A series was arranged in which the accent of an ordinary foot and a rhyme occurred side by side; the distance between them was gradually lessened, and the effect on the rhyme and on the ordinary accented element was noted.

A preliminary set of experiments on the effect of two accents which approach each other gave some very interesting results. Thus Table II. shows the effect of gradually eliminating the verse pause from the couplet.

TABLE II.

Dactylic, catelectic couplet of the general form:

ÍII ÍII ÍII Í / ÍII ÍII ÍII Í Without rhyme.

Each dactyl (ÍII) is, in terms of spaces between the pegs, 3 2 4; or in seconds, .25, .17, .33.

The pause between the two verses was gradually lessened.

B.
At5(.42 sec.)The verses are normal.
4.5 The verses are normal, but first accent of II. is fading.
4 The accent is less and less on first element of II.
3.3 The accent is almost gone on first element of II.
3(.25 sec.)First foot of II. has quite lost accent. There is now but one verse. 'Amalgamation.'
Mc.
7(.58 sec.)The verses are normal.
5.3 Either first element of II. has its normal accent, or it wavers to a secondary accent, and the verses become one.
5(.416 sec.)First foot of II. has quite lost accent. Amalgamation.
3(.25 sec.)'Last verse completely spoiled.' Last verse becomes '— / - - , '— - - , '— - - , '— — . Unsatisfactory.
2(.16 sec.)The II. has become mere 'medley.'
H.
6(.5 sec.)Normal.
5 First element of II. attaches to I., and its accent is lessened.
3(.25 sec.)First element of II. has lost its accent; the verses become '- - - '- - - '- - - '- / - - - '- - - '- - - '-. But one verse. Amalgamation.
J.
5(.42 sec.)Normal.
4.6 First element of II. is losing accent.
3(.25 sec.)First two elements of II. 'tumble over each other.' '- - - '- - - '- - - '- / - - - '- - - '- - - '-. Unsatisfactory. Amalgamation.
L.
5(.42 sec.)Normal.
4 Last element of I. losing accent.
3.3 Last element of I. and first of II. have completely lost accent. Amalgamation.
G.
7(.58 sec.)Normal.
3(.25 sec.)'- - - '- - - '- - - '- / - - - - - - - - '- '-. Amalgamation.
Mi.
4.3(.35 sec.)Normal.
4 First two elements of II. equal in accent.
3(.25 sec.)'- - - '- - - '- - - '- / - '- - '- - - - -'- '-. Amalgamation.

As soon as the accents are within a certain distance they affect each other. As a rule the first retains its original intensity and the second is weakened; rarely the first yields to the second. The table shows that the distance at which this occurs is about .42 seconds. Under many conditions it is quite possible for two accents to occur at that distance, e.g., in rapid rhythms, without any 'fusing.' The subject has a type of rhythm very definitely in mind and the only hypothesis which will explain the difficulty in observing the type, in spite of the slight change in time values, is that somehow the cyclic automatic movement has been affected and can no longer produce the normal, limiting sensation at the accent. There is not time for the phase of relaxation before the next, objective, limiting sensation occurs. We may figure the movement as follows: