The Grammar of English Grammars Part 206

ORDER IV.--DACTYLIC VERSE.

In pure Dactylic verse, the stress is laid on the first syllable of each successive three; that is, on the first, the fourth, the seventh, and the tenth syllable of each line of four feet. Full dactylic generally forms triple rhyme. When one of the final short syllables is omitted, the rhyme is double; when both, single. These omissions are here essential to the formation of such rhymes. Dactylic with double rhyme, ends virtually with a _trochee_; dactylic with single rhyme, commonly ends with a _caesura_; that is, with a long syllable taken for a foot. Dactylic with single rhyme is the same as anapestic would be without its initial short syllables.

Dactylic verse is rather uncommon; and, when employed, is seldom perfectly pure and regular.

MEASURE I.--DACTYLIC OF EIGHT FEET, OR OCTOMETER.

_Example.--Nimrod._

Nimrod the | hunter was | mighty in | hunting, and | famed as the | ruler of | cities of | yore; Babel, and | Erech, and | Accad, and | Calneh, from | Shinar's fair | region his | name afar | bore.

MEASURE II.--DACTYLIC OF SEVEN FEET, OR HEPTAMETER.

_Example.--Christ's Kingdom._

Out of the | kingdom of | Christ shall be | gathered, by | angels o'er | Satan vic | -torious, All that of |-fendeth, that | lieth, that | faileth to | honour his | name ever | glorious.

MEASURE III.--DACTYLIC OF SIX FEET, OR HEXAMETER.

_Example I.--Time in Motion._

Time, thou art | ever in | motion, on | wheels of the | days, years, and | ages; Restless as | waves of the | ocean, when | Eurus or | Boreas | rages.

_Example II.--Where, is Grand-Pre?_

"This is the | forest pri | -meval; but | where are the | hearts that be | -neath it Leap'd like the | roe, when he | hears in the | woodland the | voice of the | huntsman?

Where is the | thatch-roofed | village, the | home of A | -cadian | farmers?"

H. W. LONGFELLOW: _Evangeline_, Part i, l. 7--9.

MEASURE IV.--DACTYLIC OF FIVE FEET, OR PENTAMETER.

_Example.--Salutation to America._

"Land of the | beautiful, | beautiful, | land of the | free, Land of the | negro-slave, | negro-slave, | land of the | chivalry, Often my | heart had turned, | heart had turned, | longing to | thee; Often had | mountain-side, | mountain-side, | broad lake, and | stream, Gleamed on my | waking thought, | waking thought, | crowded my | dream.

Now thou dost | welcome me, | welcome me, | from the dark | sea, Land of the | beautiful, | beautiful, | land of the | free, Land of the | negro-slave, | negro-slave, | land of the | chivalry."

MEASURE V.--DACTYLIC OF FOUR FEET, OR TETRAMETER.

_Example 1--The Soldier's Wife._

"Weary way |-wanderer, | languid and | sick at heart, Travelling | painfully | over the | rugged road, Wild-visaged | Wanderer! | G.o.d help thee, | wretched one!

Sorely thy | little one | drags by thee | barefooted; Cold is the | baby that | hangs at thy | bending back, Meagre, and | livid, and | screaming for | misery.

Woe-begone | mother, half | anger, half | agony, Over thy | shoulder thou | lookest to | hush the babe, Bleakly the | blinding snow | beats in thy | haggard face.

Ne'er will thy | husband re | -turn from the | war again, Cold is thy | heart, and as | frozen as | Charity!

Cold are thy | children.--Now | G.o.d be thy | comforter!"

ROBERT SOUTHEY: _Poems_, Philad., 1843, p. 250.

_Example II.--Boys.--A Dactylic Stanza_.

"Boys will an | -tic.i.p.ate, | lavish, and | dissipate All that your | busy pate | h.o.a.rded with | care; And, in their | foolishness, | pa.s.sion, and | mulishness, Charge you with | churlishness, | spurning your pray'r."

_Example III--"Labour."--The First of Five Stanzas_.

"Pause not to | dream of the | future be | -fore us; Pause not to | weep the wild | cares that come | o'er us: Hark, how Cre | -ation's deep, | musical | chorus, Uninter | -mitting, goes | up into | Heaven!

Never the | ocean-wave | falters in | flowing; Never the | little seed | stops in its | growing; More and more | richly the | rose-heart keeps | glowing, Till from its | nourishing | stem it is | riven."

FRANCES S. OSGOOD: _Clapp's Pioneer_, p. 94.

_Example IV.--"Boat Song."--First Stanza of Four._

"Hail to the | chief who in | triumph ad | -vances!

Honour'd and | bless'd be the | ever-green | pine!

Long may the | tree in his | banner that | glances, Flourish, the | shelter and | grace of our | line!

Heaven send it happy dew, Earth lend it sap anew, Gayly to | bourgeon, and | broadly to | grow, While ev'ry | Highland glen Sends our shout | back agen, 'Roderigh Vich Alpine Dhu, ho! ieroe!'"

WALTER SCOTT: _Lady of the Lake_, C. ii, St. 19.

MEASURE VI.--DACTYLIC OF THREE FEET, OR TRIMETER.

_Example.--To the Katydid._

"Ka-ty-did, | Ka-ty-did, | sweetly sing,-- Sing to thy | loving mates | near to thee; Summer is | come, and the | trees are green,-- Summer's glad | season so | dear to thee.

Cheerily, | cheerily, | insect, sing; Blithe be thy | notes in the | hickory; Every | bough shall an | answer ring, Sweeter than | trumpet of | victory."

MEASURE VII.--DACTYLIC OF TWO FEET, OR DIMETER.

_Example I.--The Bachelor.--Four Lines from Many._

"Free from sa | -tiety, Care, and anx | -iety, Charms in va | -riety, Fall to his | share."--ANON.: _Newspaper_.

_Example II.--The Pibroch.--Sixteen Lines from Forty._

"Pibroch of | Donuil Dhu, Pibroch of | Donuil, Wake thy wild | voice anew.

Summon Clan | -Conuil.

Come away, | come away!

Hark to the | summons!

Come in your | war-array, Gentles and | commons!

"Come as the | winds come, when Forests are | rended; Come as the | waves come, when Navies are | stranded; Faster come, | faster come, Faster and | faster!

Chief, va.s.sal, | page, and groom, Tenant and | master."--W. SCOTT.

_Example III.--"My Boy."_

_'There is even a happiness that makes the heart afraid.'_--HOOD.