Andersen. — Classification of Verse. 523 



where a pause theoretically taking the second half of the third and the 

 former first half of the fourth units divides the metaphorical speech from 

 the call. It is reasonable to suppose such a division : it would argue the 

 taking of a deep breath to make the calls the louder. The result of the 

 scansion (14a) is to make the light paused unit the third unit instead of 

 the fifth, to make the fourth a heavy paused unit, and to give the fifth a 

 feminine ending ; yet perhaps the extraordinary occurrence described in 

 the verse warrants the extraordinary variety in the metre. The pause 

 will probably not be equal to a full unit in reading ; there is nothing tangible 

 to enforce such full value being given, but, as in a physical organ, the funda- 

 mental structure is the same if the unit be vigorous or in a state of atrophy. 

 Another instance of a silent unit may be cited, : — 



(15.) went it not so ? 



To the self-/same tune// and wurds/. /Who's here ?// 



(Macb., I, iii, 88.) 



Again the pause after " words " seems logical. Banquo makes a shght 

 pause before accosting Ross and Angus, who enter at that moment with the 

 King's message to Macbeth. Of course, these silent units cannot be proven 

 in the rugged metre of dramatic verse : it is enough to suggest their pos- 

 sibility. Their probability may be surmised when it is known that pri- 

 marily all Alexandrine verse was divided into two halves by a silent unit 

 this will be dealt with in the chapter on verse-lengths. ig 



8. Within the verse the light paused unit is not so unusital as at the 

 verse-end : — 



(Hi.) (I. The raven himself is hoarse 



That croaks/ the fa/tal en/trance /of Diin/(can) 

 Under my battlements. (Macb., I, v, 40.) 



h. Haply you shall not see me more ; or if, 



A man/gled nhk/dow : / perchance/ to-mor/(row) 



You'll serve another master. (Ant. & Cleo., IV, ii, 27.) 



The construction is quite different in verses hke — 



(17.) «. Yet here, Laertes .' Aboard, aboard, for shame ! 



(Hamlet, I, iii, 55.) 

 h. Two nights together had these gentlemen . . . 

 Been thus encoun<er'd!. A figure like your father 



(Hamlet, I, ii, 199.) 



Here triple units are divided by pauses, the scansion being — 



(17rt.) n. Yet here/, Laer/<es / Aboard/, aboard/, for shame !/ 



b. Been thus/ encbun/ter'd. A fi/gnre like/ your fa/(ther). 



Were a paused light unit supposed, the scansion would be — 



(176.) a. Yet here/, Laer/tes ! /Aboard/, aboard/, for shame !/ 

 b. Been thus/ encoun/ter'd. /A fi/gure like your fa/(ther) 



— when the verses would contain six units instead of the normal five. The 

 same apphes to ballad-measures. For instance, 



(18.) I fear thy kisses, gentle maiden, 

 differs from 



(18«.) Then out spake bold Horatius, 



in this : the former contains not only the full four units of the ballad half- 

 hne, but an additional syllable also ; the latter contains a syllable less than 

 the full four units : — • 



(186.) I fear/ thy kis/ses, gen/tle mai/(den,) 

 Then out/ spake bold/ Hora/tius, / 



