CHAPTER X. OF THE UNINTELLIGIBLE. 203 UNDER the article precision, Chapter IV. of Book 11. but more particularly in Illus. 6. Art. 181, it was observed generally, that a speaker may express himself obscurely, and so convey his meaning imperfectly to the mind of the hearer. In Chapter VI. of this book it was shewn, that he may express himself ambiguously, and so along with his own convey a meaning entirely different. In this Chapter, we shall shew that he may even express himself unintelligibly, and so convey no meaning at all. This fault arises, 1st. From great confusion of thought, accompanied with intricacy of expression: (Art. 121. Illus.) 2dly. From affectation of excellence in the diction: 3dly. From a total want of meaning. First. The unintelligible from confusion of thought. 204. Language is the medium through which the sentiments of the writer are perceived by the reader. (Art. 181.) And through the impurity, or the grossness of the medium, will render the image obscure or indistinct, yet no purity in the medium will suffice for exhibiting a distinct and unvarying image of a confused and unsteady object*. Illus. There is a sort of half-formed thought, which we sometimes find a writer impatient to give the world, before he himself *The distinctions in some departments of this Grammar of rhetoric, are so nice that they differ not in kind, but in degree from one another; yet if the intermediate steps, by which we have passed from the one to the other, be removed, we shall at once perceive how necessary they were to a full developement of the art. Without attending to this remark, they who have but superficially glanced at this chapter, would be ready to consider it a repetition of the article precision, yet it is totally distinct, as very little sagacity may soon discover. is fully possessed of them. Now, if the writer himself percieve confusedly and imperfectly the sentiments which he would commmunicate, it is a thousand to one, the reader will not perceive them at all. Example. 1. In simple sentences. Sir Richard Steele, though a man of sense and genius, was a great master in this style; speaking of some of the coffee-house politicians, "I have observed," says he, "that the superiority among these, proceeds from an opinion of gal lantry and fashion*." Analysis. This sentence, considered in itself, evidently conveys no meaning. First, it is not said, whose opinion, their own, or that of others; secondly, it is not said what opinion, or of what sort, favourable or unfavourable, true or false, but in general an opinion of gallantry and fashion, which contains no definite expression of any meaning. With the joint assistance of the context, reflection and conjecture, we shall perhaps conclude that the author intended to say, that the rank among these politicians, was determined by the opinion generally entertained of the rank in point of gallantry and fashion that each of them had attained. Example 2. Of a complex sentence, which conveys indeed the dullest species of the unintelligible. "The serene aspect of these writers, joined with the great encouragement I observe is given to another, or, what is indeed to be suspected, in which he indulges himself, confirmed me in the notion I have of the prevalence of ambition this wayt." Analysis. Was it the serene aspect of these writers that confirmed him in the notion he had of the prevalence of ambition? And if so, was the prevalence of this ambition a prevalence to obtain, or to preserve, a serene aspect? or to become writers ?" Again, was great encouragement given to another man to assume a serene aspect, if he had none, or to preserve it if he had such a thing? Joined to the great encouragement given to another, to do what? "In which he indulges himself." In what? this encouragement, or a serene aspect? In short, the writer talks downright nonsense, for the sentence admits not of decomposition. 205. Secondly. The unintelligible from affectation of excellence. In this there is always something figu rative; but the figures are remote, and things heterogeneous are combined. Example 1. In a simple sentence. The Guardian, speaking of meekness and humility, says, "This temper of soul, keeps our understanding tight about us." Analysis. This is an incongruous metaphor. The understanding is made a girdle to our other mental faculties; for the fastening of which girdle, meekness and humility serve as a buckle. * Spectator, No. 49. + Guardian, No. 1. ‡ Ibid. Example 2. Yet when that flood in its own depths was drown'd, It left behind it false and slippery ground*. Analysis. The first of these lines is marvelously nonsensical. It informs us of a prodigy never heard of before, a drowned flood; nay, which is still more extraordinary, a flood that was so excessively deep, that after leaving nothing else to drown, it turned felɔde-re, and drowned itself. And doubtless, if a flood can be in danger of rowning itself, the deeper it is, the danger must be the greater. So far, at least, the author talks consequently. The first line itself has no meaning; but the author intended to say, "When the waters of the deluge had subsided." Example 3. In a complex sentence. "If the savour of things lies cross to honesty, if the fancy be florid, and the appetite high towards the subaltern beauties and lower order of worldly symmetries and proportions, the conduct will infallibly turn this latter wayt." Analysis. Here we have lofty images and high sounding words, but where shall we find the sense? The meaning, where there is a meaning, cannot he said to be communicated and adorned by the words, but is rather buried under them. The French critics call this species of writing, or of figure, galimatias; the English call it bombast; and we may properly define it the sublime of nonsense. Example 4. "But what can one do? or how dispense with these darker disquisitions, and moon-light voyagers, when we have to deal with a sort of moon-blind wits, who, though very acute and able in their kind, may be said to renounce day-light, and extinguish, in a manner, the bright visible world, by allowing us to know nothing beside what we can prove, by strict and formal de monstration." Analysis. It must he owned, that the condition of those wits is truly deplorable; for though very acute and able in their kind, yet being moon-light blind, they cannot see by night; and having renounced day-light, they will not see by day; so that, for any use they have of their eyes, they are no better than stone blind. It is astonishing too, that the reason for rendering a moon-light voyage. indispensable, is, that we have moon-blind persons only for our company, the very reason which, to our ordinary understanding, would render such a voyage improper. O! quanta species, inquit, ast cerebrum non habet. * Dryden's Panegyric on the Coronation of Charles II. † Characteristics, Vol. III. Misc, II, ch. 2. I lbid. Misc. IV. CHAPTER VIII. THE VARIOUS SPECIES OF THE UNINTELLIGIBLE. 206. THE UNINTELLIGIBLE, from want of meaning in the writer, proceeds from vacuity of thought. Here the sentence is generally simple in its structure, and the construction easy. Illus. Let us contrast this with the unintelligible proceeding from confusion of thought, accompanied with intricacy of expression. la this last, you hesitate at certain intervals, and retrace your progress, finding yourself at loss in the terms, and at a loss for the meaning, you then try to construe the sentence, and to ascertain the signification of the words. By these means, and by the help of the context, you will possibly come at last at what the author would have said. In the unintelligible, from want of meaning, provided words, glaringly unsuitable, are not combined, you proceed without hesitation or doubt. You never suspect, that you do not understand a sentence, the terms of which are familiar to you, and of which you perceive distinctly the grammatical order. But if, by any means, you are induced to think more closely on the subject, and to peruse the words a second time more attentively; you will then begin to suspect them, and at length discover, that they contain nothing, but either an indentical proposition, which conveys no knowledge, or a proposition of that kind, of which you cannot so much as affirm, that is either true or false. Sometimes pompous metaphors, and sonorous phrases, are injudiciously employed to add dignity to the most trivial conceptions; sometimes they are made the vehicles for nonsense. In madmen, there is as great a variety of character, as in those who enjoy the use of their reason. la like manner, it may be said of nonsense, that, in writing it, there is as great scope for variety of style, as there is in writing sense. 207. First, the PUERILE, which is always produced when an author runs on in a species of verbosity, amusing his reader with synonymous terms, and identical propositions, well turned periods, and high sounding words; but, at the same time, using those words so indefinitely, that the reader can either affix no meaning to them at all, or he may almost affix any meaning, that he pleases. Example. "Whatever renders a period sweet and pleasant, makes it also graceful; a good ear is the gift of Nature, it may be much improved, but not acquired by art; whoever is possessed of it, will scarcely need dry critical precepts to enable him to judge of a true rythmus, and melody of composition: just numbers, accurate proportions, a musical symphony, magnificent figures, and that decorum, which is the result of all these, are unison to the human mind; we are so framed by nature, that their charm is irresistible. Hence all ages and nations have been smit with the love of the Muses*." Analysis. Through the whole paragraph, the author proceeds in. the same careless and desultory manner, affording at times some glimmerings of sense, and perpetual ringing the changes in a few favourite words and phrases. Example 2. From harmony, from heavenly harmony, From harmony to harmony, Thro' all the compass of the notes it ran, Analysis. This is of the same signature with the former; there is not even a glimpse of meaning through all the compass of the words; but in writings of this stamp, we must except of sound, instead of sense, being assured, at least, that if we meet with little that can inform the judgment, we shall find nothing that will offend the ear. 208. The LEARNED nonsense is another species of the unintelligible: and scholastic theology is considered the most fruitful source of this species of nonsense, unless, perhaps, we include also antiquarian researches. The more incomprehensible the subject is, the greater scope has the declaimer to talk plausibly, without any meaning. Also the deeper any speculation be buried in the darkness of remote antiquity, the wider the field for most excellent matter of contemplative amazement. Illus. To both these styles of the unintelligible, the lines of the bard, addressed to the patroness of sophistry, as well as dulness, are admirably adapted. "Explain upon a thing till all men doubt it; * Geddes on the composition of the Ancients, Sect. 1. Dunciad. |