Example II—Common Sense and Genius.
3.
"While I \ touch the \ string,
Wreathe my \ brows with \ laurel;
For the \ tale I \ sing,
Has, for \ once, a \ moral!
4.
Common \ Sense went \ on,
Many \ wise things \ saying;
While the \ light that \ shone,
Soon set \ Genius \ straying.
5.
One his eye ne'er \ rais'd
From the \ path be\-fore him;
T' other \ idly \ gaz'd
On each \ night-cloud \ o'er him.
6.
While I \ touch the \ string,
Wreathe my \ brows with \ laurel;
For the \ tale I \ sing,
Has, for \ once, a \ moral!
7.
So they \ came, at \ last,
To a \ shady \ river;
Common \ Sense soon \pass'd
Safe,—as \ he doth \ ever.
8.
While the \ boy whose \ look
Was in \ heav'n that \ minute,
Never \ saw the \ brook,—
But tum\-bled head\-long in it."
Six Stanzas from Twelve.—Moore's Melodies, p. 271.
This short measure is much oftener used in stanzas, than in couplets. It is, in many instances, combined with some different order or metre of verse, as in the following:
Example III.—Part of a Song.
"Go where \ glory \ waits thee,
But while \ fame e\-lates thee,
Oh! still \ remem\-ber me.
When the \ praise thou \ meetest,
To thine \ ear is \ sweetest,
Oh! then \ remem\-ber me.
Other \ arms may \ press thee,
Dearer \ friends ca\-ress thee,
All the \ joys that \ bless thee,
Sweeter \ far may \ be:
But when \ friends are \ nearest,
And when \ joys are \ dearest,
Oh! then \ remem\-ber me.
When, at \ eve, thou \ rovest,
By the \ star thou \ lovest,
Oh! then \ remem\-ber me.
Think when \ home re\-turning,
Bright we've \ seen it \ burning;
Oh! thus \ remem\-ber me.
Oft as \ summer \ closes,
When thine \ eye re\-poses
On its \ ling'ring \ roses,
Once so \ loved by \ thee,
Think of \ her who \ wove them,
Her who \ made thee \ love them;
Oh! then \ remem\-ber me."
Moore's Melodies, Songs, and Airs, p. 107.
Example IV.—From an Ode to the Thames.
"On thy \ shady \ margin,
Care its \ load dis\-charging,
Is lull'd \ to gen\-tle rest:
Britain \ thus dis\-arming,
Nothing \ her a\-larming,
Shall sleep on Cæ\-sar's breast."
See Rowe's Poems: Johnson's British Poets, Vol. iv, p. 58.
Example V.—"The True Poet"—First Two of Nine Stanzas.
1.
"Poet \ of the \ heart,
Delving \ in its \ mine,
From man\-kind a\-part,
Yet where \ jewels \ shine;
Heaving \ upward \ to the \ light,
Precious \ wealth that \ charms the \ sight;
2.
Toil thou \ still, deep \ down,
For earth's \ hidden \ gems;
They shall \ deck a \ crown,
Blaze in \ dia\-dems;
And when \ thy hand \ shall fall \ to rest,
Brightly \ jewel \ beauty's \ breast."
JANE B. LOCKE: N. Y. Evening Post; The Examiner, No. 98.
Example VI.—"Summer Longings"—First Two of Five Stanzas.
"Ah! my \ heart is \ ever \ waiting,
Waiting \ for the \ May,—
Waiting \ for the \ pleasant \ rambles
Where the \ fragrant \ hawthorn \ brambles,
With the \ woodbine \ alter\-nating,
Scent the \ dewy \ way.
Ah! my \ heart is \ weary \ waiting,
Waiting \ for the \ May.
Ah! my \ heart is \ sick with \ longing,
Longing \ for the \ May,—
Longing \ to e\-scape from \ study,
To the \ young face \ fair and \ ruddy,
And the \ thousand \ charms be\-longing
To the \ Summer's \ day.
Ah! my \ heart is \ sick with \ longing,
Longing \ for the \ May."
"D. F. M. C.:" Dublin University Magazine; Liberator, No. 952.
