We have another fort of Stanza of 8 Verfes, where the 4th rhymes to the ift, the 3d to the 2d, and the 4 laft are Two Couplets; and where the ift, 4th, 6th and 8th, are of 10 Syllables each, the 4 others but of 8

; as,
I've often wish'd to love: VVhat shall I do?
Me ftill the cruel Boy does fpare;
And I a double Task must bear,
Firft to wove him, and then a Mistress too.
Come at laft, and strike for shame,
If thou art any thing befides a Name;
I'll think thee elfe no God to be,

But Poets, rather, Gods, who first created thee.

Cowl.

Another, when the 2 firft and 2 laft Verfes confift of 10 Syllables each, and rhyme to one another, the 4 other but of 8 in Alternate Rhyme.

Tho' you be abfent hence, 1 needs must say,

The Trees as beauteous are, and Flow'rs as gay,
As ever they were wont to be:

Nay the Birds rural Mufick too
Is as melodious and free,

As if they fang to pleasure you.

I saw a Rofe-bud ope this Morn; I'll fwear
The blufbing Morning open'd not more fair.

Cowl.

4

Another, where the 4 firft Verfes are Two Couplets, the laft in Alternate Rhyme; as in Cowley's Ode of a Lady than made Pofies for Rings.

I little thought the Time would ever be,
That I should VVit in dwarfish Pofies fee
As all VVords in few Letters live,
Thou to few VVords all Senfe doft give.
'Twas Nature taught you this rare Art,
In fuch a little much to fhew;
VVho all the Good he did impart
To VVomankind, epitomis'd in you.

SECT. V.

Of the Stanzas of 10 and of 12 Verses.

THE Stanzas of 10 and 12 Verfes are feldom employ'd in

our Poetry, it being very difficult to confine our felves &Q a certain Difpofition of Rhyme, and Measure of Verse, for

fo

fo many Lines together; for which Reason thofe of 4, 6, and 8 Verfes are the most frequent. However we fometimes find fome of 10 and 12; as in Cowley's Ode, which he calls Verfes lost upon a Wager, where the Rhymes follow one another, but the Verfes differin number of Syllables.

As foon hereafter will I Wagers lay
'Gainft what an Oracle shall fay:
Fool that I was to venture to deny
A Tongue fo us'd to Victory;
A Tongue fo bleft by Nature and by Art
That never yet Spoke but gain'd a Heart.
Tho' what you Jaid had not been true,
If Spoke by any else but you;

Tour Speech will govern Destiny,

And Fate will change rather than you shall iye.

Cowl.

The fame Poet furnishes us with an Example of a Stanza of 12 Verfes in the Ode he calls The Prophet; where the Rhymes are observ'd in the fame Manner as in the former Example.

Teach me to love! Go teach thy felf more Wit

I chief Profeffor am of it.

Teach Graft to Scots, and Thrift to Jews,
Teach Boldness to the Stews.

In Tyrants Courts teach fupple Flattery,
Teach Jefuits that have travell'd far to lye;
Teach Fire to burn, and Winds to blow,
Teach reftlefs Fountains how to flow,
Teach the dull Earth fixt to abide,
Teach Womankind Inconftancy and Pride.
See if your Diligence there will useful proves
But prithee teach not me to love.

Of the Stanzas that confist of an odd Number of Verfes

WE

E have alfo Stanzas that confift of odd Numbers of Verses, as of 5, 7, 9, and 11; in all which it of neceffity follows, that three Verfes of the Stanza rhyme to one ano ther, or that one of them be a blank Verfe.

In the Stanzas of 5 Verfes the ift and 3d may rhyme, and the ad and two last ; as,

t

Sees not my Love how Time refumes The Beauty which he lent thefe Flow'rs: Tho' none fhould taste of their Perfumes, Tet they must live but fome few Hours: Time what we forbear, devours. Which is only a Stanza of 4 Verfes in Alternate Rhyme, to which a sth Verfe is added that rhymes to the 2d and 4th.

Wall.

See also an Inftance of a Stanza of 5 Verfes, where the Rhymes are intermix'd in the fame Manner as the former, but the ift and 3d Verfes are compos'd but of 4 Syllables each. Go lovely Rofe,

Tell her that wafts her Time and me,

That now he knows,

When I refemble her to thee,

How fweet and fair fhe feems to be..

Wall.

In the following Example the two firft Verfes rhyme, and the three laft.

'Tis well, 'tis well with them, faid I,

Whofe fhort-liv'd Paffions with themselves can dye..

For none can be unhappy, who

'Midft all his Ills a Time does know,

Tho' ne'er fo long, when he shall not be fo

Cowl

In this Stanza, the two firft and the laft, and the 3d and 4th

rhyme to one another.

It is enough, enough of Time and Pain
Haft thou confum'd in vain :

Leave, wretched Cowley, leave,

Thy felf with Shadows to deceive.

Think that already loft which thou must never Gain.

Cowl:

The Stanzas of 7 Verfes are frequent enough in our Poetry, efpecially among the Ancients, who compos'd many of their Poems in this fort of Stanza: See the Example of one of them taken from Spencer in The Ruines of Time, where the ift and 3d Verfes rhyme to one another, the 2d, 4th and 5th, and the 2 laft.

But Fame with golden Wings aloft does fly

Above the Reach of ruinous Decay,

And with brave Plumes does beat the Azure Sky,
Admir'd of bafe-born Men from far away:
Then whofo will with virtuous Deeds effay,
To mount to Heaven, on Pegasus must ride,
And in Sweet Poets Verse be glorify'd, "9

I have rather chofen to take notice of this Stanza, becaufe that Poet and Chaucer have made ufe of it in many of their Poems, tho' they have not been follow'd in it by any of the Moderns; whofe, Stanzas of 7 Verfes are generally compos'd as follows.

Either the Four firft Verfes are a Quadran in Alternate Rhyme, and the Three laft rhyme to one another; as,

Now by my Love, the greatest Oath that us,
None loves you half so well as I;
I do not ask your Love for thus,

But for Heaven's Sake believe me, or I dye.
No Servant fure but did deferve

His Master fhould believe that he did ferve
And I'll ask no more Wages tho I ftarve.

Cowl.

Or the Four first are Two Couplets, and the Three last a Trip

let; as,

Indeed I must confess

When Souls mix 'tis a Happiness,

But not compleat till Bodies too combine,

And clofely as our Minds together joyn.

But Half of Heav'n the Souls in Glory tafte,

'Till by Love in Heav'n at last,

Their Bodies too are plac'd.

Cowl.

Or, on the contrary, the Three first may rhyme, and the Four laft be in Rhymes that follow one another; as,

From Hate, Fear, Hope, Anger, and Envy free,
And all the Paffions elfe that be,

In vain I boast of Liberty:

In vain this State a Freedom call,
· Since I have Love; and Love us all,
Sot that I am! who think it fit to brag
That I have no Disease befides the Plague.

Cowl

Or the ift may rhyme to the 2 laft, the 2d to the 5th, and

the 3d and 4th to one another; as,

In vain thou drowfie God I thee invoke,
For thou who doft from Fumes arife,
Thou who Man's Seul de'ft overshade
VVith a thick Cloud by Vapours made,
Canft have no Pow'r to fout his Eyes,
Or Paffage of his. Spirits to choak,

VVhofe Flame's fo pure, that it fends up no Smoak, Cowl.

Or laftly, the Four firft. and Two laft may be in following Rhyme, and the 5th a Blank Verfe; as,

1

Thon

Thou robb'st my Days of Business and Delights
of Sleep thou robb'st my Nights.
Ab lovely Thief! what wilt thou do?
What, rob me of Heav'n too!

Thou ev'n my Prayers dost from me steal;
And I with wild Idolatry

Begin to God, and end them all in thee,

Cowl.

The Stanzas of 9 and of 11 Syllables are not fo frequent as thofe of 5 and of 7. Spencer has compos'd his Fairy Queen in Stanzas of 9 Verfes, where the 1ft rhymes to the 3d, the 2d to the 4th 5th and 7th, and the 6th to the two laft. But this Stanza is very difficult to maintain, and the unlucky Choice of it reduc'd him often to the Neceffity of making ufe of many exploded Words: Nor has he, I think, been follow'd in it by any of the Moderns, whofe 6 firft Verfes of the Stanzas that confift of 9, are generally in Rhymes that follow one another, and the Three laft a Triplet; as,

Beauty, Love's Scene and Mafquerade,

So well by well-plar'd Lights, and Distance made;
Falfe Coin! with which th' Impoftor cheats us ftill,
The Stamp and Colour good, but Metal ill:
Which light or bafe we find, when we
Weigh by Enjoyment, and examine thee,
For tho' thy Being be but Show,

'Tis chiefly Night which Men to thee allow,

And chufe t'enjoy thee, when thou least art thou.

Cowl.

In the following Example the like Rhyme is obferv'd, but the Verfes differ in Measure from the, Former.

Beneath this gloomy Shade,

By Nature only for my Sorrows made,
I'll spend this Voice in Cries;
In Tears I'll waste thefe Eyes,

By Love fo vainly fed:

1

So Lust of old the Deluge punished.

Ab wretched Youth! said I ;

Ah wretched Youth! twice did I fadly cry;

An wretched Youth! the Fields and Floods reply.

Cowl.

The Stanzas confifting of 11 Verfes are yet lefs frequent than those of 9, and have nothing particular to be obferv'd in them. Take an Example of one of them, where the 6 first are 3 Couplets, the three next a Triplet, the two laft a Couplet; and where the 4th, the 7th, and the laft Verfes are of 10 Syl. lables each, the others of 8.