The Art of English Poetry (1708) Part 8

The Treble Rhyme is, when in words accented on the last save two we begin the Rhyme at the Vowel of that Syllable, and continue it to the end of the word: Thus _Charity_ and _Parity_, _Tenderness_ and _Slenderness_, &c., are treble Rhymes. And these too, as well as the double, may be compos'd of several words; as,

_There was an ancient sage Philosopher, That had read_ Alexander Ross _over._ Hud.

The Treble Rhyme is very seldom us'd, and ought wholly to be excluded from serious Subjects; for it has a certain flatness, unworthy the Gravity requir'd in Heroick Verse. In which _Dryden_ was of Opinion that even the double Rhymes ought very cautiously to find place; and in all his Translation of _Virgil_, he has made use of none except only in such words as admit of a Contraction, and therefore cannot properly be said to be double Rhymes; as _Giv'n_, _Driv'n_, _Tow'r_, _Pow'r_, and the like. And indeed, considering their Measure is different from that of an Heroick Verse, which consists but of 10 Syllables, they ought not to be too frequently us'd in Heroick Poems; but they are very graceful in the Lyrick, to which, as well as to the Burlesque, those Rhymes more properly belong.

SECT. III.

_Further Instructions concerning Rhyme._

The Consonants, that precede the Vowels where the Rhyme begins, must be different in Sound, and not the same; for then the Rhyme will be too perfect; as _Light_, _Delight_; _Vice_, _Advice_, and the like; for tho'

such Rhymes were allowable in the Days of _Spencer_ and the other old Poets, they are not so now; nor can there be any Musick in one single Note. _Cowley_ himself owns, that they ought not to be employed except in Pindarick Odes, which is a sort of free Poetry, and there too very sparingly, and not without a third Rhyme to answer to both; as,

_In barren Age wild and inglorious lye, And boast of past Fertility, } The poor Relief of present Poverty._ Cowl.}

Where the words _Fertility_ and _Poverty_ rhyme very well to the last word of the first Verse, _Lye_; but cannot rhyme to each other, because the Consonants that precede the last Vowels are the same, both in Writing and Sound.

But this is yet less allowable if the Accent be on the Syllable of the Rhyme; as,

_Her Language melts Omnipotence, arrests His Hand, and thence the vengeful Lightning wrests._ Blac.

From hence it follows that a word cannot rhyme to it self, tho' the signification be different; as _He Leaves_ to _the Leaves_, &c.

Nor the words that differ both in Writing and Sense, if they have the same Sound, as _Maid_ and _Made_, _Prey_ and _Pray_, _to Bow_ and _a Bough_: as,

_How gawdy Fate may be in Presents_ sent, _And creep insensibly by Touch or_ Scent. Oldh.

Nor a Compound to its Simple; as _Move_ to _Remove_, _Taught_ to _Untaught_, &c.

Nor the Compounds of the same Words to one another, as _Disprove_ to _Approve_, and the like. All which proceeds from what I said before, _viz._ That the Consonants that precede the Vowel where the Rhyme begins, must not be the same in Sound, but different. In all which we vary from our Neighbours; for neither the _French_, _Italians_ not _Spaniards_ will allow that a Rhyme can be too perfect: And we meet with frequent Examples in their Poetry, where not only the Compounds rhyme to their Simples, and to themselves; but even where words written and p.r.o.nounc'd exactly alike, provided they have a different Signification, are made use of as Rhymes to one another: But this is not permitted in our Poetry; and therefore, tho' in the two former Editions of this Book I said that _Rhyme is only a Sameness of Sound at the End of Words_, I have in this given it a Definition which I take to be more agreeable to our Practice, and call'd it _a Likeness or Uniformity of Sound in the Terminations of two Words_.

We must take care not to place a Word at the middle of a Verse that rhymes to the last Word of it; as,

_So young in show, as if he still should grow._

But this fault is still more inexcusable, if the second Verse rhyme to the middle and end of the first; as,

_Knowledge he only sought, and so soon caught, As if for him Knowledge had rather sought._ Cowl.

_Here Pa.s.sion sways; but there the Muse shall raise Eternal Monuments of louder Praise._ Wall.

Or both the middle and end of the second to the last Word of the first; as,

_Farewell, she cry'd, my Sister, thou dear Part, Thou sweetest part of my divided Heart._ Dryd.

Where the tenderness of Expression will not attone for the Jingle.

CHAP. III.

_Of the several sorts of Poems, or Compositions in Verse._

All our Poems may be divided into two sorts; the first of those that are compos'd in Couplets; the second are those that are compos'd in Stanzas consisting of several Verses.

SECT. I.

_Of the Poems compos'd in Couplets._

In the Poems compos'd in Couplets, the Rhymes follow one another, and end at each Couplet; that is to say, the 2d Verse rhymes to the 1st, the 4th to the 3d, the 6th to the 5th, and in like manner to the end of the Poem.

The Verses employ'd in this sort of Poems, are either Verses of 10 Syllables; as,

_Oh! could I flow like thee, and make thy Stream My great Example, as it is my Theme; The deep, yet clear tho' gentle, yet net dull; Strong, without Rage; without o'erflowing, full._ Denh.

Or of 8; as,

_O fairest Piece of well-form'd Earth, Why urge you thus your haughty Birth; The Pow'r, which you have o'er us, lies Not in your Race, but in your Eyes.

Smile but on me, and you shall scorn Henceforth to be of Princes born; I can describe the shady Grove, Where your lov'd Mother slept with_ Jove; _And yet excuse the faultless Dame, Caught with her Spouse's Shape and Name; Thy matchless Form will Credit bring, To all the Wonders I shall sing._ Wall.

Or of 7; as,

Phillis, _why should we delay Pleasures shorter than the Day?

Could we, which we never can, Stretch our lives beyond their Span.

Beauty like a Shadow flies, and our Youth before us dies,_ _Or would Youth and Beauty stay, Love has Wings, and will away.

Love has swifter Wings than Time._ Wall.

But the second Verse of the Couplet does not always contain a like number of Syllables with the first; as,