Hine fi dura mihi paffus dicendus Ulyffes, Poet. lib. 2. 1. 46. Laftly, By this figure language is enriched, and rendered more copious; in which refpect, were there no other, a figure of fpeech is a happy invention. This property is finely touched by Vida: Quinetiam agricolas ea fandi nota voluptas. The beauties I have mentioned belong to every figure of speech. Several other beauties peculiar to one or other fort, I fhall have occafion to remark af terward. Not only fubjects, but qualities, actions, effects, may be expreffed figuratively. Thus, as to fubjects, the gates of breath for the lips, the watery kingdom for the ocean. As to qualities, fierce for ftormy, in the expreffion Fierce winter: Altus for profundus; Altus puteus, Altum mare: Breathing for perfpiring; Breathing plants. Again, as to actions, The fea rages, Time will melt her frozen thoughts, Time kills grief. An effect is put for the caufe, as lux for the fun; and a caufe for the effect, as boum labores for corn. The relation of refemblance is one plentiful fource of figures of fpeech; and nothing is more common than to apply to one object the name of another another that refembles it in any respect height, fize, and worldly greatnefs, resemble not each other; but the emotions they produce refemble each other, and prompted by this refemblance, we naturally exprefs worldly greatnefs by height or fize: one feels a certain uneafinefs in feeing a great depth; and hence depth is made to exprefs any thing difagreeable by excefs, as depth of grief, depth of despair: again, height of place, and time long past, produce fimilar feelings; and hence the expreffion, Ut altius repetam: diftance in paft time, producing a ftrong feeling, is put for any strong feeling, Nihil mihi antiquius noftra amicitia: fhortnefs with relation to fpace, for fhortness with relation to time, Brevis effe laboro, obfcurus fio fuffering a punishment refembles paying a debt; hence pendere panas. In the fame manner, light may be put for glory, funshine for profperity, and weight for importance. Many words, originally figurative, having, by long and conftant ufe, loft their figurative power, are degraded to the inferior rank of proper terms. Thus the words that exprefs the operations of the mind, have in all languages been originally figurative: the reafon holds in all, that when thefe operations came firft under confideration, there was no other way of defcribing them but by what they resembled: it was not practicable to give them proper names, as may be done to objects that can be ascertained by fight and touch. A foft nature, jarring tempers, weight of wo, pompous phrafe, beget compaffion, affuage grief, break a vow, bend the eye downward, Shower down curfes, drown'd in tears, wrapt in joy, warm'd with eloquence, loaded with fpoils, and a thoufand other ex-. preffions of the like nature, have loft their figurative fenfe. Some terms there are, that cannot be faid. to be either altogether figurative or altogether proper : originally originally figurative, they are tending to fimplic ity, without having loft altogether their figurative power. Virgil's Regina faucia cura, is perhaps one of thefe expreffions: with ordinary readers, faucia will be confidered as expreffing fimply the effect of grief; but one of a lively imagination will exalt the phrafe into a figure. For epitomifing this fubject, and at the fame time. for giving a clear view of it, I cannot think of a better method, than to prefent to the reader a list of the feveral relations upon which figures of fpeech are commonly founded. This lift I divide into two tables; one of fubjects expreffed figuratively, and one of attributes. FIRST TABLE. Subjects expreffed figuratively. 1. A word proper to one fubject employed figuratively to exprefs a refembling fubject. There is no figure of fpeech fo frequent, as what is derived from the relation of refemblance. Youth, for example, is fignified figuratively by the morning of life. The life of a man refembles a natural day in feveral particulars: the morning is the beginning of day, youth the beginning of life; the morning is cheerful, fo is youth, &c. By another resemblance, a bold warrior is termed the thunderbolt of war; a multitude of troubles, a fea of troubles. This figure, above all others, affords pleasure to the mind by variety of beauties. Befide the beauties above mentioned, common to all forts, it poffeffes in particular the beauty of a metaphor or of a fimile: a figure a figure of fpeech built upon refemblance, fuggefts. always a comparison between the principal fubject and the acceffory; whereby every good effect of a metaphor or fimile, may in a fhort and lively manner, be produced by this figure of speech. 2. A word proper to the effect employed figuratively to exprefs the caufe. Lux for the fun. Shadow for cloud. A helmet is fignified by the expreffion glittering terror. A tree by fhadow or umbrage. Hence the expreffion : Nec habet Pelion umbras. Where the dun umbrage hangs. Ovid. Spring, 1. 1023. A wound is made to fignify an arrow : Vulnere non pedibus te confequar. Ovid. There is a peculiar force and beauty in this figure: the word which fignifies figuratively the principal fubject, denotes it to be a caufe by fuggesting the effect. 3. A word proper to the caufe, employed figura tively to exprefs the effect. Boumque labores, for corn. Sorrow or grief, for tears. Again Ulyffes veil'd his penfive head; Streaming Grief his faded cheek bedew'd. Blindness for darknefs : Cæcis Cæcis erramus in undis. Eneid, iii. 200. There is a peculiar energy in this figure, fimilar to that in the former: the figurative name denotes the fubject to be an effect, by fuggefting its cause. 4. Two things being intimately connected, the proper name of the one employed figuratively to fignify the other. Day for light. Night for darkness; and hence, A fudden night. Winter for a form at sea : Interea magno mifceri murmure pontum, Eneid, i. 128. This laft figure would be too bold for a British writer, as a ftorm at fea is not infeparably connected with winter in this climate. 5. A word proper to an attribute, employed figuratively to denote the fubject. Youth and beauty for those who are young and beautiful: Youth and beauty fhall be laid in dust. Majefty for the King: What art thou, that ufurp'ft this time of night, In which the Majefty of buried Denmark Hamlet, act 1. fc. t. Or have ye chofen this place After the toils of battle, to repose Q2 Paradife Loft. |
