The fecond rule refpects the choice of objects, whence metaphors are to be drawn. The field for figurative language is very wide. All nature opens her ftores and allows us to collect them without reftraint. But we must beware of ufing fuch allufions as raife in the mind difagreeable, mean, low, or dirty ideas. To render a metaphor perfect, it must not only be apt, but pleafing; it must entertain as well as en- lighten. Dryden therefore can hardly escape the im putation of a very unpardonable breach of delicacy, when he observes to the Earl of Dorfet, that " some "bad poems carry their owners' marks about them ; "fome brand or other on this buttock, or that ear; "that it is notorious who are the owners of the cattle." The most pleasing metaphors are derived from the frequent occurrences of art and nature, or from the civil transactions and customs of mankind. Thus, how expreffive, yet at the fame time how familiar, is the image which Otway has put into the mouth of Metel- lus in his play of Caius Marius, where he calls Sulpicius.

That mad wild bull, whom Marius lets loofe

On each occafion, when he'd make Rome feel him,
To tofs our laws and liberties in the air.

In the third place a metaphor fhould be founded on: a refemblance, which is clear and ftriking, not far fetched, nor difficult to be difcovered. Harfh or forc ed metaphors are always difpleafing, because they per, plex the reader, and instead of illuftrating the thought, render it intricate and confufed. Thus, for instance, Cowley, fpeaking of his mistress, expreffes himself in the following forced and obfcure verfes

Wo to her ftubborn heart; if once mine come

Into the felf-fame room,

'I will tear and blow up all within,

Like a grenado, fhot into a magazine.

Then shall love keep the ashes and torn parts
Of both our broken hearts;

Shall out of both one new one make;

From her's the alloy, from mine the metal take;
For of her heart he from the flames will find.
But little left behind;

Mine only will remain entire ;

No drofs was there, to perish in the fire.

Metaphors, borrowed from any of the sciences, ef pecially from particular profeffions, are almost always faulty by their obfcurity.

In the fourth place, we must never jumble metaphorical and plain language together; never conftru& a period fo, that part of it must be understood metaphorically, part literally; which always produces con fufion. The works of Offian afford an inftance of the fault we are now cenfuring. "Trothal went forth. "with the ftream of his people, but they met a rock; "for Fingal stood unmoved; broken, they rolled back "from his fide. Nor did they roll in safety; the "fpear of the king pursued their flight." The metaphor at the beginning is beautiful; the " ftream," the" unmoved rock," the " waves rolling back brok"en," are expreffions in the proper and confiftent language of figure; but in the end, when we are told "they did not roll in fafety, because the fpear of the "king pursued their flight," the literal meaning is injudiciously mixed with the metaphor; they are at the fame moment prefented to us as waves that roll, and as men that may be pursued and wounded by a spear.

In the fifth place, take care not to make two different metaphors meet on the fame object. This, which is called mixed metaphor, is one of the groffeft abufesof this figure. Shakespeare's expression, for example, "to take arms against a sea of troubles," makes a most unnatural medley, and entirely confounds the imagination. More correct writers than Shakespeare, are fometimes guilty of this error. Mr. Addison fays, "There is not a fingle view of human nature, which" is not sufficient to extinguish the feeds of pride.” Here a view is made to extinguish, and to extinguish feeds.

In examining the propriety of metaphors it is a good rule to form a picture of them, and to confider how the parts agree, and what kind of figure the whole prefents, when delineated with a pencil.

Metaphors, in the fixth place, fhould not be crowded together on the fame object. Though each of them" be diftinct, yet, if they be heaped on one another, they produce confufion. The following paffage from Horace will exemplify this obfervation :

Motum ex Metello confule civicum
Bellique caufas, et vitia, et modos,
Ludumque fortunæ, gravefque .

Principum amicitias, et arma

Nondum expiatis uncta cruoribus,
Periculofæ plenum opus alex,

Tractas, et incedis per ignes
Suppofitos cineri dolofo.

This paffage, though very poetical, is rendered harín · and obfcure by three distinct metaphors crowded together. First," arma uneta cruoribus nondum expiatis :” next, "opus plenum periculofa alee ;" and then, “ ince◄ "dis per ignes fuppofitos cineri dolofo.".

The laft rule concerning metaphors is, they should not be too far purfued. For, when the resemblance, which is the foundation of the figure, is long dwelt upon, and carried into all its minute circumftances, an allegory is produced inftead of a metaphor; the reader is wearied, and the difcourfe becomes obfcure. This is termed ftraining a metaphor. Dr. Young, whose imagination was more diftinguifhed by ftrength, than delicacy, is often guilty of running down his metaphors. Speaking of old age, he fays, it fhould

Walk thoughtful on the silent, folemn shore
Of that vaft ocean, it must fail fo foon;

And put good works on board; and wait the wind
That shortly blows us into worlds unknown.

The two first lines are uncommonly beautiful; but, when he continues the metaphor by "putting good "works on board, and waiting the wind," it is strained, and finks in dignity.

Having treated of metaphor, we shall conclude this chapter with a few words concerning allegory.

An allegory is a continued metaphor; as it is the reprefentation of one thing by another that refembles it. Thus Prior makes Emma defcribe her conftancy to Henry in the following allegorical manner :

Did I but purpofe to embark with thee
On the smooth surface of a fummer's fea,
While gentle zephyrs play with profperous gales,
And fortune's favour fills the fwelling fails;
But would forfake the fhip, and make the fhore,
When the winds whistle, and the tempefts roar?

The fame rules that were given for metaphors, may be applied to allegories on account of the affinity be

tween them. The only material difference befide the one being short and the other prolonged is, that a metaphor always explains itself by the words that are connected with it in their proper and literal meaning; as, when we fay," Achilles was a lion;""an able "minister is the pillar of the state." Lion and pillar are here fufficiently interpreted by the mention of Achilles and the minifter, which are joined to them; but an allegory may be allowed to stand lefs connected with the literal meaning; the interpretation not being fo plainly pointed out, but left to our own reflection.

HYPERBOLE.

HYPERBOLE confifts in magnifying an object beyond its natural bounds. This figure occurs very frequently in all languages, even in common converfation. As swift as the wind; as white as fnow; and our ufual forms of compliment are in general extravagant hyperboles. From habit, however, thefe exaggerated expreffions are feldom confidered, as hyperbolical.

Hyperboles are of two kinds; fuch as are employed in defcription, or fuch as are fuggefted by paffion. Those are far best which are the effect of passion; fince it not only gives rife to the moft daring figures, but often renders them juft and natural. Hence the following paffage in Milton, though extremely hyperbolical, contains nothing but what is natural and prop