“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.