At this still hour, the self-collected soul
Turns inward, and beholds a stranger there
Of high descent, and more than mortal rank;
An embryo God; a spark of fire divine,
Which must burn on for ages, when the sun,
Fair transitory creature of a day!—

Has closed his golden eye, and, wrapt in shades,
Forgets his wonted journey through the east.

SECTION VI.

LYRIC POETRY.

LYRIC POETRY, such as psalms, hymns, odes, etc., consists of lines, feet, and syllables, capable of being set to music.

All poetical compositions of this character are usually written in iambic, trochaic, or anapestic measure; or a combination of two or all of them.

The most common measures, in which sacred or devotional psalms and hymns are written, are designated thus: —

S. M. denotes Short Meter or Measure.

There are various other measures designated by figures, which denote the number of syllables in the different lines.

QUESTIONS. What is lyric poetry? In what measures are compositions of this character usually written? How are the most common measures, in which psalms and hymns are written, designated? What does S. M. denote? C. M., etc.? How are other measures designated? What do the figures denote?

1. S. M., Iambic, 6s and 8s three and four feet.

EXAMPLE.

The hill of Zion yields.

A thousand sacred sweets,

Before we reach | the heaven | ly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.

2. C. M., Iambic, 8s and 6s-four and three feet.

EXAMPLE.

He comes the brōk | ĕn heart | tŏ hēal,
The bleeding soul | to cure;
And, with the treasures of his grace,
T'enrich the humble poor.

3. L. M., Iambic, 8s-four feet.

EXAMPLE.

He guides our feet, | he guards | Ŏur way;
His morning smiles bless all the day;
He spreads the evening veil, and keeps
The silent hours while Israel sleeps.

4. L. P. M., Iambic, 8s-four feet.

EXAMPLE.

I'll praise my Ma | ker with | my breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers;

My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.

QUESTIONS. In what measure is Short Meter written? How many syllables de ontain? How many feet? In what measure is C. M. written? How mony syllables do the lines contain? How many feet? In what measure is L. M. written? How many syllables in each line? How many feet? In what measure is L. P M. written? How many syllables in each line? How many feet! Wherein does it di rom I. M.?

EXAMPLE.

Ŏ how happy are they,

Who the Saviour obey,

And have laid | up their treas | ures above!

O what tongue can express

The sweet comfort and peace,

Of a soul in its earliest love!

8. Trochaic, 8s, 7s, and 4s — four, three, and two feel.

QUESTIONS. In what measure is H. M. written? How many syllables do the lines contain? How many feet? Let the teacher ask similar questions on all the following examples.

11. Trochaic, 3s and 7s — four and three feet.

EXAMPLE.

Come, thou fount of ev'ry | blessing,
Tune my heart to | grateful | lays ;
Streams of mercy never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest | praise.

12. Iambic and Anapestic, 5s and 11s

two and four feet.

EXAMPLE.

Come, let us ǎnēw

Our journey pursue,

Roll round with the year,

And nev er stand still | till the Mas | ter appear.

13. Iambic and Anapestic, 11s — four feet.

EXAMPLE.

How firm | à fõundā | tion, yě saints | of the Lōrd,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!

What more could his mercy and goodness have said
To those who for refuge, to Jesus have fled!.

14. Anapestic 12s and 9s—four and three feet.

EXAMPLE.

They have gōne | to the land | where the pā | triarchs rēst,
Where the bones of the proph | ets are laid,

Where the chosen of Israel the promise possessed,
And Jehovah his wonders displayed.

15. Trochaic, 8s, 7s, and 4s-four, three, and two feet.

EXAMPLE.

Hark, the judgment | trumpet | sounding,
Rends the skies and | shakes the | poles;

Lo, the day, with wrath abounding,

18. Anapestic, lambic, and Spondaic, 12s and 11s-four feet

EXAMPLE.

Thou art gone to the grave | but we will not deplōre | thea

Though sōr | rows and dark | ness encompass the tomb

The Saviour has passed through its portals before thee,

And the lamp of his love is thy guide through the gloom.