3. When a pyrrhic occurs in iambic verse, the cæsural pause naturally occurs in the middle of the pyrrhic, it being necessary to regain the iambic movement; as, in the following:

"All were attentive, to the godlike man."

"You brought your Clio, to the virgin's aid.”

"That Thames's glory, to the stars shall raise.”

4. When a monosyllable word, which is naturally short and unaccented, occupies the place of long quantity, and is necessarily made long in reading, by the figure cæsura, a short pause naturally occurs after it; as:

Gorgons, and hydras, ând, chimeras dire."

5. When a line begins with a trochee, and the first word being in some degree emphatical, whether it consist of one syllable or two, if it be not separated by a syntax pause, sense and harmony require a short pause after it; as, in the following:

"Mark" how those radiant lamps inflame the pole."
"Cæsar" unnoted in your presence stands."

"Now" bend the knee in sport, present the reed;

Now" tell the scourg'd imposter he shall bleed!"

6. We may observe that sometimes the sense, as well as the harmony, requires a pause, where the syntactic construction is too closely connected to admit one; and not in the first part of the line only, as in the last cited examples, but also in the intermediate and other parts of the line; as, in the following:

"Behold the God of gods, indeed descend,

And worlds unnumber'd, his approach attend."

"I will weep for a season, on bitterness fed,

For my kindred are gone" to the hills of the dead."

7. We may observe that the cæsural pause is necessary, in some cases, to add to the perspicuity of the expression, and to give the sense more distinctly, by dividing the line into smaller portions and subdivisions: as sometimes in sentimental composition the line may be divided

into smaller portions than hemisticks, and in some cases the sense and harmony inay seem to require it; as, in the following:

"Warms, in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,

Glows, in the stars, and blossoms, in the trees,

Lives, through all life, extends through all extent,
Spreads, undivided, operates unspent."

These lines have a very regular correspondence, each line being divided into hemisticks by the comma pause, and each of these being capable of subdivision, the cæsural pause spontaneously applies, and gives an additional beauty to the whole, both in point of harmony and expression.

The foregoing examples with the accompanying remarks may be sufficient to illustrate the use of the cæsural pause, although these do not extend to every various case; nor would it be necessary to be thus particular; I shall therefore close with a few remarks.

The casural pause, we may observe, is necessary to be observed in reading verse, as occasion may require, in every kind of verse, and in every metre; but in some kinds of verse more than others; and in the shorter metres it is less frequently needed, than in those which are long. The use of this pause is for the due regulation of time and harmony, and sometimes to aid the expression in giving the sense more plainly; and when not needed for these, or either of these purposes, it need not be used. Sometimes it may occur more frequently, and sometimes less. Sometimes, and in blank verse especially, it may not occur in some whole lines, even where no intermediate pauses are marked. In the shorter metres, also, this pause is not frequently needed on account of harmony; but sometimes for this, and sometimes for expression; and when needed for either, it should not be omitted. In the long metres, those of six and seven feet, a pause must be observed (as was remarked in the sixth chapter) in the latter, after the fourth foot; and in the former after the third. I remark in close, further to proceed in giving rules and precepts may be unnecessary, as no code of rules can be formed which will apply in all cases. Taste, judgment, and an attic ear are necessary in this, as in many other cases, and these alone can guide aright, and supply deficiencies when standing rules will not apply.

Rule 6.

Give attention to regulate the movement of your voice, according to the movement of the numbers, in the order of their arrangement, as they apparently move by feet, iambic, trochaic, anapæstic, &c.

We have verse of different orders; some simple, and some composite. The four simple orders, in common use, are the iambic, the

trochaic, the anapæstic, and amphibrachic. The dactyle, of which These several we have a few examples, is not in common use. orders are known to have different movements, which are observable in reading.

The iambic and trochaic verse are known to move from long to short, and from short to long in alternate succession; having the accent on every second syllable.

The anapastic and amphibrachic have a different movement from the former two, as they have the accent on every third syllable, or, with two short to one long, as they move in succession.

But this we may observe also, the former two are unlike in their movement; as in the following:

"Her fōrm | wǎs bow'd, | but not ❘ with years."

"Houses, churches, | mix'd to | gether."

These lines, although composed of long and short sounds alternately, are seen to have different movements; the one the reverse of the other.

Also the latter two are known to have different movements; as, in the following:

"I will gō | to my tent | ǎnd lie down | în despair.”

"Such scenes were not known in the days of | our fathers."

In reading these lines, their movements are seen not to be reverse to each other; but in one the long sounds occur at every third syllable; and in the other they occur on the middle syllable of every three. But in dactyle verse the movement is contrary to that of anapæstic.

I have cited these several examples in contrast the more plainly to show the different movements pertaining to each. And in reading verse of these orders, which are simple, no further directions are needed, as nature may teach any person of common capacity, even a youth, after having attained the movement of either, to proceed therein. But a greater difficulty, with some readers, may be, to vary from the common movement of the verse, occasionally, as is required by rule 7, when the verse is diversified by other kinds of feet.

In reading verse of composite order, if the order of the verse be regular, the movement also will be regular; and having attained the movement, the reader may be able to proceed therein without difficulty, as in reading verse of the simple orders.

But, in reading verse of irregular or diversified order, the young tyro may find it more difficult to attain and to follow the varied movements of the verse. In order for this, some knowledge of the foregoing rules of versification and scansion will be a necessary prerequisite; and, in addition to this, a correct knowledge of the emphases, accents, and cadences, which are necessary to be observed in reading, may also be necessary.

Rule 7.

When verse is diversified by other kinds of feet, by trochees, by spondees, or any other, give due attention, in reading, to give these, each, their proper sounds.

This rule, I remark, is very generally violated by common readers, and those of the lower class, who in reading verse, iambic for example, never vary from the general movement of the verse, in reading trochees, spondees, or pyrrhics; but they read as though the verse was sheer iambic. A similar violation may also be observed in their mode of reading generally of other kinds of verse. By this mode of reading, the harmony of the verse is marred in some measure, and the sense more.

This is a fault in this class of readers, and which originates from two causes: 1. from a total ignorance of the rules of prosody; and 2. from the natural propensity there is in people to continue the general movement of the verse without varying from it.

I have made these remarks as a caution to this class of readers. If they wish to improve in this respect, they need some little instruction every reader of verse should know enough to be able to distinguish a trochee or spondee from an iambic. For the due observance of this rule, the same general knowledge of prosody is needed, as in reading verse of irregular and diversified order, as was seen under rule 6. I also remark, a correct knowledge of the emphases, accents, and cadences, which pertain to the composition, may be a substitute for a general knowledge of prosody, as far as respects the reading of verse, as, of these the different kinds of poetic feet principally consist. These should be observed alike, as a general rule, in reading prose and verse.

Rule 8.

Give due attention to the regulation of your tones of voice, pathetic, plaintive, animated, interrogative, responsive, &c. as the sense and sentiments expressed may require.

This is the last of the rules above laid down, on which I shall dilate; and this is a rule which should be equally observed in all kinds of reading in prose and verse; but may be more especially needed in reading verse, than in reading prose; because verse is generally more expressive of the various passions and emotions of the human soul than prose.

In verse every various subject is treated upon, which is treated upon in prose; and every species of style and manner is employed, which is or can be employed in prose. We have poems which extend to every variety of sentiment, and to every passion and emo

tion of the soul; and these require different modes of reading, and tones and modulations of the voice correspondently various.

Tones are inflections and variations of the voice, according to the various passions, feelings, and emotions of the speaker. Tones (in the sense we use the word here) are not emphasis, accent, and cadence; but are certain modulations of the voice, by which these are regulated. Tones are the voice of nature, by which the various passions, emotions, and feelings are expressed, by corresponding variations of the voice; and which are practised by all people, in common speech and conversation, being intuitively felt and understood. What is thus taught by instinct, and implanted in our nature, needs not the aid of artificial rules and precepts for the practice of it.

"But this (it may be said) relates to ourselves, individually, when we speak and express our own feelings and sentiments; but reading those of another is a different task." It is so, and the difference consists principally in this: when we speak ourselves, and utter our own sentiments, we understand and feel what we say, and speak from the impulse of feeling; but when we read the compositions of another, we may not understand and feel what is meant to be conveyed, as the writer himself did. This injunction, therefore, is necessary to be observed: "Endeavour to understand and feel what you read." Endeavour to personate your author, in adopting his sentiments and feelings, and his modes of expressing them. This is the main thing necessary in the right use and application of the

tones.

The tones should be various in reading the various kinds of composition. They also should vary in the same piece of composition, sometimes more, and sometimes less frequently. Hence, in reading a poem, we find it necessary to follow the author in all his excursions and meanderings; to follow him in sentiment and feelings. Let this be done, and nature will furnish the right application of

tones.

Additional Precepts.

The foregoing rules are necessary to be observed in reading verse; and, in connection with these, some additional precepts may also be necessary. Pertaining to poems are airs, style, lyre, and movement; and these are various in different poems, and different kinds of verse; and these also, in connection with the former, should be observed by the reader.

1. Poems are written with different airs; animated or depressed, majestic, solemn, pensive, or gay, &c. and these are to be observed in reading. Airs, in reading are different from tones, and different from style; but are analogous to them, and should be observed in connection with them.