Example II.—"Catharina."—Two Stanzas from Seven.
IV.
"Though the pleas\-ures of Lon\-don exceed
In num\-ber the days \ of the year,
Cathari\-na, did noth\-ing impede,
Would feel \ herself hap\-pier here;
For the close\-woven arch\-es of limes
On the banks \ of our riv\-er, I know,
Are sweet\-er to her \ many times
Than aught \ that the cit\-y can show.
V.
So it is, \ when the mind \ is endued
With a well\-judging taste \ from above;
Then, wheth\-er embel\-lish'd or rude,
'Tis na\-ture alone \ that we love.
The achieve\-ments of art \ may amuse,
May e\-ven our won\-der excite,
But groves, \ hills, and val\-leys, diffuse
A last\-ing, a sa\-cred delight."
COWPER'S Poems, Vol. ii, p. 232.
Example III.—"A Pastoral Ballad."—Two Stanzas from Twenty-seven.
(8.)
"Not a pine \ in my grove \ is there seen,
But with ten\-drils of wood\-bine is bound;
Not a beech \ 's more beau\-tiful green,
But a sweet\-briar twines \ it around,
Not my fields \ in the prime \ of the year
More charms \ than my cat\-tle unfold;
Not a brook \ that is lim\-pid and clear,
But it glit\-ters with fish\-es of gold.
(9)
One would think \ she might like \ to retire
To the bow'r \ I have la\-bour'd to rear;
Not a shrub \ that I heard \ her admire,
But I hast\-ed and plant\-ed it there.
O how sud\-den the jes\-samine strove
With the li\-lac to ren\-der it gay!
Alread\-y it calls \ for my love,
To prune \ the wild branch\-es away."
SHENSTONE: British Poets, Vol. vii, p. 139.
Anapestic lines of four feet and of three are sometimes alternated in a stanza, as in the following instance:
Example IV.—"The Rose."
"The rose \ had been wash'd, \ just wash'd \ in a show'r,
Which Ma\-ry to An\-na convey'd;
The plen\-tiful moist\-ure encum\-ber'd the flow'r,
And weigh'd \ down its beau\-tiful head.
The cup \ was all fill'd, \ and the leaves \ were all wet,
And it seem'd \ to a fan\-ciful view,
To weep \ for the buds \ it had left, \ with regret,
On the flour\-ishing bush \ where it grew.
I hast\-ily seized \ it, unfit \ as it was
For a nose\-gay, so drip\-ping and drown'd,
And, swing\-ing it rude\-ly, too rude\-ly, alas!
I snapp'd \ it,—it fell \ to the ground.
And such, \ I exclaim'd, \ is the pit\-iless part
Some act \ by the del\-icate mind,
Regard\-less of wring\-ing and break\-ing a heart
Alread\-y to sor\-row resign'd.
This el\-egant rose, \ had I shak\-en it less,
Might have bloom'd \ with its own\-er a while;
And the tear \ that is wip'd \ with a lit\-tle address,
May be fol\-low'd perhaps \ by a smile."
COWPER: Poems, Vol. i, p. 216; English Reader, p. 212.
MEASURE III.—ANAPESTIC OF TWO FEET, OR DIMETER.
Example I.—Lines with Hypermeter and Double Rhyme.
"CORONACH," OR FUNERAL SONG.
1.
"He is gone \ on the mount\-aĭn
He is lost \ to the for\-ĕst
Like a sum\-mer-dried foun\-taĭn
When our need \ was the sor\-ĕst.
The font, \ reappear\-ĭng,
From the rain\-drops shall bor\-rŏw,
But to us \ comes no cheer\-ĭng,
Do Dun\-can no mor\-rŏw!
2.
The hand \ of the reap\-ĕr
Takes the ears \ that are hoar\-ў,
But the voice \ of the weep\-ĕr
Wails man\-hood in glo\-rў;
The au\-tumn winds rush\-ĭng,
Waft the leaves \ that are sear\-ĕst,
But our flow'r \ was in flush\-ĭng,
When blight\-ing was near\-ĕst."
WALTER SCOTT: Lady of the Lake, Canto iii, St. 16.
Example II.—Exact Lines of Two Anapests.
"Prithee, Cu\-pid, no more
Hurl thy darts \ at threescore;
To thy girls \ and thy boys,
Give thy pains \ and thy joys;
Let Sir Trust\-y and me
From thy frol\-ics be free."
ADDISON: Rosamond, Act ii, Scene 2; Ev. Versif., p. 100.
