The Art of English Poetry (1708) Part 3

The 3d, 4th, and 5th of those Verses, have like faults; for the Pauses are at the 5th, and the Accent there too, which is likewise contrary to the foregoing Rules: Now they will be made smooth and flowing, by taking the Accent from the 5th, and removing the Seat of the Pause; as,

_Against th' Insults both of the Wind and Tide.

A second Trial will the Pow'rs appease.

With_ Scythians _skilfull in the Dart and Bow._

From whence we conclude, that in all Verses of 10 Syllables, the most prevailing Accents ought to be on the 2d, 4th, or 6th Syllables; for if they are on the 3d, 5th, or 7th, the Verses will be rough and disagreeable, as has been prov'd by the preceeding Instances.

In short, the wrong placing of the Accent is as great a fault in our Versification, as false Quant.i.ty was in that of the Antients; and therefore we ought to take equal care to avoid it, and endeavour so to dispose the Words, that they may create a certain Melody in the Ear, without Labour to the Tongue, or Violence to the Sense.

SECT. II.

_Of the other Sorts of Verses that are us'd in our Poetry._

After the Verses of 10 Syllables, those of 8 are most frequent, and we have many intire Poems compos'd in them.

In the Structure of these Verses, as well as of those of 10 Syllables, we must take care that the most prevailing Accents be neither on the 3d nor 5th Syllables of them.

They also require a Pause to be observ'd in p.r.o.nouncing them, which is generally at the 4th, or 5th Syllable; as,

_I'll sing of Heroes,--and of Kings, } In mighty Numbers--mighty things; } Begin, my_ Muse,--_but lo the Strings, } To my great Song--rebellious prove, The Strings will sound--of nought but Love._ Cowl.

The Verses of 7 Syllables, which are call'd _Anacreontick_, are most beautiful when the strongest Accent is on the 3d, and the Pause either there, or at the 4th, as,

_Fill the Bowl--with rosy Wine, Round our Temples--Roses twine; Crown'd with Roses--we contemn_ Gyges _wealthy--Diadem._ Cowl.

The Verses of 9, and of 11 Syllables, are of two sorts, one is those that are accented upon the last save one, which are only the Verses of double Rhyme that belong to those of 8 and 10 Syllables, of which Examples have already been given. The other is those that are accented on the last Syllable, which are employ'd only in Compositions for Musick, and in the lowest sort of Burlesque Poetry; the disagreeableness of their Measure having wholly excluded them from grave and serious Subjects. They who desire to see Examples of them, may find some scatter'd here and there in our Masks, and Operas, and in our Burlesque Writers. I will give but two.

Hilas, O Hilas, _why sit we mute?

Now that each Bird saluteth the Spring._ Wall.

_Apart let me view then each Heavenly Fair, For three at a time there's no Mortal can bear._ Congr.

The Verses of 12 Syllables are truly Heroick, both in their Measure and Sound; tho' we have no intire Works compos'd in them; and they are so far from being a Blemish to the Poems they are in, that on the contrary, when rightly employed, they conduce not a little to the Ornament of them; particularly in the following Rencounters.

1. When they conclude an Episode in an Heroick Poem: Thus _Stafford_ ends his Translation of that of _Camilla_ from the 11th aeneid, with a Verse of 12 Syllables.

_The ling'ring Soul th' unwelcom Doom receives, And, murm'ring with Disdain, the beauteous Body leaves._

2. When they conclude a Triplet and full Sense together; as,

_Millions of op'ning Mouths to Fame belong; } And every Mouth is furnish'd with a Tongue; } And round with list'ning Ears the flying Plague is hung._ Dryd. }

And here we may observe by the way, that whenever a Triplet is made use of in an Heroick Poem, it is a fault not to close the Sense at the end of the Triplet, but to continue it into the next Line; as _Dryden_ has done in his Translation of the 11th aeneid in those Lines.

_With Olives crown'd, the Presents they shall bear, } A Purple Robe, a Royal Iv'ry Chair, } And all the Marks of Sway that_ Latian _Monarchs wear, } And Sums of Gold_, &c.

And in the 7th aeneid he has committed the like fault.

_Then they, whose Mothers, frantick with their Fear, } In Woods and Wilds the Flags of_ Bacchus _bear, } And lead his Dances with dishevel'd Hair, } Increase the Clamour_, &c.

But the Sense is not confin'd to the Couplet, for the Close of it may fall into the middle of the next Verse, that is the Third, and sometimes farther off: Provided the last Verse of the Couplet exceed not the Number of ten Syllables; for then the Sense ought always to conclude with it. Examples of this are so frequent, that 'tis needless to give any.

3. When they conclude the Stanzas of Lyrick or Pindarick Odes; Examples of which are often seen in _Dryden_, and others.

In these Verses the Pause ought to be at the 6th Syllable, as may be seen in the foregoing Examples.

We sometimes find it, tho' very rarely, at the 7th; as,

_That such a cursed Creature--lives so long a s.p.a.ce._

When it is at the 4th, the Verse will be rough and hobbling: as,

_And Midwife Time--the ripen'd Plot to Murther brought._ Dryd.

_The Prince pursu'd--and march'd along with equal Pace._ Dryd.

In the last of which it is very apparent, that if the Sense and Construction would allow us to make the Pause at the 6th Syllable,

_The Prince pursu'd, and march'd--along with equal Pace._

the Verse would be much more flowing and easie.

The Verses of 14 Syllables are less frequent than those of 12; they are likewise inserted in Heroick Poems, _&c._ and are agreeable enough when they conclude a Triplet and Sense, and follow a Verse of 12; as,

_For thee the Land in fragrant Flowers is drest; } For thee the Ocean smiles, and smooths her wavy Breast, Dryd.} And Heav'n it self with more serene and purer Light is blest._ }

But if they follow one of 10 Syllables, the Inequality of the Measure renders them less agreeable; as,

_While all thy Province, Nature, I survey, (Dryd.} And sing to_ Memmius _an Immortal Lay } Of Heav'n and Earth; and every where thy wondrous Pow'r display_ }

Especially if it be the last of a Couplet only; as,

_With Court-Informers haunts, and Royal Spies, Things done relates, not done she feigns, and mingles Truth with Lies._ (Dryd.

But this is only in Heroicks; for in Pindaricks and Lyricks, Verses of 12 or 14 Syllables are frequently and gracefully plac'd, not only after those of 12 or 10, but of any other number of Syllables whatsoever.