On RTTHMICAL MEASURES. 79- 



gin the fecond member with a ftrong found, and are partly de- 

 prived of the afliftance in forming it, which we would have 

 derived from the preceding feeble found, we require a little 

 more time to make the exertion which is necefTary for that pur- 

 pofe. This divifion alfo changes, in fome degree, the characfter 

 of the verfe, the laft member becoming proper trochaic. It 

 may fometimes, however, be ufed with a very happy efFedt. 

 There feems to be an inftance of this in the firfl line of Pope's 

 Eflay on Man. 



A I wake, my | St John. | — Leave all | meaner | tilings, 



Here the grammatical paufe, coinciding with the rythmical di- 

 vifion, gives fuflBcient time to form the accented found with 

 which the fecond member begins ; and that member being" 

 trochaic, is very well fuited to exprefs the intention of the poet, 

 which is to i"oufe. The fame divifion occurs in. the feconi 

 line J but the effedl of it is fomewhat different. 



To lt>w ambition — and the pride of kings. 



In reciting this line, we are unwilling to give an accent to the 

 conjun<51ive particle and. To avoid this, therefore, we are dif- 

 pofed to confider both that word, and the article which follows 

 it, as feeble founds, introdudlory to the n«xt ftrong found, and 

 to fill up the time of the accented pare of that third meafure 

 by a filence or relL 



To I low am|bition — j f ami the | pride of | kings. 



In this way, the reciter, hurrying over thefe two comparatively 

 unimportant words, almoft in the time of one feeble fyllable, 

 is naturally led to exprefs the word pride with confiderable force 

 oremphafisj a circumftance which feems, in this place, to fa- 

 vour 



