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the figure is then termed a fynecdoche. We fay, for instance, "A fleet of fo many fail" instead of so many "fhips;" we frequently ufe the "head" for the "per"fon," the "pole" for the "earth," the "waves" for the "fea." An attribute is often used for its subject; as" youth and beauty" for the " young and beautiful;" and fometimes a fubject for its attribute. But the relation, by far the most fruitful of tropes, is fimilitude, which is the fole foundation of metaphor.

METAPHOR.

METAPHOR is founded entirely on the refem

blance, which one object bears to another. It is therefore nearly allied to fimile or comparison; and is indeed a comparison in an abridged form. When we fay of a great minifter, "he upholds the state, like a pillar, "which fupports the weight of an edifice," we evidently make a comparison; but, when we fay of him, he is "the pillar of the ftate," it becomes a metaphor.

Of all the Figures of speech none approaches so near to painting, as metaphor. It gives light and strength to defcription; makes intellectual ideas in fome degree vifible by giving them color, fubftance, and fenfible qualities. To produce this effect however a delicate hand is requifite; for by a little inaccuracy we may jatroduce confufion instead of promoting perfpicuity,

Several rules therefore must be given for the proper management of metaphors.

The first rule refpecting metaphors is, they must be fuited to the nature of the fubject; neither too numerous, nor too gay, nor too elevated for it; we must neither attempt to force the fubject by the use of them into a degree of elevation, not congruous to it; nor on the contrary fuffer it to fall below its proper dignity. Some metaphors are beautiful in poetry, which would be unnatural in profe; fome are graceful in orations, which would be highly improper in hiftorical or philosophical compofitions. Figures are the dress of fentiment. They fhould confequently be adapted to the ideas, which they are intended to adorn.

The fecond rule refpects the choice of objects, whence metaphors are to be drawn. The field for figurative language is very wide. All nature opens her ftores. and allows us to collect them without restraint. But we must beware of ufing fuch allufions, as raise in the mind difagreeable, mean, low, or dirty ideas. To render a metaphor perfect, it must not only be apt, but pleasing; it must entertain as well, as enlighten. Dryden therefore can hardly efcape the imputation of a very unpardonable breach of delicacy, when he obferves to the Earl of Dorfet, that "fome bad poems 66 carry their owners' marks about them; fome brand 4or other on this buttock, or that ear; that it is notorious,

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"who are the owners of the cattle." The moftp leafing metaphors are derived from the frequent occurrences of art and nature, or from the civil tranfactions and cus toms of mankind. Thus how expreffive, yet at the fame time how familiar, is the image, which Otway has put into the mouth of Metellus in his play of Caius Marius, where he calls Sulpicius

That mad wild bull, whom Marius lets loofe

On each occafion, when he'd make Rome feel him,
To tofs our laws and liberties in the air.

In the third place a metaphor fhould be founded on a resemblance, which is clear and striking, not far fetched, nor difficult to be discovered. Harsh or forced metaphors are always difpleafing, because they perplex the reader, and instead of illustrating the thought render it intricate and confused. Thus, for inftance, Cowley, fpeaking of his mistress, expresses himself in the fol lowing forced and obfcure verfes.

Wo to her ftubborn heart; if once mine come

Into the selfsame room,

"Twill tear and blow up all within,

Like a granada, shot into a magazine.

Then fhall love keep the ashes and torn parts

Of both our broken hearts;

Shall out of both one new one make;

From hers the alloy, from mine the metal take
For of her heart he from the flames will find

But little left behind;

K

Mine only will remain entire ;

No drofs was there, to perish in the fire.

Metaphors, borrowed from any of the fciences, efpecially from particular profeffions, are almost always faulty by their obfcurity. /

In the fourth place we must never jumble metaphorical and plain language together; never construct a period fo, that part of it must be understood metaphorically, part literally; which always produces confufion. The works of Offian afford an instance of the fault, we are now cenfuring. "Trothal went forth with the "ftream of his people, but they met a rock; for Fingal "stood unmoved; broken they rolled back from his "fide. Nor did they roll in fafety; the fpear of the "king purfued their flight." The metaphor at the beginning is beautiful; the "ftream," the "unmoved "rock," the "waves rolling back broken," are expreffi ons in the proper and confiftent language of figure; but in the end, when we are told, "they did not roll "in fafety, because the spear of the king purfu"ed their flight," the literal meaning is injudiciously mixed with the metaphor; they are at the fame moment prefented to us, as waves that roll, and as men, that may be purfued and wounded by a spear.

In the fifth place take care not to make two different metaphors meet on the fame object. This, which is called mixed metaphor, is one of the groffeft abuses

of this figure. Shakespeare's expreffion, for example, to take arms against a sea of troubles," makes a most unnatural medly, and entirely confounds the imagination. More correct writers, than Shakespeare, are fometimes guilty of this error. Mr. Addison fays, "There "is not a fingle view of human nature, which is not "fufficient to extinguish the feeds of pride." Here a view is made to extinguish, and to extinguish feeds.

In examining the propriety of metaphors it is a good' rule, to form a picture of them, and to confider how the parts agree, and what kind of figure, the whole prefents, when delineated with a pencil.

Metaphors in the fixth place fhould not be crowded together on the fame object. Though each of them be distinct; yet, if they be heaped on one another, they produce confufion. The following paffage from Horace will exemplify this obfervation;

Motum ex Metello confule civicum
Bellique caufas, et vitia, et modos,
Ludumque fortunæ, gravefque

Principum amicitias, et arma
Nondum expiatis uncta cruoribus,
Fericulofæ plenum opus aleæ,

Tractas, et incedis per ignes-
Suppofitos cineri dolofo.

This paffage, though very poetical, is rendered harsh and obfcure by three distinct metaphors crowded to

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