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POetry is the Art of making Verse and Poems: In order to this, 〈…〉〈…〉 teacheth the quantity of Syllables, whe¦ther they be short or long, doubtful 〈…〉〈…〉 common, I mean, either short or long 〈…〉〈…〉 pleasure.
It teacheth what feet every Verse compounded of, that feet are made Syllables of different quantities, as Spondee consists of two long syllables;
for instance, Doctos, and Pyrrichius; of two short, as Rota; a Dactyle con∣sists of one long, and two short, as Pec∣tora.
A Poem implieth a Fiction: Upon this account, Verses that contain no Fiction, are not strictly considered▪ a Poem; and he that gives a meer Mat∣ter of Fact, without any ingenious Fic∣tion adapted to the Subject, is rather styl'd a Versificator, than a Poet.
Verses are either denominated from their Inventors, as Sapphick Verses, from the Greek Poetress Sappho, the first Inventress; as Pindarick, from Pindarus, or from the feet whereof they consist; as Iambick, from the Iambick•• of which they are compos'd, or from th•• matter they express; as Heroick, from the Praises of Great Men; as Elegiack from sad Narratives, or from the num∣ber of feet, as Hexameter, and Pent•• meter, the first having six, and the othe•• five.
The Scansion of a Verse, is the measu∣ring of a Verse by its feet. The Cesure is the making of a short syllable long at the end of a foot.
Aristotle, Horace, Alvares, Despau∣ter, Waller, Cowley, Dryden, &.