OF VERSIFICATION. HAVING in a former place explained the nature of the prosodial accent, and its service in pointing out, for the current pronunciation, the emphatic syllable in every word of more than one syllable, I have now merely to notice its peculiar service in Spanish poetry, syllabic emphasis being the chief standard by which the Spanish metrical feet are regulated. It has been already observed, that every Spanish word of more than one syllable contains one accented or emphatic syllable; but, in order more fully to understand the principle upon which Spanish verse is constructed, a few observations seem necessary. First, Monosyllables cannot be said, strictly speaking, to have, per se, any syllabic emphasis. But in association in verse with other syllables, they may, according to the nature of the line, be either emphatic or unemphatic; some of them, however, seem more inclined to be emphatic than others, and vice versâ; and some are altogether tractable or pliant. Secondly, Besides the common prosodial accent, it is often necessary to use another not equally strong, sometimes called the poetic accent, in order to preserve the measure, especially with polysllyables: thus, in pronouncing the word fortunádamente, which has the predominant accent on the third syllable, we are compelled to lay an inferior degree of stress on the first and fifth, forming thereby three trochees, and in the word afortunádamente, which is accented on the fourth, we lay the inferior stress on the second and sixth, and by these means produce a line or rather word of three iambuses, hypermeter. Thirdly, It may be observed, that, through the natural drift of the rhythm, the prose accent is sometimes compelled to bend to the poetical; syllables naturally emphatic being passed over rather remissly, and unem phatic syllables receiving greater stress than their real nature strictly authorizes. And, Lastly, Although Spanish verse be regulated by emphasis, a certain balance of quantities essentially contributes to its general harmony. Where gravity and solemnity are intended in the measure, it will be found that long or important syllables preponderate, and where the movement is intended to be quick and lively, there will be found to be a surplus of short or unimportant syllables. Of the Division of Verse according to the Feet. Verses are divided into Iambic, Trochaic, and Anapes· tic, so named from the prevailing foot in each of them The iambic consists of two syllables, the latter of which is emphatic; as, temór, felíz, te-mór, feliz. The trochaic has its first emphatic and second unemphatic; as, témo, hábil, té-mo, há-bil. The anapestic has two unemphatic syllables followed by one emphatic; as, caridad, corazón, ca-ri-dád, co-ra-zón. Other feet might be mentioned, but they do not often occur. Iambics and trochaics are said to be in common time, anapestics in triple time; the two former indeed may be considered as kindred measures, both belonging to the even cadence. Feet of three syllables are seldom introduced in the even cadence, or cadence in common time. In the iambic measure, the syllabic emphasis is generally on the even syllables; in the trochaic, on the uneven or odd syllables; and in the anapestic, on every third syllable. The unemphatic syllables will be distinguished by the mark of a short quantity (°), and the emphatic by that of a long quantity ( ́). The shortest iambic measure is an iambus hypermeter, or with double rhyme : Se muelve, Lă nāve, Spanish heroics are in Iambic measure, consisting of five feet, and, being generally in double rhymes, contain eleven syllables; Păstō|rès quē | dõrmis| ên lã | măjā|da. A Trochee is often introduced as the first foot in Iambic verse; and Lope de Vega frequently places a trochee in other parts of the line; but it never can correctly form the last foot; Grāves mira dos y mirar | suā ves Y quanto el mar el ay re el sue lo encierra The shortest Trochaic measure consists of a trochee, and half a foot, with double rhyme; Clarus rījos. Zelos frios. In Trochaic measure an iambus sometimes is introduced; Ni mě | dexa el|llan to Decir como que do. Trochaic verses never exceed five feet, and seldom contain so many: the following is an example of three feet with double rhymes: Hombre que sinļāsco | sōr|ba. Anapestic verses are of different dimensions; but do not exceed four feet. The first syllable of the first foot is generally omitted: Lõs ā¦nìmŏs ār¦děn ĕn Diōs | ăbrăsā|dos. Of Rhyme. Rhymes may be either in couplets, the first and second line rhyming together, or they are alternate, the first and third, and the second and fourth, respectively rhyming. There are, too, other varieties, especially in irregular compositions. In rhymed verses the boundary of the line is easily observed in recitation. Where there is no rhyme, it must be distinguished chiefly by the final pause, which, when it does not coincide with the sentential, is a pause merely of suspension, there being no depression in the tone of the voice. The Spaniards have two sorts of rhyme, the consonante or full rhyme; and the asonante or imperfect rhyme. The consonante requires a similarity of letters, from the last accent in both lines ; Pues defended el reyno rostros béllos Que yo pondré la planta en vuestros cuellos. The asonante allows greater latitude, requiring a similarity of vowels only, while the consonants may be different; thus, ligéro forms an asonante with cubierto ; amores with noches; melones with azotes, &c. The same word may be also used at the end of both lines, without infringing on the laws of rhyme, if it be taken in different meanings; thus, sagrado, sacred, may rhyme with sagrado, an asylum, &c. Of the Division of Verse according to the Rhyme. Spanish verses are arranged into three different classes, called Agudos, Llanos, and Esdrúxolos. Agudos or single rhymes have the accent on the last syllable; as, ti Mas Por que no me quiero vér, Como te viste por mí. Llanos or double rhymes are accented on the penultimate; as, No mas, Ninfa cruel, ya estas vengáda, Que un pastor como yo pueda ofendérte. Most of the Spanish verses belong to this class. Esdrúxolos or triple rhymes have the accent on the antepenultimate; as, Silvano mio, una aficion rarísima, Una beldad, que ciega luego en viéndola, Con una dulce habla que en oyéndola, Las duras peñas mueve enterneciéndolas. ¿Que sentiria un amador perdiéndola? There are also a few compositions in blank verse, of which the following lines from Boscan may serve as a specimen : Canta con voz suave y dolorosa, O musa, los amores lastimeros, Que en suave dolor fueron criados: La lumbre muerta, y á Leandro muerto. But the most curious of all the Spanish poetical compositions, are certain species of verse, wherein the consonante falls about the middle of the next line, of which the following is a specimen, taken from Garcilazo: Pastores que dormis en la majáda, En la cerráda noche á sueño suelto, Probably these lines may formerly have been arranged differently. P |