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what is observed? Hence, of the fol- easily be seen? On innumerable occalowing sentiments of Satan, in Milton, sions, what is it; and therefore, what what is observed? Repeat the passage. does it deserve? How many degrees In simple description how must hyper- of this figure are there; and why is it boles be used; what do they require; necessary to distinguish them? Repeat and why? When can we bear strong them. Where the lowest degree of this hyperboles without displeasure? But, figure is used, in what is it most comwhen is it impossible not to be disgust-monly done; what examples are given; ed? What example is given; and of and what is its effect? Of this degree it what is observed? Who might, and of personification, what is observed? who might not be permitted to hyper- When happily, however, what is its bolize thus strongly; and for what effect? What example is given; and reason? What cannot be ascertained what is said of it? What is the next by any precise rule? What must de- degree of this figure; and what is said termine the point; and what follows? of it? According to what, is the strength Of Lucan, what is observed? Among of this figure? When pursued to any the compliments paid by the Roman length, to what only does it belong; poets to their Emperors, what had be- and when slightly touched, into what come common? What illustration of may it be admitted? To illustrate this this remark have we from Virgil? Re- remark, what instance is given from solved to outdo all his predecessors, Cicero? Where may such short perwhat does Lucan very gravely request sonifications be admitted; and under of Nero? Repeat the passage. What what circumstances do they have a do the French call such thoughts; and good effect upon style?

from what do they always proceed? Why does the genius of our language What writers are remarkable for being give us an advantage in the use of this fond of them; and what is sometimes figure? In what discourse may this their effect? On what do epigrammatic often be done to good purpose? To illuswriters frequently rest the whole merit trate this remark, what example is of their epigrams? What example is given, and what do we see in it? At given? To what figures do we now the same time, what must be noticed? proceed? Among these, to what is the Whom is the author comparing togefirst place due? Why is personification ther? Repeat the passage. Of it, what used instead of prosopopoeia? Of the is observed? What circumstance, also, use of this figure, what is observed; contributes to its effect? Did any Engand where is its foundation laid? At lish sermons afford us many passages first view, and when considered ab- equal to this, what would be the consestractly, how would it appear; and quence? Where are personifications of why? What might one imagine this to this kind extremely frequent; and be; but, on the contrary, what is re- what are they? In the descriptions of marked of it? What abounds with it; a poet who has a lively fancy, what do and from what is it far from being ex-we expect; accordingly, what follows? cluded? What instances of its use in com- What are alive in his writings; and mon conversation are mentioned, and with whom is the case the same? what do such expressions show? Indeed, What is said of Milton's personification what is very remarkable? What remark of Eve's eating the forbidden fruit? follows? How is this remark illustrated? Repeat the passage. What are capaWhat further illustrations are given? ble of being personified in poetry, with With what do they seem endowed; of great propriety? Of this, where do we what do they become objects; and in meet with frequent examples? What the moment of parting, what scarcely is one of the greatest pleasures we seems absurd? Of what is it probable, receive from poetry? What is perhaps that this strong impression of life was the principal charm of this kind of figuone cause? In the early ages of the rative style? Where is this exempliworld, what easily arose from this turn fied? Repeat the passage. In what of mind? How is this illustrated? By passage of Milton, is the same effect thus gaining what, was the imagina- remarkable? What is the third and tion highly gratified; and what follow-highest degree of this figure? Of this, ed? From this deduction, what may what is observed; and why? When

upon it?

can a slight personification of some in- what are frequent; and what example animate thing, be relished? But, what is given? Of the poems of Ossian, what follows? What, however, have a ten- is observed; and what example is given? dency to use this figure; what exam- Under what circumstances does Quinples are given; and why? Hence, tilian make a very moving apostrophe? what follows? In what does Milton Repeat the passage; and in it, what afford an extremely fine example of does he show? For such bold figures this? Repeat the passage; and of it of discourse as strong personification, what is observed? What is here ob- what was particularly fitted? Hence, servable? What affords a very fine ex- where do we find some very remarkaample? Repeat it. Of what are there ble instances? Repeat the following frequent examples in real life? Of the passage? Why must our author not two great rules for the management of omit to mention the passage in the fourthis figure, what is the first; and why? teenth chapter of Isaiah? Repeat it. What is the second? Where is the ob- Of what is this whole passage full; servation of this rule required? How and what further remarks are made is this illustrated? For this reason, what passage does our author condemn? What remarks are made upon it? How does this figure require to be used in prose composition? What there is not allowed; and what cannot be ascertained? However, what follows; and how is this illustrated? But what must we remember; and why? Of all frigid things, what are the most frigid? In what situation do we see the writer or speaker; and in what situation do we find ourselves? How have some of the French writers executed this figure? For what are their works exceedingly worthy of being consulted; and for what reason? Of the apostrophe, what is observed? What is it? To what is it much allied? However, what is the proper apostrophe; and why? To what rule are both figures subject? What example is given? Among the poets, 3. Apostrophe.

ANALYSIS.

1. Hyperbole.

A. Hyperboles employed in descrip

tion.

B. Hyperboles suggested by the
warmth of passion.
Figures of thought.

2. Personification.

A. Living properties ascribed to inanimate objects.

B. Inanimate objects acting like those that have life.

c. Inanimate objects introduced as speaking to us.

a. To be employed only when prompted by strong passion. b. Objects of dignity only should be personified.

LECTURE XVII.

COMPARISON, ANTITHESIS, INTERROGATION,
EXCLAMATION, AND OTHER FIGURES
OF SPEECH.

WE are still engaged in the consideration of figures of speech; which, as they add much to the beauty of style when properly employed, and are, at the same time, liable to be greatly abused, require a careful discussion. As it would be tedious to dwell on all the variety of figurative expressions which rhetoricians have enumerated, I choose to select the capital figures, such as occur most frequently, and

and make my remarks on these; the principles and rules laid down concerning them, will sufficiently direct us to the use of the rest, either in prose or poetry. Of metaphor, which is the most common of them all, I treated fully, and in the last lecture I discoursed of hy perbole, personification, and apostrophe. This lecture will nearly finish what remains on the head of figures.

Comparison, or simile, is what I am to treat of first; a figure fre quently employed both by poets and prose writers, for the ornament of composition. In a former lecture, I explained fully the difference betwixt this and metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison, implied, but not expressed as such; as when I say, 'Achilles is a lion,' meaning, that he resembles one in courage or strength. A comparison is, when the resemblance between two objects is expressed in form, and generally pursued more fully than the nature of a metaphor admits; as when I say, the actions of princes are like those great rivers, the course of which every one beholds, but their springs have been seen by few.' This slight instance will show, that a happy comparison is a kind of sparkling ornament, which adds not a little lustre and beauty to discourse; and hence such figures are termed by Cicero, Orationis lumina.'

The pleasure we take in comparisons is just and natural. We may remark three different sources whence it arises. First, from the pleasure which nature has annexed to that act of the mind by which we compare any two objects together, trace resemblances among those that are different, and differences among those that resemble each other; a pleasure, the final cause of which is, to prompt us to remark and observe, and thereby to make us advance in useful knowledge. This operation of the mind is naturally and universally agreeable; as appears from the delight which even children have in comparing things together, as soon as they are capable of attending to the objects that surround them. Secondly, the pleasure of comparison arises from the illustration which the simile employed gives to the principal object; from the clearer view of it which it presents; or the more strong impression of it which it stamps upon the mind: and, thirdly, it arises from the introduction of a new, and commonly a splendid object, associated to the principal one of which we treat; and from the agreeable picture which that object presents to the fancy; new scenes being thereby brought into view, which, without the assistance of this figure, we could not have enjoyed.

All comparisons whatever may be reduced under two heads, explaining and embellishing comparisons. For when a writer likens the object of which he treats to any other thing, it always is, or at least always should be, with a view either to make us understand that object more distinctly, or to dress it up and adorn it. All manner of subjects admit of explaining comparisons. Let an author be reasoning ever so strictly, or treating the most abstruse point in philosophy, he may very properly introduce a comparison, merely with a view to make his subject better understood. Of this nature, is the following in Mr. Hari is's Hermes, employed to explain a very ab

stract point, the distinction between the powers of sense and imagi nation in the human mind. As wax,' says he, 'would not be adequate to the purpose of signature, if it had not the power to retain as well as to receive the impression; the same holds of the soul, with respect to sense and imagination. Sense is its receptive power; imagination its retentive. Had it sense without imagination, it would not be as wax, but as water, where, though all impressions be instantly made, yet as soon as they are made, they are instantly lost.' In comparisons of this nature, the understanding is concerned much more than the fancy; and therefore the only rules to be observed, with respect to them, are, that they be clear and that they be useful; that they tend to render our conception of the principal object more. distinct; and that they do not lead our view aside, and bewilder it with any false light.

But embellishing comparisons, introduced not so much with a view to inform and instruct, as to adorn the subject of which we treat, are those with which we are chiefly concerned at present, as figures of speech; and those, indeed, which most frequently oc

Resemblance, as I before mentioned, is the foundation of this figure. We must not, however, take resemblance, in too strict a sense, for actual similitude and likeness of appearance. Two objects may sometimes be very happily compared to one another, though they resemble each other, strictly speaking, in nothing; only because they agree in the effects which they produce upon the mind; because they raise a train of similar, or what may be called, concordant ideas; so that the remembrance of the one, when recalled, serves to strengthen the impression made by the other. For example, to describe the nature of soft and melancholy music, Ossian says, "The music of Carryl was, like the memory of joys that are past, pleasant and mournful to the soul.' This is happy and delicate. Yet, surely, no kind of music has any resemblance to a feeling of the mind, such as the memory of past joys. Had it been compared to the voice of the nightingale, or the murmur of the stream, as it would have been by some ordinary poet, the likeness would have been more strict: but, by founding his simile upon the effect which Carryl's music produced, the poet, while he conveys a very tender image, gives us, at the same time, a much stronger impression of the nature and strain of that music: 'Like the memory of joys that are past, pleasant and mournful to the soul.'

In general, whether comparisons be founded on the similitude of the two objects compared, or on some analogy and agreement in their effects, the fundamental requisite of a comparison is, that it shall serve to illustrate the object, for the sake of which it is introduced, and to give us a stronger conception of it. Some little excursions of fancy may be permitted, in pursuing the simile; but they must never deviate far from the principal object. If it be a great and noble one, every circumstance in the comparison must tend to aggrandize it; if it be a beautiful one, to render it more amiable; if terrible, to fill us with more awe. But to be a little more

particular: The rules to be given concerning comparisons, respect chiefly two articles; the propriety of their introduction, and the nature of the objects whence they are taken. First, the propriety of their introduction. From what has been already said of comparisons, it appears, that they are not, like the figures of which I treated in the last lecture, the language of strong passion. No; they are the language of imagination rather than of passion; of an imagination, sprightly indeed, and warmed; but undisturbed by any violent or agitating emotion. Strong passion is too severe to admit this play of fancy. It has no leisure to cast about for resembling objects; it dwells on that object which has seized and taken possession of the soul. It is too much occupied and filled by it, to turn its view aside, or to fix its attention on any other thing. An author, therefore, can scarcely commit a greater fault, than in the midst of passion, to introduce a simile. Metaphorical expression may be allowable in such a situation; though even this may be carried too far; but the pomp and solemnity of a formal comparison is altogether a stranger to passion. It changes the key in a moment; relaxes and brings down the mind; and shows us a writer perfectly at his case, while he is personating some other, who is supposed to be under the torment of agitation. Our writers of tragedies are very apt to err here. In some of Mr. Rowe's plays, these flowers of similes have been strewed unseasonably. Mr. Addison's Cato, too, is justly censurable in this respect; as when Portius, just after Lucia had bid him farewell for ever, and when he should naturally have been represented as in the most violent anguish, makes his reply in a studied and affected comparison:

Thus o'er the dying lamp th' unsteady flame
Hangs quiv'ring on a point, leaps off by fits,

And falls again, as loth to quit its hold.

Thou must not go; my soul still hovers o'er thee,
And can't get loose.

Every one must be sensible, that this is quite remote from the lan-
guage
of nature on such occasions.

However, as comparison is not the style of strong passion, so neither, when employed for embellishment, is it the language of a mind wholly unmoved. It is a figure of dignity, and always requires some elevation in the subject, in order to make it proper: for it supposes the imagination to be uncommonly enlivened, though the heart be not agitated by passion. In a word, the proper place of compari-sons lies in the middle region, between the highly pathetic, and the very humble style. This is a wide field, and gives ample range to the figure. But even this field we must take care not to overstock with it. For, as we before said, it is a sparkling ornament; and all things that sparkle, dazzle and fatigue, if they recur too often. Similes should, even in poetry, be used with moderation; but in prose writings, much more; otherwise the style will become disagreeably florid, and the ornament lose its virtue and effect.

I proceed, next, to the rules that relate to objects, whence comparisons should be drawn; supposing them introduced in their proper place.

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