It is sometimes necessary to vary the position of the cæsura, as too great a uniformity throughout each line tends to produce a tediousness to the ear. DIFFERENT KINDS OF VERSE. English verse may be divided into three classes, denominated, from the feet of which they principally consist, the Iambic, Trochaic, and Anapastic. The Iambus, Trochee, and Anapæst are the principal feet employed in the construction of English verse; the other feet are only secondary, being chiefly used to diversify the numbers and improve the verse. Iambic Verse. Iambic verse is adapted to serious and elevated subjects, and has every second, fourth, and other even syllables accented. It is of various lengths. 1. The first form, capable of being extended through any number of verses, consists of four Iambuses or eight syllables; as, And māy | ăt lāst | my wea|ry age Find out the peaceful her mĭtāge. This measure is sometimes varied, to adapt it to light subjects, by admitting an additional short syllable; as, Or if | It be thy will | and pleasure Direct my plough | to find | ǎ treasure. Sometimes a syllable is cut off from the first foot; as, Praise to God | Immortal praise! For the love I that crowns [ our days! 2. The second form, used either with or without rhyme, and commonly called the Heroic measure, is the most dignified of English verse, and is well adapted to subjects of an elevated character. It consists of five Iambuses or ten syllables; as, For me your tributary stores | combine Creation's heir, | the world, | the world, | is mine! This measure frequently admits of some variety, particularly at the beginning and end of the line. The first foot is sometimes a Trochee instead of an Iambus; and the last has sometimes a short unaccented syllable attached to the Iambus; as, 1. Daughter | Ŏf God ănd man, accomplished Evě. 2. Ten thousǎnd glitt'ring lamps the skies ǎdōrning. 3. Sometimes a syllable is cut off from the first foot; as, Idle after dinner in his chair Sat | ǎ fár měr rūddỹ, fät, ănd fair. Sometimes a line of six feet, or twelve syllables, called an Alexandrian verse, is introduced at the close of an heroic stanza; as, This is not solitude; 't is but to hold Converse with Nature's chārms, | ănd view | her stōres | ŭnrõll d. 3. The third form of Iambic verse consists of seven Iambuses, formerly written in one line; as, Thou didst, | O mighty God! | exist | ĕre time | bēgān | īts rāce. | This kind of measure, commonly used in psalms and hymns, is now broken into verses containing alternately four and three feet; as, Thou didst, O mighty God! | exist Fill'd up the void of space. Sometimes it admits an additional half foot at the end of the line; as, From Greenland's Icy mountains, From India's coral strand, Where Afric's sun ny fountains Roll down their golden sands. The following forms of Iambic verse are, for the sake of variety, occasionally introduced into stanzas, but are too short to constitute of themselves an entire ode or song. 1. Of one Iambus with an additional syllable; as, 2. Of two Iambuses; as, Consent/ing, What place is here! This form sometimes assumes an additional syllable; as, Upon | ǎ mountain Beside ǎ fountain. 3. Of three Iambuses; or of three and an additional syllable; as, a. A charge to keep | Ĭhāve,| A Gōd to glō|rify.| Our hearts no lōn|ger län|guish. Trochaic Verse. Trochaic verse is adapted to lively, cheerful subjects, and has the first, third, and other odd syllables accented. It comprises verses of various lengths; those which are the most commonly used are the following:--- 1. Of three Trochees; or of three and an additional syl lable; as, a. When our hearts ǎre | mōurning. b. Vītăl spark of | heav'nly | flame, Quit oh quit this mōrtăl | frāme. The Trochaic verse of three feet and an additional syllable is the most generally employed. 2. Of four Trochees; as, Round us roars thě | tempest | loūdĕr. 3. Of six Trochees; as, On ǎ mountain, | stretch'd be neath ǎ | hōary | willow,| The following are only occasionally used :— 1. Of one Trochee and an additional syllable; as, Tümült cease, 2. Of two Trochees; or of two and an additional syllable; as, 1. The first form of Anapastic verse, sometimes introduced into odes to arouse the attention, consists either of two Anapæsts, or of two and an unaccented syllable; as, But his courage 'găn fail,| For no arts could ǎvail. Or, Then his courage 'găn fail | hìm, 2. The second form, much used both in solemn and in cheerful subjects, consists of three Anapæsts; as, Ŏ yě woods, | spread your branch ĕs ăpace, To your deep est recēss¦ès I flỹ;| I would hide with the beasts of the chase, Sometimes a syllable is omitted in the first foot; as, Oh! had I the wings | of ǎ dove,| 3. The third form consists of four Anapests; as, Mǎy I gōv ĕrn my passions with absolute sway, And grow wiser and better as life wears away. This form sometimes contains an additional syllable; as, On the warm | cheek of youth, | smiles and roses are blend|ing. The preceding are the different kinds of the principal feet in their simple forms. They are capable of numerous variations, by the intermixture of those feet with one another, and by the admission of the secondary feet, as will be seen from the following examples. 1. The Pyrrhic mixed with the Iambic. And to the dead my willing soul | shall gō. Forbear, great mān, | in arms | renown'd, | forbear. Tyrănt and slave, | those names of hate and fear. Mỹ sōr rows I then | might assuage Poetical License. The application of certain words in Poetry, contrary to the ordinary rules of Grammar, is called Poetical License. This peculiarity of grammatical structure is allowable in poetry, that the words may thus be the more easily arranged into regular numbers. The following are the principal peculiarities :——— 1. Poetry frequently admits antiquated words and modes of construction which would be improper in prose. Thus, 1. WORDS. a." Shall I receive by gift, what of my own When and where likes me best, I can command." b." Long were, to tell what I have seen." 2. MODES OF CONSTRUCTION. a." He knew to sing, and build the lofty rhyme." b. "Meanwhile, whate'er of beautiful or new-was offer'd to his view." In determining what words must be considered as obsolete in poetry, it may be stated as a general rule, that any word which cannot plead the authority of Milton or of some standard contemporary poet, is inadmissible. 2. The construction of poetry frequently deviates from the ordinary syntactical arrangement of words. Thus, a. The adjective is frequently placed after the noun; as, "With error sweet, wind the lingering step." 'Come, nymph demure, with mantle blue." b. The nominative follows, or the accusative precedes the verb; as, a. "No hive hast thou of hoarded sweets." b. "A transient calm the happy scenes bestow." c. The infinitive frequently precedes the word on which it is dependent; as, "When first thy sire to send on earth Virtue, his darling child, design'd." d. Other modes of transposition frequently occur; as, "Heaven trembles; roar the mountains, thunders all the ground!" "The ploughman homeward plods his weary way." "Thou sun, of this great world both eye and soul." "Griev'd though thou art, forbear the rash design." 3. In poetry, several words undergo various changes, that they may be the better adapted to a measured composition. The most frequent changes are those of Elision and Synaēresis.-See Figures of Orthography, p. 131. 4. In poetry, nouns are frequently used for adjectives, and adjectives for nouns and adverbs. Thus, as, Adjectives are sometimes connected with substantives which they do not qualify; "The tenants of the warbling shade." Compound epithets are very common; thus, "Flower-inwoven tresses." and or 5. The conjunction nor is often used for neither, for either; "Nor grief nor fear shall break my rest.” as, "Remote, unfriended, melancholy, slow, |