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The following Stanza in like manner is compos'd of a Quadran, whose Verses consist of 8 Syllables; and to which 2 Verses that rhyme to one another are added at the End; as,

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Hope waits upon the flowry Prime,

And Summer, tho' it be less gay,

Yet is not look'd on as a Time

Of Declination and Decay;

For with a full Hand that does bring

All that was promis'd by the Spring.

Wall.

Sometimes the Quadran ends the Stanza, and the two Lines

of the fame Rhyme begin it; as,

Here's to thee Dick, this whining Love despise :

Pledge me, my Friend, and drink till thou best wise.

It Sparkles brighter far than she;

'Tis pure and right without Deceit,

And Such no Woman e'er can be;

No, they are all Sophisticate.

L

Cowl

Or as in these, where the first and last Verses of the Stanza

confift of 10 Syllables;

When Chance or cruel Bus'ness parts us two,

What do our Souls, I wonder, do?

While Sleep does our dull Bodies tie,
Methinks at home they should not stay,
Content with Dreams, but boldly fly

Abroad, and meet each other half the Way.

Cowl.

Or as in the following Stanza, where the 4th and 5th Verses.

Thyme to each other, and the 3d and 6th;

While what I write I do not fee,
I dare thus ev'n to you write Poetry.

Ah foolish Muse! that dost so high aspire,

And know'st her Judgment well,
How much it does thy Pow'r excell;

Yet dar'st be read by thy just Doom the Fire.

Cowl.

(Written in Juice of Lemon.

But in some of these Stanzas the Rhymes follow one another;

as,

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What Dangers ought'st thou not to dread

When Love that's blind is by blind Fortune led? Cowl.

Lastly,

Lastly, some of these Stanzas are compos'd of 2 Triplets; as,
The Lightning, which tall Oaks oppose in vain,
To strike sometimes does not disdain
The humble Furzes of the Plain.

She being so high, and I so low,
Her Pow'r by this does greater show,
VVho at fuch Distance gives so sure a Blow.

Cowl:

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SECT. IV.

Of the Stanzas of 8 Verses.

Have already faid, that the Italians compose their Heroick Poems in Stanzas of 8 Verses, where the Rhyme is difpos'd as follows; the ist, 3d, and 5th Verses rhyme to one another, and the 2d 4th, and 6th; the Two last always rhyme to each other. Now our Translators of their Heroick Poems have observ'd the same Stanza and Disposition of Rhyme; of which take the following Example from Fairfax's Translation of Taffo's Goffredo, Cant. 1. Stan. 3d.

Thither thou know'st the World is best inclin'd
VVhere turing Parnass most his Beams imparts;
And Truth convey'd in Verse of gentleft kind,
To read sometimes, will move the dullest Hearts;
So we, if Children young diseas'd we find,
Anoint with Sweets the Vessel's foremost Parts,
To make them taste the Potions sharp we give;
They drink deceiv'd, and so deceiv'd they live.

But our Poets seldom imploy this Stanza in Compositions of their own; where the following Stanzas of 8 Verses are most frequent.

Some others may with Safety tell

The mod'rate Flames which in them dwell;

And either find some Med'cine there,
Or cure themselves ev'n by Despair :

My Love's so great, that it might prove

Dang'rous to tell her that I love.

So tender is my VVound, it cannot bear

Any Salute, tho' of the kindest Air.

Cowl.

Where the Rhymes follow one another, and the 6 first

Verses confift of & Syllables each, the a last of 10.

We

We have another fort of Stanza of 8 Verses, where the 4th rhymes to the ist, the 3d to the 2d, and the 4 last are Two Couplets; and where the ist, 4th, 6th and 8th, are of to Syllables each, the 4 others but of 8; as,

1

I've often wish'd to love: VVhat shall I do?

Me still the cruel Boy does Spare;

And I a double Task must bear,

First to wooe him, and then a Mistress too.
Come at last, and strike for shame,
If thou art any thing besides a Name;
I'll think thee else no God to be,

But Poets, rather, Gods, who first created thee.

Cowl.

Another, when the 2 first and 2 last Verses consist of 10 Syllables each, and rhyme to one another, the 4 other but of 8 in Alternate Rhyme.

Tho' you be absent hence, 1 needs must Say,

The Trees as beauteous are, and Flow'rs as gay,

As ever they were wont to be :

Nay the Birds rural Musick too
Is as melodious and free,

.

As if they sung to pleasure you.

I saw a Rose-bud ope this Morn; I'll swear
The blushing Morning open'd not more fair.

Cowl.

Another, where the 4 first Verses are Two Couplets, the 4 last in Alternate Rhyme; as in Cowley's Ode of a Lady that made Pofies for Rings.

I little thought the Time would ever be,
That I should VVit in dwarfish Pofies see.
As all VVords in few Letters live,
Thou to few Vords all sense dost give.
'Twas Nature taught you this rare Art,
In such a little much to shew;
VVho all the Good She did impart
To Vomankind, epitomis'd in you.

SECT. V.

Of the Stanzas of 10 and of 12 Verses.

T

HE Stanzas of 10 and 12 Verses are seldom employ'd in our Poetry, it being very difficult to confine our selves to a certain Disposition of Rhyme, and Measure of Verse, for

fo

so many Lines together; for which Reason those of 4, 6, and 8 Verses are the most frequent. However we sometimes find some of 10 and 12; as in Cowley's Ode, which he calls Verfes lost upon a Wager, where the Rhymes follow one another, but the Verses differ in number of Syllables.

As soon hereafter will I Wagers lay.
'Gainst what an Oracle shall say:
Fool that I was to venture to deny
A Tongue so us'd to Victory;
A Tongue so bleft by Nature and by Art,
That never yet spoke but gain'd a Heart.
Tho' what you Jaid had not been true,
If Spoke by any else but you;
Tour Speech will govern Destiny,

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And Fate will change rather than you shall iye.

Cowl.

The fame Poet furnishes us with an Example of a Stanza of 12 Verses in the Ode he calls The Prophet; where the Rhymes are observ'd in the same Manner as in the former Example.

Teach me to love! Go teach thy self more Wit:
I chief Profeffor am of it.
Teach Graft to Scots, and Thrift to Jews,
Teach Boldness to the Stews..
In Tyrants Courts teach supple Flattery,
Teach Jesuits that have travell'd far to lyes
Teach Fire to burn, and Winds to blow,
Teach restless Fountains how to flow,
Teach the dull Earth fixt to abide,
Teach Womankind Inconstancy and Pride.
See if your Diligence there will useful proves
But prithee teach not me to love.

SECT. VÍ.

Of the Stanzas that consist of an odd Number of Verses.

WE

E have also Stanzas that confift of odd Numbers of Verses, as of 5, 7, 9, and 11; in all which it of neceffity follows, that three Verses of the Stanza rhyme to one another, or that one of them be a blank Verse.

In the Stanzas of 5 Verses the 1st and 3d may rhyme, and the ad and two last; as,

L

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Time what we forbear, devours.

۱۰

Wall.

Which is only a Stanza of 4 Verses in Alternate Rhyme, to which a sth Verse is added that rhymes to the 2d and 4th.

See also an Instance of a Stanza of 5 Verses, where the Rhymes are intermix'd in the same Manner as the former, but the ist and 3d Verses are compos'd but of 4 Syllables cach.

Go lovely Rose,

Tell her that wasts ber Time and me,

That now she knows,
When I resemble her to thee,

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How Sweet and fair she seems to be.

Wall.

In the following Example the two first Verses rhyme, and the three last.

'Tis well, 'tis well with them, said I,

Whose short-liv'd Paffions with themselves can dye.

For none can be unhappy, who

'Midst all his Ills a Time does know,

Tho' ne'er So long, when he shall not be fo.

Cowl.

In this Stanza, the two first and the last, and the 3d and 4th rhyme to one another.

It is enough, enough of Time and Pain

Hast thou confum'd in vain :

Leave, wretched Cowley, leave,

Thy Self with Shadows to deceive.

Think that already lost which thou must never Gain.

Cowl.

The Stanzas of 7 Verses are frequent enough in our Poetry, especially among the Ancients, who compos'd many of their Poems in this fort of Stanza: See the Example of one of them taken from Spencer in The Ruines of Time, where the ist and 3d Verses rhyme to one another, the 2d, 4th and 5th, and the 2 last.

But Fame with golden Wings aloft does fly
Above the Reach of ruinous Decay,

And with brave Plumes does beat the Azure Sky
Admir'd of base-born Men from far away :
Then whoso will with virtuous Deeds effay,
To mount to Heaven, on Pegasus must ride,
And in Sweet Poets Verse be glorify'd, I

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:

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