Xxix. Improved Anapæstic Measures (Dryden, Anon., Prior)

(_a_) Dryden (1691?):

While Pan | and fair Sy|rinx are fled | from our shore, The Gra|ces are ban|ished, and Love | is no more: The soft | god of plea|sure that warmed | our desires Has brok|en his bow, | and extin|guished his fires, And vows | that himself | and his moth|er will mourn, Till Pan | and fair Sy|rinx in tri|umph return.

(These early anapæsts, as noted, are very apt to begin with dissyllabic feet. But it was no rule: in this same piece, "The Beautiful Lady of the May," occurs the line:

_All the nymphs_ | were in white | and the shep|herd in green.

(_b_) Anon. in _Pills to Purge Melancholy_ (1719, but contents often much older):

Let us drink |and be mer|ry, sing, dance, | and rejoice, With cla|ret and sher|ry, theor|bo and voice. The change|able world | to our joys | is unjust, All trea|sure's uncer|tain, then down | with your dust! On fro|lics dispose | your pounds, shil|lings, and pence, For we | shall be no|thing a hun|dred years hence.

(_c_) Prior (1696):

While with la|bour assid|uous due plea|sure I mix, And in one | day atone | for the bus|iness of six, In a lit|tle Dutch chaise | on a Sat|urday night, On my left | hand my Hor|ace, a nymph | on my right.

(Observe here in "assid[u]ous" and "bus[i]ness" the liberty of combining adjacent vowels (-_uo_us) and following familiar pronunciation (_biz_ness) which this light verse especially authorises.