie, clap | your hands, | and with | trrom |

pliant voic | es sing; No force the mighty pow'r withstands of God the universal

King.

Note.—It is common at present to reduce this verse Into lines at eight syllables, as follows,—

"O all ye people, clap your hands.
And with triumphant voices sing,
No force the mighty pow'r withstands
Of God the universal King."

Stanza—Long, Short, and Common Meter.

A stanza is a combination of several lines in poetry, forming a distinct division of the poem: thus,—

"The curlew tolls the knell of parting day.
The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea.
The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me."

A Verse.
Verse is but a single line of a stanza, thus,—

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day."

Long Meter.

The long, short, and common meters are known by the number of feet or syllables found in them. Long meter stanzas contain in each line four Iambic feet, thus —

"Through every age, eternal God
Thou art our rest, our safe abode;
High was thy throne ere heaven was made,
Or earth, thy humble footstool, laid."

Short Meter.

Short meter stanzas contain three lines of six syllables, and one of eight syllables — the third line being the longest, and containing four Iambic feet, thus —

"Sweet is the time of Spring,

When nature's charms appear;
The birds with ceaseless pleasure sing.
And hail the opening year."

Common Meter.

Iambic verse of seven feet, divided into two lines, the first containing four, and the latter three feet, makes what is known as common meter; thus—

"When all thy mercies, O, my God!
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I 'm lost
In wonder, love, and praise."

Each species of Iambic verse will admit of an additional short syllable ; as

Upon a mount | ain.
Beside a fount I ain.

Trochaic Verse.

The accent in Trochaic verse occurs on the first syllable. The foot consists of two syllables.

Trochaic— One foot.

Changing.
Ranging.

Trochaic.—Two feet.

Fancy | viewing.
Joys ensuing.

Trochaic.—Three feet.

"Whfin thy | heart Is | mourning."
'' Go where comfort waits thee."

Trochaic.—Four feet.

"Round a I holy | calm dlf | fusing,
Love of peace and lonely musing."

Trochaic.—Five feet.

All that I walk 6n | loot 6r | ride In | chariots,
All that dwell in palaces or garrets.

Trochaic.— Six feet.

On a | mountain I stretch'd be | neath a | hoary | willow, Lay a shepherd swain and viewed the roaring billow.

Trochaic.— Seven feet.

Hasten | Lord t6 | rescue | me, and | set mfi | safe from |

trouble. Shame thou those who seek my soul, reward their mischief

double.

Trochaic.—Fight feet.

Note.— Trochaic and Iambic are frequently found combined in one stanza.

Once up | on a | midnight | dreary | while I | pondered | weak

and | weary Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore.

Anapestic Verse.

Anapestic verse contains three syllables to the foot, with the accent on the last syllable.

Anapestic.— One foot.

"On the land.
Let me stand."

Anapestic.—Two feet.

"Bat his cour | age 'gan fail,
For no arts could avail."

This form admits of an additional short syllable; as

"But his cour | age gan fail | him,
For no arts could avail him."

Anapestic.—Three feet.

C* ye woods | spread yOur branch | es apace,

T& y5ur deepest recessCs I hie;
I would hide with the beasts Of the chase,

I would vanish frOm ever)' eye.

Anapestic.—Four feet.

May I gov | ffrn my pass | ions with ab | sOlute sway.
And grOw wiser and better as life wears away.

This measure admits of a short syllable at the end; as

On the warm | chefik 6f youth | smiles and ro | s6s are blend

Dactylic Verse.

In Dactylic verse the accent occurs on the first syllable of each successive three, being on the first, fourth, seventh, and tenth syllables.

Dactylic.— One foot.

Cheerfully,
Fearfully.

Dactylic.—Two feet.

Father all | glorious
O'er all victorious.

Dactylic.—Three feet.

Wearing a | way In his | youthfulness.
Loveliness, beauty, and truthfulness.

Dactylic.—Four feet.

"Boys will an | ticlpate, | lavish and | dissipate.
All that your busy pate hoarded with care;
And, in their foolishness, passion, and mulishness,
Charge you with churlishness, spurning your pray'r."

Dactylic.—Five feet.

"Now thou dost | welcome me, | welcOme me, | from the dark

I sea.
Land of the beautiful, beautiful land of the free."

Dactylic.— Six feet.

"Time, thou art ] ever In | motion, On | wheels Of the | days,

years, and | ages. Restless as waves of the ocean, when Eurus or Boreas rages."

Dactylic.— Seven feet.

"Out 6f the I kingdom Of | Christ shall be | gathered, by |

angels 6"er Satan victorious. All that offendeth, that lieth, that faileth to honor his name

ever glorious."

Dactylic.— Fight feet.

NlmrOd the | hunter was | mighty In | hunting, and ] famed 1-.

the | ruler Of | cities Of | yore; Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, from Shinar's fair

region his name afar bore.

Other Kinds of Poetical Feet. Besides the foregoing there are other kinds of feet that sometimes occur. These are named the pyrrhic, the spondee, the amphibrach, and the tribrach. The pyrrhic consists of two short and the spondee of two long syllables. The amphibrach contains three syllables, of which the first and third are short and the second long. The tribrach consists of three short syllables.

Examples.

Pyrrhic.— " Sn the tall tree."
Spondee.— " The pale moon."
Amphibrach. — " Delightful, Domestic."
Tribrach.-" Numerable, conquerable."

Poetical Pauses.

The full effect in reading poetry is most completely given when a slight pause is made at the close of every line, even though the sense may not require a pause. Frequently a pause for sense is found in or near the middle of the line, particularly of long lines, in which it improves the rhythm, and brings out the meaning of the poem with much better effect. This pause is called the coesural pause, and is shown in the following examples.

Cacsural Pause.

On her white breast | a sparkling cross she wore—
Which Jews might kiss | and infidels adore.
Her lively looks | a sprightly mind disclose.
Quick as her eyes | and as unfixed as tho«;
Favors to none, | to all she smiles extends.
Oft she rejects, | but never once offends.

"Then her cheek | was pale, and thinner | | than should be |

for one so young; And her eyes, | on all my motions, | | with a mute observance

hung."

The final pause occurs at the end of each line whether the sense requires it or not, though

it should not be too distinctly marked, as it consists merely in a brief suspension of the voice without any change in tone or accent. The following example shows its effect.

Final Pause.

Ye who have anxiously and fondly watched
Beside a fading friend, unconscious that
The cheek's bright crimson, lovely to the view,
Like nightshade, with unwholesome beauty bloomed.

Varieties of Poetry.

EVERAL leading kinds of poetry are named as follows: Epic, Dramatic, Lyric, Elegiac, Pastoral, and Didactic.

Epic Poetry.

Epic poetry pertains to the narrative, descriptive, and heroic in character, and is the highest and most difficult of poetry to write well. Among the best of the Epic poems may be mentioned, Homer's "Iliad" in Greek, Virgil's "sEndd" in Latin, and Milton's " Paradise Lost" in English.

Dramatic Poetry.

Dramatic poetry is also an elevated species of poetry, and takes nearly equal rank with the Epic. This kind of poetry includes the dramas, tragedies, comedies, melodramas, and operas.

Lyric Poetry.

Lyric poetry, as its name indicates, was the' kind of verse originally written to be sung as an accompaniment to the lyre. This class of poetry is the oldest in the language of all nations, comprising, as it does, the songs of the people. In the Lyric are included the Songs, Hymns, Odes, and Sonnets.

Elegiac Poetry.

Elegiac poetry includes the elegies, such as Milton's " Lycidias," Tennyson's "In Memoriam," and j)oems of grave, solemn, and mourn

ful character. Gray's "Elegy, Written in a Country Churchyard " is undoubtedly the most complete specimen of this class of poetry to be found in any language

Pastoral Poetry.

In the early history of the world, throughout certain portions of Europe, a distinct occupation was that of the shepherd, whose duty was to care for the flocks, as they roamed in the valleys and among the hills. Leading thus a life of dreamy ease among the charms of nature, the shepherds of better culture took readily to the writing of verse, which poetry, usually descriptive of rustic life, became known as Pastoral poetry.*

This class of poetry includes the poems that rebate to country scenes, and the quiet, the simplicity, and the happiness found in rural life.

Of these may be included, in modern poems, "The Old Oaken Bucket," "The Sower," "Twenty Years Ago," " Maud Muller," and others of like character.

Didactic Poetry.

Didactic poetry pertains chiefly to the meditative and instructive, and includes such poems as Bryant's " Thanatopsis," Campbell's " Pleasures of Hope," Thomson's "Seasons," Pope's "E say on Man," and kindred poems.

Kinds of Poems.

ARIOUS kinds of poems are known by certain names, which are defined as follows:

Odes.— Sacred hymns, such as are sung in church.

Paeans.— Songs of praise and triumph.

Ballads.— An easy form of descriptive verse, written in such style as to be easily sung by the people, who may have little acquaintance with music.

* From the Latin word pastor, a shepherd.

Epigrams.— A short poem, witty and concise, treating of a single subject, usually ending with an unexpected, ingeniously expressed natural thought.

Sonnets.— The Sonnet is a poetical composition, consisting of fourteen lines, so constructed that the first eight lines shall contain but two rhymes, and the last six but two more; and so arranged that, in the first part, the first line is made to rhyme with the fourth, fifth, and eighth —the second rhyming with the third, sixth, and seventh, while in the second part, the first, third, and fifth; and the second, fourth, and sixth also rhyme with each other, as shown in the following:

Autumn.

"The blithe birds of the summer tide are flown;

Cold, motionless, and mute, stands all the wood,

Save as the restless wind, in mournful mood,
Strays through the tossing limbs with saddest moan.
The leaves it wooed with kisses, overblown

By gusts capricious, pitiless and rude,

Lie dank and dead amid the solitude;
Where-through it waileth, desolate and lone.
But with a clearer splendor sunlight streams

Athwart the bare, slim branches; and on high
Each star, in Night's rich coronal that beams,

Pours down intenser brilliance on the eye;
Till dazzled Fancy finds her gorgeous dreams

Outshone in beauty by the autumn sky."

Cantatas.—The Cantata is a musical composition, partaking of the nature of an anthem, being intermixed with airs and recitatives; and may be adapted to a single voice, or many.

Charades. The Charade may be in either prose or poetry, and contains as a subject a word of two syllables, each forming a distinct word; these to be concealed in an enigmatical description, first separately and then together.

Canzonets.—A short song consisting of one, two, or three parts is termed a Canzonet. The following, of two parts, is an illustration.

BLACK EYES AND BLUE.

Black eyes most dazzle in the hall;
Blue eyes most please at evening fall.
The black a conquest sootiest gain;
The blue a conquest most retain;
The black bespeak a lively heart
Whose soft emotions soon depart;

The blue a steadier flame betray.
That burns and lives beyond a day;
The black may features best disclose;
In blue may feelings all repose;
Then let each reign without control.
The black all Mind — the blue all Soul.

Epitaphs.—An Epitaph is usually a stanza in poetry, which follows the inscription on a tombstone.*

Satires. — The Satire is a poem used in exposing folly and wickedness, in keen, cutting words; holding the same up to ridicule and

contempt.

Parodies.—A ludicrous imitation of a serious subject, usually in rhyme, is termed a Parody , as follows —

"Hands that the rod of empire might have swayed —
Close at my elbow stir their lemonade."

Prologues.—The Prologue is a short poem, introductory to a play or discourse, usually recited before the performance begins.

Epilogues.—The Epilogue is a short poem, which frequently reviews the principal incidents of the play, delivered by one of the actors at the close of a dramatic performance.

Impromptus.—An Impromptu is a poetical composition, made at the moment, without previous study.

Acrostics.—An Acrostic is a stanza of several lines, the first letters of which, taken in their order from top to bottom, make a word or sentence.

Friendship, thou 'rt false! I hate thy flattering smile'.

Return to me those years I spent in vain.

In early youth, the victim of thy guile.

Each joy took wing, ne'er to return again —

Ne'er to return; for, chilled by hopes deceived.

Dully the slow-paced hours now move along;

So changed the time, when, thoughtless, I believed

Her honeyed words, and heard her syren song.

If e'er, as me, she lure some youth to stray.

Perhaps, before too late, he '11 listen to my lay.

* See chapter on Epitaph*.