gether. First, "arma uneta cruoribus nondum expiatis ;" next, opus plenum periculofa alea ;" and then, “incedis “per ignes fuppofitos cineri dolofo." The laft rule concerning metaphors is, they should not be too far purfued. For, when the resemblance, which is the foundation of the figure, is long dwelt upon, and carried into all its minute circumstances, an allegory is produced instead of a metaphor; the reader is wearied, and the difcourfe becomes obfcure. This. is termed ftraining a metaphor. Dr. Young, whose imagination was more diftinguished by ftrength, than delicacy, is often guilty of running down his metaphors.. Speaking of old age, he says, it should Walk thoughtful on the filent, folemn fhore And put good works on board; and wait the wind, The two first lines are uncommonly beautiful; but, when he continues the metaphor by "putting good "works on board, and waiting the wind," it is strained, and finks in dignity. Having treated of metaphor, we shall conclude this chapter with a few words concerning allegory. An allegory is a continued metaphor; as it is the reprefentation of one thing by another, that resembles it. Thus Prior makes Emma defcribe her conftancy to Henry in the following allegorical manner; Did I but purpose to embark with thee On the smooth surface of a summer's fea, While gentle zephyrs play with profperous gales, But would forfake the fhip, and make the shore, The fame rules, that were given for metaphors, may be applied to allegories on account of the affinity be-tween them. The only material difference befide the one being short and the other prolonged is, that a metaphor always explains itself by the words, that are con nected with it in their proper and literal meaning; as, when we fay," Achilles was a lion ;""an able minif"ter is the pillar of the ftate." Lion and pillar are here fufficiently interpreted by the mention of Achilles and the minister, which are joined to them; but an allegory may be allowed to ftand lefs connected with the literal meaning; the interpretation not being fo plain-ly pointed out, but left to our own reflection. HYPERBO HYPERBOLE.. YPERBOLE confifts in magnifying an object be- yond its natural bounds. This figure occurs very frequently in all languages even in common converfation. As fwift, as the wind; as white, as fnow; and our ufual forms of compliment are in general extravagant hyperboles. From habit however thefe exaggerated expreffions are feldom confidered, as hyperbolical. Hyperboles are of two kinds; fuch, as are employed in defcription, or fuch, as are fuggefted by paffion.. Those are far beft, which are the effect of paffion; fince it not only gives rife to the moft daring figures, but often renders them just and natural. Hence the following paffage in Milton, though extremely hyperbolical, contains nothing, but what is natural and proper. It exhibits the mind of Satan agitated by rage and defpair. Me miferable! Which way fhall I fly In fimple description hyperboles must be employed with more caution. When an earthquake or storm is described, or when our imagination is carried into the midst of a battle, we can bear ftrong hyperboles without displeasure. But, when only a woman in grief is prefented to our view, it is impoffible not to be difgufted with fuch exaggeration, as the following, in one of our dramatic poets; -I found her on the floor In all the storm of grief, yet beautiful, Pouring forth tears at such a lavish rate, That, were the world on fire, they might have drown'd This is mere bombaft. The person herself, who la bored under the distracting agitations of grief, might be permitted to express herself in strong hyperbole ; but the spectator, who defcribes her, cannot be allowed equal liberty. The juft boundary of this figure cannot be afcertained by any precife rule. Good fenfe and an accurate taste must ascertain the limit, beyond which, if it pafs, it becomes extravagant. PERSONIFICATION AND APOSTROPHE. WE proceed now to thofe figures, which lie alto gether in the thought, the words being taken in their common and literal fenfe. We fhall begin with perfonification, by which life and action are attributed to inanimate objects. All poetry even in its most humble form abounds in this figure. From profe it is far from being excluded; nay, even in common converfation frequent approaches are made to it. When we fay, the earth thirts for rain, or the fields fmile with plenty; when ambition is faid to be reflefs, or a difeafe to be deceitful; fuch expreffions fhow the facility, with which the mind can accommodate the properties of living creatures to things inanimate, or abftract conceptions. There are three different degrees of this figure which it is requifite to distinguish, in order to determine the propriety of its ufe. The first is, when fome of the properties of living creatures are ascribed to inanimate a objects; the fecond, when those inanimate objects are described, as acting like fuch, as have life; and the third, when they are exhibited, either as speaking to us, or as liftening to what we fay to them... The first and lowest degree of this figure, which confifts in ascribing to inanimate objects fome of the qualities of living creatures, raises the style fo little, that the humbleft difcourfe admits it without any force. Thus › "a raging ftorm, a deceitful disease, a cruel difafter," are familiar expreffions. This indeed is fo obfcure a de- gree of perfonification, that it might perhaps be properly claffed with fimple metaphors, which almost escape our obfervation.. The fecond degree of this figure is, when we reprefent inanimate objects acting like those, that have life. Here we rise a step higher, and the personification be- comes fenfible. According to the nature of the action, which we afcribe to those inanimate objects, and to the particularity, with which we describe it, is the strength. of the figure. When pursued to a confiderable length, it belongs only to. ftudied harangues; when flightly touched, it may be admitted into lefs elevated compo- fitions. Cicero, for example, fpeaking of the cafes 3 |