These lines are well written; but we see an inequality in the numbers of syllables they contain: the first and last lines contain each eleven syllables; the second, thirteen; and the third, twelve, the regular number for the kind of verse and the metre. This is a small defect, and it is one so inconsiderable and so common, as seldom to be noticed by poets or critics.

On this I remark, as I have remarked heretofore of anapastic verse we have two species: one species consists of sheer anapæstic feet; and the other consists in having the first foot iambic, and the others anapæstic: this is called anapæstic verse with the initial syllables retrenched; and the other, sheer anapæstic. These are the two species, and each of which is proper; but it is not so proper to confound the two species, by mixing them together in couplets and stanzas, as, in this way, the verse is not so regularly harmonious as in lines of equal metres.

This is not common, to see every line in anapæstic verse, of equal metres and an equal number of syllables, in a poem throughout; and this is not commonly easy and convenient to be done, nor is this essentially necessary; but between the lines of a couplet, or a stanza, there should be a harmonious correspondence, in anapæstic verse, as also in the other kinds. Of this I will

cite a few examples.

"The fox and the panther, both beasts of the night,
Retire to their dens on the gleaming of light,

And they spring with a free and a sorrowless track,
For they know that their mates are expecting them back.
Each bird, and each beast, it is blest in degree:
All nature is cheerful, all happy, but me."

These lines have a regular correspondence in their sounds and in their pauses, and in their number of syllables in each couplet; the middle couplet being sheer anapæstic, and the others of the other species. The following lines are of sheer anapæstic verse in suc

cession.

"I will go to my tent, and lie down in despair;

I will paint me with black, and will sever my hair;
I will sit on the shore, where the hurricane blows,
And reveal to the god of the tempest my woes;
I will weep for a season, on bitterness fed,

For my kindred are gone to the hills of the dead."

These lines, from the same poem with the former, are a good example of anapæstic composition, having a regular correspondence in the sounds and pauses, and also in the number of syllables, from line to line, throughout.

But here it is obvious to remark, we have no human perfection; and these lines, in point of harmony, are not complete, as may be perceived by the ear of a good reader, and as may be also illustrated by inspection. Nor does our language always admit of such arrangements of sounds as harmony requires, without marring the sense or the diction: the last couplet, of the lines above cited, is an example of this. The last line, as respects the adjustment, is as it should be; but the line before it contains some syllables whose sounds are naturally short; that is, the word bitterness consists of three short syllables, which do not exactly correspond, in time and quantity, to the syllables which stand in the same situation in the line below. And there is the same inequality, which is equally ap: parent, in the long syllables of the third foot in each line, bit and hills. Of these, the former has a shorter sound than the latter; and these minor inequalities in corresponding sounds constitute minor deficiences in the harmony of the verse, and render it incomplete. These minor deficiences frequently occur in our English verse, and should be guarded against by the poets: they may sometimes be avoided, and sometimes not.

It is here observable, that, in these and similar cases, the fault is not wholly to be imputed to the poets; but partly to our language. Such is our language, and such is our orthoepy, a medley of sounds so various and diverse in their time and quantity, and with too great a proportion of short sounds also, that it is sometimes difficult, and sometimes impossible to avoid some deficiencies in the harmony of verse, without marring the sense or the diction, which being the more important parts, should not be sacrificed to sound.

In like manner as in couplets, there should be a regular correspondence between the lines of a stanza, in anapæstic verse as also in iambic; of which the following are examples:

"In slumbers of midnight the sailor boy lay;

His hammock swung loose at the sport of the wind;
But, watch-worn and weary, his cares flew away,
And visions of happiness danc'd o'er his mind."

"On a bed of green sea-flower thy limbs shall be laid;
Around thy white bones the red coral shall grow ;
Of thy fair yellow locks threads of amber be made,
And every part suit to thy mansion below."-Dimond.

These two stanzas, both from the same poem, are pretty good examples in the case before ns; they are anapæstic verse, and rhyme alternately.

The first stanza is of the species, in which the first foot is iamic: the correspondences in the sounds are pretty regular; and those f the pauses may be made so, by the right application of the æsural pause.

The other stanza consists of the two species of anapæstic verse, arranged alternately; it is also diversified by amphimacs and bacchies, which are adapted to the subject; these give additional quantity, and without diminishing the harmony of the verse. The correspondences are regular, between the first and third lines; and also, between the second and fourth.

In this connection I will cite a stanza in iambic verse, and also a couplet.

"And now 'tis time, for their officious haste,

Who would before, have borne him to the sky,
Like eager Romans, ere all rites were past,

Did let too soon, the sacred eagle fly."-Dryden.

"The midnight moon serenely smiles, o'er nature's soft repose; No low'ring cloud obscures the sky, nor ruffling tempest blows." Carter.

These lines are generally harmonious, and regular in their adjustments; and may stand as examples of versification, in iambic verse, as those, above cited, in anapæstic.

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It is not necessary that every kind of verse should be alike harmonious propriety requires that different kinds of verse should be different in the flow of their numbers, as will hereafter be shewn. But lyric verse, and that intended for music, more than most others, should be melodious in the flow of their numbers, and regulated by the rules of harmony.

8. Lyrics, &c.

Odes and lyric poems, and those intended for vocal music, should be regulated by the rules of harmony, and melodious in their numbers: harmony and melody are among their essential properties. They admit of fewer anomalous sounds than poems intended for oratory or recitation. These, if of the iambic order, should be more purely iambic; the accents and cadences, or long and short quantity, should be clearly distinguishable, and without those dubious and half way sounds, by means of which, the different kinds of feet are sometimes scarcely distinguishable. It should be so generally, if practicable, in other kinds of verse, but in lyrics more especially so.

Many of our English poets are more or less deficient in this respect; but we have some pieces which may serve as specimens, for examples in versification; among which is Mrs. Carter's poem, from which the lines last cited were taken: "The midnight

moon, &c." A few more examples may be presented, from other authors, which may in like manner exemplify the principles above specified.

"Hail, beauteous stranger of the wood, attendant on the spring! Now heaven repairs thy rural seat, and woods thy welcome sing. Soon as the daisy decks the green, thy certain voice we hear : Hast thou a star to guide thy path, or mark the rolling year? Delightful visitant! with thee, I hail the time of flowers, When heaven is fill'd with music sweet of birds among the bowers."-Logan.

Here is a specimen of lyric verse, which is very melodious in the flow of its numbers. It has a few anomalies, and these so well adjusted as not to mar the harmony. The accents and cadences are sufficiently distinguishable, and with a proper distribution of acute and grave accents to constitute a harmonious variety. The following lines, from another poet, are not inferior to those above cited.

"Those evening bells, those evening bells,
How many a tale, their music tells
Of youth, and home, and native clime,
When I last heard their soothing chime.
Those pleasant hours have past away,
And many a heart, that then was gay,
Within the tomb now darkly dwells,
And hears no more those evening bells.
And so 'twill be when I am gone;
That tuneful peal will still ring on,

When other bards shall walk those dells

And sing your praise, sweet evening bells."-Moore.

These lines have a fine melody, and are not deficient in harmony, and may stand for an example of lyric composition.

Among our English bards, Watts stands in the foremost rank, as a writer of lyric poems, songs, hymns, &c. He has some inequalities, as respects the harmony and melody of his verse; being generally more attentive to the subject matter, than to the manner, or mode of versifying. But many of his compositions are correct in point of sound, as also in sentiment, and may stand for models in lyric composition; among which are the following: "Once more, my soul, the rising day salutes thy waking eyes; Once more, my voice, thy tribute pay to him that rules the skies. Night unto night his name repeats, the day renews the sound, Wide as the heavens on which he sits, to turn the seasons round. 'Tis he supports my mortal frame; my tongue shall speak his praise;

My sins would rouse his wrath to flame, and yet his wrath delays."-Watts.

1 We have some other examples of lyric verse, in Parnell, Shenstone and others, which are not inferior to those above cited; but those may serve for examples in this kind of verse. We have many specimens of this kind of composition, which are deficient in point of harmony, and not worthy to be held up as models for versification. Of this class are many of our odes.

Odes, Pindaric as well as others, are poems of the lyric kind; and we have a few, from Dryden, Gray and others, which may stand as models for lyric composition; but not so with many of our English odes. our English odes. The following, from the bard last mentioned, is not a perfect example of this kind:

Daughter of heaven, relentless power,
Thou tamer of the human breast,
Whose iron scourge, and tort'ring hour
The bad affright, afflict the best!
Bound in thy adamantine chain,
The proud are taught to taste of pain,
And purple tyrants vainly groan

With pangs unfelt before, unpitied and alone."-Gray.

This stanza is not so harmonious as is commonly requisite in lyric composition; and there is indeed a natural harshness in the sounds, and want of lyrical melody, in Gray's ode on adversity; I know not why, unless the bard intended to fit his style to the subject, and express the sternness of the character he described, by correspondent sounds in his numbers,

9. Remarks.

With a few remarks, I shall close this subject. It is very observable that our English poets are generally deficient in the harmony of their verse; and if equal to the Greek and Roman bards in point of sentiment, are inferior to them in this respect. Shakespeare, perhaps, the greatest poetical genius which England has produced, has given us some specimens of very harmonious verse; but he is not so uniformly harmonious as some others, and, in this respect, he falls below the antients, and those who, in other respects, are his inferiors.

Milton, the rival of Homer and Virgil, was less harmonious than they. The Roman Juvenal was said to be very harmonious in his verse our English Juvenal- Doctor Doane is said to have rivalled him, in every thing but harmony. Doctor Young, who, in point of sentiment, has, perhaps, outrivalled all the bards of Grecian or Roantiquity, is outrivalled by many of those in the harmony and melody of their numbers. The same may be remarked of many others, and of our English bards, generally.

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