Chapter XVII: Section IV: Doubts concerning the number of syllables of certain

words._

There is no language whatsoever that so often joins several vowels together to make diphthongs of them, as ours; this appears in our having several composed of three different vowels, as _eau_ and _eou_ in beauteous, _iou_ in glorious, _uai_ in acquaint, &c.

Now from hence may arise some difficulties concerning the true pronunciation of those vowels, whether they ought to be founded separately in two syllables, or jointly in one.

The ancient poets made them sometimes of two syllables, sometimes but of one, as the measure of their verse required; but they are now become to be but of one, and it is a fault to make them of two: from whence we may draw this general rule:—That whenever one syllable of a word ends in a vowel, and the next begins with one, provided the first of those syllables be not that on which the word is accented, those two syllables ought in verse to be contracted and made but one.

Thus beauteous is but two syllables, victorious but three; and it is a
fault in Dryden to make it four, as he has done in this verse:

"Your arms are on the Rhine victorious."

To prove that this verse wants a syllable of its due measure, we need but add one to it; as,

"Your arms are on the Rhine victorious now."

Where, though the syllable _now_ be added to the verse, it has no more than its due number of syllables; which plainly proves it wanted it.

But if the accent be upon the first of these syllables, they cannot be contracted to make a diphthong, but must be computed as two distinct syllables: thus poet, lion, quiet, and the like, must always be used as two syllables; poetry, and the like, as three. And it is a fault to make riot, for example, one syllable, as Milton has done in this verse,

"Their Riot ascends above the lofty Tow'rs."

The same poet has in another place made use of a like word twice in
one verse, and made it two syllables each time;

"With Ruin upon Ruin, Rout on Rout."

And any ear may discover that this last verse has its true measure, the other not.

But there are some words that may be excepted; as diamond, violet, violent, diadem, hyacinth, and perhaps some others, which, though they are accented upon the first vowel, are sometimes used but as two syllables; as in the following verses:—

"From Diamond Quarries hewn, and Rocks of Gold."—_Milton._

"With Poppies, Daffadils, and Violets join'd."—_Tate._

"With vain, but violent force their Darts they flung."—_Cowley._

"His Ephod, Mitre, well-cut Diadem on."—_Cowley._

"My blushing Hyacinths, and my Bays I keep."—_Dryden._

Sometimes as three; as,

"A Mount of Rocky Diamond did rise."—_Blac._

"Hence the blue Violet and blushing Rose."—_Blac._

"And set soft Hyacinths of Iron blue."—_Dryden._

When they are used but as two syllables they suffer an elision of one
of their vowels, and are generally written thus, di'mond, vi'let, &c.

This contraction is not always made of syllables of the same word only; for the particle _a_ being placed after a word that ends in a vowel, will sometimes admit of the like contraction; for example, after the word many; as,

"Tho' many a victim from my Folds was bought,
And many a Cheese to Country Markets brought."—_Dryden._

"They many a Trophy gain'd with many a Wound."—_Davenant._

After _to_; as,

"Can he to a Friend, to a Son so bloody grow?"—_Cowley._

After _they_; as,

"From thee, their long-known King, they a King desire."—_Cowley._

After _by_; as,

"When we by a foolish Figure say."—_Cowley._

And perhaps after some others.

There are also other words whose syllables are sometimes contracted, sometimes not; as bower, heaven, prayer, nigher, towards, and many more of the like nature, but they generally ought to be used but as one syllable; and then they suffer an elision of the vowel that precedes their final consonant, and ought to be written thus, bow'r, heav'n, pray'r, nigh'r, tow'rds.

The termination _ism_ is always used but as one syllable; as,

"Where grisly Schism and raging Strife appear."—_Cowley._
"And Rheumatisms I send to rack the Joynts."—_Dryden._

And, indeed, considering that it has but one vowel, it may seem absurd to assert that it ought to be reckoned two syllables; yet in my opinion those verses seem to have a syllable more than their due measure, and would run better if we took one from them; as,

"Where grisly Schism, raging Strife appear,"
"I Rheumatisms send to rack the Joynts."

Yet this opinion being contrary to the constant practice of our poets, I shall not presume to advance it as a rule for others to follow, but leave it to be decided by such as are better judges of poetical numbers.

The like may be said of the terminations _asm_ and _osm_.