RHYME

French poetry being less rhythmical than English, owing to the absence of strong word-accents, makes up the deficiency by much greater stress on rhyme. In French verse, rhyme not only is almost indispensable, but must, in a measure, satisfy the eye as well as the ear. For instance, words ending in ' s ' ' x ' or ' z ' can only rhyme with words also ending in one of thèse three letters. Hence, the use of such obsolète forms as voi for vois (11. 890, 947) ; the latter could not rhyme with moi or roi.

French rhymes are called " féminine " when they hâve a * mute e ' in or after their last sounded syllable ; e.g., descendue, mémoire, armées, coururent, cabales, assassinaient are féminine rhymes. In ail other cases they are called 'masculine ' rhymes.

In heroic verse the masculine and féminine rhymes are generally found in alternating pairs. In lyrics, however, they are freely crossed, but with this restriction, that one rhyme of either kind is never found next to a différent one of the same kind, Le., two différent masculines or féminines are never found in juxtaposition.