>^ 



74 On RYTHMICAL MEASURES. 



in each ; and this can be accurately determined, by obferving 

 the number of long and fliort fyllables in each of them, and 

 accounting every long fyllable equivalent to two fhort ones. In 

 this manner we find, that the duration of an iambus or tro- 

 chaeus is to the duration of a fpondaeus or a dadtylus exaflly in 

 the proportion of three to four. When thefe feet of unequal 

 time, therefore, occur in the fame verfe, which frequently 

 happens in fcanning, it is evident, that, upon this fuppofition, 

 they do not divide that verfe according to equal intervals of 

 time. Whether the fuppofition of this proportion, Invariably 

 fubfifllng betwixt long and fhort fyllables, upon which this 

 fyfiem depends, be In every cafe well founded, may be the fub- 

 jedl of future enquiry. 



The units of time, of which the duration of verfes is 

 made up, are fometimes divided into twos and fours, and fome- 

 times into threes. Of the firft we have an Inftance in the com- 

 mon hexameter verfe of the ancients. This is a regular rythm, 

 the units being all equal, and formed into equal parcels. The 

 number, of which the parcels confift, is fix. It may there- 

 fore be confidered as a triple meafure. In verfes, as well as in 

 other rythmical fuccefiions, the parcels of which confift of any 

 number greater than three, we are always difpofed to break 

 down thefe parcels into the fmaller numbers of which they are 

 compofed, or to confider the whole parcel as an aggregate of 

 thefe fmaller parcels. This is the origin of what Is called the 

 paufe or caefural ftop in verfes. As, according to what was 

 formerly ftated, the clofe of a rythmical fuccefiion, whether 

 final or partial, is moft agreeable, when the laft found is long 

 and accented, and as we are often difpofed to begin a fuccefiion 

 with one or more feeble founds ; fo, in making the divifions of 

 verfes, we reft with moft fatlsfaftion upon a long fyllable 

 in an accented part of the meafure, and begin the fucceeding 

 member moft eafily with a fhort or feeble fyllable, which we, 

 in a manner, pafs over, and confider as introdu<3ory to the 



meafure, 



