Page images
PDF
EPUB

Que faga, quis te folvere Theffalis
Magus venenis, quis poterit deus?
Vix illigatumte triformi

Pegafus expediet Chimera.

Horat. Carm. lib. 1. ode 27

Eighthly, If crowding figures be bad, it is ftill worfe to graft one figure upon another: For inftance,

While his keen falchion drinks the warriors lives.

Iliad, xi. 211.

A falchion drinking the warriors blood is a figure built upon refemblance, which is paffable. But then in the expreffion, lives is again put for blood; and by thus grafting one figure upon another the expref fion is rendered obfcure and unpleasant.

Ninthly, Intricate and involved figures that can fcarce be analysed, or reduced to plain language, are leaft of all tolerable:

Votis incendimus aras.

Onerantque caniftris

Dona laboratæ Cereris.

Eneid, iii. 279

Eneid, viii. 180.

Vulcan to the Cyclopes:

Arma acri facienda viro: nunc viribus ufus,
Nunc manibus rapidis, omni nunc arte magiftra:
Præcipitate moras.

Eneid, viii. 441.

Huic gladio, perque ærea futa

Per tunicam fqualentem auro, latus haurit apertum.
Eneid, X. 3'3.

Semotique puris tarda neceffitas

Lethi, corripuit gradum.

· Horat. Carm. lib. 1. ode 3.

Scribêris

Scribêris Vario fortis, et hoftium
Victor, Mæonii carminis alite.

Horat. Carm. lib. 1. ode 6.

Elfe fhall our fates be number'd with the dead.

Iliad, v. 294.

Commutual death the fate of war confounds.
Iliad, viii. 85. and xi. 117.

Speaking of Proteus :

Inftant he wears, elufive of the rape,
The mimic force of every savage fhape.

Odyssey, iv. 563.

Rolling convulfive on the floor, is feen
The pitcous object of a proftrate Queen.

Ibid. iv. 952.

[blocks in formation]

The distant water-fall fwells in the breeze.

Winter, 738.

In the tenth place, When a fubject is introduced by its proper name, it is abfurd to attribute to it the properties of a different fubject to which the word is fometimes applied in a figurative sense:

Hear me, oh Neptune! thou whofe arms are hurl'd
From fhore to fhore, and gird the folid world.

Odyffey, ix. 617.

Neptune

Neptune is here introduced perfonally, and not figuratively for the ocean: the defcription therefore, which is only applicable to the latter, is altogether improper.

It is not fufficient, that a figure of fpeech be regu larly conftructed, and be free from blemish: it requires tafte to difcern when it is proper, when improper; and tafte, I fufpect, is our only guide. One however may gather from reflection and experience, that ornaments and graces fuit not any of the difpiriting paffions, nor are proper for expreffing any thing grave and important. In familiar converfation, they are in fome meafure ridiculous: Profpero, in the Tempest, fpeaking to his daughter Miranda, fays,

The fringed curtains of thine eyes advance,
And fay what thou feest yond.

No exception can be taken to the juftnefs of the figure; and circumftances may be imagined to make it proper; but it is certainly not proper in familiar

converfation.

In the last place, Though figures of speech have a charming effect when accurately conftructed and properly introduced, they ought however to be fcattered with a fparing hand: nothing is more lufcious, and nothing confequently more fatiating, than redundant ornaments of any kind.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXI.

Narration and Defcription.

HORACE, and many critics after him,

exhort writers to choose a fubject adapted to their genius. Such obfervations would multiply rules of criticism without end; and at any rate belong not to the prefent work, the object of which is human nature in general, and what is common to the species. But though the choice of a fubject comes not under fuch a plan, the manner of execution comes under it; because the manner of execution is fubjected to general rules, derived from principles common to the fpecies. These rules, as they concern the things expreffed as well as the language or expreffion, require a divifion of this chapter into two parts; first of thoughts, and next of words. I pretend not to juftify this divifion as entirely accurate for in difcourfing of thoughts, it is difficult to abftract altogether from the words; and ftill more difficult, in difcourfing of words, to abftract altogether from the thought.

The first rule is, That in history, the reflections ought to be chafte and folid; for while the mind.is intent upon truth, it is little difpofed to the operations of the imagination. Strada's Belgic history is full of poetical images, which difcording with the fubject, are unpleasant; and they have a ftill worse effect, by giving an air of fiction to a genuine history. Such flowers ought to be scattered with a sparing hand, even in epic poetry; and at no rate are they proper, till

VOL. II.

R

till the reader be warmed, and by an enlivened imagination be prepared to relifh them in that state of mind they are agreeable; but while we are fedate and attentive to an hiftorical chain of facts, we reject with difdain, every fiction. This Belgic history is indeed wofully vicious both in matter and in form: it is stuffed with frigid and unmeaning reflections; and its poetical flashes, even laying afide their impropriety, are mere tinfel.

Second, Vida,* following Horace, recommends a modeft commencement of an epic poem; giving for a reafon, That the writer ought to husband his fire. This reafon has weight; but what is faid above fuggefts a reason ftill more weighty: bold thoughts and figures. are never relifhed till the mind be heated and, thoroughly engaged, which is not the reader's cafe at the commencement. Homer introduces not a fingle fimile in the first book of the Iliad, nor in the first book of the Odyffey. On the other hand, Shakefpear begins one of his plays with a fentiment too bold for the moft heated imagination:

Bedford. Hung be the heav'ns with black, yield day to
night!

Comets, importing chance of times and ftates,
Brandifh your cryftal truffes in the sky,

And with them fcourse the bad revolting stars,
That have confented unto Henry's death!
Henry the Fifth, too farious to live long!
England ne'er loít a king of fo much worth.

First Part, Henry VI.

The paffage with which Strada begins his history, is too poetical for a fubject of that kind; and at any rate too high for the beginning of a grave performance. A third reafon ought to have no lefs influence than either of the former, That a man, who, upon

*Poet. lib. 2. 1. 3o.'

« PreviousContinue »