On Quantitative Metre 343
Ble
_
sse ̆da
_
re|the ̆mee
_
k;|fo ̆rthe
_
ysha ̆ll|i ̆nhe
_
ri ̆t|the ̆ea
_
rth.|
Ble
_
sse ̆da
_
re|the ̆me
_
rci ̆fu ̆l;|fo ̆rthe
_
ysha ̆ll|o ̆btai
_
nme
_
rcy ̆.|
Ble
_
sse ̆da
_
re|the ̆pu
_
re i ̆nhea
_
rt;|fo ̆rthe
_
ysha ̆ll see
_
|Go
_
d.|
Or from St. Paul, —
Thou
_
gh I
_
spea
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k|wi ̆th the ̆to
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ngues|o ̆fme
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n|a ̆nd o ̆fa
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nge ̆ls|a ̆nd ha
_
ve
no ̆t|cha
_
ri ̆ty ̆,|
I
_
a ̆mbe ̆co
_
me|a ̆ssou
_
ndi ̆ng bra
_
ss|o ̆ra ̆ti
_
nkli ̆ng|cy
_
mba ̆l.|
A ̆nd thou
_
gh I
_
ha ̆ve|the ̆gi
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ft|o ̆fpro
_
phe ̆cy ̆|
a ̆nd u ̆nde ̆rsta
_
nd|a
_
ll my
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ste ̆rie ̆s|a ̆nd a
_
ll kno
_
wle ̆dge,|
a ̆nd thou
_
gh I
_
ha ̆ve|a
_
ll fai
_
th|so
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tha ̆tI
_
cou ̆ld|re ̆mo
_
ve mou
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ntai ̆ns,|
a ̆nd ha
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ve|no ̆tcha
_
ri ̆ty ̆,|I
_
a ̆mno
_
thi ̆ng.|
If we take Shakespeare’s prose in a well-known passage, we
shall find the same law of quantitative rhythm automatically
arranging his word-movement —
Thi ̆sgoo
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dly ̆fra
_
me,|the ̆ea
_
rth, see
_
ms to ̆|me ̆a ̆ste
_
ri
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le|pro
_
mo ̆nto
_
ry ̆;|
thi ̆smo
_
st e
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xce ̆l|le ̆nt ca
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no ̆py ̆,|the ̆ai
_
r, l o o
_
kyou ̆,|thi ̆sbra
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ve o’e
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rha
_
ng-
|i ̆ng fi
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rma ̆me
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nt,|thi ̆sma ̆je
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sti ̆|ca ̆lroo
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ffre
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tte ̆d|wi ̆th go
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lde ̆nfi
_
re,|—
why
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,i ̆ta ̆ppea
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rs|to ̆me ̆no
_
o
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th|e ̆rthi
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ng tha ̆na ̆|fou
_
la ̆nd pe
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sti ̆|le ̆nt
co
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ngre ̆ga
_
|tio ̆no ̆fva
_
pou ̆rs.|Wha ̆ta ̆pie
_
ce o ̆f|wo
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rk i ̆sa ̆ma
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n!|Ho
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w
no
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ble ̆i ̆n|rea
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so ̆n,|ho
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wi
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nfi ̆ni ̆te| ̆infa
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cu ̆lty ̆!|i ̆nfo
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rm,|i ̆nmo
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vi ̆ng|
ho
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we ̆xpre
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ss a ̆nd|a
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dmi ̆ra ̆ble!|i ̆na
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ctio ̆nho
_
w|li
_
ke a ̆na
_
nge ̆l!|i ̆n
a
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ppre ̆he
_
nsio ̆n|ho
_
wli
_
ke a ̆go
_
d!|the ̆beau
_
ty ̆o ̆f|the ̆wo
_
rld!|the ̆
pa
_
ra ̆go ̆n|o ̆fa
_
ni ̆ma
_
ls!|A ̆nd ye
_
t, to ̆me
_
,|wha
_
ti ̆sthi ̆s qui
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nt|e ̆sse ̆nce o ̆f
du
_
st?|