after their Pattern, are deep and full. An ill-written loose Book is like a formal Common-place Fop, who has a Sett of Phrafes and Stories, which in a Conversation or two are all run over: The Man quickly impoverishes himfelf, and in a few Hours becomes perfectly dry and infipid. But the old Claffics, and their genuine Followers among the Moderns, are like a rich natural Genius, who has an unfailing Supply of good Senfe on all Occafions; and gratifies his Compa- ny with a perpetual and charming Variety. A NEW 137 A NEW INTRODUCTION TO THE CLASSICS. The Second PART. R CHA P. I. Hetoric is the Art or Fa culty of Speaking and Writing with Elegance and Dignity, in order to inftruct, perfuade, and pleafe. Grammar only teaches Plainnefs and Propriety: Rhetoric lays. thefe thefe for its Foundation, and raifes upon them all the Graces of Tropes and Figures. Elegance confifts in the Purity and Clearnefs of the Language: Purity requires choice and proper Words, not foreign, and fuch as are not yet adopted into the Language you write or fpeak in; nor obfolete, or fuch as are grown into difufe with polite Gentlemen and Scholars. This is chiefly gain'd by ftudying the best Authors, by converfing with refin'd Company, and by frequent and careful Compofition: To obtain Perfpicuity or Clearnefs, a full Knowledge of our Subject and frequent close Meditation upon it are neceffary. We must likewife avoid ambiguous Words, a dry Brevity, a confus'd Length of Periods, and too large a Train of Metaphors together. Dignity arifes from fublime Thoughts, noble Tropes and L moving Figures. Tropes alter and affect fingle Words: Figures affect and enliven whole Sentences. A Trope is a Word remov'd from its first and natural Signification, and apply'd with advantage to another Thing, which it does not originally mean; but only ftands for it, as it has a Relation to or Connexion with it: As in this Sentence, God is my Rock. Here the Trope lies in the Word Rock; which, 'tis plain, in its primary and proper Senfe fignifies nothing lets than the Hope and Trust Mankind have in that adorable Being: Yet because a Rock is firm and immoveable, and a Building founded on it will not fink, it excites in our Minds the Notion of God's unfailing Veracity, and the fteady Support which good Men receive from their Dependence on him. The Neceffity and Ufe of Tropes will be made plain in a few Words. 1. No Language furnishes us with a fufficient Number of proper and plain Words fully to exprefs all our Thoughts. The Mind of Man is of an allo aftonishing Capacity and Extent, and has a numberlefs Store of Notions; therefore being often diftrefs'd for want of allow'd and appropriate Terms to utter her Conceptions in, fhe turns things all ways; confiders them in their different Relations; and views them in all their various Afpects and Appearances: That fhe may be enabled to declare her Meaning in fuitable Terms, and communicate her felf intelligibly and forcibly to Perfons fhe has Converfation with. When we know not a Man's Name which we have occafion to speak of, we defcribe him by his Features, Profeffion, Habit, Place of Abode, Acquaintance, and other Circumftances; till by fuch a Description he is as well known to the People we fpeak to, as if we had at first given him his peculiar Name, and diftinguishing Title. 2. Tropes are us'd for the fake of an agreeable Variety; they divert the Mind, and revive Attention when it |