This may occasionally serve to diversify the verse, and without marring the harmony, if properly used. It seldom occurs, and is seldom needed; and should be used only at the beginning of the line, unless needed for the sake of expression, which may seldom or never happen.

By Tribrachs.

Tribrachs sometimes occur in iambic verse, and are sometimes admissible, being so nearly equal to iambics in time and quantity, as to be arranged in iambic verse without marring its harmony; and in some cases they may serve to aid the expression. These (not like dactyles) may be used in the intermediate parts of a line, but not in the first part. The following is an example:

“Innu | měrăblě | before th' Almighty's throne."-Milton.

The tribrach here is used to diversify the numbers; and also by increasing the numbers of the verse, is naturally expressive of numbers, which the poet intended to represent.

By Amphibrachs.

Amphibrachs are sometimes used in iambic verse, and serve to diversify the numbers, and sometimes also for expression. These are occasionally admissible in the first part of a line, and also in the intermediate parts, and more frequently in the last place. Examples of which are the following:

"Full many | a gem, of purest ray serene,

The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,

And waste its sweetness on the desert air."-Gray.

These are used here in the first part of the lines, and serve to diversify the numbers, and also, in some degree to aid the expression. They are used in the intermediate parts of the line; as, in the following examples:

"And temples rise, | the beautě | ous works of peace."-Pope. "The time shall come, | when nůměr | ous years are past."

Freneau. "Through streets of palaces, and towers | of state."-Pope's H. In these examples, the amphibrach is used to diversify the numbers: in the following line it is used in a different

manner.

“O'ĕr mână | ǎ frôzěn, | mâný | ă fie | rý ålp."-Milton.

This line is composed of five feet; three of which are amphibrachs, one a trochee, and one an iambic. It is somewhat singular in the arrangement of its numbers, in which the sound is seen to correspond to the sense. This is a rare example of diversification, in blank verse, which admits of a greater scope for variety of numbers than rhyme. It is not, however, so diverse, in the flow of its numbers, from common iambic verse, as to be discordant, when arranged with iambic lines.

Iambic verse is frequently diversified by the lines ending with amphibrachs, thus:

"l Angels and ministers of grace | défend us."-Shakespeare. This mode of diversifying is frequently practiced, more so in blank verse than in rhyme. It is more frequently practiced in the drama than in any other kind of poems; and more perhaps by some of our elder bards, Shakespeare, Spencer and others, than by those of modern times as a specimen of which, I will cite a passage from the former :

"Farewell, a long farewell, to all my greatness!
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hope; to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick | ŭpōn him :
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, | full surely
His greatness is a ripening, nips his shoot;
And then he falls as I do. I have ventŭr'd,
Like little wanton boys, that swim | on bladders,
These many summers, in a sea | of glory;
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now | has left mě
Weary and old with service, to | the mercy
Of a rude stream that must forev | ĕr hide mě.
Vain pomp and glory of the world, | Î hate you!
I feel my heart now open'd. Oh! | how wretched
Is that poor man, that hangs on prin | cès' favours!
There is, betwixt that smile he would | ǎspire to,
More pangs and fears than war or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,

Never to rise again.”—Shakespeare.

This kind of diversification is adapted to the drama; but this quotation is diversified more than is common, even for Shakespeare; and perhaps the occasion required it. In this soliloquy of Cardinal Wolsey, being in a pensive mood, bewailing his fallen state, and bidding adieu to his former greatness, the verse seems adapted to the subject.

Sometimes, we see several lines in succession of iambics ending with amphibrachs; and if poems could be composed of this kind of verse, uniformly, it might constitute another species of iambic verse. Of this I will

cite one example:

"Let this auspicious day be ev | ĕr sācrěd ;
No mourning, no misfortune hap | pěn on it:
Let it be mark'd for triumph and rejoicing;
Let happy lovers ever make it hōly;

Choose it to bless their hopes, and crown | their wishes ; This happy day, that gives me my | Călistă."-Spencer. Rhyme is also occasionally diversified in this way; as' for example:

"The trumpet sounds; hell trembles; heaven | rějõices:
Lift up your heads, ye saints, with cheer | ful' võices."

Watts.

"The piece, you think, is incorrect, why take it:
I'm all submission, what you'd have it make it.”—Pope.

By Anapæsts.

Iambic verse may be said to be diversified with anapæsts; but seldom, however; and never (as with amphibrachs) in the first part of the line; but in any other part of it they are admissible; as, in the following examples: "Great gains rise daily to inge | nĭoŭs mēn From that admired instrument the pen."

"But now the untune | ful trump shall grate no more;
Ye silver streams, no longer swell with gore;

Bear from your beau | těoŭs bānks, the crimson stain,
With yon retiring navies to the main."-Barlow.

These lines are diversified with anapæsts; and we may say also, they are diversified with amphibrachs. And here we may observe: these two kinds of feet, although different from each other, are alike in measure and movement, and, when arranged in verse, are so similar in effect as not to be distinguishable, either by reading or scansion. Hence these lines may be said to be diversified with anapæsts or amphibrachs either, and with equal propriety. The same may be said of those above cited, from Pope, Freneau, &c., as examples of diversifications by amphibrachs. And in any case, when a supernumerary short syllable is contained in the intermedi. ate part of a line, there we may find an anapæst, and there also we may find an amphibrach; but not each on the same syllables, or by the same mode of scansion. I will illustrate this by citing and scanning a line.

"And temples rise, | the beautě | ous works of peace."

By this mode of scansion an amphibrach appears; but by another mode an anapast will appear, as:

"And temples rise, the beau | těous works | of peace."

In the scansion of verse, it depends, in cases like this, how the bars are placed, to determine the kind of feet. I have illustrated this by example, to shew that some cases of this kind are dubious; in such cases the foot may be called by either appellation. No rule, in such cases, can be given but this: "That mode of scansion is preferable which divides a line into feet without splitting words;" as, in the following examples :

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene."

3

"Full many ǎ gém | of purest ray serene."

In this latter line an anapæst appears; in the former, an amphibrach; and the former mode of striking the bars we may consider preferable.

But when an amphibrach comes at the last end of a ,line, or when an anapæst comes at the first end, the case is not dubious. But anapæsts are not used thus in iambic verse; for when they are used thus, the verse is not properly called iambic, but, more properly, of the composite, or diversified orders, as was seen in the chapter on orders.

Having now gone through and presented examples of the various kinds of diversifications in iambic verse, by other kinds of feet, a few remarks and restrictions will close this subject.

On review of this subject, it is apparent that those diversifications are admissible in iambic verse; and when properly used, are useful and necessary. But, concerning their use, it is also apparent, that the examples of our poets, generally, should form no standard rule; for many of our minor bards, sometimes through necessity, and sometimes through vagrancy of fancy, are known to use them improperly. And even our best poets, who are confessedly the standard of composition, are not, in all cases, infallible. Nor is it possible to form a code of rules, which would be infallible. It is easier to criticise on a good poem than to write one; and it is easier to give rules and restrictions, than to follow them when given. But this furnishes no argument against rules and restrictions; but the contrary. It is not for good poets, generally, that rules and restrictions are wanting: their genius and taste are living rules to them,

which are commonly nearer at hand, than any prescribed rules can be. But those living and intuitive rules they cannot always follow. A Pope, a Gray, or a Virgil, cannot, at all times, please his own taste; nor could they, at all times, follow rules which they themselves would prescribe. Shakespeare and Dryden, though possessed of genius which formed an intuitive guide, sometimes flagged through inattention or something else, as we perceive they had their inequalities.

From the foregoing premises we infer that rules and restrictions, in the case before us, are necessary, not for the benefit of good poets, but for others; for rules of composition; for tests of criticism; and to set bounds to poetic licence. I hence proceed to observe :

Diversifications in iambic verse are sometimes necessary; sometimes, for the sake of expression; and sometimes, to diversify the numbers, when expression is not intended. In the former case, no oftener than some thought occurs, which plain diction would fail of setting in a just point of light. In the latter case, no oftener than the figures of expression fail of being frequent enough to diversify the numbers, which a regular succession of iambic measures occasionally requires. In both cases, taste and judgment, more than fancy, should dictate.

Those diversifications are not to be used alike, in all compositions. Pentameter verse being that which is best adapted, and most commonly used for subjects which require length and variety, is most susceptible of diversifications. And as this kind of verse is used for various subjects, some subjects require a greater variety, and more frequent use of them than others; as the drama, the descriptive and epic poems, more than the pastoral, and some others.

Restrictions.

Lyric poems, odes, and such as are intended for vocal music, should be more purely iambic, and free from discordant sounds, and from all anomalies in the flow of their numbers, by which the harmony of the verse is marred.

The following, from poems intended for vocal music, are examples of verse, for which these restrictions are intended.