AxDEHSEN. — Clax.^ifi'f:of/on of Verse. 505 



The verses ar« now composed of ordiurtrv duple units with, one triple unit 

 present in each. This triple unit is temporally equal to the duple units, 

 a fact self-evident when the verse is read aloud even without beating time. 

 In the unit preceding the triple unit the pause has beeii filled with an extra 

 syllable, and the fact that such syllable can be inserted without change 

 of the rhvthni is proof of its existence in the verses quoted in (51). In fact. 

 the following pairs of verses — 



(60.) «. A mind/ not/ to be chfing'cl/ Ijy place/ oi- time/ 



Pour fuitli/ their ]io/lHiloiis youtli/ about/ the hive/ (P. I>. i. 1. 770.) 



b. For one/ restraint/ lord/ of tlie world/ besides ?/ 



To set/ himself/ in glo/ry p.bove/ his peers/, P.L., i. 1. 39.) 



c. lUu/min ; what/ is low/ rai.se/ and support/ ; 



In worst/ extreme.s/ and on/ the ]ier/ilous edge' (P.L.. i. 1. 270.) 



— differ only in one unit : the second in a. the third in h. and the fourth m c. 

 The one unit is composed of a pause and a stressed syllable ; the other of two 

 syllables, the second stressed. Rhythmically, then, the pairs are exactly 

 alike ; the only difference is syllabic. 



22. The same is true when the choriamb composes a whole stanza, as 



in Thackeray's " Mahogajiy Tree " : — 



(61.) Christmas is h.ere : 



Winds whistle shrill. 

 Icy and chill, 

 Little care we : 

 Little «e fear 

 Wea.ther without, 

 Sheltered about 

 The ^Mahogany Tiee. 



Every line is composed of a choriamb, with the exception of the last in 

 each stanza. But is the pause dividing the lines to be disregarded ? This 

 pause is absent after the seventh line, and its place is taken by the two st/J- 

 lables opening the eighth. The eighth line is composed of two triple units ; 

 and the inference is that everi/ line of the stanza is likewise composed of 

 two triple units, though, in seveiL out of eiglU, pauses take the place of syl- 

 lables. This conclusion also applies to .Shakspeare's verses quoted in (44) : 

 each verse is preceded by a pause, and the choriambs are broken into 

 two units, the first paused, the second triple. The following verses from 

 " Paradise Lost " are distinctive : — 



(62.) Abolish his own works. This would surpass (ii. 1. 370.) 



Common revenge, and inteiTupt his joy 



Are not the pauses here unmistakable ? — 



j|ti ,. (02^/.) Abul'ish his/ own works/. This/ woidd surpass/ 

 PllJI^!?* ^'* C'i''m/mon revenge/, and in/teriujjt/ his joy/ 



The pause is by no means so decided as in Thackeray's lines, for in Milton 

 the construction does not often come in repeated succession, and the pause 

 in a verse consisting mainly of duple units is not so marked as a pause where 

 the units are mainly triple — in one instance it represents one syllafde. in 

 the other two. In the verses, — 



(63.) But he/ once past/, soon af/ter when/ man fell/. 

 Strange/ alferd/tion ! .Sin/ and Death/ amain/ 

 FH/lowinfi his track/ . sTich/ was the w'dt/ of Heav'u/'. 

 Paved/ after h'nn/ a broad/ and bea/ten way/ 

 O/ver the dark/ abCs.s/, whose boil/ing gulf/ 

 Tame/ly endirred/ ?, bridge/ of won/d'roiis length/, 



(P.L., ii, 1. 1023. &c.) 



