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-- Altar for the facrifice.

Field for the

battle fought upon it: Well-fought field. 3

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12. The name of the materials employ'd figuratively to fignify the things made of

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13. The names of the Heathen deities employ'd figuratively to fignify what they patronife.

Jove for the air. Mars for war. Venus for beauty. Cupid for love. Ceres for corn. Neptune for the fea. Vulcan for fire.

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This figure bestows great elevation upon the fubject; and therefore ought to be confined to the higher strains of poetry.ni kod

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the name of the one may be employ'd figuratively to exprefs the other. of sitted

Purity and virginity are attributes of the fame perfon. Hence the expreffion, Virgin fnów for pure fnow. yama

2. A word fignifying properly an attribute of one subject, employ'd figuratively to express a resembling attribute of another subject.

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Tottering state. Imperious ocean. Angry flood. Raging tempeft. Shallow fears.

My fure divinity fhall bear the shield,
And edge thy fword to reap the glorious field.

Odysey xx. 616

Black omen, for an omen that portends bad fortune:

Ater odor.

Virgil.

The peculiar beauty of this figure arises from suggesting a comparison.

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VOL. III.

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3. A

3A word proper to the fubject, employ'd to exprefs one of its attributes.topor

Mens for intellectus. Mens for a refolution.

Iftam, oro, exue mentem.

4. When two fubjects have a refemblance by a common quality, the name of the one subject may be employ'd figuratively to denote that quality in the other.

Summer life for agreeable life.

The name of the inftrument, made to fignify the power of employing it.

Melpomene, cui liquidam pater

Vocem cum cithara dedit.

The ample field of figurative expression difplay'd in these tables, affords great scope for reafoning and reflection. Several of the obfervations relating to metaphor,

are ap

plicable to figures of fpeech.

These I

fhall

fall flightly retouch, with fome additions peculiarly adapted to the prefent fubject.

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In the first place, as the figure under confideration 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 betwixt the figurative and proper sense of the word. A flight refemblance, in particular, will never make this figure agreeable. The expreffion, for example, drink down a fecret, for liftening to a fecret with attention, is harsh and uncouth, because there is fcarce any resemblance betwixt listening and drinking. The expreffion weighty crack, used by Ben Johnson for loud crack, is worse if poffible: a loud found has not the flightest resemblance to a piece of matter that is weighty. The following expreffion of Lucretius is not lefs faulty.

lepido quæ funt fucata fonore." i. 645.

Sed magis

Et

Pugnas et exactos tyrannos

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Denfum

bas

Denfum humeris bibit aure vulgus, m 1300 dvodio: A Horat. Carm. 1. 2, ode 13a

Phemius! let acts of gods, and heroes old,
What ancient bards in hall and bow'r have told,
Attemper'd to the lyre, your voice employ,
Such the pleas'd ear will drink with filent joy,

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Odyssey i. 433.

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Æneid. vi. 559

Write, my Queen,

And with mine eyes I'll drink the words you fend."

Cymbeline, alt. fc. ad

As thus th' effulgence tremulous I drink, on nel

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Summer, l. 1684.1

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O Prince! (Lycaon's valiant fon reply'd)
As thine the steeds, be thine the task to guide.
The horses practis'd to their lord's command,
Shall bear the rein, and answer to thy hand.

Fliad. v. 288.

The following figures of fpeech feem altogether wild and extravagant, the figurative

and

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