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I think, may be called a Typographical Figure of Speech. Neither, indeed, since we have been led to mention the arts of writers for increasing the importance of their words, does another custom, which prevailed very much some time ago, seem worthy of imitation; I mean that of distinguishing the sig nificant words, in every sentence, by Italic characters. On some occasions, it is very proper to use such distinctions. But when we carry them so far, as to mark with them every supposed emphatical word, these words are apt to multiply so fast in the author's imagination, that every page is crowded with Italics, which can produce no effect whatever, but to hurt the eye, and create confusion. Indeed, if the sense point not out the most emphatical expressions, a variation in the type, especially when occurring so frequently, will give small aid. And accordingly, the most masterly writers of late, have, with good reason, laid aside all those feeble props of significancy, and trusted wholly to the weight of their sentiments for commanding attention. But to return from this

digression:

Another Figure of Speech proper only to animated and warm composition, is what some critical writers call Vision; when, in place of relating something that is past, we use the present tense, and describe it as actually passing before our eyes. Thus Cicero, in his fourth oration against Catiline: " Videor enim "mihi hanc urbem videre, lucem orbis terrarum "atque arcem omnium gentium, subito uno incendio "concidentem; cerno animo sepulta in patria miseros atque insepultos acervos civium; versatur mihi ante "oculos aspectus Cethegi, et furor, in vestra cæde

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"bacchantis." This manner of description supposes a sort of enthusiasm, which carries the person who describes, in some measure, out of himself; and, when well executed, must needs impress the reader or hearer strongly, by the force of that sympathy which I have before explained. But, in order to a successful execution, it requires an uncommonly warm imagination, and such a happy selection of circumstances, as shall make us think we see before our eyes the scene that is described. Otherwise it shares the same fate with all feeble attempts towards passionate figures; that of throwing ridicule upon the author, and leaving the reader more cool and uninterested than he was before. The same observations are to be applied to repetition, suspension, correction, and many more of those figurative forms of speech, which rhetoricians have enumerated among the beauties of eloquence. They are beautiful, or not, exactly in proportion as they are native expression of the sentiment or passion intended to be heightened by them. Let nature and passion always speak their own language, and they will suggest figures in abundance. But, when we seek to counterfeit a warmth which we do not feel, no figures will either supply the defect, or conceal the imposture.

There is one figure (and I shall mention no more) of frequent use among all public speakers, particu

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* "I seem to myself to behold this city, the ornament of the "earth, and the capital of all nations, suddenly involved in one conflagration. I see before me the slaughtered heaps of citizens "lying unburied in the midst of their ruined country. The "furious countenance of Cethegus rises to my view, while with a 'savage joy he is triumphing in your miseries."

larly at the bar, which Quinctilian insists upon considerably, and calls Amplification. It consists in an artful exaggeration of all the circumstances of some object or action which we want to place in a strong light, either a good or a bad one. It is not so properly one figure, as the skilful management of several which we make to tend to one point. It may be carried on by a proper use of magnifying or extenuating terms, by a regular enumeration of particulars, or by throwing together, as into one mass, a crowd of circumstances; by suggesting comparisons also with things of a like nature. But the principal instrument by which it works, is by a climax, or a gradual rise of one circumstance above another, till our idea be raised to the utmost. I spoke formerly of a Climax in sound; a Climax in sense, when well carried on, is a figure which never fails to amplify strongly. The common example of this is, that noted passage in Cicero, which every school-boy knows: "Facinus est vincere civem Romanum; scelus ver"berare; prope parricidium, necare; quid dicam in "crucem tollere ?" * I shall give an instance from a printed pleading of a famous Scotch lawyer, Sir George M'Kenzie. It is in a charge to the jury, in the case of a woman accused of murdering her own child. "Gentlemen, if one man had any how slain "another, if an adversary had killed his opposer, or "a woman occasioned the death of her enemy, even "these criminals would have been capitally punished

* "It is a crime to put a Roman citizen in bonds; it is the "height of guilt to scourge him; little less than parricide to "put him to death; what name then shall I give to crucifying "him ?"

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by the Cornelian law: but, if this guiltless infant, "who could make no enemy, had been murdered by "its own nurse, what punishments would not then "the mother have demanded? With what cries and "exclamations would she have stunned your ears? "What shall we say then, when a woman, guilty of homicide, a mother, of the murder of her innocent "child, hath comprised all those misdeeds in one single crime; a crime, in its own nature detestable; "in a woman, prodigious; in a mother, incredible; "and perpetrated against one whose age called for "compassion, whose near relation claimed affection, "and whose innocence deserved the highest favour?" I must take notice, however, that such regular climaxes as these, though they have considerable beauty, have, at the same time, no small appearance of art and study; and, therefore, though they may be admitted into formal harangues, yet they speak not the language of great earnestness and passion, which seldom proceed by steps so regular. Nor, indeed, for the purposes of effectual persuasion, are they likely to be so successful, as an arrangement of circumstances in a less artificial order. For, when much art appears, we are always put on our guard against the deceits of eloquence; but when a speaker has reasoned strongly, and, by force of argument, has made good his main point, he may then, taking advantage of the favourable bent of our minds, make use of such artificial figures to confirm our belief, and to warm our minds.

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LECTURE XVIII.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE-GENERAL CHARACTERS OF STYLE- DIFFUSE, CONCISE - FEEBLE, NERVOUS-DRY, PLAIN, NEAT, ELEGANT, FLOWERY.

HAVING treated, at considerable length, of the Figures of Speech, of their origin, of their nature, and of the management of such of them as are important enough to require a particular discussion, before finally dismissing this subject, I think it incumbent on me to make some observations concerning the proper use of Figurative Language in general. These, indeed, I have, in part, already anticipated. But, as great errors are often committed in this part of Style, especially by young writers, it may be of use that I bring together, under one view, the most material directions on this head.

I begin with repeating an observation, formerly made, that neither all the beauties, nor even the chief beauties of composition, depend upon Tropes and Figures. Some of the most sublime and most pathetic passages of the most admired authors, both in prose and poetry, are expressed in the most simple style, without any Figure at all; instances of which I have before given. On the other hand, a composition may abound with these studied ornaments; the language may be artful, splendid, and highly figured,

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