160 LITERATURE AND DRAMA 



Go * w6ndrous creature : mount * where science guides : 

 G6 measure earth : weigh air and state the tides, 

 Instruct ' the planets : in what 6rbs to run : 

 Correct old time : and regulate the sun. 



We will now to the best of our ability scan these lines, using 

 the ordinary classical symbols. In scanning we shall frequently 

 count syllables as long which receive no primary accent or beat ; 

 but every syllable which does receive a beat will be counted as 

 long. For instance, we count the first syllable of ' regulate ' as 

 a long element in virtue of its accent, although it is very quickly 

 pronounced, and we are ready to give equal rank in scanning 

 to its last syllable in virtue of the time required for its pronuncia- 

 tion. It will be seen that the lines closely resemble iambics : 



With very little persuasion we might be led to consider even 

 the spondees and pyrrhic as merely strong and weak varieties 

 of the iamb. 



In the second mode of analysis by sections we will employ 

 long and short upright marks to denote that relation which in 

 prose we call tumti. The long marks correspond exactly with 

 the accented syllables : 



Those who know the Morse alphabet might readily write down 



this scheme as 



tc : ta, tk : ma, ar : ua, aa : la. 



No one who merely saw the scheme of feet could form any clear 

 idea of the character of the lines, whereas a man to whom the 

 scheme of sections was given could almost recognise the style of 

 Pope. 



In the lines quoted above there is no possible ambiguity in 



