How to parse. ...

282 POETICAL CONSTRUCTIONS. [Par. 502-505.

The reader should commit to memory the following description of the Thames (as it was) by Denham, a model of
terse yet varied clearness, repeatedly imitated by Pope:
" Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull;
Strong without rage, without o'erflowing full."
I. Poetical Archaisms.
502 Archaisms may be (1) of words; (2) of constructions.
Archaic words are such as " hallowed," " sojourn,"
"woe," "ire," "wrath," " a-weary," "ken," &c.
" Thou " for " you " Singular, and " ye" for "you"
Plural, are also archaic.
503 Instances of Archaic Construction are(1) "Meseems," "methinks," i.e. "it seems, thinks,1
to me."
504 The use of the Subjunctive to express a wish:
(1) "Perish the man whose heart is backward now."
(2) " Ruin seize thee, ruthless king."
(3) " To White's a bull be led."
(4) "' And rest we here' Matilda said." — SCOTT.
505 The use of the Subjunctive to express a Conditional Antecedent, and of other old Conditional
forms:
(1) " His spear, to equal which the tallest pine
Were but a wand." - Paradise Lost, i. 294.
(2) " Else I often had (should have) been miserable."
1 " To think " once meant " to seem:" see Par. 328.