XXXV ANALOGY. Analogy, as defined by Johnson, is a resemblance between two things with regard to some circumstances or effects. Webster defines it thus: An agreement or likeness between things in some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different. Thus, learning is said to enlighten the mind, that is, it is to the mind what light is to the eye, enabling it to discover what was hidden before.* Example. Youth and morning resemble each other in many particulars. Youth is the first part of life. Morning is the first part of the day. Youth is the time when preparation is to be made for the business of life. In the morning, arrangements are made for the employment of the day. In youth, our spirits are light, no cares perplex, no troubles annoy us. In the morning the prospect is fair, no clouds arise, no tempest threatens, no commotion among the elements impends. In youth we form plans which the later periods of life cannot execute; and the morning, likewise, is often productive of promises which neither noon nor evening can perform. From this example it will be seen that subjects which in reality have in themselves no actual resemblance, may be so contrasted as to present an appearance of resemblance in their effects. Many of the beauties of poetry arise from the poet's observing these similitudes, and expressing them in appropriate language. Thus darkness and adversity, comfort and light, life and the ocean, evening and old age, misfortune and a storm, a clergyman and a shepherd, smiles and sunshine, tears and rain, a guilty conscience and a defenceless body, are subjects which in themselves have no actual similitude; yet, when contrasted with their effects, points of resemblance will *When the thing to which the analogy is supposed happens to be mentioned, analogy has after it the prepositions to or with: when both the things are mentioned after analogy, the preposition between is used.. Tohnson. be readily seen, which show an obvious analogy. Thus, also, in the following extract the poet in addressing the sun shows an analogy between the evaporation of water, and the flight of a bird. "Thou lookest on the waters, and they glow And take them wings and mount aloft in air," &c. The skilful allusion to such analogies constitutes the highest art of the poet, as it forms also the most pleasing beauty of poetry. Indeed, without such allusions, poetry loses all of its charms, and verse degenerates into mere 'sing-song?' It will be a useful exercise for the student to prepare lists of subjects between which an analogy may be traced. XXXVI. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. A Figure, in the science of language, is a departure from the common forms of words, from the established rules of syntax, or from the use of words according to their literal signification. A departure from the common form of words is called a figure of etymology, or an etymological figure. [See Elision, &c.] A departure from the established rules of syntax is called a syntactical figure. [See Enallage, Hyperbaton, Pleonasm, &c.] A departure from the use of words in their literal signification is called a figure of rhetoric, or a rhetorical figure. [See Trope, Metaphor.] Figurative language properly includes all of these different kinds of figures; but the term is sometimes restricted to rhetorical figures. * *Holmes's "Rhetoric" enumerates a list of two hundred and fifty figures connected with the subjects of Logic, Rhetoric, and Grammar. The work is remarkable for its quaintness, and possesses some merit as a vocabulary. His cautions with regard to the use of figures are so characteristic, that they may afford some amusement, if not edification to the student. The follow ing is his language with regard to Tropes and Figures: "The faults of Tropes are nine: 1 2 3 4 5 "Of tropes perplext, harsh, frequent, swoll'n, fetched far, 7 8 9 Ill representing, forced, low, lewd, beware." Many words that are used in common discourse have two significations or rather significations of two different kinds; namely, a literal and a figurative signification. A word is said to be used literally or to have its literal signification when it is used in a manner, which is authorized by the general consent of those who speak and write with correctness the language in which it is found. A word is used figuratively, when though it retains its usual signification it is applied in a manner different from its common application. Thus when we speak of the head of an animal, we use the word head in its literal signification as implying that part of the body which contains the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, &c. But when we speak of the head of a class, or of a division of an army, or any thing without life, we recall to mind the analogy or resemblance between two objects, separately considering the highest or most prominent part of each, and apply the name of that part in the one, to the similar part in the other. In this manner the word is turned from its literal meaning to a figurative signification, and this turning of the word receives the rhetorical name of a trope; a derivation from a Greek word, which signifies a turning. So also," The dawn," properly means the earliest part of the morning, or of the day; and "twilight" expresses the close or latter part of day. But, by a rhetorical figure, these words are used to express the earliest and latest parts of other subjects. Thus," the dawn of bliss," expresses the commencement of happiness or bliss; and, "the twilight of our woes," is used to signify the close or termination of sorrow. "The morning of our joy," implies the earliest period of our enjoyment. "The eve of his departure," implies the latest point of time, previous to his departure. The use of figures, or of figurative language, is, — 1. They render the language copious. 2. The richness of language is thereby increased. 3. They increase the power and expressiveness of language. 4. They impart animation to style.* There is another class of figures styled metaphors, which sc nearly resemble tropes, that the difference cannot always be easily described. The literal meaning of the word metaphor is a transferring from one subject to another. As used in rhetoric, implies a transferring of the Over adorned, affected, copious, shun." (!!!) "Rhetoric made Easy, by John Holmes. London, 1755." The student who would see a beautiful illustration of this subject, in referred to Newman's Rhetoric, chap. 3d application of a word, in its literal meaning, from one object, or class of objects, to another, founded upon some similarity, analogy, or resem. blance. A metaphor is a simile or comparison expressed in one word. Thus: The soldiers were lions in the combat: The soldiers fought like lions. [See Comparison.] A trope is the mere change, or turning, of a word from its original signification. Hence, if the word be changed, the figure is destroyed. Thus, when we say, The clouds foretell rain, we have a trope in the word foreteli. If the sentence be read, The clouds foreshow rain, the figure disappears. The following examples will clearly illustrate the difference between plain and figurative language: Examples. Figurative. She had been the pupil of the village pastor, the favorite lamb of his little flock. Plain. She had been the pupil of the village clergyman, the favorite child of his small congregation. Figurative. Man! thou pendulum between a smile and tear. Plain. Man! thou who art always placed between happiness and misery, but never wholly enjoying the one, nor totally afflicted with the other. Figurative. He found the tide of wealth flowing merely in the channels of traffic; he has diverted from it invigorating rills to refresh the garden of literature. Plain. He saw that men of wealth were employing their riches only in the business of commerce. He set the example of appropriating a portion of wealth to the increase and diffusion of knowledge. Figurative. A stone, perhaps, may tell some wanderer where we lie, when we came here, and when we went away; but even that will soon refuse to bear us record: Time's effacing fingers will be busy on its surface, and at length wear it smooth. Plain. A stone, perhaps, may be erected over our graves, with an inscription bearing the date of our birth, and the day "Metaphore is an alteration of a worde, from the proper and naturall meaning to that which is not proper, and yet agreeth thereunto by some likenesse that appeareth to be into it."— Wilson - The Arte of Rhetorique, P. 175. of our death; but even that will not last long. In the course of time the stone will be mutilated or broken, and the inscription be entirely destroyed. It will readily be seen from these examples that analogy is the foundation of a large proportion of figurative language. Thus in the first example, "She had been the pupil of the village pastor, the favorite lamb of his little flock,” the analogy lies between a clergyman and a shepherd; a congregation and a flock of sheep, the little ones of the congregation and the young lambs of the flock. It will be found a very useful exercise for the student to trace out the analogies thus presented by figurative language. The following extracts are selected, in which he may point out the subjects between which the analogy is directly or indirectly implied. Such an exercise will open his eyes to the beauties of poetry, and prepare him for the imitation of those beauties. Perhaps it will be better that this should be an oral exercise. Extracts. The meek-eyed morn appears, mother of dews, How reverend is the face of this tall pile, Youth is not rich in time; it may be poor; And what its worth-ask death-beds; they can tell. Enter this wild wood, And view the haunts of nature. The calm shade Throngs of insects in the glade The breath of night's destructive to the hue |