"Honor is like the glossy bubble, Which cost philosophers such trouble; Where, one part crack'd, the whole does fly, And wits are crack'd to find out why." "In these verses, says Minim, we have two striking accommodations of the sound to the sense. It is impossible to utter the first two lines emphatically without an act like that which they describe; _bubble_ and _trouble_ causing a momentary inflation of the cheeks by the retention of the breath, which is afterwards forcibly emitted, as in the practice of _blowing bubbles_. But the greatest excellence is in the third line, which is _crack'd_ in the middle to express a crack, and then shivers into monosyllables." In an article on "Some Technical Elements of Style in Literature" (originally published in the _Contemporary Review_, April, 1885; reprinted in the Scribner edition of Stevenson's Works, vol. xxii. p. 243) Robert Louis Stevenson discussed some of the more subtle effects of vowel and consonant color, as appearing in both prose and verse. The combination and repetition of the consonants PVF he found to be particularly frequent. The pervading sound-elements in the two following passages he analyzed by means of the key-letters in the margin: "In Xanadu did Kubla Khan (KANDL) A stately pleasure-dome decree, (KDLSR) Where Alph the sacred river ran (KANDLSR) Through caverns measureless to man, (KANLSR) Down to a sunless sea." (NDLS) (COLERIDGE.) "But in the wind and tempest of her frown, W.P.V.F. (st) (ow) Distinction with a loud and powerful fan, W.P.F. (st) (ow) L. Puffing at all, winnows the light away; W.P.F.L. And what hath mass and matter by itself W.F.L.M.A. Lies rich in virtue and unmingled." V.L.M. (SHAKSPERE: _Troilus and Cressida._) No attempt has been made to classify the specimens that follow. Nor does comment seem necessary, in order to make clear the particular qualities of the sounds of the verse. The heraudes lefte hir priking up and doun; Now ringen trompes loude and clarioun; There is namore to seyn, but west and est In goon the speres ful sadly in arest; In goth the sharpe spore in-to the syde. Ther seen men who can juste, and who can ryde; Ther shiveren shaftes up-on sheeldes thikke; He feeleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke. Up springen speres twenty foot on highte; Out goon the swerdes as the silver brighte. The helmes they to-hewen and to-shrede; Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes rede. With mighty maces the bones they to-breste. He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste. Ther stomblen stedes stronge, and doun goth al. (CHAUCER: _Knight's Tale_, ll. 1741-1755.)