Look once more now at the passage from weak force to strong, as well as from fast time to slow, in the following: The cherubim descended; on the ground -Par. Lost, 12: Milton. CHAPTER VI. FORCE AS THE SOURCE AND INTERPRETER OF POETIC MEASURES. Gradations of Force or Stress, representing Reflective Influence exerted on Instinctive Tendency-What is represented by the Different Kinds of Elocutionary Stress-Why Elocutionary Stress corresponds to Poetic Measure Classification of English Poetic Measures, and their Classic Analogues-What is represented by Initial Double Measure-Its Classic Form-By Terminal Double Measure-Why used in Our HymnsIts Classic Form-Triple Measures; Median-Its Classic Form-Initial Triple Measure-Could also be termed Compound Measure, corresponding to Compound Stress-Its Classic Forms-Its Use in Greek Pæonics-In Pathos, corresponding to Tremulous Stress-Terminal Triple Measure-Can correspond to Thorough Stress-Its Classic Forms-Blending of Different Triple Measures-Of Triple and Double Measures to prevent Monotony-Quadruple Measures, Initial and Terminal-Blending of all Kinds of Measures to represent Movements. WE pass on now to the next way, in which the force employed in emphasis has been said to differ-namely, in gradation, or what is technically termed stress. In discoursive elocution, the force or exertion necessary for the pronunciation of any given syllable or word may be used because of an internal or an external motive, or of a combination of the two; in other words, either because a man desires to express an idea for his own sake; or because he wishes to impress it upon others; or because he wishes to do both. In the first case, the sound bursts forth explosively, as if the speaker were conscious of nothing but his own vocal organs to prevent the accomplishment of his object; and the loudest part of the sound is on the first part of the utterance. This is the most instinctive, and, in this sense, physical, form of stress. In the second case, the sound is pushed forth expulsively, as if the man were conscious of an outside possibility of opposition, and of the necessity of pressing his point; and the loudest sound is at the end of the utterance. This is a deliberative stress, force given with a design; and, in this sense, is reflective and intellectual. In the third case, the sound is uttered so that it blends the effects of both the other methods, either as in the effusive median stress, or in the ways indicated in the descriptions given below of compound, thorough, and tremulous stress. In dramatic elocution, of course, these same methods would represent things having a bursting or pushing sound or tendency, or both of these together. These two methods of applying energy to articulation, and different combinations of them, give us the different kinds of stress: termed, if the chief force is used at the beginning of the accented utterance, Initial, indicated thus >, and used in this: Up, comrades, up!-in Rokeby's halls Ne'er be it said our courage falls! If at its end, Terminal, <, and used in this: Let the consequences be what they may, I am determined to proceed. If in its middle, Median, <>, and used in this: O joy to the people and joy to the throne. If at both its beginning and end, Compound, X, and used in this: Ye blocks, ye stones, ye worse than senseless things. If at its beginning, middle, and end, with strong force, Thorough, and used in this: Lend, lend your wings, I mount, I fly. O grave, where is thy victory? If at all three, with weak force, Tremulous, and used in this: Pity the sorrows of a poor old man. It may be difficult for those not acquainted with elocution to detect at once what is meant by stress; but it will become clearer as we proceed. The first important thing for us to notice in connection with it, is that, though given mainly on the accented syllable, it is often, especially in flexible voices, communicated to more than one syllable. In the following, for instance, the same kind of compound stress is used on the one syllable in hard and on the two syllables in cruel, and might be used on the three syllables in a word like villanous, were it substituted for cruel. O ye hard hearts, ye cru-el men of Rome. So it is with other kinds of stress. The three syllables in misery might receive the same gradations in force as the one in woe. It is owing to this fact with reference to force that analogies, important though subtle, may be detected between different kinds of stress and different kinds of poetic measure. An accent, as has been noticed, falls on every second, third, or fourth syllable of a verse, and the number of accents in a line determines the number of feet or measures in it, a foot being composed of one accented syllable and, as the case may be, of one, two, or three unaccented syllables. Below, separated by bars, will be found all the principal kinds of feet. A mo ment's glance at them will detect that the character of each measure is determined by the place in it, whether its beginning, its middle, or its end, on which the accent falls. In the same way, the character of any given kind of stress is determined by the place in the utterance, whether composed of one or of more syllables, on which the chief force falls. In other words, poetic accent influences syllables grouped in feet or measures, precisely as elocutionary stress influences syllables grouped in words. For this reason, the measures in the paragraph below are named according to the analogy between the places in them on which the accents fall, and the places in words made most prominent by the different kinds of stress. The Greek names for corresponding measures are also given. Initial measure, or initial double measure, is determined by what may be called initial accent, and corresponds, if composed of one long syllable followed by one short, to the Greek trochee or choree; if of two long, to the Greek spondee ; e. g.: Tell me not in | mòurnful | nùmbers. Terminal measure, or terminal double measure, is determined by what may be called terminal accent, and corresponds to the Greek iambus, composed of one short followed by one long syllable; e. g.: The train from oùt | the càs | tle drèw. Initial triple measure is usually the same as the Greek dactyl. Over the roadways and | òn through the villages. Median, or median triple measure, is usually the same as the Greek amphibrach; e. g. : There came to the beach a | poor exile | of Èrin. |