“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.
6. Allˊ | are but partsˊ | of oneˊ | stupenˊ | dous wholeˊ, |