IMITATIVE HARMONY

§411. There are various devices by means of which the poet may produee a correspondance between the sound and the sensé, and in the application of thèse the gênerai rules of versification are very frequently violated. The following illustrations présent some important applicatious of this principle :

1. A succession of harsh consonant sounds is happily employed to express a disagreeable idea; as,

Indomptable taureau, dragon impétueux,

Sa croupe se recourbe en replis tortueux. Racine.

2. The sound described may be imitated by the sound of the Unes ; as,

La mer tombe et bondit sur ses rives tremblantes ;

Elle remonte, gronde, et ses coups redoublés

Font retentir l'abîme et les monts ébranlés. Saint-Lambert.

Et le bronze et l'airain tonnant dans les combats. Delille.

3. The letter s frequently repeated may be used to express a sharp or hissing sound ; as,

Pour qui sont ces serpents qui sifflent sur vos têtes? Racine.

4. The répétition of the same sound, sometimes a serious defect, may be employed to represent a repeated action, or to enumerate successive détails one by one ; as,

IMITATIVE IIARMONY.

Français, Anglais, Lorrains, que la fureur assemble,

Avançaient, combattaient, frappaient, mouraient ensemble. Voltaire.

5. Pleasant objecta may be représentée! by flowing, harmonious syllables ; as,

Telle qu'une bergère, au plus beau jour de fête, De superbes rubis ne ebarge point sa tête, Et, sans mêler à l'or l'éclat des diamants,

Cueille en un champ voisin ses plus beaux ornements. Boileau. Note. The contrast between No. 1 and No. 5 is seen in the following verse of Boileau :

Fait des plus secs chardons des lauriers et des roses.

6. The hiatus, ordinarily clisagreeable, may sometimes contribute to the imitative harmony ; as,

Gardez qu'une voyelle, à courir trop hâtée,

Ne soit d'une voyelle en son chemin heurtée. Boileau.

7. To represent a prorapt or rapid raovement, the arrangement of the syllables and accents should produce a light and tripping sound ; as,

Compagnons, apportez et le fer et les feux ;

Venez, volez, montez sur ces murs orgueilleux. Voltaire.

8. Sluggishness, effort, difficulty, calmness, or déjection may be represented by soleran cadences, a slow and difficult movement of the verse ; as,

Dans un chemin montant, sablonneux, malaisé, Et de tous les côtés au soleil exposé,

Six forts chevaux tiraient un coche.* Femmes, moines, vieillards, tout était descendu ; L'équipage suait, soufflait, était vendu. La Fontaine.

9. The attention may be directed to a word by giving it a prominent place at the end of a hemistich ; as,

Les murs, donc le sommet se dérobe la vue,

Sur la cime d'un roc s'allongent dans la nue. Boileau.

The monosyllable roc, thus placed where the voice rests at the close of the hemistich, directs the attention of the reader to the spot which the tower occupies.

* Une diligence.

10. Two accents in succession sometimes direct the attention to an important monosyllable ; as,

J'aime mieux les voir morts que couverts d'infamie. Corneille.

11. Long word s may represent a prolonged sound, a very great object, a continuons action, or a long period; as,

Ses longs mugissements font trembler le rivage. Racine. Je te plains de tomber dans ses mains redoutables. Ir>.

12. Rapidity of action may be expressed by the suspension of the idea at the cesura ; as,

Une église, un prélat m'engage en sa querelle ;

Il faut partir, j'y cours. Dissipe tes douleurs. Boileau.

13. A suspension of the voice in one of the hemistichs fixes the attention upon the portion thus isolated, and appropriately expresses a suspension, a sudden fall, an action suddenly interrupted or rapidly performed. The following are examples of this suspension after the second, third, and fourth syllables of each hemistich :

J'entre. Le peuple fuit, le sacrifice cesse. Racine.

Ils cédaient. Mais Mayenne à l'instant les ranime. Voltaire.

Eh bien, allez ; sous lui fléchissez les genoux. Boileau.

Et périssez du moins en roi, s'il faut périr. Racine.

Tantôt un vaste amas d'effroyables nuages

S'élève, s'épaissit, se déchire, et soudain

La pluie à flots pressés s'échappe de son sein. Delille.

Vos tombeaux se rouvraient, c'en était fait ; Tarquin

Rentrait, dès cette nuit, la vengeance à la main. Voltaire.

14. Enjambement (see § 31), though gênerai] y forbidden in the alexandrine verse, sometimes contributes to the imitative harmony, especially in descriptive poetry. The following are examples of enjambement of one, two, three, and four syllables :

Viens, descends, arme-toi ; que ta foudre enflammée

Frappe, écrase à nos yeux leur sacrilège armée. Voltaire.

Il marche, et près de lui le peuple entier des mers

Bondit, et fait au loin jaillir les flots amers. Delille.

Horace, les voyant l'un de l'autre écartés,

Se retourne, et déjà les croit demi-domptés. Corneille.

L'aimable Bérénice entendrait de ma bouche

Qu'on l'abandonne ! Ah ! reine, et qui l'aurait pensé? Racine.

§ 42. The alexandrine verse, to which the prececling rules (§§ 10-41) are especially applicable, is well adapted to epic poetry, tragedy, and comedy. It is also more frequently employed than any other in satires, eclogues, didactic poeras, discourses in verse, and ancient sonnets, as likewise in moral epistles, élégies, and epigrams.

Ail other verses are subject to the same gênerai rules for the rhyme, hiatus, and succession of rhymes as those given for the alexandrine ; but each species requires separate considération.

§ 43. The pentameter, or verse of ten syllables, has a fîxed cesura after the fourth fbot ; and ail the rules for the cesura in the alexandrine verse are applicable to this.

Ex. J'ai vu l'impie || adoré sur la terre. Racine.

1. This is the measure most frequently employed by Marot ; * and he did not hesitate to make use of the enjambement of two feet or four syllables, which is not only one of the licenses, but, moderately used, one of the beauties, of the Marotic style.f

Ex. Auprès des rois il est de pareils fous ; A vos dépens ils font rire le maître.

Pour réprimer leur babil, irez-vous Les maltraiter ? Vous n'êtes pas peut-être Assez puissant. Il faut les engager A s'adresser à qui peut se venger. La Fontaine.

Rem. Except after the second foot, other enjambements are forbidden, as in the alexandrine verse.

2. As in the alexandrine verse, thëre are two fixed accents in the pentameter — one at the» close of each hemistich; but there is, in gênerai, but one movable accent, occurring, as the second movable accent in the alexandrine, upon the second, third, or fourth syllable of the second hemistich.

Ex. J'ai vu Vimpie || adoré sur la terre. Racine. Et nous portons || la^mie de leurs crimes. Id.

* See § 34, 6, R. f.

t See § 31, R. 4.

FEENCH VERSIFICATION.

3. The pentameter, having a more lively movement than the hexameter, is especially adapted to light and farailiar poetry. It is used in epistles, stories, élégies, epigrams, odes, songs, satires, and sonnets. Some didactic poeras of the 18th century are written in this measure, and Voltaire has employed it in several comédies.

§ 44. Verses of nine syllables, though not wanting in harmony, are but little used. They must have a cesura after the third syllable.

Ex. Des destins || la chaîne redoutable

Nous entraîne || à d'éternels malheurs ;

Mais l'espoir, || à jamais secourable,

De ses mains || viendra sécher nos pleurs. Voltaire.

§ 45. Verses of eight syllables, also called verses of four feet, and those of a less number of syllables, have no regular cesura. This is one of the most ancient mètres, and most of the early romances, fables, and stories were written in it. It is well adapted to epistles, descriptive poetry, odes, élégies, stories, songs, and epigrams. It is not so well suited to ballads and sonnets.

Ex. Quels chants sur ces flots retentissent? Quels chants éclatent sur ces bords ?

De ces deux concerts qui s'unissent L'écho prolonge les accords. Lamartine.

§ 46. Verses of seven syllables are also called verses of three feet and a half. They are used much as the preceding, and are especially adapted to familiar letters, stories, odes, and songs.

Ex. Jupiter, voyant nos fautes, Dit un jour du haut des airs :

" Remplissons de nouveaux hôtes Les cantons de l'univers Habités par cette race

Qui m'importune et me lasse." La Fontaine.

§ 4T. Verses of six syllables, or of three feet, are usually combined with longer measures.

Ex. Mais elle était du monde où les plus belles choses Ont le pire destin ; Et, rose, elle a vécu ce que vivent les roses L'espace d'un matin. Malherbe.

1. This raeasure, being equal to a heraistich of the alexandrine, and deceiving the ear by its resemblance to that, is rarely used in the lighter style of poetry to which the other short measures are frequently applied. It is found alone in the lyric style.

Ex. Suivons partout ses pas ; *

On ne peut la connaître

Sans aimer ses appas.

Le bonheur ne peut être

Où la Vertu n'est pas. Quinault.

§ 4:8. Verses of five syllables, or of two feet and a half, are more commonly used than those of three feet. They may be used alone, or combined with longer measures ; and in either case are especially adapted to music.

Ex. Chantons tour à tour

Dans ces lieux aimables ; Les dieux favorables

Y font leur séjour ; * Les seuls traits d'Amour

Y sont redoutables.

Chantons tour à tour

Dans ces lieux aimables. Quinault.

§ 4:9, Verses of four syllables, or less, are of more rare occurrence. The verse of four syllables, or of two feet, may be used alone, or combined with longer measures. It is especially adapted to lyric poetry, and to the familiar style. Ex. Rompez vos fers, Tribus captives ; Troupes fugitives Repassez les monts et les ni ers- Racine.

§ 50. Verses of three syllables are gêner ally mingled with longer measures.

Ex. Même il m'est arrivé quelquefois de manger

Le berger. La Fontaine.

* Les pas de la Vertu.