It is _always_ wholly optional with the composer to begin his figure or motive at whatever part of the measure he may elect; at the accent or not; with or without preliminary tones; to borrow beats from the preceding ending or not, as his judgment or taste, or possibly some indirect requirement, may decide.

So valid is this license, that it is by no means unusual to find consecutive members of the same phrase beginning at different points in the measure.

This results, apparently, in motives of irregular, unsymmetric lengths; but no confusion is possible if the student will recollect and apply the rule that the objective point (the heart, so to speak) of each motive is the first primary accent it contains; counting from these points, all irregularities of melodic extent become purely accidental and harmless.

For illustration (the preliminary tones are marked _a_):-- [Illustration: Example 14.

Fragments of Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn.] In No.