··- -....-~~

~--- ~,

'

~
, _, A

... ,.

~;;: - ~

,, ,..,~l"T · ' :,

.

.,

OF RHETORIC
,,., "'.
' ~-~.
...

''

•

•

l! ,.
"
111·,
·"
,.. .. ,

,;.

~

~'

-iii .i.;f

-

'

-~-.

.t'll. ....

AND

~ 1 ii

t?I

I

1::

;11". ~1

1;l~

l11 .,.

)~ ~~

THE PRINCIPLES OF LANGUAGE AND
.{
}

!!i;

.

...

THE ELEMENTS OF TASTE AND CRITICISM;

iu~!

li

WITH

!H.'·

...

.li:
, .,

.....

'it

RULES,
c

·J•'OR THE STUDY OF COMPOSITION- AND ELOQUEN(;E :
·..:f.'

ILLUSTRATED

BY

APPROPRIATE ·:EXAMPLES,
~ELECTED

CHIEFLY

FRO ~

... .

"

"

THE ·BRJTlSH CL.fl.SS/CS.
•

.,. inE

·. ·.....

p

un oF.'' "":;2,""ATE mTROOTW,.

· Bv ALEXANDER JAMIESON, LL.-D.

ii.
I

~il:

,.

'

·-

,

I

I.

"

\

'FOURTH . EDITION.

...........

I

I

I

• ?~· •

NEW -HA.V EN:

....................
1$~6~ A•.

"' .

·I

I

/

/ Ji .

..

•

t.

i[.·.

,. '

. ,!

'.
.

,

,

~~

. ·.:

..... , ,.:
• 1

•.·

.,

I I

I.

f

1

2'1102

}..

'

)

r
·I

(

r
I

(

j'

'\

·. ··.

'

.r

.'

'M

t..~

;\ :~ ·-~

f ' ,:.

?/~.- · · Rhetoricians
.

lN'I'llObUtJTib k;

~

'

\

iv

~ ~

~;i·a:~; i~1~r~priety

.-

:
..J·. . ';_f
.'

-

:.~.~

llf:..:-,

.1

~~;t:c, c_ .- :
.
. · ... ~i0"' "'~'
. ·~ . :~:i· ~ ·p~ ~:.,. . ~ ~i{ -'. :~'~
: . . .\

.i»-1'-RODUOTIQN.

_· , .. , '

.

•

•

:r:;.·:; '

it·te~~~; preci_sfo~.:~r~:~r:-

have u.sually introtiuced their pupii 0 a '. · :
in phrase;, and ..as • ,·t, . r.
~
< ..
'l
' I. .-,·•· J'iJ"f{i', ·
know le<lge of their art, by some history of the origi , and o{ .~ expr s_ion in speech or writing. ·; :·' : · '. .' :. ~ .r-~;;·;; ·;.~, •., "''
progress of language. Accordingly, in this volume, ttle Au- ·· ,.:.,:.TiH NATURE AND STRUCTURF. ·oF SENTENCESi -THE· GENE '..
thor has followed a precedent, which the world has lefno- ap- ·~ :~ --;~Lii "NCIPLES OF PERSPICUITY, 'AND THE H~R~idN~ OF
0

.
' i:, . .
The FIRST nooK treats of the origin and strpcture :1 : :'·~JlIO_i>s

•

•

•

-

PE: :::·/:
'
.
.
w~ich areillustra~ed i~ noo~~~.~1:?~>~~.ve ~-ntol.~e~. , -:\'•.·
f>"

proved.
of those external signs, which are used, as names, attributes,
',· ,nume us· erro_rs to be avoided m the str_tt ~.~u,r7 . ()f.sentettces; , ·.r. \: .
or actions of object.s ; or to denote the various operatipns of :~ ~- ~rid}° t · .e. arran~~fuent of 'single word~,i~~The°" qualities_l !)f~,~_., ~·::~,
the mental faculties, with which it is our business to b~come , ''..'i:nfrr -;and · sTRENG~H, in th.c structur~_'.·of. sentences, have _ : ,.;. ~.' :~
acquainted.
'\
The sEcoND BOOK treats of the principles of GENE/iAr.
GR~l\IMA~; or•. in other '~ords; of the principles upbn
~vluch ph1Iosoph~cal grammanans have attempte<l"to discrim-)
_mate and classify the .component parts of human speech1
whether spoken or written. An examination of THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF THE USE WHICH GIVES LAW TO
LANGUA GE, naturally followe<l the "Principles of General
Grammar," and led to the development of THE NATURE AND
usE OF v·ERBAL cmTICISM, witlt its principal rules, or canons, by wlticli, in all our decisions, we ought to be directed.
And in this branch of the subject, the object has been to ex.ercise the understan_ding and natural sensibility of the pu. pi!, by the exhibition of what has pleased or displeased crit' ics, in the perusal of the best models of literary compositi on. It is presumed, that young minds will thus begin t ·
think and feel for themselves; and, by .the directions they
receive, acquire confidence in thei~ own powers, of ' approv'ing o~ , disapproving whatever falls under their general reJ sonings, in the higher qualities of composition. Tri.rn crit~- ·
cism will teach the student how he may escape those error's
and mistakes, to which he may be exposed, either from ndt ·
understamling, or from mi~applying, her establishe1l rule~
But to render her assistance most effectual, the Author
dwelt very fully on the principles of _GRAMllIATICAL PuR./.
T Y, as it respects baibarisms, solecisms, ideotisnis, vulgqr.·

,. ·.-~~g~~
- ~ r~d ~round them a s~rie~ of rul~s;w~_1ich, if a~pllecU~~,.~·;: .(~
· . ~,. the xerc1$_eS that the pupil sJ10uld be required to wnte;~an- ~ ',. ;,-: ··
' .,}'1~ fail to : enl~ghten his "?ind; and gov_e~n :h_is }udgm~n:t, ·!~.'. .</~
·. -. tfhe· princip~e~;.an~l~- r,~:~c~ice- of co)IlpOsJt~on: ·. , It -was~~~~~:~;.::'!'.;.
· 1\a1·y; howeve1'- to :s~O\Y.•.ho~-- ~u_cHJ?ERS~~cu1r_Y ; ~f L_ANGli;Ao~~'.: ~<j___~
;:
nd ,:>T.YLE cpntrib_u ted,.; to -the.elegance of classical compos1 ~. i\~ · ;
-~ ficms a~d,• el~quen.ce ; ~'a~d. a~ctmlingly, this matter is treat.:.· .. .;.i(:,
ed. precisel,;'as . i>t~ Canipbell has tt:eated it, fo his "Phiio_so~ · ;~~·;
~phy, of, Rhetoric)' · No writedias yet excelled Dr. Blair, in -.·: ·~-~
;.l uminous . views of. the "Harmony of Periods;" and these · . -<: ".
.views . we have er~bodied in this Grammar. ·
··
::. .. - .. , -:_~ ,;;;;~:·
:, , In _nooK FOURTH,:the principal" Rhetorical Figures':' .are '(' 1'""
·· treated at gl'.eat length, and .illustrated by copious examples,
-~ ,
~ithout, however, encumbering the mind ?f ~he pupil witlt ,,.;-;".~~.
catalogues from the ancie_nt critics, . of pther · figures, pai·tly -,. ~~: !i~.
, , r~ln,m!ltical a~d . partly rhetorical, wl~ich , would ·ha!e · fur.: , . );_{i ·
; '{;;1
¥;e<l littl~~-fi~truct~on, · an~,. less -.a musement • . ~-F.:~r.. it is:· ~~'"i:':.'
·. \ p~·haps, . no~e least ta.~Jc\o.n;t~le part of the inst1;u ~tors of,,_.l~i.. /~~
" :··. y dutb, to re~der\their pre~epts engaging,,bY, · ~i:vacity of im.:_/ <.~:~
· ·, agJriation, and th~ ch_arms of genuine.o('.n~ment .. -~ This, how{.~',"'.;;;;,_.
. : ?:: e~~ier, is an inferior · ineri_t, when compared ·with the cl~astO, .:__:".,:. :_··:_~.
'. ..' n. ss :. arul morality which should distingu-~sh '.~xam_ples·, a,1~(~..~=:?*
• ·· il ustra,tions • selected · for youth. The prmc1ples of v_irtue·:: ·~.:·:.:; ,
~ ~~~ d hon.ou,~, of delicacy. and ,refined tas/te, are~}fit)e h.op.~ci.~;.>~:!°.'
_: · :-.:;_~n rl(fate~l: thro~ghout th _ese . exa~p>.e_s, with ~ t?~t .,ass~d~~~y'~~- ;-::/
~ - " \Y,h ch ·• Will · entitle the Autho,r .tg~~~-~~~ hu~ble reputai~on : of ;,,~.
1

hat .
I

. .}

--~ ./

?' ·
' '

.

~:> '. ~

<

.:

.

' .

., ~-~. ··" \ (~".\

:

;;;':::?:\ .~: '.

~¥~ j~

.;_ l .~. ':: 't ..._-.-_.. :' - ~ . ~.~. ~

-~
... ·,·

Yl

.·1

\
l.NTRODUCTION.

·..,

~

}

.•

INTRODUCTION.

•.=<:.. ·,-

• YJl

having laboured to improvP., in those for whom he wroJe, the ; 1 • 1 ,In ooK SEVENTH, the origi~1 and differen~ kinds of Poimportant habits of a religious' education. ·
,
(
.:_ etry a e handled r,nore with a view to form the pupil's taste<· .·
In nooK FIFTH, the NATURE OF TASTE, and the sbuuoEs . ': for .the tudy of P'o etry, than to inspire him with the thirst of
1
OF ITS PLEASURES, compiled partly from Dr. Blairts Lee- )J • ' reapin . fame in · the doubtful_ field of poetic composition.
tu res, partly from ~.Joni Kames's Elements of C1fticism, ·~ . : ~~t~ ~t those wh~1se geniu~ _may I~~ them that. way, the
and agreeably to Alison's "Essays on Taste," hav.e been -~ prmc1 es of poetic compos1hon, of its several styles, an~
. ,.
set in such lights, as may enable the youthful mind td.attain ' \. of the orname~ts which it admits, cannot ,fail to prove usesome practical acquaintance w~th the productions of genius, ' ·: ful. . · '
'
'
. · · ·
··:~
in Poetry, Sculpture, or Painting. A c:orrect percepti'on of
r.i:; e conclusion of the work treats of pronunciation, or
~
the excellencies of composition and eloquence, is c1dsely
~ deli\ery, as it respects, chiefly, public speaking; and here; · ,11 ...
-connected with a knowledge of the productions in the Hne _. as 'n Book VI. an<l VIL the labom's of the Author's prearts. The young student, on being ma<le acquainted wit!'
ecessors· have' ' chiefly furnished principles and illustra-.
:\'~
the principles which regulate the standard ef taste, so
ions.
.:
:~·
from learning to suspeml the exercise of his own judgment~
· ..'4ondon, August 24, 1818. ·
··
is· taught to investigate the grounds upon which those prin··
'.
ciples are supported, an<l in comparing them with the sim- ''
pie didates of his own mind, to form, from the various
sources which reading and reflection may afford him, the ~
·. i
elements of rearing for himself a standard of taste, to
't·· '
;- •...
·.- ... ' ·~'
.
which, in more matured life, he may refer ~uch productions of
the fine arts, or of polite literature, as fall under his obser·I
vation.
BooK six1·H·, appropriat.ed to the o-eneral characters of '
i
. o
~
;
style, treats, first, of the diffuse and concise styles of compo- '
1
..~~ . .~·.~::' .;·~
. ~.
sition ; secondly, of the dry, plain, neat, elegant, and jloll·- ·
,,.·:.
.. ·:·)~'i.:
ing styles; thirdly, of the simple, affected, and veherr!/it
e
8tyles; and then gives directions for fm:rning .style. 10f
,'
•. . \~
.r>l
'.·-.. ~ .•
• 'j
what importance the illustrations and examples of th~se
..:,.
-~
several styles must be in the composition of themes, it' i1'
superfluous here lo speak. The remaining chapters of llo~k
. ., •)
.. _,·~
VI. are devoted to " The Conduct of a Discow·8e in all it.<J
. ,.. ;··
Parts ;"-to "Historical I-Friling,"-" .11.nnals,"-" Jlfe~
...
mofr1t,"-" Biogrnphy,"--" Philosopliical TFriting," {. .'-.
:~Dialogue," and Epistolatory Correspondence."
<'

_J
J

·.,< .

raf

-.

.

.

1

•

.~

, .

'

.

...

\

i

)

.l

,
r'° '

.,

.

.:.

,.,.

'\ 4

.

r-

.)::·, ~~;~~·~~;;,;r
_.~.·~-~.i;!;_~J

&Q

_

~ ·~

•

~ · : ~.;~

!• "')

~::.· :;,,;.

--

-

:-::--~ -

-

.' (

. ' . :J

,·

. 'JQONTEN'rjr
.

.

·"·~:··

..

·. .

-~~.~. -~

.J..,.v.

. '.t: ~

. ·,, . ~

· \!

·:.' ~'.~ ~ j~,'.(-.·~·~\:t_ . -]

· ·~~~);~,,
: ;: ::~:~ ,;_, ;; :~ ,;,;;;',:;:~:';~~: !~~
·· ·'"' . . "BOOK ·I - ··
-"-· · -·· '"- -

"'

~ ,;-"''·

,

' : -"~,.? J.

.·:.:;,;;·r~~;- :~'':. ~. ·~~

-~

-+ •

,~ . ··.;":-~·.~:: ·~ ...:~ .-:,·._·:;~\:.:~·:'/ ~,"; . . ~:: ~

LAN<rn~GE . AND sT~LJ.<:~ "".As·

~ , :!:":~}~ ·-. ~' ":

THE

·,~ ~UENCE.

FOU~DAT1~~ · 10-,.
.· ..

-~HA~ii1t'"~?'- 9.r the Rise and

· :~

ELo..

.j

··.~.;~·· .': ·r;~~( ~ '_ \:'i

Langua~ci~~;:~ ·,;~r,~r ·_:;~

Progress of
Structiire) .nd Com.position of w l'lrds
·
.,
: :-_. r~'.· · . · ' 19
, ·: J
1
: <CHAPTER · n;~Of .the Rise and Progress of :L_~pgl,J,age ~n . the . ,
. ;,;~
to'· ' ~·-·: Manner of utt_ering.and pronouncing Words · · 1· ··.-.;;.~::,,,~ · , ' ·. · · · .22
·_;j
t · {(HAPTER lll,_:.Of i he Progress · of Language in · the S(j,le ·.. -. · ~· . : · f·~
' :- ' ~ and .Chai:aet!ll' of Speech
·
· ·.
.
1 _ - · ''. ' ·- ;··, ~ .. 25 ·.,:-~ ·,/~
~ ,PHAPTER lV ..:....Of the""'ltjsJ? and ·r rogress of Language, u • .., · · -·~:,.).
..' "· respe.c'ts.. the Ord.e r ~nd Arrangement of Words in Sentences- ''-~: 21
:~ ·~
Conclusion ··~;. ·.: . ~::>. 1·: '. ~ · . > ,.. · ,.)., :. :· ·
<~"-_;J,:.;~·~:· . 31
<~
<;HAPTER'.:.V.-Of ihe <'.>rigin and Progress of Writing )'!''';,- •.:;· · ib.. _ · 1
¥ :i"~HAPTE~ Yl.-:--A Comparison ?f. spoken w_ith _ wr~tten Lan·.. :>·~, · ..: . ~~
~ guage; , or of ;Words uttered ut o~ ~~~ring, .w1t·h _· Wordsrc':.:.'. ·. · · ,Jl
,., ;.r~~·· r~resented .to .the Eye > · · : · · · · c;•) • , ,.. ' ,.. . · · ~ .. ~*':i
.; ·

J

/

A"" ..

( ·j~ ~~::x· ,~:·;;' \30~~ ii'. ;. ' " : };~
' f.. ·.~'

~

~R

THE

, .

1

r

·, ··~
:;

·

, .

6

i''·

.

•

• •

,·

·.."',!

~~f ~;;T~R · 1.~o~ the .'s~~~ral .Part• of which Speech ·~-;:~.~~:'' ·:~~;%~-:~~~~~
·~.
f.,

guage ia compoilfd
·
.- 10 Number
;~ Of Casell
j' Of Gender · ' ·
~f_ Of rticles

1 ~-., !

.~ Nouns \

)

- .,

•

.

'- '-.t

·

'

' ._

. •~
-

\

/

LANGUAGE j

. ;..'1.~·vw
,{,;•. ' ' . ,,. ' '· '.' .' · GENERAL
,,.
.GRAMMAR,
C·

·:·.o . . .>c~
·'· ~i
"1'RIN?IPLES..o:t
... ~i

~

:

/

'•

1;J

7~;;.·,·~:1 ~{~:· " :~: ·. · ; ~
,·,.
'. ::: '; ' -~ 'l,'H.:a: ~~~~~~P~f!- OF

(

J

·~:·

"

.

~· . .;·

. · !;;'<; · - -_3')' ':..-,' ...:_.
:'as ~-•.- ~~

?

,

, .··

, / ., ,.:
;
/

.~~'!'

., '

...~{ ... /
,1.·.

. ...

r

,89 · . '$,
· · 40
·.· :~
ib. , · ;
··
4t ~/: :
,· ,

_:.~

~,
, . '

.. .

et:

'~

~t __•

.:.-.: ~~
~

~.

-.

-

CONTENTS.
'•
Of Pronouns
Of Adjectivu
Of thl', Verb·
Of Tenses
Theorv of Moods:
· Auxili°arics
The Infinitive Mootl
01 the Adverb
PrepositionsConjunctions
Inte1jections
CHAPTER 11.-Thc Nature and CnarncfCT of the Use whi.d1 \
ill.
gives J:.aw to Language
Language mainly a species of Fashion
{ ilJ .
U~e, . or the Custom of Speaking, the sole OTiginal Standard of
. Conversation, as far as respects the Expre ~sion; and the Custom of \-V riting the chief Standan~ of. Sty le
neputahle Use
·' '
·
Vulgarisms
Authon of R~putation
National Use ·
The English'I.anguage, properly so called
Professional Dialects
National Use, as opposed to Foreign
Present Use , ·
· ·
.
CHAPTER III.-The Nature and Use of verbal Criticism, with
its principal Rules 01· Canons, by which, in all our dedsiuns,
55
:· we ought t~( be directed

I

t ·'':• :, ,
Go~d Use .. · ~ j·f ·,
1 ., .i'· ... ;,: :. The divided Use

..,

..

•
.·!. ~ ;\ _;..,; "'
Conon the First, 1when Use is divided as to any particular Word ·
~,. 1,:-r.- · ; - or 'Fhrase' L
.
~ . ·..£ . ·
' Canon the ..Se~cmd. In doubtful cases, regard ought to pe had;
·
\( - · , ~ in our decisions, to the Analogy ·of the Language _., .:: •
'
Canon the Third, prefers what is most agreeable to the E:i.r
·,· t
_
Canon the Fo1irth, allows sin1\}licity to determine our choice
. ~;· ~;~,' ~~::. ,. Canon the Fifth, prefers what is mo~t conformable to ancient
·~ t.i_L

:_L:· ~__.,.! \.(._ , ~ • Usage

!t! L,~,". °']::;-·Every
1. · ;··

giH:.

:hi (

!.:·.t'··
Y

)ll~
' ~ '~

.f.

f

~

/ • .'
• ·.. ~ ·

t

\ " 1• · ; : ·
1. '

~. ·

'.

· ~,. :

thing fayoured by good Use, is not 01t that account worthv to be re1a1ned
~ Con~n the Sixth, points out such \Vords and Phrases as merit
degradation
.
Criteria, hy which ~e may discrimir;iate the objectionable Word~
from all others
·'
·
Canon the ScvPnth, points to \Vorcl s that require dismissinn
Cauon the Eighth, r espects \.Yords become obsolete
Canon the l'ii nth, enables us to detect Solecisms and idio.maticul
Phrases
Canon the Teuth, reg·ards the suppression of a significant Term,
which hath come into good Use
CHAPTER IV.-Of Grammatical Purity
P ure English Composition
•

1

.....

\

, ._:
' 1· ·

!

· ~:

•.;.

,'·.

o~ 1:.H~ NATURE ANri naucrunE oF sENTENcEs, -,Tn~"~GENE-,
i ·:; RAL PRINCIPLES o:F: PERSPICUITY,· AND- THE .HARMONY-, oF .

~~?!~RIODS. ·.~

·-~t"ff:~F~

. ' ,.: ,_ .· . '~-~~~~:·~~l~·F:<.: ~~· T~· :: "'

_ CHAPTER J.-Of the Nature of Se ntcnct!s nnd Per~~li'-~~~-~.";;:'J;.'::_~~~· ·· ..
Simple Sentences . \
_·;.. • .' -,,· '-'. ·*~·•. 83 " ~

66

ilJ.

·· C
1· ·S ' te
... ,~ ~;,,._- r, ;b ~· ~·- ·
·l .-;: 01np ex en nces . ·
; . ...
',.,.:
· .~-~
. .,{· . T~ .,-;.
;~~
J. ~....
• t ... ~:
~
67 , 1 ...,;s ~ortSentence!l . ~- Y· ?: ' ·~
• . ._: ,:·· :- ~· ~~t: :::i:>i"f'!.. '84 .~.;".;}: ,
•
,
> Tlie. full fPeriod :.,.·::;",....
· ·. · · « ·
-. . · ' ~ · .-1.,:,_-t·.·:< 1 ~.-·,<-,," 85 ,'" ·
·,
il>. •·
1iH APTERj ;Jt:-'f'or 'ihe E rrors to:be avoided i~ the. st'ri!C"fol~~~f;~ii;; 1 :.
--~~
ib . . f:~'; ~f Se'nJ{~·c~~'f~11d the Arrangement of Single Word~ · \r::~;~~81L~ 1 -'~. _
58 ,.
1 he -Arrangement of the Age tit, the Action, nud the S,uvjeCt
~.~~
~~·
Of the .Arr.a ngement of the other Pai-ts of Speech, Pro,11om1s, ;;::,; ·· . ::
T'··, Participles, Prepositions, Rnd Conju nctions
· ·
• .• HJ : ·.· :.~ .··;i
ib.
OH APTER llI.-On the Structure of Sentences
: , · 90tk ·.. .':" ·
ib .
·i'"·.'l'he distinction of Long nnd Short ones ·
..
·~-. ib.
,, · ~- {:
_, ·"'~·: TRe. :';\operties mos.t ~ s11ential
a perfect Sen tence
·~ ~ 1.
.59 ~ -;, e19f!1
:nef t; and PreCISIOll •
tb.
. '.
J
- ': ln1the'7r. sition of Adverbs
.. ,
.. ·92 ·/
'60 " ·· l11j,Cir<:.itnstances in the middle of a Sentence
. ib ." 61 : ·· it.Luthe proper Disposition of the r elat ive Prommns, who, ~hich, ,; ·
_ ib. : ~ • ' what :whose
·
·
'
..
~ '
.,-·.:'.,.~ • . ;,''. ·jb.
.......
. ~ '"
1ty·' ).
.
·94 ~·
;!,, ' ~· rength ·
" '~ · :· · " 96
;_
~ · R~dundant \Vord~, redundant Members, n ew Ideas, new Thoughts
97 l(
63 _ ·. The Copulative Particle
·
'
· ,;« · · • ib. ••
( 64 · ·~ Di~sition of the capital Word or Words
· · ·" 100
I ib . . -;· 1,h Meml>ers 'o f Sentences rising and growin<r0 in their lmpor· ' · 'f''. •
' .
'(,; ' t ' ce above one unothe1·
·
~
·
-r
. ~; ·
. ·. 102". ·, ·
- ... ,

:x ·

..., ·. :•
<··;;,.:

; ,+.:;:

to

.

"

.(

j_

-· "-

·:.. ,er
• ~,..

'

.,

orital,Climax
'
\ 'J

\'

~2 ,'!. "'..._ ~.'I
'.'{ ...

\

•.;.'--

ft' :··:s~-- ... ,, .. , ..

.

~

'
•

. ..,.

• · - '- ib.' .

·
..;

.;
~.

'; :.

•.

- ·.}'

.:di '
CHAPTER IV.-Pr.r~picuity
Obscurity.-Th :, Obscm:c from Defect
.F rum bad Ar rangement
The s;unc Wore! u$cd in clilforent Seni;es
From too artifidal R Structure <>f the Sentenco
Technical Tl·1·ms ·
CHAPTER V .-The <louhle Meaning.
Equivoc ation
I
CHAPTER. VI.-Ambiguity
Jn Adjectives
.ln the Us e of SubstantiHl Noun~
Ambi!'"uity in u&ing the Conjunctiong
ln .a particular Clause or Expression
The squinting Construction
CHAPTER Vll.-Of the Unintcllig-ible
Un!ntell!g!hle 1:rom Confusi~n of Thought
lhe U11111telh~1ble lrom i\ffect11t10n of Excellcucc
~HAP' ~En _Y!IL-Thc vnrious Species of the U11intelligiblc
flH, U11mtdlig·11Jlc from want of Menning in tho Writer
Thf' P11erilc
The learne<l Nonsense·
The Pi·ofoun<l
The Mauvcllous
CHAPTER lX.-Of the Harmony of Periods·
How a melodious Structure is formed
·
The Distribution of the ~everal Members
. The Close or Cinlence of the ·whole SPntcncc
A_falli.ng off at th•: End always injurious
, , .•.' V1vac1ty ancl Strength of Composition promoted · various
'. ) · ' •
Measures '
• .
' .
Appear.ances alTectmg Harmony nrc disngreenble
; 1 .. .
I he .CL~rn,nt of Sonnd ' n<laptecl to the Tenor of a Di~coursc
'I i , .
~HAP_ fER X.-Resemblancc between . Sound. and . Sense-Jn,! f _
version
'
•(
.r.··
Inversion
1
' ~ ·~ ; .... '~he: lnvnsions· c.f Modern Lan,,.nnb"'C8

(

!lw

,•,1·

far ,... ;. : 1:·

.

·1: •

;~11> ~:· ~<:r

:r
f.

; ~i...i.

Jl4
if.>..
ii>.
1 JG
I ib.

' J ](j
ii>. '

lt'J '.
118 '
ib-. '
111~ '

ii>.
120
ib.

121
122
124
J2G
ib.

~II

rr~ ··'-' "'~-":·11: .:· ., '#i~": f";....{~

!-rt/ . !'

ib
ib: '
ib.
11!.I

: ,

,

o

.

'

Ii

BOOK IV.
OF FIGURES.

~HAPTF.R 1.-0f the Chnrncter and Adrnntna-e of Figures

.f ig•1rcs

of Words
b
Figures of Thought
Tropes, or Figures
Table of .Figures, which, among related Ohj.e cts, _e xtend the ·
Properties one to .a nother
'.table of Subj!'cts ex pressed figurntivelv
Table of Attribute~ !'xprc~scd Ji~urntiH!ly
CHAI'Tli:.ll JJ.-Metaphor
.

,,

r

·~:~~·:::F[·J .
· ; "':' .

XIV

UOl\TEKTS.

J~~

Allogodei cnl'"lakd hath fo< Ornoment nnd Iu.in>etion
.
Homer persouifies Prayers
CHAPTER Vl.-Apostrophc
(
Picturesque Apostrophe
·
.
·
'Apostrophes class the Olfsprini:- of deep Agitation
t
A principal Erroi· in the Use of Apostrophe, is to deck the Ob
Ject addressed with affected Ornnments
·
Another frequent Erroi· is, to exteud this Figure to too grea ( ·
Length
·
~
Apostrophe ~requently nppenre<I in the Oratory of Antiquity
'
Apostrophe 111 modern Oratory
,
CHAPTER VIl.-1-hperbolc .
This 1:igure peculiariy gra'c efol and pleasant
~II D1s~ourse and Writing admit Hyperbole
}t:rrors m the Use of Hyperbole .
·
Hyperbol~s are 1 not properly introduced till the Mind of the
Reader 1s prepared to relish them
·
Hyperboles improper when they ~tay be turned ngainst the Argument of the Author who uses them
CHAPTEH Vlll.-Climax, or Amplification
The Effect of this Figure
,
Cl~max appears ,~· ith Grace in the calmer Parts of Oratory
lt 1s consi stent with moderate Agitation
CHAPTER IX.-'-The Antithesis
Antithesis makes tl1e most brilliant Appearance in the Delinca. tiOn of C:haracters, particularly in l·foitory
U nsu.ccessful Attempts have been made to acquire it
!J.. Clunax and Antithesis conjoined and cnrricd on throu•rh sc1•..,
era! SenrencP.s ·
"'
CHAPTER X.-Intcrrogation, Repetition, Exclamation . lron1·
. · and Vision
··
'
· '
. l"nterrogatio11 gives Life and Spirit to Di sco tll"se
l~1terrogation usi'U to rouse and awaken the Hearers
Interrogation commands with great Emphasis
J nterrogation denotes plaintive Passion
·
.Hepetitio1~ is siguiG~a!1t of Contrast and Energy
. . Fhclamntwns the Ellect. of strong Emotions of the l\liml
·'. 1.cl;Vision proper only in animated anti warm Compositions
·· ~Vision in Tragedy .
.
lrony
.
.Exclamations \llld Irony are sometimes united

"""~-·~-.

·,

CONTE:tns,.

.

.

_

_:

·'~

. •

XY

~· f~~~~:

· .... h
· '
·
·
Page ·' f"".....:.~i"Jer 'i~e· th~ Source of lmprovement{in ~11
Fit.culties, . ii1 ~f'\".,;i \_' . ' ·.' ·;
f:.v. our 0 dily 1 m o.u r mental Powers, and even .. m our iexternal , .. ,. 1 •
: :·
1 72
·' •'\~$ sen !fc ·
· · ·· · . ·· ·
· .· .. ·
· · . ,,,.<\ 193
.::;..,.
1~4
.'i.; '·1 ;.~ i.$e l~provement of Taste, from the ~l!plicntioh of Rea~on and <~Y ~ . ~ '.:'t
,go? ~.ense, · t~, \Vor,ks of Compos111011, ~ d, Pro?~~~10.i:is of: ·" .i
.~
1~5
· .
~· .. ; Ge us
, ,· ·'. 1 · ·
• ·• • · · •
.
·. ,.,~·-,
.'·1.9 4
. :-~
.,,-;t.~~lit:a: y and .correctness the .Cha.racters of Taste, ':he ~ ~~.:.~ u.ght ' ' ·"' ·. ··~
ilJ.
. ;itf to 1fR most improved State
,
·
·
. · ,
)?·.> . ·1~
,:\ : Correbtnes·s of Taste'
. .. , . , , 1
._ ..,
· · 1b.
1'. '
;"'Delic~·cy and Correctness of Taste muhlnlly imply each other
ib.
·n
.• · The Diversity of Tnsteswhith prevails among Mankind .
.196
,j
ih .
._ 177
· .. i;~a11dard of ·~·aste
.
. ·
., . -:
197 .
h, U9iformity of Taste nnd Senhpi.ent result mg ·from our Convic- " ,
~· ..,.
I )78
, i: fion .of a common Standard ,,,
.
.
199 . .·.'l
' ib.
.,\OJiAPTER 11.-Criticis'm ,. .
. -.. . .
'' •
.::, . c" • · • : ... . 200
,,~
179
\!
f' . ~l(ransgressi9ns ?f' thc Lnws ' of .Criticism ·· ' · "·f~- '/· ·~:.; ·.. ,,, :11-. 202
' ii
180 ' . 7 Cl-JAPTER lll.-Of Geniu's •· ·' ·,:· • · . Y ' · C#.'lf/rt ~··l•:-'. ;r,~!' ib.
This.Talent improved by Art and Study · .
· ,,~·: ·~;t;;:;·'/,1 ~ :; ·· 203
•
· A Geniu.s for any ~~ · tlfC:fipe Arts ahvay·s 11tip'pol!es T';lste--:·.~·~:- ': · " :ii> . ....'. . "
181 .
CH AP1 ER IV.-lhe Sources of the Pleasures of 1aste 1"· : ·I~' · •204
.,
iu.
. '
·
·.: :'. c._;;'.\'._ ···:,: ; ·. db . .
:'
182 1 The Plei_lsures of Imag-ination · ·
.. • The Pleas\1re which arise1Hrom Stiblimity or Gran~cur ,, ·_-' ·:. '
205
;.,-'
ib .
Of external Grandeur ' "
,., · · ,
; · · ·, .
ib.
.
' ih.
_ 'J~b~ terribly · subli~ne, Darknes.s,· ?,ol_itude,. and SHe~ce, ·,·" .~/: . · ', 206 , ..,- . ,j
183
:;.the moral or scnt1mental. Sublime· ,.,.,... ·· . ··•
·'
··'.·: .. , · . 208·
·.,,
., ~ High Virtue the · most ;natutill ,and fertile Source ·~r thls .'!'oral · ·:"."·
·.'
184.
" · :' Sublimity
.
· _ ·.
... .. .; :
· ''..
·~, · ·· · •. ·.: :'
· '<·' ih.185
·~ CHAPTEll V.-The Sublimei_n Writii1g · " ... ·. : ...... :.:- ·~ ·:-: : •: : ... 209. . . · ~

"?"

is

_/I>·

-J

>,

,
1·
5

T.h~11 ~~~:d Scriptur~s . afford ·: us''H~~.'~~,'fr:i:~,t .-I_n ~.~a~.~~~ ~f~, ~l)e, .'~: 1~,

ib .

. 186
ib.
ib.
187

ib.
ib .
ih.
188
181)

ib .
J!)"

BOOK V.

~92

i iu.

193

:

211

·~;~

Hoiner _~rently ad1i1ired for Sublimity-· ,·t:~ ' .·
. <» ··: ~ / ·.· · · .
,:~,
The . Works of Oss ian nb_onnd with Examples of the Sublime , · · ib. ·,.. ;(;.
Conciseness nod Simplicity-essentiitl to ~ublime ·Writing '.: · ·:'. . ·. ·212
. -,,
Milton an .Author whose Genius le<fhlx~
emine.ntly
to/he
Sub.·
··
~~
.
.
.,
1
.'
, lime
·
-- · ·· · ·
·. - 2i3
. •' '>I
. '.·. • . · · · ·
1
1
' .. ~.trength ~s another neccssar{!'le~uisitP._ i? sublim~ ~~ r~~ing' · : ·
·~. 214.: '~,,'.:
, .1.he Sublime depP.nds U.POll ~:;Jll~~ Sele~hon. of Ctt·culnstances · :~:2~~T~~~
;:· . , lh~ !"~ults opposite to t~e tsublune. , are ~luefly
. t.1; 0 ; : F,r. ~~, . ~l.'e .·:;:-<;~i~.r <;>
." ~ •·._ , 1' rig-id ; and, secondly, the Bombast · · / ·,"'~ ' · · : .,.; . ':~ .··,, . i 21 .~~~\
:!''"; Cl-IAPTER y1.-Beauty, an~ other Pleasures of"T,aste· \' .•. 1.~' ~ ;~ 21 ,.·,~\· '
. • ..Colour,'the sm1plcst Instance of Beauty
·.
. ~ ' · .,, , ~ -'
. ·2 19 • ":' · · .
' ''ib." ' ·.~
1· ·~~ , Figure opens to us Forms o( Beauty complex and diver,sified ·
, «· ,, :Regularity a Source of Beauty," ' '/~:"· .' · ), ', · ' ,;., · ·.1· -:~· ·' ·''. ·~ :Jl>:'' '..,
I
<I
11
I
'
A
I
.
f
B
•.
.
.•
..,
~- ,,.,.
~ .,~~·r~ - ogart t s
na ysrs o
eanty / ,, .· )~:.
~
';.""~
.:~·
'.-219 ·. ~ ·~ ~
· .. ·1Motion another Source of Beauty · ~ ... . · · _·: . ··. " ·~ . · 'a~ I ·:~~ :ib'.
'
· '" " The Beauty of the Human Countenance
·
· .;: _p;._'\>li·..>1·Jt '!221
... ~~· . Beauty nrising from the Fer.c eption1 of ·Means being hf!apted::to ·~'.-'' · · ...
~l' :--."--. ~,
nn End ~ . . · ""
·. · ··'
.::>J
... y.··•... ' ..
•. ··---~ ,1"f.1. 1 • ... ,.;1:4f~•.:.!f, ·"' 1
~
I
· . .
•'
~ ,· ·-~"" ...,.
.
..,.. 11). ·· •
.""· 'his Sense of Beauty, in Fitne~s and Design, has an ex.t~nslve '_'<;;-;~ .:. ""=
·:;· ·· . Influenceoverml!-nyofourldel\s .r:'' ., . •_,: ,.... ,:.:~"''. ·,;c .•tr•''..t'. 222 ·:· ··,
·' ·. , Of Beauty, as it is applied to W. riting or niscourse 1:;. ;<! '-' ..~t-..;~a,·2!~ ib ·. '··:::--.
I
, ,. .
.
., .... c!.),,~.,,1i1·
~'.t;!f;#!, · ;:- ,.~23
.. ...
·'""'
;. :: ~1·
1~ovety
·
-~~ r.r.;; ~ · . ·
·.,.., . 1 ':~{\~~-l·~

>.

1

QN THE NATURE OF TA~TR, AND THE SOURCES O.F ITS PLEAS. UllES.
'/

CHAPTER 1.-Taste
Taste is possessed in different Degrees by difl'erent Men
Taste, _!\n improvable Faculty, nnd re.fined by Education

.. .. . <·

1

:..

1

•

,,

•

" "-

j

•

•

'

'

•

• .. .;

J.' . ...,. ,

1
•

1•

~ ·_
~

I l1rtitation is another Source

I ..

: I\

·

·

"

·. · ·'

.

' .,

.. .'

~ ::~

'

·\
f-

.

;- ~

·=>-.:j;;;;J!!;,~.\. ,..i,'
.~-:.:... ':.:-.J.-o;;( '
,. J"'•

'

'~

.... ~..

_. $

1•

~-- *.

xvi

CONTENTS·

Th.e Pleasures of Melody and Harmony
W 1!1 Humour, and Ridicule, open a Variet"
.r
1 astc
Wit
Humour
Ilidicule

of

Pleasures
\I

I

BOOK VJ.
THE GENERAL CHARA"'TERS
v
OF STYLE.

CH:.\.PTEH 1.-The Difl'use and Concise St les
,
in loner Pe~iods
.
ie ervous and the Feeble of th
" I
.
, ··•·;
cise and the Diffuse
e same mport with the Con- ·

.· ~I d1ffiNuse Styl1e generally abounds

CAHIAPMTER It.-Of the Dry, Plain, Neat, and Flowery
( ry
anne~
,
Style
A plain Style ·
A neat Style
An elegant Style
A florid Style '
CHAPTEH.
Simple' Alliect e d an1 I Vehc1nent St I
1·~c!ty
• o fUL-The
·Composition
.
S !mp
'
. .
y cs
S1mpl1c1t.v of 'I'hought
Simplicity
s·
r 't opposed. to Ornament
.
or l' omp o f Langtmge
l~p 1c1 y respecting lhe easy.and natural Manner i' h ' I
.
, an.guage expresses our Thoughts
n w · 1c 1 ou1
1.he h.1 g.hes~ D egree of this Simplicity
S1mpl1c1ty 111 general ·
_
.
Simplicity, the "reat Beaut 0 f A hb' 1
Sir William Te~1 ple nn thy
rel is iop T11lotson's [\farmer
Simplieity :
·'
o er remanable Writer in the Style of
·Addison the most perfect Example of this St •le
An Author nrny write simply' aud yet not bo1 t'f II
Of the V chement
·
u 1u y
: I,ord Bolingbroke's Style
~ CHAPTER IV.--Directiom for for .
S1 I
· TheFoundation of all good St , I· .nung Y e
·
· with a lively Imagination ..\ c, is good Sense, accompanied
In order
a "crood Style·• the fr equen t Practice
.
· to
· form
·
0f c
_posmg mrl1spensably necessary
·
omW.1th respect to the Assistance that is to be
. d ,,
'Writings of others
~
game u·om the
Danger of a servile Imitation of any Author
Style must be adapted to the Subiect a 11 d
C
.
one's Readers
J
'
to t 1ie apac1ty of
CHAP:rER .v:-:--Conduct of n Discourse in all its Par .
. duction, D1v1sion, Narration and Exp)' 1• .
ts lntioTI E
d'
'
ica ion
Spe:~i~~utn, or Introduction, common to all kinds of public

ib.
232
ib.
233
ib .
ih.

234
235
ib .
ib.
236
ih.

231 ·
ib'.
ib.
2:JS
ib.

240
ib.

241
242
ib.
ib ~

244 ib. ·
,.

il>.f
245
I

245
''

./

xviii

f rage .

fo order to fulfil th~ Endo( His!ory, the Author mu.st study te J ' ;~
· .. trace to their Sprmg-s the Actions and Events which he re{ ·
',,
cords
·
·
{.- · ~/}Iii,
'fhe first Virtues of historical Narrat10n, are Clearness, Order · .
and due Connection
I
:/, 26
Gra'l'ity must always be malbtained in the Na.rration
'>' .-·~ ib .
The Embellishn1ent of Orations
. . , ~ ~~
The drawing of Characters one . of the most splenclld, a!ld ~ • '.'<~~
the same time, one of the most difiicult Ornaments of h1ston
cal Composition
·
·1 ,lb-:
Sound Morality should always reign in History
'i 2.61 '
Memoirs
1b.
'. 262 '
Biog rapl1y
Ureat Improvement of late Years introduced into historical 1.-:
· Composition
~ 1b
CHAPTER VII.-Philosophical Writing, Dialogue, and Epis. tolary Correspondence
'
· .
·
·
J.,':pistolary Writing

. -·

BOOK Vil.
:. :~

:.

..

,-.

POETRY.

C HAPTER 1.-The Origin and Progress of Poet~y
CHAPTER IL-Versification
"
Feet and Pauses the constituent. Parts of Ven<':
Of poetical Feet
The Nature of the Principal Feet
Secondary Feet
Blank Verse
CHAPTEH HI.-Of Pastoral Poetry
Theocl'itus and Virgil
Pope's Pastorals
·
8henstone's \V orks
The Amvnta of Tasso
' l'astor l!; ido of Guarini
The Gentle Sh~pherd of Allan Ramsav
M . Gesner's Pastoral Comµo sitio11s
CHAPTER IV.-Lyric Poetry
'J'he Ocles of Pindar, Sapph o, and Auncreon
The English Lyric Poets, are Dryden, l'oi•C, Adclis1;H1 1 Gray,
ano Akcnside ·
.
CHAPTER V. - Didactic Poetry
The Essay on Mau
·
Satirists
·
Cl-I APTER VI .-DcscriptiYe Poetry
Thomson 's Seasons
M .i lton's Allegro
----l'c11 seroso
Farncl's Henhit

.

..
.

~.'

"

,

,·

... ...

~I:~
;..-~

,

'i

•

26;7

\· ·:'.~

271
272

• ~.:

:+

·~

\: ·!-.,_~

,

ib.

273
277
279
280
281
ib .

-

'

''

'

..

.'

· .. ., ,..

.. ..~ 1..:
...... ~

'...-~
. ·,;1

., :"·

,.· .. ··

,. _.
.

._

'••'

"

28:2

..,. ,".,
. ;...
-~~

283
ill.

.....

":

iu.

'fi.'t"J'

; ..;

\' .

284

iu.

285,,

-- ~.

I

...

iu.

':-

286

.:.~ .

'"
L" ·._ ...

-! ;
. ,~

·' .

.

\'

;.;"

···, ·:..t

288

..

".;"
~

.,.:; _ · ,

ib,

._·

290

; :' _.,.

/

.

.._....

..

"'

ib.

291

ib.
292
'1::-':I

~·.

r·

' ~I

.. t '/~ ~ ~ t..··:;/~.

:-- -

..

··;

·,;

,·

.; ·

..

.;

;}.\'

/·

,_~O

Of the Rise and Progi;~ss of Language

(

Corollary. As speech must have been absolutely necessary prcvJ<ru:;
to the formation of society, the language of the first men, would be··'
barely adequate to their present occasions ; but they would enlarge .
and improve it as their future necessities required. · . ·
I ·~
'··~

• · 4. ' The cries of passion, accompanieJ with such mdtions·: ·;,
.an<l gestures, as are further expressive of passion,' are .the .
~ ~~·only signs which nature teaches all men, anJ whic~tall
, ;·•· u_pde_r~stan<l. ( .11.rt. SO. and S 1.)
,
·,~ ·

· -1ut1,;:·Cries indicative of fear, and gestures e:tpressil·e of pcdl, woukt' ·i
; ,b ~. used by him who sought to warn his neighbom· of dr111gc1·.
~~t>, pqrol. Those exclamations, therefore, which have obtained the name (
'.: of,\I~TERJECTIO~s, uttered in a strong and passionate manner, were, ·
bey?n~ doubt, m the rudest ages of the world, the fir st elements tn·
..... .begm_nmgs of speech. Name~ bega n to be assigned to objects, when
·.. ,::_m ~i:e enlarged communications became necessary.
'.
·t)/~5:~ The inventi.on of words arose from .the imitation, as
. iie_arly as.itcould be carried, of the nature or quality of the
.i · object winch was named, by the soun<l of the name which
~~~e object ol· its quality receivc<l.
:: ·
... :;~~'·""
,.,.Jc;;: 'tll tts. A s ~ ~ai.nter,
I •
h
ld
~ ? wou
represent grass; must employ a green
\ .. colour ; so m

t~e

begmnmg

o~

spoken language, the man who ga,·e n

,'!:: name to any thmg harsh or boisterous, would e mploy a harsh or bois-

' c,· terous sound in the pronunciation of that name. He could not do
othe.r.wise, 'if he mennt to excite in the hea rer the itlea of that thin"'
which he sought _to nah1e. (See Art. lti, 17, nnd 18.)
""
· .. _ ·Coro[ .. The desire of men .to paint, by speec h, the ohjects which they
named, tn a manner more or less complete, 11.ccording as th e vocal
organs had it .in their power to 'effect this imitation, mu st ha~·e been
the general motive which led men to the assirrnntion of one name to a
part~c~!a:- ~~j~-~ t rather than another. (See the Jllustmlions lo JJrt. 7.)

6•-,. . hat¢.v er.objects were to be named, in which sound,
or n01se, or ·motion, was concerned, the imitation bJ word~
was abundantly obvious. Nothing was more natural, than, ·
by the soun? of the yoice, t? imitate the quality of the
sound, or no1~e, or motwn, wl11ch the external object made ·
and to form its name accordiugly.
;:,.1· ••
'

!lllfS. Thus, iii 'a.11 li~ngt~agcs, we find words constrncte<l upon thi;;
pr111c1ple. A certam b1rd 1s called the cuckoll from the sound which it
emitg, The analogy betwee1~ th~ wo.rd ~~nd ~he thing signified is discern~blc, when one sort of wmd 1s said to whistle and another to roar
when a serpent is _said .to hiss, a fly lo lmzz, and f~lling timber to crash:
~when a stream 1s said_to flow, thunder to roar, and hail to rattle.
· 7. This analogy becomes more o)Jscure in the name.s of '
obj;cts ~vhi~h address the sigh~ only, 'Yhere neither noise . ;:
11~1 motion 1s con.cerned, and still more m the terms appro-..; '~ 1
pnated to moral ideas ; but. even here it is not altogether' . . 1
lost; and throughout tha radical words of all languages :.: ome
. ,l

.

o/ L~nguage ·

_ Of the Rise and Progress

t .·'• . &
:

•.
"•...;..

CHAPTER II.

,'!' .• . ·'.

.!

OF TJlE RISE AND
..

', . .. '

PR~GltESS

·("

'

~

1'·<if'~

.'.·'

. ' ~
'

. r ·'..·~,•
' f . .,
,. ~.. ,,.

..

OF · LANGUAGE IN THE

~AN~F.l\ ;I

· .~1 ~

_.OF UTTEIUNG OR, .,PRONOUNCING WORDS. ·\·~·' . ~~ 1 ·:·.;;
I

.

'

.

.

'' i

• \ .,

'

.

'

.

-

•, -

'

·.)$:~1 <: ·:'..:~,,
•,·

·'

·'.· 9. A SECOND char~cter. of language, in its early s'~ate, ·,:,
is drawn from the manner in which maukin<.I at first :pro., ,;
nounced or uttered words. ·
. . : ·.
,
\p' · , ·:~
:·· · Illus : 1. Interjections 'or p~ssionate langunge being the ti rs~ ~le- ··.
c+-;_

•

n1ents of speech, (Coro/ . .Jlrt. 4.) men would labour to communicate
ihe!r feelings to one another, by those expre.s sive cries and gestures,
which they were taught by nature. · (//rt, 4. Illus.) ,
·
· , ,
2. · Language in its infancy, picturesque but barren, would be i~1terf
mixed with many ex~lamations, and earnest gestures. · !ts scanty vo- '
. <:abulary rendered (hese helps,,necessai-y for_ explaining the, conceptions of uncultivated inen. · :.-'···· · . · "
·
·r ."
· 3. Tones, rough and ui1musical at tirst, and significant gesticulations
would supply.the temporary ausence of the few words which men

..
...

;Jlj~

• ':•

\~ ,~·~
,~:(~.

'

'<//Ji

,·.'

R

·:;1~
._#

,. .'

'

.. ~ .

"'="

,•

~
J!.•.. ~~ •~-1;'{·&:1
~

...
,> •,., •

'.• ·~".
··~; ":t:;.;..,'""'
{,_ ..
'
•rj1

. : ,.,. ....., •

. .;~·-•,;,/<r"-f:~·:':.:._;.:~<~<'- ·:~ :;,~~· ·_. .:~.,...: . ·<; ~ -.· ~·~·:.,:·"-.. ~~ ~: -:'·· ,

· OJ'.(lie Progress of Lm.igudge

.""

..

':(1"

.... -;

-\'.

I

,. ?' ... ~

,_

3;)

r •

\
.
~t 1n t!ie' .!Jr.fitngement of J;Porcls in'.~&?itene6. ~)i-7'.'~'(·
1
" '
~ (:•
••
..,I
'
~"
<"'
'
.,.
<1·ol'J~
""' . )
· Coral. \Vh<'rever stro11g · exclamations, tones and gestures, entet '. ' · ., ·""'"' .< · ; : -.,,. •. ,'' · •. ., ..... .,_, .__ · .. .. ...,.. • "' . •·'r ,
much into conversation, the imagination is always more exercised· ~ ' n :._ fore a low:th·e: un'c:ominon,magnanimity and aeUcacy of 9ssiaq,-~'kmt;i,;
<>-rcater cffort of fancy nnd passion is extited . · Consequently, the-fan-_\ .
~o'Jgs/: io,be no strong objections 'agl\inst.,t!Te antiqu~ty .~f_!~is P.r!'"·. ·
0
_f
h' / ~
"1.~'9\' .I ","' .i ' ..... ... ~ ..... ' ~ '~·.~ ;~(i'·.·~--~)···' ·'~~' . """'t ",l,<1• 1•. t•t{~?il,. ~•,
cy kept awake·, and rendereu more sprightly by this mode of utterance,
10,vs ;~f':<·) ·v.· ... "·, ;~c ' '- .. ~,, Pi ,,.,,,·, •.-· r..-~>:•; -1,-, ,. ,•-.-;\. .,;,~>-"~·~ "·trl~"'· ' ~
operates upon style, aud enlivens it with the · strongest colours, '.- anti .,1
l ·~,From what has~ be~n · said~~if'pll!i.n1y app~ars;.th~a~A~li~ ¥'
th~. m?st vehemc~t ex~ressions of untamed passion . . ( .llrt. 15. ~or.1>~·>;.:~ t -. ~.~(alL languages'." ~us( ~.~v!~ be~n or~ginall); P?~!~P'-h~· .
/"'"':

{"!'\

· · 1 Q~ ~ U ndou.btetl .facts . confirm ~_these . reas?nings. '. • '.f,he:!
~'!yJe 'of all th~ earliest Ia_nguages, a~nong.nahon.s wl~o ;,IJ.r.e _~
m the first and rude . penods of society, is found, without ~
exception; to be foll' of figures; and to .be hyperbolicat:and' ...
picturesque in,a high degree." . ( JJrt•.5.' and IO.) , ·. · · _· ·~/: .· r

'

... , .

•

J_ i_igly,:::~t~nctu.red : w.itl~-~ tJ1.11J:': e!1t~usiasm~: t~at~ descl1p~tv,;:~
. i1,1l\fpl~onca.l ~xpr~s.s~?I1•'.; an~~J~a.t n:i~gn~mm1t).' a1_1<\~~JJ~~~.

p',f~ R:,Y hi,ch:,distrngui~h p.Q!!~l" \ ~.(1.-r.{·" B.~·.Jll~t.~·) ,• , ~y-~~:.:·:->~ •..
, · h ·r~ But-: these poiilt&'·-';\·ill.' b further·'·aisc\issed~ when '. w/ c:ome'lto
~ifeM;!~~~r t~e nat,ur~ -~~~ ~rig_h\of,. ~oe.~ry;''.:< '.~ .i~·· ::.'/. -:~:::~~<-.~:-..
Illus. 1: ,T he .American · Indian languages are..known .to hr figur11-- • . • · : 2;\ As l.angu_ag~;'j~ its progre~s,,began to gro~ ~ore·:~o- . _
tive to ·e_x cess.,. :'T he ". Iroquois and lllinois ,· carry 1)!1 · their treaties an~ :: ·,., bus, it graclual_ly; .!Jlost that., fi~urat)iv,~_.sty_le,, -~.. ~1_ c_,!l,t;.,w
,.~.,,~~ . i ts -.·
public tran);actioiis with bolder metnphors, . an~ grca,_ter: pom!l .of style;·.·\ .
v
. .
,~. -~-.. 1 .
than we use in our poetical productions:" • ' ,('' • \ ~, J " • >
• '!; ~~r.ly ,character. >.J
rt. ~ 1 ~.,an '·•' ~2. ••. ,' ;
i "~(:: ·;,, • ,
"

,

T • ;

I

2. In the Old Tcstameilt,-the · best specimen of ,oriental style,constant allusions to sensible o~jects characterize the ·language of the
various writers. Thus, guilt is a spotted garme11I; iniquity. is the trea$ttres of darkness; a sinftll life is a crooked 7wth; misery drinks the Cllp
of astonishment; 'v oin pursuits arc seen feeding 011 ashes; innocence is
.known by its white ·robes; wisdopi is a lighted candle; and .royol dig:. "
· .- . : '
· ~ .: _'. .
· nity is purple and a crown. ·
· 3. In the poems of Ossian, too, figures ·of speech abound; pictur- . .
csque d~scription~ arc as the" sons of song,:• for number; or a,s the

" •: ,'.;

...~1)llus: Proper ·and f~mili'.1r naines for~ every. ?bject, y b?t~ s~nsiu~ _ 1
·~nd·' moral, ·pushed out. of discourse the .~se ·of Cll"C,U1nlQ.C!lt1~ns "!St. Style , ,
~ -becitme. more j>recise, .and,' of '. cqurse, more .simple,· ln'tpropo_rtion . as.
· ·~~o~iety :advan.ced ·in civii!z.a tiorfr an~ 'reason · s':'bd~ed, ~lie. jlJlaginatic;in·
•! of mankind. : .Tbe' e:xerq1e .of, the .-understandmg now .rarely,- perm1t;-.
·~;:te<l that _of the: faQ.cy' ;l",i\?d;: frequen~ and ex.tensiv'e iuten;ourse among ·
;1 mankind obliO-ed tfiem to 'signify their mean mg t.o !!ach other by clear- ' '
~ness o.f ~iyle .~ : In plac;:1H>f poets·, philoso~hers beca"?c .the !nstructors
~· , 0 r men: and in 1heir reaso11ingi; on all different subjects, mtroduced

~:c;1:~:~·r:' ~~e~=~~~~.~ ;0t:~I1;~ i:~:si~~:1;1~:~ cor~a~:p~~s:i;:a;d~;,~a!h!~;: :i \~tl,mt ' plainer. f~~_' siin,pl~~~~-t!:l(~f,; ~~:-1P,?~i.~io~ 1 · ~~?hi~.at ,th_~s. d11~,, ~Q _

<

~?*:~ff!i~~Igf:t~I~i:~f~7~\i!~~f;·::Jl:I·~~~::r.'.~~~~:f; ·NfJ.f>~"·. :;'··. ;·. ·: ;;,·<·· :,~.;~:::•: . .·.·~· .:·~· ;::: .~.: :.·· :.•'·

"sword ·is · before him terrible as the streaming meteor· of night~"
confirm the --position, that this sort of style i.s ·common to all nations in. ''
certain periods "of!,society and language . . A narration is conden sed
into .a fc\V .striking circu.mstances, which rou s_e and alanu: the accouut o f a battle is as rapid ·as the · woun1ls of a warrior, · and the
dc al1 1s he in fl icts 1
·

20.' Magnanimity and delicacy characterize .strong! y the
~ ·poetry · of rude ''nati09s, who, in the use .of metaphors and
similes,_ma_k e little ·01; no allusion to the productions of the
arts. •, ' ( .!lr,t: 29. · .Jllus.)- :~ ·
·., 1: i, · .•.. , ;
. llltts.' IViagnanimity and · deli~acy are ·ncurly,·if not n~ccssnrily, con, ncded with .all the strong and violent emotions of the mind; and these
--: · arc· the hatural produce of au early, if not of a savag·e state of society.
·strong emotions constitute the ~hief ingredient in magnanimity ; and
Jt requites 'only ,one addition to give them the polish of delicacy. ·
,.:.,Corot; It :is.". not improbable, that particular circumstances may
prompt the latter sentiment, long bcfo1·e the introduction either of .
philosophy or of the · arts. · Those who . arc acquointed with human '.
·nature, and the ana)ogy which subsists among !ts ,feelings, will there". }~'
, . ~

J

J

•

~

_.,. See ·eaa111·nll11der
Colden's "History of the Five lndinn Nations;".
I

.

•

,f~j

,: . ~ : · ' , . '
.CHAPTE_R JV. ..,· . ~ ,": -.. _..-,. _, ·
· , ~,;..... '. " . ..' r·_.. · ': .·,.,,. '. ':, ,; .· : ,-... :,-......,.-:··. - .~· ·'<· ···:·

,

_..<:-.

.

_j )F THE PROGRESS OF LANGUAGE; _A S RESPECTS: ;THE ORl>F.k
AND AHUA NGEMENT-- OF WO H D_S IN SEN T ENCES."

. . .2 3 . . THE imaginatio!l ~'!:cl . the ~mderstamling . are the
'-:jio,vers o~ the m!nd wlucl:i' ch1.: Hr 1~fluence ~he ~.a r:rang~ 1 ment .of ""words · lll. sentences . . ·'.J he . grammatical Ofder IS
;;";:dictated by the ti nderstati~ing ;, ' t?~ · in~E'.~t;cl .o r? er·~esults
,- from the prevalence of theunagmab~n. _, ' ( iSee theJ!ie?ry of
~:; .!lrrangement, .!lrl• 24) ':·.· · . . ;
~. .
. _~ . · ·
. _

th~t th e ,_;7.
~·. agent or ,nommat1ve sh_
aH fi~st ma\rn ·Its appe1p·an.ce ;· t\ie agent 1s fol: -

_.._, - :;'Jllu8. l. In_ the_ grammaliC!!-1 order .of words , 1t 1s .:eqmrcd

>.'

f

'·.: lowed by the action o,r.. the. ver~ ;-· and ~lw;ye_rp 1s, su~ce.eded ~y · t;he _•.subject. or accusat!-ve, t~'rn:i.ed,_-· m Engh.~.h ,pr~m.ma~_s, the , obJ~c,hve .~ -~~ i;j;"I~
~: case;)o.!1.,w.h~cb the ~~tion: is. ex~~t~d; , ~I_n;, t~1~ , l.~g1J~l 1 erd~r,_ .~~il~ir:i~·~: , . ~· ~f.
._...ish: writcr, · paying· a · comphment.;t? gr~_11t m,an ; w,ould s~y .'i / • tis. _'. , .•
~impossible ·for lll~}.o pass :pv~r- ~n stlen,<'.E!' such · rernark_a~le/\blldn~s~,-€~:: .
:. such 'singula,r ~n,.d Unh~.ard of.cle.mtP,CY, ai:i<;I s\!cb unusu~\. JJl~<l~rahou, :. •., ~ •,l'
'n ~he exerc1s~ of supreme power1;''- He.re we hav~,first pr1ese~ted _ (Q '. ·.
.. '{is the pe1·son who speaks, ci lt is impou1ble: for me; l 1·nexts, wh11,tth~~
.,, ., .

a.,

i;· .

. ':'. .

··'

t.·,;l
*~

•

,(

i

' .. -

. ..

'

1-. ·..J
.-

so

Of tlie Progi·ess of Language

Illus. \Ve have no genders but those of nature, the male and th!'!
female; our substantives have no more cases than two; and only a
few of our pronouns have three: our adj ectives have neither genuer,
nor number, nor case; and all the inllections of our verhs, do not per..haps exceed half a dozen.
Obs. In point of precision and accuracy, our own language, in the
bands of a w.riter of genius,
appears to be superior to the Latin nml
1
equal · to the Greek. The g,·eat end of lrrngu<\ge is to communicate
thought with ease nnd expedition, for the irnpt"Ovement and happiness
of human life; and, considering the :._ 1portnnce of this communication, tbc language which is least liable to equivocation, is a most valual>lc acquisition. For the purposes of business, and the researches
of philosophy, our own language merits every praise; and though inferior to the language of Greece and Home, in woi·ks addressed to the
imRgination and the heart, it yields to neither of them, nor to any
modern language, iu its qualifications to do justice to the most sulJlime conceptions on the capital suujects of genius. ·

~

..

2.9. The prevalence' of imagination and passion in the
early stages of society, accounts also, satisfactorily, for the
poetical inversions of style, which are found in these perio<ls, and, of course, for the priority of poetry to prose com positions. (.fl.rt. 21. and 22.J
lllus./ fhe attachment of love, gratitude to a deliverer, or to th e
gods, with whom the c1·eed of infa~t society rnplenished the skies, ad·
miration of the works of nat11re, 111 the splendom· of summer, or the
grandeur of winter, in the l>eauties of spring, nr the al>undance of autumn, would ·curly prompt the sentiments and language of poetry.
The invention of ve·1·sification woullj ·quickly follow the possession of
poetical ideas; and its apparent ihgenuity would contril>ute to its
n!commendation. Though it is a nlore artificial mode of expression
than prose, yet it is not to Lie doubted that it was first introduced; mHl
the history of Homer's compositions, or the Poems of Ossian, induce a
belief, that it preceded even writing. ( Jlrt. 23. illus. 1. and 3. alm
·
·
..drl. 33.)
1

v so. Though poetry is the more artificial mode of compo-

sition, it is not perhaps the more <liflicult. Composition iu
prose could not be well executed, till writing was invented ; and writing is a modem invention, in comparison of
speaking. The appearance ?f good prose, is therefore posterior to that of good poetry; and excellence in the former,
is among the latest att_ainments of polished nations. Good
poeti:y is perfectly consistent with no l~igh degree of precisio1~ of thought, or accuracy of exprcss1011. ( .!lrt. 2.0. Cor.J
llliis. The period most favourable for poetical exertions, is situated
between the decline of the general influence of the powers of imagination on society, arid the general cultivation of the faculty of reason, l>y
science and philo-sophy; it is then that the poet has the best chance of
possessing the {;"!"ea test c/mponnd quality of the powers of imagina -

''\
~··.'

,..

.,

·Of' tlie lnv.ent,ion '<f qn .!llpliabeto;-;.,:;:-

Of the Progl'c.'fs of f f/riling. ··

.

mark.s' 01· characters,· presenter! .to the eye, and which we c all writlug ~
this further method, when absent, of mutual communication one .with
another .,,_. · ·
.

·:. S4.' Written cha~aders are of tv~o sorts~ they ar~ either
signs. fot'. thing s, u ~l signs . for words. The. picturc.s, hiero-.
glyph1cs, and ~yrnbols, ~mployccl ~y the anc1 eW-( natwns ; ~re
.signs of. tfiings, :aml belqng,to the former class; the alphabetical charaqters, 1. now ,employed by : all :Europeans, · are
signsfor.JJ}Onls, and ~f1long ~o the latter ·class.
..' ''·. ·~ ·
" .Jll11s. · Pictures ~ w~ re, undoubtedly , the first essay toward writing.
/mitation :s natural to man; · chik\ren cc;iy or tr ac e the lik en ess of
s ensible· objects, · !Jefore th ey can ~i g nify th e .nam es .of tho se obj P.c t~
!Jy'wi'itten' c hara cters.'.·' Th e· savage , to ;intiinate ' that hi~ . father had
;''<rnq1,1ished'an ' enemy,' would 'd raw th e. fi gure of , on e . man stretc hed
tlpon,-t he .c.a rth;'.and of anoth er standing over him with a ·d e11dly':wcapon in his- ha.ml. " '\.Vh e.\1 th e Mex ican s sent intelligence to Montc v. urna,
rheir 11ri11ce, of the arrival of th e Spaniards in the ba,v o f Ca rnpc ac hy,
they scratched pictur es of the m en, horses, and artillery , that th ey
had seen, and co11ve,v e<I these to th eir monarch. "fh c chi e ftain 1111 ficrsto od _them, and immedia tely di sp <ttchcd au e mbussy to me et the
Spanish .commander._ , •
·...,., . . · ·. , · . , •
· ··
·
' Obs . .7 Historical : 71iclur cs . are, ' h o w ev ~ r, . but · extremely imper fe ct
. Tccords of important ti rm sactions. Thc,v do, indeed , delin eate cxtc1·-.
11al events; , but they ' q mnot transmit th eir. memory' through a long
~\lCCes sion of a ge s ;· a nd· th ey fail entirely . to ex hibit such qn:iliti es as
:\re· most visible to the 1eye", or 'to convey; by d·e scriptJou ,,an y idea of
the 'disposition s 'g r woi·<ls ·of ·p:wn. \
'. :, .,... ; : , / ; '
r' . ·:·

.· S5~ - This ' rude :i.t.'tempt towards writing, was, in · proces&
of time,' improved .tiy .thc' ill\;.ention ,of 'wh~t. are _called hie.:,
roglyphir:al ~/wra ct,e rs. ; T he.s~ may .be : considered as ~he
second .stage in ,the :a\·t of. wntmg, as they rcpn~ s ented 111,., tellectual conceptiot)S, or -those not suggested by _any exte1:,~ · l1a\ or Visible ·olJjects. ~' 'I' he analogy-_ur rc~ e1nbf anc~ \Vh~ch
such symbols were snppose(I to bear to the obj ects, was
conventional, but Hable to forc e(l and ambig uous allusious.
11

was

Illus. Thus an ' ey e
the hi e rogl y phi cal symb ol of knowledge; a .
circle, of elernil;'lj, whi c h has n eil111i1· beginning nor eml ; ingratitude
was d Ptrnmiuated by a .T·ip er; imprndence , by a fl,11; wisdom, by an
ant; victory, by a .ha wk ; •.a dHl'(fii l ch ild, b.v a slurk; tn1<l a 1cretch-fl.
man universally slwnned-~y au, ed, whi ch. i .~ nol_. to be foumt in com•
pany' wi!}1 othe~· fi ~h cs , I ~, .- · · . . : · , .·.
. · .
. ·
., ;
Coral. ' B_ut · ~h EJ se properties of obJ ects· were merely 1mag 111ary ; anll
the co1)jµnc~i?n, oi: ·compounclin g of the' characters, rend e red the!n
obscur~ , an_<~ t! 5f. presse.<t 'indistiuctl y r. t!i e connectiqns· and rela tions of
..;·
the objects whi~h . tl_le,Y.'f represente d. ~ I-Je1ic'c, ·this ·spec ies of writing'P..• · '', · ...'., could _be 110. othe r ·that,i ,cpig matical, and confused in the hig hest de' .. , .. .greek;. adhd must h,1~v._e. ~e~p
~oc~·y . imperf.c.~ t vc:hicl e of knowledge 0l
• 'an v

1n •

~ ·

~l;;.

a

1

7'

.

•

--

•

·

·

· (J'bs. There, ·is ·no · rea§o1i howev~r to snpposc that the pric~ts of
..

,

''1'

.

""

.

"

.

£gypt, am ong wl!_(),m' hieroglyphical.' c liarac,t e.rs" w!r~)i_rst J oirnd ," anti

'~lro n:cre ;1l: o'.j}1_e · !.ns,~1;uctors·,of : th ~ ii:·,' ~ ou:•t ~:y,in~.~ ~ t int f;od_u ced and ·
~ mpl oy t;d ~h ~.1~1 ·~.or·1th!! pu rr,os e - p r:· ~ on c~~al.18g:th e 11: " ~.1,??,'Yl.e ?I{~ from
1he vul ga r ..-<; lh! l~tter, are ·IJt~l.e, t.r.oub~ !-!cS..£?.~ e ;,a9? t~t.· t.l1; ~cgn1_~ 1t1?n of
uscful , kn9 wledge · 111 ·a ny:•,statc ·_o 1••soc1ety J- Jln.d ,th e ·J ormer';wer e _to.o ·.,
·-c11light c~1ed no't to kno\v;' th !lt.·on e of 'the!t)'(i q dphl '. pl,ca~ure's~an d 'hon :
ours attending the ' possessioi1 'of~ klfowledge';'· is. to · his fruct'olhcrs:'\~- ·~.·
'· -·-

·:--.. -""

_,

:~ · ~

.. ' ·- -~-·J.:.o

' ..... '. ..-;·,. ....-,

.

-:-,··~ ·~,~

• ""~·~~ ....-~ ~,L -·~-;"-""~ "'

,.

~

.'.·...u-

-~

' .:· $?·~"As,\~: r! (i ~g~i~fb;~ii ~~d ~'.fr~tJl. pi,ctu.~~s:"~f_,v, is i.bl.e~objects;·:
to lnerogly plncs, ,(}r : 8)'JllQQl~';ofrth1 n gs '.l nv1s1ble.:; ~. f1·om these
latter i~ 1tdyaqced/ aq10ng•scllhe· h ~ti0ns ,1to ;si171pll arbilrqry
in;arlc~,; w,l i~ch stoo~l r~ ~--o~j~'~ t~j tJu ~- \yi ~h~ii\any:ri~_.embla~1c~.
oL: a.i:aJ~g~, t~ ~~1~..~?J ~C~§>. ~!g!1~fie(!: ,: .,:.:, _, ~·:·:i'-' ~t. -;~-~( :~

.'' .: :,,

· Illns: 1. ' Of this nature; ' vas th e 1iJetliod · ot writin g' p r actised am.on g

"'":.
t he· Peruvians :: ' Thef m a <le \ 1se ;of,,s·m-all .co rds of- 1li}Jere.1i,( .colors/ a nti
11pon th cs ~, by n?,e a ps'. o,(k,1,t,?I• o_f. v~ri o us.'.s_i z cs , _a !1,d : dilfe r,:~ iJ.tl~ r;rng1'? , / ; ..
t hey , con,tnvi:d. ~igns for_· &:1~~mg .J nf~1:~n~t1011, a.'!.~!,.c? m1pu~ 19!,.t1 rg t_!:ie}!'...; " '
i ho~ ghts ~ to ·o!1e" anot~.e~ ;_'.~ ~if)hl;~ ji ~v.i;11.tion'". !:1.~?.r<!~~ ·t ! ess <'se?urity
aga m st frc;!q uent ·and. gro.ss .'\nt stakes, tha1f thc .. h1~r'!gly pt}IC;atchetypc:i .7.
o f abstract ideas:"· ( Corol: '-'.!Jrf',~5)/'f / ~'~'}';: .. -,~~:~;;,·~""}'/if~-!'-1;\~:'!7,~:-,':.
2. The use' of hiero glyp_l1ic~l cch al:'aete rs ~ still exists in ·China~ · ,vhe i'e
they have: bee!l brougJ1t .ti '"gi·eatei; P.erfeetion tha n in-any other qu ~r;. .~
fe r of the. glo!J£:!: ~' .Bl.!f~.Y~ry; ide,a j~ -~xpr~s,s cc(by <j.~s ~jiar.att{,i: ~arl}c.te i· ? ·
Th e c h~rncters, it 1s s.~1d, amou!1.t ~u. up ~v?qls:of 7_0,pp~(-['.t\n ·acquaj nt- ,
,
,
an c~, with tlw means .of; c~mi;nun1c.a t111g k!:owle?g e, .1,t1,; the ~~ fo~c, the :· ·~ /·' ,-;':
busmess of :·a whole hfc;" and .must greatly . retarC:l ~ he progress of all ·. c ;. · :"
s cience. ·_In short, sc ience' fo. China !s a!.ways in a,state .o(' infa ncy: .. - · ;· :·".;«;\',;
3. ~ur arithmetic ~! figures ;'.whicJC we: have ' derive,d from · the Ara- :...;'!. •
hi an s, arc sig nificant · ·m a!;ks, pr:cc_isely"of:;Jhe·snnie ~ nature' with the· -Chinese
'characters-' . Thcy!bave
ho• ,,."d ependence'.
on .,words
~; · hut each
. I',
•
'
• •
,
, •
,
•• •r
,
fi g ure denotes a~ .Object ; .. deno~es,,; the, number ~ for J Vhicb it.stands ,
. · 7,:
(Illus . 5.). ~ ·.· · ' . ~. j.:~ .. ·'t·:/~?:~..;., :'~,;~\-! ~ -·-.~_;.~~·-°'? ·,~!~ 1\' • ~-:·~·~r
:4 . The J apanesc,' the.' T,onquineiie;' anil 'the ; Correans; speak different.•__
.:·:
languages from onc' anotlier, •and•from the inha!Jiiai:its ' of '.CJ1ina ; but » •
use! wit,h 'these fast peop!e;:i~~~~a,m~ :·w ritten \ <;ha1:acte~,s ; ; ~~Jif~o(.th'ati.:· :~~ J;,·
the Ch!ne~.e ,.ch~~:~c ~e~·~ \~re.~l1Ji:~ "}11Jr,?lf~~.~ !~3,(:::m2~P-':'nden"t~ ~q~~. -~.{t-:
g uagc.
. '
: .,-·
" ,-:,,:· .:. ,, . ¥- -:.;· -.. ~*"t'lW~ ;ft•., ,, 7"1
5. In ~ik,e ' !n~nn~r th!? 'Italia~1~;q:;\~nc9, _,f?P.~Ji.\ai9~ ,M~·d ;:.:E11g,1iil;:" ·.. -.~.;.~
Fpcak' d1ffere nt.· la1!gl!ngt'!s, " bu,t ; thc,:1Arab1c~ p h11ra; te ~s .»i ;:2, '3; 4,.&c,,t
'.,·,
are, · on beirig preset)t.e d ,tp, the ~e}'.e ' e'luq~l,Y' µndefsto,o~ •by those~ four · :. ~..
uations, as signs of things, .~ot\of P,rds.}. Th ~i s·;'4~m;!};~ be;"fou,..sltiJ?s, , · ','.j
four men, four trees;',four,'yeariJ (fo ~!i'Ph',jciit'Fftl .-• ''"';~~ t/i •._::f]', ~'·~'~t :
·.
-~ r
. ·"'l : /-:J, . . [~~~vd·;'f.~5r,rz:. • .:..~~ ...
fy f:t ~ -.,,l.')ft,~;~'~"' ..,

>

.. s7. ,. ~ .comb1~a.tipnB~\,c1s~u11pJ;1~!!;i,~t:J~
!>!;! :y~y~!~alJ_•,. ":,
the• variety of ~~v.~r~,~.:~i;i&sB~\1.,Ja.!,Ig~ag~;.i' J~~~~~~up~s :" ~ , ,

are few, a.n.~_ ar~~ ~?nt1 Bl!~l!)>':J.'c'cy,rpng;.fot f!-:E~ti.~~nf~ : ~ ~'I. · ·-t;
course
• ' . lney
~vou 1 tl~ leai:l •..:ttHhe
· r· ventio.n•o
·· ·n, a nliao
;;
'
• •
' °'I " ' ; ,.,,.. ~tift•:ir \. '.(i'- X . . ._
'~~ 1
'f>. ;!'~._
r
'
,,,
of syll~bles. ···~~s!g~,~o~¥.ria~~.J.~n . cJ\..;p,~ \1.~~.
. l.toijs~ , '· ·~·
woultl form
:a~1~ aJr.habe~.ot:'4letteri;1·
.ne "i;tpm .e~' tn·es~-· .,·:;.:':,~, . . ·
\1 ... -~1.1'... '~l1'.'~t , 't :1 'b ~t+'r~
ir~ pr·R-~~ ·~1.~w· - ., . .~.,_r. , . . ~ . . , ~ . .
.
I
mark s, 01: ~. 11!.~ac;~~!~P..~.1 ~..... ~/'.fl,~~~~o ~ J~~lW~~ .r:§l :,s~!AP~~~' «"·~r:.r ··"
or sy II ables. :.,.., J h~$e~~-c.i.una~'\i;~<ly c.~t:I "t~Jth~~~i.mpl~~-;ele~J· .; . . ..
men ts of a few· vowels:andt' consonants; ,ihdicarna ':bf a ,p~h!i)'~ .. · .,
'

>

"~· ,

..... _,,. . ..

l

·*.ff~...,-\·~·~('"',~ . " r '"t
,

'/

• _.. ':r

t

. ·~

?

. , ~. -.~~

;'

~- ·~

I
•••:

... t

:'_\~:: :~f
';

;The most .flncient Metlwds of 1/Triti.ng.

34
I

ticular ..sign to .each, .would form what we now call ·letl-ef;f· '
So.me i.liappy·'. genius taught men how, by the combinatiuris •
of these.-. Ie~ters, to put in writing all . the different word~/~£," ,
associations,.of sound, which were employed in speech. ,,,, .. ,, .

• ~·~ ..
. •.. \<". ', ,"
T
I
Oba,· Such1 ·seem to ·have been the infroductory'' steps to the art oi
writi'!g; ·.but the :darkness of remote antiquity has conc~Jed the great
inve~tor's'_'name·;of this 1subl~me and refined discovery; and depriv.ed
him <>f ~ho'se hono_u rs which, w:ere ·it known, would still .be paid to his
memory, by,,al_l.th.e loyers of knowl<,dge and learning·.
._:

I

•

•

-

·ss:·; Th~ · ~niversal ·tradition among the .ancients is, that
letters were· first' imp01~ted into Greece by Cadrnus, the Ph re:.
\ ... nician, at.least 3000 years ago; arnLfrofl\ Greece disperset{
~ ,'. over; the western fart of the world • . The alphabet of Cad~-'.:,,~ ~nus . consisted on y of ·sixteen letters, but it comprehendecl
_;{· : . ~~'. all~'.the)ri~ipaf; sou A~~· whitl1" are ,said to be 'uIJly thi.rteell~
• i._
...The remammg letters were ,afterwards added, accordmg as
'signsOfor proper soui:i<ls were sai<l to ~e wanting. . · . · . _
1

\,

Illus: The Roman alphabet, which ' obtains with us, and with most
of the European nations, . is, with a few' variations, .evidently forme1t·
on 'that of·the· Greeks. : Aud all.le.a rned men observe J that the Greek·
. charact~t' s · especially' . according to the manner in . which they are
. ~- fo,r med in the ·oldest inscriptiong, have a r.emarknble conf,ormity to
· [':t'. : , the-· f:lebrew.or .Samaritan characters, which; it is agree<l,.. are tile same·
~1K1 ~;, wit.h '.the Ph~n!cian for iAip~a~~t,of Cadmus, · · ~ '· ,- .
·, . , .,

•·.•. · ' 39. The most ancient method of writing ' seems to have .
~,
been . in lines .running ·· from right to left. .This niethod is.
st.ill : ~etaine<l in the Hebrew language. · ,,,.-' · ' · - -'
'
-1

.

.

· Obs. The Greeks improved upon this method, and wrote in lines
alternately from the rig~t w the left, which was called Boustrophedon;
or writing after the manner in which oxen plough the ground. · About
., the· time of Solon, the Athenian legislato1· 1 the custom is' said to have
heen introduced, and which still prcvsils, of writing in lines from_left
to right.,
. ·
·
.
1'

' ' 49, ..:.The writing of antiquity was a species of engraving~
Pillars, and tables of stone, were first employed for this .
purp~e,, and· aftel'wartls, plates of the softer metals, such as '.
lead; o_r,tables of wax and skins of parchment• . A polished point o_f, irofC caJled a stilus was used to scl'atch letters
o~ th,e: ~jlX; ", but the writing . on parchment was . perforn~etl
with pe~,..a.nd ink. · (,.,(lrt• .11... Illus_. 1. anc~ 2.) . . . ·

·1:

· Obs.
bn' the parchment were written books and records, anll
every kiud 'of:. composition which its author wished to preserve; · on
· · th\'! tablets <>.f · ~ax temporary matters of business, · and epistles that
·wern nbt designed
the inspection . of a third person's eyes. Thi~
writing 011 parchmen ~ was 'the most expensl ve, but the most peqna·
nent; that on wax 1 tli~ : cheapcst and readiest, but the least durable.,

.r

for

(lllus.T;/Jrt .'41.) -. ··

1

· -~

'.-·•

,

• ·

·

,.

!

., ,.r
I

·r

I

\

.$6

' \

Comparison of spoken wit!t wri(ten Language.

... , .

the ,in0st. accurate writing. For to11es, looks, and gestures , are natu:
ral l~te~pre ~ers of the mind. They r emove ambiguities-they enforce
e~.n1_ ess1ons-:-they o~ernte on us by means of sympathy.
·
3 .. An.4 symvathy 1s one of the most powerful instruments of peF•
suas10n. Our sympathy, is always awakened more by hearin" the
~peakcr, than by r !!ading his works in our closet.
' . · b
Co~ol. Hen-:e, though {vriting may answer the p ~ o ses of mere iu~trncti~>n, as t~e symbolical langua ge of Algebra does the mathematical science-all the grea t and hi gh efforts of eloquence must be made
by means of spoken, not of written , language :-and thus have we
traced
from
the tr
' ··-o.1gm,
~· ·
th roug JI . u1ner
_, •.,. ent sl:ag c s, of improvement ,
o·
.
1au.,uagc and_sty.le as th i: fo.tHH,l_a.1.i.on (l f eloqurnq:_.
'

:.: ::. : ~ :-· ..,

..·

tt..;: /'.~atl.f';_,·., ·-

·. ~' ,'.·• ·'.~!Df~:{~.~~~~~l~;,:.~:~~~t;!'

.~::

· · Q\F .. .fRE
~TRU:C~URE
i OF r;LA~9U
~GR;.:
OI~ ~
.
. .
.(..
- '
'
·.. ,................. .
THE ·PRINCIPLES ~ OF GENERAL":~: .~ '·'-~\
:. '. ·

0

'

'·' •

'

.'
,, p

'·' .

'

. · .·.· :::; ·J.WPi~~'-~·~~~J.~;t li£ S'.:;i:.t::'
..

.,

·~

.

•

~

,.

~?.·~,·

....... /

.-.-...
. ,

~ ---

- ,.; .

~

-:-

;.

·'·. CH APTER

.

·.

1•

'q-1~ :; t; vE tlAL l'~·~-~~,;~ O.t< . \~·:1:~H: tiPEEuH. ;~k :£.~NGUA~E .1.s
. .·'f,·· I~ ?-.·:7.0~;.~~:.f;:c;~~~~?!~:='.:~-->~.;,·.>\b.~. ±z~~~~:~·:·~~~·;

48. THE stru dur~ . pf :.~ll:!!ggµ~e ~s. extremely,'. ~rt ific~_a i ;
and ther.~ ·areJew:.-: 8Cie1)ces7fo ·w.h1:Ch~~f.(l~~ pef,"1~or·'more _re-

:

.... ..
...
~·

,., .....

~~

..

.

,.,.

.

:or. · ·' •

i .
'.! ~ .~
~

. ..:

,,

. ....

• ... .i·__ -'; .. '·:

,,.

ic.<. ·

Obs ; With out disc:; us.s ing._ th,e ~ i i;e tles' of la ng uage. in the ."_sevet·al parts
of speech of which it is composed ,.,ve shall n o.w'. takc a popular , but
philosophical view' ·o c th e ;chief '"i) i·ii1Ci~les'; 'iuicl' ccimponeri t1 parts
speech , as far.as they ·are.ne.cessary toJ ll.us,trate ge,neral g rf.lmm a r,·1md . ·
the. .pi-~~
a;_ims
' of corfect.
t.a stl!; ah d'.:€lega\1f com"1>0Si~ion
:/l',:_~·-,. ~
to a scertain.
.
'
'
....~ ·: 1: ·:~·· ....·~·-J..._'~ f'- '"' -!' ~·~ ... \t• 'fll 1ii)"~..... ~ -~~~'\"' ~ ~.~::.. ~ ..
\._l~·.A.· •

·1
,,

·.:

lined _ logip'.· ~~ .~1~p~<f#~f~!1~ii:i!)'. g~a~~·~1~t=~t+ /:?·,:.:;>:\ ~.:

•;

•... 1'

44. ·The essentiahp~r,ts · of.spe.eclu1r~ ·,tJ! e 's;im~;i1~ :all hin..: .
guages: >:·There' pius~:eve.r~be~!'~~e~w~_r9s·~~ ?Jd1l.deno~e the
nam ~s of ,_objects; :oi;:.m ~~'5.·:t~e. : ~~:bJ ~~t9.(t;~1s~~m1:se:; ::othej.
words which ) denote -!h~:qu,l).l,1_~1~1l.~9.f;t1:l1.~~~;;.,~~J ~Pt~, .and., ~x:-; :
pre_ss , wh_at we· a,ffi ~~f~ c<,m <ie&~rng-;.them :~ a~.~~ 9.~h.~r:<"!Qf~l~.,~·
win ~h.; p<n,n t . 9ut,_tl1
e.1• ~ 1 c~n.p
!!:ip9n ~ :~nd .J:~.l8i.~~?J1,§f
fbi:~·i}~_b_:, ~.-':·!'.:'•Ji,
\
" ' .. -\ ... .... •
•
••.
..P

'.

I'·

~

•!

I

' .

;·

\

~

,~

~

,.~

4-'Lt,

-~ ....;

Corot: The mbst simple anCl 'coinpreheosi;Ve .diyision .of'!,the parts of'.·.· ·-•.
sp eech, is,' ther eror.e f'i ntq ·s1ib~i~itiJies,;'.qgii~utes ,:;al)iJ}~o·nt1ect!ves. ;.e'.t;::c
~ ··,

.·•',. ·..

'.

.

j

· ·-

'

•

•A;•

...t

·-r-1'

J.

~ .. j_;•..,. . ,it ..f1~~ '"tf,11A!

..,.v, . . .,.

.

·~'

""" '"' . . f. C.r:-,

· "'~~

{

· ,,...•

45 •.·The'copn~,op ..~i_yJ~iq).l !t~.~~·~rh_\~.ge~J!}~!;~J~!.l$h~ '.\ .ord~z ::· ~ ~'.:;'1
of our own la.nguaO'~;·:cQmp1'1s~~;.the.:
';'':.;1-n- .'.:.'~ ' ·. ·'.·," ;:" .:~ ••.1 1" · · · \
0
.. ARTICLE; :,· ·:: 1 ,· · y:t:t_tsrtt¥:~~: ..~/~ I ;r.; :rRE:t;>_os~~fION;- .... t.L . . -.: .. ~
... NO.UN, " : • . •(,<{ ·~ PARTICIPLE) u: , (-..J .l'ff~~JE,QTION, ;.;"" •...,. ·
PH.ONOUN .~- 1i· l'.'·..ADVERff·.'.:',;t1'l'.f ;,· .¥ i~ CONJUN<i:1JON'. '.~;-~.:_· _:,
•r!
1
. , ·'S)'\\ ' Y'f
1 ., " .l\. . '<"''. ... '.·"'~ "' - '1:
':'' '· • •,_'.'
.,
OfJs. But the foltowmg · p,a_ri,1gr~p,h . ~111 1~,str1,1,c t "-~ t~ ·direct: .our at- :A
tention · chiefly to ~.h ~ nou,!1; a,n,d ;;.th,e.~ ·ei;.b ;°'as~a, · fe~·.;,obse,rv,a.tJ~n~ ~\viii ; ": .. .
illustrate thgse other . p.a~ts C?f"~p,1;; ~~·; \t~.whj~~ ~lf~· ~.ars .!1~.Y. . begri f \\; "
, ..'·~
~

..

~

.,

:

, I

·~ l
\·,'\ ' .... -'~ ·.:-.·K·-~'.· ··r.;· . • . · ··.:::'?J''.., '¥.'··~- ., :,, . . .
·•trt ., ,...:t~":i:.:.·~
i~• ~-- { ~t-..!.i J-~\1;'.,;.~; H·i.,. , 1 , , .~.~n,j.;~f·: .,:~ .• •{t,; .~~~~1f ~ .." \~;;
. 46: ~very thing·'. fl~<?.'1~- ~hi:~.hj~~~'-?Din~~- ~ln.:b~~~}~WlC?~edll'-:; : .. ·
m thmkmg,~ ev~r.r.:·th~~g {wi}1.~ i<;{~~nt~~.:.Jl~~).·S~fbJ~e<t~::of -~~·~:~· ,; ~.;>
knowledge,. tnu!?t. ;~el~te_. to~.§ r.l..~~ta~~e~.1Ju~.ffl_~1.s,_e1t~~r.·~r;t "-;. ·.·,·:r
reality"' oi- .in the ·imciginatiqn ; ~ 01· to ·actiq.ns,::1 pp~ta,ti~'l.~;·_af!d ·;,,T,7,;.; '_,. ·
~
~
,,_·
.
' ··~ :~ ~
. ·:"'

T

.·

11111.a11 ~ e

,;.,it'"{·:·

·.

·~- ~

... '. r.. :.: . ... t.

../• ~ :' "'., ~ . i : :· \

.:~-} ~ .··:..~· :F-{.

.)

; '

· .;

;·

: \ ..

d . , ... ·

-' 1 ; •

l_ '

0

"

1'1te Principles

of general

Gmmmai·.

ene1·gfos, which the~e . subs.t anccs pr~d~1cc on themsel_ves, ?~'
~m. one. another. ,
. .
,· · ·
\
- -. ' · :·
Coral. Language communicates knowledge; its divisio1-1s of words~
therefore, correspond w1ith the divisions ·of our.knowledge; its chief
busiuess is consr.quently 1rcduced to two heads:·..
F'irsl, to exhibit · name.i for all the substances with which we are acquainted, that.·_ we may ·be abl e to distinguish 1 and recognize them,
when they are mentioned by ourselves, or others: and,
• ' ·
Secondly, to denote the actions, operations, and energies, which t_hese
substances g·enerate upon themselves, or on one another.

N AJ\IES are expressed by what grammarians call
Nouns _; or~:RA'i:roNs are denoted by what they call Verbs;

• 47..

. the other parts of speech explain, modify, extend, restrict,
conf!ect,.or _gisjoin, the noun and the verb. · . .

• c~'rol:."'The. t1vo rormcr · are, therefore, the.essential ingredients, or
the columns of language ; the latter are only· occasional ingredients,
or _append ages. of these pillars of the fabl'ic. ( ./lrt. 44.) , .

· 48~ ,.The. first process in the communication of knowl~dge
·is to contrive' names 1for all the substances ,. auout which out:
kn~nvlepge is convel,'sant/and by ·co_mmon . con~ent t~ im~
pose -the ,sa!ne .na_me's · qn the· ~ame - substanc!!S~ .', ( .11.rt. ,_1 7.
and' '18 ·) ,, · · ·" - ·,f:!· ·:''
,,.:. ·· -, ~ '·\. ' ,", ',_.'- ,·· • ·
', ,.. ~i l3' ~ ,'

.

·,

,

;

! ;{·

f

... ' ,

'

I•

1

I

t

Illy,s: As substantives 1 arc the· ground work of . all language, a langtmge is perfect i_u resp ect to themr when . a name has been given' to
Qvc1·y lnaterial or immaterial substance about · which the people who
use. tl1e . languag·e. have 'o ccasioq to speak or wrile. = As theit· knowledge e1~largcs, as they obtain ' more ideas of subst~nces than they have
nanies ·to express; ·new names will be imposed on these new substanees;·.'w hic h .will__consequently· throw into their vocabulary as many new
su_~stantive~ ; as . m.ay ~-en dtr, ,their la1iguag·e adequate t". th.e purposes
1
ot really commu111cation; " · ·
·
Carol. Hence; if . every · substance in ' nature required a particular
name. to distinguish it from all other substances; every mineral " plant,
animal, nnd every part of every miimal, should obtain a distinct nnme,
which would increase the snbstailtives of a langu ag e beyo.nd all c.oinputation . 'But ·nature has reduced her productions into .classes: '. the
individuals of every class, · resemble ,one anothc1:, in many particulars;
and theref<!re \t' is that hnguage ha1h not assignc1I a n~me to ·every
substance. O: Even her different classes arc formed with some common
properties ;' and thus, in S01llC pa.rtict1Jars, thP. tlilferent claSSeS reSClll·
ble !llle another. Thus, the generic · word plant, expre's scs the common qualities of all vegetables; .animal, the common qualities of all
living creatp~~s. '.
.
..
.
.

49. These

GENERA are

divided into what we term spe-·

fies, and these species are again divided into inferior spe~

, cies,

01:· bec?me ·genfra to ,other species.

' ·

. , · '.

-Illus. · Thus the word plant, is a general term, which indicates trees,
slirubs, grasses, and aU vegetables which spring- from a root, and. licar

'

I

!
I

l

.

OJ Gende~· and Niimbet.
by some ··change in the !erminations of the nouns, and it rarely haµ •
pens that.' the change is ·extended further than to denote, whether one
individual, or all 11.ie 'individuals of the species, be. understood. The
Greek dual is not more necessary for the purppses of communication,
th an a triple, a quadruple, a centuple, or any · other plural m1mber,
where the richneM of a \anguage would furnish it, to denote a givr.n
UUffiber Of individuals Of'the Speci~S,
.' '
_.· I '
·
'.

..

55. Substantives are susceptible of othe;. .concomitant circumstances, besides their capacity to denote difference of
number. " These circumstances are the variations of the terminations,' and are ·called CASES.
l

.

·Illus. 1. This · peculiarity of substan.tives or nouns, is a neccssarv
provision for expressing the circumstances at.tending them, and hi;s
been accomplishc.d in two ways, either by varying their terminations,
or ~y pr~ferri'?g auxiliary word~ . . The ancient .Janguages · employed
the former of these methods; th~ modern languages ' accomplish the
same end, by prefixing·parlicle.r or preposition.•. .,.
·
2 . . These methods are perhaps nearly equal, in respect of perspicuity; hut thRt of antiquity ,is preferable, in point of melody. , Particles
and prepositions · are mostly monosyllables, and the frequency with
which they must be use<l,,impairs the modulation of language. · · ·
~- The -Greek , lnn g ua ge has five cases in th e s in g ular, two in the
.!ua l/ a u<l. fo ur iu _t he phti·a l nu mber.
4 . Tile .L nlin ton g ue has sometimes six , but g enerally five, in the
'ingular; and fuur in the plu r al.
\
iJ . :;\"" Cfl.'f'" appra r in the Italian , tlll' Frrnrh , ;rnd thr- Spa11is!i lan~unge ~ ; ntt tl there are not nlnre titrln H\: o in the EnF£· !i -~h .

---- ·rs -

.'i G.-

GE~n r: n.

another pccu liari t;· of subst:rn tfrc noun;;:,

i n t he g ramma1ica l : -:t rudnre o f la n;.;tiage, arises out of Ll1e

di fference ot'scx. di~ccrnihle onlv in ani11w.I~. lt \1ill 1licrr·fort'. admit of t\10 'arietil' ~, tlil: ·. 1.\',< 'L I I'\F: and r 1 ..\JI'\J'\l·:
1.!_cnde1· .~. ~!~~rl~c ab l ) io tlH · di~.,tiil\ t~ \ ili of ll', i 11~ 1.._n_ . t!.Urt··~, !:d 1;
rna ie a111i if. ma ie. A ll oth er su!..is tamiv e Huuus uu diL lu l;e ;on:~ lo \rha.r ~..:YtHlHHi~Ti;rn:; c..a i d; r·_ tr.c:U'.rr .~;:_"'f~-d..1 :;\ ·,:.-h ~c. ! : i~~
a ~ico~~iuli. uf U~c ulhcr i \YJ ..

~:-,:-~--·

,. '

:·

•

, ·1.e

/

•

S.r

i .dt.(:l....... - -

CJfil.1·ticles/ Pronouns mul .f11Ue'ctives.

· 41

·.'3.' In ~h·e E~gl,i ~h~'i!)-ngu#g~ _t)1,e,ic obtains . a p~~t;)ia'rit;.quite oppo·
s ite. In the .Eµglish, when we-use: comn:iqn. disco\) rs c .. all ·s ub stantin~
llouns; tlrn:i'are'' 1i'ofnames"Of~liying'.'creatures,
ne.~te~· -ivi t hout
ceptio11·:~:/Ie_;'sJie; ·11. '.
the"ina-r~s o_f :t_he 't~,ree"'gf~1de_rs f·and we
ways u se it; Ill speak mg o( any ooJect where .there ts'.110 sex ' or where
the se x is. not kn.own_: :-_ ln "'-thi_s.'.respect / o i'.i r;'ownJ anguage. i~'"rr·e ~emi·
nently ph1losoph1cnl.m 'the app!1~ah q_n of its·gender s, or of thos e words
whkh mark the 1:cal distiric ti?ns,..of 'm al.e ·and fen1 a le '. '' Yet the· genius
·of the language 1iermiW µs ; i·wllimcver it will adc1 » 1ieauty' to ' oin· "discoursr, to make the 'names. of inanimate objects masculinc 'or feminine
i11 a metaphorical scnse' j · a1~1d ·when we do" so , ·we· arc .. under stoo il : to
q11it the literal style;_and to:.use what'Js termcd a figure of speech . Bv
1hi s !neans , we , Ii.ave, it. in 0~11· powe.r, to .va_ry our_..s tyle_ at pleasure. By
ma_k111g a very sl1gl1t alterat.10n, we. can personify' any object we choose
to 1il<roduce with 'dignity; an,1 - by· this change ' of ·manrier we o-ivc
warni1~g that \~c are";pa~si_ng,:f~·o1n t~e ·striCt an,d logical, ~0 Jt1e , o~na~
1nct1t.a1, rh etorJcal. sty le t·,t -t;...,.-::..,;.-....... ~. ,: :.;~: · • .... .,. .:-~.. ~:or \---,•. -:...,,....'....:~,- ·:1':.. ~;t"..,..,., ·.::., ..•.:··~
· 4 .. Of .this · .a<l vantag~,'.~·ot cint/. ~;e,ry ·poet,. bt;t f ever/to.:o~l . :wr.iier
and sp cak?t.; .m pro s~ , a yail ?. J; imself ;"• and 'i_t· is · _an ·_a dyantag1t p,eculiar
to our own tongu e ; _J,10 ;'othe r ' l ~ ngnage : poss e sse ~. i,t ,_:' _Evc,1"Y' word in
o th e r languages has .. orfo~ fix,e d gc'n d er ' ·masculin c ,"' fcmi riin r '; or n euter
w hi ch cannot · o.n · any,'?o~:Casjon ' be·,:ch an gcd: ·ctgno fo r · i nstance, ir;
1.;reck; verlus in Latin ; ·a ml la ·rcr/u, in Fre1i'c ll · a re 11niformlv femi11i1 1<; . Sh e m ust <dwa y s b e t h e pro nou n an s w•ri~g to the wo rd, ;v li et h n y ou be \l'ritin;; in poetry or in prose, whether you be u< n ~ the style
'J _I'. rt · :1~oni11;..:, or that ot' d<·r~lnrnation ~ \\'h(·rcas;• in Engli~h, ,,-e •~<lll
•:1: 11•:r <:s prc,s o urscln~s with tlic pliilosopliical accuracv of ;.;iving nu
:--;-(' !ld : l· 10 t!Ji11~·:; i11 a11lillLl. tC_; Ol". !J_y giviu::;· tlJCJH s·entiPr, and t r; ttl~­
l:>\'!'111 .l <;_IJicm i11to pcrso11s , we ail<qi ~ tli<·111 to t l1e ct) le u f poetry, and ,
~1 l i '. ·1 1 !( 1~ prupi·t·, '' t~ ('Jdi\ c1 i pru :-- t: .
r>. tJ11 tiiis _t.;· c1n~r~il principle~ we ;..:i\-(' t he inas culinc ~· t·nder tu tltn~e

are

are'.

'cx;!-

0

u.-:cd ti '. .!·11rati \.·c·l . \·. \vl 1ich ~l.rP f·u 11 ~i; ic~1<) 11...; LH' tlH' af ur co111nlu11icat!u;..:.·; \\-hiclt ar e L·\· 11:ttt1re stroiq_:
;~i1d 1·liic· :tcit,11:..: . cil!ic· r tu '..',C od ur L\ il. 111· wlilcl1 11ct'd-~ ;t cltli1n to :-'11Ill t~
•'!!!!ill lit f' . \V]H ti 1 ,'r J;11 1d<1ide I Jr !li lt
i'L (l~I' d '. .:_ dlll H !' lll:ii,:' ii ll l ll! !l)f',
'\'.b iLU ale t,.;uu~u i cuu li ::i . fur L1H: attr jiJ,ut-.:.') ui" cunta.iuiu ~ aud .uf briu:_: --t1b-::.td11ti\'c 111n11i:-;

tril111tt ' --; uf

i 1 :1partin:~-

1

1

,__

' j - ' '

dt.f i ~ , -

•·

r~ s pc..:t

- JUUJ . -l. l .u - tl•i; ~ lru~ l tu c- uf l r1 1 Hd ~a2 t. . a u ..:1 ua 1l..a Llc s j il ~ l!L1ri t y hit ~ ::.
?btaincd with '_ re~pcct to this disii·ib~ti~n. · 1n mo st · l;rn~uages, men
ilave ranked a great number of inanimate objects uu<ler til e <li~ti!J'.: ­
tions' of masculine and feminine . This is remarkably the case in .the
Gre<:k'. and Latin . ·1angm1ges, which admit this capricious assignation
of• i;_e x to inanimate objects, from no other pdnciple than the casual
structu:e of tlwse languages, which refer to a ,ce1·tain gender, words of
a ~ert:im t~rmination ; ·yet even termi11at ion does not always govern
this d1stributiotl into masculine and feminine, but many nouns in those
languages are classed, where all of them ought to have been classed,
under the nentc.r gender.
.
·
2. In the .Fr(lnch and 1taliau tongues, the · neuter gender is wholly
unknown ; Rn<l all thei1· iiames of inanimate objects are put upon th~
same footing with living ¢reatures, and distributed, without exce}ition 1
·fnto masculine and feminine.

_•)

I .. ; :
; . ' - i .; J '
pr:1:uL arl "V· lh·auu(ul or

! . . ; ' _: . ; _.· •

\\L H ii

'o such

.Jt rtc:

! ;

l .-

· U..

-'

! ; .. ~

iiH.t.;J;~ ~

t:Xl:~~.se:;., 1_ft~~~ure r_atlH~ £ ; ~} r!i_iiinn _~t:~an

....·,./ -·

I : '

1

: • ;

l l . \; .

or. \ .." L: l:i:-

i1~~'.t:

n1ascuiin e . .....·

-

-·4;

42

OJ .!lrticles,

Pronouns, and .!ldjectivcs.

. 2: But, on surveying the same objects a second time, and recollect•
ing· our former a cquaintance with them, or their own particular p~op. erties, we would not express our sentiments of them in the same language, in which we did at first. ;· Besides referring them to their species, we would -now signify the additional ideas of · having formerly
. seen them, and of having .been made 11cquainted with their nature, or
distinction ; . and w 0 uld t thei'\'!(ore employ J he fo,ll.o'Ying . ph ~aseol ~gy:
. th,e ·tree, th'e .house, the horse, ihe nian. · '· '
· ' ·' .··
. Corol. L The .article.kl is call ed indefinite, because it r efers the object to ' its species only ,' and denotes our conceptions of it no' further
.thari the common qualities of the species extend. ·
,
2 . The .article the .is called definite, because it discriminates the obJect" to .'!"hich it is prefi xed , from all others, of the same species, anrl
clenotes .our previous .acquaintance with it, or its .own particular_characteristid.
' · l:
· "
· 1 · ' ' · • '.
'
·
• •

. 5S~ ,pR~NouNs are !the class of words. i;1ost nearly ·related
to sub~tan1tive, nou ~~ ; bein~,. as theh: ;na~ne. imports, repre-

i:;entatives, or substitutes, ot nouns. · · ·'

, "

Illus . . I, tho1t, he, she, it, are , pronouns, and they are no other than
an aµridged way of n'aming 'the pe rson s or objects with · which we
.have ,lmmediate intercourse, or to . which,Jn <I is.course, · we ure fr equently' obliged to refer~ · .. '
·:
·
·
' '
·
Corol. They are then~e, with. substantive. no'u ns, subject to the same
modificatiu:is, of numb e~ , ge'n der, and case.
· :· ' ''
. Obs. I. ·· As the pn'lnouns of the first and second person r efer to pe rsons ·who · arc present ·h> each other wh en th ey ' speak, th e ir\serl' mn st
appear7 a11d there fore n eeds not_to be"1narked by a masci1line
or fe rri 1
iuine pronuu.n . .. ,. But as the third person' may he,'-abse11t, or ,unkno1i·11,
the distinction of gender there becomes necessary; · and accordingly,
in Eng lish, the third person hath all the three.genders belonging to it ;.
hf! , she,. it. . · . ~
'·
· :
·· ' ,
·
· ·
2. In Eng lish', most of our grnmmarians hold 'tlte personal pronouns
to· have ·two cases, besi1jes ·the · nominative·; a po!!sessive or genitive,
and an accusative-/, 11fine, me .; thou, thi;ie, thee.; he, his, him; wh o,
whose, whom ; we, ours, its; ye ; yuurs, you;;
ilfey,
theirs, them.
',
.
.
~·

. 59• .ADJECTIVES, or terms of CjUaJity, such ri,s g reat, tittle,
b,laclr, white, are the plainest an<l simplest of nil H1at class
of wu~ <ls which are termed attributive. ( .flrt. 44; Coro!. )

•

Obs. 1. They. are f<? ttnd in all languages .; ' and, in all lnn g1i ar,cs,'
must have bee n .ver)' curly invent ccl , a s ob'. jects could not be di sthi·
• gujshed ' from on e · nnot.hcr, nor conlcl uny intercourse be carried on
concerning them, till na mes were g iven to their different qual_ities.
2. Be tween adj ec tives and pnrticiples th ere is no differ ence, exce pt
that the lnttilr, nlong ·with their 'primary signification, denote the arldition'l.I idea o f ti'mc . , Both serve to . notify th e qualities or attributes ,
... and to d efine and illustrate th e rru~ anin g of substanti ves.
.
·· .3 . All adj ectives which d ~ note qualities 'susceptibl e (i f a ug mentation
or duninution,, and ~ltr os_t all the qualities which are so, are suscepti. ble of companson. ·
"; · · ·.
·
".
· .~
4. Though the d cg n \es of aug mentation of which a quality is s1iscep. 'tibl'e may be a lmos t iiifinite, y et th e fram ers of lan guages ha,·e bee n
content wi th ma rking two stages only of these d egr ees.

'!

I

I
I-

I

44

The Structure of the · Verb.

Tlte

Obs.

~5.

To. combine so many important articles in one fJJOrd, required
a degree of ingenuity~ which nothin.g could supply but the disceru•
ment and experience of ages.
·

.45

The -use pf moods is to <leQ.o.te the ·manner in which

f eeli!t~s,('~!1 t~~tai1~e~ by~- ~\~~, age~~.· .:re}ati vef:! oiits_perlorm.:.
;i~c~. )l _,.;.~;:~l. ~~~~~:.~. :~;4/;~~.~. ~~;~~~i-"4!~~:~. ~~:l~~\~~~~~1rir~f. ~· .;:~~~~2*!J;~7\~~,::~~~~ ~.

purposes of communication.
. "Illtts. 1. The fleeting nature of present time made. 11ny subdivision

of it both difficult and unnecessary; hence, all polishe1l languages

.3:

P.!:_incipl_i!S of ,Grammar.

·an action. ~s· perfo;in-~<l, .' .tog~iher:;,·~Y,i,lh . 'ihe.:·;~i§posi_ti~~s::. ~n·d

64. Experiencl'., doubtles.s, proved that the _division of
time into present, past, and future, was not sufficient for the

have, in' any moo1l, one tens.c .only app&opriate<l to expr.ess present .
time. . ·
~ .• A similar .opinion seems .to have 'guided the construction of Ian·
guagcc. for expressing future time, whi~h, includi1~g a l'?ng durati~rn,
was <livi,;ible into parts;. but the total ignorance m '~h1ch man~md
are involvetl concerning actions that may take, place. Ill ·that penod,
must have divested them of all dispositlon to mark differences of future time, or to jirovide language with tenses for that purpose . . Hence,
all polished langtlages; except the Greek, have also been contented
with 'one tense e:-tpressiv'e of future time. The pai~lo post ful.urum of ·
the Greeks is a specimen of their ingenuity to cultivate and. improve·
their language, ratl,er than as requisite for tl~e· ~ommun1catwn. of
knowledge, since by this tense they intended to s1g_111fy th~t the act~on
was futu.r e, but woulll iiot be long ,s,o, because the time of its execullon
would quickly arrive..
·
The, past, then ,, is the .time which the framers of all _lan gua~C'~
have been chiefly anxious to subdivi.de. Most of the actwns wt1d1
could ·be th~ subject of discourse or 'vriting, must have taken~, ;:.ince in
past time; and to render th e accounts of them more cons;;rdrnus aml
intelligible, it mu~t often havt: .be.e n .re.fJ,u,isi~e to s_p?c;ify ~he prog1:ess,
or s.t ages of their execution . .. Hence ~he -vanous div1swns of past tune,
nnd, the d.ifferent _tenses significant ·o f them_.with which all languages,
even the most imperfect, abound.;. Of jtohshe<l languages, the least
complete,)n this respect, have .three divisions: "
· ·
First, a pl11perfect.-iense, by which is signified tltat the action is fin ·
i'shed, and that. some :time has intervened since it was completed.
Secondly, a perf~d, which .denotes. that. the action .is finished 1.b ut that
very little, or no time has elap&e<l smce its coi'npletwn .
·
· 'Thirdly, Rn i111pe1fect, which signifies that the action had been goi·ng on but had not been completed. The language of ·anci~nt Rome
possessed only thes<i tenses significant of past time.
:
4 .. But the Greek languag!), the F:nghsh, and the French, ?es1des
these tenses, employ · another, w~icl~ the Greel1s cal~ed an J!o~tsl, ~nd
.whi ch denotes only that the actmn 1s compl~ted, without d1st111g1.11shing in .what .division. of past time the compl.et1.o n took place, or wheth- .,
er the execution .was pluperfect, perfect, or itnperfect. ,
5 .. In the usual course of speaking and writing, this state of an ac•
tjon frequently occurs; and, tl\e~efore, a tense adapted to cxpr : ~~ it,
i;; ol singular co.nvenience anll advantage. \Vhen the com;;•Ct101~ of
the ·action is the only' ·circumstance of conse'luence to be: commum.ca-.
.ti!d the proper: tense .to be employed · is. the .JJori&t. '!'he Latin Ian, .• •u;ge ·hath its ambiguous amavi,' but the sense of the context only
~Qa.bles the Iearne'r . ~r ·the reader to' discover wheth~r it d~n?tc;s .the
!l,01'is't' j~; . . ~cra. 1 J 'aimai, I .loved; or the pe1·feet past 11";\'1>-.n1t11; ]'m mme, 1.
h;i.'l'e tov.e d. ·
·

gene~·al

'

'

Illus.·; C :Thi! capital_v_iews of nn, action,.rela tive to "iiian i1e~' o i·mood, ·
· refer· ei~her to its actual performal1ce;"o~ to ' th~ po. ~er., incliniltion; .Qr
obligation ' of ~ the ·' agent ti! , r .e r.fom1 ;it; · ~r:.~o :oi.e ,..auth.~,-ity:~.or ' r.ight ·
of the ;agent:·to .entreat or, cornmand the: pei:formance ; , or 1 'finally' to
' the ·exhibition < ofrth~: act\.on,"·~vith9ut'. any, conilider.a tioµ, of tJ1~ _'agent,: ·
· or of t~e . sen~1ments-._t}1~.t ·:~e, may entcrtain ;. ~.~9cerning · the'. perfqrm- -.
ance. " .".;J\. ·.:./·· .. , . _ , .• ·..'II -"l '?,"~/~·.. :\· . .;·•: '.···~ ~:-~·.,!:\.~ ;·.,,.~· ~.?:: . ,- :1. ·;,:; .:c• .'~,. :t ~\
2 : . These· circumstances ·~ompt:eheml~'ev~ry "genet?-1 ' . view -of an ac·
tion;_ that human .affairs can:well : be,,~IJPPi;>se<l ':to sugges! . •~ for,::;:~·-."";·'. · First, the agm:it may ~ither possess' pqw,erYinclinatiop 1_or.'obligation,
to perfonn the"action,..·and .actually.pef fo.rn1. if ·' I"''".'::·"""·""" w:<: _-:.~~-~ •
Or," Secondly, he .. may'.1 possess po,yer,- i!lc.l ination'," ~~ : i'.>bligatlon to
11erform the action, .a nd,.without :beirig' abJe ·~o "put .'them in .execiitioJJ:·.: .
•Or, Thirdly, •· l!e.~~may: have "a right,· .or .. aµthority, :;;.to; 1, ent~eaL or ·
c ommand the po.wer-. or{Joclination ~of,.-some'f otber~f' agent. tof'perforni
theaction ,' . . . .~-,J :1~ ~ ·~.,.. . ,.., •• .: .,... ,..~ .. "' 1 °'""vs.;l.'f'"'"'';;,.,~1~..Vi·/.r..t;,..
•

•

'1 .....

0

....~ ...-::~.·.('·/~ , • .

1j

.·-ty,!, , _

......... •1•/,, ;.f,. . _.. ~t-.~,

~~.~ ·.: (.~

.

. <?r/ Fina!ly,- th~siJ';l;ttio!l·o..f' ~hei action ~ay·r~quire 'p nly 'its ~are h.~

·~~~!·~~ ~~: ~~e~t~?:~~0?\{.\.1~·t; \h~~' C~P.~P~Y.~'. 1tJ:~. ~ u~~'-;·l!::~t%!.~~ft,t':; .
1

... Corol. Hence, ~fromdhese . vjews, we .readily di.sc'ern:;.the ·oyigin.'of
' t he (~ur Il'!oo?s. ~tn:erbs .c omm9nly,:.ell\ploy.1:;d · QJ'".polish~d; l\lnguag,es.
· •1.•:.fhe indicative denotes .the· ~chial. performance-of '.thr. ,action.'.··:!•'
. 2. >Th~ csubjunctf,ve I e:xpresses I th~ ' po'wer;'~ incliu.atio'n',' iir 'obligation
· ()f the agent · to ·per;form .,;the, ac.tion, ~;but)e~v!).s; the., per(ormance .t6 _be .
"<lccided . by ·circumstances 'not yet ,co·me into ,existence·/ :{i,;:accounf.of .
' which it is ' called· the ,conllitional;niood: -.-~ : · .-~~"'':'" · :.·' ."~"'"'"" · ---~'."· "'1,-.":'•
' ~· ·Th·e · iinpgaJiv.e \e~bihit~ .J.he.iat.e.D4s')e~t~~aiiri~~J.'. c~Jri;..,"~ncii~g
· the pedbtm!ince· of the .actioi1. f. 1 • . :· • -~ ,.., '
• •, ' • - "
" " •• -, • ·•
, 4.·,'1:hcfTin.fi~it.~ve,repre.~~nts; ~he a~ti·~~'.'in~ lfeneral, · ~~ltli~u!;' corine~­
. hon with .-any;.,ag{!I)~" ) O·~- ri;_(!!r4:l~1c~,,t?,...
!!1,n 1.,,~W any .(P.9.~ei;s . or ilisposi· tions dependinir ·upon 111rn: ;;41 ,~ i " "'" ::~ ._, :!'J· , " · --w.. •°"'''.""" .,.,. ~,,. ..
Illus. 1. ",I .writ'!. is" O.n•:indr~dti~e ·~5 ·;-e,~tio1; / t,~~aus~· it~ciecio'te~~1ln~~~ ~..
·
tion in actual performance
.';!"",
· '<!'.·.; ::;..C:., :''.:'1!,f'~, .l.,,.:!fii:·
·~-;f;:~-;' , ,;
• • fr.
~
o
,
l.
~" ~
"' ...';'
~
2 . •I ,ntaY · wp te ~s ,sµbJunctive,', f?ecause . it denotes ..disposition · or
capacity · o,nly ,':and... ~oll!munic tes · nothing1 .:With r'~spect 1 t~ performance
., · ·"' ;,.'~...t ....... 1{ .. : (~ ~~i",I.)..( .,.:., .... ... ~ ':~..1. ~ .,.. .... {-t"" • t.·
~- ~.
1
3 . ·I h~ve · ~vru/(n:; i~:i1idi~~tiv;; be~au;c it· ~d:enotel perfo~in~-~~iat:.. ;: .
·
•
·\ ,.:.. , . ,,
·, "'l; t; , ,.-.. -:. .• .1
•p v,J.-. ~
ready Past , v '· --·-'.,· -.;~""'l~.,'.... "'. . ~; ~" ~,
4. ' / migl~t ha_ve~ ' ~.;it_te.n
~ub~~11c.~i.v1( ~ec.;at~si:':i1t,;'.~·0 ~11nu~icate~ ~:,"},·"t.:
part, capacity, rncl111at1~n 1 or,1 ol?hgat10n, ' but "sigtufie§ -othing 'about J:' ·; ·
performance.
_.
.
r .;. ' '.Ii '<"'I~ •fl', ~'t.'\... I·~ r. 'f t fl.
:: ;/-{~ ,.J~,\4 ;.ilr ,-¥-r~-~!~J "f....., ~ ~!' ~~; • ~
~
j
,i..
)J
5. 1·Yrite thou i~ !I" 1mperative,' b'ecai1se ifdo°is'"nbf riec'e §sarily infer · .. ·..
performance, and imports ;nothi~g~·more 'than 'tb~t'the 18ction' 0 ( ·wr.it- · '·· ··~-;~
ingshould be performed. ',;r. »,>J/. ........ :~·""•'-""d~,t=·\~ •:i;. 11 ~1 -;::~i<'l'· '~ }·
,''
.
:•,
"
fl:'"··· ... n·t. ."'f' \(;t'.,...~ >t .. ~ \fir1'l.J~. . ~""'.v:'~' 't,·:/-, ~~ ~4~ ;,s~-~ r;G:r.,·: ,._
I

•

1:

I

,

I

,

•

'•

,

.,...

\I>

1

•

'

:J.is

....

1

V

• •

'-

{'

-

,,... _,

/

I

,

.,,

/.

''"'•"

1

•

•

•

••

'

j

}

.., ,

•

•

If

I

.J'

• .....

66. · T.~~ory of ·'f!lf!O~s.·. _.. ·fo, ·the_.f,.,pre_se~t ,and~p~_~t.~tens~es: .,
therefore, : the.. md1c~tive ~<lenot~s:. performancij~the1 sub·- ·­
junctive, intetition~or'~isp~~it\oll-; :~~-tlfe· iin'perilti '''e7js-8J's6~ 1~-.:· ··; · •
t~b.Je of no time .'bu
t~ ~1tbe' p1!e,
scrit;'.\~ l1en;iL'alsofexrtresses:.'<lis'~
~
,.•·1~ J~i-.'
JI~ r~ ~ !'j 'fl/,..,
I, :

'T''

'

' •I~

,

,.

,~ 1 ·,

i

, ,\.•_

..

,

'

;t~ ' 1 f'- ~I

'

-

,·

'

~·

f

• •.

~

,,.·:

• .. ... J....)11(" ..._

't;

l'f7~

,

• •

~:!c:

. ..

! -'~

•

;..

'.""
.'

'

..
.. :1 . '·

The Structure of the Yerb.

I

;:;;;

/

'

."" ...

' ... :

«"'J"',... • . -

'Fite genera? Priiicipfrs of Grammar. ..
·~

.·>.-·~. . ... ~ ... :;.: .. ,.:~..

-: · ·~.-

47

rosition. But, in respect of future time, ev~n th~ indic·a:.
tive cannot denote performance; and the SUUJUllctlve must
be de_stitute of this tense altogether.

.' us... Tenses . aml ·moods, 'in the :Greek a:·ri<l·!:'LatiJl. Ianguage~:,~~~· g~n.erally 1:<lis.c~:~_~1in<,l-t~f~~Y?~·i_fl~_F~~~-'ipfle:l'iou~

. Illu~ . 1. For, as an action can have no real existencP., till the tim e
, of its execution arrive; so language can ex1~ress nothin g concerning
it, but the present views and dispositions of the agents, who may
foretell pel'formance, or promi~e to pm-form. I shall write is ~i~nifi­
cant only of prediction or intention, the execn~ion. of. which must be
· future ; and therefore in the future ten se, the rndrcatJve app roa che s
the natul'e of the subj~nctive aud imperative, and ex presses chiefly
disposition. The main difference between them seems to be this, that
the future of th" inilkntivf', along with the ~i g nification of disposition 1
conveys ~omething positive or affirmative with l'egard to execution.
· If the two othel' moods imply at all the execution of th e disposition s
which they denote, they hold it forth as altogether contingent or conditional.
· ,
.
2. All the sentiments which can exist, or be expressed, rc?lative t~
· future actions, must 1·efer either to the ' 'iews of them which the agent
formerly entertained, or now indulges. Of the appearanr,es which
these actions will assume when they come into existence, or o f tl1c
· sentiments which will be entertained concerning them, h e can know
· r:othing; and, thcrcfo;-c, these :ippcaranccs nnd sentiments, r n: n
neither be the subjects of thought nor of language . H ence, sini;:e
past and present intentions and dispositions are the only circmn:stances \Vith ·w hich v..·r, either arc or can be ac.quuinted, it h~ evid ent
tl1at a .UiuoJ, liiu itt.:U lu L ~-.. p1L ;;,j intcnti un .;.!U<l <li;:;~O .) ltio11 , C ~u1 no t rid
mit a future tense, because no ideas of future intentions and disposi tions ex ist in the mind of man, whi ch it may communicate.
3. The tense I shall hat>e loved. commonlv called" the future of the
the subjunctive," has no participation with the usual impol't of the
othe,- •·P rises of that mood; for it is c~nrpssive of no sentiment that
is future a111l conu1trona1 as to its execution, out 1s ClJll•lll,r positive
and affirmative with I shall love, the tense commonly ('al\~d the fu.
ture of the indicative. .They both sign ify intention relative to future
action; and the only diffel'ence between them is, that, taking the execution of both to r efer to some fixed point of time, the a ction of
the former tcill lie finishecl, when the action of the latter tC'ill lie fin-

~10ted ,,bY: Aux!L!-'.\!ll,~:~·.. ;~- . ~ C:~ ;-~ .c>L~~~~'.:k,\~~~:';~~ ':§l~:~~~~;;~:::;;f,t:; '

.

.

• •: '/-. •

<.

·'+·

:. ' ··..

;' .:.., .. .' . ..

# '.

of the .ye rb; rn the:mode ~:~,}a~gu_~g~~ t~~ey;a!·~·.c~1!C~Y.: de-

. ' Illus ...,1. ·'~e aux_iliarie_s oCthe indkatiy~ ~9,od 11-r¢, (Lave,·:had;· sliall,
~oill. ·: . i~, -:~~~ .:.~.: · :.'t·~ . ~ .,.-1•• ";·7-"!· ~.. ·;~· -~~·~:.::-;,.~~r ef·(.;, . ~,~~~ ..~:_;,....,;.: . . .:.. ~";i-1.f' !..<:j.·~ ···t..:.. ,.'1"";~}·:' ·.
., ·}[ave ' and hdd ·mar,k ·1time ; '. th~ 1 f9rrner .. dcnotjng.: that Jhe .\\ct ion is
finis hed just' !lOW ·; .· th.e ) latt ~J'·'ttia_f some• iJlt.eryal! has· ~lapsed ·sinc,e·; it
1

'vns co111pletcd. ~ ;._J•:: -.•;-~ .,.:~-:·,~,!-~· ;·- --~~.~ -~ ···~-~i.·.,//7:-:· ·· ry ; . . , -~- .. ~·, ,;:~! ·~·"': . .
·· Shall nnd will e;'tpress"futur1ty ," but with ' it some nfl"ection or dispos ition of the ag-ent:": Thus; ' i_n t\le /irsr 11erson; ' . s!wll barely fore,elh,
or ' pred i ~ ts: "pe1/oni1a'.nce ;'•ns,"I J sha/t :wa/k-:~ " h ereaftt> r .:f ·am . to per.form lhe action 'of ' walk_ing>'. ~:.~ W.i.ll "implies'- promise -or 'eng agcm.c nt;
I will 'µJalk ;"' " 1 airi"ueterrnined "here.a fter'. to., \vnlk'. " ,_, In,. the .second
anc~ thi_~·£1 per~ ons, t.hes e · aur. il ~·ari~.s ~~xch;ing_e · their _a_Miti ~~ al _significations ; a1td •_ sl11,tll ' .de_not6s · prom1~e or ~ eng!'gement'. p;'!)s /t; l/tou ~ sha(l
;·cad :·.will;~x.p ~f<ss es'~f,nft!.~ i ty· ~ a~,''h~·: ~l:ill · r~n :f't,h~t'~i~ .,to~ s~y, ~ .a~c;ord111 g to promise or engllgell)enJ ,d ' ~h9u s,hlilt re\l-!l ';',l !,l,n~;' ~,-~,c -~'''ll.)1~r(!_·
aftcl' run'. " '· - .. -, .. ' · ,., ~ - ;~,.,,~ \<;::'.'~ "'.' .. ~<i~~~-._.;,,1.)i?,1~._,.t:;•J"'~
2. ,Th e · anxiliari~s•b'f'!th~ "iih:Er.1.- bf·ith~~~i1b_ihkcti~e}n'.relm'dy:~and

·<.:un .; auJ yf 'l~u~ p_J... .1.u•h\.i-..r ( 1).,,ig1;,(, ·could, '"would , =.~houtd. --.;.;··'!'-~: . ·."
.Ma_11 . and ~can denote·capacity
ability; ·as,•./ may write, I can read.

or

.Might ;111.d· could; ·.expre·s s the cp'<frfcc,t tim'7 9f' may an<l,'caii; :_and like ·
thc1n ~ rc -_s ignificant of <thHiry · o r · t::-tpacity j · 1 ~u t - the exet:ut io:n depetHl~
u;, circut1ist~t.H~t~ : t~hi,J• -l lil't.c .. uv t ;- ct -..:vttH;; iuto ,,;A.i~t...:uc~ . 'IlH..o ::;, .t c I

I

ishing.

67: Tms nu;oRY of the moods, then, gives to 1.he indicative seven tenses, and to the subjunctive not more than
four. ·
Illus. 1. The indicati\'e will exhibit PF.SENT TIME, denoted liy lhe
t enses present, nud peifect preunt; a s, I lo·ve, I hal'e loi:ed-cp1>. i~,
'.':'¥~1Ml«t.-amo, amavi : PAST 'fl~tE,.by !he imperfect ancl pluperfect tenses, I was loving, I had lo vcd-•cp1Mcv, tmip1>.•lWY-amcilia111, amav cl'lr m :
FUTURE TIME, liy the tenses styled the future of the indicati re , a~d the
fnture of the subjunctl-ve , I shall love, I shall have loved-<t>i>.:,ut.>, <f>tHO"Of·"
,-amabo, amh:11ero: and the whole of past time denoted by the Ao·
rist, I loud-£<;>1>.ncret..
· 2. The subjunctive will exhibit PRF.SENT TIME, divided into present
·and pe1fect present; nsl I may love, J m,ay hm•e lo1>rd..,,. ip1>..~, ?r£<f>1>.1"'""
_:amem, anu:~11 erim; and PAST TIME divided into perfect and pluper-/ect, I contd love, I could have lo11ed-amarem, amavissem .

.

might' sec • hiui," ' ~~d 11'-1'\;'o"ul,d t ~W hi,m ; •.~xpress that.'l;ny Cn!-Jacity to
see,.~,~~ · !e fl ;h ! 1:n~ i,s '. ~~IP,Pl,~tet an,d~ ~ .~~ly ;,w!l~t. 1 fo_r.,a1~~.!.~p.p~1:~~[lity ~.°
put it 111 act1,ot\- ~~";:.'-r'"'~ ~r-,:·ft-~~~~}~~-~,·I'~~~ ~,,~~·. :r-?!:~ --~;t.:..~?_?~~ .'-~ .~>4 ~ ~ •.
W01{/rl ;~dC.!Jot~·s 'iilclinat_ion, ':s!iQuld.'"<!pliga!iOn ,- but the c'perfol'mance
lia.ngs t1p,o n· :s~me ; in ~i<le_!\t;f91'' po~_e,r,'. no~ under t.the controul of the
agent ; . a,s; ·~' · ! ,' Yo.ul? ".i;.c~:J,df,(~).~ :,a,'~b_opk~; ·; .;." _l,·~ 11.oul.~.~al~, _ i~ l,_lla~
leave.' 1 -: .~;: :~-:--. 1 • ....::. =-:.- ~- • .:~\,..~~-~~ .-i;_ ••.- :·< · :. · -..... -.. -" - ··; ·-~··
- . 3 .· The " auxilia1'y' to: l./.~ ~;usnally, ca!Jed_a. mlistantiii e've~b , - beca4se it
. is' confi!le,<Lto .the '. ~ i gnifi~~~ipi} ,of~!!xisl_en,~! ,on!y, ~ is ·gc;n !;£a~Ir/l.~d ~n.atura/ly .itn au;iriliriryipf} I~ ?,.-. P!1,ss!yffor~. of.~!1 (.vei:/:'.· ·'U~ (th,i~.,c,~~c':jt"i,o: , . <
always atte_nµ t;cI; ~v 1t~ th'" p,et_/!!C;t p,art1c.1pl_e of,t!1.~rs~m.'\~foi:m ;, ah. ~'.l
, ',.
nm loved,'-'-:r·" ' I \~ve~CE?J lo"ve,d,'';-;;"-, 1- s~ll qeJ?".!:d , 1 ;:lll"'lt~aMed to - ~1;
the present 1 p.artic1ple, .iJfith li~cti'_'.e• fo.r_m t and.=s1,!Jjporte~-.;_by< th.e:;otht>r j' ..... ,
a nxil iaries, ~hei:c ·_i~~~</t~~#i4}g.,d ,Pf.i;t~ps~~<if ~th~~.!l!!-H';'.Ci:f,?rm, ~.( ;t h.!).;,Yi;rb,
.-.{
which to be ma.f n1>t -de,note ; Vils, "~r~~m loyi_n.~/.~ 1 ~l~ !Il.ay\ ~e lov,ing,'' .. ;'
·-" Be thou. \ovmg,''.;-;-;:' 1;0 ~e loVJ fig,;,:_,llr~!~P.ress
~qun;ale~!·~t<! 1 , "J' ·
I love, I may love, Jove .t!Jou!;,to,- loycj rJp:-.·' Id~' ''.
~l' t,~t'lf;J · .
I
,•
"
:i:.• 1 ~~.»-.•{ t~..... f~ -.;,l."l .4\-':\~t~:" f¥1J;~;.. - ;t. •,
J..I\
d /l~-~~1].r fJ.1.:o
--'U.

·

I

69._,. ;I:'.h!'l INF1N1.TI~¥-·-,r.rn9n. •;.~~~nr~~1 -11~: a.ge~t ; ..~~.,be~B~e- ~ . , l
fi~~~'~oi; . u mler.~to,od.•.iµ.~4e':,fQ,r.m ,~f,.,aJ11~~1p~~1r~:~~ f~~-m-' -:·~,'l.
:fimtive~, thus d1sengaged:;fro.m.3,U· on9e~1on\w~tlr,p,er,son~or/ '>1;,
;riu ~be~;' a~~t .~i~n ifi ~a!.~ t.;~f.~~.t,i.~ri.;i'l1~_~J.ll~~1~~--~~J.. ~t~~~ ~-~2.
· ~~1~'- " ·.";.
era.h on of ~nj=agen~: ~ppr?~?.I;es;i~l~.~~:P~t~re.~ot..~~1t~ ;v~13<!',~!~v,,e.
.,noun 1 ~nd :-1~:a,l: _J~,n~tJ~ge~., s,~ fi;e~vt~~~Y:t~';l~£1J~.t, fo~.~~1.1.ts ·: ,_.,
•Jllace. ·: .Th~ W!\11.~t1 ~~· f~M.K~,rt~~e;4~ .~~~a~~u.~ ~!~~J~!iXe,~~ ,n~ai:- . ; :~ft
1y equivalent }~2,~\1~·:~~~~\:fi~JW.i!J~P.l~,¢~¥1J!lol~P.:~f1!;::j~~ '.: .../~..
same manner.
· ·
· ·
~- .'(,~.....·-/.~ ,,. ;(""' ,,,.. ~· i -:, '.:'..'\.<•
~·

1

6* '

<,

.,'

..·1"•

• ·. :

4,S

Tlte, Structure of the Verb.

·Example: Thus, to hear, is nothing more than lhe action of heating i
an<l eve1·y· such participte, in English, may be converted into a substantive, hy prefixing one of the articles, the usual characteristics of
substanth;es. ( Jlrt . 57.)
·· ' ·
'· ·
. Obs. 1 :' The · occasion ~ on which it is requisite .·to express action
without reference to any agent, are very numerous, anu . the use of
the • infinitive is, of course, ~·ery frequent. Its relation to the 'o ther
moods is siinilar to that ·o r abstract substantives to the adject.i\·es from
~· hicb they are formed; as, goodness from" good." · ( Jlrt. 59. Obs. 2')
But' good denotes a quality inherent in the particular substance ro
which it is applied; an<l goodness expresses a quality common to aU
the substantives to which it is competent to apply the acljecth·e;
·, 2. · In like manner, the finite moods exhibit . always some action,
~erformed by an agent,. either specified or under11tood, as the nomina- .
u~~'_to .._thc verb. · · The infinitive denotes the action, ·w ithout referenec
.to aµy ' par_ticular agent) but the action is practicable only .by tl'IC
ngcnts ·who may be made· nominatives to .the finite mood s.
Thus, as goodness denotes a quality cornmon to all olijects that are
good; so to read denotes an action which can be performed by all
agen.t s who have learned letters.
' ,.
3 . The infinitive also, like the participle, retains so much of its verbal quality, it~ <l:e·n.oting action, as to be susceptilile pf time; and it
possesses variations to expr~ss the thre~ great . divi~ious of past, , present, and ftilure. It seldom, hqwever, introduces a sentence. but depends most commonly dn ·some verb that precedes it; he race ·the time
which it assumeR, is to be n~c;..oned from tJiat of the antecedent ver\J.
4. Taking, the11, the time of the antecedent verb, · as a fix.,(.) point
iu computing the time of the ·infinitive, we employ the present th;
past, or the future tense, according as the action which it dcnotes'tmptiens to be the Saine, of prior, 01' of posterior time, to that of the antecedent verli ; a s, "1 am happy to see him,"-" I am , hap11y to ha\'e
seeu _him,"- " l am happy to be about ~o sec him." .

70. OF THE ADVEitn. The, chief use of the adverb, as its
11a1'!1e imports, is to ~nodify the verb. · The circumstances ef
action, expressed by tenses an<l moods, are all of a nature
t'.>o gener~I, to be suflicient for the purposes of communica. t10n . . ~ t _1s often _necessary to be much more particular · in
ascertamrng '->oth , t~1e tim.e.am~. the manner, but particularly
!he place ot t~e act10n. l he important office of 1he adverlJ,
, .. '
·
·
ls. to accomplish these ends.
.Illus..' L Though tenses display a g reat cfogree of. ingr.nuit.y in their
formatwn, they r:~rely de sce nd farther than to denote pel'forman.:e in
past, ·present, or future time. But we fiud it necessary to lie oftpn
mn ch rnore · minute, and .to signify whether the action was done yes·terday, l'.ltely ,· long ag?; or is to be done now, immediaiely, instant~y; or will be dpne qmckly, presently, hereafte1·; or will lie repeated
·often, seldom, daily, once, twice, thrice.
·
2. All the circ~1irisf,an~~s .communicated · liy' moo<ls are of a very
general nature. The .111<l1cat1ve expresses performance onlv · the subjunc.tive '.l~id imperative 'denote bare inte11tio11 or dis po s iti~n; while
the mfi111tive scarcely descends farther than the nam~ of the action
without specifying its nature .
'

"

•

'

I

I

_,,.,.• ~

"';"',."";.A'

'

~~l_·~~:

.!ldver1Js;:f1:epo·s·i{iq:n:s, ·arid..:.(jorJJ'u.~ttifm£· ·. ~ -_,rg ,.·:·;
.:.. -.t. ,,,, ,.,·'~./t. t <~ .. 0 (1/;.,"°:,;...,,'f/_1-

~.i.-"': ~, ;'•.("~ /') i;'\~t+" ;~r . ·. it-~ .t:·, · ~ ~ '1·:-f/!..:Z

'j(1'''it;e\••_'.

'· .. -

, .

r t.:..J

a:.' The -~ery.~varied :'~11d ~_nqmero· u.s' 'sit,uati6ns il'f{~~cie_ty;·:(l~~a~ded .·= n'.~ ~
t he ·signification .:or, many' c\r.cumsta.nc;:es ~£-, li.ction: futl,ch; tnefre"piuticu· .
l·ar; an~ .to express
th.ese;,.a large class {'f"n$lver\Js .w·as ,q_evi_!ie.d :·~1~.;;'.:, •
1
Thes.e 11dverbs indicate-'quality.'and tnann'e1•;teither.~ltn.ply ,~ils1 ioisely, ' - · ;",
11rudentl.I/, cautiously.;r ori pos_itiv,ely ;"ns;tr.uly; .cef'.tainly~ -unq.u.est~o·na~lyf · ~ ·" ··! ·:
or contingenll.v ,,. ns,1 perh':"p1,'•pr~bab,ly,1.-P9·'!i~ly 1 ; , c;ir, 1_1~g~t~:f'.~!Y)'fa~~711,1, ~, .. ~
not, ~ erro11eouslv; 1or conJointly ,\'ft~ together,~ generl!rllY;l,.1fn.iv,eu.Cf!.ly ; l '?_r ;. · )~«,
separately, ·as · aparl ,,so{elY.;1soli(arily ';>'~ ~opi~tir~e~ , they~ denqtt;• m,ilg!J,1; ;' ,· .'~ '.
tude, as wholly, altogether, exceedingly; :or compar,ison, ~as preferable -;· , .: 7
Or passion, as anwity; , l~vingly,'furiousl'!f 1;.i:~lift.i~tlu, ; ~!J; ·Jl}tt_r~!1 .~~ ..{~U!.:_7.f ·
.

jr.•

eill.11, prudently, industriously . .1 ·~ -:O)_·r :: • ,..,_:},~ . • ·":»c"-' ·,.~ ll':t" •'
'"!\
4. Th~ ' ci rcumstancea ~ of 1action·, re ll).tive'i to,.,p~ac~; ar.e )itip,ar-~ed _by

another cppious clas$'.of udver-bs; ~·Th.etptincipiil .v~e~s·'wh\ch ~hey·~ex- _. '-.,.,;
hibit are, wh9ther.thc -actjon is· petfor,me<!.d ~·, a · place, · ~r,-.i1(moying to ·' . :·'
it, thro~1gh it;:or. from' it.f· Of the~fir.sfsort.6ii:e ·here: u~er,e ;.'wh.eic;·.with· , · '
in, without .; of- ,the sf!cond, -~~ither.~-tlUJl@:., a'.~.P" tj~~ covipov119 {,.o~}t,~~ · _-.:/
s y Halite 'lpard; :as .;owaref fffe':..""~trJ,.;, ~g,~kJ;JJ~T:ii.i-- 4tJJ..tf!aJ;,d1- do:u;.nwar:d_
the thifd 1_:~1~~1~;r..9:~Cf:~,¥i11flJe_,;~ey~~Ynf!ei;,~:ji9faJ~f' f.~.u~~ · · , ,;1!?-'f.~,11ff i · ,~:
then~ e. ? . ·•..~">'· '\.f ~if.~~;,f- . ...if•!P: i'\..;~fl:Ol' ... y· '1r~l-~·~
'"h'l".~· t,. ·
5 : Ot ·.the · ai;.v~rbs ;which ; s1gn1fy...;~191e.~~ry:li'_~iipl;!r.;:; \\!O ~{o11e\from ,
cacl.1 cla~s, . o~te~. n!t$!_pd1J(!.?~~hi::~.l)m.~;:,y.pi;b,; i ~~ .ap: n_n.~'.'SY .sin:iilar:;/ to. · ·
the ,appear.ancej: of. ~ye1-y'. 1:v.-erg, both · 111 :a~· •t!ns !Ua11~ ~a. ]~Odfl 1 - pn the
same. o~'i!l.s.i~n.-,.~ PurJ arl~fi;.b::i,.11ignific!lnrof: _time 1i~ :'gerierallyi.placed .
before. the•ver.b; and ' after; a; i,s .i>l~ceq the ,adve~l? ·siguj~cant of ·manner . . ;. That,., '"..hic!1 prece.des~ -.!~~un;i,~ cril!t;!!1, the tiJD!'l ex-pr~ssed: by the
te11se, -..u~•\ ~ tlu~.t. ·~~.[ch ·J<>l!~~\YsGli~~~~f.· yi~ 19_ap,!~~J';. ~~r;.re.s~_ed,;.by ,,th.e
1uoo. .d. .. ~ 4 ~(': ·•.' .• ,.\~~ -~ ......' 1<f r-.'"~~·"Jir.r i;-, · \.J...·Sf:J)· ""' 3 ·"··~~r-t~ 1 ., ::.~' H ~·
6. Adverbs are· susceptjble .. o.f;;coroparison, l:sometimes , regular, as
soon, sooner 1 ·~ soonest ; --.but,; oftenfr l,irregula r,: as_; ,r.epd.ily;. mor.e readily,
, most. readil:I/• ·~ O~e ·ad,\'.e.rb · i.s Jp~quently•• e11Jp.l,o ye4 .to qualify_another,
as loo co11jidently ,., ve '(y ,se.lcl_o.111 \~· ·.A.n ~l, fiq~,lly,- t~,ey_,;an:,often .applied to ·
cir~umscr.ibe a<lj~c,t~v,.e~, .~~ J!~']J_tr.~iJ..ully,f}e~q~r- ~Nifhl¥ · Cri;i1.~11.'!;l 1,.~~pq:,-

;,w•· ;'{

lalwely cxc~lle.1it~,,;,:'.•<:ti,~"t, ;"..'i:'\' ·.,.;t,."--.;;'~fr-. ;£'{.•j.t'· .,, .:-/'. _.<

. __ ·

PR~Po ·s.1-i:1~Ni>:).re~\~~·91;tl~" 1 v:.e:~ i'e.J :Jo_" :~.u:b~~~~tlv~s. ~.. "
tot! <l e~.~te: ·t!~~- ,Y~r~~~,~~ :s elntzw~~ : ~~Yl,u~,~~ ~l~fJ1;~)~r: f~.~~-~;~~r-~:
o, iey. t:; ;~·. _, ~ ~~-! .:.f~f.~.- J·f -~ :~t4~.."7; ;~. ·~! -~~:!·:.i~~--~'i-~1~.#-t~:-:1!1;~~~,;~i*'~~~~--.
. 71.

Illus :,In ¥-nglish~_;; th~i{ar~·~g~'l~r~Jly ,~~OJl,?S~~l!1.?\.<i '1>WQr~s, ; c,hiefly
employe<l to supply the· :<lefic1encyi qf.,~the•111flec.t1011s cornmo~1ly' called"
cases. • But ' iii'the Welsh; lang l a'.gi{ ' the . 1 ttd~ rko ' in~ffection~'":iili"thec ases· of nouns ;' · In · E11glish they'. occas ionally.'' l end"~tlieir.· aid >to fur-.
nish compounded verbs; as.foretell, 1mdetvalue..>j >µnd~jrh1Jl cases :they
net as proportional .ingredients ,of•.1=qmpqsitio.n 1 ; qy :·adding to ,i~ thef 11 .
f th .
~_,_
-Jtf
'f'.\· :J.t ...._.. ..._;' ~ .• ........ · ·~J. ~'.
. .• ~ .
u import '\
e·1.r po~e•r . · •· i~•: . -. ~,'.."·~-; ~~..:<.k· :•.: \' :: ,.. : : .. ,- .. •
"I..' /

·• 72. _CoNJUNCTION's:'-'are;used ,: to <connect single . :substan•.: ,
ti ves~;clau.~e~ ,o_f s.~n te~~~s_; ::o~~ ~Te;p~,~1~s~~~f f~~}.~ ~!,~~-~~~t:~<

. .Jlll.ts -'. Con.11,mchon~ .are ._<l1V1d~d . 1.nt? ;~,a~ 1qus ·,cl~s.se~ ,.c~p~!a,!1 ~e, , d1·s >]1111cl 1ve, and advers1t1ve ; ; but . t.~e1r mos.t, useful, <l1stmction·;.rela_tes"t0
· the corresponde.nc~ \Vhic~ ;.tl],c:y ., ha;~~ t!) ·~'\~ - ai!other: i,n,.~jjii:yer_it clau•
ses ·or memb!!rs of .a · pe_noµ ·; , and 1µ the ·:ng?f man,ag~1p_ep1, of wJiicb,
both the persgicuity. ;9,~ d · rr~P}i_!!.ty'.,o~· .\<\n,guage, ar,e .J!.o f~)i~~~-- ~~pccrncd.
· , .. ... -·.
.;_,..!' ~;_ ,,.1 .... :,~~- · _:! ... -e-'<- '.1t':. r ;._.;·::. ~~-"
Obs. 'Ve sometimes fi.nd pronouni> con.ne,cting~. sentences· as well as
1

•

/

,_

I

I

,I •!
·,

<i

''

: •'<

F

: ~:

...

~\;

r

t
~)

·~

'

·,

..; '

""

;... ~

...

f, "
I

'"
·I

t'

~,...i
·"::.._~:,.. ~·••:

·· ~':.
ol "'""-

~.

........

'J .•

-

i,

"\
I

~ --..~~

-

.

~i,jJ

"1f~ji!1

~i;--..,,1

~:t.'"~

~~-

J~~ '~:~· ' ' ' TMNatur, :~ ~~;,;ci::.°f ti~: ·''f·<~I.,

./

·~· · · / ••idO~ed. as corru~i;·ftnd-likO ·oo•.'Jl.tifejt "l!""Y·· ;t~~.ug~~c

·~
"i · ; . ·· •·mon·,·..not ·valued • '"".'
. .
.. : .': 1 . -~~~}tl~s::..Th~i~· l;s~ · is" ~ot

· • -... ...-~·l\.l';
"'.-r·1f:?;f
.,;.'·. &
"-r·''
"' ':.'.<(.

~

• •.• . •

,,,,•:·:\·?."'
~-.,°?.1,,,1,.·
..,
/<

fcp~tabl:~~ h~i~~~2~e(a~~o1cirt~~;~i;1{i~~'m
.J

•

'

'

;: . 1"s1i~.~-w ti~ns : ~~ :.meann~s~ ' as suit:'" t4ose ~ojde.~s.' Qf ke~" amo1k'\V~om
:ch1e!J,r, .t~e.;us~·J~ .found. ,If .we : n~.e :t.hem . ·~~ d.?. no~. appr,ove ,tli«_!.IQ,
,; · /.
. ai:i~-; neg~g~n_9e',~!ll~n~} sul(er!f,the_~/IC1. :.cre,ej> _tnto 9~r ;·c.~nyetsation :or
,J , ;,. · .
wr1hP,$'_• e;x~ep~.wh~~t.h.~J'.>-!lf.~ ,-.P':l~.-•~to ;t~e .,~o!Jlhs ,o[ (:l}.~~a~te,i;s _w.h~~
J;

~:- ·

\Ve

.:'l.1..,~/

, ;.\'

:~;;'."

are .Aescr1b1ng~
..... i.t-1..f·, ,;.~-~ ~• ...',..!~ ~ . .•;:•, .. '·". ' •.,~<._\f"J1 . '!•'""...:~:to,_ \\ ~1. J>-:'.,t· . ~. '
"°' . · 1-k :_.,:~fl')~-..,,_·~··· ... /+··.i··"''' .,-.
, .
..
, ~·:· Y
., " ~'-''
,
""'·· .....

' •!'\' · .·•

.~~/ .
.J'•)~ .

.\ ~oro!f~'l:~f~~1 ~,~!f~ · ; · ~~~f,orf~;i,i~ ·"'.i!~l!.~ H~~-!~gr~!Y'°~~~ ,.~!~~~~!t
~~-·g~\:' 1':':;1:· };~~1tjj,
'' l"f,;~i i~·~,' ),' '; >,; {.:;. , , ..,,,:~; ::','.· <;:. ".·/
7~~.r~'Y~-· aJ ~~.t~ ·t,~!:';:·~1,e,:~~_ense ·cof.'i ~he :te~s. a~d, P~.t.'~S~s

'""

~elq~gmg t~.}mJ;;el~g~_nttio~.;.me?hanrc~l art .fro!TI .t\1~, prac-:
: t1.c,~ ·8Hh.os~l'Y~~i;'~~.!. c1~µ,';.ers11-nt m that att ! 1h, h~e man?,e r,
. •1• ··. ·:.~r:O"}'.t!~;:prac.tts:~ 'pqnose .who,lJave.' had a -hber.a). education,
1
~_1id~!ir~..ttherefore', ·presu.me.d fobe best a<;quaint.e.d ·.wi_.th': men
.;;tricl"'th)n.irs;~,\~e"·ud ~-~df;the' '~ii.eraLuseiofda' ... ''t::r:.t-~1,_:.
··'!>": •-;,lflifT O ·,....,,,_ •.J... ._g'' 'i' ·<·;" ;g, ·" .,, '•-,;,.-,, ... . ,. ...ng ._A~ ..i · ;tJ!:•i.•'<l r

l

.I .

ua

" · Illus: But ·in what concerns words themselyes;: their. , c'oil.~t~\ic~ion

. and' !'-PPlic~tio_n, _authors of reputati~n a.r~, by vnh;e~.sal c,onse.n t,: in
~Ctua( pos~eSSIOD of that Standard .\vlnth IS authority J' RS. to l his'fribu·~1al; .to ·which :an hav.e liccess ; • Wbe~ any.-doubt ·arises;-the -,a ppeal ;·ishi1lfay s•m11de ·" (Co·r /Jr.t · 76 ) · -, . '·~: .,;.. ,, ·''"'"': .,._._ .. :' 1 ·of •'· . :"''.1,;/. 1 Ji.~ ·• .,
. Co~ot:- '.fhe soqrte, th~r~fore, of that prefere~~e i"'.hidb;tlistinguish~s
. good .use fro.ni b,a d, i.n language, ~s a patural propensity/ <if.the"hl1ma11
. ·•hind to b~lieve; -that tho~ c - are . the •best judge~ 'of•_ the proper sigqs of

spe_ech~ ahd· oftheir·prope~ applicatidn ;:who ,iuider'stand ;b~sHhe ~hirigs
Mrt;'77:-a1td·Illusy 1..>i;..·~1j,.._'1(·);;, :,i:i'i\\~-~;'" ·

·which they repre~ent.

· , 8.0. " :Au:-r~.ons. ff t;epNt(lti~n_; ~ave, ?~~~· ~~9~e~)~a~her1 !han
good authors »for,hvo·r.easohs •'-" 1''" · -··f;, , ."'~ '·"•1" · '\~"·'"~;:" "'' · ' : .-:.."
-.it
re
. I". · ?(~tjie,c~s~,: , .._!houg:h ~~te~m.·a~-~ m~p~ us~a~ly '.S~. ;~?~et,~1.~r; .•
it ~s· solely' the i public: esteem;:and.":·not·then: mtrmsu~Jner1.t,
.,,
. ::.. whicl}i ra~~~$ .;A V'.~!i o\ s Ji9,t~,
h}s. ·~i~:i,Q~-~ ~J~~P~,~~'.JNt!i)p~ :~1,r aI1.:
.
;_ · u~ on, the1r'J.apgu~ge.-:.?· 1 ,, t<-·~~: ):·H.v..~~ ·~(1.V~~:_,·::-"r;::.'"£~.r<t""
t.,
r, ~·~-. ~.~ ~Ql!d.l y;; th1~ · character is . mo"?..,Jc:te~mm~t~ -th~!?-;. the
·~ tf.z; ·, ·~t~~~i'.f,'ti.nl!i~ t_Mr.~~"re:< ex.tens1vel,r~ rn~ell,1g!bl~. '. ~~­
i ...,. t.~~. ~?.~.<~r~:.a1J. H1or~, ~13;t~. t!1e, Pr~f~ren.~ ~;m.~ p~mt of
::~·"·'. lll~pt,_, ,~wi~r~n~. re~d~r,~ \ow~ll : chft_e r, exce~~rngly,~~h~~agree
,1./
p~r:fectLY~S)to.Jthe rebp~ct1ye places which jhey,!hold:rn . ~he

\~f/}!i~~-t~··. ~ec£~s~ is rho _s~~;i ?t1j:~o.dro~ili:~bie~io'.rt1i~~:~ .:u,t!~

I

~

''

~

~·j, · · " JayC>_~t;'i,o ~{!h~hiubli~;/.,;:P~rs~ms{~ay_-. b~. 'f.otin~~Y!~i~J.t~s~e .sQ

i!~:<
!.·~
'i. '

:,

part11<Hf!~~( ~~t~o : {Jrefer . P~rnel,\?: M,lt.9n,~bu t;n~~~ ··W:!tl il.1spute~~»_etirsupef.10.
nty; ofthel lattcr\mf
pomt .o,,.\
f;.fame•;rC·•,;..~·;,,· : ,. -'·,
~·
·,~
_,..~';. "'t-- f';I ' '+\; '-' , •.,
• '

(,.).

,fL)I, ,\ ,

l

;/

'••tJ· -) ':i"{

~·f;~lllita, Bj,·a tli(irs ~ of i-eputat1on, ·wid nean; · not only .'in' regard ti>
-.<l_k,rio\vledge;· 'b.~tt:fas, respects' ~he talent of. 'co,ni,municiiting l hat ; know!. edge;.. .:-·Thei:e :'i ire'i\Vriters-who;· as conterns t~e 1irs,j;have' been desety
. -ed~y valued, by, t~e. pt~blic; bt1t who~m account of a ·supposed dl:.ficien ~7
.cy.i.n r,espect of,the:.sec<ind / 'a re considere'd of;no :authority in langmige. ·
lf~'. 9r._~~~~rs~~S\1rpo~-~.tb~t,!h~i(wr\tlngs 'a re 'in tl}.e "E.nfp.l!sh .tong~e,: In
I

'.,

1
1

'

..1.

,.

l

/.

,·.I

~

~ ...

\
\
)

--... .
wi~
~

.~

-:.•

.,~·54 .

k,;#J"
,.,\

~

...

•

I I•'

~·-f.r:...

·-1

t ~-¥/~ ::-·..;r:.:,i~- ~~·~'.-;.i

P~sent ~Tsage of the Englisli Language.
.

#It

S:~~,~1!

..

.' .

". i~

. .(:

•

~{~~di-~art%~d~~li;:f't11ere'·{~~g~~-~;isi&Jr8'1·~ ;~-~~~~Th"o~,~ifat~- -:i~~

England, or at le~~,Vsomewhere cur~ent within the., Br,i"bsh
· pale. ·. · .•
·· · ·
· .. , ., » : ·
'_;_,, ." ..
Obs. ..The oi1ly material difference ·between them, is, that ' tl;e o~e is'

" anarro\v ·bircle: 4 Bui ,in icomposiitg pie~es ' .wH1mi 1~01,iie .• under'_t~i~_;Jast .. ~~;- !
·~;~~::i~!~~~~~.~;ik~~~.~\~~~~6f~~;~r1~J~fl.~i~1
~:- )M
.a -~~~k~~~~*!~~:~J

more.1.1sual1J. 1the error · '. of the learned, · the other '._of the 'unlearned.
But if;)~ this · view; the f<irmer is entitled to greater indulgence; from
respect ' paid to learning:; . in another light,' it is entitled to less; from
its being more.~c<immonly the result of affectation .' ,, !•. . : , . . '
Coral .. Thus;!i'ivo essentl11l quiilities of usage; . in· regard tcNanguagc,
have been ~~ttl.ed, tha~: i~1,~e-1!,otl~ reputable and . national., ~ ·-. · -~:>

an(f i~l~ill~~L?b,~~1~~1;;wJii~~vE~g~e.~14l~~~~a~'Y~h mr~:~i~~r.§, ~~;>;.
· for,a lon,iter. pei:ii:>.~th<ln ~h;},ft.§;w"li 1c!iztne age. qf'madteX:t1:~'1'~~:;,t~ .-;.~,,.-.~
t' Obi.\i i~'lft~;:-~x"Vr~§s1tih,'s'i, {e~iit~ ~~fon <\\l_w-dtfn~&e~tiG:f.'11ie~fi~ur.:_ ". :;·t
:P<?s~ty;j..~o iJ~u fb<\caus.eJ'liel'.'rs~~iti of>Rg'.,~ld:.it,6'ftlr~t. l'S''.a1fiilf'B~~f4~i1. tlie:.:.-;.....
.w~,rd ·pr¢&eii~ h!!-.s~~e§:c;.1{~~%.~~~~~.e1f!f..fts:~~f~9,(i!m~~~~i>.rj~:'.
~d,to ;<16~~.~.i~1 !11l;d 1~~re~p~~~9f.,t1we,''.t~pA9t.r.Q1'.!'fa~tur~iffo:,Jli~l)W~~\h(j~v·~~~"
lto ex1~t~!ite~:'•:W,hifnr t~~.~~,fPt«J.f;t~~:P~t~~~J!ref;1_it;!-t{t;tq$P.~r~,:1U.c_th1~J~;i ..;
. .P!J~o1i:J..efin.9t .if.ii1lt.ent;l_~~r~~. -~(.,, :~.~...
· ·'l'.olume,.,1t's pr.opet'.:,1conlr.~,y,,_} ~~
, 2; . Th~ug~ - we ha'v&~c,~n?~l_egge~~~~~~~g~&i~~~~l;P~ie~~h-~ - y-.
wn ~rm.of~, a~ .do. u?~l~,~i>Ay~J~;~.t~~t;1l>e,!fi~~ m~~
., ~~.· !P.e>:t!_l~.Lh,~1tt. an ;"\l·
. th()se tlu!lgs ·. to ' ~hJch J;fi~ ·w{>~d~fo'sli!flff,aq/IJ~~a'l!d~~~e-;!':PPl[ed, -~ 0- .~·
the_ former; \l.. hr.a~.es;._ar~~~~·a·~.:&fg~co~~M1
.>'~~
• ••.s~JJ.@.~v.~~nd _., ~! ~·
le,v!tY, b~~,.r1\clir. tb:e!l!~Ji{!i,tr~ ·air'&!!c!.f~~s.1g'J1~'
rl~-,,1.J,/JU~ul : ·'·

.q.

86: · PRESENT .usE"is' that.which falls within the knowledge
·, or · ~einem~ra~c~ ~f men_now !iving, and which, in fact, reg·
ulates
our
, style.'
~1'(4.rt.
76.) :·-.'.<·. · . ·' .. . : .' · ... · .. ·• ·
··
.
..
' .W.'
.,[ . ...... ,

Illus: J.. If present· ~~~· is to be' i'enou-oced for ancient, . it will be necessa'rf~to:· determine .at !what ·precise period . o.f anti<\uity' we are ' to
..
ob.tain .~our _ruJes ·of..llt nguage. , But. one might . be inclined ~- remove
~; · the' stan~arcl !tCl_'.~.the' ~li~~~nce of_ !'- ceutury ,.an~ a half, while . anothe_r
· mny,- with as good reas~n, 1ix 1t three ceu~unes backwards, and ~n­
other six._ ·· Now as ·· the language of any one of these periods, if
judged by'. the use of any other, would, no doubt; be found entirely
barbarous·;' .either the pruent use must be the standard of the pre.sent
. language, or the-language does not admit of any standard ; but ·experience proves; that . criti~s have not the power. of reviving at pleasure
til<l fashioned termsdn~~ctions,. and,combinations, ancl of making St1ch
alterations on wqrds, " lif, will bring ihem nearer to what they: suppose
to be the 'etymon ( and hence' we infer, that .there is no other:dictator
here but use. " Nor will ,it'ev.er-1.>e the arbitrary. r.ules o.(any :1nuin, o'r
oody of men ·whatever, ~that wi!I ascertain the lnnguage ; yet ,wonh
•/
are by no means to b_e accounted the worse for being old, if they are
__ not obsolete ; . neilher is'.! any.'\vord the better for 'being new. On the
· cqntrary, ' the soverelg'!1 dominion of custow over language, e'1inces,
, ·.;\} that ·s ome time is absolutely · neces~ary to t.:onstitute that custom·ot use,
\ "'-,on;'w hich· the establishment of words depends. Yet it is certain, that
wh.en:ove are in search_ o~ prece<!ents for any 'yord or idiom; there.are '
certam moum:-.3, over which we ..c~nnot leap with safety. _The authority of Hooker or of· Raleigh, how gi'ei\t soever their fame be, will not
·DOW be admitted in support of a term Or,. expression, not to be fount\
,
in any good writer of a later date.
. ,
.
" " ·~ 2.- But the boundarymust not be fixed at the sa!'Jle date in every
species of ..~omposition. · Poetry, which hath' ever been allowed a
witler . ral1g~ 1 tha11 prose, ~njoys, in this respect, a singular indulgence,
to compensate for the peculiar restraints which she is laid under by
tiic ..111cnsnre·,: ,. And · this indulg·ence is fraught with a two-fold advantag·e ; co1wcn icri i·c to the poet; and gratification to the .reader. Diversitf.ii1; the style- relie.-cs th!'.' enr, which hath little delight from
sameness 'of mett·e. But still there arc limits to this diversity. The
nuthority' of· Milton and :Wallet 1·emai11s unqi1estion e<I ; and our best
- •i...; nresent day rarel.f venture to introduce words or p hrnscs ,
· · -,,11ld be produced, since the ~imes_ of Spencer or

f9

.

so. Jllus;J:.Rthe,,~wrlting~or~·«~t>llt11 i\lii~
''"' fi i!ilfebt1; . . -:ITT!fjlr.~
•• , ·r.li~s.
}
- ' ~~
'' t''.•b\'<'•l
.'.'!.~·~~
· ,!!:jlT.Xs.
~fl,,!l~;M,.:.;
l''.'m<~~
'·"'-~""'
· ;. f~·
• " ·•rwe.
. ~av~
~ 11li1"
; 1:1en ~
·~-..~ f':l} ~• r.~.
~:;J;;i
~~ ~, . . , ._,.,,,
1.,;_, ,,,.,
;. ·1. "thaht~e4d _ :, : ta.tit r.e,e_fu""o ', angua "~ .-,
. ,
1..-; _ !'~.~;_,... , ..,,

;. ~,..

"ame for every kind of
...~ .. of which,

~ H .~:·~·tlafhe~esse'i\tf~1;i;i1 i~Wei~il.~e~~,P!ittr.P,Ur,~iO 'Ii . _f11r.es.eiit;11~:''-:·.
, H}>Tti"at~ghtlMtl
. b1 c . 1dt"nftl'f!~linni~it11~~r ·• ttnli'lhbugb ,. :;~/

·

. iil._~~,o.l~'c\~!filiir~1~ ; .tr~; .. - · tt~~~~fff.t~~tjffip~~~ftfo~~e!;pf~p1e: ~: :~j
th~.· d1_.~J~t~J_.:~~ll,f 1 •~V:Vft. ·"'- .. . ~rit.~~}.l~~?11_1m~_1_1,?.s1~tJll~~ ·~~".e_i"eJgn, ~·;;;~~:

they ·.~~e-illi>!:.~Q i'Often,'.~~~cl!li~tu~·~iicltatfemW.~ i;:s~to~en,col'!rage· Jh~ ,..· _':!
.frequent. reP.etili'~hillifi\if!!~~~\~- ~ h':t/~:::~i$'~.f:'!~. . .,~\~~-~;-;~:_;;. ...;:1,"·
·w:; T1}~j~{~:afJi{i]~tf.~VJ.~ilt1f'J1~~;~~t1.is~J('PP. ~i.e'fi.!~~e~r. t?D
..: gue
whatever "' 1t 1s foundeCl· 1~ o ~ ustolh ""~':"'~r.~.;;J<l,\·-:.· •~";,, .(11 : ,_,_. ' ... · . "
1
._" ·...::,·.t.!~ ·;"'~~~~-~' . ' .~_.r--~~:"'Wri~if;;;,:~..;;.~~'i).-.r. ,~.-.;. ~. ;'-:': \ :<\
...·:·.~"t·-~ •• ·:,-~;.~ .\,~· 1 :U:.$ ~ ,:tl: ,\1tme arJ>1trarr.. ~'1-!'!f. ~!'1~},'\ ~:..!~ ~t"f....:n.;(i". ·'4-~"",/ ;.<\."{ ••.•• ' ,\ _,,,4'.
, · "' , ' Words and .the forlIU'·oflanguage, mmt obey.1' ' ~*"'k .y!ia:'. ~~ .., ,'"'!'· ~·:
.
·.·. · -:' ' . , y'.. :-·~·. :::; ·t;!.~ . -. .K....'~": . !\.~ _" ..,'·,F.fl1..\~A · :...·, .;:~"'('Q--~~"?"~ ..:t:f.·:.-~ ...~~"•f..: . . .. :;; J ' -.~.._
· And, V> Tha_t i.t : i~:·r\_ot~b.Y.i i\ncient;",out ·J?f.pr~sent use; tha~ the sty~ .; -.:c,
- " every. Ianguage
- ' musi
'· · . /. IJ e·
~
. ·1ate
· d ""'-.'-~,;;;,,
'. ' .."/·'.;"'"·~~
• ~ " .,-:""·""·•·. _,.,,_,,.,,_..;
·
·.•:.--~
. • 1;,,1),'.":
' · ,,,
.._.
regu
-~, ~:-~"- _:~ :?l:?~ ~~.~-'"~:~~:~~.f~.:~:~?~~~f;,:1~~f.~·~~~~:~~~~~i.~:J ?!~f<:~; ..~~~·~-,~~~~~~::. - .

!

f:

.1 1i

..

•. f,. ,-t . ~<~·.··

,.

f.';.

.
i .-:.:~·>. ~ 1;~r -..~\~·),;J: ~;,-~;J~~;~ :\·~f-.:\~;f~;; i~~~;:.~":_;~;;~~~~;~~~
·;>1,.j,.t; . . . :..-'111•1 .,.1'1-t::J •..
-;1 ·:;.~\" ~.;/(.i'- :,::.~ :.: ·¥,~~; i-i·c1iA.i>TER· III.~~i,:~~.f~~':;. ~,,_;,.: : , :..,
-41~·, t--~.~ . -.t. "~ · ..1.-."' W,,,-i,J.v, ~r-~':~oj._~(·:f. •". ,l-J'•·r-Ll
\f-S; "':<l~'"ii'f.· ·.,r.

. J~-· ~·)~ ·.t -,. ... "-~• •

c:.-

.)

..

~;>-.- .·'!.h.

:.

·it1r ~'"" re1:~~~~·. ··?'-.~-·t)a".'.' · .._ ~_::J~1.:~;:

, :.:,_ ;.:·;\:t\.~:.[;~;,~;<,}t}b,;;~;;~~;/,zt~~~t~·'.~~:.~~~;y-5~~:<t~.~~,

~

. THE ~ NAJ'U.l \E ',~JtP~v~s_~-~·2~;!;". ".f.:~Pl~.L-.i,~!l-~~!~-~-~· ~'F!lffff5·)~~

'. ''' PRINCIPAL'. RULE§tp.1.t~o~9~s.:·n,Y.,WHfc~.iJ,IN~U,.t.:~.Y.'R-;:p~: ,!)~:'

·: ~ :;,~.~,~f;q_r:-:,~.J~~~8-~~,~ t.t?;p~~·',~!:~. ~.~~A~~~;;';-1'it~\~~1;~~5'}~~:;<.:~~f;
1

t '

J

{

·•· ~

.''·/!ft.~~- .:;._ .. :· . ,~=~>··t·?"~~~'t~''~·t1':: ~~\·· ;,,.~(!.i;; •.'.'d<:Jv .c.-·· ,r\,.!""~'·\:;.:' .r..~.~.
. ··; \:;- .'!It'~ w~_tu~~~nJ!Jf!}~F'of,ff,i!,qa~~GJJ~sm:.::· ' ,· J~5.5.~.(:.~~

1 ·.· ,~ \

/

\

~~~~:i~£fn~~;i:~~~~~E~;i~t1~~\j~~~~t!:f
t~~!:~~~~~~l\~i:~:P~:!·
...
6
-· 'l 86 ) .
.. .,. . .. " .. ,..
use•.. · .11.rt.7. , 77.(liu .

•

· ·~
~
·
~

"·~

J.., ,- . 'i" -(·.
. ... ,,
·.F' .,_:·:· _-,.,,..,,;:-,.
.,,,,.(\-,r :ir~i-1,
~

L
::";~~f
(·;;;.:· :;· : .:' ·. i--~· \·'<"
'~ )'~:~ ·)?:~'" '~i"'~·,,x;;~.;!h~f<il.!'-~i.jff)~~~
.··~
iJ>'/.t~.1( .\;~1"
,-....,_t".• .'~·~'l>t ">',... ·....:.f~.:,d . . ..... ,...... ..... '"-t~·'".•"'--.._', ~
~-~t".. . .
.

..

.•'

.- l<,.

1

.$.-,.~

. •.

•

-.".,..

.

..,,....
"

:

. ....... ,.. • •

.. ..."'11..... '."
;:,,,.;l'':\'. .
~-1':...(-C. '·~-·;,._

' . .... """ •. ,... •. ~ >-.~%:'·'"··,,...-'

•

"' 'f., '· ..i·~;f ~.~:. •. ~·Phil. ofRhet.'1 To). i. book ii..chap. t;" . .' ~\:J;>,i~'.f~~,;,~.).•'.;,'.-° -

de.

-i~j!~{~1.-~t :,~;/, ~: i~::t::·~~~i~~i1:~~;~'.l· Y~;d8l~~jffiif~tif}:,:~~: :"ii:;~
\!!1 .: •f;J'>'~"'"'·~~~.'•-' 'tt' ~'i'"'k''~'I. ~ ., .

·•

''•~oj..

p;t_,-,. . . .., \Jl!.- '~'

l L·_<i.~ · : ~_· . . .Ttie .N~ture and·Use of f!er~r;,Z Criticism,..
.

.

""

. .

. -., ~

\

...

FT ... Olis. l; The essential.properties of use, as regarding language, ha-ve ' -;._

;t·..

beeh. considered and explained in the preceding chapter ; ~nd . in th~s , ·' : ..

:·•..•~ve ~urpose to . c<>t.abli~h certain ca11ot1s <~r rules, w.hei:el>y. th~ st':1de1!M.:.·. ~

,_;· m,ay; be :enabJeq tb. :~etect_ the ~a~l~cy pf t~at. fluent an:4 spec104~;·:·u~!i;,:;;;;-"
, superfic1l1-l 111ethod, of~v~ruaLcrat1c1~1n, \v.hach passes . current ~ for a qe- ;.~ ·. ··~.
libe.ra~~ exnminatlo~, into th~ principles ·o,n \vhich it,J:i~~~[U~~UE«':'. 1}~.~;. . "'·'.
· gemus of.our·Innguage, arc built. (IUus.' L :llrt: SG,, ....,,,~. .""· · ( " I' ··
2. Gi·\l;Qtiildr )a1id"criticism ;. though irt '. a diff~rent'sph~re;, are of' siini-r ,
. Jar be1~ethi~.ii·t lang~tage; )ha~ 1i: ~i1_ccinct ,_. pc~~~!cuous,_~_ !ild,Jaith(\11 di-.
ge?t '<~f1~~.a ~s.,;pf)~e ~l!lP•~'.t'.l~ Is to s~ca.ety 17111 .c?mp,.an~on of the. la\>.._·.
yrmths , ·.oJ.l!' ~lalutes; ,repol'.ts 1 ~ and . op11pons, w!Jach '. ~ia,ve , emanated,
. througJ:i lo'Tig)iui:ce~s.i~.n )>fi'lige~, ) rout legis)at!?r~;". c~un,sclJ~r.s nritl i
• jud,ges
lll;_p. '55 ~"',..,1 p ; ~ 1. ~~ -,.~i\ ., ."' :: -, : . ·"~:: <:- v'. . .-. · · ,,,. ,.. · ~ :
·' · ":?:3..
.'Pi!Il~a.;.iljlf~c(Hnpilcs-.1tli~ .1~ws1 ~IJ i<:h~ custorri gives to, bn- ·
.-J>; · - g11a
~-~!llil? · ·~¢.isfn.~~((b,~ hig~;f,be/~\J''\1~~ . pub~fo · ~a;ibu_nal pie
' :, ab,~-~
f'·•IUI)
~I OU~. fn.. e,~;'bl)~ ;f?;C1l~~at~S.~ !·h ~;. stµd f ._of··.9ur n:itive ,
/ :. ~on i
S:. it~r~("~~~(· .11to ,~~1!er.~,11.ti ~u1d. g1ves fit least' a greater
:'. ··••Stitba 'I
"'
rmaneii !ft <fo,:ct1sto1il;,:..' the!:mostJJi1Utabfe ' and cn:;.tfJ>ric~.otJ,
.· ~~~,r'e~)M'otiff~-~~'-~~ati~ib-gYe~~erY:tirtli~~,ised tern:1, .
· and i:W . . apilijft-t~acn~sl us•to~sur,p ~'a the;n; rtf!d to give gr.eate1· .
' precision / arr ' oh i!,<tli~riJly mqr~..petspicujty!·arid .beaut_Y. to .Qllr style~
(. (Obs. 1, a#J~r< .arti.\76.)~<-~i~"A · ~-r.~ 't::? ~·;:;~'i1~:~~\ ·r>'1;'\~~1\!.·>t :·~ : :' '.-". ''''"'''

a

1

/:'.: .ef3:'°~<¥q 5J:r}J~~tf~..,~ 1~11~1,.ra~ bfe.¥j.fi'i~s~~~y~~pai,t _1 {ei;e~tt~;~ : ·

~n~l ud~ ~eP.u. ~~~~·~:P~l<J~~·~.i;~n~~. Pf¢S~I\h }i~~· ~,I$ip.~!i~l ways·
. :7<un~form'.1.i:i. lfer·.~ec1s10Jls. '.'".··"~;~·t;.1-f:~.~ ~ ~\!N:.~. . ~·/·:.$! ;,rfe:':.":"r·, ,, , ,

..

.l :·:

:. I .

'. i\l:' ,'[zii~/' r:,~w~ra:El-vir.i~iii1.si . ~~~!¢ t~;,ih1,~~:~r1i'k1th'i!i~~\:~~~~b~·:r~~~ :'

1

\

,' tluced in support of two di erent , 7 thoi.tgh ·resembling modes of .ex- ,
,.:, pression, fodhe s~me thin.g;:t'1ere is°always :a '<lf~idecftis~/ aµJI lie. \vh~o
':·~ .conforms_. t~ ~i~her side,. cann?t!~~ said.'to speak b~rL1i~ci~s IJ:~ oi to op~ ·
..- pose tl\e usage of the language.;:. ( .Brt. 80. and Illus.) ·, ~i ·
..

'

.

(
·1

~;~: · ~g •. 'fhis'._nrvinEri'' u~E·:-h~th plac~ so~~ti.1n~s : i~· . single ,
~ words( sometimes ' in ' constructions, 'a nil soinet.imes in' ai - .

dngement. · In all ."such 1cascs/ there · is_:scope (or choice ';·~
. ..... hd it belongs,~.wit~out que~tio~'. ·:·fo the critical .art; to. lay .
.~:,;down the prrne1ples; .by wluch, ln all doubtful cases, our.
~:/·e~oic.e should be directed; ( .11.rt. 76. Coro!.) .
.
..

I<

t

:. .· ~ ·.'Illus. i. 'There "ar~,' indeed, som,e differences in single. words,: as isle, '·
- ~ ... .- for ·" i_s land," mount) for. -~ mountain," 'whio:;: h oug~t still to be ·retained . ; ,
" . They ·are a kind of synonomies, an<l afford a little vari.ety, with9ut oc·
I
' : casioriing any ii'1c'onvenience.1 : ' •
.. J ~ ·. 'J
: • : '. ':. \ : _
. . .
.
·~.
. '. " · 2;-: in' our arrangement too;. it certai111_.V ·I10llls; that -various· manners
,
:·
';: ~uit· various sty Jes; RS various sty !cs .suit various subjects, and varion~ '
I
( ,~· sorts of ccimpositio'ri. · For this reason, unless when 'some ob~curity, ·
• "• . ~ I
n~biguity 1 br. inelegance, is creqted, no di~position of words which hath .
btainer1 the'public approbation/ ought .to be altogether, 1·ejectcd .' .. ,. - ,
' .....,v. ,
:.c· ;_;'i.:{ In constrtidi!>n;·· the case is soinewhat·differeni. -, Purity, pcrspl- ··.'.
•\ r- · :
•·. ·<'.u\ty, a1~d e}egance'~generallf require, that in thi~ there be the , stricte~ ·1 ; ,
. ;.r •
.
1
·
, .." untforputy. Yet thiference~ · here · are not only allowable, but · cvf' .J ' l
i .·1 ,1.~l
~

::,,' ~,~i~:~:~'.~t1·'~wl!.e~.J~tt!i~J-~ ~·/~;.it~ ',c~i"rcsp~~de.n_t

:·~·:·
.! '

•

'

.::

.(

.. .. , . •

•

· '

.,

,

·~

•

'

· '.

'

•

•

,~ilfere~ce.s ~ i•1. tl'1·e /'.J:.
'

l

••

•

;·,;

i

•

.,
J.

'

\"
I

'

•

•

~

•

'

. yl ..

;<.'

;-:j;·:

~

l

• '·;~~~(..~ :..·: ..' . ~ . . tt~\} ~1.f..t~\-rr.17J·: '.f,J.· :' . wlj~ .·~~ ~-.t···r.
'.!-~ ,") '.: Z trr~ . c_~~"l.: ~· :r ~.·· :: ·•
·The Na~ure and Use of Perbal
J

. ....:{ frn : ·. ·

-~

-.•J~·

',-..,·

..

\.

•

•

"

~-1,

\'

\

Criticism.

••

~

•••

ir'... 11 ingenious·ness," though the former cannot be deduced, analogically,
:_ · from .ingenious; and had, besides, been pre-occi1pied, and consequent ...
, ·, Jy would be equivocal, being a regular derivative from" ~he t~ rlll' ingen.r
'.; :. · 'ious, if the : newer .. acceptation had not,· .before~ ripwr·.entirelyi.'.sup~
-'·'·
' I · t d th eo
· tiier.· ··' ' ' I · · r ' " ·.. "· . ",·: ·"'.. _,:- ,. .": ",.:-~~.t
J'
• F . • ·'
•
• •
•
· t'1 .L_.:
pane
1.tf.,.l;!r}\:.:.:.~1 · ~t i;.
1
-~.;:,·;
, !., ~·
-~ (
-~·· .~
. . ·~
. ·.
fo_,;.'··
J·u"'".:\.)•tl 'j~··~·~: ..

.. '

·

. \t ;·
)

l

·."· ,. · > 9.S._' }JA_N;ON TH.E 1;"0l_1.RTH: _J Il cas~S: wh.er,~ij{ none~ of\the
. fpregomg r.u~es g~v.e~. e1t~er .~1de a ~qundattun _ of. prf!fe._rence,
a rel:?ard _!o ·~1mph~1ty, n~· ~luch w~ m?luqe_;etym~\ogy,,,w,~.en
}'1amf~s t, .~u ght t? determrne our .choice. i, .·' :'. 1:, ) _;·<;;::.: ~ :.;:~.~ ;

. ' Obs. Under. the . iia1ne ·· simpliCity,· .we coinpreh~nd ·alsb . bre1!ily ;" ro~
' ·t\1at expression is ahvays··.the siwplest 1 which, whir·equal. purity .and
perspi<;uity ,' is thj.) briefest. ! 1i ·. ' · ·: :_, ·
·.
- .. . :.... '- · · _' · '.. ,~;.·
, Illus , -.We•have se:veral active verbs,· which are used in~liscriminately;
_::· •. / e!th,er~ \l'it~ o~ without a preposi.ti,on } as acfept 1' qr· a~c_ep~ ,' of; .b1;1'i: .t he
K: ,1 JIIJJ_,P,l!l;;fQ~i;n 1s ·preferable. , · f .. ".·•!"'·.... ~·. ,• ,,. :'::'·.;., \.• ~1_,. ,11;:.~'·' '.{.\:..'.:·~.· '·

·"

.. ·

~ ...

l { · ' · -LI'

\!' .. ,'. . )tj.-._

•.•;;,_

•

;,! .. '• .··

{r-

• -..9-·.,'

•'

·, .:·-:: ·

· '" '{"<·\

· J

.·

·.:~,! 1·, ·~1;:-i-9fJt,?~~1-¥:~)i'I,F'f~;~:.; ~n .t~~/ew:.c,,~e~\W·r~~e~n:; ne:1ther
.". · p_ei:sptcN_!ty:.p~ir. analogy~. n~1t.he~. ~ou!1d -:no_r,:.s11nphc1ty, , a~­
·'.; s1sts us ~Hi1ong · our chmce, it ts ·safe~t · to · prefl·r_ ·th~t. D\~n-:
.·~er, ·w.fo~~ is IIi,~St, conformable to ancient usage. \·:·:,' •:' '.';. '. ~:; . .

\'

I

·~:'< . . ·. f!bs ;· Thi.s .~ulejs, f~.unrled '. o~ a :.;.ery plain nja~i~-~~~t. in lan~~1age,
.,>;i, ,..' !\S -lll iiev,era~ ,?tl~e~ . }-h!ng~ 1.. chimg~ 1 1tse~f;, ~nl~s when .1•1t 1s .dearly ad-

,_.~:;.
· vantageous, . is. 1nehg1bl~~.. ·. On this prmc1ple,. 11ome writers follow the
. ~~- · ~. a\lthori(f of Milton; . i.n preferring that ..u8age,·; which' 'disti_nguislies 1ie .
i:~
.• ,
..
ti
' t' ' Ii I ft{
(Ob s. C r:non•First_.).
·' ·
. ' ... '\-~- \·, ..-''., .· '
};~ , . as . ie ·no.111m)l 1Ye p 1 r~ o.. iou'. ~ ·
>;n:
:;;.· ._ Quotations ~rom -~hakesp~ar~, on. the .side of orthography; are not
• '> .~'.
· ~nch to. be mmderl, , J:>eca.u se h1s; _e~1tors have ·shamefully abused . his
J ~·· / ·ancient orthography: :-.,··. .. j.'';· . / ' . .;''. .... · · · .: · · •. ·~ ,
·

.:;·~· · ·· >95. E,very thing favoured by good use, is· not ~n. that. ac~ .

'

', I

\

~·:.; . cop_rit) v,9 rthy f? ~e· retained'. though no term,: idiom,- or·ap~>.·· Jl,hcahon;: that!~. totally ~n~upp~i:tt:d by her, .can bl'., a.<l~.mt- .
.'4< ',,..,_·:. l·n•~'" '·""'tf· ·,• ··'
,; ·~ ~ . ··· ,.,., . -_
•'{.:"':ted
.r..e::'j' ·;. to- ;·!:le good."""
.•.
•
,
•• (" ., : \ ..
i , ... ; •

.

• .

:

. • .'··."

•.

·,~- .~
Obs. This position is,.n~ce.s~ary;ir\ of der to' e~tnblish rules for ascer- "
.~" - · faining _both the extent . of' the authority claimeil "liy custom . and the

;;' " 1;ightf~~~ p~progatives of ~ritici.sm.· _J',. ·1 '_
'. ' · ' • '.
' " · •·
1
.. ., , , Illus . .L ';J.'hqugh notlmlg can be goo.d m language from which. use ·
JJ,,-0;,::. .. : w_ith~'?ld,s lier; approb~tion, ,there ,' ~ay he. many things . to · whic~ .' she
!:~'~>-:. g1re~ .1t;" that ~r~ · not m all res1Jec.ts good, or su~h. 11s , ai'e wor.thy·to be
·;f, . ret~med and . m:u~~t~d. In s~me /~st~nces, custom may very proper.ly
. -, .. ,, .. !;>~checked by, ~r~ticism-.
, ·, .. , .. . ''· .,,...~ , .- 't ·;;. -; ._; .. '"::. ..
•t::-' · 2.'/~~e.latt11r enj<!ys a sort of negative, t)lough .no~ 11 ..censorinn pow·
·:. · er of 1.nstan.t d.egi·ad_!ltio,ri. Sh.e ha~h the privilege, '?f ·i·emo_nst~ating, ,
1 . '.;_ :ind, ~Y, means. of ~his, when u~11d discreetly, . of .brmging wljat 'is bad
_ '. ..1~to ~1srepute,_ and· ~? ca~celling !t. gradually : , but s/1e .hath no positiv1..• !
•
(- ... .nght to establish any tlnng,
.
>
'
•
1
~fr
.3 .. Her pow.er too is like. that of eloquence; . she operates on us p~re.
·~.-. ly Qy persuasion, •.depending for success on the solidity,.. or at .least ,
~''.· the speciousness ·of her ·ai·gumcnts; \vhereas custom hath' 'a n unac~' ,;
\::... . Ctmntable 'and I irresistit,Je influence over us-an iniluenc'e which is .

1

.'

};::~

t

• I

·.·•

•

•

_

1

! ~ · ..

~

!

,

~ "

•

~

. ,.. (:

•

·., .·. '...
~'l··~

'

'

~ .,,..:

,1·

.'f'he .Natu_re and. Use of Verbal Criticis11z:;

! .•. j

.::<>.> .Deftnitio~~;: w e call a ·w~rd or phr~se,'absolulely necessar};' wh~nr :fo

(.

'., ..... : . the event of n dismission; we have none synonymolis.to supply its place,
fi; _... _o~~i~: 8.11. .r.. lYt~Y. to, c~nvey_ · pr,~p~r~Yi th~. _s~F.~~·A~e~~ ~~fi,94it t'~fe~a!f!
1
· c1rcumocu10n.
·. ,
-·
-·
"" ,· ···"· .
, .
, : ·Obs. There are, however, criteria, "bf which wi:dm~j''d_iscriniinatc
1
'
the .objectionable words from-all othe.1's . •~· ·\ .,.: <: :h>-iifj ?''~ ) )~ .. ...;\· 11.'

?:f

·\; ... ~ gs / · Criterfon jfrst. · A t~rin· t~inpose,d o.f:'\vordir'ii.lready
:,. ;,_·' .. · coinpi>\m<lei.l,. of whi~I~
s~y~ral pads' are' n~t:; easilyf~!id

t!ie

-/~:- ~· th~r~fore ·not closely umted, LS always heavy

am( <lrawhng,
and :withal so '.ill cµmpact~d, that it has not more, vivacity
tl~_r. '. a' peripl~i'~sis, to ~o~npens~te for th,e _d efect of .hai·mouy.

·~-:· -.

· '·
"

, ·.· ._ Exaniple. '. Such are the. words bare-faced·ness, slui:me-faced;ness~ .un- .
· ~~cc~ss;f~l-nu~, dis:i1~terest-ed-ness, wrong-fieadec!-·ness. ~ ~ , .' · ·~ · ,:,'. J.' ;o ·

:',; 9Q;' ~C1:iferion 's·ecbrid. I:· When '" a :w'orcl ii ·so:· f~,:~ecl ·and
ac,ce11t~d,'·as.1 t0 'i·e'n.d~i:' it /ofdiffi~~l ~ u tt~rance';to the speaker.
, an~ ~o,nsequently disagreeable n1 sound to .the, hear~r,. it
)Day be Judged .\forthy of. the fate prescrilJec.F by)he . canon.

' •

( '•Jlrt97)
: • • • '>'.

·

.

'll,; • '. ••r~ : ···t

· . . Illus. ~This'. hAppe!1~ i11.

""

·• ·· ·:

•1, •

., .•

·: ., ·· ;.. ~"

·.,

,· _1

'·

'
;·

.. .,,,,,. ,.,,: .

I I

•

.1 l

.t

.

'

cases; first, when'.. th~ :.~yllables ,whic\l
immediately
.follow
the accen.ted syll!!ble; nre •so cro,vded with conso,
. '
•
·t,.
•
1iants; · as .of necessity._to. retard the pronun~_iation ; ··.~~ que.'sJio~iless,
, reme' mbrancer ;-s_e condly, \when. too ma9y "syllable.s follow·, the ,ac, ceh.tea syllalile,· n si,qiilar~ di~s&~ a~ce is' foimd ·;: as;,Pti'. nidrUy, per' e!1iP..~ ·~· . ~orilY_ / ·\~ i~'· / :'·. r _i . ~.-~ . .t : .~
~l; ' ~ • -~~~~~ :· :--: ...r~'
-~· '~~ l;r··.r:..
:t~",
100_. ·Criterion·third.' 1""'Vhen a short 01' unaccented syl·:.»:
lable I!! repeated, or followed bpai10ther short '. or ·unacceht'"
I

· ..
<-

o

•

t~p
I

•

•

,

J

•

1:. · :

i · ·;· ·

.~;:,,' . .cc! · sylla_ble._v~9· ~uch r~sembling -it, .. th~ "pro,n~n.~iati~h

t

par:.

·h-:1,,
_..:, fo.kes
•.t he appearance
ofsta1nnwrrng.: .. ·.·:.'.: ,.-".. _ ·.'.•' '!.: ...
;:.~ ~:.
'
• !. <~J','~· ~ · ·
"'.' ~ '"·'I ' .'~
:·~it.'
~
. ~
I,

)

,

1

I'

'

·,

l· ,'.-.

t"""l"·' ... '

f

· ~.f :: · . Example .. ).'his .happens w.hen .. ',Ve. 'arid the a<lverbin 1. termination t«>
1
r "'{.:.'-" ~yards endii1g in Ly; as ho 1li'.ly ; ,P( ":l.tr-n (he· participial. termination
}.;~:
ti1g, ls .R.d~ed \q.. ~ rioun, e1Jdi11g i~ .er;: as, fa.' rrieri1ip;, ·SO '. [~·ierfog.'· ,;-' ;,
~'t:\ . . Scholt'!J.171''. Bes1qe the cases which .c~me under the foregoing crite·itiP/ · r1011, :"'.~. k!Jf?W of n.o ne tl,at, ought to dispose us to the total disuse of 1
>~-1~;, .' words rea.lly. signlficf\nt. · A Ilttle harshness by the coil.is ion ofi conso- ·
!~: . _11an_ts ; :~,hu; h 1 ~everthcless, our organs find n~ difficuhy in. artic,ulatir,ig,
· and ·wl11ch 'do not suggest to the hearer the chsagreeable '1dea either of·
• precip,it~ti9n. or•of. stammering, is by no means a. suffident-. reasorl for '
the..suppr,essipri ...o.,(.. an .usefol 1term,fi .lt ,does no~· do~ell to introduce·
~nrd_.~nd.,st.rong ~~l~!1ds to~ frequertlY.
; b~t whep they ii.re 'used spar- .
-_ 10gly nn~. p'r opetly, .they· have1even a good effect. l Varict.¥ Of sound is .
,...~ . ·. , advantageous to a language ; a11d it is convenient that we 'should have
some sounds thiit ,-~nre.,.i:ough nnd masculi_ne, · as well .. as some·that 'a1·e)
.. liquid and feminine;~ "
'"
" "
'
' · " · · ... :.; .... ,.. , , ~.
. ·;,. ._.;/. ·:·:,.:-~_ . . ::t,". · t.::~ .. / · 1~·:, ... . ;.~·'.;J~~ ·.·· ( .. ·/~;::'··.. ", • . ~~ ~:~.
\ " ! 71'09e ~gunge~ f "'.bich Qr~ Q~)o'l\'.ro to ~ ,the ''!lost: SU5Ceptib)e of DU .the grDCcS ·
ef har1nony, . haTe admitted rnari$· ill sou 11ding words : such are in Greek ' 7 :7r AotrX~ '
11(1'1 &ctt .- f-''" 1,«n~11v~1; .sucfi nrt' also In Llltin .•pbsi.vsi111111 percrebresccbantqlie i amt l
in Italian, tnc1·,cic~hi11r~, •/reglatri«. The fir•t ' Grc11k 'vonl blues worse tlmn ·any

.\

·

-.

)

'!'he Natw·e.and Use .o f Verba} .Criticism.
:.

~

.

of ,l~nguage, are s~sceptible either of a <litferent sense, or ol'
no sens,e, ought to.be dis~arde1l altogether.:;·_ ·,'< .· .'-"
-~;:f ttµ,s . · We shall ·c\istinguish this phraseology by the ·:epithet idiom~li·

cal; ·and .since it is th«; offspring partly of ignl)ran~e,.,._,and .; p,ai:t1y1 of
·affectation, 'it divi1les itself into sernral exampl~s., " •.;.:,
...
· .. ,
-~' ' First ; thfinvfiic h inchld'.e s
soi e'd sm; is th ~ plira;e;· ") had rather
'do._ such a thing/I for; -;" I would t'ather do 'it :"" This e'xpressi6rl '~'is irregula1·, ' because the ~uxil/ary had joined to the · infinitive' active do;"' is
a gross '"'iolation .of the rules of conjugation; and it. is unnecessary,
liecallse"\\•e' cnn .. s~tpply its place ' by
phrnse purely English.- Good
use camiot therefore protect ·it from IJeing bra!ld.e d \\;i!h the, nam_e . of

a

a

a··bh1n<ler:. i:--~·h=,•:':t~t-'

.·

:~

;.·;· ··';-, ' ',_- · .. : ...·..

· . ·~ ·

.

;

.

,,··,,.:··.: -···.~

": Sr.coiidly. • Phras·e s; which, when explained grammatically, lead to a
different sense from what I ihe words iti conjugation. commonly IJear ;
ns; "" hid'ings rt 1good 'soni/' ·ror" he sings well.'.'. ·A good song_may
bc'!ll ~ung; and the1·efore the plain ti~eaning '?fthe words, as they staml
conrtected / is very diJfercnh' .'So also, " he plaf( il good fiddle;" . for
u:he 'plays - ~clrl)ri the firldl,e~";in\'.olyes a ~olecism. ", '. .. · '. · . .'
.
· .il fourth improp~iety isj a ri1ier's emptying itself. But to empty, is
" to exhat1st," or"' to evacuate." · Now passing the word rii•er{ as a
metonyniy for channel, _is this' ever " evacuated or exhaust.c u?'.: "when
it is, it :ceases .t,o, b~'. a. <;:han~1el 1 'and 'b.~co mes a hollow or valley. ·A riv. crfalls 'inJo 'the:'_ ~ ea ,' ai1d ~· ship "falls c;lowli .t_h~ .river,'; as. tl~e ~10tion
fa 'ho othl',r than -a . fall dO\vrf a teal ; though gentle, <Jeclivily. ' ' ·.
.
: ' The fifth sort.ii.re 'those vile· btit' common phrases;. \vnich can scarcely
be . considt<red. as conveying any sens~ ; as, currying favour., dar1cing
af.lencla:tfe~·:': ....,:<-. '. /·~
·.i- ·,· . · ·. ·.- : ~:~!' ~ ....~ _":~ .... ·:
" Siitft', 'l'he idiomatical use ' that is sometimes made of certiiin verbs,
'I I
nmii €'r\r"'t li°f.ir " application 'repreliensible ·; · as, "he stands· tipon security;"' for:-'', he i,1sists ;' '.~ and lake .for :" understan~I..)':.11s, "".yoi;i .take
me,'.!. and . '.'- [ take · it ;"-and holY, , fo,r " ,co~tiu1;1i:; -; " ,as, " J1e. does .nol
/wfdl on gi h o11c· mind. " ' ,,
"
' · ' ._ -_,, ., ........... , ·· · '
Sevet~th. , The -"'.orst are_tlJ<?!le, in . which the . words, when construed;
are not ' sdsc~ptible.. of ·any fueaning ; as, " there ~".ere seven Indies in
the company; every one {Ji'ellier than another ·;•' '''.hich means, that
they were all :very pretty. ··-: 6ut on'e prettier, implies that there is an. other less pr~lly ~ Now where every one is pret(ier; there" can '_ IJe none
less, and conse_q ucntly none n,wre pretty.
·
'
·
· · Corol . Al!lbitiott81y to displ11y nonsensir ~ l phrn~es of this . so1·t, un·'
der the rldiculons notion of n familiar -and easy manner, is not to set
off~he riclies of I\ language; ·uut to, expose its .rags. As such · idiom~,
the1:cf<;>re,. t:rr~. a~ike against purity, simplicity, perspicuity, · nnd elegance, tl,1ey ·ar~)~il_titlcd, .~o ~ no quarter from those who rnayAeem the
foi·cioii!g canol\~ of'any weight in .the art. of co111position . . .'
.
Scholiu.n1 !>.'.The fii'si fiTe ofthese canons are intended · to suggest the ·
principles by which our choice ought to be directed in cases wherein
use· itself is w~ve,ring; . and . the . foul' Inst, to point out those fort her
'
improv:ements of1.construction, which verbal criticism, withont exce~d­
ing_her legal · po,w ers, ,may assist· in- producing. .there is a danger,
,/" .
lio~·ever, lest ~ur in'i provernents this ' way be ·c arried loo fa1·; ,and
oµr mother tongue, by ~ein ~ too much impaired, be impoverished, and '
· so more injured in copiousness and nerves, than all ot1r refinenn~ nt .will. eyer be able to .comjleqsnte., For thi's reason there 011ght 7 in sup-. -; !
:-"'. , · ·

: , :..

1

'"

..

.~

i

. ·.: ;',..

1<" ... . -

.......... :, ~ · 't '! ·-··

."

./

,.,~ ~~;-{;"

·,

.

':~. ·68 ·.. .
!•

1- • • :

•

~

" ...

.t_ .'

•

,; !-:; Gramn'iatiwl,.fw;i_ly._,., ,_ . -.

c.
f

',

• , ,,. •

•

•

'

.

.

.

..: . .

'( I~ ~~~ :~·~ c«se it ~xpress.e~ their,
.esteef?i
f9.r ;il,lf,. a~~. j1~. ~h~,o!Ifer.
,nlfl.
~',t-..:,..•!I'~ _.:,?4~· . ,·.
'1_: ~~~)""/J.{ )f_~'~.,:.. .•·

·;.

,' , ,..

t ,/ 1 ,

•

•'·'',

.;

, f ......

,.: ; "'" :, ,.

•,l"li'. r".,,,j

... , -.. .-.. . ; · "'" ·. ,r•-.·1'"''j~- ~ ·'I'?''"" 71.-' ,.... ,;..'/!,....it'•'~·
:'-' <'.::. 9'grol•:"Jh'e ~econ~ c.anon (/lr1. 9 l :), \~hl~.h ,t~a~;/-~ ~ ..~~s.t?.-..P~eft}t:~IJ ~. ~~~:;
·:• _m·o st'. agreeaple to analogy, )ea!ls .ns;to ~l$_CJ<\,e,..,~h,~-~j/,tqJt~IS I), 8,';t)~~~t ~Oll r.'. _.
·) . _._ ·:. 4 ·:·· ·'l'he
's up'erlative '· ·. follow.ed by '. the
..sing·.4lar-"m
\mber,
18 ·· ~n , ei:.ror»
'?• ·
_
.
...
1 1 .1 1 . ~,t~
(:: ~f
:•1.: ,' 'l\·bicji •·~ inay ;be
- cori;ecte<.\
lby, subi;tilu!ing
th ~"f.Oll!f!ill'Jl.
.hV~·._! n f O,!JID ·,'!,.
..). .. '
•
•'t " • , ,
>"·.,· \ • ·. 1. . .. ·,, . '
i • f. • . r ..
·~~,:·-- .lo~J>(cr, ~~ 4I · .: bo, . ,
~ : ~~ee11tf~1;-then.t : n1'< <

"T '• '.-1

\

l

t.

...

,~\ :.-th~;tr;~:st~::i~;~-~~:~n:~·i:~~ ~~~;~'~· ~t~~~;~ ,~~~;~ '•~"~t i;b''~;'"ari-~ 1; r~~~~3.~;
.·.».:·:- with lheir ~ante~eden~S ._,.~:~ >·~ :;::::v·· ·~· .· ~f .- ; ~~:~ ·· -,· ;~.~~-} ~ :;v;~ ::~~~~· ·:.1 ,:_~~~~ :-t~~-;.t~.~-~
i•.

; ' IV ~ Mistakes in the -tenses of.th~ verbs suggest many rules., .
.:
:-,;c_ . • .. Rule:·· I : \Vhe11 in' two connected c lauses the first verb_is in the pre•Sent or 'the future, the· SeCOll\l~-Which. i~ dcp.ellUet,l t' On . it! ClllJil()t be iit
·~~_'/. t1iepasL~;·~vi:-~:f~·'i~'"'~"':-;~c~~-fJ:..ff)l-;\ . .l'l:.M.l.\:. :·;~ .. . ~_ ; : :~~ . :
-~.
•
.
1
~i·.t - '' i" 2 . On!the
:contrar_y
,·when
the .jjrst -Yerb . is in ~lie
pret~~ rite'·~.~the
·..
.
. . . !· ·· .'. - . -·: .r:: -. ,, . r
.. .! .. ;•:· ·~ ;.;'
.,
<:·se-·~
' ,

I

· cond ought to .b e .so too ._..,;-.,., .-·.:,c_,·-1. . .;. . " ·' :; ,, ..,,_,. , " '" ._ · . ·
7, ".' a:' Wihen .th~ first v1frb-is· i~ ·the pret~rperfed,J. the s_ec_on~; ~1,ay.he . iu
~$\ · tlie •;.tf~l~fi riiPerf~c ...~if~' :_f·l1J~,._":f/\;·. ~·~ ~"1~\:-_,. 't~ ~~- -~ ~:~· ·r::-'-'i.j: ~ ~~~~~\ ~·~ · -~i..~_ '. :~ ·}, .
tfi\~~~pf.,~'s~!~l'~bsfriiti pr \l nfr:eh nl t_i;ut hs;'>:ac «pr_d itig (o· .t lie iilion~
.,- ... . of otir lang.uag¢,' tJi,c,presen ,,,tens~.pJ/he _yyru. ~pght \tl~vay~,to ~7 used ,
because the verb, 111 such cases, has 110 relation . to J 1me,.hut. .. serves
' nierelf '.a s a cppul:i .to the .~wo tenns oft~e prbRi>sl!ibn ." '.;:'" ..~:-~;.:. ·~·'\
5. When • spenkmg of n j:jast event w.h1ch occas1ons the .mentJon of
som~. gen.e~o.~ ·ti,uth,.,n~v~r h e the: s.a.n~e .tense. in, ~nun.cirttin_ g' ~~e~ gen~

.

(, '-:'4t

'l'

~-

'

· ~~~~~~~~1~,1:~~~~,;~~~~~:~!1~~~,.~ ~-~~'~:~~~. ~-t~lf~;~\1~~~:.~;~1v~~;~'.{~~ l'~·~t. ' 6: 1' 1le construtt iorl c:f'tw.o'vetb k both ·u nder the1 ~eginj~IJ 'P(tlw same
0

conjunc~i?~ ,if, ~eq.~i!re~. ~ot l( ~he ·:V~fbs to be:.-'~}_n.: tlie: su/J.f..unct#e ;1_n~od.

7. Nev.er omit Ill it sub ~equent part .of-a .· senten<;_e ,-_ tlie .. pa,r.t1c1pJe.
which 1tlitk~s pa1!t ·oithe con,ple:it ~ense, -fro_m
id ~ n~:Jha~ the Q.ci:ur•.
i·ence'of rt verb in former 1daus<f o(tl)P. sentei,ifo ~~l\ SUP.p_\y .tJ_1e def\!ct .
. s. Neye r.:.couple words tog~the~ ; '.a!ld · as~ig\1_ to- thein'- a ·eo~mo~i re. gi!lien~ ~iyh.,~1;\"'~u~~ :v!tl~~o~r·i~~\m!t'~,hit :tl1~y ,-~e~ ~~·~V~~'~d ,in tll.~ ~~~ne

att

a'

·, m~~l~t~~ · \\; ill it be. l!~ged . }.h at tl;e .four gosp~l~· ~r~
~ltl, ; r e~~~ ~l- .
der than tradit10n.t" · The' 1words tis old a11d older cannot have n:-common regimen ."" The . 6ne : r"quire~ to' be followed by the conju11ctio11 as,
the other by than. - . " ·, :: "· '· · .' ·: .' - " ,
' ... "
, V. The connexion between ·-the· pn'positian and th e notm or pro·
noun. govetned by it, iii so i11timat1>, that th e re cannot he a r c t'erencc to
the one wiihout the other · The 1\•orus lo which arc ri g htly cons trued wi1l1
.thepassive .par;ticiple, bu.t th e consH·ncti9 11 is which wi.t h the active verli.
. , VL The repetition of.'the1 relative, in all senteni:e.s,'.!nakcs the insertion of the pCrsoital ·pronoun necessary. ~ · .'
'· ... · · ·
-~
' · J!.l1ls. ;,Both .thes.e .i:uJes · are trans gTcssed_it!. the sente.r1cii, "fe-w 'talents to. :\vhiCh t· l)loSi_ ffil'll are:· not born;:or a .t le.ai;t· may 110/ a cquir e,"
'which'·'bught 'to'. run"tlius , «"'or:wh·i c/t'at_lea 'st '. tli c y il1ay ·not acquire/ ' ·:
Cotol:C A'pa.1:t·of a ~01uple1dense 'n1ean!;'.m.1,th_i.ng · witho11~ the rest of
the ten'se; ' ther.e fore ~he rest -of the tcnsc ; oui;hralwnys .to br. foun~l in
·: the Sctit-euce~ _"':/ ~. . .. ;>.-·: ~~-"- :'.:.: · ·
:~s~.
·~ .,j:"' .: ' : ·- -: :. ·
~.>·'· vu: Jn th J s'.Y.~ t~x ' :0(houns; e~p~e~s)iin~ ··whicii' ca'ri oniy be right ly"

'f

j •

l·

· ..-

l..

.-

.--.- .

..

· -.,_

'-.\

-· ... ·};:...,

~}'.,· :,~~~r~~:;~~~iJI~( '.'.~ r;~~~:;,~i:?'~f, sh~:!:~ .. ne~~~~:bt\ f}tl,~,out ~hci_~ ~>?~'.;:~: . ,.

_

't;: .·: '"i'itian.
• In ll!IJil:
the copula is the word ,\·hich ,unites the subject
.
.
:\.~

<>.'

•'

·"..

ds

t. Boliu\J. Phil,

E ss. IV. c.

~9.

n11d predic:tte

or n pro1>0.-

'

.
"
?.

-' ~
~-­

'.

;.

/~·

'•

•'

•
~.

.1

•
~ .

:

•

_ Gr~rrirn~ti~a,l.J!~r.ity,': . . '..

, : ..

:

.

\

~

.

~

J.' .

.,,

'

..; .

'

;"'.' . remember. !h~t I ever spoke· thrc~ sentences ~ogel/teri'u my whole ·Hfc( '"- .
.;···propriety 'teaches his rea.Oer to substitute succ~·ssive.ly· for -" together,~~
~'....: -· 'V. l.~' Everlit.sting for" eternity." · 'fl}e ·only p1;bi;>er schse •of the foi:~·
;~er· ~vord i~" ti~1e-_wi/Jtou( end; th e latter denote~ . !i1,,5J~,il!io";t b:~gin~.

r\' .

.l

1nng.

-:t:.~ .

.

. .

.::

, o . · ' . •· , vu :.'.(1jJp~rent, 'for ' i i

(:r:« an,iq ogy ,. ~e~1ii,i_1ig

~

. ,

.... . ...

ce·rt-airl,''

<i

·:..

•. '·"· · ~ ~:: .

"

...J

. .~.·~ ·

m~h.if~st," is ofte,n · equiv~cal. , By

if oppos e ~' !o:. ~eal ; 'visible ~o ~?m:eali:.,d_:..:. A_l)dhc? t:e>
to make·' npp!?ar," for to prove·,: to e1n11ce,. to ·sho1fJ, ts tin proper .
. ', · A ' sopliist ni·a'y''make .a thing I:appear to be what it " i~ not. i· but this Is
..·• · ~· e1'y c\iffereli ~J!,'oni showing 'vhat it is.,-.. · ·,
,f ·
. ·/ · :
'. , .also~ . "

>

~ '.·

~;i 14.J ·T ini:' 1.tiio"·r.i.sM; or 'the· etnployi1~g of an 'English w'o·1;d

, ,;" .-in: a. serlse whicl( it ' beai·s in .some provincial dialect,.: in lo."v

,. < and 'pa1~ial'U se;'' <ll'' \vhich;··perhaps ~ tlie cofrespohdlng 'vonl .
.~ -_:· bears-:ir( :some for¢ign ·tongue;·.- but .un.supported 'bY, geiieral ·
., ' :. ''Use;in'. o~r: own'Ja,nguage, · bel~Qgs · to the cla~~ of i)1_1prop1~ie­
',-._ 1ies rio,v-.• uhder. ccinsideratioli. '?{Art. ~· ro2.') ·.:'~;n~~ 1 "'~~·~:-; -~- -~ •
.·. . ~\

~ ~··" :~

.~ . .-

. ··, A / :~.-

~ "; ~'.'" 1 :,1·~ 1 '.

:·~ i ···

~1"'1. •J '1'•.•·•,t·~;

,':'-·" . !':'~'.

~

~

t: >lt

.. .

,.1

f. lmpra1:tii;able · (_or ,_" -,1 mpas.~able,'. ' ,W,/le!:J .llpphed ~o. roads,,1s .al) ap-.•

_;-_ " plica~\on . \vhicJ:i .suits the French,_bu~ not.~ the . ~11g\ish_i9ioin. -. . ~'': .. - ·, .
1
1
1
'
· U. ~-Decompo imd for ' analyse." "· To deermipound is-" to .coinp!>und ···
.::\. of. mater.ials. alreil9Y· compo.u n,d ed ;'; to .q.na.tyse -is to t resol ve . a com~ .
·<:!. · pound i,nfo its first ·principlesl'. 1 ':: :--<";.· ·l;. •• ~ " · \·"""' ' "~' ·I :. '' · · "·: ·, : ·.. ..:.. · ' JU.':·% airii;e for • «; h apperL~· :': we~arrii;e -at'a'place, pt_;'i m'hjortunes :
~:....:.· lt:app~~i· t~~ 'n_ian1 '"'·J.·~~. • ·. ~: .: · -:i:· -:~~ I"~, 9 -~~" ~,~.;-r,:,y \~:i.:; ~····.,~ . ·: ~\ ·1; ·" / ..~ '·/#;· ~. . ..,~ · l· -'
"i~~·/ · ~Y.. T~.h1,1ld. should _ne:ver .b'e. ~mn. lP,Y;~~ for/•~o !1_ se,' ~,; : norJ o·giv!!..in.fu ·
i~~ ';-." (o t ·" tQ." adOpt~ ,,, ·~~· ·_\r·~.;;- .~ ' ·fJ ·,.fl· ' -~·4'i'~:~ ,. ?."·= ·~ . ·.;." ,.'.~ ..' __ ~. :~-;,,,~:;::: . ·-:-' .~ ·1. ~,
1
,, :. ,.ofis.·:. q~!liti~.tef~:~tdnnisiiis/aii:d>
~Wis!risiJis, re~~_u: (1'o~~af1:~~\~iii ~~: ·.
··" ·pcd(\i;i try,·ai;id ignorance_. (Qb.s. .llrt,. So.) , · :-:-. ·f,..•,." ~ · '·:';.'~';1~r._. 1 : ~­
-.);' . y, ..'.l'?e :J_>µ;Ji: O_NA.~~ ;·;_.c,9u ~Jej;l ~wi~~ '. ~m,P,ig.!ti,lyp.is ,t.!ij!. ,~:ig11~~.t dcgr~e 7 of:· ·
.,: ·1~~omq!ical<-e'f pre,ssl?,n ;,_as, ~ · iI~e g:l!.neral :.r.eP? l1~1~~·~h~t :ft~;-~h~·uf~/1 <fv~:.•
1_. fqr,)f;t,iat he: said.".' . Wbat a~ma11 sat~;- lS: _q.ft t:!_~;; ve_
~·- -- -~.aHl ;J_
r y 9_i.~erpi.t,r
'· · lrqm_wba.t he 'sh!Jtt_~d have saul.; , hi,:nc~ . ~~~. P}.eor,~~.•I_lJ~f,J11~ ,'.1u.xthape,s 1" .
;; ' '. ,should h ~".:e;.:, C?llYey.s also hn . ai~1btg~lltJ. . .. , ~' :, I ,,._• , ,- · .· , "• r• ~·.
,-: · ·Obs._ These ~·e,mark.s _o_n . th~ .i diol1s171r, d.~ .no.t_ ex \~ ~<). t!!.satire and ,~ur~-i
· '. les7ue., (Obs. Jlrt .. 105.).. 11i wlnch a vulgar,, or even what .1s called. a .Caf!t \
:': ~. cxwe,ssi_o~, ";i.~) ',so~_etii_nes lie D?or~ eqip~ ati ~ al... ~h~ ~ 1 any. pt;op p~ .lp1'W'
as m ·.these Imes ot Pope .~- .. · .,
.
~,
, "l, ...
. f:·-: ·~.
, ·?'!•
... ...,, ~
· ,m¥:·.. -." ' whatever;
; :_~.;.· •· :·.
·,.
,.
•:,..::..

r-...

4

:. ·;..; .. .., ,

• .'

,
': h ='c~ -:- e· 'Vh~the.r the charmer._sinn e_r it. or s.ain~ ~ t; 1 '.'·~~ ·-; ; : {; ~ , _ ~\ ·-H( ~ ·"
,--,-,.., '.· .... . t; . If folly grows r~Fru~ t1c,, l u~~ st pamt,1t.. . .• 1 , < ,-.·'., •· ~· -·I" : ...,.-. , ;;-.-

1 . ,..; ,

41

·VL .The~ derivat_ives falsene~s,Jalsity, falseho.~d,.,f~·om Jh , r,.oot.f~l~e>.,,
are often : by. ~ni s ta~e . employed for one !lDother, though , ip; ~l!e}~es~ Jl.Se'1'
. i " the'y _a1",e ~vidently~ <li$liuguisbcd .
. : ..... ;~:-:",~•· ·, ~ .: ".',
Illus: 1: ,-,_.Falseness · is properly useq ;- in a; mor,a_l,_se ~se,'' for ., want 0£,
rf.-' "verapity, \i;tl!,<;l Jlppl.i~ c.1 onl,r to. per~ qn,:; ;, th(? c,>th17i: ,hy,o,.~ i·e,,applied~ only .
·~.>:· , to thin'g s. ~·-.~ 'r·:.' . · · ~ ~<
.1~.
·~.·
r.- i._;' :··. .
) •; '·.::: •.'i~ ~ ...~ . .. '. ·. ·1··'
.·, -.,., . 2 .. Falsity cien'otes. that _qua.li ty in the abs(r.a c_t, >vhich may be. defined.,
' l> contrariety: to(' truth~ · ii~ an en·o1· a'r:_ising- in a ·dem~ps~1:atiol1_ fr?m f!!ls<;: .
_cf, premises in the pi;pposition.. .- . ·· · :, \ .) , -' ~ ";~.';,,: ~ '!:.~:-~- ··~ · .. ,,,.,7..
. ;:;· _: 3 .. FalseTwod ·i~ an.' untrue assertion. :
,,_.-, ; ..... ·:·t· .~. "
. . .VIC Neglfgence·is improperly, used
"l1cglect. 1'- • The. fqrm1;r i,m,. ~
,.
· · ·
.l
,
· .,
;f.-,:; ";' pljes h a_bit; thP; _latter dcno~l'/> ?ct..
.
,· ·· " "
. ·"-:-- •.r
:>f ", ·?' VIII. Conscience:for, "con,seto?sness .~.'. 1 he form.ex 1 enotes, t_l~r:, (q"'7',,
'}-:·· ul.t,Yi.tbe IHtter a particular ~xertton, . ,
· · '' '

l:;i;

'

# ..

.1

• •

• :

for

"l;~·t/

.....

·~·:f1~; :.~~;-, ~-:'
:;!

..•,

. ,. ·~·

~ -~

j

°';

-

• • ~.;""Ir• " ·- ~-

)"'!' .•

~:-::·

: :.. ~ r .

~

.....

"

I::::

~--

I

,.

·;'>. ~~~.
...... .,r •

fJnpropriety i)iPhrases and Precil>'/,on•

;r,\·

·~ "

L*:t '. " h~ is solicitous to conceal it. You will discover this p enury, whP.i:I an
"':;1,.:': · ·:, · auth~r· is always recurdng to · such words· as custom hath appropria-·

'1r ." · .,

_ted .to purposes· different from those for. which we u se th em . ·

~~f,;

IN l'J-Ul~SES~ is ascer~ai.n~d; _when· th e
expression, on .berng grammatically analysed, 1s .l.hscovered
to contain some inconsistency: ". ' . . · ... -. ·"· ·:..
:

. 117.)MPil 0PR~BTY
0

:.''
'•

' Jllus.'-1'-" Such is the phrase of an oth ers , after th e sup erlati.V1\ deg rc c ,
'.which, whim interpreted by the rules of En glish . syntax, implies a
tiling different from itself ; as it " celebrates the Church -of England
ns the most perfect of all others."* Properl y , e ith er -" a ~ mor e pe rfect than any oth er ;' '--or, " as th e most perfect of all c hun;hcs."
· · 2 .' -Ori this~ principle, 'Milton fa\ls into an imvropriety' in th e&c
1
. · words : '
1
·
•
T

.

~ '~·

I '

'

-: · ,. ,.

' ("'·~;. ·

·

,-:~

'

- ',

'

:· .

J, ... -

·ii :

1 •

J'

1,

c-,.

·•

·Th"'' comeliest man of men 1incc bo1•11
'. ·,
liis so~1s. Tht; fairc_st of: ~ie1· da11g (1ters, ~ve.t .
..
•
.. · ..
..
I be Jovd1est pnu·
.That ever since in love's embraces met.t

•··

r'

,

J

'.

Acfa111,
• ·
',

. 3: The·' gen ~i-~I laws of th e language , whi ch con stitute th e m ost r.~1·
, ·: tensive and important use, may be plcade1i ag·ainst these expressiou~.
, Now it is -one principal m r thod -of puri_fylng a language, to lay as id~
-such' idioms as are inconsistent with its ra<li cal · principles and co nstituent 'rules ; "or as, when int e_rpreterl by such p rinc ipl es and rul es , exhibit mailifest 'nonsense. Nor does the leas t inco11venien te result from
this conduct; as ·we can be at' no. loss to find exp ress ion s -of our m ea ning altogether. as ·natural, and entirely uu exc eptionable. · - · ' " .
4. " Than. the rest of our n~ ighbours," is an impropriety which m ay
-Lie corrected by omitting· the.. \vords in Italics . · And when Swift, in' hi s
·' - ·rnyitge to Brobdignag, · says;"' I had , like to have ' go tten one or twl!l
'broken h eads. ;" one unavoidably a~ks, " h ow many ·1i eads he hat! 011
his body?" '' That" once or twice" he tiad like, to have got his he a1\
b~ok e 1i for his· impertin e nce, 6 ue can ea sil-y conceive .
,
5. on·e _thi n g ma_y be cut into two or more ; but it is· inconceil•able,
that by cutting, two or more things si1otild be mad e on e. . We cannot
th erefore speak · of shortening cliscom:se, " by" cutting pol y sylla bles
_into ~rne§.'.' . "
'
·
.
"
·-. c>. A wron.g, wilfi~Uy committed, is no mi stake. The \Vords use1l in
the followJng se nt ence, are ther e for e incompatible:-" I have not 'wilfl}.tl)/ committed the leas t mistak e ll-'"' , . '
"
·
7_. A pure limpid stream cannot also be foul with stains ; th ~ r e for e
the '(ollowing lines,
'
'r

{

I

.{

I

. · ;. ~ ; So the 'tmre /i111/1id st1·enm, when.foul .,,;itT1~tain.r,'
.. <;>f rushing torreuts nucl descemliug raius1,

:j~~oJ,,e

in \ iie11; an··~bsurdily, 1-'a ther than ii n improp~i~ty.
' 8 . Wh e n an author says one thing and means another, his fault may
ti • ,be c)assed with'· impropriety in phrases; or it may come under the nr. _ticle of perspicuity.'
- ·
·· - ·
'
' 9 . It is au in cotlgru ity ii) tH e combi na tion of words, to spf'ak of
1',falliug into a m a n's t.:onverkation*" ;"and to "fall into con versa tion·
"' '

1

•

I

.>

l

~Swift's Apology for the Tale ol'n Tub. ·
t Pnra<li•e Lo.• t.
. t Ibid. b.iv:.
§ ·• Voyage to J,nputn."
JI Swift'• '' Remarhs on the Harrier Treat,·."

! Adllison's Cato.

•• Spec tator, No. ,(g,

I. '~

"

.

'

'

. ,.

'i"!
11

,• /

74

l:-rammatic,1l Purity

.:,. ·- 120... Tlie use. and importa1i'ce of precision, may be' <lctlu ~~
· c~d from the nature of the 1-.uman mind. " 'It can never view,
clearly ahtl distinctly, above one object at ·a time. If it
m'ust fook at two·01·· tl)ree'together, especi~llly"~~eds a1.nong,
1Vhich ·there ·is '. a resemblance or connexion, 1t finds 1tselt
confused . anti embarrassed. It cannot clearly perceive in
what they' agree, ah<l in .what they <lifter. . .. , ·
, .
,lil1~ . .'·i·h~s, were ·.my obj~ct, supp.o se some, nnimnl, to 'be presente(I
to me· of ·whose strncture l wnntetl to form a distinct notion, I wouhl
its trappings to be taken off, I wouid requi~·e it to be hr.oug ht
before me .by itself, and to stand alone, that there might be nothing to
. di~t.r:acti1.1y; attention. The same ·is _ th~ case with words. If, when
you \vould , inform me of you~ meaning, you also te_ll me mor~ t!iau
. what -conveys it ; if you join (oreign,, circumstances to th ~ pr~nc1pal
· obi'ect · i( hy uirnec.cssnrilv' 1vn'ryinir .the expression, you shift the
•
'
'
,
~.
. If, ancI some, •point
of
view,
and make me Jsee
sometimes
t I1e o b'.iect 1tsr.
' time!I a not.her th.ing that is connected with it; .you tli e1·eb.l'. ol?lige
fne to look on several ohjccts at once , ~nd I .lose sight of the p~1nc1pal.
You load the animal yon are shewing me, with so 111any trapprn gs and
collars and brin"'· so mnny of th e. same species before mr, somewhat
rescmi;ling, and 0 y'et so,mewhat diff.ering, that l see none of _them
·'fJl~~fly;'!;. /•I:~\ ,~f ·;· ·. ·~
I ; :'..
'.
•

<lesir~ all

J

:

·: · 121. This forms 'what •is ' calletl a loose style ,; and is the
propcr'opposite .to pre".isfon. It ge!1erallyarises from ?singa suj)et~fl~jty of wo1:ds. Feeble ~vr1ters employ a mu!tit.udc
·of words . to 1 make them$elves_.uriderstood, as, .they- thmk,
more distinctly; .and they ,only coµ found tl1e reader•
. . Illus: Thcv are sensible of no't having caught the precise expression,
to convey ' wiutt they would signify ;' th ey do ~ not, indeed, concei~ e
their own meanin g very preci~c ly , themselves : . n_nd, there fore, help 1t
out, !IS they _can, hy this and the -other n'. ord, which may, as th~y. sup' pose,.supply ~he defect; at~d b~ing you some~vhat nenrer to. thc11'.1dc~ :
they . arc always going about 1t .and· n?out tt,. lmt never Just l11t the
thin..-.
:· The image, as th ey set. 1t .before you, 1s always se,e n, double.;
0
n id n 0 · doublC image is distinct. When an author tells me of l11s
courage in thfi cla.i of 'l;tttle; the .ex pression. is
and I
understai1d it fully. But 1f, from the desire of multiply mg word~, .he
must needs praisP. ·h.is cchtmge and fortitude; at the moment he .10111s
these words . . togcther, my idea begins to waver. He means to' express
one quality ' m?re strong!~ ; but he is, in tr.nth, ;;xpressin~ hvo. Co~t­
rage resist's ' danger; .fortitude supports pam. I he occasw~1 of exei ting each of these qualities is different ;· and being led to tht?k o.f ~oth
together, when ouly one of them. should be , b~fore. ?'1c'. ~y view is .1en 9ered unsteady, and my: concept1.on .of the ob.iects md1~tmct .
.
Corot. From what has been said, 1t appears that an author ~ay, 111
·a qualified sense, be perspicuous, while yet he is far from be.mg prer.ise , · He uses proper 'Yords, and proper arrangement ; he. g ives Y?ll
: the idea as clear as he' conce'ives it himself; and so far he 1s persp1c11ous; bnt the ideas are not yery clear in his own mind j the~ arc

h~ro's

i;irr.~ise,

~ Dlair's Leet,

on Rbct. VoJ. I.'.

I'

·'

Grammatical Purity,
tlit! seniim ?. nts of this ivork. L11c a11 introduces the day on which tli €
battle of Pharsalia was fou ght, in terms, wh ic h leave 110 room to douht 1
that Addi so n had th e description in his " mind 's eye," wheu he began
the tragedy of Cato. · .
.
c~

Segnior ocenno qunm lex C'ternn "i'Clcnbat,

I..uctificus :ritan. 1wnqu:tm rna .l)is tc tlu:ra contra
e quos. currumqn ~. polo rapie nte. r1.. 1orsit.
l>e ffo ctusque pnti vol11it. rnpta:'! rptl· lnllores
Luris ; e t attrnxit 1111bt.·'J , 1un1 pabula tJnmn1a:: ·;
s~d lit! 'J'hcssalico punts luccre t in orbe. ,,
l~15it

lt was unlucky that Addison could a pproprinte no circumsta11ce of
t his m ag nificent d escription, bnt the one he hns selected : th e d ar k·
11css of th e morning, r esultin g from the quantity ancl thi ck11ess of the
don ~ ls, \vhich induced him; pcrha1~s , tn dwell on it t•l excess.
?lis. I . Cicero, in his orations to the people; see ms to have bee n
g 111dctl by the opinion, th a t full, flowin g , aml copio!1s di ction, was m o~ t
:co ng ruous to the tit 5te , itnd best adapted to lead th e resolution s , of a
popular audience; but, that it was.less correct in itself, that it was unsuirnble to the oratory of the senate, and th at it was still more discordant with th e st) le of his phil osophical anti critical works .
2. His great master, D emosthenes, in addressing simi lar audiences,
,never had r ecourse to a similar expedient. He avoid ed rcdundances,
·~.IS equivocal and fee ble, H e'aim cd onl y to ma ke the d eepest aud mo st
effic ient impress ion ; afltl he employed for this purpose, th e plaineo t,
·t h e f? wes t, and th e most e.m ph a ti c words. · " Sup ernum erary wonls
m ay swell a period, or captiva te the car, but they mu st dimini>h the
c JTect up on th e uriderstandin g or the heart ."" (§ V. J' · 70.)
Illus. I. In support .of th ese remarks, 11-e shall select some passages
lrom t}~c r)rulloilS of Clcero against Cataline, itcldre~sed to the people.
" .\1uld smpe honores diis immortalibus, jnsti, habiti sunt, nc debiti;
iseJ profecto justiores nunquam. Erepti enim ex crndelissimo nc mise rrimo intcntu, et erepti siue crede, sine sanguine, sine exercitu, sine
tlimicatione, me uno, togato duce et imperntore, vicistis."
· The words, "cmde , sanguine, excrc itu, <limicatione," are not synoa·
y mous, yrt do th ey virtually includ e th e mca11ing of on e n.11other, an<l
the refore multiply words, without impressing· or extending the 1.ncan·
hg, without.completing:or embellishing the picture .
Ag ain. If there was no slaughter, it was unn ecessary ~o add, that
uo blood was shed ; and if there was no army, th~~ re could be 1withC'r
i; laug·ht.cr, ulood, nor fi ghtin g. He mi g·ht as we ll have subjoined man y
-other pu erilities ; n.s, " .without marchinir, wit_hout swords, without
dust, without fati g ue." B es ides the quaintn ess 1if supposinl:" himself fl
ge neral" without an army," expressed in th e clause , " me uno, tog a to tluce .et imperatore ," duce and imperalore are perfectly synonymou s ,
·· )
' a nd ~11.c of them fa thcrefo~e super!luous. •
2. " Neq11P n·os unquam , dum illc in urbc hostis fuisset, !antis peri.c u lis rempn blicam, t a u ta pace, ta11to otio, tan to silentio, libera ssl'!mu s."
Til e word ..;, "otio, sil enti o, paceJ" like those specified in the preceding
cxampfl,, all imply the signification of one another: they swell th e period; tlwy flcta,in th e sam e irJ ca in view ; but they convey Ill> additiou:tl
information.
3. Tillotso n is am ong the most remarkable of Eng-lish writers of 1·c.
putatio n, for the profuse use of synony mous terms; us, for cxamplc• 1
t Ji e fol)owin g-.

_as,..if 1·espec(s ,Pr~cisio~i.

~~

.,

'

.~

~

"

0

I.

·-

\
<t ~cqui~sce, nnd ~ rest .s atisfiethvith."-" Upon .. t)ie. testimony . and ··.. .,:..'..
_ 1·elat10n ..ol ~'.hc1•s."--,' ! . C?ove(ne<l .,and con<\uctc9}'~'.:'_Corruntioi l:;i lHi-·\. ·:, :)<
'.lcge ne~.ac~;-· ~" Embr?1led , and · <liso~·d~red ."-,-.'.' W.~y·er_ing; , \l,Qd \1;!::'.. ·· :.. '::·
~,ct~lcc;I.. -o- Apprehensio~1s f!lld. ·· fenr~. ~ ':-~! Suppqr ( ' 11~1;i.J,H7 a c. u 1;i;,::..:.. . <-. ·.~ ."!
I os1t1 vc and p erc111pto~y..''.-''· Speciar aml. piirticy, lar.' .l'•:-~:."FJ ·.•.1<·:•(.~.'i' •. ~>:-~;I_,~
4. Eve.n some lat!i ·nuthors ·o ·g· ~ea t,;.e:niin'eiic a',~.,v·i if·1rot ~~efhap,·.:.i b'c"'' .~;;~~.';.':?~.. ·;,
. I
b ' l
'
· . ' '· · • J n
·· · '
,,..,. ~~ •
a <l milter · to ea to g eth.cr-exf!' mp r ·froQ'l ~epr.c hension ,(~;t_1.;, l, am' cei't~i 1 ~~1 •• " , : . "'.. ;
a.1111 ~0~1fid~nt, that the . acc.ount~l:-·haye • gi,"'.'en )is t t r,l} e;~S:i-! !...M~ ny,~·x~u1<·: .... '.'
s1~H!-s, lortn~tous .and ungu1d!)'ll., • lv\,y.~. u f?.e.n . n'i:tcl tf~~'.~\ . 3v.or<l .is .1.u\C~':;'\ . ) '.;.
rnd1a1· liy. ,disus e , and_.unpl,e asant by \mfiuniliarity .".' ~. ":;;·.f:' · • ·;. ':_:..,;f".
In the. fir st of 11iese examples,·. the \vorrls/ " cert~ irt' '" a~d • ,. :~o~nfi ::·
d c11t. ;"in the second, J.<: fo l·tuito'us'! and" urlguided '1 " ·a fi'd.in' the ihi rd 1• •
" d "isuse
··
" an<I"
. . ,~ ,,•.. ~w1
' ·11 . b ~. h e, Id .by .njce critic
'
.
'
. un 1·. ~mt·1·!anty,
~ 'to
be ' cflhei··.
·
too n.early s~11~11y1\1ous ,'?r t'? it~clu.d~.t_oo~1nuch .t!i. e~ !,n~?i!i'il~ o"f ~ .. ~._n; 1 ; ~
othe1, to pct 1111t, With propn ety ,- the11· l.Jetf!o' P.iaced Ill JUXta-position in
the sam~ sentence. •(.flrt , 113. §VII.) ·:· -''· ~· ' ':"·
~ "'"•;· ' l >->,.,.;.!~
Sc/wlia . 1. It js o\>ser:ved t~y,, Bar!·p,v, ..tJi.af these, a ~.c l!ri1.1ilations ~of
wo!·ds may p~rhaps aJ?pea~,, in part, .to. ~f-~ult {~out ilJ ~~ !ie~,~ i~tjcy4 0 f ,
la~1 g uage, winch supphe_~ ·~ 9 t a p ~r~r.rc.nt \~ord ' f~r ~Y..er.r. i{lca\ . blit' they.
111 e '.nuch r:1ore th ~ .o ffspring o,,f, 1w!1s tp1ct : !lprre,heri~i_on) r1.~) ~ e auU1oh . .
When our ideas are ..not ~lear 1 ,.o~tr ~xpr~~s1orl. ~avg~trs· of. f!.!mll111· _;em-.
barrasi; mei) t.. As .we. do :..n.ot pe,rce.ive · completely wJ1a( .we"'·itilend. to .
co n1munic:1te,, 1we muhip.ly ·w~rd ~ ,.· concltiding, 1110.s t.ei:rqri,eously ; that ·
th e me~.nmg JS more tully and accurately expressed, aud · that thi>
c ha11ce is grcate~ ~four being better understood. ··_we do not attempt
to 1~e 111ove th e 01:1g~~ ?f the error-the. obscurity of our thou g hts; ·we
d o not attend tq tlES fact, th.at the f~~.epest impression ·is made wbei'l no
mor~ . w11rds are emplqyed ~hnn !lr.e 11ecrssary t,o ,com;ey· the seqs!;,. and
t!iat cycry .supe~tluous ' ex1~ re ~s io11 co11trili11tl's to' coniound,"··not"fo enlig ht e n the m1derstanding. _ ''Obst at quicqui<l no11 adjuvat:''* •, ·-. · •
2 . B.ut a con~idcra~le numher of words, either synohymous,· 01 nl'a~­
ly so, JI) a language, 1s : ~o. far from heing a bl.emish,'.o.r a cause· of clisordrr, that t.hcy are .a ~ource of much convc.niencv ·11nd ' evc.1 of 51,mc ··
J>l er~s nrc. They e.nablc ..us- to infuse variety into si;J~ ( nnd io prevent
the monoto1~y '~' l;uch arises . from the too frequrnt i'ccwrcn c~ of ihe
same souud. 1 hcse chang·es of wor_tl~, anti ·mo<lulation, ·constitute the
rlc!rnrss of '.l Jan g nagc, and ~he write.r ~ossesses ·i.r~p ~ 1·tunt advantage!(~
"~'° fiuds l11s endeavours t'.1 unpro".e his composition; .s,econdl,;'d by . the
st ••11 etnre of the tongue .wh~ch lte employs ; , "' '. '.·· ,•
, ,;·1. ~ \
·
d. Y Pt !he numhcr of synonyn~ous .~\· ords is not so gr~at in nnv lang 11a g '.! as is com1~only .s uppose tL '· F,ew p eople ar e a t mu ch p;lin s.to as :
certain tl:c meanmg-.? f the w9rds th ey use; or _to inquire wheth e r the ·
~l'llSC which th ey afhx to 'any· ~vord, is the most p er tin ent or adopted
hy tile m o~ t aecurat;-' jnrlges: .. ~~ven lHtthors · frcqucntJy l;1i;llig n;, their
ow.n 11H' rw1ng- to th~1r '".?rds, · without inquiring scrupulous ly , whl'Hic r
1t 1s tltc most dass1cal, or the mos t ·proper.'. They ' gcnerall:r in fe 1c
Ih a ~ the rca'.for 's opi~iou will _Foindde .with tlicir O\vrf, 01: 'that he will
Ca> ii)' ,PPrce1vc the dllfe,rence j ·' so th'.\t 110 am.hi g uity "shall a r is e~
·. '•
<J . J• 01' these reasons, synonymous W~>rrls are supposNI more· ni.11ner :
01'.S '.'.11111 t!ic.y arc, Ulld mu c h lllflre SO thai~ nic e ty of c riticis,m. \l' l l! ad ..
m1.t.. Authors,.,0!1. one l~~nd, are c?rel ess 111 th e· meanings \v.hi ch tl>1·y
afli:¥. to words. l he cnt1c~ ; · on the, othcr, nre. too refinf'd .' i1L e::tablish- ·
ing m ea ning·s, whi ch even acc urntc authors . neither remcmbe:· nor ap .

.~

(:lninctilinu.

-:

'

.../"i··d

~

li8 it 1·espects Precision.

Grammatical Purity,

T6

10. To ini:enl, lo discorer. '.Ve invent tilin ,,.s that arc new· we d'scover.'.vh~t was bcfo~·e hi1!1~cn. Galileo inve;ted the telescoJ;c · ' H~r- ·

ply. The litbonrs of the critic mny e xci te atte ntion , ancl climiuisli im ·
proprieties ; but th ey cannot expect I.hat practice will r e ali?. c , in any
1an.guage, the 1iice distinctions, or relined varieties, whid.1 th e.v may
have en.deavoured to int(otluce.

v.c y <l1ocoverctl the c1rculnt1011 of the blood:

.
orr~· ·~

~··
~m

~-'fl I

't;;r
f.

r). rr iJ ,~ , J"uil if1 /

n' d~·-.:ir ~ · t)H ·
1l r>IJ f' . j \1 · 1f ; 1

p ..:f .t · C' ll l

1 1 1:11~ i'":

f

G. Jlauv;l1tin ess, rJisda.in . Ha11gltti11eo6, i~ luuml ~ d u u t!.c: i•i;, '. 1 ' 'ii'.11
ion we entertain of uLtl"bth t.:s, Ui:;Ja.i1i, u u tbc l u_\-i,· o pi n i~n w ~ h ~vf' Pf

01hers.
7. 'Fo<itsl111 g ra~h, i u i't)J«J U./L. \Ye d 1.., t lno ui::l 1, \ \ li ,\ ! \ \(
11 . 11 1\ : ' . :
to confound with another thing; we separate, what we want to remove
from it. Oli,i~d6 ill C d i,; li::;.; u i J1 <'< l fr nm n nr :innth<'r, It;' tllf'ir 'l"n litiP< ,
They ar c se parated, hy thf' distance of time or place.
s. To .weary, to Jaf'igue. The ccntinuai.1ce of the. ~nme thin;?; w:aries
us ; labour fatigues us. I am weary with stanclrn~ ; I am fatigu e d
with walking. · A suitor wearies us by his perseverance; fatigues us
· hy his importunity.
·
·
9. 1.'o abhor, lo detest. To nhhor, imports, simply, strong dislike ;
to detest, imports also, strong disappr·obation . One ubhors ueing in
aebt; he detests treachery.
1

1

!1

'

·

. 13. !'rm1quillily! peace'. ca_lm. Tranquillity respects a situation free
f10111 t1ouble, cons1derell 111 itself; · peace, the same situ;ition with res p~rt to nn.y ca.uses t~iat might interrupt it; calm, with regard to a
<11 s .mb.'~'! s 11u.atio1~ going before, or following it.
A good ina 1 , enjoys
tranq111lhty, 111 111.m sclf;
•others; and calm;·;;Jftcr.:;..the .
sto 1nl.
·
.... ., .•...,..

. renc~ 1 ~ith

14. Jl d(Oi~1dly, an obstacle. - A diHicnlty , embarrasses ; an·obstac!P
_us. _We 1:cmovc the 0111> ; _ ,~·e surmou11t the other. Generally:
lll e ht.st, exp~ c_sses somewhat nns111g from the nature und circumstnnc,es_?' t_he atla1r; the s_econd, so_mcwh at arising from a foreign cause.
I"hd1p fo1111d _1ldliculty 111 111n1rng1ng the Athc11ia11s, from the nature of
tllcir d1spos1t_aons; . but the eloquence of Demosthenes was th e greatest
o li ., Ltcle to his dcs1!=ns .
1.-J. ll'i " lol!l, prud rn rc. \ Yi·; dom , le a ds u s to sprak anrl ne t wha t is

s~op~

I

u1n;.:~

prop1:r .

P1·11di""1H·e , preve nt s 011 r S fwakill~· or acti11~ i111p r 1J perlv.

ll Lt ' 1.

t! ll' :-.. t! c .. : . t

.\ 11·1c1• nian, <'1Itpl 1H·s t : ll~ most propc·r m1-;t11s for succ es s ; a p n 1de ;1t
Ill i':1 t h

Cur

110!

lJ c iug;

br o n ~ ht

into danger.

h . l .'w;,1:fi1 . -'"/firirn t .
,v! -11• '' ,,, '.1,l '
111 .' 1 ! 1· ' l

0

jlt" l 1H i\ t 11 / H• \ ; t i11 .

'.'

12. Entire, com7iletc. A ·thing is entire, . hy .wanting r.onc of its
parts ; complete, by wanting none of the appe11clagcs ih;it bel1rno- t~
it. A man may have an entire hou~e to himself; and yet not ]~ave
one complete apartment.
·

Prid(' , 111:1k{'" tt~ (· ~· 11 · 1"111 n 111 · ..;;elv1'~: ,.-: n 1ii y . 1n ;1t < ~
o f t1 l l H r--.:
I t i ~ .f11:-- l lu ~ ; 1 y , ; t., IJ t · , 1 11 ~\\ ill l1; t•;
0 11

• ·. ·

. 1 l.. Only, ?lone. On.ly, imports that ·th~re . is no .other of the same
~md, alone, 1mro.rts bemg ncco,mpanied' by no other · An only child;
is one '~ho has ~c1the~ uroth~r nor sister; a child a1 J tie, is one who is
le ft ~y itself. 1 here 1s a difference, therefore 7 in: precise lan,,.uage
betwixt q1ese two phrases," vir1t1e only makes us happy " " ai]<I"" vir~
tu e alon1>. makes us happy ." Virtue only makes us ha(1 py ir:ioo.r rs
l~rn.t n'.~t.lun'g els~ can do it. Virtue al?ne. makes us happ:v: imjiorts:
t rn_~ .' 11 tu t, by. itself, or unaccoA1panied wit:h other advantages is
!"U ll1c1 ent to <lo 1t. .(Corot_. . .J1rt. 150.)
·
'

,. · J.24. The instances which are given in the followirig illustrations, may th.ernselves be .of use_; and they will. serve to
shew the necessity of attend mg, wJth care and stncttwss, to
the exact import of words, if ever we would write with .propriety or precision.
Jll11s . 1. .!litslerity, se1•erity, rigour. Austerity r e lates to th e manner
of living; severity, of thinking:; rigour, ~f punishi~g. To austerity, is
c;tppoo;cd ellcminaC)'. ; to seventy, re la xnt1on; to rigour, clemency. A
hermit. is ::111sterc in his life ; a casuist, severe in his application of 1'e1igion or law ; a judge, rigorous in his sentences. ·
2. Cu.~lom, habit. Custom, respects the action; habit, the actor.
By cuHtom, we mean the fr e qu ent repetition of the same act ; by habit,
the effect which that repetition produces on the mind or h o1l.v. By t·hc
custom of walking often in the streets, one acquires a habit of idleness .
3. Sivpriscd, astonished, amaz ed, co11j'om1rlcrl. J nm surpri sed, with
what is new or un :-!x pec tetl ; 1 am a s lonis hc1I, :1t what is vast or great;
I am amaze<!, with what. is incomprehen sible ; I am confoumled, hy
wl.r nt is shocking or terrible.
4. De~isl, renounce, q11.it, leave o.ff. Ea c h of the se worcl s implies,
some pursuit or object relinquishe<l ; bu.t from <lillerent motive s . \V c
<l cs is t, fr om the rliffil'nlty of m·r0mpli•hin~. \Ve rcnomnce, on acc ount
uf the di,.;11g·1·ccnhl cnr•" of thr ohjpc·t , m· pursuit. \V e quit, for the
-.;~tli.t' of sn11 ; P otlH'r th in '.~· \d1ici 1 intcrr ~ t s 11:-1 1no r ~ ; nnd "' e l ea\·(~ ntl',
l1ec :tt \~ e \V(' arc '.Yf':1r\· of tin· d~:..: i ~· 1l. A poli t ic ian dt•sist~ fro111 hi:-; d' ~­
« ig· n~ , \vlwn 111~ f111tls. tlH!)' are i1n!Jr:u;l.icald c; be n·nou111 ;" ' tit•· C"nurt ,
fH'! ·;
.: .; ,) hr> liil:.: h 1 ~f" ll ;1ffrn1 ll•• d hy i i ; li e quit... ; a1nlJltion f q 1· .. ; tudy 1Jl"
111
ri· t i r r·11 1t•1it ; ~llJ(l lra\·cs o ff Iii~ atteudal H' l'. 011 tlie gre;1t, HS lie lJ ccu 111 1_';:;
IJ lcl '1 !lei \VJ'; \l .I <J f j l.

79

,
Ii

~ !I

l

~

· · J• I

I I 1

L . . L ...., ,, !i. ~.

1l.. I _1.I

l..:>

.t. .... ..

< "HHl ~!. ~ ! ,
I

i 1 1 1] , n rt ~

;..:·1' 11c,·:1)l y

11f · 1· r q· 1 · tn11..:

.:-. 1. dl1 Li 1.;ul J·J r : ~ a tu r c .

·_i.'u ; J ~~ c J . :..· ,

JI .

i.1) •.lC1~.IUi i.; ll u.'bc ,

iu

~1, ;1

1 1 1• '\ 1· r

\ J J Ji .
C ollj~t,.;.') .

a

t: r c at1 ·r

q1 1a nt 1t...,:

\l! :1 .; ' '\lu n.~!i : al t hou,;Ji
.

p. ; u.)
~: .uJ l of

th ese wurds il1) ..

p o rt ;" the a !lirnl'.lti•J1·1 of a fact, but in n·ry d iffere nt circumstances. To
·~

"

l

·1: lit _;
; ! 1'. 11 ' ' .

. t.

1: 110111.; h , ri'lat1''< t o tlie q uan ti ty " ·h ic h one!
thi11'.~·~ :-; t1tlil"i l' 11 : 1 r l' Llf p..; tn th e u~f' th at i'i to h p

f .

,

·

i11 · n :~ 11 \i ..\

;: 1 i t _.

t 11

:t r 1:1 1n '.\ 1t ' : lc;r'. ..;1 1j'po.:.:es ;:1

Sl)1all dq;-r•~e of fa ., 11!.i1w<;,;, wl1ich t h e ack11ow!Pdgenu•nt compcusates ·.
t•' r •, 1 f ..: ..: , ~11ppo'1;c~ a hi~!h cr tl '"'e-r!'e of crhn1· . A patriot Avows hi.:
« ppnsi tion to.• . u '' .ad 1uhist cr,_ aad i~ applauded; a gentleman ncluwwl f- d g·t·~ his mis a ke, and 1s fo rgiven; a prisoner confesses the
crim e lw is acn1sed of, arid is prtnished.
18. To remark, to obsert'e .' \Ve rem11rk, in the way o( attention in
on}p,· to rem ;:> n1ber ~ 1Ve ubserve, in the way of e:xaminatio~ · in · order~
to jndg-c. A traveller remarks thr, mos t strikino- ohjects h~ see.s · ~
ge11cra! obse rves all the motioi~s of his enemy' (§I. p. ~,.) ·'. .. . .' · . , t. 4
HI. Eq11.inor,al, ambiguous. An equh·ocal ' expression .is one whick~·: .. :''.'
·has. one sense opcu, and dcsigueu to be unuer&tood: another sense-·· ........
1

·\

l
I

.

.1

9

4',.

'

'.11".,

,
''

80
conc~al~d

Gtammatical Purity, ~·c,

and m1derstood only by the person who uses it. An a m•
biguous e~pression is one which has apparently two scmes, and _leav~s:
us at a Joss which' of t)1em to give it. An equivocal cxpr?s~ton, rs
used with an intention to decei.ve; an aml.Ji&·uous on?, when 1_t is used
with design is with an intention not to give full ir~fonnation . A~
honest . man' will never employ an equivo~al expression .i a conf1~se
man may often utter ambiguous ones,, w1thont any design. I s ia
give only one instance more. (Art. 113.)
.
by Both these particles express the COllllCXIOll between
20 · w·a
i i,
·
•
who
1 . •arrenl
some instrument,
or means ot· e fl"ectmg
an en d , ~n1I tie
"
employs it· but with expresses a more close allll 11nme1.hate co•mP;x• 011. by a~mon~ ,·ein'otc one.
We kill a man with a swnnl; he dies
v'iole~ce .. The criminal _is bound wWi_ ro1ics by th.e cxc~11t101.'cr. ,
The proper distinction m the use of these particle., 1s elq~·a,ntl)
marked in a passnge of Dr. Robertson'~ Histor.J of. Sc:11lnml. W he_n
one of the old Scottish kings was makmg an 111qu1ry mto the tenu1.~
by which his nobles held their lands, they ~tarted up and <ln·w th~•ll
. "By tliese " said they "we acc1mred our lands, and 101/h
!!WOr d s .
,
'
• d
I
l •I ' .
these we will defend them."-" _By these .'~e. ncqt11rc. our. am~, s1.gnifies the . more remote means of ac.p11s111on ~·Y _l0rce a1~d ma1_t1al
deed; a'n<l, "with these we will defend them,'' s1gndies th'; 1mm~dmte
direct ' instrument, the sword, which they would. employ m their defence. (§ VJJI. p. 70.)
·
Obs. These are instances of words in our language, which, by rnre.less writers are apt to be employed as perfectly synonymous,. and yet
are not so. ' Their significations approach, but ~re not precisely tl~e
same., The more the distinction in the mcanmg of ~n ch words •!>
"lveighed, nncl attended to, the more dearly and forcibly shall we
!peak or write.*

.•
\

/

11

ON t\'HE NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES, TIU~ GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF
PERSPICUITY, AND THE HARMONY OF
PERIODS.

by

CHAPTER I.
OF ·rnE NATURE OF SENTENCES AND PERIODS.
~ ~;·. , '
.

'

. .

.

. ,

t .1

•

125. IllTHERTO' we'~ have investigate<l . the nature." of
won.ls detached and unconnected, in the same manner as
a il architect s.elects and prepares the materials of an edifice. · 'Ve are now, like the same artist, to delineate the
plan of execution, :or to· point out the most proper conjunction and adaptation of the materials to accomplish the enu
jn view. ·
~
-~·

Obs. As the best materials for building will not form a con°ve~ient
and elegant habitation, unless they nre ndjusted on a proper plan so
the purest and beet chosen words will not constitute a perspicuous ~nd
beautiful sentence, unless they are properly arranged.• But before we
take up this branch of the suhject, it is requisite to premise some . observations on the nature of sentences and perioc\s, nnd to unfold the
principlc:s which should regulate their composition. (§.IX. Cor. p. ,69.)

• The Abbe Girard'• Synon.ymes Francoises, contnin• a large collection of such aP:'
iarent ·, non ·mes in the )angu2ge. The ,Abbe sho.ws, with much ncc.uracy. t!ic clrl·
Jhencc
th~ir signification. Nothing woulil contnbute more to J'.rl'ci.c. nm! clcga.n!.
·-writing than att~Htion to the forc e of wonls .m1d to tile several distlncti<>m ~l\\ lX t
terms a~coupted synonyu1om _in "nr o"l'n langua~.

f;,

I

\'

'•.

...

126. The terl"!1s sertlence _and_ period are nearly synonymous, both denoting the quahty of words or members comprehended between two full points, in -writing or printing;
and conveying a complete sense of themselves, independent
of the words that .either precede or follow th~m. , ( {ll!tS • .2.

.!J.rt. ISO and 139.)

·

,

. ;

. ·,

. · . -·

lllns. 1. Both t!1e Eentence and the period may consist of subdivi_ .
sions, clauses, o_r . .inembers; which are commonly separated from one : .... · ' •
1
n1~othe1·_ ; thes~ more closely connected., by comma~ 7 ~hose' mor_e - .-... ::_. ~
shghily, by semicolons.
•,.;¥'1i. · ..
.
2. ·' In ·every sentence or period, there must be an agent~ an action~. ..
,.,,
and a subject on .whi~h the agent opera.t es; that is, in the lang1lage "of···: · <J.;
grammarians, there must be a nominative, a verb, and an accusative ;: .. t
as," Cresar amavit ,Juliam,'' "Alexander conquered ' Darius ;" unless _..' ,-.,, .. ::'
the verb be of the class ca!led intrrmsitive, whi.c h .rcquires ,no subject
· ,J ·
to net upon, the action being exhausted on the- a~ent; a~., •1.'C..:icero de·
·
cl~imcd/'
,
.
.
·
·

...
'

,~.

.
,,

82

Of Sentences awl Periods.

Sil'ucture of Compl• Smtences.

127. If there be two classes of age11ts, actions, and su[rjects in the sentence, one class <lepen<ling on the other, the
sentence will consist of two members, which arc commonly
·separated from one another by a conima. (Illus. 3. Jlrt.
130. and 137.)
illus . 1. "If Julius Cresa r had employ ed as much poli cy and cr11crty as Aug ustus, he might have prevented th e c o1\spiracy form e d against
his life."

128. If there be three classes of ngents, actions, an<l subjects, the sentence will consist of three members, separated
by semicolons.
Illus. " If .Julius

Ca~sar hacl employed as much p olicy and cruelly

as Augustus ; if he had prose.-ihc d eve ry suspicious p e rs on und er hi q
gove rnment; he might have prr.v entc<l th e conspiracy formed against
his life."

· 129. If there be four classes of agents, actions, and sub-jects, the sentence will consist uf four meuibers, separated
by semicolons.
Illus. " If .Jul ins Cresar had e mployr. d a• much cruelt y aml poliCy
Augustus; if h e had prosc; rihe d e"ery suspic ious pe r so n un<ler hi s
.gove rnm e nt; he might have preve nt ed the cou spiracy form ed against
his life ; and he mi g ht h ave lived, like th a t Emperor, .t o old a ge, flat tered, ohcye<l, and adored by th e noman people. "
Carol. Hence it is ai:iparent, that thoug h the prese n ce of an a gent,
an a c tion, anti a suhject, be requi site to co nst itute a membe r , yet th ey
do not prohibit th e attendance of exp lanatory words, pa rti c nlnd y of
adj ectiv es · or p art ic ipl es, whicn denote some quality or prop c r t,v o f th e
. agent or the suujec t. Acco rdin g ly, in th e las t m cmbe1· of th e last
. example," h.c mi g ht ha\'C liv.ed, like th a t Emperor, to o ld ag-e, llalt e r..t>d, obeye d, and adored by t.he Homa n peo pl e ;" th e participles }faltered, obeyed, adored, encroach not o n th e unity of th e m c mu cr, bnt
tend m er e ly lo modify or illustrate its principal parts. (S ee illus. 2 .
flS

Art. 119.)

130. 'Yheu a se nten ce contains one member only, it is
simple; '"hen it contains more members than one,
it is called comz>le:i;; when it co11 h1i11s three, four, or more
members, it gene rally takes the 11a111 e or period~ (Jlrt. 139.)
~alled

Jlllls . .1. Th e anci e nt rh e tori cians applie<I th e nam e o f period to all
co mpl ex sentences, cons istin g of two or more members, b11t m os t fr c··
qu e nt.J_y ti> those r1f four members. ' ' llabet, " sa y s Qnin c tili a n , " p eri od us m e rnbra minimum tl uo . Me<!iu s nume ru s videtur quatul>r, se<l
re c ipit fr cq iieutcr "et piurn. "
2 . To th e pc ri c.HI, a ec or<li11g t o C ic e ro, W<'rc 1:d ,·e11 the tlitforcnt
nam es c f aiit/Jilus, circuilns, ro111prelu11sio , wnlinuatio, circ nmscripliu,
·whic h see m all t.o h ave bee n <l erhed from the . Grct'k appellation,
?r tg{o Jc~.

·

.

3 . To simple sentences \verc ~ivcn th e nam es of commnllt, arlicuH,
in~ise; tb e ~ am e names by which were denote d the mcm!1 ers. o( 1i ~r'1·

•<ls ; bccaus ~, p~ rhaps, t~ey coincide~. ~it~ the!Jl, , _in ccntaini ~g, _~~~;,
:agent, an action, and a snbJcCt.
..
.> •. ' ·

lSt. SIMPLE SF:NTENCF:!I are .best atlapte1ltoexpr~ss the
controversial and ' 1·eprehensive parts ot an oration. · The
period is· adapt e.<1 to the .more s plendid and .r athetic parts,.
particularly the v.i troduct1011 an~l the perorat10n.
13 2 . A sentence is the smallest quantity of words which
cnn express one entire. pr:oposition; ~hat is, wl_1ich can ex- ,
hi Lit an a<Yent as perfonnrng some achon, or winch can conve_y the a~irmation of sonie truth. (illu s. S. .!lrt. l~O.)
Illu s. If, for example, th e l'erh be intransitive, a nd . be preced~d by
its 11omi11ati1·e, a prop o~i ri o n will be ex pressed and a sen tence will L e
formed· !Jr.cause a n age nt w ill be r epresen ted as performing an act io n, a;;<l a c o mpl ete incan in g will be com muni cate <~, " Th e su n risr.s ;" ; '' the morning lowers;" .'.'I ea t, drink, walk," &c.
·

13$. But if the verb b~ transitive, the nominative and
th e '.v erb will not form 11. sentence, a· proposition,. or a com, pl ete se nse; because a subject will be wanting on \v hich
t.p·e action must be exerted.
·
·.
:·.· Illus. 1. Thu s the wonls, Cato killed, Cicero banished, exhibit in._.~·ffi c i c nt action s, a ncl in comple te senses. They leave the min<I totall,Y
: ' in sus pen se, till the subj ects are_s ubjo ined 011 which the ac ti ons, killed,
an<I hanish t>d , are e:Kertcd . ·
·
·
2 : But if we sav Cato kille<I him se lf, Cicero banished Cataline, wr.
j1~ e;P.lll entire se~~ences, a .nil COllJllllllliCale knowled ge and }n fornlll·
t ih 1-i.
'
.
· .f :~. Again, if I assert, " · that the th.r~e angles o.f a trian gle ?re equal
to " I e xhibit a n in co mpl e te proposition, or an imperfec t afiirmat\on_,
rill I atld the words," two f'i g ht angles," which furnish an cn~ire . af- .
firmation, and a perfect propositio1i.
· ~.
; . ;., 0 .1<-:.,•:'·
. <.;orol. Hen ce it app e ars that the esse nce of a sentence 1s ,. to conv.cy · ·' ·
ou.~ ·i fr opositio n, and .one only ; that it g~n erally co ntains an a~~1.11 / .'
:·ufJc tion, and a subject, and mwt c.o nt a m an agent, . and an acho_n . .
This constitutes what is called thr. umty of a sentence. _(Ari. 1,49.)

. 134. Jn constructing COMPLEX SENTENCES~ . whi.cJ~ C~ll­
sist of different classes of agents, actions, and subjPcts, the
unitywill be preser~etl, and only" o~e proposition; with all
its circumstances, will be expressed, if such sentences, however complex, be properly comp?sed. To ~cc~,~plish tl~is
e nd the different memb~rs of a sunple sente11ce;•or the differe~t classes of.agents, actions, and subjects~ ~~· ~lepend on
one another, that ,the sense is not fully communicat~c! • .tilt
they, .are'- a~.l PJ.PP~r,I j ai:~aug,e,4 ~n?~.c.~~join~ct~.''. _(:fl r,t~r 13?,.

3.) ,;.·.~.
, .·
·.... · . :"'." , .
.· I
,
'
• ',
1: The following merpber, (or instR~ce, '. '·If v;rtue constitutes.
the supreme gootl," conveys no complete sc!lse, and ~he 1.1earcr .con- ·
unues in suspense, till it is added_, " all wise men w&ll prefer 1t tt.

Jlhu;.

"

flluJ.

8,..

..

84

The Structure of complex Sentence's. · ·- ·

Of Sentences ancl P eriods.

every othel' a cq u isition ;" when the sentence, thus compl eted, e :d1 i b li ~~
two classes of agents. actions, am! subjects, but contains ouly one full
mea11i11g, or one proposition.
2. Again, " lf virtu e con stitutes th e supreme ~oo<l; if it can communicate the most substantial comfort. and support;" still th ese tw o
membe1·s leave the sense imperfect, anu the mind hesitates , till it is
added," all wise m en will p r efer it to eve1·.v othe r acquisition;" thi s
compl~tes. both the propo s itio1~ anti the m ea11in r,.
·
3. 1 he mconclusive m emuers mav ue farth er a ug-m e nte<l : " If vir tu e con stitut es the supreme good ;. if it can cQ m~wni c ate the mo st
substantial comfort and s upport; if it ·can procure the approuati o n or
all good m en in this world, and the favour of hea ven h cn ,; tffrr ;" still
the sense is incomplete, till the etlicie nt m c111ber is subjoined," all wise
men will pre fer it to evny other a·c quisition ;"which produces an e ntire proposition, fully sati sfi es the mind, and preserves the unitv of theperiod. ( Co:ol. Art. 133.)
·
Corol. Fro m th ese obse n·ation s it is appar ent, that the uni ty of a
sentence is not impairnd hy its length, and that it will 11 a t11r:'tllv he
longer or shoner .as the leadin g a ge nt or mcml.Jcr is atte11tlr<l \vith
more or fower d e pentlent or expl a na tory a ge nt~, or members . No
more m e mbers must eve r be nccum11latc1I , than are co11 siste11t with
unity and pe1·spicuity; I.mt neither should the me a ning nor the ca<l encc
be interrupted by a fr equent re currence of aun1pt sentences of one 01·
two m e mbers . The · sens e is the main r egulating princ ipl e of th e
l e n g th , the soun<l is ouly a second a ry consid eration ; if, h o we ver, th e
fon~er be preserved, th e latt er may be consulted, by a variety of mo dulation us g re a t as possible . ( Scholium, .llrl. 13B.)

r v o n e is iu som e measure master of the art which is. generally dist in·
1,:"ui shetl by the name .o f physiognomy, and naturally for~rns. to hims.eff~
ih c c ha racter or fortune of a strauger, frof!l the fea~ ures ancpiu~!lllie_pt3
of his fac e ."* Expunge . th" copulativ.e ," resume·the .agent. every one,
n11rl two complete sentences will' app ea r i Su loose is 't11e '~o01iection, .

( sce

136. All. complex .s entences are not equally c(rnnecteu,
nor are thell' members equally dependent on one another.
Tlte mPmb~r~ . are. often conjo!netl b.y a simple copulation,
anti the r:e~u.~1011, 111. r~spect ot meanrng, amounts to little
more than JUXta-pos1ho11. They contain different views of
the same thought ; or th~ succeeding members explain, il. lustrate, ex lend, or restnct the preceding. ( Jlrt.. 134.)
Illus. The following example will elucidnte these remarJ;s.

" F,,•e-

j j •f )Q} )1 •

.....

.

',

I

·r<..

•

.- - .

,

•

"-r" · r·"~·i .. :., ·A 1,.',l~'#:r°'1: ..."":>f!.J3·t:!';'"' ~''• ;..."'f.
. . .... • .,·:'; • .ril! ;- ;..... 1-- · · ~·'lo ,

•

137. Senteuces, also, which contain the correspondent
conjunctions, seldom admit more than· two me1nber·~·'' '(See
o..,.. )
. ·
.
I
A 1'[ • ·1 ~1.
.
.
.
.
•. , .. .
. .

(
I

'I

I

U5. ~,HORT SENTENCES impart _animation and ~nergy to
style.. Lhey are con~rasts to l?eno<ls, they are sun pie and
~ersp1cuous! an<l the .1de~s wluc,h, they convey are usually
l1v_ely, forc1bl~, or d1~mfied. _I l~ey are also. employe.ll
. chiefly to deliver maxims of wisdom and sublune sentiments, which, supported by their natural importance and
elevation, spurn the pomp an·d ornaments of langu ao·e.
(.fl.rt.
0
142.)
Obs. Th.e in~ermediate sentences of two or three memb ers particrpate the v1v.ac1ty of s ho rt se nt<> nc cs , or the force and cadence of pe l'i ods, accorclrng as Ibey a pprq::ch ne a r e r .to th e on e or the oth er . Th eir
business is to convey th e F' rent er part of th e se ntiments whi ch occluin the course of a long work, an<l which can be ne ither very lively nor
Yery forciule.
·

8J

·'

Ex ample . "As the secrets of.- the Ugly Club were exposed to the
puhli c , that men might see there were some noule spirits in· the work!,
who we re not di~pleased wilh themselves upon considerations they had
no choice hi i so the discourse concerning idols tended to lessen .the
vafu e which people put upon thcll1selves for personal accomplishments, ..
and g ifls ' ofna.turet." The reuder need not be told, that .the conjuuc-.
lions here are; d.s a_n<l ~o.
. ..
.
., . ,. ,.
. . ' . ~. ' .

138. Tim Fu;,~·- PF.RIO~ ~ of several .m.emb~rs -' possesses
most <lignity an<l .mo<lulation, and conveys:also thegreatest
degree of force, by ·admitting the ·closest compression'. of
thought. The 1neml;>ers are·genera.lly conditional, alld de-:·
uote supposition or contt'. ast.
~• , .... ' ·
'
-··
Illus. 1. By supposition is understood, that tlie preceding members
Cu1·ni sh a foundation, on which the conclusion is built : or that they
op e rate as a climax, by which it is raised to the highest elevation .
2 . By contrast is understood, that the preceding mcm.bers are oppos ed to the concluding member, which, notwithstanding, possesses such
ene rg ,v, that the contrast takes place with irresistible effect.
a. If, b esides, such pel'iods are properly constructed; if the members are so formed, as to swell onP 'above another in sound, as well as
in sentiment; the impression will become so exceedingly powerfol; 'us
not to e scape the most inattentive obse rver.
·
'· , · ·
E x ample 1. Cicero supplies a beautiful p eriod of the former species, ·
in his oration for .the Munilian law. " Qua.re cum et bellum ita neces -,
sariun:1 sit, ut neglegi non possj~; ita magnum, ut acc~ratissime: sit
administrandum; et cum ,si imperator~m pi'resicel'e possitis, in 'quo sit·
e xirnia belli scie11tia, singularis virtus,' clarissima' auctoritas; .egregia
fortuna; dubitabitis, Qui rites, quin hoc tantum boni, quod vobi~ a diis
immortalihus oblatum et datum est; in rempublicam conservandam·
atque amplificandam conferatis."
· ,·
'· "
,· ' .,. ·
l llus. The m e mbe rs . present ·a striking 'g radation in the . sentiment,
The war is absolutely necessary, and of gre11t magnitude .; . Pompey is ·
the greatest, the brav~st, ' the most successful gene.ral; h ~'m1'st t~er.e- ,
fore l.Je preferred, to sec ure the favour· of the· go_d.s , a.nd . the safety of
the empire: An analogous P-levarion is. discernable in the so';m<~/" The
members nse above one another, both 111 length and modulntJO,n •. The
ple.asure of the ·ear powerfully con~1 1rs •to r~<:~mmend and impr·e ss ·the
sense .
·
.1~J
'·;Jn
:· ..,.
.-r . ·.. t ~ · ;4· .. ·. ~ ·
E x ample-2. The subsequent period will supply• an example.of the
· lattcl' species. ·" Though the people shou,ld riot, and proj~ct Jnsul'.1

• Addison.

'

{

'd

t lbld.

,.

-

-

-

"'i<lll$"'""""""'----.~~itl

S6

--·-

in tlie .•frrangement

19/ .b'rrvrs to lJe avoided

.

rection ; thon g h the tyrant sho111<1 rngc, and threaten <lcstruction ;
though the hurricane shonld lay open the be1I of the sen, and tb• ~
nnrthquak<• shoulcl tenr the glohe i11 pieces ; though thf! stu rs sho11l1\
fall fn,>m their sr1herc~, and the frnme of nature shoul•I he dissolve1l ;
yet, ncconling to Hornce, Virtue will protect her Yotari e~, and thi;
good man will r<:main tranrJtiil nmid the rnins of the worl<I."
Illus. A similar gradation is perceptible, as in the prccPdin g in stance. The nwmb c rs increase hoth iu extent and cndenct". TIH~
rising series of contrasts ·convcy ine:<tpress ibl e dignity and en e rgy to
the cor,clnsion.
Sclwlimn. Th e proper union 'of sentences, :il so, is a matter of consi<lerahlr import irnc e to the effer.t of a composition. It seems, inde ed,
to be dillicul!, if not imprac ticable, to assig1I any rules relative to tht:
proper iiltennixture of sentences expressive of stron g , or e\· e n of
moderate passion, us fceling-s on such nccnsions snp!:rscdc nil the.di c tates of theory, and the co11si1lerations of sound. ( Illtts. /Jr/ . 73.) Rut
in grave and exten1led compositions, whrre the chief nim of the author
is to instruct and amuse, the practice lu~st s upporte<I by reason ancl
experience, is, to i11t e n1li:~ short, long, and i11t e n11cdiatc scntenc:es, in
snch a manner as lo iutroclucc ns great variety as possi!Jle of cadences. Grent care, however, m11~t be tnk c n to conceal all attention I <•
art. If it become apparent, it disgu s ts the reader, nn1l generally los e .~
its elTcct. The specif:s of sentence preferrerl by the writer should alw11ys seem to he the most proper and natural he could have employf~ d. Its length sho11l1l he determine<! alwayl; by the sense, never by
lhc punctuation. (fllu.v. Coral. and JJrl. 1'17.)

s;

mu c h as the strong and upright trunk of the oak or elm 1s fitted to the
twinin~ branclH's of the vine or ivy, so much are the very leaves,
the se;ds, anrl the fruits of these trees fitted to the various !•.nimals;
these, again, to one another, and to the clements where they _l1vf', and
to which they arc as :ipp~ndices, . in a manner, fitted and .10111ed; as
either by wing·s for the air, fins for the water, feet for Che earth, and
hy other correspondent inward part~, of more' curious frame and.
texture."*
,
'
·
Illus. This long ~nd involved period presents ~WO agents; trees read
the first member, animals the second and the th!rd. It should, therefore 1 it 'see ms be divided into two,. or perhaps ~hree .si:ntences, with
the propcr a~cnts prefixed. ' 'In · this ~iew,- the.' "first :'ine.mber may
1·e main as it is, but the scco1\d and tl11rd members will . assume tlle
following appearance. "Anima!s, ag1.1i11, are. fitted to .one another,
and to the elements where they live, and to ~"Inch thtly ·nre l.!s 11pp~n­
,d iccs. They are adapted by 'Yings for the a1r 1 fius ,ror the water, feet
for the earth, and by other correspondent inwl\lril parts, of _niore
curious frame and texture."
.

.(.

141. .Errors ai·e frequ~ntly comltlitted in the extent of
periods, which are sometimes swelled to too greflt" length;
at other times formed too short or abrupt.
. ~ _
Ob~. A long period, p~rf7ctly cleat and well construct ~.d ; is _nlways.
hcnullful nn1l pleas;int, 1f 1t be not so prol_o~:;cd as to '·".~l~n?st the .
pnlicnce and attent1011 of the reader. llut 1t is extremely . '.hfficu \to
compose such periods; and, for this reason, a great ~1any oJ. them 11re
ungraceful and obscun«
,
, ,: , ,
,_ .

IN THE STHUCTUllE OF

SE.NTENCES 1 AND THE ARRANGEMENT OF

rto_;.Js.

140. If two or inore leading thoughts or agents, \vhidt
nave no natural relation to one another, nor any depen~Jence on one another, an<l which ·concur not in pointing
towahl any one object, are introduced into a sentc11cc, they
will destr(>J its unity. This is a fr~qucnt an? gr?s~ er~or
in the structure of sentences.
·
.:: ·
· .
Exa1;1ple. "As much as the fertile mould is fitted t? the tree~: 'a:s-

CHAPTER IL
J')F TH~3 lO: HROTIS TO 111': AVOIDED

of

\

SlNGL~;

WOHDS.

139. WE derh'e little 1ight from the names, amuitus,
ci.rcuitus, comprehensfo, circumscriptio, employed by Cicero,
and approved by Quit~ctilian, as. defin~tipns of a pel'iocl.These names are manifestly denvecl from the Greek term
'lr'cgloooG; and th~ Latin ,critics have n_~t ventured to proceed
farther than then· masters. (Illus . .2. Art. 130.)
Obs. \\'ithont. having recourse to the meaning of n period, o~ thP.
~pecies of dependence that s~bsists a~non·g its 1~ember:~' to ex:plai~ it~

nature thl!y have heen satr~ficd with some rndP.fimte spcn1lat1ons
about, Jts length,- and the artificial measure in which it ought to be
r,omposcd. they tell n~, it should seldom· exceed the length of fo111·
hcxan}eter verses, 01· reqnirP. more time to pronounce · it than is rcr1uisit()' for one complete r~spiration of a fol~~gr_-own man.* But the
.practice of the most perfect orators ol antu1u1ty frequently transgresses these rules.
·
.

142. It. is, perhap~, ·~10re necessary at.pr~~en~, to re.~on7 .
strate agamst a <lev1at10n to t!1e o~posite extieme'. fhe ·
style of many of our presen~ wnt~rs .18 too short an~ a?~upt ..
(Jirt. 135.)
·
·
·. "
: · .. ·
· ·' •t ·

sprightlincs~'.~·/of oracula~ wi~dom, s~eri1s,

·Tilus. An nff'ectntion of
to have infected ~ome of our authors, and to have ·tempted the~1 to,
employ that laconic diction, which is very current · with our neigh·.
hours t.he French and which is generally supposed most corrcspon·
1lent
this specie'.~ of cornpo~ition. The appea.ranc,:e of such ~l style,,: ·
is, how1ffer, 110 symptom of the general connphon of.the · 1mbl~c "tnsll?.
;111tl ear~ Ilut when we recollect the progress an.cl rev?luh?n~ ,_.cJf
literature, bot.h in Athens nm[. Ilome, we can.not be too q111ck-s1ghtetl
ln 1tpprehendii1g danger. The maqner of the aulhors who succe~d?d . ·
the most flourishing rera of' the. Grecian eloquence, undoubtedly dis·
played th e strongest attachment}o this mode of style;, and~. man~ <>f

to

"Sh~ftes\!\ll'f•

• C'ic. Otat. chnp. M . . Q1li:il:t. lib. JX. chnp. ~.

•\".;

....

qf Errot s to

be avoided

the most conspicuou s writers of Rome, posterior to die Augustan agC' 1
furnish examples of the same kind of composition .

143. The arrangement of the AGENT, the ACTION, and
, the svn11tcT, the chief ingredients in all members, sentences, and periods, is almost invariable. The agent appears
first, the action succeeds, and the subject, if there be. one,
takes its station last.
··
lllu.s. If the agent or the subject be modified or illustrated by adjectives, or the a ction be ext cnd e1l or 1·estrictetl hy adverbs, th e
".l e pendcnt words assume th e ir stations in juxta-posilion to their prin cipals, the adjectives to their substantives, and th e adv e rbs to their
verbs. The adjective is placed before its correspondent substantive,
wh en it has no circumstan ce depending on it ; lmt it is situate•! aft er
its substantive when it is follow ed by some modification . " A wise
man." " A good book." "A spacious apartment." But we say, "A
man wise for himself." "A book good for amuse ment." " An ap iutment convenient for company ." Adverbs generall.v follow neuter,
but 71recede. active verbs. "Cresar fou ght bravely." "Pompey rashl.v
engaged him at Pharsalia." Our adj ectives have no inflexions, a nd
there fore c an be arrnn ged only 011 the principle of juxta-position .
(§II. p. 6i.)

144. Though in every member of a sentence, there must
be an agent, an action, and a subject, unless the action IJc
intransitive; there are to be found in many members tu}o,
in some three, classes of agents, actions, and sulJjects, that
expl3:in 1 restrict1 or otherwise <lepen<l on the primary class,
by which the member is discriminated.
E :r:rimple. "It is usual," says Addison,* "fo1· a man who loves
counti·y-sports, to preserve the game on his own ground s , and divert
himself on the grounds of his neighbours . My friend Sir Roge1·
generally goes two or three miles from his own house, and gets into
the frnnti ers of his estate be fore he beats about fo1· a hare or a partridge, 011 purpose to spare his own fiehls, wh ere he is alway s sure of
fii11li11 g diversion, wh en th e worst comes to the worst."
lll1ts.. In the form er of these senten ces , ther e is one class only of
nge nts, actions, and subjects, "A man who loves countl'y·sports ;"
but there a rr no few er than three such classes, in the first cla use of
the !alte r se ntence: "Sir Ro g·pr generally goes two or three miles ;
he gets info th e fronti ers of his estate, he fore he beats about for a
hare or a pa rtrid ge." These <lepe111lmt cla ~s c s , like d ependent word~,
atljectives, nud a1lv crb s, are a rr a nged on the principle of juxta position, a s near to th e prim a ry cl ass as is consistent with the intimacy of
their ulation. (Illus. Art. 143.)

145. Of the arrangement of the other parts of speech,

pmnouns, participles, prepositions and corijunctious, nu
directions can be "'iveu, that will not be liable to many exceptions. The following principles seem to include every

thing which can, with .any confidence, ;be advanced ' on the ·
SU

IJject,

. ·. . ,: . . ", · :;:· ., ). ,, ,_'·, :r. '. .;,_·-,'' ·· '., •. :. ·" ;· . ..

. ;'~,;;'.· :~~.

Illus. l. Pronoubs pilve no othel' use in laQguagc,.' but :to ' represent

~ouns; and, of cou~ile, they are ·commonly '.c alled -to occupy the stations 'of the nouns . they reprr.sent. ~ They should,·, therefore 1
m ~rshalled agreeably to the stations in which their p~incipals ·w~iild ,

be.

app~ar.

·(§VI.p.68,and.8rt.71.) •,

.-.~

·

·· v-.;.

·~·.,>r·.;-,

2 . The chief office of prepositions, is, t0' denote the relations ' of , ·
suhstantives to one another; they · arc, therefore, placed generally
between the related objects, immediately before the one that bears '.
th e relation, and us near n 6 possible to the otht>r, to which the relation
~s borne. "A man of virtue." "Success to industry." · "Genius with
JUd~nient . "
·
, ·· ·1
3. Pnr!icii;Ies, in genernl, assume the situation of adjectives, of the
nature of wh1c_h they very much partake; but they are also employed
fr"~111ently to ,:ntroducc clauses depend e nt on precediug ve r bs . " A
"A learned man ." " I-fo passed through li te adored
lo ving fa t he r.
by hi~ fri~1Hl s '. and re s pectr~ by 11 ll good men ." (illus. 2 . Ari. 59.)
4 . C onJuncttons are ofte n mtrodu ced to connect single substauth•es
bu t moi·e commonly to conj t•in· clauses of sentences. From theh~
11ah11 e th ey re<1uire a situation between. the things of which they form
an un ion . ( .!11·t. 72.)
,· ·
5. Th e int?1ject ion, finally, 'in ~grammat i cal ,sense, is totally _m;c onncct~d with every 01h: r word 111 a se ntence . Its arran g ement , () f
c ourse, is altog·ethe r arlHtrary, and cannot admit of any theorv ._,:.
( Jlrt . 7:J.)
'
•
6. If two adverhs at.tend upon a sin gle verb, on~ significaot of place
or tim e , th.e oth er o f som e, modifi cation of the verb, the forme 1 is
g c11 erally s1t1111ted. before the ve rb, th e la,tter, more intimately· connectod w ith th e verb, is placed im media te ly 'after it, to the e:ulnsion even
of ,the subject, wh en 8o m e c ircumsta11ce. d epe1!ds upon the rnbject.
"C ~ sar often repre hend ed seve rely th e w g rati.tude of ·his enemies .'·
"H e eve ry where decl a red publicly his iuclination to preserve the
con stitution of his country. " (.!Jrt. 70,)
.
"·1;>
.. ' .
7 . If one auxiliai·y attend n ve rb, nlong with one .adverb, the ndv; rb
is genP.rally pl aced bet ween th e a u xiliarf and thr verb. "Folly· has
always exposed her author." " W ea llh ,ma.y often make f.riends but
oan never produce true pence of mind.' ~
· ,
.
. ' ~·"•"
8. If there be two auxiliaries, the adverb is commonly situated ·
betwee n them . . "He "'hould .certainly hav!' come." ·"He miuht-easilv ,
hav·e known. " In pa ssive sentenc es, ' how ever, the adverb i's ulace~l ;
afte 1· both the au x iliaries.; as," H e will be uncommonly agit·a.ted .....
" I shnll be completely rum ed." (J/r{. 70. lllus: 5,)
- . , ·
9'. . ff th ere be thr ~e auxiliaries , when the sentence 'm ust a g ain be
pa ~s n· c, th e ndv crb 1s placed after them alL "I mi ght have been
b ett er informed .'' "H e mi ght hav e been co mpl etelv educated in that
branch of scien ce." · " ! t should have been well auth c.nticnte<L "
,
10. · If two adver bs, with twp ;:rn x il iaries, att end upon th e sam e vt>rb.
th e adYerbs will be inte rmixed with th e auxiliaries. " I have alway s
been mu ch embarrassed .by th rs P inconvenien ces." " He can never
be ~inc erely <~ispos cd to promote pe ace .~·." " l~ e might at ' least have
pl a mly told him .' '
'
·
' '
·'
11. .In the arran g ement ofrwo or more prepositions, the relation of
: c opcomitance seems to be the mo~t intima te, and t t.i)erefore, ta kes the

90

f?n.Jl~e_.~trupt~,rrJJt~§~nJ~1i~'l3.· .· · · ~ ~; -~~~}.'('):;;~,,

(Jn the Structure <if' Sentence3.

. . '

. prececlency -of all others. " J-Je went with him to Fr::rnce; he cam!':
with him from Home; he lived with him at Naples, anti fought with
him in Flanders ; he conteu!lcd with him for fam e, but fought with
J.iim a g ains t his enemi es ." The relation d enotf'cl by ji·u111 , prece<l e ~
that signifi<><l b)' lo .' " lfo cam1! from lbme to Paris, and from Paris
to London." " From a beginning very unpromising, he ros e to great
influr.uce nud wealth." " Soci••ty proceeds from barbarity to n~ ti11c­
mc11t, from ig 1wranc<' to knowledg·(', from wealth tn corruption, nlll\
from corr11pti1;n to ruin."
Sclwliwn. Th ese .prin ~ ipl<~' arc ~nppnrtcd by tlie practice of our
pun·at wr ite rs. !tis our duty, thcrel~•re, to form <' Ill' style 011 the
most co1T1~d mo<le! s before u•, if we no11!d :nn id chat flm;t11ati11g ntul
1111 sc ttleil imitation which is obscn:•.l>le, wh f' n the c ar i~ our chief guide,
and its tlictat'Ps a rc alw::iy s variallk, not scld<•ru wliim.<i c al. In a matter of so much con ~ 1·q 1 11:ncc, we ni'1 v , it H' r., ms, follow with most conlidcu(' (' lhc '' Xa !1t p l!! of !h P br r, ( wr it c·rs a ~d sp t!akel ,, e xplainer( u1HI
s1,1pported by the analogies of grm111uar a!ttl of perspicuity. ( Jlrt . SO. )

CHAPTER Ill.
ON TllE STllUCTURE OF SENTENCES.

_146. THOUGH PERsr1cu1TY be the general head under
which we are at present cousi<lering lan~uage, we shall not
confine ourselves to this quality alone, in sentences, but inquire also, what is requisite for their grace and beauty.
Obs. Ai·istotle defines a scntc11ce to be a form of ~p c t•ch whi ch hath
itn en•l within itself', and is of such a leng th ns ta he
easily comprt>hendcd at once.* This, howc-·er, admit~ of a great
latitude. For a se ntence, or period, consists alwnys of com1io11<'11t
part.,;, which arc .c alled its members ; and as these members mny be
either few or many, nnd may be conucctf'd in sev<!ral different wavs,
the. same 1.l1 otir,ht, or mental proposition, may often he eith e r bro11 ~· ht
i1110 one se11te11 c e, or split i11to two or three, without the material
· IH"eReh of an y rnle. (Art. 141. and 142.)
a 1.Jeginning· and

: ' 147. Tl1~ first variety that occurs in the consideration of
sentences, ·is, the <listi11ction of long a111l 8horl 011es. The
precise length of s1~n1ences, as to the number of words, or
the number of members, which may enter into thi ~ m, cannot be ascertained by any definite measure. At the s auce
titue, it is .obvious, that there may be an extreme on either

si<lc.
Illus. Sentences, immoderately long, :rnd consi~tinl?,' of too many
memlier·s, always tra11sgTcss some 01u• or other of tl11~ rules which ure
1.\CcessRry to lie observed in every go od sent ence. lu discour~es that nrc

I

·~

. ' '

.. . ,-, . ~!;,..; ' -

.

•

. '"' :.i ~

... (' '~

to ~e spo~en,, , reg:ird mu~t .. be had to . t~e easi.ne~s ~r. pr~nun!=ia~ion; ~·•,' :,~\·
which 1s•. not cons1stent ·w1th too long periods.'·'. In ·conipositionii'.w liifre
~ r,:
pronunciation has ·no place, stilf, however, by.tising"'fong.perfods too
fr e.queiltly,", an author ove'r loads ; a'. nd.-fatigues>the~~read.er:s\ alt.enliop.
For .long .peric~ds : r,e quire,, evidently ,.'1\dr,e atte'n tion ·th;tn' short 'Qnes" in
or~le_~ · to perceive .de~rly,_ the, ':Oi~nectiqn o (~h~ ~evcrii!,, #r.ts'f1!!-i1d tq ·
take m the. whole at one view: <. At the same time, ~in 'tooo ·m~qy e-s~ort
sent1mces, also, .there ma.v be a·n excess, by-which th'e sen~e.is;'s'pljt-'and
broken; the co~1necti~n of thought weake()ed,· and· the.memorr bu.rdFn- , ·
ed, by present mg to 1t a long _succ.e ssiou .of, .miupt,e . objec;ts.;,-r (OP,~.t.~· ~·

·.
" , .,.: , '·'• ,.
...... · , . . · .... ",. , ,,,... -,;. ~,;.,:i:.
Uorbl. · According to the nature of the composition, therefore, _and ·
the !?eneral character it ought to benr, the one"or other may be pre~
~\om1?ant. . But, in almost every ki'i1d of composition, . the gre!lt _rule
lS to mternux· them . .' For the , att~mtion .tJres of either, of theni',,whlln
too long continued : whereas, it is ..gratified by a: ·proper. ,mixt~re . of
lon~ and short periods , i.n which .a certain sp~ightline~s is joined ,W.it)l
ma~csty of. style. " It 1s· not proper always to employ ,a cont!nufd
tr'.1-111, nnd a sort of regular .compass .of phrases·; ,but styl_e ought ,t~_. be ·
often broken down · into . s~alle.r . ~~mb~rs."!',.,.,~ ,· .. ,., '~-· --~"'"·"~ ..., ::~, e{i"~

./lrt. 148.) .

148. Thi~ .\rai'~,ety ~ ~.~ · o( ,:so,i gr~~t.;rc 0ns~qu ¢,jlc;e, ~tq~(it
be studied, no~. ot,i1.Y · m .the. s.uccess1,on of long aqd

mus~

short sentences., : but m the · structure of_.either , speCies ~ of
· · ·. ' ·
.· · · - · . -' ~-:>-· r
_Illw;. 1. A tr~in of sentences,: construct~d in the same m~nn~r; ·a nd

these sentences. · ·

with the snme number, of members, wht; thcr Jong o ri ·short,, sho.uld
n e ver be nllowed to succeed one another: . However m·u sical each of
thr.m may be to a reader, it has ' a better "effect to infroduce''even '
<li Sf'.Ord·, than to cloy the car with the repetition of simiJa'r SOttncls·'.: : fo.r,
n?t.hing is so tiresome as perpetual uniformity: , { .!Jrt;,J 16. ~lllfS.. J , _2.
Cr1.l. /. and IT.) . .
. , ,: ... .>;

a

149. ·. The p;op~rties mo~t ess~ntiaT t~ a perfect sentence,
seem ~o be the four followrng : ·I. , Clea.mess an.d precision.
-2. U~1ty. S. Strei:igth.' " 4. · Harmo~y; " Eacl1 . 0f the!'l~ '.;we
shall illustrate sepal'l,lte!y, ,a~~ · a~~ s·~'!riir.)e,ngth~ :,; · '>.';:~~::.~~·''·· . ~:

••

Illus. The leas.t .failure. in . dearness .and ·. predsion which we 'l~
sider the first ess,e ntia l properties to a perfect sentenc~ · th~ ~ lt!ast•d
grne of ar.nbiguity, •yhic~' leav.es .the ,~ind i~ any sort or'suspen~~"!J.s,·t~
thr mcan111g, ought to be avoided •v1th the greittest ' care. ; nor:1s it so
c '.tsy a mact~r. to keep always clear oft.his, as one might, at first,' imiv
g111e. Prcc1swn has ah·eady been considered ; we shall here 'c onsider
nmbigui.ty as ;it aris~s either .f rom a wrong ehoice .of°.'vords; or a wrong
collocation of lh e in . In Chapter IV. this subject w1Hbehandled in its inost cx.tl ~ n~ive sif.!niflcntio11 . .
,·
: .
·. 11 '."'' 1'~'"'··
~'"': ~ ~·-1' '
Carol. Hence a~ Caj.Jltal ri;le in ·the arrangemcnt~of se~t!'~C~S is, tl1~l
the words or m e mb ers· most nearly related, .s hoold be placed \ in' the
sentence , aR n<~ ar. to each other ns possible ; so as to make their mutn a l ~·~lat i <~n cl•!arly appear: This 'is it rul e:' no~ alway~ observed :
stnct1y as 1t 0t1ght ·to be·, even by _good, writers. It will .be. neces.s ary
r

'

• • • •• :

as ,

" " Nnn sonp!'l' ·ut1-11d11m est r,erpetilitate, et quasi convernone terborum ;. sect'
carpendl\ membri1 minutior1bus omtio est." Ciccl'a,

s~pc

9

-.

··"""' ,: ~:.:.....:~~~~~~ .~¥!'..;~~·.*'-""

-.
:

92

to p~·oduce some instartces , which will hoth shew th e imporlance· o (
this rule , and make the application o r it und erstood. ( Jl rl . 121.)

15 J. Secondly, When a circumstance is interposed in
the middle of a sentence, it sometimes requires atten tion
how to place it, so as to <livest it of all ambiguity.
Illus. " Are these d es igns, which any man, who is born a Briton, io
'anv circumstances, in any situation, ought to be asham ed or a fr aid to
avow ?"t Here we are left at a loss, whether th ese worcls, " i11 airy
circumstances, in any sitnation," are connecterl with " a m a n born ir.1
Britain, in any circumstances, or situation," or with that man 's
o avowing his designs , in any circumstnn ces , or s itua ti o n into whi_ch
he may be brought ?" If th e latter, a s seems mo st prohable, was 111. 'iend ed to b e the meaning, th e a rran geme nt ought to h ave been conducted thus : " Are th ese <l<'s ig ns, which any man who is bor n a
Briton, ought to be as ham ed or afraid to avow in any circ uu1sta11 ccs,
in any situation? " But,

152. Thirdly, Still more attention is required to th e pro-

per disposition of the rel:ttive pronouns, who, which, what,
whose, and of all those particles which express the con~1ex­
ion of the {Jarts of speech with one another. As all reasonin.o- depern s upon this connexion, we cannot here be t:ou a.ccur~te and pi·ecise. . A small error may overcloud th e
• Swift's Project for the Ailvm1cement of Religion.
t Doliugl.n·okc's Di!Sl:a·t. ou Pnnil;s;'

9.S

''S~.

li'leRning- nf the wh!lle sentence; an<l even where the mean·. ·
ing is intelligible, if thei;e relative partioles be uut of their
proper p'lace, we always find something awkwar.d an4 .. _disj ointet.I in the s~ructure. of th.e ' seritence.
:" .. :.. '' ·"

150. lt'irst, in the position of adverbs, wh~ch are used ta
c1ualify the significatio~1 o~ something that e1t~1er precedes
or follows them, there is otten a good deal of mcety. ( /irt.
121. and JUus.)
Ill-us. "The Romans und cr~ tood lib erty, at least, a ~ well as we."""
These words are capitble of two different se ns es , a ccordin g as t.h e e m, phasis, in read in g th em, is la id U}JO n liberty, m· u~on at le ast. In tllf'
first case, they will sign ify, that whatever other thrn gs we m_ay uncl~ r ­
stand better than the Romans liberfy, at leas t, was one tl1111 g which
th ey unders tood as well a s we'. In the second case, th ey will import!
that liberty was und ers tood at least as well l!y t h ~m as by us; m ean·
incr
that by th e m it was better und ers tood . If thi·s las t, a s I make 110
0
do u'bt, was D ean Swift's own m eaning, the ambiguity would h an:!' bcc:n
avoided, and the sense rendered in clc pend ent of th e mannr.r o f pro •
noun cing, by arranging th e words thu s : " th e Homans und ers tood
libertv, as well, at leas t, ns we.'' ( Jlrt. 70. Illus. 5.)
Co~ol. \Vith rr.spect, then, to such ndvcrbs, as, only, wholly, at lcrt st,
nnd t.h e rest of that tr'ih e, whi ch we use in commo n di sco urs e, t he tonr.
and emphasis with which we pronounce them, generall y sen'e to
11hew th eir reference, and to mak e th eir meaning clear ; and h euce, w e
acquire a habit of throwing th em in lo osely in th e C'ourse of a perio c.1'.
'B ut, in writing, ,,,-her e a man speaks to the eye and n ot to the ~a r, he
oug ht to be more accurate; an d so to conn ec t those adve r bs w ith th e
wo rds which they qu alify, as to .put his meaning out of dou bt upon th e
first inspection. (Illus . 11. /Jrl . 124.)

of .1dverbs and Prorwuns.

1'he l"osition

On the Structw·e of Sentences.

0

Tllns. I. " '.fhis kirid of wit : was . very . much in vogue amou g oµL·

r
I

countrymen; ab::iut an a ge or two a go, who did not JH'actice it.for llny
oblique ·reason, but purely for th e sake of being witty."* . We arc at
00 l os~ <ibnut th e m e1rn i11g hr.re; but the co n stru ction would evidently
b re m endeu by di>posing of the c-ir-cumstance, " abou t an age or. two
av,r i," in ~u c h a manner as not to sepa r a te th e relative who from its
11.nt.Pc'" '" •1t t1 1tr co1mtryinen. ~ Thus , ." a bo ut an age or two ago, this
k io <I of wit was very much in vqgue amour, our coun trymen, who did
not prac1ice it for any oblique rea·8on 1 but purely foL"the sake of. bein~
witt v. ''

.

·

.

. .. .' ..

-i.

.

•

2. Of the like n.ato re is the following jnacc uracy .<>f Dean S w ift.
H e is recomine udi , 1 ~ to _yo ung· clergymen to ·write their sermons folly .
a 11 <1 dist in ctJy. " M1M.v," sayg .. h e, " act so di rec t.ly contrary to this
nwrhod, tha t from a habit of saving· time . and paper .. which they ae·
c:111i" e~ I a t tit ·? , 1 uiv c :·~i t ,v , .they write in so diminutive a manner, .that ·
th"y ca n hard ly n•acl ~ h at th ey have wt·itten_.,, He certainly does not
m r. a 11 , tint they had acqu ired time an•l paper n,t the university, but
that they had ncqu i.recJ this habit o.f saving both time and p1tper there;
;and th e refore hi s word s ought to have run thus ·: " From a hal.Jit which
t h ey have acqttired at the university of savin_g time .and paper, they
write in so diminutive a mauu e r."
·
Scholia. Severn{ other instances mi g ht be given ; ,but .those which
we have produced may be sufficient to make the rule understood.
·
· I. N a rn ely, that in the coi1struction of )!entcnces one o( the first
th in gs to be attended to, is, the marshalling of the words in such order
as shall most clearly mark the relation of th e several parts of the sen•
teoce to one another.
·
,. __
·
Par ticularly, thnt adverbs 'Shall al ways be macle t9 adqcre,d os(!ly t,e '
th e words which they are intend ed to qualify.
' .
,
'
IJ. That, where a circumstaricc iii thrnwn in, it shall never hang
foose in the midst of a period, I.Jut be de.termii;ied by its pince to .~Pl' ·
~ r othl'.r of the members in that pcri.od.
" ' · .
-~ --: ' ·
111. Auel that e\'ery re_lntiv.e word · w~kh is u~ed, shall .instantly
present its antecedent to ,the mind of the re ader~ ,withou~ - the) eafol
·
•·
•
·· '·· .
· '
' "
·0 bscurity. ·
· ln these thr ee cases 11re ·con tain ed so me of the most«'.frequent occa.·
~i :> n s of ambiguity creeping into sentences . . (But .lee Chapters
IT! , Vil, and Y III, of this oouk.)
·

iv, v,·

153. '\Tith regard to relatives, we must farther . observe,
that obscurity often arises ~rom the too frequent repetitior,>.
~f them, particularly of . the · pronouns who, and .they, 11:nd
t hem, and theirs, when _w~ have occasion to refe~ to diffet:C?!1t..
persons.
,
, · , .· .(
Illns. 1. ;c l\:len look with an evil eye upon ' lhe good that is in oth•
ers; and think that their reputation oh~cures them; and .their .com·
qic nrlnblc <'juaHti es stand .in t{1 eir. JigM; and th ere fore >they tlo ll'h»l
•

,I

.......

" Spectatur, No. 54 ~

77' .......

~~- 94

On tlte Structure of Sentences.

they can to cast ~ cloud over th e m, that the bright shining· of the Ii?
virtues may not obscure them."*
Tl1is is altogether careless writing. Jt renders style often obscure,
always embarrassed aud ineleg·ant. When we find these personal
pronouns crowdi,ng loo fast upon us, we have oftf'o no method le ft 1
but lo throw the . whol e sentence inlo some other form, which may
avoid those frequent references to persons who have beforr. been men tioned.
2 . .All languages are liable to ambiguities. Quinctilian gives us
some instances in thr Latin, arising from faulty arrangements . A
man, he tell s ns, ordered, by his will, to have erected for him, alter
his dPath, "Statuam auream hastam tenentem ;"upon whid1 a ros e n
disput e at law, whether the whole stl\tue, or th e spea r ouly, was to be
of gold?
·
3 . The same author observes, very .properly, that a sentence is al ways faulty, when the collocatiou of the words is ambiguous, though
th e sense can be gathered. If any one sho uld say," C'hreml'tem au·
tlivi perc11ssise D e m r,a m ;" thi .~ is ambiguous, both in Sl"nse an<l structure, wh2the1· Chrcme~ or Dcmca gave the blow.
Doral. H1~11c e , to have the rclati•rn of every word nnd 1ticmLer of n
sentence marked in the most pro per and distinct manner, givps not
clea1·ncss only, bnt grn<" e <11Hl lrnw1l.y to a sl'11te11ce, makin g th" mi11d
pa s ~ smoothly and .a gre cah!y along all the parts of it.
(Corot . .llrt.
149.)

154. UNITY is the secon<l quality of a well-arranged sentence. This is a capital property. In every composition,
of ,whatever kind, some 11'~gyec of unity is required, in order to ren<ler it beautiful ~ There must be alwa_ys some
connecting prin cipl i~ nmong the parts. Some one object
must reign and be predomi nant. ·
' Obs. This h olds i11 history,° in e pic ami" dramatic poetry, and in all
orations. But most of all, in a single sentence, is required the strictest unity. Fo1· the H~ry n ature of a sentence implies 'J n e proposition.
to be e:xpres sed. It m ay c:onsist of parts, iudeed; but thes e parts
must be so closely bollnd tog-eth er, as to mak e llFOll tLe mind th e impressiun of on e objpct, no t of many. N'lw, in onlcr to preserve this
·unity of a sentence, th e following rnl es must be ob ~;er\'ed.

155. In the fil'st place, during the coui·se of the sentence,
the scene should be <;h:rnged as little as possible. ·
should not be hurried by sudden transitious from person to
person, nor from subject to sul~ject. There is commonly,
in every sentence, some per son or thing, that is the gnverni11g wont. This shoulJ be cc:1tinued so, if possible, from
the hegi11ning to the end of the sentence.

''re

Tllns . Should r. exp res s mys e lf thus: "Afte1· we came to a11d101·,
.t.h ev put me on shon?, whe re I \Hts welcomed by n ll my fr iends , who
rec,,i vwl tnl' wit!! !ht! g rnnt cst k indn ess." Thcn11~h t.h e ohj t·ct~ co n ··· ·
tained in this sentence, have a. sul!icient connection with e ac h otht~~·,.
.. Till.ctson, Vol. I. Berm. 4~.
I

Nnity.

' .
.....
of representing tl.1em, by shifting.so often both tho
}ll11ce 1•.•111 the p erson, we, and they, and I, and who, they appear in
s uch a di sunited view, that the sense of the sentence ·is 11lmost lost • .
'The sentence is restore(\ to its proper unity, · by turning it aft.cl' the ·
following manner: " Having come lo an anchor, I was put· on 'shore,
"<here ( was welcomed by alhny friends, and received with the greates t kindness." Writers who transgress this nile, for the most part
transgress, at the same time,
'
.'
·'".':
\

set, l.iy th ls t~anner

,

156. A secon~I rule; never crowd into one sentence,
thi11gs which have so little connection, that they could bear
to be divided into two or three sentences. , The violation of
this rule. never fails to injure the style, and displease the
i·eader. Its effect, indeed, is so <lisagreeable, 1hat of the
two, it is the safer extreme, to el"i' rather by too many short
sentences, than by one that i_s overloaded an<l cml)ar,rnssed.
~ . We shall produce
to justify what we have said. "Archbishop - Tillotson," says
nn Autho1· of the History o( England, "clied in this year. He was
• ~xcecdin gly · belove<} both hy King William and· {~ueen Mary, who
nominated Dr. Tennison, Bisho.p of Lincoln, to succeed him." Who
would expect the latter part of this sentence to follow, in consequence
of the former? "He was exceedingly , beloved by bolh King and
l~. 11 een . " is the proposition ofthe sentence: we look for som~ proof.
{)f this', or at least something related to it, to follow; whert we are on
~ sudden carrie<l off to a, new proposition, "who nominated Dr. Tcnuisou to succeed him."
2 The following is from Middleton's Life of Cicero: "In ·this unca>j state, both of his public and private life, Cicero was oppressed
u y a ne'.'V and cn!el affiict.ion, the d e ath of his beloved · daughter TulJia; which happened soon afte~ her ~livorce from Do!a~:ell,~, wh~se
manners and h11mours wern entirely disag reeable to her.
Ihc pnn,
eipal object in this· sent.ence is, the death of Tullia, whkh was the
cause of her father's affliction; the date of it, as happening soon after
her divorce from Dolabella, may e nter into the sentence with 1nopriety ; but the suhjunction of Dolabella's character is foreign to the m a in
object, anti totally breaks the unity and compactness of the sentence,
hy selling a n ew picture before the rearler. (~lrl . 149.~
: '.
3. The following sentence, from a translatwn of l lutard1, 1s still
worse : speaking of the Greeks unde_r Alexander, the author . says,
"Their march wns throug·h an uncultivated country, whose savage
i nhabitants fan?cl hardly, having no other riches than a breed of lean
r'heep, whose flesh was rank and unsavory, l!y reason of their conti~t­
ual feeding upon sea-fish ," H ere the scene 1s changed upon us ngam
a nd again. Tht> march of the Greeks, the descdp1ioii oft he inhabitan~s
through whose country they travelled, the · accoun~ of these p~opl~ s
1·iches lying wholly. in sheep,, an? the ca.use of their she<'p bem{!' 111tasted food, form a Jumble of obJects, slightly related to each other,
which the reader cannot, without. much difficulty, comprehend under
one view. ( Cor . .llrt., 149.) .
~
~. ,

Il!ns. l. Examples abound ii1 our own aulhors.

~.omri,

157. A third rule, for preserving the unity of sentences,
is, to avoi<l all parentheses in the middle of them.
n so1~c
9*

:

bi

?®

-,
' .....--~~-----------

• - wnm* &£d&

On the Stmcture of 8entcnces.

Sttengtli.

occasions, the.y m~y ~1~ve a spirited ap\>?arance; as prnrnp-~
ted by a certarn v1vac1ly of thought, w 11ch can glance happily aside, as it is going along. (Art. 187.)

p;uage than ,..to say, "BPing content with desc:ving a triumph, he
refused the honor of it."
Coro[, One of the most useful cxe1·cises of correction; upon reviewing what we have written or composed, is therefore to contract thnt
round-about method of expression, and to lop off those useless excrescences which arc common ly found in a first draught. Here a
~evcre eye should lie employed ; and we shall always find our srntences acq uirc more vigour and cnerg)' when thus r etrenched ; provided always, 1hat we run not into tlw extreme of pruning so very close,
as to give a hardness and drync~s to style. For here, as in all other
things, there is a due medium. Some rt>gard, though not the princi pal, must he had to folness and swelling of sound. Some leaves must
he left to surround and shelter the fruit.·

Obs, For the most part, thrir effect. is not always ~piritcd: ~in:y,
sometimes it is extremely had. Thc_v seem a ~ort of wheels \nth1n
wheels; sentences in th e mid~t '!f scnte1.1ces; the JH' rpl<>xc.d method '.'f
dispo8ing of some thonght, winch a wr_il{'t· wa1~ts art to rntroduc<> in
its proper place. It were nectllr!-s to gHc any 111stanccs, as they oc';ur so often among incorrect. wrilers.

158. The fourth an1l last rule fortlw unity of a scntrncc,
is, to bring i t always to a full am~ P?rfect. cl_ose. E\'ery
thing that is one.' should have a _begmn111µ;, a m1ddle aud an
end. An unfin1shell sentence 1s no sentence at nil, accordiHg to any µ;rammatical rule.
Obs. But we very often m ee t wit It senlt>nccs, that arc, s o to ~peak ,
1nore than finished. 'Vhen we hnvc arrivrd nt whnt we cxp<'cll'rl "n ~
thf' co1wfn<.:i<)n, \\ IH•11 \\Tar<~ cii111c ln f h(' \YUi d I'll \\·J 1ic fl ! lit ·
1ni11d, by '".:h:1t \Yf'ttt bi · t"nn· ~ '" uatur: t l\_v l~·tl ti• tt ·'< I ; llllt-' 1\ftt' i 'h~ dl_v .
~o 1 iH' cir('tt:n:.;ta n<T :1pp1 ·:-1r:-:.J ,·.\ii< \i 011~..!_ld 1.i l1; 1\T fw1· 11 1 : 1l}i1l~ · cl. ~1r 11 '
]J;t\"C bC l' ll dii;;;p(1~cd o f cl-.:t ' \\ l11 ·r l'; l t tt "!ti~ · i1 i" lc ·!'t h,: __
' _'.:. i11 ,:. .'. l'('!!i1tcl ".'

to hp

1

likf' a tail adicc1 (·tl tu 111+ · ;-:1· 1Jfc1H 'f' . Thi..- l nid.;~ ~n I ii(' 1·!1et<q ici:111·..;
f'VP. ;1 -. drlf·:-;. fo thr n:1t11r;i\i..;;t's the prodig·i 11 11;;,; t: lil ,-\ 11i1"!t :lH· rude l1:1111l
').f e;1xh- ~~1ronn1ny h :1~: .'!i \Cll 1 ~1 tlw f'•J !l"tc ll ati1n1 f 1 1..:.; :_ \ '.\l :1 i• ll'.
0

I :;(J ,

Tht~

~T!.}f': :'··d.;."J H .

- --- -

~~ ' llJ",-.

third

11w :lity

of

a

cotTt'.t.L

h~:ni 1· 111:1 ·,

1~

~~v

tl+i .. :. i.. ; np·;n d :-. tlCh ;1 d l ,-. :. pt1 ,-...i i11111 11 f llH' .... • ' V e: al \\uni,., an d ·tll( ' llllw 1,;, a,; ,.,li;ill IHing 01it t!H · oil'l hr 1., 1l1c
!Jr,;1 advanla g:('; ;JS o- \i al l l'f'!JdPr jf)(' itlljl:f' Sc :in1 1 \\J1id1 tlw
!wri11d j.: '''"'i .~11Pd i<> 111:1b', 111'"'1 1'11 11 :i111 I crnnpl•·l1·; a 11d
.~ i \ - (\ t'\- er ·~- \\ 01 d , ;111'1 c \ t'i Y llH ' tnt1 \· i-, li:-1 dti~ · \\ 1 ' is~ l d ~ii1t!
fon.:e. (b',uu11pit. ,,Ji(. i I j ·)
UiJtJ . l t1 e '""'u 101 HH-;r 4pt ulitiL"I tJ f p~ ;r~ p it: uit)- hiHJ UitiiJ, a tt.:, uu
:-1 n ~iht :i ~.1t::: r·- l nt~ ~]- rrrr-:-~·n-·:.~ t~ ~ thr !1~-' rb · r~;·ln n:f H ~! ... rPi-rt; '~r ·t n inr c
1
i3 still rcq11i~ite. For a ~enf<>nce may he dt>ar f'lloui:rh, it may nl ~ o he
ro n1part f'l1<'1'1<!h in H1l 1tci pHrf". fir hHv"'" tlu~ rPqni"itr nnitv: nntl ,,,...1

liy s~me 1mfa;;otl'·alilP circ11m;;ta11ce in the structure, it nrn_y fai-1 i 1~
lhal ::;tn::11gd1 u.- liveii11t·· ~~ o J u11ptt:S:o;.iou wi1it..h i1 JUtHC happy &1rra11gc1w•nt would have pro1!.1cr<l.

. 160. The first rule for prmnoting the strength of a sentence, is, to divest it of all re.111ndm1t words. These lllay,
sometinU'S, be consislellt wilh a consitferaule uegree uoth ;,f
dParness and unity; but they are always e11foe1Jli11g. (See

Art. 121.)
Illus. It is a g-Pneral maxim, that ;my words which do not_ add so me
_importance to the meanin~ of a srnt e ni:r., (l)wa;: s spoil it. ThPy c<1n>1ot lie superfluous, without heing- hurtful. All that can lie en~ily s"p J>lic<I in tb r, mind, is better lt>ft out in tbe ex rres ,;on . Thu~ : "Content
with dcsel"Ving a triumph, he refused th e honor of it,'' is better Ja1f·

t

I
J

t

1(j I. As sentences should lie cleared of redundant words,
so also of redundant members. As cYCry word ought to
present a new iJca, so cHTY nH'muer ougl1t to contain a
mw thought. Opposed tu tl{is, stand;; the 'fau lt with winch
we sometimes 111cPt, of the last 1111'111lwr of a period being
11olli ing, else tlia11 tl1e ccl10 of the former, or the rr petition
of it in ;l different form . For exa111ple; speaking: of beauty,
JI/us . :\lr. Ad di">ll "''"' · " Tlw n•ry first disr·cn-.•n· nf it, striiu'.' Iii<'
in ind with i"warcl .i".'"· a·ncl 'JlrP nds d;·li ;cl1t t!irnugh ' all its L1 c1d1ies' ."
\nd "l"•11hcrf', "It jc; i1npo"i lil 1' lor "" f fl lwliold the di,in<' " orks
-, i1l1 nilr l 11 1 1..s nr i1l •- liff1'1'f '1i 1· i'. nr t o "ll l'\'C_\" c;ri t11 ~1 11y !1f'r1t1ti1'c; , wi1l1rq 1t ;i_
ct rr ·t :-.::1t]_.-f;1.ctio 11 ~i n d cPi np l:-i( · cncy~ .· · Jn !Jutli thc::.:c i 11 ~t : 1 1w i'~J li1t!c
1'1' 11n ihl P '.__:'. - i:-: 0ddf' d Ii•: t h·· ~"('•'11'.l J 'lf' ! ~d·r- 1 · r1j' tlJP ~ 1 - l i h'Pi I ' {n \\'i i;!t
1•_;h ;d1e;.1dy C\.pn ·:; t; <"rl .in 111~ ' flr:--l
a11d llt1i1u.d1 f!if' f it'f' <l1Hl tloffi11 _~
n1: 1nnrr of .such an ~1u tl 1 nr ;i.~ l\lr. .- \d di.~oll. and tht' ~THCC' l lll harn1on\·
nl Lis p eriods , 111a1· pa lliale s11cli 11cgl igc11cc s : yd , i11 i;c n crnl, ii hold.~,
tli :it q_, lf· ~ fn~(·d f ro1n tlli~ prolixih', appc ;·1r'I b o1h inore -.;f1(1t1f~ an d
111n1T l 1('au1i(1:l.
Tl1 c atti ·ut irJll IH~,·uli1 !"'" J( _·1 ui t; :'i . t l 1c rnilld f;iJ!,.- into
1

; •1; i'· ti '' !I .

pltcattO~

\ '. \H' 11 \•. · 1~1 1 \_..;

ot

1tlcas.

;111 1 1;11iJti1 iJ{ l'i\ I \ jf)1n1Ji

( 6ee Cril. i. 'and ~- p. 'i l.)

;1 COlT(' '' l!OlH\i1:• _·· l1lldti-

"

f(d. Afrpr 1·cm11vrno- snnPrll11itiPc;. tiu:• serond rul~ for

prn11iuii11g the t;lre11gtl1°uf <~ seutence; is, to aU.e11tl particulady to the use of copulatives, relativf~s. an<l all the particles
mployed for transition and connection.
Illus. These littl e words, but, a.nrl, which, u:hose, where, &.r. are fre<Jt1e11tly the most important words of any ; they arc the joints or hinge.0 11pon \Vhich all sentences .turn, and, of course, much, lioth of the
gracefu ln ess n11cl the slr<>ngth of sentences, must depend upon the
JH'•Jper use of such particles. The varieties in using th em are, indeed,
~o numerous, that no particular system of rules can be ~iven 1-espectllll;!- th<:m
AH.ention tn the practice of th<' moQt accurate writers,
.i?i11cd with fre<Jucnl trials of the diJTerent effects produced. bx a dif~
fercnt usage of tho se particles, must here direct us.'· ( .llrt. 145. Illu4.
l-11.)
.....
·'-.~······

163. What is called splitting of particles~'.'or '~eparatjng
·~.

.- ~1iectator, No. 412.

t Ibid. No. 41:f.

.

.: ...

.

Sti-engtft.

On the Structure of Sbitenccs.
a preposition from the noun which it governs, is always lo
be avoided. ( lllus. 11. Jlrt. 145.)
/lh!S. " Th r. n;;-h virtut• borrows no as sistance from, yd it may oftcJJ
Lr. accompanied by, th e adva11tn~·: cs of fort1111c." In pronouncing thi>i
in s tan c e " ·c fe e l a sorl o f pain from the rev11l s ion, or ,·iolcnt s epa1·alion of t w o thi•1 gs, whi c h hy llieir 11;olLll'I', should be closely u11ilc1l.
'"'"arc put to a s ta nd in th o ug ht; bt·i11 g obli g-r!d to r es t for a littl e 011
thP, pre position by it self, \Yiii c h, at th e r. arn c time, carries 110 significan cy, till it is joined to its prop er sub s tantive nouu.

164. · Some writers needlessly multiply dcmonstratin~
and relative particles, by the frequent use of such phraseology as the following;:
I ll us. " Th e n• is

l! o thin ~·

w h ish d i !.g n s t ~ u s soon e r than th e Prn p ty

pon tp of la11 g un .e-P .'' ln i i:Jl· (H111cin.;! a ~u t :J Pc f. or la.v i11 g d in\- ll a !•l"t>p os ition to which we de111an<I parti c ular attention, rhi ~ s urt of stv1" i:<
Y ('t'_\' fHOJl" ' ; \111t i11 l~w '1! ·di11<1t'Y 1·1111T11i Pf d i -.:cr111r-e , it i-.; IH ' tt~·1 !11
r 'Ilf ' f ' ~~ n 111 ·..:e h ·e . .: ll tPI 1• :-:i 111 ply ~ 1 11d ~ ~ 1 11r tly : " i'\ (1tlii11p,- d i "'_'.;n"-f." 11·;
S l H>IH'l' th:t l l t\11 · 4' lllJ l1_Y p o11 1p ol l: 1l l!~ l J;l _!.!. l'.'
1

IC.I . Oil11' r \1Ti(1'!'~ rnal;P a l'r:icii<·( ' ol nrnilfin~ ll1P r('L1 tiv e, uy adopti11g a plira :;eolog,_y ul a dill'e 1e11t ki11d fru111 t he
fo rnie r. Th i;; e n1 1r !-' p1in~,.; frn111 fl it~ ah,.; 111d "''l'l'o'ition
iliar, \\ itlwul t!1i'i onii·~iu; J , Ilic llll':tllill!.!; cuuid I111t. lJl~ u11d1T .
-.tuod.
.
T!fus. ': Thf' Pt!\ll l
"-e m nd r·. "

l1l\'P.·· ~-~ :

Th(' •ln111i 11i n11s " -<' pni;;:<;;,i·:-:---<·'1; :111d tli:·
E nt ili0 n c. h th !' rl lip tir:al ;;t1·ic ilf' iJJ t e lli c ild r.
and nJlr,\v!lblc i n rn1n-r·1·.::;1t inn ;-11\d f'pi.;to l;;ry wr il i11·c.- , .\•·I i11 :-i ll " r i ·
t i ni.:-s o t a c.e r io u s o r d i.::11 i1 ic d kin d, it is 11n;;r;u:clu l. Then~ . 1!1c r cl: 11i"-e ~iio11 i d ;dw :1y ~ l~f' in"'crk d i H ii' p ro per p L1<:P 1 t11ul th(· 1·0:1qn:c
tifJll fiil(•cl 11p : :l'~" T\i(' 111:u1 \\ hn111 ( l oY1' . " --- - -'~ T!il' d1Jt11i11io115 \\ l1irll
~~vc p r)s~cs:~cd~ n nd fbc ccJn quc sts which '"c 1nadc.:!
co n qu~ 0 t s

J (i(i. \';-i11r rl':::111I to I lie cop1ilalive parlitll·, und, 11l 1il1 1
orcu r<.: so fr cq u c11 fi _',' in :ill ki •1!h of rompnc;ifion, ~f'Yn;1l (lb s\· 1· ,;d io1 1s an· !o lw 11 1ad1 »
Fir~!. it i'i ('\id1· 11 t, th:d dH' u1111 ec t' S;;:try rcrctit io11 o! thi s p:t rtidt'. cn frdJles s tyli-. It ha~
lll Uc\i tl 11• S <l llle Pi!i•c j ;t <; tlH• f rPqlft'llf 11 ..; 1~ ol fll\' V ll l!.!;:!l'
phra se, and so, "'hen one is telling a s tory in c o mm o 11 c\m -

versation.
lllu.~. J _ " ' e shall , for nnl') instan c e, take a s e ntenr c from Sir ' Vil ·
liam T e mple. I.le is spe aking of th e r e finement of the Fre nch lang uage : "The acatlcm y set up by Cardinal H.i r: hcli e 11, to nmu se th e
wits of that age and country, and to 1livcrt th e m from n1ki11g· intn
hi~ politics and ministry, brou g ht this inlo vo g n c ; and lhc Frf'n c h
wits have, for t!iis last age, b een wholly tnrn<'d to th e rdin c ment of
their style au cl langua g e; and, inde e d, n·ith suc h s n c cc s ~, . that it cau
hardly be equalled, and rnns equally through th e ir ' 'CrSt! and thl'it·
. prose." Here nrc no fewer than ei g ht ands in on e ~=cnt c nce. This
ni:;recable wriler too oft e n makes his S•'ntences drag in this mmrncr, ·
by a careless multiplication of copulatir 0s .

. ~9

2. 1t is strange that .n ' writer so accurate as Dean Swift, should
ha ve s tmnbled on, so improper an application , of this particle, as he
has made in the following sentence: "There. is nq talen ( so. useful to -'
wan!~ rising in the world, or which puts men more· out of the reach
of fortune, than that quality generally possesse~I by the .dullest sort of
peopl,e , and is, in common language, called discrnt.i ou; . fl .~IH~cies of
lower prudence, by the assistance of whi c h,"* &.c . ·: By the .insertion
of, mul is, in plac e of, wh ich is, he has 11ot only clo g ged th e sent~nce,~
but even made it ungrammatical, ,

167. Ilut, in the next place, it is · worthy of observation ,
that though, the naturaruse of the conjunction, and, \Jc to
join objects, an1,l thereby make their connection more dose;
yet, in fad, by droppin g the conjunction, wc often mark a
close r connection, a qu ic ker succession of olJjects, than
w hen it is in serted bet wee n them .
l/l11s . J. Lon g inus makes this n·m a rk ; which , from ma ny in sta n c e ~ ,
;1ppPars to be _just: "\~eni , vicii, vici,"t (~xprt ' Sscs with nion~ sp ir it
ti<" rapid n v and quick succession of conquest, than if con11cctiugc
J>arfick;; had bC!'ll used.
2 . So, in t h e followi n g description of a rout in Crr>ar's Commentarif'~. thl' 0111issinn of 1h f' cor•ur>ctive p;1rticl1~ Q.iYe" _C.TP;lt fnrcc to
tl1e sentence : "i'i ostri, emis s is pili s , gladiis rem ger nnt ; rep rnt e
post tcrgum cq u itntus ccrlfitnr; co h ort cs aJi;r :ippropinquant. Hoslcs
r"r~::a; Y<'rt1111t; fur:;~eutd1u:) equit cs uccurruut; fit 111ag11a c~rde:;."t
lh- 11 (;lfJJ. lib, 7.
1 ()8. 011 the other haud, wl1c11 \Ye seek to pren:nt a
qnick transition from 011e object , to aJJother-,r l11~n we are
rnakin; sotne e11u111Pration in which we \\ish that ihe objects
should appea r as distinct from each other as possible, a nd
that the 111i11d should rest, for a 111oment, on each object by
itself, copu la 1ives lllay be mu ltiplied wi th pec uli ar advantage a11ll gr<'<ce.
/ //11 s . As wh e n Lo r d Bol ini:brokc says," Suc h a man might fall a
,·inirn lo power; but truth, a11d reason, an<\ liberty would fall with
hi111.''
111 thr. ~ n i n e 11H1 n nrr, Ca~~ar tlf's.cr i he~ nn cn~ag-C'n1f'n t "i:h 1h,. .l\"flr..,
'ii. "I Ii> eq"it ibu s facile pllbis ac protl•rbatis, inc 1cd<biif' cc ler ilate
:1d

il tJ llH' ll der 1nT1.: r11 n t ~ 11t Jl !' U(~ u nn lt~i np ore, ef

:1d

s\·h·a",

t.:'f in

ilu ! n iq 1~, e t j:11 11 i n ill Hlli !JuS ll O> t r !s , JiO'; lt·~ v ide re 11 t ur." § I3;· Jl. (_; aJJ. J. 2.
Here, althc111 g l! he is " '":rrihin g o quick su ccess inn •Jf e ve nts, yel a~
it i.~ his intPntion lo shew in how many place s thP c iwrn y se!'11H·rl lo
h e at one tim e , th e c o pulative is very ha p p ily rf!donbl f' d, in order to
paint more strongly the dis tin c t.ion of th ese s e vrral pla ces :..
" EssnJ' on the Fates of f'krgymen. .

t" I came; I •nw. I conqnnf'd."

t "Onr men, after having clischargl'd their ja•·elins, attack -.irh •word in hancl;
- of n smld ~n tht· cnvalry make. their.appenrancP behind; other bodies of men are
oetn clrnwini; m·nr; thr (;ncmies turn tl:cir l!acka; . tbc hone me~t them in their
;. R g-rr-at slaughte t· ensu· · ~. , .
. .
§ •·Tiu· enemy. havinl1' ensily b~at off uml scnttel't'd this bo<ly of horse, ran down
with incretlihle Ceh·rity In tht· river , so· that. alinost at one moment bf tim~, thfy
:>J>l>t art·d to be h1 the woucls, nnd in the ril•c1", and ill the midst o.f our 1rool'~·" .
tli .~ht

•·

»'.

1-00

Bn the Sfruetw·e

·' . ,". :......

o/ Sentencta.

Scholia. This attention to the several cases, when it is proper t•
omit and when to redonble the co7ntlatii•e, is of consi1lt·rable impor-·
tanc~ to all who study eloquence. For it is a remarknhle particularity
in language, that the · omission of a connecting particle should son\e-

t.imes serve to make objects appear more closely connected: ~nd that
the repetition of it should distinguish and separnt.e them m some
mrasure from each other. Hence, the ouiission of it is used to denote
rapi1lity; and ·the repetition of it is designed to retard and to ~ggr~­
vate. The reason seems to be, that, in the former casr, the nund is
supposed to he hurried through a ri11ick succession nf objects, with?11t
gaining leisure to point out their comw~tion; it. drops t~1e copul;~t1ve
in its hurry; and crowds the whole series togeth.cr, ns ~f the ohJects
were but one. \Vhereas, when we enumerate, with a view to a~ g ra­
yate, the mind is supposed to prncer.d with a more slow nntl sol1·11111
pace; it marks fully the relation of each object to that ~vhich succeeds
it· and by joinino- them to 0 ether with several cnpulat1ves, makes us
p:rceive, · tl1at th~ objects, though connect rd, are yet,_ in them~elvcs,
distinct· that they are many, no• one. Observe, for mstancc, 111 the
followin~ enumern.tion made by the apostle P_aul, what addition~!
weight and distinctness are given to each pa1·tt~ular by the rep.ell•
tion of a conjunction. " I am persuaded that neilher death, nor hfe,
.nor angels, nor principalities, 11or powers, nor !hin~s present, 1wr
thing-s to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, 1h"1l
be 1tble to separate us from the love of God."~ So much with rt!gard
to i.hc use of cop11lat.i.-e~.

169. A third rule for promoting the strengt~1 of a 8entPnCP,
is, to dispose of the capital word, or wordH, rn I hat place of
the sentence where it or they will make the fullest unpression.
llLns. Every one must sec, that there are in every •PntPn<'P rnrh
·C·apital words, on which the meaning principally r~ sts; an<l it. .i~
equally plain, that these words should posSf'ss fl conspi c uous ~nd distinguished place . . But that place oft.he sentence where they. will make
the besf figure, whether the beginni11g or the end, or so.metnnes, ~~~n
the middle, cannot perhaps be ascertained by any precise rule. l l11s
1nust vary with the nature of the sentence.

\

;

:...

Sirengt!i, '·

Hll

171. 'fhe Greek ·and Latin · writers had : a conS'i<l:rable
:ulvantage : above us~ in . this part. of sty le. '·.
the great
liberty of inversion, which their lan~uages permitted, they
could choose the most·.advantageous situation for every
word; anq had it thereby_ iri their pow~r to giv.e their sentc11ces more force.
· , ·'
·
·· ·

ny

Obs. Mjlton, in his prose works, and some other of our olcl English
writers, e11dcavour to imitate them in this. But the forced constructions which they employed; produced ~bscurity; and the genius of
our language, as it is now written 1tnd spoken, will not admit sud\.
lib~rties.
Gordon, who followed this inverted style, in his translation
cf Tucitus, 1111s, ·sometimes, . done such violrnce to the language, alt
f!ve11 to appear ridiculous; as in this expression: "Into this hole
thrust themselves, three Roman senators." He has translated s9
~imp!;- a phrase as, "Nullum e~ tempestate helium," by, ''\Var at
that tune there was .i;i~me."·
.
...

172. Howe~er~' \~ithin certain bou,nds, and to a limited
degree, ?Ur l~~gu.age does admit of inversions; and they
are practised ~1!!1 suc<jess ',b.z the}>est writers •
i.

ii

r

I
f

~· 1v e shall just glance at one example here, as inversion will be treated
subsequently to harmony. (See Chapter X.)
llius. Pope, •peaking of Homer, says, "The praise of judgment
Virgil has justly contested with him, but his invention n•rnain~ vet
unri\'allecl."
It · is evident, · that,- in order to give the sentence ·its
due ~·orce, _by ~ont~a~ting prorerly the two capital words, "judgment
and mventwn, this is a happier arrangement than if he had followed
the natural order, which was, " Virgil has justly contested with hi1n
the praise ·of judgment, but his invention remains yet unrivalled.''
Vbs. Some writers practise this del(ree of inversion · which our
l a ng ungP, bears, mnch -more than others; Lord Shaftesbury for instance, much more than Mr. Addison: and to .this sort of arra~gemcnt
is owin~, in a great roe~sure, that al?pearance of strength, dignity;
and vaned harmony, wluch Lord Shaftesbury's style possesses.
·

173. Bu( whether we pra,ctise inversion" or not, · ancl' i~
whatever part of the sentence '· we · dispose of the capital
~vor<ls, it is always a point of great moment, that the~e capital words shall stand clear and dise1~tangledfrom ~ny other
words that would clog them.
· · ·
' ··
· · · ··

170. Perspicuity must ever be studied in the fi~·st pla~e,
and the nature of our language allows no great liberty m
the choice of collocatinn. For the most part, with us, the
important words are placed in the beginning of the sentence.
Jllns. "The pleasures of the imagination, taken in their full extf'nt,
:are uot so gross ns those of sense, nor so refined ~s those of the under s tanding."t And this, indeed, se?ms the ~ost p!am and natural 01:1~cr,
to place that in the front which 1s the d11ef object of the prnpos1t1on
we 1tre laying down. Sometimes, however, when we inteo<~ to give
weight to a sentence, it is of advantage to suspend the mcanmg for a.
little and then brinrr it out full at the close: "Thus," says Pope, "on
wha:ever sicle \\'C c~ntemplate Homer, what principally strikes us, r~
); is wonderful invention."j:

'

•'.

illus: ~hu~, when. there are. an_y circumsta~ces of time; placC',· ·or.

t

other hm1tat10ns, which the prmc1pal object of our. sentence requires
to have connected with it, we must t1tke ~special care to ·di9pose of
them, so. as not to cloud that priilcipal obje,ct, nor.. to .~ury it under Q.
load of circumstances.
·
·
E:r:ample. Lo.ril Shaftesbury, speaking of modern po~ts, as compar.cd with the ~11c1ent, s~ys : " If, w_bilst they profess only to please, they
scc1:etly ndv1se, and give mstruction, tht'y may now, perhaps, as · well
.as formerly, he f'~teeme:d, with justice, the best and most honourshl~
among authors." This is a well constructed sentence;·' It contain~"
grrat. ~11any circumstances Rnd arlverbs, necessary to qualify the
1'llQan111g ; .

0111y, secretly, now, perlwps, as tvcll 1 formerl!J, with junice}

•
•"

·'

-

. ,,

Streng tit.

<:Jn the Structure of Sentences.
.':

yet "these. are placed with so much ~rt,. as ncithc~ to e'?1bar.ra~~ . n_~r
weaken the sentence; while that winch 1s the capital object in it, viz·
t1 .Poets being justly esteemed the hes.t and most honourable . am?ng
authors;· comes ont in .the couclus1on clear and detached, and
possesses .its proper place·.
·

Illus. This sort of arrangement is callee! a climax, nn<l. is Rhvays
considered as n beauty in co111posit.io11. From what cause it plcnses,
is nlmndantlv eviile'lt. In all thing.-, we 11at.11rall_v love to ascend to
what is more nnd more benutilul, rather than to follow the rctrog1:n'.le
ord er. Haviwr ha<l once somt' considerahle obj ect set before us, it is_,
with pain, we ~'lrl' pullc<I 1.iack to attr~d. tq_ an inferio.r circ~1mstunce.
"Care must be taken that our compos1hon shull not fall ofl, a~HI that
.a weaker expression 8hall not fol_~',lW one of ~10re stre~glh ; as if, after
sacril egP, we should bring in theft; or, havin g 1nent1onccl a r?bbery,
we should sul.Jjoin petulance. Senteuces ought ah~ays to nse aod
grow ."*
..
2. Of this beauty, in the construction of sentences, the oratwns of
Cicero furnish many examples. His pompous manner !iaturally led
him to study it; and, generally in order to ~ender the clum~x perfct:t, .
lie makes both the s.e nse and the sound rise tog·ethe1·, with a very
·mao·nificent sw.-11.
3~ The ·following instance from Lord Boling':iroke, is beautiful. :
·'·' This decency, thi ~ grace, tl~is propriet.v of manners t.o ~haracte1-, 1s
essential to prince~ in particular, that, whcn<~ve1· 1t is ncglect~d,
their ' virtues lose a I great degree of lustre, and th.eir detects acquu:c
much aggravation . Nay, more; by neglecting tl11s dece11cy anrl th~s
grace, and for want of a s~1fficien_t _regard t? app~aran~es, e.ven their
"'irtnes ruav betrav them rnto lailmgs, then· fa1lmgs mto vices, an1l
their vices into habits unworthy of p~·inces, and unworthy of men. "t

't'.

enfoeuliug antl <leµ;rauing.

·

,

·

·

··

Obs . . There are sentences, iU:deed, where the stre!s :uid_signiGcancy ·
res t chiefly upon some ~ords of this kind .' In 'this case they are not '

' .

0

175. This sort of full and oratorical climax, .can neither
be always obtained, nor ought it to be always sought after.
Only some kin<ls of writing admit sur.h se ntences; and to
study ihem too frequently. especially i_f the subject do
nol require much pomp, is affectell and_ disagreeable. J_~ut
when sent.enc.es arc approaching to a cl11nax, the following
is a general rnle which we ought to study.

to be cousidered as circumstances, but ·ns 'the capital figures; and , '
ought, in propriety, to " have the principal place allotted them. - No
-fault, for instance, can be found with this ' sentence : "Jn their prosperity, my fr.iends shall never he.ar of · me ; in their adversity; al: ·
ways."t \Vhcre nwer, and always, beii1g emphatical words, were to ' ·
be so placed, as to make a strong impression. But we' speak now of
:those inferior parts of speech, when introduced as ._circumstances or ·
ns qualifications of more important words: · In ~Lich a case they
s~1011ld ah1·ays I.le dispos ed of in ·the least conspieuous parts of the penod ;_ anrl _so classed with other words of greater dignity, as to be .
l•ept 111 their proper and secondary station.
_
' ,

177. Agreeably to .this rule, we should always avoid
concluding with any of those particles which mark tl}e ca.:·.
·ses of nouns; as, of, to. from, with, by.
· · · ·· ·=~

·.

_Illus. Fo~ inst~nce, it is a gr~;i.t, deal better to say;-;" .Avaric.e is a '

.cr~mc of ~h1ch. wise m en are often ·guilty;" than to say," Avarice is a .

crnnr. w.h1ch wise men are often g-uilty,of." This last is a phraseology
that, with rrason, all correct writers shun: for besides the want of
di ?·nity which ar~~cs fr~m those m_onosyllables at th e end, the im11ginat1011 cannot avoid rest mg; for a l1ttle, on the import of the word that
closes the SP.ntence : and, as prepositions have no import of their
own, but only serve to point out the rehttion:i of other words it is disugrceahle for the mind fO be left pausin"' Oil \~Ot•d ' which 'does not ~
b
l
., ,
.
b y •lts c 1r'• · pro d uce any idea,
nor form any picture in the fancy .'
· -~'

a

j

I

178. For the same reason, uerbs which are ·used in a co111--'\
pound sense, with some of the prepositions, are not beauti~ i
ful conclusions. of ·a period. Such verbs as, bring abou_t,

•r Dolingbrok~.
,I)

•

•

176. A fifth rule for the strength of sentences; which is;·
to av~id coi~cluding them with '.111 adverb, .a p1-,eposition, or.
a11y inconsiderable word. Such conclusions are always '.

so

• u ('avendum est ne decrescat orntio et fo1'liori subjtml!;'~tur aliqujd infirmin•;
sicut, sncrih·'gio, fur; aut latroni pctula;1s. Augt·ri tuim d t:b~u t ~(·ntU.ntire tt . iusur~
·1;ere ." Q11inctilian.
· 1' ld.,a of R Patriot Kiag.
.
-t "Ne dccnscllt oratio, ot ne fortioti subjuusutur afo111id infi11nins." ~tinct.

105

'

·slon3 have forsaken us, we flatter oursch·es. with . the ' belief that we
have forsaken' them," is both more graceful and more clear, than to
'begin with ~he longes_t i:iart of the proposition, and say: "We flatter
ourselves with the belief that we have forsaken our passions, when they
have forsaken u&."
·'
·
,
,
,
· "
' ·
2. In general, it is always agreeahle to find a 'sent~ nce rising upon
us, and growing in its importance to the very Inst word, when this·
co nstruction can be managed without affectation or· unseasonable
pomp. "If we rise yet'higher," su.vs Addison, very beautifully," and ·
consider the fixed stars as so tnany oceans of flame, that are each' of ·
them atlenrl ed with a rliITcrent set of planets ; nnd still <lis(:over new "
firmaments and new lights, that arn sunk farther in those unfathomable depths of ro ther ; we nre lost in such a labyrinth · of suns and
worlds, and confounded with the magnificence and immensity of na·
turc ."* Hence follows clearly,
·
,
'

174 . . A fourth rule for constructing sentences with proper strength, is, to ruake the m ember.<J uf them go on 1·ising
.and growing in their impul'tance above one another.

Illus. 1. A weaker as ser tion or proposition ~hould never conie aft.et·
a stronger one ;t am\ when our sentence _co nsists o~· two r~embers, _the
longest should, generally, be the concluding one. Th ere .ts a two-lohl
reason for this last din~ction. Periods 1hus <lividc<l, are p1 · 011ou1>< : c~
more ea sily; nnd the shor1est member being placed first, we can·y 1t
more n:•adily in our mem ory as we procc" d f.o the scco111l, and sec the
connectinn of the two more clearly . Thus, to ~ny, "when 011r pas·

'

011 the ,\fruc(11tl' of SmtnFf·' ·

104

lay hold of, coine over to, dear up, anil many other of thi9
ki11cl ought to be avoided, if 11·c ca11 crnploy a si11:pk n·rh,

!

P erspicuit;1;.

I

~1i l y exp~d to fl.nil the worrls also co'rrPsponding. :ve are
lli:-1appuiu1ed .when it is otherwise; and the culllpansun, or
contrast, appears more irn perfect.

i

which will always terminate tl1c seute11cc 111th more
strength.

-..,

Illus. The following passage from Pope's Preface to h[s Homer,
full.v 1:xemplifies the rule we have now gi,·c n: " Ilnmer was the
greater ge11ius ; Virgil t.he better artist. ; in the one, we most admin:
th e man ; in the other, tlie work. · Homer hurries us with a co11Hnan1ling· irnpctu us ity ; Virgil leads U8 with a n attrnctivc majesty. Horner
s c;itt.,r;; with a g·pnerous profusion; Virgil 1.H'stows with a c:ireful
ma ~·11 ificP11ce.
HomPr, lik e the Nilr, pours out his rich1;s with a sutl-

Obs . Thongh the prononn, it, has the import of a substantive 1101111,
a.nd indeed often forces itse lf upon n s unavoidably, yet, when we w~nt
t,o give dignity to a sentence, this prnnonn should, if possiblP, b e :l\·0111 :
ed in the conclusion ; more especia lly when it is joined with som e of
the prepositions, as, with it, in it, to it.

179. Besides particles and prono1111~ , anv phrasP, whir.Ii
expre:>ses a cireu111:;Lwce uuly, aiwa.) ;,, bri11~..; up ii1 r icar of
;!, C'l'!i/t•ftl'I'

\\ilh

;l

\i:td

:l ,1:t

" T :l l' I ' .

'-'

Illus. 'Ye may jud;;·c o f !his, by th ~ fa llowin;:;: s ~n!"!l"" frnm r "'"'
Buliught'oke: •i. Let Hll'! th e refore cuuclulle liy r e p e1ttiug, llictt diY i~iun
h::t s eau~ c d all th ,. rnb::.: (·hir>f \\'P latn <'nt : tl1f\f union n lonp can P~tri•'YC
us ; anti that a great advance IO\\"<tnfa thi s union was thP coali!iPn o!

parties, so happily begun, so successfully earner! on, nmi of iatl' sn
unaccountably n eglect ed ; to say no worse. "* This l:i st phr<lsC to suy
1io worse, occasions "sad falling off at th e enc.I ; so much th e more
unhappy, as the rest. of th e p e riod is conducted after the mann e r of a
c1irnn"I\ . "'hif~h "'(' f'-~llf'f't tn find '."'"rn,,·;n!! t') thr ln<:t
(Jhs.; 1. The prope.r dispos itiou~)l suc l~ ci.rnuus tanct;S in a s c 11 ll:lll :C ~
1s oileu alteuded nHh cou6idt!raldt:! l1ouLdt:~ i11 vtder lu ad.i1t:-.l tilclll :-> v ~
t h at t! ie )' cons ist c<.f--ial!y \\, it11 tl!L' pc1::.µlcuity an.J t l !e !.:_J '.tcc· t·f \11

I

f
I
I

I

I

period. Though necessary parts, they arc, however, like un s hap e ly
stones in it unii<ling, which, to place th e m with ihe icasi uffcuce, iry
the skill of an artist. " Let them be inserted whereve r the lr:i ppi P~t
place for th e m can be found ; as, in a structure composed of.ro111';h
:-. 1 I l I f • :..: • I 11 I ' I .
tI
I \\.. (I ·' ....: I ~ l ;I ( ' ~ ' .: \ \ l 1( ' I I ' t i i f ' ! I l I I ...; t i I l . l ' ~ '. I I 1. I I ; ' ! I (1 ! l l I ' i I ' ! ! J t
J.r rn:i.y find ~o;ne ~:l.iar0nt nnf' t0 .,.,.hi<'h it cnn b e .!n!n t--d, ~H t•! "01nP
I,'

i

l_'

;:

1Ja .~ E L1 11 \\}1 icl1

it

; \

111:1 _\

l t~_'::i..

:2, The dnse is ;l!w;ly.5 nn 11ns11iiab!P place for them. 1\'hrn !he
scn 3c ,;dmits th e ir nrra.ng~1nc nt~ the sooner tb cy ar c dc '.:= p:nch cd, ;::::en
crally sp•~aking, the better; that the more impol"1<111t :111tl si g 11ifirn11f
words m ay p ossess the las t place, quite 1\i sc n cumb e r e1I. II is a rule
too, nev e r to crowtl too many circumstances toge th e r, lrnt rather t11
int er perse them in tliffPrent parts of the ~e 11t e 11ce , joined with th e
t:apital worcls on which th ey depend ; provi1l ed that care be lflk c n, a~
was b efo re dire c t•~ tl, not to clog tho se capital wore.ls with them .

180. The hst rule, which we have to . oiler, relating to
the strength of a sentence, is, that in the members of a sen~
tence where two things are compared or cuntrastctl with
each other; where either a rese mblance or an opposition
is intended to be expresseil ; some resernblan ce, in the language aml construction, should be preserved. For, whe11
th~ things t/ir.mselvcs correspon;l to each other, we 11atur•Letter on the State of Pnnies nt the Acc<'ssion of King Grorgc I.
1·
ips~

"Jun~a11t11r

quo congrmrnt rnaximc; sicut in strnctnra saxorum i,nlinm, etian1

cnormiias iuvenit cui npplicari, ct in quo possit

insi s t~rc."

(luinctilinu.

'· /i1·gil ,

l!l-d~

;: ;._ i·i ;· rr· i;;

jt ~

l!;lIJi-: ~,

ivith

:i

cnn s !::nt

nr (l 0 ri11e 11i ~ w1 1() lc· crc ;:_t !nq _''

Carol. Periods thus con structed, when illtrodnced with propriety,
But we must
l1eware of carryi11g our attention to this beauty too far. It ought
o nly to be· occasionally studied, when it is naturally d e man1led by the ·
co 111parison or opposition of objects. If such a construction ns this
,,,.. ~ti! n "d ~tin :i '1 nnr <::f'nfrnrr<:: . lt lrndc: t'~ }l ,lj .;::!> '?'r<'r~,hfP, n11ifnnnitv \
protluct·s a 1 c ~ uln.d_...- 1 ctunluti:r ·c!i uk iu the pcri~J. \.'lo lil1..:li pla i11 ly Ji.s ..
nn<I not returning too often, have a sensible beauty.

a11d tl rc;, llH_) ~ar ljke the ci1iu1e uf.iiugliug \.·e1::;c.
T li e l1!11·LuJll'llLd ru le fo r tlH: cut! .~tr1 t•...: ti(_n1 of :-.( ' ll ft' nce~,
o.ncl iuto whi-Ch all other rules might ~ resolved, undoubtedly is, to ,
co mmuuicate, in Ahe dearest 11110 11wsl nat.urai or<l1.ir , il1e i1it:as wiridt
we mean to transfuse into the minds of our hearers or readers. Every arran ge ment that docs mostjusti cc to th e sense, and expresses it
lq 1n11..:t ;11\\;~11t :! :_~c ~ 1.; 1r i1 d...: !ha ~ lJt·:i11ti f11 ; _ 1~1 1 tf1 i ..: p() i1it L a\t ' ·/1·11 d <'d
:_11i t\11• rn!r· ~.: tli7'tt ~."i·r_· h a~·r g:ivrn.
/\ nd , ini.~('0d , did rn0 n r?hv'.lyc.; thin k

·Lu ve rs

11h~cta,! ou~

Sc .·'u1/ ~- ~!.

1

I

i~;.:; 1 i'fl•:- .,,. ~

<lr1•:im .--.\11<I whP 11 wr lnnk upon thrir rnnchi11rs, Ilonu ~ r seellls
it,,{ ' :1; :5 11\ '> 11 .i u pit ci i11 Li .., le i, ut ~, :-- iidking Ulyn1pu s , :;catt cr iu;..: tLc
!i ~· h t1 ,in;; ~, and firi n ~· the lif~Yf..'llS; Virgil> tik P thP ~rinH' pn1t·Pr in hi~ 11
Le i1 evv le1Jt..: c, cut 1iist:lliu g with the 150J:;, laJlug jJlau.:1 fur c1nj;ir cs , uull

l

f
!

.i

· l('~ t i h . a!ld \\c!c the\ · ~ a! ti 1v s~u11c ti11n ·, full\ 111 ;t~ lt'I ~ u fth e Lul ,!..'.,ltH ;.,; f'

w \d1ir:h tii0y wr it e; thrre wonld hP nccasi.on for few n d cs. Their
:~c ntcnccs \\-"C-uld th e n, of course~ acqu~rc al! dtO$l' pn...!IJCr t ie ~ ut prc dsicm, u11it_v, and s trength, which we have recom mended , "F'or we
,rnay r es t a ss ured," says Dr. Blair,*" that, whenever we express ours elves ill, there is, besides the mismanagement of lal)guagc, for the
most part, so1112 mistake iii our manner of conceiving the subject.
Embarrnss etl, obscure, and feeble sentences, are generally, if not al'"ays, tlie result, of e mbarras sed, obscure, anti feeble thought. Thought
nnZt lang·u age act and re-act upon each other mutually. Logic 11nd
d1 e t or ic have h ere, as in many other cases, a strict connection; and
lie that is learning to arrauge his sentences with accuq1cy and order,
Is le arni11 g at the same tim e, to think with accuracy nn<l order ;" an
observation which alo11e will justify all tile care aut:I p.ttcnticn 1r)lich
ff C h1n 'c ll ~ stowcd on this Slibjet:t. ,,
~ i .~c tnrcs on Ilhltorjc, J.cc~. XU1

~ ~;;~::·;'/~.~-:·
·';.'.

100

, 11ie . Obscu·r~;·j;:~ m Defect.,..-- ~

Per SJ)i wily;

!iht uitics, that; whether it be oi: ,be ' not imm.~diate.ly. addressed . by the
s peaker, it .must-he regarded hy him ceith~r· ultimateJ.for subordinate. '
Jy; ultimately, ,wh.e n the , din~ct-. purpose of .the '•Fscourse.' is informa-.
tio n, or c.o nviction,; Sl!bon:~ inately 1 wflen ~he end i.s. pl,ell.sur~, ~m ~ tion, , .
or persuasion. ' ...:·.'i..~ }r·~~t:~..... ~ ~:. t·.~ · : ·... :·- :'.-.h f.~· _ ::~~
~"'~. ·~.
5. ' Bes ides, in a di'scciurslwl}ereirl either .v_ivacity' tm animatioi1 is. re; ·
~uisite l it is 'rlot-.e~ery .'sehtcn~e 't hat,i"equire"s f o re vc11. a'd i'nit~ ; of1e iiher ..
uf t~ ~s e .,ctua,lities ·; . but.'.~ver,r . s~r\ten.ce oi.1gh~ to he per~ r, icu?us ::'."'1Tlte .. ,.,..;·
dfect of all _otlter .qual1lte11 ts)ost without this . . , But .. th1s . be111g t,o the .-:
llllderstanding, \vhoJ !_ight is to .the eye, ought to :µe, diffused !JV.e r ,the · ,.,' ' /
:whole performarl<;:e; · "Au'd 'since' perspicuity is 1nor,e prope rly a r.h eto• .~
ricial than .a grammatical quality, we shall point out the ·r1iffercnt ways
in whi c l) a 'Yriter . mayJu il . io produce a style ·which- shall 'ans'Yer .the·
<: oncl!tion~ · ~f the 1def\1'lition we have, given ,b f ·perspic,uity.\ · ·.; .. ,_·... :• .>,. ,. ·
. 6 . A man · may 1 in 1·espect of grammatical ' purity; spe~k unexcep- ·
tionably; and yet speak . obscurely and ambiguously '; .and \hough w_e
cannot sav , that· a , man 1nay .speak prope rlv, and at' .the ~ sanie time
>·re!lk i~1dn1,elligibt!};; yet this .last' c..ase fi1!1s 1norc iiatti~all_v"to be ' con ~' '~ :o,,s i<ie red as an -'o lfonce.\~gairlst : perspi <;uity ; ·than ~.aS"· a ·v1ofati,o11 o~· pr()- ".;_ ., '.
priety,.. " ('./Jrt. ·i 12? >117, ~nd 1~4':) . "".f or ·('::.h 11ii" t!f1.: 1nean.~ng, i,s; n o~ ·~is ~~ ·~ • ·
co ver~d ,· t he pat'~1cular-'11)1propric ty .'.cairnot ·bj'\'trpblntetl" <?ut.1--1. Jo,.t.t .h e ·,,_ :-;
1
t lll'ee ·cJ ifferent ·.'w.a,Y.s { the.re fore ;'-'j ust:: ilow ·. m~\1 tion c<J_; p'!rrsp icui ty,.a~ay • ::. ·. ·;s;
be ·"v' iolatt;d._··1.>-~..::.' ,~...~. 1~~V'." ~:·· ;".(l,:'~.:i:-: _ ~.··..~:: .. -..;, -'1~ ·4-. ·."·~:;__ . -~ ;':t. 'J~ . . : ~ ~\~;t·:-\~~~~ · :~Z:t

yH/LPTER !V.
PERSPICUITY.

1

•.:, • •

181'. PERSPICUTIY originally and properly si~rnili c8

transparency, such as may be ascribed to air, glas~, ~vatcr,

o~· ally othe~r medi~1111, ~Ii.rou gh which material ol~j c cts an~
viewed. From tins ongrnal and proper se11 se, it hath been
metaphorically applied to language, this being, as it were, th e
medium, throu gh which we perceive the notions anc..l senti.ments of any speaker or writer.

. Illus. I. Now.' in natural thin gs , if the medium throu gh which we
look at any 0~1cct, be pe1·fectly tran sparent, our whole att<'ntio11 i ~
fixed on the obj ec t. If, for insta nce , we look throu g h th e ·pane s of
g lass .i n any window, we are scarcely sensible that th ere is a medium
which interve nes, a11d ca n hardly be said to perce ive the m edium .
:But if tl~cre be. any fl_aw in th e glass, if we sec through it lrnt dimly,
if th!! obwct be 11npcrfec tly re prese nt ed, or if we kn ow it to he misreprcscnte11', our attention- ;;; ~::::!!<;! diatc ly t ake n off the object, ai1d
turned to the medium . W c arc th en desirou s to di r.covcr the ca use",
either of the dim and confused r eprese nt ation, or of th e mi sreprcsen tatio11 of things which th e medium exhibits, or that the de fec t in vis ion may be supplied by judgl'i1cn t.
·
2. The case of language is precisely simila r . A di sco urse, th en,
excels in perspicuity, wh en the subject e ngross es the attenti on of th e
hearer, and the di ction is so little mind ed hy him , that he can scarcely
b e said to be con scious that it is through thi s m edium he sees into th e
. speaker's thou g hts.
3. On the contrary, th e leas t obscurity, ambi guit y, or co nfusion ill
the styl e, instantly removes the attention from th e sc ntim c11t to .the express ion,. and th e hea rer endeavours, by th e aid of re fl ec ti on, to co r -·
r eel the imperfec tions of the speaker's lang uage. Whateve r application he must g ive to the word s, is, in fa ct, so much d educt ed fr om what
he owes to the se ntim ents. Besid es, the clfort which th e sp ea ker thu ~
r equires his hearer to exert in a very close attention lo the la n gua;c, al ways weake ns th e effect, which the th o ug hts we re in tend ed to produ ce
in the mind of the hear er .
4. P e r~picuity is , of all qualities of style, th e fir st and most csse1\tial. Every speaker d oes not prop ose to pl ease th e ima g in ation, nor
\s every subject susceptible of th ose ornaments, whi ch couduce to this
purpose . Much less is it the uim of e~·• : l'y speech, to nr; itate the pas s ious·. The re arc some o c casion ~ , thcrdur c, in whi ch var iety , and
many in whi ch a11i111atio11 of sty le , are not necessary ; llay, there arc
occasio ns on whi c h the last especially would be improper. D11t what cvc1· be the ultimate inte nt.ion of th e orator, to inform, to c ou vin ce, to
please , to move, 01· to persuad e, still he mu st speak so as to be und er,
stood, or he speaks to no purpose. If hr. do not p i·oposc to convey
certain s c ntinwnt ~ into the minds of hi s hearers, hy the aid of signs
intelligible to th em, he may as wPll declaim be fore th e m in an tm -known tongue. This prerogati·<c the iutellcct ha th a bove nil th t.! othoj

10( .

l

•

1

..i sQ.~·r1te·'obs~~re;Jr~;,, 'aifect,· i~ »th e fii:~.t : ~.ife_n-ce, agai1;st" - :- ~x
pei·spic.u.ity, an9 may arise from elliptical.expre~~!ons·~ :- This '.,
i.s the converse ,o f precision• . ( .!lrJ. 1} 8.) , < ,;~y?:" ;~ ~ '.··.-":·~ · •;;) .
0

· Illus. In Gree k=~nl Latin,: th~ . fr~quent s\ippres~ i~1; ',pqhe sub~tan- · · " W
tiv.e ve.rt~; and' o( the 'posse~siye · and·. persona( p'.rohQi.ins,,'fttrnishes· in ~,' " :::: :,.~
s tances of ellipses,' \.vhich- the idiom of, most ~oderil ttn1gur-s ,' ~nglish ' '. 1 '•:ll_
a nd Fre1_1ch :pa,r ticularly, ,will seldom a.d mit'. (Tll1u. ~:. .t! rl_;.J 19;) ;
·~:~:i:

:,:< ...-'

.

1.?3., .~~te~-· i,nde~d, t~~e , ~ffectq.ti_on. ·()f col'!cis.c_ne~Y.s;' :>ft.en."f - ~ :
the rapulzty of thought; natural to: E?Ome wnt~rr.i; -will'•gi.ve - ,_,,,..
rise to still ·mo1:e 1~(llerial.-~ef£Jc'U in.'t.h¢;~xp1•.es~J~n:;~~~~~,,...~ tif. ·, .. ::~; .'

"· Examplt :'.'H~~ is it)sp·i·r~<l\~it,~'~· ,~~e. s~ti~~.~'.of t~at'if.tw~,cti~n~~ w~~.~:1~f{~" · ·

'

cho~en fr?m ,ii: a•e~\lr.d ;tii ~'1,~ .-1~t~r.e~isj~fl,pie~cy'~~.nd1.'vii;.t~e.:'l~~::.r-7;-:~:f:""'•·' ; ~~·:.
" .!lnalys-is.';, Se1uc, ...m . th!s pass~ge, den,9tes, an 111wn,r.ij. r.(echng,~ qr ;tbe.- ~:1.
it_npressfon which'.~,o~e.'s.en~i_me1!fm~~~s,;i.1po~:1~he;roi~d : 1.{t;Jh \~ .a fnnc- ; ·:~
t1on cannot be a se~t1ment. 1t1:ipressed or . felt: ..~he . expresstdn . 'J!!_·i h;e re- ;
fore defective, and 'onght to h av.e ·read' thus ,: .'~'' l:fe is: inspireii,' witl)' a .,;. ".... ,
true 'sense ,of tl1e ·dign.ity, or.of; ihc' iinport~nce, ,of il~ ii t fmiction.'' ~~ i¥("'i,"''
· Obs·. ·Obscurities,ip style .arise.',not mr.l"ely from ,,def!dency, bnt from j·i.~
excess o( e xpres~ion~ ".n4.ol\~ {I ~r~m . t~ ~,}?a;~·c;~1~_i_c~ o f'i"-:'.~r~~:·"f.~~;~~
/lrt. lJB, 119, and. 123.)
,, . ,. ,. •.! ..··'"·;· .~~;;'-;"' -,-,•.,, ...\.• ( -., ''···.· ,·~·.~ . :.f..
0

0

,'-_,.;

' 184. ! Bad arrr<;inger~ient 'is another:• source".,_of"obsc1:1rity~ . ; X;..;'.,.

In th is case, th~· co_nstru ~.ti on ,is '. JJ.ot,-'.~uffi ~i~n ~ly. pJear~ ··~.O.n~ ~· :,r ~~~~J .

often, on first hearing thr: sentence~.~ 11nagrnes,__ frpm the .turn · .'.: ~:~~
.tJ.f it, that it o~ght to be _ co!1str~~-dt,Qn.~. way; · ,~~ :~n "·reflec· " J
trnn finds th~t t\}nust,,b.e ~()p_s1~rqed -~~.~~9~·~ '.~Y~.Y./'~ :'.(1rJ~ J1~ .. .-~~<)•
144 and 140.) ··1-1 · -.· • . '· .. ,. ;. ~ · i.v r._.,.,_,, · /!!.~:· ·,- !'-· . . '·· , ··. ' ~-,.-·. it

.

·, ~
' ·1
. .·
. .

.

'

·

'

\i ~,.. ,. ~-~f.-• -...,';'~ }·· ~/z,;~ . . ,:
•. Gunrdinn, No." $3. .~ _;;. .-• \' · 1 ' L
.
lUM ~~ ,. ~ \
'I
~

i._ :1 .. t ·,j r.;' '

·

'
•

;,:. ,~ .

..,,

r.

'f:.:rt

}~ ~

i

~. ';
•

' ij.,, f'< r:

1.'\t'.~' · fi
1 .~·-1' ~

. .' ..',' . '-~ . \. ~ii:~"
•••

h•

l!j;·.,. :' ..

. ....

.'{.'. ~.;..'f: '·". ~\'

~

I·'

~

.

,,<re;;_•·.,<

·~
· _·aaJil
·.·~
·-·-·E~~~
.
~-~~~-~
. ~-~-~~
~-~-~.~_:::,:,J:_:.:_:.:~-:::::::;:~~~:...
li!i
:~:....::~if"""...........:--Mlllrmi....

11111111111111111111111111111....

.
w _.._. . . ,*W'
.. . .
W'
.Y•,_•
..,.
• _.
• .•. .
. .. . .

~:

!
·'

....

The Double 11feaning. - -" ~

108

u ote~ air, the sec;ond, suj}icien~y and knowled,;;~ . : ayd._ the.· third, 1T_f olions
. o,,
J ti, ie Iiea d qn d··.:-bodY•:: . . .
<. '. ·.. 'I;" --:·.:. ...- , P- :=·...·•. -~;._ .~· ~-.- · .. · _ . ·.

arr

Ex-ample. ,, I have l1opes, that when w ILL c~nfron t .> h im' a l•_<l
-the ladies in whose behalf he e11gaw;s him, cast kmd look s and wishes

?

1

h eariu p- the first part
of this· sentence, that WILL is to confront all the ladies; thoug h afterwards we find it neccessary lo construe this clause ":ith the lollow ing verb. This conf,usion is removed at once, by repeat mg the adv eru

when.
"I have hop es , that when

011

'

·

confronts him, i~nd when all the ladies cnst kind looks," &c.
. ·· .
_ Corol. Bad arrange1n ent may be ju stly term ed a c011slrllclll'C u111b1 gtiity. The words are so disposed, in point of ordc:, a s would r cnc,lcr
them really ambi g uous, if, in that con_st!·uction, whi_c h _th e expr css1011
first suggests, any meaning were exh1b1ted , As tins 1~ no t the ca se,
the faulty orde1· of the wor<ls cannot properly be co11s1dei:c:u, as ren dering the se ntence ambi g uous, but obscure.
.
\VJLL

elT6 ;ilihc: 111,:ii nst Jlf'r-'i'icnitv :rnd d•'!::11l c <'.
Tlw
li r.;,;f w ,;rd, 1110r r, j<;,; an ;idjt' < ·;i ...-~· . tit•' r '() 1iq1;n :,ti \' P n f !.' ?f! !I J/ : i1t ;11 1 i11
: : t;1nt it j _.., ,i1.ll ad\·1·r!'. ;:•.id . flit • -:i,:·1 1 nf ti11-' <"•)llljl:l.r :lti•; 1· <k:..:r1' t' . 1\•: th( ·
re•tdcr is nnt appri _;.;ed ot tl1is, th1· S t : ntt ~r:ct: 111th f. ;q1p •: <1r !1t l1i;u , v u
ll1c fir,t gLwcc, a l1.ttcnnt1 ,ulul 1011
(. fr/. 111 . Illu s. I 111111 .1 )

t

i
II

--- - ~ - -

--- ~-

CHAPTER V.
nm

uouns, and e•eH of the alh ed.J,j uf p l;i ce :.:1:d trn:e, must !Jc
<le.te rn1 incd LP; th~ tl ~ i!!~.) tu \\ h lcb tliL:y r~ l a~~ . '!\J u ~c
them . ih(•rt'f11;·1', wi~!, rPft't' Pll r·p fo dilf»11:nt fliiP~~". i'-' , irr !'f--

D OCULE

;--u:)e>lf"G, OH £ q nvocxno ,,,. , .

l '. JO. T 11 E do11lilr mNminf. P crs picu i ty .nw y be ,. iolH1.ed , nut u11ly by uuscunty, _I.Jut abo )lJ t!_~uule,. mean iug .
(Art.119.) .
,_, _ ... , _,-, ,, .. ),,:. ·" :-~··"'~ .--~ 1:· \ •
, .,..

wonJ iu d illl: i~e u t .senses~ whicl i,

when it occurs 111 the same se11tence, or rn sentences closely
connected, is rarely fournl entirely compatible wi-th pcrspi; cuity. (See Art. I5Q. Illus.)
·

Illus.' The fault-in this case is !not that the ' sente.nce ' cc)l\veys dark ~ _ _
l_v 01· imperfectly th e author's meaning, Im.I that_i~ c-O n! cys _also some· ,• · .
oth er meaning , which is .not the__, author '3. · 1-lif! words .arc susccptibl!J , '?'
of more than one interpretation :'~- When inis ''ltiippens', ' it is : alw11ys
·
occa sioned, either by using'· s'cim1:i'expressi,o nl'·wtiich ii~equivoc~I ;: that·.'· ,
is, whi c h hath more meanings than the one 'which'd1e~authof'~ffi:tes to :-11 ;
it; or Ly ran&'ing th~ ':"o~ds in such. a!1 . o~der, ~hlit the c~~_stp~tion : is .-.'-\' ·
rendered eqmvocal, or ma<:lc to ex\11b1t·. d1tre.rent-'sense9 . '' ' _TJ:!e forme1· · ·
we term equivocation; ih'e latter ninbigtitfy .'.. ( See ·:n_ijih: ~i9 :·· p ;~ 7!J.) . ;·· .1 : .·

Exan;plc. "One may have an air 71:hich r~oeecds_ fr om a ju st sufficiency and knolv edge of the matter before h1111 , winch lllay naturally
produce some motions· of his head and !Jody, which mig ht Lccumethc
bcnrh bette r than the bar. "t
JJ11al,.1Jsis. The pronoun which is _here thr!ce used in three severa.t
~cnses; an<l it must requite rellcct1011 to d1 scoi·er, that the fir st de--

•

:>~tator,

No, 20. _ t Bolingbrokc's Ph. E!s. I.

Sc ~.

9.

t Guardinn, No. r:J.
-

,,,."'.

h.

... • ...

,f_\.," ,·

..

'

· 191. Equivocation. ··When~·the
t:wo~dtd!!hotes' in'compP-' · 1• ~·::;•
•.;:--i •
., • . .

.... :,:·;\ ,.
-r:;~

...

. ~- - '
' ... -¥-I. .

_,

•

US. )

lSti.. Hi s ! illt sclil 111 th:it tlic '<rnw v()11• >11 11 c1 n lw
l!"Pd t \\·in•, or ol11• 111'r, in thP, sa lll e sc 11 ic11c l'., i11 1T.l i T t '. t trP iu
J ificrent tb ill :.?;S, \\ itl10ut darke11i11;,; the e:q1r e;; .~io11 . Tlw
"i:.,o:nilicaii»!I {lf iliP pt>r:<onal, a,.; \\·el l as of tlil' rrlat iYP prll-

•

•

(Obs. l'./lrt. 114.)
I WJ. Long 8rntenccs may be jnstly accoun!cd liable to
obscurity, since it is dillicult tu extend thclll , without involvi ng; 'so m e";~- the other faults befo re mcutiuncd. Arnl
whc 11 a loll!!; peri(l(l does not appear obscure, it will alwa_Y!:l
he rc1 narked, that all its principal menilwrs an~ sirn dar in
ti1•'ir strn cturc, and would co11stitute so many disti nct :-ente 11ce~, if the,v were not li mited, by their rel~rence to some
comu1u11 clause iu the licg i11ni11;,; or the cm!. (Sec ./lrt,

.-ij6...,; 3 . : I

,;ahle

•

IJic.

C'urrcdion . "\\ho ll l .t~ ;! t\l' ; n111c 11 u11 11u11' Lut t.1111Hit ~~1\1' mur ,..
e11idcnt si g n~: · 01· 1ht1s , . ~ \\ h o uwy t-; i• c murc , u u t ..::u111ul gi•1; .::wru;

. fed,(~ euq_1loy _the

•

188. Technical terms, inj udiciousl y in troduc etl, is, ano the r s ource of darkness in compositioll. ( See Art. 84 . i llus.)
]~ut in treatises on t_
he principl es of any ,art, they are not
only . co uv e nie n t, but even n ecessar_y. In., rid icule 'too, if
used sparing:l_v, as in comeuy or romance, they are alll!wa-

L'.ra111ple . '' T!i;tt h· should

;·rcatu rr-> .'. t
.l1111/11-1i;. This

'

Obs ._ A short parenthesis, in tl'oduced iri a proprr place, will not in
the least hurt the clearness, ~ml may add both tu the vivacity , and' t o.
th e en ergy, of the se ntenc e . .. (See ~·Jrt. 1G7,) . ·
.

185. Th e sam e w ord used in d~:1'rrcn t senses in t h e same
sentence, is another f't:Ul'l'.C ol' ob:'C\lrity.
j,,~ iu •·«r11.-,1. it i' _l"n 'l. Ill r<l!1C<'i' ";
:-. i: ~;_:e auv r r'(lS t)llt.; of dP1dit, \\ l1H·l1 lw 1111 :·. ht !1:t\"e 11 1 t l11:-: c;1;-;1· 1 "oiil:~
ha v ~ b''.t:n n · a,on-.; o f do1dd i n the c;1sc ,,f othC'r lll! ' ll, '\!in 1nay civl'
·;nore, !Jut canot g iY c m or e cruie;ii , s ig n s ol tl 1u !!gl 1t , t l1 an tlll·i1 lc:lu"-

-

,-.... .. :

, 187. Froni; too artificia_
l 'a structure .of tlw. sentence, olJJ·
scu ri ty ' m.ay' ad,se. ·'· :~'1.~is · h~ppens whe1~ ;the .s~r~1cture of the .
·'-sentence is too much complicated, 01:_ too arhhcml:;: 011 when
the sense is - ~~o lo~g - suspended by parenthe~es·: ..~- ( Sclwlia,
p. 93_.) . ~-: "_';~_.- ) _ _ .-,;: ,_., ., . .
,_, _ ·
"
- -,;..

\Ji'· success at their champion, he will have some sham e .""
Analysis. It is imµossiul e not to ima_g inc,

100

'-r

J

. ....

I
. ~ ...

",;:

·-

I

1E

llG

b~tli

. sition, as in common language it ge1ierally denotes, the use
· of an equivocal word, or phrase, or other ambiguity, with an.
<, intention .to deceive, it differs not essentially from a . lie . .
This offence falls under the reproof of the morali•,f 1 not 'the censure
.of the rhetorician . '
"
·
"
· ·

'· .~: ·'i92 . . Again, when the word de1~otes, as agreeablv 1t may
denote, that exercise of wit which consists in the" playful
use of any term or phrase in different senses, and which is
. denominat~d pun, it is amenable, indeed, to the tribunal of
criticism, bu1 it cannot be _rrgar<le<l . as a ' 'iolation of the
laws of perspicuity.
·
It is neither with the liar.nor ·the punster that we are .concerned at
present.
·. 1 ·•.

193. · The only species of equivocation that comes under
r~prehension

here, is that which takes place, when an author undesignedly em1Hoys an expression susceptible of a
sense <lifferent ·l\om the sense he intends·it should convey.
Obs. This fault has been illustrated in Articles 113, 121, 122, and
123.

· 194. The equivocation may be either in a single word,
. or in a phrase.
Illus . I. The preposition of clcriotes sometimes the relation which
any affection bPars to its subject ;* sometimes the relation which it
bears to its ohject.
·
··
li,xamplc. 1. H enc e this expression of the Apostle h as bee n observed lo be equivocal: "I am pPrsuaded that n either d ea th nor Jifrsl1 ;11l
hr a~ >fo to s('parn.te HS fnm\ th e love of God."t By the loi-e of Uod,
say mterpreters, may be und ers tood, either God's love to us or our
lor.>e to Uod .

,

.
"

;

2., As the prepos ition of sometimPS denotes the r ela tion of th e cffe ·; c to the cause, sometimes that of tlw accident to th e su bj ec t; fr om

d1is duplicity of siguification, there will also, in certain circ'umstanccs,
nrL5e a doubl e meaning. " A liltl e a ft e r the refor ma tion of Luther,"t
is a phrase which suggests as readily a change wron,;ht 011 Luther as
a ~ hun g e wrought by him . llut th e phra seology is iutelli g ihle when
we ap ply th e term reformation to th e schism which Luth er produced
in the Catholic .Church.
'
·
/
·
. ·.. ·
Illus. 2. The conjnnctions shall furni sh our second illustration. ·
· Example. " They werr. both more ancient among the Persians
than Zoroaster or Zerd~1sht."§
,
··
Jlnalysis. The conj1i'."c tio11 or is here equivocal. It serves P, ithcr
ns a copulativP, t.o sy,nonymous words, or as a <li~j11n c tivc of diffen,11t
thin gs. But Zoroa ster and Zerdusht mean th e saine p erson, therefore
the sentence is equivocal..
'
. Corol, ) .. If the, fi ~s t, noun follows an article or a preposition, or
.

.

.

• That
the p.-rson whose atr~ction it is.
t Romans viii. 38, &c,
l Swift's llll'chanicHI Opn·ations.
~ Bolingbroke's , Substa1~ce ofLetten .to 111. de Pouilly.

l•,

; tl1e articie, or the prej:>ositloh; 0 _1" both, sh~~JCl':if~·-fepeated be• ..
fore the second; when the two notms are · intehded to denote di.fleren#·
U1ings l and shoufd not be repeated, when they are, inte_nded to 'denotc
the sume thing.
·
.
·. ·"' · ·· . • . ·
~- lph'lre he neither article nor preposition before the first, and if
it be the intention or t!\"' writer to use the' particle o+' dlsjun~tivelj 1
Jet the first noun be prece.ded by either, which will infallibly ascertain
t he meaning. · ·
·
' ·
· ,
'
3. On the contrary, if, in such u dubious case, it be his design to
•.is e the particle 11.s a copulative to synonymous words, the piece wiU
rar ely sustain a matel'ial injury, bi}' omitting both the conjunction and
sy nonyma. ·'
- ·
'
•
Illus . 3. Pronouns may also be used equivocally.
E':rample. " She united the great bo1ly of the people in her and theil'
c ommon intere st."*
·
•
J1nalysis. The word her may be either the possessive pronoun, ot"
!he accusative case of the personal pronoun. A very small alteration ·
1n the order totally removes the doubt. Say," in their and her com_~
rnon interest ." The word thus connected, · can only .be the possessiye,
:.ts the author doubtless intended it should be in the passage quoted . .
Illus . 4. Substantives are sometimes used equivoc,ally. ·.
_'
Example. "Your Majesty has lost all hopes of any future e11.cis~
by their consmnption. "t
.,. '
·
..::!~:: ,'.:/ ~ ;_; , Th'c '""t~r ;~ f·~·, itt(ir!ttiiOH ti~~ botf1 n.n n.ctivc !=!Cn!;c ~nd' n. pi1~ .
s iyc . lt means either the act of consuming, or the stale of being cons mned .
·
Correction. " Your Majesty has Jost all hopes of levying any future.
excises on what thev shall consume.''
·
Illus . G: /ldjective · lso are used equivocally ;
·
Exampie. " As foi; such animals as are mortal or noxious, we have
a right to destroy thcm."t
.
.
.tJnalysis, Indeed ! a ll men are liable to death, ancl all men are aniimal3, hut"'"' have no right to destroy each othei-. The word mortal,
the refo re, in this sentence might be justly consillere<I as improper ; ( /lrt .
1i 7. i!Lus. 3.) fur though it some times means dest ructi ve, or caus ing
dea th, it is then almost invariably joined with some noun expressive .
of hurt or danger.
... ·
Illus. 6. Verbs often present ;\ false seme more readily than the 0
true.

·

· ·

.;. ~ ~·

E:rnmple. " The n ext refuge was to say it was 01•erlooked by onif

'·

.man, a nd man y passages wholly written by another :"§
JJ1111f.1fsis. The word ·overlooked sometimes signifies rerised, and somc timcs neglected. But the participle is used here in the forme1·
se nse, th erefore the word ret>
ised ought. to have been preferred .
Illu s: 7. In the next 'luotation the homonymous term may be either
a n adjective or an adverb, and admits a different sense in each q.cceptat.ion.
·
·
\
1
Ex ample. " Not only J es uits can equivocate."!!
/l11alysis. If the word only is here an adverb , the· Sf'nse··ji; "to equivocate is n ot the only thin g that J es uits can do.'' . T li-1s ilitcr.pretaliori,
th ough n ot Dryden's meaning, suits the construction. 'f.h e propet·
anti unequivocal m_
e aning, though a p110.saic expression of this sensc:1
• Idrn of a Patriot King.
§ S.11tctntor, No. 19.

t Guardian, No. 52.
i Ibid. No, lj~,
-0 D1·yden's Hind and Fanther.
•

.
.IJ.mbiguily~

112

•

•

'

1

.

-· . .·11 s,-·
;j,.lf!t

. ,

-

..,

I

:.

I

CHAPTER. VI.
Al\IBIGUITY,

· 194. THE double mrnnin~ arises, not from ihe use of
~quivocal terms, but solely 'from the construction; anti is
therefore distinguish ed by the name ambiguity. (See .r.Jrl.
190. and Illus. also .//rt. 151.)

•

'

'

196: J.1'rom the abo~~ exa1!1pl~~· it. may ~~i1'.!y." b~ collect~'tf.
tl~e dejimte article is of great use fo(c;! iscrimin ...
· a.tmg the ~xphcat1ve sense1ro.m the <leteh\1inative~': "In the

th'.\t with .u s

Illus . In the use of prononns, lhe rcfc.. 011co to the •uilcor..-dorit s ho11ld
be so unqu estionnblc, that no falsP meauiug conl<l possibly be sugges ted by the manner of cons truing the words, of which a sentence may
be composed.
E.rrimples. "Solomon, the son of David, who built th e temple at Je rusalem, was the ri chcil monarch that eve r r eigned over the .IP.wish
people," and " Solomon, th e son of David, who was p ersecuted uy
Saul, was th e richest monarch. "
Analysis. In these two instances, the who is similarly situated ; yet
in the former, it re lat es to the person fir st m entioned; in the latter, to
the second . And some previous knowl ed ge of the hi story of tho se
kings is n ecessary to enable any read er to discover thi s relation to
the one or to th e other.
Correction . "Solomon, the son of David, and tl1e builder of the
temple of Jerusal em, was th e ri ches t monar ch ."
'
E.r:am71lc 2. The following <Jnotation exhibit s a triple sense, arising·
from the indete rminat•• nse of tlll' relati ve.

. first c~sc it is rarely use<l, m the. secon.<l,.it ought never to
be om1tte 11• unless w?~n somethmg still more definitive,
such as a demonstra1lve pronoun, supplies its place. ( /J.rt.
57. Illus.)
..
·
·1
-,
E~ample. " I kn~w that all 1vo~ds which are signs of'complex ideas
furni sh matter of n11stake and cavil.'"'
··
· · ·~·
Analysis .. A~ words, the antecedent, has neither the article · nor n
tl c monstrnt1ve pronoun to connect it with the .subsequent relative, it .
should seem tha~ th.e clause, " , which nre signs of complex idea~," ·
was n!erely explicative, and that the subj ect words was to he under- ·
stood Ill t~1e utmost latitude. This couid not be the noble \vriter's· •. i
se.nRe, as 1t ~vould be absurd to a.lflrm of all words, that 'hey ,ar~ signs . ~
of co mpl ex ideas.
., ' ' ·· ·-·~ · · · ·.
.
"I know .ihnt nil the ·words
nre
1de,1s , 01, I know that ,all those words which are signs." Either of:.·
t.hcs: ways makes the r.lause beginning with the relative serve to limit
the import of the antecedent.
'
'
, I.

~or;,~cti.01~;

' ' Such were the centaurs of hion'• race,
Who a J.iri~ht cloud for Juno !lid emlirnce."~

wl~ich

slgn(~r comple~'

197. In nui:nb~rless instances ':~e find the pronouns his ·~
an<l ll.e used, m hke manner, ambiguously; and the latter '
?specially when two or more males happen to be mentioned r....
rn the same· clause of a sentence.
·
.-. ;\~ :~. ~ -

Jlnaly sis. \Vh o erunrac:ed th e cloud, th e ce11tm1rs, l xion, or hi s race fl
T h e relative onght. gra mmatically tn refer rather to the ccnlrrnrs, than
to e icher of th e other two, and least of all to J:C'ion , to whom it wa s
intended to rt>fCl'.

·.

Obs. In sucl~ a case, we ought always either ,to give another ~~~ ,'{.~-~. .:. ~, ~
t.o I he PXfJress1?~, or t.o use the 1~oun itself, and hot the pronoun ; for Ii : ., {-.; · •
wh en the repetition of the word lo necessary, it is not offensive, (Illus; · . ·.: . :.~-:;-~
3. p. 111. a11d .llri. 152.) . ·
-,., ·
:. • ,
.., .• • ·~· . ·
.
·.
".":'\'/ ' . ..
~'.
~:~:~·:~~:·~··::
·Bohng!irokc's Dissertation on Parties, Leet. 1~.
-.
• .'.';t • '

.

0

• !Jenham's Progress of.J.,c~rning·.

'

of the subject, ~>y poi~ting ,:.O ut . eithe~. some--p~op~rty{ or .'
some clJ'cumstance belonging to 1t, leaving it howevet to lie under
stood in its full extent: :
,
.- ,
•.·'· ;;:~~ ;· \li.~_i;::·•
i _,
Exam~les. "Man, who is born of a woman· is' of'felfdays and fiull .
. .
o ft rou b ~· ,, " G o di"
. mess, which
_wilh contentment is 'great . gajn, has
the prom!sc .~oth ot the pre.s ent .life, and 'of the future.'1, . .• • • f · ._,.;
.!Jnalysu. I he ,ch.use, " who 1s born ·of a WOJIJan '' '. in the first ex-'1
an~Jlle, and ".which wi~h c_onhrntmen~ is great gai~,'! in ·the sec~nd,
Jl.om.t to c;ertam properties m the antecedent, but do not restrain their
s1gn1fi~at10n.
For, should we ?mit thE'.se clauses altogether, we could
say with equal truth, " Man ls 6f few days and .fuJl of .trouble "
" Godliness has the promise both of the present life and of the future'' '
/llll., . 2. On the other hand, these pronoufis are determinative wh~n
th ey are employed to limit the import of the antecedent.
. , '
Examples. " The man that endurcth to the end shall be saved "
"' The re1!1or~e, which issues in reformation, is true repentance.'' ·
JJ.11alys1s. E .a ch of the relatives here confines the ~ignilication of its ·
autece.<leu.t ~o such o!'11y as are possessed of the qualification inentione<l. I• or 1t 1s not. a~1rmed of every man that he .shall be saved;, nor. o(
all remorse, that 1t 1s true repentance. _ . ·
, ..
· .
't~"'-

I

Jllns. 1. Th ese prouolms are so me tim es cxplicati,·c , sometimes tk·
ter mi nativ e. Tliey are explicative wlH·n th ey scnc 11Jerely for w_<,

Ambig~·ity._' "'} '-!' .'

Ulu stra~ion

A!!'ain, if the word only Is hcr'c
an adjective (and this doubtless is the author 's lll L'fln i11 g) the sense is ,
"J csuits are not the only persons who can equivocate ."
Illu s. S E')tii1•ocal phrases are sueh as, not the least, nol the · .mwllut, which may ~ig nify " .not any," as though one sho11·1,.1 ""-'" 1.'01 ti·en
the least, no/ so nittch a1 /he smf/.llest; and ~omclimes again n.1•r.r.I/ grt•ot,
.ns thou~h it wer e expressed in this 111ai111 .. ~r, far from hei11g th e le11.st
or smrillest. Now since th ev nre susceptible of two sigll ificatin ns which
a.re not only rlilfereut, but "contrary, they ought to be tolally laid aside .

195. The relatives who, which, that, whose and whom,
often create ambiguity, even when th e re· rnn be no doubt in
· regard to the antccctle11t.

.

'

Is," Jesuits can not only equivocate"

•

)

.1.,\

'

•

"·:'l.··"1J·l·~·i..;

::~~:;~}~
~Afi':'
1

i: (

' "·.·j'

I

.

114

/lmb iguity.

198. Thei·e is in adjcctivrs especially, a great risk of am ~
biguity, when they are nut joined to the substantives to
which the.y belong. (Illus. 5. p. 11 l.)
·
llltts. 1. This hazard a rises, in our lan g uage, from our adj ectives
ha,•ing no declension, by which cas<', number, nn<I g e nder are di stinguished. The ir relation, therefore , is not otherwise to be ascertained
than by their place. (fllu~: § II. Jl · G4.)
E ir,ample. " God hcapcth favours on his servants ever liberal and
faithful."
.
.l/na(11~is. Is it God or his servants that are C\'Cr Iiheral and faith ful ? If th e form er , th e n th e se ntence shonhl nm thns ; " Go d , eve r
lib e ral and faithful, h eap eth fa vours 011 his ser vants." If th e latt e r-,
t hen " God heap e th favo.nrs on his ever lil> e ral and faithful scrvauts,"
er" his servant s who arc ever lib e ral and faithful."
Illus . 2. Two or more adjecti ve s are sometimes mad e to r e fer to th e
s am e su!Jstantive, wh e n, in ·fact , th ey do not b elong to ' th e sa me thin g ,
but to di ifor e nt things, which, being of the same kind, ar c e xprcssccl
by the sam e g·cncric nam('.
·
Examp le. " Both th e ecclesia stic, and th e secular powers concurrccl in tho se mea s ures ."
. .!Jnn(ysis. H e re the two adjectiv es , ecclesias ti c n. ncl secnlm" rr·htc
.t o th e flame sub s tantive po we n , but <l o not 1·ela le to th e sarn e indivic!u al thin gs ; for th e powe r s d en omin a ted ecd es ias tic arc t ota ll y cli ffe rent from tho se d enominat ed i;ecular . This too commo n icli t>m m ay
be avoid ed eith e r by r ep eatiug th f' s nb st:intive , or hy s11 hj o ini11 g th e
s ubs tantive to the fir st adj ective , a111l prefi xing th e articl e to the second as well as the first .
Correction. " Both the ecclesias ti c p owers , ancl th e secular concnrrecl in those meas ure s ," •or, "lloth tir e eccles iasti c powe r s, and the
s ecular powers ;" hut th e form (' r is pe rh a ps prefe rable .

I.'

.'I

l'

199. The construction of substantive nouns is sometim es
ambiguous. (Illus. 4 . 71. 111.)
E x rw1ple l. "You sh a ll ~c ir.l o rn !incl a dnll frll mv n f g o n e\ e c111 cri t io n , btl t ( if h e h" l'I' "" t n ha.vf' a ny l e i• 11ri• npn ll h i• h,,.,,J<) wi ll t urn
his head to one of tho se two n.11111 sc m e11ts for a ll fo ol s of c mincn c: c,
poliliis or p oetry ."*
Jl.11 11(11.,is. T h e p o~ it io n pf t!i r. words 7)f)litir.• or po c!r.IJ t!l:i},c, c>11P ;it
fir s t in1 a:?: in P. ~ that nton g- with th P IP.nn s r m; nenr.r., 1h rv :1 r P afft•f' f f' d h v
th e pn· p~1 :; i1i o 11 uf, a nd ~ ou , lrn e d \ri!11 f1J uis. The n· 1-" ·t1i io n of the i°rJ
aHct ctuit;t:ll Ce \vouiil ha\-e Ld :div tT11111vnl 1!w ;1111hi1r11;h-,
L . (;U. iHJll e 2 . C; 1\.. ri ~ iu,~ lu u il; t·L~ Ju Hy (.;Ult1 ni11 IJ ul'~. ·(

,.

I:

~

J

.lbwl,11sis. Did ti1 c to mb h ea r th e co lumn, o r the col11n111 th r t n mh !
But this fauit is fr cqm•nt , i11 thr co ns tr11 cl in11 of s n!Js ta11tir1 ·,- , c~ p., c iall .1·
in v e r se , wh e n hoth w htt t w e r:-111 th e n o 1n i11ati v<' ,·a sc n11d th P : 1c1 · 11 ~ a ­
ti ve arc put h!' for c th e \' Crb . A s i11 11o u11 s tho ~c cas " s ar r n o t tli'1in -

g uish c1l c it.h er hy infl ec tion , or JH'e pP sitioris, so neith e r (·an th ey be
di stin g- ui s hcd in suc h ill sta nccs IJy arran ge me nt.

2.00. JJ mbig uity in using the conj1mclions.
J:x r11nple. "At lea s t my t•wn prin1tc lc tt l' r s lca\·c ro o m for a p oliti-

J)!\;i.'!Iii.;
r-

1

'

.t

. ~ 'r _,_.

.

., • ·. ..

r". . .

·T!te Unintelligib(c1 •
I

•

,.

j

'

•

'

·.'}."··. ,.;.. h·:•'.,·,~· /· "
.
.'
·: .. ;·"~!:f'<·.'",~~ ?;~.;·~i·-~'.;:,:
\ l ·;i-)"'.:. · ' , f. ·
': CHAP1Elh ,YJI.. .,"~"' ··, ! 1 .,·i·.". 'k--1',~.·-· :~
';C~' )<~ ~.
i
f .
-.
·; \:.> ·~ ·.
': . . ~'· ·~ -~~~r.:t~~ . ~·.· '"7
- ~!.;.. (_:f-1;~_-t,·,
.\_·f~?_,,:)::·
~
.,, ,
j oF THE UNINTELLIGiDL_ E .' .' ~!c. __-;:.~{'.:'!'jsA.~;.; . .

.:

••

r " ...

':-f~(~.: ~· ~

j,. r

;

'·

~

,

·i

.•' . :'· ..

,: ,. .·· :

i: ( {-:.:.

-~~.,

·1

~- ~·~·

r

·;··:

•

'

· ·:~r. i:Y.~~~\!_:f .

· - · ~o.3. ' CNDER the article precision, Chapter .IV>of-'·lJCIO~-.
II., but more · particularly in Illus. _6. ·.flrt. 18~~ i_t 1 :;~vas: · ob~ .
served .. generally, that a speaker may express _hrni se1 L ob7'
scu1·ely; and so convey his ineaning imperfectly to tl.1e· mi~d
of the- hearer. ·~· In Chapter VI.
this book, it was· shewn,
that he may expres~ himself arnbiguously , anti so al gng with
his own, .c onvey
meaning entirely. different. _-' ~,1~· ~:.this
Chapter, we shall shew . 1hat he may even p press , him s~l f •
uninte.lligi!J..ly, ·and so c.o nvey no meaning .at; all. ·, This fault
arises: ·•..,:·· '- ~ . · ' : I .,
'·
· ·. · · '. " ., ·· ., · ,.~
·· :-:; '" ·
. : . 1~t. Frotn great ~onfosioi1 of thpu~ht, accomp~i;,ie~ ~· ~yi_t~1
mtncacy of express1011: (J11't. 121. ltlus.) · .
. ,: , : . ;.. ,
,, Qdly •. From affectation of excellence in the. µiction. : ; · ;·
4
. "''di Y· ~ F rom a ·t o ta l ,w anlo f meamng.
.
.
' •.
• \> "
..,
.·.,- ,· ...
~v
""Fir:st. ~ .,.The u,nintelligible from confu.9ion of t~wup)tl.,, ..
· 204. · L,anguage_ is the mediu'!1 through which t1% :sep ti me1lts ~ of · the v.'nter are perceiv~d by the r:eader~ ({Jr!.
_J8t.) - ·- ~n~ though . the _impurity/ 'Or .the .gr?s~ness; oLJh.e
. me ~hu~, ~Ill render the nnage obscure or· md1strnc.t,:yet·.no
purity"in 'the medium will suJJice . for;.. exhibiting ·a distinct
and -unvarying image of a confused and unstea~y: ~pject: '!f: .

or

a

'. llltts. ·There is a · sort of half-formed thoug·hts, which we sometimes
iind · a writer .impatient to give the world , before he himsel f is fully
J!Ossessed ··o f :them. ·__- Now, if -th e writer himse lf perceive confu sedly
:•.. and imperfectly ~he se1~_tirnent.s whic,h he . w~uld.c c;i n11n11i;ii~~e, A~s n
. thou sand to one, the reader will not perceive them at a\1. 1 ; · '. ·' "" ·. .. .
.,, _,)•;_'_ Example l. [11 simple sentences. Sir Hichard Steel e , thou gh· a m an
of .sense ·and ' ge iV us, wa9 a -gr eat masterfo ' this sty le ; ' spea king •o f
·.' some of the cof;ee-house politicians, "l have observed/ ' . :says'< he,
. ." that the superior_ity amung these, proceeds from an ' opinion ot 'gal- Jantry and fashion.!'t
·
" ·
· · ' · .,.,,, '";
- ~ · .llnnlysii . 'This sentence, considered in · itself; evidently conveys -no
meaning . . First, it is not said, whose opinion, th eir ·own, or that of
others; , secondly, it is not said what opinion, or.of wbat sort, fa vom·• abl e or' uofavou~able, true or false , but in · g·eneral an opinion of grrJ,_.. .lantry and fashion, which contai.n s no d!'fini,te ex11ression of any mean-

. ,, .

~

'

.·.; .

.

'

·Grammar of Rhetoric, are so nice,
, ;,~" - ~ · Th1·,dl~tinetions in some departments of
·..-. T tliat they diftc r not in kind, but in degree, from one a nother: yet, if the intermediate
ste ps, by which we have passe1\ from one to the other, be r~rnow<I, w e shall nt once
-;, p ercein· how n ccesso1ry they were t<> a full devclo111nent of the nrt. 'Vithout a ttrnd·
ing to this i·ema rk, the y who have but s1111<erfi ci11lly gin need a t this cha pter; wmild be . .
i., rpi<ly to consi1lt't' it a repetition of the u1·ticle preeisio11, yet is it totally diuinct, 11$very little sugaeity mily~~90,n 1dis~qver. ~·
r
•
1
t Spcatator, N 'J. 49.. li.;~ ..t: . . t ~ ·i 1,." •..:
~ ~·

t1;i.

t

..

•

•4\~;"\:'"1 <
-J-r~~

. t',

·,: :~0;.lfo::.

..

i18

Tlie Uninttlligi!Jle.

tlf writing, or of ligure, .f lalimalias; the English cal\ it .boinfJasl; af}d
l-V.e may properly define it /he sublime of nonsenu.
·.
Example 4. " But what can oue do ? or bow dispense 1vith · these
darker disquisitions, a11d moon-light \•oy;igcrs, when we have to <lea l
with a sort of moon-blind wits, who, though very acute and able in
their kind, ~nay be said to renounce day-light, and extinguish, ~p ·· n
inanner, tl!e .bright' visible world, by allo·w ing us .to know nothing ~e­
sido what ·we ' can prove, by strict and formal de1rio11st.ration :"*' • ··•·t.·
·· Ana[y,is • .It must be owned, that the condition of those wits is tl·uly
deploi·able; for though Yery aet1te rmd al.Jle in ·th.e ir kind Ayet being
moon-light blind, they cannot sec by night; and having tenoun<;ed
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 ~endering · a moon-light. voyage indispensable, ·is,
tl!at we have 'moo,n-blind persons 011ly for our cornpan,vi the _very; .rell'~ow~vhich, to 1n1r ordinary understanding, wo~lcl . ren.de1: sucl~, U,. V,?r
R·~c 1mpro.per ... , -·
.
·
-·' ' " "• '· ·'" ~ ·•· : . '
,«,,. ·, •., 0 ! qnnntn spec,ies, inquit, a:»t ~erebrum 11on hapb.~. ,i_ ; 1,_:.
•

,1'

'

•

'~:
~

·: CHAPTER VIII.

,'· ·

·~-'i ~),.

!' ' .

·t.; f,

· ,,:•,'

,.

THE V1\RIOU~ SP.llCIES OF TUE UNINTELLIGIBLE~ .,

I .

·206. THE UNI NTELLIGrnLE,from . want of meaning in.
the writer, ~ proceeds from vacuity uf thought. ~ere · the
sentence is generally simple in its . structure~ and the con. ·
' ..' . ·.
, •' struction easy.
Illus. Let us contrast this ' with the unintelligible proceeding' .f rom
confusion of thought, accompanied with intricacy of expression." Iii
this last, you hesitate at certain intervals, aud retrace your progress;
fouling yourself ut a· Joss in the terms, und at a loss fi1r the meaning, ;you
then fry to co1'l&true:' lhe sentence, and " to · ascc~fnin the "signification of
the wor<ls. ' By. the se means, aud by the help of the context ,. you \vif1 '·
possibly come at , Inst .at, what 'the.a11tho1.,would have · said . .~ .. fo. the'·tin·
intelligiblc',.fr.on1 want of meaning, prnvidcd words, ' glarin'g ly uris;1ita- "
ble, a~~ nq~ co1!1bined, ·you proceed withot;t hesitation or' doubt. : You
11e.ver ·: su s p~ct ;~ that ~ you do not und e rstalit.I a' sentence, the •terms of
which are· familiar to , you, and p,f \Vhich you perc.e ive•'dis tincily "the
gramn:rntical order. But if, by \.:':ly means, you are induced ,to think
more closely 'o n the subject, and to .peruse the words n secohd time
more attentively ;\ you will ' then begin' to suspect · theni, und at length
dis~over, that they" contain nothingt but eith~~ an idcntica~ proposition,
wh1ch"::onveys no knowledge, or· a prupos11ton of that krnd, of which
you cannot ·so much as affirm; that.it, is either true or false. Sometimes
pompous metaphors, and srrnorous phrases, am injudiciously cmploy•!d
·to add •lignity to the most trivial conceptions ; sometimes they 'arc
mad e the vehkl e ~ for nonsense. · . 11.1 matlnicn there is as great a 'varic.~
tl of c~aracter, as in !t,h ose \yh•l enjoy the use of their reason .....In lil>~
~

•har11cterinics,
Vpl. JU. Mhc.
,.... .J
~

iv. ·

The Unintelligible.

· 120 '

;:, E~~mpze:~.:~.1·,~ Nothing i~ there to i;om.~; and nothi1;i p~•t;:
.~-~

$ ':'-.. · ::;;: But an eternal now docs alw:iys last.'*

>··~···:··:·.·:

·' t. ; .:~ :~
·· ,' :,,,nalysi~.~~\!Vhat ~~ ih~atiuble thir~t hail~ this h!lst~rd p1Jilos6p~y f~r
ah~ur(lity ' and .confradiction t · In· these school.. metaphysics, a nt,)W
th~t lasts 'i :that: is ,' an rinstant' wl\ich. con.tinue~ . during ; su.cces.sive
Stant~; · iln eternal .now; llll i.l_lStant that ,IS no mstant, and ,an elernttY.,
that is no 'eternity,'is a me1·e fo~ ment of human.,imagin.a'tion ; a. rhap ~
1
· s,ody. o_f. ~J,e t_ransc~ud~nt uuint~lligible .' ~'" ( : .· ., '>·-~
'; {"'::,"•:: ':,\,".

!n-,

.:.'

: 209.'. The third species we shal I <lenominate the profound.
It is niost commonly to be met with in pt)li.tical· writings.No where else, in the present t.lay, <lo w.e find the merest
mlthi1ig;s set off with an air of solemnity, as the .result t?.f
very .•deep thought' a,nd sage retlection. , But let, us h~.ar 'u.
politician of the ~Id school.
: · · 1 • / • • • • ' ·:~ •• • • • •
. 'Example. 'Tis agTe ~d, that in .all governments, there is. an ' ~bsol~1te
·and unlimitetl power, which naturally mid otigiually seems "· to be
pla.;ed in the whole bocly, wherever the C'fecu tive part. of it lies .' '!'his
holds ·~r the body natural; fo1· wherever we place the beginning of
motion', whethe1· from the head, or the heart, or the animal . spirits in
general, the liody moves and acts by consent of all its part.s.t
.!Jnalysis, The first sentence in this passal{C contains one of the mos t
hackneyed ' maxims of the writers on politics; a max im , howeve r, o f
whi c h it will be mo1·e 'diflicult than is commonly imagiu ecl , to discnver, not the .justness, hut the sense. The illustration froni the material
body ,«:ontained in th ~ second sentence, is indeed more glaringly 11011sensical: dt is 'utterlv inconceivable to affirm what it is that constitutes ·this c6nsent of ~II the parts of the body, which· must he obtained
:,¢·;:~ ·P\'~v1'olisivi~ ··~very" niotion. ' Yet th e wh ole paragrnph from whi ch
,~~;'.·tiiiY "" .. ;: ( ".,.
' tak en, has .in. it such a speciousness, that it is a ques.
ttdicious reader will not, 011 the first p erusal, be s~nsi. .., tidfrfi, '(!
ble or·t& de ;c.&';~F·:

.-

.

210. The m~rvelots.,js.,ihe' Iast species of non~ense ' that
we shall exemplify. : fC'tf~the characteristic of this 'kind,
lhat it astonishes, antl . even confounds, by the boldness of
the aflirmatiohs, which always appear flatly to contradict
the . plainest 'dictates of c1nn,mon sense, and thus to involve
·
· .'
_,~1,.~L·
. 1
a ·m anifest absurdity~

·' · •

Example. " Nature in h e rse'~ is unseemly_, and he who copi ~~\ her
. ,. s~rv. ilely, and withou~ 11,artifice, will always prodi.1ce· something ; poor,.
' ariil' of'fii'1Deap. t~ste:.}( What is called lo[J.d i1l't':o!~ur! and lights, ·can
1mly ·procced from a profound knowledge in the values of colour!, and
from an admirable industry, which makes· the painted objects appear
mqre true, if I may say so, thmi th e r eal ones. In this sense, it may
be asserted, that in Rubens' pieces, art is above nature, an.d nature only a copy of that great master's works."t
·
·
·
'

\

w

1

" Cowley's Davideis, Book 1.' · · ' ' ·
.
· ·
t Swift's Discourse of the Contests aml Dis•e ntion• in A then• nnd Rome. , ·
t .; La N•ture C•t illl(t•te tl'el't' meme ct <JUi •' •ttachcroit a la copier •implement
comme d:e ~Rt, et •ans artifice, feroit to•1jour• quch111e cho•e <le pauvrc ct tl'un trc!>
uctlt gout. Ce que •ou• nommc~ exai;cntion1 dan1 let co11lcurs, ct d11ns lcs l\lmlcrce.

·, .
\'

The llatmvny Of PeriOJl.
,A~r~eabieJsom~ tl, \n. gc n<'rnl ,' i~ the. prop<'rt}. of :ai ~\·dl ··tol; .
structed sentence •.• ,. This.• heauty ol· n!llsiCal· .c onsll 11 c9 on in p,ro ?c d e•,
, r e}~gs_. UJlt,lJl , t~.~; ~ i\lg~lJ , ti)i choice ,oJ~u· or,ift>;~llc\, .~!1e .. ~J,'f:l.:Cf,7'tsfl.1~1~7~.~,1
them··
• .,
~ l (\ ..:!'•".ft ~ t, •)'.)..' ,' .~·l·~~t'-'): r,.: ,·•fr;,,
't' ~·- •,i,•\.· ..,._.
•·~·~· .. • '1 ~'l~")'y,.,_
·~.\""~ ·· ~!·11 ';'!, "t;

ob/

I ' ·

·," · ·

· ··· , '""'

~ 12~ ·;:r1~ose':\V.br·d~( are · mo$t ' a greea~lc " t~ jih ~. e,a(°.'~·hlc_h
are'.1 composed~'ofr smooth . ahd liquid sou 11d ~;' w)1~re there 1¥

·.(·

~. p~:~p~ ~)~t_.ef·1~~;\u're _of ".owel? al1lr c.;01{sqna1fts"';':~,\~it!~ou t
fo.o ml,lifj~Ju~11;s!) p o!1.sonan ~s g~·at1 ng upon eacl~. othei.;. ;._ ,or ..to ~
many-oper~: vo"~'.~I ~, 1.11 ·succes!;1011, to ca ~se a Jna ttl,~_,. ~.t~.µr\~ ·
gre etl.IJ~e ·a pe1'tJ.1pii 9f .the mouth ,: , (ll,!ts . •~rt ., ~l .S.) ·. '.,;"-·, 7 •

.';~~·/.U1,1,s. 1 At. 1 ni ~j;~ ;~l )vtiys · bo assurned, .!JS ·. a Lprip oipl c, ." that;, .wh~t~.~ei·

· s<11ind ·· arc 'ditricult~ in p.ronunciaqon, . ar•~, ' i11 ·' thc sa me · proport10 ~ :
lrarsh ' an!I . p<!it]ful .to '1he ~a r . . · Vow~l s g·ive r softncs~; co n~son;w t~ ~
st re'n ::::>a-th to'-the
, sounds
of, \vorck
The 11111s ic.of langua!Yc re q1.1ii'llS II.
•
'
I ''
'.
j u ~ t. pro)l9r'tio11, !>.!_~ LJ,1qt0l} ;,- '}.ni,J .il, w.ill ,be hmJ ,_<Jn tl 1~eudd-c1l , ~ i1 he1' g r::i t ~
in g or e,II'e n! ina~e; by ;t n -ex~es~ ol either .. Lon g' words a rc co_,m mc;> nly
111ore agre'eable to. the. ea r' tlian· monosy llables. They please !t by th ,..·
' eompo~itiqu ,oL·, successio u. of so unds, which they JH<;?c!1t to .,,i t i. and ,
acconlmg-Jy 1. th e · most mu sical lan gua g~s abou11d most 111 pol pyJl ~1).ilc s .
Among worl.ls. ot' any l e1~g- th, th ose ar,e the m os t mu ;;ica l, which do no t
rm; 'wh olly ' eith c( ui1011_lon g \'o r sl1o rt sy llables, but a 1·c e?mposed_o (
an " int e r!llil\.t~1r e'. of 1tl_1 em; ·~s_u c h . as, rep w t, _prodiice, v~/~c1 ty ,.cclenty 1
I

independ~nt,

inipetii9s_1/y., , "·· ., - ·

•

.

,

,

· • · ....

'

.,

_213.;' Th e liarmony -·which results fronra proper arrangement
the· Wo1 1 ~J s"' ·~rnd ..\11e mlJ~ rS of-:1 : period; is, C(O mple,x,
~tucl. of ·grea,f. nicet)'o':. F~i· ' let ·the· word_s the1~1selyes be evei"
so well ch-osen, let them so und ever -.so -well, yet, if they be
i~I tlisp1)sed, tht'. mu sic of the s~uten~·~ · isytt~rly, lu~t: (~co ~ _
lwm,p. ,86; .8rt. .138.)
_.- . , . ·
. .
.

of;

Illus. l. In th e ha r monious stru cture ·and J js pos itiou of p eriod s, nq
wr iter whaf P. \'er, ancient or mod ern, e<1uals Cicero. H e had studif'd
this with can• ; anti was fond, p erh aps. to excess , of what he calls the
" 1;k 11a ac uu11i ern sa oralio.' ' \V e need only open hi s writin gs to ·
find iu slau ces that will reHtl cr the effect . of mu sical language sensible
...
to e very car.
2. 'As an in stanc e of a musi c:i l sr 11tence in our own lan g·uage;we
m ay takr th e following from, l\lilton's Treat ise on Educ nti on: "\\'c
sh a ll c o
ct you to a hill~i'~_l aborious, ,i ndeed, at th e fir st asc<'nt ;
but e
sfo oot)1., so g rcen ; $o foll o!'. ,goodly J!l'Ospects, and melodi"
~ <I!.!:!' I- • ri~s bu cvel·y;s ide, thiit'~the ". harp" of O'rph eusv w~s•.•110}.:inore
)

charn1111g ."

1

•

..

•

.,

•

··i •·

·

·

..

,

•

Analysis. EvcJflhing in this sentence conspires to promote the harmony .': The ~vords are happily chosen; full of liqu id; and soft sounds.;.
labifriulis;"amooth; grebi, goodly, melodioiM, char111 ir1g: and th ese words·:
so· 1trtfully a rran ged ,' that were i1·e to ;-.lier t he collpcati on of any one ot'
th e m, we shoulrl, present II', I.Jc se11s i1Jlc of t~e mel ody's suffering. For,
Jc t 1.1s ·obse r ve, how finely ,the ' member~ of the period swell one above
another. · " So smooth ,'so g-reen,"-=-" so fell of· goodly prospects, a111l
1nelodio us sounrl~ on every sirte ;"- till the eal' , prepared by thi s grad·ual ri s1-, is conducted f'> th at full clo se 0 11 which it r es ts with pleasliJre .;
- " that the har,v of Orphe us was qot more channing ."

- 1

'I'!te Ilarmo'nJj

124

of Periods•.

." 3. _A nd, lastly, this whole 1lor:trine about the meas'1res and n1ntt•
bers of prose, even a s it has l.Jecn dclivc:red _bJ th e, anciC'nt rhetorician11
themselves, is , in truth, in n great mc,as ure, loose and uncertain. It
appears, indeed, that the me lolly of discourse .was a matte1'· of infinite·
' Jy' more attention to them, than ever it has l.Jee11 to the moderns. ' But
tho~h _they writ~ a grea.t deal about it, they ha~e 1 ncver. b ~eu .aW ~ to
.reduce tt to any rul es which .c~rnld bP. of ~eal usq m pr.act1ce ..• ·'· ~:._,._ :
· .Tllns. If we consult ·Cicero"s Ornlor, whexe ' this point is' discussed
with the most minutenei;s , we shull see how· niu ch · th ese' ancient critics
differed front onP. another,, about the feet proper ' for . the •.conclusion,
and other parts of a sentence; and hew. much, after·· all, wa~ left to
ihe juclg·ment of the ear. Nor, ind eed, is it pos~ible to give precise
rnles concerning this matter, in an_v lung·uai;-c_;· as all prose. cornposic
t.ion must be allowed to run · loose in its nurnl.Jers ; , a nd, a<icording as
the . tenor of a discourse varies, the modulation of senterices mu1t
. '-y ary infinitely. ' :
.·
· .· .•. · , .;,
. •·-.: ,::-·,·~. :~ '~F

..

''· 216.·· But though th.is musical arrangement can.n ot be . re ~
duced .in to a system, ·every one who · stu<lie~· to w'i:-ite· with
grace; or to pronounce in public . with stic~ess, ~v~ll find hi'mself obliged lo attend to. it not a little: .;:c Uut it'.is his ear,
cultivated by attention and pl·actice, that must chiefly tlirect
him. For any rules that can be given on this subject, are .
very genernl. There are some rules, however, which 'may
be of use to form the ear to the proper harmony of discourse.
217. There are two things on which the music· of' a sentence chiefly depends. ·;. These · are·, : the proper distribution
.,f the several member!! . of the sentcnc;~ 1 .'.4'~:\~h .-ir.I.\¢> close; Ol~
ca<leuce of the whole. : :( .!lrl.' l34.) i . :!' ;. '~-f-!•A'1:J.i'; ;~· .,... ,
· 218. First, the distribution· oC. the .several' 'menibers:•~' '.Jt
is ·of importance to obser_v.e, that, .whatcyei· is eiisy 'and agre~."'.'
able to the organs .of speech, alwa_y~ souni:Is:grate(ul . to. the
ear. While a ,pedqd_is going Ot), the.-.termination.:::9fe~ch ;of
its members ftkms ·a.· pause, or-1' rest/ in-·~jm)nbunting :..·aful
these rests shou 1~1 .be so .tlistribu terl, as to .mak,e thifcouJ~~,~,r
the breathi}1g easy, and, at the same time, should. fall cat s.ut::h
tlistances, as to bear- a certain musical prop_oition! t!).,each.
1 "-n·~i-,;,~~t.r!1'.t~~":··
other. · ( Jlrt.: 144'.) ~'\.
"
1

'

: '", • •

" ·

Example I: " ,T his discourse concerning the.easiness. of.G.o d 's com mands, does, all along, suppose and acknowledge · the difficulties of
1he first entrance upon a rcli~ious course; except only in those, persons who have hari. the happi'oe ss to lit trained up to religion by;. _th<."
easy amt _insensible degrees of a pious and virt t: o11;; _e ducation.'"'' ..,
.ilnalysis. Here there is no harmony ;. nay, 1here is some dcg·ree of
harshness .and m.1pleasantness: owing principally tu thi ~ , that there is,
11rop~rly, no more than one pause ,or rest in the ~cnteuce, falling
behy1xt .the; ._ two p-1embers : into which it is di "ided ; each of which is.
llo . lon_g, ,· ~s to QCC<}iioi) a , c(/nsidernblc. stretd1 of, tho br~a\1~. itJ ~ {lJO,•
1';: ..;- , ..:."fi.
~JOf.JJlCJUg lf,. . ,• ;_ :· : ·,~~:.!t ~"·.• . ..
. " . · , • 1°ill11ts11n..
··' «·" '.J:o. • »J
1

·.... ., ';. .,..,..

, ... --

1·.

... '*!;;'

...

.,

•• •

,•

··'.:_..,·.

:.1

'·

126 ·~~:
~..

·~/·': 1~

The Ha*J·11w1iy of,Pftio<J,s~ .
I.•

.

~·.·

;

'\I

·~." j "'

• ,,..J

·:~

'

·i·

'

The Harmony of Periods;

n nq ,it converses ~ith them . To sentient, ·uat~res , this ·is ..a . P,leas4re ;
but,_ 1t· convers es with th em at the grealest <ljstancej -and in't1st:necessa - ,
. rily increase ' this pl eas ure. For 'what cah .be -inci're·.: agi·eeable: tha,n ' the
, <1ommerce of. co~1mtmication : with. di stant " ·ebj'ec_tc~:; .,,b~t~' h·o,~~Js ;•toi~
. ':,._Rgree~bleness .he1g~1tene<l, by. its 1-!.~!? g :_kt:pt'; l.l!ng, ·rn aelton, ' a!l~-. ~}:lat ­
·'.v1thout b_e _1_~1p- llred or sat1at~<!'.•w1,tb~i,!~P~</lW~ enj?ym~nt?/_:,. /t{:·

'l'.equis ite for v,arying and diversifying th e m elody, and hei1ce we seltlom meet.with ,au thors, who are remarkably happy in this r espect: ·

.

223. Though attention to the mu sic ~of sentences must
uot be ne()'lected, yet it. must also b¢~'kept within pro pet·~ ,: ~ .
bounds: f~r all appearances of·an a_u thor's affoctiri~ harnJ-~~ . :.. "
ny, are dis~greeable; espe.cially ·,~hen ' the love o_f it. beti"ays~ - .
lmn so far, as to sacrifice, rn any m stance, perspicuity, pre- ·
c1s1011, or .!,!;rength in sentiment, to sound. . (Example --~·

.·.·Y'f

.. -:" ~·, 221. Th~ .same holds in::m.el ~i.JY.i •th~ti::,w_ as . obse.rv~d '.:to
,
take pla~e~ With respe.ct _~O s1gmfiC~JIC!; ;>~hat~ a ~ailing olf~_at,_
tl~e ~n<l .'s always rnJunous ,to the~o_uJ e~,~ ':wlu.ch th~ speaker ·
has m \'Jew. For th!s reason, partt9les; ' pronouns;an.d :littJ~
Wor~s;are as ungracJOUS to the. ea!;, at\tl~e'.COnclusioh :'a·s ~ We
formerly shewed th cv were inccirisfatenf with · sti:etwth':-'of
c~pression. , ( .'fl~·t. ,1f6,"177, l 78, ::uid,''179:) '.- ~ i~1:'c;;°':~r~ '.,\'.~'.,
. Ubs: Th.e ·sense an cl 'th e .sou n il have· he1·e a mHtual"influ etlc.e on e'acii;

to ,m'a.r the '• strength°.-Of· th'e'
meanin g; 'anc\ th at which really deg rade~ the .s.e nse, in, !!~ n~ equence or.
this primary~ effoct, a ppea rs. als9 to have ~.bad,\6 pnd. ~ ~-~~}~;;· .....
r°'
Example. How rli sagfeea ul e is th e following sentence' of. Rll nnthor
-s pcaki i1g of the Trinity! '" Jt is a 111.1o1stery, which.-'~ve . fi•"m\y ueli evJ
t'he truth of, nnd huml.ily adore the d e pt.It of.'' · And 'hci\v _easi ly>' migh t,'
"it have· been mended hy this t ra nspos ition! _ "l_l •is ... mys tenq ~· th O"•
fruth of .which we .firmly believe, and the d ep th of;whicl1 :,,Ye :'11iimul,y,:.
adore." :
.
·, :.
·1.: .. ' r' ..~,.~~~~~l:~.'..::l~
Corol: In general, it see m~ ro hoi<i, that a mu.ical clo~c , in";:)i1?T<fif~­
g1rnge, requires either th e last 8.)'lla blc , or tl: c l;ist hut o ne, to ue u'iio~11',;:;
i;yll~ble. Word s· whi c h consist mo stly of short sy llaul es, ns c(/n~r'af/iJ,J.
partzcnlar, retrospect, scldqrn conclmle a se ntence harnton iously ,. unless
a train o,f long syllables, before, has r endered them agreeable. to . tl1e
car.
·
·
· '' '·
other : That which Ji urts th e ea r, seems

>·;-

!

'

'

'

'

222. S eu tem:cs, Su COllS trnci.e<l as i.u make the sound al-·
ways swell anc.I 0 -row towards the end, a nd to rest either on
a long or a penuft long syllable, gi,·e a di scourse the tone of
deciam~tion. The ear soon becomes acquainted with the .
1ne~92J' ~~Jl <l ~s apt to be cloyed with it. ~f we would keep
'Up '.~!1.~~~~-. e-~t10n of the r;,ad~!""_~r ,_l~ear,~ r, }~ we would pres~i'.v~:c,".,l y~cl_t~. a nJ) . strength .rn; ou I'., com pos1 t10n, we mu~ t be
V~f~:.~~~fe11Ht~: ~~ · yarf_ o'u r '1pi:iasu,res; ' ~',.-/\­
.':~1Uus :<-,,,Thi ~·::r_e_g~r~l$. tll,e di ~ti·jJ.>ttt.ion of the me~"?e~s( a.s well _a s the
~~~ ~p~e" of'l_!.~•e. ·Pe :i~.d·_f · Sentence~ constr~cted 1 m a s 11~1. 1la1· i,m a1f,1}el't•
with 1.th C\ pauses) fall mg i at · equal· ~ nterva ls,: sho uld , neve1· , foll ow/ .ohe ·
,~u il'~l~~.f;~";.t;jf' ~1t;irt-'1s·~ nt~nc,es • iihoul~ 'he' i'.11, t e~mi.~ed ; ~}th: t~ng a·n~ sn:elH1 ~ g l' ?nti,~ /:~t 0;:i;e_'.1.d.c) ~' ·d 1~co u rs e··.s prtgh tl y as ·,w.eJ' ~al!j.magn 1fi_cei;i t \~•:, F.:ve ll.,
d1sco,rd·s.,;r1r.operly,, 11ltroduc~q ~,<JbJ!-JP~ '~~ unds, dep,art pres-_f rom : reg ular..'
1
.~a~;.~c~i'.·~;a-y\l{~omeVmes h., g"ood •,elfect ;:.t_1 !"1~oto!ly'. is the' g'r ea~'fault.
' rqto ~ )Vh1cllt '. \'Vtt ters'·are ·apt to· •fall,"'. who ::are · fond .-..1 f •har monious ai·-. , .
1·al1'g ement, v.t.7iij.!l"-'f o ' have' ol"!ly:.:one,:tu11e or', :01.eamre.1 'is .not '\nuch ,betteii'~
t~18.!1 {1;1,"vi?.S"~ l!·?iie i- a;t -.all; · A ver}'. vu)g'.';i:t.e<\_r · ~ i-~l ,enable a ,:writer' to-,
cat~.•1~::.e!.11l1 "01'!e\ i:n elod_.r.\ ~n~ ~o fon~ ·the ,run,of'.'. l11s sentence~\ac<lor~ - ..
!ng•to t f ..... q-h1s soon P, i:oves d1sguih[lg. -' But ·a Just · and · co.rrec\ •ear 'i~ o·

he~! li"~""'"'; ~

l':~\.:.

', :· ~:.:~·:;,: · , ,·.· '. .:" ;;~ •. :.;.:.~ . ~~~; f-.~~~~: -''. ;,

I

f

I

II
I

f,.

./Jrt. 206.)
Illus. 1.

beauty of its· sound.
.
2. Sense has its own ha.rmonv, as well as. sound; and, wher e the
sense of a period is expressed ~ith clearn ess , force, and dig nity 1 the
w ords will almost always strike the ear agreeil.bly";· at least, a · very
moderate attention is all th<1t is requisite for making the .cadence of
!uch n perio<l pleasing: nod the effect of greate1· nttentioll~-l~~-~ten no
other, than to render composition la m;ui.1 and enervated.
."·
3 . After all th e labour which Quindilian bestows on r cgnlatmg th!!
m e a sures of prose , h e c omes at la•t, with hi s ustrnl go od sense, to thi~
ron cl11~ io n : " Upon the whoie, I would rat.hfC'r choose that composi·
ti on should appear rough and hars h, if that I.Jc ncc~ s sary , tltau that
it should he encrvate<l anti effeminate, such as we find the style of too
many. Some sentences, therefore,- whic h we liav.e . stt,idiously formed
into melo<ly, should be thrown loose, that ,th ey may not seem too _m uch
laboure<l; nor ought we ever
omit .·any proper or. ~xpr~s~i.ve wor~,
for itir~· :-: . 7_d·.t· of St iFH1!h!n ;.:· a pf·r k tfl."""'
- ·
4. Cicero, as we have els ew here observe<l, is on e of.. the! most re:
marknble patterns of a harm o n.ious style . .. His l.ove of it, lrn wcvcr,
too vi sibl e ; a nd the pomp of his numbers sumetunes detracts/ rom h,~
s tren gt h.
.· ._-.'
.'
. .
.... · ·
.
G.. That noted close of his, esse v,idealur, wlHch, rn the, oration .Pro
Lege Manilia, occurs eleven times, exposed h!m to censurt am.ong his
cou t emporades. \Ve mu st obse rve, however, in .d efe nce of this great
orator, that, in his style, there is a remarkable union of harmony with_
ease which is alwavs a gr.e at beauty; and if his hal'mony were.stud_i·
erl , tirnt stmly appears to have cost him but little trouble. · · ·
· ·_ ·
6. Among our E ngli sh classics, not many an". distinguis~ed for musi·
cal arrange ment. Milton, in some of hi ~ prose works, has very finely
turned periods; but the writel'S of his age indulged a libehy of inversion, whi c h would now be reckoned co1Hr1try to purity of style: · and ·
though this allowed thdr sentences to be more stately and sonorous;
yet it gave them too much of a .Lntinised co~st,ru_ction. and 9rder ...1 ....
7. Of .English writers, Lord .' Shaftesbury is,·~' tipor the whole,, the
most correct in his numbers'. As his ear was' clelicate, he ha s .attend2
ed to music in' all his sentences; · and' he·7is peculiarly ' happy i~ ' t~is

to

!s

"

•.;_i•.,,._ _t·.··

,_·'
'

~- ·;--

...
.J

..

•

A.

-

I ~ ., . ·

1

.1

~v , '

• ·.

· I •·. lt, : , ·. · ;

ma.;

In univcrsuin, al sit ncce1se, duram p9tiil1 a~que a'peram co01p1t~itionem
1im esse, quam dTemlnatam ac cncrvem, .qualis' apud ) 1J\!lto1. " ldcoque, vine ta
qn::i:dam de lndustri.t sunt "solvenda, ne laborata videantur ,rncque ullum idOneum
aut aptum "crbum rra::tcrmittamut, grat.il lcnitatif.'!.;- -~~; J~· .c· 4. ,, : ,. ·
iF "

..

~

All unmeaning words , intro d1.wc1I m erely to round the

pe oiod, o r fill up th e melody, are great bl~mishes i11 w riti n~. They
arc chi!:!ish n.nd puerile ornaments, bv w !Hch a sentence nl w<•,Y• losf'~
mor<J in point of weight, th<1n it can gain hy such addition s to the

a.

·.· · .

. /.

·:._: ·~~·

'

..

j~ \.

-·

. 19.S . '<'

-

11/ie Harmony

of .Perio1ft•

respect, that he has avoided the monotony into which writers, w1'm
the grace of sound, are very . apt to fall, and has diversified hig
.periods with great variety.
· '~. 8. Addison has also much harmony in his style; more ea~y and
· smooth, .but less varied than Lord Shaftesbury. Sir William Temple
.is,-;-in general, very flowing and ngreeable. Archbishop Tillotson iii'
.on.en careles$ a,n<l languid; anti is much outdone by Bishop Atte1·bury
· in the music of his ' periods . Dean Swift. despised musical arrangement. altogether. Burke excels in harmonious periods. .Johnson's
i;tyle is generally pompous, sometimes loft.y, and always Latiniscd.
. Carol. Hit.herto we lrnve consi<le1·ed ngreeable sound, or modulation,
m general. It yet remains to treat of a higher beauty of this kind ;
the sonnd adapted to the sense. The former was no more than a
s!mple acco':11p a n_iment, to please the car; the latter supposes the pccu~1ar expression g·1ven to the music. \V c may remark two degre es of
tt: first, the current of sound, adapted to the tenour of a discourse :
i1ext, a particular resemblance efie ct.ed between some ohject, and the
sounds that are employed in describing it.
~tudy

"

~E SEMBL,&:NoE
..

..

·~··

:ni

BETWEEN , stiu:rm'.
·

,

·

·

··

·:

.

, ''" ... -.

~~:::

·1

r~:.1· :·~:

~

....~':";~· ..· ,.

,

~ccondl~~ofi?n; an~. ~h.1rdl~·- tile emo~~fn~. ~~~ . P~~~~t~~~;". '

.

1

vr
:t our mind. ··.'

.·'

·

·

.. ' :·' .. .

· . '.

:

· ·,<.¢'~·~""
.. .J ,.,

lllu~. Though two motions have no connectiol'I,'. iY?t in ma~y par·
t iculars they may he said to have a res~m~lanc~. · ~he ,motrons of
·~vortex nncl a whirlwind are perfectly s11n~lar. , Al.l mankind h~ve ,

fe lt the analogy b t!tween dancing and. 11111'.'ic. · All '9u•ck, Qf slow, or :
,
..~ji
tlifficult 1n:otlons, though .performed 111 different c1.rcumstai:ices, and ,
by different agents, may in loose phrase~log'y be' said t? resemh!e. ~n~ . ,~:- . . :'Ii
nnother.' Spoken laiJguage 1s a collect1on of. ~ucc~sSl'I('~. ap~ ~1~.11~fi-,: '+;:~.i;:
-cant sounds uttered bv the SJleaker ; compos1t1ou 1s a c.er ta11.\-,l!~.r1es; ·
of those . so~nds, indicated by a parti'Cula~ sig11. eacb ,' {Jlr~(~7t)'.wlikh '.
'Can he nm over by the rea1Jer; and it is' obvrous,f that' t.he\~0£1on , of
the voice of the speaker or the reader may, resemb\e;,,mo.s_l:.-9-ther mot ion~ at least in the· general · prop~rties ofquickm;ss, · slown·e~s, ease,
or diiliculty. This · is the foundation of t~e resemblance. that take1
place between the sound. and the .sense, 111 th~ const.r uctiou of lan•
,.
~. ·· · ·~ : J··+
. ·~.·i ...
<ruacrc.

f

to

of artificial associations. Hence it happens, that any one
modulation of sound continued, imprints on our style a certain character and expression.
·

fo;

' 225. But, besides the general correspondence of the current of so.und with the ~urrent of thought, there may be a
more parhcula1· e~press10n atte~np!ed, of certain o~jects, by
means of resembling sounds. flus can be sometimes ac•
co.mplished in pro~e ~omposition; but there only in a more
fa1.ntdeg.re~ ~ . nor IS it t!1ere so much ~xpected. In .P9Ctry,
chiefly, it 1s .looKed for; when attention to sound 1s more
demanded, and where the inversions and liberties of poetic al style gi,·e us a greater command of euphony.

•

226. ·'
E ·sounds.· of 'vhrcls ·~na{pe J~.tn·pior,~d .:f~r_tr~ei? .
:fjen,ting, chiefly-, three das~es of objects; · ~rst, otlu~r _s?.Y·t~...,,";!;

224. Firs~, the current of soun~ may be adapted t~ the
tenour of a d1s~ourse .. Sounds have, rn many respects, a cor1·espondence with oundeas; partly natural, partly the effect

Illus. Sentences constrncterl with the .Tohnsonian fulness an<l swell
pr.od?ce the imp1·ession of \~hat is important, magnificent, sedate;
tlus 1s the natural tone which such a course of sentiment assumes.But they suit no violent passion, no eager reasoning, no familiar address. These always require measun~s brisker, easier, arnl often mon~
abr?pt. And, th~refore, t? 5well, or to let down the periods, as the
subject demands, 1s a very important rule in oratory. No one tenour
whate\·er, supposing it to produce no bad effect from satiety will .an·
swer to all di~~rent compositions; nor even to all the parts of th e
!lame compoR1t10n. It were RS absurd to write a panen-yric and an
invective, in a style of the same @adence, as to set th~ wo~d s of a
nder love-song to the air of a warlike march .
Cor?l. W~at i~ requisite, therefore, is, that we previously fix, in
our mmd, a JUSt 1de11 of the general tone of sound which suits our subject; that is, which the sentiments we nre to expre~s, most naturally
assume, and in which thf!y most commonly vent th e mselves; ,vhet.her
round and smooth, or stately and solemn, or brisk and quick, or inti!rrupted and abrupt.

·

" 2"'27. 'V~rds ·or sentences ·consisting chiefly ofrshort syl-.
lab Ies, and of cour.se· p~·on~unce~t "'._ith/apidi~y; 'b.e~ar _an ;i~~l:~ ~;:
ogy to quick.> m\ct~~~p.; and mar, fairly: ~es~14,,~o ~f!~:l/'.; r,e~. ,.;
.,..,,,;,1, ~ ·~ :

!lemblancc of it; tas;' impetuos·ity, precipitation:. .
E;r:umple

:•

....

<"

"'"'' . .. "'h

Virgil~ liescri~es '.i( ~}:ir~e~ a,n~11, g~ll~>_p;'~i,~~~~~?1.1~.win~ •".:.'}'.·~'}

•.picturesque line . ' ·· " "·-:- '':' 1 ~;:· \': · .... .
•
' ' + '_,,_~~,_:.;; ''.' ' ''' ·
"quadru}•etlante puJ~~ -~;nit~ ~uatit ungula cnmin'tm~", 7" •. ·"'~'· '._ ,.
E .'tmnple 2. The same.:, a,uVio1· paints .the .. 1·apid ~ight o( '\ pi~e~~ i
h astening to her nest.
·
·
';-::-~;:;;,.'.); :::..'*...!·>;·,,
.'"Radit iter liqu,idu~ . eeleres ne~u~ commo.T et ' lll,ac "'J. :··r ., ',,. '.\
: .. ,., "
••• '
i •
r
'
,·
iif
Q28. The English heroic .verse affords 'n9t a proper pie; . · ·~' ..
~.

I'

4 •<I

1"°

It i~ .l.imit~d to. te.n _syUables! ,}~hile, ;~~-<1'
the hexameter may extend from tlurteen to seventetrn~ "':fhe ~ ·~Jr. ..
hexameter acquires. this advat~ta~ by ~he admjss.iot( Qh~v~ · "' , '
feet of <lactyles, which throw mto .the l~ne a large ~roport10n.1. ~\/~; :r
of short syllables; and th~ pr~cedmg !11!es of yirgd are per~f{{~(~
tinent examples. The English : her~1041 v~rse•, tannof aug- ·' ·'. \.
ment the number of.its syllables,'antl pr,~~i:ve"' its ln\!l,lSu,re. ,... e ·. :: ·
The only resource · 'left to our voets: 'iri''this ;·ca.se is,'· .to em- .· , ~· •.
ploy an Alexanddne lin~, <;onsis.tJ~g 8f.J>~·~\~~,;~,.rllahles. -<•.. ·" P
in re of quick motion..-.

1

Illus. Pope has frequently . adopted : •ithiS,;<i:xp~di ~ntj-' but with little
irnccess · for of all the' poetical ·lincs we havtr tlim AJ,e'i<irndrine is perbiips tb~ .slowest, us it consist:! generally ofmonosy!Jli.l>lcs-1 ~!1ich, to be
~

.

.

i

.

.

l lesemulance !Jeta.:een Sound and S ense.

Resemblance betwun Sound and Sense.

130

undcrstoocl, must lie ~lowl_v pronounced. This was Pope's own op inion; for, he ob~ervP.s, in his F:ssRy on Criticism, that
" A Hel'dll's~ Ale.\audr!ne t'1H.h tl1e song.,
And like a ,, ,11.1ad•cd make drn_g< it1 8lvw lengtt1

this and
some eth e r 1dmilar occasirns, n p•n·tion of"his o":'·n taste to rrntify the
public f'nr.
He " ·as •·on ~" i'H'" thr VP.r'e wn> fa<rltv, hnt pf'rlrnp' cnnclud,,d, th:i~ many n.f h; ~ n·arl<'rs would t~ke for n IJ,-,;inf_\",' whnt was
1·e;illy a lilemir.h: ~hat tho se who could di< c"rn th" error, wonld discern also the prnper npolllg.v for it; or wo•d•I alhw him, when he
c.ould nnt i1nit;itc fl q11ick molio11, lo Hj'pro:ich it as near as possible,
by sub!'lituti11g- in its pl<1re thi- <·011tin11ann• of n ,Jow one.
011

229. A wNd consisting of long syllables, or a sentence
of monosyllahl es, may resemble solemn, harsh, or difficult
motion, a..s,forewarn, 'mankind.
.Example 1. Thus Pope , in !1is

F.~~ny

on Criticism,

llxample 2. Ai;ain,
" 'Vith tnnity n weary st~p. and many n groan,
Up the liigh hill hehcaTes huge round stone."

a

E.umijJie. "Audit

that the words are all monosyllables, which renders a pause nec ess ary
after each of them in tlte pronunciation, the artful repetition of the flSpiration paints very forcibly the loss of breath under whid1 Sis.v phus
might be supposed to labour from the violent exertion of his force.
'!hill circt1mstance is not in the original, which als<> possesse• cxtrnoruinaT v merit. Homer lix.es his attention on the muscular exertions,
nnd the motions of Sisyphus. He has, however, the ad\'ant;ige of his
translator, by the sup~riority his language gives him, in coutrastingthe slow and difficult motion npwanls, with the mp id and furious motion downwards.*

230. Pope employs again the Alexamlrine to <lcscrilJe
motion downward.

the

11

The huge round •tone resulting with n bo1md,
Thunders im11etuous down, nnd smokes along the ground ."

'. 231. · F.asy or smooth motion. may be painte<l by a succes.·
sion of soft an<l harmonious sounds.

Ail av /Jaaa{nvra 7rCAwpcov aµ¢orip11n v
;J-Irot b µcv pa>.a 11K11rrr6f''~o> ;tcraiv re :r6atv re
.A.Iav avw wOw~c rrort >.6¢av, a.\' Lrc µO.Xot
AKpov_L7rcplJ11>.>.i£tv, ror' arrorpi<faaKc •raraft ~
~AVTtf

trr,m1 rrioovrls KU.\iv&ro .\aa> cha10>/>-"

..
Ecloga VI." Silcriu:.

so.:inm, timidisque su1>ervenit Mg!e."

ln the first four lines
uf the following quotation, he ridicules the affected pomp
mi; l lrnrslmcss of the versification uf Sir Richard Illackmore.
l1i lhc last four lines, he opposes to his solemnity and ha rsh11ess the inanimate but smooth cornposition of the writers of
panegyrics.
"1''hat, like Sir Ricl1nrJ, rumbling-, rong-h nnd nen-c,
\Vith arms, and Gl'orgc, a.J ~d ~nu1swick. crow<l my veue;
llend with trem1-·rnJuOus soundy votn· C'ars asunder .
\Vi th gnli, drum, trump<:!, lilu11rl; 1'bns., and thumled
Thell nil your muses softer arts display: · ·
.Let <:aroli11a s111ooth the tuneful Jay;
v
Lull with Amelia's liquid name the nine,
And sweetly flow ·o'er all the royal lint."
-'·

j

'

.

;

Agaiu, Pope :

"J,oud sounds the nil·, rcduub.ling strokes oi1· strokes,
<On all sides rou11d the forest hurls her onk• ·
Heml1011g. D eep echou1g grnau the tftick~l• brown,
Then rustling, cmckling, crashing, tlumder down."
' .(\ Ji"irst march the J1eavv .Jnules seeurelv slow,
'
O'er hills, o'a dalies, o'e1' crngs, o'er.rocks they go" Iliad, XX.III. 138,
'' \Vhcn Ajax strives son1e· rock' s: \'fist weight to throw,
""' .. -"':."~
The line too labors, and the words move · slow." . · Essay on CritiCism, 370.
0

235. Virgil, describing the e tforts .of-the Cyclops in form~ ;
ing t!1e thun1ler, 'thus· sings: . · ·: · ~ : ". :·· ·;,· ··
11

Illi inter sese magna vi brachia tollunt."

(Geer. 4.)

'· ~~· .<.-.:-.:: .-,

·

236. 'Vords may be so modulated, that theji; 'so~nd shall
be expressive of the dispositions ari<l emotions of the mind. . . .'Accordingly, a verse. 01· line, - compose<l "mostly of mono- ,:·; ? ..
syllal.Jles, or of long sy~lables, .~rul. course ~lowl_y prqpo~n...:; ~:1:-.:: ~
<·et!, prompts the not1011 of mgmty . anil · sol~mn1ty • . , R.ope' ~ ""'
thus descnlJcs . Nestor:
· · ' . :;. --<1'
. . . ...'.<. .. \·. •; : , ~ .. ,,·:~:. "'{.'. ··•·..;,

of

~

II

'' Kai µ11v ~i11v¢ov tlrtioo1, icparlp' a>.cyl cxovra

.<e

two kinds of motion last mentioned .

Example.

.llnalysis. The last line possesses m1commo11 beauty ; for, besides

. -~ Th~ lines in the wiginal run thus:

gay an<l easy motion of the

n5mph /Egle , says,

2.34. Violent or slow motions may be.. imitate<l by abrupt
:-iml heavy, or harsh wor<ls an<l lines, as horrid, harrow,
!toarse.
'. ·

"But when loutl surg«s lnsh th ~ •onrnling •horc,
The hoarse rough vene shouh.I like the tone11t r oar."

Example.

Aud the E·!nooth streatn iu smoother nu rnhcrs flow~.'~
Poj;e's Essay on Cdtid.sm.

23S. Pope lia .~ been very succe,;::ful in c~mtra"ting the

•• ~ot !'>'1 wlwn ~wlH ~ ~t rnilh scottro: tlw rL-tin 1
Flit:a o'rr tL' uubt:rnHng corn~ and Jkinl!t alo11g the n1ain.''
~acrillccd,

:::tm11j;/c. ' Soft is the struin when Zt•p!.yr gently hlows,

2:1~~. Virgil, describing the

aluui;~

Example. Bnt l'< •pe, uotwithstanding, makes use of this ,·erse to
describe quick 1nntion.
Jlnalitsis. It i;; proi:rnb!P., that this great poC'I

0
-.'

131

Slow from his seat nrnse the Pylian sage:·• ' .•.• '

.

• - .,. : ; ,,· ....

'" Next Com us, revert·nll sire, went footing slo\V." .:- ·;,..\ .(llilton~'.· ~~,: ··" ·.~.·~ ..">./r·:i:~;
,. Oli sedato respo11dit cordc Latiniis.o . .,.l£neid. .· \ · ·· . ~t ,,,!...,· J . · · .• i ....,.,~" · Incedit a1~lo molomime aubsidendo." · Ibid , .
· .. ~. '"·'· ·~:]'-.'1

23!- Hars~1 · a;u~' <llsagreealJle \~~~'nds_, ~~g-g~~t. the :~~me
em?ttons, which ans~ frot.n behold1Qg a_ny. ~xerhon perform·
c d imperfectly~ or with. difficulty : , ·\tZ;·{ ,..
·. ··
.

'

.

.

•'1'

'

l

~

#-

;.<

,.

•

~ 1-

t. ~

.-.,·

.

,. "J~ •I

-

ti

•

;

ts2 .

.' ir " "
. . ~ ~~-;·:. ·, i

inversion.

~ .' '
, if).!?~- •.:.__"When they list, I.heir len1i nnd flash y songs
~r;I, :!·\: f1~"-. Harsh grate on their scra nntl pipes of wretched straw."

~:-; 1J 1

'•
.

I-

,-~

J.Tilto11'3 Lycual.'~

238. Virgil, with much mouesty, thus characterises

hie

,.;'.

-~

Lrlttfr lo Arlwtk11ot.

Smooth and easy verses i;cncrate :in emotion alliell
to joy and vivacity. It is difiicult to decide whether the
sentiment, or the versification of the . following example is
l11?re sprightly.
u lJrir;ht ns the sun her eye• the gazers strike ;
And like the sun tht·y shine on nil Alike.
Yet graceful ease, und swe~tne'5 void of pride
lllight hide hc1· faults, if l:x-lles had faults to hide.
If to he1· sharc some frma le errors fall,
Look on her face, nml yuu·n fotgt!I them nil."
Rafi/! qftli~ L11clr:.

~41. The siow and solemn soun<l of the suusct1ucut verses·
prompts an emotion similar to melancholy.
"In these deep solitudes and awful cell•,
'Where h enveuly pensive contem11lat.im1 dwdb,
And ever-mu.ing mdancholy reigns." Eloisa I& Abelard.

242. b-vERSION is a b1anch of ornament, and of that
:ipecies of it which belongs both to the sour11.l_ and the sense.
It belongs to the sound, because by transposrng the natural
anti o-rammatical ord er of the words, arrangements may be
fc'irm~d more agrceaule to the ear than cou l1l otherwise be obtaine<l. It is connected with the sense, beca use by suspending the appearance ~f some capita~ word ur circum~tance,
curiosity may b~ excited, and artfully prolonged~ till the
conclusion of the period <liscloses the mystery, and 11npresses the sense deeper on the mind.
Illus. 1 . The obj ect of inversion, !h en, is to attRin some beauty or

~.

. impube that ca1inot be obtain~d uy prcscrviug th~ nntural .or~ler.
This attainment is the 5a me with that of grammatical p e r~p1cmly:
·nn<l hence arises au invariable pri11ciple, to limit the ex lent of inversion; namely, it mus t. .seek no embe_Hishm~nt which w.011111 be bou~ht
.too dear; it must ad1111t no 1nod11lat1on wl11ch may produce ohscunty.
2 . Different kind s of co mposition, and differe nt languages, admit
differe nt degrees of i11version. A:ll di s~o urse nddressc_d ~o the unrle.r. standing, seldom permits much 111vers1011. More ol _it is allowed 111
works addressed to the imagination, and most of all in those productions whicli arn inteuded lo rouse nncl iutr.rest the µassion s and emotions of the henrt.. The cool an1I philosophical construction of modern languages, also, l'endcrs the m much less susceptible of inversion
1lum the ancient. ( Jlrt: 2·1-30. awl 171.,1

.

'(

..

.•

~

-

.. .

'"I'"ili,;rer~~:.· •\ ·tt~
( •, ·'",.1:-!J!l,~·-,
:f•' ·
;l~-f~ r.l~
......F

.

~~

t.

I

\·w~

..

~

' "

,..

~

,I

/

. •

..

_\,;/ .

t: '

~NO.

., .'
.

..., 't"I"""

,

1

289. The fre<1uent repetition of the letter r in the last
'y erse is very descriptive of the rudeness and harshness ot"
'1ad verses. Thus, .Pope :
·

;; .

'

lllus. 1. One substantive depending on another-is seldom} ' in pro;e
at lea st, in any language, disjoinl)d fr~m it: :. ~.~;T,be b'e°'au~_w of'v,irtl.;c,' ~fl;· ·:
. " Tia virtutis,." "boos ap"1''7~·" ·'But in the poetrYiof. ~1·e~ce' rlnd" R.on~e,
s11d1 words are frequently separated. ·: 1 ' ..,1_':1v·: •Jl, ... f.~f'.>·;."'n~'; ,.., _.
" Arma vlrnmque Cnno Trojre' qui j:>rim\u ab oris:••'•}~ '\I~.,'... ', :·;_;- ''.
.
:..
••1' . .
•
"'"4
"Mi;viv awit Ola rr.,>..,r&~c~ Ax1>.11&s."~ ".'Jlias. l. ~. ' ! . :·' r 1' !·".
2. A preposition is seldo111 lodisjoinetl fr~m its !" substantive; ' "From
cast lo we gt; ava ',parov; ex sententia. '' (.I/rt. 7 J.) 1 '·'. · '\,. . . . . i' /''• ..

" Nam 1wc1ue ndhuc Varo vid eor, lll' C dicere C.i1111a
Dignn, set! urguto• inter strcpern a11se1· olores."

"Just writes to make his barrenneS9 np\n·nr,
Aml strains from hanl·bound brain• cig 1t lines a ycnr."

·
1nversior1.

•

. 24j, There are several words, however, in · ~I.l language ,..
which cannot easily be separated from ' on~ . an'Qther~\an.<l·
which cannot thl'retore admit much inversion· - .. .~; ~ ;"i~· ;.·.
l';

., .

'f ;1..-J;i-· t>wn poetry in his Eclogues.

.

. . • .1· . ,
'. ~'>."!.~·· '
,. J..;:t , ~.t!';

.•

. l .,
I

'

;.

,

I

~

I

~

I~

.,.
'

:3. Au adjective is almost always asiociuted with its 'substantive in
the modern languages, 11nd ~ ery frequentlr ~n.,tl].~ 11nc\ent. ( Jlrt; 59.
((lllf flfos. 143.)
• '
' -'
' I• ' 1 .
• • •
4. An adverb is generltlly .itd,ioined ti-I its Yerb , or:· adjective both in .
a11cie11t and 1i1odern l11ngunges, because, ha'v ing no i.nllc.i;tion,juxta-po~ ,.. -· ·,;... .
sitio11 only ca11 ~ note its relation. (./Jrt. 145.) . , "·
·
'ii;/~· ' '~
Corot. These ouservations circumscribe the subject of inquiry within.,,. .,,,,7:··\,
certain limits 1 and discriminate the parts 'of speechj in the a is position ~'
of which we have most reason .'t o expect inversior . .i Jt .a ppears, then,
that they are the principal purls of sentences, the agent ~ml the actio~,
or the nominative and the verb. (Jlrl. l44. and 134.)
. '
.•.,...,
5.. In the languages ·of Greece nlld Rome; it. seems perfectly arbitra,
ry in what part of the 'sentence the nomillative .·is placed. ! We find it
in the begi1111ing of the sentence, or separated . by half, sometimes by '
the \·:hole sentence, from the verb it governs, (Art. 143. lll1~s. ~·
.1lrt. 23.)
· ··
6. The verb underg·oes lhe snme variety '. of positions. · It stands in
the brg in11ing, so111eti111es in the middle, bqt most frequently iu the· end of the sentence. ·
· ·
·
'·/l-" "
·'
Obs. Of all these positions· exrrn1ples nre so n~merous, that
.shall
n ot produce any. The variety of terminnti6ns which i11/Jeclion furnish es to the ancient l:mguages is snfficiPnt, i11 all these circumstances,
to distinguish the relations of \he agent and the action, antl to preserv~
perspicuity.
'
\': ~ ,; '
,·
.. · "' :,: · •;· · ·, ·

we

24it. · The inversions ·of modern languages are '~1uch less
frequent and violent, and the_following are the-mo!!l common
of which our language is ~us<;.eptib.le. ' ~>
·~
245.
A
circumstance
is
sometunes
situated
before
-~i1e
•
•
t- -'
.
....
nomurntive.
'
".' ·' .,. -·
:
·f' ·

;; · ' ,'.

'·,,~

~·~·

-#"!:'~'

Example. " In orJcr,'' says ~ddison, .11 to sP.t this~·~~l~er in a' ~l~·~r :..
light to every 1·eader, ·I · shall, 111 tlrn first place; ·observe,'that a meta-.
. J>hor is a simile in one worll ." This arrangement is more agreeable,
and perhaps more perspicuous, than .the natural ·one. · " l ·Sh!lll['iri' the,
tirst place, observe, in order .to .set.this matter in a. clear.ijght:·to~e,V'.°eJy · .,
reader,· that a metaphor is a simile in.one word.''·-· ~ " r ·.li.~:{~~\;_1,•:.;#~~
;~.

"

.(-. t

'~"",. .

•2.46. Sometimes a circumstance is :iaserted ~:iafterdhe " J •
•
"·:'tit'"
l'•.~.···~ .. ··~j <
".'". ·
,.
:/M.··"1'11 ~; .. ~· 1•--:-. :\
I

~ !kc EXll.IJlph: 1. Arl1 2-i~.

.

. .J

V' •

'

..

-

•

¥

~ ••~ l!

,,"'°•• -~I·~:, (,<~
• '= _ ,J_ ..:.~

-------- -~~- ~...

134
nominative, an<l before or bdween the auxiliary alld the
verb. (Illus. 7- and 8. p. 8!.l.)
Example. " l have forr:icrly, with a goo!l deal of ntff'ntion,

"Crown'd with the siekle and tl1e wheaten sheaf,
\Yhile J\utumn, nodding o'er the yellow plain,
C u11 1e• jo1fal on. the Doric ret:<l once m o1·e . 'Vell-}>lenid I · tune." ·
._

ro11~;,1_

don's Translation of Tacitus.) , ..

250. A noun prccc<le<l by a preposition very fre(1uently
;1ppcars Lefore a verb.
.. ·
E J:ampfr . " Uy th e~e \\·e acq uir ed onr lib er ties,': said the s.cotch nolilc s, laying their hands on their swords, "nnd with these will we defend thern."*
.IJnal!Jsis. This order is much preferr..ble in point of empha~is to the
11n f11ral on e. H ow t ame is the n atural order! "'Ve ac qu ired 011 r
libcrt i1·s by these, and we will defend them with these." (See Jlrl. 124.

" Swee t is the bn::tth of morn , h er rising sweet,
'Vith eh arm of earliest hinl." ; pleasant the sun,
\l'he n tir' t on thi s ddii.;htfnl la m\ he spreads
Jlis orie nt Ucamll. ou he rl>, tn·e, fruit, :iud flowl'r
Glist"ri11g with <li:w; fragnrnt the fertile t•arth
A ft cr suft sl1 owers , a11d sweet th e comiug on
Of g-t·a tefu l c vcniHg mild."

lilns . 21). p. 80.)

cons1stcnt with perspicuity, it should not L11> pumitted i"
fall into disu;;e. It was form erly fr eque nt in prose, aml still
appears m that species of CO!Hposition with dignity and

grace.
E xr:w tpfr 1. "Ti1ere cxi:;is not in nature a more mis c rabie auimai 1
than a ba<l man at war with him self."
2 . "In spl•rndi:l r nhf;; ;ippe;irPd th e 'l"l'l'n. "
' 3. The following quotations are fuu11<l in Hume's Histo ry of Eng·
~p~11king f~f Ch rn l~'-'

J. "f l·· l1ad f•:.nnPd

otn~

of thf~ 1nus t iHtt 3-

trious charactr.rs of hi s age, hud 11 ot the extreme nan1.iw111?SS of hi•
.genius in eve ry thin g but war sullied the lu stre of hi s o ther talents."
" Hau the limilation s on the preroga live bee n in his time quite fix ed,
his integrity bad made him regard us sacred the bouudaries of the
constitutiou."

249. Another very frequent inversion, in poetry, statio11s
the subject in the bcgin11i11g of a sentence, anti sorneti111es
throws in a circumstance between the subject aud its verb.

,

J/!us. This iuvcrsi~n,' though proper and beautiful in poctr.~, appears
~ca r cc ly tolerahle in pro5e.
(See Art. 17 l. in the example, iron. Gor-

247. The nominative is pbcc<l after the verb. J~ut thi s
inversion is reslrictetl almost e11tirely to poetry, vvhcre it
lias often a pleasing effoct; witness the follo\ving examplL'8
from the fourth Book of Paradise Lost.

248. The placing of the 110111i11alive after the verb isonP- of
·the most easy inv ersions of which our language is suscrplible ; and, as it affords an Clf!:reeable variety, and i;; 11erli.·cll_v

135

EJ·am1ile 3. Thomson's Autumn commences in the following strain:

cred the subj ec t upon which you command me to commnnicate my
thoughtg.'' This is, p c rhup s, not inferior to th e natural order. " I
have formerly considered, \\ith a goo d deal of altcution, tlie subj cd
.o n which you comnHtnd me to communi cate my thou g·hts ."

};Phi.

lnvusioi;t.

-'

Ii
I
t

'1

· ·

Schol. I. These inversions deviate little from the onler .of ideas, or
1l1 c gramma tical order of the words ; \ind, though they ouspend the
mcn 11in g-, they hurt not the perspicuity. This ann!ogy betw~cn t_hc
s uccession of ideas, and the arrange m en ! of words, ~s one o~ the _pri~­
c ipal lic;iutics of modern languages, which the ancients relmrim>:h in
L n!Pr to n ttain othf:r hf'aut.ies in point of 111P.lody ; nud it i~ perhaps
i111pn1.. il ..Jc to propo~e .a ny ~eneral pri1l<'iple by w!tid1 the f•r<'.fn ence of
th ese beauties mav be tleci<led. (Obs . .flrt. 27.)
:l . The nncicnt~ would comp lain , perhaps , Clf the tamene~s and simplicity of our arrangPment, while we mi g ht reprehend the artifice and
ol>scuril ~· of their inv e rsion. Thc_v would reprobate <; ur n eglec t of
l1armony whil e we might expo.se their apparent attachmeiit to sound
more tha1~ to 'se nse. Such; at least, is the power of habit, that a p c riod
of La t in or Greek, arranged in grnmmatical order, would exc ite di s~ ll''t. and a period of English in the order of Greek or 1,atin woul<.t
1

; F pc:J.r rirlir:uloutJ ~n u11It1H'IHgH•ltJ

~ IfobrTtson's History of Scotluml.
nrti ~l('S

t 111 cunju ;,c lion with 1hrsc
tcr IV. ~:luol • l. , ·

t

_
· ·~

.

:;

•

,40~1 Jd penis' Cll~t'-'

on I1a·eNiC11 1 the ltt11knt
· -

.

~

· • · "' .'
•;'•~~I :~.
IJ
' .. ' . ~. 1 , \:

,

,, \

t

•
\. '

.. .

. ',

1 {

"

~

( ,.'Jo_

.,

. '·

.'J. '

··. t ·

".; ';

. .~ '•

,,l.r:;

1:

' ·\•

1_ /'

.,

;

·,..

I

'·,

'.

,.I
1

t.

~ \

!

.,

,'

.'

·'

\

" Achilles' wrath , to Gi·e~ ce the dire ful sprin7
Of woes unnumber'<l, heavenly Goddess, sing. '

" Of n1an's first disobedience, nnd the fruit
Of that forhi<l<l en tree, who•e mor!nl taste
Brought death into the world. and a II our woe,
With - loss of Eden, till one g1Tatt•r mun
Restore us, and regain the blissful ~eat,
Sing, heavenly rnuie ! ''.
_

.

',I, .. .......... . . . . ..
'

Example 1. The first verses in th e Jliad arc thus translated by Pope:
Example 2. Paradise Lost •)pPns in n similar manner :

~ r•: :· ~ ~.

..

; '

j

' · ,, "

rt: •~t-t~ ~ ; ·~

~=
o

· ..{) ·~:rv~·.
'~ ~

t->:

I

'

1:3.1
~155. F'irst; TROPES, OR FIGURES, enrich languao-e, nntl
remler it.m?re copious. ~y their means, '~onls and ~phrases
arc rnulttphcd for expressrn~ all sorts of ideas; for descriliing even the minutest uitlerences; the nicest shades and
colours of thought; ~hich no l.anguage coul<l possibly <lo l>y
proper words alone, without ass1st_a nc_e from tropes. (Art. 21.)
256. Sccont!ly, they bestow d1gmty upon style. The familiarity of common words, to which our cars are .much accustomed, tends to <legradc style. \Vhen we want to adapt
,o ur language to the tone of an elevated subject, we should
be greatly at a loss, if we .could not borrow assistance from
figures; which,- prq:;Erly emrloyed, have a similar effect Oil
la11guagc, with what is produced by the rich and splendid
<l_ress_of a p_c,rso~1 of ran.k ; to create r~spect, ~ml to give an
:11r of magmhcence. to hun wh~ , 0\~ ears it. Assistance of this
kind is often needed iq pro,se.'. compositions; but poetry
could not subsist without it. -· Hence; figures form the con~f.ant la11gua!?e of poetry. (.fl. rt~ 21.)
'

OF. FIGURES.

CHAPTER I.
~n' THE

t!IIARAUTEH AND ADVANTAGES OF FICUt: tc5.

· 251. FIGURES, in gener~I, may l>e dcscribcll tn ~c that
language, which is prompted either uy the i111aginai1011, or
by the p:lssions. ( Chu.p. I JI. N. 1.)
252. Rhetoricians commonly divid e them into two great
classes; Firnrr('s of 1cords, an~l Jip:11rcs ~/' t!tou:.~!1! .
~:3 53. Pirr1trcs of11·11rds , arP, rnmmonly ca lle d TH01•1-:s .
A
irnp1~ cnneoi;;1eo in a wo rd':-; !wino; 1• 111ployP1l to s1:, 11dv so111c thi11~; that;;; diffcrc11t frrn11 ih 01i'.~i1t:11 an•I pri1nitivP uw:1n in µ: ; so that ii' you alter the IHHd, 5ou ,i,.,,trny tiir' li;.:,111T.
\ ')

d

•

•

•

JI/us. 1. To say, that ;' the sun r ises, " is trite and common ; but it
becomes a nngniftcen t image when expressed as Thompson has d one :
nut yondt> r comeg the powerful king of day,
1ltj01ci11g in the ea.st.-

.

~~-

To say, tlwt" All nw ti arr snhicct <il ike to death," pn»!'nts

I I u1

;\f'C :

1

._,;. _;!,
.; ; i
- ._,;

~

1

-- ~

i~

.

f " ~~
lfillll.

you ~arv (\;,•

'

rs: :li:d f' ._iJ:ti-l(n·1sou-'"'·; ''i

'!l('!' .. ~
.

;

Or,

1i1at at'.' l''-''1!, 111· (1 : \ll~Llk tli1 ·n1 frcr:1•
one Jang·trn1~e into another. vou mav, nevertheless, still pre.'' l" c ti........
l " ~'°J I... 'l'" l;"
j,.. i'1· 1·""'\ l 1·o~
'. \l t
I' i I {!Is. '~. ' I ! i. i f : • ' I
0 ........ •
"b '""""' ..' ". . . l. ' l i1.. ..........
•
\'.i•11b

.........

' '.l;· .

!

Obs. This distinction, howrver, is of no great use; as nothing_ cau
lie built upon it in practice : 11ei1her is it always very dear. lt is ol
little importance, whether we g·ivc to some partic ular molle of e x pres ~ion tho nnmo of a trove. or of a firnire: proviclec\ we rcmcn1bcr, that
figurative language al~vays imports some colouring 01 tl11.: i H«• ;; inu tiv ll)
o r 50 mc ~n 1 otion nf pnc;:c;:ion, it1vp1·t·~~fl'l in onr "tylc: and. perhaps,
.figures o.f imagination, au<ljignres oj))(lss-io1~, 1.11i!5hl Le a in ure. '.''")ut
distrilJUtion of the subject. Bnt, \\'lthont 11mstmg on any ru llfiunl
divisions, it will be more useful, that we inquire into the athantag;es
which language derives from jigures of speech.

.:~,
·

In iiie third piacP, FIG\} HE:-; giuc us t!u: plra,rnre rf
lwu ~~icct~ P'. ·ce.cn_Lcd tap:cth~r witlwut .c1m/ usion ,

uijuyin,~·

'

t111,i!!i_;,1t

pcdc, paupcru m tahcn13 •

OtnnC'!I t>ode1n cogimur ; omnium,
Vt rsa lt 1r 11 n1a, ~ l r iu<t, OC)ll, ,
Sor~ e'X \t urn . ( t nos in 1•krn11 m
L.\iruuu iw.posit ura C) mlne.t

·~ .J -L Fi1'.'lll'CS of tlwu:(ht. suppci .:Y t!it~ wo!'d,; 10 Lie 11c;r·il in
1h cirprnp1T and iit1·1<1! !lli' ; ~11i:1 ~ :, ;llld thP li<.!_111;c to ,·011·,ic:1_i"
1!w turr• oi tlw U11111\•:ht. 'lhev appear m cxuw ;w.twn:J , lil ·
rrrrn<_;_,·ut;n,; J ~ o;:1 ; <-fr.

j

a
•

~·q110 p111"t
ll<"g um qnc Htl.Tt's."

l'alli<ln tn nn

}t/11s . T li n', i11 t hr• Sl' lll <'11c •:s; " Li:~li t eri .s f' th t<J tl 1• ' 11p r i'..'.lit in
cl i\ rknf•i;;s :'' the frn111 1_'1111 -.· i . . H i ?1 u li ~!i t :uld dad;, 1 lf' .'~, " h 1 · i r1~~ ~;r:!
·t ttCU1t! litera Hv. bu t ~tt lJ:st! ~ t~li~d t~· r l'J))1/-/'ort n11ci (Uil'u .~ iiy, Ull acr_;outJt vr
~o m c r cs~n iht<i'nrr 0r :111alor-y whi r h li !:'.·ht nnd <lnrk:n"'~ nre ~nppo set'I.
t•.• bear tn thr'e ""n d iti o1i:; ui'l irc.
// /;rs '.? . .'Iii. l'. 1. )

~-

011h·

''ul~ ar idea; but it r ises and tills the imagination when p;iintcd tln1s't1v

l

I

i1• 1111r 1·1.11c: UP: pr111c1pal id ea, that is tlil' sul iject of the
d1srnursl', al 1 H1:~ \\ itli its ac cc ssor_)-, which ;;_ires it the fi:rti.rauve dress . . \iVe see one thing in another,~as Aristotle
1 n ·~>~"; ''~ 11 ; \Ylnrh le..: al \\· r1 _y ~ ag rf!~~a: )] ,~ to the 1ni11d .
l'-.ur
ther · is nothing with which · the · fancy is ' more 'deli«hte<l,
than w 1tli comparisons ,an<l .resemblan.c es ofqbjec_ts'; a~<l

;x-

. ...

;

an

...

'

• "\Vith f'tp1nl pttrP impRrtl~l fi,,.,. . ~·
h.nocks.,at .ti~!'.' palr<:.,, a• ti1e cott_a gc g~te ..
-j- '\Ve :i.!! m ~1 st fn';,.d ~ ~w pr;.th" nrfo :o· ;

And ever ohnkes the mortRI um,
'Vhoie lot embarks us, soon .o r late,

On Cbat·'1n '1 boat ; ah l neTer to return.
\~~- ~~
\

·.\f /.;.'

f

'1'ablc of ·Pigw·es. '..' ..,..-;.. ·•

tropes are founded upon some relation or analogy belwe~n
one thing and another• .
Illus. \\'hen, for instance, i11 pince of
youth," we say, tho
morning .of life;" the fancy is immediately entertained with all the
resembling circnmstanc<'s which pr<!sently occur betwe en these two
objects. At one moment, we ha,•e heforc its a certain perio1l of hu·
man life, nnrl a certain time of the <lay, so related to each other, that
the imagination plays between them with pleasure, anti co11ten1J•latcs
two similar obj ects, in one view, without embarrassment or confusiou .
~ot only so, but,
·
'

..:.....;_ Then the in~iqire•sive sttnin t · 1 . " ' . "Jll ·
))iffuse• its cnchnntment. Fancy dreanu ·
Of sncred fpuntains uml Elysian grove1,
And 1·ales of bliss, the intellectual Powel'
•I t ·
Rends tram his nwful tluone a wond'ring ear,
Ami smiltls.-· · Plea1111u nj' Imogin~tion, .I. 12,4. ,.

11

11

· 258. In the fo1,1rth place, FIGURES are attended with this
farther advantage, of giving us frequently a rnuch clearer
and 1hore striking view of the principal object, than- we cou l<l
have ifit were expresse_d in simple terms, and divested of its
accessorv idea. ·
lllu.r. 1." This is, indeed, their principal ndvnnlagc, in virtue of which
they arc very properly said to illustrate a subject, m· to throw light
upon it. · For they cxhihit the object, on which they nrc employed, in
a picturesque form ; they can render an abstract conception, in some
degree, an object of sense; they surround it with such circum~tances
as enable the mind to lay hold of it steadily, and to contemplate it folly.
Example " Those persons," says one," who gnin the hearts of most
people, who are chosen i1s the companions of their softer hours, am\
their reliefs from anxiety an1l care, arc seldom persons of shining qual itie~, or strong virtues : it is rather the 8oft green of the soul on which
·· we rest O lff eyes, that arc fatigued with beholding more ghiring objects." Herc, by a happ_\' allusion to a colour, the whole conception is
"in one word conveyed clear and strong to th e mind.
Jlli1s. 2. By a well chosen figure, even collviction is assistccl, and th e
impression of a truth upon the mind made more lively aud forcible
than it would otherwise be.
Examples. " Wh en we dip too deep in pleasure, we always stir a
sediment that renders it impure and noxious :"* " A heart boiling with
violent passions, will always send up infatuating furoes to the head."
An image that presents so much congruity betneen a moral and a sen sible ide a, ~erves, like an arg1.1rnent from analogy, lo enforce what the
ailthor ·asserts, and to induce belief.
Illus. S. Besides, wh ether we arn cndeavouriug to raise sr,nliment,, of
plea.m re or .auersion, we can. always l!eigh~en t.he emotio11 b?' thr.. figurei;
,.Vhich we introduce; leadmg the 11nagmat1on to a tram, either of
agreeable ot disrrgreenble, of e:caltiug or debasing idws, correspondent
to the imp1·ession which we seek to make. \Vhen· we want to rende1·
an object beaul~fnl or magnificent, we borrow iiiuiges from nil th e most
beautifnl or splendid scene$ of nature; ·WC thereby, naturally throw n
]ustrc ovPr ot!r object ; we enliven the reader's mind, and dispose hiin
to .,. 0 nlono- with as, in the gny and pleasing impression~ whi ch we
,,.iv~ him
the subjP.ct. This dfcct of figures is happily touched in
th~ following lines of Dr. Akensidc", and illustrated by' :t. 1·ery suulim.e
fignl'e:

Qf

"Dt.. Y<nillf·

;;,,;;..;,,,t; _

Sdrnlium. Wlrnt WC have now explained; ' concef,ning the charactci:
-cm1l advn11tagc;; of figures, naturally ,(cads us to reflect on the wondct'fol power of language ; nor ·cnn we reflect on it without the highest ,
a dmiration. What a fine vehicle is it now become for all the conceptions of the human min ~\ ; even for the most subtle and delicate 1worl'-ings of the imagination!• What a pliant and fle:dul e instrument in the ,
hand of one who cnn employ it.sl{if full_v ; prcpnretl to take every form
wliich he chuses to give it! Not content with a simple communi.
·c ation .of ideas a1~d thou.ght.s, it paints those ideas t.o the .eye; it gives -~.Y.;,".: 11
eolounng and rehevo, even to the most abstrac't ·c:oncept1ons . .In the , l' ···:« ·
figures which it.uses, it sets mirrors b~fore us ,' \vl1 ete .'we iuay, a secom.I'' ·,. ~~;,"
t ime, bel10lfl objects in their likeness. : .ft entertains· us; a3 with n suc- - . . .
-cession of the most -splendid pictur.~ s-; disposes', 'Ji~ tfie"ii'1ost arJifidaJ',., ~; .-.'.";'
JflUrtll!!t",
the light and >'~hade, 'fo1· ' vie1\'i~g eve~y t!1ing ·!O;' t!i~; J.ie~t.,?-.J ;;"'.' :.:~":f.:
vantage; 111 fine, from bemg a rude anl\ 1mpcl'lcct mterpri:te·r: ,9.fim ~ n 's i.' , ~ ~ 1/.
w ant s and 'necessities, it hns now 'pass'e d into · un · instrumeht~ of the;,m0St'1,,'· •;::· · ·
luxury.
·'.'\.
•: ·.i·-: ~;·,.~;S
··~·:: ·' ~'·':··:-..,·
.., ••..'\j.f·
d elicate and refined
' ~···
'.'
,
" ·;-c
;·... .
.··..:i. ... '')<(~ .\ •'
~/~
··~~·.

or

259., .All TnoPE~;: wreJounded on 't!te ' Velation1 u,:ltjcli 01 ·
object bears to another '; '.' in yirtue of Wl)ich, t11t:r Ila1-i1e (if'.' t~e ,. !i·
one can be su ustitl1te<l ·instead of the·~ria1nc ofJ th~ ~ocf1ed ~. . ;~'(,·:.:. :
and by such a substitution, the vivacity of the idea·is coin~';~~.(~-;-,··~·
1
rnonly meant to be increased. These relations, some more;~·~· "

some less iutirna(e, may all give ri se to tropes. .
.. · · ·· "'•
2GO. To illustrate these· relations, we have constructed
i hc following:
·:
·
'· · .1 • · ., t
'l'able of Figures, wliiclt, among ' re{a,teiJ objects! . exten~l},_'.-~
0
lite properties of one to anotlie1·.
~ ::·. ~~~: ~r '.:;,. 1
•· t;;;;: ~ .,
• ·;t

<-:

1. An r1ttributc of the cause, expressed as an attribute o( the. efi.~ct,' ..\ ·
- .. - ... - .. 'l'o my arlvt11Crous sOng, ;_,~, .. ~.\
· 1·\\.t
~ ..~'.~~~.i~ir.~·t ·.
.That \l·ith 'ill• middle !light iutead~ to son1·. , PamdiSc' 'l.pst, .-<'·l •.'j '~·..:, ,.".".,
t

11. An

; .

'

'

'

~.

•

.

'

~

'

'

I~·}· . ; '

'

.. I'

\

of the eff" ct, expressed as ai1. att1; i,li~te ..of ·t h<.'t ca,1.1se.
Ko wonder ; fallen sucl1 ajJernicious height. Par. ,i..?~t..
· ! ._, .

al trilrnte

'

'

... 1,,.'

..

111. An eflect expressed as an attribute cif th~ citu~e \ ,..
, ;
: Ju1;irrl wine
r.
J.fosiitg midnight
,,
,. ,,.
· Giddy drink
· :, ,.
Panting height · ., 1 " . ·, , :!i ;
· ;JJrou;sy night
· .!lslo.n ished: thought.
., ,,
" And the merry bells ring round,
.
'· · .1
And tJ1ej«und rebecks •ound. · ..Allegro. · .' ,, ·.\ · ,,,

IV. An attribute · fo~·r~ 'subject ' be~toV.:ed ·upo~ " one i or · itf
members ; as, longing ~~~s.
· "
'
' .. ' ·
·
It was the nightini;:-alc. and_ ,not the lark;
'l'l!;tt pierced the-'jeaiful liollow. of t!lirie ear.• '
~:

fll

Hameo and Julie~· A~t

-·

IUo Scene 5~ ·
13 " ,t.
} ~,..~' ...

. _ ..... -

... {~ • .,._¥,;,,,,/

• ·:•

p~1~ts ~r ·
· "·
;•

.. ~ ' JN.~-;.
4

,~.

. ;:··1 ·•

'?~ . ..
.~\~

"·

-.·

' ·:

...

nd.Jle of J:.'igures.

Table of Figures.

140

~r. A quali ty of the agent gh·en to the instrument, with which it f'!'··
erates.
""hr peep yolll' co1~nnl swords 113lf out of their sh ell'< ~

VI. The m eans or instrument concdYecl to be the ag eul.
A broken rock the Ji1rce of Pirns thre w.

Vl[. The chie f circumstance conceived to be th e patient.
'Vhose hunger has not taskcl

foo~l

--~,..
· -----=----·.C•=co·=

these three dayst.

VUL An attribute of the ngcnt gi,·en to the subject, upon which ii.
«pera lt:s.

A 1round is m;idc to siguify an ;irrow.
Vulnerc nou pedihus te consequar.

Ovid.

Jl11a/ysis. There is a peculiar force and beauty in this ; the word,
w hi c h 8ignilic5 fi g uratively the principal subject, de notes it to be a
nrnse , uy suggt!sti11g the elfoc1.
·
HJ. A word proper to the cause, employed figuratively to express the
clTt-ct; as, gritf, sorrow, for tears.
A gain. Ulysses n·il"d his pensive hend: · ·
Again, unmann,rl, a ~ h o,v 'r of so1-ro10 sh ed ...
Slrl'amiug griq'h\~ded clu..-ck bctle wcd.

iJ/imlnlss, for darkness.
Clccis errn1nus in 11udi9'-

JX . A quality of one s ub,i cct g i;·c n to another.
"IV!lPn shaJ>dess :u;c, nnd weak f1xbk lirnh1,
Shuuld bnng thy fath<"r t.i. hi5 rfrrwpi 11g chair.

.5/wkcspcare.

By a rt, ti~(· pilot through th e boiling deep ..
Ant! li.owhng tempest, steer• Lht· Jeudcss slnp.

Iliad, 1xiii. 335.

X. A circmnstance connecte d with a subject, expressed ns a quaiit y
of the subj ec t.
'Tis ours the chnnce of.fighting fit)ds to try.

_,

Iliad, i. 301.

~:.~~1 ;_:

261. The several relations upon wliich liu:urcs of speech
are commonly foun~l e d, are epitomiz:c<l in ~he following two_
... tables: one of subjects expressed iigurahvcly, and one ol
attribu tcs.

·_: "''."',;r·
·

I.

fi g· uratin~ l y,

to ex pr e~~

a r ese mbling' subject..
Illus. I. 'J'hcre is no fi g ure of speech s o fn·qa cnt, as that wliich is
derived from the rP! a tion of rcs c mL•lan cc ; as, mom ing of life, fo1·
. y outh . (Illus. Jlrl. 2G7.)
.!Jnnlysis. The life of man re;;Pmbles a na tural clay, in sevcrnl particulars : the mornin g is th e b e~ innin g· of 1l ay ; youth, the uc g inuiu g
of life; the mornin g i,; c\.1ccrful; so is yo uth, &c.
2. By anot.Jrnr rcscmhlancc, n multitude of troubl es arc, a Sla of
trouble ; and a bold warri or is, th e llwnderbult of war.
Corol. This figur e , above all oth ers, a{fords pleas m c to th e mind, by
variety of bcauti,?s. It possesses, anion;;- oth ers , the beauty of a metaphor, or of a simil e. A fi g ure of speech, built upon resemblance, always suggests a comparison between !he principnl suhjcc l, aml th e
~ccessory.
Ilencc, by this fi g ure, every goocl effect of a metaphor, 01·
simile, may be produced in a short and lively m a nner.
Il. A word proper to the effec t, employed figurali,.ely, to express
the cause ; as, shadow, for clout!; glillering tow er, for helmet ; wnbrage or shadow, for tree .
"I" Jane Shore.

Interea magno ~nisceri 1nur1nure pontum , ··- ·-·.,
-· ·
Emissamquc llyemem semit Neptunus. .lEncid, i . .12s.

.... ·- ·
. :-t~~':;'{-.i:

.. ..

1

V. A word p~oper fo an attribute, employed figurafr.-ely ~o denote ~·-°?'._.:i'•' ~.
I.he subject.
Tooth and beauty shall he laid in dust.

'.

..

\ vhat art thou, that. murp'st this time of 1iight
. Together with that fair nud warlike form,
In which the majaty of buried Dcnm.1rk
Did some times march!

Subjects e;rprcsserl Ji guratively.

'Vhere tile dun umbrage hangs.

/Jnalysis . There is a peculiar l.Jcaut_v in this ligurc, simiinr to that ill
t he former : the fig urati ve name denotes the subject to be an e.fjec! by
s uggesting its cause.
IV. Two things being intimately connected, thi: proper name ~f !he
,., t··.
one emp loye d figurativ e ly _to ~ignify the other. , . :c .'
Illus. Dal}, for light. Night, for darkness ; und . hence, a rnddm . ,..,,
uig ht. Wi1;ter, for a storm at sea:
· :··; .. · '·'·"
· ·~1.,~,·· · ·

Najesly, for king; as in llamlet, .IJr,t i.. Scene I. . . .;; .

FIH.ST TABLE.

I. A word proper to one snhjcct, empl oyed

J£ nfitl, iii. '200.

Sj,,.i11g. J. 1023.

,, ~
,·~

-.-

... _.

~~· ~~· ·..t··

Jlnal,11sis. The peculiar beauty of this figu re arises from suggestin~( ~'..":i;".J'. •
01· puts it in a stronger light;.?~·~·~t-~,;,,. ~
VI. A complex term, em1.loyed figuratively to denote one .of the .. ;-~\.::.:..... 2
component parts ; as,funu1, for a dead body; burial, for a gra":e•<' · :
VII. The name of one of the component parts, instead of, the c oh?~..'<·
plex term ; as, the east, for a country situated east fro1p. .us.' Jot'i~ 'usligia serval, for imitating Jupiter in general.
· · ' ··
VIIL A word si g nify ing time or place, employed figuratively to de- .
note what is connected with it:
· ·· ·
.
Illus. Clime, for season, or for a constitution of government :· hence
the r.xpression, merciful clime, fleecy winter, for mow, secvlwn felix.
IX. A part, for the whole ; as, the pole, for the e~rth ; \ the head, for
. · · ·' ·· , \
1 ,_ . .,,., ,
1he pe rson.
au attribute that embellishes the subject,

Trii;intn minus pro capite tuo cledi.

Plart1111.

/lnalysi.,. The peculiar beauty of this figure consists in marking that
pnrt, which makes the greatest figure .
·
.
X. The name of the container, to sig nify what ill contained.
Jllu.v. Grove, for birds in it; as, vocal grove. Ships for the seamen ;
as, agonizing skips .. . _,.fountains for the sheep pasturing on them ; as, .
bleating mountains. ' The keUle for the water; as, the kettle boils.
XI. The unm~ of the sustainer, to signify what is sustained.

,.,
Table

of

Figures.

Illu1. Jlllar, for sncrifice ; .field, for . the battle fought upon it; fi.< 7
wcll-fo11ght field. (§ X. 71. 140.)
Xfl. The name of th e materials, to signify tlw tit in gs m:ide of lhcin;
as, h.cm:p, for rope; cold steel, for a sword; lead, for a bullet.
Xlfl: The 1rn.mes of the Geds and Goddesses, e mployed figuratively,
to si:;-nify whnt they p:it.rouize.
·
Illus. Jo1•e for th11 nir, .Mars for war, Venu.~ for beauty, Cupid for
lov<', Cr.res for r:orn, Jitcpltmc for t.hc sen, V11lc1m for fire.
This fi g ure b~stows great elevation upon tlw subject ; an<1 therefore
nnght to be confined tu the higlwr straius of poetry.

SJ-:CONIJ TAI.;LE .

.fltlriuutc.s e:rpresscd .figuratively.
f. \Yhcn two attributes arc connPclc<l, the name of the one mny lJP
1•mployc<I fi gu 1·ati,-cl_r, to cxprco;s the other.
l!lus. l'nrily for virgi11ity. 'fh c s<~ arc attribut es of the sanw pr.rso11

01· thin g; l1 cncc th e express ion, n'r1;in s n ow , fo'· pnre snow; 1·irgi11
gold, for gold 1rn o:i llop'd .
·
,. ' · IL A word si~ 11i(ri11 r~ properly an at:rib11te of one snhjcct, crnployctl
,, < ·;figuratively to express a resembling attrihutc of nnnther s1!hject.
· ' ..~,, • Illus. 1. ·Tollcring'stn.te, imperious ocean, angry flood: rCtgi1ig tcn1pc s.i 1

sh.allow fc;irs.

Jlly wre diYinity 5hn11 lx' ar the •hiehl,
And ulge thy sword to ,·eaji the glorious flehl.

Oc:;1' •cy, xx. til.

:!. Blad~ om en, for ~n omen tlrnt portends bad fortune: ''"'''tier odor
rirg·if.
Obs. The peculiar beauty of this fig·urc, arises from su;;g-esting a
C() lllpa1! ao 11.
111. A won! proper to tile subject, 9mploye<l to express one of its
altrihut C'S.
Jll 11s. Jfi!lll, fo1· int ellect ; mind, for 1·crnlutio11 .
IV. \Yh c n two sul.J,i cc ts h;ne a res emblanc e hy a common <]llalitL
the nam e of th e 011c snl~ jcct may lie employc1I figuratively, to dcnoi~
that quality i11 th e other; as, snmmer, for agrr.cablc life .
V. The name of the instrument, made to signify the power of employing it.
• - • - - Jl-lclpomenc, cui liqni<lam 11ate1·
Yoce1n cum cit/wrn, dcdit.

Scholium. The ampl e fi eld of fignrati ve cxp1·cssion, di s pl nyed in
these tables, 11ffords g r eat scope fur r easoning, its we sha.ll fiml in tht'
snbS<'(jlll'lJt AN AI.HES of fig·ura.tivc lnngtrng-e.

144

i1:lctap lw r•.
~.t'rl

..

264. Of all the figures of sp~ech, none comes so nea'l' ttr
painting as metap!tor: _Its peculiar e~ect is to give light
and strength to description '; to make rntellectual llleas, in
some sort, visibl<fl to the eye,, by gi vino- them colour, and substance,. and sensible qualities. ln 1~·der, however, to pro'!uce ~lus effect, a delicate hand is l'eguircd; for, by a very
~tttle inaccuracy, we are in hazard of intro<lucinoconfusion .
0
'
m place of promoting perspicuity. (Art. 257.)

Illus. Several mies, , therefor!', are necessary to lie given fur the
proper manngenlent of metaphor. But, before l'nlerin~ on these we
shall give Nie in stn;1ce of a very bcnutifnl mel.l'lphor ;- that we :nay
~hew the fi.gu~e to 111!1 advantagt>. \Ve ijhall take our instance from
Lord B?lingbrnl.•e's Hemark~
the History of Engl_aud. Just at the
con~luswn of his work, he 1s speaking of the behaviour of Charles I.
1o ~1s last yarliame~t :: "ln a word," says he; "about n month. aftei·
their meetmg, he tl1ssolved them; nnd, ns soon ·as he had dissolvc1l
1h~m, he repented;. but he repented too late of his rashness : Well
nught he repen!;· for the vessel was now full, nncl this last drop made
. the "'.a:ters of bitterness ove~flow."-" Hc·r e," he adds, " we druw tile
~ ·.1.'rtam, a.nd put a.n entl to our remarks."
· . -JJ.nalysis. N?thmg .con Id be more happily thrown off. The meta·
phor, we sec, 1s contmued through several e:-.:p.rcssions. The re.~scl is
put for t?e state or tcmp Pr of the "?lion nlr eatly fnll, that is, provok ed
to. the highest by fon~1er oppre ~s 10ns .and wrongs ; this last dro11,
stands:for ~he proYoc;tt10n ri~cently 1·ece1vcd by the abrupt dissolution
of the parlmment; and th~ orerfl.owing of the waters of bitterness, bca11tJf111ly expresses all the· e~ects of resentment let loosR by an exnspcrntetl people.
·
Sd~olia. Nothinr: forms a i:iorP; spirited and dignified conclusion of
' a subject, t!1an a figure ofth;s kmd hnppilv plaee tl at the close. We
see the effect of it in this instance. The author goes off with a goml
grace; .. and leaves n strong and ft.ill impression of his subject on the
reader's min.d. A metaphor has frequently an aflrnmagc nbove a formal comparison. How much would the sentiment here have been en~~ebled, i~ it hncl been expre~scd in the style of a r egular simile, thus:
~ell might he repent ; for the state of the nation, loi;ded with
gr!evances and provocation, rese mbl ed a vessel that wns now full-, an\l
t.lus superndded· provocation, lik,e the last drop infused, made thcit·
'~ge and resentment, as watPrs of bittern ess, overflow. " It has infi:..
::1tely mo~e spirit ai:id force as it no'lv stnmls, in the form of n metaphor.
Well might he re'.Je nt ; foi· the vessel was now full ; and this las~
drop made the \vatcrs of uitterness overflow."

on

265. The first rule to be 'o bserved in the conduct of meta plH~rs, is, that they ~e suilqd to the nature of the subject of
winch we treat :. ncit!u:r -too many1 nor too o·ay • nor too
,,z- evat ~ d fior 1t;
.
'
-~
~
t hat_:we neither attempt
to force
life
_si~bjecl,_
~y me,rns of ~hem, .rnto a degree of elevation· winch is not
con~ruous to it ; nor, on the 0th.er hand, allow it to sink below its proper dignity. (Art. 258. Jllus. S.)
·
__ . '

!1eauti.fu~'}n<-poe.t~y;~wl~ipl~~if;'Youlji!>il"a~~,l1r~11n~'-uf!9Jftu. ~Mo l'e~J>IO';- ·: ·

m pros~ '; 's.omeima! ;!;ie ·g_l'~ceful:m·~r!tt1?as,~wh1~h·1W.q!J.~b~"er~ifu:!•.": _

prop_~r; m 'histor1cal o(·p)11foSoP,hJ~,al 't.~piposit;i,oi;t)t!"'('t'>t'~~. ,: . w-i':.;- ?~1!-t~~f; · .

' 2 , ·,We · mtfst·remember t~a~,1figu'rcs . are~~lu{~res!U.d~·q r.~se'ntinicn'l!!'1'.,,
· '·"
3. As there is · a natmill i'cong~uity<b i?t\ie~n,·dre'ss~arid~th.e.lcifatactei· ' . ·._ •.
or ' rank of thc •p.el'sim ~wild' li:e11'.t,si!it,-. a'.·;vfotnii61\ i o'Hhi~·<ci·ilgtM~jtti~t'e t: _ :· · '.
fails 10··1.Je lnjul'ioqs ~ tlib t>e\'~bd:'i:;' th~.same1holds-precU~lyla'.~-tik~lfe l> ·-. '-':
lipplieatiu'n of 'figures to~selftf~'.eJ1t~··~·· ~Pt.}·~:.:' ;:_l(!{'1~i ''#.J.~.~!'t\~;__~~~ ,_· : ," :·
-4. ·The_"excessivc b1:.: iiµ&·~as§pable~ emWi(ym~tit ;iOf "tH'tln1 'i s>mer~fOp~~, ·
'
p ery in 'writing}~: It· giv6.S:·a t>_6y1_~1i?air'·to' comp~sition · ;"'nii'dins/eal:i :o·r ·
rnising a subject, !n _fa~t d!,1niil.! shes its,.dig.nity ,, .F'or, ns iri'')i"fe,. ·ru(1
llignity must: oc ·founded: on"i:harlictcr; ~ ilat 'i:>n ·Uress·'taiichtppear«nce '
w the' digniif' cif 'eohlposltlon"-¥ri-ust'"arh\e'' fiom~ se11timent arid tlrot\ght~

not fro1n '01'1iani,cn.t !'' Ttunifrel;~~!(oh a,nd,k~radi}o!~ol'~ lfi ~iit.~,~~tr.aci.·. -·
a~ much from an . at~thor, ~.s tliey:·do··fro!Jl_a ·man:-~ '(;firt/i2S,) ,;, ~ ',~''''·
--Corol.'·1 :··f'jg~res an,d~met.aphi)fs i .thei"e fore ,'.silould, .'0 1i~li9· 0ccasioJT; ·.
be s~uck', ?ri; .t ?_i> ,r/o~h~~tf;~':-~ir~~~oii!d: tlr,Y:,i;.v~!~~p~s.~~~ias· ~ef'us,e'. ~o::

accord .w1thctfte strnm·bf-0 il'' sent11uenti

· 2: . N~11H11g"'c-an !Ile

.i:i

r:."'·"1li.'<·~· ,_:,~. ,..<·~'"' ·'·~"•"

i?o~C:\p'frt~iliraf,'4 11i1 n•

ro~ri*.wriletW6: ~a'rryf<>n\ ·•

-

·
·

-~

strain of reasoning, ' in tile s_am~ ssirt of. fig1iratHe Jailgu ilge;~wh!ch'liP. ·" _. ~
would 'use in~ description ?'" ·wncn - li'lhcnfon~ ;1,v:e' looR·ori!y ·fdr'plirspi-:-.;,
1
cuity ; '".hen he descr!Lla'W"'i -~P.ecF~ 1.1{ti~t~i stfo1c1lt "f:\yll:C'n•he dividt:s ~·;i 0 1 :, . -··
or rt?late!;; w~: d~Site~ Pl~ip!re~st a:ncl ~ij il11pl(Ci.,ty .~;1u;-;:::-?-)f .~~..4~.f~ · . . J.>r.Y.~~7=~. ~.~~· · r·, ~ .. ~
"8cholia. ·one: of tii ~= gi'eates (se~rets ii:i ·coinl1c;isili~nii,s:/fo 'kffo\,folfon .
to be simple. ,. This ithvay s'"·giv'i:ls a ·· heigh_tenipg '}o A'ituamejit'; 'iit7-'itS -,
' -.:_
-'
prope1= place. The right disposi1.ion of the'. sh'a de:iriakes the light' abcl .
colouring strike thP. more. •; •1;He; is ),trulY:. elciquerit·,w,hCi:~can,'disconrse
or humble subjects in a'P.Ya.·1~ ~ stvlc/wh~ -'ciu tteiit'flripottant~on-es \vith -t1ign ity' a~d speak ~f; thirigs~jv~icJ(~r~ :h(li',mfc1Jre:!J,'lt~tty~;;i~; ~ tem- '
1icrntc ·stram. Fpr one \yho, uj>o~i no oc_c~sici n , _c:u)' e xpress hi~self ii"¥ '
a. cal u1, ·orderl_y ,.cdisti ~Chi:i,i~~ ~~r ,;_:\V l~cen -.h_~~.~~g:i n~' ~o:-b c~o1J::fi re·.~~~~f e

>," .. :.

111~ re;~1le~s. '.lte preP,a~;~~:f?.J}.!1,~J;e : 11.l?~_g:~~·t.h.._!i11Jr, h,a~ t~e -~1pp~a!i!-1~ ce .·

of r~v.•~1r hi~~ .51 m~d_mn~·~~o~g_,,Pc~.rs.01Js }~19~~1~.!n, ·th_,el~:sen~~s, :~r.1:.~t
reehng hke a drunl<itrd ;"' m 'tl~e nud.s t.of sobe.~c-01npni y -."-lt."%!Thr ·ad~ ·
mo~1ilion shci.~l~t ·be_pailt ic~l~·~:lf iii~~ nd ~~ . ti~~y)tllli'pg'J>facl'.~li~~!~~:'!~ ~- the nrJ ·of .,\\'.rr.tmg, · who , ~i:e,'. npt t t_o,;('be.. :·c6rr1erL :a.\o,;ay1.·by~ an undlS.!m·' _
guishing adrµirnti()n o ~,wh_i,lt)s Sifo\v~ n'u'<\i:~ciri~~~ll~tliifr. ··~ its :iili!~e · ·

·•

o ~~ l!· ot ,+~:.•, .·~~. ~·.,·.·:d:Y ~-~- 4 ~~-: l~;:··~:.~:~;z~~-~:,~:e~~· : !-~.. ~ ' '~ '.~f ~ ?~~:;~,'~::~~:
. ~6~;'. - fl)e, se;~_pd :' r.:;1_\~'.'~':V}!~f;l~.~~ve~~w:~ cr~!ils~t~~\~!?/i~~· t-~ ·;
of ob;ects, from whenc1;d netp,P,l1orS:(aptL otJier-.ligures; .a re'to
I I
. _,.
' . ' \;,·~ '"M'. ,v..,.~ " • . .
-- · J
, ''!--:.
~e. t:,r~\V_J~. ;, . .:~· .• :··~~-.' '.~ !,.~;~. ~;?.)~~:'';' ~~..:;t:!~~~'.."4:{;.~_r·:~:~:.:;;•::t,;·

·"' " Is enim est e~oquens, quht ~t1!11!li'at-"subtilitl'r,:,ei;tjl:ign·a, gi:n.\! iteri>et :1'1edioc1•fl&\,.
temperate, !'Oll'st <hc., ..e, , ;:Nam -qui mini pbtes_t t1'anq,1i11~. nihil Je1ii1er,.i1ihil d~fi1litt', <fotincte, potesj dice re, is;··cnlll :non prre.P~ratis nii~ibus· 1nila'it)ma1'e:lrem v.i l!pikjurt1:e ·
npud snnos, .;,t <iunsi intei1• sf!brios bacchari temuleiltus.' ·idefur" ~Cicero. ' :.~·"· ~- ·•, ·
. t Whar person' ot · the >least ' faste'!'C:inJ1e11i· the fhllowinl;'"il'asoitge:\ in'.· an 'liistdfiii.tt~?""
~-le ~· giving -al1 •~ccou!1t~of ~tlie?fiuncius-- ac~ }>fi1:ii·!i.a.i'tfl'.n! ~gains~irtegil\a1~tnai:1jil~­
in England : , .'.' ~ h~ !11\l(!_ ~a)•s , he; - " .1;11)dJ;~)Vent:.n:greilf fium¥r" 'o:f'.'nllfration.s~;mdi
:iment\"mcp\•.' ~v!ucJi,;..)!"~:~oF '.effe~teiJ!)"1~.1Q\•f~!ol~ht1'oi\testi' ~ :'. '.l'hi~_ is'' pl:\iti'.:latll·
gungl'; s•i! ted to th~ ~\1~1i;c~ _r -~d.' W~ ,1~it~U-~l f~~xpe~j th~.t,~ li ~';Jho~tld'go' qn < ip; tbe
,,,~e stm1n, _to t.ell us: ~l~at'. llf~e1 ,_t_h llse; co~,,!''5~s, !1l ·:wns·~at1:it!d 'by:.a, t~c!aqnajority bf
voices, !lll<l obtamed the ~OYB! a~1el1~·· ~ ~':!t' -how'.¥t)oe~'(,he., exp1·1'.,•~'. h1nu!!lf:'!i tl~i;hfog.·
the. pcnod ; " At length, however, 1t.wnsi fio..ted: ·tl;-toughi futh liouoe••on the- tide of
a g1·cnt majority, and steei'ed .intd'. tlie :safe:··hiirbou1' ef·toyal-'.11pprobiitlot1." Nothing
can be more puerile lilnt' ~ubli' lari~till'g !Sliiollet\~'i:'• Hi&foi!yf o~'EJig!ari<l; ·?q11otfp·tn
1he Critical lletie'v
oe1 : ~17Glj' p. 251~ "i>""'!P- -•· l'f•tV'i>-'jo.~ ~W ·ll·f~' "" ·· -- ·, ~i-x ,,_,~ -~
0

lllue. 1. This is a direction whkh bcl1Jngs to all ti gu rnti\'c langnagr .

-

Mthhoutd b~ .cv~~. kept .iii vi6\l'.~l'.Soin i!l•tl11!(aphors~ii,t\i{a1Jow~ble ~~hy _ -'.

for

"

.:

111elap!1.or.
. Illus. 1. The ficltl for figurative langua ge iS' very wi1fo . . All nat1we ,
to speak in the sty le of figures, opens its s tore's . lo us, and admits us tu
gather, · from all se nsible objects; whatcvet· can illustrate intellectual or
moral ideas ) Not only the gay and splendid objects of sense, but the
grave,. the tr.rri(ying, and even the gloomy and dismal, may, on <liffer... · ·'
t•nt .occasions, be: intr'o duced into figures with propriety . .. ·
·2. But we - mnst beware of e\·er using ~uch allusions as raise .fo the
mind · disagrceahlc, mean, vu lgar, or dirty id1~as. Even when metaphors are chosen in order. to vili(v a1u\ degrade any o~jeet, nn author
should study never to be nauseous in his allusions. .B ut, .• in subjects
of dignity, it is au• unpar.douable fault to introduce mean anci vulgat·
metaphors. •
· '. .·
·
. · •..•- · .. ·.-.
.Obs. 1. . In the treatise on the Art of Sinking, in Dean Swift's work~,
there Is .a full and humorous. collection of instances of this kind, wherein author~, . in stead of exa lting, have contrived to degrade their su\Jjecls by thc ' figni·es which they employed.
,. ,
~ · ·; .
_, . 2. Authors of greater note than those which are there quoted, have
at timrs -fallen in to this error. Archh ishop Tillotson, for instance, ·is
somi;_timrs neg ligent · in his choic~ of metaphors; as, when speaking
of the day of Judgment, he dcscnbcs the world, as "cracking about
the si1H1ers' cars ."
,
3. Shakespcarr, whose im agination wns rich and boltl 1 ii1 a much
greatcr«kgrcc . than it was delicate, ollcn fails here.
F.xampic. Th~ following is a grnss trans~res s iun; in hi s Henry V.,
lnvi11;n1entiuned a dui1g -hil1, he presently raises a metaphor fru111 tll<:
~t~a 1:1 . of it ·; and : on a subject too, that naturally led to much nohk1·
.cL<h ,

.

'

· Ami there that knvc their rnliant bonei in Fmnee,
.D ;·iug likt-' n1en . tl1ough burit·d tU yuur <ltmtdlilis,
_ ~!'hey shall · be. faHH:t! ; for then~ the suu shall g 1~t€ t thf> m ,
A,r.tl tlraw then· honour>' 1·eekiug up lo h<"tt\Tll. A<t JV. Seen~ 8.

tlispleasi'ng, be \:'; ause .t\iey pUZ?.le tlie reatler, and instead 'of
illustrating the ,thought, render it perplexctl and intricate. ,,
Jll11s. \Vith metaphors of this kind Cowley abounds. He, and some
of thr. writers of his age, secml"tl to have 1·onsid ered it as the perfrction of.Wit, to hit upon likcn'c!sses between objocts which no other person could have discovered ; . ;:•1d, at ' the same tiin t,, to pursne, those
metaphors w fa\·; that it rcquir~s some ingent.iity to follow them out,
and comprehend them. This makes a metaphor rc seinul e an en igma;
and is theyery reverse of Cicero's l'llle on this head: "Ev ery metnphor
should, ue mode st1 so th!1t it may cnri-y the uppcarnnce of liavingbeen led, not of haying force1l itself illto the place. of that word whose
room it occupies ; that it mav seem tu ·ha"e come thither· of its owu
accord, and not by coastrain't J' *
. ·
·
.·
'
· ·
•

•'

•

~

:

I

ut

\·ulu11t~rio 1101\ ,-; n ·11isse

1·i1ka1m."

2.G8. - In theJourth place, it must be c~rcfully at.tended.to,_
iu the conduct of metaphors, never to ;umblc rnctaplwn_cal:
und plain language together : never to constru_ct a peno~l
!"O, that part qf it ri~ liSt UC UllUC1:stood l~1c.tap!Jor1cally, pal t.
literally: this al,ways produces a mol't A1.s~greeaule- confuI

11011

D< Uruturt', fill. iii. e. ~3 .

,-

L.w: 111j,/c 1. J,ong to my jo)'• my 1knrest. l1ml is !ost,
1

1

J!is <'-011Htry ' s b u ck J<.T. and t lte Gl'('(:1a u hoa st ;
·Nu\\· fron1 1n y fon<l pJnhrf\Cf" hy tempf'.~ts torn ,
Onr otht:'r <!O.h1111n oftli e dale is bor11e,
,.
Nor took n kinrl adieu, 11or sought consent.• Ody.tscy U. 1162.

·}·1111z1 .. 1•8 I'ei·c
in one li1w . her son is figuretl as a colum n ; and in
1
.1 ·
:: " 1:~ ?c'~:·;~~ to be a ]J;·rson. t,.; whom it hl'longs to takl' adie11,
1
1
i lC ne4. . ' ...... .
'· 1
~J·l
, I 11 . I
. 1c po et < 1011 < ".11 11: 1·
nn d to ask conH'nt.. Tli: s ir. in con;ist.cnt.
t .. ,,.
]·
l
1-·1
<('If
11'
1
f11f' iil<'! I o f m nn , Ill tl1e l1!C'ri1l bl;llS e ; OT 1f he
.. ... c .~p
' !IL
.
l.
I. l
f\ ..·url'<l him bv a colmnn , he should have ascribul 1.io t 1111;:: to 111n rnt
., ,l ,;it !i c l o n£rc~I to it. JI ,. " "-' not at lib (' rt y to nscnl ;c 1'.' tl 1nt co l111nn
'11t!

,

-

,

actiuns .__Hu<l pr o pert ies o f.' a rn ru ~.

Sn ci ~ t11n1t~tural n11~~ turc~ r e11d~ 1 ·

· "
' 1· -1 · cl '· .lcavin~
o · jt.. to '"aver
~
. ' 111 our co.ncept 1011 , bctwcc11'
the fi g uiativc and the litcrnl sense .
.
.
.
.
E.i:ample 2. Pope, ebewhere, a1\drgssmg h1ms~lf to the kmi;, , ~ay_s,

t. lte llnllC:C llH I~ Ill

T<> tli~e th" world 'its present hon\ag-e _P:tys;
The han·est early, but mature the praise • .-

·

··

· ,.
1

·1·1 11• •

th~11~h nb~ ·so g·;.~ss, -i~. ' ~' fa~111', l;~~~ ~c1~ , of the

same
cl I ·
I
I ·
f
kind. 'tt is plain,. t.Ju~.t !1ad 110.t the rh~me nu,sle . um .tot 1e c 191.ce .o
a 11 .i.mpro.p er phrase·, he_\voul!-1 have said,
••

•.f] na l 11s I "·
'

. · 1 ~o

0

,

.,

•

. . The harycst early,· but mature the crop: , ..

have 'contin 11 crl the lig11re ~"hid1 he harl hcgnn. 'Ylwrcns,
.rnu .
l .
I
r
I
d
.
hv <lropping· it unfinished, nnd by cmp oymg· t.1c 1t1~rn wor , prmsc,
. '
'
: '. ~
' .

\:'~uld
•

•Jn the origmal, there is .no allusion to n coh.rn\n, ~nil the met~phor is r:gulnrly
r;u pported

:

·
'H r.piv ptv r.o<nv loS>.av ar.wp.cua ·s•po>.tovra . ...
na11Tot17' apETrjt1f. J(£11'.aaµiiiov

Iv

Aavt.ioUT~ II

' .

~.

EcS>.01" rn , KAtoS lvpv 1<aO' 'E>.>.a~a Kai pcuov Apyo£
.:Nuv, i)'·.au .1fa1o' :aya.rr11rov a,v11pui./-·avro, 6v~>.A!1• · .
>,, * '« ' ,.,,
' .hto£a ,,, 11trap())v, oo'. bpf~Oceros a1<~uci._. ~· 7~~·~.

• '

• "Verecumla debct esse, translatlo; nt ,i,ductn I''~" in nliennm locum

;itque

,I
''

:?. To be nr.W, and not vulgar, i~ a b~al!ty:' ;.T rile and common ref: cmblanccs should ·indeed I.Jc a\·01ded. m our .mcl_apl10.rs. But \\hen
thry are fctche1l from some likeness too rem_ote 1. an~ .lying to.o for out
nf the road of ordinary thought, ;th.e p 7, besides .their pbscnnty; they
have also the disadvantage of appearing laboured, and, as the I- renc_h
call it " recherchc." · Metaphors·, like· all ' other ·o rnaments, l,o se th~u­
whold g1·ace when they. do not ·sc•em natural and easy .- : . ., ·'" ' .·
3 . It is hui n l.Jad nnd ungraceful softcni~g, w~ich _writers someti~ncs
nse for a harsh metaphor, when they pnlhate 1t ~nth the expre~s1on, ·
as it wr.re. This , s but an awkward parenthes1~ ; nnrl metaphors,
which need this apology of au. as 1/ wcre, would, gcncrully, hnvc been
better omitted. (See .flrl. lG<L) 1\-Jptaphors, too, bonm~:ecl - from 1111y ·
of the scicn<:cs, especially· such of the1~1 as belo~1g to pnrtwular profcs·
~ions, are almost always foully by thcll" obscurity. (Art. 84. Illus.)

.:J

sG7.· fo tlie tl1inl i)lac e, as metaph ors slio ulll be u r;m n
from object5 of some dignity, ~ ·) , particular care should be
taken that the resem,blance, which is the fuundaiion of the
m_etaphor, be c{ear . and perspicuous, not farj'etcheJ, 11or
difficult to disr:ovcr. "The transgrcssi01! of this rule makes,
what is called harsh or forced metaphors, ,\,hich are always

•

14i

1lletaplwr.

kruiss~;

·
t.

b

w h e n we were e xpectin g s omething lhal r e lalcd to th e han·e s t the
figure is brok e n, and the two m e mbers of the sentence h a ve n o p/opcr
c orrcspond e ncr~ with each o th e r:
The lwrr al early, but mature the praise.

E x ample 3 . The works of Ossian abound with beautiful and c o rre c t.
rnc~apho1:s : such as that on a hero : " Jn peace, thoa ni·t thr gale t•f
1<pr111g; rn war, the mountain storm." 01· this, on a woman ; " She
was covered with the light of beauty; but her heart wns the house of

prid~."

E:cccption. They alTord , howevf"r , onr ins ta n ce of thr fa. nit wc a r c
now c c11°11r i11 g : " Tro t ha ! w<'nt forth 11·it :1 the ,trcat11 uf !1 is people ,

J,~lf 111ey I~lCt a rocL . (ur 1' i1u:::;d :-.1n11d O i l l!ll .l\."{ ' d ; hr , ~~, +'t l l! tt •\· rnHt ·d
1
.l :t.ck f ror_l: I:i s s~ d c ; . uor tlid tli ey roll in ~a r•· +y; tin-_· ~ PP ~n· o f t..hc t:ing-

purs uc tl

llwir

fl1e-ht .'

·

•.l1<a !.1Jsis. Al £he i.egi 11 11 i11 g 1 t lt c m et aphor is \ 'Cry b eautifol. T he
s ~ream, tl1e umn_oved rock , tile waves rolling ba ck brokcn, 'ar e cxprcss1011s employed 111 th e proper ·and consi stent lani:rua ire of ti"ure · lrnt
in th e en cl, wh en we a r c told, " th ey d id 1wt rn !l '[u s~dc t v . li~ crr11 /c the,
< p <:>H.~· of th e. k ing pursu ed the ir fl ight, " til e literal 111 c a11i11-g is impruperly mi xe d with t h <> 1nctnp hor; th r:_v ari: , at 011c a nd t h r s am e ti me . p r c 'entcd t o 11s a s 1u11:cs l!1 a l roll , a11J 111 e u t l1a t 11 1av '"' }'1t rs 11 ed ant.I
1rvuudrrl 1rith rt .~pfr11· .
..

269. ln the fifth place, 11 evcr make two d{1Tcrent meta phors meet on one object. This is what is calic(.l mixed metaphor, ;rnd is i11deed 011e of the g 1·0~ '-' e~I ab 1;.;c" of tliis tlgurc:
s uch as t-1hakc;;;1wru··~ '1< ex prP""i (m, '' to bkc rmn s :i~:i.inst ~
sea uf tni u b le ::; . ~ ~ T his mak es a mos t uirnu tura l 1;1edley,
and confounds the imagination entirely.
•
Illus. Quin c tiliun has suJli c ieutly gunrd e d us a o·a inst it. " \Ve mu st
lie pa1 ticularly att e ntive t o end with th e same kh1d of m e taphor witb
w~11eh \\· e havc. b e~1111. Som e , wh.eu the.v ~cg in the f: g ur :.! wilh a temJ>.cst, c onclude 1t wllh a conllagratrnn; whi ch forms a shameful incon -

· ~1st e ncy.

"*

E .xmn/J{C !.

·

The charm di"ohes npoce,

·

And .ns the morning steals npon the night,

1'h-·lt1ng thr dn rk11 u1s, so thrir ri ~ iug se n!l c s
!3.c i;-!n to cl1aoc thP ignon111t fumes that nl.llnt1e

I heir clearer l'l'asou.

1'emj•cst.

. •'11:al.1Jsis. What a1.1 in c on ~ i s t e nt groupc ?f objects is brou g ht togelhei·
~n this pas s age , wl11c h profcssc5 to describe persons r ceu ve rin g their
JtHi g m c nt afte r the e n c hantm e nt, that ~• eld them, was dissoh·cd ! So
many ill · sorted thin g s arc IH,re join ed, that the rnind can see nothin.,.
cl r, arly; .the mornin g stealing 11pon th e darkn e ss, and at the s ame tim e~
111 elll11g 1t ; the senses of men chasing fumes, ignorant fum es, and
f11111 es that manllc.
Example 2. So again in Romeo and Juliet:
----t~ ns g1ori01u,
As is n ,,.jng,·eJ messe11ger from heaven,
Unto the white upturnrd wo111lcri11g ere•

• ''. Iii imprimis .e~t .cmtodicndum, ut quo gcncrc c cepc1·i1 trnmlntionis, hoc fini:u:.
r..ln!ti autem c111~ 101hu111 11 t~m.11cslnte sunisc.. unt, incemlio aut rnlnn fiuiunt · qam
cH 111consc'itteut1a rerum fUldus1ma. "
'

Of mortal•, thnt foll back to gaze on him,
"-' hen he hl'•tl'icfes the 137.y-pa ciu g clonds,'
Ami •nil• u11on the bosom of tile air. ·'.:~•·

.•

/lnrrlysis. Hl're, the angel is represent e d as, at one mome n t, bestridi ng the c! ouds, und sailing upon th e a i1: ; nn d u po ~ ~ h~ bosom. of th e
air too; which f~ rms such a confused picture, that 1t 1s m1poss1ble for
any imagination to comprehend it .. · ·
E x ample 3. '.\1ore correct write1·s than Shakesp eare. sometimes . fall
into this enor of mixing metaphon. ·
l lniclle in my struggling muse with pain,
That longs to launch into a bolder atrnin. •

,·} ;taly.'(is. Th~ ntt1 s P, tignre<l as n horse-, n1ay ht- bridled~: but wh\·ll
we s pr nk of lm rnr·hi11g, we make it. a ship ; nnd by no forrc of imagin ;< ti on, can it be snppose cl bo th a h orse and a ship nt one moment ; bricl/ed, to hinder it from la unching. WC' r c we t o t ry th is m et ap hor by
.Adrlison 's own rule , namel y , to supp o se the fig ure p a inted, it would
:1pprar more gTote squ e than any of Hog arth's subj ects. That the
ll ll lS <' . from h e r co nn ex io n wi th t il e w in~ c J ho rs e Pegasus , m ight sometimes. rcqui1·e ilic . lH·iJle , is uol p e1 hap s very unnatural. , But were she
na in t c(\ in a n a tt itnr lc in wh ich th e b r idl e p r ev ent ed · h f' r fr om l a unc hin"' or jrnn pino- into tliP sea; or werr a p i..-tnrc t o exhibit a ship !mm i:h-'
t:.cf u_~ t iritu lh e sea, l111 t 11 po u n siil·ct of 1n1pe r , or il1to a song, tlic
s p~ c t a w r woul(I feel some thing of t he Jisposition inspiretl by t he m on·
:c;tr r o f f-t_ or~ f'.f' ,
Spcct.n.tun1 atlmissi risum teneatis amici. '

Bnt the mu se is a g oddess. Now to br idle a g o dd es s is no very d cli Bnt \\ hy mu st shio Ii<~ bridled ' l1<'causr she longs to launch;
an a c t whid1 was never hind e red by 11 bridle . A nd w h ither w ill s h e
laun c h ' into a nobler strain .' Sh e i3 in th e first lin e a goddess, or a
/wrs e, in the s econd, u boat or ajcwelin, (for both may be laun ch e d)
a1HI the care of the poet is to keep his horse, or his boat, or his spear,
from singing.

,.,lte idea .

270. Addison's rule is a good one for examining the pro-

priety of metaphors, when we <loubt whether or not they Lie
of the mixed kind : namely, that we should try to fo!m a
picture upon them, and consider how the parhi would ·agree,

and what sort <l figure the whole would prese11t;when delineatetl with a pencil. By this means we should become
i:; cn sible, whdher inconsistent circumstances ·,were -mixed,
and a monstrous image thereby produced, as in all those
faulty instances which _have be~n given; 01: ~hether tl~e object was throughout pres~nted m one n,~tural and cons1st~nt
point of view.
.
, · ·
. .
, ,
·
27 l. As metaphors ought. never to be' mixed ; '. so in the
sixth place, we shoul~ avoid crowding them tog~~l.1~r on the
same object. · Suppos,1:1g each .of. the qietap~105?- ·to-. be,, preserved <listinc.t; yet, it they: .be heaped on o.n e.;J~.no,the_r, •. they
''

;.

I;

'

:

I

" Acldi>on.
.

•i ,.-,:

·
!.

·:~

ffo.':,\

r.··
..
·tf''l:,

'J: :;:•.~..-;·:·~
~. !'i-;,,~ ··· ·

'• .. . )

•

JJJetaphor.

150

151

produce a confusion somewhat of the same kirlll with tli c

m_ixed metaphor.
Ipxc~m plc I. '.' Th ere is a tin:ie, when fa cti ons, liy the vehemence of
.their fc n11c11tatwn, stun, srnd thsa hlc one another·• ."
~lnalysis. T~1 e noble uutl~or rcpreRcnts factions, first, ns dis conlnn t
(h11ds, lhc n11xture of wl11ch prndu ce s violent ferm entation · but he
quickly re linquishes thiil view of th em, anti imputes to them op~rations
and effects, consequent only on the s upposition of th e ir bci11 ,r solid
bodie s in 111otio11. They maim and dism ember one anoth er by f~ rcil.Jlc .
colli s ions.
Exampl~ 2. "Tl'.ose whos? m.i nds arc dull and heavy c\o not eas ily
_pcn ~ trate mto the fold s lllltl 111tncaci es of nu affair, u11<1 th erefore c an
ouly. scum oJT whnt th ey foul at the t op!·.''
/Jna l!Jsis. That the writer hnd a right to re'lrescnt his affair wh at ever it was? eith er a s n ha le of cloth or a fluid,' nobody c an d en /
But
!lte .laws ot common sense and pe rspicuity demand ed of him to k ee p
it e1tl.1er th e on e or th e other, beca use it could not be both at th e sam e
tim e. It was absurd, tli crcfo rc, afte r he had pen e trated th e fold s or
it , a n operation co mp etent only on the supposition of its being some
pli1.1Ll c body, to sp eak rd· sc1111111ii11g off what fl oat ed on the surfoct',
. wl11 c h could nut be perlonnecl unl ess it wa s a fluid .

. t 272. The o_nly other rule concerning meta phors, which
w~ shall a<ld, 1s, tl1at they be not too far pursued. If th e
i·esc·mblanc_e on_whi~h the figure i.s foutlll~d, I.Jc long dffelt

upon ,. and .carncd .1pto . all its nnnntc circ um s ta nc es, we
make .ttn all egoi~y i i;1 ~tt;ittl . of a. metaphor; we tire. the rea de r,
who s6on be~1nl1 eir:wear/ ot this play of
and we
render our dt qcout·sc ol.>scurc. This is called straiui1w
a
0
metaplior.
· ·

fancy ;

Cn.tick I. C<nvlcy 1l ~al s in thi s to cxc~r,s; anti to this erro r is ow irl'"
inn grea t ~lch s ur c; th at_i ntri c~t:j' 1111<1 h ars h1 iens , in his fi g urative l a~:
g ua gc, ·winch we befo re; r cma rk cil. ( /Jr! . 207.)
2. : Lord _,S ha n cs hm·.I'. is so m eti1ues g-uilty of pursuin g hi s mctap!t ors
too f•1r. . F c n \I; to a !H g ~1 degree , of eve ry ~lccorati r.>n of style, wuc: 1
once he hit< I hh up on a fig ure that pleased l11m he w a s ex tr e111elv lutlt
t o par t with it .
'
·
3. Dr . Yo111.1? al ;;~ oftc; 11 tre !pa~ ,;c s i11 the same way. Tlt c m er it,
h owever, of t111 s w:·1tcr, .111 figura~n· e lan gnage, is g-r.~ at, and dcsen cs
to l>e remarke d. N o write r , ancient or modern, had a stro nger i111ng-inati on than Dr. Young, or one mor e fertil e in Ji o- ur es of evc r·r Jd11 d .
His rn etaph '1rs nr e often new, nn rl ofte n natural ~ net bea utiftt.l. But
liis imaginati on was st·ron g· anti ri ch, r athe1· than d eli ca tf! and conect.
l·fr11 cc, i11 hi s Ni g ht '.I houi;- hts, th er e prevail a n obsc urity nut! a hardn e:;s in his sty le. The tnctaphors ar c frequ ently too b~ld , am! fre<p1 ent l.v too fur p11rs11ed; th e r eade r i3 d azz led r a th e r than enlig htened ; and k e pt constantly on th e stretc h to k ee p pace with th e au th or.
4. Of a!I the Eng_lish au thors, non e is sn happ v in his me taph ors as
Addison. ,His ' imag iu ~1tion was ne ith er ~o ric h. nor so strong as DL
Young's ; but fa r more chaste an d delic a te. Perspicuity, na tural
g rac e , and · ~as", always distingui ~ h hi s fi gures. Tiiey arc neither
" ll o.ling!Jroke.

"!" Swift.

~nrsh uor strninecl; they never appel\r to have hetn studied -or sought
a fter; but seem to rise of their own.accord from the subject, and constantly embellish it.
·:. ~' ' t ·' r ,
'
Scholia 1. Metaphon expressed by single words may, it seems, he
introduced on every occasion, from the most car(lltlsS effusions of c~n­
' 'ersation, to the highest and most ras!tionate"·expression of tragedy ·;
and on all these occasions they are, ·p erhaps, the most beautiful and
significant language that can ·i,e - e mployefl: : ·There :is 110 doubt of ~he
justness of .this observation with regard to any .,species pf speaking or
writing, except that which denotes violent passion, .concerning 'which
the practice of the 1 st correct performers -i~ ' not' uniform ; some -<>f
them rejecting, others .admitting, the use of such figur.es..
, ,. · .
~· Short met~phors P..ppear·.with perfect propriety .in .oratory, .merrno1rs, essays, novels, but particularly in history . .'The . historian is
s carcely permitted to indulge in hunting after comparisons; he is seldom allowed to introduce the more elevated and poeticaUigures of
a postrophe and personification ; he is . riot even at · liberty to , amuse
w ith metaphors extended ' fo" many c-ircumstances of re:sembl~nce, but
·t.o tho se expressed · in single ·or · few· wor.ds, he has the ' most · approved .
acce s~. Such .ornnme.nts are the pror.er imple.t1ents of a vigorous and
d ecisive mind, which has leisure only to snatch a r.ay of .embellishment .
from a passing object, without turning aside from its capit11\ pursuit . •
'Ihe superior attention of the historian to the matter·of;which he treais,
t he dignity and gravity of his style, which ought ta .eorrespond to the
importance of his matter, call upon him to communica-te 'h is thoughts
in ·the most correct, perspicuous,. and forcible language ; and such, in
:a .sf'renc slate of.the mind, is the language of sl1ort metapnor. 3. Both Shakespeare and Otway conceived short, ~ metaphors to· be
perfectly consistent with the most violent agitations of passion. .It is ·
in vain to nppca.1 to the authority of' other tragic poets. The_y are ·,
u nanimous. for the use of simil11r metaphors in similar situations. Man y of them, indeed, have so overloaded their ·pathetic scem~s with this
brilliant ornament, that it obscures the meaning, diminishes the impression, and sometimes disgusts· the render.
·, '·
' · ·,
4. But cxten<le(hnetaphors, which chiefly amuse the imagination by
a ·great variety of pretty nnd .pleasant resemblances, are much more
circumscribed in their appearance. They are too refined to occur. in .
conversation, or on any occasi_o n that allows not time for recollection,
and for tracing similitudes which are at lea~t so r~note and unexpect·
e d ns to surprise am\ captivate. They present themselves with per·
f eet grace, in pulpit-oratory, in political writings, in works of criticism.;
n nd in essays. But their peculiar province is descriptive poetry, a111l
the dispassionate parts of epic . . They arc ·inconsistent with . violent ·
passion, and arc Sl"ldom introduced with success into tragP.rly . . They
itrr. calculated r.ntirely to plr.nsP. the imagination. Thcy,interfere with
all the strong fenlini;-s of the heart. Thr. mind that can either utter
or relish diem may be gay and elevated, bub must ' be composed :rn.t
!.{anquil. Under the .pr.essui;e,pf dei;p diatres~ ,':~~~ ~re..disgustin_.g !Uli ·
j)Uolera_b le. .
.
- · f ~ <ft'°"'~.-:.,~, t;i'·' ,, , ~~·· ~3· ,.
. '(
l"

'

'\.r,_", .,,,,..'!). ""' '. ' . ·. .
. !··.,
.~~·, ,
·~:/~~·~~/ .r ,~., ~ · ;· '

' . '·" ' ,."fJ. ':!<;'.
. I

. ,·
:

..

.

!

. .

•
: .·

'

Y~

.;.:.':'~ ..\~: ...·;'\ ~;I
!'. ~I :...

·~ ,#}-

l.,A"' ......
I '•ji ~>; •.~I

·rt

·:1 .,~.

,:

-.;..r~"

.....

,

··-rr.·

15.'J

~t5J ,

Compari90I!·
' .

CHAPTER III.

,.;.

"':'

:~ i:-

.

lllus. 4. But tliough the fnr g·,:eater pa.i-t" i:if co tl1pn\·ls0'1is result from
'the resemblnuce of the qualities of sensiLle o~jects alone , ycMhey are
sometimes instit~te~: between the qualides o( SCJ"\S~~~li agt.I · ntell,ei:·~ual
objects.
·
· - ·/
. . :. .. ,
·
t., ;, "i • . ·'· ,:.; · 1 11·: •
E x ample. Th~s ,. Slu~kespea.re • ~omparc \,.nd,ve~N?' .,~o ,8; . ~C?ad,;.Jl!1.~

COl\IPAlUSONS OR SIJIHl. ES.

2iJ. COMP AR ISO NS or simile.'/ differ chiefly from

metaphor~ in the 'Vigour <?/' imagination wilh which they
a~~ conce1v~d. In the use ~f metapliors, we suppose the

p12mary object tra?1sformcd 111to the resembling; one. In
the use of ~ompansons we soar not so hiirh I.mt content
ourselves \v1th re111arking similitude merely~ '
~ll~s : I. ~n a~I comparisons ther~ s hould be fouud some thing n e il' or
There is nothin g new or
surpnsmg Ill the resemblance of tile indirit.luals of the same species
as :''hen we s~y, ~~e man, or one horse, or one oak, is like anotlrei· ;
bec?use .the~e md1v1dual s arc for111 e 1l by na ture s imilar, and no com·
panson 1nst1~ut cd between them can h e supposed to produce any noveit.Y. or surprise: To find, then, resemblan ces 11·hi ch arc n e w or surp.ns111g, and ~h1 c h, _ consequently, may produ ce plca~ure or illu~tralion,
l"e must sea1c~ for th~m where they arc not commonly to be expected, between thmgs of different speci es.
· Example . .If, fo~ instan ce, I discover a re se mblan ce bet wr en a man
and a horse m swiftness, hrlwecn ' a man and an oak in stren"th Of
between a man and a rock in sl e a~in es s , s.uch rese mblan ces~ b_~in g
new, andgeuerall_Y uno~scrvecl'. excite surprise and pleasure , and im ·
prove my conceptions of the swiftness, strcn ulh and steadin ess of th o
man.
"' '
'
· Coral: Hence r es ult s' :he first general principl e co nce rnin g- go od
com~an ~ ons of r esembl an ce ; t.~tt'? y . must he drawn from one species
of th.mgs to another, an<l n ever mst1tuted between thi1ws of the same
species.
o
Illus. 2. ~ &"ain,. whpn we phice a great ol~jcct opposite to a litilc
one, a beaut1tul p1ctnre to an indifferent one, or 01ic shade of lhe samrcolour to n~10th ~ r_; wear.<' s11rpri~ e d to find, that thin g~ whi c h seem ed
sou1uch ~like d1fl cr so w1dcl_v . We co nc eive th e be auti e ~ and defect~
~f the ob.iects contrasl<!d greater, perhaps, than they renllv are, at
east much grcat~r tha_r_i thcy appear when survey ed n pa rf. •
Corol. Hence ts derived the second principle re s pec ting comparisonsi that contrast> mus t be institutecl betwe e n thing-s of the same
spc~i.es , because no pl ~ asurc or illus tration can re sult from finding dissurnhtude between thm gs naturally difierent.
~~lits. 3 :
it ~s necess nry !her e shonld be res e mblance in all com ~at 1son~, it is obvious tl.i:.11 the obj ec ts of rlifferent scmes cr11111ot furni sh
~oun d atiou ~or them . I h er~ is no re se mblance between a sound and
a co our, :\•smell, .and a surface of velve t.
. C~rol. Co~11pan s ons, th en , mu st farther take place betwee n th~ obJ;eb of th e .am e se n se; a1HI, as the sight is the most lively anrl distiuc.t of .nil .the sen ses, :~nd the i<l e a~ it communi cates make the deep·
est 11np1 ess1011 011 the 1111111J, the most benutiful and striking compari~ons ar.e 1'1ednce 1l from the object~ of this sen se. (Sec the E :c. nntl
•·'11ialys1.s to /lrt. ~J S.)
s urp1!s~11g ~n 01der lo pl ea se anti 1lht3lrate.

".'s

1

slander to the bite ofa croeod1.Je.
" .. ,•.· ,., h'•· f,; ,_,._;-., ., .»·'< · ..:1 : ·
Scholi1tm; In all these cases, howevcr,.the nbstrac_t.or intel,l ectual .oll;
ject is personified, and the co~parison is founded on the supposed re·
:!cmhlrrnce which the qualities of the in,t ellectnal object,bear. to thp~e !>f
the sensible object, after ,the ~or mer also has ,b ecome•11-sens_1bic..-c;> :.iect.•
Illus. 5. In addition to the kinds. of similes .already, ex)~lain".d, ..therc
i~ nnother that frequently occurs, in wl\ich the ejfccls only ·'?f two. ob.·
jccts :tfe compared. _The , same analogy takes. place,: with regard to
them, which w2s formerly observed to nppear _in the : resemblance. of
the sound of words . to theil' sensz. · (/lrl. 225.) . 1he objects ,c ompared are not perhaps similar in their qualities, at least , the m.er!t of
the figure does .not d_e pi,nd on this c ircum.s tance, but upon the similar·
ily of 1he impressions or· emotion~ they pro_duce, in· the mind. .... .,1 1
Examples. Upon this principle, the following compai;isons ar~, suc<:essfully framed.-' ~ ·:~· . \i t' : ': 0 ' :;:-.r.u\1 · :!··· .~._:. ~ :<1-ol>' -! -<'··'I> .::;, /• • ·
J. "Often; like the evenitig'sua,;comcs the.memory of fol·mer; tiµie~
oninysoul*.'' ~
;'.• ~ i ; . ·".· · ..;· , ,, '.\···.·· ·-.·:._ (~ .; ;.... , !'>~...,.~.. , .~
2 . ." The music wa,s like .t\1 ~ ·~p mory,,of J?Ye -~~! arar.t past,, p!easari!
a nd mournful to the soult.'
· ~
. ,
·
3. " Sorrow, like . a ' cloml on the Stfn, shades · the s'oi.il' of Clessa·
u1ourt."
: ,,..
-4. " Pleasant arc the words of the song, and Jo,·ely are the tales of
other times. 'I hey are like the dew of the morning on the I.ill of rose s(
'\:hen the sun is faint on its side, and the lake is settled and. blue in the
"\'ale!I."
·
·'
,
·· ' , ·
' · -·
. .:
.flnm'.ysis. There is no resemblance between the eHniog sun and the
m emory of past joys, between sorrow and a cloud, or between the
words of the soi1g, and . the dew of ·the morning ; I.mt every person
must perceive, that by these objects similar impressions or em.otiOJlS.
<1re excited in the mind. · .
·

274. All comparisons may be reduced to the following
heads. I. Those which improve our conceptions of·the ol>-·
jects they are brought to illustrate,-we c.a ll explaining .corri·
p~tris?ns. II. Those. which augment the 11leasu.re of imaJ·
gmat10n by a splen<l1<l assemblage of other adjacent an<l
agreeable o!Jjects,-we .call embellish~ng compa~·isons: ~II.
And, finally, those which_ elevate or depress tne pnnc1pal
object, an operation ofte11 . requisite i11;- w1•iting, , but ~ more

particularly in speaking,-we call . .ro"1njJaristnip1f advantage, or of disadvantage.
· '.-· ~~; .<~ . .,._,_, ·, .. ,'..~ ·: · ·. _
275. All mahner of subjects admit of expl~ti,~in..rf compari sons. Let an author be reasoni11g ever·so ·strictly; or freat-·
jng the most abstruse - point ·~n philosophy, he n~ay Y~ry p!'? -:.
·~

•

"Ossian•

,'~

l

j

,

.,

,

.•.'

' '

,

•

'

i Ibid, .

•,

rl

"

'

. IJ·.Ihid.

•

..,

-f[:l;?f·

U4

(}omparison.

perly introduce a comparison~ merely with a view to make
his subject better understood.
·
E.cqmple. Of this nature i.~ the following in Harris's Hermes-, etn-

Comparison •.
.

;·....t ~

.

· ·
' om iared to ;the voke' of,. the ni g htingalet or
~~~st joys. Had it bee~ c 1, it would have ' been .by some ordinary
the murm1~r of the strf;1~, a\ en more strict. uut, by founding his
P.oc.tl, the l1k~r:s!d;;~twh;~1:ec:~~yrs nwsic pr~duccd, ~ssian, . whille
•
ives tis at the same tune, a muc 1
srrm e npo~ 1
he conveys\ 1t ver! tender I image, g nd st~ain. ·of. that music : " Like
:<;tronger imprcs.sion of t te natu;e i~easant 'and mournful.to the soul."
the memory of Jl>Y.S th~t a rel PJJ.S •.I most .charn1ing night-scene, while
1

1 i;f~:~1 ['~~j~~,~~ ;:[/~ ~r~;~~~;;t~the,siate of the·Grei:ian, ~.am~ :~~:r
1

a battle. ·

276~ The most vigorous imagination can scarcely be supposeu to have conceived more striking comparison'!, or better adapted to improve our conceptions of the principal object, than the foilowi1n~ ones of Shakespeare. Dcscribin~
the effects of conccaled~love, he makes this11appy comp'.lri ·

1

·

·

·

'

u The ~roops exulting, s;~ in <il'dcr ~ournl, d
.·
Ami bennii;ig fires illumin'd nil the gl'on,n ·
As when the moon, resplendent m·b of mgl~t,
O'er heaven's f•nr e azure shnl her sacred hgltt ;.
'Vhen not a c oud o'ercasts the solemn sce1:e•. . - •
And not a breath distul'b.s ~he deep .serene' : - ; . ',
Around her throne the nvul vlanets,- roll,
: ' . ,-,
And atars .111111urt1)>cr'd gild the glowmg 11o~e' .:·,, .• ,. :
O't"I' the dark trees a yellow Yerdu.r~ '\ire~ 1 •• · •••. , 1, ••
And tipt-"with ' silver _e y'ry, monn~a.in s' ien • ..
.:- . ; .·
Then shine the vnles, the rocks m pro~pect .~_i~e, , ;.: ,
A flood of glory bursts fi;o!1'. all ~.h~ •ki_e~ · · ·.• -~" . ~
The conscious swains. re101cmg 1n the n1~I~, . »: .0 , , ,
Ere the blue \'ault,"nnd bless th~ u1eful hg.
SO many flames befort> pJ"Oud Ihon 1.>laze, .
'" ''
And lighten glimmering, Xamhus with. µie1r rays. ,.· 1

·:

.,,

•

t . . ···: ....

.
-. ·
· · t to display· its b~auties. Not
.'.lnalysis .. ·~his simil? needs n~ co1~1IJe~1 . elucidated by the splendid
1
0
o nly is the pnn_iary 1.JJe~t, the . re~J ~~nth~ei~~a foation· is farther capt.i- .
n:semblance ot the glo1Vlllg ~tat s,f
., t d gobiecls ' which tocrether
-~ '
"
,-att·d by •t delightful collection o conn<~ e · . "
· ' ·
•
•
t 1d interesting picture. ·
.
lv ·the most striking illus-'
c oncur to form an cxtensi~e a
S~holium. Such. compnnso1~.s ni:c~:1li~t~t~~piliuminate,· 'but embell~sh
t rations of the ob,11~cts the{ ~ e , sio1~al openings into beautiful ad,1aalso the. general prospect .'Y oc~~- d ·
I
' ~rk which relax au<l
1
cent fields. !'hey 0 .perate l~~rn~ epi.so ~s ~ i~n ~~'! ;~ it~I jn1rsuit. They
r egale the m111d, without dtstl actmlg it f o t . t11e ;ravellei; from sur'
•
· ·
d
ffi t similar to what iappens 0 .
pro. uc~ an. e ec
- cted and -surprising scenes of nature or of
,.,~ymcr m l11s course unexpe
·
· I
d t!
resumes
at:L He turns aside.11 moment· to conternp~ate t. i_c~rl.c ~~-' ie11
J1is journey with redoulil~d ard.,our ,.aud del~ght. _ . : _· ...,

Sl'-'11 :

"Sbe n evrr l oltl htT luve,
lh1t kt conceDlmem, like n wor111 in th1· hnd,
Feed on her dama.k cht:rk. si.,_
, pined in though t_,
And with ft green nrul yellow nwlsucholy,
Sho !at, Jike patiC'ncc ou a n1ouumeut,
Broiling nt grief... "
1

27; • EmbellishinJ comparisons,-t!wsc \Yi th \1 laic11 we
n{e chiefly concerned at prcse11t, :l'l ligures of speed1-an:·
introduced not so mud1 with a view to infon11 n!Hl inst.rud ..
as to adorn the subject of which we treat; am) they arc
those, indeed, that most fre1pe11fly occur.

:- TiveTft.b Night, Act II. Sc, 4'

-

·

pfoyetl to explain a very abstract point, the disti11ction between th!!
powers of sense and imagination in the human mine!. " ·As wax,"
SflJS he, " would not be :ulequate to the purpose of signature, if it hiid
Ilol the power to retain as well as to receive the impression, the samt?
hold~ of th·e soul with respl-ct to sense and imagination. Sense is its
receptive power; imagination its retentil·e. Had it sense without imagination, it would not be· as wax, but as water, where, though all im;..
pr~!sions be instantly made, yet as soon as they· are made tliey are
instantly lost."
'
Illus. In comFarisons of Uris nature the nnderstamling is concerned
much more than the fnncy: and therefore the only mies to he ohserved, wirh respect to them, are, I. Thal they be clear; II'. That· they
be useful; Ill. That they te1td lo render ou1· conception of tfle priueipal object more distinct; and IV. That they do not lcall our view
usitlc, and liewilder it with any false light.

Illus. Hesernulanc e is the foundati o n of this figure. WC? must uot,
however, take r esern ulanu" iu tQo strict a s1•11se : for actual similitude
and likeness of nppcaraucl.'. Two objects ma.v sometimes he vet"y happily cdmpared to one nnotlier, though they rescmhlc each othe:·, strictly speaking, in nothing; only because they agree in the effecta which
they produce upon the mind ; bccrwsc th<'y 1·aise a train of simila1-, or,
T1·hnt may be called, concordant ideas ; so that the re111emlJl'a11cc of
the one, when recalled, ~cnes t<l streu~thcn the impression made by
ihe other. (Illus . 5. Jlr!. 27~t)
E:rample l. To describe the natn re of rnft and melancholy music,
Ossi<J.11 si1ys, " The ,m itsic <'f Carry I was, like the memory of joJS thu(
are pasl 1 pleasant and mournful lo the sou!."
.!111alysi.!. This is happy anti delicate. Yet surely, no kin.rl of musi.e
has any resemblance to a feeling of the mind, such as the memory of

155

.

278. The third sort o( compari~pn,s :are .ertployed to elevate or depress the prindpal o~jcct. ·· '· ·:' .
. ~
Example l. The following example must aggrandise Ol)r c~;~ep~10~~ .
·o f the .yalour of Hector, howsoever great we can supp?se I o _. 1a .
Leen in. J"eality.

· ~·~·...

·:

.

.

1

'

f: II

1

•

.'

" Girl in sunounding flum e•, he seems to " 1i •
,. ,,
I.ike fire from .Jove, nud hur.15 "!'on tl!em a 1'
JJursts n~ n wnve. that Ii om the t' ou~s 1m!>~l1< s,
.1 ~.7'~''\ ;,
Ami swe11-.1 wi1h tempc's t o'er tl1e ship. de.cemls.
. '
·
'Vhite are the decks wilh foam; ' the '~rnds. nlo u~ - d .
, . ';
'.•. •• •. - I t . '14owl o'er the inasts, am! ri11g through ~v~rh s nou : ' . . • •
''
... :; ' .'j, I Pal~ trembling, tired, the .sailors freeze Wt! fear&, ;;, , .. " } . , r •
'
· · Ancl'inslal1t denth in evny wu\·e RJ>f"'::Jrs.
,·
- ·1.
- 1 ."
So all' th!! ~reeks ·the e);es of Hector meet, " ' ;. I
',
· '' "' " l 'l'h? chlefso thuml~rs, ,1111.<1 •o .sjial<e~,~he ~ee_\•
...
:;· ,,, "' · .
"
11
'
' 1"11 "• r- ' '1"" · · ' ., " ' " • '
" ,,
•
manner ·

1

J

Ii

lu

·~x·ample

2. 1'. he. following" qilotation· r wi!I ' expla~?e;~e Milton has
which com11nrisons or.~r~/~ . t~~de~:.es,~ \~h,~l;f 1,~~!r:,~ :~ ·;

.·

14*

.,..

i,;

l/om:parisoi1.
Djslodging frmri ft region 1c~rcc of.t•r<'f•; ,• , ,,,.;;~ . :, ,, . ,
Tll' gorge tbe flesh .o f lambs or yeiiding. acids, , ·, ~ ••,~~.
Ou hill• where flock• are fed, flies to: the. 1pr~iig1. , _,, j. ·
Of Ganges or Hyduspes Indian stream1; ' · ... .: · __-,;,: /
't, But. in. hi• way light• t.'n the b~rren- pll\iD~~ ·• ,.i_ ;:~ ,:_:.,\ Of Scncana, where Cluneses dr1 ve .
";1 · ,
Witlo •ails and wind theii- cany .waggonl light; ;' ·...~·· '. • '
SO on this. windy sea of land, the fiend ·'·'. "·~: '<:~I
Walk'd up a~d ,d o)\'J l..alo~e, be.ut 00_!1!5 prey. .
.' , .

employ~rl a mo3t. expressive and successful figure to ·Tf
ti
.
1
and. resistance ot the falll'n nugcls ::
vi J 1e courag•c
" Galm ~ ! - - - - - as a herd'
Of goatt, or tim'ro111 flock, together tbr.ongcd
Dr_o•·e them before him, thunder-struck J>U rs~ed
'V1th terrors a nd with fmirs, to the bo~mls
Ami crystal wall of heaven."

0

•

Example 3 . Sh~1kespeare could
t J
d ·
method of exposing the charact e r~~ a ~~ve ev1sed a more <;ffoctual
'~ith hi.s most valourous hero Hotspur ~!/ ~ha11 by contrn~tmg him
tment illustration of the nah;re f
. t - ie passage s111_>phes a pcr1
<liminishh or depres! . Hot.spur th~s ~~~ ~:s~~t=~ ;;~~dk~;.,.t~~~i : ~ ::ers .to
~ners w om he had taken, and whom he had. been Rc;u~ed of rnfuP:•s~ smg
, o surrender :

1

Analysis. The ohjeets contained ii'. .. this ' comp.ariso~ . are so little
Jd10wn, · even to those who claim the character,·of, being learned, and
they are so totally unknown to the greater part of readers, that it hag
the appearance of a rid<lJe,, or a. pompous parade of ·erudition, rather
than.of a figure . to illustrate something less conspicuous nnd striking
than itself. Many of the similes, also, which were frequent and beautiful among the Greeks nnd Romans, as those .drawn from the lion, the
tiger, the wolf, the sphinx, the griffin, animals with the. characters and.
properties of which they were supposed to bt; · well acquaint.cd, are . re.,.
tained by modern poets with much impropriety . . To the learned 'they.
are destitute .of novelty, au essential ingredient in eve1·y good compari.~ on ; to the unlearnccl,. they arc· invotved· in-· m111~h.· g!'eater ob!curity
than the subjects . they arc .b~.ought-to; illumiuate. :--. .' '; ,: ' : · ·~, : ·:' ·.

1 1

" - - - - My liege, I did drny no Jiri'°nc n ;
l3ut I l'cmember, when the hg!it wa• done
When I wns dry with rage and l!~treme tolr
Brcathks1 and faint, leaning upon my sword
Came thne a. certain lord, n eat, trimly dressd
Frcsl! as. a bl'l<legroom; :iml his chin new rea ~d
Sha v d hke ~ stubble-!Rml at harvest home. J> '
He wn• perfumed like a milliner·
.1\11<1 'twixt his finger and his thu~1b he hdd
A pouncct·hox, which enr and anon
He gnve hi• nose. And still he smil'd Mid talk 'd .
Am: as the soldiers bore dt'lld bodies by
·
,lie ca.ll'd them untaught shnes, nnmu1:nerly,
ro b~mg a sloyenly unhandsotne corsc
D e~ w1ltt the wind and his nobility.
\V1th many holiday and lady te rms
He qu~ stion 'd . me. Among the n:st 1lemandt>d
Jlfy pnsonen Ill your majesty's behal r.
!•.nil smarting with my wonntls, being. gall'd
I !l be so }JPst.•·1·'d with a popinjay,
Out of ~ny gncf ~nd my 11npati1·nce,
l\nswc·r d 1wgkct1ngly ; I know not "h:it ;
.'~" shoul.rl, or he shnnld not; for it made me mall,,
1 o •ce 111111 •!•im• so h.ri.ght , nnd smell so swe..i,
And talk so hke a wa1t111 g g cntlewoninn,
or guns! and drunn, and wound,. - - .Aud t elhng me, the !O\'t>rdgn'st thing on earth
\Vas parmnccty for an inward bruise ·
.Aud thn.t it. wns n pity, so it wa•,
'
That thts villainous snlt·p etre should be digg"d
Ont of the bowels of the harmless eanh
Which many a good tall fellow had dest'royed
So cow11rdl>:; nm~ but for these •·ile gum,
lie would h1mse!I have been a soldit1·."

~ubscquent comparison is repr~hcusible in thi11
Homer paints· the noise of opening' the ·.great lock of the repos-.
itorics of Ulysses, by :t comparison that l>or<lers on bnrlesq._ue: ·

Example 1. Tlie·

\·icw.

,.

.

!

...

" r.oud as a bull makes hill and volley ring, ·
S~ roar'd the Jock when it released the spring,»·

th Exam_71fe. 'l:"he fol!owing simile was intended by Milton to illu•tratec anx! ety with \\'h1ch Satan trnversed the creation, in order t~ fin·d ·
<!\It subJects for d estruc tion anti revenge.

:·..•

", .. :

~· .- ,
; _ ,,

\

·~ "' $~

"-

Example. Milton describes · the surprise of the fallen angel&- ·by~
3imilitude which savours of levity.
' 1" " ·, ·
"They hear'd,and were abashed, and uptliey sprung.'
;, , . ·< "'~;~ ..

,;:·:'!! .

Upon the winip at v•hen men wont to watch
.
On duty, s1<..-.,p111g funnd by. whom they dread,
Rouse arid be•tir themselves ere weil . a~ake." . \ 1 •

ih 279. Comparisons should not be instituted between objects
e resemblance of which is either obscure, faint, or remote:

. •''.'. . . : \ !

28 l. If, again, a ,comparison be destitute· of dignily1 someportion of its insignificance .is transfwred ·to the principab ;!.:
object.
,'. · · · _,_
·
.
,.
· · ."

11

Whose s11twy 1idge the roring Ta~tar Mufld°,,

... '!,t '

280. Comparisons should nor be' d~duce¢ from .objects
which rise much above, or fall rnuch below the pl'imary obJecl; nor should they suggest feelings disc01~darit with the
tone of the emotion which, . the object prompts; If a comparison soar too high, iUhrows ridi~mfo; instead of embellishment, ou the object if is intended to adorn ; the ·fatter
suffering from co1itrast, fostead of being.ele,vated by similitude.
.
,
, ..
..
_
.

Ohs. Having <;xplaine<l the nature of comparisons, and mu~tr t' r
the purposes which they arc calcula ted to serve, to uard the 5' 1u n € •
a~amst errors, we sh a ll enumerate the cllpital mistaEcs commi~t .~c~t
t e use of these figtffe s ; and then conclude the cha Jter l>
er m
~~";:J. on the propriety of the onasions in which th~y ma: ~~7 ~ ;·~~

" As when a n1lturc on Imaus hre<l

••

I

·1"

!t
•

, . ' •. l

" , ,

.!1i1alysis; Milton· did· not intend to· ridicule .the appearance or· falfeo'
angels by this comparison' ;: if he had so Intended, he would have deserved applause," fol' every rea~er feels how successful he would have ~. ·
been« .\ ., ,: ~n·~~~:1. ~~ 'f: ' .~~.

,1 ;

•

•...

\

:' \,

4,

.

,.( •.

_..

;

,

1

Example 2 . Homer paints 'the equality of the contest· between the

,G reeks and Trojans, in a well-fought ·ticld 1 by · the equilibrium of ~·
balance destined to weig~ ':wool:.
·· , ,. . ·. . / ..' , ·. -. '
•

'·

, t ' '.1 ' '

f:1ompuris_
o1i.

159

Comparisoiz.
" As whr_n two s_cnle s are dung'd with cloull'tft:l Joa<IF,
1' r~J1~1 mle to sule the trembling balance llO<h,
h1le _some laborious matron, just and J>oor,
• ':'.•th 11!ce t:xacllless wci&hs hel" woolly stort>),
~ 111 pom-'Cl alo'.t, th!• r cst1111? beam suspends
hach <'<ptal weight; nor tlus 11or thnt descends
So .sto0<I the war; till Hc:clor's matchless migl,'t
'Y•th fat(·s Jll"t;rniling, turn ·d lhc sc3Je of Hight:
Fierce as a wlnrl\\·incl up the w:ill he Ilic•
__ And fires his host with loud rr11cntcd crie;,"

\w.

Scholiwn ._ S.i1~i1Ps like th es~ not. 0~1ly flcgrad~ the Jnincipal object ,
hut the~ ~u_it 1t 111 anothe r pom_t of new.' th~y disgust the imag·inatioii
hy a ~:\c1s.tl of that or~ler of uleas which 1~ the most. plensant. ] 11
!ra11s1t.10ns from one oh..iect to nnothcr, the most agrPeahlc sucn•ssiou
1 ~, to nse from the lc~s to the greater. The mind inclin es to extend its
views, an~l to cn~arge the sphere of its gratifications . . In reversing this
ord e r o~ suc.cess1011, it hol<ls an oppos ite course. It is ol.Jli..-ed to retren~h its .news, nnd to circumsc ribe its e11joyments; nn ~peration
mamfc~tly u11plcasnnt.

282. But com11ariso~is arc sti II more censurable, w lien
they 1~rompt fc cltngs discordant with the aim of the principal ol~ect, or when they suggest sentirncnts painful or disagreeable.
Examrle: .~rl<'.i s on, sprnking o.f the later Grrcks' poems, in the
;~It.ape of egg_"• .'.' m gs, and allan, ~ntro~lncc~ the r.,11owi11g· sim'.Jitude:

. J he. ~oe.tiy " .ts to <:01.1 tract or dilate itself nccor<ling lo the rnoulcl
"l11d1 it was ~ast; .rn a word, the V(~rses were lo li e cramped or

111

cxte11_tl ecl to the d1111cm1011s of the frame )ll"epared for th<'m, and to
1111de1 ~o t~1c .fate of tho~e persons whom the tyrant Procrustes used to
lodge 111 Ins_ iron !Jed; 1f Ihey were loo shod, he stretch ed them 011 the
r_ack ; and 1f th ey were too lon g , he chopped off a part. of their both·
· '
till they f~!ted the couch he had prqrn1Td for ihcm."
• _-'l11af.11s1s. 'J:h e <: Omfari.~ 011 is aln111da11tly pertinent, but th e tone o f
!t IS totall.Y,<:i1scordant With. Iha~ of the £UIJjcct wh ic h it is IJrought to
tllust1 ~le . ;l he plca santt·y 111 sp1r~d hy the foolish efforts c f the minor
poets 1s cxl111g111 she<l by the horror excited at the condn ct of l'rocrusles.

_.. 283. It is to be observed, in the last place, that comparzsons s~iould never ~e.founded on resemblances which are
too obvw~~ andfu.milutr, 11or on those which are imaginary.
_. _Illus. 1. Io <:ompn~·e love to n fire, viol e nt passion to n tempest,
~ 1'. ~ue. to the sun, ?r <listre ss t? a flower dropping its head, arc all similes, ~1ther so obvwus or so tnte, as long ag·o to have lost nil power of
pleas111g.
. Illus: 2. In compari sons. founrlcd on imaginary resemblances, th e lite1 al sense of tl~e co111p a 1:1son he a rs an nnalogy to the mclaphoricnl
sense o~ !he ynmary oh.1 cct. Thus, chnstity is cold metaphoricall ·
and an 1.c1cle ts colt! 11atura~l3'.; and for this whimsical reason, a chas/:
~vom~n is. compared to ."n. 1c1cle. The hrst poets ha,·e either iHdulged
Ill snc h except1onnhle s11rnl1~ s or l1ave ina<1v 1·ien•ly ad
t d II
'
~•
op e
1em. .
E xamp l es. ·1·1 l'JS S hakespeare,
in Cotiolauus :
0

" ;i:1ie noble •istcl" of Popi icola ,
~J~ h e !noon of Hom e ; cha sf(• ns nn ieicJe
l hat · ~ cnrJ :~d by tl1 t: frost l'rom IH1r. . :st snow,
And liangs 1n1 l>iaua·s lt"lllJ>k,'

... 2~.rnmple 2 . .lord Bolingbroke supposes a similitude between th~
discovery of truth, from comparing the Recounts of different historians 1
rrnd the production of tire by the collision of'fiint'and steel : "Where
thei1· sincerity as to fact is doubtful,-.we strike out truth by a confrontation of rlifferent accounts, as· we strike out sparks of fire by the. collis·
ion of fli1~t \~nd .steel." .
..
,
.:
• . .
· · . ' .·
.1foal;11~1l. To 1lluslrnte the fuhhty of such companson5, let us change
foe expression o~ the last ex.ample, and · the shadow of resemblance
will vanish : " \Vhere historians differ· in "their accounts· of· the same
transaction, whether prompted by insincerity, ar ·any other reprehensible disposition, we discover the truth by comparing them, and ma~
king thcin correct one another, and we generate fire by the collision of
flint a11d steel." As the act of comparing different authors can scarce-'
ly be culled collision; 10 different nuthors have no analogy with flint
and steel. The word ltrike, used figurafr,.ely in the first member of
the sentence, and literally in the secoud member, seems , to- have
prompted the author to employ this imaginary comparison,
.

284. Extended similes may be . introduced with advantage on various occasions~ · They' ' are ·· consi~tent ·'with abstract disquisition, and with perfect coolness and tomposure •
of mind. Su<;h gen tie appeals to · the imagination, even in
philosophical composition, always relieve aritl ' amuse the
reader, and often add illustration to pleasure. ·
285. There remains another species of composition, iu.
which lon~ and circumstantial comparisons frequently ap·
pear ; it ts that placid · and feeble composition which cau
scarcely be !mid to instruct, for it contains little research or.
argument, but which has for its capital aim, to amuse the
imagination by a number ofpretty or familiar rese1l1blances~
Obs. Though similes arc oft~n the wor\1 of the boldest anrJ most fer'l' icl fancy, yet none of the ornaments of language are perhaps rnon.•·
allied to tleficiency of genius and taste, both in the writer and the
i:eader.
··"' "
j-.::

286. L<)ng ' corr1parisons .can scarcely be .admitted wit!~
propriety into other productions . than tho&e .we have enume-': ,, . __ ~ ·
rate1!. History, in the hands of all writers of genius; has !~f: '/"-.
rejected th~m with disdain, · thou~h . i~ a.dmits s~ort si.~iJ.h'
tud.e s restncted to the mere proymce of 1llustrahon. ·' , . ~.'.t

·. · ,.

E.trrmple. Humt? thus characterises Shakespeare:' 1!. There may ·remain a suspicion that we over-rate the g-rentn~ss 1,>f his genius, in the
~ame manner as bodies appeit,r more 'g igantic, '.;_,b y their, being dispro~
portioned or mis-shnpen."
,
,, , . ;, .,
Obs. If any one chooses. to learn from el!:perience ' the repugnance
between the spirit of history and circumstantial comparisons 1 he may
have recourse to Strada, author of th"e History of the Belgic War.
He will thP,re fintl, that the too frequent use o·t this ornament diminishes
the dignit_;· and the credillility of the ' perform11.ncc, anti communica '.; .
to a relation d truth much of the levity and. ~rivolity of a r&manoo.

··
\,

.:· ·

160

287. Oratory, for a similar reason, repudiates len ~ th ene~l
similes, though it ad111its short ones, and abounds wi f11 oilier
Hgurcs; particularly intcrrogatio11, metaphor, aml per so ni~
fication.

•

.1 alylis One would imagint:, that the author uf the Reh e a~sal had
'.'·
1 ~ h unnatural composition. B ut we cannot help berng su~­

·
·
d · ·
I
u:tge in which passion
Jlliu There
is scarcely a trage Y Ill any ang
' ..
l\I
,.
n~sn_m ~s 80 high a tone, and is so well s t~pported, as ,1 nf t 1ic ' 00 ~ 0 ~
1
·
· ·
,. l
-• ;rs•o tuito •cepe• n t lat passion
V cnic~ j nnd yet:!!! one tl) 'h~ .'110 :," p ~ • .......- .: ~ ... of i ntrutiu ciu 0 '
at e tragedy, no reader can he s itate about the pt op~ 1et,r . . .- ,
.'?
two similes, besides scv.e rul uuld metaphors.
"' ' . . . ' ti 1t
Example . Othello thus, deliberates, in the .. deepes.~ ,ag1t~tion, ..:~ ,~\. : .
lhe mtJrdcr of ~is ,wife, on',, account of !~er supposed .mfidt}h.ty : , ... '"'· . :
'• n It is tl1e came, my so ul ,
Let me not name it to, rou y~ ch !1~te ·~an J

l!_ is t h.~_. ~fill~(' ~-yet l ·l.l not_ shc~1 ncr ulu0t1.
:.;m· ~cu.1.· th a t whi te r ~Ion of h t> r ~ than ~now~
~ntl ;;1 w Jnth :H: n1m1unJ1::· urni nlnha.ile r:
;,.-r:1 'ilw t •111 .. l 1l t.i . r'l -:{' r.h r- 'I ! betr~y mor~ .'t"1Y"n.
rut ou t t he light, a11d tl w11 pm 0~1t . tl1y hglit • .
lf i q w.:w.:h tl!t.T , t h<:n tl:l:ntn.g m111:1Jttr,
( ' !i.! T ;1~'.l i n th y fhi.minr,- he-ht IT~t01f'..
.
')h n•1ld . r r c p r• n t; hnt 011\"~ put out tll !t lic- h ~
'l'hoo cunningest pattern ot cxceU1ng 1mtun.:.,
1 know not where is the Promethean heat

ll! i t .~ - A · ld i~o n '"" ''~ r- n r! nrrt y;·Jrh nlnr h '. " rn5Th ii ti:- in rr ~ r cc t of f lJ ~_1
1111u the nc culiaritics of mann e rs : but he srr 11 1> to !i:in•
fJecn inc:a pn hl e pf ronrP.ivin~- nny hi ~fh .-lr-~rf'.P of p~-i;!inn
f·Ji~ <· h arH 1 ' \ (·r~ . ~ r rn1·d f n ~·h· . in thr 1!",1 "Prh· n f Cat o, r!T ':' r t.,.,- n1'.l n i.- n f· r!i o.: c

lime ~e nti mcnts

~ pl e ndi ll and dig°i'.ii°fied ~onccp tio~1 s ~vhich he l1oid imbil.Jell i1; p er n ~ in g
the orators and p oe ts of ancient Rome, but nil savo11 r of the Sto i ci.~ m

thf~ langi;n g 1" r•f p R'l'" i "n : ffn ·y
OC\'iate in to declanmiion, or adopt th e fr ig id exp r es sio n of t R111e ~J> CC ·
hltors . The scene uetwe c n Lucia and Portill8, · i 11 th e third act, n ill
tl tf (lr

That cnn th y light re\11mine.

· .

'VJH' l! I lrn w · 1duPk 'd thy r ose.

.

I ca1uwt g-ivc it ....-it::il j.p:owth aga1n,
It n ee<ls m nst wither,

'lnali sis 'l'he comp'1.risons of . th e ' skin of DeRdemona ~to. snow i~
point 0 wiiitencss and to alubaster, in point of smoo thness, are ad n~1- ..
rnbly ndapted to i;nprove our idi·as of her beaut{, and. c onsc~ncnt Y
to he ight e n the title of th e Moor's di stress, in uemg obliged ~o put to
death fr o •n rincipl<-'s of honour, a woman he had so muc~ _1 eason to .
.. .;'. :! ;ft,P nn<litntion on the re~emblancc · hetween · ker ltte.an1J.. the••.
.. u.nue.
..e 1. ~ •
•
..
I
I
1 the companson be- •
Ji 1d1t of n tap er is strikin g und me imc 101Y ; um
·.
. '
i t
t\~r.e n her l_\ca t.h and · th e plucking of a :rose is perfe.ctly·.~onco_r1 nn., _

a!for<l ample proof of th e justness of the se re ma1·ks.
Example l . \\1 h e n Portius, from preceding hch:wio11r niul acknowledg m P. nt on tlie part of Lu cia , ha d ci·e ry r ea so n t o IJ eli cve h r w;is fnvoured with he,r Jo.,e , a nd was auticipating th e satisfac tion of such a
co nnection, iu the most un ex p ec ted change of di sposition, she in for m~
him that sh e had ma1le a vow nev e r t o marry him. Never wa s n nrnn
thrown more sud<lc nly from the piun acle of fe licity , into th e <lb_vss o f
despair. How doc s he express h ims<.! f in such a cri ti cal s ituation?
H e introduces a compa ri so n in th e hm gu!lgr, of a spectator, descrip·
1ive of the altitude. in which hi s agitatio11 had placed him, without ut··
tcring a single sentiment of passion :

l

·withthP~nn1P~f>nfi1nPnt~.

~

·

'~ · :

·.~i• : , . .... _,.,,,,.;•• ... ~

.

··

-

Corol. Short similes, whic.h ~i<l the impression by rcu~ ern1g o.ur ··
cunceptions more vivill and s1g111ficunt, are therefore consistent w1~h ~ .
tl\e hi,,.hest swell of);>assioo. ··

" Fixt in nstoni shment, I gaze upon thee,
Like on e just blas ted liy a strdu.: from heaven,
' Vbo pn11ts for llrcath, a11d sli /H:us, y~t alh·e
In drcn<lful looks,-a monumcut of woe."

,~

t>

,, ._.

'

·-·

f'

•

,.:,.i.\... ·;.•

Example 2. J,,ucia replies in the same languag·e of descripti o n ·:,
l

'\·

289. But although . ~uch <le~iberate a.n~l high~y-~~ished_
comparisons are incons1stetJt with ever.r vrnlent exe1 h~n ~t,1
passion, yet short similes, .adapted en.t trely. to . the pm P()~~ ..
of illustration, may ap.p~a.r 1 ~1. ~11~ most p_~ssion.qte s~cene:s':··, ~:

£88. But of all improper occasions on which circumstantial similes can make th eir appearance, 1.he mo st improper
are the tender sce nes of tragedy; aml yet su ch incn ns istences prese nt th e mselves in some dram a tic produ ctions of no
;;.111nll r•·1rntatiun.
•

" Oh ! stop those sounds, ·
T!1me killing sonmls; w hy dost thou frow11 upon me
My blood nn" eoltl, my heart fo15et.• to h~an-,
Ami lift- itsrlf g•Jes out at thy dis1•J.-:1J?J"<'.''.

..\

\11 view S l
fi b
·
arks " Now here she
"'ris!'ll thut Addison did not pro it Y 1118 i·em,
;
"t
f
,.
·
k
· ·1 " say·s , Mr Bays 1 "'Vhere s t 11e necess1 yo
mu st ma e a s11n1 e,
. ' .I
. d .ti t' a gene
tint I " r eplies .Mr , Smith . " Because s 1e's surprise ; rn .s
, .•
rai r.ule ; you mu st ever make a s\mile wl_ie u you nrc 8urpnsed ; trs
the n ew wav of writing."
v

Illus. In the more animatNI orations of Cicero, there is sca rc ely to
be fonnd a single co mp ariso n of itny extent. Demosthenc~, still m ore
ard e nt, mor e rarely indul ges iu the u se of them . Th e minds of th PsC
illustri o 11s orntors were too deeply •~ n gagc d with th e ir ma li e r , to he nt ·
tenth•e to IJeautics calculated on ly to plrasc. Th ey aim ed at th e instruction aud conviction of their hearers, not to capt ivatl' their imn g in ations. They would hav e been ashamed to Rppcmr to ha ve spent th e ir
time in rausacki11g nature for r cscm bl ancC's, howe,·rr p t> rtin en t and
hrilli a nt, if not absolutely necessary. The a rdour a 11d P•'lll'frntion of
lheir minds would no! !rnve been, perhaps, very fovcura!Jl e to t!:f'!r
success, had th ey condescended to hunt for such pu e rile and dcclnm nfory ornn.1nents.

uf Cato; ancl n ·hf':n 1iu~y nftP rnpt to

161

eomp(lrisoti.. '

eom]Jarison.

,.

•

.. .,,. .

r

~

...

:,

,. . .t

,

·' ., .,,: ··:·

,........

.

\

:_.Y,.»':-·.

-. .

\

.

)

.,

.,·.·.

."' ,

... 'J

~; l

..

.·:.,;· ;:'•

::.,,'.,•.

·:.~

.L. ,..

.....--------

·~---.

l'ersonificatitJ11.

Pers~nijicatiqu.

CHAPTER IV.
rERSONIFICATION,

~90. PE_RS~NIFI~:\-TH?N, or Pro.sopope!a, is a figur.c
~"hrch consists .m as~n.lm1_g life and action to inanimate ob_}ect1. I~ has its ongm m the iu~luence that imagination
and pass10n have upon our percept10ns and opinions.
~l~us. If our perceptions. and opin!ons were dictated and regulated
cnt11 el.v by the understanding, nothmg could appear more whim~ical
and absurd th~n to confound so far one of the capital distinctions in
: 1at11re, 11.s to mterchan.ge the J~ropertics of animated and inanimnted
,iuust.ances, and to nscnbe sentiment and action, not only to vegetn b1es, but. t<;> earth, fire! ~~te1" and cv1~ry other existence most remote
from activity and se11s1~1lity . Strange, however, as this practice may
appear t~ re~son, such is the ase<., ndancy of imaginntion and passion,
th~t noth111g .•s more frequent and meritorious wfth several sorts of
writers, particulad_v orntors and poets.
Example l. Antony, in Shakespeare, thm addr esses the <lead b 0 d
of Cresar :
Y
"0 pardon me thou bleeding pieec of emth . !"

2. cc The sword of Gaul," savs Ossinn " tremble& ·at his side, nn <l

to ngs lo glitter in his hand."

•

'

3. " Ye w oods 111111 wilrls ! \\•hose melancholy gloom
;\ccord~ with my soul's 1ndn~n. nnd draws forth
lhe vo1ce ofsorrow from '?Y bursting heart." Lady Ratldol/1!1•

!191. Not only t~1: inanimate parts of nature arc personifi.ed, ~ut the qualities :ind members of the body; even ab~trnct ideas have sometimes conferred upon them the same
important prerogative.
Illus. Th~s, hope nnd j~ ar, love and haired, the ;/wad, the fumd.,, the
feel, prosperity and adversity, arc often addressed as .inde11enrlcnt Liv' "
.
111.,
a.gents.
~cholium. Human nature is ~ very compounded constitution, of
which the several p~rts strongly .mflucnce one anoth e r. All mankind
have rcmark:ed the srn g ular p~wer -w hich affection and passion assume
(IV~r our nc-t 1ons and our opm1ons. -When we .wish 10 belie ve any re"lat10n, or t.o p~r!orm any action, we seldom.want reasons to persuade
·us tha.t our opm1011s nre .well foun1~ed, a n<l that our conduct is right.
AITect1011, or Interest, g111<le onr not10ns and h<'haviour in tli c ~"' 1·r f
·
·
·
.
. .. ua so
'· ]·~
.1 e ; 11nng111at1on
and passion, affect the s1:ntiments that we entertain
'.·In matters of tnste.

. . : 292. · Th~sc faculties suggest a division of personific~tiou
rnto two ~m<ls ; the first called descriptive, which is adqre8se.d c111efly ~o tl.1e imagination: the second, passionalt,
the ol>Ject. of winch is to alforu gratification to tho p<tssiMtlf.

- - ---

165 .•

Il111s. 1. The conception that we e ntertain of . thepfo~mer of thes~
l"ind r., amou11ts not to conviction that · Jife <R nd inteHigencc are really
co minunicflted to the personified object;. but. lhe .conception :we fol'm
of the latte1~,,ce111s to. amount to conviction, at least for, a •short time. · .
2 . . Wh en 'l'i1omso11 penouifies· tbe· seaso)l,.9, when · Milton ' calls Shakes peare fancy's child, when the ocean is said to &mil~. and t!•e torrent to
.-oar, the most delicate imagination ·is not so. far misled as.4o conclude
I hat th ere is any thing real · in thes.e. suppositions. ' .'flJ_ey. are figure.Ii
co njured up entirely to gratify the imngino·tion ;: aµd ·for .that reason,
exa 1i1ple3 of this sort ara denomirlated ·desctiptit•:e p,e1:so_11ijj.calio11s; ue- .~ .•
cause th ey are concordant, w_ith the ,tone of viyi~c~ty suggested uy de~--·'". -....
~cription . (Illus. Ari 35 .), ·:" ·• ·
~· .. ., ".·
• ·~.::~,
3 . But, iu two of the in stances · already quoted, where the person~ ·
who p erso nify · are agitalell b.y r eal passion, when · Antony addresses
t he cl earl body' of Cicsar; rind ..Lady-Randolph converse;; with the wood~
n nd wilds; the mind is affected in a mu ch more sensible· manner, and
('o ucc iv<'s for a moment that. the · d eception is .c omrlcte· "' As soon as
pagsion s11usidcs, and 1·eJlection . 1·ecciy~ rs .. a'si:~ nda~cy, . the delu sion
•lisappcars, a ml the fiction 'i s d etec ted. Hut as· 1his ·momentary gratifl citfi on is highly agreeable, and even the r eflectioo upon it .is ~!tended
w ith pleasure, it is prop e l; it should ue di st i11 g ui _sh e~. froru ~h e formc_r
~ p1~ cies of personifkatiun; and ' for this ' reasgri' it has been cnllcd pas0

siuna le .

. .. ·

. · ,.

·

.

.

'· · .-

293. As descriptive personification is derived from the
(lisposition of the imagination to ind~~ge. in such vi.c~s of
nature aml art, as teri<l ..must to gratity. itself; · so lije and. ·
motion are capital sources of pleasure, in the contemplation
of the objects with which w~ are surrounded.
/l/l(S. 1. .We feel a superior satisfac tion in surveying the life of anim al s than th a t of vegetnbles; n11d we re ceive niorc gratification in
co nt ~ mplating the life of vegetables, tha.n those parts of natu'r e which
a re commonly deemed inanimate .. \Ye ·rec e ive even . higher pleasure
in h choldi11g tho se anim a ls of the same species, which a .r e endowed
1
with g reat er d cg!ees of.life ,a nd motion .
_' . -.
• ·
• • •
· •
2. l 11 a word., rn all vzews ·of nalure at rest, as -rn landscape., ;- 11.nd m
all 1•iew1 of n a ture, hi m0Lio1i; , t)l!!. more . numerous·
ol.ij ect_i~ are,
e ith er p ossessed onife, .though •.1 ot in m.otion, or possessd. of life, and
actuall_v in motion, the greater, in proportion, is th e power of the viMv
t o charm the imagination, and to c a ptivate tl1e spectator. It. is this ,
tendency of the i111agination, to d elight ·itself, not onl.v with the cont emplation of -life, but of th e b es t species of life, th.at of intelligence,
which induces it to extend this property as widely as possible, because,
by d oing sa, it ci;.tcnds th.e sphere of its own enjoyment. Ji is not
con tent .accordin g·ly, with the contemplntion of all the real life and
action ,~·hich fall under ;is observation; it makes vigorous 1~ 11ertion1
to communicate these vah111ble qualities to many other objects t()
which Provid ence has de.nied th em; to ·vegetabtes, to ideas, and ey~!l ..
to matter totally inert. . ·
.. .
.·
.
·
·'' ·
..;:.- '

the

294. The influence, -0( this figure is so general' an<l powerful as to constitute the very essence .of composition! :ad~,.
lli·esse,d to the imagfoation. ' .

i·

15

, .,. . ,

.' '. .· ,

.. _.

"'.

°'r-"'.I

1G4

l'ersonificati01i•.

Personffication.

this sprightly ornament, arnl yon will reduce the two most beautiful
didactic poems the world ever saw, lo dry, uninterestin g , 1111instructive<letails of natural history. Yon cannot open e ithe r Bf these p e l"formances without meeting examples; I present the first that occurrcfl
to me .
E;rample 1.· Thus fhe author of the Serrs·ons :
"Now vivid stun shi1ie ont 1 in ln1ghterilng lilt•"

.

f:.wmple 2. GriP.f in solilµde. na!uralty_ assumes a s1m1lar ph,rase~lG-·

~y.

'Ihus A lmeria, in th~ Mourmng .Ilride : ,

· ,

.

"o

E:o.rth ! behol<l°I kneel upon thy bosom.
.
Open thy bowels of com}>nssion; t~ke
>. ' \ •
_.
· Into thy womb the laot and most forlorn
Of all thy 'rnce. Hear me, thou ,cummoi1 pnrcnt,
l have 110 parent else. Be thou n mothe!-,
. .
A111I step J>t,tween me an.d the curse o~hu~ ,, ·
lVho was, \Vho was, but is uo more a father.

And bonndle5' A<:thc1· glows, till the foi·r moon
Show• her brond \•isnge in the crimsoc'd F,nst i
Now stooping seem• to ki" the pn., ,ing cloud,
Now o~er the pure cerukan rid~s suhJi1n-r.
N:tture, grent pa1·cnt ! whose direrting band
Rolls r'?uml the season.• nf the chn11ging ~·l'nr,

,

. .,· · .-

~?'-"

..'.

·"· '

•• '

'.• · ·
..,, -

:~ . •11/rn:hmenl utters ilself in a similar manner. Shake s pcarc.1;rnk~"s
lti cha rtl If . vent his feelings to the following purpose, after land mg Ill

llow might y , how 1nnje .. 1ic, :trP. thy \\Ork s !

With what n J>lea•ant dri-acl they swell the sou!,
That sees :utonish'd, and asto11ish'd sings!
You too, ye wiud.•, that now begin to hl&w
" ' ith boist'rous sweep, I raise my voice to you .
'Vhere are your stores, you viewleso be.ing•, s:w !
lVhere yam· ncrial magazines 1·t.,erl'ed
•
Against tile d"ly of tem1>est perilous ?"

Kngland from his. ~xpeditlon in .Irclrrnd:
'.
" I weep for joy
'l"o stand upon my kingdom once again ;
J>ear earth ; I do salnte thee. with l!'Y haml'.

;

Though rebels li'ound thee with their hors.es •hoofs; . ,
As a Jong parted mothe1· ~· i th her c!•ihl.
.
}'lnys fondly with her tenrs, and simlcs m meeting;
So weeping,' smiling, greet I thee •:ny. earth." . · ·

2. The ele;:;-ant Virgilian muse thus sin;s :
iwqu n n1111 ~

4 . I-laired takes hold · ~f tlle same spedes 'of ~xpr~ssion.
;;,.d<lrcsses the ~un, iii ·Pa,rndise Lost: ·

Iutnctos. tua J\l »ecenas ham! mollia jus<n.

·re sine nil nlttun; 1nen1 iurhoat; t.'11 ngc scgnr~.
Ru:npe moras ; vocat ing-enti clamore Cithcron

165

~

" Earth trembled from h er ('ntraih, u again
,.,...,.. r~!· · .;
In pangs and nature gnv" a second groan:
· 1, ,
Sky low:r'd, nml, ,muttering thunder1 s~:ne sad.drops.'·"
'VJ.pt, at completmg of t~e mortal s111. ,
. , .' , .

Illus. Strip the Seasons of Thomson, and the Gcorf:ics of VirgH , ol

" lnte ren Dry:ulnn1 .1y)vn.t , ..:tltn'!qne

' ... ~·:.J(
... - -....

.

Taygetique cnnes. domitrixqu c Epi1laurus c qu orum,
Et vox assensu nemorum ingeminata remugit."

Sntao thus

"o thou!

that with im'rpassing glory c1·own'ol,
J.ook'st f1·om ~thy sol" dominion, like the !;"od
Of this new world.• at whose.sight .nil the s1ars
. Hide their diminhhed head.• ; to thee I call,
llut with no friendly voice, and add thy name,
·o Sun! .to tell thee how .I hate thy beams,
That bring to my remembrance from what state
l fr]I. Ho~ glorious once above thy s.ehere !" .

./inalysfr. Every n'!ud er will p erceive how mu ch the se p;i ss~ CT(r, t.tc
f!nlivened by the personification s with whi ch thr.y abounrl. "Every
thing appears to liYe and act, and t~ imagination is charmed with a
succf!ssion of vivid pictures .
Obs. Essays of all kinds admit th e u se of this fi g ur e , and eYcn hi story on some occasions. It is freque11tiy frrnnd in oratory' partictrlarly
t hat of the ancients; and i{ is sometimes d i.;covcred i11 moral <li scorti-s·
cs among the moderns.

.· ~:t t<-.
:..

~

5 . .Tay also dcligh~s in. person_i~cntion: Adam 's exulttttion at his
first interview with Eve 1s beautifully pamtcd by Milton. All i:iaturc.
i.5 ali\'C to share their happiness.
11 _
•
To the nuptial bower

295. Passionate personijication results from the moment~
ary conviction which the violence of passi(ln is <1nalified to
inspire,~that the inanimate o~jccts which engage its attention are endowed with sensibility and intelligence.
·
Illus. The passions as sume the m os t dcci s i,,c influence ovc:'r ont'
opinions and actions, and, on some occasions , totall,v discompo se :'In•~
perplex the mind . · They pull 1lown n~ ason and c onscience frr)m thPil'
throne, and usurp snch· an nbsolnte dominion in the hnman fran~e, that
the waves of the sea in n storm are not more completely subject fo
the tnrbnlenc~ of thE: winds. .
·
2. If the passions arc capnblc of producing th ese prodig ious c fl~ct~,
..-e will not hesitate to allow th em that sway 'whiclr is requi site to ac count for passionate personification. But in· whatever manner we
shall account for the phenomenon, we . cannot rlouht of its reality ;
and that all passions, when excited to extremity, possess this pow er, is
evident from the high relish which we entertain for such examples ,
wh<:!n ·propcrly exhibited.
.
Exa11171le 1. Fear prompts I.his figure; Milton , ~ p e aking of the rnf·
·i11g uf the forbi:Jdea fruit , thus si11~i :

.•

I kll her, blushing like th·e morn; nil heaven,
Ami happy constellations, on that hour .. ,.
Sh ~ll their selectes t inHucnce ; the earth
.
G:n'e signs of gratuh1tion, and each hill ; ~ '
Jo yous the bir<Ts, fresh gnles', and gentle ~n·s ..
°\V hi•J>erd it to the w1>mls, and from their wing•
}' lomg rose, flung odours from . tl~c spi~y _shrub
ni , porting ! Till tl1e amorous bird of mght,.
Sung spomnl, and hid haste the '"'e11i11g st!lr
On his hill-top, to light the hridnl lamp."

,-.. L

/

G. The impatience of .Adam t.o know his . origin, is s ~tpposc<l io
i 1 rompt the personification of all the objects .· he Le held, m order to
prQcurc in format.ion :
,
..
.
"~ .... Tho_u Sun, saitl I, fai1· Ji ght ! .
· And thou enligl1tencd Earth, so fresh and g:ny !
Ye hilh and <lal es,,ye ri vers, woods. and plat11s,
./\ml ye that live , and mun·, fail" crentures telJ;,
Tell, if you saw, how came I . th)ls, lu-!w ht::re .
1

Scholiwn. These examples evince, that a great part <:ft.he mos~ eJ:pre.pive /r111 g 1wi.;e of 7iassfon i,s persQnYicr1tio1:, ·an1d "thal it is pc_..:uhnrly
fHl<1pted to the more interest mg st:enes oLhfeJ ;}\·here tl.1e pass1011s .a re

''

I

\66

i

Perso12ijication.

fJ ei·sonijiwtioi i.

•
w~und np to the highest pitch . \.Ve 1
this c?hsequencc from t.he violent ciiso s. ;ouldf •;nlcec.1 n~ttll'al!.v e;<fi.cd
he i·ehshed ; fo1" without ·1scendin t 0 II er o I ie m111cl Ill which it cn11
lunacy anti distraction rc:tson cang . .'~rnlt d:;!·an g cment which infers
•
I
'
sca1 cc Y oucr a g-reatcr
.,.
passion, t rnn to admit the order of 11 . 1 .
'
• · sncnncc to
·
·
•' l1I e to he revers e I
d ·
·
. ·
ma t e ex•~tence to be cntlowccl wit 11 l'f . 1 . .
-< , nn 111aniE ·
z 7 II
1 c .mt 1nteJ1 10.,·(·nce
.•. iamp .e . ,.\ the best lmgedic~ .1 II I1 1
:
f.J_1e most finished fJric llOC11I.~ bear'.'1 1 '1 1 _1 : _nost pass1'.111atc scenr.s in
1
shall exhibit onlv anoflrnr <Jt;otatio 11' ~ P c l~imony to its truth. lVe
t
I
· ·
·
'
mm I H! 1-n ost pPrfrct pl ·
f I
m~s comp de pamtcr of the lang11a1r • ' f . . 1
,.
.1_v ." t ie
height of his clistrcs<; JH'rsonilie< ~ 110 1': . •' 1 pass!o 1. h111g Lear, 111 the
l1C cons1l
·I crs as combin
' ed
. . with h'··'- .. nc •11- ·s il''amst
the· cir..men t s, w J11;:
• J
<>
1
·
· 1• l 1•rng 1itcrs lo procure his tll'stnu;tion ,

1

And of so gre~t a favour gl'owing pl'oud, · .
Disdain to root the summer s11>elling flower, . ,
Au~make rough winter en!lastin~1y."
· · ' '.,,__

;!Jnalysis. ~ Here the earth, which we usually .c·an

1

xom

cnl! you s1 ·n-il~ rninistel's,

298. Another error, frequent .in <les~riptive personi.ftcalioiis, consists in introducing them when ,the .Sl!.bJect .of, dis1:ussioh i.s destitute of dip;riity, and the reade~·:: is . not , p,repar~l to relish them. · ·
, , ;

.
two pernicio11• ilnn htl'n . . d
'Your hig h· eng~ ·n<kn·d .battles 'g-dinsf a h~~~omc
So old nud "h1te ns tins "

296. ! n treating of gender, ( .flrt. 56. illus 3
l4
.
took notice that 11 r r I
. . mu .) \\'C
:11lvantan·e 'in :na1:~~11,::11g ·~ l 1;~1gu:1gc pos>;csscd a si11gubi.1·
Jronoun~ s; ;;;
- o )Je1so111:.1tcatwns, by emploJ•irw the
u
<f;n'!JlWnt ol sex
In. II 11
.
ri
'.>bjects must be deao1~in~t~d l.Jy tLt o ie1t· ~ases, rnannnate
ll
ti · I .
.
e neu e1 pronoun . and
.I
. l 0 !Cr a;)O'
. ,. ~ Ua<r
. o fS , 110 distinct'10 no f' benuer
can take·' phce'
:n re:·son:.1 cat1ons, because the D'en<lers of ti . .
. .
·111v"IT'IJl
1~ t
.
.
o
1e11 nouns are
, .. ,_ ..... e. JU a writer rn English is left at lilJert to
,ulopL
either the nutle or ./'l'emale
8f'T. a11•l i't .
.,
. ·
_., ~
'
1s o f some y
con s equence to attend to tins c1rcum..,tancc bcca . .
.
ties are not un common.
~
' . ' use rn1propne-

Example. One can · scarcely peruse the follciwi11g quotation's with
composure. Thomson thus personitie~ and connects the ·bodily appe•
til es, u11LI th e ir gratifications. ·

l

" Then sated Hung·e1· bids his· brothe1· Thirst
Produce the mighty bowl ;
Nor wanting is the brown October, drnwn '
lllature and perfrct, from his ll:trk retreat
Of thirty years ; nm! now hi • honest fro11t
· J:<'lamcs in the light rcf~lgeut;' '

ff

1H.r:; o111{1 c at.on :>.

Of S a ta n, he sings,

E.ramp!e ~- Shakespeare; sometimes great in errors us In beauties1

fo r

C~e~palra :..

" • - - • • • The city cast
Its people out upon he1·; 1u1d Antony,
Inthrou'd in the mm·ket-placc, di<! sit nlone,
\Vhistl.iug to the air, which but for vuc1ulcy
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra loo,
And macle a gal' in nnllirc."

• • • · J·li• form
l~:-ul not lo.s.t :ill hr. r ori g iirnl b!-ig·htm>sg,
Nuz appear d less than archaugel l'llin'd."

~~99. So also, addressine; the se...-eral .parts of one~s body,
they were aniroated, I~ not congruous to the dignity of
passion.
·

as

. .?nal,1/s-is. If ih e personifi cation of ti f . 0 f 0c .
. .
s hould certaiiilv Jinv e been
,~e oim . atan.was aclm1ss1hle;
to the pcn•on of i{ male . ,' . mascu m e. A fe~1:~lf' form ," conj oined
l~.r. Jlrl. 297.) .
' seems to approach the rnl11:1dous . . (See Jhirtl .

1t

if.

E:i:amplc . For this rcaso11, \Ve mnst c~ndemn the-followino-0
in Pope's very beautiful poem of Elllise". to Abelord:

297. -:\ c~pitul e rror in prrsonillcation, is to <l"cl- tlie
110-nrc
· c1rcu111st:mct•'"
· 'J•
" '
~ . · ·will· 1j <~n t as 1·1c. a11< I lri·1hnv
" Jll"lcli'c"
() I t 1llS . ·t 1
I
I
'J'
L,
, , .- ~
•
.._,
. . sm < isso vcs t 1e p~rtent charm which cncha11ts a!Hl
(1ec~tnes l 11c reader, and either leaves him <lissatistieu· i) r
exci es, per1iaps, his risibility.
·
. '

.r.

" ~~e •h~ll be <lignifie.<I with this high honour
~J° henr Ill) lady's train ; lc•t the hase t·ani~
• 1.0llld from her ~e•ture cb:m~e lo ~ten.I a kl s ~,

Speaking of Antony ,a_nd

oulllo_e s Thoms.o n.

.
s for tlie followin g

B:rample. Shakespeare will furnish an example of this sort.

our . mo,the~,'; ·(Ex.

i hing more than a defective taste in the poet. .

11!1' c, with

• .Rrnmplc-, l\Jilton has cho se n unsuitable gend er

.\

dJ'ec t would be " to make rough winter everlastingly,'' _marks ·some- ,
.
.·

ho1;l'lhle chspll'asnrt'. He1·., I stm1d your b. , •
n 110~1-, infirm. w~nk, nnd rlespis 'd ohl nmn r ia\e'
~ h.1t

1
'

• • lG(

2. Ad. 295.) is degraded by -being termed" base," (Ex : 3., Art. 295,)
Ot1 the supposition that the earth is a person, .. jt was -compctcnt.-tQ the .
. poet to give her lips " to steal a kiss." But ·then'. to fancy the earth
" growing proud" of this.· " fa\'our," ant:! disdaining '''. to root the summer smelling flower,'' is a ridicule 'of all ·figurative commQ.nication·;
s ince, as flotVers would embellish her bosom, she prefers,· to the .pomp
of dress, • the pleasure of a kiss. Gut we may surmise that the poet
personifies the earth as a male, since It is rather a masculine preroga;
!iv_e" to steal a kiss." Now, ' " so gTeat a favour," in place of cooling
h-is heart, was calculated to· inflame it ; thereforn to imagine that the

• '" IJ t :l.:"'t. not yon. ye d cmcnts, with unkirnhu' A ~
"oe, CT gave you liing-ciom s, cal I'd you chilci;en .
... ?u .owe 1~1e 110. snhsti"iption; theit ki fhll .
'
· J· U.t )~t _I

...... :..... ...

passnge~

" Deur fatnl name! re1t e\·er unrcvenlcd, ·.'
: Nor pnst these lips iu holy 1i1C'nct· •C'nkd.
·Bide it, my hen rt, within t!int close clisguise,
· 'Vhe1:e, mix'cl with God's, his lov'd idea lies:
.
. Oh ! wrik it not, my hand !~hi• name aepea1·s ·
A\ready writte11 :-blot it out my tears !" · "
·...... ,,.

\

~11alpsis. Here arc 'several different objects and parts ;of . the body '
Jtersomfie<l ; and each · of,them is., addressed or spokeri to i'' let us con- ·
sider with what ·propriety.' :Th.e '61•st· is 1 the .name of Abelard: ' l Dear · •,
'

•

'.

'(

t.;;)f"<

• :,

'

~

;,·c,;I

. ..

'

.·

'

• iler country calla her Eloise, Pope El'oiia : I :writc \Ile orlhograph7 •f eitn~r. ·

15'*

_;

j"' ..
~·

1
!

~A ..

•I

~

z<.,....
.. .............................................
,, nmrn · · - 1wwe
n tn t _....,._..~
· s
-·- - - - I1111~·:m~M:t']""
~.
~.~....,,~~'""""---·---•> ...................
' MW . .._....,...,......
~·~
....'"""'"""~~.....~.,._....._...~-~..............-e -a.._..._....,..,...,...

1

+'t»nd

,.
,,

an~visit

N

.. ;._:·; .:

" Did l but purpose to ernhark with thee
. ,
- 011 the smooth surlace of a sununer'S se:i, ·
~.
'While gentle ·.tephyrs play il1 pro•p'1·ous gate• 1 · ·:
·
And fo1·tune's favour fills tht: swelling saib,
' _,;
ll1it would fonake tho ship, and make tht0 shore, . ·
Wh en the winds whistle, aud the tempdts roar ?
1

to

•

No, 'Henry, no."

CHAPTER V.

{} .soJ . A l . LEGORY is a species of writing, i n which ol1t'
. nng I~ .ex_rrcssed, and another thing is understood. Th ~~
,11~~lo~y IS m~e nd.e d to be so ?IJ\'io_us, that the reader cannot
1~ ws~ t 1e/pp~1cat10n, but he 1s left to draw the llHl(H'l" coll £ us1011 ior Ins own use.

till~

'*'

t'

td

T~~; b:~!~~:t ~~

l:

1 · · -

·,

Example. Akc11si1le employs a beaL1tiful allegory, of ihe or11amentul
kind, to communicate a very famili a r sentiment, that industry is necessa ry to llCquire repu tation in every line of life, though some men
.a re more susceptible of _culture than others.
._.

!

tl11~

•

instruct.

1

whi~h J~ass

••

so~. Allegories may be <livi<led into tlt1'ee hinds; first,
ihose calculated for orna11icnl: · seconilly, those designed for
instructio.n:. and thirdly, those intended· both to adorn antl

ALLE G ORY.

!~:\:~~

•

Sc holimn. From these· examples it will appear, that allegory par ".
tak es of the nature of 'hlclaphor and comparison in resp ec t of resem·
/Jlan.ce, though it is not altog eth e r arescmblauce of' the same I< ind. · In
allegory no supposition .is ·made, even fot· a moment, tha.t the primary
object is convcrtccl into the resembling oqe ; , \ls is don.e· in· the case of
metaphor. ·· Nor is the similitude between the primary and resembling
ohj ec t pointed out, as is p erformed when c ompariso ns are 'employl;d.
We are left to discover the · application , an<l to .make :the . proper infer"encc. We arc satisfied with discerning ' the general ptirpose of the allegor.Y, without ·inquiring · with ·minut.c ness iulo· the interpretation of
every µarticular circumstance, b ecause circumstances ar.e sometimes
addrd, to adorn or complete the picture, without peir;ig. intended to infer any applicntion. Alle gory dilTe rs from metaphor and simile in an o th e r point. Almo~t all the subjects of allegory nre personified; aml
these consist sometimes t>f thing·s inanimate , .sometimes of abstract
ideas. F e w metaphors or similes ad.m il pers<m~fication.

SOO.
· .,.
l .· In
I prose
. ·- co
. mpostuons,
t 111· s fi1g 11rc requires to be
1
fit~\·tw\t std! grea:cr mode1;:1tion. arnl lleli cacy. The sam~
TI Y s 1 ~ 0 t .allowed to the 1m agt11af1 e n th ere, as in poetry.
1.et same ,1ss1st.a11 ccs cannot be o!Jtai1tc1l for raising 1 ).:.s~ i·(J.'I
s rro1'c · I ·I t I · I 1·
....., '
to
ef 1st.yl;~.
l
1c 1~ '. 'J tie urce of numbers, a111l th e gl1>w

derst'Z1:1\\~~rnct10'.1

whicl{tlrfrlgh~hand .

an1l behold
this vine; ·an<l the viueyar<l
li a th planted, and the branch that thou ma<lcst so strong for thyself.."*
2. Prior's H e i1ry and Emrua contains another b eautiful example, in
which human life is the primary .oliJect, and a 'Voyage also the allegori•
Clll one. Any reader of discernme11t .will easily tni.ce-,tbe. application .
Emma addresses Henry. :
·
>'··
·"' ·

fatal nam e ! rns l e ver ·,, & , T ti .
ma<le . For ~s tl1e 11·1'1 cf.
o 11s, n.° r er.sonablc o hjcc t io u can ;y .
1 "·
' ne o
a p c r ~o 11 olt
r <l f
I
self, ancl s ugrrp>'fs ·thn s·ime i
ens an s or t 1c perso n him .
· •.
1
sufficient tlie-~i·t)'
," t ;: ,'. eas, 11 can bca i· thi s perso 11ili ca tio11 with
•
'>'
•
ex ' 1, 1.1 rse speaks to he rself· · <l
' fi
·
' an p er so 111 ies·h c r
11eart for tl11 s purp ose. " II' 1 .
As the li(•ai·t ·
. · · , .·
•c e it, my h cGr t , within that close " &c
"
15
·ora ni-.
lW111fierl
1
' put·
for· t.hc· mind
·
·p·1rt
' ' • 0 ft'.ie I tllllJan franw , nnd is oftrn
1
when from her h ~a 1~ c~ ;o:1s, t.11~ al;o rnny pa ss with o11t blmne. But.
write his name ti1·s ·. Hf· .J>~ ssels·to icr hall(!, n11d tells he r han<I nut
1· 15 01 cel ,md unnatur·tl ·
·
·i· I I
"
ow, and not in th e si d e of I
• ~ .· ' .• • ' a. P.<!rsontH!t ia1Hl is
Iworsr,
when in the (·st I r ue ~ ,1 ,s 1011' ,rn d the l1 g un ! becomrs still
h e r hand ha;) w1"1tt.c11" '~Oacl c', s ·~ cx.horts her tears to Ll ot ont w hat
·
l
writ e 1t not " c,
'J'I
· ·
two lin P• an a · . ·r c ·
· .
' 0<c.
ierc 1~, in th ese
.• , 011 ' I 11 ·I0 . I pwrammat
·l
·
·
sngo-e s ts.
·"' l
. rc concc"t
. . i , 11 ·I·
i1 c ' 11:it 1 n~ pas~ 1 011 ll"VC'l '
,.,
' " t IV
· IJ I e lo tJie te nd er n ess .whi
.. ch
bi·eathes
th
(' 11<c 1 1s a too-~l.·ti ICl. · un~uita
roug 1 tne r es t o f that exce ll ent poem.

Illus . It ·is for this reason cmploveil cliicf1 w\11·11 a wr·
.
•:ommunicate ~ome important. i11te f1 ;.,. " , , .01 <l 1.· . ,
•.l c r ilcsll"cs .to
led to delivei· it ·
I· ·
.
,,'... ice
n
IC<, hut. is n ot pcnni te onv ' .
. Ill I' ,un te1 m s. It is . also u sed for ornament or t
?o as to interest t!1 c i111a gi11atio11 , aml flatt er th e
l•.'xampl ; ] byf~v11:~ th~ reader the app <'a r<tn ce of instructing him sc i f.
the following. in ,~\11\ c't1a~1,.1.nore cdor~ect all ego ry is not to be found tlin ~
,
n
·m eyar IS m"<le to repre
t G d'
th e .Jews
" Tl
I .. · b .
·. "
· .sen
o s peoplc
I
.'
.
Jou ia s, ' o ng- ht a Yllle out of Fg·y11t . ti
out the h eathen and phHt <l i't
Tl .
.
~
' 1ou rn st cast
rliclst cause it
take cl~e ~-oot. an< l?ll preparr.dst room before it, and
r:overr.d with the shadowpof it' am! 1:1 fil~d t1;e. l~nd . The hill.s werP.
goodly cedars. She sent out h~r bouo-~: u~:~gt~e \';~c:~dw~re ,1_1k e thhe
cs unto the river · \Vhv
' • I . he r Iuranc , h ast t 1ion t t"1e n broken <!own
1
th ey
by
w:1y do pluc k her ?
Return <l doth "ast e it, and tlw wild beas t of the field doth devour it
' we beseech thee, 0 God of hosts; .look down from hcarcn ;

. ·.~16{)

Jlllego1'Y·

Ji lie' I:>C/()" r"t;J! .

"' • • "' "' • . • • • Ji\ V;t:iD,
. . r ' ' ~.
•• \•;~
'Without fair Culture's kin<l iiareiital aid,
· -~,
'Vithout enliv'ning suns and genial showen,
.11 nd shelter from the blast,-m vain we hope
The tn1der plant should raise its blooming head,
. Or yield the harve•t ·11romis'd iii its spring. · ---:. ·
Nor yet will e•ery •911 with equal otores · , .• .
Repay the tille1·'s labour, or atte,ml
.
His will obseqniou•, whether to ·1Jroduce
i ·
The olive or the laurel."
:·
· ·'

· .·,

.-·:

·, ·

1

.

Jlnalysi$. The chief merit of this example appears to .be. eituate<l· en~-·"'.
..

lirely -ii) the expression.

,

· ·

·

•

•

O L·

'.

.... . -, , ,

:

.

,

·. · <1 ·• v

,..;-

~·;. . ·.

second sort .o(allcgQ"
ries, is to communicate instruction. · :.;;:_ · .'.:
'.P ~":.i,-.
' ' ·~.1.'
-- ~·/ " :
303. The principal purpose of the

j
I

J

_.Y._/:

\

-

.

-

:

..

: .... \ .

..

i ':,

.... it···
•. , ' • .~! . '

'

-

'•

170

/lllegory.

li··L

Example. Quin ctHian informs 11 ~ · (l"l.1 R) l .
•
the Laced?~mouinns to Pl 11·1·
J·" ' : L . t iat the fo.Jl ow1ng r e p i'y c.:-·
·
'
'
'
ip,
'111g
of Macedon cl
.r
·
1
unce with so me unreaso u n Ule r . . ·r
: · 1 c n~ a n mg complicnse of r e lu c tance was famous e 'l1~11 s 1 ilolnG, ,IJld thr ea te nm g ho s tiliti es iu
0 er n
· rc1 m on ian
'
· · u of
I 'l11·1·1p, t I1c Ln ced
s r
. •r eecc.' T o th e r eq 111· s1t1o
fi us was at Corinth " .'.
eturned this laconic answer, that" Dionv-

'frgsioll ci ~Vh·tu~ l1ers cl f, the labour and (•1tigue .wli ic.h n w:tited her VO•
tnries. Virtue r e to.r ts. .' with severity. a nd · Justice.,· S h e. triumphs over
h c1· rival , and prompts Hercules to und l' rtake tho'se ' gi'~ at a j1d merito rious a c hievem en ts, . which ' pave rendered liim the 'object.
'the admiration of all ag es.
·
·
' ·

of

S06. Tim TABl.JJ,ATUilE ' OF '°C,EBE§, fa· constructed on a
larger scale, _and leat..ls ,to ,:, allusions hiuch ·: incire" particular.
lt proceeds from . the SU pposjtion,'"..that_' SOri\e ·~· u 11coinmon
painting, alluding to .the ·rarity of the kno\ylet..l,ge ..·ancl prac:-. .·.
tice of virtue, of which 'few people un<le1:stood the meaning,""::;.,
had been suspent..le~ ·in .the :te!nple 9f8atu rn:" ~· ·,i .
·
·

. Analysis. Philip le.new well the his t or
f D'
. .
•
lum to mak e the application
y
'lly o
10nysm s, and th ey le ft
auswer, when vo11 nrc i;;for~ ed f~u
uncl ~ rsta 11<l t1.1e import of thi s
iu Si c ily . that h e i\·as b . l1 1' fill
ionysms ~a s l11n g o f S vracuce
'
'
'
nni s c< r 6m his cou ntr
d
·
., '
co unt of hi s ty i·ainiv ; a nd th at to .
.Y an cro wn , on a coblig-ed t() ~ubmit to th e l
T '.
pi octirP. subsistence, h e h a d h P. c 11
in Co riuth:
' ·
Ht mi iatm g employment of teaching a schoo l

:V1·

fre~~!~ 1 lf;~:~1c;10~~~~11 ~~~~imcn~

.Illus. I. Th e painting consisted of thrne · compartmen.ts '; one very
}nrge, co mjirehcndin g th e other. t.wo. The firs 't c'c'.in11iartm cn t represented human life, into which .nil men el'ltcr; the other two compartments denoted the di vis ion of 11·1e11 into. good _and bad, .th e larger containin g th e bad, a nd th e lc ssc1: the good. · Error and . ignorance apprn1·
Ht the ga te of ·th e first compnrfmen1,.· and of th ei r cup all .men drink
w m e porti on. Prejudices·, predilections, nn<l pl eas ures; next s uc ceed
in the ga rb of harlots; to , seduce.";'· and · by' them ··aisb all mankind
arc, more or less, misled. V they arc followed .too far, they co11- .
1iuct tbeir votaries. into . the larger compa rtm ent, and ,consign· .them to

of. all egf''Y' the ancients
1
0
th e principl es and 1;racticc ~y ~fi~~~·c ~ ;;( e~· to l:eco1.nm c11d
well as 1.0· the t111tlerstan<li1io- Tl
I le 1magmat1on, as
low them in this. ' '
o·
ic mot erns sometimes fol 1

.
_lllus. '1.'he addi·c ss a nti knowlcd o-p f 1
tl11 s co11tnvancc lllerit 11 ·I ·
"' · o . 111man nat111 c drsplayc<f uy
.
tu c i co mm ~11 da t1011
The ·1 ti
f .
.
G· 1.e~cc , · 111
all p opu lar writiiw~ "" 11 '
·
• u iors o ancient
JlHICh <'lt.tach1nP 11 t f() n 11 ,. .-r n,.; r·.., ,0 ~~ ·- ... . •• )? 0 litic~J and iu orai , dis c ovct
1
~t::.a~ h 11 hlto aud Xeno ph on have
u~, ~ 11 · .· J l!:_: . _:._,._: d ue 1Hu1als~ o i
Wllh fr'!urntiv,.. n ll q < i nn~ to , 11 . • . •
, • 0 many s p ec im e n .~. abo1111<l
~r e atcr·1a rt of th~;, -- ·-;,... ·;-· , " t ttil s a~in_occupa !i n1 ~s of Jife ; :uid th e
.\ !! '
I .
.
. ar~t.ml n t s t.lwv ronfnrn ,., ,.,. r•r· l 1 , . l f'
, .
.
t. i
t , ( . I ! ~ ! 1~ ..; I i : I \ . r , l l l i l l 11 l
r .i .
1, I • 'I ,
. , 1r ' t
,! '.
I ~ : 1 l l .· I l ,

lc.:h

i

i

·"' ( '

f '

"' / '

p :)rfj (· 11hu l\' iu \·i c n· ·1
....-

1·" · .'-.?nnpi ir) n
. •

•" _

-~

' 'le,

l

"' r

.

'

,

...

., ·

I

1

t!
,

1 ,"

.' f .' ffT

,Jr

' . 'J .

' ''"."! \ \· n ~ r n ; ~ ' r I11 (· f1
f' f • . ,. .

'>

I

/ , ·: tdH

rt;" ('

IUlL'll'L' S

.

lt!wra t 1•

-'

'

" ·

·

'

l l.1 I

\1l1ctl!t' 1· ! 1t'

'-I

·

"

·

J

i'

flli'

!>

' 1

J.:~l\t.:

;-

!

1·;1•. :t11t 1ii i" ( !l f { ' (11"

I. .

· I' Ir 'I " ' t I11 ·

111 · I·

Wll. 1

;

!

.

p r:l(' <" P(k

I1

Iii
1
·•
•
·1 ) .
I 11 clJ ltie 1l1 ; 111 ~ i ' H h iJl
pal z 'r 11 cl 1 led lo iltt• tPmplf' of Virt11 r .
l! /11 .< 111 tfii , n it' ·· i

I , , .\

\\ 1_:

11H1tr- r1.~. pl" f'<:::Cr\ ·1·11

n.

~ i (__'ClitJ .

qJ,., 1,, ,1 :,, .. 1' 11·

TT 1•11

. 1<1 _, l l l i lL'1 (11 t k
w lie 1rn:Hf 11drrl

·I

'/'· J-

l 1-1 I i( '(

.,.

~u11pm: 111on !!i:t1

1· r,

i :

· -·-.:. 1. . . .r.11,

i

IP

•

J J[j;.• , \ l

,d_l,i.
.-

! : i

t' ~

in
II/: : ('Xl1ili it· ·d i •J. t.J
.

ll:f//l{lJl

•

lie ll~l111<1IHf ,l{fcr•oe11
' . . ·l f
i • .
..
. .~
, -fl J<.; ~ f'l],' r) rt.' 1.:;/J , , .'."1 ' ''!' 1!1; .. ·•
l

•

L ..•-..t :..t'.a~auc e ,

iit ::itt

t

ihr:

r · ;11· 1'! '!' ,

·'

!

,,

'

,

o1

ti

ie

.

l
. .
j( ,l
<.:1.i 11 1l1 111 L
''"
J ' l ~llT 1Jd 1"I
1
I
.
1. p • .:1 • tt-P t '_d1 •,: 1111d 1" 1" II . . If ,
. .· J
,
,
i _\. I It: !~ IH Jdt·~'-· " ~ ri•
I
;
·
lf •l , r'll l Jf ' :t
P.t l :l i ' .; < ( .\ J"
,. ,
·
,
l1y ~urn ~ pf'r ;;: 11 ;1 rl <' 11 ; , 11 t'l -1 _o_
.•
- .1
•
111 1 I \ 1l ;~: td \' 'Il l! ~ . n f1 11
< ' ti 11111 , ' i 1 \ t I 1• l l l li) t l ii -- j
J

.
.
r c. ,.
\
ic pcr::;on s , the dress, th e n1:in11Pr ~ ~nf t 'lr~
~ p c c t1: e il iJu Jc ..,.
:u1J c h :1 r :lrtrri :-. t it ·. F!c n -nr·. ,1" , ,. , . .
.
:111_· fJJ c!!lrr·,<.;1!11"
• . .
. .
'
~ .1 . • r. .1 · " s ' " " ' l1r, 1 .,. l 1
,J .tLe t., a11L1t:1pa11~ h<"r rival
Sf
. . . . f.
' "'" T1"'"tc11~
1.1·1
:
_
.
• .
· - 1e 1 1iltf1· ~ 1 1n-l t o , ,,. 1 . ' ~',
. 1<•"· rnents \\'h1< - ~J th.e rnn."'t l n:i.. ttnou
. s. 11narr1t1ut·
•
· . -·-· ·· l ' ' .t L.i., rt.t; n u tuosc f·nr l\~ .11 It~fflns n·ith p.1t i'-.: lH:..: 'c.! !ill t:};.n r.r b •• .i~n ;:nn '' t!" l~I~•"' _; Hnd }t(~T
had to b es to·IV. Virt ue th e
~ ., ~:'u 1 '. 1 "' ;i..es Luc grat1h£ations sh·~
""'
.
n accosts 1 11111
"• fl· .,._ ·' · ·
u u' e acquaint~
hini~ th at 11<> trttr• r.,
l 10.. :lt• •t""('c
• • '"' •
.!I i., _11 1, uc t: 1sn·e tou e .
.
t ' fi
.
.
.
.. n1.nr iapp 1111 .s, f
h f' p rocu r e d \Vitliou
t •r r- t rt ·
.,
" - : ' r gr a I 1r:td1u 11 ~ is f q
,.. r '1
u 1-i"uo d d e,.,
ri •
.
a I nnf" ran scc n rt: tl . - . .
,r« 1"c:. 1" - ct11
- ~
e(t~ _; an
tnClt rncr it
.,
.
1c 1•'Jl<'tt n nd p· wnru ··u,•I
f
l
.
J. 1avmg expl1t i11 ed h e r views 't
. · " ' 1' 1 0 i;f)t s urnt mc11.
tf
, . .
.. .
' l IVas ll f'<P~~nrv ~hr •hnu l -1 '" " , . •
Jc tn111ty and fuulity of the en'o,
· .
.1. ·· ·· J.. 1.i a ,e 011
the author has admirably prese/v Jclmfnts p~1:m 1 se d by Pl.easnre ; and
n:iodesty of Virtue, u , makin . p e t ie d ~l1 c acy of th e p1P.ce, and th.-.,
nmJ, and begin the llttack i~J !ensure mt e rrupt th e speech of her·
' '
•
ensure a ttempts to in for' f!'om the con·11

•

r

•

'

1, 1utter v, v. hu

~uvu t: U UH l H t t_l1t·1a

;t 1s 1; n r _t n r~ llHL~t p::.L~ut 11 ~ 1tl_ 1 j
"t'~~l!t

th0.t parn: 1~111r!l Jes~ rrr.:-i 11c1 1t c d tii;i.n it
:-:te ~' P th.it 1n·1 :1\· tr:in · ller~

tq ht' . qrer(·l ! t>"i ! tp an e111i:1t>11 1 ·e ~o
;1J 1i11·c1 ;;cli :u1d :-.:.1 1rY c y it , b11 t llCYcr ~::t\•i1 1 i,t

to c-.i1rnH 1il n~ ii . ( '11 tlii~,
Tf' J1 1pr·raucc and ~\l11deratirq1 haYf' 1H·cupicd .---.1 0 tio11:.:, n11d ;1rf' rc11d .v t o
.. tH · co nr '"'f. l'\' can d id;-de ~·';'ho lit'ctl :-; tl1t--ir H. .. ~ t :--. l a 1:1 _ ,-.
l\n ~ :i1ttlt.• ttnd
·\ r t iv itl' so ot; join tflf'm , af!<'r aorf"tHlin~· !hf' <'n1 i11rnt·r, :rnd !f'ad lh<"n \
t o 1l;i' ;tbodes .o f\\ isd fJ 1;1 :0 11d I l~ jljli n <'>- llN<' l h•'_Y lllf ' PI 1,i t li l'r " ' 114 ·ri1_v. Tr~i!H}llili~y . ~11ti:.:factl,J11. ;o11d Jf ,';i lrh , in lilt· flr~t. p laff'; :1H d
:1ltcn, :u ·dc: , \Yitli a t~T,_ 'at gro 1_1 p uf fh! · Htf i ~ t 1il(·f1:..:.:11.1l and liapry con\-

1,e '1
1" 1·ri •1t,
•
' ...
• .l'.

J! lca--U r<'

l.ll.'"~Ufj- , .:\\· tui..: t: , u r

t o So n:o\v, .Rernor;;P '. Pu11isim~ent, n11d. Desjia~r. · After wandering· for
s o: n ~~ l une lll tile r cg1 0u3 of I( o!ly, t!: c 1r !Tun L~ cc inpl e te d, u n les s ,. hy
;j("1' id f ' 1d ~ tlicy Cl)("-'.J!lllhT thr' gTf';d p11ysician n cpr1it~ITlC(', y<, Lo, if !11 1'y
;11T ,-;-ii ii11g t n suh 1nit _to hl.1 fjirC'rt:21;:::~ u ridr-i"t n Lr:-:: t l; cir c111f' , ;ind firiai h '°'" ".1 11 c ts t he m to tli•; s nwll C'-'!ll!"U l!t1 1:l!l 1 ~. ! 1 tl fil e h appy a!.HJllc5 of
\ \ i '" ''Ill .
, :~ li ut .tli o t1 .~h ~orn r Tllf'l1 rea<'h ~ !1 f' r1: ~· ; n n~ :lf.\\'i " (.!n tn ii y t l1is :- ont~~

11i1111 oi 1S, l ut eg ril.), C o11 tc 11l HH:nl , . F 1jl'nd . ; hi p, h~ J J\1 \\-lct.:ge,. \\"la:1t1 ,
J,1i_:.:. 11i : _,.- , F:1 11; 1·. T L c:,· :1rc, iii :1 \\ 01 d, lt ' !l dl' rcd s1 q)('rior t n tit <' ~1c· .1 t1T
j i <ll t ui tl l u..,c u1i ::i(J.1r l l1 11 c .. , ~\ l1i1.:l 1 ~o 11Hlt:li d i ~tuil1 tLt~ LapJ,i llt'.:--:-, i._,[ 11 1;11 1·

•

'i

l'. i!lci; an d expnience as much o f the enj o yments o f g od s ns·i s com ..
l'~' t r·t 1 t to 11 11i r 1 ;1 l Itli ' t l.
· Corot . Surh views of htiman life are extremely captivating, particularly to yot1n~ mi n d s. The y nrrny Virtu e in the m o st cii a rn1i11g col o urs.
"fli cy l' 1 i ;._;~1g e the i 1na;:~: i 11 ;\ tiGn , a t1 d even t li 1· Ji:: ss iou:-:, 011.l 1r-r ~idc, and
form Ili c m os ! pow e rful bulwC1rk agai n s t th e C<H:roaclimc11t of Iniquity

anJ l'ully .

507. The third ::,art of allep;ories are calcu late<l botli fo r
orn ament and instruction ; and of this species may lie accounted the allegorical personifications which arc often in-,
tro:lucct! into epic poetry, and some times into tragedy,

·····

------_,.. ~

.....

__

..._ ...-, ..

~

... ,.,........__... ---- --- ........ ,....

·-

'·

· .11.llegory.- ~

1

E.--ca 1~ipl.e

ScTwlilt }. Allegory is not very common, eith~r fot~·~th~ purposes of
\lrnament or instrnction. An .extraordinary share both of ingenuity
!\lid imagination is requisite to en;i ure success ; and the rising genius,
of generous benrt 1 11.nd promising parts, who feels an inclination for allcgoric~l writing, mmt .gunrd against. quaint ornaments, and thr, extending of allusions to too .great minuteness. Let him ahrnyi study
brevity, and remember, th'a t resemblances which have cost him much
time to devise, nre lik.ely to .cost the reader as (mych tim.e ;tp perceive· ;
the consequences of which need no illustration .
. . . '., ; ·.' . . ' '
2 . As allegories ' are in ·a great 1il1e'as1.1re 'the'\~iitk ','of imagination, ·
they cannot be ndmittei:l into ahy species ·<!fwriting much 'c aknlated to · ·
interest the passions " ; All die arguments .against long metaphors,. apply with double.force againsl the .allegories of the second and third. kir;id1,
whi ch seh\om can be forn~ed with suliicient brev.ity for their admission.
But 1hcjirst ~pccie& of allegories, which ele~·ate and ·a·d orn n common
sentiment, are of general use ; and in. employing them, care should
I.Jc taken that · the phras.eology be all figurative 1:· that "the attl'ihutes of
the primary and ~he s¢condary subjett•. lie· not .c onfounded and· \nt~t-

l. No picture can more forcibly impress the ima gi nation

'. 1 ~. :ca~onml? c?n so elTcctuall~ excite 1he aversion of the hcar1 ns th ~
~i:boi ies of Sm and D ca1h,. m Paradise Leist, The poet pni11'ts, fir s t
.d,.Eand then Death, guanlmg the gales of Hell at the fall of Arlttll'I
ve.
.
. '

ll ll

.
, « Before .the gatrs there snt,
? .n either •l!lc, a forimdalilc shape.
. ·
1 he one •eemtd woman to the wni•t anti fi •
Jlut endt.'<I foul in m:rny a scaly fol<!~
iur;
Vo_lumim:rns nnd l'3st,

I\

st•rpent arm'd

'V1th mortal sting ; about her middlt' rouml
~V7ry ·o f hell-hounds, ne\'er ceasing, bark'd
n!' w1cle Cerberenn mouths, foll lou1! ' u11<l rung
A hideous J•eal ; J ·et when they list, wo:1ld creep
If aught distmb' their noi se, iulo her wo111 b
'
A1~d ~enncl there; ye t tb1trc s till bark and 1:owl'd
'Vtthm, unseen."
'

..

.
" The other shape,
~ shape 1t nugl.'t be called that shnpe had none,
f· r substance nught be crtlled thnt s't1atlow see med
'.?'' eac 1 seemed either ; hlack it sto0<l n 5 night '
1' 1erce '" lt' ll furies, terrililc ns Hell.
'
;":"'! shook a llrcndfn l <lnrt ; what sremed hi'• bt«td
1.h e hkeness ofu kingly crown bad on."
.

·175

.

··
·.· ' :P · · .r ; ~·,, .f···
.
'J."= ' \\·.
Example l. The most'' conect< wtiters are -.·sometimes • faulty ilt this
particular; even Horace and Boileau· aremot ;unexceptionable;·!· Hor·
ace, in the following example, applies · !wo - epithets_to -.t_h~ sl.1ujec~ of
the allegory, which can be applic1tble· only' to .die prim~ry is_uhject :1'!i· ··

changed..

~foalysi.J.

Thes.c allr goric lll figures are stron gly markc•l , nml th e re-·
5emblance of their chnrnctcrs to the dl'ccts 1iro dtlccd in lif'c is to l ·
ons to need any . ·
t
Tl
.
.
o n1 i n the f: . h "~ co!nmen.
ie ~ll c.ture wh'.ch Virgil ex hibit s of Fame,
0 .u• t. =ne1d, possesses srnular mertt, nnd is deduced from th e .
:s a
me 1irme1p1es.*
Example
·
. . ,·,. 2 ·.,Th e 5\1.b5.e quent picture
of Slander, rc~e m b l cs that of
·Fil.me
·
·
·
l Ill . irg1. ' and is d1"11v11
'
wt"ti 1 great v1gour
·o f 111rn
.,.1nation
and
mu~ 1 a 11 cg-o ncal merit. It is found in Shakespeare's Cj':'mlJclind. '

1

1

I

.

!

.

.

.

;

' .. !

·.

~-,."J.-..··./'(;';:~! ~¥:'

. c- .

" F er111 et CupJtlo, . . ... ·»,,.;;;o;,~:· , ~
Sctnper nrrlanttis acncus sagtttas~ f -·~~::_:~: '. ~ . . ~.
·, · Cote c1·uc11ta;" 1 : •
·i~., ,.,. · _ • • ·:· ~~ ··
·

I

.'

t ''\

..

JlnaTysis. "Ardentes" is .intelligible. when applied to love·, tlie.prim'a~
Ty subj ect, which, in a figurative sense, ' is ofte11 said to bui·n ·; but it

has no meaning when applied io an arro:w., ·\vhicll'is never supposed to
be ·h ci t. " Crminta," also, may.be significant fignra~ively: of the distress
of un successful lci've, but' nobody ever heard of a b.l oody whc.tstone, .
No admirer qf Horace would'defend. liirti, by al\P.dging t)le epithet was
· proper, because the stone made sharp the :i.rro'w whic h' <lrew the.blood.
H orace himself would have heen ashaiuccl of such a d efend~. i ' . ._
Example 2 , Boileau has introduced· a strahge ·11;1.ixture of fiaurativ-e
0
.and literal signification in the subsequent example :, '
"···, ·,.,

.
" No, 'tis Sla111l'er;
·
'\Vhorn edge n shnrpcr thnn the .sword , whme tm 1gttc
. ·0~1 tvenoms all the worms of Nile. "'"'"-' breall~
H1<lcs on the p os ting ~· imls, nud do•h b<: lie
All.cori!en of the world, kings , <JUecns, om! slates,
llln1ds, matrons; nay, the secrets of the gra,·e."

. 308. All the great poets have indulged in this s pecies of
figu.re. li?mer p ersoriifies prayers, and converts th em into
mnwble bewgs, und er the fei g ned appellation of ".Tove's.
. l~aughtcrs," who are concerned for the happiness of man~~ncl ; an<l recoiomend attachinent t~1 the worship an1l ser: ice of the go.tis, as the• best means of recoverinrr
0 or preserv ..
.ng that happiness.
·

" l'our moi sur eettc mer, qu'ici bas nous courons · ,
.Je songe ll me pournir d'e•qnif et d"nvirons . · :
A regler me• desit· .. , a in-evenir J'orage,
·
1':·t sr,u~ver a'il ~e .peut1;ma ·t1liaon :du nliufr,age." .

'·-

:.~

'•.

Analysis. These lint's exhil;it human li(e u11de.r the notion

of a voy- ·

~gc a t sea ; but instead of adhering to this view of the subject, the. ll\I•

thor changes the allegorical to the lit~ral meariin$", and, wit)1 nbnnd:\nce
of inconsistency', speaks of preparing a boat and o~rs, ,to regulate his
passions, and to rnve.hi! reason from shipwreck: ,Reason cnn be ship~ ·
w1:ecked figuratively only . :. The hypothesi~, therefore, of n man's understanding \ak~n up nt sea, and savci.I frqm drqwnirig ip a storm, .is
somewhat. more than ridicul<?ns.; it i~ '11?t fl. )ittle. ab~~ird. .(See. .'Jnaly·
. ' 1'1,..,t \ "tJo 'f'l I "G9 '\
·
'• ·
~~t.t,
"o l t If' ~. '- ' ' o
\ ~~/:• .,............. ,_(" ! • r
1- ·:

r ' . . ) ,', •

(

\
\

\

I '

. :·

•\.,

.•',:

•

'\.'

•¥j't'!i,,..; .·

.

.:.....
~l··4<~:-~ .
·.,...{,:...:~'

.

.

.

. 1~.
.....,

..

...,•

...._

'

·~

Jipostropht:.
.

.

-· 1
I

175

•1naTysis. The. solution of .the change of the moon, foundecl on the

4

opinion that ~he retired from \1er C\)nrsc tq .l ament the loss o.f her sisters, adds sympathy to tire picture, and captivates the hearr from the
res e mblance between her melancholy situation and that · of the poet.
Jn this example, the objects arc strikin.g; and tender, and ele\·atc rl,
and excite correspondent rmotions in the .mind, but they cannot be
said to 11gitate it with ra~sion.
.
•
.

CHAPTER VI.
APOSTROPHE.

·3

S 12. The apostrophes ofthe second-class are the offspring
of deep ap;italion _: and the subsequent instances will illus trate the nature of their influence an_<l operation.

:309. APOSTROPHE is a turnirig off from the regulai·
course of the subject to address some person or ti1ing.
Aposfrophe, derived from the same source with personilica·
tion, is the joint work of imagination and passion, but d~ ..
mands not generally so bold an exertion of those faculties
as }Je1;sonijication. ( .11.rt. 290.)

J:.w111ple . In the trag;edy of Douglas, ·Lady Randolph thus accounts
for the loss of her son :
·
" ·That vrrr nig-hl in which my rnn was born, ·
J\ly 1111r<t\ the only confident I had,

Ilfos. I. It is commonly satisfied with addressing living objects th~t
are absent, or clead ·obJects with which we were familiar while they

Stt out wich him to reach her sister~s house;
!-311t unrse nor infant have I ever seen,
:Kur heanl of Anna since that fotul hour.
My mnruer"d child! had thy fond mother feared
The lo.s of thec-, she lrnd fond fame defied, ·
JJe•pisl'd her fothl'rs rage. ht r fatl.l('r'• gri ef,
Arni wnllller'<l with thee through the .scorui11g w;orld."

\Vere iii life. · Some of its boldest efiorts exhanst the rsscncc of per ·
sonification, and call np and address the i1iamimate objects of naturC' .
2. A well-chosen comparison, nn extender! metaphor, or alleg-ory,
will ple:\se both the imagination and the passion,;, wh e n gently ag·italc'<I.
But let the passions rise to violunce, and the grntifications of the imagination will yield them no satisfaction.
3. On this account, APOSTROPJn:s audn~ ssed to th" inrngi11atio11, nre
frerJ11ently ex tcndt>d to consh.lcraule le11gth, and arc not oy being so t hf)
Jess an-reeahle: while those addres~nl to the 7mssion.v, must ;\ll be .•ho rt,
to c~1:'respond to the desultory and distracted condition ofthe mint! .

J1110!1;sis. The apostrot)hc of the mother fo .the 'child, as soon as it
was m~ntionr.d-the exaggerated supposition·; that the unfort1inatc
nurs e had munkrcd it., anti made her escape to save 11erself-the rcsol11lir>11 of the mothf"' to have . run every risk, had she suspected any p~i·t
nfthe misfortune that happened-are all the expressions of naturc,,aml
of genuine passion.
·.

310~ Our arrangement, then, of examples, will naturally
fall info two classes; first, those more lengthened ant.I picturesque apostrophes, in which the pleasure <!f'the imagination has chiefiy been consultecl: and, secondly, those expressive of the v.iolcnce ?f passion. .
. ·
.
.
311. The bold and v1go1'ou s genrns of Ossian delights m

Si S. A pri11cipal error in the use. of. apostrophe, is fo.declc.
thr. object addressed with c{/fecied ornaments. . H is by tlwse
ornaments that authors relinquish the expression of passion,
and substitute in its stead the language. of fancy . .

this figure, and affords many beautiful cxampleg of the first

I ::r111nple. What opinion will the reader of taste form of the followin g quaint and !al.toured addre ss of Cleopatra. to · the serpent, with
·'1'ltich she was .about to poison herself'. .. It ~s ; tak~n . fr<?m D~y,dcn's

species.

.'ill for Love.

· ·- ·

1
" 'Ve lcome, tlion kind Ueceinir,
.
,~_. • • • ·:i~ :.•~1;.l_~~
:
•
- ;J'hou brst of tJ1it.·\·es, \\ho, with an easy key,
1·· , · .
•• • •• • ··~
:: '
,..;.,.
Dost opt.•Jt life, anti, 11nperceivec.! by us,
, Ev'n st eal us from our;- lvl'S. discharging so '
U• ·ath's tlrl'auful office, lwtte r than himself, ·' ·
•. i
'!'ouching our limb1 so gently into sJurnber; ,
.t '!.
That Denth starnls hr. dcceiv'd by hi~ own_irn~ge, , ,
·
..
·
•
Ami thinks himsdfbut sleel'·"
1

Ji:::wmplc. His atldress to the Moon, i~ one of tht> most plea~ant pie ·
hires of this sort, which, perhaps, any hngllage can s uppl y . It cxcitr s
mclanchol.v emotion, and charms th e fancy, . out it aims not to rousc
strong passion.
11 Daughter of heaven, fair a.rt thou ! the silence of thy face i'i.
pleasant : thou com est forth in lovdi1w·s s ; the stars attend 1.hy blnc•
steps in the east. ThP. clouds rejoice in thy presenre, U Moon ! and
brig-hten their r\ark-hrown ~icled. \\'ho is like thee in h c ave11, da.11ghtcr 'o f the nig·ht? The stars :ire ashamed in thy JHe.< cnce, and turn
asi cle their sparkling ey es. \VhithN dost thou retire from thy coun•c,
when the darkness of thy countenance grow s ? i last thou thy hall
like Ossian ·? Dwellest thou in the sharlow of g ri;-f ~ Jlave thy si~ters
fallen from heaven ? nnd are they who rejoicr.c: with thee at 11ight no
more ?-Yes, they have fallen, fair lig-ht ! anr\ c,ften d ~· ~ t thou rolire tel
mourn.-But thou thyself shalt one night fail, and leave thy blue path
ia heaTen. The st:\rs will thf'n lift th!.'ir heads ; they who in thy presence were :tstonished will 1·rjoirc."

..

.'liw.l.IJ.~is. Such conceits would scarcely be endured in t.hf! . mo~t c:ool
1lescripti,•e poe1i1. Thev ca1111ot he supposed more imp((liH:i- · than
where they arc·. · Thev ;.csemole soinc of the obscure nncLf-Oh;ed>allusi.ons or'allcgorical ~vriters, · which the reader has . di11i.~ i:il t;y,to:i~-~$.l~i:~
stand.
. .
: · ... .. :;.'::·i .... ·.,·',· ;·:i;-,;'

1

r ·
.~

i

I

S 14. Another . frequent rerror i5, to extenc[.'.tl!i.s figure to

too great length. The language of violent passion is always
concise, and oftcp :i..brupt. · It p~sses sud<lcnly froni one .objeCt to another• .' lt..often glances at a thought, starts1from it,
·!' '
16
.
-'ji

,;
'1

~

J~ypcrbolc.

,tlpostrop!ie.

17'6

subjects on which it is employed ; the ambition of modern orators
to redu c e legislation and common law to the cool principl es of equity.
m id justke ; their su p erior attention, on that account, to facts and a rpw1f'nl .s , than to the phras eo logy and Jignres of pathetic ' eloquence;
~uHI finRlly, the insensibility, p<'rhaps, of British constitutions, ancl theii·
F,Tcatcr indifferi>nce, on that account, to the pleasurf's of imagination
:rnd pas~ iot1; all co-operate to repress .t he more pu.s;;ionate exhibition!i
o f oratory.
·

Coral. On all these accounls, 11othi11g is more unnatural th an I on~
speeches utterer! by p e r sons UIHler the influence of strong pa, si un~ .
Yet thi~ error. occurs in several tn1gic poets of n() i11forior rc1>ut ;itiun.

315. Apostrophe frefjuently appeared in the oratory of
Demosthenes abu11nds in a figure so IJold, aml so
suitable to the ardent tone of his own mind .

antiquity.

319. At Athens and H.orne, the existence of tl;e stat~
so metimes depended on an oration; the most successful
Rpr:i!'er was snre to gain every honour anti advantage the
pul>ltc ha1t to bestow.
·

lll11s . He often turns abn1pt ly from the jucl gr!< and "i' aq;- umcnt,
anrl addresses himself to hi.• '"'t"fin"i ' t, 01· 1111· pn.rn n a c ,·w·'.·il. Ile
seldom, however, personifies an i11a11iinate ohj i·ct.

l!ln•. He addressC'1l larg·e borlics of men, who had no establishc<l
principles to direct their judgments, little knowledge of the theory of
go vcrnu1e11t, little irnp~rtialitv, lill le di:<cer11111 e nt , little PX.p!'rie11ce .
.l:ven the s<:enat c of Horne in l~t er time:;, hardl y merit e 1l a lJ e ltPr cha.
meter, and the a sse mbli P.s of the pcop!c rlc se rved a mnch worse one .
T hey were fa ctiou<;, fidde, i.-.::norant, partial, inlPrr·stt·d, and violent.
'l hcy hail n o gnides, but their appelitcs and pas;;ious, aud the orators,

3 t 6. Cicero also affords 111a11y exalllplcs of every spec ies

of apostrophe.
hi~ Ora tion for T~ ig· arius, he addr4'S ~f'S Tubcro, th~

11rose -

rnlur, with v" h e m c nce, and pai1l1 s i11 s tro11 g co lo <1rs ti•'' •: ri1ni:i :i. iity of
his cnnducl, th e partiality arnt a1:i1110 , :1y n l hi > i11!:· 11ii•111 :; . I ic 1•cr so ni!ic•s and addresses tlie sword of T1dwro, a1Hl puts him in 111i1 .d of
beinff in ~nn~ n g ;1i11 '.'tt. t..'a'.S:tr at i 1hars:1lia. if I ;11 iu -. : . n l1u 1JI h t: i:lLT tt sed ~-.ftr{'<:1 5t}n, l1ad bor Hf" arnh ;\gain :.;l Cri · -~ar ! ti t\l1 ic ;t. "
2. ln hii-' i'.pt:t ~ ch n~ain s t Ca td!n c in ihc S c 11a t c . 011~ ,_)( tl~c n~ o .:· r :i r '1r·nt n.111.! t•\pr 11w11 t n( all lii.; cir : 11in 11..: . 111' h 1l r~:..; f.1rd1 ; 1 hn1'.itl.1 lil.r· :1
t o rrent ,.''\ i1\i an apostrnphP t o C: 11iliur_· hi1n ,cli": \'- i111 i1 ;1<i !i1C· i11 q.1q 1 1· 11r· ·
to c1d«r thr· -.;c·n:dl' - li ou ~c: '' l1ik tl1t· :-.tdi__il'ct ol Iii:-- 1' IJl!--!'i1·;1ry \ · , •. -: t•1 IJ

io

-

111;tt1;1µ;t· tl 1f• 11 1, \V< ·r t~ ubligf-'d to i111prcss the sf' ~11ldt'S.

ioo

('urrs/ . ,\pos fropbe is~ on the n:holc, a figure
passiona te to g·a i n
;p1mit ranr. c into nn:r ~pccics of com:Josi tiou, except poetry an<!

,,,.,..i,

t::•r:.t tory.

,[;o[) :dcrl.
~. Nf'l'f'I" di<l :i.n or:<tion rommrnre inn hi c:h rr 10 11 « : :ind il 11 r r•1!<' rl
.-di th e c_c:nius and fire t' f on<' of t h P gr,·af1• st oril f. nr :o: t 'J sqp: · ·ll l '.' ,-, , r ··
r1'c::l1nnilr·n1 c;-1'lrit in tlH• ca~ q n t ·I o f tl1e :-;\H.:t-• j·ii. • 'i c• ·111 . 1111\\ 1" "f'. , . ; f~ ( led it. Ile \":a11:; df•f •td y io~Pi-·-. ..:1pd in t!1i_) f":'-'Pi'r1·:0:..:.inn of a l'fd);;.pir :·11 ·
,

177

~-~ll°!

and leaves it unfinishecl. The succession of i<leas is irre'gH·;
lar, and connected l>y di stant and uncommon relatiow;.

J/{ns. 1. In

.......

ellAl'Tl~lt

Yll .

lI Y!'EltilOLE.

,

4

!ii _.; !101lOlll' ;-\~ ;1·11 rir:l! r: r~ ~1 ~1d tl i r' :;;11.f't l.' id
his country·, dr.ni au d c d of l!iq1. Ile \\ il ~ i11 tl:i' p1i 111f' o( \itr ·, 1 \."011_: 1l
\vith tilt~ h.i.!:(h cs l fa 1n c of cir il hnn n 1~r-::: :ind ~~r~~tn!-if _·: d ;~htli!y _
; a !! rnn .
cun eel to pro111pt llii s i;r c•1t dfort of doquencr.
,•:hich hi.;; o!lic"

o f c o 11 .; 1d.

.;::rn. 1i Y PEH.BOLE is al;;o the offs]ll'in" 111' tl1e i1.1jl11P11te
~ .
.
I
o
"} 1m r1:::11wlion anr passion over 01.1r opinions, alld it-. 11111"pvsc is to exalt our concep1iuns of a11 ohjed l.wyund itj' uat 111a I hu1111de'.

SI;-. J\ p11s frol'liP. !t:1 s sl'l clo 111 111:1 '11 · if" r-.pp"«ra!lc(' i n
modern oratory, cxcq?t with ~urnc T renc h pr1u1J1cr.s, aml
roome enthusiasts of that character an1ung our ,;dvcs.
J!l 1 ~s. A 'FrPnc h orator rnny address th e (TO SS of C hrist, and implore
tJw patro11<1P·e an<l inlertess io11 of St . Loui s with s t1cc <' ;:s, 011 ac<:n unt
of the pecufi'a rity of the 11nti1.1rnl faith of hi~ ro1111lrv111 c 11 ; b11t s n r l1

e loqu ence could expect no b e tter rccep tiou in this island thun riiliculc
01· con tempt.

s J 8. T he Ilri1i,,h llou seg of Parliame11t are at present the
best thentr~s in the world for the display of eloquence; but
man y c:1u~cs concur t o render. its appearances there less
IJold than it was among the ancients.
Jl/us . The abstract political or commercial nature of a great part of

•
H Quill c11 im dicotl'ictus ille tUU ! in ncie rhnr~nlia. 1;l:ld i11 s ni::;-e1rnt? cujus 1nt11 s ilk·
mucro lH~ tt:h;t t ? q11i sv11iU~ 1· ra t l\r rnu ruJu l 'I.life tt1a 111t•119? ocnli? ntanus? nnl()1;·

snimi? Quid tu11icba9? quiu

opt•I>~•

?"

I

I'

li/1 1 ~ . 1. UHr p11"ions 1:-rn;:nitly the qnalitier. of objects to which thev
;1r1· attach;_•!, a<H1 dimi11i ., h rhe '!""lilies. of tho se thpy di s;q1prov i' 0 -r
""ltke. \1 c exa;;gt!l'tt!e the gno d qualill e s of our friends, a11rl. un der ' al•' tl 1osc of <'Ur e n<> mies. \\'c e s ti1:1at" hi~b c r a po ss ess ion of ou 1·
<11n1, thau a similar prop •~ rty of 1111!' nei;.:hbonr. )t is 1101 i11si11ccrity
1,11;-it actu'.tl.es u s, and prompt>" •.ts to inipose on others , whil r• we are con.
SC l<lU.~ of the crrur.
Our alt~clun c nt to cn•rv thin!!: connected with
0 11rsc lves, diet.ale s the partial j11dgm<:i1ts we ti'.inn <,'f ii ; 11 11• want of
tha~ attac!1mcnt w.it~1 n• ,; pcct lo th e thing s of 011r n<'i g·hb1H1r, o r tlu· oppo ~. 1tc ?~ 1t, aversion,. with rc;;pr; ct to th<· thing~ of .. ur c 11 eu1_v, rnalic
our !<:p1111ons of 1l1 f'm, 111 like manner, dr.-i~.te from tr<1th.
. ~;.'-~' he pt~r.110.se. ~!· hypn~u!c, is tog_: a .~ iJyUieoe 71rcd!lutions and 1rn t1pr1./,r e.•, wluch ti is 1mpos s 1ble !<• crad1cak ii 0111 the m111d' ul lliP most
•: nl1g·hten!'1\ p:ut of rnaukiud, ;rnd \"i hich often Pxt~11guish, in the Jess
..: ull ;vated part, every spark of justici; ;ind candour."
·.
.

• HF.st :i.ntrrn in \1~11 vuip;o q110<[tl t>, et it;ter iner1111it.11'lll. l't npu<l r1uiicos vicldicit,•
""l uml n~turn n~ t om111bus, n11 :17t> udi res Td nliuttendi cu1}idita.s in~ita U1:C 'l,ui,quam

'V<:ro coute11tus €st," • Quinclih;in.

•

·

'

_;

·

·

Jj;i;pc rbol c.
SZ 1. -This fi g;u re is peculiar! )' g raceful atHl pl easa nt, 1r he11
\ve do not ac curat ely percrive th e limits of th e subje ct \r e
ex:iggeratc ; be ca use we mos l eas il y believ e a tlii111-; is YCIT
g reat, wh en we.du nut know ex;1ctly how great it is.

widou; '

32'2. All disco urse and writing ad mil hype rbole. Though
i.he offspring of the most viole11t p:i !'. Si t n, it is al so cons is!(• 11t
with compos ure of mind . lt so111ef.i1n es alfords hi gh e11joy-

f11rcl',~courage,

and pro 1.YC5:: cf t :1ci1- !c1-:.dr:r. 'f; nl~~ tbr· ~·r · ;:nf ln O-;.:i:u1 , _$ ~ j --,T ( l
, ... ith H~i .:;; p!·n1 ~,-. , ~<;'.!•y ; {!Plinf'\rtff•::: n drn nd f'l ~ !1i1·ftffP nf n~" '"lf'nl;' ·.:: 1·hirr,
•• 1 s:nv th~· l 1· f'!!! -:" f. tnii as a r ci i· i-: pf lr'p; h!:::: ._1"';11·. tfi,. l 1! i!c, •d Jir;
his .sh ic IU. th e ri:-:ini 1~1ot_ln ~ he sat ou lhe ~ h 11re~ lil-:~ ;__,_ chnid r_lf n1i ~ t
on th e hill. "
'
J.,'J;f.Ui1)Jll' ~ .•//Liinir.1tion. of tbe h:1ppi:1 css o f S ll CCCS3 1U1 jnn.~ C.:; rt,::.;g c•

o:;e

1

;:nfts ('tHH't ' jlfiollS of 1! 1..., l u\t·1· _ S!1<1!~1. · ;-. pcat c .\: H!'f" '' l.' ...: t l 1c '!1",;ili 1H1 ,, ('
Jn;·cr' s rnind .-:::n {;' ?·1_•:\t :i~ fn cnt111tPn t rt tli ~ n :\ f nr:·d f:11T ~ of ;_::T;n· ity

re :;11cct in g- hi s liody.
" A lorcr rna y IX's tri<le the t:ussa11wr.

J-;.r.!1111Ji{G 0. Jlorr or nf lrc r:su 11 and " J'fl Us·i iu1n prompt s ilit' mo st
fri g htJ1rl ;1o tiuns of th e tra itor anti oppr1,~ ,; cw. Cirp r o, 011 this f<"t.:lin~ ,
c xhibi!s a ~ t rikill!.!- ,·icw ,__,( th e C!! (ff!ni~i c:: ·~f :\n~r:._qp; _ ic (h,a· Ch;t !' \' ~J ­
tli~ t:un vornx? ~Ch:-tr v b d i!n tlico ? (~t!~! ' ~j f!1if . . fi;it a ni tna l 1n11.1nL
\ i -..: \ idf-'IOl l" lo l H ' ' L o li!

di .. .;.ip;-d;L>.,;

L 1 111

i;J hopes,

of th e i~- own

t~·oop~; and, on ~he

ur t\:e ~ llt't'~l tne a11 .; of\ H ("1:··

Exm:1p le 1. Uryd c n, in h i< po e m on the restoration of king Charles
the ::iecouJ, cotllJ1li111 c: nl s tlial wuuar c b at the expense nf lhe su11 h1111• t !I·:

.\i ... j;in·

u T11 nt -. r:-ir th nt at~ on r l)irth ,hnnP fHJf ~o hright,
It staitwd the tlullttr ~un, s me ridian li g ht. \1 •

ab ·)urlJ 1. : r c rr_:t ::i·:·:::c. "

Exun11,f c t. 'fli c ·i...,f.-~~·u11 1 f Jt·r- lin!.!.· ~H _'. '. _:. :, ,_·~l. 1 ' •1 Ii~ t l14· ~!.:;. l!I of Jj';111 c:dt!e
trm r•t' 1;< t o c0n rl11d r>. t l1a"t 11 l!· l'"rt~ ~; !' tl>r•i1: ho.Ji ,_.< - h '1Y<' "" ' """' nf
11!1i1 ; 1t !_111t 1!1e :--ki11.
\"i 1·.;.;i l :~t·i~ 1_11tli!1~ l .\ ~:t\:-. t)t s1 1t·l1 : t1:i111;~ !:-· , !1 _\ \\;t ,

T'.1' 1i"i' /'· '.! . P1 :nr °'11 , P''~ r·, tl1f' firf' nf a l " dy·~ ,.,-,.., to 011t~hihl' thi>
t1 11 nu· ~; of H()Jill' , "hf•n li: ~· l1t<'d np by Nt •ru; n11d llt1• n 111~ ic o~ llr· r lntt·, ,
1n ~~ 1 rp:is~ tltf' f;-,i,.,1"11c: ~-1ira1·1pc: of An11'.1iion , in lJ11ildi11g" t l1c city of
Tlicl.les .. ~he would li av<' rdrnilt ilomc la::i ln than it <.:uttld han:. becot

of diminution.

dc; tr oy crl°lJy the fi!·c o. nr N

ExamJ> fc 5. l~nl"!J a l" ' din1i11i'hrs ii• nl~jrr l ; '11H l 11p n 11 thi ' pr111 1 ipk
Shakt' sl'cari> inl ro uu ccs Cassiu s vili(dn g lhe behaviour o f C u.: s:u in t\
fe ver.
" H e h:-ttl n fi: n ' r when h e \Ya s in Sp:1 i11 ;
A11d "ht:n tltc fi t wn~ on lii111, I did 111ark
Jlow h e did shak e . 'Tis tr11 l', tlii s c·od did shake i
Hi .s c·uw: 1nl lip ~ <lid fro111 tln·ir cu lo11J· ll y;
..:\rnl tl1:J. l S:tltW t·~t· \\hU\ 1-.: \; !ll~ did :t \', ! th<.; \\' ')r !·l ..

i!•

:12-!. The e rrors fr eque nt in the u se of hyµerbolP, arise
ci!licr frotn m:crstrai11i11g or i11frodt1ci11g it on zm suitubte occasions.

Th a t idks in th e \\antun s11 111 n!1 ·r air,
Arni yet Hot foll -so Jig-ht is rnni ty." '

µ:J::i it~t ::: , ta! ll cit rJ

'~Zt-?:J~;:~ .

)~xa!nJ.ife. J.nnginu~ n1f'ntinns a tli·1;:in11 /£1'r; ('On.cerni_n_g- a pkce o~
1',TOu!ld, thr prop e rty of s ome pnor man: and Qu 11 1ct 1'. " lll another ul
\" a rr o c.n the s~nnf• . .- n ~~r·r · t .
J IH · 1.. rn\t'I" H'jil'•' ...:1 ' 1d ..; t11c pro pert.• a.;.;:.
.· ; IHd ln; £1, r th:!.n a. L:1cc d:T ln nPi:in h·t1rr)" y,·hi1·h ro1p:oi10:f ed 1;.;n1HPtin1Ps
r'l f f-F ' :) rrd fhrff \\. (H'd~ .
Varro tlt~tll'f:S it to Ll~ as ~llu-tll as a :".L11~~ · Sto1H•,
na y, he supposes it may eve11 fali through !lie hole~" the bottom of the
~l i ng! Guth th ese exa mpl e s se e m to bcl u11g lo nd1cult'.

~ ~ \('

f_J i_·t._• ;t_ifli"' > li1i_- di11.:..; ij ,jj;; ..; J

· ',"1;} .;, ' '

tJdl'.:r, di1ui11ution:.,, of t l1osc of thcu- cne:mcs, m order torn~
,. 1,iie that co11iide11ce of s uc:ccss i i liich in the se ti mes v::ls

u ;;g; nn;/s thP couccptinns nf the;

~i~ c

tibu s in l ucis

u That it sh o uld come to thi~ r
Dut two mont hs d t·ml ! u uy, nut so mucli, not two.
- - - - - - - - -·' Vithin n mon th,
·
A littl e mo111h, or e re tho!e ~hul's Wt-'l'e old.
·
·with whi ch •he fol!ow'd my poor father's body,
She 111nrri l:'cl."

323. In the speeches of ancient gene rals to their ~nnies,_
many beautiful instan ces .are tu be found of both kmcls ot
this fiirure; cxao!Teratiuns, on th e one hand, of the number,

may

nJ~ an F.1if1ny

...

l::r,1rn117 fc 7. f'a111c C'.'taggc rat cs the pcrso.n, ns well nR ~he qualities,
1.• f a hr'ro, "The Sc_\ thia11s, imprl'sse rl ''1th th e fame of Alexander,
were a~to11i s hed when they found him n little man." l(amcs.

men l t.o tlie irnagi nat ion, aml indu lgcs this fa culty wi 1h 1ltc
mo st mag nificent ex hibition s of 11aturc and art. It shin es,
how cYer, willi most cou spicuous lu stre in the hi g her kinds
of poetry and oratory. lt appears clii ell y in tragedy dnrin o·
the first tran sports of passion; aml in all these cases, it
be employed to tHmiuish, as \r el ! as to uw gnify .
Lfrar

•. 1".-

Bid lo•e it• lustre: 1 tlid ht•ar him gro,m ,
Ave and that tongue of l1is. that bade the nomans
:r.r:u·k him ni ;d write l1is speeches in tlwir books,
Alas! it c~y\1-Give m e som~ tlrink, Tiliaius,
As a sick girl."
•

Exa111ple ft. The resentm ent of Haml e t ngainst the ign ominious mar,·iage o f his moth er, makes him lessen the time she fwd remained a

Jll1l s. Ilyp crbo lc , in s u c h n case, r e se mbl es Ili c bc:111tif11l d ece ption
cf the ri si 11 g 1110011, . wh e n hr~ r o rh npp< ~ an; 1111t·o111111 01 il .v lar;;·e, b eca use
see n i11 (li s ti11ctly thr•rn g h n il tltc llli s ls a"' ' v:1prrnr s o f tlt P lt11ri zon; n1·
H1a t othc1· d ece ption in th e pl11:11 0 111 c 11 a of Yisiun, b_v which a ;: 111nll o li .lcct, plac <:: d in a s h a d e, p a SSl:S fo r a g r :: at o n e s itu a terl a t a di s t :111 r:e.

J;xcnnplc 1. 'Ihc

Hyperbole.

..

·' rn:

, ; To bur11i1.g Hume, ,..,.Jit·Jl fra.11tic Nf -ro playnl,

Vit\\ill~':' thv face . 110 rnore he trnd ~Ul'\' t'yt-d
Tiu-· raging· flarni ·s. but . struck '_\'ith stra!1gt' surpri.le,

I

I

I

\

<.:o nli ·ssul

\

• "Tnnilum Varro voc•t, 'lnem

.:...

r .. :1

i\w<l~ J>lltlt;'

l":
iJ; •o.on bttd foun
d

tl 1t: 1U h · ~fli lltaB th 11-;t i11

Dut h ad lie lt~anl thy _lute,

JlO>Sllm

A1111a •

1

s.

,

mil.terc funtla ni lamen 4"J\t1'1d:it, _'lu:ll! ~-,.

16 •

.,.-nwy

Qnr sighs, ai1d thcr shall lmlge the. ~orn, ' ·1,, t , ·· :; . . •:f :
And make ~.,ileart du this. i·evol~in~, ~a.1111.':
i , ;" ; r. !

:j.

His ra~;e dt11Tttl 1 nml his crime attmcd;
Thine, like A111pliio11 ' s h:1rn1. btd wa!i:t'd the stonf',
Arni from des trurtiun cnlkd ttw ri siug tuwn.
Jllalic•· to musi c had be~ ll forc'tl to y1dcl,
Nor coultl lie burn so fa st as thou coulthl builJ."

i :; ·.
,..

1~ .,

SQG. lIYPJm~OLES .are improper, wben they marb~ tum~,
cd against the argument of the autlw1· who ·Uses;them. - i · '. ~ r• i

I::wmplc 3. Shakes peare, in ma;; 11ifyi11g· the w<1rlikc charn..t~r of
his ·hero es , sometimes P:la;;·g1~rates beyond all bot111t'3 of prohauilify .
The description of the i-ivcr Sc:\'Crll ha , t.ening to th e rrccls, to hide hi s
l1Pacl from the sight of co111uata11ts so furious as Mortimer ant\ c,; 1c11 dower, can scarcely bt~ read witil g-ra,·ity.

Illus. Isocrates, it is s<1itl, had employed ma~y years in composing ,l\i .• ._:
p:uicuyric on the A.tlicniaus, to assert th~ir prciensions to prec~~ency
in th~ m111rnge111c11t of the nffairs of Grecc•J. It was,,delivcred , nt ,th7
Ulyu1pic games, attended l>y citizens from all .tl1e state~. of .tha~ .country ;
arnl iu the beg·inniug· of it he intro,duced the. suliscqu~~1he.xag·~erated
t·o111plimc11t to eloquence,
· ·
· . ;·.
. .
J~.u1111p/e. " Eloquence can re\'crse in app~nrnnce t!1e nature. 0$ •
things. .It cau impart to illu strious d cc lls the air of lowlmess and 111•
s ig uifirnn cc, and exhibit incons itlerablr. , anti C\'en trilli11g act.ions 1 '"~th "I;.,...
.. ..
the tlig11ity of magnificence and heroisn~ . It can bestow on ant1q1~1ty .
llw garli of novelty, and attire novelty with the respect ;~11d . veuerat1on:
dn c to antirp1ity.''
·
.
,
: .
.
Jl nril.IJsis. Long·inus pertinently remarks, the author did not observe,
that I.iv this uns<msonable encomium he. was ilisper&ing among· his ·heare rs :u~ antitlotc against the operatioa of all the arguments he had 'to ·.·
:i<h'ancc in hehalf of his couutrynwn, the Atheni:ms ... 'Vould the.other
1.;reck states be pcrsuadetl to do what they disliked, by an ornt.01· ~vho
had told them that his eloquence could reverse in appearance the nat 11rc of things? Might they not, in doing what he alhise<l, perfo_rn1 '
! he n!ry· opposile of\\ hat was right ?
'

" In singl e oppo~ltion, ha11tl to h:unl,
J-[e die.I confomul thl' hL·st part of a11 honr~
111 ehangiug- hanHlllt'Ht with great G le11duwe t~.
'l'hr~c time~ they brea th·'d , an<l three times tlill they driuk,
Upon a ~n.'e mH1t, of s wift Sen·rn 's 1-lornl;
\Vho. then nffright cd with their bloody looks,
J.{a n fi:·arf11lly n.111011;.;- the trl·mbli11~ l'"<.: nls,
.J\1td hill his t'ri sp d h ead in the ho·l!uw bank,
lllootl-staiuetl \nth these rnlia11t cumuat:lllt•."

~r

1

N:ramplc 4. Guarini, who perhnps e:-:ccls nil ports in s-lndi c d rxtrav 11g·;mcc, rnakt's a s h e pherd thus address his 111istrf'SS : "If° all the ;;tick~
iu the world \n:re rnnde into p e ns, the hcavt'llS into paper, and the sea
into ink, thcv woultl not fornish materials s uflidc11l to describe the
lcnst part of :vonr p c rlections."
Example 5 . Again, the same pod says," If I had as ll1a11y ton.[\UCs,
anti as mauy wort!~, as there arc st:Lrs in the h eave n s, and gTni11s of
s and on the shore, my ton g:tu•s won!Ll IJ ~ tir e d, a11d 111y words ,,·01dd
he exlntnsted, lie for e 1. co11ld do justice to your imnH·nsc merit.*"
Example G. An English po e t convertetl t!. e cin.: un1 ;; ta11 ccR o f th e
former of th ese cxtnn·a 0·a 11t complimen ts into a s atire 110 k ss cxa g-!.:·crated:
,.
'' Conlcl we with ink the occnn fill,
'Yt•rc earth of parchm e nt 111adc;
'Vere l' Yl' ry si ngle sti ck a q11ill,
Each mnn a scribl· by _ln1dt· ;
,
'l'o write tht• tritks of half th t: Sl':"C:,
\Vould drink thnt occa11 dn·.
Unll:rnts, be\\ are, look sharp, lake t are
The bliml cat 111a11y a fly. "

ril '

C'liina:e, . or /Jmplijication •.- ,.,_

Hypcrbofr.

180

-

CHAPTER VIII.
CLDIAX, Oll AMPLIFICATION.

327. CL[M AX, on AMPLIFCATION, is nearly related to
l1yperbole, ancl difte~·s from it chiefly in deg.ree. The pur~
pose of u.vpi.;nuoLE ts to exalt o!tr eon~eptwns bepond the
trnt!t; of CLIMAX, to elevate our uleas of the truth itself, by .
a series of circumstances, ascending one above another in.
respect of importance, an<l all pointing toward the same ob•.

j

325. Hyperboles should never be introducell till the mind
of the read er is prepared to reli.i)h tlwm. The i11tro1luctiun
of such .bold figures abruptly, puts the reader 011 his o-uanl,
and excites hi s reflection, which co1111uonly dissipat~s the
delusion, and defeats the purpose of the writer.

,iect.

Exrr.m.ple. No pa ss ion C\·pr spol1 e the langunge whi c h g-ri1,f is niaclcto a;sume in th e followin g- u1111 a tnral cxnggcration. The frgun' and
the tone of sentiment arc to tally <liscort.la11t. Kin g- Hi c lianl 11. 1 lcc ply
1.listresscd on account of 1hP c alamities of the nation, thu~ ad1lr csscs hi s
eo usin Aumedc, who wns nnder much allliction from the same cuusc ~
" \Vh.r ' vcep est tho11, my temter·henrtetl comi11 ?.

.

our conceptions of nny oliject we contemplate ; it a/Turds a gratifica ~ ·
t ion similar to what we receive on ascending an eminence situated in1 ·
the ceutre-i-of a rich and varied lan4scape, where every .stej> wi: pro·
ceed presents a grander and more extensive: prospect. · ·
,
.
Example . .Sl1ukespe~~·e c:-hi.bits spec!m~n~ of alm?St e.very po.eti~a~
beauty, and 1s not deficient 111 ms_tances. of cfunax.

\Vc'll rnnkc foul weather with tlcs1•iscd tears ;

• 11 Si tnntc Iingnc hRYcssc; ct tnnte ' 'oee,
Qunnt' od1il ii ciclo, c «flmnte nn.'Ht' il mare.
l't!C<kri:m tutte ii sun.no, e l:i fayelln ,
:Kel dir 11 ~·icn h: i-rntn: Judi immense.'' l'(utor rir.lo, Act Y. &enc~-

.

/flus . This figure, when propet ly mtroduced and d1splayecl, nlfords
a very sensible pleasure . It accords with our disposition to ' enlarge

'.
/

,
Y' '

I, }::'

. :(;
·'

" The cloud-cnpt tQwcrs, the gor~tms P!'laces,
The solemn temples, the great,globe itself, .
Yen, all that it inhabits, shall dissuh;e, ·. , .
And, like the bnsekss fl1hric Qf I\ Yision1

Leave J1ot a \vrcck b~IJ:!ilW.'f 1

.

.t.· ~~~...

.. , :

·' ;

.:·.·:,

.. ..··
;

.

''

. t:t

·. /t•-

183

Jliitithcs.is ..

lfonax, ui· .!Jmplijication.

182

£.tamp le 1. .Oronooko th us utt ers hi s reco llection of past happiness :
328. Th e e ffect of this figure is peculiarl .r pleasant, wlw11
the g radation of the ~entiment 1s denot.Pd L>y t1ll' lnbers,
which ri se wiih an analogous s w ell in point of s ound; a11tl
in this view the fullowillg exalllplcs from Cicero ha ve mu c h
111 eri t.
Exnmple. S peak in g of th e J> OWf' f o f lan g na gc, in tli e first uook De ·
Oratore:
" Qu~ vis a lia p otuit , aut

<lisprrso~

~e n he r e .

S29. Ex amples are sometimes l'oun1l or an anti-clima.T,
that is, of a g radation down wa rd i11 the se11ti111 (' 11 t; and ir
th e expression also prese nt a corrPspon d e 11t desc e nt in the
sound, the sen te11ce wil I possess u ncom 111cm me rit
H orace affo rds a pertinent and c uri o us i11 sta 11ce i11 th e

following li11 C" :
11

Pnrturiunt montcs, n:lscetu r ridicul1n mus.'"

l''. · ," .

;1

s imilar niann er:

·

d,

" ·liat i[wi ~ l11· s
11

-·

t.o

ur.

;q,

:111 ·; ;1 :d;1

1

:r· !11 i 1p t1 n

~llAPTEll

.:: .: ii~ ::· l):f'

l1 ·2 a1 ~r:;. 1vitli "'l r 1 } :1~ Lt~1.= ·~·~ ~ pfioi1.i •_\r{~ t· 1: u::-:t': ttt p~1!!~ 1: i 1 1~ C.1v1Jtt1 1~-1 tlP ~
arr,!U l ll!'lll IH · f' . -'. J~f)\l-\1'"-; nr 1?1 t' \< :; (1il:~ d i''. 1 r~1 1 r1•l:; t f ir ii 1 nl t !i; 1( lll
hi.:
:-'ilta ~ oqi ~~!.
ii i ..; ;ii·~ o t·r1t1Vf't!! • ·11I in (' Olnt11~1 11i 1 ·:1t int:· ~ f-'ltlit11 • ·11f·; ll r;tf
aTP ~trih.in!! or su!.di1 1H·, l111t it is tno Hlllfi< iai to f' ): prc~s ;ulv liiel1 dt:gn•( • ot 1 1 •l~;.;,ir;11.
_I;,,~ ; 1 1? 1·~ ;:11 d 1·1· 1i1T t i 1111 11 ccc<t:1ry l!> ~11 r d\ l (~T !Ill' sr· 11~
{jltH'!llS <l f'('.:) ! dii ·:! t:• t\ ;;·ir i11q 1: :t l. 1\ !l't•: tiH' t11i1111t~· ;:~{:('111i 1 111 I 1·q11i -.. f1r '
t o fnnn thf" ~~pn·~~ion 1·ntT t-'f. pondi11.~· tn th~ f' 1P v ntion 0 f fliP tho11~· l1t ,
:i.r c ;lll opt>rnti~H1 ,; tif a c_:on1 po sr: tl frame of 1niud . .....-crv dit~ ·P1Tnt tr o ll~
that ttuu1dt11 a r _v s ta le\.\ iii c h i~ tltP altt ·\ul a nt of violt-·ui pa!"!'lion .

'.L3 !.. It i~, how .cvf•r, cousislenl wi1l1 modernlc ai:;iia( ion;
and nccordi.11 i~ly Lo 11 gin u s takes uotiec of the utili ty uf it in
ni ;u ;a ;;iil i!; a fow d P.g rPl' of passion with addrP ss. In 1l1i s
cas r-, hPwc,·e", the artifi cial arrangement of th e words is rcli nq'lishe d. T!w ,.;v,ei !i11g passion seizes th e ex pression"
m o:-1 pn •pt•r lo d ·~ tJ · •f (' it, imd tl1c phra seology is altogether

artl ess.

·

' ,
.. 1,

'

/ fo rtlysis. Th e apparition· is fir st painted ai r , a nd l_rns some rcsem~
hla 11 cp to Almeril1. 1t descends, and appears to be se1zcabl c. It geJS
life, animal lire, it is "she herself.' ' ... ·

and tlic dig1u·1_l/ o f th e situation it cccu;n.cs .

(•:11'.1lo\ '1 ·1.1! ,~:1 1w nt :1!111' ,.,

·

t r ue .

SJ ~ ; ll~.

ft !. .;

·

I.rt me not stir nor brcn the , lest I di s.solve
That tender lo.-dy form of pni nt~d :lll",
So like Almeriu. Ila! it si11k•, it fall•·
rll catch it LT~ jt goes, fiJld g~asp her s!Ja~;,:
' 1 'is lilt>, 'Lis war1n, 'tis she, 'tis she h erself.

S3U. Cli11 1ax apl'ear,; wit Ii grn<e in tl w ca l1:1,.1· p :11 (,; nt
ora tory, iii e ,;,;;1y:;, a.ud i11 all cu 111p11.~ il io1i,; ,,\1 iLl1 ;iddre.~:-.
t~ie i1nagi11 atit111, bu t attempt nut much tu interest the i·asjf;': : .~

-"

::. ;\n oth r r cxmnpl c in th e sam e tra gr.dy c xb~bits a bca.ntiful picture
of thr .-rnt!nul influen ce of pass ion, i11 prurn1: 1mg the mun\ to believe

iJ11\ ,·!Ji t ' fi.Y Oil ft(T 1 H+Hi 1r f i li o' f'IHlf!'d~{ 11.• i\\-n'l t il t•• i1 ! ., ~·,'.:. 11 1J ~·

u.:r1nl~

·
':

Jluw hast thou charni'<l ·

1 /,

\.dH

,.
,,;

~; u f·?n:; ;~ , thr:- ~~ ntirv•n f. frnrn t' : ... , ,,,,A !!; '1 f f !• r• n :n · "-.
ll\ill to tile /J1:rtii, of lit e JllOll S", is ad111ira1Jl.v i111il a lnl bv a .\ iti1tl11 r t:.t ·
pn;. s.~ ion of thr. 7i:nn.!.i.
Th f'. 1 er.\ t~ i c in o::; t di gnific. d \ \.' •H · d hr.di i i-. 1T; 1 ;n'-·
in~: (_tJHl SOU1Hi . i.~· 1ilill' Ll l Ji {,'\l. c ollti' il l'_\' lo 1l11· l'!J lllllHHI ~I) I ;tl ! f.;l'l!ll 'i d .
ThP H/ Prif n( thP 7M1p /.~ . l n point oi' .r-111111
rlr:rr (' rf .'-'''·"' f ff 1~1··· !nd , ~' b;1·h i'i.
1!: <' n 1 1 ..; : ri/.':l il111.'i 1r i1 t tL1· . : ~ '!;t 1 · ~ < 1 . ll,11 tlv cJ11 ..
1i 111 ; t 1d it
ll : ! 111 . :i
1ll1JJL1J,\'!j l.t 1J.i1l c , a 1ul al11h ..'-i l. a r cpcliliu1 1 u f llu~ Jast sy \L.ld .~ u l 1111 ~ p 1 1· 1· 1· -

di11µ;

·, .

'·

·
The wildness o f the wa·:cs a nd rock s to this?
That thllii rdenting, tht) have given thee t:~ ck ·
To t·nrth, to JigLtt nnd hfe, to love and me.
. ·
11

.. 9n rt ! ~/~i s. TlH·

cancc o f th C'

· · · · · ··
,·
. .... ,. '

~- Alm eria, in th e Mourning- Britle·, expresse~;, similar scntimen_t ~n ·'

h o111i11 <'s u11111n i11 locu m co ngre -

g;l. r e; au t a fcra n gT <··s tiq uc vita ad lin11 c hu1nann1n , r. 11!t111 n: civil e n1·
<l"P; d1' 1l1.'.~c re; aul jam co 11 s ti1uti ~ c i vit al i li11 .~, l q~ c s, j udicia, jnra de

E .ra111ple.

" Cnn you rai se ~h e dcri_d,? ,
·
Pu l's lie and overtake the w111g• ol tune. ;
Ami brini; abont ugain the hours, the day1, .
'1'11e ) ears that n~ade me. hnp1•Y;

Tlw l.le., t tragedies afford examples.
_______ ..:__.____

__ '-----.

IX .

,l

•

I

..
'

,..
165

.!lntithesis.
~':...

lhmn wl\h faint prai•e.

I nnent with civil lee~, ·

Arni wit bout s11ccriug t('llch the rest to sneer, • . ., ..
Willing to wound, U nnd-ye~ nfrai;! t.~ strike,
,Tu,t hint a fault , M a11d-he11tate tl1sl1ke;
AlikP r!'soh·1-d to blame, or to commend,
A timorous foe, ! am1-a.suspicious frieml;
.
llre111ling e'en fool• , I by flatterers besiegt>d, . .~
Ahd so obligi1i g, Mthat he ne'er obliged.
"Who would not sinilP, if such a man there be?
'Vho would not wec11, if Atticus were be?''•

834. The beauty of ge13uine_antithesi.'I is so C?nsiJcraule,
that we cannot wonder · that many unsuccessful attempts
Inn e Lll'en rnade to acquire . i.t. ,Loni llolingbrokc, though
frequently happy in the use of it, is sometimes unfortunate.
r-:xwnple I. His Treatise on Patriotism contains the sub sc que~t exam p J(, :
·
·
" E lr!<Jucncc that leads mankin<l by the cars, gives a noLl1~r superiority than power; which every dun ce may use ; or than fraud, which
every kn ave may employ, to lead men by the nose.'"
.'lnalysis. The antithesis is in stituted bf'tween !t~ arling men hy the
cnn, wh!ch is th e busii:v~ ss of elogne11ce, and leatling them hy the nnu,
which. is said to be the ojJice of 71oloer or fr alll\. · That elociuencc shoul<t
lca<I hy the ears,. is 11at11ral and inte lligibl e, ~l~t where . is the c°.unecti·•n hf· t W·"fl'li fr;t iHl nr rn w pr nnd thr~ nn~c ~
I(} rnr~kc out th~ !:~·nr~ ,
tiif' n11titor j;, obiig-.,.i to have reconrsc to a vu ig11r and mciapiiorical
.;;1·1i.;;; r ofii1r ....- .-nd ' u lr·adi: 1"· l;-.- tl1 f' 1 11 ;_~e ,'' in \Yhich th r- Y d c n 0 tr ?r i1J-

"'°' '" '"' ·;..,,,.,,.;,.;,.,., "'~~ .,.~ ...
;;

'

»itlwut t'<Hni1 :lion .

Den~· this rc-

.;;11·1.1r cP, an d ; h f' a11ti1h1~~i~ ,.ani•d1C""s , o r nn1sisis lJH' tTly in \\'(;t·ds .
t.' .rr r nr :~lr · ~! . '-.:! 1;•1,: .. ,p ,· a rf'. in thP f\'lr, 1· rh~11t nf V (' nir· r , f11r n i'=hri;z n:n1ill1r·r i11~ t:1 1 H ' P

1ucr cly Yl'rb;t l : '' J\ l i~ !11 \ \ i! (· dutlt t11 a k1; n li f' ~n· y l 11n; ..

t1;t11il

Jli i11/11 si~ . Tlw re

f

,l
i

-!

is

i11

the tho11giil not onh· no opposition , but

<·011.lntr\,

a

\ · t'l"v·

;>.)5. A cli11uu; allll antithesis nrc someti me:; conjoincll
:111il carriPd

~r verai

rm tit ron:;;h

T\'i1 1-

! 1.•11(· in

!ii('

1:

srn t(' nc rc .

.:l\·

1111

,\l:in

Rinii11 rr ~' 1l w hl· · ~ f P IH1il1·"·
''\11 .'.' wrl'tld h i :\~ ( ;F. l ."l, 1' :'\'\ 1 ; 1:r to; ,,·o u ld b-C"
1\ , j' i l'iHL:, to h,, (;(J\)S . !• d ' :\'.'d_;f l.'1 t~ll.
1
A~piri111 ; t1 J br- J\Al;l.L~. ~i \11.:\ rdw\.'

" _p 1 :,1,. o;;till

i~

'·<1·hn{i11 11 1. >11 fi~1 1 n'

11:1-.:.

(' 1'1 ! ,np~ .

\\ ith s n lit t\f' c:. 11 ,~cc~~~. ns t1nl it /11sr s

j

i
I

=1

I

;!

l

011

clo .~ c conncctiun, tlHtt ~( c1111 sf' and c ft~ 'C t ~ IJ{: cn 11"' it is.tf1r, f'o ih_' nf the wife \\hich prnduces thP dejeclin11 of the
Jiud""''I. l'11 t """:ds si~11ifica11t of the'c ideas in s t•·ad of lif'h/ ;inu
hcnr 1;, a11d the sl1aUu\\ vi a fi~ut·c \' a.ni:ihes - " A fuc.li;;h ;\: ifc afflicts«.
;..:,<F Hl hu s ba1J1L"
t \11 ·

hf'f'll

~ ~ h;

c::n nn .'\iott'.·.:ly so11~'.iit, an~l

ft is 111 11 c li s11il1·d

f(1 i11•1;orot· nu HIA
:\H ;_1111\ :: d · '-''\Try rt;it lei 1·1itpluy it~ V• liu :1liuti1H>: 11ol
,., i11i 1.. n lid n1t<l i 101)1 1r t ~t11t n1;~tt 1 • r .
\ l ai i·.- lt'H ti1 Ts 1 u11~id1·1 i lie f>iUrpri1, f~
;1 11d li r illia11c\· it p r r;,,; f'nl<.: (I': c cr\;1. 11 1•.1a1.k s f) f v e11 ill " ~ nn d lhf· .v a rc~ in r1i• 1r d fq ht·lif'\"i' tf,;i f th t · V hn\·t': h r f'll (l lllUSPd a11d i n c; f r: 1r tc d , ht,ra ns r1 ii ~f hrtve LH~Pn 111adc to ,~· c111Ut:r. I t is uot ca s _\ i 11 an Pnlig! )lc ucd At; r.

11 11.:, ki! Jul r r-; u \l.'r

' " ~liine in writi1ig, b,v 5o lidi ty nnrl no"clty of matter, a 11 1\ by simpl ici P ro l o ~; ue

to t he

~at i rc.

t"
)~

18G

lnte rrogatiou.

ty and elegance o{ manner. !\'Tu ch rcailing , muc h rdl cc ti o n, m11 d_1
practi ce , and 111nch irk<om c c nl1c1 s 111 , mu st be employed hdorc tl11 s
important end can he attained. Authors '"ho possess , perhaps , ~o m c
genius, seem to wish ln rnk c a short1:r path to fame; a11cl to c o111p!'t1 sate for the slightuess of th e ir matt e r, they encleavonr to dazzle h.r th e
smartness of th!'ir style ; :1111\ if we may jnclge from th e history o f an cient literature , an attac hment to oruament~ of this sort, forms the fir st
stage toward the corruption of t;t s tc.

,,.i

.,

'..-:

t..,

1~7'

Exclamation. ._.-

Repetition.

n1 di sunion immediately raising up another · Philip~·""Again, their simp licity about the news of Philip's health is excellently exposerl in the
qurstion," Is he dead?" And the hope of safef.vexpressed by the person to whom such a question was put by his neighbour, is most humorously 5atirized in the answer: ." No ;. but he is sick." ' . ' · .,,
,;

339•. Interrogation sometimes commands with great e~p .. .
phasis.
·, .
Example. Thus Dido, enjoining the.departure of../Eueas to be stopped:
•

1

•

•

";. :

" Non nrma axpedient, totaque ex urbe seqpentut?
D eripit' ntque ratios alii,. navalilms ?"
.

CHAIJT.Ell X.

·' ' .
340. Interrogation sometimes denotes plaintive passion.
Example. Thus Almeria, in the '.\1.ourning Bride;

INTEHrtOGATJOK, REPETl'I'lOK, F.XULAMATIOX, lltU XV , A t\ 1J

" Alphonso! 0 Alphonso !
·
Thou too art quiet , long hast thou been at rest !
Doth. fatht'r and son. are now 110 more.
Theil wh\' am I? 0 when shall 1 h:n·e rest?
"\Vhy do f live to say you are no more ?
ls it or m o lllt'llt to the peace of h eave1~,
Tliat 1 should be afflicted, thus ?" ·

VISION.

:jSG. INTERROGATION. The un!igurc1l :rnd literal
use of interrogation is to ask a question; but whe11 me11 arc
stronµ;ly movecl, \\°11atcvcr they woulc~ allirrn_ or dc_ny, with
grrat earnestness, they 11at_11rally 11.ut 111 the form of a qucs·_
tion. The stronrres t conbde11ce 1s thereby expressed o(
their own se11ti111~t1t, by appealing to their hearers for th e
impossibility of the contrary.
. Exampf~. Thns B ;\laam express:- d him self to Balak . "T he Lo rd
is not a man that he s hould li e, n e1th r r th e s on of man that. he s h ou lcl
repent. Hath he said it > ancl shall he not do it, llath h e ' J>ok c11 it e
an<l shall he not make it good?"

337. Interrogation p;;ives lVc aml spirit to tli scoun..,c.

338 . .Interrogation may be used to rouse and awaken the
hearers.
Example. Demosth!'nes, a1ldre ss i11g himself to the A1hcniam, n s k .~
tl1em : " Tell me, will you still go ahuut, and as k one another wlwf
11 c1i:s .~ \\' hat. can bR mon, a s lo11ishi11 g new s than thi,;, lhnt the 111au of
J\lacedon makes war upon the Athenians, au1l di s pos e~ of th e affair~ of
Greece? Is Philip d ead? No; hut he is sick. What signifi es it tc)
vou wh<'ther h e be d ead o·r alive ? For, if any thing happc11s to this
·l'hilip. you will imnwcliatc ly rai se up n1111thcr."
· Jlnalysi.r, All this delivered "ithout inlcrrogalion , hail lwrn faint nm1
ineffectual; but the warmth anti cng-c1·11css which lhi" q11cstioni11g method expresses, were c alculn.ted to awaken th e Ath e11inns to a s e rn:;e of
their supinencs~, and strike them with much grcnter force on the folly

,. · '. ,··;s-..

;34 l. lh:PETITION seizes 8oin~ emphatical word or phrase;·
awl, to mark its importance, makes it .r ecu'r frequently itt
the saue sentence. It is significant of contrast and ene1:gy.
En1111ple I. It also marks passion, which wishes to dwell on the ohjcc t hy which it is excited. Virgil pathetically d esc ribes the grief of
O rpheus for th e loss of Eurydice, in the fourth Georgie :
· ·
'
" T e cluki s conji1x, te. solo in littorc secum,
Te. veniente uie, Le, decedenle canebat."

So also Catnllus, de Passere morftw LesbidJ .:
" Passer mortuus est mere Puellre,
P a.se~ dl'licire nwre puell:e. ·.
Quem plus ilia oculis suis amabat."

· E :rnmplc . We h;vc an .iOu s trati~n of thi ~ pos itio11 in th e a11 i.111 atc·d,
introductory speech of Cice ro aga1u s t Cat1h11c. '. ' I low lon g " ·ill ~011 ,
Catilin e, abuse our patience ? Do you nut pe1-cc 1ve that your de s 1 g- 11 ~
are dis1·overr.d ?"
Analysis. He might li;n•e s ni1l, "Yon abuse our pati e nce n Io n.!;
while. You mu st be sensihle that your 1ks igns are di scovrrc d." But
it is easv to pe r ceive how much thi s latter mode of expression fall s
short or' the force and vrh c mcncc of the former.

. .·· ·

2 . Po1w, lu heighten compassion for the fate of nn unfortunate lady,'<:.~<'
1·ei(c n 1t es the c ircuinstance of her being deprived in .her distress oft.he '
sy mpathy of her friends:
·
· _ ··
·. ; :·~· '

>

" Dy foreign hands thy ·dying eye• were closed, .
J.!y •bn·ign ha11cls thy decent Iinihs composed ;
Hy for~ir,11 ha11ds thy humble g11ne aclurned,
.
Dy strang~rs hououred and by strangen 1110\trned."

· - -· · ,.,

:3. Dryde n, in Alexander's Feast, supplies one of.the. most beautifol
<e x.amplf'S of this figure. He thus paints the sad revers~ of fortune suffcre<l by JJa1 ins:
, : " De•erted, at hi1 greatest need,
, .
Ily tho.< e hi• former boumy fed,
. ' · H e sung Darius, great and good,
.
B l too •even a fate,
Fallen, fnll~n, fallt-11, fallen,
.
. . .
Falle n from his high estate, and weltering in) 1ig b.lood.MI . .,.

' .
• '; 'f · ~·~·

•

•• '

. S42. ExcLAMA-froNs are the dfoct of Htrong emotions of ~
the miud; such as surprise, admiration, joy:: grief, ~iid.ttj.~ .

like.

·

t,.. ::,,.:-

1~·~

17

l .;,,,

...

· · ' _,q,. -: ·

,·

.~ ·· ~ ..~;~:·..

.....·.; <

' .• Ji

~- _~,·zA::~ ~ .:~" ~ ~.·

..
188

Vision ,

Illus. 1. Exclamation, like interrogation, is oftrn prompf.ed by ~yl1'f•
pnthy. Sympathy is a very powerful a:n rt . ex ten sive pr.inciptr. .in our
iiat urf' 7 di sposing us to enter rnto every feel111g and pa~s1on, which we
behold expressed by ot hers. Hence a ~inglc per~on coming !nto com·
panv with strong mark~ , either of mr~la11 choly or JO_v , upon his co'.1ntenan~c, will diffuse that passion in n morncn.t throo gh the whole ~ ircle .
Hence. in a great crowd, in nn assembly of_ people on some public ?ncl
pressing emergency. pass ions ar.c so c.nsdy caugl.1t, rind so rnpHlly
~pread, by that powerful co.ntag1on wh1c~1 th~ anm1atcd lool<s, a nd
cries, a nd gcstnres of a mult1htc~e never. fail to 1rnp~rl. .
2. I shall tal1 e th e liberty to give one mstance, which 1s lrn o~,· n to .all,
and well cnlcnlated to illuslrnte th c figure now nud e r r:onsHlcrntion .
Turn with me r ead er turn thy mind back to the morning on whi ch we
heil.rd it anno:111ced ti; a t ttP. r royal hi g·hn css princess Charlot te of Sa xe
Cobourg was no more ! Have you h eard the news? said every Erit··
o n to his friend . News? what n ews? The princess Chal"lntte's d1~ 11!1 !
Dear!'. the priuccss Cl111rlotte d ert<l ! did ye say? Yes ~ and h er in ·
fant so n too. · Good God ! hoth m o th er ?"<l so11 ! . S uch w!l~ th e languarre of our he a rt-such the species of 111/errognli.on, repet1.tw11, excla.
mation, which we used that dol'.·ful m o rn . .
Scholium. Thongh in!e rrogrrlwns 1n n.v be rntrorluccd mt o cl~se a11J.
earnest rcasonini:;s, e:rclanlftlion.~ o nly hclong: to strnn g c 111ot1<1ns of
mind. \Vhen judic io usly c rnploy ed, th ey ag1t11te th e h earer or th e
reader with si~iilar p as~ior1~ ; hut it is extremely improp er , mHJ sometimes ridi cn\ou s, to use them on tri v.ial occ asi o ns, and o n mcan an.Ii
low rnbjects. The unt>xperienced w rit~ r ?ften attemJ!ls .t o c levn tr. Ins
Iangnage, by th e copious display of th.i s hgurc ; . l~ut 1t. 1 ~ r.elclom that
he succeeds. Ur. frequently renders lu s com po s 1t1 ~ n fn g ~d to excess,
0r absolutely ludic rou s, by calling on 11 s to e~ter rnto lus tran spor til 1
when nothing is said or d one to demand cmotwn.

I

J

" Then why this strnin? Come, let u• plunge together.
Seto, Hell sets wide its nd umantine gate s! •
,
. ·
See, through .the saltk )i-nt<:•• the black Cocytu~,
· ·
In smoky wlnrls. rolls 1t s hery waves ! · ·.
~ ·
l!ow huge J\ft'g-ara stull<0 !
·
Now, now, she d1-ngs rue to the ba1· of Minot."

,! :·

',•.
c.

I

\, '

',·

•

' • "1"1

\'•

2 . The horrors of the mind of Macbeth, after murdering the king·
Q.Ud

.Banquo, are :irt folly anti forcihly paint.e d by the same figure :
" ,Methought I h~ard a voice
Cry, sleep nu more ! Macbeth, doth murder sleep."

·

3. He is. still mo.re violently d .i stracted, and ·fancies h.c secs the ghost
•f the murdernd kmg:
·
· · .
·· ·. . . .
" A vn1111~ , nnd quit mr sight!
Let the earth l11de thee ; thy bones are m1urowleu
•';
Tl:y blood is cold ; thou hr.•t no •peculatiu11 · ,· • · '

In tho>e eyes which thou dost stare with.
Hence, honible shadow; um·~"'lll mockery, hence."

·

345. I1rnN\'. W,.he11 we express ourselves in a manner
eontrary to our thoughts, not with a view to deceive, but to
~ d<l _force to our observations, ·w,e are then saiu to · speak
uonically. •
·
· •;, ,...
.· lll!t8. Iron'!/ turns things into ridicule, in a peculiar manner; it"co1;~ :, ) : ·"'
s1sts 111 laughtnlf Rt a m,.,n , und<>r tlie disguise of a1mearinu: to praise or _.;,•;· "
speak well of hnn.
'
·
,
- ·
/ • · -E:r;am.ple. " By these m ethod s, in a few weeks, there starts up.many
'.1- wnt.cr, capable of managing the profoundest and most universal sulJ_rects. For what, though ~is h e.a d be empty, provided his cnr'nmonpl.ace book be full ? And 1f you will bate him but the circurnstancell
of method, ?~d style, and grammar, and invention ; alln\V, hiin 'hut the
c?mmon pnv1lcges of transcribing frotn 'o thers, nnd digressing from
l11m s~ lf, as often as he shall sec occnsion, he will desire no more in·
g r cdtents towards. .fit~ing up a treatise, that shall make a very comely
figure on a b~okseller s she~f, there to be preserved neat and clean, fo1·
a long eternity, adorned with the heraldry of its title, fairlv described
on the 1.abe_I ; never thumbed or greased . by students, n~r bound to
~verl?stmg. chams of darkn ess in a library ; but when the fulness of
time is come, shnll happily undergo the trial of purgatory in order to
ascend the sky.''""
'·
· ·.
'
~
'.?
: <'·'

S43. V1s10N, another figure of speech, proper only in an imatell and warm compositions, is produ ced when, instearl
of relating something tl~at is past, _w e use th e present ten se
of the verb, anti describe an action or event as actually
passing before our eyes.

Example. Thus C icero, in hi s fourth ora~ion a g:i in st Catilin e, pie-.
tu res to hi8 mind th e exec ution of the cn nsp1 racy: " J sei~ rn '.° mysel !
to uehol<l thi s city, th e o r11ament. of th e 1~a rt .h, an1l th e capital o f all
uations, suddenly involved in o'.1c cm1flaµ:.rat•_on . I s.c •~ lie l'.-'rc !1ie t.1110
1aug htcred h eaps of citi zens, ly111 g :1t1bur1 cd m the 11111\st ol thmr r~un ­
5
e d country. The fu~· iou s co~111te.11an c c.of ~.'.c th egu s ~· i s c.s t~·~ my view,
while with a sava~c JOY, he 1s tnu111pl11n g Ill your 1111 sc11 cs .
.
Scholiiini. This 'inanner of de:"Tiption supp oses a sort of entltnsmsm ,
which carries the person who d escribes, in so m e m ~as nrl' , out of him sdf; and when well exec uted, must ne eds , hy th e ~·nr ce of sympathy ,
impress the reader or h earer \'cry stro ng:ly. !Jut. 111 or.•kr to be ~uc­
cessful, it requires an un com mon!.~ wann 11nng111atw11, ~nd i; 11ch a Imp ..
py selection of circumstances, _win ch r; Jia!I mak e us thmk that \\·e se c
b efo re our eyes th e scene that is d csc nb cLI.

. 346. The · s~ bjects of irony; me vices · and follies tlf ~ll
~mds; and this mode of exposing ·them is often 'more ef·
fectual than serious reasoning. ··:~.. · '· ·' · · ' ~ : '~'~f'·:·. ;,.
Illus. The gravest, persons have n.o t <lisdaiiie~i'"td ' use ti1is . figur~ ·on
proper occa1i-011s.
.Example l. ·Thus Elijah

~ " Videor cnin1 1nihi lianc nrhctn \·itlel'C', luce nt orbis .te rrnn11n at~nc :n~cm !1nmi·
·um g en ti um s11bito uno inccmliu concidcutt• tn; ct.:rno n1111110 s ·p11l ::'. 111 J,atn<l m1s,nvr
atquc iusl'lH;ltos as1u.~ct11s Ccthl'g i, ct furor, in ,·estra Cu:du ha cdmut 1 ~ . "
1

.

·

• .·

' : . ' ' t' ·

··

c~allenged ·the prie&t~ ·of Baal to
.'

' ..

;,

...

1

• ;

'~

r. ,.;.

• Tale of a Tub, Sect. 7•

., l

-r.·:•

prove· th e ·

..

. ,, v-·
~·

190

.Irony.

Illus. The ornaments of writing particularly, are of a nature so re•
fined, that the richest imagination cannot always supply them; not• ,
can the reader continue long to relish theni. They are like delicacies
of the palate, they soone1· pall ~ upon- the ' taste than ordinary food .
:Figures too closely interMp e1'se<I, .. interfere with .their own impression;
th ey exhaust the sensibility of the imagination'' by ·too .frequent exer·
lion ; a1~ d th~y excite .d!sgu~t by nttemp,tin9 ~oo n~ucl! ~o .P'e ~se.. . •

the law ! m as ter of Rntiriuity ! COl"l'cclcr and amc 111\ cr of 011r con stitu tion!"
~c vern l othrr li gm c< , p Rr lly
and partly rhetor ical; but ns a11 :wco11nt of th em w1111lci
he a ttended with little in struction , and IPss amuscmrnt, we shall r efer
tho se who may Le led farther into this lie ld, to the writings of ti l(• nn.
~icnt critics , wh ere th ey will find tlwm explai11ccl. Jt onl y r<'m a in s Ill
point out th e ge n eral principles whi ch should g·uide our practice in th e
t1se of figures; and this is a matter of great er imp or tan ce, as errors in
this article arc very common, and ns youn g writers particularly are
apt to ente rta in improper notions of such onrnmcnts .

Scholiwn. Besid es th ese, th ere rue

351. An author should not attempt 6gt.1res without being
prompted by his imagination. ~ He will · 1~eaaily discover,
whetlier he has received from nature any considerable· portion of this lively faculty, by the relish he entertains fo1·
·works of genius, toward the composition of which she laas
liberally co11tributed.

~-rammatical

348. R;cn~cmber that the first law of good writing, is to
~l~~en?.prrn:ipally and. clo~e ly to .th: 1~1atter; .and t~iat even
~e l11glws-t ornam en t 1s of much rnf enor co11s1t.l ernbon.
mu;_. Good s~s~~dresse~ in plain lan g uage, wi ll aln<ays ga in ap -

"

_p robat10n; th ough or a ment may add to its impress ion, it can nev e r

~ upply its place .. A fi g·i. -~tivc \s t y l e, ·'~ ithont i111p n1·t:rnt matt er , may
rlaz z lc and cap tivate th e un.tu lo 1·cd 1111nd, and prnc n rc a tem porary
i·cputation ; but reason and trn t h will, in tim e, triumph over prejudic~
arHl show, and co nsi g n to oblivi o n such ill-supported claims to fame.
'"' Sunt qni Jl Pgl Pt·fn ri:.rn n1 po11rJ,,.1·e,' 3 n.y~ Q11i11ctiliun, "ct viribu s s c n 1

t en tiarnm, si vcl in an ia vcrlrn in li g ura s depravarint, summos se judice nt artifi ces ; id en<]'• e n on des i111111t ens ncctc r c ; <]lias sine s e nt ~ nti a
~ec tari, tam es t ridiculum, quam <tu rerc rc habitu m gt•s tumquc sine co rporc. "'

S49. l•' ig ures should ne ver l1ave the appearance of being
anxiously sought, or of bei11g forced into th e service of a
writer.
Illu s. Affec ta ti on is the lrnn e o fh ca11ty on all occas ions, but p:i rti ,: u larly in composit'.011. lfatt P11ti o11 to oniaru c nt cn n11ot he concealed, ii.
had b etter be r <! linqui shed . Th e appen rn11ce of art will injure r ep uta tion more with every reader o f ta ste, than that reputation could b e
promoted by tli f! most success ful use of fi g ures .

S50. As fi gu re s should not be anxiously soug ht, ioo neither
~l;o uld they be lav ishly employed. Ornam e11t8 of all sorts

mterforc with elegance, unle ss applied with taste. In literary cornpo_sitions they may se rve to di s play a richness of
mind, they tnay impart a ga udy se111bla11ce, and may evidence a bold i111ag i11atio11, but they will never strike with
th e charms of gen uine beau Ly. It: on the otlH'r hand, di sc.enuueut be diiocovered in th e use of them, if they arc intrn ·.

191

duce<l with · moderation, and communicate reat'an<l per1~a~
nent delight, they will be sure to gain approbation.

347'. E~:clamations anti irony arc sometimes united.
E xa mple. Thus Loth are unit ed in Cicero's c.:·ation for Balhn.~, whcrf!
1hc o rator d eri des hi s accuser, by saying-, " 0 "xc ell ent int <•r pr r trr of

\

..

lmny.

truth of thei1· deity. " Cry nlond, for he is R god ; dther i1C? fa tnfli';
ing, or he if: pursuin g, or he is in a journey , or p erndventure he s leep ..
c tii, and 11111'1 he awuk e ned. "
2. To repro l!c a p ~ rson for his neg lige nce one might say ," You h avclnk e n great ca re indeed."
·

fllm. I. If oratory and r 'o ctr/ attract his attention, and communi·
cate ph•as urc ; if he feel infe r ior gratification in. perusing productions
of science, or in abstract inquiry, he has reason; t<,> ·cimclude he is en·
<l11ed with some share of the mental power that ·has arlornecl:.the, pro·
ductions to which he is attached. If he feel this filc.ulty so prevalei1t
as to tinge insensibly the colour of . his ~ nrly compositions ; iie"• may
hope, hy pi·oper culture, to attain e111iiJChce irt-the use of ornament ; ..
2 . Hut without such favourabl e presa ges, •ornament ought not IQ be
<1. ltcmpted. l.t is not adrriissible into many r ~p ntabll' species of.com·
position . lt is rejected in the greatei· part of scientific 'disquisitit\ns .
It is de spised by some writers andTeaders ; and in ever.fkind of'c omposition, except poetry, good sense, ahd important matter; conveyed
in a simple and natural style, · will · be eutitlcd to high praise. ·rT[hcy
will obtain hi g he1; praise than ·can be pi·ocured_ by_attetupting orua·.
., .. _ , : •
mci1t without SUCCl'SS . ..
Finally. Without a genius fo1: figurative language, none shou!d attempt it. lm i.\ gination is n power not to be acquired; it must be del'ivc c\ from nature . lts redundances ·we may prune, its deviations we
may c orrect, its sphere we may enlarge : but the faculty it.self we cannot crc11tc; and all efforts towards a metaplrnl'ical orna1;nentecl sty Ir,
if we arc ·destitute of th e genius proj)el' for it, will prove ,awkwnrd and
di sgustin g . • Let us satisfy mH?elves, howeve1' , hy conside.ring that,
without thi; talent, ot at least with a very small measure of 1t, we may
hoth write and speak to advantage. ,,,.Good .s ense, as has been said,
cl ear ideas, perspicuity of language, arid proper.arrnngem~nt of words
a nd thought s, will always commRml attention.- These are l li1deed, 'th'e
fouudations of a!l solid merit both in•' speaking and writilig.· Mariy
su bj ec ts require nothiiig moi·e : and those whic\1 admit ·ot-.ornament,
admit it only as a secondary requisite. To st ~dy . an? to '.k. 11 ?~_, ou i:
own g:cnius ~v e ~I ; t? foll°'~ nnt ~re ; to seek t~. im~rove, 1 ~ nt :. n ~ t. to
force rt ; arc drrcchons which cannot be too often g1vco to those w~10
d es ire to excel iu· the liberal arts.
i-: ' '
' " '." , . " 1 ' 1 "''f'. i.,. .. ~<~ · ;;,,.~!/ ! ~·,;·}··-re·> ~

.

"lz.,; ·;".·f ~i " f

/

., .

,

'

/ .)_

7'asU.

19.J

euuowcd 1.J cyon d ano t her; I.J ut still more to ed ucation, and a higlJ('r
c ultur e of tho se tale n ts, w hic h belong only t o t h e ornam e ntal part of
l ife .

354 . TASTE is an improveable fac u Ity, and, refined by
educa tion, gives to civilized · men a11 immense superiority
above barbarians, and, in th e same nation, to those who lia\' c
studied the lil:ieral arts, al.Jove the rude and untaught vulgar.
U/;s . Tlrns, two classes of 111e11 arc far remo ved from each oth er, in
n· s p cct to th e powers and plcas1111~s of ta'-l e; and, for thi s diffcr (' ;1cc,

·ON TTTE NATlTHP. OF T ;\STE 1\ Nll Tlll~
f:)Ul' ltl'E~

ot he r gc11c r al cau.>e cau lit: a'."signcd, than cul!urc and

111)

l'LE.\'·Tl~F:~

OF lT ;:,

~ducation.

:J:'i5. Exerci se is the source of improvement in all our
fonilties, i11 our bodily, in our mental po1vcrs, a111l even i11
011 r ex tern al sell'\('~ . "
ll /11 s. I. Tol'C ll becomes 111nrc <'X<Jl iis itc in lnPll, 1d1osc cmpluyn1('11t
lc:uls t\1(·1n to exa111 in e the po]i,li o( uodics, li1<u1 it is in others," hose

flL\l'T!rn L

tr ;1 d(' f'llQHC,f;S

I}()

Slll'ii 11i1~e f ~Xt·1ti1111~.

Src" r, in di sc f· rn in_g till~ 1n i 1H1tt ' ~t objf' Ct~~ a rr111i rf' s a s11rprisi11~
acc 11n1cy in 1nicros co pical uhservcrs ,a ud those who arc accustorned to
1>

T .\ <-; l'J ·:,

f'llJ'lit\C Oil

.).r ~ . TA~TE

is that farnH,-

111'

wl iirh i" al\\<I\'" apj't·af1·il lo i11 .li'-'l1:i.;il iu11.; ci:JHTI 1; i 11 :.~ 111 1
mt·iil of di,;coi:r ,c.: a::d \\ 1 :ti11s: it i:;; tlw 1'11 •:. n (If ll'n·i1 i112
plL·a,;ure frnu1 tlt1· licautic:-; of 11:lime aPd a1 t.

.i.1t1. Placini; i11IC1'11{(l taslr:, therefore, 011 the f'11oti11g of' a
"i1llp lc sclJse, fn•qucllt exnci:--t', a11d u11ious atll'11tio11 to it;;
prup1·r objectO', rnust, in tl1e lit;,;t i11sia11cc, greatly licig,litc11
i (~ jlil\\L:I'.

f// 11< I. T IH· "· o rd /11s ll'. 11ndn tl1 i' 11H'iapl1n1 ic'11 n:i· :Ull11/!, h •I' i><ll.
i'O\\ ·r·d it.;: 11 a 1111 · frnn1 tli r· ,ft•f li11!'. o f th :1f ('\{1:111;1. l ;-;~·/ht' I)\' \\ l1i 1·l1 \\ 1'
1

H'( ' f'i\ 'j • :111i\ di ·: ti11·.•. 11i<.;l1 ! ) H'

, .J.. :1 ·:1!1

! ''-'.

11!

j~i;>•\.

'i1 11w ri··•_:fTf '. tn ~1!! 111 1·11
f••r 1i1• · i c i j ••;!1 nl hr :111t , - • ot n1 1 r• \:. i:1d (JI . (): !i•·t. f11 ·111 11:·...: tfl )!l! r 11:111 t::ll tll 1· 1~1· 1 q · 1:1I! 1
\\ ' i1:1tr·,· er i~ nri\e1 ly , JH '1 1!1(>J tiP111'(\. "l ;1 11d . li:11 i1 H1 1111111 -. . 1H·\\ tit "!' ti l1 l •
h· . plt ·a..::r•.. : :iii hf '. l1t1t i11 di11'1 · 1 f'IH d •' "tl'I' . . . l ltl' p!1 t11~ ..: "J>l11•r H!!d tl 1t> 111·; 1 '.'.:~nl. f \H · rhild :u 1d tl1f' i;.;;iv:1!~1'
!t~'l_'. 1d;1r hndi 1 ' ~. J1i1 ·1 11r 1•c: . ;1nd .. 1;1111 1''-' 1
ifi f'\TlnpC' i11 c \1i! dtTll t !1~ ~ 1 ltd! t l\\' ll !s o( f ;1 s t(': ;1u·i c: tY :l~t ' ~ ~ \ \ ]11t rrid t·
tl 11· 111 -.1 • l\·po.; i11 t! ti' i 1· P i-11 :11nr:1d<;; 11f di T i;: ..: , tl1\'il" ~r;1r ;111d 1l1! i l' d (· ;1t h
~01n.ts . their !1 :11·a11!.:tL!S a 11 Ll lli l ir fl\":ttin-.. ~ l''·incc tl1~1t tlP.: _r p c 1 :0_..:~·~1.;~
\t lt ! l 11H·. atl_i-d1 1:l1'.-; iii 1e : 1 ~ 0:! ' t11d -"!I ' 1 1·/1, _'--«ltl(' di -.. 1('J1 1 1111· 1!1 1.f \n_';t11I _\ 1
n \ i 1 l t l~ (' l )1 i !1 ; i; ' 1., ': (' f I; I ._. '! .. f 1 '/'; 'T ,. !-, , 1111 ''' ·11 i 1 l I l · l 1 111 l :1 ! ' l ! : )r 1
0

T! 1 i-.; f:1c11lf\· i-;

( ' ' \ ! \lll\') ll,

l/ius 1 Tli!!..:, 11otl1ill:: i'i !ll()!'f' i11rprnvcab!c tiiatJ tf1:-lt p~rt nf fa:.l c·,
1111 (111·
n111sic
:\t flr~t. tliP ..::irnpli~.:.t ;1iid 1~L1i11 r ..;f
1 11 \ 11p 11>;i!i •111...; 11 Hh ;11 t ' rcli ~ lwd .
( J 11r pl t>n:-.:11 rt> i" 1·sf1 ·1 1dr d hv 11-.: p a 11 d
1'rr~ 1 · t i<_.~ ' . wlii1·li 1~·acl 1 11:-: to r1'li ....:h f111f'r n1 el nd.v, and hy dt·~r~es cnnL)l c
u..: to <l 11trr in to tlH· i11tricatP ;111 d ('0111po 111Hi plr ·a~11r f'" o( hannnnv .
· ' ~O Im 1.'/r ./i1r /fte /1a111/ies oj' j>ain/int:,, is 111'\'l' f' acqu ired 'all at

i11

n·liii ·ii i-.; 1·:1ll"d

1

0

1

T \C. 1 r is 11n::c;r~
i 11 diffr-r011t r!;• :.crcPc; hy d i fferrnt
Jnen. lts fet' l)\c glimmerings npprar in " OllH'; in oilwr", it
ris •' S i o a n a cu le di "n 'l' J1 1111• 11f , a1Jd a li\·•·lv .- 11j"}'''"''il 111
th e m os f' r e lined LwauhPs : th e form e r hav e b11f a \\'f'ak aml
£011fu sf'd i111pression of thi s power, as th ey reli sh 011ly beau ·-ties of the coarsest ki1id ; th e latter have a ce rtain natural·
and ins tinctive possess ion of this faculty , whi c h may be im prover\ by art, and which di scovers itself in th eir powers aud
:pleasures of tas te.
;);i;) ,

-;

I !

0 rd

Obs. This in e qu alit y is partly owing to th e differ ent frame of our
natures, to nker org an s, a nd fin er int <:? rn a l po wers; with which on e ls

fHC('i()tlS :-.;( tl!H '~ .

:!. Cin:~!ISTs, b_v attending to different flrn·o11rs a nd tastes of lirJl11Jr.o,
wo1 H.kr!ull.v illlpruve the power of distinguisliillg them and traci11g
tlwi 1· co111p11c;i t i•111.

prw;l"r nf tli P h11111:rn nrn1d .

l.

/)!JI ' (' ; nor liy l1i111 w/10 pn't'('r.'-' tlu~ Sar;1ccn's lif'ad 11pn1~ a ~ i~n-po:".t~
h ct'url' t l1 c h·ct 1<d.111Ltl111·e ot' ILq1l1;ic J. It is t,:r:idualh· t'orincd hv lie ~
! 11~ : ('1)\IH'.I S<llll ;till(Jll~ piCllll'CS, a11d ~t11dyi11g· tl1t..' \Y~i ks of tltt: b('Sf
Ill 1 - f tT_.

:; , A11d tlie 1:ia 11 \\ho has cultiHltcd the beauti<'s of n·~11!:1ri1 .1·, order,
" "'' Jll"J'Urli.,11, i11 A1 1 ·li i le 1 · 111r~, will ne ver pn·fera rude Guthic tu 11Tr
lwC11rP the tlnc .' t Grecian building .
·'

:3:57. Prcci~·w ly in the .;:i.1nc manner, with respect to the
beauty of wmposition and discourse, attention to the most
a pproved models, study. of. ~ e best au.thors,' comparisons of
lower and · higher degrees of ' the same beauties,. ope.rate to-

wards the refinement of taste.-· · y·,r:'

·

" ,., :.·

.

Illus. The sentiment that 'attends a reader's first acquaintanc.e 'with
works of genius, is obs<;ure a nd confused. The, several •~ xc e llencies or
blemishes of the pe.rformance which he peruses, cannot be .pointed out,
because be is at a loss on what to rest his jtirlgme nt ; but allow aim

,t, .....

. ·. JL ~::-

...

.. .
i:i i

·'

.'.~

194

Taslr:.

more experience of the snuject, and his taste becomes more exact nn.'!
enlightened: the character of the whole work, the heauti cs and d<'fcCl '.t
of each part, are perceived, aml his praise or hlnme is at lcn.~th pro ·
nonnced firmly, an•.1 without hesitation. Thus, in taste, cousidered us
mere st>usibili"ty, exercise opens· a great source of improvement.

358. But. reason an<l good sense have so extensive <in in fluence on all its operations and decisions, that a thorough
good taste may well be considered as a power comp1111 mlcd
of natural sensibility to beauty, anti of improvcu umlcrstanding. · (.tfrt. 365.)
Illus. 1. The greater part of the prn(luction~ of genius, arc 111> othe1'
than imitations of natnn~ ; rcprcse11la1ions of thr chan1ct1'r~, i11;ti11ns,
or manners of men. Th e pleasure we rrccive from snch imitati o 11 ~, or
representations, is four11ie<l 011 mere taste ; bnt to jlHlge whether
they bP. properly cxccnted, belongs to the undcrstamling" which com pareg the copy with th e u riginal.
2. rn reading such a poem as Paraclisc Lost, a g:r<'al part o!' th e
pleasnre we receive, aris"s from the plan or st01·y bl'in)(· well con<luclcd, and all the parts joi11e1l together with due c01111e~ion ; from th~
c haracters , lwing snitrd to the subject, the sentinu•nts to th e ch rHactcrs ,
anti the style to the sentiments.
3. \\' c feel or enjoy by taste, as an i.nfrrnrtl .•c11se, the 11l•~as11n' which
arises from a poe m so con(lucted ; hut the discovery of this conduct in
the poem, is owing to reason ; and nnr pleasure will he the great.er,
the more that reason enables us to dis1:over snch propriety in th e co n cluct.
·
' 4. Our na.tntal sense of beauty yields ns pleasure ; but reaso11 shews .
11s why, an(I upon what gronnds, we are pleased . \VhenC'vrr, in works
of ta ste, any rcsemhlance to nature is aimed al, whenev e r there is n.11y
1·efercnce of parts t.o a whole, or of mPa11s to an encl, as in(lee<I th ere
is in almost ev e ry writing an<l disi.:oursc, there the umkr standin g must
always have a gTeat part to act.

359. A SECOND, and a very cousi<lerable source of the
improvement of taste, arises from the •·:pplication of reason
and.good sense, to works of composition, and productions of
genrns.
Illtts. Sp11ririus b<'auties, such as unnah1rnl tharnctf'rf', force.I sentiments, an1l nlfocte1l style, may plea~e for n littlP.; but th ey pica~<' 0111}"
beca1lsc we have uot examined or attc11dcrl to thPil' opposition to natnre
and good sc11sc. Tile illusion is <liilsipated, all(l th ese false bPautics
cease to please, as sonn as we arc shewn ho\v nature mir,-ht IHIVP b1•1•11
more justly imitated or r e presented, and how the writ<'l' might have
111anaged his suuject to great('I' !l(lvantage.

360. From these two sources then, first, the ji·equent rxercise of taste, and next, the applicf/tivn cf goud se1.1:1e and
reason to its vujf'.cts, TASTE, as a power of the mind, receives
its improvement.
·
Obs. In its p e ··frct state, it is tmrlollbtcclly the result b«oth nf nature
and arl. It supposes our natural s~nse of beauty to be refined by fre-

,j

..•

.I,

IJivctsity of 1"ast~:

1~5

. ~\1ent. att!!ntion. to the most beautiful objects, and at the same tio'ie to
be guided and improved by the light of tb,e understandin"'
.
b
.
.
-

'

.

1·

361. One .material requisite to a just · b.ste, . besi(le~ a
5oun<l hea<l, is a good lieart; for moral beauties, in themsd ves superior to all others, exert an influence, either more
nearly, or more remotelj, on a great variety of other ·objects:
of taste.
.
. .r, . '
·

nlfectio~s, characte~s,

.acti~-~s:· :~ ~en,

Illus. The
and
frequently af·
fo1·'.'. ~he noblest· subjects to gemus . . ~V1thout possessing the virtuous
aflcct1ons, no man, whe1·e those affections, character~ or actions are
c on ce rned, ca.a exhibit their jnst and touching llcscripti~n, nor ha 1· ;, any
! ho1 o.ugh feeling of the beauty of that <lescription . Ile '"hO!ie heart ii
1ntl?l1catc or hard, who has no admirntion of what i' truly noble or
praise-worthy, ner the proper ~.vmpathetic s•mse .of what is ·soft and
tender, must have a 'very imperfect relish of the highest · beauties of eloquence and poetry. :·
·
·

J62. DELICACY and CoRRECTNESs are the characters of
faste, \vhen brought to ~ts most improved state.
Illus . l. D_e~'i~acy of tast~ respects principally the perfect.iou of that
natural sens1h1hty, on. which taste is founded . It implie~ those finer
or~ans or powers, wl11ch enable us to· discover beauties that lie hid
from a . v:ilgar eye. A person of dPlicate taste, both feels strongly and
feels accurately. He. ~ees dist.indions and differences, where ~,;hers
5Ce none; the most latent ueauty does not escape him 1 und he is sensi•·
ble ol the smallest blemish.
·
·
2 . Corrcc~ness of taste respects chiefly the improvement which that
fact.•1.ty rcce1.ves throng:h its connexion '"ith the und~rstanding. ·cou11terle1t beauties never impose on a man of correct laste becanse he
?anl."M in hi• min<l .<l•nt ·,;,,...,<lara 01 goon ~ense 1 which b~ · emplovs in
JUdg111g of every tlung.
.
•

36.:3. ~ELICAcY of t~ste i.s judged of by marks similar to
those winch we use m JU<lgmg of the delicacy of an external sense;
_
.
. .
.
. ; ...
Illus .' As ~he goodness of the palate .is noc tried bv strong fla~ours
l>.ut by a m1xt~ure of ingredients, in which, notw1thst;rn<ling the cbnfu~
sion, we remam sensible of each ; in like manner, delic1tcv of internal
taste appears, by a quick and lively sensibility, to .ih finest, most ec;impounded, or most latent objects . .,
,
'

~64.

CoRnEcTNESs .

ef taste is judge~l '. oL by the ~·sti~ate

wlncl~ a · ma!1 makes of. the comparative: merit of several

ueauhes, which he meets with, i12 a,ny ~vork

of g~riiu~.

" ~

!lltts. Wh~n .l_ie 1·efers these to their proper classes, assigns with propriety tl!e pr111c1plcs , asfar as they can be.tntced, whence. their power
of pleas mg flows ; and 1s pleased h!mself· in·. that degree, in w_hi\:h he .
ought, and no. more; . we s.ay that his taste is correct. , , .,. , . ; .. i

~65. n:li~acy, ,a!ld correctne~s· ?~taste; · l~uttia!lyimply .

ea~h othe1 . . N1,1 taste can l>.e exqms1tely <lehcate, without ·
IJemg correct; nor , thoi:oughly correct~ without be~ng deii.,-

,Divc~·sity

&andard of Taste.

of 'I'astc.

he holrls the one to be a dnll, spiritless writer, and. the other to be a ~ .
~·
inere cnpi ~st , thnt in distinction to thP. lEneid he :would as soon peruse ,, .ti,: .. - .,h
R r, bin~o•~ Crusoe, ot' Jack the Giant Killer to the Iliad; both .the other · ·.-·
'
m e n would pronounce him v.oid of nil -taste, or exclaim . that. his taste ,
was corrupted in a miserable degree. · ,
.·
, ,
3. Or if either of the two men ·w ho dlspuied about the pre:eminence
of Virgil or of Homer; 'should evince the same disposition as the third ·
man shewed; . his antagonist would appeal ·to whatever he thought the (
stanrliud of taste to shew him that he was in thP. wr~ng.
·

t ate.- Dut still a prcdominanr.y of the one or tl1e oth~l'
quality in the mixture is uften vi siule.
illns. 1. The powet· of deli cacy is ch icily seen in 11i~ ce rning the true
m erit of a work ; the power of correctness, in r~jc ct in g fal se preten'lions to merit. .D elicacy !<:a ns mn1·e tc• feeling ; concdnc ss. m ore to
1·eason arnljmlg me nt. The form er is mo re the gift of 11ature; the latter, more the product of c11ltnrc :>.rnl nrt
2. Among the anci ent critics, L o 11 g in11 ~ 1rn ~ ~ e sse1I most.d elicat:y; ,\ris totle , mos t cot-redness . ;\ ll! O ll ~ tlH' 111od r rn s , A<l rlisoil is a hi g h ex ·
ample o f tld icatP tas te ; nnd ),,,.) J)p:in s,,i ft. writt en o n criti cis111, hC'
would perh aps h a v•~ nf1',, n \pr! r!1p (' .~ lll ll i"" nf n (''> !Teet one. C a rn ph r ll ,
K nm es , ,\lli sou, an d U u :; ~. l d Siewa r l, a rr! cs :1111p lcs v f <" orred an<l deli c ate tas te.

366. T1-.rn

369. A S'.I'ANDARI} properly signifies that, which, being
fi xed by convention, is of such undoubted authority as to be
tho test of <1ther things of the same kind.
J!lus. 1. Thus a stand a rd weight o r mr:asure is that which is nppoint .
erl by law to regulate all other ·weights and measures.
2. Thus, also, the Court is said to be the standard of good breeding;
and the Scripture, of theological truth .
.

which pre vails among
mankind, cl o c~~ not ;ri cv c1 y CC\3 <' in !l -r a corruption of ta s te,
or oblige u s ti• si: ck Flr s t>me sta t:<tml, in ord e r to determine wlw a rc iu t he 1 ig ht.
))lVF. J1 S l TY f'F T ;\ '., )'•<;$,

370. In all cases where an imitation is intended of some .. , . .,,~,~-~·­
object that ex is ti in nature, as in representing human char· ·~;.~ '-~'. , •
acters and actions, naluJ'fi is tlie standard of taste, becai1se .,:· ' ' -~;.
conformity to it affords a full and distinct crite1:ion of what
"
is truiy beautifui.
'

. Tlltt ., . :rhc t :\<; / ('~ n f 1n c '' m a 1· di :l i> r n· ry c ;111 ~ j, l <e r a l1l y n-, to th eir oh.Je i::t, a nti ye t 11n11 c .,~· thc lll b l'.,. , . ,, ,, .~. l.h•: ma1l ro!: , c. h c ~ poe try, while
an ot he r takes plras11r(! rn n!<thm ir h11 t h i .•1" r) . Or, c p r cf,·, rs co me<ly;
~n e th e r. ~ r:1::; ~.~:J y .

() n r: :::. d : n ; :-· ~:; 1 :.1~~ ~ i.-.q ;k, ~ ;"';nt.h ~ r , th e cr n:.t~! ?nt ctl
lh" v onn rr n rc a n•h i: ;d ' VliH e ~ 1. v a nd :;;r;nc-litl v con1p '1S 1~~ o ns;
H1-e ci 1icrl y a r e mo re ~ r. t < "<fH in P<I wit11 th ose ot' a -g r ;:~.... r cast
b orne
11ntiv 11 s de lig ht i.11 IJ old ;i ic t 11r1;< s of m a1111 er >, anr.I stron g· rcpresf' ntr.tions

s t. vie .

0f

1

p p ::; <: ! f •' t ~ ; o t'1 P p .

~ ··• '. ~ ' "

t r.

~ t ~l, .-· r· • ,~..,•-f n f• t

fFF~

l" P f"" H l ~n· P f f' l:· ~nr Q: s

b oth in dc o;cr ipti" n •1:11\ s~ u t im1~ nt. Th o ngh nil <l11le r, \' ;' ! all pitc h up on som e beaut.v .whi ch peculiarly ,u!t5 th ;~ ir turn of 1n.i11d ; a11tl therefore no o ne h :ls

t!

titl e t o e o :i :-l ~rnn his n r: i~hbour .

SG7 . In qu es tirrn s of m e re re a~u 11, thc1·c io l>ut one cun chf ··

sion that can be

t n11~ ;

and there is sonufo1mrlation for th e
prcft•rcnce of 011 e lllan' ti tas te to that of anolh c1-..

._.f t •_ ;1 , n n ; i ~ r J1 1 ( ; l • ·.i 1dj, \\ ;,;,_:IJ !:.
the object of tast e , is manifold . Taste, th ere fore, a dm its o f latit ude
;and •li...-.e rsity of obj ects, in sutrici ent consbtcncy with its r;oodn ess or
j ustness .
h l :lS . Tru Lh , \Y lJiLh i.::

tl!( '.

u 11j cct

1

368. This admissible dive rsity of tas te s, can only have

place where th e objects of taste are different. \Vhen one
condemns as ugly what another admires as beautiful, there
is no longer diversity, but direct opposition of taste.
must be right, and the other wrong.
·

One

Jll11s . I. One rna n prefers Virg il to Homer ; another, admire5 Hom er more than Virg il ; y pt th e re is no reason to say that thdr tastes
u.re c ontradictory . ThP. nne is more s truck with tl1(• elri:ran cc and
tend e rnrs ~ of Virgil; the oth er with the simplicity and fire of Homer.
A s long as neitlwr of th em deni es that both Homer nnd Viq~il have
~-r e at heauties, th eir differenc e falls within the compns~ of thut diver sity of tnstf~, which is both naturnl and allowable . ( J/rl. 366.)
2 . llut if a thin! man should asRcrt thnt Hom e r has no !Jcantie!i·
wh:ttevt r 1 a nd th a t Vir;il fa ck«oid of clre-anr,9 aurl t111111crness 1--tha\

,.._ -

I

I

I

Ubs. Heas on hath in su ch cases foll sc ope fot· exe rt ing its author ity,
fo r approving or c ond emn ing; by comparin g; the copy with th e original. But th er•' iH P irrn11me raul e ..: ri,e;; i11 whi ..:li t hi~ r ule c.-u 11wt be apj1li e<l ; au<l ..:•1111-.nrni ty \I ith 11at u1 e io au e xpr e:;siun fr e,1uenlly used,,
without any distioct or dc!erminat e mcanin1'. The standard of taste
must, ther e fore, he sonwth ing which is clear and precise, without any
imp e1·1Cctio11 , irrPgnlarity, or disord er .

371. The general sentiments of mankind must be conside red the standard to which t.he ultimate appeal must ever
lif' , in all worbi of trudc.
Tilus. If any . o'ne should maintain that sugar was bitter, and tobacco
no reasonings on his part could avail tp prove th,is positi? n ;
mankind would infalllbly hold the taste o~ such a person fo be tli,·e as-'
c d, merely because it differed diametrically from the taste of the spe(l ics to which he belonged. In like mnnner, with regard to the objects
of s cntim Pnt or intern<i.l taste, . the common foelinr;s of men carry the
same authority, and become an.universal standard to .r egulate the taste
o f every individual.
~ w ec t,

l

372. There is nothing but the taste, as far as it can be
gathered, of human nature, of sufficient.authority t? be the
stamlanl oft.he various and opposite 'tastes of me11. . · · ·
Tilus. Tha't which men concur the 'most in 'admiring· must be reckon~ '
c (\ bcantifnl. lJi~ tnste must be esteemed just and trne which coincides
wi1 h the g1~ 11eral sentiments of men. He who, in any dispute1 iq1p Pals
to tl 1c common sense of mankind ns the nltimate rule. or. stun<lard hy
which he will he judged, evinces a <'onv.iction of a co.mmon standard
t.o wlii ch his taste is right or good if coi1form:iblc, while that of his op. poncnt. must be wrong or bad, if disconfonnable. The taste of a whole

-

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••...---~:~::.
:.:.::::::_:.;,. ,::::.::.~
.
~!!'!!e:~~;;..::..=
......-r:.::-i:it:i
....,,.«:il!l~
-!!!!i!!!!~:::"'~~··-1m~.. ·.----- -~---~~ ~ =--~
;,<i -_.
. -"'n"'~""""""
.
~

-~~~

f

Standard of ''J'asU.

198

Standard of Taste.
When these scntime~1ts are r.iervertecl by ignorn.nce and prejud ice, they are capable of bemg rectified by reason, . Their sound and
u at ural state ii ultimately de.termined, by comparing .them with the
general .taste of mankind. '
· '·
· ·
.

people, guided b,11 reason and virtue, mnst generally he 1>x ri•dsit e nnd
just, th e ir internal senses un.crri!1g am! sure. H ~ who allow~ rnbmis •
sio ii to be due to the detcrmmatwns of all m a nkm<l , acknm~ledges 11
perfect standard for the taste of all othcr5.

· . «ik

373. B11t besides the approl>ation of the majority, there
can ~c
applied to matters of taste, as well as fo the subj ects of se1ene~ and philosophy.

377. In ~very composition, what inte;·e~ts th() heart pleases all ages and, all nations. There is a certain , strinO' to
'vhich, when properly struck~ the . human heart.is so matle as
to answer.
·
·
·

llltis. He who admires or censure~ t1ny work of ge niu s, is alw~ys
teaclv. if his taste be improved, to as sig n some rc•asons for his de cision .
He ,;J;peals to principles, ancl p'lint~ out the gro und s on which h e proceed ~ . Taste is, th e r efore, a sort of co 111po11nd pow e1·, in " ·ltich th e
light of th e under standing always mingl es , more 01· less , with the feel ings of sentiment.

l~liu. L. Hence, t.he universal testimony which the most improve<\
1iat1ong o~ the earth have conspired, ~hr oug hout a long succiession of
·'.lgrs, to give t o some few works of genms; such as the Iliad of Homer 1
and th e .iEneid of Virgil.
2. ~-J enee , the a uthority which such works have nc q uired as standa~ds, 111 some ciPgrce, of poetical composition; siuce from t hem we are
enabl~d to .colle.ct what the se?se of man kind is, concerniug those
~1ea nt1es whwh gwc. t1.1em the highest pleasure, and which, therefore,
p oetry ough t to exl11L1t.

are principles of reason and sound judgment which

374. The ultimate conclusions to which our reasonin gs
lead , in judgi ng concerning works of taste, re fer at last to
sense an<l perception.

378. U 11iformity of taRte and sentiment resultinl)' from
•rnr l'onvictiou of a common stamli~rd, leads to two i?nport ant fina.1 causes; the one respectrng our tluty, the other,
04r past11ne or amu:5cment.
,
'
.
·

illus . l. .Just rea soo iui!S coHcerHi•1g- pr op1 iC't_Y of c nnduct in a t1 ;•!;r:dy, or an e pic poem , will cnnect th e caprice of 11111,nlightr:11ctl '"'le ,
and est.a ulish prin cipl es for jud g in g· of what tl rsl' n cs prai se. These
rca~oni11 gs, in th e last res ort, appeal alway~ to frrling.
"J heir fo unila ·
tion is d ee ply laid in whatever has bee n found from experience tG
plea~e mankind m1iv er sally.
2. Upon thi s gro und, wP. prefer a "imple and naturnl, to an a rtifi cial
~t vl <'; a rrgular anrl well · <'nnnecll'<1 <; fo1·y , to 1"""" nnd ,,.;ittrn•d n~r ­
rativc~;

lea\ es

a cafasln 1phe which is tttHler attd p rtlltHit· , to

Ottf·

Obs. Barely to nlf'11tion the first, shall be suffi~i ent, because it does
not pro1~erly belon·g· to t.he prese~t t~ndertliking . UnhAppy it wou ld he
fo~ us did not .11111form1ty pri>va1l 111 morals : that our actions should
rnnformly he d1rcdcd to what is good a nil ngrtinst "liat is ill. is the
~n~:it.f'St h! c 5." .lnF o f snc1t>f.v; and in ord Pr to uuit'onnitv in acti~n, un i.ur rnlly ol OJlllllPll and sc11timent is indispensable.
· ,
.

~ \-l 1i• ·l ,

LIS lllllllO\' CU.

Corol. It is from con~111ting onr own im <ig-i n at ion <in<l heart , an•1
from attending to th e feelings of others, that auy principles a rc formed
w h ich acqnirc au thor ity in matters of ta<lt'.

3~9. Wi.th respect to pastime in general,' anti the fine
::i.ris rn J?lll't~c1J.la 1> the folio\\ ing illusfrations make tlic fiual
ca u:-.e o( u111furnnty abundantly ol>viuus.

S75. \Vhen we refer to the concurring se ntime nts of men
as to the ultimate t est of what is to be acco ur ~tc d bea utiful
in the arts, this is always to be understood of men placed in
s uch situations as are favourable to the prope r exertions of

Illtts. I. _IJ1.1iformity of tast e g·ivcs opportunity for snrriptnous and
(>Jrgant build111gs, for fine gardens, and e xtensive estaLlishments which
plea se g-encrally.
2. Th e rc<Js'.-'u is ouvious: wilhont unifnrri1ity of fast(' , there could

{nsf c.
JI/us. The sentiments of mankind in p oli shed anti flouril'hi11g- nil ·
tions, wher e art~ a re cultiva ted, and maunn~ relined,

"I""' c

i1nt hf' . '1 !1y.'11)t:t!il1· n:w<.lrd, c i!hri1· o{ profjt or !1uno 11 r, tn ClJCotiragc
1 ~1c11 ot gc111us tt> labour Ill suc.h works, and to advance them to per fee ·

1

n· ,nk ~ o f

f(,

f n .. ,~ 11i"'• ~ H"""" i un, Hud t n,..11 ~ i ...;

iu1tu "''1·1 1 hv

h .l '. I . ~ 1 l \j,I\! ;!ll\' j' iili '_\' ~l\ ' [' \Jttlli .~_: !it
r('rfl'I ! io'\)
·! . ~·11 1 1 1 ~·. l . : , .111 r ~ \·1,1.r pa11~.1 · 11L.i1~ tD1i.;;; j:"tc 11i \\ilh licr~clf : -r\.·c nrc
frri111. n 11.i 1 1 :~f·'.11 :· lu _ lia\'t~ u li 1gh l'('1id1 (Dr tli P fin<' nrl..:: w!iich arc a
~ '.:""t <:ou'.·:,:e__ol ~tal.lf>llless, an~ fr.ienrlly !n a high <l cp;rce '10 virtu e: ":e
.. •. c, nt. tl,L ~.·lnl c tmlle, fra>t1t!ll w11h uu1tonrntv of· t:lstc to !iirni"h prol ; •r \ ·1:.1t 1111,.h ,.,,1 ·, -1 · · , ) :1·
'r
'
·
\' I
·
1•• t>l nl~TiTh
.
' ' ·.
··. I ·"' l ' d 1H
:
•11 11 _.orn111 y \ H IIO( prC\"tlil the

D<' Cf · ~~aril .v be d c ci-..i\·c of C\"t 'ry <' O n i l nveL.;_v l h~lt c111 :u i_
-., r !l)l')lt ~n <\ t 1 r1<..;

t\l.1 1

oJ tusle.

376. \Ve conclud e, therefore, tl1at tasft· is uo t an aruilrn 1·_y principle, subject to the fan cy of e\;c ry indi\ idual , ;\nrl
atliuiLtiu ~ 110

criterion !Jy which lo dl'l(•1111i1w 11 lir·thn i 1 ;;c
trnc or false. Hs fouudatiut1 i,, !lie :,-a1nc in all liu1uat1 !iii .els.
It is built upon sentiments and perce ptions which belont; f:@)
our 1rnture ;· and which in genernl op<>rah~ with the same uni. -ll.1rmi!y 11;; vur oth(~l wtelledual p1i11nple~ ,

11 nr- :i r tc.: \rn u 11l ni'\ f'r !i ;p: c in:tdr;

~

i
1

'

...

inn

3 . Tlif' C:!l.t11C Hnir~; n ii ty of ta.-;1~~ i~ t-:quai~.\I· ill~ ".:t·\,;~Hry to r~rff'Ct 1hr
~r'.~- o•.,,m :1s1 ~'.. ~culp~?re, nnd tJaJnfJhtr, and to sur1wrt th e expense

"'·i·
ence a11d philo~ o phy ,-beco me th e principles of a11th11rity whi c h- mu~ t
g~ni ns arr c,;:nh T 1~c t

t1)

,1 :

1.,- fi~~d r ~ · .

'

880 ..Anotl;e!· final cause no less 0!1vious,' is the separation
rnl'o tltffercnt classes, by bi rt Ii, office, ,·Jr or,c 11 nation .
, Io w rn u c Ji ~,oc\ er this sq;;i 1 a liou Ill <0 li t temi to rd ax th c
18

'jf 11H'll

.,.

••

Di

-.

•
,

Criiicism. .

200

connexion that ought to subsist among th e mem~~·s of t!rc
·same state, its effects are prevented by th e acccs-s .of all
. ks f people to public s1Jectacles and amu sements: fhe ~c
tan o
asscmbla•res
of people of one countr,r are b es t enJO yed
.. m
company~ In this common fellow s.hip every on·e· pat.ldkes
of the same pleasures .. Such 11~ eet111gs are, th 1.1 e ~or ~· 110 .
slight support to the social alfection sw' an d to u!lllo1 nuty of
taste.

.
\

I

I

1'nir• c-i ti cism is th r a pp!ic ntion o f t ns te 111H.I o f go o<J
i~, to rlis
··.
!
; i;, ;uish wh;t is b<:'autiful and whnt is f:nrlty :n c.'"~? ~c '.· orn;an : ~~
fro~ 1arti cula r in s ta n ces to a•e en <.I to g'(~ 11 e r al pr m ; ip r. s: arn so .
form :.ul es or conclu sions concerning th e severa l ii.mus ol beauty m
· cl t'
wo rk~ of gen ius.
a vri
Ill~s. The mi es of criticism are n ot fornwd 1>y a n Y 10 uc 1 ~ n, 1. .~
\'
'll'C n o t. form ed hv a tralll o f ,\b
ori, as it is ' ca II C<·I · ti 1 a t ·1• 1 ti'\'
' •
•
·
•
C · · ·
·
strac t r eason i;1 .,. ·in ~l e p endent of ·rac ts and o!ise r\' a t1 011 .• . . , nt1 c:Sm
' t
·und cct' wh oll v 011 expe ri e nce ; o n th e o~>ser vat wns _o s ue: n
abn at1' oa s ha ve come . neares t t o th e s tanrlard winch we b efo1e cst~IJ ..
eau
1es,
· '
. I t n P 1-..,,,.-.,
•ur- h- lwf\ntii>• "' Inv.- 1J C<:: 11 c<Hill•
~ . n-nll
,, hll
' d
1-:1
t s l etI.t ti lrl t .I S ~ of ··
mnst <Tl" nerall y. ( .11rl. ., ,l .J
.
. , .
. . ,
2. For exa;np lc; Ari stotlc'R mks r.on ce rnm g tl: e 1.11111} ol a r.t1 0:.1.11t
rlra;natic anrl t"pic comp-0sition, we r e n ot fir 'l t d1 sco vcred b~ 7g,1 c~
; c a so ~in anrl th en ;ipp!i,!rl to p ue ! ry ; but they w c1e ru e~ f 1,m n
fro~t theg;rac ti ce of l-Jom c r mi<! So ph ocles: th ey 1~ere fo111Hlrd upon
observin~ th e s up e ri or pl~nsure whi r: h m f~nk ind r ecc 1vccl from th e 1e~:'.=
tion of an a c tiou which wa s on e ::111tl e11t1r.- , b eyo 11<l. wha t tbcy r.cccn
cd from the r elatio n of scatte r e• I fl_"d .nneo ni'. cct cd f <ic ls . .
d
_
3 Such ohsc rv;itinns t ak in g th e ir n sc ;it hr st fr o m feelm g n'.1 !'X
·
· · t'' o n,
· to be. .so co nso. nant to 1l cason,
w e re fo11ud, o n cxarn11i.t
1· I I
P eriencP
· · cs o f Inmi ..~ rt
· t i.11 ·c ' as
to p:1 •9
mto P.sta
all'I ·to .,th e jH11H;1pl
' ·
. •
II 1 1s 1 ecf
'rules
·
.
·
I
r·
rl
f
·
j1ul
.,.
in
~
of
tir
e
<':'Ice
t'ncy
am\ to h e co n v.- 111 '.'! nt Y npp tc 0 1 •
"'
·
f
· · of
r ·m ..
~ nc c . This
is th e mos t ua tu rn l acco unt o l 1le origm o
any p' e r101
.
criticism.
.
io n
· 1.a· 1 ii"1n e 'a·i·ts. . · 'J:li c. obJ.. f'cl whi c h it proposesf
'Cll'eeJ w
to th
e .sevc

•

...

,.

•

•

·"

J, .,1.. , l'lr ... ~f~~~~tt

"::r"' •••

'.·~-'·'

•• •

. ,.

••• • \

:!!ystems of the art of poetry. ' Guided ' by· genius alone,· he to"lPosed
i n verse a regular story, which· nil posrerity has .:admired : ' But '.' this' is
no argument against 'the usefulness or criticis m as an art. '" For as pa
linma n genius is p e rfec t, th e re is n o writer but may receive assist.ance
from critical observations. upon the b ea Lities and faul ts of those who ·
l1a l'e gone before him. No' observations or rules ca11'indeed supply tlie: 1
flefc c t of genius, or inspir:e it where · it is \Van ting. · But they may ofte n direct it into its prorier channel.; they may correct its e]\'.trava·
g ances , and point out to it . the most just 'and proper imitation of na1ure. Critical rul es are design ed c hiefly to shew the faults that ought
to be avoided. To nature we must he indebted forthe production_of
e min ent , bea uties. (Se~ Corot .. I. p . 59.) · 1',·: .- ;. .
· .• •

Illus. 1. Critics have br•en ' rcprc sc;nted
the great au:ri;lgPrs of th e
n ati ,·e liberty of ge nius; as the imposers of unnatural ·shackles an<J
bonds upoo writers ; from whos e c ru el p erseetttio n th ey mu s t fly to the
pub li c, and implore its prnt edion. · 5uch supplicatory prefaces are not
c alcu lated to give very favoural.Jle id eas of the genius of the author,
}'or every good writer will be pl ease d to have his work examined by
t h e principles of so und nnd e~stancl ing and true taste.
·
2. The dedam a tion s a ga in st criti cis m commonly proceed upon thi~
s upposition, th a t critics are such as jnrl g e by rule, not by feeling.
'fl1 i< is so far from bei ng trnP, thal lirP_v who jud ge after this rnan11er
nrc 1wrla.nts , not c riti cs. For al! t be rule~ of i;enuine criticism will be .
fouml tu lw u ltimately founded 011 fee lin g ; and las.le and feeling arc.
1_iecessar_v to guide us in th e appli ca tion of th ese rules to every particula r in stance.
,. -.
a. As there is nothing in which ·all sorts of persons more ,readily affect to be judges, th;in in work s of t as t e, there is no doubt that the
m1111bcr of incompetent c ritic s will always be great. But this affords
110 more foundation for a gP nernl invl'ctive against criticism, th a n the
111.unb e r nf bad philosophers or. r easo n e.rs affords against sound philoso phy und lo g ic.
.
.,
•fir"'1

1r

\.

0

0

1

•·I

384. An objection morn plau sible may be formed against.criti cism, from the ' applause that some. performances have ·
received from the public, which, whei;i. accurately . considercc..I, are found to contradic~ .~!ie 1ul~s .e.stabUshed . by ., criticis1n. ·
~ r
-t., , .. r· -.
~ ~. ·-· ·~

3 82. A masterl y •rcniu s, it is true, will of lmnself, untaught, compose in :'uch a manner as shall 1.> e agreeable to

.it

...

l

Illus . Now, according t.o the principles laid down · in the las t' ch.apte ~1h

~h e public is the supreme judge to whom the last a.Jipllal 'must be maa~ :;
rn eve ry work of taste; · as the s tarldard of tast.e: ' 18 founded on ' the '
sc u1i11u•11ts that are 1rntural and common to all men. '~ But with respect
to thi ~ , we arc. to observe, th a t th e se nse of th e- p'uhlic is often too
hµstily ,iudged of. The genuine public t aste do es not alw;iys appear

.
nr. Ci'rrn1·d'Lt E1say ml ~rastc.. On works of fa,tc,
th e stmt ent llll'). now co1irmlt
f' Pl . o ph y in m·itJcrs wh;cl1 ,.,, late
D'Alen1{1crt's lle fl cc ti01u 011 the ll Sf:' an<1 :i~usc 0 . ;.110\~<· ii i turl'-· Kn mes' .ft":J, mc._·u u of·
to t aste--H ell t•c1imu C ritic]'I t's su ~· l:..tll'<Hl.,.,c, ~i~ "11t- i!nt1· 1tl11 r ti 4.Hl lo tJ;c E».'i :t.)· on th"
~

p.

Illus .· It is more than 1;robable ti~at Hoiner.n•as acquainted with .no

as

1

°11

t1ce.

been fashionable for petty authors to make against critics
anJ criticism.
·
· ·
"
,., '
-'1
.: ,.-..
'.

D ,/' 1·1·

C1·ilici~m-J/111nf.'',r J~'i 'in y on tlte Stnm an o
11•1.1
S11l1!ime and lkautifol-Bl11i•·' s Lcctun,., :tml , Jl/1s u11

-

383. From what has been saic.1, we are .enabled to form a
j u<lgment concerning those complaints 'which it' has long

·,'81
words
cttrre-ntiy
"'
• 'I. 'AS'I'J~
. ..._
_,, criticism ' :rntl bcreniu.s, arc
,
I
employed, without distinct ideas a1111exci. tot 1e 111.

-_ -

20 F

.,.~

:\ :·

t he most material rules :of.. c,riticism; (or as these. 'rules are

. CIUT f CI SM .

i

. ,:-

i~u rul~d; ~iii~. n,atu re, 1~.atu r~=~zjJ~}.~rt~n ·~ugge~,t tl1eJ1\ i.n p.ra~~

CHAPTER II.

0

€riticism~

·:.
');"~

..

1 .i s t ~ .

r

'\ ·

Of C: mi us.
in th e fir s t a ppl nMs e girrn upo u the pu b lic;itin n of :rn_v 1·.0 ·,1· ~ • tc ri·.
Th e re are both t h,, ~r en t vul g .n- , n n<l th e s mall v 11l ga 1-, "ho n r e n pt to
h e c ntche<l nnd da zz led h v vt•r y sup c rlida l be a u ti e s, the adrni ra tion of
\f·hid1 in a littl e ti11 1c p n> s cs a wa v: ano so m e t im es a w ri t1·r may a c.•
q nire g rra t t emp o rary' r e p u tation, nw r eh· hy h is r o m p l i~ n c r \\'; th th <"
pa.s sions or prl"judi ccs , with the party spirit or sup ers titi o n ~ noti o n• ,
th n t mnv chnn cP. to r11le for a ti111" al11wst a whol e n r1 ti o n
In su<'h
cn~PS , tl;nn g-h th e pnhlic 1nn_v S<le u-1 to prai 'if> , tro ~ c riti <·i s nt tn~•.v ,vi th
re aso n con ;l t" mn ; a nd it will i11 prog-r r~ ' o f tim e ga in th e a srpn1ln n t :
fo1· the j rnl g- m eu t o f' tr11 •· er it i('i <;n1, n 1HI th e v oi •·r of th r p11 h li r, wh r ii>

wh ic h' cru1, mo r eov e r , prorlucc n e w b e auties, am! ex hib it th e m i n" suc h
11 manner as s t ro 11gly to impress the minds of others . H efine tl t aste
for m s a goo d cri ti c ; but genius is farth e r neces sary Iv form the p o et,
<J r the 01a to1'.
3 . Ge n ius_ is n word, w hi c h, in c o rnmon acceptation, extends much
t"t rth cr th a 11 l o t he ob jec ts ot t a st·e . -It is lll'f'<l to s ign ify that lale11l or
aplilt1dc w hi c h we r e ce ive fr u!n natu r e, for cx c c ll i11g in any one th in &;
wh a tev e r. Thus we 'J1C';ik of a g eni t1s fo r mu lli e111 atirs, :ls we ll a s a
gu iius f or J' Ol'iry ; o f a gen i us for icar, tor po /i t its, o r fur any me c han it.: a l c 1nployu1!' U t.

o n er b f' f' o n1e n n p r <"j n dic{ld a nd di-.p ;1s ...;ion:it <' , n tl 1 ul1i1n a t f· 1\· c n i111·\d c

3 87. T his ta len t or aptitude for excelling Ill some one
p a r ti cula r, is \\ ha t we receive from nature. By art and
~( udy, 11u doub t, it m:i._r li e g rea tlJ imp roved; but by them
alone it e<l!illlll lie acciuircd.

!385. Th e re a rc sonir wo rks 1h a1 contain ~ ross tr:rns ~res­
sicms of the laws of criticis m, which. neverthel ess, have a c quired a gf'neral , a nd even a la :-; ti11\\ adm irati on.
JUa s. I. S uch at" ~ t he plays of :-i li;tl,> p ca r c , wh ich , <on •idr:rcd as
<lramati c p oe m s , a r e irrcg- ular in th e hi l( h es t 1!1·g-rec . Hut th f' n th ey
have g a in e d th e public admirati o n, not by 1h e i!· h l' in g irreg11bll' , no t
by tlt(!ir tran sg r ess io n o f th e rules of art , but in s p ite ot s u c h tran s g re ss io ns . 'l h e v po sse s s otl11•r lll'anti es which m·r cn 11for111ahlP. I<>
}us t rule s ; and ·tlw for ce of th ~sc be a11tif'~. hag b f'e n s~ g r:at r1 s. hl
overpower a ll ce ns ur<', nnrl to g- n ·c th e p11b!1c a d eg r ee ot sa t1 sfo ct101~
s up e rior t o th e di !'gus t nrisiu g from the ir bl e mi s h es.
.
2. Shaks p e are pl e a ses , not b y hi s b r in g in g th e tran sa c ti o n s o f
rn a nv VP.ai·s into one µl a v ; 1101. b v l1i s c: rot es qu e rni x t11r cs of tr ar,r dv
and 'corn e dv in o ne p ie c e, 11o r by the s tra iued t hu 11 ~h t~ , all< ! n!l'c l't e<l
witti c is m s, · whi c h 111 ! ~o m e li111 cs e 111pl0y s.
Th ;,sc w e c ou s id e r :!s
bl c m ,ish es , and a npule th e m tu the g rnssue s s uf th e <l g<' iu 1>liic h li e
ji \: rd .
But hr ptPa ~ \'S b:: h is Hn i1 n ;1f ed an d 1na-.:t t-•rl _v 11• p r 1·:".r· ntat H11 ~ F
of c hara c tc l' s, by th e li vdi n e ss o f hi s d c>c l'ip t io n s , th e forc e o f l11s
sentiment s, a m l hi s poss> c ss iu g- , b t·_y o nd all w 1 itc r s , the 11al11 r al lctn l!Ual!C of p ags ion : li cauties w h ic h tru e c nt !c is 111 11 0 less kad1 <: s os !~
p lace in the h ig: hcs l rau k , th a n 11 a l me l c: ad11:s u;; tu l e d .

lll!i s . 1. A s g·e n iu s is a hi g- h e r fa c u lty th'a'n .' iaste, .i t is · e vf'r, a'ccordi11;:; to th e u s u a l fru gality o f natm e , more limiter! in th e s phe re of its
o pe ratio n s . It is not un cq m111011 tu m ee t with p e rsons wh o h ave an
excr llent tn~te in se vern l · of t h e PL· li te a rts, such ns · music-, poetry,
pai n tin g, and e loqu e nce , a ll toge th e r : b u t, to fi nd one who is .an ex·
ce llcnt pe r fo r m e r in a ll th ese arts , is much , more , rare; or , r alht>i:, .in·
,. · • . ; . · "' : ·
d ee d , s u c h nn o n e i5 not to Li e lo o k e d for ,
2.. A s ort of uni ve r sal ge niu s; or on e w ho is ~qually: ~n·<l ind iffer e ntl y
t 11 rn c d toward s scvC'r a l d ifferent profr s sions an d art s, is n o t lik e ly to
(''<C ('I in n1>y . A lthough ther e lll ay b e some few excC' pti o ns, yet in
g en e ral it holll"s, th a t wh e n th e b e nt of th e mind jg e xclu s iv e ly dir ect e d
t uwa 11ls s o me on e obj et.:t, the re j 5 t he fa ir es t p ros p ect of c m i11 e 11 ce in
d 1•1 1, "li a le\·er .it lo(•. 'i' h<' r a y s 11111!'t ('otl\·crg n to a po int , in ord e r to
r,·lo w int e n s ely. Thi s r.c m a rk is th e more n e c ess ary , o n account of it s
g r ea t importance to y o11ng pc o pk, in li:ad ing t h e m t o exnm ine " itli
c ar e , a nd l o pur s 1 u~ wili1 a n iour, th <' c u r re n t and pointi ng of nature
1 0 11 a rds those cxcrtious of gcuius i u wli ich t h ey nre mo st likely to
e xc e l.
.
.
.
,. .
_ . ·

388. A genius for any of the fine arts, alway s supposes .
taste; it is cl ea r, that the improvement 9f . taste"will serve both to fo rwa rd and to cor rect th e operations of gen ius . . :·

CIIAPTEll Ill.
OJi C 1':N llJ S.

JSG. TASTE aml G i::-;1 tc s ate l "n w 1n d-: frr:' q 1.te 1i1 lj
_ ioin l~ d t o!!; t~ th r r ; :11111 il wrc furt', b;- i 11ac cu1a l c t lii11kt :1 - ~, co11
founde u. 'J'u8le 1.:u11:;ists in tlie palcu ol .1 adp,l11_;_:,-~ g u1w:o,
in t he pmccr of r:r cc1'f i n g .

i'
j

~

Illus . I. On e mnv h:w e a c o n s i.t e ra!Jl e 1l q~ rec o f tns te in p oe try, e Jo ..
fJU e u cc , or any of ·the fin e a rt s , wh o ha s littl e o r lrnrrll y ·~n J g Pniu o for
c omp os itio n or e xecution in any of th e s <'. a rts ; ln•t. g'l' n!llS cannot li e
fonntl without in c hHlin t~ rn ste nl so . <'.e11111 s , tlwrd o rc, <lcserv e s to he
con s i<i c retl as a hi g·h e r p o w e r of th e 11111ul thnn t11 s 1<· .
.
.
2 . (.; e nius alwnys imp•Jrt • sn11wtlri11 g· inv e nt iv<' <_> r . c r eative:; wl11 c h
docs net rest ii\. I11 e l'C. S'lllSihility to ln· a uty wh e re It 15 p c rCl'l Ve d, h ut

/I/ us . 1. In prup o r t io n n s t he t a s te o t' a p oe t, o r o r a t o r , ucc o me s
morr r e fin ed with res pe c t t o th e h rnu ti es o f com p o s it io n , it wi ll certa inly as s is t him to procluc c th e m or e fini s h e d b ea uti es in hi s work .
Ge ni us, how evt' r , in a p oe t , o r orn tnr, m a y somP t imcs Px i>t in a h ig-h·
e r d cg1·ce than ta s te; thnt is , ge niu s may b e bo ld and strong, w hen
~a:-;tc l" 11('ith 1· 1· Yc r y d l·liL· : 1tt·, uur 'Tr.v cur r rct .
~ . TJ11_; i> o f1 0; 11 t h"" "' " i 11 tire i1J l< 111"y o f ar ts: a µ cr iu cl \>l ie n gcn;u .. (! t·q n t•1dl y ,.. ., t> 1· i !" i t~t" J r '"" fi h ~Tt->it i vi~ n nr , and cx r cut rs wi rb n1uc h
w :inu t h ; while ta ' t" , whi c h 1t'quirc·s ex p rT ic n ct', a n d irn pro 1·es by
s lo w e r d eg r ees, hath not ye t attriined to its foll g ro w th .
·
3 . H o m e r and S h a ke s pcnr e a r e proof! of what is; h e r e as se rt e d. Tn
t h e admiralil e writin gs o f tbo sc tw o grea t p oe ts ' a r e fo uri d in stances o f o
rntl c n css and ind e li c a c y , w hi c h th e mor e n~ fi ile cl t a st e -o f later w riters,
of far inferior g e nius, w o uld hav e tau g ht •th e m to a vo id. '1 . ·- · ! • : i ·' .
4 . As 1111 humnn p e r fe ction is limit e d , this 'mr1v very p ro h'n hl v' he the
Jaw o f Olli' nature , that it _is n ot g i •;. 11 t u Oll C man t o. CX CClll C 1\·i th 'vig-

1B*

.t

.

~04

1··1ie Pleasures of Tasfe.

>

f:h andew· and Sublim{ty• . 1~ ioitertainment, the Author of Nature hath poured forth t1pon his works /'
i s one striking testimony, among many others; of His lienevolence and
goodness. .
·
· ·
.. ·~ ..·- ,<:-.. ~-. . :·-·H :r. ·: -~..- :, ·- .· .;:
o. This thought, which Mr; Addison first started, 'Dr. Akenside,' in
his poem on the Pleasures ot' the fmagination 1 has happily purstief!.; ·,

our anci' fire, and, at the same time, to attend to all the lesser and mor"
refined graces tha1 bP long to tlH' exact perfection of his work : while,
OPJ the other hand, a thoniug·h taste for those inferior graces is, for tl11i
l!iost part, accompanied with a diminution of sublimity and force. ·

······Not'conient· . :~ · ~, ··: ri
\Vitlt evel'y food of life to noill'hh man,
•·
Dy kind allusions ofthe · wondel'iug sense, .
Thou mak'st all nature, beauty to hia eye,
O! rou•ic . to his ear. - : .. .-_ .
·. ·:

CHAPTER IV.

SOUHCl!:S OF THE PLEASURES OF TASTE.

Obs. Here opens a very extensive field ; no less than all the plea·
31tre11· of the imagination, as they are commonly called, whether afforded us by natural 'objects, or by the imitations and clescriptions of thmn .
Ilut it is not ncccss:wy to the puqiosc of this Granm1ar, that nil these
should be examined fuilv; the pleasure whieh we receive from dis course, or writin g , beiug .thc ll!aiu o bj ec t of them, so far as rheto r ic is
concerned . AH that is proposed, is to give some ope nings into the
pleasures of taste iu general; anti to insi;t more pilrti c ularly upon
sublimity an:l beauty.
illus. I. It is difficult to make a full <:1Hunc rati u11 of th e s o ·crnl oli ·
jects that give pleasure lo taste; ii is mo"'.: <lillkuH lo . ddl11e all lliose
which have beeu tliscqver<'o, and to rc<lnce them uml e r 1nopcr classes ;
and, when we wonld go farther, a lHl i1wesligate th e e flicicnt causes of
the pleasnrn which we recci\·e from snch objects, here, above all, we
find ourselves at a loss.
·
2. For instance ; w e fl11 learn by e xpel'ience, that ce rtain figures of
bodies appear t o
m o r e beau ti ful t. han u tht' tS . 011 i u q ui r in;; h H h <· r,
: ' ·, . we find that the regularity of sou1c figures, and th f' gTa ce ful vari e ty of
ti\ hers, ar<' the foundation oft.he heauty which we dis•:ern in them ; hut
wh e n we attempt to go a ~t('r b eyoml this, and inqnirf' wlrnt is tl>f'
€ B tJ ~'f!' of r~,,..'. ·• dn r l' v A;h ~ V!lf i P t v prodn r i n~: in our ln ind ~ i h r ~f'n'.'~ti:-H 1
of heantv, ,';nv rn~s on WC (;all -as ;;i1':t1 is e xt1-cm elv imperfect. Thf'S e
first prin.:iples 0f i11t f> rnal scns<ttiu1~, nature seems io have <:ovcrcd with
an impenetrable veil.
3.~ Altliongh the etlicicnt cause be obscure, the final canse of thos e
sensations lies in many eases more open : and, in ente ring on thi5 sub -

us

jcr.t , \\'C canuot n.void taking notice uf tli e l!-troug iuip•T ~ .~iou \\hi .,:11 tl1c.
powers of taste and im11gi1mlio11 are en lc1datcd tu gi'" us of llie uc11ig-

11ity of our Crea tor.
4. Uy endowing us with such powers, he hath widely enlarged the
sphere of th<:' p!f.,i.511re• of l111rnnn lifP ; and tho<f> too of a kind the
most pure and inn1Jc<:'nt.. Thf' nccc s>ary purposes of life might have
been nhundantly answered, thou g h onr se11srs of SN~ini; fllHI hearing
had only served to disti11guish external ohj e cts, \vithout ccnvcying to
ns nny of those refined anrl dl'iicatc se11satinn3 of l.ica11ty and grandeur,
with which we arc now so rnnr:h clelighlP<L
.5 , This additional emlJcllishmcllt and glory 1 which, for promoting oPr

· . -~ ·
· ·· «'

·

,1 . -,,.~ h

··· · · · '

·. ,j. " ·

•!

/

~90. ~irst, then, we beg~n with considering the pleasuret ·,{;
wl11ch anses f1:om ,sublimity or grandeur.
·
'
-~···

THE SOURCES OF THE PLEASUH.ES OF TASTE.

889. HA YING now explained the nature of taste, the
nature and importance of criticism, and the distinction between taste and genius ; we are now to consider n1E

~.-

,,l

'•

...

Illus. It is not easy to describe, in words, the precise impression
which great and sublime objects make upon · us whel1 we behold · them,
but every one has a conception of it. It produces a sort of internal
elevation and expansion ; it raises the mind· much above its ordhrn1·y
state; and fills · it with a degree of wonder and astonishment, · which· it
cannot well expre.s s:.;; The emption · is, certainly ·delig·htfuL j · but it; is
altogether of the serious kind ;· a :degree :of awfulness and solemnity,
even approaching to severity 1. commonly attends it when ut its height; ·
very distinguishable from the more gay ·nnd brisk emotion raised . bY
beautiful objects. ,, :
,
.
· ., ' · . .
.
. . :.
·

S9 l. The simµlest form. of external grandeur appears in

the vast and boundless prospects' presented to us by nature;
such as wide extended plains, to which the eye can see no
li mits; the firmament of heav e n; or the bou1H..llcss expanse
of the ocean. All vastness produces the impression oi sub-

limity.

'

Illas. It is to be remarked, however, that space, extended in length,
mflk es not · so strong an impression . as height or depth. : Though a
hottndless plain be a grand object, yet a high mountain, to which ~e
h .. k up , <.>r l'l!l a " ful prel' ipi('e or tow e r , whe nce we look do » n o n the
olijccts whi ch lie below, ,is still more so.
·
·
2 . The excessive gTandeur o'r the firmament arises fr.om itsJwight,
..
joined to it' bonndles~ exte nt; nnd that of the oc<:'ni1 , not from I ts f'X- "''-"~ ,.~
·1 r11 t al nnr. but from t he pe r pe tual m ot io !l and irr es ist ib le fur ce ·er that ~' ...·'-;:::--::~'~
mass of watr:rs. Wherever space is concerned, it is clear ,' that ampli~ : '. ,.-.~E
ludc or greatness of extent, in one dimension or other , is necessary to . ~ ·
,;randcur. ltf'movc all bounds frotu any object, and you presently
render it sublime.
,
t...:urol. Hence, infinite space, e111.lless numllers, and eternal duration, ,,
fill t h e mind willi gr eat ideas .
·

392. But vastness, or amplitude of extent, is not alone
the foundation of all sublimity; because many objects appear sublime, which have no relation to space at all. ·
Illus. Such, for inst.a ncc, is ~reat kmdness of ~ound. The burst of
tl111ndcr or ofcaunon, the roaring of winds, the shouting of multitudes,
I.he so1.1111l of vast cataracts of water, arc all incontestibly grancl objects.
111 general we may observe, that great power and foree cx<'rted, alway9 . , . :
raise sul.ilime ideas; and perhaps the most copious source of these i11 · ~ ·• ~·
derived from this quarter, Hence the grandeur of earthquakes and ., .::-~::
'·~

;1..:ir~- . -..

... ; ~
'f

l.lllrning m o •1:1 ta i11s; of great t'u11l1;1 g rn1io11<; ; of th~ sto rru r vCt':li' ,
and overtl "vi11 g waters ; of tcmp e:;ts ot wind ; o t thunder at;d light•·
nin g; a11t1 .. r all tl11· uncotntnr-'tt vi~ !r ncc o f the clcn1 c11ts.
,\
2 . ~ofhi11;:; i~ u1111 ·c subliu1e tl!all iui;ht)' po\\er aud sln-'1L~ d1.
strca1n that """ within its l1 a .,k,.; i-; a hieauliful ohil_'(:t; bu t irlicn it
1u s lt"' dowt1 \\'i.'11 tlH: iwpc!ll'-''ity_ aud 11oi~c of a tor;·,·nt, it prnsP11lly
bt·CtJn1c~ a snbl.1ni0 onr~ .
rn1n Ji o n;;;;, and ot h\.·r nu1n1al ~ of st r f' 1ig tJ 1,
arc drawn sublimr. co mp;u1 so ns in po ets . A rac e -hor;;e iq look ed np on w11h pl eas ure ; but 1t 1s th 1· wa1 ·- hor se , " who se 11t:c k is clo tliPcl
\vith thund e r·,'· the.I. eanics g-11rndeur in its appearance, o r our id e a of
t!iP aD i tnal.
,·
:1. 1'h ..:· f'll _£'<\~Cl1H_'ll1 o f ( n·o ~·re;i,f ar111irc:, :t' i l j ... ll1P l1i•'IH ' ;;;t t ' \ ( · 1 li1+11i
of h1nn:iu 1nig- h-t , rnrnhin('' ::"\ \°f~J'i (_' ty nfso111.ce"'.i or tlie ~;uhii 1nc ~ :1 11d l1:i ~

t:

~tcco r d i1 1;'2.i_y b1't'U :d\\'ay~ cu 1i.,idt·rl ' d "" <llHJ (){ 1\1t' 111<1 .' t :-.:triki11~ a11d
1n aµuili c e11 t s pc cl aclt· s 1[1;1 t ca n ('illi t' I" bl' pn>.;;;t•ntt 'd t o the ~ c\·e, or , ,, _
, Iii ..
t; !: 1 ·j I lq t l 1(' j i !l ; 1~~ j ll ; 1ii111 1 i II dt '' ! . , i p 1 i1111 .
u Likt 1 : \itltllll!l' ....; d;.1 l,;, <..; f •li Il l~ , jl! li it'i1 1~· l"r 1'lll ~ \\ f) f'( ll11!t: i~
!1dl ~ . fiiw:ir·d .;; '' ;1t ·l1 n! ii1·1-, :: 1111rn ~~-!u d t!1 ·.; Iit..:tu c.s : ~l:~ l\', u d ttl k s lt'L<11l.~:-;
froi-n lil gh l <wl,;, . .: , !l'.t ' t·I ;iiid 1o:u · (J! J 1[11 ' pl.1i11 . lo11d. 1nu c l1, and dar:.;, i1 1
hat1l 1 ~ , 11lC('f L 1 1•.- ltlin ;111d l11i ...;L1il.
C hi 1· f 11 1i .~: c 1 c.: ]ij_, s t1ukc~ wi1li cl 1!t' l

' rram.1-1 l f'

ilh 11 1; u 1 ~t 1 · el ~01111d.'i 0 11 ~~ t • · !'l, ;111 d
!1i .~ h ; hfoo(l ln 1rs l :-: 1 :111d q nn li.1'"' ;1 1·01•11 d: st1 i11 '. ~'-'
«nd

1n:\11 \\

islH~d y1 ·w

d;1rl-.: ~ 11';1! :dqn:..:,· t!11' "k .)

l14•l1nct-::.

<1ri' c\1'11 PI:

111111·1i1ur Ill\ tlw J lfll
.~ p i ·;1rs tall likt· :---p arks ul 11.lll ll'

f;11 ·c n f 11i~!1t.
~ ',\stile .11ui c: c o{t :· 1Jll1Jlcd 01..:ca11 wi1c_11 r ull th:; \\a\ cs nu high 7 n ~ 111A
lasl peal ol tlinn rkrin" hr;i.Ycn : q1ch '' thp tJ()i<e or h<1ille
TJ .. ,11 .. J.

that g·ild t\H•

qlll'tl1\'

{ _~ 1.11·1 11a c s · I1L111\I1•. : 1l l 1: 1 : 1!_L; \1,· : ·1-t ' tf11'11 · . f ·; , 1·l 1lc· \\Pl(' tlf1• \1•i11· \.11 · t i_ 11 !11i~1·
t!1r•d l1nr1l~, tq .'l:C lld t!! (' dc:t1 !1s t11 , h1t11r1· ti11lf' .~i j J'ui 11 i<tll\ \\l ' l l' tlie
d ~ · ; lt!i~ of t h~; !ierot·.:.: , a1 1d '' idc prn1rc1l t l ic lilqnd of t111· \';diau : ·· I'i1L-

J

111(nc

afft'uli y stildi1nt>, cn1p iu J cd

to

3~l:i.
per to

Fol' the far(h(T illu "tr:itinn of 1lii;; ~uhjrcf. if i" prn ·
remark, that all ideas of the f'!llr11111 and nwful kind ,
•u1d eHu uo1deri11g 1;u tlie lnrilik, lt' tl(I J,!; l'l'' 1tl y tu a s~ i"'t the
5Uu\i111e: such a::; tfarfote!iS , t::uftiltl/c, antf ;;i/en~e.

· 1'i

How oft, amidst
Th ick cloud • nllll dark, cloc• Hem·en"s all·ruling !5 i ~
<.: huo.n· to rl'sitll'. his glory ui1olH1cure<I,
.
AJl(L with the rnaj c!ly of darkness, round
Uirck• bis th rone. - • Par. Lost, Book II. 263.

·J

1

I

·1

;~i:J4. 0BscURlTY, we arc farther to remark, is not unfavo urable to the sublime. Though it render the object in1listinct, the impression, however, may ue great ; for as an
inge nious author h:is well ubserveJ, it is 011e thing to make
a u idea clear, aml a noth er to make it ttfl'l,cting to th e imar;ination ; :11111 the imagination 1111\y be strongly affected ,
;llld , in fact, often is so, by objects of which we ha Ye no clear·
cou cept iu11.

l

ll/113 , Tilus WP Sf•f', that altnnst ~ll the d1~scriptinns g·ivcn n~ of lite
t-ip pi'.arances of st1p •· r11atural lwiu .!:·'· c:i:rr_v sonic s111Jli1ui ty, ihough th~
J11ceptious wh ich they affPrd U:' - ht• co nfu~ed 1ti1d indi~t 111c t. 'T li r l t'
'u hl irnity nrisr s from the ideas , wlii 1·h thc.v n lway8 convey, of stipcrior

.,.

"

..

-·

I

]

1l
I

!

-l
j

1

I'
)

er \ •: 1.,-«' i11_1: 1 f;l'.;;;
hcigltteu th e I L'i'lu r ul a bat l 1".
l'"i · 1:

I

LJ

l

~:Juul.lJsis.

&randeu;• wHl Sublimity.

~

,
4

..
)

i

Illus . l. \Vhat ar r. tlw scPnes of nature that Plr,vatP th" mind in th e
hi g h est degrPe, andyrorluce th e Htbli.111~ sc u s_a tion ? ~ot the g ay hndscape, th e flow ery h e ld, or the lloun shrng c ity; hut th e hoary mouutain, and th e solitary · lnke; the a ge d forest, an d the torre11t falling
over the roc k .
2. Hence, too , ni g ht-scenes arp commonly the m os t sublime. The
fi1:mament, when fill ed with stars, sca tt ere d in ~11ch vast m1111bers, and
with such mag-nific c nt profusion, strikes the ima g ination with n more
awful gTandcur, than when we view it c uli g hten r. d with all the s1 , lc ndour of the sun.
3. The d ee p sound of a g reat. b e ll, 01· th e s trikioi< of a !!,'ren t dock,
are at any tim1~ grand ; but, wl:cn !:card amid the sile11ce ttncl stillness
of th e ui g·ht, they b ecome doubly so.
4 .. Darkne ~ s is ~· cry commonly nppli f'.d for nd<ling s uhlimity to nll
onr idea~ of the Droity. "He makcth darkness his pavilion; he clwelleth in the thi c k cloud ."
· So Milton:

': 1

~"'"""rand

miglit,juincd w ith an nwful ou .'f'<trity.
~cc thi,; folly cxcmplillt~d in tliP fnllo\li11g noble
passar; e of thP Book of Job: " In thou ghts from the visi ons of th<'
1 1i~li t. "lien rlecp ~lc•·p fallcth upon mr·JJ, fr~r co111P "l'"n me, <1nd
t1 c;n!di11g, "hiclt made nil Illy hones to shnkc. T h<'JJ a s pirit p:isspc\
bc1.or1· Ill\' face; tltr• hair ol rnv lleslt stood up: it ~tootl Hill; liu t I
coult! not. discern th!' f ,1rm tli<'~t'Of; an im a;;e was befor e rnv eyes ;
there 11 a s silcuce ; and l heard a voice-s hall mortal man lie mor e
i11·.:t th:111 U1 1d ?"..,
• .);/ioli11111. N o idp;1s, it is p L1in, nre so subl ime ns thosro tGkcn frnrn
tlic ~uprc1 11 e Lh·in~; tlii : mo~·t unknown, b11t the I;T(·atc.q of a1l ul'jccts;
th <' i11li11itv o l 11l11JS<' nature , nnd tlw l'lc n1ify of \1hos;o duration , ioinll<l "i1h t l; e omn ip o tenc e: of hi s prmer, tho;1gh tlicr 5urpass •·ur 'nn11:r ption~ . vet .. ~ ~It th<'lll to tlw highc;;t.
fn g e neral, a ll ohj<'ct~ tl1at
nre ~rPntly ra i:.; ·~d above us , or fnr rcmovPd front u!', r.ither in spn re 01·
in lim e , arc apt to sLri l< c us as gr eat. Our v iewing them as t!1rough
t hP 1ui,t of dist ance or auti'jnity , is fayouraule to tliC' impres.-iuus of
tl1eir sul,,limity.

F.nr111ple . WP may

395. As obscurity, so disorder too, is Ycry compatible
with grandeur; nay, frequ ently hci;;htq1s it. Fe\\ thiugs
t hat are strictly regular, anll 1riethodical, appear sublime. :
Ill us. \Ve see th e limits on every side: w~ feel . ourselvoli confined;.
th ere is no room for the mind 's exerting any great elfort: EJCa.<"I l' ro J>Ortion of parts, thoui;h it enters often' into the beal!tifnl; iii; mud1 <lis" '
n ' g:1rded in the sublime. ·A great mnsg of rockR, thrnw.n tog1! th1~ r ' by
the hand of nature, with wildnc~s nu<l confusion, strik~ lhe .mind with
more grandrour than if they had been adjusted to one another with . !ho
most accurate symml'try.
'
·
"
'
'
· . ''".'" · · ·' ~
Obs . In the feeble attempts which human art can-make tclWfi rds 'pro·
ducing grand object~, (feeble, doubtless, in comparisorr~itlJ' the physi·
cal powers of nature,) !!rentness of dimen~ions always .constitutes a
principle part. No pile of building can convey any .idea of sublimity~
lp1lo~s it .,e am11le and .lofty. " Tl~ere i», too, io ar<ibitq.~ture 1 what i~.
,

., . . .

I " II

~ ~oll

q

ir.

'

•

~

'.

l •

I

•

~./:. ~ ~--:~ll:) ',\/ 0".

·

!

•

.....

'.

~08

1'lie Pleasures of Taste.

-~·

. tlall~d greatne~s of ma~ncr i which ?ecm~ ~hiPOy fo arise from fir eiientrng the object to us Ill one fu!I po111t of vie w; sn that it sh,111 make
its impression whole, entire, and undivicled upo11 the rni11tl . A Goth it
~athed.~al raises. ideas of grancle_•1.r in ~ur. minds, L:.v its size , its height,
its :1.1vl11l ohsc unty, 1t strenl!·th, its aulirp11ty, and its durability .

396. There · still remains tu be mentioner! one class of
sublime o~jects, which may !Jc calletl the morn/, or se1Ltim ental sublime; arising from certain cxertious of the human mind; fro11i certain affections, aud actions, of our fellow creatures.
.
lllu.s. These will he founcl to he all, or c hiefly of that class, which
<:Om<'s nuder the hea? o_f mng111111i111ity, or herois m; and !hey pro,luce
an. effect. extremely s1m~lar to what is protlucccl b.v the vi ew of granrl
Objects m nature ; fillmg the mind with admiration, and elnating it
abov t• it~elf.
.·
Examj1lc J.-S011; e1·sct. J\h ! 'Vanvick. \Yanvick, \Tt'l't thau
'Ve •rn~ht l't'CO\' ( r nil om· loss ag--,1:i11.

:i•

1VC ar£,

·~·h e Queen ;·rum Franet· hath brought a ptti~ sa ut power;

F.n:n

now

1Varwid.:.

"°" heard the ne

111 .

Ah!

couJ<l-.l

Why then 1 would not llJ
1'1lir1/ Part

thou

of Ifr111·y

fly !

r I. Acl

S97. High virtue is the most natural an<l fertile source of
this moral sublimity. However, on some occasions where
virt:1e either h~s no ~lace, or is_ but imperfectly 1li~played ,
J'et if extraorclmary vigour aud force of mind be diswvered
we arc not inse~1siule to ~degree of grandeur in the charac:
ter; and from the sp}e11d1d co11quer~1r, or the <larin.e; conspirator, wl~01n_ we are far from approving, we cannot withhold
()UI· ad unra twn;
E xa11;71le. Th_e subli~1e in nayiral, and thr. sublime in moral objects,
are .h1-.m g hJ ~•elore us m or~e v i ew~ a':d compared togP thcr, in th e follow mi-; beaut1lul p;ts,ag·e ol Akens1de s Pleasures of the Ima g inati on .~
Look tht-11 abroad through narnre ; to the range

:w11h l L1lf lint Jfiudlir.ig nmj~s•h rtiJ~re

'

....

"

.:"4

"• 1
1 I

., i..,.,

-~.: £?~

(• 'it,.1 ·:, ·

i·
•t,;._".
''1 .;;,:.\•
.: f},',
,<; , ,

r. Scene 2,

J)nalysi3: Such a sentiment from a man expiri11g of his wounds is
truly heroic; and must elevate the mind to the greatest height that
can ur. done by a single ex pression.
Example 2. l'orus, taken p~· isoner by Alexander, after n gallant defence, anti asked, How he wzshecJ to be treated ? a:uwered " J ike a '
~
· llin g ." .
· 3. ' Cresar chiding the pilot 1 who was afraid to ~et out with him in a
s t?rm, ''. Quid fimcs· ? C:.esarem vchis ; " i~ an .. ther goo<l instance of
thi s sc11t11ne11tal suulime.
Coro[. Wherever, in some critical nnd high sitnntion we behold a
11~an un comn!only int;epid, and re~ting upon him self; su;1erior to pas.
s w11 and to tea r; n1111nat,!d by fiome great principle to the contempt
o f pop11lar opini~n, of selfish interes t, of dang ers, or of d ea th ; there
we ar e s tnu; k with a sense of the sublime. (See Schol·i a 2 . •tlrt. 419.)

01 p l n.~1rts. soos. n11d m:la1unnti11e SJ•htres ,
\Vlwdu1g, u1111hakt:11. thro11 g h tJu- vuitl inunensc •
J\11.<l spt ·:-t. k. (J lllall ! doris this ca1mciu11s scene '

I

·:~.f

..

I,

.•.

:.i:··.- .
~:--·:·(~~~'. -

. ..
The Sublime in TfHti~g.. -

. · 209

~ ·~- ,·

., "

r,._~

. :~

..::. \~~

.

111r strong conceptjon;' ns w~en J!rutiH
. ·ro1~ .: , ·.-. • '.i...'·'1.'0- ~ .,,.,~J..~i.:
Jletulgent, from the >troke ot Cresar:1,fate, '·»:" .. ~ • · . -.;f>: · ·r . ··
Ami~ the crotld o'. patriots f iuid b's,~m .··) . '';:;"f·' ·,,t.~ · i0,~>; · .,J°B./;..~; ,
Alolt e:\tt;lllfing, hke et~rpa! Joxe, ~); :'. ~ ···!,;,t ~..,.!',';-~.;;.~,. ·,.
Whl'n guilt b1ing1 down ·the thunder, call'd aloud ~U ·!!'·1>.:~.., r, ·'. 011 Tully's name, and ~h?ok his crims?n 111ee!t· ·~~ffjit.V,?.-": > ,,:r,,~ v -. ~ ~ ;
Ami hacle the futher of hu countrr. hatl ! i 7 . ·. • ,,, ·.' · · . . .:. · ; ·.
•.
~.! For lo! ·the tyrant prostrate 1m :tlie-dust;''• · ..;-1,·'>',lff~ ·~. ~ ; ... ;~
.. And Rome agai9 i~ frtn· •i.• ,,_:.'-''l~~>,.;Jloo~ ..h,.,.,.. l:t" ,pt;:;i~'1.\,"'.'q· Ji{'>l
'· '
,.... ~ '·'.,:..,J ' , -tf,~~~~ .. -~_::. -~ ., :t.\~\;~'"''"""., r. -_-_
Schol·i a 1. We have no\v"enumenited ii 'Variety.-of" insfances;-:botl'i'in
inanimate objects and in · human life,~-whepi the · s.tiu1i1he ' itpP,elire~ ' )i:i
all 1heR!~ insiances, the enlot.ion raised·'in " u11 · 11i~ or !fie same;'_kFi\(although the 'objects that produce the emotion be ·of widely· difT~.r~nt kin_ds.'
2. A question next arise~,. whether 'we are able to discover _s pme one
funrlam•mtal quality, in which ~· all '. these ' different ·objects agree,' an:<I .
which is the c1wsr. of their producing an emotion of the s.ame nature«in ·
our minds? Various hy1>otheses h:tve '_ becn fo_r111ed ..conceriiing ttij~1f;.....
3. Some have imagined that ainp,l itude, or gl-_e~t extent 1 1join;ef!.~~Jt!t.1.·'f.
simplicity, is .either. \mflrndia~~ l ;y:, or !"cmotely, the . .fui1?ame~t ~l- q!faljlY:·~{· · ·
of 'whatever 1s sublime; but we have .seeu that atnplitude »1s . confined ·
to one s11eci~s of subliine ob
._ ,ie._Cts ._.. a_nd .-~an..not, l\.··ith.o u_t .v. io)e_ilt,· ~ti·11fo"':.;;:.,.,
·
......,.. ..~ '' .•. ' _-.'.., ...,..u..:,..~~'
mg,
be app I'1e ct ·t o t h em a II • J,. ,,..~.~ -,.. ·
··: ''._c-."~~'":''.-·
4 Again, terror has been sµpposed the sou~ce ..of the subl1me; ; a_n d ·
thnt no objects· h,a,_vc t\1is. ~harac.~er ..l)Ut; such..,asc pro<luc~ impre_ss.i9'9_s~o [;°.
pain and <lang·cr ..',· It; is ~ndeed . tr~e, that m:rny terr1bl!_! . o?jects.'..~~re ·,;
higl~ly sublime ; .~nd that gra~cl~ur 'd~es nC?_t ~efus.e · ~n .alliance wlt~,r~.
the idea of ?anger. ' But. the~ this :~e~.s to str~t~h _the theory too fa_~ i,;,,1?: .
for the subl11ne does not consist wh!}}ly ·1u modes of clanger, or ot pain-.
The proper sensation of. sublimity appears to be distinguishable.f.i:om .
the sensation of either . of these j .an.d 1 ..~~ .~_~r~J'.~l.e~ S_io.t?S 1, .~o.:, ?e; ~n;.. '
ti rely ~eparated from them.
f
•
.·
•. . · ·: , -: i. ' : '.
o. In many gn!n<l objects; there is no coi'?cidence.'~it.h ter~.<?r~ % b.ll ; '. ·:;:
as in the magnificr.nt prospect of wide exten,d!!d plams.,-nf!q .,o,.f._t~e.~s~a.r·
ry firmament j . or i!I the morn) dispositions :anq 'se·ntimehtll 1°. ~~!.c~~ ~e
view with hip;h admiration ; and in many p.ainful ·and . terribl.e. ob;ects
also it is clear, there, is no gort of grandeiir. / "-The 11.mputafion o(a"'l;9:
litul;, or the bite of a ~nake, are exceedingly terrible; b t1t are destitute: .·
of all claim whatever to sublimity.· ... :_ :. "' :
. -:' .!;.~.,_,·; .·
·'
6 . Mighty force C!.r power, · whether accompanied with ·~efror · or not,
n•h ethrr employed in . protect ing or in_a larming us, .has perJ1aps a helter
title than any thing that has y et been mE>ntioncd, to be the fundamt>ntal quality of the sublime ; as, after the review which we • have taken, .'r'
there cloes not occur any sublime object, int.o'Jhe, idea of which, power,
or stren}.\lh, o_r furce,_ dOPs n?t enter,_ eit.h;-r di~ectly, ·· or, at least. intimatr ly assoi:1ated with the idea, . b.\·)earl!ng_ our._thoughts t.o some m;.
tonishing power, as concerned !n ~he , pro,dl}cti!Ji;i q.f. ilt!!;_obj~ct •. · ·.

.

.

. . : ' ·;: :.~~~· ~:~'!; ;~;.~~~? :. ~,· ~?:. :r ' .'.\i4f~
CHAPTER 1 V~ .. ·;>~·""
•"..

;'

.

l

'~

.· '.

..
808. HAVi:NG treated
•• ..!

! ~·:··

1·

# ••

-

•

·,

~- ~'.:. ~~~ ~·••

or grandeur

~

·~I

. .. 'r • .

. .!

~

,,..

'f'Hl!: SUBLIME IN WRIT1NG•

'.~--~

~,.~ ..:".'ti 11-.

; •

~ ;

:

"''

;-

~~~

-,' .~ :«

; " :\ " " "

..

•

or suMirnity, 1n

tit:~

tenwl objects, the 'vay seenis now to be clea1•cd, for treating,

~·. ~ ' _\~

,'
,The · Sublime)~ W:..riii1.~~· · :- .·

1.Yu Plcasw·c~ of Taste.

210

...

with more advantage, of the description of such obj eds; or',
of what is called the sublime in writing. The f'uu ndation
of the sublime in composition, must ahvays be laid in the nature of the object described.
·

Illus. The g e niu s of men is then muc h turnetl to admi rati o n nnrl
:istonishmcnt. '.°l'lcct ia g with many oli lects, to th<'rn new and stnrn"r

t hei1· i ut a~i na tio 11 is kept ~dowin~~ aniJ their pa~r.;inn~ arP often r"ti~~·{i
t o the utmost. They tliiuk, and express th emse lv es holdl v and with o ut restraint. I n thr prog-r<'~ -c; of ·~ncir ty, th ~ ~·f·1:in'-' and.~anrirr .: :. nf
meu uu.de~·go a clrn.ng e 111•H'<! favourable to accuracy, lh:rn to >lreHgth
or sublurnty . ( ::lee /lrl . :Hand 3Z .)
.

400. 4_)f all writin!.':~, anrie:1t nr modern, Ilic sacred Scriptures afford us the li1gliesl 111sta11(;c:,; of t\I(' :;;11\)\i1 11e. T\ 1 ~
descriplions of tlie I lt·it_y, in liiPtll, are wo!1dcl'firllv nnhle:
both f1y111 _the µ;randeur of the object , a11d tl1t~ rna11n;·r qf rqi resentin~

1t.

·

~

- .~ ~11

s\r.:,ces of darknes s and terr.o r.are applied for h~lghtcniu g the .sublime ..

. Example 3. So, also, the. prophet"· Hllbak,kuk, _i,n . a ·~ imilar passage ,:
« He stood a11<l . mcasm:ed the earth ,; lgi b e held, a~d . drqve asuuller.
the nation s . , The eyerlasting mountains .'!"ere sc1:1.,t tercd ; . ~he perpct·
ual hills. did bo_w ; his.fays tu·.e-evcr~as.ting: , The mount!1ios _i; a~}!!ee; ,
and they tre mbled. I he overflowmg of the .wa\er. passed . l>y, . '.(he · ·
deep utte r e d his voice, .and lifted up his han<ls on higil." ''"'
· ~ i ··
·
4. There is n passa ge in the P sal.ms, which 'de se rves to be ment.ionecl '
und er this h e ad ~· " God stilteth the noise of the"seas'; the noi~e of their
w aves, anu the , tumults of the p e ople." ,, _.. .
, ' , •' , . <·
~ •·" .,..
/ bwlym. The jo,ining. together two such grnnd objects,_as th !! ra~ing
oft.h e waters, nnd th e tumults of the p eo ple, b e tw ee n winch the n! 1s so
much r ese mblance as to form a very n at urar associal ion in !ht: funcy,
a nd th ·, n~presenting them bo th as subject, at one moment, to th e comma111I of Q:od, produces a noble effect.
'
·'
- '
.- -~.

l~lt~s . 1. U nle? s it b~ s uch an obj_ect_ as, if prcs e i1ted to onr eye~, if
cxh11J1ted !o us in ~ealtty, _would rai se ule~s of that clvating, t.hat 1:1wful,
and mngntficc~t kmd, w.h1ch we call sublime; the d es cription, how c \'CI"
finely. drawn , u not e ntitled to c ome nnd c r thi s c lass . This ex clud e!
all obj ec ts th a t arc m e rely b ea.ut.iful, gn_v , or deg·n nt.
2-, ln th e n ex t place , the o.b.Ject mu8t. not oul_y, in itse lf, be snblim e,
but 1t must be set ~eforc u_s 111 s 1~ch .n hght as 1g m os t proprr to i; ive ·
u~ a clear. and foll 1mp1:ess1?n. oft! i :•.mu st b e dcscrilicrl wi 1h strrn g th,
~vtth c.onc1sen~ss, an~ s 1mphc 1ty. ll11 s d e p e nds prin c ipally , npon 1he
)1vel.Y _impression wluch.the ~o et, or orator, ha s of tn c •>hject which he
' exh1_b1t• ~ and uron has b e ing deeply aflecterl, and wannerl, by the
,sublm1e id e a \~l11c~1 he w0t~ld convey. lf his o~vn feelin g lie la ngu id,
lie can never 111sp1re u s wt!h .any s_trong emotrnn. ln s lanc es, whi ch
ar" extrem ely ne ces~a~y on ~l11s subject, ~v iii cl e arly sht!w the importance of all the reqn1 s1tes which we have Just now mentioned .

· S99. It i.s, generally speaking, amo11g the most ancient
auH10rs, th_at we .a~e tu look for the mos t striking ins tances
of the sublune. I he early ages uf the world, and the rude
unimproved state or socictj', arc peculiarly farnrablc Lu the
s trong emotions of sublimity.

·..,/ ,. ....1...

40 l .· Home;. is, a poet', who, in all ages, and by,. all.critic_s,
has ueen greatly adniired for . sublimity; and he o"Yes.. mi.Jch ..
o f .his grirn<leu1•, to tl!at ·:.native and unaffecte<l,:;~irnpli~!~Y~'
winch charactenses hts manner.
·
....

I

l
I

/ll11s . His des c ription s of ho sts eng-aging; thr animation, the fire,
nn(l r:ipi1lit_v, whi c h he t h rows in to hi s battles, prP;;en't to ev1,ry rca•let·
o f the lliar!, frequent instance;; of sublime writing:. iiis introduction
o f tli c g·od;;, tenrL; often to hci~htcn, in a high drgrcc, the mnjcsty of
i1is warlikt• sc ..~11e., .
,
J-::cnm71/e I. Hence Lrrnginus bestows such hi g h i111d .in>t. c ommpn.. iatlnn~ OU that pa s sag·c in the t:_>tli Duuk or the iliad, v• here .1.\"~ · 1. t .iue,
11 lieu prq1ariug- to i'sue forth into th · ~ c11,:a~e11Jc'11t, i;, cl,;,, ,·:1 i1cJ ns
shak1 11g th e mountaius with his steps. a11d dri\'iHg his chariot along- tlie
or0nn

:!. i\! i11 cn-a, arming- h~rsclf for fight, in tlte '•th Eook; and Apr:!lo,
\ll tl11• lG th , leadiu~: · o n 1hc 1'rojat;1s, and fla~d 1 i11~~ tl'lTOf wi t h his a~';!is
rn1 t!it~ fac1 ~ of the Grctks; ~11".:! si1u iL1r i:bL1.11c<:s of' ~Tt · ;it suLlini~/. \r
;;t\d .j IO th•· 1k;nipli .111 of IJ<t!li ">, l'.1 t!ic app1';u·;i1tC•'S uf llt'l>C eeks·

i ;i_ l I )" i n ~~- ~~ .
:{. It~ the ~ Clift Ho<ll(. w!tcrc all the ;;-ods take part in tLr cn,;a,;;c rn~~nt. accurdi11.~ n"I th('\.. s< ~\ · crilllv fa\·ut1r eitlii>r lhi: Cr"ci11.ns or the
Trojans. 1lie poet's t:e ;1i•1.' 1> sic;11nlly displayed, nni'. the lie.-;cripliou
i iscs int J t!1c n1o:;;l tl\\·ful Hitu~:ii~.~ cc. 1. 1H·c.
All u atur'. ~ is rcprcS .' i'.Ied •t '!
i:i ''""' '10 ti•rn.
J 11pilcr tlH111d<'r;; in till' h •"H"'""; i\'c pt11111' "tril .... ; ti11~
•·anit with his !r idrllt: the Fhips. the city, and tlw 111ouH1aii:.; sli .. ke;
1hc? r ;1rtli fr1 ·1nblf's lo its «rlllrp: Pluto "t;u·ts froin hi-; tlirri1tt:, in dr c;; ri ,
lest 1hc "ccrcts of ti'c iu(erual rq~ions ~ltould IJc lai1l t1pc11 to tl1•: ,·1•.:•.1s
uf Jnortals.
t

1

• F..r, .:m11lc 1. \Vliat n11 ~s.o;c11J!,Ja!.'<', fin· i11,ta11cp, of'"" i"rd and s 11 1;1im•·
Jdeas is presented to u s , 111 that paSba1:1e of the l8th Psalm , when' an
Rj•JH'arn11•·f> o l Iii• ' Al1111f;lil_v ts df'"•Tilwd 0
:.!. "111 my disln·.ss I c;i licJ upoi! the Lord; 111• l11o;11d mv vroicr ,,. 1t nf
his t ..: 1upl <", &1.1HI 1.11y 'TY ca111P IH· fl1n~ l1i111.
Tlit·11 tlif' cnr.Jli .' '1· \i iL Hlltf
trc1uLlt'<l ~ th1 ~ lut1111L1li!l11 ....; ;1);...o nf th'~ hii!,,. \'r-t-'T+' rnn,Td; hcr :i.n-.;c f il'.'
n·:i:" ,,..-o_th .. flP hnwf' d rfu• hP."Vf•ns n11 •! C"~?nf-' d.-,-.-;· 11 , :ind d: 1 d ~!l '·~. . ., \\ ·i..;:
ltttd~r l~1~ / t·t• f _; }•nd ~~'"' d!d ndr upon a chrrnb, dnd did 11 \ : \ i ·:i . Ii~
h:- d1J lly. lljlOll -'~IC \\ 1 11 g~ of 11,., hi11•l. lk Iliad" t!at '""' '~ hi~ Of'iTC- t
Jifa ,·e : li15: p ;1, d1 1111 101rn1l ;ll· 1111t Lil11 n1,rr' d:"'t/ , ,. ;i.tci<, ;t H, ! 111; 1 l~
1 ·Jp 11•i11 •) ! th .... -.:1 · v. ..
.
Jlnal, 1 1.i./~ fl•:n'_, ii!.:r<'r;ibh, tu the pri111·i1d";,; p1;Lth!i-.;1wd in [' J 1 : 1 1 ~, ,- 1
l~. (.;Jr/ . J!ci-i . ) we ~ t·c 1vi1h '''"'~ pr<"'rrirty ti1t•I 01HTc«; thr cil"tii:-r1

40'2. The works of Ossian abound wil11 c:-.:ample.;; of the
~nlilime.

The subj: cts of \vhich that nu 11111r tr1•.af .;, ;11HI
the manner in whiclt he writes, arc particularly favourable
1

t o i I.
//!118 . He possr:sscs all the plain antl vf!ncrahlc rn:i11111T of :1•c ancient tinH:c:. I le d~als in no supC'rtl11on~ n r g·a11d.v nr1 1 ~u11cut.r..:; liu·t 1J ;rnwc;
forth hi~ ini:i!i~s ,,·ith a rapid cnn: · isenr s~, which cnali\c.: thc1·n to ~;t .. ;h~
f hc inind with the greatest force . A111011g poets of 111,:rc polished

J'.J

T!te Pleasures of 'l'asfr .

.212

times, we are to look for the gr11ces of correct writing, for just propof .
tion of parts, a11c\ skilfully co111lucted narrntion. In the mi<lst uf
smiling sccpery and pleasurable themes, the gay an<l the beautiful wiU
appear, undoubtedly, to more advantage. But iimidst the rude scenes
of nature a!.ld of societ.v, such as Ossian describes; amidst rocks, amt
t'orrents, and whirlwinds, and battles, lfwells the sublime; and there it
naturally associates itself with that grave and solemn spirit, which dis·tinguishcs the author of Fi11gal.
.

403. Conciseness anti simplicity are essential to sublime
writing. Simplicity is oppose<! to studied anti profuse ornament; aml conciseness, to superfluous expresswn .
Illus. \V c shall now explain why a <le feet, either in eonciscncss or
°'implicity, is lrnrlful, in a peculiar manner, to th e sublime. The
emotio n occasioned in the mind by some great or noLlc object, raise.5
it considerably above its ordinary pitch. J\. sort of' enthusiasm is produced, f'xtrcmely agreeable while it lasts; but from which the mind is
te.nding cvCl'.V moment to fa 11 into its onlin:ll'y situation. .Now, when
an author has brought ns, or is attempting to !iring us, into this slate,
if he multipli~·s w•)r<t~ 111rn1·rr<q1rity , if IH• '''"'''" thr sublime ohicct
which he pr•~scnts to n~, ro11'1d and nrn11<I, with glittering ornamc~1t~ ;·
nay, if he throws in any one decoration that ~inks in th e least below
the capital.image, that moment he alters th•_, ~f·y; he rela",,~ th., l••nsion of the mi,ul; tlw strength of the feeling is . cma<;cttlatl'd; the
beautiful may remain, bnt thP suhlimr is ;cone.
Example J, "'hen Jnlius l_.'.,esa r snit! to-the pilot, who wns nfrnici teo
put to sea with him in a storm," Qni1l timt• s '! Ca~sarem vd1is ;'' ( E:i:nmpk 3. J]d. 396.) we a rc struck with the dflring magnanimity of one
. relying \Vith such contld c 11cc on his cause and hi s fortune . These few
\V(n<ls convey every thing nccr'ssary to gi;·c us the imp ression full.
2. Lucan resolvc<i to a111pli(y rrnd adorn the thoug ht. Observe how
C\-ery ti1~c he twists ii round, it <leparts fartli.-r fro111 the >uhlime, till it
end at last in ltHni-J declamation.
In Howe's trn1islatiun the passa:!t"
nins thus:
Ilut C<"C--sar s!ill !;t: p{ r :or t u distn-ss~
Ft·arlt·s~ , a11d cuufidt."Ht. of ~urt slh.:~t_.'is.
Thus to the pilot Jorn! :- The st':ls dc,pi o~,
1\nd the vain thrt•niH1ing of the 11ois1· ~kics:
Though god~ deny t!tce )'On An~onl~n ~n·rrnd,
"Yet J?O~ l char:;e yuu, gu at Jny eo1lll"l1~rn1 .

'1'hy ignorance alone cn.n cnu ge: thy frars,
'J'huu know!st not whnt a frt:ight thy vessel btnt!!:
rl'hou know"st not I a!H he to whom 'ti -~ 1'-~iVf'H
Never to wnut the ca1'l.~ of v.- ~Hchf\11 hea \.-en.
OUtdieut. fortune waits Bl)' l1rnu l.1k ihraH ,
And, alw'1y• rendv, conou l>cfore I call.
Let wi11ds nnd Sl~as, loud wnrs Rt frec:"doin wag("
And wa~tc t1pon thenudn..'S t.hl'ir einpty n1.;;·e; '
A •tronger. mightier<l><·111011 is thy fri end,
Thou am! thv b"rk on Cresni"s fate d(•pe1ul.
Thou stl\nd'st amazed to vit•w this 1lrt·udf11l scen<",
And womler"st what the God' nm! Fort1111e mEan:
But nrtfnlly their bountie• thus they raise,
Anrl fron1 my da11ge r arrogate new praise :
. Arnid1t the frurs of death they hid me lin,,
Am! still e nhance what they are sm·e to give..-•

~'·Ii1·
"

;

7'1te 'Sublime in Writing. - <H}4. On account of' the gr.eat ·i.mportance of simplicity .
;,rnd co.ncisei1ess, rhyme, in English verse, if not inconsistent .
with th~ sublime, is at least :\ery '.: unfavoi,.ll'abl~ :to it. ·The constrained elegance of this,' ~ih_d _ of verse, }rnd stu~ied1_ ;~~'·
muoothness of the sounds, .answerrng regularly tp each"' qth~·:~{r;'~ ..
er at the end of the line,_ though 'they be .qt1ite consistent with' gentle emotions, yet weaken the native force of sublimity; ·
bes!des, th~t the sure.rfluous words which the poet is often
obliged to rntroduce m order to fill UJ> the rhyme, tend farther to enfeeble it . .· ·
. ·
·
·
·
E.rnmple. Homer's ·description of the nod of .Tupite1~, as slrnking the
heavens, h~s been admired ill nll ages as highly sublime. LiterallY'
translated 1 1t runs thus: " He spoke, and heuding his sable bro~s,
gave the awful nod ; while he shook the celestial locks of his immort<t.L
i.1cad, all Olympus was sliakeu."
·' ,
·
' .
·
· ·
' :· ...
Pope tran.s httes - it thus : , · • ,
·. "' · .
He •pnk~; nrnl a wful hernh hi! s3b!c brow•,
Shak!'.s his amhro•ial curls..nml gives the ued,
'1 he stamp of fate, aml sanction of a God.
Hii>:h l1ean·n with trembling· the dread signal took,
And all Ol ) mpus to its Cc litre shoul;.
.
.'l'.1,a(l/S~-~- The inrnge is .spread out'. ;ind attemp,tl'd to be bcantilietl ;
but ''.i s, 111_ lrnth, weakened . T he third !me-" lhe Rtamp of fate an ti
s anciwn ot a God," is merely replet ivc ; an(! introduced for no ~ther
reason but. to fill 11p the rhyme ; for it interrupts the description, aml
<: 1ogs the 1mag~.
:r.:or lhe same reason, out of mere compliance with
1 rltyme, Jupiter 1s represented as ~haking· his locks before he gives
Lie
th.e .norl ;- " s.hakf's his ambrosial curls,_and gives the nod," \Yhich is
tnll 1t1 ~, and w_ithout meaning-.. Whereas, in the original, the hair of his
l.'.e_ad shaken ,~~ the effect ?f !Jls no;t;'.a11d_ makes a happy pictm'esque
cucnmstancc 111 the description.* '.. · ·"' ·;. - ..
'
· ·
,•· - ' · - .

-W5. The boldness, f;·eedom : and.•- vai·iety of our blank
are infin_itely more favourable. than rhyme can be to .
all kmds ~f sublime poetry. The fullest proofof this is affor- ~tc:t by .~h~ton ; <~t~ author w!:ose genius led him eminently:
1 whole 11rst anti second books of Para,_o dH' st1bhmc. l 11e
dise Lost, are continued instances of it.
YNS?,

E.Tample. Tal~e only fo1· an.exnmpl", the following noted description
of Satan after his fall, appearmg at the head of the infernal hosts :

..

1

:ii. St>C'l1H:· 1nimn, i1'quit. pdn1d, ''en toque furcuti

'Trade ~inun1: Italiam. si, emlo nnctore, rt'l'U!n,_~
llle,pcte. Sola tibi caum h~;e est j•1•ta timol'it

Vict?t-em non posoe tu um ; quern numina· mmquam ·
lks1tt.1111nt; dt: quo male tune Jo-ortuna m~rMur
..
C.um posl YOla venit. l\frdias pet·rnmpe }>TOCelJas
1. utela •ecure mt·a· Creli isw frNique
· -·· '
N'on pup pis uo•trre labor est. Hane Cresare prt;ssarn.
A f!uct'.l dde1~<11· t onus ; nam proderit imd'i
~ste rat.is: (ln1~ ianta stmgc parnt11r
.
"'
I~110ra• ; q11rer1t pdagi erelique tmnultu
quid prrestet fortuna mihi.-PhnrJ•. Y. 578.
• ;Sec W~b~ on tile Beauties of Poetry.

·'
f • ~·

.'

'J/1e Pleaswcs oJ Taslf:

. 9..14

• - • • Jlt>, alJo ,·o the r est,
ln • ha pc a111l gesture p rou<l ly eminent ,
::itood like a tnw e l' : his fonn h:ul no t yet l<;;t
· 1\ll ht! r orig- i11nl bri t:rht 1!es ... nor HJ•JH:nr l'd .

,;.
j.

''.•

J .ess thnn nr c ha11g·cJ rninl'd , and the cxccsg
Of glor y 0U"c 111·t· tf: n~ w hen th e su u , new ris.:-il,
J.ooks thro1.1 r,h tl'e horizontal n1isty nir,
·
~horn or hi ."> 1 wn rn~; or, from l.lt·hiud tht;.· tnoon,
ln dim edipsc\ tli s~s; trous twilight shct13
On hal f thl· iunioB!I. mid with 1t.:ur of ~ hau ~jC
1'erpl ext ·s nlona r chs. Dark<"n'<l so, }'P l ~h one
.Above tllCLH all 1 th' archangl' l. .. .. - ..

·•.. •

407. The sublime depemJ5 . upon a just seleGtion or :~fr_.,__ ·
cn ms1a ncc,; ; _and grc;~t care;· in wri.ting_; that e\'cry circiiin-> 1
stan ce \Jc avoided, wl11,ch, by uord e1rng, 1nthe least upon the
rncan, ~n· C\'C!l ~pon

1 1

~he m oupta i.m with rq•r:at('1 blow• ;

the gay or the trilling, might alter the

tone o t 1e cmotwn.

·

lilll S. .1. Tl~c prop el: sources' of th e s\i h limf' are to 11r l oo'k~!l fur
t :\ 1· _
1 )'. wl1t":I:~ i~i ll il ,i111 I ~ .
fl f"" qn ( b y fPtrH!P g" n_rt~r tr0p~~ r?!ld ti~tn' CS,
am! rl1 ctorica l assistances , that wf' ca n expect to produce it. · No ': · it
!' tm1ds c lear for t~e nlost par_t of thes e laboured rcfi n c m cnts · or art ' It
mnst com:l nn soug·ht, if it comes ut :1ll' ;· and !Jc the natui·ul uir;i,i·i 11'., of
n s:roug. itu agi nation . ··· :;~"/T · · · ,1, ... ·,·:·- 1 ' r·· · : ;~· 4 ~- '='·
E~t lJ:.:uS i11 iwbis; a;;i l:.i11t e -calc;; i:11\ ;~ iiio.
2. Wherevei'
a g rc11
i'a11d awfu l ' object
is--· presented
in 1rttii·c
.
•
.
•
•
.
·
n.
,
or · a
Y~ l")' 1:1:1;na!ll,ll_1C)~lS a:11 l CX~lted art~ ~ clion r,flJ 11.:: li!iii1 lit H1i111l is di.~pi:l\· '" I ; ti""' ''''; 11 ~'IJIJ cnn c~t('ii thr i!llprc ss ion stron;;-ly,. ,and cxliil•it ·i l
W;\l"IH a n-1 elowtt1g:, yuu 1na _v drn.w thP ."'llhiinlf'. 'fhC't;f~ nrr its ni1!1 ·
~ nopt~ r ~:n~rcc<\ .. i1ij11df<;ing ofn11y ~~!ril.;.ing ' hf'fl:Pt.v ·in cn np) ( i~ilit; ; ~·
, \· 1i ·• n v· 1· .~it 1~ nr 1:::: ~-1'. ) f I i i f.·i; ri ' (crrcd to 1i1;~
c l,-1c.
: : : \"!' 1·1t··t ... 14 ' ,);
' 1 t !!J~'.
· '
•·~
-~ ~
11a.ttue u t lu~.! c 1n ~>t. 10·11· n·.t11c~~ ~t.ra1 ~ ~~: a1'.d oniy it it. he oftliat Plr·,·ati i;;r,
>\'~'q! !\ t~ . ;1 :~11 ;: 1: J:1I . idlHl: \\ i1rc11 t!1't1:1.~·11; . . iJ,.',:; t; ii..; l •' C' li 1lw: \\ l~ Ctl.ll
,
llf"lllt 'P 1~ s11hlnnr.
··
p1.uSc/rn /i 11111. Frnm th<' nccou nt IVhich h;i s hcen ei1·pn ri f ' !f1,. ·11~t~ · - ~ ~ f
thr: s~d;i i;nc , it c leat i•v ,fu ll on.·~,
fiia i it is an e1roiion
wlii1·h
-, .. .Ill
.. ·"'.: ul
,
'
.
·
n cl ,·cu 1·
he ln 11 g- p:·otrartcd . 1 h e mmd h v 'llO force of rr"11i 11 s can U!' J- 1 r
· ·l
·
" .
. o ·
·' <
• ... ep
1or
;ll~ J' C'Oll S IC cr;\u lP lllTI C.' S O fa .r l'<ll S Pd afJfH' C its COllllllOll IUll C; I.Jut. '.i-i(J

·

f!!u:r. 1. F<~1 ' c \· i..::·• i::· !-·1i::ct !: :i.s ~r ..: ("' 1·;-l f 1r:- c:- ~ t:'n f ,., ("11 r~1 l:, f·, ~,'" \.· f 1ir·~
jt fllft} IJ~ } H tJt-C il~ Ld, :v i:1.; , aCl'.u 1di:ig t o the c ir ~ U l1 1 S l~~nc. ~\\\ th \\hic}t
i_t may he s urrounded ; and it will app ea r eminently ~ublime, or not,
in p rrlµ orti on us aH th ese ci r cn:11st;1nccs nrc h ~:ppH y cho se :~, nad c f a
s ubli n:'c !d1111. llcre li es the gre ltt l!.l't ,,f th e wri t e r: nnd indc.!!d, the
great difficulty of suiJ !i1111' descripti 011. ff 1he d f' ~Ct iption b 1~ t on f!<' lleral, and div es te d of circ-um sfan ces, the: ol0r:ct a p p ears in a la int Ji .~· ht _:
it 1n:1kes a fee hlr in1pr esr. ion 1 or }:o inipress ion at a ll, uu the rt_·;~d~.T
:\t. thr_ ~i~n\ r. ~int ~ ~ if (;ny triviai or iinp r ope r <..:ircutns1::u1ces are n1in,!dt·tL
the wholr' is d cgrnl! cd.
~'
,
2. /I. storm or trrnp r s t, fnr i m:tan('c, is n s111i li me obj ec t in n a 1nrc .
But. to n: ;1Jcr it !:> tddi : n :~ ;n <:t· s ~ · : ip!i11H, it f::'\ 1Jt1l c:-n u11;dt~ titlit ·r lo ~ i\· t
us mere gc 11 c r a l c:q>n ·s~. i un<; concc n1i n .~ lfw vi0lc11 cc 0 t thP f('rnpcst, 01~
t o dcscri l_H::' i t ~ <'!Hrnnnn v1~lgnr pffr(•!c;;J in O\'f)r fhrowin fi' 1rr0~ n? H! hon ·~ ~
f'~
(t l'Htl"°t hfl !'~ 1 fnt " '' \1 ' i th 1;; 1 ~<"\t f"i1"f" P! ll C,HHf'Pl: flC: fi tf flH • rni11d l;Vl ~ h
~r,.f1:t nn1l nwfnl .idP n~
IZ.uJ.111;ilt:. 1·:\i :) is ve ry ha pp ily do 1 a~ iu the i'ol!u\\ i ~ig pu:, '; it ~ ·t -.

.i\.ft<l f),t·c•

.

1

406. S impli city aml conc iseness :11'c css e nti : ~I to.sublime
in 1.Dritin£:;:: (./.ht. 103.) lnt strm_rJ!1 is ;-inutlin ltC'('i.:S'ary
rcqu i s i te :~ 'l'he s tre11gth of de~cri ptiun ari<;cs, iu a gre:i t
rnP.asu re, from a simple co11ci:,;ew~~s. ; bu!, it suppo~.es alsu
something lllOl'C; n;:rncly, a proper d10 ice ol' c ir c t1111 sla 11 ces
iu t.l 1e dcse1iplio11, ,. _, ,,a;:; to exhil1it tlie 0bjcd iu i:_:; fHl l <tllll
mo:;t sh·iking; p'-'i~d rf view.

·1 ht.: Fatlwr ui tlte lJods 11i'i f;!.!on sl1rut1t!.~;.
lundvut 111 l1 1;; p nds 1 al!d a ll1gh.l o: tha1tf::s:
.And fr u m th e 111iddk darkness flashing out,
Ily fits"" dt'ab t.i s fi e 1y \Jo lts abo ut.
Earth fod s t he 111 otiorn of he r angry GOil,
I
J-IH· l·ntrails tremble, and l1t·r 1-1iou11tn ins n otl, ;...
Arnl t l~ in g h;.•asti in forc·sts St'l' k nhmlL•.
)
.llc q> h orrlH' sei7. r s evt>ry lwrn an bren'il:
·rh ··ir prid<:' is Jiunibl u l, mul tht:ir fi : : 1r~ cunf<·.qt;
'-l"liih.~ h ·: from hi;;h hi s ru lli11;:t tl111rnler throws,

( ·
:..-.;.;·

/11.w lysis. E~ery . cir~11m~ti1111:c ' i11 -,!)i s ' 1i !1~l e u e~cdp tion i~ ' the' . p 1:0 ~
•1 uct1on of a u uuag1ualw11 heated ai1u ·as ton1s hcd with -the 00-ramleur of
the object_. ', : .
·
. ·· ·· <' . ~~
~ ,\ ·.. ; \; •· · :.
~:, :t · ~ -/·< \t;..,~~"'.

Jlnal,1;si-~ . H e rc co 11 cur a va ri ety of "nur<::es of th e ~ 111i!i111 c; thf' principa l obj ect cmin e nll.v r,re~ t; a high superior nature, f;dku indf'cd,
but c~cc t ill[~ it :<elf a ga in st d is tr c s r.; th .-, g-rn11 tl ~11r Clf 11,., princ:ipnl r.l> jcc t li e ig·ht cnc ll , by associnti n g it ,.,-ith so noble a11 idea., as th ut of lli t'
.< nn ... m. 1-ino- n 11 "din'(': this n icturc sh ad r:(! wi th al l ll11Jsc irnnicl'S of
"h
~n "P ·-·-~n,f t1·n
rincl lt; r f ur., \. ~ Jii, ~ h t::oiuc i1le so fi11t·\
-- ··-··o-· - 11·· hir.
--- ' nf
- - tladcnPss
-· -··" -v·
vtith thr: snh!i:!!C erno t! o n ; and !h e ~:vh01c eJ: p r'.'5~'.:' d in a sty le nnJ

\le rsificali on, easy, natural, antl si mpl e, bnt rnag11iiic e11t.

.\

The roeks nre from the ir old fonndations 1:~11 (;••, ·
The 'limh rt:do11hle1n11d tlr-1e l'nins augtnent.• - 1 • 1Jryde11 • • ·_ .

:

'

1

'

•'

'

.

•

'

..

!

I ...

,,,

I)

1
•

1

J f_cour~r, r c Lt x - ·~~to 1ts · (~r?1nary ·~ it.n ~1 1in 1L N<? i the r a : r: the rlhi!ii:c~
t d a '. 1_',- l~tt t n:t!l \~ riu..:r ~ ufnc i ~i~t to L1 n1: ....;h a lo d .2" contiuua 1io 11 • f
·
0

1

I
rl
ri

'i'tT1qd 1 ·d ~11bii!rti~ ideas.
'f11e ui!!IV !;l we can Cxpcct is 1 11.11 ': 1 ·ll l~ !.l,. •
•
·
•
·
i
'
l ,t,
1 l l S Jll C
'" rn1;1 g 111at1 011 s h ou ld s omellmc< llns !i 111 1on u's li ke Iiohtnino- t"
l
I 1
.
c
"' !Olli lC' [1" '"': ' 1111
f ""1 '.11 .• npp•"ll" _I n J--J .. rrw r rrnd :\·!ilt•111 ; thi s ctrul cc 11 t: ,, .,[
1
;:,ct •i 1.> l:i t_::_1L;:> i/; 1 l!1 H.1ur c Irt: .t ~li l. '. 1idi.' a11d ''•. it_l1 . t;rc~lcr l.ustrc ~lhan in
1?1 os t a11lhors, Sliaktc s p ca rc a lso l'I O.f'S _often into the trnP •uhl"·
Hut ?l ( ) ~~~?t hor l·:hatr."•c ~· is suh!i_:nc tlir.Ju;.: :u1tiL Suu1c,. ind,..,:d . .fl\·;,',:~
: 1\"f'; who, hv_a St 1'Cl) _r1· th ~nd l li !:lli t V ill flJr·j1· · t~OUCt,Pf;Pl l<
n
f.
- ·t ' · · ·• nlH fl f'ltt'lTi\t nl 111 ~· !1 1d1•;p. th:\t r;i:1:.: t/1i .(ll i '.!i t tlt•·it· \•,-htdr eo1r 1 ·, 11 -it"
.
1 • -- - 1
• l 1 _ ·.'· . · ... ~_
. 1 ~ lull, p1c,, 1;i-,.,
..

•

-

•

.,

••

•

-

\1 ;•_ l :.. . i.l. C I .-, 11.\, , I (
\J .' \'. d·"·' loll , \ l v 1H_!
\ \] 1it : J1 IC:I S.l Jll !lit'.\.-' t!);I\.' , i;1 ;i t11ll•l •'•l

<

-

ilt : dJ ;\I al l 11~ d

{ I) lhP 1=:11hl · . , , .

·,... -

' J' ·"··it tL,,. .....~ ·· ·--!..?.! . , :,, ,_
lJ,t 11lP t)f cc i11f1; 1tt Cd ~nbl1me wrtlers; a11d 111 thi s class n·e may jus tly place D ,
I ·•
and P lato .
. . ,.
, . - ,,
.
-' ,
~most i e u e~
•

• _

'

•

•

•

C ('i 'c;f' ..

•

• •

:

'

1

•

'

•

''

408 ·.?' As · for what'i
ilc, 1't 1.~, 101 ' •1t 1e
,
,s called- til.P. 'suVli1'
•1r.· · 'st·.1
?Je1'Y'bad ·one '; and · ha·s no relation whatever to
lhe real- subhme.
,,_ ~" ;.;._, ,.. _._ ,, - . ~ ..,,._,, , ;.
·
·
.
, ,'
~i • ;
~, p
i
..:. (
·0

•

~nost part, a

'.

~

< ,

'

" •

'; . •

! t

'.

•

•

I'

• .,..

.• Ips~ ·~ater, ii1ydi a ni n~hormn in i,1 orte 1 e~rt~~ca , .
f:nlm111a 111 ~ l !t111· de\. tr;\ ; q uo mn xi1u n mot11
,.
J f·nu trl'1111t ; \ f11 g-t>r1~ ft rfc; ct 1i1ortnlin ·curda ·
P e r g"f' lltes hrnnili s s1ravit paYor: i lll' lfo~ra11ti
~"!. 1~tho , nut Hmlo1"-'n, nu t a l ta Cnau11in tdo
,1)ijll' J t , - - - -

rn-

Gcrrgc,l.

..

..... ___

,.

!UL

/
I

21G

The Pleasures of Tasrc.

Illtts. l'ersous arc npt to inrngi11c that mr1g11ifice11t wnrus, nccurnl! ktecl cpithrt~, and n certain swelli11g kind of expression, hy risin:;
above what is usunl or vulgar, contril111!es to the suhlimc; 1wy, eve11
form~ this style . Nothiug can be more false . .111 all th<' instances of
sublime wriling, which we have given, nothing- of this kiutl appea1·s.
E .xam71le. " Goel said let there be light, and tht'iT w<\9 light."
J111alysi.~. This io striking aml sublime. But put it into whnt is com monly callNl the suuli111e style: "The rovercig·n Arbiter of n:iturr, h,v
the potent energy of a single word, commanded the light to exist;··
ancl, a~ Boileau has well observed, the style indc;:d is raised, but the
thought is fallen.
Coro!. I. In gcner <.il in all g-oorl writin g , the ~uhlime li es in the
thoug·ht, not in the wonts; and when the thongh1 is truly noble, it will ,
for tlie most part, clClthe itself in a native rlignity of langun g c. The
s11b!ir.n1), in1lcetl, n0ects mean, low, or trivial expressions; hut it i."
f'<pially an c11cl!ly to such as arc turgid . The main seerct of bl'iu gsnblimc, is to ~a .v g-rcat th iugs in few aud pl a in \\'Ords.
2. It '1\-ill be found to hold, without exception, that the 111ost ~ublime
nuthors arc the sill!ple,;t in thf·ir ~tylc; and where•· c r yo11 fintl a writ<'r.
who affe cts a more thnu ortlinary µomp and parndc of \Yo1tls, and is
always cndctn·ouring to magiiify his suhj<'cl by cpitJu,t~, there yo11 111ny
immediately Stlspect, th;it, fecb!c iu seutimcnt, he is studying to tapport hiraself by mer~ expression .

t

. I f,

·,.-

Bc'a~ty;::,

217

'·,-It

2. Bombast lies in forcing an ordinary or trivial olijcct out of its ·
nt11k, and eu<lcavouring to raise it into the sublime ; or, in attemptinnto exalt a sublime "object heyon<l all natural and reasonable bound;". · 1
luto this error, whid1 is but too common, writers of geniui; may sometim es fall, by unluckil.v l osing. sight of the . true point of the sublime. __
Thi~ is also cl\lled fustain, or rant., Shakespeare; a great but incorrect :,
g· ,:niu~, is not unexceptionable here.
D1·yden am! Lee, in their. tragc(
<lies, abound n ith it. (See Chapter VIII. Book III.)
, " · --::~.
l·

' .

I~

~~

.· : ·-

. . .... . •

'I

.
.:

CHAPTER VJ.

,-

. I

llEAUTY~ AND OTHER PLEASUllES OF TASI'E!
'

I'

:•

I

, •

,•')

•

l. i

'

. ·1

','

411. BEAUTY, 'next to sliblimity, alfon.ls,- b~yond douut;
the highest pleasure to the imagination. · The emotion which
it raises, is ' very distinguishable from that of ~ublimity; ' It
is of a calmer kind; more gentle and soothing; it does not
elevate the mind so much, but produces an agreeable sereni;.
· ty. Sublimity raises a feeling too violent to be lasting: the
pleasure arising from beauty admits oC longer contiuuance.
1t extends also to a much greater variety of objects than
su~limity; t? a v~riety indeed so ; g;reat, th.at the feel in;~
w l11ch beau ttfu 1 ol~1ects produce, d11fer cons1derabl y, not 111
degree only, but also in kind, fro1wone another. Hence, no
wonl in the language is used in a morn vague significati<;>n
than beauty~
.,

409. The sarne unfa,·011rr1hle jnrlgrnent w~ nrn~t pn!:<~ on
all that laboured npparatus with which some writers introduce a passage or description, which they i11tend shall be
sublime; ca!iing 011 their readers tu attend, invoking their
muse, or breaking forth in1o general, unmeaning exdanrntions, concerning the greatness, terribleness, or majesty
ihe object, which they are to describe.

or

Example . Addi ~ on, iu his Campaign, has fallen into an error of thi s
kin<l 7 whC'n alJou: to dc"cribe the b;\lt!e 0fBlc1>hcim:
Bnt 0 ! my Mu<c ! "J.:1t 1rnmlx:rs wilt thou fiml
PJ'o "iug 1hc furious arno1•s in lmtlic~ join,tl ?
J.1ethi11ks I l1ear the c.Jrum ~:!I tunmlt11011s sound,
'J'h~ 'i c t1J1··~ !hout s, aml tiring· groans, confUund ;

-

lllu.~. It is applied .io alm~st eyery "external object \hnt pl~ases the
eye, or the ear; to a great numbe r of the graces of writing; .to marry
•li . <positions .of the mind; nay, to several objects of mere abstract scit!nce . We talk currently of a beautiful tree, or llower; a bc11uiiful poem ; a beautiful character; ancl n benutiful threor.cm in mathematics,
Sclwlia I. Hence we may easily perceive, that, among so great a
vari e ty of objects, to li11<luut sonir. one: quality in which they nil agre<',
and "hich is -the foundation .of th!).t agrcenble- sensation tkerall raise,
mu ~ t he a very diflicult, if not, more.probably, a vain attempt. _: - " _
~. Objects, denominated. beautiful, arn so different, as to please, not
in virtue of any one quality common to them all, bi1t by 1iwans of sevr~ral different principles in hnmnn nature.
The agrecnhle cmotionwhich they all raise, is somewhrtt.of the same nature; and, therefore,
11as the common uame of beauty given to it; but it is raised by differ- .
cnt causes.
·
"
.~.
•.· : 1,-'..?.,·: ·.;.i.,, • •

~c.

.'lnolysi.~. 111lro1lur:tions of 1his kind, are a for<"t:'U attempt inn \\Tile.I'
rn ~pur up liimsclf, a11d his r e ad l' r, when he finds his imnginafion l•t' ·
. ~in to flag . It is like 1aking artittcial spirits iu order tr}rnpply the
\Yant of such a~ nrc natural
13y this ohsPrvation, howe\'cr, it is not

me:int to pass ;i ge t1~:· a l c e 11 s 1irP, 011 Adtlisou 's Campaig-11 which ia
~nvrral p!nces, is far from wanting- m erit ; tuHI, in particular, the' noted compuri ~ on of hi:; h!'ro to th e angel who rides in the whirlwiud
nud directs the storm, is a trul y s11blinir. image.
'

410. The faults opposite to the sublime, are chiefly two;
first, thefrigid; and, secondly, the bomhasl.

_
· f'.

{:

-·

1

41.2. Hy~qth.eses, ho,~ever;· ~a~e,.beeri ~ra'rJie<l byinge~i~~B
men, for ass1gnm1~ the fundamental quality of ; beauty:.rn ,all .
oujects. In particular, .u piformity amidst variety, has been ·
insis~ed on as this ·fundamental quality; •· This ··accuuh.,t~, in ,
a satisfactory manner, for the beauty qf .m any figures. ' · ·

/!!us. 1. The frigid consi sts in d<·gra<ling nn nloj e rt, or sentimr~ 11I.
which is s11hlime ~n !tself, h): o'.11· wra.k c.o.n:cption of it ; or, by om:
weak, low, aud clulrli sh tlcs c nplt011 of 1t. l lus hntnas entire absence
or at lcl\st 1 great pov•:rly of b e niu~ . (See /Jrt. 204.) ·
'

'i

\

.·
7 li c Ncasvres r!f'

cndcanntr to apply thi ~ pri11cipl c to '1 ea 1iti/'11 l
oh.1ecls of so1nc ntli e r hi11d, 11 s to cofo11r, for in s tan ce, o r 111olio11, w e
sha ll soo n find tlt a t it ha s no plac r . Anti cvr. 11 in c·x tcn 1a l fig·nr ed o b ·
jects, it d ocs n o l h o ld tli:it tlt e ir l1 c anty is in 1i roportio1 1 to th e ir 111 ix ture of vari e ty witlt uniformit y; see in g many plea se 11s :is hiolilv llf'rtlltifnl, which have ~rarcc ly 1111y n1riety ; u 11d others, 11 hi c h 1 ~·c 'vario u :;
to :1 de gTCe or intrica<:y .
Ohs. I,ayi "[:· ·'·'· s tem s of tlti :' ki11d, tlt c r cforr, aside, w P. propn s!! t.~
give an c1H11n (·r n li on of ~cv<• r n l of tli o~e c l a~ s r· ~ nf ohi rc fs 111 ,,·hi.:h
b<!Hlll,Y mo"1 l'f!lliarl<;tl".v appenrs: and to point 011 1, a q 1';1r a s th r li111 it.o
thi s work will :u1 111it , tl11~ »<'parate prin c ipl e« or bean!~· i11 cn r:h o r
thrm.
.
•

!llns. B11t w h e n

~19

'1~1sfr.

11·r.

or

4L S.. Cor.ouit affords, perhaps, the simplest in stance of
beauty, and th ere fo re the fitte st. to 1.J e,,n i11 with. Herc ' 'neither nlriety, nor uniformity, nor any other principle, can
perhnps Lie ass igned, as tlic foundation of' beauty.
~

ll! us. I. W e cn 11 r e r1•r it to no other cau se 1•xc<'p t th r. strnc tnr e of'
th e e y e, whi c h dl'l e r11~ in cs us to r ecei ve certain n1 o difi1 ·n tions of th e
1·itys of li .!.!·ht with 11> o rc pl c ns 11re than othr.rs. And 11· p spe ar:cordi 11 g-Jy, th rl t, as th r~ or .~ nn of se n s ation ,· 11rit ~s i11 diflf-•1·c nt p c r ~o n s, tli!'V li :t'.~ r:
thei1· ilitTc r e 11t f,tvouritc co lon n:. It is prohauk , that nssor iation of
ideas has i11!1uc11rc, in so111e cases, on the pleas ure which w e receive
fr o m co lours.
E.Tample: G r c(!! l, for i1.1s tanr(', lll i\V appear 111 o rc h e autif'ul. by h c in g
connc c t.c <l 111 our 1d cu.s w ith r ura l prospec t s ;rnd scenes; white, with i11 11or e n c c j hl11 !,, with t he serc11itv of th e skv.
Ill us . 2. l11d c p1: 11<l e 11t of a s so-c i<1!i o ns ur' thi s kind, nil th;it we c1111
fa1·t h e r uh sc r n°! co11ccn1i11i; colours,. is, that th ose chosen fo r bcnu! y
arc , ; c 11 crn! ly, ddi c;1t c r::lit;'r tli an g larill /! .
E .rr1111p1€ . S u c h arc th ose p ain t ing·• "ith whi c h n ntnrr h a th orn a lil<'ntcd so 1nc uf lte 1· works, a n il "hi~: h art s triv rs in Yai:i tn i 111 it ate ·
a s the r1 ;at~1e1-s of seve ral l; i111.ls. nf hir il<, 1lir l r>;i.v•.'S u f fl n " -r r s, :rnd tli ~
fi~c ' ;a nat1011 o f co lour s exb1b1tcd by the s l<y a t th e ri si 11 ;;· ,u1 d setti n g·
t)f tlt c S l!ll.
Coro!. Thr sc pre se nt to u s the J1 ighr s t i11 s tm1ccs of lh e !J ,•antv of'
~·oln nrin ~ ; a nd lt a\·e tH:cn rcli 1lg ly hccl,1 th 0 fav n;n if,_. ~t: bi cc t s of jl'~c ti
c;d tl csc dpt io 11 in ;ill co1rntr ics .
.
··

4 14. Frnm cnlo11r 'H' procrt't l to J!..:::.: l!l't', \'l1i ch opens to
ur U<:<tufy iiiili "C com plr::-;: ;;.nd din.: r.·;iiied.

li6 fonllS

-415. REGUJ.AIUTY qf jigttrc first occ urs to be noti ccll as a
so urce of beaut y.
· 11111s. 1. B v a r rp;1 dffr li g-11n', is m r :int , one which wc pr·rcci ,·c tn fw
for111e1\ a cc onling to some cer tai n ru l r~, an d 1101 le ft :1rliilrary, o r loo se,
in th e co 1L>1ru ctio 11 of it ;; parts.
E.::r rnnp!c. 'fhu s , a r. ir c !c , n. s q u 1u·1 ', a i i icul t.:, ~l! , ur a IH: xagon , pl ca Scs
tlw cyr., lty its r<' g-ularity, as a benutii'ul 1; :;·11re.
Jhwf.~s is. ' Ve n~11 s t n ot, hn\H'\·e r, ro 11cl1 ide, tlint a ll fi g tll"<' S plrnsr i11
pr.'.>port1on to. t:1 c 11· .reg-11 laril)'. j u_r tl1 at t 'C'.::> nl~rit .\ · i.< tlH : so:C, or th r
011 tl1 r ciJ11 lr arv, a crr ta i 11
c hi ef- fo11nrlat1011 o f h t' auty 111 fi gu re.
graceful vari;ty is fn1111d t.o he a · m11ch 111 n r E' powcrfu\ · prin ~i pl<> oC
h1~anty; an<l is th c r C' fo re ~h tdJed a ~T0at <l ea; tnorc th:1n n:~gu l:tri tv. iH
n H "~n~' ~ o:-.; tL :~ 1 ;i~' 1'. d : ·'-:: ~ '" :1rd tn p i--;:,_.; t! -:c~ r'·. ··· ·
~ ' •

Illus : 2. Regularity ilppear:s . ben~tiful to us » chiefly, .if not only, •on
acco unt of its .sui;ges ting the ideas of fitne§s,"];ropr·i ety, aud .11se-qualhies which have nhyays ,n grea~er .counection wirlir orderly and proporti oner! forms; than with those·:w hich appear· not construc tP.d according !O any certain ,:n .-i le , . lt is ·cl.e<!-1".' that',Nnture, who~: is un~oubtedly , ., ,,..
the most grnce(ul : al'tist ,; hath , 111 .,. f!.ll her ornamental ,,wor.k<s) pursued·. ;·< r:::
~· ari ety , with an apparent n e glect of regularity:
·
: :;••l"'-·<'":>:"~u
E x amplt:s. Cahiuets, iuade after a r.egu)'.1r ,forn1, iu cubes, doors, and
win do ws,· constrncted in the · fonn .· of ' ·parallcl9grams, .with · , exn~·t
proponion of part s, by being so formed, plcnse .the ..eye :, the reason .1s
obvious; bP.in g works of• usr, they ·ar.e , IJy- such figur es, the better smtril t o til e c 11t!s for which they w ere designed. But plants, ilo\fcrs, nnd
l eaves, a re fu\I of · ~·nri!!ly nml diversity. A straight ca1rnl is an insipid
fi " nr c, in comparison or the m e antler:s of rivers. Cones and pyrarui<ls
;11':'c beautiful; bt1t trecg, growing in th e ir natural wihluess, are infi- ·
nitelv more beautiful than when trimmed into . pyrami.d s and· c ones;
as is. t h e fashion, for. in s tan ce, in a lmo st ' uil. · gnrdcris ~ n<l plcn,surcgro und s. The apartments of a house must be 1·eg ular .in lh e i~" di~posi­
tiou, for the co nvenicncy · <if ·its i11Jiabi·tants; hut a ga rdeu, which 1s de·
sig·n e d m e1·cly for b e auty, is c:xceediug·ly. . .disgusting, when i_t has as
mu c h uniformity 1rnd order in its parts as a dwellirg-ho~:ae.* .

. 4 JG; Hogai'U1, i.11 hi s Analysi~ uf Be~t!~J, has· ol~serv~<l,
thi\t ligt11'es, boun<lcd \;>y curve ·lmes.' are,: 11rgeneral, more
1Jea1Jtiful than those boumle<l by stra1ght lines a1Hl angles.

Illus. He ·pitches upon two lines, on \vhich; according to him, the
beauty or figure principally dep e nds ; find he !~as illu stra ted and s upported hi s d octrine, uy a s11rprisi11t; number of rn~tauccs. . . _ . . .
E :r:a 1!1ple I.· The ouc is the waving line, or a cn~vc bend1~~ buck'"'a rd > nnd for-i'v m'd s, som'eiv h a t in ihc form of the let ter S. ·
' . ·. ·
.1fonlysis . This he calls the line of lwauty j aml shows how often 1l 1s
fou n d in s.hells, flowers, and such other ,omam~~1tal ,wor~s .~f nat~re ;
and how common it also .is in tb.e figures . dcs1g11e<l by · pa111t e1:s .and
n:ulptors , for the purpos e. o f decoration . :
." ·
.
£ .wmple ~· The p th e t«.1.in e, .which )1.e cnUs tl~c l we ~J ~'.·ac~, JS the
fonni·r w rn 1no e11rve . twl>'(f'<l rounJ ~orn e soltd 1uod j. 1 he cu1 lrnf!'
'''CH~ 11i of a' co~mon i :tck Is one of the . instance~ he gives ufil. .:Twist'c d pilhrs, and twistP~I horn~ , also f'xhihit it ,
.
.
· ..
.!Jnalysis. In all the ,i11 s la11 ccs which he menhons, t•11ntly plain)y ap·
!'ea1 $to b e ~" mntP.ria l a principle of lJraut_v 1lrnt he seems not lo e n·
; """h wl"'n h<> defi1w~ thP nrt of drawing pleasing; forms, to be th e a1 t
of varving well . F o r the curve 'line, so much th e favourite of t•ainl·
c rs , <le.ri,· cs , according to him, its rhlef adv.nntn ,~ •', from
p~rpetunl
1>ciidi111; a11d v.arintion from the stiff_reguJanty ol 1h e stra1gh,t lwe.

!ts

41/. Mw~·10;.; furni shes another sotircc of beauty, distinct
from fio·ure. Motion of itself is pleasing; an<l bodie.s in
mt,tion ~re," creteris paribu.s," preferred to :those in rest;.. lt
is, however, only gentle motion that belongs to the bcaut1lul ;·
for, wh.e n it in very swift, or very forci\Jl e, such as-that of a
ttirrcnt, it pftrta!~~s. of the flubli1i1e:, ' YMus~. £ ••~rt. :?~2:).. ,, .
•Sec I.ord ~mnc&'; Ekmc;n,ts ~f

..

.

-.

Criti~isin, voi.
ii, clt~l'· 2i~.
..
~

~

· ' ,. '" ' . ,

220

'The Pleaswes of Taste.

E :r:ai111;le J. The motion of a binl gli ding through the air is !'!~ ·
. trcmPly beautiful; the swiftness with which lightning tlarts through the
heavens is magnificent and astonishing.
.
Obs. Aud herc ' it is propcr ·to obsenc, t!rnt the sensations of.sublime
a nd beautiful are not always di stinguiHhr.11 by TCrJ distirnt honndai:i es;
hilt ltre capable, in SCl'el'Dl iostances, of approaching towards each
other,
E:cample 2. Thus, a smooth running stream is one of the niost b eautiful objects in nature: as it s•H!lls grn<l ually into a great ri1•er, the
bPautiful, by degrees, is lost in th e su hl.ime.
3. A young· tr ee is a h'!autiful ol>ject ; a spreading ancient oak is a
venerable and u g ra nd o ne.
4. Th e cul11rn1•s s nf a lin e 111or11i11g is beautiful; the unil'(:rsal stillnes~ of the cl'e11i11g is hi g hly sublime.
llliis . Hut to return to th e beauty of mot ion, it will be fo11nd lo hold ,
very g-c11ei·ally, that 11101ion in a s traig ht li 11e is not so beautif11l as in
au uuJ ulati ug wavi11g direction; and moliun upwards i ~ , commonly
too ; mo re agreeable tlrn11 111olio11 d ow mvard s.
Exwnple 5. Th e ca~y curling 111otion of flam e rm<l ~moke may be
i1ista11 ced, as a11 object s in g ularly agTccnLlc; a11<l here Mr. Hogal'lh 's
wavi11 g lin e r ec urs upon us ns a Jll'in c iplc of beauty.
·
Corul. That ai·li st oh.>c n ·es, ve1·y i11g·e11iously, that all the comnion
and necessary mot ion s for the l.Ju s in ess of life, arc perform ed by me n
in strai g ht or plain Jin es; but that all th e graceful and Nna111cntal
movements arc inade in waving lin es; irn observation no t unworthy of
being attended to, by all who study the g race of gesture and action.

rts-r

j ·~··

--·~

~· ~ --­

J.·:'ii-

-"

l
•' •

'"

l
I

f

(

™

·! <t:Q:C .

'

...

"Ji·'

~~ "· J

!

"' .

.. .

..i..~-

·--

,.

·:..t ·tJJeauty~u
i.._:; i'-., .... ·~ ~
..
.
~ ~ .. ~--.

••

.

.

'

~ ~-·

~

22.(,
.

.

. "'

419. •rtie b,eauty of: .tlie ' li.um_a1_i,C?.lf'~l~11a.n $.ef',1_s more ~~m· ~ .· ,'.
pl ex than any, tl~at '~'~ h~ve yet ~~~stc.l~~:e~'.· fw. )t ~?fludes. the; ·
beauty oJ. _colo_ur~ ·arismg fr~~ the deli~~t~, sliad~:t.Ofth,e· ~?m~ · ;- ·
ple~ion' i and· th~ · beauty ~f ji~uj'e:5_a,nsu~g-\Jto•l_l : ~he''. lir~es -~
winch ·form the d1ffere11t features J >( the _face •.:--.~ But ,·~he ·chu:~L· '
beauty of 'tile · counteiia~c·e ldeperi~s tl ~o!1"a mysten.o.us ~~,~ 1 '!· .. ~ ·
pression, which it conveys, of the. qu~_lit~~s ~f . ~he mmd ;·· of:;_ ·. ··;i"
;~ood sense, , or .. p;~o.tl l~uni_ou r·;-· of•-~pnght~1_less.~ ·.Can~~~-~~.~ t·
11evolence, sens11J1l~ty, oi: other a_m1a.~l.e d1~po~~~1~ns~ _,. . ~ . : .

1

.!Jnn.l1.1.,i 8 • How it comes to pnss, tha.t n cert a in confori;zi.at ion, of fea-

tur es i ~ <;:on ne'c.ted in our idea w.ith ce.rtain .m,oral qunl~lles; whe~her
we are tnng-ht by ·instinct, or b.y experience, to.- form , ~his connech~n,,
nnd to read the mind .in .the co.un!en11nce 1 beJongs . ~ot to ~1s_ .now to
quire, nor .is it indeed . easy, to r esolve. . T.he f,act 1s' c~rtnm, an~ ~c- .
knowlcrlge <1, that wh:it gives , the .human . coupfena\lce .•] 1~. most : 4.1st.m :-.-~~
g uishin g h~auty, . is, wh11t is. called . its ,expre.ssion. ;, or a~,.. mp1ge, wl~ 1i:,h ;
it is conceived, to· shew of .mternnl moral d1sp0Hf1qn_s'., .. ·· . ~ >. • ... . ;;
Sclwlia 1 . . This "!cads us to observe, that .tht>re are cerfam qua11t1es.
o f a mind, which, whether cxpressc tl i~ thc ..C~lm~euanc~, or .by l'l'fli:_ds~
or t.Jy actions, always raise in _.us a fedmg s1m~l1;'-r ~si.· t.ha~. of beauty.'.·
2. There nre two great classes .of moral quaht!~s; Qne. 1s of tl:!e higll:
and tiic greut vjrtucs, which require ·~ xtraordmar.r.: e!forts, and turn
upon 1langers an1l st!lfc1·i11gs; as ~1- ~ro1sm, · m.a.~n~11mnly, cont~mpt of,
pleaswcs,.an<l c.on:tmipl of dealh . . I hese excite rn .the . spec~.1toi;: au.
.
'.
e moti o n of snbhm1ty and g ra11<l eur . . (Illus: .llrl: 396.)
3. Th e other class is generally of the soc1~l v1rt u;s, nod su?l~ . 11s ~re,
Qf a softer nnd gentler kind j llS compaSSIOli 1 m1ld1~ess, fnemJsh1p,
These raise in th e .beholder a sensation of plel,\Mure, .
C ll ~ r·os ity
11 l I
H g · '· '
·
·
·
· I
1 b'
b
so m 11 ch akin to that prod\.tce1l hy beant1fn .exte rn~ o e1e c ~s, t at,
1 hough of a more dignifi ed natur e, it may 1 without 11npropne.ty 1 be
classed under the same he{ld.
.

Ill=

4 I 8. Though colour, figure, anu motion, be separa tc prin ciples of beauty; yet in many beautiful objects the.v all
meet, and thereuy reader the ueau ty both greater and more
complex.
Example 1. Thus, in flowers, trees, and anim;ils, we arc cnlcrlain <:>d
at once wi1h tht> .deli cacy of the cdom, with the grncc fuln ess of the
fi_g ure, :rnd somf' tim es a lso with the moti on of th e object.
.t111alysfs. Although each c.f th ese produces a separate ngrceable sensation, yet' they arc of such a similar nature, as r ea tlilr to mix and
!Jl encl in one g·e w~ral p ercep tion of heau ty, whi ch we a~crilie to din
whole ohject as its cause: for beauty is always co nceived Ly us as
s1~mething r esi din g in ·th e obj ec t which raises th e pl easant sensation;
a sort of g·lory which dw ells upon it, and that invests it.
Example Z. Perhaps th e most com1,Jctc ass<"mblage of beautiful ohjects that ca n any where be found, is presr.nted by a -ri ch natural la11d sca p e , where th ere is a sutiic ieut \'ariety of ohjccls : fi elds i11 verdure,
scattered .trees and flo wers , rnnnin g water, and animals g r:izing.
· .llnalyszs. If to th ese l>r. joined so me of the productions of art which
suit snch a scenr, as a brid ge with arches over a ri,·c 1·, s mo ke risin g
from cottages in th e mids t of trees, am! the distant vi11w of a fine bnildi1~g seen, !lt th~ sa me tim e, with the risin g sun; we then enjoy, in the
hig hest perfcct1011, 'that gay, cheerful, and. placid sensation which charaf;terises beautv.
Co1:ot. · To h~ve an .P.ye and a taste form ed for catching- th e peculiar
ben11t1cs of such ~ccncs as these, is a necessa ry requi site for nll who !\I•
fcmpt poetical dcsc riplion.

420. A ·s pecies of beauty, distinct from an:y that we ·have ·
yet mentioned; arises from dc:;ign;, or art; or, m .other wor~ls,

f"rom the p erccptim~ ·of. m.eans being adapt_e_d to an ' erul ;, or_:.

the parts of any thmg '_ be~ng well fitted to ~~!!w~.r,-t~1e t~e~1gn.
of the whole. ' ..,,,, .,. ' :· '··· . ..,,. ·.·
.,.~, '")=' .., .. ,.~
-, .

Illus. When, in considering ' the structnre· of 11 tree, or' a plant; we .
observe how all the p'u rts, th e roots, the 's tem, the bark, and the leaves,.
a re suited to the. , i;:-rowth a.n<l ni1triment · of ,t.l1e, ,wh,ol.e; mu~h i;i,ore ~ .,
when we survey all the parts and mcmbe ~.i!. _o f a. l,tv!n g nmmal j or :.,.._-.
'"b!'n we examine any of the curious · works of art; such ns · a tlo.ck, '
a ship, or any nice ma c!iine; the pleasur e-- : :ive ~ ~ave· in the; s~r~cy ~-.
is whollv founded onf tlus ·sense of beauty. It 1s - ~ltogether•._ d1~er· ;;, ·•
ent from the percepti<.>n of .beaut.y produced bJ. c~lour, ngure, ;vanety; :.i.
or any of the causes formerly mentioned. ': :· ';•. ,; :·: ,. ; •1 • ·d•: ...;p":· ":~ ; ':
.!Jnalysis. \Vhen you look at ·a watch, for !nstan~e, the - c11se• of . tt~
finely eng raved, and of. curious workma~s.h1p, . s~rtkcs <you- as beauti~u~--.. ~\
· the former sense· brag-ht colour, exqmsrte polish, figurea finely r1us ·jl'..'~~ and turned. ·.; But when yo u examine the spring 11ndi the wheels, and ~.
r.xa1nilie the beauty of the internal machinery; _your . plc,'.lSttte"lhcn ·

•t:.;·

..
',

'17te Pleasures of Taste.

'Beauty. ·

what is raised by the ' contemplation of hc<iutiful ohjccts in ' 1fature; ·
which neither lifts the mind very high, nor · agitates it very much, but
diffuses over the imngination an agreeable and pleasing serenity. ,
Scholia I. Addison is a writer altogether of this charactc1' ; and is
one of the most proper and precise examples that can be given 'of 'it. '.
:Fenelon, the author of the Adventures of Telemachus, may .be g·iven as nnothcr example, ., Virgil too, thou!{h very capable of rising on oc~
casions into the sublime, yet, in his general manner, is distinguished by, .
the character of beauty and gra c e, rath e r than of si1blimity . Amon g
or<itors, Cicero has more 'Of .the beautiful tlrnn Demosthenes, who i; e
genius 11' <1 him wholly towards •·chcm e m:e and str<'ngth,
2. 'J'llis much it is wllicient to hav e said upo n the subj ect of b eauty;
\ Ve have traced it through n vari e ty o f forms; becau se 11e x t t o suhl imitv , it is th e m ost c opi o us s nnr ce of th e plcawrcs o f tas t P; nnrl bec au se the c on sid e rat io n o f the di ffe r e nt a ppea ran c es, nrnl pri ncip les of
beauty, tends to the improvem e nt of taste in man y subje cts,
3. Hut it is n ot only by a ppea rin g unde r th e fo rms of su blim e o r
bemtl~(vf , that ohj ects delight thf' imagin a tion .
Fro m ~ e v c ra l o the r
p rincipl es, a lso , tlwy- deri ve thei r pow r r o f giving it pka sur e.

-421. · This sense
beauty in fitness and design, has an
extensive influence over many our ideas. It is the foundation of the beauty which we 1liscover in the proportion of
doors, windows, arches, pillars, and all the orders of archi•
tecture.
'

or

._._ fll!ts. }. Let the ornament~ of a bnil•ling be ever so fine and Pl••g-n11t
in themselves, vet if they interfere with this sense nf fitness ancl clc:sig11,
fLiev lose tlwi·r·hC'auty, ~nd hurt the eye like cli «ag-1ceault> olij t> ds.
2. Twistecl co\1111111s, for instanr.•', are 1111do11'1ll'dl.v on111111 t> 11tal; h11t
as they have an appearanr.e of we;~k11css, t!i»y alwav~ c\i s plensc " ·lil'll
thcv ~re made use of to support any part of :t building that, is ""'''Y,
:ind th a t seems to rcriuire a more sub~tunlial prop .
3. 'Ve cannot look upon -any work whatev e r, without hc ing' leri, by
a nntural a ssociation of id eas, to think of its end an•\ design, and of
ronr>P to PJ<aminc the propri e ty of its parts, . in rnlation lo thi ~ clc~ig' n
n n-1 rn rl. \Vhrn th t> ir proprietv i< cle:ll'l,v disc e rned, tht' n·odt seem~
a h,·ay ~ lP haY P '." lll llC' I H·;1 1it v ~ li 1?t ''-"ltt'll tl1•'l'C i:-\ a t'dal

p ric (r , it nc\:('r f;1 il ;:; o f ; q 1 p C' :ni11 _~ ~ ~l (' fr l1"l 1H· d

•

· ,

wo:n t of' p ro~
.

of fi!n ~<:.~ nrl'l fl w.;;i:~· n . lll f' l'f'f0P' 1 1' ~ n pnwrrf1d , :ind
l ;olds 'so hirrh a r;ink among our p c rc<'plions, ns to rc ~ 1olnte in a g rent

-'J.

() 11r i=:('ni;:: r

o~r other i<lcas of be nuty .

Thi s observation is of the utmo s t
For in an epic po1' 111 , . a
history, an orrtti on,,or any wor!' <•f g- P.111us! we nl ways reqmrP , n~. we <lo
in other work s, n fitn ess, or ndjn s1mcnt cl nu·nns, to thP <'n<I whir.Ii the
author is rnppos('d to have in vi e w. ~,; t his drscripti'.1m. he ~v.er so
rich or his fio·nrcs ever so elrgant, yet 1f they arc out of place, 1f th ey
are ~\ot prop~ r ;>arts of that wh~l c, if the.'. snit 110! Ille main <.h:~.i g 11,
thcv Jose all thf!i r b• ~ auty; nay, from h cautws th ey are co n ve rtr.rl rnto
deformi ties. S uc h po we r h a~; o ur SC"'' " o f fitn ess a n<l r o ngr u1t y, t o
pro<lu ce a total 1ra ns fonn ;11i.nn of an ohject whose app c;irance othC'r·
wise ,vould have h1.: i' n !ieaul1ful.
1 iicasurc

importa~ce, to all who stutly co111posi~.i•H1.

422. After having men_t.ioned so many varions species ?f
beanty, it now on ly remarns to take notice of beauty, as 1t
is ap 1;ticcl to writing or riisco1trse; a term. commonly ~1s~cl
in a sen se al too-ether loose and u 1nleterm111etl. For 1t 1s
:ipplie!l to all 11~a~ pl.Pase~, either in stv le or in 8cntimcn~.
from whatever pnnnple th~t pleasure ~low s ; aad a bcaultful poem or oration means , m common language, no other
than a !{ood one, or one well composed.
Jlltts, .i". Jn this sens•~ , it is plain, th<' wonl is nltogether indPfinitC',
and points at no particul:ir species or kind of hc auty, .
. .
.
2. T!H· i·c is, how<~ '· er, another ~cnse, ~om.rwhat 11101 e defimlr, 1~1
which beauty ,,f writing r,h:1ractcnses a par~1cu!~r mamwr ; ~v h"n •t.
is used lo ~ignify a ccrt~1in grace nm\ nmentty, 111 the tm:n c1th:r .of
style or ~cntiinent, for which somr authors have been peculiarly d1slrnguishe<L
.
.
3. Jn thi~ sl'n~e, it denot es a nrnnner nrtthcr remarkably sub 1•me-,
nbY vehemently pa ssionlltf', nor uncommonly ~parlding; but such 11s

!22:i

mises i11 the reader ' Ii~ e'motion of the ' genll~ placid' kind, similar to

· arises wholly from the view of that nr\mirabl~~ al"! with which so ntan y
various and complicated parts are m;tde to m11tc for one purpose.

or

' ,.._ _ · i~.~~-

.i

4 '2 3. No \' ELT Y, fo r instan ce, ha s ueen mentioned by Add isn11, by Kames, an <l by ev ery w riter on thi s subject. An
ubject that has 110 merit to recommend it, except its being
uncommon or new, by means of this quality alone, p\·oduces
in the mind a vivid and an agreeable emotion. Hence that
passion of curiosity, which prevails so generally · among
mankind.
lllu3 . Objects and ideas which have ·been long familiar, make too
faint nn impression to give an agreeable exercise to our faculties .
.New and strange objects rouse the mind from its dormant state, by
giving it a quick anti pl easing i111pul sc, Hence, in a grpat measur e;
the entertainment afforded us by fiction and romance. The emotion
raised by novelty is of a more lively nml pungent nature tl1an that ;
produce d
beauty; but much shorte r in its continuance, For if the .
object have in itself 110 charms to hold our attention, the shining gloss :
thrown upon it by noVf•lty- soon w<~ars olf.
.
0

by

424 . . Besides . novelty,' imitation · is another · source of
lllea:mre to taste. This gives rise to \vhat are termed, the ·
secondary pleasures of imagination; which form, doubt-·
less,, a, very extensive, class.,
Illus. For all imitation nlfonls sonH' pleasm·e; not only the imitalion ·
of beautiful or. great. obj ects, by re calling the original ideas of beauty
or grandeur which such objects themselves exhibited ; hut even objects which have neither ueauty no~ grnndeur, nny, some which arc.,
terrible or deformed, please us in a secondary or r"epreseutcd view: , ·

, _425: The pl~asur~s of melody an<l harmony belong also
io taste. There is no agreeable sensation we receive either ·
from beauty or sublimity, but what is capable of being
heightened by the power of musical sound, · Hence the de~O
/

'

I

lll11.,. 1. Wit is a term appropriated to such thoughts and expressions as are ludicrous, and also occasion sonic degree of surpri;,e bytheir singularity.
2. Wit also, in a figurative sense, expres ses a talent for iuventin,,.
ludicrous th~ughts or. expressions: we say commonly a will,'} '111an, o~
a man of wit. Httdtbras is a man o( u·it; Fulstnlf' is rr. u•ith1 lllfl'l ·
iii.:.: ij~ i.) b ut! 1.
-~
'
::!. Wit, in its proper sen , r., as explained ab oH', is di;:tingui s hable into two kinds; t.-i/ in the thought, anti 1!'il i11 the v:orrls or e.rprcssion.<.
4. Again: wil in th e lho11gh!, is ,,f two ki11d s; l11t!icro11s im(lges, and
ludicrou' comuinnlions, that have Iii.lie or no natural rt>lation.
5. Ludicrous ininp;cs, \Y!ii c h ;;u r pris~ lJJ 01.-;r s io g ularily, art~ falH lcateu by the imagination ; nnJ /ndi cro11 s co111/Jinations :ire such an a s semblage of ideas or of thir!gs, as by distant anJ fanciful relation s,
surprise, because they are unexpectetl.

428. HuMouR. Nothing just or proper is cJenon1inat.e1l
humour; nor any singularity of character, words, or actiorn;
that is rnlueJ or respected.
llltl.,, I. W"hen wc att e nd lo the character of an hnmourist, " ·e li111!
that it ari~l'S from circum s tan c es bo th ri ~i l.il e a11d impro pe r, and th e refore that it lessens the man in O lli' rst c C'm, and mak es him in som e
measure ridicnlous .
2. A ln diao11~ writer is one who insi ,; ts upon ludicrou~ suhjf!cls with
the professeJ purpose to make his readers lau g h ; a writer of humo ur
is one, \;·ho, affrcting to he grnve and seriou s , paints his subj ect• in
such colours as to prnYokl! mirth and lau g hter.
E:rampte. Swift anJ Fontaine were humomists i11 clwrnct r r, ant!
their writings are full of humour. Arbuthnot outdoes them in drollrry
and humonrous painting; bnt he who shoulu say th a t Addi son wa s a11
humourist in charnc t!'r, ,,.ould be suspected of mi s takin g hol'Se chrs·
nuts for chesnut horses . ·

429. Rrn1cur.F.. A Yi sil>le object produceth an emotion
of laughter merely, a 1 idicnlous ol>ject is improper as" ell as
t-isiblc, and produceth a mixed emotion, which is veuteJ by
a laugh of derision or scorn.t _
Obs. l11trlesr]1U is a great engine of ri1licule: it is tli s tin!;ni~h ahle into the burlesque th'\t rxciti>s laughte1· merely, an•l the burJcsquc that.
provokes d e ri s ion or ridicule .
Examples. Virgil Trnveslic 1 and the Lutrin, arc compositions whi cf1
• Knmcs' Euni s, chnp. 13. ' 'ol I.
~. Cicero ck Ora torr, I. 2. (tuin· t ili>.n,

t Arist. Poi:t. ell.

,,

·l

light of poetical numbers; and even of the more concealeJ
an<l looser measures of prose.
· 426. !Fit, humour, an~I rid[ci'.le, likewise open a Yaricty
to pleasures of faste, <pnte distinct from any that we have
yet considered.
.
427. Wn is a quality of certain thoughts and express~ons; .the term is never applied to an action, nor to a pas:,iiOii; far less lo au t·xit~rrml 11l1j,.ct.:;:

lib , ~. c ~·p. ~.

~ ·

~.

t
11

225

Beattly.'

I

The Pleasures of Taste.

.:ome nuder this article. The . Ila pc of the Lock is not strictly hur:lcs 4u e, bnt an heroic-co1/1ical poem. AJdison's S]1e ctator~ on , the Fan
is extre;uely g'a y and ludicrous.
. '·:·.'.; · · , . ..
·
.· ·
"
· Sclwliwn. This singular .ad\'aqt\lgc ,'..wri(ing . and ' disco111:se posses.s, ,
that. in every point of view, th ey 'encomp ~~ss a large and nch lit>ld, m
a-esp ect to the pleasures <;>f t,aste; and _h,ttve power to e:'lhibit, in great
perfection, not a single sc!' of oujects on.ly; b_ut a.lmost thewlwle of
those which. give µleasure to taste a11<\ 1mag111at10n: "hethe~ that
, •
J•lcasurc arise from sublimity, from beauty in it,;,difforent forms,. from · :<i,'·. ·>'.
·d 1 :~ i;.:,11 an t.l a r t, f1- •JIH i..HUl"il l s c un :11v11 t , f rc rn n n ;.· cH;:, fr C!ril ! 1 1..rn1 n ~i_Y 1
·" .-,
from wit, humour, au1l ridic,ule. T() ,whichs.oever of .these the' pec~diar
l.• ent of a person 1s taste lies, froni some wnler or other he has 1t al·
ways in his powC"r to receive the gratifieation of his taste.

430. The hin·h .. power which eloquence and poetry possupply~1p; tas te and imagination with an ~xt~ns.ivc
r ircl(• of pk z1c; ui-r s, tlw,\· d r ri1·c al fo'.l;c t hrr fr om th r1 r havrn;;
a greater capacity of imitation and descr-iption than is poss essed by any other art.
sess, of

ll/11s. 1. Of all the nH:nns which huma11 i11g'<:nuity has c ontrived for
recalling th e image> of real obj eds, anJ :rn akeniug, uy r e presentat ion, si1uilar emoti o ns to tho&e which arc rais e d by the ori g inal, no n e
is so full and extensive as that which is executed by wonls and writing.
T hrough the assistance of this happy invention, there is uolhing·, e ither
in the natural or in the moral n·orld that cannot be represented and
set before the mind, in colom·s very strong and lively.
Coro!. Hence it is usual among' critical writers to speak of rfisco11rst
as the chief of all the imitative or mimfral all s ; they compare it with
1mi11ti11g and with sculpture, anJ iu many respects prefer i t justly be fore them.
_
/llu.•. 2. Imitation is performed by means of something that has a
natural likeness and res e mblance lo the thing imitat e d; and of cons e quenn, is understood uy all : statues and pictures, are examples of
likenesses.
-"'"
2. Description, again, is the rai s ing iu the minJ ·the conception of an
object by means of some arbitrary or in s tituted symLols, understood
only by those who n;;ree in the institution of them; such are words
a11d writing.
3. \\'or<ls, though copies, (/lrt. 432.) have no natural rescmulance
to th e id eas or obj e cts which they nrc employed to signiry ; but a
statue or picture has a natural likeness to the original. An1\ therefore
imitation and description differ co~1sidernbly in tbeir nature from each
oth er.

431. As far, in<leetl, as the poet introduces into his work
persons actually speaking; and, by the words which he puts
into their mouths, represents the discourse wl1ich they miglit
br: supp o::oc d t o h old ; so f;tr hi s art 111 ay mo r e accura tely be
called imitative .; and this is the case in all dramatic composition. Uut, in nanative or descriptive works, it can wit)l.
llO

propriety be called so.
*Yo. lOl_.

.,.

.

T/ie Pleasures of 1'astc.-Bcauty.
lllu;~· 1. Who, for instan ce, would call Viro iJ 's des c ription of t 1
pe~t, ~11 the firgt .lE uei d, ai.1 imitation of a s t~ nn ? Jf we heard ao/t

~m1t:a t1 o n' o'. a ha.tt lc w e n11 g ht n a turally think of so m e s ham-fr u ht

r;;
01

.,

.

~ ep1 esc 11<a trn11 of a batt le o n th e s ta ge, lrnt co uld n ever apprehci~d t'hat
it ~icant '~'.' ~ of. H ome r 's d cs.cr~ptiu11s iu th e Iliad .
. -: But i.111tat1011. an~I descnpt1?n a g r ee in th e ir 71rin cipal eOert of re ta llrng, Loy exte rn a l s igns , th e id eas of things wh ic h they ·1
' t
Hut thoiwh · ti 11· ti
· 'd
· < o no see .
• t>
m
~ i cy co111c1 e, yet it should not Loe for g otten that
the t e 1ms th e m se l. ves are not S}' nonvm ous · tli~t tli ey 1·
t i · n~
11
f ff ·
·
'
"
mp o r 1 1 e rent
.'cans o e cc~mg !he same end ; and of c ourse m ake diilt> r e ut impres sions 011 th e mind.
·

•1

I

,:

' '

i, ,

•~ •

!

·'.

'

•I

••

•j

THE GENERAL CHARACTERS OF · STYLE . ...._:; ..

Sc!wlium .. \Yh e th e1· we consider poelrr1 in parti cular anti di•coursc in
g~1~er~l,'.a s :1m 1tatfr ~ or dcs~riptive ; it is' .,v id e ut, !lo a t ;hrir wl;o le pow e~fim 11.callrng th e. rn1pr e~s 1011 s of r e al olij ec ts, is d e ri,. e cl from th e si"' ni 1ca11 cy, th e c hoi ce and arra11gcmc11t of wont s . Th ri r exce ll c~Z
fl~wsbalt oge th c r from tlic rn sources. Hav in.,.0 s h e wn liow th e sourc~
111<1y e preserved pure we ~hall · th
1
··
I·I
.
. '
• ' ' m
c n ex t 1 00!1 , e nt er u po~1 s ty !<'
an< e 01iuen cc 11.1 th cr r mo~ t extensive signification .
.

·;

CHAPTER I.
'l'HE DIFFUSE AND CONCISJ<; S'l'YLES,

1.

432. vYORDS being the copies of out ideas, there must
al ways be a very intimate corrnectio1i between _the manner ·
in whi ch we employ words, and our ,.manner,· of thinking~ .
From the peculiarity of _thought and expression which belnngs to every writer, there is a ce rtain character imprinted
on his style, which may be'llenominated Ms manner; comm on ly expressed by s uch ge neral terms as strong, w eak, dry, '
simple, affected, or the like.
.
'- ·
· -.. .

~I

Il lus . These di s tincti o n s carry , in general, some refer ence to an n11 t hor 's m anne r of thinkiu g , but r e fer chi~ ll y to hi s mode of express ion.
They nr isc from th e whole te n o r o f loi s l anguage; and compreh e nd
t h e clfoct pro d uced by all those~ parts of sty le which we have already
f'0 11 s idcr c d; the c hoic e wbich h e ma kes of sin g le words; hi s arran g em en t o f th ese in sr. ntc11 ccs; th e d egr ee o fh isprec:ision; his cmbeBish· .
m c nt , by means Qf musical cad e nce, fi g ures , or other arts o f speech;
a m!, fi 1;ally, the cultivation .of hi s g e nius and taste. Of such general
characters of style, ther e for e , it remnins now to speak , as the result of
those elementary pnrts o f which we have hitherto. treated.

483. That differen t subjects require to be trealell of, iu
t.lillic:rent sorts of style, is a position so obvious, that it needs
no illustration. Ev ery one sees that treatises of philosophy,
for instance, ouo-ht not to be composed in the same-style
with oratiot1s. livery one sees al so, that dillereHt parts of'
the same composition re<]uire .a va riation in· the style· and
manner. -> In a ser~1on! or any harangu.e;_ as ~hall be shewn ·
hereafter, · the apphcat10n or perotat10n admits · more ornament, and requires more ~ar m th, _tJrnn the· didactic part..:·· ·
Obs. Ilut wiiat we m ~an at prese nt to ;emark is, that , a mi<l st this ·~·a­
ri.io>ty , we still expec t to fiud, in the composition;; of any one mun, some
20""

.

I

.~.28

The general Characters of Stvle•

l
j

tle~ree of uniformity or rons istcncy with himself i11 manner; we expect
to find imprcssrd 0 11 nll his writings, some predominant charactrr of
style which s hall be su it ed to hi s particular genius, and sha ll m ark the
Curn of his mind.
·
E .1:ample. The ora~ i o~s i1.' Livy di.l~l·r much !n s ty le , as they oug ht to
do, from the r est of l11 s hi s tory. lhe ~ :m:c ts the ca~e with those in
l'acitus. Ynt hoih in Li vy's orations, and in tho se of Tacitus, w e are
able clearly to tra ce tht• cli s ti11guishing m a nn r 1· of eac h histo1·ian; th e
magnificent fullness of the one, anti th e 5c nt c11t iou s concisc ucss · of the
other.
Coral. \Vh e rcver th ere is reu I and native ge n in s, it o·ives a determina tion to otH' kind of sty le ra th er than another. WhP~e 11othin g of thi s
appears; where there is no markc(I nor pcculinr character iu the com positions of f\llY auth o r, "·e ;ire apt lo i11fe1-, and not. without r eason ,
that he is a vulga r a n d trivial author, who wr it es trom imit atio n. and
n(,: ftnnl if.,_. iH•pi;!..: ·· ~,r "'' ;.. ;n 1!l ~:··•!i~i~
._\'-! ,l,~j n,. ...,, •. f-->1~ . ~;c,lPd
painte rs ;1re kn o\v 11 by th e ir h~nd , ~~ the bes t a nd rnost original wri ~
ters are known. and di s tin gu i;!H:d, t~iro11ghout all th!'ir work~~ by th eir
sty le nnd p eculiar mnnn e r . l l11 s will lw found to h o ld a lm os t without
exception.

,I

'1

J

,

:cb dues

u.ul

i.Hld

'·

Illus . \Vii.en th•! l'hole 1Heanin,i; must be cau .~ht fro m the 11w11lh o f
lhe ;;pieake1-, without the acha11inge which Louks affor<l of pausi11g 11t
p1f"nc::nrP _! nnrl rPviPwin .~ whnt ·appPaf-~ ohscnre~ r-:reat. Cnnrii;;Pl\et:s i;;: ril- .
~:.1y~ to bfl' avoided.
\:re sh.nnld 11C~ ..-cr prPSH~H'. too r.nnch on the ·q nick 11pt:q of f)Hr hPrn·f'r 1 s nn1h~r~tnndintr ~ hut nnr _~tyl~ 011~ht tn hf' ~ttch ,
that th e bulk of men can g;o a!ur•g with us ea,;iiy, au<l without effort.
Corol . A f1oiving copious styli', thrrf'for,., is require<l in . nil· puhl{c
.::.pPnkprs ; ~:11::1rdi11g;, at tlH· sanu ~ tiuH·, agnin~ t s ttcl1 a dc·grf'P of diffu~ i o n as renders di em languid ;iu<l tir eso me ; · nhich w ill ulways pron~
to be the c:i.sc, when thr·y inculcate t o o much, ancl pre sent th e same
iltou!!·ht under too many <liffcrent views.
·
· · '
·
'

.- iuuh.; -

()rn:une:1t _hr~ do c· ~ n ::)t n~ jt• ,·t ; hP n1ay hr 1 :~"'JY ~i. n:l 1;,g-qrf'fi; hnt hi'.3
lntf'lll,C'd to r thr_: S::\!.\ t ' 4,f' fcirr(' r~_ tl!('f tlti\U µ_Ll t;e .

'·

lll CZl. llillg .

(')f

4SG. In judging when it is proper to lea11'to" the :2oncise; :
anti when to the diffuse manner, . we must be direCtetl by the :
natu~·e of the comp<!sitiori. Di~courses that are to be spoken·.·
require a more cop10us style tnan books that are tu be read.

~rnarncnt IS

CQJll}lOSllJCIJ.

lii.;:;

a hP ~Pitifnl rln•t' rnaznifi<".clit ' ~1;"ffn~ri;1('~t: , Ckrro ,i:;; ; hf'ynn <1.f
dcnl;t. the :nns t illu s trious instance th~t can be t:ii·rn . Addi son also ·
f.lllll Sir William T e mple .come , in samc.degi·ec; ~mder thi:r c!assl ·; " ' :
•°J

thin g maic r iai to the sen s e.
IIe n C\'cr g· iv c:; you the sa111e thou ;;·!11 twi c1-. li e pla ces ii in tlic
li g ht \~h i c} 1 appears ~o i1ii11 1l1f: 111nst ~It ikir1~; Uul i f _vo11 do t1 ot :q_,prf!hrTlf~ 1t '"(' ll 111 th~t 1 1 ~ht 1 y nn n~r~'· n ~ ) t c :~q ~ 1: ~: ~ ! 0 fi nd it !n ai!y nt !i : i· ,
lits se nit· tu_'.e:-o: h .re ~1i 1 ~lti.:!.ed with 1 -11 1n 1 1a1 .: B1e~~ <111d :-;tn·n!nh~ rnthp~ ·
t1 1u11 wj{j1 t:a<lt·11 ct'! a utl h a 1111011y .
'.l'hc ui111u:-;i pn :t: ision is st 11 tlicd in
th;n~ ; a1;cl t'.1cy a re comrno_nly <l c~ig n cd t n sngg<' s t more to the read ~r 5 nn~~;n1P. tH•n th"'l th-:-y th!:·~r !ly e ~ pr c~ ~/{[;_~s. 2. ~\ ~1{LTusr; \ v rih.: ~· Httfuid~ l1 i~ ih~n1gid f11Hy . Ile p1ncrs !tin
a va ri ety o f lights, ant.I g ives the r e nder crcry p ossib le a ss istance for
':~11de_rst:rn11111g- it complc,..iy.
H e 18 n o r very c::i t' ltd to cxpn·ss il at
first Ill ns lull strength; bccau s <.: he is to rcpc:1t tile i111pr css io11; anti
what h e wan ts in strcn g·th he proposes lo supply by n1pious1w ss.
. \.Yri~ers ?f this_ d1arac! c r g enerally lo ve 11ia g nifi cr. 11 ce and amp lifl ca11011. _!'heir p e n o <ls 1iatura lly ru11 out into so me leni;-t h, an cl having
room lo~· orna!11f'11t o.1 l'\'ery kind, th1•y a1_lrnit it frpcJy.
Schofium . E:\ch ol th ese m<t~rn e r s hr\s its pecnlinr advm1t<1gcs ; and
·~ ach becomes faulty when carnet.I to the extreme. T h e l'Xtrcme of cont'.isc ne ~s becomes a bru p t. and ob sc ur e ; it is apt also to lend into a sty Jc
too pomtcd, anti bonleri11g 011 th1~ cpii;rn111111<1t ic . The ex treme of diffuseness becomes weak and l angui d, and tires the rC'ader. However,
t~ one ?r othe1· of th ~~e two manners, a writer may lra u nccording as
IH~ geniu s prompts him:. ~nd un1l er the ge nera l charac ter of a con c ise ,
or of n '??re opeu anu d1flusc style, he mfly possc:s nrnc h beauty in hi.s

Illus . 1. Two of the most :1·c1irnrl~ab l e ex~mples· 'o f conciseness, .cnr•:_ .
l'i cd as far as propriP.ty will allow, perhaps in S(/me cases farther,
Tacitus, the H istorian,_and the Pre,s ident Montesquieu in " L'Esprit de ·
Lo ix." Aristotle, too; hold s an 0 mfoent rank among didactic writers ·
for hi s brevity. Perhap s no wrjte1· in the world was ever so frugal of
hi s w o r ds as Aristo tle; but'thi_s _fri.igR),ity qf expr~ssi.ou freq uently .dark· .
e n :;;

il!i~' 1;,';.,;,;!,; ~~'/.'~'>· 1;1 ~ !,'.'.' :: ,:·, ;', ~'.', '.,'. ','~,'.~::~ :::,~ ~,',';'',','.'. },'~ ~ •'. ':.[~',!L!,l~ t ~\'~,c/cis;; ',' ~ '
\'.ii

455. I•'or illustrations of these general characters, ·we c~~-- ·
only refer to the writers who are examples of. them. ·.· it is
not so ,much from detached. ' p~!'sages, , such as\ve)1ave' be.e n .
quoting as ca:amples in the foregurng pages of.this gr;ammar, .
as from the current of an author;s style, that _we .are to collect the i<le:i of a forme d man net~ of w.ri~ing~ . , ;.~ '. ·. ;. . . •,:;;

·arc:

434. One of the first an ll mo st obvious distinctions of lhe
differen t ki11ds of sty l ~. is what arises from an author•:->
"Pn'arhn g nut hi;: ihnnr:ht;;; rnnr0 or '" "° ~ · Thi;: dis ti11cti•J n
forms what ate called, the di.[/'usc aud lh0 cvntiiit: sly/cs .
Le lo p s ufl~ ;;:-; n '. d11:1d:i1d, c ~- C i .} c.:qin: ;.::si v n

QQ9'

!

J
I'

L1:)7. l 11 wri Ut>n c1J1npn~it.ions, a cer1ai11 tlenree of co11cise ·
ness poss~sses great atlvanf~ges. It fs _ mor~ li~ely _; _ke~ps ,
up atten~1.011; . rnake.s a brisker an_d stron ger: impression ;
awl grat1hci! the mmd by sup plying more -exercise to a
reader's own thought. A sentiment, which, expresse1l.dif- .
fu ,:;ely, will barely be admitted to be just, will, when ex.:,
pressed consiscly, be admired as spirited • . Descriptio.i1 "
whe~ we w~nt to have it ·vivit.I an<,l- animatc.4~ ·~h~ult.I ~~'.Mi'. ~ > /
concise stra1n.
•.
. :. :.i• ••·· ... !- l,h,'"-"
Illus. l . This . is different from th e _!: ommon opinion Y 'ni<!st p er.Soni/ " .
n

bei n g ready to ·suppose, that upon description ·a writer ' may dweH
more ~a~e ly than upon oth~r topics, and t.hat, · by ' a fliH a_nd e~.t,eptled '
sty le, it 1s rend e red more rich anti e:tpre5s1ve. 011 the contrary,, a dif. 1
fuse manner generally weakens descrip tion .'·· Any ' rcflundant . words
circums_ta.nc es encumber the fa~cy,. ~nd make th e · q~j i;ct)hat:we pre~ ;
sen t to 1t, a ppear confused and rnd1strnct .
'· · .:·· ·. . '
... ~ ·
2. Accordingly, the .most masterly describers,'' Homer, · T4citu~.-<.
Mi lton , arc almost always concise in · ,their descriptions; ~ 'fhcjr" she,~ '

or

-

..

==~~'"'
· ~=-~- -~,,-;;..;··--~____oy_,=~ '. .~

,~-:,~...

,

.T/te_.;J)iffu~e .and _Concise Styles~

1'he general l'lwrnclcrs of 8tyle.

.~$1

.

. ~ ...;.

us more o f an object a t one gfa n ~e? .1ha1_1 a fcculc_ dilfosc .w1 lter CJJ.11
shew, by turning it round an_d cx_h 1l>1trn g 1t ~n '.l vari e ty of l_1 g ht ~.
Corol. The s tr e ng th and v1vac.1ty of d csc npt1011? whether m pro.s~ or
po ctr_,- , ·d e pe nd mu c h more u_pon t~ 1e _h'.'PPY c ho1 c? of a few str1k111g
circum~tanc·e s, than upon .th e ir mut1pltc t1y and variety.

\.

438.' Addresses to the passions, likewise, ought to ~c i_n
the concise rather than the diffuse manner. Jn these it 1s
dan o-erous to be d iffusc, becau se it is very difii. cu It to support°propcr warmth for auy ~ength of ti~ne . . 'Vhcn we be come prolix, wear~ al~vays 111 haz.ard of coolmg the read er.
The fancy and the feelmgs of the heart too, run fast; an<l
jf once we can put them in motion, they supply man.y particulars to greater advantage than an author can display
them. The ca8e is different when we address ourse lves to
as
for example
in all matters of rcasonthe und erstandi11<:r:
o
.
.
irw, explication, and mstruchon.
·

. 44 (. Under the ' head of diffuse · and concise SlJ/le, :(.11.r't.
4SG. and 437.) · we hav e shewn that an author might lean
either to the one or to the other, and yet be beautiful. This
is not the case with respect to the nervous and the feeble.
Ev ery author, in every composition, ought to study to express himself with some strength; and in proportion as he
approaches to the feeble, he becomes a bad writer.

~bs". In th ese c a ses , thnt most ek g 11nl rh e to ri cia n, Dr. Blair,_ won Id
pre fe r a more free a 11d (liffuse nrnnu cr. \Yh cn yo u Rrc to. strik e the
.r cy or to m ove th e hea rt be concise; wh e n you are. lo mlo r.111 th.e
.an
. ,
'
·
I
·
und e r standin g, wlti c lt 1110\· es m o re "l.011l_v_, and It'<Jl~" est 1c ass1>la111;.('
of a guide, it is better to be full. 1-h ,t orica l 11f1rrat 1:111 m ay be u e_aut~­
ful., .either in a concise or R tliffusr. 1::ia1111 c.r_, acco1_-d111g t o th e writers
ge nius . . Livy nnd H crodo 111s are d1f1 usc ; ll111 cy <l1d e ~ and Sallust arc
succinct ; yet a ll of th em are a g reeab le .

Obs. In all kind s of writi11g, however , the same degree of stre n g th is
not d e mand ed. But th e mnrc grave and weighty any composition i~,
the more should a characte r of s trength predominate in the style .
Cora l . Hen ce , in history, philosophy, an<l ·s ole1hn discourses,' it i~
d1icfl y expected. One of the most comple te models of a nervous style,
is De.mosthcnes in · his oration s;

442. Every good qu ality in style, when pursued too far,
has an 'extreme, to ·which ' it becomes faulty, and this holds
of the n~rvous style as well as o~ other styles ... Toofr.:re~t a
~tudy of strength, to the neglect of other qualities o :sty le,
is found to betray writers into a harsh manner. · .,. · -

· '439. A 'dijfusc, style generally abou.ml s ~n long periods_;
and a concise u.:i·iter, it is certain, will otten employ short

sentencc.<J.

/ll11s. Harshn ess · arises fro~~ ,unusual w·ords, ·from forced .inversions
in th e construction of a sentence, and.·too much ni>gfect of smoothness
an<l cnse. This is reckoned. th e fault of some <>f :o ur earl iest classics
in th e English language ; writers who, from the 'nerves an d strength
w hi c h they have di s play e d, are, t~ this day, ~II)ineh t for .th ~~ qu a lity
in s tyl e. But th e lo:ngunge in th e ir ·Jrnn<l s w as' exceedingly different
from what it is now,' and 'Vns ind eed e nt ire ly' 'for me <I" up.o n . thP. idiom
and construction of the. Latin ,. in the arrangement of sentences • . ,The
present form which the lan g u age has assumed, ha >'; in some measure,
sac rifi ce d the study of strength to that_of:11erspicuity an.cl ease. Olll·
arrangement of words h as · beco me less forcible, p erha ps, but more
plain and natural : and this is now und ers tood to .·be th e genius of our
langunge.
. ,· "

Obs. Ilut of lon g aml sh ort s rnte nccs? we h a;t ~ccas,i,on, formerly to
tr e at, under the head o f " '~he Co.nstrnct1011 of I c n od>.
( See Chapter
[. and th e Harmony of P eriods, Clwpte r IX. Book 111.)

440. The nervous nn<l th e f eeble are ge nerally held to be
characters of styl e, of ~he sa 111e impo_rt witl1. th~ concisr: and
the diffuse. They do 111clced very of ten cotn c1.d e. Diffuse
writers ha.v e, for th e most part, some !~egr~e of feebl eness ;
aiid nervous writers will generally be rnclrncd tu a co11osc
mode of expression.
·

· idt;s.'l.. Thi s, howev er , do es not alw ays hold; and there arc in s t~n­
ccs iJf writers, who, in th e mids; of a full an d ample sty le, hav e m run ·
·ea t (\{'·o""r<'e
• c t\ a rr 1
Tlt <'ir , ty lc mny. ltov e ma11v
tn1n
· o f ·•trcn oo- rh ·
• faults.
0
)t m ay b e un e qu a l, in c o rrec t, n nd rcdun:h nt, h111 withal, for.'"' cc and
cxp r i~s;; i\".e nes s, un co~rnon ly disting-u~ ~bc d . _
011 c~· cr~ s ul1.1 ect, they
wil\ mulliply words with an ov e rflo1·: rn g cop~nm11cs~, but .they ever
1· tli a t or rent o f forc ibl e id<'a s a nd s 1g 1111ica11t <>XJHl'ss1ons.
pour or •
I
I '<l ·
2. Ind ee d, th e fom1 clat ir. ns of a 11 e n 1J l1 S or a weak s.ty c i'.re a1 rn
an auth o r's mann e r of th inl; in g. H he co n cc 1vci; 011 ~hJ~Ct_v1g· or.ously,
rress it with PIE'ny: but if h1 h;i;; 011ly a11111d1strnd view of
h e WI' II cx
.•
-·
<l
.
.,. I .
. l
h
his s nhj ect ; if hi s id •~a ,; h" l•1 osc an 1•;;11ce n11g; t 11 s gc 111us te su~ ,
t)f, at the, time of his writir1g, so carelessly cxc rtrd, that he bas 110 firm

l10l<l of the conception whic h he would commu{iicate to us, the mark s
of all this will clearly appear .in .hi} style.' " Several unmeaning words
nnd loose epithets \\·ilJ , be found .in · his compo8ition •; '. his expressions
will ·tie vague and general; • his arrangement indistinct and feelJle ; • we
s lrnll conceive a portion of his incaniug, but our conception will be faint.
3. Whereas a nervous writer, wh e ther he ·employs .an ·extended or a
concise style; g-ives .us always a ·strong- impression ·· of' his ·meanihg ;
his miwd is full of his subject, and· his words are ·all expressive r •every
ph rase and every fi g ure which he uses ; tends t o render the· picture,
which he would set before us, 1more lively and compl.e te.' . ." ,, .J; · , . · ·

l

443. The restoration of King Charles 11.- seeins to be there ra of the formation of our present style. ' Loni Clarendon
was one of the first ,who laid' a:;;ide those frequent inversions
which prevailed 'among writers 9f the former age. ·" Atlcl·
him, Sir ·Williani ·'remple polished the la1iguage 'stip ·more.
l~ut Dry1len is the author,. who, by the nu.mber and reputation of his wo1•ks,'· forme~I it ·more ·than. an j'of ' l)i~ ...pretlcces,·
sors or contemporaries, into its presept state. · '· ·'
·

•.

The general C/z.arnclcrs of Style.
Ii!tts . 1. [ }rydf·: r

lt~:~: ~tt

t ·> ,,- ri1~ ;d

TAe dry, plain; neat, and eleganLStyle,,.

Ht ·· H ~+ ..,1 -· t -di -. o ; AH•l ~~ --· :t~tntt ~- <;

lhough the goodness of the m_atter- mny

Jung- a n a.ttfhor both !11 poetry u1 :l) pni~e. He h Hd n 'n nh · iht· 1 ;t n rn"~c
hi~ s tudy; and tho11 g h he wroic ha s tily, nnd oft1' 11 inn >r rrcliy, though
!tis style is not fr ee from fa 1dts, y et d11·rr is a richn es s i11 Ii is did ion, a
cop iuus nP ss , case , ar! d varie ty in h!s c~: pr r.ss i o n, '."thich h n! not l:P e n
surpassed h_v any who have c'O lll (' aftrr him*
2 . Since hi s time, ronsiderable att e ntion ha~ bee11 pni<I to purity ancl
elegance of style; hot it is e l r~ ;in ce rath!'r thn11 strcn!!"th, that forms
. the rli s tin;;·ui 5hing quality of m as t of the good Engli~h writers. S om e
of th ~t n co 1n po& P in a niorc ni a nh· an d n c r\· o us ;uanncr than ot h C' r~ ;
but, whether it hf' from th e .!!" Cll ill ~ of IHll" (:Ulf,plll ge, 01' from whatt' VCI"
other ca11se, it npp<?nrs, th a t w e arc far from the s treng th e l gcycral of
t he Greek and Roman authors .

CHAPTER II.

4 -H. Tl lTrIERTO \\'C han' ron s iderr·d s tvlr under those
cha radPrs that resp!'d its expn:ssivene118 ~1[ an a1-! th" r ·~

illl ELH;\;-..T, lllld

a

JLU\l"EllY llla!lllel'.

or each

of tll\'~(' ill

'
!

ii.,; (11\ l l'I" .

This excludes ornament of
every kind. Content with ueing understood , it has not the
least aim to please, either th (~ fancy or the rnr. This is tolcr;1blc only in pure dida cl ic \Hiti11g; and P\ell tl1e1e, tP
make us bear it, g reat weight and solidity of matter are re<1uisitc; and entire rwrspic:uit,Y of lan gua ge.
445. First,

a nHY .MAN NE R.

lfl us. 1. Ari,t o tle is thl' 111 o< t rn mp l<'li' f'nmrk of n 1lr:· 'lyl"
Nrv er , pcrhap<;, -.1·a c then~ a ny a ntl1 (l r 1rho arlh rrc<l so rig- idly lo thr
ctrictll !'SS 0f n diriac1i<' manner thrn11 .""h '11tt ni l hie writinf'"• , and rnnH>_vcd so much instru c ti o n . withnqt th e lras t app roac h t0 ornamr·nt.
\Vith thf' rnnst prnfo11n d ~ £>11 i u' anrl 1"df' 11 SiH• Yif'ff '< , hF lf"l'iffs, says D r.
Blair, like a pure intcll ig'nce, who n.dtlr cssr s hims e lf sol c!_v to th e u ndt'rstanding- , " ·i thont 1na l<in £>: an y " ~"' of tl1" rlia11nt•l nf thr im;i g in:itinn .
2 . Bot tltis is n ma1111cr which de se ne s not tu !Jc imilnteu . For, 111• Dr • .Tohn~on. in hi(i liff' of Drnkn . ~i\'I ' ' thP followinr,- elinrnr: u_·r of l1iq pro~,.. -"tylP :
"Hi.• pl"t·fac t's have not th ~ forniality of a st"tlled slylt-, in which chc firs(lt:df of the
n·ntc ncc b~ trays th e other. '1 h e claus c-s an.: n evl'r lx1 la :u·~·d, 11or the JH'riods 1ntK.1 1 · l1~
('ll ; t'n_·ry word 1°t 'f'l11s to drop h y chnn ('•\ 1h r_1u g h it fol h into it.'i prop!•f 1ilacr·. Nothin b is cold or la nguid, th e whok i'5 n.irr, animn1 c-d, ar~d ,·i;;orotto; ; w !i:it is li ttk. i ~
g:ty ; what jq g n ·nt , jq c;p) n 11dj1f. ·rho11 1~ h HIJ i1.1 f'll'i y, linth i 11 ~~ i~ ff••· hle ; thnu g h nil
!ll~.:rns cnrdess, th t·n · is !1t1thir1g h:anh; :uni thou g h, ~ine e hi s t·arlier work:-i >n1or~ thi\H
a ccnttrry has 11asR~I, tl..tt·y h:n e nqtl1i11i; ~Tl 1111coutb or 11Jiso letc.''.

1

. ;.

, ,.

•

446. A PI.AIN STYLE , r~scs 'one "'degree.. abov'~'' a :<lry s iyie~ '.;
A writer of this character employs very little ornament of ,
any kin<l, and rests almost enti1•ely upon.· his_sense. ·· Bu,t, 'it>
he is at no pains to engage ' t1s by the eniployrrient of figu ~es, ~
musical arrangement, or any ot~er art. ofwi;itipg, he stuµ1es, ·
however, to avoid di sgusting us like a dry anti a harsh writer. Besides perspicuity, he pursuespropriety, purity, and '
precision, in his language; which fonr1 one degree, and no
rnconsiderable ·one, of beaut\', L iveliness too, and force.
may ue consistent with a \~ry plain i;tylc: alH.l tlierefurc,
s1_1ch an author, if his sentiments be good, may . be abundant- ·
ly agreeable . .;"· ·;
'· ,.. ,.. ; .,! .'

~ · ---

1

-the dryness or -

fatigues attention,' nud conv eys our sentiments; with clis advautnb"e, to ·
o~ · heare' r ;
,. ··•.. ·!·
: r
l• · ~~ ·tfo t .;: •. ,,:._~ i ··· · ·~

the . .rCa.<ler

-~---

meaning. Lel us now prrn·ecd to con sid er it in another
view, with re spect to the degree of ornam ent emploj'ed to
l.Jcau ti fr- it. lleic, the st) le uf tlill'erellt au il101 :i ,,lTIIL:i lu
rise, iii" the fullo 11 ill;; ~ra;Jatiun : a Din, a l'L\r:;, a :; r :.\1

eompi~ n sati>,

Ii :u s h11 css of the s tyle , yet is that drync~O' R co'l:: iderab lc drfe rt; ns it

I

I

'.I
1

Obr. Th e diffe r en ('e brtwePn a <lry an d plain writer, i ~ , thnt th!! formr r is i11c a p;;!_,le of onrnme11t, a nd seems 11ot to know "hat it i~ - ; the .
)nltrr se1·ks not af!N it . lir :; iv r« us his meauin g· in g ood . la.n g t1R ge,
•li"tinct and pure ; he gi""S liim~df 110 farl!1 e r trouble aliout ornament; .
c ithrr, b ec ause h e th inks it unnecessary to his suhjcd; or because his
genius docs n oi lead .him to delight in, it; or, because it leads him to
d es pise it.

447. \Yhat is called a NEAT STYI,E comes next in orclrr;
and here we have arrived in the region of ornament ; but
tliat ornament not of tlie highest or 111ost sparkling kind.
Illus. I. A writer of tltis charact er shews, tha( he <locs not de~pi se
th e b e auty of language._ lt",i s an. object of bis attention_: _ llut his at·
t c ntion is shewn in the choice of"worrls, and iri a ' graceful collorntion
of th e m; rath er than' in any high c !Tort s of imagination, or e loquence ~
:2 . f!i, 'c ntrn cf'S are always clean, and fr~e frorn the i11cumi.Jrance
o f superfluous words ; of a mod erate lengt h ; rather incl ining- to brev:ity, than a swelling- structure; clos ing with propri e ty; " without any ·
appe nd:t ges, or adjcctions dr.agg in g aftn thr proper closc.
··
8. His c~rlence is var ird; bt1I not 0f the stut.! inl musical kind .
-1. Jfo; figur es , if h e uses any, are short and correct ; rather thnn
l•o ld nnd ~low in ~.
Sclwlia I. Suc h a style as this may be attainet.! hy a writer.,. ho hn.~
no grea t powers of fancy or genius ; m!'rf'ly hy industry and carefnl
attention to the rules of writing, and it is a sty le a lw a .v s ;igrceable.
:2. It imprint.< a c harn c t t-r of mndPrnte c•levation on o ur composition,
nn<I canics a d e cent d eg ree . of ornament, ,,.Jiich is not unsuitable .to
:in,. ,.,hjPrt w'h;,t('H'' L
3. A -familiar "lelter; · or a law paper, on the dryrst ~uhji>c t, m11y ·bc
writt f'n with neatnrss ; and a sermon or a philosophical treatise, in a ·
· ·
- · ·· •'.
'
JH'!lt >1yll', will he read with plearnrr . "· .

44 8. ;\ n ELEGANT STYLE is a character expressing a high~
el' degree of ornament than a neat one; anJ, indeed, is th1~
. • . '

•

r,

•.

..

'

·.t. ::::

·~

- £34

The general Charruters

The simple, affe~t~d; arid veliern$~ Styles.

ef Stvfr.

loose idel\; but having no ~s~rength of g~nius . for atiaining· it, th'eJ'. en- ·
dcavour to supply th e defect , l.>.Y poet_ica_l \".'ord~, bY. ,colq .~,xcl,a1_na~10!12~
by coinn,i_?n·plac~fi ~gures~ ~~~· eve~r .•t~!.~g ~h,~~ !l~a,s, ti~;, a.~~~1ra~1~~ of
pomp a.nu mag111 1ce1~ ce . .'
. ". ,
.~. : _. .... ;
·-:• :• , . , • .: , •
3. If has. es~ap_ed t~es~ wrrt~.r~, ~hat , sobnet~ '!1 ,01 n?ment .·~ ?~e .
great sec/et for _rend.enng 1t · pJ e~,s_rng; .a ~ d th~t, ..wllh?.ut a f~un<}_at~on..
of good sense !arid solid ·1ho11.,.ht the 1riost florid style rs but a chtlchsh
imposition oi1 the public'.' 1 :1Tfie"~iiblic; ·ho\v'ever; afo but too} 1f>t' . t~' .be ·
so imp!lsed ort ; at least the mob of readers, . w~10 arc very rrad y t_o _be
caught,' at first, wil.11 what~ ,\.'.C}' is dazz_ling; and ga~1~y, . w~ e_fh ~r.' t be
served up in . the shape. of two-p~nnics' wor~h .of, ~?htt~s, ~ .':fll,d '<_. ~9~ .
infectious romances at -a heavic·r charge.
· . · .. _," ::., , ,"i ·; ,; , ::;,,i .,,.

term·usual1y applied to style, when possess ing all the vidue:'1
. of ornament, without any of its excesses or llefects.
/[lu g. L From what has hc e n formerly delivered, it will easily be
understood, that complete e legance implies great pcrspicuily and ·propriety ; purity in th" choice of word~, and care and de x terity in th e ir
harmonious and hap)>y anan gc mf,nt. It implies, farther, ihe g rac e
and b enuty of imagination sprcn1I "''er style, n s far n8 the subj ec t ad·
mits <lis play; anil all the illustration which figurative languag·e adds,
when properly emploJ•ed.
2. In a word, an elega nt writer is one who pleases the fancy anti
the ear, while he informs the und Prsfa ndin g ; anti who g ives us his
id ea s clothed with nil th e beauty of ex press ion, but n ot ovcrchargrd
with any of its mi~placed fin ery .*

449. \Vhen the ornamen ts, :ipplie1l to a style, are too rich
a nd gaudy in proportion to th e subject; when they return
upon us too fa st, ancl strike us e ith er with a d azz ling lu s tre,
or a false brillian cy, this form s what is callecl a FLOP.ID
STYLE; a term cummon!y used to signify the excei>s of ornament.
•
- •
Obs. In a young- co m1lo se1· this is very pnrdonahle.

P erha ps it

jg

F:\'Cll a pro1nisi11 .~ sy111pfon1 in young JH'nplr., 1hat t he ir ~tylc should in ·
dine to the Horid and lu:rnrbr.t. i\111 r h
it "i ll l1c dimiui,!iccl L;·
,y ears; 111ud1 1-ill Le <;oncch•d by rip l' n ing· ju dg ment; some o l it,
tlic tuerP pra ct ice of co1npo~:itio;l, \~·ill h(· \Yorn ;1w ;l_r.
),pt 1hPrf' lw ,
at first, on ly s nflici t ~ ll l 111att e l' that ca11 brar ~ 0111'' prunin~- :111d lop11in~
uff. :\! tli is time of life , let g" uin s lie IJtild and i1 n·•"1t i•·c', and v ride
itsdf iu i t s cfl~,, t:: , th o11gli tl1c,c ;,,iwuld nut , as yd , tic cunn:l. Lu x 'lriancy can ea< ii y hr rurrd; hnt fr,r h arrc1111c" IL ere· ;, ""I ( ' Jllf'tly r

or

by

ue

450. Hut, although the florid style may
allowed to
youth, in their first essays, it must not receiv e the same indulgence from writers of maturer years. It is to be expected , thatjudgmcnt, as it ripen s , should d1a,;!c 11 imagi1rntion,
and rt'ied, as j11n'.ni!P, ;ill snrh ornamPld:'I il:'l :nc rnl u11 dar1t,
uns11ii:'lb le to (he s11 hj crf , or nuf conrl11ci\"c to if" illu:-:tr~fion:
Olis. I . Noth i n;.: can Ire n1or " c ollft'11 11' fildl' fh;rn tltaf. ti11 q ·] 'i'J..nrluur
of Lut2uagt: ~ \\hi c li ~: '11n c ',\t i ( 1 T~ pf"tJ1Pt11:1l!y :dl'i' lt. 11 n r i c nt ·ll. if
thi~ 1· •11\\•I Lie a,;crilwd to fit<' r1·al ov (' r /lo n i,·,R of a rich i111;i ;;·i;i;1tio11.
\\"c slw11 lt l then ha\·" so 1111ctl1in~
at IPa'I. if wp f•t111td lit fl• •
to in•trnrt us.
Hnt thP wnr<t ;, , th~t with tho<" frnt.h.r writcr5, it i3 n.
lt~'\: tn1;1n c _v n( \\ntdsJ not of f;t111·y.
2 . \\'t! sec a labo 11re1! a(t1·111pt i" l he sc "t i tc 1s , to 1 i'c fo a 'Jllf'n -

lo'"""" ' ""·

tlotn· u ( COll1JlOSitioll, of \\ J1icJi they Jia;- e fon11cd to tl1eltlScil°t:S '.Willi)
• Jn this cl ass. therefore, Wl' plo ce on ly the fint-rnte wrilen in the IangnngC'; sur.h
:..s Arldison, D1·ydl:'n, PoJ>e. T1.: mp!e, Boli a gbrok i:', A ttt ·rhury. Campbell. R a m r'"" · Dr.
llluir, Dou,.,..aJU St(.;warl. aw.la r~\\ IHUI', . ! l'1rikf.'i \\l1u tliffe r wid 1.~1 ,- from o :w :11 1n ther
in n1:t 1: y ~f the uttrilmt.es of'i~. y l t: , but ·vhnn1 we 111n\' ch1i;;.11 tor,-e rl11..:r t11 H.lt.·r 1hed e 111J1n..
ina tio H of elef~11H ~ H!. in th~ sc~lt~ of Ut'!o~U!H · Ht. J!O<::s.• s~illg' n enrfj· the Sil l'lW place.
1· Mult11 m inde d ecu qrn: 1 1t a nni, 11m1t11m ratio l i : ~ · ; 1hi1, aliquid vrl11t usu l pso ctcter-~tcr; ~ i t n:m!o unde '!''Xf• id i p•. ~ ..: i f qu id ct e~ st11Jpi. Autleat lue•.! retru plura, t: t iul'eniat et inv ~·nti!J g:lUrlt_·~1t ; •.> '. ! 1i er·t ;l~"l non !~t!s i1ttrrirn: s:ici::'.1 Ct SC\' CU\. r aci.{;:; .l CH''i.1:diUlll est 11bc1·tllti1 ; stci-i lilt 1111!10 !fthm·e vincnntm·.-l~uinctilinn,

i35

1

It

~

'
I
!

1
j

I

. _.,. ...
I . ·

. '.·\\-

...

' ':;..

.; '

'. '

• ·. • ~ ' ; - ' """;_

:

;·· I

,. . CHAPTER lll.
\

....,. . _ .~ :.. • .\. ;~".) . -~-~· ·

~-

..

.'l"HE SIMPL·E, •AFFE.CTED, AND . .VEHEMENT ~TY LES. / ; ;.

451. 'VE are .;~w to tr~at of.style u;~der .anl;thel' ~ha~ac~
ter, one of "rrat importance ' in w;iting, and which requires
1o he accura~elv examined; that of simplicity, .or a natural

style, as distiJJguishe<l from ajfcctatiori • . ,_.

·

Oh< . Simplic ity, applied to "rifin~. i; a term vcr.v frN1ue11fl_v usc(I;

httt like 11 iaJJv other critical terms, oitcn used lnoscly a11d 1Y1th01Jt preThi ,· has hcen o"in g chietlv to the tliffcr<·nt n11·a 11in i.;> gin~ n to
the word simplicity, which, therefore, it will. be 11eccss.ary here .to dis ti 11ouish ; a nd to sh+'\V in what sense it is a pro per att ri bu te of styk.
W ~' may remark. four different accep_tati o! 1s ) u . w,hi,o:; h i_t is • ta_k en.
, ,
cision .

452. -The first .ii',

s1'.mplicity . of .~or(iposition, -as

opposed .to

ioo g~·eat a variety .of pa~t§; ·, Hol'.ace~s precept refers to this:
Denique •it quod vis •implex <lonrnxnt et unum • ·

Tl711s. This i.s thr simrliril!J nfp!n11 iri · n tragedy , a' disting· ui s hr~
froru do 1d1lc plots, and crnwd1 ·1l i11cidcnts ; tl1<• .~impl1cily of the i liad,
or / E1wid, iu opp11'ition tn tl1f' dip:r1.1s ion.v of Luc:-in. nnd tlir scn/tcrcri
talcs of ,\rin;;to; thP sim}'firily of Urec imi arcliitrcture, in nppnsition
to the irrccc1dar vari<·tv of th~ Gothic. In this seBsc, simplicity i.-; the
same w ith''u11ity. (.-1;·1. 10·1.)

,1:j3, Tlic secm1J sense i~, siniplicity of thought, as oppog~ ·
cd tu reli11cment. ~impk tJ1011 ,2_hts arc what arise naturallv; what lhe occasion or the subject suggest unsouc;ht; · and
what; when once suggested; arn-e(,lsil_y apprehe1tue<l 'uy all:
Refinen)ent in\vriti11g, e'xiJre'sse~ a. ·ler;s natural and· ohviotts
train ·orthought, · and .'\_'. hicl1 .if',requires· a: peculiar turn ·o(
genius t~ pursue; within c~rt~in bounds, very ueau l_tful
..•.. '( .~ , . , . ~-... ~~1-t.1 ' ';· • r~· :,• ~. •

Mi'"

·

• """';. ~...,' ,; "'? -:-;·... ·•

Then leam the wa11~ ' ril1g, hun.10u1· to c on t rou 1,,~

Aud

k~'<'I>

-

:, ,., -. ~~· ;.. ,.

oue equal teuol' thro~h the .whole • .' '_., ·
.
.
.
21

i ..... -, .,

,

·

-

-Y:ll!!• '

-£

- ~

.257

·· The General Clwrncters of Style.

286

~ut when carried too far, approacl1ing to intricacy, an<l hurt ...
mg us by the appearance of being far-sought.

llbu. ~' hus,_ ~vc w_ould. naturally say, thnt Pnrncll is a poet of far
r,real!~r

81mphc1ty, m _his turn of thought, than Cowley ; Cicero'~
thoughts on morn! subjects nre nnturnl ; Seneca's, too 1·clined and Iahoure~. Jn the~e 1wo sense~ of simplicil.v, when it is opposed, eitlwT
.t? van ety of palls, or to refinement of lhotwht it has no proper rel~tlon to st.y le.
" '

454. There is a thir<l sense of simplicity, in which it has
respect to style; and stands opposed to too much ornament
or pomp of la1lO'uao-e.
·'
O · O
. ~llil;' · \V_hen \VC say Locl>c is a simple, 11ml Hnrvrv is a florid write1· •
it is _m th!s,,sense, that the "simplex," the" tem;e," or "$1lbrifc gi;:
nu~ d1cend~, as . uncler~_tood_ by Cicero and Quinctilian, are applicable.
""· The s1tr1ple style, 111 this sP.nse , coinci<ks wi1h tl1e plain or the neat
style, (ilrt .446. rmcl447.) nn<I, th erefore, requires no farther illnstrnliou.
45~. But there is a fourth sense of simplicity, also, rc spectmg style ; but not respecting the llrrrrcc
ornament
· employed, so much as the easy and natural manner iu which
eur l~nguage expresses our 1_houghts. This is quite <lifler~nt f1?m tl~e fo~1i:ier sense of_ tl1e wonl ju st now mentioned,
~n wl.nch sunl?h~1ty was ~qu1v~!cnt to plainness: whereas,
i.n tlus sense, 1t is compatible with the highest ornament.

of

Illus .. Homer, for· instance, possesses •his simplicitv in the urentcst

p_erfe~t~on

; a~t.I >:et !lo wriler has more ornnn11•nt a1id be;mt:. "ni.is
s1mphc1ty, which 1s what we m·c now to consider stai1ds opp~secl not
to ornament, I.mt to affoctntion of ornament, or ~ppea1·ance of labout'
about our style ; and it is a distinguishi1•g excellency in writing .
'

456. A \vriter of simpl_idty expresses himself in such a
manner, that every one tlnnks lie coultl have written in the
game way; Horace describes it,
• •
• 11t sih~ qui vi•
Spnct. i<krn, smkt mu It um, frustraqnc faooret
A us us 1dL' lll ••

•

1:

fl{u$.
There_are no n:iarks of .a rt in his ex pression; it ~<"ems ·tlie
Tery lan g uage of nalt~rc ;_yon seem the sty le, n ot 1h c 1vrif<!r null his
labour, bnt the man 111 l11 s own nalural d:aractl'r. (Jlrt . 181 Ill
'
I
I.
. I
. I.
.
.
11$. '
I ·1e m~y ue nc 1 Ill 11;; express1_011 ; l!e may be full of fil\"ures, and <;f
fa~cy .' bu~ these flow from l11m without clfort ; and he appears f{)
write Ill this ma11111;r, not because he has studiecl ii, but Lecause it is the
manner of expression mo st 11 nlnral to hini .
2. A certain degree of 1wglige ncc, al so, is not inconsist!'nt with thi&
Gha~acter of style_, and ~Yen n<:t uni:Taceful .in it ; for too mi nut!' an attentwn to wo~ds 1s foreign to 1t: let this style han~ a Cl'rtain softnes•
~nd ease, wl11ch shall d1arnctcrise a ne~ligence 1 · not unpleasing in ar~

" " From wc:ll-lmown tale• such fictions woul<l I 1·:ii•c
1
As all n.nght hopr ~o imitate with t"UH';
.
'
Yet, wh1l t• they stl'1n~ the satnc sticc1 · s~ to gain.
Shuutd find th eii· laboan an<l thrir hop•:s in min." Franck

~uth<:1Y', \v1~'0 nppe~l:s, ~o. l?e ,mo:re·· ~01js;ito·t~H1.tj.ou~ tt!I~. t~1o~glit: t~iln'.the
e.xpression* >:' . :. ·:-. .; ~·.! ':"'·t.
d1 ~b:l.,it ~,u·\'" i-?·. ··i I:~. ,l~ ~~ ""·'·-:~ '.1"'?:.·~ t~. i•• .. t.:..~;.':~.
. ;3 . .This is .the great.adva_n~~~c ..~f'.s_i~~P.Iidt~· of st tie,' ·tl1fltj-' lik~ 's~1n'­
,,

-l

:..

plicity of 1\\a1111ers, it sh_e.ws, us ·~a man, s :sen~1me11ts ~n~ tu~1~ ~f 1:n.1.11d
laid open \vithout dlsg'mse. ' More stuthed · and ' art1fic1ahuanners of
writing, '. h~)weve1· ',b~nuW!1t;\ h~~~,. ?,w~ys '. t~is''d~~1~t1bri.t age(tha~·,r11ey
~xhilJit an autho1· 111 form, ·hke a· man nt ·court; .~vfiere- the""Splendolu·
·~,f <lr<'ss · and the cere1~1)nlous11ess'"o(-°b'ehilvii:Jt11·, c~nicear those j}eculiarilies 'whicll' .'distingµish :: one . man"· from ' another":u ·.But :·reliding' 'li'n
1
author of siniplfoity; ' i~ like·' co1iversin·g with a per.sl)n~ of distinction at
fiomc, ni1d with case;''where we find 11atu1·al' manners,, and a~in~.rked
c l.J:nractcr.. •: ··: ~ !
!".' :. ' L i· ; ";: '~ "· ~;: · r \! ! ·-:·t,P.~ · '},"'~ -'="

1

.. 1 ; " , : - .. :

..: .. .

: ;·

457'. ' The highest degree of this simplicity is expressed by
the French tet·m naivete; to \vhich 'we· have ,none that: fully
answers ' in our language . . ' It is rlot":easy to,giv~~-a : precise
idea of the import of :this ·wonl . ., lt a:l~vays expr~sse~ . a tlisc-0verj of character: :; ·· ·.• :.- ,, ,·,·.·:,i "'.''11 h· :: ~.';''· ,:;;' ··,,.r.t'i. i'r.;J·'J

lllus. I. · Perh~ps 'the b'es.t ncco11~t of _it ; 'is ''that given
~far;11~1itel,
who explains it thuM, :· thal sort ' of mi1iable inl{enuity, ,or" undi~guised
openness, which seems to give us ~ome degree. of superiority .ove~ - the
1>erson who shews it; A certain 'infanti_ue simplif ity, which , w.e ·Jove)12
our hearts, hut whicli · dis plays some features .of; the .character that .we
think we coulct have art enough to hid~ ; ·and whi~~'• the!·e fore, ahvays
leads us jo smile atthe person who ;discoV:e rs"ttiis' character.' ,_. . . :
2 . La. Fontaine, in his Faples, may be· given .a_s a gTcat exRmple of
such naivete. This;· however, · is to be understood, as .descriptive of a
particular species only of,simplidty, . "'.b · · · ·
. · "'
-

by

.. 458; 'Vith. i:e~pe~t t~. sin~pli,city; : in' ge1.1€iral/ . \~e'\ m~y' rcmar)<, that the ancient original \vrilers 'are "a\ ways. the' most .
1
cmine1it ~or _it. '.fl~is h~}lpens fro1i<li,_plai!1 re~soh.}liaf ~l1cy
'_vr9te fro!n ~he d1c~,ate.t>'. ,of'. h,1:\~ural . gen,rns·;":.a,t!<l . ~~fr~ · ~wt
funned upon the labours ancl writrngs of others; whrch is always i~1 hazard of producing -affectatioi1. · < · " ' ... ~ · ;; ·
Carol. Hence, amon g} he dre<~k \Hili;r~, .we have m ~r~ ..modcls '.of,a.
beautiful simplicity, than among the Homan -,' !l~11n er, llc.si.o d, -Anai:~
rcoo, Theoc1:it1.1s, Herodotus, am!"~enophoo, . are ~ all 1listinguished for
their simplieit.y. Among the I~oriiuns also; · :w c..Jiri._ve some :.'.\:d! ers .of
lhis character, particularly Terence, Lucretius ,'l'limtlrus,· :rncl 'Julius
Cresar.
.._
'~
,~
~: · ~ · -,..
1

1

•

•

••

• ::

"

•

459; : Simplicity is ,the great beauty : of.~r~l1.lJi~l10p Tillot~
son's manner. ' Tillotson has ltmg. beell'adinire<l ,ils ·,an ,elo ::
f:Juent '~rite1·, an<l .a' _model · for, pr~.acJiing~ ." . p4r: !1i~ t~~o~
rp1ence, if we cf).n call it such, has been q[ten: tmsupil~xstopcl.
l•'or, if we include, in the idea.of eloquence, ·vehe1nence,amt
strength! Jlicturesque descriptiol1; ·glowing ·figures, or co~rec.t
arrangemen~ of ~e.nt~_11,ce~1 . in
th.~~~. pa{~s of.. P.ra.1,?r.Y,;'t,he·
,.A.rchlnshop :~s exceel1111gly.. d~~.c1~n.t•.' · , ( .Vr.r. ,'J.Jf.«P~·!•_ ',;, ~. :1~' ,; ,.
• " Ha bet illt::mo lie q~fo1ln1;i: ei' qucxf i~dice n~n1 ·i~g~til~ ;;.;giige1~t~m ho"mi~is:

ap ,
0

~ re PJ~tis

'ln)i1n 'rle lTrllo laborantis." Cicero de Orn\.

;t38

'J'!te general C/iaracters of Stylt.

Ob.s. ~is style is always pure, in<leed, and perspicuous, but carefosg·
a_n<I re 1111 ~s, too often feel~le anti langu id; little beauty in the co11struct1~rn of his sentences, which are fre c1u ently suffered to drag unharmo•
m.o usly : ~cldom an y artempt towards strength or snblimity. But, notv.yhstandmg the se <!efccts, such n constant 1·e in of g ood sense nnd
piety runs th1·ough hrs work s, such :rn ean1est. an<l serious manner, and
so m~1 c h useful i.nstt:u ction conveyed in a style so pure, naturnl, anti
unaflected, as will .JU stly re comm end him to hi g·h r egn r<l, as lo ng :ur
the English language shall r emai n ; no t, ind eed, ns a model of the highi>st eloquence, but as a si mpl e and amiable writer, whose mnnner is
stro ngly expressive of grea t go odn esi; and worth. (Illus. 8 . .;1rt. 222.)

460. Sir William Temple is another r emarkable writer in
the' style of simplicity. In point of ornament and correctness he ri ses a degree above Tillotson; thouo-h, for correctness, he is not in the highest rank. All is ea~y an<l flowing
in him ; he is exceedingly harmonious ; smoothness, and
what ma y be called amenity , are the di stin"'uishino- characI .
.
o
o
t crs o t. I.
11s manner ; re axing sometunes, as such a manner
will naturally do, into prolix and re mi ~s style.
·

The simple, <4fecti_d, _and. ~~f!·~rnerit fl.tyles.

~iW

.
. : . . .' .,~~ .. h4gh et· and In ore . clabornt~ kinc\s of. com~<J,Sf!j,on,i )il Tho\1g~ .th~ ,publi_c ,

have ever, <lo11e mnch justic17! to, his ·merit, ):.~t;{~e .nry..t.~1r,e ~f . h]_;;,.m_er~t 1
has not always· been seen .inr ita."t r,ue ligf1t_ ; j <;>,1:,t. tl);Qug·h !11.s~ p~efry , b ~
clega.111, he cer ~!l illl.r be ars a higher: r.ant~4 m9ng t!t_r ~r9se wnt!;_~:~!.th~.!1.
lie is. e 1~tit led to amonA" th.e .I>ot>ts ; ~.u,d, , p1 py.ose~ ·his, hum.S u~ . 1.s, of, a ,
much higher and. mor.e ong-maJ str~m,. t.ha.u h1s J.?h1~o~oph.r,•. J ,pe 5!1af~ ;
acter .o( Sir.Roger de . Col(e ~)y : discovers. niore:..g~n,1,u~. ~hait!/~~){v'U~~~·
on :M1lton . : .(~ee . lllu8_: 1S. ,;/lr,t ,,~2.2,. _q.nd ./lr! '.: ~1, 2 . C,ri.t,-; ,4.,.) ,. , )i1 f'if<· b :,

'4 G2. ' Su ch ·:au th ors · as : those:.- whose 1· chitracters• we.have•
bee'rl giving, bne is ri~ver)ire(' ~f re~<ling.;... ; T)rnt:~ i~ no~h~1ig
in their man iicr ·that stratus . or , fatigues ~ our . th~ught~ ; )Xf!
are pleased, ;witlwut being <lazzfed. oy tlu;ir ~ll:~~re . . ~o .P?Wcrf~ 1. is the chap~ . ~>f sj mplicity :in ·{l;n au t!1 ~1l' of re~.l '. g('.qrns,
that 1t atou.es fo~_.1ry~11y. ~]~fec,ts,}ml. rc~~!~fl l ~s. ,tl_S .t~· ·1~~-~~.{."~!
c arcl eii~,.expresi?W\1~ ..·· . ; · ; :1 .'. • .. ;..'; ,, , ;.. ,r;. ,, iiu i-, ..:l . ,\., . :.
Cor.ol ... 1.: l.~t)-~i~~ ·in,';~,I\ th e m·o.s t ~x~c,llc1:1t ~autlr;i·s,;J1~~1i: .~•1 "hros c :~,nd;

gaged in conversatio n with him ; we hecome thoroug·lrly a cquainted
w i!h him, not merely as an author, but as a ma n ; and c<in t.ract a
friendship for l1im. He may be classed as standing in th e middl e, b etw_ee n a neg lige nt s impli city, and the highC'st degree of ornamrmt which
tl11s character o f s tyl e a dmits. (See Ex. 2. and .r111alysis, .!lrt . 217.)

,·e rse, the simp.l e an<l .1111tural manner may be always ·1:e marked ,; al1h o11 g h 'o th er beauti es l.J ei1ig pre<lon~inaut,'thh(fonns. ~ o,t· U!~ ir pc~hliii~
a11il di s tingui~hing charnctcr.
·
\
;.,-_; . 1;·{_; 11 ; ,, . ,, ;,
2. Thus Miltor is simple in thG rni<l s,t·of all.his gralld()ur; and De111os t he n es, ,in Hie . ~ni<lst 'of !Ill his . vehemcric.e.: ;. ( I,ll.u,s ..'},, :aiu!,-/l na/ y,3f._s •.
..'1tl . 212.) . :/ ~ -~, . J ~:
· ·:,~ 1·, ' · , · . :; • •·•
··~ ·~: .ti ~:; ~:>J~·.~;~· ..,·: . :~/i . ,~;),- ;';
Obs. To grave .and _solc nm, writing~,. · simf>li.city of .!'i ~n, 1i~i·" adds ihe
m ore vent> rable air. c . Ac c:;~ rdmgly , )l,\ IS .h as ~ft en)iec n re.1.11a_rkc<l,, as the .
prevailing charadcr th1; oi.1g~o.t1t . a ll Jhe sacred Script!irt>s, i · ~nd Wd€ed
uo .other d1 a;r~c \e1~ . p( sty le_' yas, sq " mu~l.1 .s~ited . yi ,,th,e~1' -~i1p1iJ>:· J;.,. ;~ ·., .

46 l. Atldison is, beyond doubt, in the English language,
the tpus t perfect example of the highest, most correct, and
ornamental degTce of the simple niann er: and, therefore,
though not without so me fault s, he is, on the whole, the
safest mod<' I for imitation, and 1he frees t from considerable defects, whi ch the language afford s.

463, Of~uthors, who, notwithstanding tnany excellencies;
h;l\-e rendeh~ d . 'tlteir' ' stvJe much ' less ' beautiful by want ··of
simplicity;; Lord, Sli~ft~b~.ryf~r~1ishes the rnosf:.rem~rkable
exan: ple. -. His lord ship is 1tn author on whom we have 1patl~
observatiems . several···tirnes before; i anti ·-we shall ·noW•take
leave 'of .. hii11~ · \>; i ~h gi~' iug ",hi ( gcr!cr.al ch;iih1ck1~ ~n.dct th~s·

a

. Obs. No writ e r ll'hat cver has sta mp ed up on his sty le a more lively
1m ~ressio n of his own c haract er. lu r en iling hi s work .~, we seem en.-

Obs. 1. Pcrgpicuous and pure he is in the hig he st d egree; hi s prcrisio u, iudecd , not very g-reat ; ye t nea rl y as grea t a s tire subjec ts,
which Ire treat s of, r eq nirc : the constnict.io1i of his se ut c nccs easy,
agrcco.blc, anti com monly very mu s ical; carry ing a character of
smoo tlrn r:ss , m ore than of s trcn g !h.
·
2. In figurative la .1g11agc , he is i-i ch : particularly iu s i111il es and
m e taphors ; which a re so employ ed as to render his s ry le s ple ndid ,
without b e in g gaudy. There ;s not th e leas t affectation in Iris mann e r:
we see n o m a rks of labou1·; untirin g forced or constrained; but great
dcgnnce, j o inctl ll' ith g rrat case an d si1nplicit.y .
3 . He is_, in particula!·, di stin guis hed by a character of mod es ty, and
of p oliten ess, which a ppea rs in all hi s writin gs. No auth o r h as n more
po pu lar nnrl insi11uati•1g man11 e r ,; and the g r ea t regard whi ch he everv
whP.i·e shews fo1· virtue au<l religion, reco mm e ud s l1is Spectator Yery
f)ighly.
·1. If h e fails in :iny thin p:, it is in want of strength nm! precis ion,
which r cn :lcr,: his mann er, though perfectly suited to snch essays as he
writes in t,h o Spcctntor 1 1101 altogether a_proper moch;l for any of th~

,

·~ ·
, . ~. ·, · .. ·, . ,; : ' .',_~:: ;·~ '. ~··: ~~'. .. ••. *•, ·:~ ~-: -. :·.:.. ~- ..· ',~-~•.'~~.:~, ~... · . ~_·.;_·
Obs. I. Considerable merit, <1 0111.Jtl ess, ·h e has. ' His lirn;uage h as

1

head..

111a11y beauties. It is firm, a111l support ed in an uncommon ueg1:ee .; it
i> rich an d n111s ic.al. . l\'o .English ,Ruthor has <1t.to; n<Jed .. so llJl>Ch to .tlw
1·egi1lnr constn;cliorl of his ,sentences, . lio.t! i°._ivii ti ' resp ec t l\l 'propriety'
an~ wit 1i · i·e•pcct tn · c1i.dence. · '( !If its.· 7 ; Jfr l. 2Z2:) · AII this gives· so
niuch ' cleg:rnce 1uid pom1; to. his : langua ge,: that th.er e is 110 ,wunJer. 1\t
should, h:nve .l1ee11 . hi g ht:v n~1nV<'dhy som~. . It. i(i ,gr(!atly. hurt , ho,~J:,v :
er, by l:>i; rp etl),a\ stW11 \•Ss a nd nff<>ctati_o'n. ,' This is j~s ca1:ita l . faul_t.:.·· ::~
2.. Like Dr 1 .Tohnsou"his lor.d ,sl_1ip:ca11 ~ 'xptcss ' !lotliiug-'wi!h simpJici:.
ty '. . I le' secin·s ti:I h a ve con'siilel't'd . i( l1s -.,-:ul gai' a nil licueut'h the· d igf1ity
.;fa man of quality, to speak like .o ther men. Johnson ·{:QJ.l\,I : s11y ,n 9~
thin g buf .as, a .~c,it.i f o ~ 1:~pl!\:!!": . L~r\i. , ~,l\;\~~s~~tt;y·_.is. ~~-~f<1i11 llnt~l~~1s;
· and dres sed , dnt «\\:1th .!u!lgn14ce~1t ~ I.eg\111.c_e. .Johnson 1s ,!=ln_<l 1n 't h~
leaves o~ . P,,i.~ : ~icti?p.ii.~r,; . he_, ,I, i.~}11: 11P'?!i.: it, ' : ~s ~,oni!:acf~Xd' \iiJ?'n~h]~
nle . . In ev~~,Y ~en~e,11c;~· o.f Lor,<l: ,]? l,1.~ ft;~l',u,~ y ; , , '1"~ .s ~e; ~t-~ · \n:"1 ~.s ?f
~o.tp·. an~., art i not!1!ng .? f ,t~!at· e~~~~ -r.;h 1;.:h .~.~R~i;.~s.~~~_,?- 1 s.entm1eJ~t .~?1]:1·
ing .r1 a~u~p1,~p4;1n~rp1 f.1:?.1~1,,t!W 1~~J'( ~~ ,., J.O./Ml\<i,'\;1~,~· ge~·fi;q! p,i~~~i~rf~~

i

!.l}i-

-

-

'

r

..

L

Q40

'

'rite s foiple~ ciffec{~rf,'-_anil·. vchetnen'f:Wtyles.

T!i e ge1ieral l'liarncter:; of Styft.

,.

l-"i -... _.)

of style. Havin g on e <' studied him, you will ' kno1v hi s style among ii:·
thou s and ; s o e x a c tl y d o th e co uute rs h e pr es ents to y o u , co rr <'~ pond
With the lloma11 di e, w he n ce th ey we r e turned out. (If fi g nr<'S HIH[
ornament s c f e vr.ry kind , Loni S haft s bur y is cx c ce di11 " ly fond ; >ometim es h a ppy in th e m ; but hi s fo 11d11 ess for th e 111 i~ l..io vi ;: ihl e ; au <l ,
having o n ce J;:: id hold o f s om e m e taph or o r ti lln siun that plca ~c s him,
he know s not how to p a rt. with it . The coldn es s of John s o Ii ·s h ea rt,
did not nll o w him to iudul g c at pl c a ~n1rc in fi g ur l" :; a111l o rnnm e nt.
His figures ar e alwa ys CO l'l'<'c t, but artifi c ial an1l s ta t e ly ; allll hi ~ allc~
g orics, in the Rambl e c, arc awl1wardly class ic al, thoug·h so me of th e m
arc not d c li c ie nt in wit and c leg an c f' . lli s A lle g ory of Criticis m, an
e arly pap e r in th e Ra m bler, is a p i>r ti11 e11t illu s trntiu11.

.:<J.64. Havi11g ' novr said so mu ch to rccomm cml si111pli city,
or the easy ancl natural manner of writing, nnd having
pointed out the defoct s of an opposite manner; in order to
prevent mistakes on thi~ su4ject, it is ne cessary to ouse rvc,
that it is very possibl e for an author to write simply and yet
not beautifully. 011e may be fr ee from allectation, an d 11 ot
have m e rit.
suppose~ an :inth or t o p o ~srss real
to \''t' r it~ ''·ith solidity, ~ purity , and li\· ·: li11 c~s of i n10 ~juati o n.
In thi " CR.Sc, t he simp li<" it_v o r 1111 fl !lected nc!i s of h i' m a n nPr, i~ the
crown in:; i.n'namcnt ; it h c i g:hten~ cycry other bc:a ~1ty ;. it is the dress
o f nritu r(' , w ithont wh k h a ll lv'rrn ti o>~ <I f " imiwrfrr t .
:2 . Bu t ii' !ll crc u11ali':~ c t cd ll'.:~s were s•itiic iclll to ca 1:.cl itt1 t c the l>rant·;
rJf sf_vI(', \\ca !, , t rifli n ,~ 1 ;i11d d1ill wril1 · r~ u 1i :__:lit nf'te11 l:1 y ci :ti l!t to tlti...;
!J cau t_r.·· And, accordlng fy, , \. C frc 111~ rn t'.r n:rct w ith prclf'11dul cri!if~~·,
who extol the ti u ii e st write r s . on a cco unt of what lhev caii the " cirnsie
simplid ty of th eir lll fi iJl \<01' ;" n h ic h, in tr uth , is ll o o ll 1e r tli;ui lite a l.J s e nc e of ev e ry ornam e nt, throu g h th e m e re want o f g e nius and ima-·
gi 1~a ti o i1 .' ' .
· . ·
.., 8 . W e mu s t tl is tin g-ui s h, t.h c r e forc, hctw ec 11 th at si mplicity 1·: hich
~~-t:co~npani~s trt1P et• ni ll" . ~u1d \-1r·l1i t:h j..; !'''rfr .. ·tl_v {'n1npa!ii •lt_ ''!tit t->Vf-' ry

Illlls . 1. Th e b::an t ifu l s imp lici ty

-~·~ nins- ;

- ..

.

.

. ~ .J/"i'

~41-

tlos c t. ' Th:- o~atii;ms'.o~· De~?~;It:ne.s .[m:~ lsh:~l.1 ~f[ul.I ~nd pe. rft!cte~~
ample of this specie s -01 !ltyle) rrf<•; ·1:•1 .•j ,, -.: .. ~;<:>;ti<,•1··~:;•.... ,• ;.:''1 !• :>t!i 1 ,, •: _.- . • ,.
'

. •

if ~ .:tt,.. ~'l

'

"'"

~

L>T::r

f~-- ' .. •

' '

'

0

· .4aG: . Among , ~ngli~h,~,:?~iti.rs~'')the:;~~.e ~J.ir.9·"p~i( n~os~ . ?f

th1 ~ character, though 1mxed, mdeed, · wrth , .~~y,en~L,~~fec~~'
is Loni :Bu~ingl;froke.,n· !lis .. lonlship :,was ~f~rmed bJ"!1aturc
to ba a facho~s. l~~t,let . L ~li¢' 1 tl~rn'.a/:?;?M~ .~f:_a: J>1<1pula~- asse_if!'-:J
bl y. .. ~.ccor~.rngl y ti\~ sty le.'tha ~· r~II\S i t!1.r~~.1,gl~~ "1,1 .h1s_·P,ol~t~.-­
ca I w ntrngs, is that ot one_declaumng -w:1tli J1.~at,, ratlwr .than
writing with <leliberation. -.
·
· ·
Illu s. He abounds in rh c to rl chl fig u r es ; anc\ pours him·sc lf fort h with
gren t i111p e·tu osit j 1 • He is c opi o us to 11 foult ;- pl aces th e s nm c th o ugh t
before us in many diffe r en t. vi ew;; .f but g i; n e~ ally with life and ardou r .
He is hold, rnther tha1t corre c t ;" 1\ torre ut that flows strong, b_ut often
mmldy . Hi s sentences <ire vari ed as to fen g th a.nd· shortn ess ; inclini ng , however, most to lohg p e riods, ·sometimes i'ncluding pare nth e ses,
and fr e quently crowding a11d h eaping n multitude of thin g s upon one
another , as ·naturally h,a ppens · in ' th e w a rmth o f sp efl k ing. In the
choi ce . of his wonh, there is great fc liCity and predsion .' In exacc
co n st r u c ii o u of. s e ntences ; h e· i s~ m uc h in t'e l'.ior' t o"L ol'~'. S h ufl5b 111•y ;' but
g-r('~ tl y ~1 1 rH· r'ior tn him · in ·!ife ' nn(_!_e ase : ' Upon ·the ·wh olc, his . merit ,
'"a w r i1,.,., 1vo u ld l1a1·e heen vp r y c:nnsidernbl(', .' if. hi5 mailer had
eriualle1l his style . But whilst we liu<l many t h ings to com11w1Hl in. the
J<itt er, in the forrrier, ris WC hef'f1re re111ai'J1ed, 1\·e Cail hat'd!y fiutJ a·llj'
tl 1ing· t o co mm e nd . [11 ' hi s · re a son ings ; for the most part , hP is flimsy
;nid Ltls•:; i11 h is political writing-s , facti on~; i11 what lie call> his phi ..
l''Sophical OJH'S, sopl1isri ca t i11 the lligh,· .-1 d1 ·,g rec.

"4G.i. Some otlier charadcrs of s t vle. ues'ide tl 10:ic which
we h;~vc ml' nti oned, . might ' be ·1JOi11ted.-mit; ·Lt1(:iCis. very
difficult to separate such ge nera consi~lerations . of the style
of authors from their pecu)ia,r turn o~ sentiment, whi ch it is
not the buR in es s of thi<! '\.v ork 'to' crititise:• "'" ..-: ·'' : ::·; ....,

1

pr•:· :· •· t" ornain f-'t l t ni" qylt 1 ;

n11d tiLtt \\ !\i"h f.;;; nn otlif'r th:11~

n 1't1 r1·lf1.;.-,.

a m l o!ove11 ly mam 1e l' . ]1 H!eed the di , linc!l o n is eflsiiy l!l iu.l e f'rol!l the
,.. ffp r t 1•r n d1 ;.-.,d . T h t: one nc v!'r fa il s to in tnr< t t hr readf'r; t he othei;
i:3 i11 '. .; ipid iH tt_l tirf' ~o tn r'.

4G3 . \V c proceeJ to 111eu tion u11c utlicr Hl<lllllcr ur d1arac te1· of style difl'ere11t fro111 a11y that ha,; yet lc ('t.' !l spnkc:i of;
and which may be di " ti11'.~11 islicd bv !he na111 e llf' tlH~' n!1c;nf.11t .
This aiways i111plles sln·ngth; and i~ nnf, b_; any
m eans, in consiste11t with simplicity: but . in its predominant character, it is dis tinguishabl e from eith er the s fnrng or
the simple manne1'.
. Illus . I t hn s n pecul iar a n.lour .; i• i• a i; low ing s ty ! ~ ; the hn gn~ g c
o f a . lllan, "h""' i m:-igi11;i. tion ;uHl pass inns ar1· h ra tc rl , nnrl s l rnn<; ly n r:
.fcctcJ b;1· wli a t he writes; wlio is t li c rc fo1·c 111:gli 0 c 11t u( rniuur graces ,
hu.l pom.s hims e lf forll 1 with Ilic rnpi J ity an LI fulu es s or n torr ..,11!. It
jiel .. 11 g s f ., lhe hi g h e 1· k iu;J , of ,.,·a fo •r}; a 11 t! , i11 .J.-,.,1, i-; 1at li <'1 <'xpedtd from n nmn who i~ 5JlClll{it1 g, tlmn from one \vho is 'vriti11g i11 hiJ

Ji/us . Co11ccitcd writ1~rs , for in;;tau c c, disco1·pr tli.,ir spirit ~ o n111d 1
in their compos ition, that i t impr ints on th1:ir _ Myh~ . a..cl1araf'tcr <:>(p~r t11ess: t ll'rng\i it is di!lkult to sa 1•, whe th er t hi,; c an be classPd amona11w a1trib 11t P.< of style, or is · r;tth f' r to he ascribf'Ct entirely t o th~
tho111~· ht.
Tu whatever class we nrnk it, all appParnnces of it ou;;ht to
In; avuidl'd with c are ,

<l "

a n1ost tli~gust i ng bl('1ni~h in writing-.

!'.f'lln :d ill'ild,, it is nn ditlic1dt. Ln,;I, to classify
t li e t' 111 i1leut \.\-Titer~ i11 tli~ J·.: ngl i.".' h languilge .

LTndcl"'

tile cha1·actc1· of mrrny of
.
Srlwlirr. F rnm wh~t Ins b ee n s1 irl o n thi'l subject, it may be inferred , t'.rn t IO ~ e ter 1ni11 e, a m o 11.g a ll ~ . these dilfo r.e nt m auners of wri tin g,
whr1t ts precise ly the b.e s t , 1s · nc 1 t b c~· easy rrot .necessa ry. Stvle is .n,.
iie lcl tha t nd11'. its o f gri; nt fnti t ~ 1d e. · It R 'tual ities1 in •,lifft·rf:'nt. .~u!hQrs
m ~y be· very tj.1 ~~ren~ ; . a nd . ,r,~ ~ 11~ t.he m all, ~e~. u!1Cul; . . f{o_c;i m 111.us_t be
!ci t h er(' for . ge n H1s ~ for t hat par t icu la r d-ct erm m nhon w hi ch one r ec ei v<·H fro m u at ure to 011e ma nn er o f e x pr ession m o re th a n a n<H her.
~. S om e gf'nerai q ualiti"' ' indeed , there are of such i m portancp, as
should !!l way s , in e very kind o f · cotnpos-itio n ; · be kept in. view ; ~ and
som e d e feel s ·we ." sh ould 'alwa v!l.s lll<lv· to >av oid';"-.: , ·. "' " " . · · · . .. · . v., ;
:~. ,\11 o steril<ltiotls, a feeu l ~, - a h;ir~li, (Jr a11 · obscure style; for in stance, is nl wnys faulty ; and p erspicuity, s trc ngth 1 neatn ess; · irn(l

·~--.-..~~...._............----~--J)..-,ir~.~~ct-io_n_s_fi_o__r~fi~!~.~~~~,i~n~g~~~f=~=!e=.~·~~-~~~
. - ~48~~

,.
· )Jircctions for j(mnhig Siyle.
·1implicity, arc heauties to be always nimed at. But as to the mb:turc
of all, or the <legree of predomi11:.u1 cy of nny one of these good qualities, for forming our peculiar distinguishing manner, no precise rules
can uc gi,·en ; nor would it be pniclent to point out any one model as
absolut ely per feet.
·
. · ·
. 4 . It ·will be more to th purpose, that we conclude these diss e rtat10ns upon style, with a few directions coucerning the proper method
of attaining n good style, in general ; lcin-ing the particular character
of that sty I•~ to be either form ed by the subject on which we write 01promptcd by the bent of g·enius.
'
'

·~·,.·1.

I

ii

DIIlECTIONS ' FOn FORMil\G STYLI::.

. 4G8. 'l'HE first direction which we give for this purpose,
is, to stu~ly clear irlcas ?? .th~ subj_ect ~onccr~ing which yon
are to wntc or speak. I Ins is a dHechon wluch may at first
appear tu have Hnat\ rela\il)n ti) f:tjlc. lts relation tu if,
lwwen~r, is cxtrcmch- clu:sc.
The foundation of all 0001!
style, is good sense, accompanied with a lively imagina'tion.

/lrt. 463.)

.
2. This, th e n, we mny be. a 8s urcd, is n mp ital rnle ns to strle, to

t 11i1ll~ clo . ; ~·l y

Ult

tlit' ~lil~j1Tt.: 1ill \ \"C
\\ e ~1r1· to

11.t Y! ' a!t;1ilH ' 'l

cl otl u~

i11

\\ ' fl!

H

(rill ;11111 {·1i~1i111:t
till we L('c1 111 H~

cl~ .

Ohs. 1 . \V hat we have written should lw laid hy for some little time,
till the ardour of composition Uf' past, till the .f<J1Hl11 ess for ' ti1c exp,.essions which we have ust"l be wurll off, and the cxprcs,ion~ thcnisclves
J,,, f'org«1tten; and then reviewinfi 011r wo r l; with a cool and uitical eve.
a' ;fit- wprc the pcrformancr ,,i· anoth('r, we sl1nll discern many in1p~·r~
frctio11s which at first <'s•-;•pPd 11s.
·
~- Tl:c11 is thC' scaso11 for pr11ni11g r rd 1rndanci1·s: for cxnmi>iing tJ:.-,

\I ni·in and intcn:stc<l in it ; then, am! uut till tl1cll , ~ha ll \\l' iiud exp rt'~ <: inn lwgin to f101·; _
·
3. G~ncrally ~pcaki nc; , th~ lH•st and mos t prnprr rxrrc .c:c:i<> 11s ;1r e
those wh ic h :i dear Yiew o l the subject .<;u!:'~C~h , n iiliuut 11111< ii lalio"ior illq11i1y aft e r 1h('1!l, This is (l_11 i11iti l i,11 1's 11IJ<cn ;1li1111
tlic m" st
proper "nrds for tile most part adhrre to til e tho111:Lts ''Lich arc to hl·
c•x pr es ~ed by th e m , nod m ay lw disrrn·P r P< : ;n h_v ti1;oir ""'" lie; l,t.
Bnt
"·c hunt :iftrr tlt cnt :t s if thry wr rc hid<l<>n, ;ind 011h· to br ! 0 1111d i1 1 a
('orner. Hence, instcarl o i 1.·01we iv ing i! H· words t~ fir 11r·~1· th<' s11hf"c t ,
~· o i n q11e~ t o f thf'tn to ~01H C' <•fh er <111arfPr, n.nd endt•:t v uut· tn

:arrangcuient of sentences; for attending to thP .inuctu re of the partf-

,,.e-

~~ iYc fnrc<' to thr f'.Xflrf'~."ion~ Wt: liavf' fo t111d nut. ~

4G9. In the second placP, in onlcr t0 fo rm a cruml stde
tnejrequent practice of couipo:,i11g is judispeusaol} 11ece~sa·'.
• PlertHnqHf?' optim~ ,-·P1·h~ tf:'b11c: ('ol1~r"n~. (>f .,,.rnnntnr ~~ic ln minrt . 'At nr:t;.
qu a-. rimus ilJa, tanquatn lntt:ant seque suhtlu cant. lta nuJJ(}Hft iH pHtarnus verhn esse
~i.rl':i ~<;I. tle <}UO di<:~lld 1.llll l ~ t ; 5r. tf CX nli.is !(.)~j -; r'-'tinrn s: tt .iHH:tllu~ \ im ;dl{ ,drnt..::;a
)oil),_ Hll• ~-J,

nnd hasty composition, we shall ccrtaiu!y .acquire a very ba<l style ;
\\'(!-shall h:we more trouble afte,rwards in unlearning faults',' ' 'and cor.recting neglig r nces; than if w1( h;,t<l not'l1ce1i' accustomed ' to c:iom'posi .tion a< all .' lri ,the beginning; therefore·, we 'oug·ht to- ~vrite slowly j and
with ~micli tare. " Let the' fac_ility'. and speed · of writing be the fruit of
longe-r practice. " . '' I enjoin," says Qu'inctilian, "that such ns' nre be ~
qinnini:;- the p~ae.tice of composl!.i on, write slowly and wit~i ·a nrchms dchherat1011 . 1 heir great object nt first should he" to wnl~ ns well ns
poss_ibl e ; practiCe will 1_;'1iriblc )hrm to ' ,\.die sprcc!ily. =' Ry deg-rers,
matter will offe r ifs~lf still -more 1·eacl,ily ;. ' wo~<ls will uc 11t .hand; composition will flow; every thing' ,'a,s ' \n 'the arrangement ofa. well-ordered family; will p1'csent its e,lf in its 'proper place: . 'The s·um of the whole
is this : by hasty 1;o'mpo ~ itfon, ·we shall' never acquire_' the 'art ol'eom·
posing we.fl; by _'writing, well;' \v'c sh·~11 · coine. :10 write sµeedil_v'."* ':· • :

470 • .w~ ·. m.u~\t ', obsei~~e~. hcn~eve-r,'. '.:ihat" the1;e';~1aj'. be an
extrerne; in too great-· and -anxiou,; care about -words. - We
must not retard the ·c ourse of thought, nor' l.:ool tl1e lwat.or
imagi~ation, by pausing tQo long on e"'.ery.. worcJ . we e1nploy.
Then~ is, 011 certain occasions, a glow of composi.tion, which
::ihould he kPpt up, if we hope to express oursclns happily,
though at the expense· of allowing some inadvcrlcncies to
pass. A more severe cxan1inatio11 of tlwsc must !Jc left for
the work of correctiorh _. .For, if. the practice of composition
be useful, the laborious work of correcting is no less so; · it is
in<lee<l absolutely necessary to our reaping any beuetit .from
i!ie habit of co111pu:ciLiun.

lll•1s . 1. Th <' styli:"'"; tl1<1u:o;ht' of ;i '"ritr'I arc ;:o it1tilll:it«I\ cn 1111<'<'l ctl, that it is frequently h:iril to di <t int:11i,J1 1l11•J11
(. ·hi. :n:.i .-) \\'Ji1 J1 f.'YCr th <' impi·cssions ofthing-s upon our rn inrls arr fai11t flll1l i11.Jisti11ct
or pcrpl•~-~ ed and co nfu sed, our S!J lt• in tn·ati11g ol s11cli tlii11:.;s "ill j 11 :
i'~dliuly l>c so tuo.
\\'licrca~, 11hat \YC co11c L: i1e cl('arly awl fr~l strn11gl.v, we ~hall naturally express 1' ith cl ea rn ess nnd with strength. (Illus.

Y i c\,. of th!' 1natt1·r n hie Ii

;b~

'Ve. h.ave deli'.\'.erecl.;
le.;· t
no rules will ttoi;wer :the end, i 'YHho!;lt i ~x1,1,rc1~e . andJ1ab1t.
f\t the· same tim,e,. j,U~ ~wt.ev.e.ry. .s.o}:~µf; ~Ql~PV~\ng · ~h-~.t will

llllpru\.'.e style. i ;!'d·! ~·_: ::r:l · ;~:~ : ;.; ~ .';. . ; ;'' ~ :,-/_: .~J/~·~ T ·r··!;-..' ~\-~~ "·<'l ~,~i i
. Illus. This is so' for from being the case, .that ;byrfrcqucnt,- careless,

0

CHAPTt:R IV.

i:nari~!t~~Jes .~on~·emi~g . ~ty

l'Y·

\\
i

cics connecti ng- the whole; and !Jr i n~·ing styl e i11to a rC'gular, correct,
and Slljipnrl<>d form.
·
·
a . Tl1is "lalwur at tliP bcginninR," 1nmt LP ~ubrnittcd to t,y all.who
\\·ould couupuuicatc their .thoughts witl.t µrope•· advantngc to .o thci·s. ;
;rncl SOlllC pr<ic_ticr in· it will <::oon sharprh th<;i1 · r y<> to .the 111nst nrc~,s­
gary ohjt!Cl5 of atte1ition, >111<1 r e nd er it .u u1ud1 u1ore ea~y«md pradic111Jlc work tlia11 mig-ht at first. be imag i·11etl . . .... ., · ": '" _,,:-;,, , .... ,.;
·

't:

I

f

' ·

.·

•

•

T"" '\

·

: •

'

• '' J\1oram et .solicit.utl11u::!n . . iuitii s in:pero.

•) .

'

•••

l ~.' · ,

I

'

1, ,

1

' •

~

•

,

.,..

Nam }>rimum hoc coustitueildum' nc

nhti1lf·"nrlum "'Sf , nt qna'tn ortimi' '·-scri h:\?n 1J'j ~ eeh'1·it!lt<·m fhthtt ("mvmf"tndo. P:inb~llTI
J't s foc:ilitH St · ostt·11d 1·nt. vt'l'ha r1 ·spu; 1d( h111H. compositio pro:H'q t1t·t11r .
Cunct a d cn i.
CJ lll' nt in fr1111iii;l ht" lll' in!j\lll11.~ iu offi<·f r, e1·i111t.· Summa h ..... ,., t '.H r"'i ; i-ito scrib1',11d(;
ll'.i~l fi\ Ht bene~erih~tnt'j lx'n(' 9<'rihern1t\ tit 11t rl!'l .~> 1. ' :. <' , 3.

Directions fot:fonning Slyle.

Conduct-.o f 'a .Discours.e,in.all \~ it11;/!arts~

·; ·4ri. · In the third 'place, ~v~th respec t to t~1e.assist~nce thut
is to be.gained from 01c wntrngs of other~, tt 1s o_l>v10us, that
" ;e ought to· render ourselves well acquamted with the style
of the best authors. This is requisite, both in order to form
a just taste in style, and to supply us with a full stuck of
words on every subject.
·

.sbn ; or· to speak .. with (elaboriHe pomp Qf ,e,x:pre.ss,iQn, .befor!}. ·
persons :who comprehend i. nothi~g ,of1 itt;(.andr•\Y,ho .can only,
stare at your. u pse!'sonable magmfic.enf:e~ ;·:· The$~ are d_efep,ts_
no~ so much m pornt i of,istyle; , as, ',w.h~t JSJ m.u.ch ~oHe;i)~: ,
pomt of common ,se,nse. _-;"'"t:!:i .'c:..::•f; _,, ~·:, ·; ~;'. ~1 , ...;,~/H· ,11(;1 ('. :l~

Q44

"\
I
I

Ob_s. \Vhen yon hegin to write or speak, you ought previously· to"li:i:: ,"
in your minds a ;clear .cohceplion of .the end. to lie aimed ·"t ;; tc;i keep
this stea<lily in your view, a,1)d . ~o,,suit Y,o u.r style .to it .. )f Y.O~ - ~o rot
sacrifice lo this great object, e\·ery ill-timed ornament that may' occur
to your fancy, you are unpardonable ;' 'anH though children and fools
tnay'admire, mer1 of sense
laug·h at yoli: and your s't yle. '. " •. ~·

. Ob$. L In reading authors with a viPw to style, attenti.on s~wuld be
g·iven to the peculiarities of their cliffcrent manne rs; and 111 this Gram.m ar we have en.Jcavoure<l to suggest severnl tl1111gs that may bf' useful
in thiij view. ·Ur. Blair says, 110 exercise will he fou1H\ mm·e useful ~or
acquiri11g a proper style, than to translate some passage from an emm ~
cnt EnO'lish author into our own words .
.
2. ·"Vhat hr. mr.ans is, to take, for instance, some page of one of A1l1li3011's Spectators, nntl read it carefully oYcr two or three times, till .we
have got a firm hold of the t!1oughts contained in H ; then to lay_ as1llc
the uook ; to attempt to wntc out the passng·e from memory, 111 the
hcst way we can; and having done so, next to open the book, nnd compare wl;at we have written, with the style of the author.
a. Such au cxercisP. will, by comparison, shew us where the flcfcd~
of mi1" stvf P. lie; it will lc:ul t;s to the proper attention~ for recti(yin g
them; a;HI among- thP. different ways in whi~h tl:1e samf' thonght. '!l!lY be
expressed, ,i t will make us perceive that wl11ch 1s the most beautiful.

_
.. ..

will

. 474. In t~e last place cafry ·aJung ·with -you .this ad!110nit10n, that; m any case; 1 and oil ' any occasion; ! atte~tton.. to
.~~yle must not engross ,you so ·much, as:;to, ·,d etract from a
higher degree of a_ttentton ,.to .th_e <thoughts <:<'-'Jo· your· ex- ' '
pression be attentive rbut •about your rtiattct• be' ~~licitous.:'~'<- ·..
'

'

~

•

•

•

·~

'"

• ·' · ' / t

•

..

,

·

, (

l

•

I

!

Ob$. It is much easier to ·dress up trivial ' nnrl common 8entilllents•
with some bPnuty of expression, tlinn· to ;nffonlrt "fun·d of vigorous, . in•
geuiou~, and useful thoughts. The latter requires tr~t!l genius; the
former may lie attained . uy, industry, with the help of l'ery superficial
parts : 1-1 ence; we find so many ' wi·~ters . frivolously 'r ich in sly le, but
wrctr.heclly poor ~ in ~enfiment. ", The p~blic ear is now so 'much accus·
tomcd to· a correct and orn.a mented style, that no writer' can, ~·ith safe~
ty, neglect the study Of it:: · But he is a contemiitiulc onE', who does not
look to something · beyond' it; \yh? does not · lay the d1icf stress upoA
his- nrntter, a1~d employ su"~ ornaments · of style · to recommend it, ai;
are manly, not foppi~h. ' " A higher spirit ought to animate those"who·
study eloquence. They ought to consult the , health and fondness of
the Whole body I rather 'than '• bend their, aftentiOll , ti) , SUCh trifling- ,ob•
jects as paring _the ll!lils, ,a nd ' dressing, Jhe :hair: , Let .or.rament ~11.
manly and chaste, without effeminate gaiety, ·'or artificial colouring;
Tot it shine with the glow of bealth 1rnd strength."t
' ::. -,- '. -

472. In the fourth place, guard yourself, at the same t~m~,
;:wainst a servile imitation of any author whatever. Tins l!S
afways dangerous. It hampers genius; i~ is likely to pr~­
duce a stiff manner; and those who are 0·1vP.n to close umtation, generally imitate an author's fau~ts, ~s well as his
beauties. No man will ever become a good \vr1ter or speaker, who has uot some <lcgree of coulidence to follow his own ·
gem us.
Obs. You ought to uewarc, in pn1 ticular, of ttdopting any author 's
uotcd phrases, 01· transc1 ii.Jing pa :;~agcs from hirn. Such a habit will
pro1·c fatal to nil genuine c•Hnpo•ition. Infinit ely bett er it is to have
something that is yonr own, thou g h ~f mo~lcratc beauty, tha1. to a!Tcct
to shine in borrowc1l or11a111cnt~, wl11ch will, at Inst, hetray the utter
poverty of your ge 11i11s . On thc~c hca1ls of composin g, correcting.
re a ding, and i111itc1ti11 g , every >ludc11t of orator.v. shoul~ c'.msult whnt
q11indili1111 has dl.'!il' cred in the tl'nth book of ht~ lrn; t1tut1on~, where
will !Jc found a variety of cxcclle11t obsen·ations and direction~, that
·.-1-dl deserve attention.

.

. ·: ·
..:-,

;.

.~

l

!· ·

i l

., ••

"

' ~;,~·•• ~.:·,\:,;~ ··~i'. ~ !
. ,

------

,•,

) '

•

.::. ; ' t ·•

1:' ' '

' ~t

I

' \

.~ 'y ~ ..

•

: \

\ '

<!.

~, '

I

.

473. In the fifth place, it is :rn obvious, but malet~ial rule,
with respect to style, iliat you _al wa~' S study to adapt 1t to the
sul>ject, and also to the capacity of your hearers, 1f you arc
to speak in public. Nothing merits the n_ame of eloquent or
beau tifu I, which is not su i led to the occas10n, and to the persons to whnm it is addressed. It is to the last degree awkward aad absurd, to attempt a poetical florid style, on occasions when it shonlll be your l.rn~iness only to argue a11d ren. ~_
'1

;i

•

'

'

•

. •

.f, •

'

'<
&

,

'~

•

' I o,

'""
~

'

'

•

j

·.

':_

; -;

•,

(

~

·, • I ; t

: ;, { ' ;

r••' ';

~j

;, . ' .•;

".', };, ' \

tteNDUeT OP A DISCOURSE IN ALL 11TS
' ·

! l •• \

·:.• ;
I

•

J :«;~~;. _. ' ·.~.;.: ~
· : ··· ~ 1 .'.'"' .:_,_~ .. .~. :~:;

•
;

•

'.

i

\

~

•

.

•t

:

> •

f'J'

'! •

1>.Ah'l'S-IN"f.'1l~Dt1fh ''
,

•

r

. TIO.NI DIYIStoN; NARHATION '. Hm EXPUOATION. ': ''
. :~
L' . : . . -~ . _ . .. i
. :~ l\J • i "r .r' ~. ' \ ' . ; " .
:. . 1._ 'i \' ~ ; .: ~ .

246

Conduct of a JJiscotll'se ill all its Parts.

employ arguments for .establi~hing his own opinion, an~
overthrowiu()' that of l11s antaO'oh1st:
he may perhaps, 1f
0
~ for' it, endeavour to tone h tle
I passwns
.
·
there be ·room
uf 111s
audience; and after having said all he thinks proper, he will
bring his discourse to a close, by so111e peroration or con· ·
clt\sion.
..
. 47~: This being the rrntural tr~in of speaking. the parts
that compose a re~ular f01:mal Ol'at.11!11, are these six:
First, the ex.onhum, or mtrotluct1011 ;
Seconrlly, the statement, and the division of the subject;
,Thinlly, the narration, or explication;
. Fourthly, the reasoning, or arguments;
· Fifthly, the pa1hetic parts;
. · .
And, lastly, the conclusion.
.
477. The exonlium, or inlro1luction, is manifostly common to all kin<ls of pu1Jlic .speaki11g. It is not a rhetorical
invention. It is founded upon natur<>, and suggested by
comrnon sense.

I

.,1.

·\

.I'

I

Tllus . When one is going to connscl ano~her ; wl11rn h~ takes. upon
liim to instruct, or to repro ve , prudence will generally direc t 111111 not
to do it abruptly, but to use some preparation ; to begin w.ith some
matter that mav ind inc the persons, to whom he nrldr!'sscs h11ns elf, to
judge favourab.ly of what he is a~1ou_t to say ; a!1d m~y dispose them
to such a train o f thong-ht, as w11\ ·l orward anu assi st the. purpose
which he h as in view. 'this is, or it ought to be, the main scope of an
introduction. ·

478. First, to conciliate the good-will of the hearers; to
rernler them benevolent, or well-affected, tu the speaker, and
to the subject.
Illus. Topics for this rurpose may, in c:rnses at the b~r, be sometimes taken from the particulitr situation of the spcitkcr himself, or of
his cli<'nt., or from the character or hchavionr of his antagonists, con·
trastc 11 with his own ; on other occasions , from the nature of the subject, as closely connected with the i.nt erc~t of ~h e h~ar ers ; and, in
generul, from the mod es ty and good mtent1011 with which the speaker
onters upon his suhj cc t.

479 . . The seconcl end of an introduction, is, to raise the
uttention of the hearers ; .which may b~ e~ected, by givi11g
them some hints of the mwortapce; d1gmty, or novelty of
the subject; or some favourable view uf the clearness a_nd
precision with :\'i7'1ich we are to treat lt; and of' the brevity
wi1h which we are to discourse.
480. The third end is, to reuder the hearers docile, or open
to p ersuasion; for which en<l we must begin with studying
.to remove any particular prepos~cssious they may have con-

J

I\

I

t

' l .

-.r

Conduct

'Q48

of a Discourse in .all

·'1'he P~·oJ?ps~tjgf'//,J .~/W~~~<~~£1:gt~f/\lht~.\~!J..~J.~cl:

its Parts·,

'

C~.l·tai1~ sense of dignity , arisi11g from a persuasion of the justice or
fJOrtauce of the SUUject Oil Which he is to speak.

•

•

.

}

2j1~;.

l

_ •

·,. •;',· ~'"

..

.~;:486.' In .the fourth

,.f

•

~; -o

f

•

'

'

I

'

u,

'

l •

.

'I. _ ' ., ,+...,~

I

••," '

t"'~ ·

_,

• •' • ~-!' 1' •

""

'the very mention of it nntnrrrlly awakens some pass ioualc 1~motio11; or·
when the unexpected presc-11cc of some person or ohject, in a popular
nsseml.Jly, inflames the speaker, and m:ikes him Lrcak forth with mm·
~ nal warmth . · :Either of these will justi(r what is called the exordium

. au auruplo.
Example. ·Thus the nppear:rnce of Catiline in 1he senate renders the

1
,,

vehcmeut beginning- of Cicero 's tir3t oration a;;·ainst him V!'ry n a tural
· irnd proper: "Qnousque tandem abulc1·c, Catilina, patientia no ~ tr a 1"
And thus Bishop A ttcrbury, in preaching from this text, " Blcsse1l is
he, whosoever shall not lie offende<I in Ille," ventures 011 urcaking forth
"·ith this bold cxonlinm : " ,\nd can nuy man ti1t'11 I.Jc offended in
!.lice, blessed Jesus?"

f •

.'

1

·.

"or

491.·, In a serm~n 1 ·,Qt'. .:pleadil-~g.
any discoursei J.l-~h~}'ef
<livision :is proper to be' us~d,' the most mate~fa~: ruJ~,s ~r~,"~·""
· 492. First, that the several part~)nlo . whicJ1 lhe s~bJec,( 1~,
llividcd, be really distinct from one anoth~q that is, that.rw .

one include another. · ' · ·

487. In the fifth place, it is a rnlc in introductions, not tv
anticipate any material part of the subject.

''

Obs. It wnr~ a '. ~:ery ·aL.. m'. t{ di\·isfon, f~r i;1s.ta.nc'e,':if o·n~ . ~ho~1ld . \~ro ;,
pose to treat first, o(ihe advanpg· cs o f .-irtuc, ~nd n.cxt, of tho~e of JllS·
tice or temperance; because, t.he first he11,d c.v1<lently co~npre.heuµs tlie,
~ e con<l, as a gen.u s docs .tl1e.s1)ecics ., He who procee~s 111 . ~lus mctho1l
·
·
i nrnlves his subjed_in ·disorder ;md indis~i~ctncss.

Obs. \\' hen topics, or arguments , whi ch arc afterwards to I.Jc enlarg'ed upon, are hint ed at, and, in part , brought fortll in th e i11trod11ctio11,
they lose the grace of novelty upon their sccollll appearance . Theimpression intended to lie made by any capital thought, is alway s niadc
with the greatest adv:rntage, wht~ 11 ii is made enti1·e, aud in its propet·
place.

. 488. In the last place, the introduction ought to be proportioned, both in length, u11d in kind, to the discourse that
is , to follow : in length, a s 11othi11g can be more absurd 1han
to erect a very great portico before a small building; aud .in
kind, as it is no less absurd tu overcharge, with supci·b orna·
ments, the portico of a plaiu dwellin~-hom;c, or to make the
entrance to a mo11u111c11t as gay as tl1at to an arbour. Common sense directs, that Pl'ery part of a dis course shoultl be
~uitcd to the strain nnd spirit of the whole.

t

Scfwlium. Th c8e nre the pri111;ipal rules that relate to introductions.
'fhey arc adapted, in a great mC'asur c, to discoursrs of all kinds. lu
plcndi11gs •at th e liar, 01· spccch t•s in puhlic as s1·mLlics, partirulnr cnre
must b<! tak~n u ot to employ such an i11tro<lnctio11 a$ the adverse party
may lay hold of, au<I tur11 to his aclvautngc.

!

•193. Sccondlv; in division, W{! must take care ' tofollow
/he ordei· of Falure; beginuiug \Yi th the ~implest poi!.1ts, such
as a[·e easiest_ api)rel.1,epd ~ ll, arn l. necess .~ u: t.o be. first ~liscuss- ..
cd ; and prucc.ediflg..thenq~ tQ' tl1ose which ate _Lu tit up~11 ;
the former, a n<l which su pptisc them to !Jc kno\rn. \\ e
mu s t divid e the su~jectinto those parts into which it is most
easily a11d 11aturally' resolved ; that it ' may seem to .,split
itselt~ allll not be violently t orn asunder: :_ '.' DiYidqi:c,': as.i ~
commo!1 ly said," non frange re."
·
·
. ·
494. Thirdly, the several members of a <livision ought to
exhaust the subject; otherwi~e, \ve do, 11ot make a complete
&vision. ; we ~xh ibit the subject bv pieces a1al'cornerso11ly,
\\'ithout givi11g any suc!1 pl*i1 :t?.'dlsplqy:~ t,he '~' hole; ,.'"· '·" · ;
4~):J. Foui:thly, t,he terms· in .whjch our ..partitious arc ..exircss~ d, should . be as _concise a~ pos~ible. · A ~oicl a}~ ~ircum•
ocutwn here. ·· Admit not a smgle wo1:<l but what IS . ne~e.s ~
sat~y ::· · f.rccisjori :i~ to,be: stu,<l.ie<l, i~q~"; e .a,\l thing8,j.t\)1Y.\rig
clown ,rour. .methµ<l, ... ', . ' · ..... ":'",:"1· . : . . ..
'· ·1. :• . " , • " ·

l

It
~

' .."{~

. 1"0b:J. :,w c Q.11-~not' meau, -that.in e~e.r'y_ ~ 1scou\·~~· lia. f,o,tm~. . -:-•Yl?JP ,, .or
.. :;-·~.
• d)str/b1\tio11 of: !~iin,tp , Jl\l.rt,~, ~~· ~e.qu1s1 J.~ t \j.!,lJf!,rj\ ~r.~ ,rJ~'f/ ,qH,c~~ 1 ~/1 5,i,?,.~! .
-;.N
pub.l ie spea.kip_~, ,,v~~n. th}~.
i;t1e~\l).?~)·e,rtl\1,~J~~ p.i;i ~ ..Jr.~)4 ·,..~· ~r?f~~:f'~·' , ;',i'<'!
wbeo the dtsc~urse; perh!J:ps 1 ;1s th Ue :short 1• o.r;,,oti)' o~-~ l\, ~'.',./8,,•.. .,uc -.
'.;.' :
heated of; or' whcu the speaker does . n~Ccl~~o~e:~? , . ~r'};ifil:s.;~~~t'f , s ., · · "\'
of. the methqd .he is to. fo\low, ;or o( t\1e coy~1!~.s1q~ ~o.-~w~11cJ1,',h,e~f!~.<;,~~)Y' , : . _ ·;-:·
tiring them. , , Order,_o f o_ne kl~\d , 01~ o~he.r1 ,s, rndee<),, ;eSSj!,l\t'~l ·~?, ~e~y~;;
,, ,
good diseourse.;', tlmf is, every . thii1g, ~h.o.uld , bcr so arr<p1g,r.d,, tJ1;-'/.,t;¢vh11t ,
, _,
goes before may give light and foi:ce ,to,. what · follo~s. " Butd11s .-~a,r
.b e accomplished by men~1s of a concealed method. What ';"e call d1visio11 'is,· when ' the 'm~tholl !'i's 'pi·o1)b\.inded ' in · forrii ' to ··tbe · hc.nfers.
The discourse in which this 1·sort.« of1
division: most
e,c_o.1n19oinl.v.i1.
U ,kl'-JJ
'
,4
.
-• .
plac~, is a , se.rn1~n·:- 1..
n i -:!, ! -~<~ i ·-- ... q :-t'lt·,, ~ii. :!t':.t:·:~·; I'; #'-~~'~ .

. ·' Obs:' The exception!' to ,this rule nre 1 when the snl.Jjcct ii; sncJ1, that

489. After the introduction, what commonly comes next
iu order, is the proposition, or enunciation ut' the subject.
Concerning the proposition, it is to be ob;;, crvcd, that it
· should Le as clear and cli stincl i1s possible, and expressed in
few nud plain " ·01·tls, without the least allectation.

"'"l'r • . •

\ •

490~. To .tins, ,gener~Jly. s1:1c_c~~~I~ t,1~~,~~'J::Z!t~~·..,,o.r., t,~er aXi-1..,-:t,•;.!
ing ~own .the:.method oLthe ?~s~Q~.~~~ ;.i.~?.,.WJ1~~~~.tJ~ ~~~~~~~· "~·
sary to make some obseryattons.'. .\ ''"' f':~·;.•;.f;,/'·'· ~ "~".'J,•~ ~<: ~~
·~, .

i11J,

place, an iutrolluction should usually
· be CiliTicd on in the calm mann~r. This is seldom the place
1
foi• vehemence and passion. Emotions must rise as the dis. course advances. The mintls of the hearers must be grad··
· ually 'prepai·ed, before the speaker can venture on strong
and passionate sentiments.
·
·

'

~

Obs: ~t · i.s thi~ ' which. chiefly makcs ·n rlivi~ i on nppcat neat ·nod de - .
gant; •when the ·seyernl heads nre -propounded in · the·clearest, · mo st •
f '\' J1r~~sirc: u11d, :at tl1e· sl\mc time, the fewest wor-Js po~sibk . ' .' '!fii ~
.

.

.

-

: • :!f•.

......

·-~-~-----........_ _ _
?t'.Ufffioi•:il••- - l l l i-i'illliilla!!lll'liiWllMr•111Jlf!Il''O!I
!il ' liii?W---~-···!ii'~---"'""

_;.,.!!!_!!"_'!':_!".!"
••'!'
. '!!!
.-"'
-~-'!!!!!."'-"'-""--""--"'-"""'-"'--!!!..!!!.."'-""-"'--"'-=--:-

-J·· ·-·~-. ~,;o--~--·:s

,.

. ··r·i

.

£50

.

\

.

Conduct of a lJiscoursc in

'

. ·~~N~

.

all its Parts.

. ~5;!
,.:...1:-f
• . ._ .·,;<t •·
- •

· 496. ·; Fifthly; avoid an unncccssnry multiplication of
heads ...· To split a subject into a great many minute parts,
by divisions arnl subdivisions with'out enl.1, has always a bad
ellect iu speaking.
.
.
'Obs. ·Jt may !Jc proper in a log-ical treatise ; hut it makes an oratioi1 apj1e<ir hard and clry, and minecessarily fatigues th e mc1~1ory. In
a senn<m, tltere may be from tltn~e to live or six h eads, i11cluding sub·
<li1·isions ; ~el<lom shoulll there be morT.

I'

l.

n

i.

¥

•;~ 1 1 0{N, :; l n ·sermons, 1 wl]er(!:,.th'e rti:is ?sel~dm.1a 1.1 ~ll'!C1tst,011_:~0,t'r~~·!'r:at1_bn,~;t, ,
explication «oH tJr e ·sci.Pjec·."· ~~ ,bc , £li:cour;s~~ ;_o'fl';rllcorn,e~~ "J'~t.!f.e '~1,ac~v«;,>,::". · li1::_;.
narration at · the bar,, · and-t 1s-,.t~l ~~ ;h1k~;m~1p, .nmch fo?· t\1 ~,s~.~.et.~?.!le, , ./ ..~
thnf ,is,;1it ·1nus:t•-.b e cJ)ncisef!clear.,oln'ml ~.~istJ~n~~·'t;.7 1ind~.'.o~:w~.tyl~ ~?f{~.t:.,· , ·
, amkclcg-ant; ; f\lth'cr *~n ,.1.H~hly-...n<lorp~'if:· 1~U .l>'1expl~'itl 't,the~ddct9q'_~ C!.r,~:\ " : .:.
thd . t-ex.t -~vii In pr~pr.iety11 ; /.o , g~ vl! ;<\· tf\11l<;111,lq~:Pel'!•pi~u~l1. S l~l'\c~u,1.i t: ,o.t}"tbe. .
m 1tm·e · o( ·th11t. .,,.11·t(1e•or, :duty wh1chlJfon1ls1tlle.:l~u.b.t~ct _of, th~ ...cj1.S.C?P,T.s~'. 1
• "'
is properly the• di<fnciic ,; pat'hdf'\ pr1~ac~ing 1 \~ ~11- tli~';t;tght.'.~xecut~on; oi
which .much .depends .for JiIL that co1ilc~· 11ftern: nrds il m ', the - way~·of per.suasion .. . ·.. :. . ·.
: . !·--· ...
· ' :· .,~~~ t l .:\f'! . ;~ tt ~~ '-- t·fl~··,r1j..J.:...,:~ .· ~~}H r:.u~,

·;it

! .. 499 . .. Of ~~i1e ,

I
l

\I·
I

:argumentat;i,~e,w rf're{t_'soningripa,"e' ?f~·afilis·

COU rse. : f Jnj whatcver .'place, ::Ot~ 'Oll'•whatevet" · SU bJeC.t i<' Ol~e
~peaksi,!. thisi beyo.1~<J do't!!lt, js i ·~f ,tho greatest ~con.'s'eq~c,nc,~.

.l'. on ti~ e. gl'p_a be1~d 1for;wl_i,1ch m~.e n.ts P,~!l~~.P~'.<Il,1-1;' ~e,\i!o~1 ~ .~1 F.c~~
s1011; 1s .to con vmce . the11' ·: heareri.l.'(.>lll..SP.111ethrng'.lb~mg. '¢~th.e1

true. ~ 01:,righ t.101' good ; ! ,a!ld, ; )J~;" 1~e,1rn,si ;o§~thi~ .<:.0 11"v.\ct.ion~ to,
i.nll u en~e · th_eJ1:~ pr1ictic~::' ,lt~~s'i~n:. ·~.r~d.1.; u_\gu r.1~~~~t~~~~~~:!h"e
iou ndat1on; of 1~1.1 n~.a_fll J:' P.'\d P.~.!·~t~a,s,1~~;~105n1spc,e:.; (·., t~~:....

' .·· 500. i ~B\y,.~1~h,N~~p~c:t , t,1?,_,~~,r;g~\ ~11~pts,..}~~~~: tlupg~.i :\r~. J;t~·1'lul.site. 1 "--i ~\_.-·<ri ··i ..~.; •1·;1 s~ .~T'f ~(,». ~~ ~s~;td.~;,1.' 1L;~;.~fi y;A.-: ~>~: ,..;;-,~.'/ l~ . ;·1~~1r~~;).
·r·' :F-ir~ t :"the inue~tion ;o' r.th.em1 ; ~1<~."ail ~!o)f -: '. ;,1~-,,y ~\'>ii;H .; • ; ~,.,~
.:i
dhi'p··a~ s_
·itioil'a.
ii1l'arl-anien\elifo_
nhc1fi :
' seco;1tllv.
,
y· ' Jth~· +.fo'ri_'~l:_
~ ''l l'/rt.\, , ,;.
.;,
~ . . , ~ ,,1 .
'f'""~, .~, ..._, ,,, l. :; ·· ~I < ,,; , l ~\~ , ~, f"\
:.•. ' . A.'1,11 1~.Vw:4l.xf :g1~'.e~i\h~s~iRg:ur .t.1~·1~1.dn)•,~.<:), ~,,~.ty. ~,ipJ0. .
rnan11u1:, .;as1 ,~o · gtv,~ .'Jh~1.n 1 their..tulL:fo~cr,," ,.i •/.ti :i!i.1',,; ·,i••'t .~' "'""'.!!
· 501. The first of , these, iiiv<:ntion; .' is;/•withou t. do'\.lbt~ 0 the
mos t· ~1vP.t.e1:ial ,'. ;itn~ ·
gr;.o~ plbwqrk~ of:t\~iy.c~~· ~,·l h. ;i·~ fft.,~;.;·>.

i_uf

. 498. To be clear and distinct, to oe 7>roba1Jle, . and to be
conCise, arc tlw r1ua lities which critics chi elly reqnirc in 11ar.i·ation; each of which carries, sufiicient ly, the evitleace of
,its importance.

I:

· Ictu s'. · 'Di stinct ness bt:lo11g·5 to th e whole train of tire <liscomse, !Jut
is ' c~µ e cially reqni , ilc i i i m1rrnlirm, which ought to throw light on ali
that follow s . A fact, o r a single circnmstance le ft in obscur it y, an<!
misapprehended by th e .ind g c, may destroy th e effect of nil the arg-u 7
ment ;rnd rensou .i11g which the ~iwaker employs. If hi s nanatio11 be
im pro bah lr., the j11dg-e n·ill not rl'g·anl it; mu! if it b<! .tedious ai1<l diffuse . he w'ill· b e· tirC'd of ii, and forgei it.
2. Iq onlf'r to produce tlistinclness, IH•sides the sl ud_v of the gcnernl
i:ul~s of perspicuity whi c h were form e rl y given, narration requires .parti cu la r attentiori to a scerta in clearly th e 1111111 es, th e dal r.s, th e J.1lnces ,
and crery other material circumstance of the facts rcceurilcd.
. 3,: ·In .order to be probable in narration, it i5 material to en ter in to
the chantctcr:> of ,t h e persons of whum we speak, an<! to ~ h ow that thcit·
actions pro·ceetlcd :·rom suc h mo/ ires as arc natural, an <! -lik ely to gai11
belief.

f· ••

·

497. The next constituent part of a discourse, which we
mentioned, was narration, or explication.
Obs. 'Ve put th ese t. .v o toge ther, hoth because they fa ll nearly un1l er
the same ruli:s; and because th ey commenl_y answer the snmc pnr·pose;
se rvin g. to illu strn tc th e cau~e, or the subjc<" t of which the oraliir
treats, . before he prncec<ls to argue eith e r r;11 one side or other ; ur to
mak e ar~.Y at.I.empt for i11teres ting the passions of the hearers.
/!ht..~. I. In plci1dings nt the bnr, 1'0/'1'rtlion is often n l'<'ry important
pnrt of th e di :; coarse, and requires to he p11rticulnrly attended to. Beside~ its being in n<> ca s ~ an cnsy matter lo relate with grace and propriety, there i ~, in rin rrations at th e bar, a peculiar <liliicult,v . The
ple.;ld e r mu~t 's as nothing· but. what is true; and, at the same tim e, he
must Hl' oid say in g- 'any thing that will hurt hi s cause.
2. Th e facts wb'ic h he rel ates, arc to he the gTo ur1d-work of all his
foture r eason in g . · To recount th e·rn sons to ke e p strictly \\·ithin th e
hourHl.5 of truth; a111! · yet to prese nt them under the co lours most favo nr alile to hi ~ ca use;· to place, in the 111 ost strikin g li g ht, every cir<:ttrnsta11ce which i ~ to hi s advanta ge , 1tn1l to soften and wPaken suc h
;is rnak~ ag·a i;1st him , 1le111a11.t 111" small exertion of skill and dexterity.
' Ile· mu s t always r c nie111h.c r, that. if he di scovers loo much art, he defeats hi s own purpos e, amt cre at es a distrnst of hi s s in ceri ty .

~

. ·4 , Jn ord,P.r-.,to bo:fi~ ;tonci.Ye. as, ~hci sqbj.e.Ct wHkad11.Yit.,· i.t;i~ 1 ne~e~~a~y;:
to 1h,i'auJ ..out :all ,~ i1pe1)/lU!JUS;·d i·<:u~sHmdest'";~ th?"reje.c-1 i~n1'ol . Vi; ha~h.;~n~ .
l.i Re.wise -ten d'itbc' ma k.e ou c,u_u i·r it,t10 n \ 1110.nr·,f orc·1_blcu1n~··1:n:or¢:Cl,~.1 i;•:' -;·;,;,.

never foils to str ike th e hearers agreeahly; auil is, nt the sam.e time, of
great corn;equence towards making· ' the divisions be more easily re "
membered.

'
I

.\

• .,! O{;s; { i ; Bnt; ~hh ;resp1fot; t9 ,this , i.t ·is ,lieyoull th'e'!rn\ve1\' of .art to, 1giv~ ·
:,. ny rea .l .p.~sJst11nf~ , . i:~ A,r~ ,<:!l;rJno~ , g-o so f<t1'; ~~ -to "~11pply <\ _&peakcr.' ~~ it·h
,argt,1 _m\wt~ 'o,'!. '.~vtrY . c~u ~ ~• .1apcl S~~ ry:1 y,~r\•J <Jft i; ~ t! ~JJ ~S'/l. 1~ .,u~ ~¥< P·f!; ·~ l
('<rn\rrlcrahl ~ use ,111 a~ststlifg him to itn ange. :;u1d , e~J>I ess those, .\w_h ,~.i
· f1is lfoowlb<lg e tif tifo. sul>Jdei ' ha s' 'disbiv e'1'cd: ',~" F'or .i i" is.·6·n'd ;ih'i1ig to
di sc over the rea,son:~-. that' ar~ ; m~&t proper .'to !'c.cinYinc \} mcn; 1unrl': ·an~lther f . to, 111 ~pa9.~ tl1c~~je~·~e ns.;~'\';i~l1 .th,eil1l'.f.~'. ad.Yi<.w .ta.,.ge. 1;, 1:hc ,Jattcr
1;, a!; . that to whn~I) r!1eton~ .. c.l}!l· We~P!1H ., ;'. 't:" l : .·· .. . :i "
. <. 1 ;' i" t• '
.. ~ 2 : '~'h_e ass\sta 1i ee 1t.1~~ ,~~i1 '?l;g•~ q\1, p o~.,"'~,1h -~ ~.sr_cc! .t?}hcrn.1rt11p11,
'hitt' \t 1th >r il ~pect b the Ut.\po·s1~1on antl'cb11dltct l. rif arguments, ·may- br.
.
' d \to·: t11e
' f<;>
'II o~v1. n gt nie.t' I~o d s,...,.
. < ,, . , ( . " . ,_. • ,.,.,,,;, .,.' 1
'·rctlnce
t f•fn~t:.:~ .t-<-~hl, ,~:1;~:,·~.f .. .:...::~- 1 • !'? "'· • '.i ~'-"~\- ,
1
' ; .1

:5ogJ,:·1\~o ;diiftl1'ent ' i~cth6ds ''t1uiy b'elfrsed liy:: b'ratti'i'~ii,ti 1 the

co_mlu d : of,. their · .r,easouing. ,. The'",t.~rms· of ar~ :for,:; Wese
'iiiethods !are; . tlle:ttna/ytic/~pid 'th'e 'syntlleti& 1neth6d1a!J~;,, ·
1
7
1
• \:f iliis! i1ie a~'a tyti'B: i's thrtf iA'\~hi ~l; 'th\ ~.\hi ici~,' c·o~t<;;.ii ~· m~ ·mt1H
ti.in

· c~hc1{1iri i1'lg''th-P. · P\ii ntJ'h~ 1 isi.th pr6v6'~ til t?ihc ' haf.lfgjtli 1li1ahyru~b'figliti-l1 i~
d1ei\rers ,tp; ,:.-th~ :fl~ ~ig11.f/}is;911~.ll-Jsi.q11,.; 1 ! .i 'piey, ;Ni! r.!~<L: w1i §_tep }iy~~tep,
frW.'1,i 'HWt ·~!\O\Y;IH~f;11.!..~l 1tf, ~n\l.\~N~:,t,1H ~JiB .:q wtc\\WJ \~ 1 ~~ 1~ 1 !>,t~.ni:f.1.U!lJ~
th c m 1 ··pas •th;)io rlatural
Gon seq1.1..,nce o.t a ch am of oron,9 s 1t1 011s!
,•; .....
""' ccf,
r "' }'" f'' !.'l \ ,.,,, ,r.,... < "lf 'l .,' •"' '"''1 '1'9'f' ' · :;;t. • f"" .·i;t.:1 .- ' . ''"'1
t_;
, .... ~.
E :dtnrjile:-- ,V:hen 'ljil~ n'ten'ili'ng : rn~ prb~h thC''l:iei fig 6fn· God, s·e1 ·' out
01

22• .

.

.

-~.

T
'
:25Q

I

Conduct of a Discourse in all its Parts.

witl_1 _o~serving that c1·e r.1J tlii11g which we see in the worltl has ftaa a
begin1'.mg; ~hat what eve: has !tad n beginning.' mu st have had a 71r!or
~ause, th.at 1? lwmm1 pr orluctrons, art shown 111 the rffect, necessarily
Jnfers des1~n .m the ca11se: and proceeds leading yon ou from one ca11se
to a_no/her,. till you arrive at one supreme first cause, from whom nre
derived nil. th~! order 111111 design visible in his works.
.~·,~ Obs . .Tins ·1s m.nch the same with the Socrntic mctholl, by which
that philosopher s~lenccd the Sophis.ts of his ngc. It is a Yery artful
method of reason mg ; may be earned on with much beauty, n111l is
proper to be •!sed when. tlw hearers arc much prcjndict~d agninst any
truth, and by 1mperccpt1blc !tcps must be led to conviction. ' But there
·a.re few snbjects that will n<lmit thi~ method and not manv occasions
on which it is proper to be employed.
'
•

504. Supposing the arguments properly chosen, it is evi1~ent that their ~ffrrt. will , in i'Otll'~ tncnsnn• , dt·1w11d on th e
n~ltt arl'angcmcnt of them; so as they shall not ju~tle and
embarrass one another, but µ:ive mutual aid; and bear with

the fairest a11d fullest tlireclion 011 lhc point in view. Concerning ihis, th e fo llowin g rules nrn_y he takf.'n:
5U5. I n the Iir~t place, avoid Ulc11di11g argmnmts confusedl .v togetl1er, tl1al are of a sepa rate nature. All a rguments whatever an~ directed to pro\'C one or other of th ese
ihrec t hi ngs : .first, tliat :,;011ictl1i11 0 is true; 1;ccu111/ly, that it
is morally right or fit; or thirdly, that it is protltal>le and
gooJ.
50G. These make the three great subjects of discussion
among m:i:nkin1l; fruth, duty, and interest. But the arguments directed towards any one of them arc generically distinct; and he who ulends them all under one tupic, which
Jie calls his argum ent, as, in sermons especially, is too often~lone, will render his reasoning indistinct and inelegant.

The argumentative or ., reas?,.1.i !}f P_art.

.

-... .i.•!t\..
,- . '
· Illus. Suppose, 'for instance, that •yo,n : Are '.t-eco(l)mending to ·an audi•

1,

·1 ..

. ~ I· <

:? !

·.:.

•r,!

h

'"

your first argum.ent from . the .inward satisf~cti?n whi~h .a u ~11evolcnt .;.' ~·~t;~:
temper affords :~ · you(second, ,.from the ·obl1gnlio.n: winch the,.example \. ,"·: ·,;'.
of Christ lnys;upon you to this duty ; . nnd 'ypur·:.thh:d ? froip its tend en· '.· ...
cy to procure us the goo.d -will of; all a,rou.!iii .~us i·'.your. argtjme1i~~ ..1_1.t:.c: .-:..'
good, but you have.. arranged theni 'wrorig) ,.f.or, 'your fint. : and , ~hird 1ay;- ·~~. ,
gumenls nre taken froJn .c onsiderations '.of i:i.tercst, internal pen~e/end_~:;--'
external 'advantages ; and between . these, · you have_. mtroduced ' dne;
which rests. wholly upon· duty. "'. )'ou ~ shoµld lrnve k.ept Jhpse cla~s~wof
arguments,' which .n~<t :!1ddres.se~ ' .•~, ' d.i~er~~ ~~'p~i,n~~~le~ . ~1,i : ·h,~.m~!1;. n.~
ture ~eparate ·and d1stmcu r· l \,.-:1~· : !. :' '· ;.- ,,; , ···-- · · -· · - ' .. ·' ·

5'01. 1n · t1i~ · se:c ~n<l place, witl~ ; rcg~nl 1~ 'the ' ditferent degrees of slrengt!t' i1i' (1~rgmi 1.ents; th e gencl·al rule is, :10 advance m the way of climax, "ut au geatu r scmpe r, et rncrcscat oratio ."
.,
· ob~~ i .'· i1; i~ - ~~~C'~ifi.1t /li io

.
.. . . .
ti;~ 'c~~~~e;· ,.ylie~

.

the ~peake~h:{s a
clear cause, und is .coufident that he can pro.ve it fµll y . :He may then adventure to begin :with fecblf,r ·arguments ·; · dsing grttdunlly, und no t
pulling- forth his whole stren.g-th till the )~st, whc1~ he can trust lo his
m ak ing a successful i111press1011 on the mmds of his heurers, prepure<l
li_v what has gone \,cforc.
.
, .
2 . Bu t this rule is not to be always followed. For, 1f he •l1strmh
his cause, nnd " has but one material · argumeut : on which to h1y ·the
~tress, µntting- less confidence in the f('st, i? this case, it is often pro per
for him to pince this material nrg-umPnt 111 the front; to pre-occ11py
the hcarurs early, and make the Hron gcst effort at first : t hnt, lun·ing
r emoved pH'judic('s, and dispos ed his h ea rers to I.Jc fav ou rable, the rest
of his reasoning may be li.;!cnctl to .vi th. more candour. -.. \-\'hen it happen s, that amidst a variety ?f argumeut.s, t here are ..so.me. which we are
Rensible are more inconclusive than the rest, nnd ·ye t proper to be used,
Cicero advises to .pla ce these iu t he mi ddle, as .a station less conspicuou s than either the beginning, or t he en d, of the train of reason in g.
be

1

:Ii
I

! "'~

~';.Ji)
cnce benevolence, ·or J he love. of our' neighbour ; •·and that you tuke ·~·:~:. ...

· GOJ. _Th e mode of reasouin~ most generally used, and
most suited to the train of popu lar speaking, is \~hat ifl calle<l
the synthetic ; when the point to be proved i~ fairly l:iid
!lo,~n, and one argument after another is made to bca1: upon
1t, tdl the hearer:; Lie fully co 11 \int;ed .
Illus. Now, in all aq:;- uing; one of the first thin!!'s to be attendPd to, is.
::uno11g 1:1e vari'.1"' n1·g-1m1<'n's whid1 nrn.v orcnr~ 11pon a r:rnsr, to rn~\d
a proppr st>l cc t1on of ~nch as appear to on e's sdf th•• mos! ~olicl;
:tu u to employ tli"'P i l ' tl 1r c hirf 11wa11s nf pcrsnrisiou. J.:,·rry >JH·ak1·1·
sho nlr! pla Cf~ him ,f·\f in !li e sil uaf ioB o f a hearer , an!l 1hi11k ho"· he
wo~ltl h~ alf<'cH•d hy ,those rt>aso11s, which h e purpo;;rs 10 l'mploy for
J >Cl suad111g ~ithrrs.
J or he mus t not r.-:pect to impo'c 011 n1n11k ind by
mere ar ts o ! 'r cedi. They :ore""' so e:i< ily i111p11scd 011, ns pnhlic
s.peake1·s a rc sometimes 11pt to think . Shn•wdness anti sa~n city nre
'.''."'"' nmong all ranks; and rh c speaker may be praised fur his fine
~1 t SC <rnr se, \Vl11l e the li('arers nre 11o t yet p c r ~ uadcd of the truth of nnv
one thing he has uttered.
·

.
, ·~~:= :!.:i_::1.
Q5S~::~;,!:: ~'~;
~;:

SOS. In the third place, when our argammts are strong·
:rnd sati.'!fc1ctory, the more they are distinguished and treated apart from each ~ther: the uette.r. . Each C~ll then brar to
be lirought out by 1tsell, placed 111 its full ligh t, ampldie<l
and reflted upo11 . .· But w_hen ?Ur ~rguments arc doubtful,
and only of the presumptive kmd, 1t_1s safer to throw-them
foocther in a cro\\;d, and to run them rnto one another; that
th~ngh infirm ofthernse_lves, they may ~ervc mutually to
1>rop each other.·
·..
509 ... In the .fourth place; ~e must. observe not to e,x tend
arguments too far, and mug1ply them too mu~h. • -: If . w~ <lo,
· w~ · rather rend~r out"' cause. suspected, 'than g1ve "1t weight.
An unnece~sary 1~ultipli~itypf;argu!m~n.ts . both : burde~s·· ~lie
memory, · and . detracts from .the ·weight · of •that conv1ctwn
which a few . well;~hosen : argume.nts carry. :, : ' · · .. .. . :~; ,. ·
1
:
Obs .' It i1 to be; observcd' loo, that ill th'e amplijicatidn;of~rgmricn fs,
0

1

Q54

- ~ .. -i'\

Conduct of a ·Disco11rsc in rtll its P ai ts,

·•

a diffuse :i.1nl sprc a ding ' n_1r._lhod; h'cy"tlntl thP b(rn11ds of ren 001: abTc ii .
lustrntio!I, is alwn.p e nfcc liling-. It ta ke s bff g- rcnlly fr o m "th'lt strpn g th
and shaq' •1css "l11ch sbould he the distinguishing charnctcr of'thc ar &" unu•ntativ·c part of a di;;coursc. \\'hP.n a speak er dwell s lon g on a
. _f;uot!ntc nq; um c nt, arnl seeks!" turn it into et·~ ry pns,il>I~ li1~ht, it 111m.ost nl\\:ay·s happens, thnt, fat1 g 11r<I with lite effort, he lo ses the spirit
. . w~th '~' h1ch h;, se t <:ut, ancl co11cl11dcs with .fei:hlcnrss what li<! hcgn n
with forc e .· lhc1:c 1.< a prnpcr t e mperance m reasoning; as there is in
other P.tll' ts <if a dis.-:ourse.
., · :
: ·
·

· 5 Lo. A(ter due atlenti~m given to the proper arrano-c~
~neut of argument s, ~Yhat 1s next requisite for their succ~-;s,
IS, to express, _
them 111 such a style, and to deliver them in
s,u ch a manner; as shall give 1he1-l1 full force.
..
. 5'! L : ,V_e now proce~a to another essential part of , Jiscourse, winch was 1nent10ne(l as the firth in order, that is the
l'ATHE·pc ; in whir.Ii, if any .where, : el~H1ucpcc reigris, 'and
exerts .its power. ·
·
.
.
: ,
.
512. On the head of the pathetic; the followin•Y directions

~

I'
I.
,\
..~I
. '
·,'

.. r

. ' '. 514. I 11. the secorul place, never · to set apart a ·head of.. a
~hscoursc m forlll, for raising any passion; never give warh' mg that JO~ are ab~ut to be pathetic; •::mil call i.1pon, your
!i;a.rers, as is some:1~nes done; to follow you in the attempt.
llus almost never Jails to prove a refrigerant to passion ..·, It

·

,_ :(!; .

t! :•

'

. u1 · -:~ >.;.,; f' ·· ~ ?-tl~ l ·· ·~

... ~

,,,

· ·...:\ ~1..;i.; !·)rl .,y

puts ·the h~a.r~r~ .un m~,'!1.t:~l ~- ,9,? 'i t~\11.11:"1 gu,a.r~~)~,11~-.,9.1.~.P.8-~,es~
them for cnticismg, tnuch more than for being moved~:·} :·~%:,
. Obs'. . 'Ihe);~~i_~:e~t

m~t,h ?4 :~{ fn~a-~ih~··~i'.t{~hi},s~.\'q~~:'iti}.k~y)~;'he,.

W,i;

su.cc,es~ft!.1, )Vhen y~~twz.ei
~r~\1p1l .W.\:if!!~N.,t.~<t~ .1s,fa~o~\p~b,\c. :
to emot1011, , 1~1 , wh~tev~r .P.a\"! o.(1 ~hc_ ~l~!i.C.QU[fi!: : 1J~p~c~r""s" ;~111~i ~.?.P'i...~f~!J,

m 9 re

?ne pr~p:irat1ou, tnr<:w 111 , s~1c.;~1 .,c!~·q1p1s,~n.~!\~' ~ml P.r,~s~m.•~µ_c.h. glo!f:1·

rn ..

'

.'

·

515. In:· the 1 thi~1(: plUce;' it. is i necessary ·to,observe; : ti1~t
there i~ a·great: differen_ce betwe~lr showing the hear~rs that

thc.r ought t9 ~e,"t,~~o.y~~·; ~tt~ ,ao.t~<,lll,fnip~ftff.th~.~}· ::;·_:o ~', :/,· ,
· Illn.~ .. To every emotion o~ passion, naiure ha~ adapted . a set of corresponding, •objects; ,and;. without setting jhese. uef.orc the·: mind1 ' it is
not in the ·power .of any .or ii.tor •to raise that, emotiei11 ;"•. -J ; am ·warmed·
with gratitude, ·l : nm .touche<l -with·,, compassion; .11of1whe11 · a ~peaket .
shows me that.these are noble . dispositio'us, i anq tliat- ; it' ·is my, dut-y to •
feel them.; or, '.w h~,I] . h!\~.-;r.cl;~i,i:n.~ :~~ga\~1st;~~~e, f<::~· ~?JY. ~(l.?~t\~!·c,nc~ ~nd
coldness. All · this ~11ne, ' he ' 1s speakmg . otily lb: my tea.:.orl or :consci1,ucc. He ltnust describe .'the kindness"li 1id ffendCt'iiess'· of·rnyfricnd ;
he mnst set.Lefor~ _mn the ,distress. suffered by,)her1~er.s<?n f9r whom. he
would inten,st me; then,·. and not till .t.h e.n; . my'J,1enrt .. begins ,,to be
touched, my gratitude ,or.· my :compassio.11 ·pegius .t!) flow. , .· : - _,
Sclwliwn. , Th~ folrnrlatio,1, -thercfor .P;, · of. aq succes~ive execution in
the wrty of pathetic oratory is, -!.o paint :the bhjcct ~f .that pa~sion which
we wish to niise, -in the_ most natural aud striking- 111a1111er; to Llescrihe
this object with · such circumstances as ar.e likely .t o awaken in tho
mind• of others the passion.which w,~ . wis_h, to . J·ais~. .E;,·ery pas_g ion is
most strongly exci~e~I by sensation ;._as. a.nge_r .uy the fecling: ..i;>f an injtuy, or the presence of the i11jurcr; -. N e 'it to._thc . i11~lucuce . ot.·~cnse; . is
that o(mem9ry; , aud next to memory, is th!) inqueQce of the imagina1io1J. ' Qf. this ' piHVCr'; thcrcfoJ;C·j fl re' Ol'Uto'r' nii:t'sl RVRil hJimerf, ~Oas to
~trike the . iiiiagin:ition ·. of. the <hearers '; \\·ith · Ci f cumstllnces ;.which, .. in
lustre and steadinf;ss, r.csemble. thos.e . 1 ~f, seps_ati<?,~ ~~! ~ f ~ rnenl,_br'l1lC~.
·1
•
·
•
I n 01· d er ~o ~c.cqn1p l.1',s I.1.. t I.
us, .. ;·'..:' ,.,1:.: .•.. ·,.n<~:ht'ri~,.f,-i_Y:~jJ:•<fn-~~~
.i .

i,:

I. .To determine the~e pnints belongs to go od ~c11se; . fur it
. c'v1de11t, that there. are many sul.~ects w\1jch admit no.I the pathetic nt
. a!I, and that C\' c n 111 those ' that are susc<·ptible of it,an attempt to ex.cit<; the pas3ions in the w1:011g place', may expose an orator. to ridicuk .
.,\IJ that can he s<1id in general is, that if we cxpect ·any emotio 11 which
.we raise to have a L"sting elT"ccr, we mu s t be careful to hrinrr
,·er to
0 0
o·.n··. side, in the first plac<>, the undc1·,ta11di11g· and jutl .. 111 ent.
2. The h e arers 1111! :; t lrn convince tl that 1herc <lre o·o~d and snflici ~ 1 ;t
g roirnd s for thei1' ·c1i te rin ;j'with warmth iulr> the cal~e. They niust be
a hie to' justif:v ·to the1mel" es the pn ., s ion which the y feel; · a~d renrni 11
f;<itislie<l . that 'they <ire not carried away l>v mcrc . del~1 s io11. · . 1
..
3 . Unl_c;s tlwir minds he bro,ugh.t into i.his slate, ;1lt/!011gh thqy n;ay
have l.iecn heate,1 by the orators di scourse, yet, as soon as he ce<iscs to
· speak, !~icy '~' iii rcsu'.ne the.ir on l i1~ai·y ton<' of thought '; a1ul the ~ 11 \o: t101i which he has raised \VIII produce·.no effect. · · · ' · ·
·, ; .. , ..
· . 4. · Hence most writ e rs a.s.• igu the pathetic to tlie peroration or con' d11sio11, '}S .its ua'.ural pl? c c. ; a:Hl, n~ doultt; . ail other . thing~ bcin'g
erptal, this 1s th e 11npres~1n11 that 011e would chu se to make la !> t, lca\'ing· the lllill(lS of the h ~ nrPJ ' S W:lnn e d wi!h _th e s ubj ec t, ftf!ri· ';, i' g liTl l(' Ut
' and rensri11ing had produced . their full. cffcc~ :• Lut whereve,1:l it ·is fotro.<luced, ·obscrvi•, .
.,
, ·
· · ·: ·. ', · . .
·. · .:',; . .. 1• .,.

'-:' ' ' · f : ·r ! .. • h ~ .. . ::

,, .

iss'/

_111g 1magqs, ns m."Y. l1!~dJc: J.U~1.~,-R.'.}~.~~~p~ p!'f~~~}he~".?~e ,n~a_rr;.~i·T~1,s~
~~n oft~~ti I.Jc <101\e.moi;e h~\PP.11y.,
a.Je\V s_~~t.e11 ~~,s -.1_1}SP,ff~~ ,f~~R,~!''V';
1al wa11_11th, t)rnn m, a k>1]g_. ~~d 1 ~t,u~l_1cd. 3:d~,~~~8-·~~<"·'.~-i ,,, .,, ' ;'r"''· ':.: ... ,,.,,

maybefound-usefol.
·
· · · . · . ~ .. · · ··
. . 513. The first is to consider carcful!v, whether ihe suuject admit the path~tic, and _render it pr~iper; and if it does,
.wha_t part o~ the lhscourse 1s the most proper· for attemptrng it;
· · · ··
· ·
·
· ·

., _Gbs.

'ifli/p
' a·t'he'ti~\jJifrt:,~.'.:;1iS·· :j<\!;'
"!"

:.;~.

·

.

ii!i

~ 16.

dn, the.fourth pl.ace, the.01;1.1 y,.,eff~c fo n.l.inetho.tl,is,~ to
;JOU rse!ves. ;~ 'J:herei· ~r~ ·. a JhQ~s.aritl~..,i.n,tei:cs~ing ,
circu mstance.s, suggeF>te~l: by,xeal: pass~Q,11;:".: wh,ich a1_0 ,. art; ,c~n
imitate,, and no retine.m~nt , can , supply,-: ~~!~; l1er,e i~. oqvipmil y
contagion among .the IJUSSio118; r,·1>1'f_r.1 tt,~·. 1-,I· • · · ·~,, : ' ;;: iir,.1m ,.

be . ~npved

a
\

.,1

I Ob$." ' The intr.l·nal c;notion 'o' f ihe s~1c a k d_r'. ndds.. pn1hos 'to Jiis "wbrds'
hiR lpoks,_'. liis ' gesturcs; · a11d his whole iuai1!ic1-,": ', whid1 cxcrls . a po ~·l.·r
;di~1ost 'irresistible ' over those who ' hear' him'..' '.·liuf,01qhi11 )ioint, lhptigh
the m~st mnteria.1 'o f all, we shall not insist, :·.~s '' 1111 attc!Dp·t.s ~?l\'.a~_ds
l.iecommg· pathetic, when we .are not ·· 111oved :· ourselves, ·expose ·us to
ccrt~in ri<lic~1Ie : ::.·/~:. . ·:- · :\fn· : ,~ ~1·:-.' l >t~:~· \-=·,:~i· · :-:,. 1 : r ·.·~; . . ;r,·,~~ )r· .1' ) .~·~;_t:·::

a

· · 517.;; In '.the· fi~th .> place; : il: :ci;;: nece'ssriry i to"atte'nlht6 •th~
proper language-;.of. th:eI passions~· },,Ve.' should obseiive ·rin

i

what rpann~r 1 any. one. expi·esses .himself who )is .under'Jho

{

\
I

...

..
. l

25q

Conduct of a Discourse in all its Parts.

1

~

•

.

pcr~ri+tlon. ~·

lllu1. L It mny be nnimntcd, indeed, with bold and strong figure~,
but it n·ill have no ornament or finery. He is not at Jei~nre to folloW'
?ut the ~)lay ofima!(·inn.tion.
His mind being wh&lly ~eizcd by one object, which has heated 1t, he has no 1•ther 11im, but to reprdcnt that in
all its circumstances, ns strongly ns he feels it.
2. This must he the sty le of the orator when he would be pathetic ·
;i..IHl this will he his style, .if .he sp~aks from real feeling; bold, ardent:
snnple. · No sort of dcscript1on will then succeed, but what i8 written
" foncnfo cal a mo." 1f he stay till he can work up his style and polish and aclorn it, he will infallibly cool his own nrclnnr ; nn'd then he
w.i ll toueh the hen rt no more. His co.mpo~ition will heco111e frigid; it
will b e the language of one who descnbc~, hut who docs not feel.
a. \Ve must take notice, that there is n great difference between
painting to the imaginat:ion, an<l painting to the heart. The one may
he done coolly and at lc15ure : the other must always . be rapid nnd ar·
(lent. In the former, art. and labour mny he sufl'crc<l to nppenr; in the
latter, no effect can follow, unless it scrm to be the work of nature only.

518. In the sixth place, avoid interweaving anv thinr,.
of a
0
foreign nature with the pathetic part of a discou1:se. ,
Obi. 1. Beware of all digressions, which may interrupt or turn Midc
ihe natural course of the pn,sion, when once it hcgins tu rise and s\vell.
2. Sacrifice all beauties, however bright and showy, which woul<l
divert the mi1Hl from the principal object, and \vhich would amuse the
imagiuatiuu, 1·atlicr than touch the heart..
3. llcnce comparisous arc always daugerons, and generally yuitc
imprope1·, in the midst of passion.
4. Beware c n•n of r easoning- 11n~r·asonably; or at least, nf carrvlni:
on a long an<I s nhtile train of rensoning, on occl!sions when the prind ~
pal aim is to excite warm emotions.

519. In the last place, never attempt prolonging the pathetic too much. \Varm emotions arc too violent to be la'lting. ~t~1d_y .the proper ti1?1e of making a retreat; of inaki11g
a tra11s1tion from the pass10natc to the calm tone; in «uclt ii
manner, ltoweH~~·, as to <le.sccnd without falli~g. by kct>ping
up 1hc same stram of sentmient that was earned on before.
though now expressing it with more moJeration.
·
Obs. Al.Jove all 1lti11g·s, beware of strainiurr passion too far 1, of at.tempting to rnii;e it to unnatural hci~hts. l'r('servc ahvnys n due regard to what the hcn_r<'rS will bear; and remember, th;it h.e who slops
11.ot at the proper. po_mt; wl~o attempts I.<~ carry them farther, in passion, than they w1ll lollow l11m, dc~troy~ !us whole 1lcsig-n. lly clllleavouring· to warm th c1r1 too mu ch, he takes th e mosl cfle-ctnal i;tethod of
freezing them completPly.

5:20. Cu11cer11i11g the PEROH ,\TION on co~cLu~TON, it is
11eetlless to say 111ud1, bPcausc it must vary so considernl>ly,
nccording to the strain of the preceding discourse .
·
(Jbs. l. Sometimes the whole pathetic part comes in nwsl properly

'<;-r'

.': ~/'

-257·

~as ·~ee~~fl1tlr~ly.

1

.l\fihc
i Sometim.e s il.wfi21i .the' dl s; o:;;c :
' ' tugumcntuti\·e, ' it . is ' fit to :tonclu<le with·:summing•up •lh_!'! arguments~
placing 'them in one ,vi!'w;·a nd lcav.in'g the ;in1pressidn 1ofthem full ind
strong 01). the mind of.the ,nu~ien!=e. ~,, fo1: th,e g~e,~t fll~'"· PfJ'l c..pnc!u~i,on,
anti what nature obv1ou~ly , suggest,s, 1s to .place t.~int}.i~~~ ,o~ , ~~1!~~1 .'Ye
cl1ilosc· that ~he strength ..of ~>Ui· _·c u use should. rest.- ; : ' _· • ·· · · ~ • _ ••· •· .
· 2." [n sernions, inference$ frol'n 11vliat:p,as 1b_e cn'·satd; 'make. n~ common
conclusion. : But in(erences'.! to j',l'ise.• '.,patu.r,! illy, _shouJJ.,s.o/ nrnch c11g1.',e e
. w.ith ; tl~e .st min of senti.W~P.~: H,1so~1g~oN ,t~c,4~s.~p~1rs~,' ,ns no~ to. ~,t:~!lk
th~ unity ,of t~1e serm~n,
~r, .1n~e1:ic,~~~,s.. .!Jow JUS~l,Y soe:v!'r _1;hc~•.J;~1,ay
be, · deduced from 'the doetrme · of the ·text, y e t ·11ave a had t'llecl, tf,: at
th~ conclusion of a ''dist:bursc;' they 'infroducfi some subject' altogether
new, and turn off . our··. au::ntion · froni . the ,main object.· to ,whicb the
preacher had di.rec.t c.d , <;>ur t11i:ii.1ghu : . ,They. appear, ., in this cnse, like
excrescences jutting out from the bod.v, and ·forming an . unnatural addition .to it ; they tend .to enfeeble the /mp.ress\on,' w,l,1.i ch; _thc c.~mposi­
tion, as a whole, is calcnlntcd to , make ~ ·.- ,.·._-;.,. · ._- .;, •., ; · 1 .' · .' ·- . .
Sclwlium. Jn every discourse, it is :a matter <;>fnup~rtance to 111t ~.he
precise ti1w•' of concluding; :so as to_ bring· o_ilr .subject just to a point ;
neithr>r ending abrupt/y and une'.'pectc<lly ; ,1io1· disappointing th.e expect.a tion of the hearers, ·W-hc.\1 .thr>y . l?<:>k/~r the pl.u se; · nnd co~ti1~1~ing
to hover round tttHlrouml .tlte condu~ion, ~ill_~hey become h.~artily t1refl
of ui . \V c ~honld endeavour to go off with a ·good gr{tce ;· not to, c;n<l
with n languishing and draw.ling sentence ; but to close with dignity
and ~p irit, that we . may Jauve the minds of the henren; warm; .i.1Hl
· <lismiss them with a favourable impressi.on qf. the subject 111H.I of thu
speaker. .
i ·'r , _
· · .. ' · · ·

>-if

CHAPTER
VI.
.
,
.
\

'·'
I

~

1
) ' • 1 ~-: ~

;"

' '

t.. ~ ._. (.

HISTORICAL 'WRITI~G;..'• : ,,·:·.:_ ~ -·' ''.. ,.
•"

, '. , · • i

. ·,

' .. , • ', ' l •

•

I

.

.. -Rig'torica!-JT'Vi·iting. .
1

power .of a real nnd a strong passion; and we shall always .
liIHI his lauguage unaffected and simple.
.

~·.. ··, .;~ '.:7•~

. i •. -

'·. ;

>' . - •.

;.'.· ": : I_. i

·~

... . ' . ,

«' ·
~.', I" ;

<(

$2l. AS it is the otlicc of an orator to penmadc, it is t!iat
of an ms·pon1AN to record truth.for the instruction of mankind. ThiR is the proper ol~ject and ewl of history, from
which may be deduced many of the laws relating to its com~
1)osition; "a rnl if this ob,icct were always kept in view, it
would prevent many of the. errors into which persons arc
apt to. fa![ CO!lCerning this species OffOH1position. · fJbs .. 1\s the primary end of history is to . _record truth, impnrliality,
jidclil!f, and rtccurrtC!f arc the funda1_1H,n tal qualities of an historian '. IJe
must neither be a pancg-yrist nor a _satirist. He must not enter int()
fH.clion, no1· g·ive· scope to affpctiori /b ut,. ' contemplatinq past even ti
and characters ·with a cool and dispassionate eye, rnust present to his
1·eaders a faithful copy ot human nature.

522. Historical co1~po,.,iti ~1;1 is u1Hlcrstood to comprehend
unJer it, annals , memoirs, lives . . · But these are its inferior
sn1l0nlinate specie:-;, on which we shall here11.fter make some

~r"' ·

·'~

29$

llistorical 1f'r iting.

\ Historical ·Writing .... .,.

·. reflect.ion s, \vhen w ~ shall ha ve first con sid ered what uelottg8
. to -·a regula1' work of history. Suc h a work is chi efl y of tw o
• kinds. Eithci· th e entire hi story llf som e state or ki1igdom
· through its lliffercnt revolutions, such as Livy's Rom a n History; H um e ~s Hi story of England ; or th e history of some
-- one gre11t ev ent, or some porti~n or period of tim e whi ch may
. be consi<l cred as ma king a wh ole by itself; such as Thu cy. di<l es's Histor_y of the P cloponnesian \Var, Davila 's History
. of the Civil 'Vars of l<'rance, or C l;ire nd on's of those of
England ; Robertson ' s History of Charl es_.V .
Obs. I. I n th e co nd uct an d man age m ent of hi s suhj ed, th e fir~t at tenti o n ' 1·eq ui site in an hi stori a n, i3 to gi\' e it ns mu ch unity as possibl e ;
that i~ , hi s hi sto ry should not co n sis t o f se pa rate un co nn ec ted pnrt 8
m er ely, but ~ h o u l d l> e l>ouud to ge th e r hy som e co nu ec tin g p r in cipl e,
whi ch ! ho.II m a k e on th e mind th e impression of so m e thing th a t is on e,
whol e nnd e nti re .
' ' 2. In ge ne ral hi stori es , whi ch r ccorcl th e affa irs o f a wh ole nati on or
C'JUpirc throu g ho ut several a ges, thi s unity will be more im pe r fec t.
Y et eve n tlw r c , so me <l eg-re c of it c an he prese r ve d l>y a sk ilful 1'l'rit e1-.
r or thou g h th e whol e , tak en to g-eth er, he VC' ry COlllJll Cll, JC I th e g r ea t
con sti tuent p nrt s of it fo rm so rn nny sub o rdin a te wh oles, " -h e11 t a k en
by th e m~ c lve s ; eac h of whic h c an be tr e ated b o th ns co mpl ete withi n
it self, >tnd a s co nn ected with w ha t go es b e fo r e an d fo l1 01v s.
Illus. 1. In th e hi story o fa mon a rch, fo r in slnn cc, eve r y r eign shoul 1l
h ave its o wn unit y; a beginnin g, a m itl11l e , n nd a n encl , to th e sy stem
o f affair s ; whil e, at th e sain e tim e , we nre t a 11 g ht to di sce rn ho w th at
sys tem o f a ffa irs ro se fr o m th e preccdiag, a nd how it is in se r ted into
wh a t follow s. \Ve should be a bl e lo trace a ll th e sec r et links of th e
elm.in, w hi c h b inds tog-eth er r e mote and se e mi ngly un co nn ected C\'Cnt s.
2. In som e kin g doms of E urop e, it " 'as th e pla n o f m any s u c c e~ s i v c
princes to 1·edu ce th e p owe r of th eir no hl cs; n11 d duri11 1-'. se ,·ernl r eig ns,
m oi l of th e lead ing ac tion s h at\ a rcfe r r n c •~ to thi s r,n d . In o th e r
~ tnt c!, the ri sin g p owP.r o ft he Co 11nn o11s influen ced, for a tract of tim <»
th e course nnc\ co nn ecti on of p ubl ic a ffairs .
- 3 . Amon •T-th c H om an s , the lcn rli ng prin cipl e was a g ra d ua l cxten - _
s io n of c on~p1 es t , and th e at! a in111 e11t of u ni ve r, nl e m pire . Th e co n _t inual in c r ea s ~ o f t he ir powe r , ndvQ.11 ci11 g t o wan ls thi s c11d fr om sm Rll
ueainnin gs , and hy a sort o f rq;·ul a r prog- ressiv" phn1 , fu r ni sh ed to
J, i ~y a happ y suuj ect for historical unit y, in th e m idst of a g reat Ta r iety of tran sacti o ns.

523. In ord er to fulfil the end of hi story, the auth or mu st
s tu<ly to trace to their spring" th e action s and cYcnts whi ch
he reco rds. Two things are especiall y necessary f or hi s <lo ino- thia su ccesPJ uil y ; a thorou gh acqu ainl a.11 cc with human
natu re, rtn<l poli tical knowl etl g;c, or acq11 ;ii11 fa nce with government. Th e form er is necessary to accou nt fo r th e con(lu et uf in d ividuals, a 11 d to givr ju st Yicws pf theit· (·bx:\ct er; the la.tter i n acc.onn t for the revolu ti-. ms of p:on •rn ment,
nnil the ope ration of politi cal causes on publ ic alfairs. Both

259

~

'•

-

mu.st concur, in_order to forn~ a completely instructive his~
tonan.
· · -·
_·:
-,r '
f: - ' · - -,
. 524. The first requisites of historical narr~tion,
clear ~
ness, 01·der, and clue connection. To attain these, the -historian must be completely master of his subject; he must see
t he whole as at one view; and comprehend the chain and de.:.
pendence of all its parts; that he'"may introduce every thing
m its prope~· place.; that he may lead us smoothly along .the
t ract o~ affa1.rs which .are recorded, and m.ay always give us
t he sahsfactwn of seerng how one event anses out of another.
~V itho'-! t thi~, there can be neither pleasure .nor instruction,
m readmg lnstory.
·
· _
> •.;_

I

I

I

are

• Obs. Mu ch for thi s end will d e pen.d on th~ observance of that unity
111 th e ge ne ral plan and conduct, which has already been recommende 1l . Mu ch too will d e p end on th e proper management of transitions.
This forms one of the chie f ornaments of this kind of \vriting, and is
o uc of the mo st difficult in execution. ' Nothing tries an historian's
a hiliti es more , than so to lay his .train ' beforehand, as to make us pass
na tu rally and agree a bly from one part of his subject to another ; to :
e mploy no dum sy and awkward junctures ·; and to co ntrive \va ys and
m e an s of formin g some union amon g transa ctions, which seem to
most w idely sepa rated from one an other . -. ' - '_ · ·
·
"

. .;

be

I
1

. 525. In the ~ext place, as. history is a very dignified species of composition, gravity must al ways be maintained iri
t he narration. There must be no meanness nor vulgarity
in the style : no quaint, nor colloquial phrases ; no affectation of pertness, or of wit. The smart, or the sneering manner of telling a story, is inconsistent with the historical character.
' ·
Obs. O n occasions wh ere a light and ludicrous anecdote is proper
t o be re co rded , it is g en e rally b etter to' thr_o w it into
note , than
to hazard b ecoming too fa1niliar by introducing it into the body of the

a

.

~~.

526. Rut an historian may possess these qualities of be-

ing perspicuous, distinct, an<l grave, and may notwithstanding be a <lull writer; in which case we shall reap little benefit from his labours.

~'

.,

,•.

Obs. \Ve shall r ead him withont pl easure ; or, most proba bly, we
s hall s oon give over r eadin g him a t all. He must therefo r e study to
r e nde r his na r r a t.ion inte re stin g ; whic h is the qua lity that chiefly di stin g u i ~r1e s a writer of g e ni us and eloquence .
-

527. Two things ~re especially conducive to this ;- the
first is, a just medium in th e conuuct of na rration, between
a ni pid or crowded recital of facts, and a prolix detail. The
fo rmer embarrasses a11d the latte r tires ns.
Olis . 1. A1J histori a n that would in terest us 1 must know when to be

23

-.

.,.

.f

~
Historical JVriting-.•
concise, and where he 011ght to en lflrgc ; p:i~ ~ ing- co n cisciv (i 'lf. 'f
slight and unimportant events , but dw ell ing o n Sll<' h a s nr e striking antf
c onsid e rable In th ei r nature, or pr rg 11 a11t with co 11s Pq11Pnc es; pr e par ~
ing b efo re hanrl our attention to them, <1nd briu g iu g them forth into
the rnfl st full and com;picu o us li g ht .
·
2 . The n ex t thin g he mu st attend to, i5 a proper sPlcction of th e circ,umstauc es b e lon g in g t<_> th o.se eve_n~s wh ic h he c h.onsc~ to r ela te fully .
Gen.era! facts make a sligl.'t 11npress1on 011 the mmd. It is by m eao s
of circumstances a nd parti culars properly c hosen , th a t a narration becomes intcns ting and affec ting to the read e1·. Th es e give life body
and colon ring to th e r ecital of facts, and r.nahlr. us to b e hol<I tl1 cm n;
present, and passin g before otn- eye s. It is this employment of circ umsta nces, in narration , that is properly termed hi~toricnl ]m inting.

528. The ancients employed one embellishment of histo ry ~hich the .moderns Ii.ave laid aside,. namely, orations.
winch, on weighty occas10ns, they put rnto the mouths of
some of their chief personages.
Obs. 1. By means of these, th ey diversified th c i1· history; they con·
veyed hoth moral a nd political instruction ; and, by the opposite ar g uments which were employ ed, lh ey gave us a view of the sentiments of
(\iffere nt parties.

2 . . Orations m.rif he an e mb ellishment to history ; snch might als o
poe tical compos1t1ons be, when inti·od uccd und e r th e name o f som e of
the p e rsonages rncntion e <I in th e n a rr at ion, who wer r. known to have
possessed poetical talents. But neither can the one nor the other find
a prope r pl ace in hi story .
~· Instea d of i11se1·tin g formal orations, th e m ethod adopt ed by later
write r s seems better a nd more natural ; that of the hi stori an on so m e
great occasion, deliveri;1 g, in his own pe rson, the sentiment; a nd r easo nin gs of the opposite p a rties, or th e s ub~tan ce of what was und e r r. tood to be spoken in some public ass em bly ; whkh he may do without
the liberty of fi ction .

. 52.9. The drawing of .characters is one of th e most splen-

tl11..J, and, at the same tune, one of the most diflicult orna ·
m en ts o!·hi s torical composition. For characters are ge neral ly consH.lered as 1wofessed exhibitions nf fine writiiw · ancl
.
.
h
b '
an I11stonan w _o see~s to shine in them, is frequently in
dan~er of carrymg refineme11t to excess, from a desire of appeanng very profound and p ~ netratin g.. He bring ~ ~ogct her
so many contrasts, and subtile oppos1trons of qualities, that
we a!·e rath e r tlaz7.l ed with sparkling expressions, than cntedamcd with any clear conccptiou of a human character. ·
Obs . A writer who wo11lfl c hara cte ri se in 1111 instru ctive and masterly manner, s h o ul~l b e simpl e in his sty le, <1ncl sh ou ld avoid all quaintn ~s:~ a nd affectation ; .at the sa me tim r. , n o t co 11tcnti11g him se lf with
g 1v.111 g 11s ge11 e ral outlm~s ? nly, bnt desce ndin g into thos e pec ulbriti e s
wl11d1 mark a c haracter 111 its mo st ~trong and <li ~ tinctiv e features. Th e
nr ef'i c hi sto ri a ns sometim es l'ivc e 11log- iu111s , hut rnrelv draw full and
profcs~\"d c h a ract er s. Th e tw o an cient authors who. hav e laboure d
this part of hi ~t ori ca l comp osition 111os t, arc Sa llust and Tncil. us .
·

J

'\

11:Jemoirs.

261

r .•

• ··.

J;-' ... :~:~ ~ ... ;:_
· .. 5SO. As history is a species of writing designed for the/. ;_;:· :;
i nstruction of mankind, sound morality should always reign" ,
~·:-

. • ~ .1'

.

i n i.t. Both in describing characters, an~l in relating trans- : '
a ctions, the authorsh.ould always show ,hunself to be on the .
s iue of v:irtue~
' ··
· ·
~. · .· ;· ·: .; '· ·

Obs. 1. To ~eliver moral instruction in a formal manner, falls ,nbt
within his province ; but both as a goo~ man, and as a good writei·,
we ex pect that he should evince -sentiments of respec ~ fo,r virtue, and
;:;i. n indignation at fla g rant v.ice.
· ·
'
·
', · ' ·;. . . ·.
2 . To appr.ar µeutral and indifferent l\'ith respect to good and bad ;•: :.;:.fr::c
c haracters, and to affect' a crafty and political, rather than a moral
·.· ,t.
turn of thought, will, besides other bad effects, derogate greatly .from ..)i'~~:.,
~. he weight of historical _ compo~ition, and will render the s~rain of it.». J ~);,.:;
~nuch more colcl and u11111terest111g. \.Ve are always most mterested : • ;{~~
i n the transactions which are relating, when our sympathy is awaken. - ·'~ '~~~li:l
e d by the story, when we become engaged ·in ·the· fate of the actors . .
llut thi s effect can n ever be produced ..by a wciter -':"ho. ii .deficient i11· :., '~-·
sensibility and moral feeHng.
. '. -; •· '. :1 • i.'' ·;~ 'r, '•:.'
. ·., '. •. i- ' •; \
•..,J
• ~\I"

•ft·.

'

•

•

,

I'

'

•

.,.

,-

531. MEMorns denote a sort of composition~ in which ' an ;·'·,
a uthor does not pretenu to give · full ,i nformation of all the
· '.
fac ts respecting tne period of 'w hich he writes, but only to
relate what he himself had access to know, or what he was
c oncerned in, or what illustrates the conduct of some person. ·
or the circumstances of some ·transaction, which he chooses
fo r his subj~ct.
Obs. 1. From a writer of memoir~, th erefore,· is not ex pected · the
profound research, or enlarged information 1 as from a writer of
h istory. He is not s ubject to the same laws of unvarying di gnity and
g ravity. He may talk fre ely of himself; he may descend into the
mos t familiar aneedotes. \Vhat is chiefly requir ed of him is, that he
be s prightly and interesting ; and, especially, tha·t he inform us of
things t hat a.re useful and curious; by <:onveying to us some sort of
k nowledge worth the acquiring.
,
2. This is a spec icr. of writing very e nti cing to such as lo ve to write
c on cerni ng th emse lve s, and conceive every transaction in which they
l1ad a shRre, to b e.of singular importance. There is no wonder, th e refo r e, th a t a nation s o s prightly <lS th e Fnmch should, for more than
f.wo c e nturi es past, h ave bee n po uri ng forth a whole flood of memoirs;
t h e greatest part of whi ch are. little b etter than agreeable trifl es.
3. The m emoirs of th e Duke of Sully, in th e state in whi ch tlH'Y arc
11ow given to the pt1l>lic , hav e gr eat m erit, and d ese rve to be m en tione d with particular praise . No 111imwirs approach more nearly to the
usefulness , a nd the dignity of u full auth e ntic hi story. Th ey h ave the
peculiar advantage, of giving us a bea utiful di splay of two of th e m o~t
illustrious characters which history presents; Sully him self, one of the
a bl r.s t and most incorrupt ministers, a nd Henry IV. one of the greatest
and most amiable princes of modern tim es. Dr Blair says, that he
know s few books more full of vi r tue and of good sense, th a n Sully's
.Memoirs ; few 1 ther efore, more prope1· to form b o th th e head s a nd the
liearts o f such as nr( dcsignctl for public business, and actio n, iu · the
worlr.I,
~ame

.....
.

Of' P !tilosophical ff7riti11g.

Biograp!ty.

Obs . 1. F or a writ e r o f lh·c s m ay d esce nd, with p ro pri e t y into mi llltl c c irc um s t a n c e s, a nd fa mil i:u i1w id P11t .< , It i~ <'xpect~'ZI tha t h e
s ho.uld g ive th e pri vate, as w e ll as th e pnuli c li fe, o f th e p e r so n w ho se
ne t ion s h e r eco rds ; n ay, it is fr o m private l ife fro m fa m ili a r do m esti c , a nd see min g ly tr ivial occurre n ces, that w e ~ftcn re c e ive m~s t li g h t
i nt o t h <i rea l c h arac te r.
2 . ln this s p ec ies o f w ritin g , Plut a r c h ha s n o s mall me rit. ; rrn1l t o
l1im ~v es t.and ind ebted fo r mu c h ? f th e k no wl e d g•~ tlwt w e po s~ess , co n ce rn m g. s e ~ e ral o f th e most e n~ 111 c nt pe r so n ngc s o f a11l irp1ity. Hi s
ma tt e r• ~, md cc tl, better than Ins m:rnncr ; as li e calllwl lav cl a im 11>
;i n _v pcctt linr lwn 11ty o r c lr•r•· rir1c<'. I I i< j111lg nw11t t no, r1111l hi~· it •·ut nH·\,
lt av~ somc t inH's i.Jcrn tn x 1~ d ; h11 t " ha l'-" ·1: 1· defects of this ki11d 11" , .. ,;y
h e liabl e to, h rs L iv"' o f Emiw•nt Me n will a lways he <:o r~8idcn· d as:-,
•

a.

He is 1·ema r kah le for h ei11g- o n e o f thf' mo<t lllllllf\llP of all il·w
w r ite rs o f nn li 'l11ity; lc s.s dr1zzlr1\ t lr;111 ni:111y of' tJ. 0,, 1 nr •·. 11 illi lhe
exp lo its o f va lour a11 d a 111 h iti o11 ; n 11ri fi1111l. of di•p l'lv·iP'.!·· 11is :.:1 ea t
men f. o us, in thr. m orP g <' n t lr ligh t s of n~ tir PtnCnt and p;·il'ate li li :. ·

. 533. A r_c:ry ;peat . i111prn>c1nc~1~ i1as, uf late

}1'.;11 ..; , hl' "ll.

l ~l tro du cc d m_to l11 stoncal c1_11 11 p os 1 tw1 ~ : 1ia1 11 l'ly , a 111 nrP par -

ticula r att e n t ion than w as !orn1 erly g iven to laws, customs,
commerce, rcligfon, literature, an d cYerv 11thcr subject lli at.
te nd s to :;how lhe spir it a 11d ge11ius

or rn~iio11~.

.

(Jhs. ] . It i:.o. I HI\\.' 1111 df!l''fo f Hi to h t_• l l H ht1,it1f''"' nf a11 :dile hi~tnri: 1 11 .
to cxhibrt rna1111ers, a s •H:ll a s facL; a11d 1:vt· 1Jts; a11 d , a.;" 1r.,dh· , "·h:it :
0vr 1· rl isphy<: t hP st:itr cind lit'r of 111:inki11'1, in dini., r· 11 i pni"rl.·. " "d il l u st ra t rs th r p ro~ 1·rss n !' t it" lm rna.n min d , is mn1·r n<('fn l rinrl (n!t'rcsl·
i 11 ~ th a n t he de tai l o f sif'~f's r111 d h:i ltl r~.
Z. T h e p e rson , I ll 1> 11 0 111 " "'a n · 11 1os t ind cb t rd tnr tltc i11trod 11 ct ion
nf t~ 1 is i 111 p roH :111l: 11 '. i1 1fo l1 i\i l'.ry, i,- 1111 : ._.,.1t;!Jn1t t:d i\J. Vclt<1i r P, \l'lto «G
_;•.'111us hclS slrn u c 11 llh s u1 pus111;; lu ;, t1 <:, iu 111<111y diffn eut p:nls ·.• f .li \1

{T<lture,

'

-~'1 --

. 532. B10GRA!' ~·IY, or. th e writing of li ves, is a verv uscfof
krnd of compos1t10n ; less formal and sta te ly than i1i s tory;
but to the bulk of r eade rs, pe rhaps, no less in structi ve ; as i t
affords them the opportunity of see i1w
the chara c te rs and
0
t~mpers, the virtu e~ a nd fa~liu gs of emin ent m en full y
di splayed;. and adm~t s th e 111 111to a more tho rnu g h a nd inti m a te a cquamta nce with such pe rsons, tha n hi s tory genera lly
allow s.

'"-fdn ~ hl P f l'Pn~ 11 rP n f in i;: f n 1rt i o P .

\

•

~.

CHAPTER VII.

~

.
,;;

~

·,'

QF PHILOSOPHIOAL WRITIN(;.;

DIALOGUE, AND EpiSTOLA~Y
~.

CORRESPONDENCE.
.
~~

j

i

I

. . -:-·"

.-.:~·~t~>::;

/'

·.;,.v ·
.. . '

•

534. PHILOSOPHICAL .writing. As the professed ob.: ·
ject of philosophy is to convey instruction, it_is 'manifest that e ve ry philosophical writer ought to stu<ly the utmost
perspicuity with re s-pe~t both to single word s, an<l the con - .:-; truction of sentences. Beyond mere perspicuity, strict ac- ·
c ura cy an<l precision are required in a philosophical writer.
Ile should cmpl,o y no words of uncertam meaning, no loose
uor ind e terminate expressions i and should avoid· using
word s . which are s ~en~ingly ~ynonymous, 'w ithout carefully
attendmg to the vanat10n wluch they make upon the idea. .
Illus. l . To be c lear and. prec ise then , arc rcriuisitcs which we ha ve
a l itlc t o de ma nd frnm c\·e ry philosop li ical w;·iter. He may possess
thes<' qua lities, a 11 d be at the same time a ,·cry <lry writer·. He should,
therefore, Study some ucgrcc of cmucllishlllent, in Ol'UCI' to l'Cllt\cr his
compositio n pleasing- and graceful.
Z. ()ne of the most a!!recablr, and one of the mo't u se ful c111hcllish 111cuts which a p hi loso1;her can e111ploy, co11sists in illustn1tio11s tuke1t
from h istoric a l facts, anrl the characters of rn e 11. All moral nnd politi ·
cal s 11 bjccts nat11ral ly atl'urd scop1· for tltrse; n11d wherever there is
,-.iorn fn r •'tnplnying tltPm, they seldom fail of producing· a happy effec t. Th ey di ve r sify the composit ion; they rr.lic,·e the niiJHI from the
fat i!!:" " of m e re reasoni ng, an d a t th e same time raise more fu ll couvic tion- tit an any 1·pa~on i11 gs rrfod11ce: for they t ake philosophy out of the.
abs tr ac t , and g i,·r. weigh t to s µ ccula ti on, by s h ew i ng its co n nect ion
with rr;d lifP, aud the ac tions of man.kilHi.

535. Philosophical writing admits, beside;;, of a polished,
a n eat, and a n elegan t s tyle. It admits of 111ctapliors, comparisons, and all the calm ligurcs of speech, by \\ hich an au thor may convey l1is sense lo the understanding; with clearness a u d force, at the same time that he Clliertaius the imagination.
Obs. He must take g-rent cr1n:" ho1vcv c r , th:it all his onrnmc11ts be of
t he c ha ste st k ind, n ever pa r tak i ni; of the Jlorid or the t11mid; wlti..J 1
is so unpardonaulr, in a p r ofessed p!tilosoplicr, that it is much betl<T
for him to err on the ~ide of naked s implicit y, than ou that of loo much
ornament.

Jll u!. I n E n g lis h , Loc k e's ce lel.Jl'ate<I Trt·atis<' on Human Un<lers tand in g, may be poi n ted out as a m o<lr-1, on the on e hand . of the greatest dea rn ess and dist.inctnPss of philosophical sty le, with very little approadt to ornament; Lord Shaftsbury ' s wrilings , on the other hand,
exh ibit ph il•sophy dressed up with all the ornament which it cnn ad~

Z3'"'

y I

.

· . . . . . -··.
-~

264

.

-i~
.

1

i

}

Dia/(lgue and E'pislolary JJ7;·iting.

J

mit ; perhaps with more than is perfectly suited to it: Stuart 's phifo ·, ·
sophical writings are composed with elegance aud IJeauty.

536. D1ALOGUP. WRITING. Philosophical composiiio11 ,
when carried on in the way of dialogue and conversation,
sometimes assumes a form, under which it mingles more
with works of taste.
Obs. Under this form the ancients have given us some of their chief
philosophical works ; and several of the moderns have e11dcavome1l to
imitate them.
Illus. Dialogue writi11g may be e~ccutcd in two ways, e ithrr as direct conversation, where none but the !'<peakers npp e ar, which is the
method that Plato uses; or as the recital of a convcr~ntion, where the
author himself appears, and gives an accou11t of what passed in discourse; which is the method that Cicero generally follows. But though
those different methods make some variation in the form, yet the riatni·e of the compcsition is, in its elements, the same in both, and is
therefore subject' to the same laws.

·

,

_ .,,.
.i1 """"""''"''"'v'.."'..w"'t~••"''""'"oiiFiloiil·"""·"'t~"""'""~"'!··t""..."'......,• ..~i;t,~~"'¥"'-=~....,
. ~y--...--.....~.... . ..........,.....
._~~--......,..---.....c..-,.~-=-·-·-·'--·~--~··----- ..-.-~

537. A dialogue in one or other of these forms, on some
philosophical, moral, or critical sul~ject, when it is well conducted, stands in a high rank among the works of taste; hut
is much more difficult in 1he execution than is commonly
imagined. For it requires more than merely the inti·oduction of different persons speaking in succession.

,.

-

as

~

'

;,
tr
\!

.·

\

Illus. 1. It ought to he a natural and spirited rcprcscntat ion of rea I
conversation ; exhil>iting the character and manners of the several
<> peakers , nnd suiting tu the character of each 1hat peculiarity of
th ought and expression, which di stinguishes him from nnolher.
2. A 1lialogue, thus conducted, gh·es the render a very agTeeable entertainment; as IJy means of the rlebalc going on among the pcrsonal{es, he receives a fair ant.I full view of IJoth sides of the nrgumcnt; anti
is, at the same time, amu sed with polite conversation, and wit.h a display of consistent and well-snpportcd characters.
Corol. An author, therefore, who l1<1s genius for executi11g sue :i;
.:omposition aftc1· this mauuer, has it in his power botl1 to i11 · ct . t
to please.

-~~ gp; . "E'fi'A-ll.
v:IH."I'"fNC'
:10~5"§' · ft k i 11 d u
1 (11 e ~ ../
pace ·efween Uie serious antfamusing species of omposi- /
tio11. Epistolar.v writin~ 11ppeflrs, :it -Jii-<;t view, to stretch
into a very wide field. -For there is no sul~j e ct whatever,
on wlticl1 one may 11ot cuuvcy his thouP·hts to the public, in
:1
the fon11 or a le! i ~...
•
/".)
•

Ill us . For instance : Lord S haftsoury, i\1r. II an i.; , auJ se• ernl o lli el·
writers, havP cho~cn to give this form to philosophical treatises. But
this is uot sufficient to class snch treatises und<T the head of epistolary
composition . Though they benr, in the title-page, " a letter to a
friend," after the first addtess , the frieml dis<ippears, and wr see that
it is, in truth, the public with whom the author corresponds. Seneca's
Epistles arc of this sort . There is uo probability that they cvPr passed·
in correspondence us real letters. They arc no othc1· thau misccllane··

.

clissertations Oil moral subjects ; which the author, for his COilven-· .
iC;11ce, chose to put into the epistolary form . .•Even where one writes
a real letter on some form,al topic,· as of nioral o.r · religious consolation
to a person under disll'ess, such RS Sir \>Villiam Temple has written lo,
the Countess of Essex 011 the death of her daughter, he is at liberty, on
such an .o ccasion, to write wholly
a divine or as Ii philosopher, anc1
to assume the style ·and manner of·. either without reprehension.· _. We
consider the author not as wl'iting a letter, but as · composing a dis.comse, suited particularly' to the drcumstances of some one ·· person.
Russel 's histories are in· the form of.letters.
-· '
()US

I,

Epistolal'y Trritfog.

,

1

i.'

.

539. Epistolary writing b.ecomes a di~t_i~ct species of c~m­
posiiion, ~u~ject to the cognizance. ~f cn~1c1sm, only,. o~ clnefly, when it is ?f the easy and fam1har kmd ; when. It IS conversation earned on upon paper, between two fnends at a
tlistance.
·
.,

··J.'

Illns. I. Such an intercourse, when well conducted, may be rendered very agreeable to readers of taste. If the subject. ·of the letters be·
important, they will be the more valuable . . Even though there should
be nothing very considm'able,in the subject,'yet if the spirit and turn of
the correspondence be agreeable ; if they be written in a sprightly ·
manner and with native grace and ease, ·they may still be entertain-.·
i11g; m~re especially if there be any thing ~o. interest _us, in the .cha.ra~­
ters of those who write them. ·
,
·· ' ' ' .
.
2. Hence the curiosity which the public have always evinced, conc erning the letters of eminent pe1"sons. W_e ·expe?t . i? them to discovc1· something of their real character. It 1s ch1l<l1sh mdeed to expect,.
that in letters we are to f.nrl the whole heart of the author unveiled.
Concealment and disguise take place, more or less, in all humai1 in,;. ·
tercourse.
·
· ·
·
3. But still, as letters from one friend to anot_her make the nearest
npproach to conve1'sation, we may expect to see more of a character
displayed in these than in other pr-eductions, which are desig·ned for
public view. \Ve are pleased with beholding- the writer in a situation
which allows him to be at his ease, and to give vent occasionally to the
overtlowings of his heart.
·
'

~

::;)
.:~
~

~· ......-

'

540. Much, therefore, of the merit, and the agreeableness
of epistolary writing, will depend on its i.ntro~lucing us into
some acquaintance with the writer. There, if auy where,
we look for the man, not for the author.
Illus. 1. 1ts first t111d fu11damr~ 11fa ! re'lnisite is, to be natural and simple; for .~ still' a;H~ lflhoul'Pd ma11~1e1· is. as !'.ad in a lett;1-, ~~ it is in
conversation. 1 lns does not han1sh spnghilmess and wit. I hesc arc
1'!'ac..r11l in ll'ttcrs, j11<;1 as tl1<'J are i11 convf'r;atiou ; when tliey flow

easih' . and without being· studied; wlten emplo.ved so RS to season, not
to cloy . One who, eithe1· iu conversation or in letters, aJTecls to shine
and to sparkle always, will not please loug .
.
2. The style of letters should not be too highly polished . It ought
to he neat and correct, b\1t no more. All nicety about words , betrays
study; and. hence musical peri-0ds 7 and appearances of number and bar~
mony in arrangement, should be carefully avoided in letters. :· ' - .
3. The best letters are c~mmonly such
the authors have ~riUe~

as

,
~

· •

'

-~·

"I

J
./

k'pistolary TJ7riti;ig.
with most fa c ility. What !lte heart or th e imn g in a tion <lief a te s, nlw:. n~
flows readily ; but whNe there is no aul\ject to warm or int eres t thes!' r
constraint appears; and h e nce, those le tters of mere c omplim e nt, co n·
g r a tulation, o r affected co ud o lr ncc, which have cos t th e authors most
Jabour in co mpo s in g , anrl which , for th a t reason, th ey perhaps considrr
ns th e ir m:ist e r-pi eces, ne ve r fail of being the most disagre ea bl e and
insipi<l to th e r ead e rs .
4. It ong·ht, at th e same tim e, to be remembered, that th e case nml
s impli c ity which we have reco mm end ed in e pis tolary co rrc s j1onrl e 11 cl',
are not t o b e understood as importing e ntire ca r eless nes s . Ju writin g
to the mo s t intim a te fri end, a ce rta in dep·ce of a tt e ntion, both to th e
s ubjl' ct and th e style, is rl'cp1i s ite anti b eco min g. It is no m o re tlrnn
what we owe both to o ursel ves , n nd to th e frie111l with whom we e01·1·esponrl. A slovenly and n eg li ge nt mann er of writing, is a disobli gi n g
1nark of want of r es p ec t . Th e lib erty, besidcs , o f writin g le tt e rs with
too careless a hand, is apt to bctrc:y us into imprude nce iu wl1ut we
write.
5. The first r e quisite, both in comrcrsation and c orresponde nce , is to
attend to a ll the proper deco r ums w!iic h ou r ow n ch aracter, a11d titn t
of others, d e mand . An imprud e nt expressio11 in conver5ntio11 may be
fo r go tten and pass aw ay ; liut wh<'n wr. 1a l1c th e pe n into our hand, we
must r emem b e r, that," the word whi ch hath been written rem a ins.•"
Example 1. Ju our own tim es, scvenll c oll ection
s of ktter~ have is 1
s ued from the press. Amo n g th ese, Franklh1 s ,,,,. ...,,,pnndence hoid "~i most disting11i,l11~ .l plat'e .
::!. F.nt of nll lhe l1'lter.s w!t i"li this or anv 1·011ntn· hall! prorl11cf'd. fli r
lllost li11i shc il, perhaps, arc tho se of Lord Cltcs le tlield . Ladv [\·Jo 11t11. ~n·s f,p(tprs cntitf (' hf'r to rank an11J1 1~ :i11th o r -.; of a s iqH· r iflr ,:Llss.
3. T !,Ic mo s t distin g·uish ed col lectiou <1f lell.,r;;, l10w.,vrr , in lhe F.n ,r;-·
!ish L;ingu agc_, is tli:it of P oj'(', D ean Swin , a nd their frie11d s ; p•irllj
j•1t bli ~ hed i11 I'n)'r's works, aml partly in those of Dc:in :'),y]t't.
: " Litcra sci-ipta li1a11ct.' '

(
I'

·~"

. ..·

POETRY • .

ij

l

J . '-,
'

• k

,

,

t

I•

(

;. · .
;.'-•;

-

,.
I

j

.'

I

.'

l
l

..

:

,

:.ftl-

CHAPTgR I,
'l'IIE ORIGIN AND PROGU.ESS ,OF

/·

POETR_Y•
.. '·
:I·-·

54 l. POETRY i.s the language of passion, or o_f enliven•
ell imagination, fonne.J, most. commonly, into regular nunl.·

"'

.. _. ·
-1
··:=i

bcr:; .

:~ .

54~~-

The historian, the orator, and the phi losopher, alldress tl1e111 sel\'cs, fur the 111ost par t, priniarily to the u11d~~r ­
st.a11di11;,?;: their direct aim is to i11Corrn, to pcr:rnade, or to 111 struct. - But the primary aim of a poet is to plcasP, and t q
move; and, therefore, it is to the i111e1gi11atio11, and the pas siO!!s, that lie

,'Ji:

~

;'

.}
:~·'.;I

·j

.~

sp e ak~ .

Jlins. L He may, an<l h e ought to have it in· his view, to instruct
:iml t o r eform ; bu t it is indirectly, and l.Jy pleasing allll mo ving, that
h e nccomplish es t hi s en d . His mind is supposed to be animated by
~ "11"' intere sti ng ob ject, which tires his im ~ginat ion, or engage" his
p n ,.,;"" ·" ; a1H\ whic l1, of cou1·s t', C(l111rn1111i c nt e s to hi s slylc apeculinr
1·l<·val io11 s11i1c-d to h is idPa ><; V<'rv di[li,r e 111 from that mode o l e .x prcs, j,1 11 "·hi!'li is 11;lt11ral !;>Ilic mi11d in its ca l m mu! ordinary strite .
. ~.'Ye t , though versification Ill'. in g·encral. t he ext c rio'. di st_inction of
pn,·t1·y , 111:,n' art• so1111 ~ form s of Vl'rs c so loose a11d larn!I: i~ r, as t'.>
be hard Iv distini.;11isltai.>le from pro se ; s nch as the ven;c ot. I crc11ce s
romedi e~ ; a11d there is also a sp e cies of prose , so measured in i ts cad<·11 c e . a nti so niu c h raised in if s t one, as lo i1pproach vc1·y near to poeti ca l 'numbl'rs ; s uch a ; th e Telnnadrns of Fc11elon, and the English
trans lation of O ss icrn . Dr ..John s on's lfa-osclas is perhap s of this class

,

!·_·~,·.·
'

"

''

.,,;~
~H

tn< 1.
:~. The trnth is, vprse and prosf', on s om e ocni si on s, run into one
;rn otlif'r, like li .c .ht and sh ade . It is ha r dly 11.ossiltle t~ determine the
cx;ict limit wh,.rc prose' e nd s, nnd p oe try he~lll' ; 11or 1s lhl'rc any occ1sio11 for hein~ very p r ec ise about the boundaries, as lo11g _as the rntt11rc of ra<:h is ~ 11nrlcr s toocl .

!'14:3. The Gret>ks, l'ver for11l of attributing to their ?wn
tiat ion the it1ve11tion of all scieHccs. an<l arts, have ascn\Jctl
1he origin of poetry to Orpheus, Lin11s, am\ M us re us .

·'

Poe tty.

.

Obs. There were, perhaps, ~nch p erso ns a ~ theS<', who w~rc tl1f> firs<
distinguished bards in tlu~ Gn~ cia n co untri es . Bu t l!•I'/; b .·forc fi uch
nam es were heard of, and among nati ons wl1 ne th !·y 1~· ci · 1e n ever
!mown, poetry existed.

545. Man, b.Y nature, is Loth a poet, and a musician. The

same impulse which prompted the cnthllsiastic poetic style,
prompted a certain melody, or modulation of sound, suited
to the emotions ol'joy or griet: of atlmiration, love, or anger.
Th ere is a power in sound, whic h, partls from nature, partly from hauit and association, makes such pathetic impressions on the fancy, as <lelight even the most wil<l barbarians.
Coral. l\fosic an<I poetry , th e refor e , had the same ri se; th ey were
prompt e d by th e sa me occasions; th ey were 1111ite<I in song; n1u.I, as
Jong as th ey co ntinu c< I nnit,.d, th ey tended, without doubt, mutually to
heighteu and exalt each other's power .

546. The first poets sung their own verses: an<l hence
the beginning of what we call versification, or words arran~

ge<l in a more artful order than prose, so as to be suited to
5ome tune or melody.
lffus. The liberty of tramp o>ition, or in1·crsion, which the roctk

•

>

'

,,

, .

269

.

~ lde\vo1;ld naturally.· assume, 'made it easie~· to "form the ' words intfJ.,

544. It has been often said, and th e c11ncu rri ni:?; voice of
all antiquity affirms, that poetry is older ;h a11 !Jl'f!SC. H t1t in
what sense this seemingly strang;e parndox h" lds tnw, has
not always bee n well u11<lcrstood. ( Sec .I/rt. :,; o. and J:flls.)
Illus. I. There 1wn·r, ce rtainl y, wns a11 y p crio rl 01 ~o <. iet.r in which
men conversed in poetir;nl 11umuers. It was in v e ry h"111bl c '.Ind .<:canty prose , as 11' C may easily beli eve, th .i f th" fir~l ll";h(' s ra rri u l 011 intercourse among th e m se lves , 1·clati11 g t o th e nec essi ti es of lifo . But
from the very beg inning of soci ety , th e r e were oecnsi(,lis 011 whir.Li
they m e t togeth er for foa~ts, sac rifi ces , a nd pnh lic a ,,.crnhlie·; ; and
on all such occasious, it is well known, that music, song, anti dan ce,
t heir principal e11tcrtainment.
2 . It is c hi efly in Am erica, that we have h n•I tlu, op1•~irtn11i1y of being made acquainted with 111011 i11 th eir savag" stat e. \Ve lea1·n from
I.he 11a1·tic11lar and c onctlnin g a cco1111ts of tra ve ll e r s, that , among all
thl' nations of that vast confi11e11t, especial ly 11mo11 g th e n orthern triL c.r,
with whom we have had mo~t intc rco 11rsc, mu sic and s..i ng ari~, at all
their mceting·s , carried o n with an i11cred ibl P degree c f enthu siasm ;
that th e chiefs of th ~ tribe are those who s ig nalize th c 111se h· cs most on
such occasions ; that it is in ~; 011gs they celebrat e th e ir reli g·ious rit es ;
that, by the se, they lament th eir p11hlic and private c alamiti es, the
death of fri e nds, or the loss of warriors; express th ei r j oy on their
victories; celebrate the great ac ti'1ns of their nation, arnl thei r heroes ;
e xcite each othr.r to perform gn~a t exploits in war, or to suffer death,
and bnnr.11ts with 1111shalw 11 r; on ~t.1111 <:.v . ( .11.rt l!J. Illn.~. 1.)
Corot. Here then we sec th e first he g innin g·s of poetic compos1tio11,
in thos e rude effusions, which the enthusiasm of fancy or passion sug··
ges tcd to unt a ug·ht men, when 1·o uscd by interesting events, and hy
their m ee tin g toge th er in pnblic as semblies.

Tlie Ori.gin and P.rogreas• .

,.
.I
I

I·
\

.1.

~.;me sort of numbers that fell in with the music of the song. Very harsh
a nd uncouth, we may easily. believe, these numbe~s wo.uld be at first. ·
But the pleasure was felt; it was studied; _and vers1ficat1on, by degrees, .
· , ..
·
· -'. 1
1iassed into ai1 art. ( Jlrt. 25. Illu,3.}
Corot. 1. · It appears from what" has been smd, that th.e first comp~­
~itions which were · either .recorded by writing or tEansm1tted by trad1 ~
tion, could be no other than poetic~! comi:iositions. ~? ?ther but these,
could draw the attention of men · m their rude unc_1v1hzed .state.• · Indeed they knew no other.
· ·
· .
·· · .
2. Cool reasoning and plain discourse had no oower to attr?ct savage tribes, addicted only to hunting a11d.1var. There, was nothmg that
could either rouse '.the speaker to pour himself forth, or draw the crow.d'. ,
to listen, but the liigh powers of passion, of music, and of song. ~his
vehicle, poetry, therefore, and no ~ther, co.n ld b~ employ~d b! chiefs
and legislators, when they meant to mstruct or an1mate · the1~ ~r1bes.
3. There is likewise a farther reason · why such compos1llons only
oould be tran~mitted to' postei:ity ; because, befo~e writing was inv~nt­
ed, songs only could last, and be remember.ed. : The ear gave assist•
ance to the memory, by the -help of ?umbers; ~a~hers rep~ated anil
sung them to their children; and ~y tht!i ~ral trnd1t10n ofnatto?al bal•
.lads, were c<mveyed all the. historical knowledge, and all the mstruc•
tion , of the first ages.
.
·
.
. · .. .
•

547. The ·e arliest accounts . which history gives us con·
cerninO' all nations, bear testimony to these facts. , In the
.first agr,s of ~r~ece, pri_ests, philosophers, ·and statesmen, all
delivered their mstruchons m poetry.
;· ·
,'

Illus. Apollo, Orpheus, and Amphion ; their most ancient bards, are

.~

represented as the first tamers ?f mankind, the first founders of J:iw
a nd civilization. Minos and Tliales sung to ,the lyre the laws wh1cb
they composed* ; and till t~e age imniediately preceding · th~t Herodotus, history had appeared m ni;i other form than that of poetical tales.

548. In the same manner, among all other nations, poets
are the first literary charactet's, and songs are the -fi,rst compositions, that make their appearance: .~ (!llus . .Z.llrt. 544.
and Jl rt. 521.)
·
. . · ,. . : . . ·7 .. ' · .. ; ' - . ; .
Illus. Among the Scythian or Gothic n_at.ions, many. of th~ir kings
:rnd leaders were scalders, or poets ; and 1t 1s from their runic songs,
that the most early writers . of their history, · among whom we may
1·eckon Saxo-Grammaticus, acknowledged, that they hnd derived their
chi ef information. Among the Celtic tribes, in Gaul, Britain, -and '
Irela111l we know, in what admiration their bards .were held, and what ."'··
great i~finence they possessed over the ~eople. ' They were both po- .: .. :
ets and musicians, in each of these countries. · They were always near
the person of the chief or sovereign; they recorded all his g-reat ~xploits; they were employed as the ambassadors between · contendm~
tribes, and their persons were held sacred.
·
. ,

. ,•
, ·
,,

.~

1
,)
, ·.i

549. Diversity of climate and of manner of living, hatl1 . '. .: ·:~
occasioned some diversity in the strain of the first poetry ~1
'
'
' . ..;. · J~
"•fr' r.' ~

'•' ,J

=

Vers.ijication.

Jllu.1. 1. Thus 1ve find nil the remains of t11e ancirnt Got.hie poetry
.-emnrkably fierc e, and breathing 11othin g but s la11ghtc1· and blood;
while the Penn·ian and the Chinese so ngs turned, from th e earliest
times, upon mild er subjccts . The Celtic poetry, in th e days of Ossian,
though ch iefly o f the mart ial kind, yet had attain ed a consiclcrnble
mixture of tendernes s and refinement ; in co ns c1j11encc of the long
cultivation of poe try among the Cella~ , by means o f a series anll sue·
-::e~ sion of bards which had bee n es tablished for agc5.
So Lucan in·
forms us :
Yo• quoquc <1u i l\irtes auimos, k llu11ue J•crc mploi;

2. Among the Gre cian states, the ea rly poetry appears to have re·

'

271

·<lilferent kinds of poetry the11 rnixe<l together, bt;t ali fhat
"\Ve now ~all letters, or composition - o( a11y/ ~iml; ·was then
blended m one mass. · ·
,i:.:'- i ;:,.,-.

of nations; chiefly, according as those nations are of a mote
ferocious, or of a more gentle's pirit; and according as they
advance faster or slower in the arts of civilization. ( /l_rt. S1.)

l.audihus in lou~um vatt~s diffunditiS ::cvu1n
P lu'rima securi fudistii carmi1111 bnrdi.• (L. 4.4.)

-

222

.1

c.e ived a philo sophical cast, from what we are infornu~ cl concerning
thr. subjects of Orphen• , Linus, 111_111 Mns;1_'11•, wl11_1 tr eat<'<\ of creation
and of chaos, of the ge neration of the worl1l, and of th e ri se of things;
and we kuo w that the l;rceks a1ha11 ce1l soo11er to pliilo,opli y , and
proceeded with a qukker pace in all the arts of rdincnH'nt, than rno~t
olhe1- nations .
:3. The 1\rab ia11 s am! the P e rsi ans h a"c aha\·~ been th<' g-r<'rrt<:s t
J:roets of the E11st ; and among them, as among other peopl e, poe try
~as th1; e'1_rli cst ,-chicle of all their le arning aml i11 s !1 udivu . I

Obs. 1. When the progress of 'society brought·".·o~ a sep.aration of
the diOcr~nt arts and. professions of civil life, it led also ' by degrees to
a scparat1011 of the different literary provinces from each other.
2. The art of writing was in process o( time invented ; ( Cha11 V . .
B?ok 1.) rec?rfls Of past transactions began t.o be kept; men, occupied
with the subjects of policy and useful arts, wh,11ed 'now to be instructed
and · informed, as well as moved.' They rca~oned and 1·eOecte d upon
the nffnirs of life; and were interested by ·what was real not .fabulous, in pnst transactions.
'
3. The !Ji<;torian, therefore, now lai1I aside th e buskins of poetrv; he
wr~t" in prose, and attrmpted to girc a faitltftil andjudi <: iou s rcbti ou
n t former events. The philosopher addressed him~clf chicil;• to the
u 1~d"'.'1anding. The ornt.i•r studied io persuade by reasoning,"and rot: ~m ed 1:10rc or less o~ the an~icnt passionate an<l glowin g sty! ~~ accor;
Jm~ ns 1t was conducive to his purpose . ( Jlrf; 41. and 42.)
..
Corot. Poetry hence became a separate .nrt, .ca lculated chiefly to
pl"n""' nml <:on fined · ge1wrnlly to such subjects as rclatcrl to the ima;'; i11ation and pnssion s. Even its enrliestcompaniou, mu sic was in a
;~ real measure divided from it.
··
'

---------

550. During the infancy of poetry . al l ilw diffrrcrd kiwis
of it lay confu sed, and " ' Ct'P. mingl ed in the same composi1ion, accordi 11g as iuclination, c11i.hu s1aslll, ur casual inci dents, directed the poet's strain.

C liAPTEH. 1I.

Illus. 1. Odr.s and hymns of e very ~ort, would nflJurall,v be amon g
the first compositions; acco1·dinir as the bttrds were mo,•e1l bv rdi·
gious fee lings, by cxultntion, r ese1;tm e 11t, Ion.>, or any othc1: wnrtn
sentime nt, t o p ou r tb emsclrcs forth in song-.
2. l'laintive or l)lcgiac poetry, would as natnr;illy arise from la·
mentations over thrir <Ir.ceased friend ;;.
3. The 1· pcital o f the achievements of their ltcrue,, and their nm:estors, gave birth to what we now call epic poetry ; a11d ""' 11ot coni1-mt
with symply reciting thes e , they would infrl!!ih!." li e l ~ d , at son>'! of
their publ ic mcctiu g-s, to represent lhclll, Liv introtl ncin!! difii:H·nt
bards speaking in the charncter of thPir hP.-n•;•, ""(! nnwr;ring .. ac h
other, we find in this the first outlines of trag1•dy, or dnrn?ati c \\Tiling.

552. NA TIO NS, whose language an<l · pronunciation
we re of a mu~i~u I kind, .rested their versification chiefly up .:.
•m the q_11rmt1tns, that is, the length or shortness of their
t:yl!oh!es. Others , who dill not make the quantitic3 of their
syllaules be so distinctly perceived in pronouncinµ; them,
rested the melody or their verse ,upon the~number of syllables which it container!, upon the proper 11isposition ui" ac ce nts and pauses i11 reciting it, and frequently upon that re·
turn of corresponding sounds, which v..-e call rhyme . .

551. None of these kinds of poctr.v. hmre,·('1" wPn' in ilir>:
nrst ag es of society proper! J cli stin p·u i ~ \i(•d l)!' ,;epnr:i tP.d . ns
they a.re now, from each other. Indeed, not only were the
"' Y011 too, ye• ba:"ls, whom
'l'f'l rhnnnt

YO ill• "'" 1'01' ~

s~cre 1l

to

rnpt111·es fin-,

'0111" f'OIP f

IT '"

1r rr' ,
·

'Vito con~ c C1·nt e in 'om· i1l'u nort:\I si.:l-i1 ·. -

ll1a \c j Jatt·ifH su 1 d ~ i11 ri .~· li t1 011 3 I.ad.;: 'II : ; ~";

Scc1a d y ?1q '~ 1_ h ,~- 11 1~ - f,:} t;, ~ I: n .·,1, -- -. 1
Aud 1whJt·3!.. th= !!t! ' S i11 d e :~thless '.'l'ff~t',!!

'I' ' 'id.

Yoy~!;'Ci

p : 1!"" !!!"' .
R.1'wr.
!le Chnnlin, chap. d <~ !11 l'o l'~i ·~ 1ks l' l'nan., ,

V EHSH~ IUATION.

\

lllus . 1 . Th<' former wa~ the case with the ' GrPck~ <tncl Tiomn 11 s ;
the· lall_er is the cn~P with us, lln<l with tnn,,f modern nnt!·ons.
_ . 2 . Among the Greeks anti Homans, c •·cry syllnl>le , •n at least py
for the greatest nnmber of syllables, was known to h<t>'C a fix ed un.•I
dc.termined. quantity ; and their mann e r of pronou11ci11g rP 1HlPrerl
ll11s so. s~1'.s1blf' to the car, that a loug syllable was cu•n.i!cd prcci se[.y
cqunl m time to two short o nes.
· ·
· · -·3. U po!} this principle, the number of syllables container] in their '
· i 1cxa111eier verse, was allowed to .vary. It may extcn<l re 1·7; it can
··.:vu!il.111 1 when regular, no fewer than 13; but the music1ll time :wa1t.1

24

"

,:

Pocl1'y.
i10t with st a11din g, preci .•cly th e s<1me in eve ry hexameter 1·crsc, and
wa s always eq ua l to that of 12 lou g sy ll a bics.
4. ln ord er to osce rtain the r(•g ular tilllf' o f every ve r se, and th e
proper mix1u re aud success ion of lon g and short. syllabics whi ch
oug ht to compose it , wh a t the gram rnarians cai l mclricnl f eet, rlric·
f.lfles, .•pondee.v, iambn.•es, &c. wc1·e in ve nted . IJy these m easur es was
tri ed th e a cc ura cy of composition in cvc1·y line', a111l wheth er it was so
constructed as to co mpl ete its propPr 111 c ln1ly.
5 . It wa s r equi s it.,, for iu sta ncr, that the hf' xamC'lPr ,. (~ r sc should
hav e the quantity of its syllahles so •li ~ po se 1l, that it could bP sca nnc1l
or mc•a surf' tl by s ix lllPlri cal fr<' t, which mi g ht. be e itlwr dactylcs or
spondef's (as the mus ical time of lrnth o f th Psc is th e sa me, ) with this
re st ri ction only, that th e fifth foot was rq;u la rly to· be a da ctylc, a111l
the l:i st. a spondee .
Obs. The gr11i11 s of our lang-nn ge c orres pond s not in this r es pec t
to the GreC'k or Lalin; ye t , in th e sequel, it is she wn, that English
poetry has it s fee t, though dilfore11tly furm e<I fr o m the ancient. W e
rest th e m elody o f our verse upon the numher of syllables which it
contains, &c. (.fl rt. 5G2.)

P eet and Pauses are the conslitucnt Parts of Verse.
l'Ve s!tall consider tliese srparatcly.
OF POETICAL FEET.

553. A certain numb er of connected sy llables forms a
loot. These syllables, thus connected, are 1..:alletl f eet, be cau,;;e it is by th eir aid th at the voice, as it were, steps along
throu gh the verse, in a measured pace; and it is necessa ry
that the syllables whi ch mark this regular mov ement of th e
voice, should, in some manner, be distinguished from the
others.
Illm. 1. This distinction , we have shewn, (lll11s. J. .!]rt. 1)02.) wn ~
mad e nmon g the an c ie nt Homans, by divi<lin ~ th e ir syllabics into lon gand short, and a sce rtainiu r, their (p1m1tity , by 1111 e~act proportion o f
tim e in s onndinir th em; lhf' long hcing to th e short, as two to on e;
and th e long syllables, be ing thus the mor e importaut, nrnrk ed th e
mov e m c11t.
2. In E ng lish, syllables are divid ed int o ncccntcll a nd 11nacrcnte1l ;
(Til us. 1. .!h t. 652.); a111l th e accented sy llable s l,P.in g· as strongly
1listi11 g ui ~ h e d from the 11naccc nt ccl, hy thr pec nli:n ~ Ir e•~ of thl' voice
11po11 th .. 111, arc equally capahlr: of markin g l hc 111ov c 111<'11t , and po intin g ou t the r cg11l ai· paces o f th e vo ice, a ~ th e lo ng syllabl es " ·ere hy
their qimntity, amon g th e Homan s.

55-!. Engli sh feet, formecl by an acccnf: on vowels, are
exactl y of the sa me 11ature as the an cie n t feet, and have the
same Ju st quantity in their sy llabl es. So that, in thi s _respect, we hav e all that the an cients had, an1l somethmi~
which they had Ho(. We have in fact duplicates of each

Versification. ':

273.

yet with such a .lliffcrence,, as to fit tl~.em ~or <lifferent
purposes, to be apphe<l at our pleasu,re•. _...- ":.

roJt,

Obs. From its natur e , every foot has powed peculiar to itself; and
it is 11pu11 the kn owled ge and right application of ·these_powers, that the pl eas ure and ellcct' of numbers cl~ iefly depend.
·
~
,·

555. All the feet used in poetry consist eithet; of two, m·
of three syllables; and are .reducible to eigh~ kinds-; ~amely,
four of two syllables, and four of three, as follows:
JH SS Yl~ I,ADLE.

'fRISS\'LLABLE.

A Troch eee .... "'
An Iambus '-' ....
A Spondee .... ....
A Pyrrhic '-' '-' .

A Dactvl ... ..., ...,,
An An{phihrach v ....
An Anaprest '-' ..., ...
A Tribruch ..., '-' ..,

556. A Trochee has the first syllable accented, and the
Jast unaccented: as, "HatefUI, pettish."
557, An Iambus has the first syllable l;lnaccented, and,:
the last accented: as," Iletray,.consist."
·
:~
558. A Spondee has both _the ' words orsyllables l!-c_cent.-·
cd : as, " The pale mo(m."
. - .
.
559. Au Pyrrhic has both the words or syllables unaccented : as, "On the tall tree."
,
560. A Dactyl has the first syllable accented, and the twu
latter unaccented : as, " Labourer, possible."
·
561. An Amphibrach has the first and last syllables un- , .
accented, and the middle one accented: as, "Del!ghtflil,
domestic."
·
562. An Anaprest has the two first syllables unaccented,
aml the last accented: as," ContraveAe, acquiesce."
, .;i"
563. A Tribrach has all its syllables uuacceute<l: as, -,·,...

"Nt1merable, conquerable." _

·

··

,

'---:

. ·

.

Scholium. Some of these feet, may· be ,denominated principal fe et, as
pieces of poetry may be wholly, ·or chiefly formed of any of th em.
Such are the lambus , Troch ee, D actyl, and Anaprest. 'Ihe others may
be te rmed secondary· feet ; because their -chief use is to diversify the
numbers, and to improve the verse. ·
·
-

T.Pe slwll first explain the

Natw~e

of.tlie principal Feet.

564. Iambic verses ma v be divi<led i11to several species,
accor<ling to the number
feet or syllables of ·which_they
are composed.
. ·
.
· ·
..
·
·

of

Example 1. The shortest form of the English ]ambit consist:; 1>f . n~
Iambus, with an additional short syllable: as, ·
·
· '-P::::.·~ -,
Dhdiiinfog,
Complaining, .
Consenting,
Repcntin1;.

' 't ~ . .

I.

.

):.!,'
t'-:.•.

. '".

...-·

"'-~

r

~

Ver sijication.

Poetry.
Ob~. \Ve h ave no p oe m of this measure, Lui it mav !Jc m e t w ill 1 fN
~fanzas . Th e. .lnmlrns, with this acl<lition, coincides ;Yi th the Amphibracl1. (Art. 561 .)
Ex_a111ple 2. Th e s econ d fo rm of om· Iambi c , is a ls o too s ho rt to h e
co nt111ut!<l throu g h any g-rcat nunil.Jer o f r ues. lt C'.llls ists of / 1co Iamb uses.
Wh~t place Ys here!
'Vliat scenes appear !
To me th e ro'c
No lon ge r g lnw•.

f't sometimes tak es, or it m ay ta ke, an additional s ltort ~y ll a ble : <'.!',
u

.

Upon li'. m !H111ta in
Be<i<le a fountain.

Ex ample 3 .

The third fonn co n s if; t~ of three fambu srs.

'i'n

places far

MyTi>ing sonl surveys,

It some tim es atilnils o f au additi o n a l s hort ~yll a hl e: a~ ,
Our hearts no longer langliish .

In wonder, love, an<l praisc.

Schntium. In all these m eas ures, the acc_ents arc t o be placed on cve n sy ll ab ics; nnd every line cons id e red by itself, is, in g e!1eral, more
111elo<lious, as thi s rule is more strictly observed.
·

5G5 . Trochaic verse is of several kinds.
E.r.rw1.ple I. The sh ones t Trochaic ve rse in our lan g uage, consists

E.i:ample 5. The fifth s pecies of E ng lis h Iambic , con sis ts of fi1 •e la m·

Sink to peace.

' Tis all thou art and al l the proud shall be.
Ile w l , e t o-day , ' tls madness t o <lCfcr;
Next <lay the f.ttal precedent will plead;
Th ns ,., n , till whdom is r m h e<l out of Ii((:.

Uvs. This i3 ca ll e d th e heroic rn easu r c. Iu it ~ simpl e ~l form it con .
"is ts of fin: Iam b uses; bnt l.Jy th e admis s ion o f o th l' r fre t, as Trochees ,
Dactyl s , A na p!t's t s, &.c . it is capa l.Jl e of many varietie s. ludf~ c d , mo~t
- of th e English co m111 0 11 meas ur es may l.Je vnr ie d in the same way, as
we ll a s f)y th e diffe r ent positi o n o f th e ir p a uses .
Example 6 . The s ix th for m of ou r l a1nb ic, is co111111011 ly ca ll ed th ~
lllexandri11e m earn r c . It c o ns is ts of si.i: Jamh nscs .
F or thou

~rt

o n serio u s occ a sions.
Exnm1i le 2 . T he second En g li sh form o f th'e Trochaic consists of
/ 1c o Ced ; n ntl is lik ewise so bri e f, th.a t it is rarely u sed fo1· any ve ry
~e riu u s purpo se .
·
·
On t he mo1Jntllin

R t•C k s fall t o dust , .i1<l mo11ntaim melt away ;
But tix"<l his word, hi.! !-a vi ng p0 w'r rcn1ains :
'l'il y ..ealmfor ever lasts, 1!111 01011 11fe.rsialt r eigm.

E x ample 7 . The se,' r.n th a nd lai; t lorm of o ur Iam bic mca s ur(' , i'>.
;made up o f seven l n m!J ,,ses .
Th~

L\in! dcsccndi::J fr0m ab0v e, and bow'<! th <:: h e av ens h i.i;I,.•

' '

By a fotmtain.

It snmc ti111es co nt a in s two fept ,or trochees, with a'n additional long

s_v Ila !.>l e : as,

ur old
Fables plainly told. ·

in the clays

E .w.111ple 3. The ' third spec.i es con s ists of thr~e. trochees : as,
When uur ht:arts are mournlng:

•.> r of three tro c h ees, with an atlditi6nal long sy.Jlab_le ; .. as,
Ri:stl~ss mortals toil f ur nought;
llliss in vain from euth is sought;
Bliss, a native of the sky,
,
Ne~er wande r~ .
Mortal s, try ;
There yon cannot seek in vain;
For to seek her i' to gain. •

Example 4. T he fourth Trochaic species

consi~ts of f?,_ur t: ochceii: as,

Round us rihrs the tempest liit_1der.

This form may take an additional Jong syllable, as follows: ·

ldl ~ after dinner in hl'• chair,
Sat a fJrmer, rud<l y, fat, and fair.

bin or d ust: be h\1111b lc and be wise.

The Alex andrinc is >o mc t i111 es int r odu c ed in to h e ro ic rhyme; nn1l
w h e u u se d s paringly, a nd with j udgme nt, occas ions an ngrccal.Jl e ,·11ricty.
The >cas shall waste , t he skies Yn >mc•kc <l l'ci y,

•.

Obs. This m eas ure .is defective .in d igp ity , and can · seldom be used

(HJ St'S .

How IOv'd , how vail1' <l once, hails thee not,
Tu whom re lated, or by whom bq~o t:
J\ heop of dust alone remains of thee;

of

o n e Trochee n nd a long syllable.
Tltmult c€asc

ThP;_,fourth fu rm i.< made up ofjour lnmlrn se> .
An<l may at last my weary age,
Fi n<l out t he peaceful hermitage.

,

Tramported t\·ith the view. I'm lost ..

or ncu,

Or fan1ous or ol:>scu rc,
Where wh olesome is th e air,
Or w he re th e mo' t impnrc.

P.xamplc '1.

This was rtncientlv w ri ttr n in on e li ne; bnt it is ·now broken into
two ; th e firs t containin g four fo ct and the second three·:
,, .r•t-..
When all thy mercies, O my G o-1 !
.,

P.ut

thi~

m e a s ure is very unc om m on.
Exrrm7ilc G. The fifth Trochaic spec ies is likewise uncommon. .It is
co111 po sed of fii·e tro c hees.
A.11 that walk un coot ur ri<le rn chariots,
All that dwell in palaccsand garrets.

.

'

/',_

E :wniple 6. The sixth form of the E1;glish Trochaic co~sists of.six
tr oc he es : a s,

.

.

.

.

on)( monntlHn, strctch'd beneath a hoary will ow,
I.a/ a ~hephcrd swain, and vicw'd the rolling billo-w.

24•

'

.

.

;.>~'P': ~

.~

~;~~

.,

.

276

Poetry.

Versificatfo{l·

This seems to be the long-est Trochaic line that our I:in g uage admit~.
Obs. ln all th ese Tro chaic measures, the acceut is to ue placed on
the odd syllables.

O/Js. Herc we see the ac<·e nt is upon ·the vowel in each second syi·
laule. ( Jlrt. 552.) In the following line, we shall find · the same Iambic mo~· emeut, l.iut formed by accent :on coi\sonants, except the l~st
syllal.ile .

. 566. The Dactylic verse being very uncommon, we shall
give only one example of one species of it: .
From tU: low pleo 5urcs of thi; flillcn nature,
Rise w~ t o higher, &c.

as,

a·y:!i! ..

I

-

'

•

.

569~ "\rY c no'~ p~oceed to show the manner in which poetry is varied and improved, by the ·admission of secondary

v

0 } ~ '.\ UuUs, sprl:a<l y Uur L>rarn.: h\:.:; :11id{.e;
To yo ur cleerest rece"es l fly;

O'er

many a frozen, m:il)y a f!cry Alp.

2. This line contai1;s three Amphilirad1s mixed with Iambics.
Inniime1ablt: before th' Almighty's throne.

Spo ndPe hy quantity ; lhe third a Spondee by accent.
5. In the following· line, the fin;t foot is a Pyrrhic 1 the second a
• Spondee.
That _on weak wings from far pursues your flight.

l would hide with the beasts of the cl1dse;

Scholiwn. From the preceding view of English versification, we may

J would vanifh froru cvc.:ry eye.

This is a ''.cry pleasing measure, nnd much used, ho1h in solemn ant!.
r h cc 1·ful sub.1 e 1·1s.
. E:i:1t1ll['le a. The thinl kind of the En g lish Anap u: s ti c, consis ts of
Anap ~ s t s.

J

May I gii...C~ rn my passluns w Ith iili· u lutc sw~y;

Aud grow wi5er ~nd better as life wears away.

This meas ure will admit of a s hort SJ llul.ilc at the cntl ;

and with him fled the shades of night.

Olis. 1. The first foot here is a Dactyl; the rest arc Iambics.

sec: tlit: buhl yu"'th strain up tlie thre.it '11ing steep.

E:xample 2. The scconu species consists of three A11ap:c s t1;.

n•,

u

Em lies

'

4. fn this line, the first foot is a Troch~e ; the second a gcnuin:':"

'fl it'.n lil; cUu1?i1; e 'ran fail him,
fur 110 atts U)llhl a\:a il him.

On the warm cheek Uf yi"iuth,

l

3. Here, in the second foot, · we find a Tribraeh.

This form admits of :in arl <liti P11:1 l short sy l!alik.

low·

·-

p e nsated by a short, paus~, at the end _of each word to )rhich they belong.
, ., .

Murmu~ing,

This_ measure is, however, ambi g- uous; for, by Jayin ~ the strf's;: o f
the voice 011 tlw Jir;a and third svllahlPs. we mte-ht mnkr> it n trocln1ir .
A utl 111.crefore th e lirst and si1J1 jiles t. for:m of ~ur genuine Annp:est i·~
verse, is made up of /no A11np1cqs: as,
B(1t hls ciiur~ g c 'r~n fii il,
.ut~ cuu!tl

•

feet into its composition ..

\·;\ in,

They complain.

110

.

E :rample 2. Here the time of the short" accented syllablcs 1· is com-

5G7. Anaprestic verses are divided into several specie~.

Fur

.

'

Example l. The shortest a11a111cstic verse must lie a si11gle auap::cst :

nut 1n

Then rustling, crackling, crashing, tb(mder down.

foci roses are blending.

fibs. Th~ preccd!ng nre ~1.1 c differen t kind~ of th e principal feet, iu
1he1r m~r c s11~plc forms . l h ey are c;i.paule of num l'rnus varia1ions,
by thc _mterm1 x ture of those feet wit.Ii each other; and uy the admis51on ot the secondary feet.

5GS. W c have ouscrvcd, that English verse is composed
L>r accent, (illus. 2 . .llrt. 553.); :wd that
when the accent tail s ~n vowels, the feet arc equivalent to
those formed by quantity. ( Jlrt. 554.)

t}f feet for!nt'd

Example 1. That the _student may cl early pcrccirc thi s ~liffercnc c-,
"T'e shall produce a spc<.:ml\'n of each kind.
.
O'er hl'aps of riifos stalk'd tht: stately hin•J,

s e r~ what a copious stock of materials it possesses. For we are not
o uly allowed the use of all the .ancient poetic feet, in onr heroic measu re, l.iut we have, as l.i e fore observed, duplicates of e ach, agTeeing in
mov e ment, though diffe ring in measure,*· and whid1 make diflerent
impress ions on the ear; an opulence peculiar to our language, and .
which may lie the source of a bounilless variety .

570. Another essential circumstance in the co nstitution
of our verse, is the ccesural pause, which falls towards the
rnitldlc of each line. Some pause of this kind, dictated by
the melody, is found iu the verse of most nations.
Obs . It is found, as might be shewn, in the Latin h e xameter. In
the French h ero ic verse, it is very sen s ible. That is a verse of twelv e
1
sy llaules , and iu every line, just after th e sixth syllable, there falls regularly and indis pensal.ily, a cresural pause, dividing the line into two
equal hemistichs.
E.rample. Jeune ct vaillant h eros II dont la hnut e sngesse

N'est point le fruit tardif II d' u·ue lente vieilles.e,
Qui seul sans ministre II a !'examp le des Die m:
Soutiem tout lJar toi-meme H ct vois tom pnr ses veux.t

.

/

• MU\·ement arnl m ensu re are thus distinguished. J\fQi:enient expre.,es the prog1-essivc order of souucls, whetht:r fro 1u strdng to Wl'ak, fron1 long to short, or vice v~r.ta ..
Mam11·c signifies the 1>ro1iortion of ti~nc, both in iounds and pause,, Murr(ly_.
..
. , . t: Boik11u.
.

.

.

/

Poefry.

Blank Vefse. '

Jlnal.ysis. Jn thi s train ~II th e French nr~cs proceed; th~ one bali'
~·f th.e lmc al\\'a_vs a nswcr m g· to the oth er, and the same c hime r e turn ..
in ~ 1~1 cessant.ly on. the ea r without intermi ss ion or change ; which is
lei tmnly a . d e!"cc t 1'.1 th e _vers e, an<l unfit s it so very mnch for the frc c(lo~n ~uu\ d1g111ty of heroic poetry . On th e other hand, it is a difilin~ rn~ l:m g advnut~ gc of c~nr F'. n g li sh ve rse , thnt it all o ws the pause to be
vm 1cd through lour d11l crc11t syllables i11 the line.
S cholh1m.. The pn use n_iay fall afte r the 41h, the ulh, the 6th or th e
7th syllable ; and acc onlrn g as th e pause is pl aced f!ftPr o ne ;r oth e r
of these sy.llnu_l es , t.he melody o'.the rerse is much c hn11gctl , its air and
c~deuce nt e d1 ve rs1ficd . By thi s m eans, uncommon richuc ss and ,·ancty are added to E nglish versification.

571. When tl~c pnusc falls earliest, 1ltat. is, nncr 1lte fourth
syllabic? .the b.ns~est me lody .is thereby formed, anti the
most spmted air given to the l111e.
Exrt.mpl.e. Ju the foll owi ng lin es cl the nape of th e Lock Mr Poi·ic
l1 as : w 1ti I exqu1s1
· 't.e p1op11e
·
.· ty, smtcd
·
·
'
· to th e·
the constructio11
of !he verse
SUIJJ e Ct:
On (1er white ~renst /I n spRrklinr; cross site wore,
'Vh1ch .Je ws nu ght ki ss II mul inlidds ndure ·
H e~ li\'c:ly looks # n sprightly n1i111l disclusc'
~111ck ns hn eyes II nml as 1111fhl'd as th ose:
}~\'ours t.o none II to all she smiles exte nd s,
Olt she 1·eJeCts II but n ever once olf'en<ls.

57~. ~'hen the pause falls after the fifth sy llable, tlividirw
th~ lme ,1!1to two equal portion ~, tlie melody is se nsibly aC
~et ed. .1 he verse loses that bnsk anti sprightly air, " ;hi ch
it had with tl~e former pause, and. becomes more smooth O'Cll-

tlc, and flowm g.

•o

E.rnmj1lc. Etnnnl sunshin e I! of the spotlf'ssmiml,
Each prayer ncccptcd II and each wish rcs i~n rd.

573. When the pnu se yro ceeds to ff.>llow the sixth sy lla-

l~le~ the te nor of the m_u s1c.; becomes solcnin a11d g ra\'e. ·The

,.et se. ma~·c hcs n.o w w1 th a more slow and measu retl pace
than m either ot the two funner cases.
'
E.~·ample. 'l'l: e wrath ofI'cle us'• son II th e direful S}'ring
OJ all the Grccinn woes II O goudt u sing!

5~4 . 13ut the ~rave solemn cadence becomes still more
se1~s1bl.e, when the pause falls after the seventh syllable
wluch IS the nearest place to the en<l of the line that it cai;
occupy .
. O~s. 1'.his k.i~1~l of vcr.~e occ urs the most scltlom , but has a happy c f~~~ t in. ~liv~~ 1·s ify 111g t~1e melody. Jt produces that s low Al exandrian
•111, wlllclt rs fin e ly su1led to a close ; and for thi s r enso u
s1tch Jines
almo st n eve r o cc ur to get he r, but are u sed in finishing the 'co uplet.

,,,·,,,

b iank verse is of I\ freer kind, and is naturally read with less cadence
or tone, the pause~ in it, and the effect of them, are not alway~ so sens ible to the ear. It is constructed, however, entirely upon the same· .
principles, with respect to the place of the pause.
. '~

575. Our BLANK VERSE posse~ses great 'a dyantages, and
is indeed a noble, bold, and disencunibered species of versification. The principal defect in rhyme, is •the full close
which it forces upon the ear, at the end of every co'uplet. /
lllank verse is freed from this, and allows the lines_to run
in to each other with as great liberty as the Latin hexameter
' permits, perhaps with greater. Hence it is particularly
suited to subjects of dignity and force, whicl~ demand n1ore
free and manly numbers than rhyme.
· .'

Illus. The constraint and strict regularity ~f rhyme, are unfaVO!Jr·
able to the sublime, or to the highly pathetic strnin. An epic poem,
or a tragedy, would .be fettered and degraded l:iy it. , It is best adapted
to cum positions of. a temperate strain, ~· here no f!arti<;:ular vehemence
is r e quired in the sentiments " nor grnat .sublimity in ·the' style; such
a s pastorals, elegies, epistles, S!).tires, &c. _ To these . it communicates
that degree of elevation which · is proper for them ;.' and with·o ut any
other assi sta nce, sufficiently distinguishes the style _' from prose. He
who should write such poen'ls in blank verse,' would."ren<lP.r his work
har sh and unpleasing. In order to support ·a p oetical style, he would
he obliged to affect a pomp of language, unsuitable to_the subjcc~.
Scholia I. The present form of our English . heroic i'liyme in couplets, is a irio dern species of versification. ' Tf1e lneasure g·e nerally used.
in the days of Queen Elizabeth, King J a,i;nes, anti King Charles I. wa.s·.
the stanza of eig ht Jines, such ns Spenser employs, b.o,n:o\ved ·fi:o1i1 . the ·
Italian ; a m easure very constrained and ai·tifidal.
.
.
2 . Waller was the first who brought counle ts into vogue; · rind Dryd en afterwards established the u sage . · Waller , first smoothed our
verse; Drytlen ·perfected it. Pope's versification has a pec uliar chara cter. lt is flowing and smooth in the highest degTee -; .far more la-.
l>uured and correct than that of any who went before him. Ile intro·
(\uced one considerable change into heroic verse, by totally, thro\\·ing:
aside the tripl ets, or three lin es rhyming together; in whi ch Dryden
abound ed. Dryden's versification, however, has ' very great merit;·
nnd , like all hi s productions, has much spirit, mixed with carelessness .
Jt is n ot so smooth and correct as Pope's, it.is, however, more varied
:rnd easy. He subjects himself less to the rule of closing the sense . ,
with a couplet; and frequently takes th e liberty of .makin g his couplets • ,' 1~­
nrn into one another, with somewhat of the freedom ·6f blank v~erse. ,
If any one, after' reading Pope's Hape of th e Lock, or Eloisa to':·J\be· ·" ·•·
Jard, shall not admit our rhym e, with all its vari e ties of pauses, to car·
ry both elegance and sweetness of soundl his ear must be pronouU1;e~
to be of a very peculia r kind.
.
·
· ·' "· .
\

E~:amj1le. And in the smooth •! cs cription /I murmur still.
Long lov~d adored 1ul'as ! II all n<lieu •

.. Obs._ Thr se examples ba ve liecn !ak c n from ' 'crscs i 11 rJ 111111 e

c..ruse

Ill

• bcth ese, 011r versification is sul0 cc ted to th e strictest"Jaw. ' A~

."

·\'.

'

. " ,. ~
• ••

,/

I

,. , r

I .~

, .-

'
\'( ;

280

Paatoi:al f'o~fry•..,~:~

Pastoral Poetry.

281

579. A similar regard must be paid to local character, and
national circumstances.
. ·· . · .
·· · .
'" .

C II APTER III.

Illus. The British swain must not offer sacrilic(? to Pan, nor defend ,
his flock against the lion and the wolf; he ~ay, howcve.r, b~lieve in .
the existence of invisible epirits or incantat10ns, 01· fortify lus lambs
against the hound an~ ~he fox; ·111 a ·word, the.pa~tornl poet may indulge in everr suppos1hoi:i which may render his pictures !nore bPaU•
tiful intcrcstmg, or sentimental : but be must not ·push has demands
too far,-nor shock the faith of his reader' ;he:must 0not ask him to believe what is inconsistent
incredible.
. .'
.

OF PASTOllAL l'OET!lY.

!JiG: TH_g ol>ject.of_Pasto1:al Poetry is to delight the im ..
ngmatwn with descnpt10ns ot the beauties of nature, and of
human .life spent in th~ ~n_idst of t!1ese beauties, the 1~crsons
possess mg health, scns1Lu lity, and 11111oce11cc, :ind u nd 1stu rb•~d by the anxieties and cares of business and acti,·ity.

or

580. Theocritus is th~ most early ~';iter of pastorals.
His works have descended tO posterity, and he has been imitated by all his-successors, particularly by Virgil.

O/Js. I. 1_.hc. simple r~capitulation of the principal ol.Jjects of which
such. dcscrirt1011s cons~st, ~om111u11icates pleasing and exhilarating
emotions . Zephyrs wh1sper111g throng-h the trees a11tl woods· rivu lets
gliding along their mossy bank~; IJir.d s chaunting their liveiy notes ;
shepherds playing on their rural pipes; lan1bkins skipping after their
dams; and the shepherdesses listening to the c11cha11ti11g la vs of
their amorous swains .
•
2. The surv:y of pictures of innocence and happiness cannot foil to
he agreeallle, af th~ r~adcr can be convincer! of th e ir 1·eality. But, as
he finds such descnptwns continually falsified by experien ce, the poet
artfully_ Ia,rs the scenes of his pastorals in remote place s a11LI ag-es,
whl'n, 1t 1s snpposed, human )iii~ was less corrupted, atHI when shepherds and shepherdesses retained more refined sentiments, and more
elevated rank, than persons of that character in modern times . If we
wish to survey rural felicity in perfoction, we must suppos~ ourselves
transplanted into Sicily or Arcadia, where the pastoral life appeared
in pcrfectiou, nnd where nnture lavished all her stores to 1·ender the
shepherd happy.

Obs. I. Theocritus was an inhabitant of Syracuse, in Sicily, about
the time of Alexander the Great, and he has laid ~he scenes of all his
poems in that delightful island. He paints nature, and delineates the
sentiments iind actions of his shepherds with great address. ; ·N o pas-.-.
torn! writer has been more happy in 'striking the due medium between
refinement and rudeness; and the use' he makes of the poric dialect,
so admirallly suited to the rusticity and simplicity of his characters, is
none of the least marks of his· merit.
•i.; · )
' '
· _ :' : ·
-- ·
2 . Virgil succeeds Theocritus both ia\ ~ time and merit : Severa1 of
his pastorals are finished with good .taste, simplicity,' and propriety.
No writer excels him in painting delicate sentiment,_ for which~ this
kind of composition affords frequent opportunity. . . .
.
Example l. Nothing can be more simple and natural than tlie following lines :
..
·
.: .,.
" Tityre, dum redeo, l)re.-i• est vi11, J>nsce capellat:
Et potum pastas agP, Tityre; et inter agendum
Occursare capro, cornu ferit ille" caveto.",."

577. It is not sufficient, however, that the face of nature
he lively and gay, the picture, to interest, must Lie animated

Example 2 . Again : ·
" Hie l("elidi fontes : hie mollia prnta, Lyeori: ·
Hie nemus: hie ipso tecum consumerer revo."
" Parta mere .-eneri sunt munera ; rnimque notavi
Ipst! Iocum, aerire quo congessere palumbes."

·w ith sentiment.
. Illus. The shepherd must discovc1· anxiety to obtain some object of

F,xample 3 .· The two last iines m·c ~eautifully translated and im proved by Shenstone :
-_
. _·
'
" I have found out a gift for my fair; '

importance to his happiness, or he mnst solace hi111selJ with the poss ession of it. lie may signify his regret for th e absence of a mistress
or a friend ; he may iudulge in the l1opc to rncov e r their socie ty ; he
may sy~pathise w_ith their misfort~mcs, or rejoice at their prosperity.
But no vaolent feel111g must be excited; no deep distress, or pun ge nt
sorrow must appear, which would produ ce vexation in the min(! of the
1·cader, becau~e such a 1'1•cling wonld interfere with th e g·aie!J nn1l
pleasant emotwns 1mt11rally prompt ed by this ki1HI of co 111pos ilio11.

I have found where the woocl·pgieous breed:
llut let me the plunder forbear,
She will sny 'twas a barbarous deed."
Oli.~. 3. Not. nho,·e the hnlf, howevt~r, of ten eclog-11cs, "liich Virgil
has 1,-,ft, can properly I.Jc said to deserve the name of p<tsloral. Sevt~­
rnl of them, particularly the first and ninth, have littlr~ of that character. The third, fifth, seventh, and eighth only, can be said to belon:;

578. Atte11tion also mnst be bestowed to preserve the
pastoral character both in sentiment a11tl in action.
Illus. The shephenls mnst

appe ar too Iearnc1I or rcline1l in th e ir
r1ot_io11s; neither mu st th ey display rmlcncss , cruelty, or indecency in
then· ma1111er;; 01· word~. Goo(] ~ensf' 1 ~c11si1Jility, observation of the
striking bea1.1~il'~ ?f 11at11rc, cun_joinr.d with simplic ity anti i11110cr11 cc,
fire the <p1ali!1cnt1ons they mti~t. chidly di s play.
1101.

.

J

strictly to this species of poetry ; and though even in them the sP.ntiments arc sometimes ' too refined, yet they are nc,·er quaint or affected.
4. Pope "has imitated, and almost translated, Theocritt1s and Virgil.
His pastorals, accordingly, have little merit, but that of the versifica- .
tion. He l11ts scarcely ventured -to advance a single sentiment, of
which he had not received a hint from the Sicilian or Homan poet.
The sullsequent examples will illustrate this remar)\.

Pastoral Poetry.

Rastoral Poetry.

. Exrtmple 1. Virgil , with much s implicity, expresses a benutiful SC.I! ~
·ti m eu t in th e fol10 °\'ing- lin es:
" Malo m e Gahtea petit, lasrh,n puclla,

ly to adorn it, and have introduced a number of tender ,cha•

menl of its merit, they have made music co11tribute libernlractl:'ristic songs, in which the she1'>hertls at?d shepherdesses,,
signify to one another 'their ho'pes amLwishes, accompapicd
with correspondent airs of melody.
·
'
:-r { ·

Et fugit ad salices, et se cu pit nnte videri."

Examj1le 2. Pop<' dimi11isl:es th e effect of this thought, by a!.llling to
it an air of pretti11ess and conceit.

Obs. I. Few C'ntertainments can preseRt an assemulage of so many
ca ptivating ol~jects, beautiful pictures of nature ; the charms of musi~,
which touch the heart. ; characters ·p leased, cheerful,. and happy, en·
g-agc 1l in those simple .-:ares and attachments, which i::cr.upy human
l ife, without fatig·uin g· it; anrl which, being dictated by rnnocenceand.·.
1·c;; trnined by virtue, ge ntly agit.ate, without tlistrn c ting the mind. At·
I em pts of merit of this sort have accordingly been honoured with t)10
wa rm es t approbation.
·
2 . Italy furni shes two em inent specimens, which all Europe has reari
~ nd admired. The Amynta of Tasso, and Pii.stor Fillo of Guarini.
Iloth display vivicl pkturPs nf unt.nre, anrl of rural 11uurners. · The fable~
'ire interesting, a nd happily conducted ; the characters .a re thrown
into many cle li ca:te and t ender situations. ·Many of the scenes are
·lJcaulifnl, n11t1 wroug·ht 11p with so much sensibility, that the .reader
\·ec 1~iv cs a very exquisite amusement.

" The sprightly Sylvia trips along the green,
Sh(' 1·uns. but hopes sht· dot's 11ol r11n unseen,
\Vhile a kind g l anc~ at her purmu 11i•·•,
How much at ''ariance ine her fe et 1111LI cyi:s !"

Scholium. Pope wrote hi s pastorals when very young, which fur ·
uishcs a goo d 1!.pology for th eir defects.

581. Among all the various poets, a11cie11t or mmlcrn,
who have attempted pastorals, Shenstonc is e ntitled to the
greatest praise. Neither Theocritus nor Virgil is, perhaps,
to be compared with him, in combining the capilitl re11ui sites
of this kind of writing; for no author in this lin e ha s in1 ro<luce1l wi!h more success whatever is si111ple, tender, and
delicate.
Ob .~. E:veu Shenstone's own works in this lin e arc not <'quallv mcrito 1·ioiis. Ile degenerates rnmeti111es into flatnf'ss a nd iiisip;clity. ; hut no
language cim furnish a performance ot it s kind. superior to his past0 ral hallatl, in four parts, on Absence, riop e, Sol itud e, and Di sctppointme1!t. No quaintness, no affectation. 110 fal sl' 1·efi nl' nH,nt, 110 indr:lir:acy ; all is nature, innocence , and ~ l egan ce. The wh~le pol'm rle se nes hi gh praise: as a shun sp ec im e n, we slmll presenl the follo;v,fog lines, from the pt1rt denominated Hope.

58S. The Gentle Shepherd; a Stottish pastoral comedy,

of Allan Jlamsay, is atlmired by cYery reader of taste arnl
ge11ius. The author has exe rleu much pains to avoid the
1-eprehensiblc qualities of his two rivals, and every camli<l
critic must allow t!rn.t he has .been successful.

" On<' wm1ld thjnk c;l10 m!ght likt• to T ti i-t
'l"o Lhe IJowPr l had. lnho11r 1<1 to r ear;
Not n shrub that J l1t ·nrd hl'r a dmire,
l:lut I lrnsu·d and plnnt~d it tl1 er<'.
Oh! ho'"" smlckn tlw jl'ssnmine strove
\Vith t~ e lilac. to r1•nclt->r it g:..y;
Air noll' it cnll• for my 1,,1·e,
'l'u pni11t · the wiJd brll11 cheii1 away.
I han• found out a gift for my fair,
l have fouud V•ficrc :Ju.~ wood-pig1:0 11s hr<:'cd ~
Ilut lt:·t 1_11t:> the plurn..lt-r lol'b, ·uJ\
·she will sny 1was.:?. harharons derd:
For he JH-~'c r cou ld IJ•-! true. sl1e nverr"tt
'Vito couhl rob n poor hirtl uf it q y01mg;
Awl I l1 1v\I hc.:r tllf' rnon• wh en l.hen rd
· Such t1~rnll'rnc'9 foll from her l()J1gnc."
1

582. Thr, fa,·\l11r;; l1lr: rf'r:Ppti1111 whir.Ii pn,;foral poetry has
obtained fro1.u ;iii r;·,'i:o\l!:d naliti11;;.! :t!ld t11c picture it is su p poS<'d to ex:hilJ1t. nl: 1·;c lrnpp)' buf.1ah1dnus lrnws of the gold·en age, have pn1111 ;it •~ d so lll e c rmn cnt autho:·s to attempt to
improve it. Tii<>y have rcbd11~d the 1ns toral clrn.ractcrs,
occ 01 patil:ns, and manners, :rnrl to tlwsP have added importance a11tl . intcre!:f, b:r mouldin g them in to :t beautiful an<l
,picturesque sentime11(1tl comedy. As a. farther euhancc-

283

I

U/!.•. I. That Ii" mi g ht s ug·g r· s t nn npology for the greater lil; c rality
11f sc11liment which li e h;u: 1-.•1!1 11r e d tu throw ill to tlic charactns of
l 1is prin c ipal ~: ll('phcrd nud sh<'pl1crdc ss, i.., has s upposoerl th rn 1 tn inh er it n genius s up e rior to their stnt·ion, cornmunicnle!I from th rir pan· uts , who po ssessed a more eleva ted rank, bnt ·who, from politi c~tl
rnisf'o rtun cs, w ere ohlig-ed to pern 1il thei1· cl1ildrcn to he cd 11 catcd in
·~or!cenlment and obscuril\•.
~- 111 r1·e ry other \'iP. w,'liis p asto ral is entitled to much praise. The
fal1le is well c<n1ceivc.J, lla l ur aiiy and r eguiarly conducted. The C: 1a1·actcr·s arc di .,i incl!y 111arkt·d; llicy are OIUlllPt oqs, nud properl y varied.
c_fftcit' 0{'.C!.tpl!fions, SCl11inJ P!ifs , llHl.t!ll(!t"S, are till the lllO St piCtllrC SCJUC ~
l(lcal, an1l d1aract e ristic, that can be supposed . Sin1plki1y, inn o<:1 ·11c1•,
cheerfulness, rustic sports and 111c nime11t, rude prejudices, opiuion~ ,
a11d fcan;, a re beauti!ully RlHl p e i'li11 e ntly inter:;persed . Tlic situat.io11s
of th e pl'incipal character s arc delicate and interes ting, fllid d ef' ply
engage the attention of th e reader. The' great chang·e of fortune; and
th e ro11se'lucnt h nppiness ih"y e11joy from the accid !'ntnl discovery of
<heir bir th and opulence in the cu 111" sc of the action, fPnninatc the pcrformrrncc, by suggesting th<' mo~t pleasing anrl satisfa.ctory franw of
mind, th e reader could wish t o poss1~;;s. The mnsic is natioual, te11d ar, simpl~, and the dic.tion is perfoctly ~uile<l to the charncter·s. It i5
fini s hed in the •.rue Doric ta~te, soft and e){pressive, neith e r too relin· "'
cd, 11or too gross and unpolished.
,
a. Dr. Blair was the first who pr<'judiccd the public tast e against the
flentle Shepherd. Ilarron ha~ followed him in this, 11g, indeed , in nl·Jnl)St every other thin g· the do cto r sail! .
P.ut. let it b~ ol1se1·vell , ~haJ:
~r- ·

~J

~85

Lyric Poetry,

Lyric Poefry.

the Gentle S hcphcnl is a 11nlio11al tJU«larnl; th e locality of if s 111 '1h n t'?f .'f
arnl languag e, mal; e it snch; I.hey constitut e its chief in t: rcd ic nts of
national m e rit; th ey in crease it s int e rest by c ircmn, c rib ; ,, g its n ' pn-

ubs. Modern times have not been so prolific in :this species o_f com·_
ro~i t ion, as those of antiquity; they are not, . however, destitute ot
~ome very conspicuous specimens. .
.

,._

586. Lyric poetry is susceptible of .different ornamen_ts,
suitable to the nature of the subjects it treats.: It _'.ld11~1ts
sometimes the boldest and wannest figures of 1magmat1011
and passio'n ; at other times, it. d~lights in th~ pl~yful and
pleasant images of fancy antl foelrng. Sometime:s th~ expression is ardent, concise, and veh~meut _; at other tunes,
it is simple anti diffuse; !Jut at all tunes, 1t must be pure,
picturesque, and correct.
.

tat ion among the people for whon1 it was written. " I laJ it s mannerj;
been general, its langua ge pure E11glisli, and its sr <'11 cs 1\rca<lian, it
woult.l have had less characteristic h< •auf ~· , b11t it 111ig ht have mcrit c<l
the applause of Europe.*" ln<l er. d ! TIH · r~ arc hill s and <lnlcs, wo fJ clS
and streams, and sentient natures , in l3ritai11 ; and Arcadia conLI
boast no more . At a ll evC'n ti;, there is <>1!C 1iati :.rnal pastoral in the
W<'l'ld; or, in other wurcls, th ~ glory of this sp e cies uf po etry hath not
fallen with th !' ~· eniu~ of (;rcecc.

584 . Of nil th e modnrn;, 1\1. C:<.'!'Slll'r, a pod of Switzc1-Jantl, has been the most successful in his pastoral co111pusi-

Obs. I. The style should be more fin_ished! perhaps, th.an t~1at of all::
C'llher species of poetry; for the attent10n ol the reader 1s nc1~her_ pow.
c rfully nor long diverted by the sentiment. He soo~ turns it towanl
the <! x pression ; and he is so scrupulous, th~t . he will not excuse the
sliO'htc~t impropriety. The capital charactenst rcs of the ode, then, arc
uu~gniticence, or passion or ingenuity in the thought, a~d pcrlcct clegaucc in the style.
'
·
. .
,.
2. Greece has left som:! conspicuons monuments of lyric compos1tion, in the odes of Piudnr, Saprho, an<l Anacreon ; the ~1:s~ remark<tlile for vehemence and sublimity ; the two last for sens1l>1ht.y, pleasa ntry, and vivacity.
'
.
.
3 . H orace is the only Roman poet of the lyric tnbc w~1ose worb
hav e d escended to mod e rn tim e s; .and, it seems, we have little reason
to regret the loss of the rest, for, if we 1'"?ay rely on the opinion of
Qu in ctilian, Horace alone merited immortality.

tions. Jfo has introduced into his Itl.rlls (as he entitles
them) many new ideas. His rural scenery is often striking,
and his descriptions ure lively.
Obs. Ue pl·<'sc nt s p•:sturnl life to us, nith all the <'mhelli>l11nc11ts of
which it is rn scc ptiul c ; hut without any excess of rdin c 1111·nt. \Yhaf
for ms th e c hi e f merit of this po .. t, is, that he writes to th r. lw;\rt; an<l
lie has e nr ic h ed the s ubject of his Idyll s with inci<le11t s whi c h gi 1'e
ri,.;c to much tenJer se ntimen t. Scenes of <10111<'.<tic felicity are beautifully painted. The 1111.1tnal affection of hu suantls and wives , of11arcn!s
;rntl chil <.l rf' ;i , of' hru1h e ril nnd s is t ers, as well as of l0nrs, a rc di s playc <i in a pleas in g a 11<l t o uc hin g manner.

587. No modern poets have composed volumes of odes
like Pindar and Horace, but mariy of them have occasionally attempted this species of composition. The chief of the se
fo English are Dryden, Pope, Addison, Gray, anti Akensi<l~.

CIIAPTEll l V.
J.Yf:lC l'OETll Y.

Obs. 1. Th e fir st three are distinguished by th e ir odes to St. Cecilia,
iu prai se of the pow e rs of music; the subjects of the last two are mis- ,
ccll11nco11~. As th e first three ha\·e attempted successively to adorn the
~a m e thrme, it affords a good opportunity of comparing .their merits.
2. A iexancle r's F'<'a~t, by Dryden, has gainer! universal fame, and it .
1:cr10s to <l eserv<' all th<~ r<'putation it has attained. ·. It is difi1cult to
decide wh e ther the s<~ ntiments or the composition merit the most ·.
prni s <'. The se ntim e nts are a dmirably suited to the perso1iages whom ·
th ey d c sc rilw, and the compos it ion is fitt ed with equal propri ety to the
~en tini cu t s .
The sentiments nre artfully coi•trnsted, a circumstance
whi!:h, a1ldcd to the ir natural excellence, displays them in the mqst
capth-.1ti11g ligh t.
' ' ·
:J. A. tn1.i11 of grancl and s ublime th o ug hts is succeeded by a series of
gay an cl pl~ as ant on es; a set of outrngc ou r; :ind furious conceptions, is
co11tr;ntc d with a group of ge ntle a1Hi t"n<lcr ones. The poet shakes ,
th e s ph .., res with .lt1piter, 1evc ls with Bnrch1rn, raves and d ~s troys with
t'h<:! Curies , and drops a tear with his h e ro over the misfortunes of Da·
ri P ~L
~
11
• P ope has ahemptcd, in 1iis ode iu honour of St. Cecilia, the inVl~ntn.>~ .~ of the or~un, to introduce tliifcrent passions, 11nt1 to contrnst

;J8J. I. YIUC pn e fry, to whi ch we now proceec.l, inclu -

ded, i11 ancient ti111Ps, every poetical cornposirio11 accotnpa -

11ied with music, whether of the \oi<."e or of in st rumerds.
lll11s. 1. It wns called lyric, from th<' ly rc; with which it wns cn Jll 111 011\y attendc<l; a•nl it ;H:qni ;·ec \ tlw n;1111 1' of ock, b ec:a c1 sc it was :il so
1 !e~i i; 11P.1l to bf' E'.rn g . It is a ,, hprt, orca~ i o: i;d, nuim a ted elfor t ,,f g·c 11i11 s .
!.! . The author m av ;i s,nm r. a111 tun e lie clwoses; he m a y be snblin1c, fan1il!ar, g·ay, ~·t~ r! (Hl~, ) Jt-. ~~~}on:il,., uinrnl~ tcndr1·, or ,vftt-y, \v ith
equal p1 c:p riety, :.ml h c ma:; C\'('11 i1,t c rmix ~c l' ent l of th ese strains in
the sarne poem.
3. P 1111 e gyric, howf·1·r.r , is the pri>1ci(' ctl fi r,J .t it ha~ orc11pircl in :ill
ap: es ; for 11 :c prais!'s nf tb c i;nds, and d heroe s, have furni s hed more
od es than all nfl1e r s11bjcrts rnt f (1!;" <: thn.
Esampfr ] . The Psalms o f ();i; id 1·• rr r ly ric productions, and were
rnng in the cclebrn t ion of t!r C' J c1v i ~d1 worship.
2. Th e Odes of l'i11<bir "err. compo ~ 1 , <l in prni s c of tl1e i;ocls , or he ro f' s, 01· "ir.tur' in th<' g-:-11;w s of Gn•t• r r.
:~. Srnnc of tho se o!' I lo raq· :ire' il .-dica t<•cl to the 1101, o nr o f thr. gT' <h,
o th r rs fnn11 e legant n11111•lin11•1l ta ry a ddr<.'> S"S to his rountry, te> cmi ·
r1cnt ·inr\i\·j,\1.mls , or to !'ri1, nc!,;.
• .11l nir.
I

'~.

JJida clic Pocfr/f·

lJiductic Poetry.

l'i nth the sc nti111o· i;( ~ nn ll the n ' rsili c;.1ti o 11 1 ~ s h a d be e n <lon e hy t'l ry flt:rr.
I !eh~~ very h :> ppily s clr.cttd fo r In ~ suh.JC Ct th e fable of Orph~us ::u1tl
l·.ur_v<.llce , .n s tory 11<1tura!ly t<' utf r r :11ul pnth e ti c , of whi c h th e rc\·c rs•J
of,!orl.1111~ 1s g r e at, mHI th e dilfon~ 11t parts a r c s tro n g ly o pp ose d.
~1. A ddi so n na ~ fond o.f .th e .t a m e ol :.t po e t, thou g h h e e njoyed not
tlie b es t pow e n for acq11rri11 g 1t. Il e. \\r s h c cl , it is ~aid, to ri\'nl Pope
:1.s a trnn s lator of 11 o nJ('r; h r e v c11 wi s h e d to ri val him in lyri c m e rit.
Ile n' ntur :- <1 to.app ear on th e s<1u1e g r 0 tnH.I IYhi c h J'op e n nd Dryden
J1ad o c cup ie d \nth so mu c h lu s t1 ·c; a nd Iii ~ ocl<: to S t. Crc ilia exhibited him in :1 c ontra o: t wh ic h c o :dd n"t foil to hmt bis r e putation· fot of
::t!I th e pcH' t1·y whi c h A ddi s on hn s writt e n, h e h as s c a rcdy c o:nposed
:111v thin!!' so indi ffrrr nt '1 < t!ii s o r!"
. ii. 1:h~, od? s of ~iri1y a~:~ ~ ~ tit~e;I .to hi g h pr:-ii o.c, thon g Ii th e y arc 1111 _
~ 'ln a l Ill th.,n· m e rit , wh; c h 1:; a1 so t he fat e o f diffe r en t s t am~ as o f th e
'> il'.ll l' ode.
H is s e nt'.111e'.1t s a rc conc('i vc d \\'ith gr ea t i; ig ou r and prn1~ i: 1ety , anti hi s ve rs1h c ;1t1on 1s th e m os t laboured , p c;·i1np s , in th e J.:n e_·..
l1 s li ~a1~ ,; ua ge. Ile lr cf{u e 1'.tly nt tempt s tir e l ' inclari c n 1ng11 i.ti <:c n cc ni ii l
s ulil11l1Jt y , ancl h e nev e r fails to appropriate s o111 e o f it s d a rkness n111l
n!J sc urit \'.
7. Ak...f' 11 .~ id c a i1ns il t" C'~s c , in [!'r n 11\ f\· , a u<l e l ('~~~!H:r .. ~ n d hr · i ~ nn f tn 1•

". tluom c alls common obj ects by their proper names. Jt employs elc·
'' :-t.~ed nncl metnphorical . appellations, or il describes them by their
, :;i u ses or the ir elfoc ts. It b e stows mu c h attention to enliven its de- '
-s criptions a nd sc e n es, hy throwing int o them all the animation with
which th ey are uny way conn ected. Many of the inanimate objects
a re p r. r so uifi e d ; all the irrational animals are endued with character,
.<e11ti 111 1; 11t, auJ d es ign; the h11111a11 actors :are remlered respectable by
t l1 e a c t.ivity and virtue of th e ir live s , the sagacity of their judgment~,
th e utilit y of th e ir occupations; or they are keld up as ob.'.ects of aver11ion, that th e r e ader may )()arn, from their folly, absurtlity or crim'i nidit v . to :t \•oid that conduct whi c h has rendered them ridiculous, odious,
O L' ;1i1happ_v.
:{. But th e great ornam<'nts of didactic poetry are beautiful or intere';; tin g cpisodr.s . To ' " 1ry a11d adorn hi o: ~nlde<:t , the nulhnr is :illowl'd.
1requ c 11tly to shift th e ~cene, and to intro1luce any moral, philosophi··a!, or se 11tim P. 11tal r c lati o u o r d isc u ss io n with which it is conn ected .
l'li o o ther s p e ci es of ~)O <' trr admits s o mu c h latitL1d e in this ~rti clc . ft'
1!re l:pi s oil es arc prop e rly varied in lc n g·th, and if they arc not. vPry viol r11tl y for r cd in to li is sc n·i cc, t!t c autlt o r w ill not in c 11r mu c h rr prc h c 11 ·
~in n , tlr o 11 :-h h f' n fl c u d 1·p:1rt from !t i.-; princ i pal suhjl'ct, a n•. l t h ou ;.; h
1!1r su m .,f t h e ep is'J<ks, t•tkcn toget h e r , e -,·c n excee d in cxlPnt the <lid;1 c ti r. part of th r. p o rm.
4. Throu g h th e whole of hi,; poem, th e a uthor may 1Ji,: la y m11ch
L1 1 u 1\· l1~d ~· e of tli r p a rti c 11h.1r s u !Jj c<: t lt e tre a t:; , a nd o f rn a 11 y o th r r US•' fol and o rn am e nta l s c i<' n c es a11d nrts; mu c h a c quaintan ce with n a t u r f-,
~ o c ir.ty , n1 :rnncn , a11d tire human hrart.
Be may lH' gr<1ve , g·<ty, sublim r , e asy , nu s te r e, p a thi;ti c , as s hall I.Je s t s uit his g e nius a u<l .lri ,; m a tfrr.
Th e Ye r .>ifi cati o n mn s t b e alw;ivs c orr ect a nti melodious; and it
111. a_v },e c l c vat e( I o ccns io nall y t o a hfglt d cµ r<'t! of c 11 e rg- v and di g nit y.
!I. is a.lsu St1 scc p t il de of' ev e ry o r 11 a 111Pnt, ad d r essed to the ima g i11atin11
o r tlt c pa ss io n s, of whi c h tire diffe r e nt t o pic s or e pi sode s a dmit . l\let ·
:i p h o r s, c•imparisons, p e rsonili c alion s , apostroph es, may nil be inciden ;
lall,Y introduce d ; and if th e y arc p e rtinently applied, their appearance
"i ll arl d g- rn cc <1nrl i n tcrc,: t t o th e <n n1p os iti n11 .
·
S c!in liri I. Wh en thi s s pcci r.s of p oet ry prnmis es so 111t1 c h iinpro n·
1n c 11t ;in 1I cnt Prt:iinm c nt to thr rr. r.clcr , and w h e n the author pos~ e s ~,,,~
';o 111 a 11y fa vour a hl r. o pporl•111i t il' S of 1li ;; pl :1yi11 g Iris lu1 o wl c tl g e, Iri s
:! "11iu;;, a !l d his t as te, wo will not be surpri s ed that it l1as.bePn a ttem p t ·
, .<.[by p oe ts of hi g h fnm e in differe nt a g C's . Aratus discussed i11 Gre e k
t h c Jlhcn o m e na of th e hcaY e n s , and Lucr e tiu s in Latin th e philosophy
o f Epi c uru s . Virg i.l ha s ~r c atcd the wh o l e theory <tnd practice of ng ric ultnre , and Arm s trong the art of pr es ::! rving h e alth . The writers 0 11
· 1i1ornl s and nrnnncrs nre mostly s a tiricnl; y e t Pope ha s a\·oiclcd satiri .·:m in his e le g ant sy st l' m of moral s in the Essny on Man. The capital
~ atiri s ts, nnci e n.t an1l mod<~rn, nre Horace, Juvenal, P0pr., and Young .
2. Armstrong posse ~;s ed a large portion of th e genius of Virgil, and,
l ik e him, has adorn~d the history of h e.alth, a subject naturally unpromi s ing, wi>th all the embellishme nt of fine versifi c ation nncl elegant
fon c y. He el e vates aud b e autifies every-pr ecept, and h e is fortunate
i n epi sodes. The tru e spirit of poetry is conspicuous in all he writes,
n nd hi s compos itions c annot be peruse d without instruction and plcn~ur e.
lJe appears to he oue of the b es t didactic poets in the Engli s h
langua g e, and not inferior to any ancient author in the same line, ex cept Virgil.
·
0

•

.(

;:.:q(L ~"':-; · ~ l u l.
f Jj...;;, i111; ~g i11:1lio11 is tkJ jc;.!! l' :1n d p if' !t1 1·t";'Jlll ' , !J i ~ ,.('r•: j fj(· ;1
~ io n is Sll l Oo f h ;) lld HH · ln. ii1 11 11..
J fp i~ Jl'it d efett i ...,~ ~ \\ s--.r: n l itn('n t !'l nd.
1

m or11 n 1u c nt he h a s a claim to hi g h a pplau s1'.

CHAPTEl.t V.
D J !J,\CT I C J' OE TJt \'.

ii88. DlJJACTlC poetry di scu sses some br:rnch

o[

usef'ul

• s cience, Sollie UCll Cfi cial art, l'I' 801tlC SJ Slclll of pru(lc11tiaJ Ol'
moral co.mlu ~ t, by wl1id1. tl1e. rcad cr ma y iruprov e his kno w-

ledge, his w1sdo111, or l11 s nrtue; a11d it recorn11H' 11ds 111 1>
discussion uy all tlic rneri( s of iurngi11atiun, and all the
c harms or poeti cal rolllpo silinn.
Illus. 'I. In e xe cu t in g thr: 11 <;e ful p art of the t rl sk , it co ll e ct s all th e
he s t theori es. and mo s t appr o ved prn c t i.. r s, n11d nrrnn g <' s thc111, with
lh e r e a s on s o f th r m, iu that di s t i n c t all'.! lucid ord e r in "'hich thrv nr e
most likely to make the d ee pe s t i11Jrre ssion . It so111cti1n•'s nd1ls tire
mo s t sa g aci o us rrlkrti o n~, pl c a s a11t sp r. nil:1tio11~, o r irnport:int dis r 11 vrri c s, which have n >S 11lt1•cl f'nll11 the re s r:nr c h o r till! i11 g r1111ity of tir e
auth o l'. It conde sc end s al s o to r cc::i pitulate nm( ex po se nrl.(! nr or ir rational prin c.iplcs and prn c tic rs ; which h :ive d e rived thl'ir ori g il l·
from a 111•cess 1ty, perh n p s , that. nu lon ge r e:"tist s , 01· which remain rostered and c h e 1·is h c d by prejudi ce or liy ig uoranr o.
2 . In exen1tin g the ornam e ntal part s, ii. .ill11 s tr:it es ev c rv th r on· m11.I
practi ce with s i111plkity am( viva1·it y; liut tlr:it the famiiinrity ,;r th e
l.uwli11 es s of the topi cs of \\'hi c h it lll11 ;: t S'ln11· ti:n cs tr e at, 111'1\' 1101 of·
f.·11d tire 11ic•~s t rr>ndcr , it. i., exln'111 <' ly s nlicito11 .< In acid r'1i~11i.tv to th e
illu s t,rati•J11 bv the 1i;o c o f fi ~ 11 rn ii 1· c <"HI tl e~c ripti v e phra~Ml;• g,v . h

J

•

2J•
. .......

•

~2 88

lJidadic P(lc/ry.

Didactic Poetry.

3. The F.ssay on l\ !nn ndrnitt cd frwl'I' c• mb1 · lli ~ ii111 c 11t~ nntl e pi',;u1fos
th a n thi> p oe m s " ·l1irli 11·c h;n- e nH·1Hi o 11 e d . The a 11thor 's d es ig n wn s
mo re se n o us th a n tlmt of any oilier writ e r of hi s c la s!'. lll .' lru c tio11
wa~ his maitt oh.icct, and no orna111 cut s arc int1 o du ce d but \I hat :ire
:nani!'cs tl y s ub se rvi e nt to thi s e nd. lf e c lllpl oy s n1 e la ph o r s fr c q 11cn tly, arnl someti111 cs co1npari sons , lint tii" Y ar c ll Cl' c r 111er c addr esses to
the fancy o f th e r e ader, they always 1.:ontriuute to illustrate n11 <l im·
press the mat tcr.
4 . Thi s famou s ess ay is literally a sys l <' m of rnornls , found1 •d nn the
c d c bn1tcd dn c tri11e fir s t broad1 ed by Flato , and afr c rward s P:'< pl a inL·t!
and r eco mtnenu ctl by Lt>iln1itz a11cl Lo ni S haft s l111n• th a t n o <·1 ii is
:1rl111i1te<l into th e sys te111 of nat11r e hut \\'hat is i11 sr pa;.,;bl1· from it s cx IStenc c ; and that all p oss ilih ~ pruYi s io11 i~ u1ad e fu r the h ;1 ppin ess of
eve ry cre1~ture it contains. Th e a11thor ac k1io1\'l<·d gcs that th :! g ravity
o.f h!s suh.icet wa s 111ore adapted to a di sc uss ion in pros e , than a treati se Ill ve r se, bnt tltat he preferred th e lntt•~ r, b rc au sc it wa s mo re
atlapt e d to hi s ;:;-c11iu s , a nd was more lik e ly to cng:it::<' th e attc11tioll a iHl
r eco ll ec tio11 of th <:! rnader.
·
5. The di sc us s io n is i11g- c11i o11s 11 11(1 ins trn c ti Ye
\Ve. h n \\' e Ye 1·. " ".; id c rat e th cit distin ct nn<l ln cid ana111~<' n11· 11t 11 liich n·e ;li"<_·er11 ii; t!Jt'

llornce was an epicure an in philo sophy, and, :i l'cortli11g- to th e
prin c ipl es of t1.1at inuol f~ nt sect , ~ee ms to have adopt e d a ndf' of !'0 11 -.
duct , that nothmg· should rull1c his temper. fJ e ;1ppea1~s to hav e c ons idcr e <l th e vices of ·hi s countryme n as not de serv ing lu s re se ntment;
or t o ha ve bee n of opinion thi1t r ep reh e n s ion was not the wny to reform tlwm. He accordingly never discompo;,es him se lf when he mention s them.
·
·4, J u venal is a grave, severe satirist, and a ste rn censor of the errors
and i'olli cs of mankind . He never condescends to smile, or to insinuate i111propri c tics without repr e hending them. He seems tg consider,
ceremony anti politeness as marks of insincerity, allll as trilliug· with .
the evil, instead of attempting a radical cure. He sclr,lom takes no·
lice of folly, but, when h e do c~ , he tou c hes h e r airy and volatile form
with n firm and rough hand. He thinks her deservin g of more se riong
tr ea t1ncnt th a n to laugh at her, Lirc ausc 8he may be rither the cou1pa11 io11 o r th e parc11t of iniquity. Hr di s plays, at the sa m e timP, murh
g ood sense, much knowledg e .of t!1c \1·o rld, and a great ~hare of th e
fa c ulty of imagination .
·
5. Pope attempts t o unite th e g ood hum our of ·J-Tora cP with the
g-rn.vit v of .Tnvenal , but he leans more lo tho; 111a11ncr of the la tter, th a n
to th ,~! of the former. Il e 11·<1.> naturally of a h cc n !t111pcr, anti
particularl y irritalJlc uy rellccli mis which glanccu eit her at l1i s priv at e
characte r or his fame. l\lauy of his satirical writin gs were pro111pte d
l.iy this spirit ; aud w e r egret that a man of his ge11ius should lmve
w as te1I hi s tim e, and disturbed hi s repos!', l.iy retaliating on c riti cs animated by a tleg ree of ignorance or folly ,which rendered them contemptibl e .
,
,
6. Young has much m e rit as a satirist. He is not so severe as .Tn"cnal, though he is always in earnest, an<l ~ ev er attempts to exc it e a
Jaunh. He appears as a s in cere m oralis t , ze alous to correc t th e vices
n1Hl f'nlli<> s ofmrinkind, by holdi ng up pictures to '~xcite their rrfl ec tion
on th e impropri e ty of their .errors . His Love of Fume di splay s much ,
k11011 ledge of human nature, and no small m er it in point of versilicatio". He is a satiri s t whom wc love and r es p ec t, becaus e we conce ive
l1im to 1.Je a ct uated l.Jy goo1l nature, and l.Jackward to reprehend, were
it po s~ ilil c to r efo rm by more g entle m e ans. He poss.:s srs neither the
~p ri g htli11 ess of Horace, nor I.he vehe1uence of Juv e nal, hut he is morP.
di g 11i!i c d th a n tit<! for111cr, and m o re a111ialilc t~1a1i t.hc Lit ter. Uc is
11ot so facetious and plea sant ns llorace, but n e ith e r 1s he so sonr and
forl; idding us Juven a l. H orace ' seems to h ave co usulted his own
amu se mc~1t, and Juv e nal the gTatitlcation. of his spleen, as much as
th e e nte rtainment or emo lum en t of their reader s. Young writes to
impro ve m an kind, and, with the regn rd ant.I affectidn of a p a rent,
cha s tises only th a t he may amend. Though we wish he had more
111irth, yet we r es pect him as a n useful a\.Jthor, and a genuine friend e.1'
virtu e.

3\

0

prodn c t.i ons of 1h e o tla P. r tw o P1ni11enl n1ot.ir rns_
;'-J ,,itl1 Pr h:i ~ t1 11 · \'(T: .: di c ation nil tile n1 c rit ~ H liic li sh i 11t• i11 hi s utliPr \\'nt·l\..;;;: it i~ f1 ·f' qn{'nt 1

Jy abrupt , if n ot obscur<', and p os;, 1;0.s1-s u o l th e 111dndv a111l flow of l1i 'l
other por try. The alistral.'I n:tt11re of the ~ uhj Pct, l;crh a ps, anti his
s incere <l es ire to in s trnct, rath <· r th n11 to pk<• Sl:, rnny furni sh au ap o logy.

589. SATrntsTs are a '-perir 'l of IH'ga tin• dida cti c poe ts,
who tea ch and amuse uy ce nsuring what is wrung, autl exposing what is foo!i <; h. Thej' se ldo111 att empt to in culcate
positively what is good, or to rcco m1nc11d what is dece nt ;
they leave thi s ta s k to 11w1alists and public in s tructors.
They would ue mos t rr pulablc a11d useful w1itcrs, we re
!hey success ful in what th ey u11dc1take, to bani sh iniqui ty
:~ml folly from society. They are divided iuto two cla sses.
. /ll11s . l. On e c la s .~ ntt ;ll'l\s i1u 111ri r :tlity nnd impropri e ty with a s t ern
l<1ok at11l severe n·1n r: li c1 1s i1m. It paints tl11·111 in :tll their d c fonnitv
<1s ol1,i e t:t s o f :n c n:io1 1, a11<l il f:iil s no t lo i1itli i: t upon thrm lltat cc11 s 111~1 •
wh ic h tlt ey dt· s~; n• c ) , It a'.lo1•:s fe·. v or tl i<>Se cxc 11 s1·s and alleviation s
which ;ire us 11all _v 11 rg-c rl fe r t! 1e e rrors ll i' 1111 ·n. It d e li1u,ate s th e m ns
l1ad as th ey r e;.tliy nrc· ; :u1d is so 1111:ti111c s incli11e 1l r a tltrr to e x ag ge rat e
t·ltan t o np o lo,g1se . It 11·i.< h1·s to dri e r manki nd from vicious or fo oli slt
anions or s e 11ti111c nt s, lJy t.lt c c diu!JI , th e mi sery, the di sap proliatio11"
which attenu th e m.
2. Th e other cb ,s ass :rnll s v ic e a111l folly with ridi c ule. It ~~pO$CS
th e w.him s, tl1 e odditic·s, tlu: a li ~ 11r d i1ie s , ;1 11d th e c rim es of' m e n, i11 &u c h
:1 nrn~111er. as to mak e th :111 a s h.;u11 :·d . Hnt if ridiptl e do cs not s ucrr.cd,
it rel111qu1 s.hc s them a s rn ct•rr1gtlilP. i\11 a\1fhor o f thi s <:la ss is nev er
;an g ry, h e ! £ n e ver eve n scri ou~. '\\'h e11 a nimr. sl}() nltl rou se th e r c.•;entrneut of th e form e r c laFs, :tnd d1·aw frorn th c 111 severe chastise- ·
ment, th ey r e 1nnin unmov ed , n11d s mil1• at t!1e c ulprit as a fool. IJor.; icc altoge th er, and Pnpp in ~·J lllf) mc:i ~ nre, 11:·c s a tirist5 of the Jatt cl!'
·d::\ss; Jun:n;tl and You n g· hehng- t0 th e former .

4

/

'

1,,,

f

·----. _ . l

Dcsctip tive Poetry.

Dcsci'iptive P (l rir.t.i·

... J.·..-

1f1nu!;h some cpis o<l cs in th•! Seasons,, nnd s c e n es in hi s play s, di sc over
c ii p acity fo r m a nag in g ?. l r·n d er a n d m odera te p ass io n. His play 3
nre e lega nt a nd co rr ect co m positi o ns ; th ey co nt a in m an y noble and
virt u o u s se ntim e nts, \Jut th ey are s parin g o f" in c irlcnts) and th ey
,
a bo und with dl'cl <un a tion.
·2 . Il a d J\:Jilt o n .st u <l ied nntnr e w ith a s mu c h a tt en ti on as Th o m son,
he wo uld prob a bl y hnve <·!x c ell i: <l a ll p oets in th e li vc li11 e! s and b e auty
o f hi s d es criptions . All hi s work s s hine w ith th e r ichn ess of his im a "
g i11 a tion . He is un commonly ha p py in th e selec ti on o f th e most per•,
tin c nt circ um s tan ces, and in the u s e of th e mo s t s ig nificant figure s ,
p ~ rticularl y m e taphors , whi c h <l qnio n s trate th e exquis,ite se us i\Ji.lity of
lits fan cy.
·
·
·
·
, 3 . H e se ems, how e ve r, to ha n~ take n a ge n e r a l surv ey of nriturc ,
rath e r th a n t o have att e nd e d minutt!l y lo lier p a rti c ular o perations .
l Jc n e ve r d we ll s lo ng on a t opi c i u d esc ripti o n , a nd h e r a th e r g lan ceg
a t it than d e lineates it. Rut n o author s urp::i sscs hi m in sele ctin g th e
m ost p ro min e nt and pi c tur es qu e irig r e di e nt s o f a fi g nrc whi c h mak e ,
th e d ee p es t impress ion . H e is n e ve r ge neral or diffu s e , qu a lities whi c h
a r c fo u nd to h e ve ry ho s til e to th e s 11 cc e ss o f thi s s p rc ie s of writing.
R wmplc 1. l) e thus d es<:rib es th e scen e! of morning in th e Allei:-r~11

CH A PTER VJ.
D ESC JllPTI\' .E P OETn I.

., 5 9~. l:>ESC RlPT.lVE poetry is addre;;setl cl1i ell y to tl li'
~rnag ma.t10n , thou gh it atten1pt.s al so tu co11n·y 111any usefu l
l111presswns tu th e und crstnnd1ng and th e heart
Ob.1. Th e rfo s i ~ n o f it. i~ to c~ hibit ll!'n11tii":il pi .. tu rr s o f 11 :1 1111· (' n r nr t.
so a s lo co 1111111rni c rrt c all th e i111'o n11 n li o 11 a11.t plr ns u re "hi d 1 th e r i«t d "
e r c ould r ec eiv e from an a c tu a l s u r \' cy o f th e o bj ec ts . .I t s o n1 e ti111 c~
J•~ C'se nt s large co ll ec ti o n s o f o hj ccts, a s th o s e w hici1 occ ur i11 ou c 1wri o d
? 'the y ear, or tfi ogP. w hich r ea d ily pr csc llt th c 111 q·IH'S wh e n t li 1~ min d is
111 a p a rti c u h!r fnu~1 e, li v<' I?' a n ti gay, o r di ;:c\111 su lat c a nd .J p_j c c t cd.
Illu s. _1. Ot th e Jo nn e r krn d ar c th e Seas on s o f Tli u 111 s o11 ; of tl 1<0
latt e r k111d a r e th e A ll eg ro a ud l'c n se ro so of l\lilt o n . But th <.~ gr c nt n
p a rt of .d.c sc riptivc p oetry is intcrnii xc d with o th er k im ls o f po e ti ca l
c om pos 1t1 o n ; a_nd th e r e is n o kind, wh e th e r rp ic, dr :nn a 1ic, d idacti c ,
}Ht S t o ~·~ I , o r ly n c , that d ocs n o t occ a sio nall y d c 111 ;i 11d it s a ss is t a n ce.
2 . l hou g·h all p oe ts a Hc mpt' to d cs cril.ic, a nd all 111e11 ar c ~ 111lun· t'<I
m o r e or. le ss .with th e pu 1,-c r of forr11i11 g pi c t11r \'s of w h a t t1 11 ~ 1 , h ;11 ·c
see n or 11n ag·m ed, .ye t th e_fa c u1ty whi ch prnd11 ccs gou d d ('s n i 1;1i o11 i5
c :i:t.re m e ly _r a r e .; 1~ r equires a n 1111 <:0 111111 0 11 p o rtit•ll o f 1·i\' a c d r and
vi g our of 11na ~· ma t 1 0 11, anrl n la rge shar<! of j11d g 111 c nl. T h e fonn " r
s ugg·cs ts tli e c 1r;-um s ta u crs whi c h th e pi c tu re d em and s , a 11 \\ t\ 11 , ln ll ct·
se lect s th ose wl11ch ar e Li es t ca lculat ed for makin c;· th e d eep es t iinpr cs "
510 11 .

. .591. In d1;scripti on,_th e great art acc ms to be, 11 ot to speedy e_ve ry mmut ~ particular, !Jut t~i selec t th e rn ust strikin g
and pi cturesqu e cJrcumsta11 ccs, wl11 ch would naturall y make
the deepes t illlprcssion ou the min<l of th e IJcli old er.
Cxamplc. Tfi c foll ow in g q11otnti o 11 11ill l.ll'sl illn s t r;-itc thi s rnl c. It
is a pi ct ur e,_ by Th o 111 s o11 , of a n i,1J f,ctio 11 s d i,o lc mp c r , wh ir h ha pp e ucd
t o th e tl cc t 111 th e 1n e 111ora\Jl e cx p cd i ti u u ::l (;a iu s t Car th age :ia .
" -. - - -Yo u , gall ant Vernon, sn w
:i: 1i ~ 11~i sc ru Ul c sce ne. Yo u pi1 yi11 g·sow
Io 1;lf an t we nk11 ess s nttk the w a rrior's ann ;

Saw tlll' d ~ l' (' - rn tk in g p a n)?:. th ~ l':hast ly fo rm
'J'J u.:: pn. lt· li11 q uiq·rin g-. :i rnl tin• hcarnks:; l'YC'
N o rnort..; ';·ith n ~·tlu 11r hrig ht ! ·Yo u hu 1rrl the g roan .1,
Of u~·11 i1J s 111 g- l' h1 ps fro tn sho rr to shore !
lh.•nnl ni g·lt1l y pl111 1,l( d :u nit! 1li e snlkn Wft\"f•
'J'hc f n._q1ll' lll Clll'Sl' j wJiifc Oii f'J\ Cll olft n· fj x_'<{
In sad prl·sn gc , th" bl ~n '\. ;_~ !f s i " t rrn t s .'\t c n1°d
S i Jen t, to as k whom fatt · '''o u Id n ex t dc rnantl 1 ~ >

l lnal.1Jsis. lt is m1111~ cess ar v t o o ffe r a u • c ornm r nt on this h e:rntifo l
•lescri pt ion; _e ve r y r Pa <l e r n1u~ t fee l it s f~ r·cc . Th e fr e q11 e 11t pl n n g in g
th e Co r se 111 th e s ull e n w a vp durin g- lh<! ni 1", h L j;; pa rtic 11J u rJy s trikin g , n n ct m n r k s s tr o n Rl r th e ha vnc n 1 lhe i11 frc. 1io n .
Ob:i. ~ · Almo st th e ;vl10 1<! m n il o t' ] h o m ~:n n's g·i:n ins consi~ t r d .in
<lcscriphon, Uc posses se d little influ en ce o ver th e s t ro n ge r pa ss ions,

or

.

~

/. t

" T o h ear th e lark beG·i n hi.• night,
Arni si111':i11g, startle th e <lull ni i?ht,
F ro1n his wa tc h-tower in the 11 k1es,
Till th<' tlappkd tlawn doth rise :
'Vhile t he coc k , with livel y din,
Sca tters the rent' of dnrknt'ss thin,
Ami w the sta c!<. 01· th e barn-door,
Sta tely stru ts his dam es before:
Oft lislcniug how' the hounds a nd horn
<:het·!'fy l'Oll•e the slumbet·i n g mor n ;
' Vhilt> the plou ghnrnn n cnr a t hand
' V hi s tlc~ o't-·r th t· funo w,cl Ju11d 1
A ud the m ilk"mnid siu g ing blyth e,
Ami the mowl' r whets hi s scyth e ;
Arni e \'e ry slw phud tells' his tnle, .
Umle 1· the hawthorn iu the dale."

.,

I
I

f':.w 111ple 2. Th e P e n scroso pr es e n ts the follow .i ug acco unt o f _,t h e
1J hjcct s of th e ev e ning-.
" Oft on a pint of risi11g g l'Oimd,

-

I hcnr t he for- olfcnrfe w snuud
U vl' r some wide· wate n ti shore ,
S wi ng-ing s lo \v with sulle n roar.

Or, if the air will not p ermit,
Some still re mov~d plac" will fit,
'\lhcr c g low i11 g e mh<!r s throui;h the toom
T each light to co unterft·it a gloom,
Vnr frotn a ll resort

or· 1n jrth,

Sa\'e th e c ricke t 011 the hen 1·1h, '
Or the bellmnn's dro~vsy chnrm,
To bl<:ss th e doo rs from ni ghtl y hnt·m;
O r let m y lan1p and rni<l11i i~l1t honr,
De n ·e u in some hig h Jonvly tow'r ..
So md irnes le t g'orgeous t raged y,
111 sceptre\! pall, eome sweepi11 1? b y,
]' rcscnti11g Thebes' or Pelop's hnc,
Or the talc ol Tl'Oy divine."

O/J.i . 4 . The e lega nt ge niu s of P a rn ell h as prod ~1f ell some be auti lu l

exa mpl e~ o f 'd es criptive po c tl'y ; a nd it i! nrnd1 to b e r cg1·c tt ed h e had

n o t indulge d the wo rld with mo re ~ p eci mcn s. H e possesse d a fin e im:i g·in a lion , a most c orr ec t t as te, and g reat k11owledg·c of human nature .
Iii~ vel' s ifi c ati on is n o t iuferi o r to th a t of P o p e in m elod y a n d co n c ise"

,,.

I

292

lJescripti ve Poclr!J.

Ep£c Poetry.

ness , and is s uperior in si mpli c it y nnd p i!Vi pi c11ity. It t ee m s wit h in ·
!'5 tru c ti o 11 , with th e g-e nuinc lan g·uai;c of tlH! h e art ; a ncl th e re i~ nu
p oe try , p e rhaps, wh ic h th e 1·cadcr ca n p e ni s .~ so ofte n with pl ca~ ure ·
. E .ram11le I. The l~ e r~1i t is an e ~trc m e ly ueautifnl , morn.I, des criptive po em, frou g h t with imp o rt a nt 1u stru c tin11 , <:o mmuu ica tcd in a ~ im­
ple, I.Jut di g nifi e d m a nn e r, and r e•: on1mc111l cr: uy the most delicP.te nppeals tu th e irna g inntirrn.
2. A ll th e g r ea t ep ic p oe t s e"l.i ib if'. emi n e n t specimf!ns of d c~cr iptin~
f Of!try. l~<Hm!I·, \lirg'.il, an.d (h:;ia 11.' <> >eel_ in it . The followin r; pi ctu r e
o.f d oso lat1 0 11, by O ss 1a11, 1s co11cc1vc<l 1Y1th much t·igo'ir of inrn g inntwn .
" I have see n th e wall s of lhlc. Jutl1~. Lu! t h 1~ v were 11cso lat e. The
!lam e s had reso 11mle cl i 11 the hal l·,, :ind 1'1i e " 'ie·,,«1f th e people iR h eanl
n o m o r e. Th e s tr e mn o f C l11th a "':15 n : nwH' rl fi- 0 111 its c<• lll" Sf~ Liy the
foll of the walls. Th •! this tle sh'1:11 . thcr ·~ it s lo 11Pl y h ca <I · th e lllO SS
whi s tl e d in tl~ e wind. The fo x lo •::>k .cd o ut frolll th e! w indu:v, a111l th e
nrnk g-rns s ot th e w a ll w1r1ed round h! s li ca1 l. D es olate is th e dwell·
ing of Morna; s il e 11 c e is in th it ho 1.1 ,;c of ·:1er f"i< tlHTS ' "

5~ 2 .. The ~ hi e f e rro~·s comt11i lbl i 11 de sc riptions, 11 re the
. atlm1ss10n of untn e1~n lll g or fl'Jj1 t: lT!lt11 e r a r y e pithets antl
r hrases, the introduction or ~:.e 11 crn l (<' 1:n :•, and the i11t e rmi xtu re of tri vial or in :. i .·~ 11 if1 c an t c irc1nnshw cl':> clothed in
J~fJmpous and. splP ndiJ ln 1~gua1~c. The be~ t poe ts arc somet unes faully 111 all these arti cl-cs.
I llus. 1. Al l ge n e ra l term s ar c impro p e r in 1lc scrip ti o 11 s, b ec ause
they St1 ;:? t; " s t e ith e r 11 0 id c: a at all, or n fl n e th :1 t is fix e d; whil e t he es 5c n.c e of pi c:t llr ~ s qu e d es cr ip ti o n c on sists in p romptin g cu n c cptio11s
:':lu c h ai·e p a lp a ble, an_d of wl~ich the mind, o f co ur sr., t a kes firm hold .
1 h esc C::l ll n• s tdt 0 111.v fr om ou_1 cr; ts p :uti c nlnr a nd di s tin c t.
. I:.w111p !e. Slia!cs p c ar? , to <'x p0 se tli c aus u n lity o f 11ttC' mptin g n thin g
1111pract1 c;: l.Jl e, s a y;:, w1tlr g- rcat 1·11 C' r gy, in lll'1uy th r. Fit'lh: "You
inay a s wd l go abou t t0 turn ti1 c su 11 int o ic(' , u y fann in g in h i3 fa ce
with a p eacock 's feat.he r. "
·
Jlw'il.'}sis. Had the pod m nd e th e ex press io n ire n r rnl , by l c::i. ,· in ~ out
the" pcac o c h. 's f'cathc r ," li e wonld J:a1·e· mutilate d :he p :c tur<~, nP tl d ehilitat e d th e i i11p r es~ i011. H :iw fec!Jlc would !ra ve b {·c 11 th e fo ll11,1oi 1w
r;hr a_s co l.o gy '. " You m :')· as wd l go about to t1 '.n• th e ~ ·m into ice,
fa n11 rnr, 111 h 13 fa c e. " Had h· r c ta i11 cd th t> " iea t!1er,' ' b ut dn•p t. th e
"pe a cock,' " 1'1r. ··~ pr c s s i o 11 w ou ld ha" e b1:c n n1tll"e pict 11'.· ,, sq uc : ' ' 1 on
111 ~y as well g,0 a bo u t to turn th e ~u11 in to icG , l1y farming b i ~ f;ir:e with
a fea th er.'' L V (! ll thi ;< r•i c tu r c. howr.v e1·, is niucl1 inf ie ri11 r i n !J c a!.lty ;rnd
,·i1·p. city to th e part ic:i la r h11 ~11a t:" r t he p cw t h a th t lt on g '•t jl:-OJ !:' r to
"'.\op t. : ". Yot1 m :ty a s w e ll g n ali ou! t :. t, n ·n th r. s:rn i11t " ic1 ·. u_v fo'ln111g Ill l11s fac e " ilh a IH:a c ork's ren th PI', " The 111i nr.l t!Ta ~ps th e i111 >1ge at o n <:e, and i£ ~ !ru c k \\"ilh it s ~ pri g htli11c~ s and projirie ty.

by

p hr ~sco l orry , and he has communicated to it an nir of ridicule, hy the
~nd figurative expression of his translntio11. lliP.d 1 xviii. 405 .•
1,ornpous
l

'

" A 'mnssy cauldron of stupcndom frame
They brought, al1d plac'il it o'er the ri sing flame;
Then heap"d the li!;hted wo od ; the flnm e divides
Iknenth th t> v:ise, mod climbs around its •ides.
111 itt wide womb they pour the rmhi11P, stream,
The boiling wnte1· bubbles to the brim. '
.

) 5.94. It often happens, tliat a description presents objects
which woul<l be extremely disagreeable to the sight, while
~ ihe description itself is 11ot only not disagreeable, but conveys high pleasure. This is a curious phrenomenon, and
merits some attention.' Two causes seem to concur in pro
ducing this effect.
4

Jll11 s. A po e tical description r e sembles a n historical painting, the
'm e ri t of which consists in con11nu11icating to the differe nt figures the
~ame po~it.ions and uppeP.rance that they hold in nature.
And al.
th o u gh th ~ l1 g ure s Lie di s agre e able, yet the picture may yield much
pl e asure, because the merit of it lies in the a cc uracy of the imitation.
The mind surveys with delight th e excellence nf an P.rt which cP.n im·
itnt c nP.ture so completely. Th e purpose of the descript.io,n, ns w e ll as
of th e pi c ture, is to impart exact ideAs o f the obj ec ts, though it oper a te: by words inst ea d of colours. · The imitation, in hoth cases, iii th e·
. •:liief source of the pl eas urn . The pl eas ure of the imitation much more
t.lrnn co unterbalances the disg·u s t ari s ing from the in spection of the object. Thi s s ee m s to be th e fir st cau se. "\Vo r<ls, again, have a beauty
in their sound and arrange m e nt, i11de.pend e 11t of tlwir signification ;
th e merit of the ex('Cution in the pi c ture, and of the. composition in
th e description, affords delight. This seems tu be the second cause.
Both cau ses co ncur to counterac t th e dis g ust excited by the object .
Scho/£wn . These remarks point out the greatest beauty of descripti o n , which takes place wh e n th e object, th e imitation, and the e::i:pres~ ion , nil concur to augment the pl easur e uf the r e ailer.
Jn nil other
c a s.e~ , th ese partially oppose the effi>cts o f one another.
I f, h owevPI', an ol~ je"c t prompt horror 1 no e.'l:ce ll e nce of imitation or
lan gn a g·e can recommend its description. The pi c ture of Sin, in Paraclise Los t, thou g h drawn with the hi·ig hc r.s t colours, is of thi~ class . It
l' x c ites h orro r, und all Milton 's e loquen ce cannot render it tolerable.

0

593. For~~ d elevatio n of the e xpress ion above the tone of
t he thou ght, ts :rnoth c r error not uncommon in llescriptiou .
ll!u .v. Hom e r rr:l a tes, th a t Ac hill es co mmand e d hi s d o m es ti cs to pre)H\r.c a v essel to li eu t w<itl"l for was hing the d ead body of l'atroclus,
wllld1 thr.y acco •·dindy p~r form crl. No thi11 1! can u c m ore s impl e th u 11
t h !' l;wgna gc of th e p oe t. Things are c nll c<l by th e ir prop e r nnm es ,
a nd very few q>ithets arc adt.l~ LI. l' o pc nllt 'i t illlprove thi s simp b

OHAPTER VII.
EPIC PO ET RY.

595. EPIC and d ramatic poetry are universally allowed
1o be the n1ost dignifi ed, at~d . at t he same time, the 11103t
tlir.1 c11 lt species of poeti c eompo:>.iiioJJ. To contri"e i'. story
which shall ple 11.s~~ a11u in lcrr::.-t :i ll 1ca(lern, by being a l once

entertaining, important, antl instructi_v c; to fill it wilh sui t·l'i

~'
I

·11

·!

Epic l'ollry.

Epic Poetry . . ,,:.,. ·

:\Ulc i11cid c 11i s; l o c nli n:n it \\ ii!i a Yarict r of 1 li;1rader:-" .
and of dcscr ipfi o11 s; a n d, 0 1roup.,l1 out a l flll ,!!,- 11 0 1k, to '\L!iu :
tai11 that propriety of scnti111cni, and that ei cv atio11 of ,;1yle,
which the epic d1arader requires. is 11nqu cstio11;1i>I., (1 11 ~
hig hest effo rt of poetical ge11iu :;. lle11ce :-lU vn,y r..~w !1:1\' •'
succeedcJ in th e atte mpt, that slricl c rili cs \Viii ltan\l y nlJow any other poem s to hear the nam e of epic, excep t· the
I liad a 1id the .l•: 11l'id.
/ltu.T. J , The plain nc cn 1111t of th e n ;lfur<' nf a n c pi<' P""lll is, tl• c r e ·
cital ofsom e illu s trio11.~ 1•11tcrprize in" p•H•ti«:il l< >r111. 'I Iii ' is an !'.\ad
ddi11itio11 of thi s ~11 hi<'<'I . It c11mpn·h""" ' """' ml 0!11 ·~ r l"' <' nl:i, IH~ ­
'°' iu es the Iliad of lJo111cr, th e / E11<'id of Vir~'.il , Hllll t•1c ..J t.: ru ~ alern ur
Tasso ; whi c h nr e, p er h a p s , th e thr ee mo s l n •g 11lar and •:01npklc ep ic
works that e ver were composed. But to l' xcludc :iii p oe m s fr o m 1hc
epic class , which are not forlllcd exac t.Iv up o 11 th e s ame m ode l ns th ese.
is the p e dantry of c ritici s m.
·
'
2. \V e c::tn g·i;' c exact d e finitions nnd d cs<' ription <; o r rni11 c ral <, pla11t .~,
and animal' ; anti can nrran gc th e m " ·ith pr c ,.i s io11, 1111 dc 1· th e difft r·ent clas ses to whi c h th ey h eln11g, h eca11 'c nat11r e nffunl ' a visiu! c 1111 varyin~ $taiulard, to w!1ich we r e fer llir·rn .
l:11t with rt «E'1 rd 1u w o1·l;s
o f l as t~ anrl i111 ag i11ntio11, wh e re nat11r c h a ;; fi xed 110 -~ ta11 dar rl , but
lenvcs s c ope for hPanti<~s of 111 a 11 y diffor c 11t kind s , it is ;>_l. ;: urd t<:> a t t<!mpt tl e frnin g and limiti ng lh c 111 with the s:11n c pr(' r; is in11.
a. Criticism, wh<'n c111plnyed in s 11clt :il t1•rnpt s , d 1'gc 11 crate s into
trifling qu<' s tion ~ about word s a11d na111c s only.
4. The mo s t co rnp e tc nt jud ges, t.lt e r cfo r c , liavc 11 r• sc rnpl" t o cla .~~
s m :h po l' ms, as Milt o n' s Para dise L os t, L11 c a11 ' s P har ~a lia , S ::it.ius ' s
Th e baid, O ss ian·s Fingal and T c morn , Camo e n s' L11 s ia1l, VoltairP.'s
Hrnri a d c , Fe11 c lo11 's T1~ l c 11rn c hus, Glov e r ' s L eo niilu .• , a11 d Wilkie 's
Epig-oniad, untl e r th e >a mc sp ec ies of co111j'o s ilio 11 w it l1 th e Iliad :md
the j Eneid; thou g h SOllH~ or lh e !ll approa c h 111111:Ji 111 :ar c r th a n otiiNs
to th e p e rfec tion of t!ir se ce lPhrnt r d w or k ' . ThPJ fll<', 1111d <> 11bt ed ly,
all e pic; th a t. is, porti<'ol re,.irnls of g rN1t '"""'11t11n' •; wJ 1i1 Ii i ~ all
that is Ill Cant by thi s dc110111i11atio11 of po e try . ( lll11 .1. 1.)
5. Th e e nd which e pi c p od r y pr o pos es, is to <'x lc 11 1l our id eas of
humnn p e rfrctio11 : OI·, in o th r r 1rords, I<' <'X<"i l e admirati o n. Now
this can uc a cr:n mpli i:: h cd o nl y by prop e r rep1<'s ..' nt:iti o •1 s of 1,. ..... :.,
d ec cl s , and ' ' irt11nt• ?. c •1arn c t ~ r s . For hi g h Yirl11c is th " 0 l1j rc t , ll'hi c h
all m a nkind arc forl!1"d to ad 1nirr. ; and , th e r e for e , <'! •ic p•i c m s are,
:i.rnl mu s t b e , favonrnhl c t o th e Gl.l 1se of virtue. Vnlnnr, truth , _ju st ic l',
fidelity, fri c 11d s l!ip, pi r. ty, urn g n:111i rn it.1· , :ire th l' ohje c ls w hi r Ii , in the
co ur se o f s11ch <· o mp oc iti on~, :ue pn~s cnt.cd to our mind s , under the
mo s t sp le ndid ,,,.,1 holl o urai,J c colnn r'' ·
6. In behalf of Yirtq ous pr-r ~n 11ng e~ , 011r ~ffcc fi o n :-:: ar(' •·n g·n,£u " I ; in
their d e~ i g· n s, n11 <l th e ir di .~ t :~ ,~c;;s es, we a !·c-.. int t• rcs 1f' d; th ~ ' i ~·P 1 H·1 · nu"
and p11ltli c affcdi u n·• :in ~ a w :1k. r.:w d ; tlt c min•I i ~ p11ri l: 1..J fn.>1 ;1 " "' •' ll <t l
and 111e:u1 purs uit s , anrl n<" c n ~ t o11H•d to lu k c part in grea t , l1<•r 0 i1 cn tcrprisrs. It i~ , irnfr c d , 110 s 1>1 ,d l t<-sli .•11011y ;,, lt ·11 11 >1, r o f v: r t 11", , 1,at.
s eve r a l of tl F '. n1 n .~ t r r. finrd and ~ 11' 114a nt c n tr: 1 · ::1;11nu· 1! \ ~ of 111 ! 1· •. in d,
Hu r~ h a ~ th ·~\t s;1r ~ c i 1~ s of po e fif ·a l con 1p o~: iti •) 1 • H !t ic li '~T tH.' \\ ! .
.i· !e 1· ,
Jnl!S t h·.~ gTc- tn Hl<! tl 0 11 inond ~.-. nti1r1 r nt s ;lntl 1111 :) ' l ' !'= :·: in tts .
i 1
1.:; ;\
l e ~timnn y of s u(·h "'"i g ht, that, ni· r~ it. in ll:t' pr .·" ,.,. nf' ~u p1 ;.- ,,, plti l osophr.r~ , 10 '"c~k c n tl1 e force o f th ose r caso n in ~.s 1•·ltich c s t8u li s h lhl'
1

I

' '

~

~sSl'nlial di~tinction~ between vic1! anll
!'t~ a lon e were sullicicnt to refute th eir

virtur, the wr iti n gs of epic pofalse philowpliy; shew ing , liy
thAt a.ppeal which they constantly make to the frc ling- s of mallkilld i11
fav our of •·ir t u e, tha t the foundations of it nre laid tlccp and strong in
human n ature .

t

.' 59G. The general strain and spirit of epic coinposition,
sufll.ciently mark its distinction from th e other kinds of

l

poetry.
ll111s. I. In pastornl wntrng, the reigning id«a is innocen ce anrl
trn1ul'1illity. Compas s ion is t!H! gre at ohjt'cl of tragedy; rid icule th•~
province of come 1ly. Th<' p r c do11>im111t clt a racle1· of lite epic is, a dmiration ex cited
heroic actions .
· 2. It is s11ffici~ntly di s lin Ruish c d from hii;t ory, bo th hy its poetical
.form, and the liberty of liction which it a~sum es. It is a more calm
co111pusilion than tra g edy . It ad111its, nay, rc<1uires, the pathetic and
the vi·Jlent, on particular occasions; but thr. pathetic is not e xpected
to he its genernl character. It requires, mo1·e than any other specir~
o f po etr y , n grnve, equ al, and supported dignity.
, !J. It tak es in a greater compass of time and action, than drnmntic
w riting admits; nnd ther e b y a llo ws a more foll di s pl ay of c har acters.
Dramatic writings display chnracters chiefly by means of ·sentiments
and pn ,;sions ; e pic poetry, chiefly by means of nctions. Th e emo·
ti o11s, therefore, which it raises, are tHJt so •iolent, !Jut they are more
proloug:ed.
·
Obs. Th<'se are the general characteristics of this species of compo s ition . 'But, in orde r to give a more parti c ular and critical view of it,
Jet us consider the epic poem nntler three heads ; first, with respect to
t he subject, or action; secondly, with resp ec t to the nc!ors , or chat'·
actcrs ; and, lastly, with respect to the narrntion of the poet.

uv

t

i
if
l

i

J

~

i,

I.
~

f

597. The action, or subject of the ~pie poem, must have
three qualifications : .it must be one ; it must be great;
it must be interesting. ·

!1

illus. I. •First, it musl be one action , or enterprise, wi1ich the poet

'

c hooses for his subject.
E:i:ampl'e 1. In all the .great epic poems, unity of action i~ ~uflicient­
ly apparent. Virgil, for instance, has chosen for his ·subjec t, the establishment of A:neas iu ltalJ . · From the beginning to th e e nd of the
poem, thi s object is ever in our view, and links all the parts of it together with full connection. The unity of tl1e Odyssey is of the same
nature ; the return and 1·e-establishment of Ulys ses in his own conn try.
The subject of Tas so is th e recovery of J.erusalem from the Infidels·
that of Milton, tbf! expulsion of our fir s t parents from Paradise· and
· both o f them al'e unexceptiQnable in the unity of the story .
'
2 . The professed subject of the Iliad, is the ang·er of Achilles, with
the consequen ces whi c h it produced. The Greeks carry on many ttn·
succ essful engagements ugainst the Trojans, as long as they arr~ 1iPprivod of th e 'lssistancc of Achill es . Upon hi~ u e ing appease<l 1111d reconcllefl to Agamemnon, victory follow5 1 and t.hc poem clos es .
. (Jn?f:1pis .. It must ~le owned,.however, tt.•at tl~e m:1ity, or connecting
p~1,n~1plc, .!s uot quite so sens1bl~ to the 1mng1nation hr.re, as in the
/ bnc1d . I• or, throughout many books of the Iliad, Achilles is out of

26

i

.i\{
.~

~

1

l

,_

l
~

x

1

·~

-1'
!

29G

297

Epic Poetty. ...,,,..... .

Epic Foclry.

e tl , as 1f 1t excl utl c d nil !'p1sodPs, o r su h o rdi11 11 1c n<:1i o 11 ~.
3 . 1)1is o d es, nre ce rt a in a c tinn s, 01· incidcuti;, intr o du c <'d inf o th e
11arrnt1on, conncctP.d with th e prin c ip a l nc tion , ye t n o t of suc h imp o'rt a n ~e a s to d es troy th e m a in s ubj ect of th e p oe m, if th ey h a d bern

Tc.f·ibazus and Ariana, in Leonidas, and of the death of
lll'n:ules, in the Epigonia<l, are the two greatest beauties in
tliese poems
·
t' 602. The unity of the epic action necessarily supposes, .
din t the action be entire and com]Jlele ; that is, as Aristotle
wel l expresses it, that it have a beginning, a middle, anti an

()Jllllt('(l.

cl1d.

s ig ht ; Ir e is lo ~t in inn c ti o n; and th r fa n cy rl n· rll~ 011 110 otl1cr object
than the s u ccess o f th•~ two armies th a t w1• se c ro11tr11di11 0,· in w:i r . .
lit us:~o 'l'I ie unity
. o f t I •?e pi. c ad1. 0 11 i. s not l o h e :«) ~. !r il'll
' y i11t c rp1:et
. .

.

J;:x amp le. Of thi s n a ture arc th e int cn·icw o f ll r<'tor w iti1 /\11rlro111'l-

.

.

.

.

.

,_ GOS. The second qualification of an epic action, is, that

it be grwt; that it huxe suffic ient splendoi1r and importance, both to fix our attentio11, and to justify the magnificent
ap1'arat11s which the poet bestows upon it.
I

011 <. This is so c vi <le ntl y r e<Ju i>i!c as no t to rc<]uirc illu stration; and

~nJccd,

IJ ;ird ly any who han~ atten1pted ~p i e poetry, hal'C failed in c h oos -

l'.l !; so m e subjN: t s ullici< ~ ntly im porta nt, e •th er by th e nature of the acfH)l),

Il/11, s. Th e •~ pi soLl P. of O !irnla and So pl1ro11ia , in th e scr o rnl Jtp ok 11!'
T ar.so ' s Jcru~a l <'m, is fault y , hy tn111sg n -,si11g thi s rnlC'. I t is to o mu c h
d c tac h e 1l fr o m th e re s t of th e work ; an<l bf'ing· introdu ce d ~o n ea t·
lh c op rn it1g o f the J>O l' m , mi sl e ads th e render into an expec t a ti o n, that
it is t o be of some future co n seq newe; wher en8 it proYP.S l o h e co n u ec tc d with nothing- tlwt foll ows . In pro p or l ion as nny P. pi so d e is
s li g ht !J r el ated t o tl 11' 1n a in rnhj~ct , it ~ l wn lrl n l.,·ays be th e s h o rt e r.
The pas s ion o f Did o in th e Jl-~ n c id , n nd th e s n arrs o f Armida in th r.
Jr!ru ~a l e m , which a r c expa lHl e!l so fully in tl•c~P po \'ms, c annot with
pro p ridJ be callrd episode~ . Th l'y arc ·~ onstitnrnf parl ~ o f th e w o rk ,
and fonn n cons iderabl e s har e of th e intr ig ue' of th e po!'lll .

As an ep isode is a pro! cssc d cmbelll shmr.nt, it ought to be p;;.rticularl y clep,·anl and n·c!l:/inisfml;
:1ml, acco rdingl y, it is, for th e 111osl pa1 t, 111 pieces of this
ki!!d , that p uct ~~ pu t forth th eir s tr ength. The episodes or

.

t ln c iu ;~ so me of bi s actors to r e late wlrnt hat.I pas sf:'d IJt>fore th e openi n g- o i' th <~ poem , th e author must nhn1ys <:P ntriv e t o g iv e u s full informat ion o f every thing. that b e lon gs to hi s subject; h e must not lcnn~
our <·nriosily, in nu y art icl e , ungratified; he mu st bring us pr ec isely tu
the a c c olll p li;d1me11t of hi s pl a n ; and th e n co11clude.

598. S uch episodes as th esr, :ire not only permitted to
:in epic poet; but, provided th c.v be properly executed, are
great ornaments to his work. The ri.1les rcga rdi1 1g them
arc the following:
·
·
599. Rul e fir st. They rnu sl. ue nnlurall y introduced.;
they mu st hnve a s tdli c icr~t co!rnedio11 with the s ul~j cc t ol'
the poem; tli cy mu st !Jc 111fcnor parts that bclo11 g to it;
but not mere nppendng;cs stuck to it.
·

camps and battl_cs.
GO!. Hnl c ilurd.

.

. ' l!l us. J·~ither b.v relating th e wlwle, i11 his own person, or by intro -

d1 e, in the Ili a d ; thr· sto ry of C:rn c u s , '111(1 that o f N i.<1 18 aud Eurr:d1.,: ,
in th P. 1l: n ci d ; 1hr. nthcntnr cs of Tn11 nc 1l with Enni11ia :111rl Cln;·i11cla,
in tl11' .Jcru sll. lr. 1n ; an d th e pro:•prc t of his dc ~cc nd:ints c:\11i h ite:J to
Adam, in th e la s t. I.woks of l'ar:1Cli ~c L os t.

GOO. Ruic second. E pisod es onght to prese nt to us, oujccts of a different kind , from those whi ch go heforc , . a111l
those which follow, in the course ol' the poe m. For it is
prin cipall y fo r thP- sake of variety, that epi sodes are intro -·
dtt ce t\ into an epic c omp os i t i o r ~. In so long a work, they
tend to div ersify the su~j cct, and to reli eve the rea d er, . by
shiftin~ th e SC'E'.11 ('. In th e 1nidst or combats, th ere for e, an
c pi:10 di~ of th e martial kiutl \1·1rnld he 011 I. of place; wh ereas,
H cd1 11·~s visit lo A.Jl(lrom ad 1c in ih c l liad, :11nl Erminia'~
adH11ture with th e shcpheril, i11 1hc "'evc ntl1 book of the .l crn salcm, affords us a \\" ell -judged a11d pleasing retr eat fro11 1

.

or by th e fame of th e JH' r sonages co n cerned in it. -

G0_4. It contributes to i.he grandeur of th e epic su uj cc t ,
,ih_at_ 1.t be not · of a modern tlate, nor fall within any period
of history with which we are intimate ly _acquainted.
Ub s. Bot h Lucan and Voltaire have , iu the cho ice o f their s u bjec ts
t r ansg r esse d this rule , aud th•~y hav e, u_pun that account, s ucc t>t:dc ti
w~rse .
An_tiquity is favourable to those high a n d augu s t id eas whi c h
<?p_1c poetry is d es igned to r a ise . It tend s to aggrandizt>, in our inrn gi 11 a t w 11 , uoth p e r sons and events; and what is st ill mor e m a te ri a l, i t a llows th ~ poe t the lib e rty of ad o rnin g his s u bj<'ct by m ea n s of Ji c t io 11.
\\' i: c rc:i s , <:.s soon as h e co m e s within th e verge of re a l and autlwntica tc d history, thi s lib e 1:ty is abridg e d.
'
·

GO?· The third pro1)erty required in 1he epic poe111, i;-;,
that 1_t be iutercsling. It is not sum cien t for thi s pu rposc
tliat It ue great. For dreds of mere valour, how heroic
soever, may prove colJ antl tiresome.
·
·
Illus. J\·~u c h will depend on th e happy c hoic~ of some s uLj cct , whi ·: h

~ l.1all, by it s uatnr L'.> intC"res t tl1 e pu bli c: a s when t he poet se lPc ts i'v r
h~ s h<'r?, one wh o is th e founder, or the d c lin~ rC'r, m · th c fa vo urit ~ of
1

Ill s natt o n; or when he writ es of a c hi c ,·cmcnts that have been h igh ly
ce lc hrat e.d, or ha ve hC' e n co nn ecte d w ith imp o rtant con;ocquc11c,·s to
, <1t1y P.ublic.cuuse. Mo s t of th e grrat e pi c i>O" nH are ab undantl y fortu. ll ate Ill th1~ r e.s pec!'. and were, no cl o u bt, as interes tin g to tho se ages
,a nd co untn es rn whi c h they were composed, as th ey are to u s .

' GOG: But i.h e .chief cir_cu ms tanc e w_hich renders an epic
poem mtcrestin g, and which tends to mtcrcst, not one age

k}Jic Pvttry.

.Ep ic Poetry.

m=country alone, but all readers, is the skilful conduct of
ihe author in the ma11n gc ment of his subject.

nast

iilc lud e at the mo st a yea1· and some months.
.
Obs. lfavin;,1· tlnis !rea tcd ufthe e µic a c tio11,or th e subject of tlw po ern,
we proceed next to make so m e observations on th e actors ur p c r ;;o 11a t;-es .

( 61 o. As it i~ the business of an ep.ic poet to copy after nat\1re, and tu form a probable i1iteresting talc, , he must study
tu give all his pe!·soriages proper and w7ll- suppoded char:icters, such as display the features ol t.he hum an nature.
This is what Aristotle calls, giving manners to the poem.
O/;s. Jt is by 110 means n ecessary, that all l1is actors uc morn ll y

60 7'. Much, too, depend s on the characters of the heroes,
for renderin g the poem i11tercsti11g; that th ey be such as
shall s trongly attach the read ers, and make th em take part
111 the dan ge rs which the heroes cncu1mtc r.
'

/

~ood; inljlCrfcc t , uay, vicious c; haract ers , may find a prope r place;

:hough th e n a tt: re of epic po e try seems 10 requir e , that th e pri nc ip a l
fiour cs e xhibit ed s hould be such as tend to raisP a dmirnti oH and lo ,·r;
r;th er than hair ed o r contempt. But whatever the cliarncter uc which
Jl OC t g iv es lo any o f h is actors, h e ,Inll St t a k e Care t o pr l'SC l' \'t it lllli·
1\ inn, a11il co n sis te nt with it self. Every thing wliich that pcrso 11 suy, ,
..ii· doc s, 111u s t. be suited to this unifor111i1 y, and must serve to di,;ti11 g 11i o:i
h iia from a11y oth eL
·

a

Illu s. Th1!se <hn gc rs, or o h s la c l e~, fo rm what is ca ll ed th e nodu S-,
•J r the i11tr ig-11 e nf tlu~ epic p or m ; in th e jud it: ion s Collll11 c t o f which
co n s is ts mu c h of !he p oe t 's art. Ile mu s t rou se our allcntion h y a
pr o~ p e cl o f th e dilTi c ultiP s which Ece 111 to thr ea ten di sa pp o inl111c11t t o
th e entrrprisc of hi.' favourite perso na ges; h e mu s t mak e tl1 ese difli·r:tt l lics grow and thi c k e n upon us , hy <kgr<'es; till , after having k e pt
u ~, for some ti111 r, i11 ri st a le of a g it a ti o n and s us p e n se, hr. pav es th e
way , by a prop<"r pr'!paration o f in c id e nt s, for th e "inding up of th e
pl ot in a natural and probable nu1111H'r. It is pl a in , that every tal.~
which is d es ig ned tu e n g nge att e nti o n, must be conducted u n a plan of
t hi s sore.

lll 11.~. Th!' Iliad , \\ h ic h is forn l1'1I 11po11 th e a11 g <'1 · nf A f'hill!' s, h a .s ,
" ·ifh p1·np ril'1 y , th•· >: l1<irt r .<t d11rn1io11 of any o f th e g r ea t <'pie po e 111s.
Accordi11!; In Boss u, th e a c tion la ~ ts no ln11 gc r th a n forty-seven clayg.
Th e arti o n of lhc Orly ssi'y, comp ut e d from th e taking of T r oy to the
p ea~!' of ltln1 ca, ('X ff' nd s to e ig ht )' <' a1·s a nd a half ; and th e actio11 o l'
the iE11eid, co 111p11l e d in th e s ame way, from the t a ki11g· o f Troy tu the
d ea th of T11n111 s , includes al.io11t six years. 13ut if w e m cns ure th e r e··
l'i o <I o nl y of lh e po e t'~ o w11 narrati o n, or co mpute fr o m th!' time i11
which the h<'rn mak es hi s lint nppearan(r, till the (0 11d11sin11, the dur a tion of b o th the se In st poem s is br o ught within a much smaller com-

~:at;

1 h ~ s torn 1, wh1 c h throws iE u eas upon the coast o f Amca, is r ecko11e1l tu

llltt3. Jk mu s t so coutrin! hi s plan, a s that it shall cornprchrn1l
man y affecting incid e nts. H e must not daiz lc ns p c rpctunllv with
valiant a c hi e vements; fur all rea rlns uecome tir e<! of constani fi g ht ing·, an<I b a ttl es ; but he mu s t study to to uc h our h e ar! ~. H e may
sometimes be awful and nu g u st; he must o ft e n he tend e r and pathdi<:: ; h e 11111 st g ive us gen tl e nnd pl eas in g sce n es of lov e, fri en d ~ hip, nnd
;iffcc ti o n. Th e more nn e pic JI OC' lll abounds with situations which a waken th e frcdings of ht1111a11ity , tl a: m ore interestin g it is: and thcsC' a lwa_vs form the favourite pa ssag-<·s of the w ork . N o epic pods are
more li app,v in this rcspC'ct thnn Virgil awl Tasso.

608. A q11 estio11 has bee n 111ovcd, '1Vheth er th e nature of
lh e epic pocrn does nut require that it should always end
suc cess full y? Must. criti cs arc in clin ed to think, that a
success ful "iss ue is th e rnosl proper; aml th e.Y appear t.o
h<w e reason 011 th eir side. A11 unhappy co11 clu si nn depresses the mind, and is opposite to the elevating emotions which
belong to thi s species of poetry.
609. '\Vit.h n'ganl to th e time or duration of t.hc epi c :i ctiun, no precise boundari es ca n be ascertain ed. A co11si1lern!JIC' extent i3 almlys allow ed to it, as it docs 11ot nPr es·sarily dep end on th ose \'iol eut pass ions which can L>e s uppo sed to ha ve only a f' hort conti11uanc:c.

th~

Th e Odj s'e}, l11'g inni11 g with Uly sse s in
islan d .of
pm,
O!il y; an d th e .lf_:nP;.1r.! , li~·g 1nn111:; "1th

~ ompreh e i1 ds i:fty -e ig ht da ys

• GJ l. P oetic characters may be divided into two kind s,
gc11era l aiHl particLilar.
·
·
1st. General characters ere, such as wis e, bra r e, virtuuus,
.w i thuu t any farther distin ction.
':?.n d. Particular characters express the spec ie:> of bravery, of wisdom, uf ,·irtue, for which auy one is emi11~11t.
Jtllls. They exhibit th e p ecu liar features which di s ting-ui sh one indiv iiln a l from an oth e r, wh ic h mark the diffe rence of th e sa m e moral
, qu a li ty in di ffe rent m e n, <1ccor d.i 11g as it. is combined with uthei' dispo1 sitio n s
in th e ir te mper .,. In dra win; such part icu ln r characte r s , the
g·cnius o f the poet is c hi efly exerted.
Obs . 111 ll1is part, Hom e r h as priu c ipally excelled; Tasso l:.:s come
th e ne ares t to Hom e r; llllll Vi1·gil ha s been th e most defici ent. ·

Gl2. It has been the practice of all epic poets, to £e lect
some one personage, whom t.hey distin guish above all the
res t, and make the hero of t.he tale. This is considered as
essential to epic compositiu11, and is attended with several
ad..-antages.
1

!.

Jll11 s. 1. Jt r e nd e rs th e unity o f th e st1bj cc t more sensiulc, wh en thero
i> 011~ prin c ipal fi g ur e, to whi c h, as to a ce11ire, all th e re s t r e fer . It
tends to i11tc r es t u s m ore in the ente rpri se whi c h is carried on; and it
g-ivcs th e poet u11 opportuuity o f exerting hi s talents for a dorning an<l
<lispluying on e craracter, with peculiar splendour.
.
2. It ha > u een a s k ed, \IV ho then is the h e ro of Paradise Lost ? Satan,
i,t ha s .liee n anSl\'.ered by some c riti cs ; but Adam is u n<lo ubte <lly the
hl'r o ; that is, th e cu pital and most interes ting figure i1, the po e m.

G! 3. B esid es human act.ors, there arc personages of an.
other kind, that usually occupy no s mnll place in epic p,oet.
.
'::' ()''"
.- .

/

...

~.

300

t

.E'pic P oetry.

Epic, Poetry.

.s.01

ry ; namely, th e gods,

01· supernatural IJeiugs; forming
what is ca li eu the machinery of the epic poe111.

like', it may be safely pronounced, have been supposc<l to
form the worst machinery. of a11y.

Illus. I. Almost all th e French critics d ecide iu fa vour of ma c hin e ry,
as esse ntial to th e con~titution of a 11 !'pi e poe m . This d ec ision seems
t o be founded 011 th e prac ti ce of llom cr a11d Virgil. These poe ts very
prop e rl y e mb ellish ed th eir story by the traditi o 11 a l tal cs and popula1·
lcge11ds of their ow11 country; an:on lin g to w hi ch , nil th e g r ea t tra11 sactio11s o f th e h eroic tim es were int ermi xe d with the fables of th e ir <l e iii cs . (/l/ iis. Jl rt. 2 9.)
2. Tu othe r co untri es , a nd othe r ages, wh e r e th ere is n ot th e like ad vanta ge of c une nt s11perstiti o n, a nd popul a r c redulity , e pic poet r_v h as
been ditfore ntl y cond uc tc<I. Lu ca n has co 111p os etl a v!'r_v 8pirit ed p oe 111,
<'c rt a inl y o f th e ep ic kind , wh ere n<'ith er go1l s ll<ll' s up ernaturnl be in g9
are at a ll e mpl oye d . Th e a uth o r of J,, co 11idas h as m ade an a ttempt o f
th e same ki11d , n ot without success ; and ue.vo 1HI d o ubt, wh erev er a
poet g i,·es us a r eg ular her oic story, well conn ect!' d in it s parts, ador n e d >Y ith c hara cters, a nd supp o rt etl with prop er di g 11ity :i111I e levation,
tlwu g h hi s age nts be every one of them human, h e has fulfill ed thP c hi e f
rl'quis it cs o f thi s so rt of co 111po siti on, allll has a just titl e t o be classed
w ith ep ic w l'il r r s .
:1. ~lankincl do n o t co ns i1ler po Pti ca l wr iti11 gs with a phil os nphical
•·ye. T hey s~e k c nt e rt ni nm c nt fr o m th em ; nnd for th e bulk o f r ead e 1·•;, intl eP cl for alm o'< t a ll 111 <' n , the 111rtrv e ll o us h rts a g r ea t c harm . It
g rat iti cs an1I fi ll s th e ima g in ati on; a ud gives room fo r many strikin g:
:rnd 51: blim e d escrip ti o ns. In e pic po ctrJ', in partic ular, wh e re admi rati<>n a nd lo ft y id eas arc suppos ed to reign, th e mancllous and supcrnat11ral find . if any wh er e, th cit· p rnp er place . They bo th enable th e '
poe t t ri ngg r and izc his s ubject, hy means of those a 11 g u st and sole mn
., :,j ec ts which reli g io n an1I s np e rn a turnl agents introduce into it; am'
lit ey nl!.:nv him t o e nlarg e and di ve r s ify Iii ;; pl a n , liy co mprehendin g
within it the r e a li ti es of e arth ; th e pr o b a hiliti e .~ o f l•; lys ium aud ofTart a ru ~ , m e n and i11vi;ible h eing·s, a11d th e w hol e cin·le of th e universe .

Jllus. in <lescriµtion they are sometimes allowabl ~, and may serve
for r ml.J ellishment; but th ey should never be permllte<l to • beur any
sliare in the action of th e poem. For b e ing plain an<l dcchtr ed fi ctions,
m ere names of general ideas, to which even fancy cannot attribute any
existence a8 persons, if th ey are introduced RS min g ling With human
a cto r s an intolernble confusion of sha<lows and r ealiti es arise, and nil
cousis~ency of action is utterly ~\estroyed. .(Sec Jlrt. 307. and 308.)

G 14 . At the same tim e, in th e use of thi s s up ernatural

11rnchinery, it beco mes a poet to he temperate anti prud ent.
lle is twt at liberty lo in ve nt what sys tem of th e rnar vclluu s he pl ea ses. l t mu st al ways ha ve some fou rnla ti o11 in
popular IJ ~ lid'. li e mu s t avail him self i11 a d ece nt manner,
eith e r of the relig ious faith, or tltc s upers titious c rellulity or
the couutry \rltcrei11 he liv e;,, or of wl1i ch li e w rites, so as to
give an air of probabilily to events which arc mus t co ntrary
to tlte commo11 co urse of nature.
llliis. \Vlrn.k Yc r

m a« hiu ~ r y

he employs, he mu st n o t

nn~ rl o rul

us with

tt ; nor withdraw h11ma11 a1:tion s a ud mann e rs ton m uc h from view,
n oi' obsc nrt! th em nnd c r a do11d of in credibl e fiction s. I !i s chi ef bns in<" >S is to r c l;it e to me 11 , the action s nut! th e e xpl oit s of m e11 ; by th ese
prin«ipall y he i~ to i11t ie rcst, a11d touc h 01.11· h ea r ts; n11d , th e r efor e, if
prob ab il ity be ' dt o~ c th e r ba ni shed from hi s work, it ca n 11rv er m a ke a
<l<~cp or a la sti11g im pr pssinn. 1' ara di se Los t be in g altoge ther th eoloJti ca l, Miiton' s s11per11 ;i tn1·11l beings form not th e m a chin e ry, but arc
th e prin d pal a cto rs in th f' f'O<!lll.

G15. All ego rica l personages, Jame, <l'iscord, love, anJ. the

Gt 6. · In the narration of the poet, which is the last heal~
that remains to be considered, it is not matei;ial, whether he
relate the. whole· story in his own character~, or introduce
some of .his personages to relate any part of the action that
.had passed before the poem opens.

·

·

/l/tt$. Homer follows the one method in hi s Iliad, an<l the other hi
11is Ody ssey. Virg·il has, in this r espect, intitated th e conduct of the
OJ yssey ; Tasso that of, the Jlia<l .
·
'-

617. In the p?·opositfon of the sulJject, the invocation of
the muse, and other ceremonies of the introduction, poets
may vary at th ei r pleasure.
Jll11s. [t is trifling to mak e th ese little formaliti es the obj ec t of precise rulP, any fart lo er, than th a t the subject of the work sh ould always
h e clearly proposed, and without affected or unsuitabl e p om p . For,
according to Horac e's notetl rule, no introduc ti o n should eve r set out
t oo high, or promise too much, les t the author should not fulfil the e xpectations he has raised.

618. "What is -of most importance in the tenor of -the na1'ralion is, that it be p erspicuous, animated, ancl enriched
with all the beauties of poctrv. No sort of composition requires more strength, clig11ity, amlfire of imagination, than
th e epic poem.
Jlln.~ . 1. It is th e r egion within whi ch we look for every thing that
is sublime in d escr iption, te nd e r in sentimcut, and bold and lively in exprrssio11; a11d, th e r e fore, th ou~ h an autho1"s pla n shou l<I I.Jc fa ultl ess,
<lllU l1i s stor y ever so well co 11ducted , ye t if h e he fe e ble, or flat in
sty Ir , tl cs till;tc of a/Tectiug sce nes , anti <l <'licieut in poetical co louring,
he can have no success .
. 2. Th e on1amenls which epic p oe try admits, must all be of th e gra\·c
and c hast e kind . Nothing that is loose , ludic r o us, or alfc ctcrl , finds
any place th e re. All th e objects which it prese nts o ug ht to be e ith er
grea t, or tend e r, or plcas in ;;. Desc riptions of dis g n stin g or sli oc ki11 g
objects shouhl a s mu c h ns p oss ible be avoid ed ; an<\ tbrrefo r e the fahlc oft h P. ll a rpie s, in th e third book of th e JEne id, aml th e a ll egory of
Sin and D en th, in the second book of Paradise Lost, ha\I bee u better
omitted in th es!' celebrated poems.
Obs. Tl11· judic io us l<·ach c r is left to illmtrate, from the e pi c poems
to '~ hi c h we h ave referred, th e several bran ch es of co111pos iti on and
onrn111ent for whicl1 we hav e furnished rules or .c riteria of judgment.

-

..

<

802

CHAPTER VIII.
CONCLUSJON.
0"1 l'llO N U N UIATlOJ'\', Oll DEJ,!,. EHY.

G19. THE great ol~ects whid1 every !> pea kcr will na(u ·
rally have i1~ view in for!:1in g his de livery , an., first, to spe~1k
so as to be lully and easily ur:derstrn1d by all \1ho hear liiru;
and next, tu speak with grace a11d force, so as to please and
to move his audience.
.620. In. ~rdcr tu he folly alltl eas ily u11dcrs toorl, the four
clnef reqms1tcs are, a due deg ree of loudness of voice; dis :
tinctnes s ; slowness; and propric!y of pronunciation.
;
621. The firs t atte11tio11 of every pul1lic ~peakcr, doubt.
less, must be to rna 1'e liimse lf L:e heard uv all those to who1n
he spe aks. He must ~ndcav;rnr to lili \yj(h his voi ce the
space occupied by the assembly.
Ou:. 1. This power of vo ice, it may li e t!ton g h:, is wholly a nat.m:-il
talent. lt is so i11 a go od 1r.cas ur e; I.Ju t, h oweve r, it mav n~c<: iv e <:<HI ·
sitleraulc nssist;uicc from art. i\lucli d epen d~ fur t!1is p~trp:> s e o n th ~
proper pitch and manageme11t of th e voice.
~ . f:,·ery man ha s lhree pild1 es in his. voice; th e hi g h, t.h c middl e,
and the low ouc. The hig-li, is that which h e uses iu ca llin g· aloud to
some one a t a di ; tauc c. The low is, wh cu h e approaches to a wl1i 3pcr. Th e middl e is , th a t which h e c1Uploys i11 c:>m 11w11 co n vers a tion,
a 11cl which he should ge nerally use iu publi c tli scou r;: c .
·
1J

Pronunciation, or Eeliver9.' .-

Pron1mciatian , or .Delii:rry.

622. In the ne xt place, to bcint: well hea rd, nnd clearly
nu crstood' di stin ct ness of artieu la tiou con triuu te:o more,

perhaps, than mere louducss of s o~!!ld.

Olis. Thi• quantity of sound llP ccss;u-y to fill cve;1 a large s pa ce, i.;
s 111allcr tlian is cnn11n011ly ima ;!·i1:ed : ;:11t! with di s tin c t articulaliu11, a
man of a wea k .ir icc w; !I 1rnkc it rea c li f:i.n!1er tha11 the stronbest voi ce
c an rea c h v;ith'out <k.:ti nct articulatiG11.
Coro!. To this, th en,for c, e very public s pca:,c r ou g ht t.o pa y g rea t at·
te11tion. lie mus t give eve ry sou11d whicli h e utters , it s du e propor tio11, am! make every sy llaulc , and even every leltCl' iu tl11~ wnrd which
he pro1101111c1?s, be heard 1li ~ ti11ctly ; with out sl11rri11 g , whi speri11 g, 01·
s uppres s ing auy of the prop er sou111b .

623. [n the thirtl place, in onlcr to articulate distinctly,
moderation is recp.1isitc with regard tu tlie speed of prn··
11ou ncing. Preci pitancy of speech con fou 11d s all art ic u !ation, anti all meaning.
Obs. \Ve n ee d sc;u·.:ely ouserve, fhat th<>re may u•: al~o all exll'Cllll!
o n the op11 osite side. Jt is obvious, that a lifel ess, drnw ling pro111n1 -

S():3

d atl,irn, which allows the minds of ~he hear~rs ~o. be alway~ o~tr,unning
the speaker, must render every dtscoun;e 111s1p1d and fatrgumg. ~ut
the extreme of ~peaking too fast is much more ~ommou, and re~mres
the more to be guarded against, because, when 1t has grown up mto a
haLit few errors are more difficult to be corrected.

I 5;4, After these fundamental attentions to the pitch and
tnanagement of the voice, to distinct articulation! and to a
proper degree .of slowness of spe.ech, \\· h~t a publt~ epea~er
must, in the fourth place, study, 1s, prop1:1ety of p1onunciation ; or the giving to ev.ery word which he utters, that
s<itrnd, which . the .most polite usage of the language a.Pp~o­
priatcs to it ; in opposition to l>road, yu Igar, or provrncial
pronunciation.
.

-.,•
·.~I

'·

I

Obs. This is requisite, both for speaking intel~igibly,, and. for speaking with grace or beauty. · Instructions concernmg tht! nrltcle, can be
givrn by the living voic,e only.

' 625. Emphasis,.pauses, tones, and gestures.
·
· 62G. By emphasis, is meant a stronger and fuller sound.
of voice l>y which we distin()"uish the accented sJ.llable of .
,
b
•
I
.1
some word, on which we design to lay particu ar stress, anu
to show how it aflects the rest of the sentence: · '
·
Obs . I. Sometimes the emphatic word must be distinguished l~y a
particular tone of voice, as well as by a stronger .accent . ?~ th.e nght
management of the t!mphasis, depend the whole life and, !pint .qi , every
dis co urse.
.
,
2. Jf no emphasis be placed on any '~onls, not only ·~ discourse_
rendered heavy and lifeless, but .the rpeanrng left often emu1guous. ; 11.
the emphasis be placed wrong, we pervert and confound the meanmg
wholly.
•
··
E :ram71lc . " Do you ride to town to day ?" is ca.pable ~f '~10 f~~· et'
than four different acceptations, according as the emphasr! rs ddler ~
ently placed on the words . If it be pronounce,d thu~; Do yoµ ride ~o.
town to-dav? the an swer may naturally Le, No ; I send ~ny servant 111.
mv stead . -If thus, Do you ride to town to-day? No ; I intPn<l to walk.
you ride to town to . day? No ; I ride out into the fields. . D~ you.
ride to town lo-day? No; but [ slrnll to-morrow.
·
.
Obs. 3. In like manner, in solemn discourse, the whole force and.
heauty of an expression often dep end on th e accented word; a.nd we
ma v present to the hearers <]uite different views of the same sentrm,e nt,
by ·plitcing the emphasis differently.
'
'
.
' · E .rnmple. In the following words of our Saviour, observe m what
diffe rent. li<rht~ the thourrht
is placed, accordi1rg as the words arc pro0
·
,..
• li a k'1~s.;" B e~ ,
nouncecl : 0" Judas,
uetcaye5t thou the Son of mnn
wrt
tray
P.st
thou-makes
the
reproach
turn
Jn
the
infamy
of treachery. 1
1
Betraycst 1/iou-makcs It rest, upon .Tt11las's connectiou with his Master. Betrayest thou the .Son of .Maii-rcsts it;upon the Son of .!Han's;
personal character and eminence . Betrnyest thon the Son of Man
with a kiss ?-turn5 it, upon his prostituting the signal of peace and ·
fricnd~hip 1 to the purpose of a mark of dcsti·uctiolk
· ·

J);

.

!

I

SO-i
•,

Pronunciation,

01·

Pronunciation, .01· lieli'IJ$[}J..__

Delivery.

would lie much worse, if the sense were sacrificed to the
sou.nd.
·
·
'.
·
'630. Tones in pronuncintiot~ ar~ different IJoth. from em-·
pHasis aml paus~s; they ~01~s1 s t rn the mod~latwn of the
'voice, and the notes or vanatrnns of sound winch we employ
in speaking.

GQi: Ncx,t_ to e 111plia~i s, th e 1m11ses i11 spcnki11g !lern,an!l
attention.
i hese a1 e ot two kind:" ;_ lir~(, cmp!wll.cal pauses; a11<l next, such :is mark the d1 slmctwns o'
:J scmc •
I
!fl1i1. 1. A.11 emphntical pau :;c is 1u •1de, aflpr soincthino- I
J,
° HI~, icen
sri1d.of pe c uliar monH•nt , and 0 11 "hich ne want to fix ti 1
te t
s
·
f
· ic 1en 1e r s at. ·11 101l.
•. ~ttH'_tlmes 1JC o re such a thin~ ha~ ht' e n said," c u<h('r it jn
"Ith a11 empnat1 ca l pan< e. S uc h p >111 ses ha\"C thl' srime dfr ct as a ~ trong
c. 111pl~a ; i ,;; a n<~ are sulijcct to th <· sa t11t' rul es; <-< p cc iall y to th e cau~IOt-~ JU S I '.iu w ~11• e '.1,ol 11.ot rep ea tin g· thl'11t too fr<'fJtH'nlly. · For '1S th ey
.xc1te u1,1 com mo11 .llte11t1 011, arnl o f cou r se rai ~e cxp!'clation, if th e impot t_aut ·c ''.f th e. matlt'_r he n o t f111l_v a u'11' Crn bl e to sn1:h ex pectation
th;/ o ccns 1011 d1sappo1ntmr11t and di sg· u s t .
' '
· to mar<
I
ti -· 1·Hut
· · the most frc<111cnt atttl tit"· 1r • i·1--iw1l
' L , • u"·' c· of Imuses, ts
1.c t 1v1_s101'.s of t~1 ~ sc11sc, n11d n t tlt P. 8amc time to allow th e spe<ikf'r tC>
1
'taw
h•.s h1cath , .rntl the proprr and g-racc ful adjustnwnt of such
pau ses is o ne of the mo s t ni ce and di!li ct; lt m·t ic lc s i;1 de!ivt"ry .
·
,

· Jll 11s. 'l . How much of the propriety, the force ancl grace of dis;
ourse, mu s t depend on these, ~viii appear from this sing!~ considerati o n · th a t to almost every se11t11nc11t wt~ 11ttf'r, mor e especially to every; st 1rong- !'motion, nut1tl'e hath ;idapteti some peculiar tpne of voice;·
in'somuch that he '~ho should tell another that he was very angry, or
n~\ ch g ri~ved, in a t o ne which did not sui.t. such emotions, inst!'ad o(
bein g h<'lievcd, would be lau g·h e d al.
.
.
.
2. Sympathy is one of the most powerful pr111c1plcs by which pcrs na s ivc di scourse works upoit the mind. The speaker encleavours_to
tran~fuse into his h eare rs his own sentiments ·and emotions : which he
<·an 11ev e r be si1ccessful in doing, unlcf.s he utt ers th(iin in such n manll<T as to c onvince the hearers that h e feels them.
The proper ex1ire ~ ~ion of iones, therefore, de serves to be ntten t_ivcly s tudied by eve1·y one who n·oultl be a 5uccessful orator.
.
· ·
3. Follow nature; con~ider how she teaches y ou to utter nny senti1ncnt or feeling of your heart. Ima g ine ll subje c t of debate start e d in
co 11..-crsation am o ng u rave and wise m e n, and yourself bearing a share
in it. Think after wliat manner, with what tones and inflections of
Yoicr,, vou wquld 011 such an occasion eitpress yours elf, when you were
mo st i;1 earnest, noel sought most to be listened to. Th es e arc the
ton es which th e a<1'·ocate carries with him to the bnr, the clcrgymnn,
tll the pulpit, nnil the patriot nnd demagogue, to any puulic assembly.
Let then th ese bf' the fouudalion of your manner of pronouncing, and
you will take the surest methocl of rendering your delivery both
1 agreP.oble and persuasive.
' ·
0

1;

1

I

"J

62~. ,V_h<;n we ~re rea~li11g

or reciting verse, tl1cre is a
l;eculiar '.ltfhc1~l ty m rnak11:g ihc pa uses ju stl y. Th e difhcnlty an ses lrolll the lll e lod y of verse, which di c tate s to
the ca r paus es or re sts of its own ; and to adjust nml compo ~nHl th ese prop e rly with the pauses of th;., se nse, so as
lle1thc1: to. hurt th e car, nor ol1eml the u11dcrsta11ilin o· is so
v~ry 111ce a matter, that it is no wond e r we so scldofi; meet
with good readers of po etry .
Illus . ·1. ·~·1ic1·c are tw o kiud .; of pan8 es that lwlon" to the urn s ic o f
v:rse _; on e 15, ~h e pause; _at th!.! _end of the lin e; ai~d th e othci-, th e
c.e~lll nl pa1~se 111 t1.1c n11 ud lc ol 11.
\\'ith re ga rd to th e pau se! nt the
cud ofthe_l111e; ,1·h1i;h m arks th at stra in or verse to be finislt ct.I rhrrn'
1·1:.
'll'::
lcr'
• so 111 e 111 eas nr e co mp e ls u~' to• obL·
. -- •th1 ·'° ·1l\'"
• "!""
.¥-> .s(•..·1.°'
o 1'1l'
'. c , mH J 111
Sel\t. It Ill om· Jll"Ollllll Cl<l (tOll.
. 2. In bl.a nk ~erse, where there i;; a gre ater liu e rty permittc 11 o f rnu n u:g th e .11 '. ics .111tr> one a nolh er, so_met inH's w ilh o nt any s u s p e 11 sio n in
th_e sense, 1.t h ,ts h r.e n made a q ucs l1 on , IVhct h c r in rea ding· suc h verse
wi~h P 1 ~0 1n1 e t y, any r~ g ard at all should lie paid to th e close of a line ;i
I
·' a.
, \ Ve
. 011 {.n-' hl ~ ti~ ....
· · ,...,.
-·-· ,, ,.,. , cc 1·•·1
··' '1 ·1l ly t)~ 1·~·
._ tt l I '"I
u au1i'..
verse so us to niakc.
~vcr~ ltn~ sc ns 1h.lc to tli e ea r. 1\t th e sa m e tim e, in d oi n g so , every
;1_p p.c(traucc :'1 s1 n.g-s ou g :-\. rtd. 10 11 c n:u st l~ c cnrcf1dly [; uard cd ag·u iu : r; t.
.!. he c lose ol l.i1 ~ lin e , wh('re 1t 1i1•1k c s nu pw1 se in th e mca.ni11,.. ouo·ht
0
n 1lS
• • ·•
to be .mnsked .' nut 1u.·1··. st
·1
· I·
'
.. 1"l1
"
• <
.._1 , 11 "·
b H ~ t'· ll ·Ill t'111lS
llll g a S("'
~ Htell
CC ;
l11'.l . '~ '.tl10ut elll'.c~· l1;ti1 n ;; _t h e voice fa!I, o r !'le,·ating it , it should b"
Jll,~lk'. . ~'-~:l~.Y h _1 Stl<. Ji a.s l1 g· ht "ll" l""l S IO~l of~O.lll~d, _as tll>I J di s tin g uis h
the P;t ~- ~ . . tbc

fl o 111 Ol\C

l11u! to ai; ~ JtlH~r \\ 1lho11t

11111n· 111 ff

th e

1t1f':111ir1<•·

• 4 . .Lh e oll.:r1· kin'.I of mu sica l pa11sc, is thut ~' ltid; · falls so111 cw l7~rc
.lhout the m1ddl<~ ot th e verse, a 11d di v id es it int o two hc nti>ti c hs · a
pau se , n?t so grea t ns tit at "hich hl'lonos to the dose of th e liue ~ut
still sc 11 s 1blc to an ordinary c ar. (Se e Ari . 5 ti!>.)
'

G2.9. The rul e ~f proper prom~11ciation here is, to regard
only il~ e pause whi ch the se ns e for111 s ; anti to r ead th e line
acco1:d111gly. The ueg lect of the cresnral pau se 111ay make
tl1e l:nc s.o und somewhat uriharmuniously ; lrnt the effect

"

GS t. Of GESTURE, or what is called action in public discourse.
GS2. The fundamental rule a~ to propriety of action; is
undoublcdly the same with what hath been given- ai to propridy of toue. Attend to the looks and gestures, in which

j

"'I

l

earn es tness, indignation, compassion, or any other emotion,
<lisco,·ers itse lf to most advantage in the common intercourse of men; and let these be your models.
Illus . 1. So me of th ese looks a11tl g·cstures arc common to ;-ill mr.u;
:n11l thP.r!' are nlso certain pr.t'uliarities of 111;1.nner which distingui5h
e~t~ry individu a l. A pnulic ~p ea ker must take tlrnt manner which is
most 1rn\ ttral to hims elf. For it is h e r e, just as in ton cg.
g , It is not the bu sin ess of ·a r, p eake r to form tu himself a cr rtain
set of moti o n s and g·estures, '.1•hicl1 h e thinks most be c omin g· and
agrr. eahlc, :rnd to prac tic e these in p:ihlic , with o ut th~ir ha ving any
correspondence to the manner which is natural to him in private.
Hi~ gestures iwci motions o ugltl. all to c arry that kin d of exprc~~ion
whi c h 1mture h as dictate d to him ; aml unle ~s thi s be the case, it is
impo .> sihlc, by meitns of any study, to amid their appearing stilt and
forced .

· ·~
,.

...·-<1
- ...........:·. .
..
•'

l

1
41

:11

.:·}!!

, 1'

. , ' .1

'I

'.~

'"}

I1

"-'-~\ I

:Jr
J
1

..1

- l
"·i

~- ..

. ;..... /' \

:. ,,·.-::~ \ ..;

,,;.;.

' ~.
I

.

'

, ..,·

v_,.,..

" .'..it. \
' . !" ) O'G ('"!.../)
-·

.,

{ :i

.
P1·onunciatio11, 01· Delivcr,i].

J

,N•

I

/ ( '

- .......~ ..
.0~-·

r"

I I t '],., I k
' / ...,~ · .. · ~
I,'

.>I

,5

,.~

·~.
I•

.

1
I .•. ( .,

. 3. The ~ tu<ly or action in public spenking, r.onsists c hi e fl y in gull.rd ·
.
ing ng ninst awkward an<l di sagreeab le mot ions, 111Hl i n learning to
form such as ure 11 a turnl co the 6peak e r, in th e most be com in g m anner. 7 I ..
For thi ~ end it has Lee n advi~cd hy writer~ o n thi s s ubj ce t , to prn c tic e ;
/ .
Lefore a mirr or, 'IV here one may sec an d jud ge of his own ges tures .
(
Schol illln. T o succee d well in delivery, n othin g· is m o re n ece.~Mrv
than for a s p e akci- lo gu ard nga inst a ce rtain l111t1cr of spirits, which ·
I
is p ec uliarly in cid ent t o tho se who beg in to speak in public. H e must
I

per---·-,..,

endeavour, nhovc all thiu gs, to b e co ll ected, an<! m as te r of hims elf.
For this e nd , h e will find nothing of more u se to him, tha.n t o ~tudy to
becom e wholly r11gage1l in his subject; to br possc.• se d with a srnse of
its im po rtan ce or seriousness; to lt e co nce n1 ed mn c h more to persnnde
than t o µkasc. Il e will g c1 wr a ll y please 111 ns t , wh••n pl eas in g is not
hi s so le nor c hi e f nim . This is th e o nl y ra ti o 11 a l and proper m et hod
of rnisini:- o n e's se lf above th a t timi<I and bashful r egard t o an a udi e n ce, wl;ich is s o ready to 1lisconcert a s p eaker, b o th as t o w hat he is

.,!
'j

to sn .v, a11<l as t o hi s · mann e r of sny in li it.
Finally. G uard a g a ins t a ll affec tati o n, which is lit e cert;1in ruin of
g-ood delivery . Lcl yo m· manner, whatever it is, he yo ur ow n; n eith er imitatrd from another, nor a ss u111 e1 l u1J(l11 so111c i111a ~i11ary 111o d e l,
which is 111111at111·a l to vn 11. \ V halt ~ver i~ nnli ve, C\'Cn tlton ~ h nn:omp:rni cd with ~evi: rnl d<:f"c ts , yrt i~ likely to pl ea se ; b<! CH \IH' it h a~ th e
a pp e1t rnn cc of ~ n111i11i~ from the l1eart. \Vher!'as a d <· liv c r y, att e nd ed
w ith se\·cral nc<r1 ir i: d graces anr.I h1!n11tiPs, if it h e n o t. cn~y a nd fr ee,
.;r it :Oetmy the nrnrks of art and 111Icctatio11, nev er fails to disgust.

l.
I
t

I
I•

I
I

I

I
f

rm::

E:--; P .

'

·1

•1 -

I

- - - -- - - - - - -

--- - ~·

