A stanza is a distinct division of poetry, composed of a certain number of adjusted verses or lines, as

"When ranting round in pleasure's ring,

Religion may be blinded;

Or, if she gie a random sting,

It may be little minded;

But when on life we're tempest-driven,
A conscience but a canker,

A correspondence fixed wi' heaven

Is sure a noble anchor."-BURNS.

Form or Manner.

As to form or manner, all poetry is epic, lyric, or dramatic.

Epic poetry is of the narrative kind, and details external circumstances and events. It is sometimes called heroic verse, because it is used in narrating heroic actions and exploits.

In English, German, and Italian, this verse is iambic of ten syllables (five feet); in French it is iambic of twelve syllables (six feet); and in classic poetry it is hexameter, or verse consisting of six feet, equivalent to twelve syllables. Iambic of twelve syllables is also called Alexandrine, from an old poem written in French on the life of Alexander. The first four feet in a fine of heroic or hexameter may be dactyls or spondees; the fifth must be a dactyl, and the sixth a spondee.

"A needless Alexandrine ends the song,

That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along."-POPE. "Where men of judgment creep and feel their way,

The positive pronounce without delay;

Without the means of knowing right from wrong,

They always are decisive, clear, and strong."-Cowper.

Lyric poetry expresses internal emotions and thoughts, and was originally confined to such verse as was sung, or adapted to musical recitation, accompanied by the lyre or harp.

There are a variety of lyric compositions, differing somewhat in their uses, length, etc. The most prominent are

E

the ode, hymn, psalm, lay, ballad, sonnet, song, epigram, and roundelay.

1. An ode is a short song or poem. In the modern sense of the word, "the ode appears to be distinguished by greater length and variety, and by not being necessarily adapted to music. It is distinguished from the ballad and other species of lyric poetry by being confined to the expression of sentiment or of imaginative thought on a subject not admitting of narrative except incidentally."-BRANDE. As, Collins's "Ode on the Passions."

Odes are sacred, as in hymns and psalms; heroic, when praising heroes, martial exploits, or heroic deeds; moral and philosophical, as in odes on virtue, friendship, or humanity.

2. A hymn is a song of praise, adoration, or thanksgiving; as, Milton's "Hymn on the Nativity."

3. A psalm is a sacred or holy song; a poem for praise or worship to God; as, the Psalms of David.

4. A lay is an ancient elegiac kind of French lyric poetry; a species of narrative poetry among the ancient minstrels; as, "The Lay of the Last Minstrel," by Scott.

5. A ballad is a popular narrative song, often of a sentimental kind, written in simple, homely verse; as, “The Ballad of the Hours," by Longfellow.

6. A sonnet is a short poem-especially a short poem consisting of fourteen lines, comprising two quatrains and two tercets, the lines being adjusted by a particular rule; as, Shakspeare's Sonnets.

7. A song is a short poem fitted to be sung; as, Byron's Song of the Greek Poet."

8. "An epigram is a short poem treating only of one thing, and ending with some lively, ingenious, and natural thought. Epigrams were originally inscriptions on tombs, statues, temples, triumphal arches, etc."-WEBSTER.

9. "A roundelay is an ancient poem consisting of thirteen verses, of which eight are in one kind of rhyme and five in another. It is divided into couplets, at the end of the second and third of which the beginning of the poem is repeated, and that, if possible, in an equivocal or punning sense." -WEBSTER.

10. "A madrigal is a little amorous poem, sometimes called a pastoral poem, not confined to the scrupulous regularity of a sonnet or the subtlety of the epigram, but containing some tender and delicate, though simple thought."-WEBSTER.

Dramatic composition is that form or manner of poetry which is adapted to scenic representation. The species of this kind of composition are tragedy, comedy, tragi-comedy, farce, opera, burletta, and melodrama.

1. Tragedy represents the virtues, crimes, and sufferings of human beings in such a manner as to excite pity, indignation, grief, or horror; as, Shakspeare's "Julius Cæsar," Otway's "Venice Preserved."

2. Comedy represents the humors, follies, or pleasures of mankind; as, Shakspeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor."

3. Tragi-comedy is a representation of mingled tragedy and comedy; as, Shakspeare's "Much Ado about Nothing." 4. Farce is a brief dramatic representation of ludicrous qualities highly exaggerated. It frequently consists of one or two acts, and never more than three. "Farce is that in poetry which grotesque is in a picture."-DRYDEN.

5. Opera is the words of a musical drama. It consists of airs, choruses, etc., accompanied with instruments, and enriched with magnificent scenery and other decorations, to represent some passionate action; as, "Il Trovatore."

6. Burletta is a comic or farcical opera; as, “Hiawatha” (an operatic burlesque on the poem by that name).

7. Melodrama is a drama "in which songs are intermixed, and effect is sought by startling, exaggerated, or unnatural sentiment or situation."-WEBSTER.

A full dramatic composition (a drama, opera, or the like) is divided into five parts, each of which is called an act. These acts are subdivided into parts called scenes.

A scene "is so much of a play as passes without change of locality or time, or important change of character; a subdivision of an act."-WEBSTER.

An act is "one of the larger or principal divisions of a play or other dramatic work, in which a certain definite part of the action is completed."-WEBSTER.

The abbreviations for gesture conform with those found in other works, so as to avoid confusion.

PART III.

GESTURE.

GESTURE is visible expression independent of vocality. In oratory it includes posture, gesticulation, and facial expression. By gesture the condition or emotion of mind, as joy, sorrow, pain, revenge, hope, and despair, is plainly revealed and universally understood. It is a voluntary or involuntary common language; voluntary when the outward signs are subject to the will, and involuntary when unassisted or uncontrolled by the will.

1. POSTURE may be defined as the position, attitude, or disposition of the human figure when motionless or at rest; as a recumbent attitude, a sitting posture, a stooping position, an attitude of defiance.

2. GESTICULATION is the movement of the body or limbs; as bowing, pointing, fencing. It includes speed, manner, and direction of movement.

The movement as to speed may be rapid, moderate, or slow; as to manner, direct or rotary, single or double; and as to direction, descending, horizontal, or ascending; across, front, oblique, extended, or backward.

The manner is direct when the climax of gesture is attained in a straight line, and rotary when attained through a curved line. It is single when one hand or arm is employed in the action, and double when both are employed in the action.

Feet.

The movement of the feet may be described as,

1. Advancing-stepping forward.

2. Retiring-stepping back.

3. Traversing-stepping to the right and left of the original position.