Wheel the wild dance And thunders rattle loud! To blood'y grave', To sleep without a shroud! Our air'y feet', So light' and fleet', They do not bend the rye That sinks its head when whirlwinds rave, And swells again in eddying wave, As each wild gust goes by; But still' the corn', At dawn of morn Our fatal steps that bore, At eve' lies waste', A tram'pled paste' Of black'ning mud and gore!-SCOTT. Formula x a×2+. In this extract the accented lines are composed of two Iambics and an additional syllable. § 637. In this extract the accented lines are composed of three Iambics. We stand among the fallen leaves, Young children at our play', And laugh to see the yellow things Right merrily we hunt them down, Where with'er'd boughs' are strewn ;' The present is' our own'!-Mrs. NORTON. Formula x ax3+. In this extract the accented lines are composed of three Iambics, with an additional syllable. Then out' spake brave' Hora'tius, The captain of the gate: For the ash'es of his fa'thers, And the temple of his gods?-MACAULAY. IAMBIC TETRAMETER. Formula x ax4. § 638. In the following the law of the measure is, that there should be four Iambics in each line. Instead of an Iambus, there is occasionally a Trochee, as in the first foot. This is the common octosyllabic verse. Child of the country! free as air A narrow street thy boundless road; I sing of thee in sadness! Where Else is wreck wrought in aught so fair?-ALLAN CUNNINGHAM. Formula x ax4+. In this extract the accented lines are composed of four iambics and an additional syllable. Wee, sleek' it, cow'|rin', tim'|'rous beas' tie! O what a panic's in thy breastie ! Thou needna start awa' sae hasty, Wi' bickering brattle! 1 wad be laith to rin an' chase thee Wi' murdering pattle! I'm truly sorry man's' domin'ion An' jus'tifies' that ill' opin'ion, Which makes thee startle At me', thy poor' earth-born' companʼion, An' fellow-mortal!-BURNS. IAMBIC PENTAMETER. Formula x ax 5. § 639. In these extracts the law of the measure is, that each line should consist of five Iambics. This is called Heroic measure. Dim as the bor'|row'd beams' | of moon' | and stars To lone ́ly, wea'ry, wan'd'ring trav ́elers' Is Reason to the soul! and as on high Those rolling fires discover but the sky, Not light, as here; so Reason's glimmering ray O unexpected stroke! worse than of Death! Quiet, though sad, the respite of that day That never will in any other climate grow, My early visitation and my last At even; which I bred up with tender hand How shall I part? and whither wander down And wild? How shall we breathe in other air Less pure, accustom'd to immortal fruits?—MILTON. Formula x a×5+. In the following extract the accented lines are composed of five Iambics and an additional syllable. Day-stars', that ope' | your eyes' | with morn' | to twink'le, From rain bow galaxies' of earth's' crea'tion, As a libation. Ye matin worshipers, who, bending lowly Incense on high! 'Neath cloister'd boughs each floral bell that swingeth, Makes Sabbath in the fields, and ringeth A call to prayer! Not to that dome where sculptured arch and column Which God hath plann'd! To that cathedral, boundless as our wonder, Whose quenchless lamps the sun and moon supply; Whose choirs the winds and waves; whose organ, thunder; Whose dome the sky! HORACE SMITH. IAMBIC HEXAMETER. Formula xax 6. § 640. In this measure there are six Iambics. It is usually called the Alexandrine. The last line of the Spenserian stanza is of this character. When Phoebus lifts' | his head' | out of' | the win'|ter's wave', At such time as the year brings on the pleasant spring, But hunts-up to the morn the feather'd sylvans sing; And in the lower grove, as on the rising knoll, On which the mirthful quires, with their clear open throats, Seems all composed of sounds about them every where. DRAYTON. IAMBIC HEPTAMETER. Formula x a × 7. § 641. In the following extract the lines are composed of seven Iambics. She sits beneath' | the elder shade' | in that' | long mor' tal swoon', Formula x a × 7+. In this extract there are seven Iambics and an additional syllable. Had Ellen lost' | her mirth? | Oh no! | but she' | was seldom cheer'|ful; § 642. In the following extract the accented lines are com posed of a single Trochee. From walk to walk, from shade to shade; From stream to purling stream convey'd, |