The third Chapter: of our English numbers in generall.
There are but three feete, which generally distinguish the Greeke and Latine verses, the Dactil consisting of one long sillable and two short, as vivere, the Trochy, of one long and one short, as vita, and the Iambick of one short and one long amor. The Spondee of two long, the Tribrach of thrree short, the Anapastick of two short and a long, are but as seruants to the first. Diuers other feete I know are by the Grammarians cited, but to little purpose. The Heroical verse that is distinguisht by the Dactile, hath bene oftentimes attempted in our English toong, but with passing pitifull successe: and no wonder, seeing it is an attempt altogether against the nature of our language. For both the concurse of out monosillables make our verses vnapt to slide, and also if we examine our polysillables, we shall finde fewe of them by reason of their heauiness, willing to serue in plase of a Dactile. Thence it is, that the writers of English heroicks do so often repeate Amytas, Olympus, Auernus, Erinnis, and such like borrowed words, to supply the defect of our hardly intreated Dactile. I could in this place set downe many ridiculous kinds of Dactils which they vse, but that it is not my purpose here to incite men to laughter. If we therefore reiect the Dactil as vnfit for our vse (which of necessity we are enforst to do, there remayne only the Iambick foote, of which the Iambick verse is fram'd, and the Trochee, from which the Trochaick numbers haue their originall. Let vs now then examine the property of these two feete, and try if they consent with the nature of our English sillables. And first for the Iambricks, they fall out so naturally in our toong, that if we examine our owne writers, we shall find they vnawares hit oftentimes vpon the true Iambick numbers, but alwayes ayme at them as far as their eare without the guidance of arte can attine vnto, as it shall hereafter more euidently appeare. The Trochaick foote which is but an Iambick turn'd ouer and ouer, must of force in like manner accord in proportion with our British sillables, and so produce an English Trochaicall verse. Then hauing these two principall kinds of verses, we may easily out of them deriue other formes, as the Latines and Greekes before vs haue done, whereof I will make plaine demonstration, beginning at the Iambick verse.
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