The principal English feet are the Iambus, the Trochee, the Anapast, and the Dactyl. 1. The Iambus is a poetic foot consisting of a short syllable and a long one; as, betray, adore. 2. The Trochee is a poetic foot consisting of a long syllable and a short one; as, hateful, noble. 3. The Anapast is a poetic foot consisting of two short syllables and one long one; as, contravene, intercede. 4. The Dactyl is a poetic foot consisting of one long syllable and two short ones; as, Idbdurer, possible. We have, accordingly, four kinds of verse, or poetic measure; Iambic, Trochaic, Anapæstic, and Dactylic. SCANNING. Scanning is the dividing of verses into the feet which compose them. Obs.—When a syllable is wanting, the verse is said to be catalectic; when the measure is exact, the line is acatalectic; when there is a redundant syllable, it forms hypermeter. I. OF IAMBIC VERSE. In iambic verse, the stress is laid on the even syllables. It consists of the following measures: 1. Iambic of Seven feet, or Heptameter. The Lord descen ded from | ǎbove, | ănd bow'd | the heavens high. Modern poets have divided this kind of verse into alternate lines of four and three feet: thus, O blind | to each | îndul|gent aim What are the principal English feet? What is an iambus---a trochee---an anapast—a dactyl? How many kinds of verse have we? What is scanning? What syllables are accented in an iambic line? What are the several measures of iambic verse ? 2. Iambic of Six feet, or Hexameter. Thy realm | for ev❘er lasts, I thy own | Messi|ah reigns. This is the Alexandrine; it is seldom used except to complete a stanza in an ode, or occasionally to close a period in heroic rhyme. 3. Iambic of Five feet, or Pentameter. For praise too dearly loved | or warmly sought, With solemn ad|ora|tion down | they cast Their crowns | inwove | with amaranth | and gold. This is the regular English heroic. It is, perhaps, the only measure suitable for blank verse. The Elegiac Stanza consists of four heroics rhyming alternately: as, Enough has Heav'n | indulged | of joy | below, 4. Iambic of Four feet, or Tetrameter. 5. Iambic of Three feet. Blue light❘nings tinge | the wave, Lines of fewer than seven syllables are seldom found, except in connexion with longer verses. In iambic verse, the first foot is often varied by introducing a trochee; as, Planets | ănd suns | run law|less through | the sky. By a synæresis of the two short syllables, an anapæst may sometimes be employed for an iambus; or a dactyl for a trochee: as, O'er many a frozen, many d fi'ry alp. II. OF TROCHAIC VERSE. In Trochaic verse, the stress is laid on the odd syllables. Single-rhymed trochaic omits the final short syllable, that it may end with a long one. This kind of verse is the same as iambic without the initial short syllable. Iambics and trochaics often occur in the same poem. 1. Trochaic of Six feet. On a mountain | stretch'd beneath a | hōary | willow, 2. Trochaic of Five feet. Virtue's brlght'nlng | ray shall | beam for | ēver. Idle | after dinner, | in his | chair, 8. Trochaic of Four feet. Round a holy | calm diffusing, Restless mortals | toil for | nought; What syllables are accented in a trochaic line? What are the several measures of trochaic verse? 5. Trochaic of Two feet. Single Rhyme. Tumult cease, Sink to peace. 6. Trochaic of One foot. Changing, Ranging. III. OF ANAPESTIC Verse. In Anapæstic verse, the stress is laid on every third syllable. The first foot of an anapæstic line may be an iambus, 1. Anapmstic of Four feet. At the close of the day | when the ham let is still, 2. Anapastic of Three feet. I am mon arch of all I survey; 3. Anapmstic of Two feet. 4. Anapmstic of One foot. On the land Let me stand. IV. OF DACTYLIC VERSE. In pure Dactylic verse, the stress is laid on the first, the fourth, the seventh, and the tenth syllable. Full dactylic generally forms triple rhyme. When one of the final short What syllables are accented in an anapæstic line? What are the several measures of anapestic verse? What syllables are accented in a dactylic line? syllables is omitted, the rhyme is double; when both, single. Dactylic with single rhyme is the same as anapastic without its initial short syllables. Dactylic measure is uncommon; and, when employed, is seldom perfectly regular. 1. Dactylic of Four feet. Boys will an ticipate, | lavish, and | dissipate, All that ySur busy pate [ hoarded with care; And, in their foolishness, | passion, and I mulishness, Charge you with | churlishness, | spurning your | pray'r. 2. Dactylic of Three feet. Ever sing merrily, | merrily. 3. Dactylic of Two feet. Free from sa tlety, Care, and anxiety, Charms in variety, Fall to his share. 4. Dactylic of One foot. Fearfully, Tearfully. OF READING VERSE. With respect to the art of reading verse, we can lay down but a few simple rules; but these may perhaps be useful. 1. Words should be pronounced as in prose and in conversation; for reading is but rehearsing another's conversation. 2. The emphasis should be observed as in prose. The voice should bound from accent to accent, and no stress should be laid on little unimportant words, nor on weak syllables. 3. The sentential pauses should be observed as in prose; these are not affected by the kind of writing, being regulated entirely by the sense. But as the cæsural and final pauses are designed to increase the melody of verse, the strictest attention must be paid to them in reading. They mark a suspension of voice without rising or falling. To read prose well, it is necessary to understand what is read; and to read poetry well, it is farther necessary to under What are the several measures of dactylic verse? |