English: Composition and Literature

by W. F. Webster

	^		^		^		^
eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note
In	lone	Glen	art	ney’s	ha	zel	shade.”

The second, fourth, sixth, and eighth syllables in each of these lines are naturally accented in reading, while the other syllables are read without stress. The eight syllables of each line fall naturally into groups [270] of two, an unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable, just as in the musical notation given, an unaccented eighth note is followed by an accented quarter.

In “Hiawatha” the accented syllable comes first, and the unaccented follows it.

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
“By	the	shores	of	Git	chee	Gu	mee,

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
By	the	shin	ing	Big-	Sea-	Wa	ter,

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
Stood	the	wig	wam	of	No	ko	mis,

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
Daugh	ter	of	the	Moon,	No	ko	mis.”

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
“By	the	shores	of	Git	chee	Gu	mee,

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
By	the	shin	ing	Big-	Sea-	Wa	ter,

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
Stood	the	wig	wam	of	No	ko	mis,

^		^		^		^
quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note	quarter note	eighth note
Daugh	ter	of	the	Moon,	No	ko	mis.”

So, too, there are groups in which there are three syllables. The accent may fall on any one of the three. In the following stanza from “The Bridge of Sighs,” the accent falls on the first syllable of each group.

^			^
eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note
“Touch	her	not	scorn	ful	ly;

^			^
eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note
Think	of	her	mourn	ful	ly,

^			^
eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note
Gent	ly	and	hu	man	ly,

^			^
eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note
Not	of	the	stains	of	her;

^			^
eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note
All	that	re	mains	of	her

[271]^			^
eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note	eighth note
Now	is	pure	wo	man	ly.”