CHAP. XI.

OF FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE IN GENERAL.

F

IGURES of fpeech always denote fome departure from the fimplicity of expreffion: they enunciate, after a peculiar manner, the idea we intend to convey, and that withi the addition of fome circumftance defigned to render the impreffion more ftrong and vivid. When I fay, "A good man enjoys comfort in the midft of adverfity," I exprefs my thoughts in the fimpleft manner poffible. But when I fay, "To the upright there arifeth light in darkness," the fame fentiment is expreffed in a figurative ftyle: a new circumftance is introduced; light is put in the place of comfort, and darkness is ufed to fuggeft the idea of adverfity.

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Though figures imply a deviation from what may be reckoned the moft fimple form of fpeech, we are not thence to infer, that they imply any thing uncommon, or unnatural. This is fo far from being the cafe, that, on many occalions, they are both the moft natural, and the most common thod of uttering our fentiments. It is impoffible to compofe any difcourfe without making frequent use of them; nay, there are few fentences of any length, in which there does not occur fome expreffion that may be termed figurative. Figures are therefore to be accounted part of that language which nature dictates to mankind. They are not the invention of the fchools, nor the mere product of ftudy on the contrary, the most illiterate speak in figures, as often perhaps as the most learned. Whenever the imagination of the vulgar is powerfully awakened, or their paffions highly enflamed, they will pour forth a torrent of figurative language, as forcible as could be employed by the most artificial declaimer.

"When we attend," fays Dr. Ferguson, "to the language which favages employ on any folemn occafion, it appears that man is a poet by nature. Whether at firft obliged by the mere defects of his tongue, and the fcantinefs of proper expreffions, or feduced by a pleafure of the fancy in ftating the analogy of its object, he clothes every conception in image

and metaphor. We have planted the tree of peace,' fays an American orator; we have buried the axe under its roots: we will henceforth repofe under its fhade; we will join to brighten the chain that binds our nations together.' Such are the collections of metaphor which thofe nations employ in their public harangues. They have likewise adopted thofe lively figures, and that daring freedom of language, which the learned have afterwards found fo well fitted to exprefs the rapid tranfitions of the imagination, and the ardors of a paffionate mind."*

What then is it that has drawn the attention of critics and rhetoricians fo much to thefe forms of fpeech? They remark ed, that in them confifts much of the beauty and force of language; and found them always to bear fome character or diftinguishing marks, by the help of which they could reduce them under feparate claffes. To this, perhaps, they owe their name. As the figure or fhape of one body diftinguishes it from another, fo each of these forms of speech has a caft peculiar to itself, which both distinguishes it from the rest, and from the fimple form of expreffion. Simple expreffion juft makes our idea known to others; but figurative language beftows a particular drefs upon that idea; a dress which ferves to distinguish and adorn it.

Figures in general may be defcribed to be that language which is prompted either by the imagination, or by the paffions. Rhetoricians commonly divide them into two great claffes, figures of words, and figures of thought. The fore mer are denominated tropes: they confift in the employment of a word to fignify fomething that is different from its ori ginal and primitive meaning; fo that if you alter the word, you deftroy the figure. Thus in the inftance lately adduced, the trope confifts in "light and darknefs" being not meant in a literal fenfe, but fubftituted for "comfort and adverfity," on account of fome refemblance, or analogy which they are fuppofed to bear to thofe conditions of life. The other clafs, termed figures of thought, fuppofes the words to be used in their proper and literal meaning, and the figure to confift in the turn of the thought. This is the cafe with perfonifications, and apoftrophes; where, though you vary the words which are used, or tranflate them from one language into ano

Fergufon's Effay on Civil Society, part iii. fect. viii.

her, you may ftill preferve the fame figure. This diftinction, however, is of very fmall importance: nothing can be built upon it in practice: nor can it always be clearly obferved. Provided we remember, that figurative language im- · ports fome colouring of the imagination, or fome emotion of paffion, expreffed in our style, it is a matter of very little mo ment, whether we give to fomne particular mode of expreffion the name of a trope or of a figure.

As it would be tedious to dwell on all the variety of figurative expreffions which rhetoricians have enumerated, I fhall only felect fuch figures as most frequently occur. The prin ciples and rules laid down concerning them will fufficiently direct us to the ufe of the reft, either in profe or poetry.

THE

CHAP. XII.

OF PERSONIFICATION.

HE boldest effort of the imagination feems to be that which bestows fenfibility and voluntary motion upon things inanimate. At first view, one would be difpofed to conclude, that this figure borders on the extravagant and ridiculous. For, what can seem more remote from the track of reafonable thought, than to speak of ftones, trees, fields, and rivers, as if they were living creatures, and to attribute to them thought and fenfation, action and affection? This would appear to be nothing more than childish conceit which Ho perfon of tafte could relifh. The cafe, however, is very different. No fuch ridiculous effect is produced by perfonification, when judiciously managed: on the contrary, it is found to be natural and agreeable. Nor is any very uncommon degree of paffion required to make us relish it. every fpecies of poetry it eafily gains admission: it is by no means excluded from profe; and even in common converfation it not unfrequently finds a place. Thus we do not hefitate to fpeak of a furious dart, a deceitful difeafe, the thirsty ground, the angry ocean. The ufe of fuch expreffions fhews the facility with which the mind can accommodate the properties of living creatures to things that are inanimate, or to its own abstract ideas.

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That our actions are too much influenced by paffion, is an acknowledged truth; but it is no lefs certain, that paffion alfo poffeffes confiderable influence over our perceptions, opinions, and belief. When by any animating paffion, whether pleafant or painful, an impulle is given to the imagipation, we are in that condition difpofed to ufe every fort of figurative expreffion. Now thefe figures are generally foundéd upon a momentary belief in fome circumftance which calm and unclouded reafon would reprefent in quite a different point of view. Over the body of his flaughtered friend, Anthony thus vents his paffion :

O pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth,

That I am meek and gentle with these butchers.
Thou art the ruins of the nobleft man

That ever lived in the tide of times.

Shakespeare.

Here the speaker must have been impreffed with fome fort of notion, that the body of Cæfar was liftening to him; without which thefe expreffions would be regarded as foolish and abfurd.

In the following example, Almeria calls upon the earth, to protect her from the unkindness of her father.

O Earth, behold, I kneel upon thy bofom,
And bend my flowing eyes to ftream upon
Thy face, imploring thee that thou wilt yield;
Open thy bowels of compaffion, take
Into thy womb the last and most forlorn

Of all thy race. Hear me, thou common parent
I have no parent elfe. Be thou a mother,
And ftep between me and the curfe of him
Who was who was, but is no more a father;
But brands my innocence with horrid crimes;
And, for the tender names of child and daughter,
Now calls me murderer and parricide. Congreve

Plaintive paffions are extremely folicitous for vent; and a foliloquy commonly anfwers this purpofe. But when fuch a paffion becomes exceffive, it cannot be gratified except by fympathy from others; and if denied that confolation, it will convert even things inanimate into fympathifing beings.

Ye woods and wilds, whofe melancholy gloom
Accords with my foul's fadness, and draws forth

The tear of forrow from my bursting heart,

Farewel a while.

Home.

Here lady Randolph muft have imagined, that the objects which the addreffed, were in fome measure confcious of emotions fympathetic with her own. That fuch perfonification is derived from nature, will not admit of the leaft donbt, when we confider, that it is to be found in the poetical productions of the darkest ages, and most remote countries. I shall give a single inftance:

The battle is over, faid the king, and I behold the blood of my friends. Sad is the heath of Lena, and mournful the oaks of Cromla.

Ossian.

Terror is another fource of this figure it is communicated in thought to every furrounding object, even to thofe which are inanimate :

Go, view the fettling fea. The ftormy wind is laid; but the billows ftill tumble on the deep, and feem to fear the blaft. Ossian.

We naturally communicate our joy in the fame manner :
As when to them who fail

Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are paft
Mozambic, off at fea north-eaft winds blow
Sabean odour from the fpicy fhore

Of Araby the bleft, with fuch delay'

Well pleaf'd they flack their courfe, and many a league
Chear'd with the grateful fmell old Ocean files.

Milton.

In all the above examples, the perfonification, if I mistake not, is fo complete as to afford an actual though momentary conviction, that the objects introduced are poffeffed of life and intelligence. But it is evident from numberlefs inftances, that the perfonification is not always fo perfect. It is often employed in defcriptive poetry, without being intended to produce the fame conviction:

Come gentle Spring! etherial mildness, come,.
And from the bofom of yon dropping cloud,
While mufic wakes around, veil'd in a fhower
Of fhadowing rofes, on our plains defcend. Thomson,