If, bidding adieu to this artificial system, we inquire into the way in which a good reader really articulates the lines, we find that he, following the poet, is so far from conforming to this uniform type of line, that he usually does his best to avoid it; and the more skilfully he does this, the more he is appreciated for his variety. Indeed, the number of possible variations is considerable, as Goldsmith may again teach us, if, instead of using a bar to denote the _artificial_ pause, we use a dot to denote the _natural_ and the _actual_ one. Good examples occur in the following lines, all different in their effect. Observe that the hyphen is used to bring together words that are pronounced in a single speech-wave; for just as _c['o]nque.r['o]r_ requires _two_ jets of breath, it often happens that two words (one of them enclitic) can be uttered in _one_. How-['o]ften . h['a]ve-I . pa['u]s'd . on-['e]v'ry . ch['a]rm, The-sh['e]lter'd . cot . the-c['u]lti.v[`a]ted . f['a]rm, The-n['e]ver . fa['i]ling . br['o]ok . the-b['u]sy . m['i]ll. These may be analysed as below. v - v . - v . - . v - v . - v - v . - . v - v . - v . - v - v . - v . - . v - v . - These three lines are obviously different, and all differ from the line already quoted. If, however, we now remove the dots, all four lines can be included in the same formula: v - v - v - v - v -. And this is what is really meant (or ought to be meant) by saying that Goldsmith's line consists of five iambic feet; the general type v - being called an iambic foot. s. 102. As the use of dots, as above, is rather confusing, we might employ the usual bars instead; assigning to them natural instead of artificial positions. But it will be better, under the circumstances, to employ special types. I shall use ¯¯ to denote a strong syllable, and ¯ to denote a half-strong syllable. Then, if the weak syllable be denoted by a thin up-stroke or down-stroke, we have |¯ to denote an iamb; ¯| for a trochee; and |¯| for an amphibrach; and the four lines from Goldsmith may be thus scanned[72]:-- And-fools, who-came to-scoff, remained to-pray. |¯ |¯ |¯ |¯ |¯ How-often have-I paused on-every charm, |¯| ¯| ¯¯ |¯| ¯¯ The-sheltered cot, the culti.vated farm, |¯| ¯¯ |¯| ¯| ¯¯ The never . failing brook, the-busy mill. |¯| ¯| ¯¯ |¯| ¯¯ In every case an upstroke is followed by a horizontal one, i.e. a weak syllable by a strong one, but the general effect is variable, and is easily caught by the eye. This method at once detects a real recurrence of a line cast in precisely the same mould. Thus the line--'For-talking age and-whispering lovers made' is to be scanned: |¯| ¯¯ |¯| ¯| ¯¯ and thus closely resembles the _third_ of the above lines, being denoted by the same formula.