How shall I part? and whither wander down
Into a lower world, to this obscure

And wild? How shall we breathe in other air

Less pure, accustom'd to immortal fruits?-MILTON.

Formula x ax5+.

In the following extract the accented lines are composed of five Iambics and an additional syllable.

Day-stars', that ope' | your eyes' | with morn' | to twink'le,

From rainbow galaxies' of earth's' crea'tion,

And dew'-drops o'er' her love'ly al'tars sprink'le

As a libation.

Ye matin worshipers, who, bending lowly

Before the uprisen sun, God's lidless eye,
Throw from your chalices a sweet and holy

Incense on high!

'Neath cloister'd boughs each floral bell that swingeth,
And tolls its perfume on the passing air,

Makes Sabbath in the fields, and ringeth

A call to prayer!

Not to that dome where sculptured arch and column
Attest the feebleness of mortal hand;

But to that fane, most catholic and solemn,

Which God hath plann’d!

To that cathedral, boundless as our wonder,

Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply;

Whose choirs the winds and waves; whose organ, thunder;

Whose dome the sky!

HORACE SMITH.

IAMBIC HEXAMETER.

Formula x a × 6.

§ 640. In this measure there are six Iambics. It is usually called the Alexandrine. The last line of the Spenserian stanza

is of this character.

When Phoebus lifts' | his head' | out of' | the win']ter's wave',

No sooner doth the earth her flow'ry bosom brave,

At such time as the year brings on the pleasant spring,

But hunts-up to the morn the feather'd sylvans sing;

And in the lower grove, as on the rising knoll,
Upon the highest spray of ev'ry mounting pole,
Those quiristers are perch'd with many a speckled breast:
Then from her burnish'd gate the goodly glittering East
Gilds every lofty top, which late the humorous Night
Bespangled had with pearl, to please the Morning's sight;

On which the mirthful quires, with their clear open throats,
Unto the joyful morn so strain their warbling notes
That hills and valleys ring, and even the echoing air
Seems all composed of sounds about them every where.

DRAYTON.

IAM BIC HEPTAMETER.

Formula x ax7.

§ 641. In the following extract the lines are composed of seven Iambics.

She sits beneath' | the el' der shade' | in that' | long mor' tal swoon',
And piteously on her wan cheek looks down the gentle moon;
And when her senses are restored, whom sees she at her side
But her, believed in childhood to have wander'd off and died!
In these small hands, so lily-white, is water from the spring,
And a grateful coolness drops as from an angel's wing;
And to her mother's pale lips her rosy lips are laid,
While these long, soft eye-lashes drop tears on her hoary head.
She stirs not in her child's embrace, but yields her old gray
hairs
Unto the heavenly dew of tears, the heavenly breath of pray'r;
No voice hath she to bless her child till that strong fit go by,
But gazeth on the long-lost face, and then upon the sky.
The Sabbath morn was beautiful, and the long Sabbath day;
The ev'ning star rose beautiful when daylight died away;
Morn, day, and twilight, this lone glen flow'd over with delight,
But the fullness of all mortal joy hath bless'd the Sabbath night!
WILSON.

Formula x ax7+.

In this extract there are seven Iambics and an additional syllable.

Had Ellen lost' | her mirth? | Oh no! | but she' | was seldom cheer'[ful ;
And Edward look'd as if he thought that Ellen's mirth was fearful :
So gentle Ellen now no more could make this sad house cheery;
And Mary's melancholy ways drove Edward wild and weary.

TROCHAIC

MEASURES.

COLERIDGE.

TROCHAIC MONOMETER.

Formula a x.

§ 642. In the following extract the accented lines are com

posed of a single Trochee.

From walk to walk, from shade to shade;

From stream to purling stream convey'd,

Through all the mazes of the grove,
Through all the mingling tracks I rove,

Turn'ing,

Burn'ing;

Chang'ing,

Rang'ing;

Full of grief and full of love!-Addison.

Formula a xx.

In this extract there is in the accented lines one Trochee, with an additional syllable.

What sounds were heard?
What scenes appear'd

O'er all the dreary coasts?

Dread'ful gleams,

Dis'mal screams;

Fires' that glow,

Shrieks' of woe;

Sul'len inoans,

Hollow groans;

And cries of tortured ghosts!-POPE.

TROCHAIC DIMETER.

Formula a x × 2.

§ 643. In the following extract the accented lines consist of

two Trochees.

On a bank, beside a willow,

Heaven her covering, earth her pillow,

Sad Aminta sigh'd alone;

From the cheerless dawn of morning,

Till the dews of night returning,

Sighing, thus she made her moan:

Hope' is ban'ish'd,

Joys' are van'ish'd;

Damon, my beloved, is gone!—Dryden.

Formula a xx2+.

In this extract there are in the accented lines two Trochees

and an additional syllable.

All' that's bright' must | fade:

The brightest still the fleetest;

All' that's bright' must fade,

But to be lost when sweetest.

Stars' that shine' and fall,

The flower that drops in springing;

These, alas! are types of all

To which our hearts are clinging.
All that's bright must fade:

The brightest still the fleetest;

All that's sweet was made

But to be lost when sweetest!-MOORE.

TROCHAIC TRIMETER.

Formula a x × 3.

§ 644. In the following extract the accented lines are composed of three Trochees.

When' a round' thee, | dy'ing,

Au'tumn leaves' are ly'ing,

Oh then remember me!

And' at night' when gaz'ing

On' the gay' hearth blaz ́ing,
Oh still remember me!

Then' should mu ́sic, steal'ing
All' the soul' of feel'ing,
To' thy heart' appealing,

Draw one tear from thee;

Then let memory bring thee
Strains' I used' to sing' thee,

Oh remember me!-MOORE.

Formula a xx3+.

In each of these lines there are three Trochees and an addi

tional syllable.

Un'derneath' this | mar'ble | hearse
Lies' the sub'ject of' all verse:
Sidney's sister, Pembroke's mother;
Death, ere thou hast slain another

Learn'd', and fair', and good' as she,

Time' shall throw' his dart' at thee!-BEN JONSON.

TROCHAIC TETRAMETER.

Formula a x × 4.

§ 645. The accented lines are composed of four Trochees. Then' her coun'tenance' all | ov'er

Pale again as death did prove;

But' he clasp'd' her like' a lov ́er,

And he cheer'd her soul with love.
So' she strove' against' her weak'ness,
Though at times her spirit sank;
Shaped' her heart' with woman's meek'ness
To all duties of her rank.

And a gen'tle con'sort made' he;
And her gentle mind was such
That' she grew' a no'ble la'dy,

And the people loved her much.
But' a trouble weigh'd' upon' her,

And perplex'd her night and morn,

With' the bur'den of' an honor

Unto which she was not born.-TENNYSON.

Formula a xx 4+.

The accented lines consist of four Trochees and an additional syllable.

Turn thee, fond mother!

From thy dead, oh turn!
Linger not, young brother,

Here to dream and mourn.

Only kneel' once | more' around' the | sod,

Kneel', and bow' submit'ted hearts' to God!

Mrs. HEMANS.

TROCHAIC

PENTAMETER.

Formula a x×5.

$646. The accented lines consist of five Trochees. Then methought I heard a hollow sound

Gathering up from all the lower ground,

Nar'rowing in' to | where' they | sat' assembled,
Low', voluptuous | music | wind'ing | trem'bled,
"Woven in circles. They that heard it sigh'd,

Panted hand-in-hand, with faces pale,
Swung themselves, and in low tones replied;

Till the fountain spouted, showering wide

Sleet of diamond-drift and pearly hail:

Then the music touch'd the gates, and died!-TENNYSON.

TROCHAIC HEXAMETER.

Formula a x x 6.

§ 647. The following lines are composed of six Trochees. "On' a | mount'ain, | stretch'd' beneath' a | hoa'ry | wil'low, Lay' a shepherd swain', and view'd' the roll'ing bil'low."

$648.

TROCHAIC HEPTAMETER.

Formula a xx7+.

Here' about the | beach' I | wan'der'd, | nour'ishing' a | youth' sublime With the fairy tales of science, and the long results of time;