By Expression in numbers, is meant such a choice and arrangement of the constituent parts of verse, as serve to enforce and illustrate the thought or sentiment. As the main object of all discourse, whether in prose or verse, is to communicate thoughts and sentiments, this part of numbers, which has that for its immediate object, holds a superior rank with regard to the others, in proportion to the digni ty of its end. "Thus, with the year, Seasons return; but not to me returns "Awake My fair | est-my | espous'd my latest found As the cæsura may happen in any part of the line, and frequently falls where there is no sentential pause, it is not always easy to find its seat. In order to find where the sæsural pause is, we must reflect that there are some parts of speech so necessarily connected in sentences, that they will not admit of any disjunction by the smallest pause of voice; between such, therefore, the cæsura can never fall. Its usual seat is in that place of the line, where the voice can first rest, after a word not so necessarily connected with the following one. Besides the casural pause, already mentioned, there are in many lines, demi cesuras, or half pauses. “ Bold-ăs | hè | ră,––1s } avr | gin-mild.” Bright,-ás | the Sun | her eyes | -thě ga | zě strike, There is a kind of metre which approaches very near the heroick, already described, being composed of verses containing four feet. It differs from the heroick, by being shorter by one foot, and having little use of the cæsura; and also, by being never used but with rhyme. And this, either in couplets; as thus The spacious firmament on high, t Orin alternate rhymes, thus- And daughters, bright as polish'd stones, In this kind of metre, one syllable sometimes dropped and only seven remain. This liberty, however, should never be allow out for the sake of expression; thais.. when a monosable may contain an idea so important, as to claim the right of occupying the space of an entire foot, making up the time by a pause after it, and constituting what is called a syllabick foot As in the following: Sinks my soul with gloomy pain? See! She smiles 'tis joy | again, Swells a passion in my breast? She speaks and all | is rest.” In other respects, this metre is the same as the heroick, has the same Iambick movement, and admits a ́like variety of feet. The other kinds of metre are the Amphibrachick, and the Anapestick. The Amphibrach, Having the accent on the middle sylla ble, between two short ones,, moves on in a cantering pace, well suited to lively and comick subjects. As in the fol Lowing: The Anapa ter two short having the accent on the last syllable, afis at once, a rapid and impetuous foot, suited to the more violent emotions of the mind. "In age I shall be seen The r Je of a Queen." To preserve the just movement, in the Amphitrack the lines should always end with double rhymes; in the Ana pastick with single. “No wonder | thắt Oxford | ănd Cambridge | profound, In learning and science | so greativ | abound; When all car | hither a little each day, And we meet with so few who bring än fỹ ǎway.” Căn ă bộ | săm số gần | tlě remain DIFFERENT SPECIES OF POETRY. THE different species of poetry are, the Epick or Heroick the Dramatick-the Lyrick-the Elegiack-the Pastoral the Didactick the Descriptive-the Epistle-the Allegory-the Fable or Apologue-the Satire-the Epi gram, and the Epitaph 1. Epick or Heroic Poetry is the recital of some illustrious enterprise in a oetical form. 2. Dramatick etry represents facts as passing before our eyes. They are either of the grave and affecting, or of the light and gay, divided into Tragedy and Comedy. Terror and pity are the great instruments of the former; ridicule is the sole instrument of the latter. 3. Lyrick Poetry or Ode is such, as is intended to be sung, or accompanied with musick. It may be comprised under four denominations. 1st. Sacred Odes; or Hymns composed on religious subjects. 2d. Heroick Odes; which are employed in the praise of heroes, or the celebration of great exploits. 3d. Moral and Philosophical Odes; where the sentiments are chiefly inspired by virtue, friendship and humanity. 4th. Festive or Amorous Odes; calculated merely for pleasure and amusement. 4. The Elegy is a funeral Poem or moun whatever is facetious, satirical, or maje gaging pant, and attractive. It rejects t is sweet, en 5. Pastoral. This takes its name from the Latin word the pastoral or rural life. 6. dactick or Prescriptive Poetry is the writing of precepts, embellished with the grad and ornaments of poetry. Descriptive Poetry is that part of a poem, which repre sents action or being to the life. 8. The Epistle is an easy and familiar way of writing in poetry on any subject in the form of a letter. 9. Allegory is a fable or story in poetry, in which, under the disguise of imaginary persons or things, some real action or instructive moral is conveyed to the mind. 10. Fable or Apologue is an instructive fiction, related in verse. 11. Satire, a Poem censuring vice and folly. It is divided into the jocose and serious. The jocose is that which makes sport of vice and folly; the serious is that which deals in asperity and is severe and acrimonious. 12. Epigram is a little poem or composition in verse, treating of one thing only, and whose distinguishing characters are brevity, beauty and point. 13. Epitaph is a poetick inscription on a monument or tomb.stone. RULES FOR READING VERSE. 1. All the words should be pronounced exactly the same way as in prose. 2. The movement of the voice should be from accent to accent, laying no stress on the intermediate syllables. 3. There should be the same observation of emphasis, and the same change of notes on the emphatick syllables, as in prose. 4. The pauses relative to the' sense only, which are called sentential pauses, are to be observed in the same manner as in prose; but particular attention must be given to those peculiar to verse, the cesural and final, which are led musical pauses. A SELECTION OF LESSONS IN THE VARIOUS KINDS OF VERSE. LESSON I. HAPPINESS. O HAPPINESS! our being's end and aim! II. Fair opening to some court's propitious shine, Where grows ? where grows it not? if vain our toil, "Tis no where to be found, or every where: 'Tis never to be bought, but always free; And, fled from monarchs, St. John, dwells with thee. LESSON II. CONTINUED. 忽 ASK of the learn'd the way: The learn'd are blind This bids to serve, and that to shun, mankind: |