is, in places where they will fall into line, so as to further the object of our present undertaking, which, as we must remember, is to show not what these forms are, but what, in elocution and poetry, they are fitted to represent.

CHAPTER IV.

ELOCUTIONARY AND POETIC DURATION.

The Elements entering into Rhythm, Duration, and Force-Duration: Fast Time Instinctive, representing Unimportant Ideas; Slow Time Reflective, representing Important Ideas; Movement a Combination of the Two-The Pause as used in Elocution; in Poetry, at the ends of Lines; in the Cæsura-Run-on and End-stopped Lines-Quantity, Short and Long, in Elocution and Poetry; as produced by Vowels and Consonants-Movement or Rhythm as influenced by Pause and Quantity-Feet of Three Syllables should represent Rapidity-Predominating Long Quantity injures English Hexameters-Feet of Four Syllables represent Rapidity.

WE

E have now to consider representation in rhythm, resulting, as has been said, from a combination of the effects of duration and force. Taking up the first of these, it is evident that in elocution duration may be short or long, or both; in the latter case making possible all the artistic developments of metre. Both experience and reflection show us that in the degree in which utterances are instinctive, as they are when under the influence of mere spontaneity, they find expression in short duration, or-what is the same thing-in fast time. But when one becomes conscious of surrounding influences to which he must conform his phraseology, these put him into a reflective mood, and under the sway of his impressions, he stops to think-sometimes to think twice of what he is to say, and so uses slow time; or, to look at the subject from a different view-point, a speaker,

when not desirous of conveying to others the impression that what he is saying demands their serious consideration, may talk rapidly. But when he wishes to convey the opposite impression—that they should weigh his statements with the utmost care, he talks slowly. From noticing facts like these, we learn that duration assigns, as has been said, a mental weight or measure to ideas. If these appeared for us in space, we could mete them out in measurements of space. But as they are heard in words, which occupy successive intervals of time, we must indicate their weight or bulk, by shortening or lengthening their duration. Less or more time given to an utterance, gives a hearer less or more time in which to think of the thoughts expressed in it, suggesting, therefore, that, in the opinion of the speaker, they are of less or more relative importance.

This principle we will apply, first, to the elocutionary pause, which leads us in reading to check our utterance not only at the ends of phrases, as already noticed, but also before or after important words, like those preceding the bars in these quotations.

The people will carry us | gloriously | through | this struggle.
He is pleasing; | but is he honest?

The same principle applied to consecutive words causes us to read the unimportant parenthesis in the following, rapidly:

He girt his fisher's coat unto him (for he was naked), and did cast himself into the sea.-John xxi., 7.

And the important one in the following, slowly:

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised), and let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works.-Heb. x., 23, 24.

According to dramatic elocution, fast time indicates that which moves rapidly, and slow time that which moves slowly; e. g.:

Fast.

Slower. {{

Slow.

He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone,

{He swam the Eske River where ford there was none;

But ere he alighted at Netherby gate,

The bride had consented, the gallant came late ;

For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war,
Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.

-Lochinvar: Scott.

Turning now to poetic form, we find that the same principles apply to it. Notice in these stanzas how almost all the important words are placed before the pause at the end of the line, or before the cæsura-pause in the middle of it.

Go not, happy day,
Till the maiden yields.
Rosy is the west,
Rosy is the south,

Rosy are her cheeks,

And a rose her mouth.

When the happy Yes
Falters from her lips,
Pass and blush the news

O'er the glowing ships.

Over blowing seas,

Over seas at rest,

Pass the happy news,

Blush it through the West,

Till the red-man dance, etc.

-Maud: Tennyson.

Earth has not any thing | to show more fair;
Dull would he be of soul | who could pass by
A sight so touching | in its majesty.

*

Never did sun | more beautifully steep

In his first splendor | valley, rock, or hill ;

Ne'er saw I, never felt, | a calm so deep.
The river glideth | at his own sweet will.
Dear God, the very houses | seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart | is lying still.

-Westminster Bridge: Wordsworth.

Of man's first disobedience | and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, | whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world | and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, | till one greater man

Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing, heavenly Muse.

-Paradise Lost, 1: Milton.

Comracies, leave me here a little, I while as yet 't is early morn ;
Iesve me here; and, when you want me, I sound upon the bugle-horn.
-Locksley Hall: Tennyson.

Notice, too, the inartistic effects produced, when the voice does not naturally pause where the lines are ended;