TABLEAU, Exhibiting a Synoptical View of the Matter contained in Chapter X. on VERSIFICATION. SECTION I.-STRUCTURE OF POETRY. 1. Species of Poetical Lines or Measures. 2. Of the Hemistich and of the Cœsura. 3. Of Rhymes; either masculine or feminine. 4. Of Rhymes; either rich or sufficient. 5. Of Hiatus, or Gaping, by the meeting of the vowels. 6. Of the Elision or mute e in verses. 7. Of Mingled or Alternate Rhymes. 8. Of Poetical Terms and Poetical Licence. 9. Of Transposition, either allowable or not. CHAP. X. VERSIFICATION. THE following sketch of French Versification, is intended as a help to the reading of French poetical works. The arrangement of the words and lines, in the composition of French verses, being regulated by strict laws, the reader cannot give due effect to this species of composition, unless its theory be well understood. The knowledge of the poetical laws, which a writer of French poetry is bound to observe, is no less necessary to those who read French verses; and the reader may rest assured, that the acquisition of the component parts, which form the structure of French poetical composition, procures, while reading poetry, a satisfaction unknown to those who have neglected to learn that necessary branch of knowledge. The following delineation of our poetical structure, is divided into two Sections, namely, Structure of Poetry, and Species of Poetry. SECT. I.-STRUCTURE. Definition. A French poetical line is the harmonious disposition of a certain number of syllables. Chap. X. VERSIFICATION, Section I. STRUCTURE. 1. SPECIES OF Lines. There are nine sorts of lines: 1st, The Alexandrine, heroical, or grand line of twelve syllables. "Co-li-gni-lan-guis-sait-dans-les-bras-du-re-pos, Et-le-som-meil-trom-peur-lui-ver-sait-ses-pa-vots." VOLTAIRE, Henriade, Mort de Coligny, poème épi. 2d, Line of ten syllables. "L'es-cla-ve-craint-le-ty-ran-qui-l'ou-trage, RACINE, Chœur d'Athalie, trag. 3d, Line of eight syllables. "For-tu-ne-dont-la-main-cour-ron-ne J. B. ROUSSEAU, Ode à la Fortune. 4th, Line of seven syllables. "De-la-mère-la-plus-ten-dre FLORIAN, Le Pont de la Veuve, Romance. 5th, Line of six syllables. "C'est-dieu-qui-nous-fait-vivre. C'est-dieu-qu'il-faut-ai-mer." MALHERBE, La mort rend tous les hommes égaux,Ode. 6th, Line of five syllables. "Dans-ces-prés-fleu-ris Qu'ar-ro-se-la-Seine, Mes-chè-res-bre-bis." MADAME DESHOULIERES, Idylle. 7th, Line of four syllables. "Sur-ce-pas-sage Au-moins-se-mons-des-fleurs." MONCRIEF, L'emploi du temps; Chanson. Chap. X. VERSIFICATION, Section I. STRUCTURE. 8th, Line of three syllables. "Même-il-m'est-ar-ri-vé-quel-que-fois-de-man-ger. LA FONTAINE, Les animaux malades de la peste; Fable. 9th, Line of two syllables. C'est-pro-met-tre-beau-coup-mais-qu'en-sort-il-sou-vent, LA FONTAINE, La montagne qui accouche; Fable. It must be observed, that the last syllable of a feminine line, that is, a line which terminates in e mute, alone, or followed by s or nt, as parle, parles, or parlent, is not counted at all. But the termination of the imperfects and conditionals of verbs ending in nt, forming the sound of ê broad, as in aimaient, aimeraient, or any other word ending with nt nasal, as souvent, président, violent, is reckoned one syllable, because it terminates in a full sound. In the following two lines, the former is composed of thirteen syllables, and the latter of twelve. "O-Paix,-tran-quil-le-paix,-se-cou-ra-ble im-mor-tel-le, Fil-le-de-l'har-mo-ni-e et-mè-re-des-plai-sirs." J. B. ROUSSEAU, Ode à la Paix. 2. OF HEMISTICH AND CESURA. By Hemistich is understood a part of a verse, and the Casurat the syllable in the line where the voicé is to pause. Each verse has two Hemistiches separated by a Cœsura. In Alexandrine lines, or lines of twelve syllables, the two Hemistiches are equal, and * Hemistich is derived from the Greek urus, (hêmisus), half, and TIXOS, (stichos), line, verse. +Coesura is derived from the Latin coedo, cœcidi, cœsum, to cut, to divide, to split. Chap. X. VERSIFICATION, Section I. STRUCTURE. composed each of them of six syllables; thus the Cœsura is in the middle. But in lines of ten syllables, both Hemistiches are unequal; the former is composed of four, and the latter of six syllables; so the Cœsura, instead of being in the middle, is between the fourth and fifth syllable. The following lines are of twelve syllables "On-voit-à-l'ho-ri-son | de-deux-points-op-po-sés, Des-nu-a-ges-mon-ter | dans-les-airs-em-bra-sés." ST. LAMBERT, L'Orage, Poème des Saisons. The Hemistich or the Cœsura ought to mark the pause, in such a manner that no necessary connection appears between the words which are separated. Boileau confirms this rule in the following maxim: "Que toujours, dans vos vers, | le sens coupant les mots, Suspende, l'hémistiche, en marque le repos." BOILEAU, L'Art Poétique. The Cœsura, or pause, is not less evident in the following lines of ten syllables, where it is placed after the fourth. "Ces-mal-heu-reux | qui-de-ta-ci-té-sainte The first Hemistich may terminate by an e mute, provided the second begins with a vowel, because then the two vowels are contracted into one. Pronouns ought to be rarely employed for a Cœsura or pause. 3. OF RHYME. Rhyme is the resemblance of two syllables, both for the sound and Orthography. * Rhyme is derived from the Greek gumos, (rhuthmos), cadence, consonance, |