_a_ in _amens_ long, and _a_ in _amans_ short, and the like of other
Words too numerous to relate?

That all _English_ Verses are _Iambick_, appears most plainly by
considering Monosyllable Lines. For Example:

"Arms and the Man I sing, who forc'd by Fate.

Here _Arms_, _the_, _I_, _who_, _by_, appear to be shorter in their
Sound than _and_, _man_, _sing_, _forc'd_, _fate_.

Again,

"Breathe soft or loud, and wave your Tops, ye Pines.

In this Line the same Difference is perceiv'd between _breathe_, _or_,
_your_, _ye_; and _soft_, _loud_, _wave_, _tops_, _pines_.

Whence it is evident that these Lines are perfectly Iambick.

The Particle _and_, as well as some other Monosyllables, may be said
to be common, like many Words in _Latin_; they submit themselves to be
alter'd by the Voice in reading, and may be pronounced either long or
short: But this is not so in other Words. And here it may be proper to
observe, that _Milton_ has a very artful Way of varying his Numbers,
by putting a Trochaick Foot at the Beginning of a Verse; and the
Reason why he could do it, is, that the Verse is not enough form'd in
that place for the Ear to perceive the Want of the proper Measure. The
Examples of this kind are very numerous: I will mention but two.