III

IAMBIC VERSE

English poets have written iambic verses of different lengths, from verses composed of a single foot, which are used especially in light and familiar poetry, to verses of seven, and even eight feet.

The following specimen of iambic verses of one foot is taken from Herrick.

UPON HIS DEPARTURE HENCE

Thus í

Pass bý,

And díe,

As óne

Unknown

And gone :

I'm máde

A sháde,
And láid

I'th' gráve,
There have

My cáve :
Where téll
I dwéll,
Farewell.

ON THE STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH VERSE

29

Iambic verses of one foot and an additional unaccented syllable are sometimes mixed with longer verses, as in the following example.

COWPER (translated from the Latin of Vincent BOURNE).

This iambus with an unaccented syllable added to it may be considered as a foot of three syllables; in that

case,

Together
Of weather
Displéasure
The faster

Ils máster

are so many amphibrachs; and the line whole treasure, composed of a spondee with an unaccented syllable added to it, is an antibacchius.

Here is an example of iambic verses of two feet:

Iambic verses of two feet with an additional unaccented syllable are sometimes used in short poems. In the former of the two examples which follow, two such verses are enclosed between two iambic verses of three feet; and, in the latter, three verses of the same measure are followed by an iambic verse of two feet.

Up, sailor boy, 'tis day
The west wind blowing,

The spring-tide flowing
Summon thee hence away.

MOORE.

Through clouds | like ásh es

The red sun flásh es

On village windows

That glimmer red.

LONGFELLOW.

The following is a specimen of iambic verses of three

feet, unmixed.

A HYMN TO THE MUSES

O, you ❘ the virgins níne,
That dó our souls | inclíne
To nó ble dísciplíne,

Nód to this vów | of míne :
Cóme then, and nów | inspire
My víol and my lýre
With your ❘ etérn|al fíre,
And make me óne, | entire
Compós er in your quíre :
Thén I'll | your ál|tars strew
With rós es swéet | and néw;
And év er líve | a trúe
Acknowledger of you.

HERRICK.

The passages given below contain iambic verses of three feet and a half, or two iambuses followed by an amphibrach, mixed with iambics of two, and of three feet.

'Twas midnight dark,

The seaman's bark

Swift o'er the wá|ters bóre | him,

When through the night

He spied a light

Shoot o'er the wave | before him.

MOORE.

When I remember all

The friends, so linked together,
I've seen around me fall,

Like leaves in wintry weather ;
I feel like one

Who treads alone

Some bán quet-háll |. desért|ed,

Whose lights are fled,

Whose garlands dead,

And all but he | departed!
Thus in the stilly night,

Ere slumber's cháin | has bound | me,

Sad memory brings the light

Of other days | around me.

MOORE.

Iambic verses of four feet, of which the following are a specimen, are often used in long poems, as well as in short ones.

'Tis Providence | alóne | secúres

In év ery change | both mine | and yours:
Sáfety consists ❘ not in | escápe

From dangers of | a fright| ful shápe ;
An earth quake máy | be bíd | to spáre
The man that's strán gled by | a háir.
Fate stéals alóng | with silent tréad,
Found of tenest in | what léast | we dread,
Frówns in the stórm | with ángry brów,
But in the sun shine strikes | the blów.
COWPER.

In verses of this measure, the unaccented syllable of the first foot is often wanting, so that the line may pass for a trochaic verse of three feet and a half. This licence does not affect the musical flow of the verse, but rather improves it. The following passage of Milton's 'Il Penseroso' contains several verses of the kind.