Part 206 (1/2)
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 ole These omissions are here essential to the formation of such rhymes Dactylic with double rhyle rhy 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 uncoular
MEASURE I--DACTYLIC OF EIGHT FEET, OR OCTOMETER
_Exahty in | hunting, and | famed as the | ruler of | cities of | yore; Babel, and | Erech, and | Accad, and | Calneh, froion his | name afar | bore
MEASURE II--DACTYLIC OF SEVEN FEET, OR HEPTAMETER
_Exadoels o'er | Satan vic | -torious, All that of |-fendeth, that | lieth, that | faileth to | honour his | nalorious
MEASURE III--DACTYLIC OF SIX FEET, OR HEXAMETER
_Example I--Time in Motion_
Time, thou art | ever in | es; 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 | huntse, the | hoeline_, 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, Oftento | thee; Often had | mountain-side, | mountain-side, | broad lake, and | streaht, | 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! | God 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 | screaer, 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 froain, Cold is thy | heart, and as | frozen as | Charity!
Cold are thy | children--Now | God be thy | comforter!”
ROBERT SOUTHEY: _Poems_, Philad, 1843, p 250
_Example II--Boys--A Dactylic Stanza_
”Boys will an | -ticipate, | lavish, and | dissipate All that your | busy pate | hoarded with | care; And, in their | foolishness, | passion, and |your pray'r”