Another means of varying and heightening the melody, is the cadence in which the verse is made to terminate at a full pause. In blank verse, the pause or full stop may take place on the first or any of the following syllables of the line. Of these, the most pleasing begin with a trochee; and of those, the most graceful terminate on the third, the fifth, or the seventh syllable. As Milton's :

There is a similar cadence in the following passages:

“ Whom he drew'-
God's al'tar to disparage—and displace'-
For one of Syrian make,—whereon to burn'-
His o'dious offerings—and adore the gods'
Whom he had van'quished.”

Many of Milton's cadences commencing with a trochee, and terminating on the fourth syllable, are fine :

“ The tow'ers of heaven are filled'With arm'ed watch,—that render all access' — Impreg'nable.—Oft' on the bordering deep' – Encamp' their legions ;-or, with ob'scure wing, Scout' far and wide—in'to the realm' of night, — Scorn'ing surprise."

Those commencing with a trochee, and terminating on the sixth syllable, have a similar charm :

“Intermit' no watch-
Against a wakeful foe ;—while' I abroad,
Through all the coasts—of dark' destruc'tion seek-
Deliver’ance for us all. This en'terprize
None' shall partake with me.

Those opening with a trochee, and closing on the seventh syllable, have still greater beauty :

“He' above the rest,
In shape and gesture—proudly em'inent,—
Stood' like a tower ;-his form' had not yet lost'-
All' her orig'inal brightness."

There is a beautiful example of this cadence in the passage from Homer:

Those beginning with a trochee, and ending with the eighth syllable, have almost equal elegance:

When the cadence falls on the last syllable of the line, its beauty is still greatly heightened by its commencing with a trochee :

comm

“He spake';—and to confirm' his words out flew'

Mil'lions of flaming swords,—drawn' from the thighs-
Of migh'ty cherubim.—The sudden blaze' -
Far round' illumined hell.—High’ly they raged-
Against the Highest --and fierce' with grasp'ed arms-
Clash'ed on their sounding shields ;—the din' of war-
Hurl'ing defi'ance toward the vault' of heaven."

Bryant's blank verse abounds with fine cadences of these several classes :

“ These' dim vaults,
These wind'ing aisles,-of human pomp' or pride'
Report' not. No' fantas'tic carv'ings show
The boast' of our vain race,—to change the form'
Of thy fair works'."

“Noise'lessly around From perch' to perch—the sol'itary bird Pass'es."

“Nes'tled at his root
Is beau'ty, such as blooms' not in the glare'
Of the broad sun'."

“ These lof'ty trees
Wave' not less proud'ly—that their an cestors
Moul'der beneath them."