Thy soul is dark, is stain'd,

From out the bright world thrown,
By God and man disdain'd,

But not by me-thy own. The Felon's Wife.

The section 5. p, when lengthened, is met with of the second class, not only in the Auglo-Saxon, but also in the old English alliterative metre, and the works of our dramatists. In this last division of our literature, we occasionally find it without the lengthening syllable.

In that it sav'd me, keep it. In like necessity,
Which God protect thee from: it may protect | thee.

Per. 2. 1.

What shall I be appointed hours, as though belike
I knew not which to take and what | to leave, | ha|?

Are bees

:

Tam. of the S. 1. 1.

Bound to keep life in drones: and idle moths? No].

Ben Jons. Ev. M. out of his H. 1, 3.

These examples, however, are very rare. The length

ened section is common.

Duk Morgan was blithe

Tho Rouland Riis was doun,
He sent his sonde | swithe,
And bad all shuld be boun.
And to his lores lithe,
Redi to his somoun,
Durst non again him kithe,
Bot yalt him tour and town.

Duke Morgan was blithe
When Roland Riis was down,
He sent his mesenger quickly,
And bade all should be boun.
And to his hests attend,
Ready at his summons,
Durst none against him strive,
But yielded him tow'r and town.
Tristr. 1. 24.

To sekle seint | Jame: and seintes at Rome.

P. Ploughman.

But on a May | Mor|we: upon Malverne hilles.

P. Ploughman.

Nay more than this], brother: if I should speak,
He would be ready, &c. B. Jons. Ev. M. in his H. 2. 1.

beorhte blisse was heor a blæd | mic|el.

gæstes snytru: thy læs | him gielp | sceth æ.

Cæd.

Ex. MSS.

A love of mine? I would: it were | no worse, brother.
B. J. Ev. M. in his H. 2. 3.

Hark what I say to you: I must go forth, Thomas.

Same, 4. 3.

It may here be observed, that if the section of an Anglo-Saxon couplet take the pause, the alliteration almost always falls on the syllable which precedes it. If the alliteration be double, it falls also (with very few exceptions) upon the syllable which follows the pause. These observations will also apply to the old English alliterative

metre.

THE SECTION 7.p

admits of only one form. From the peculiar nature of the rhythm, the pause must fall between the first and second accented syllables.

Of all those sections which contain the pause, this is the one which has played the most important part in our literature. It is rarely met with in the Anglo-Saxon, but was very generally used by our old English poets, by the poets of the Elizabethan æra, by Shakespeare, and by Milton. It is the only one of our pausing sections which survived the sixteenth century, and it is found occasionally re-appearing even after Milton's death. Burns has used it once-probably the last time it has been patronized by any of our classical writers.

This section occurs so frequently, as to render necessary a more careful arrangement than we have hitherto found practicable. We shall begin with the verse of three accents, of which several examples are found in the romance of Tristrem.

Among the verses of five accents, which contain this section, 7p: 5 is the one the most commonly met with in our poetry. The orthodox number of its syllables, is doubtless one of the causes of its popularity.

I have this day ben at your churche at messe,

And said a sermon to my simple wit,

Not all after the text of holly writ]. Sompnoure's Tale.

The Markep yt the post]: of that willage
Wallace knew weill, and send him his message.

Wallace, 4. 360.

He callyt Balyoune till answer for Scotland,
The wysslord ys gert him: sone brek | that band).

Wallace, 1. 75.

And cry'd mercy sir Knight and mercy Lord.

At last turning her fear: to foolish wrath,
She ask'd-

F. Q. 2. 1. 27.

F. Q. 3. 7. 8.

So peace being confirm'd

amongst them all,

They took their steeds—

What man is he that boasts of fleshly might,
And vain assurance of mortality,
Which all so soon as it doth come to fight
Against | spiritual foes: yields by | and by,

F. Q. 6. 4. 39.

F. Q. 1. 10. 1.

Let not light see my black and deep desires,
The eye wink at the hand]: yet let that be,
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.
The owl | shriek'd | at thy birth an evil sign].

Be a man ne'er so vile,

If he can purchase but a silken cover,

He shall not only pass, but pass regarded;

Macb. 1.4.

3 H 6, 5. 6.

Whereas | let him be poor and mean ly clad, &c.

:

B. J. Ev. M. in his H. 3. 9.

But far | be it from me to spill | the blood

Of harmless maids.

None else can write so skilfully to shew

:

Fl. F. Sh. 3. 1.

Your praise; agles shall pay yet still | must owe.
Geo. Lucy to Ben Jons. on the Alchemist.

Anon | out of the earth: a fabric huge

Rose like an exhalation.

A mind not to be chang'd]: by place | or time.

P. L. 1.

P. L.

Bird, beast, in sect or worm: durst enter none]. P. L. 4.

And when a beest is ded he hath no peine,

But man after his deth]: mote welpe and pleine.

Writings all tending to the great opinion

Knightes Tale.

That Rome holds | of his name: wherein | obscurely
Cæsar's ambition shall be glanc'd at.

J. Cæs. 1. 2.

But since, time | and the truth: have wak'd | my judgment.

B. J. Ev. M. in his H. 1. 1.

The verse 7 p: 2 is more rare.
Yet saw I Silla and Marius where they stood
Their greate crueltie, and the deepe bloudshed
Of friends; Cyrus I saw and | his host dead.

Sackville. M. for M. Induction, 61. Tis good, go to the gate]: some body knocks.

He speaks, let us draw near: match less in might,

The glory late of Israel, now the grief.

Samson Agon.

The section 7p. is also found in the verse of six accents; 7p: 5 was the most usual combination.

She almost fell again into a swound,

Ne wist whether above she were | or under ground.

:

I pray thee now, my son,

Go to them with this bonnet in thy hand,

F. Q. 4. 7. 9.

Thy knee | bussing the stones]: for in | such business]
Action is eloquence.

Cor. 3. 1.

Much care is sometimes necessary to discover this section, when it ends the verse; owing to the license which certain of our poets allow themselves, in the management of their pauses. There is danger of confounding the middle pause with the sectional. We shall first give examples of the verse 2: 7p. and then of the verse 5 : 7 p.

Wallace scho said that full | worthly has beyne],
Than wepyt scho that pete was to seyne.

Wallace, 2. 335.

Thre yer in pess the realme stude desolate,
Quhair for thair raiss: a full | grew'ous debate.

Wallace, 1. 43.

When merchant-like I sell revenge,

Broke be my sword! my arms | torn | and defaced!

2 H. 6, 4. 1.