Page:The grammar of English grammars.djvu/885



Example II.&mdash;"Catharina."&mdash;Two Stanzas from Seven. IV.

"Though the pleas\-ures of Lon\-don exceed     In num\-ber the days \ of the year,    Cathari\-na, did noth\-ing impede,      Would feel \ herself hap\-pier here;    For the close\-woven arch\-es of limes      On the banks \ of our riv\-er, I know,    Are sweet\-er to her \ many times      Than aught \ that the cit\-y can show.

V.

So it is, \ when the mind \ is endued With a well\-judging taste \ from above; Then, wheth\-er embel\-lish'd or rude, 'Tis na\-ture alone \ that we love. The achieve\-ments of art \ may amuse, May e\-ven our won\-der excite, But groves, \ hills, and val\-leys, diffuse A last\-ing, a sa\-cred delight."       COWPER'S Poems, Vol. ii, p. 232. Example III.&mdash;"A Pastoral Ballad."&mdash;Two Stanzas from Twenty-seven.    (8.)

"Not a pine \ in my grove \ is there seen,     But with ten\-drils of wood\-bine is bound;    Not a beech \ 's more beau\-tiful green,      But a sweet\-briar twines \ it around,    Not my fields \ in the prime \ of the year      More charms \ than my cat\-tle unfold;    Not a brook \ that is lim\-pid and clear,      But it glit\-ters with fish\-es of gold.

(9)

One would think \ she might like \ to retire To the bow'r \ I have la\-bour'd to rear; Not a shrub \ that I heard \ her admire, But I hast\-ed and plant\-ed it there. O how sud\-den the jes\-samine strove With the li\-lac to ren\-der it gay! Alread\-y it calls \ for my love, To prune \ the wild branch\-es away."       SHENSTONE: British Poets, Vol. vii, p. 139. Anapestic lines of four feet and of three are sometimes alternated in a stanza, as in the following instance:

Example IV.&mdash;"The Rose." "The rose \ had been wash'd, \ just wash'd \ in a show'r,     Which Ma\-ry to An\-na convey'd;    The plen\-tiful moist\-ure encum\-ber'd the flow'r,      And weigh'd \ down its beau\-tiful head.

The cup \ was all fill'd, \ and the leaves \ were all wet, And it seem'd \ to a fan\-ciful view, To weep \ for the buds \ it had left, \ with regret, On the flour\-ishing bush \ where it grew.

I hast\-ily seized \ it, unfit \ as it was For a nose\-gay, so drip\-ping and drown'd,   And, swing\-ing it rude\-ly, too rude\-ly, alas! I snapp'd \ it,&mdash;it fell \ to the ground.

And such, \ I exclaim'd, \ is the pit\-iless part Some act \ by the del\-icate mind, Regard\-less of wring\-ing and break\-ing a heart Alread\-y to sor\-row resign'd.

This el\-egant rose, \ had I shak\-en it less, Might have bloom'd \ with its own\-er a while; And the tear \ that is wip'd \ with a lit\-tle address, May be fol\-low'd perhaps \ by a smile."       COWPER: Poems, Vol. i, p. 216; English Reader, p. 212.

MEASURE III.&mdash;ANAPESTIC OF TWO FEET, OR DIMETER.
Example I.&mdash;Lines with Hypermeter and Double Rhyme.

"CORONACH," OR FUNERAL SONG. 1.

"He is gone \ on the mount\-aĭn     He is lost \ to the for\-ĕst    Like a sum\-mer-dried foun\-taĭn      When our need \ was the sor\-ĕst.    The font, \ reappear\-ĭng,      From the rain\-drops shall bor\-rŏw,    But to us \ comes no cheer\-ĭng,      Do Dun\-can no mor\-rŏw!

2.

The hand \ of the reap\-ĕr Takes the ears \ that are hoar\-ў, But the voice \ of the weep\-ĕr Wails man\-hood in glo\-rў; The au\-tumn winds rush\-ĭng, Waft the leaves \ that are sear\-ĕst, But our flow'r \ was in flush\-ĭng, When blight\-ing was near\-ĕst."       WALTER SCOTT: Lady of the Lake, Canto iii, St. 16. Example II.&mdash;Exact Lines of Two Anapests.   "Prithee, Cu\-pid, no more Hurl thy darts \ at threescore; To thy girls \ and thy boys, Give thy pains \ and thy joys; Let Sir Trust\-y and me   From thy frol\-ics be free."       ADDISON: Rosamond, Act ii, Scene 2; Ev. Versif., p. 100. ''