"Perhaps one reason (for this correspondence) is to be found in what has already been referred to-the necessity of this for the formation of language. I would not limit the resources of God, but, constituted as the human faculties now are, would seem necessary, if they were to be fully developed, that words originally applicable to natural objects should be capable of being transferred so as to express the whole range of thought and emotion, and this would be impossible without the correspondence of which I have spoken. As it is, we speak of the light of knowledge, and the darkness of ignorance, and the sunshine of joy, and the night of grief, and the storms of passion, and the devious paths of error, and the pitfalls of vice; and we scarcely reflect that we are speaking in figures, or that the flowers of rhetoric, not less than the flowers of the field, have their origin in a material soil. Constituted as man now is, we do not see how he could have been furnished with the symbols of thought, the materials of language, in any other way."] For epitomizing this subject, and at the same time for giving a clear view of it, I cannot think of a better method than to present to the reader a list of the several relations upon which figures of speech are commonly founded. This list I divide into two tables: one of subjects expressed figuratively, and one of attributes FIRST TABLE. Subjects expressed figuratively. 538. 1. A word proper to one subject employed figuratively to express a resembling subject. There is no figure of speech so frequent as what is derived from the relation of resemblance. Youth, for example, is signified figuratively by the morning of life. The life of a man resembles a natural day in several particulars; the morning is the beginning of day, youth the beginning of life; the morning is cheerful, so is youth, &c. By another resemblance, a bold warrior is termed the thunderbolt of war; a multitude of troubles, a sea of troubles. This figure, above all others, affords pleasure to the mind by a variety of beauties. Besides the beauties above mentioned, common to all sorts, it possesses in particular the beauty of a metaphor or of a simile: a figure of speech built upon resemblance, suggests always a comparison between the principal subject and the accessory; whereby every good effect of a metaphor or simile, may, in a very short and lively manner, be produced by this figure of speech. 2. A word proper to the effect employed figuratively to express the cause. 587. Words that have lost their figurative powe Example. Lux for the sun. Shadow for cloud. A helmet is signified by the expression glittering terror. A tree by shadow or umbrage Hence the expression : There is a peculiar force and beauty in this figure: the word which signifies figuratively the principal subject, denotes it to be a cause by suggesting the effect. 3. A word proper to the cause, employed figuratively to express the effect. Boumque labores, for corn. Sorrow or grief, for tears. Again, Ulysses veil'd his pensive head; Streaming Grief his faded cheek bedew'd. Blindness for darkness: Cæcis erramus in undis. Eneid, iii. 200. There is a peculiar energy in this figure, similar to that in the former the figurative name denotes the subject to be an effect, by suggesting its cause. 4. Two things being intimately connected, the proper name of the one employed figuratively to signify the other. Day for light. Night for darkness: and hence, A sudden night. Winter for a storm at sea: Interea magno misceri murmure pontum, Emissamque Hyemem sensit Neptunus.-Eneid, i. 128. This last figure would be too bold for a British writer, as a storm at sea is not inseparably connected with winter in this climate. 5. A word proper to an attribute, employed figuratively to denote the subject. Youth and beauty for those who are young and beautiful : Youth and beauty shall be laid in dust. Speaking of cranes: The pigmy nations, wounds and death they bring, Cool age advances venerably wise.-Iliad, iii. 149. The peculiar beauty of this figure arises from suggesting an attr bute that embellishes the subject, or puts it in a stronger light. 6. A complex term employed figuratively to denote one of the component parts. Funus for a dead body. Burial for a grave. 7. The name of one of the component parts instead of the complex term. Tada for a marriage. The East for a country situated east from us. Jovis vestigia servat, for imitating Jupiter in general. 8. A word signifying time or place, employed figuratively to denote what is connected with it. Clime for a nation, or for a constitution of government; hence the expression Merciful clime. Fleecy winter for snow, Seculum. felix. 9. A part for the whole. The Pole for the earth. The head for the person: Triginta minas pro capite tuo dedi. Plautus. Thy growing virtues justified my cares, And promised comfort to my silver hairs.-Iliad, ix. 616. -Forthwith from the pool he rears His mighty stature. The silent heart with grief assails. Paradise Lost. Parnell. The peculiar beauty of this figure consists in marking that part which makes the greatest figure. 10. The name of the container, employed figuratively to signify what is contained. Grove for the birds in it, Vocal grove. Ships for the seamen, Agonizing ships. Mountains for the sheep pasturing upon them, Bleating mountains. Zacynthus, Ithaca, &c., for the inhabitants Ex mæstis domibus, Livy. 11. The name of the sustainer, employed figuratively to signify what is sustained. i Altar for the sacrifice. Field for the battle fought upon it, Well fought field. 12. The name of the materials, employed figuratively to signify the things made of them. Ferrum for gladius. 13. The names of the heathen deities, employed figuratively to signify what they patronize. Jove for the air, Mars for war, Venus for beauty, Cupid for love, Ceres for corn, Neptune for the sea, Vulcan for fire. The figure bestows great elevation upon the subject; and therefore ought to be confined to the higher strains of poetry. SECOND TABLE. Attributes expressed figuratively. 539. When two attributes are connected, the name of the one may be employed figuratively to express the other. 1. Purity and virginity are attributes of the same person: hence the expression, Virgin snow, for pure snow. 2. A word signifying properly an attribute of one subject, employed figuratively to express a resembling attribute of another subject. Tottering state. Imperious ocean. Angry flood. Raging tempest. Shallow fears. My sure divinity shall bear the shield, Odyssey, xx. 61. Black omen, for an omen that portends bad fortune. The peculiar beauty of this figure arises from suggesting a comparison. 3. A word proper to the subject, employed to express one of its attributes. 4. When two subjects have a resemblance by a common quality, the name of the one subject may be employed figuratively to denote that quality in the other. Summer life for agreeable life. 538. The several relations on which figures of speech aro fcanded.-First Table. -Sub jects expressed figuratively. 539, Second table.-Attributes expressed figuratively 5. The name of the instrument made to signify ploying it. Melpomene, cui liquidam pater Vocem cum cithera, dedit. the power 540. The ample field of figurative expression displayed in these ables, affords great scope for reasoning. Several of the observations relating to metaphor, are applicable to figures of speech: these I shall slightly retouch, with some additions peculiarly adapted to the present subject. In the first place, as the figure under consideration is built upon relation, we find from experience, and it must be obvious from reason, that the beauty of the figure depends on the intimacy of the relation between the figurative and proper sense of the word. A slight resemblance, in particular, will never make this figure agreeable; the expression, for example, Drink down a secret, for listening to a secret with attention, is harsh and uncouth, because there is scarce any resemblance between listening and drinking. The expression weighty crack, used by Ben Jonson for loud crack, is worse if possible: a loud sound has not the slightest resemblance to a piece of matter that is weighty. The following expression of Lucretius is not less faulty: "Et lepido quæ sunt fucata sonore " (i. 645.) Sed magis Pugnas et exactos tyrannos Horat. Carm. 1. ii. ode 18. Phemius! let acts of gods and heroes old, What ancient bards in hall and bower have told, Attemper'd to the lyre, your voice employ, Such the pleased ear will drink with silent joy.-Odyssey, i. 488. Strepitumque exterritus hausit. Write, my Queen, Eneid, vi. 559. And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you send. Cymbeline, Act I. Sc. 2. As thus the effulgence tremulous I drink. Summer, 1. 1684. Neque audit currus habenas. Georg. i. 514. O prince! (Lycaon's valiant son replied), Iliad, v. 288. The following figures of speech seem altogether wild and extravagant, gurative and proper meaning having no connection whatever. Moving softness, Freshness breathes, Breathing prospect, Flowing spring, Dewy light, Lucid coolness, and many others of this false coin, may be found in Thomson's Seasons. ["Of all late writers of merit who have indulged in remote or unmeaning metaphors, Thomson, in his Seasons, is perhaps most |