ON READING OF VERSE.

The following remarks on reading verse are by the same writer:

“In the reading of verse, we must observe

1. Time and rhythm.

2. Melody and cadence.

“1. By time, I mean the regulation of the pulsation and movement of sound by the voice, to the regulated metrical accentuation (or rhythm), and construction of the verse.

“Time and rhythm are therefore inseparable and mutually dependent: one belongs to the Poet, the other to the Elocutionist.

“English verse consists of the arrangement at regular intervals of accented and unaccented—or, heavy and light—syllables. This regular arrangement makes the rhythm of the verse: the number of syllables employed in a line makes the metre of the verse.

“Now if, in reading verse, we do not regularly mark the pulsation of the accented syllables,—according to their arrangement in the rhythm—at due intervals of sound, we shall break the rhythm by reading out of time.

“For example, in the Ode of Dryden, on Cecilia’s Day, occurs this couplet; which I now mark according to the regular rhythmical division and accentuation.

On theˊ | bare earthˊ | exposedˊ | he liesˊ |

With notˊ | a friendˊ | to closeˊ | his eyesˊ.

“But to read the first line of the couplet thus, (accenting the and not accenting bare) would be to sacrifice all the force of the line, in order to produce an unmeaning sing-song by equipulsation of sound.

“We must, therefore, by art, reconcile the strength of the line with the music of the verse; and thus divide and accent it in delivery.

On the bareˊ | earthˊ | exposedˊ | he liesˊ.

“Sometimes the poet himself will, purposely, break the regularity of his rhythm for expression and effect; the Elocutionist, in such cases, must aid that effect by marking and timing the pulsation of sound accordingly. As in the following lines from Pope:

1. Smoothˊ flow the waves, the zephyrs gently play.

2. Wideˊ and more wide the floating rings advance,

Fillˊ all the wat’ry plain, and to the margin dance.

3. Amphion there the loud creating lyre

Strikesˊ, and behold a sudden Thebes aspire!

4. Fameˊ sits aloft, and points them out their course.

5. Brightˊ as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike.

6. Allˊ are but parts of one stupendous whole,

Whose body Nature is, and God the soul;

That chang’d through all, and yet is all the same,

Greatˊ in the earth, as in the ethereal frame,

Warmsˊ in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,

Glowsˊ in the stars, and blossoms in the trees,

Livesˊ thro’ all life, extends through all extent,

Spreadsˊ undivided, operates unspent,

Breathesˊ in our soul, informs our mortal part, &c.

“The Italicised words indicate the departure from the regular rhythm in these lines; most of which commence with a heavy syllable, for force and effect. This the reader must mark by pulsation of voice,—a prolongation of sound, or a rest, on the commencing heavy syllable, with a lighter enunciation of the succeeding unaccented syllables.

“The occurrence of several successive unaccented syllables, lessening the due number of accents in any line, must be balanced by a short rest to supply the place of the deficient accent (as in the 5th and 6th lines of the 6th example.) By these means the due time of the verse will be preserved, and its movement will echo, (as it were,) or, at all events, aid and strengthen the sense.

“The above verses will accordingly be read with the division and accentuation following:

1. Smoothˊ | flow the wavesˊ, | the zephˊyrs gent | ly playˊ.

2. Wideˊ | and more wideˊ | the floatˊ | ing ringsˊ | advanceˊ,

Fillˊ all | the watˊ | ’ry plainˊ, | and to the marˊ | gin danceˊ.

3. Amphi on thereˊ | the loudˊ | creaˊ | ting lyreˊ |

Strikesˊ, | and beholdˊ | a sudˊ | den Thebesˊ | aspireˊ!

4. Fameˊ | sits aloftˊ, | and pointsˊ | them outˊ | their course.

5. Brightˊ | as the sunˊ, | her eyesˊ | the gaˊ | zers strikeˊ.

Whose bod | y Naˊ | ture isˊ, | and Godˊ | the soulˊ;

Warmsˊ | in the sunˊ, | refreshˊ | es in the breezeˊ, |

Glowsˊ | in the starsˊ, | and blosˊ | soms in the treesˊ, &c.