LECTURE XVIII.

.FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE-GENERAL CHARACTERS OF STYLE-DIFFUSE, CONCISE-FEEBLE, NERVOUSDRY, PLAIN, NEAT, ELEGANT, FLOWERY.

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AVING treated, at confiderable length, of the figures of speech, of their origin, of their nature, and of the management of fuch of them as are important enough to require a particular difcuffion, before finally difmiffing this fubject, I think it incumbent on me, to make fome obfervations concerning the proper use of figurative language in general. Thefe, indeed, I have, in part, already anticipated. But, as great errors are often committed in this part of ftyle, efpecially by young writers, it may be of ufe that I bring together, under one view, the most material directions on this head.

I begin with repeating an obfervation, formerly made, that neither all the beauties, nor even the chief beauties of compofition, depend upon tropes and figures. Some of the moft fublime and moft pathetic paffages of the most admired authors, both in profe and poetry, are expreffed in the most Vol. I. 2 V

fimple ftyle, without any figure at all; inftances of which I have before given. On the other hand, a compofition may abound with thefe ftudied or naments-the language may be artful, fplendid, and highly figured-and yet the compofition be on the whole frigid and unaffecting. Not to speak of fentiment and thought, which conftitute the real and lafting merit of any work, if the ftyle be stiff and affected, if it be deficient in perfpicuity or precifion, or in ease and neatnefs, all the figures that can be employed, will never render it agreeable : they may dazzle a vulgar, but will never please a judicious eye.

In the fecond place, figures, in order to be beautiful, muft always rife naturally from the fubject. I have shown, that all of them are the language either of imagination, or of paffion; fome of them fuggefted by imagination, when it is awakened and fprightly, fuch as metaphors and comparisons ; others by paffion or more heated emotion, fuch as perfonifications and apostrophes. Of course, they are beautiful then only, when they are prompted by fancy, or by paffion. They muft rife of their own accord; they must flow from a mind warmed by the object which it feeks to defcribe; we fhould never interrupt the courfe of thought, to caft about for figures. If they be fought after Coolly, and faftened on as defigned rnaments, they will have a miferable effect. It is a very erroneous idea, which many have of the ornaments of style, as if they were things detached from the fubject, and that could be ftuck to it, like lace upon a coat this is indeed,

Purpureus late qui fplendeat unus aut alter
Afluitur pannus,*-

"Shreds of purple with broad luftre fhine,
"Sew'd on your poem,"

ARS POET.

FRANCIS.

And it is this falfe idea which has often brought attention to the beauties of writing into disrepute. Whereas, the real and proper ornaments of style arife from fentiment. They flow in the fame stream with the current of thought. A writer of genius conceives his fubject ftrongly; his imagination is filled and impreffed with it; and pours itfelf forth in that figurative language which imagination naturally fpeaks. He puts on no emotion which his fubject does not raise in him; he speaks as he feels; but his ftyle will be beautiful, becaufe his feelings are lively. On occafions, when fancy is languid, or finds nothing to roufe it, we fhould never attempt to hunt for figures. We then work, as it is faid, "invita Minerva ;" fuppofing figures invented, they will have the appearance of being forced : and in this cafe, they had much better be omitted.

In the third place, even when imagination prompts, and the fubject naturally gives rife to figures, they muft, however, not be employed too frequently. In all beauty, "fimplex munditiis," is a capital quality. Nothing derogates more from the weight and dignity of any compofition, than too great attention to ornament. When the ornaments coft labour, that labour always appears though they fhould cost us none, ftill the reader or hearer may be furfeited with them; and when they come too thick, they give the impreffion of a light and frothy genius, that evaporates in fhow, rather than brings forth what is folid. The directions of the ancient critics, on this head, are full of good fenfe, and deferve careful attention. "Voluptatibus maximis," fays Cicero, de Orat. L. iii. faftidium finitimum eft in rebus omnibus ; 66 quo hoc minus in oratione miremur. In qua "vel ex poetis, vel oratoribus poffumus judicare, "concinnam, ornatam, feftivam fine intermiffione, "quamvis claris fit coloribus picta, vel poefis, vel

"oratio, non poffe, in delectatione effe diuturna.

Quare, bene, et præclare, quamvis nobis fæpe "dicatur, belle et feftive nimium fæpe nolo*." To the fame purpose, are the excellent directions with which Quintilian concludes his difcourfe concerning figures, L. ix. C. 3. "Ego illud de iis figuris que vere fiunt, adjiciam breviter, ficut

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ornant orationem opportunæ pofitæ, ita ineptif"fimas effe cum immodice petuntur. Sunt, qui "neglecto rerum pondere et viribus fententiarum, "fi vel inania verba in hos modos depravarunt, "fummos fe judicant artifices; ideoque non defi- · r nunt eas nectere; quas fine fententia fectare, "tam eft ridiculum quam quærere habitum gef<< tumque fine corpore. Ne hæ quidem quæ rectæ fiunt, denfandæ funt nimis. Sciendum impri"mis quid quifque poftulet locus, quid perfona, "quid tempus. Major enim pars harum figuraCL rum pofita eft in delectatione. Ubi vero, a"trocitate, invidia, miferatione pugnandum est; quis ferat verbis contrapofitis, et confimilibus, "et pariter cadentibus, irafcentem, flentem, rogantem? Cum in his rebus, cura verborum deroget affectibus fidem; et ubicunque ars oftentatur, veritas abeffe videatur." After thefe judicious and useful obfervations, I have no more to add, on this fubject, except this admonition :

પર

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In the fourth place, that without a genius for figurative language, none fhould attempt it. Ima

In all human things, difguft borders fo nearly on the moft lively pleasures, that we need not be furprised to find this hold in eloquence. From reading either poets or orators we may easily fatisfy ourselves; that neither a poem nor an ora tion, which, without intermiffion, is fhowy and sparkling, can pleafe us long. Wherefore, though we may with for the fre quent praife of having expreffed ourfelves well and properly, we fhould not covet repeated applaufe, for being bright and fplendid."

"I must add concerning thofe figures which are proper

gination is a power not to be acquired; it must be derived from nature. Its redundancies we may prune, its deviations we may correct, its fphere we may enlarge; but the faculty itself we cannot create and all efforts towards a metaphorical ornamented style, if we are deftitute of the proper genius for it, will prove aukward and difgufting. Let us fatisfy ourselves, however, by confidering, that without this talent, or at leaft with a very small measure of it, we may both write and speak to advantage. Good fenfe, clear ideas, perfpicuity of language, and proper arrangement of words and thoughts, will always command attention. These are, indeed, the foundations of all folid merit, both in fpeaking and writing. Many fubjects require nothing more; and thofe which admit of ornament, admit it, only as a fecondary requifite. To ftudy and to know our own genius well-to follow nature-to feek to improve, but not to force it are directions which cannot be too often given to those who defire to excel in the liberal

arts.

in themfelves, that as they beautify a compofition when they are seasonably introduced, fo they deform it greatly, if too frequently fought after. There are fome, who, neglecting ftrength of fentiment and weight of matter, if they can only force their empty words into a figurative ftyle, imagine themfelves great writers, and therefore continually string together fuch ornaments; which is juft as ridiculous, where there is no fetiment to fupport them, as to contrive geftures and dreffes for what wants a body. Even thofe figures which a fubject admits, must not come too thick. We must begin, with confi dering what the occafion, the time, and the perfon who fpeaks, render proper. For the object aimed at by the greater part of thefe figures, is entertainment. But when the fobject becomes deeply ferious, and strong paffions are to be moved, who can bear the orator, who, in affected language and balanced phrases, endeavours to exprefs wrath, cominiferation, or earnest entreaty? On all fuch occafions, a folicitous attention to words weakens paffion; and when fo much art is fhown, there is fofpected to be little fincerity."