METER (Gr. measure) is that regulated succession of certain groups of syllables in which poetry (q.v.) is usually written. A greaWr or less number of groups forms a line .or verse (Lat. a turning), and in modern lang,uages, the verses usually rhyme with one another; although this is not at all essential to the notion ctf meter. See Rama, BIaNK VERSE. In the classic languages, meter depended upon the way in which long, and short syllables were made to succeed one another. English meter depends, not upon the distinction of long and short, but upon that of accented and unaccented syllables. Thus, in the lines, The cu'rlfew tolls I the kne'll I of pa'rtling Wa'rriors and I chi'efs, should the I sha'ft or the I swo'rd— the accents occur at regular intervals; and the groups of syllables thus formed constitute each a meter or measure. The groups of long and short syllables composing the meters of classic verse were called feet, each foot having a distinctive name. The same names are sometimes applied to English tneasures, an accented syllable in English being held to be equivalent to a long syllable in Latin or Greek, aud an unaccented syllable to a short.
Every meter in English contains one accented syllable, and either one or two unaccented syllables. As the accent may be on the first, second, or third syllable of the group, there thus arise five distinct measures, two dissyllabic and three trisyllabic, as seen in the words-1, fo'lly (corresponding to the classic Trochee); 2, reca'll (Iambus); 3, te'rribly (Dactyle); 4, confu'sion (Amphibrachys); 5, absentee' (Anapwst).
These measures are arranged in lines or verses, varying in length in different pieces, and often in the same piece. The ending measure of a line is frequently incomplete, or has a supernumerary. syllable; and sometimes one measure is substituted for another. All that is necessary is, that some one measure be so predominant as to give a character to the verse. Constant recurrence of the same measure produces monotony. The fol lowing lines exemplify the five measures: 1st Measure.
• Ri'ch the I trea'sure.
Be'tterlsi'xty yedrs of I Eu'rope I tha'n a I cYcle I of Caltha'y.
2d Measure. Alo'ft I in a'wlful sta'te. The pro'pler stu'dly of manki'nd I is ma'n.
34 _Measure. Bi'rd of the I wilderness. Wa'rriors and I chi'efs, should the I sha'ft or the I swo'rd.
4th, Measure. The de'w of I the mo'rning. 0 you'ng Lochlinva'r has I come ou't of I the we'st.
5th Measure. As they ro'ar I on the sho're. The Assy'rlian came do'wn I like a wolf I on the fo'ld.
It is instinctively felt that some of these measures are better suited for particular subjects than others. Thus, the first has a brisk, abrupt, energetic character, agreeing well with lively and gay subjects, and also with the intense feeling of such pieces as Scots tcha ha'e. The second is by far the most usual meter in English poetry; it occurs, in fact, most frequently in the ordinary prose-movement of the language. It is smooth, graceful, and stately; readily adapting itself to easy narrative, and the expression of the gentler feel ings, or to the treatment of severe and sublime subjects. The trisyllabic meters, owing to the number of unaccented syllables in them, are rapid in their movement, and calcu lated to express rushing, bounding, impetuous feelings. They are all less regular than the dissyllabic meters. One of them is frequently substituted for another, as in the opening of Byron's Bricbs of Abydos : Kno'w ye the I la`nd where the I cy'press and I my'rtle Are e'mblerns I of dee'ds that I are do'ne in I their cli'me; Where the ra'ge of the vu'llture, the lo've I of the tu'rltle— where each of the three lines is in a different meter. In addition to this irregularity, one of the unaccented syllables is often wanting. For instance, in Mrs. Hemans's poem, The Voice of Spring : I co'me, I I co'me ! I ye have called I me lo'ng; I co'me I o'er the mou'nitains with li'ght I and so'ng— the first line has only one measure of three syllables, although the general character of the versification is trisyllabic.