Mute e. An unaccented e does not count

(1) At the end of a line, either standing alone or followed by s or nt.

Je promène au hasard mes regards sur la plein(e). Ici gronde le fleuve aux vagues écumant(es) . . . Prenez avec leurs jours les soins qui les devor(ent).

(2) When final before a word beginning with a vowel or silent h.

Je promèn(e) au hasard mes regards sur la pleine . . .

Lorsque du Créateur la parole féconde.

Dans un(e) heure fatale eut enfanté le monde . . .

(3) The mute ending ent in the imperfect indicative, imperfect subjunctive, conditional (and in the présent subjunctive of avoir and être). Though ent counts in the présent indicative, prétérit indicative, and présent subjunctive.

Examples: pou-vaient, verraient, fi-nissent, fussent. But chan-tent, fu-rent, eu-rent, sa-chent, aient, soient, voi-ent, pri-ent.

(4) In the body of a word after another vowel.

Examples: es-saie-rai, fie-rai, loue-rai, re-mue-rai, re-mer-cie-ment, en-joue-ment.

3. Syllabication. As a gênerai rule each word has in poetry the sarae number of syllables as in prose. Yet often two or more vowels which are pronounced separately in prose are contracted into one syllable in poetry. On the other hand, a combination of vowels which are pronounced as one syllable in prose are resolved into two syllables in poetry. By scanning a line it is easy to détermine the number of syllables in a given case. It must be borne in mind, however, that even in prose the same combinations do not always make the same number of syllables, as may be seen in the following examples : —

dia-ble, di-a-mant; vian-de, fi-an-cée; bré-viai-re, au-xil-i-ai-re; pi-tié, pi-é-té; fier, hi-er; ciel, vi-elle; ai-miez, é-tu-di-er; rien, li-en; cieux, pi-eux; pioche, i-di-ot; ai-mions, en-tri-ons; poêle, po-ë-te; fouet, jou-et; oui, jou-ir; é-cuel-le, cru-el-le; fruit, ru-in-e; aï-eux, ha-ï; moy-en, pa-y-san, etc.