REM. 7. Nothing could be more monotonous than alexandrines if each line or each couplet contained a separate idea. This monotony is prevented, and the harmony of the verse greatly enhanced, by the judicious use of periods. Racine is the best model to follow in this particular. The following period is from his Athalie : Faut-il le transporter aux plus affreux déserts ? Et cherchant comme nous son salut dans la fuite IMITATIVE HARMONY. § 41. There are various devices by means of which the poet may produce a correspondence between the sound and the sense, and in the application of these the general rules of versification are very frequently violated. The following. illustrations present some important applicatious of this principle: 1. A succession of harsh consonant sounds is happily employed to express a disagreeable idea; as, Indomptable taureau, dragon impétueux, Sa croupe se recourbe en replis tortueux. RACINE. 2. The sound described may be imitated by the sound of the lines; as, La mer tombe et bondit sur ses rives tremblantes; Elle remonte, gronde, et ses coups redoublés Font retentir l'abîme et les monts ébranlés. SAINT-Lambert. Et le bronze et l'airain tonnant dans les combats. DELILLE. 3. The letter s frequently repeated may be used to express a sharp or hissing sound; as, Pour qui sont ces serpents qui sifflent sur vos têtes? RACINE. 4. The repetition of the same sound, sometimes a serious defect, may be employed to represent a repeated action, or to enumerate successive details one by one; as, Français, Anglais, Lorrains, que la fureur assemble, Avançaient, combattaient, frappaient, mouraient ensemble. VOLtaire. 5. Pleasant objects may be represented by flowing, harmonious syllables; as, Telle qu'une bergère, au plus beau jour de fête, De superbes rubis ne charge point sa tête, Et, sans mêler à l'or l'éclat des diamants, Cueille en un champ voisin ses plus beaux ornements. BOILEAU. NOTE. The contrast between No. 1 and No. 5 is seen in the following verse of Boileau: Fait des plus secs chardons des lauriers et des roses. 6. The hiatus, ordinarily disagreeable, may sometimes. contribute to the imitative harmony; as, Gardez qu'une voyelle, à courir trop hâtée, Ne soit d'une voyelle en son chemin heurtée. BOILEAU. 7. To represent a prompt or rapid movement, the arrangement of the syllables and accents should produce a light and tripping sound; as, Compagnons, apportez et le fer et les feux; Venez, volez, montez sur ces murs orgueilleux. VOLTAIRE. 8. Sluggishness, effort, difficulty, calmness, or dejection may be represented by solemn cadences, a slow and difficult movement of the verse; as, Dans un chemin montant, sablonneux, malaisé, Et de tous les côtés au soleil exposé, Six forts chevaux tiraient un coche.* Femmes, moines, vieillards, tout était descendu; L'équipage suait, soufflait, était vendu. LA FONTAINE. 9. The attention may be directed to a word by giving it a prominent place at the end of a hemistich; as, Les murs, donc le sommet se dérobe la vue, Sur la cime d'un roc s'allongent dans la nue. BOILEAU. The monosyllable roc, thus placed where the voice rests at the close of the hemistich, directs the attention of the reader to the spot which the tower occupies. * Une diligence. 10. Two accents in succession sometimes direct the attention to an important monosyllable; as, J'aime mieux les voir morts que couverts d'infamie. CORNeille. 11. Long words may represent a prolonged sound, a very great object, a continuous action, or a long period; as, Ses longs mugissements font trembler le rivage. RACINE. Je te plains de tomber dans ses mains redoutables. ID. 12. Rapidity of action may be expressed by the suspension of the idea at the cesura; as, Une église, un prélat m'engage en sa querelle ; Il faut partir, j'y cours. Dissipe tes douleurs. Boileau. 13. A suspension of the voice in one of the hemistichs fixes the attention upon the portion thus isolated, and appropriately expresses a suspension, a sudden fall, an action suddenly interrupted or rapidly performed. The following are examples of this suspension after the second, third, and fourth syllables of each hemistich: J'entre. Le peuple fuit, le sacrifice cesse. RACINE. Ils cédaient. Mais Mayenne à l'instant les ranime. Voltaire. Et périssez du moins en roi, s'il faut périr. Tantôt un vaste amas d'effroyables nuages S'élève, s'épaissit, se déchire, et soudain RACINE. La pluie à flots pressés s'échappe de son sein. DELILLE. Rentrait, dès cette nuit, la vengeance à la main. VOLTAIRE. 14. Enjambement (see § 31), though generally forbidden in the alexandrine verse, sometimes contributes to the imitative harmony, especially in descriptive poetry. The following are examples of enjambement of one, two, three, and four syllables: Viens, descends, arme-toi; que ta foudre enflammée Frappe, écrase à nos yeux leur sacrilége armée. VOLTAIRE. Il marche, et près de lui le peuple entier des mers Horace, les voyant l'un de l'autre écartés, DELILLE. Se retourne, et déjà les croit demi-domptés. CORNEILLE. L'aimable Bérénice entendrait de ma bouche Qu'on l'abandonne! Ah! reine, et qui l'aurait pensé? RACINE. VERSES OF DIFFERENT MEASURES. § 42. The alexandrine verse, to which the preceding rules (§§ 10-41) are especially applicable, is well adapted to epic poetry, tragedy, and comedy. It is also more frequently employed than any other in satires, eclogues, didactic poems, discourses in verse, and ancient sonnets, as likewise in moral epistles, elegies, and epigrams. All other verses are subject to the same general rules for the rhyme, hiatus, and succession of rhymes as those given for the alexandrine; but each species requires separate consideration. § 43. The pentameter, or verse of ten syllables, has a fixed cesura after the fourth foot; and all the rules for the cesura in the alexandrine verse are applicable to this. Ex. J'ai vu l'impie || adoré sur la terre. RACINE. 1. This is the measure most frequently employed by Marot;* and he did not hesitate to make use of the enjambement of two feet or four syllables, which is not only one of the licenses, but, moderately used, one of the beauties, of the Marotic style.† Ex. Auprès des rois il est de pareils fous; A vos dépens ils font rire le maître. Pour réprimer leur babil, irez-vous Les maltraiter? Vous n'êtes pas peut-être A s'adresser à qui peut se venger. LA FONTAINE. REM. Except after the second foot, other enjambements are forbidden, as in the alexandrine verse. 2. As in the alexandrine verse, there are two fixed accents in the pentameter one at the close of each hemistich; but there is, in general, but one movable accent, occurring, as the second movable accent in the alexandrine, upon the second, third, or fourth syllable of the second hemistich. Ex. J'ai vu l'impie || adoré sur la terre. RACINE. Et nous portons || la peine de leurs crimes. ID. * See § 34, 6, R. †. † See § 31, R. 4. 3. The pentameter, having a more lively movement than the hexameter, is especially adapted to light and familiar poetry. It is used in epistles, stories, elegies, epigrams, odes, songs, satires, and sonnets. Some didactic poems of the 18th century are written in this measure, and Voltaire has employed it in several comedies. § 44. Verses of nine syllables, though not wanting in harmony, are but little used. They must have a cesura after the third syllable. Ex. Des destins || la chaîne redoutable Nous entraîne || à d'éternels malheurs ; De ses mains || viendra sécher nos pleurs. VOLTAIRE. § 45. Verses of eight syllables, also called verses of four feet, and those of a less number of syllables, have no regular cesura. This is one of the most ancient metres, and most of the early romances, fables, and stories were written in it. It is well adapted to epistles, descriptive poetry, odes, elegies, stories, songs, and epigrams. It is not so well suited to ballads and sonnets. $ 46. Ex. Quels chants sur ces flots retentissent? Quels chants éclatent sur ces bords? De ces deux concerts qui s'unissent L'écho prolonge les accords. LAMARTINE. Verses of seven syllables are also called verses of three feet and a half. They are used much as the preceding, and are especially adapted to familiar letters, stories, odes, and songs. Ex. Jupiter, voyant nos fautes, Dit un jour du haut des airs : "Remplissons de nouveaux hôtes Habités par cette race Qui m'importune et me lasse." LA FONTAINE. § 47. Verses of six syllables, or of three feet, are usually combined with longer measures. |