arrangement of the constituent parts of verse, as serve to enforce and illustrate.the thought or the sentiment.

We shall consider each of these three objects in versification, both with respect to the feet and the pauses.

1st, With regard to melody,

From the examples which we have given of verses composed in all the principal feet, it is evident that a considerable portion of melody is found in each of them, though in different degrees. Verses made up of pure Iambics have an excellent melody.

That the final and cæsural pauses contribute to melody, cannot be doubted by any person, who reviews the instances, which we have already given of those pauses. To form lines of the first melody, the cæsura must be at the end of the second, or of the third foot, or in the middle of the third.

2d, With respect to harmony.

Verses composed of Iambics have indeed a fine harmony; but as the stress of the voice, in repeating such verses, is always in the same places, that is, on every second syllable, such a uniformity would disgust the ear in a long succession; and therefore such changes were sought for, as might introduce the pleasure of variety, without prejudice to melody; or which might even contribute to its improvement. Of this nature was the introduction of the Trochee, to form the first foot of an heroic verse: as,

Favours to none, to all shě smiles exténds,
O'ft she rejects, but never once offends.

Each of these lines begins with a Trochee; the remaining feet are in the Iambic movement. In the following line of the same movement, the fourth foot is a Trochee.

All these our notions vain, sees and dĕrīdes.

The next change admitted for the sake of variety, without prejudice to melody, is the intermixture of Pyrrhics and Spondees; in which, two impressions in the one foot make up for the want of one in the other; and two long syllables compensate two short ones, so as to make the sum of the quantity of the two feet, equal to two Iambics.

On the green bank to look into the clear

Smooth lake that to me seem'd another sky.
Stood rul'd stood vast infinitude confin'd.

The next variety admitted, is that of the Amphibrach.

Which many ǎ bārd had cháunted mány ǎ dãy.

In this line we find that two of the feet are Amphibrachs; and three Iambics.

We have before shown that the cæsura improves the melody of verse; and we shall now speak of its other more important office, that of being the chief source of harmony in numbers.

The first and lowest perception of harmony, by means of the cæsura, arises from comparing two members of the same line with each other, divided in the manner to be seen in the instances before mentioned; because the beauty of proportion in the members, according to each of these divisions, is founded in nature; being as one to two-two to three-or three to

two.

The next degree arises from comparing the members of a couplet, or two contiguous lines: as,

See the bold youth" strain up the threat'ning steep,
Rush thro' the thickets" down the valleys sweep.

Here we find the cæsura of the first line, at the end of the second foot; and in the middle of the third foot, in the last line.

Hang o'er their coursers' heads" with eager speed,
And earth rolls back" beneath the flying steed.

In this couplet, the cæsura is at the end of the third foot in the first line; and of the second, in the latter line.

The next perception of harmony arises from comparing a greater number of lines, and observing the relative proportion of the couplets to each other, in point of similarity and diversity: as,

Thy forests Windsor" and thy green retreats,
At once the monarch's" and the muse's seats,
Invite my lays." Be present Sylvan maids,
Unlock your springs" and open all your shades.
Not half so swift" the trembling doves can fly,
When the fierce eagle" cleaves the liquid sky;
Not half so swiftly" the fierce eagle moves,

When through the clouds" he drives the trembling doves.

1

In this way, the comparison of lines variously apportioned by the different seats of the three cæsuras, may be the source of a great variety of harmony, consistent with the finest melody. This is still increased by the introduction of two cæsuras, and much more by that of semi-pauses. The semi-pauses double every where the terms of comparison; give a more distinct view of the whole and the parts; afford new proportions of measurement, and an ampler scope for diversity and equality, those sources of beauty in harmony.

Warms' in the sun" refreshes' in the breeze,
Glows' in the stars" and blossoms' in the trees;
Lives' through all life" extends' through all extent,
Spreads' undivided" operates' unspent.

3d, The last object in versification, regards expression.

When men express their sentiments by words, they naturally fall into that sort of movement of the voice, which is consonant to that produced by the emotion in the mind; and the Dactylic or Anapæstic, the Trochaic, Iambic, or Spondaic, prevails even in common discourse, according to the different nature of the sentiments expressed. To imitate nature, therefore, the poet, in arranging his words in the artificial composition of verse, must take care to make the movement correspond to the sentiment, by the proper use of the several kinds of feet and this is the first and most general source of expression in numbers.

That a judicious management of the feet and pauses, may be peculiarly expressive of particular operations and sentiments, will sufficiently appear to the learner, by a few select examples under each of those heads.

In the following instance, the vast dimensions of Satan are shown by an uncommon succession of long syllables, which detain us to survey the huge arch fiend, in his fixed posture.

Sō stretch'd out huge in length the arch fiend lāy.

The next example affords instances of the power of a Trochee beginning a line, when succeeded by an Iambus.

and sheer within

Lights on his feet: as when a prowling wolf
Léaps o'er the fence with ease into the fōld.

The Trochee which begins the line, shows Satan in the act of lighting the Iambus that follows, fixes bim-" Lights on his feet."

:

The same article, in the beginning of the next line, makes us see the wolf" leáp o'er the fence."-But as the mere act of leaping over the fence, is not the only circumstance to be attended to, but also the facility with which it is done, this is strongly marked, not only by the smooth foot which follows-" with ease"-itself very expressive, but likewise by a Pyrrhic preceding the last foot-" into the fōld"-which indeed carries the wolf-" with ease into the fōld."

The following instances show the effects produced by cæsuras, so placed as to divide the line into very unequal portions such as that after the first, and before the last semipede.

-thus with the year

Seasons return, but not to me returns

Day" or the sweet approach of even or morn.

Here the casura after the first semipede Day, stops us unexpectedly, and forcibly impresses the imagination with the greatness of the author's loss, the loss of sight.

No sooner had th' Almighty ceas'd, but all
The multitude of angels, with a shout

Loud" as from numbers without number" sweet
As from blest voices uttering joy.-

There is something very striking in this uncommon cæsura, which suddenly stops the reader, to reflect on the importance of a particular word.

We shall close the subject, with an example containing the united powers of many of the principles which have been explained.

Dire was the tossing" deep the groans" Despair"
Ténded the síck" búsiest from couch to couch"
And over them tríúmpbánt death” his dárt”
Shook" but delay'd to strike.

Many of the rules and observations respecting Prosody, are taken from "Sheridan's Art of Reading ;" to which book the Compiler refers the ingenious student, for more extensive information on the subject.

VOL. I.

LI

PUNCTUATION.

PUNCTUATION* is the art of dividing a written composition into sentences, or parts of sentences, by points or stops, for the purpose of marking the different pauses which the sense, and an accurate pronunciation require.

The Comma represents the shortest pause; the Semicolon, a pause double that of the comma; the Colon, double that of the semicolon; and the Period, double that of the colon.

PUNCTUATION is a modern art. The ancients were entirely unacquainted with the use of our commas, colons, &c.; and wrote not only without any distinction of members and periods, but also without distinction of words: which custom continued till the year 360 before Christ. How the ancients read their works, written in this manner, it is not easy to conceive. After the practice of joining words together had ceased, notes of distinction were placed at the end of every word. This practice, with some variation, continued a considerable time.

As it appears that the present usage of stops, did not take place, whilst manuscripts and monumental inscriptions, were the only known methods of conveying knowledge, we must conclude that it was introduced with the art of printing. The introduction was, however, gradual: all the points did not appear at once. The colon, semicolon, and note of admiration, were produced sometime after the others. The whole set, as they are now used, came to be established, when learning and refinement had made considerable progress.

As the several articulate sounds, the syllables and words, of which sentences consist, are marked by letters; so the rests

As punctuation is intended to aid both the sense, and the pronunciation of a sentence, it could not have been exclusively discussed under the part of Syntax, or of Prosody. The nature of the subject, its extent and importance, and the grammatical knowledge which it presupposes, have induced us to make it a distinct and subsequent article.