640 Transactions. 



irregularity that^^has^developecl to a regular type. It is conceivable that 

 a Ballad or Romance verse might need considerable extension, yet not so 

 as to equal two verses, to be able to express certain thoughts, and it is 

 also conceivable that during a certain period of the evolution of metre the 

 verse would be lengthened to suit the thought rather than the thought 

 cramped to suit the verse. There are many examples among those given 

 that show this conception to be reasonable. The British ballad of " Sir 

 Cauline "^gives examples of " regular irregularities " : — 



(34.) Faire Christabelle, that ladye bright. 

 Was had forthe of the towre ; 

 But ever she droopeth in her inynde. 

 As nipt by an ungentle winde 

 Doth some faire lillyc fiowre. 



(Part ii, stauza 9.) 



The thought expressed in the last three lines of the stanza is one of con- 

 siderable beauty, and it can well be imagined that poet and hearer alike 

 would rather suffer violation of the form than loss of the thought. As 

 regards the metrical construction, one of two things may have taken place : 

 a half-verse of four stresses may have been added, or a half-verse of three 

 stresses may have been dropped. There is, of course, another possible orighi, 

 but of so ancient date as to be undiscoverable in British poetry. The vital 

 question is, will the three lines be spoken in a breath ? The two first cer- 

 tainly are : what difference will be made by the presence of the interloper ? 

 Reading aloud having fallen into disfavour, opinion will vary ; some will hold 

 that a breath will be taken after " mynde," of the third line, as well as after 

 " towre," of the second. Refer back, however, to the verses quoted in No. (2) 

 of this section, part of " The Lady of the Lake." Will it be denied that in 

 almost every instance in this quotation two lines are taken in a breath, and 

 easily taken ? It is quite possible to take all three Imes of the second part 

 of the stanza from " Sir Caulme " in one breath ; with many it is quite an 

 easy matter to do so ; and if easy now it would presumably be much more 

 easy at a time when the recitation of verse was the rule, and reading the 

 exception. Be it noted, moreover, that whilst this exceptional construction 

 has, like all other vigorous variations, been taken and made an actual type 

 in some instances, as a rule the construction occurs as an occasional, not 

 as a constant, variation in Ballad poetry ; occurring occasionally only, 

 the breath can quite easily make the extra effort required to give utterance 

 to the extra length of verse. A curious instance of the length to which 

 this construction will be carried out on paper occurs in Burns's " Battle 

 of Sherramuir " : — 



(35.) But had ye seen the phihbegs 



And skyrin tartan trews, man, 

 When in the teeth they daur'd our Whigs 



And covenant trueblues, man ! 

 In lines extended lang and large, 

 When baig'nets o'erpower'd the targe, 

 And thousands hasten'd to the charge, 

 Wi' Highland wrath they frae the sheath 

 Drew blades of death, till out of breath 



They fled like frighted dows, man ! 



The reader, too, is out of breath after reading this amazing stanza. The 

 first four lines (two verses) are easily taken in two breaths ; then, inveigled 

 by the rimes, the reader is induced to attempt the remainder of the stanza, 



