nefs, but a metaphor ftands for the thing itfell. When we fay, "The man acted like a lion,” we fpeak comparatively; but when we fay, "The man is a lion," we fpeak metaphorically..

An allegory is a chain of tropes :

I've pafs'd the foals, fair gales now favell my hopes.

The word, which is Greek, fignifies a speaking otherwife; for in an allegory we convey our mean⚫ing under disguised terms, and liken things to things by continued metaphors, still speaking one thing and meaning another; as Venus grows cold without -Geres and Bacchus. Here Venus is put for love, Ceres for bread, and Bacchus for wine.

To the allegory may be referred the fable, the parable, and the fimile.

A metonymy takes fome kindred name;

Juft heav'n, for God, confounds their pride with fhame.

The word metonymy fignifies a changing of names; for by this trope we put one word for another, from fome near relation or mutual dependance between them; as, I read Milton; that is, his writings. The whole city came out to meet us; that is, all the inhabitants. Age is honourable; that is, aged men.

Synecdoche

Synecdoche the whole for part doth take, Or part for whole, juft for the metre's fake. "While o'er thy roof, for houfe, loud thunders roll."

The term is Greek, and fignifies comprehenfion. When we fay he has no colour in his cheeks, we take the whole for a párt, meaning only redness. By this trope a round and certain number is frequently fet down for an uncertain one; as when we say, I have told you of this a thousand times, we mean no more than very often.

When a proper name is put for a common, or the contrary, it is called an Antonomafia, which is a branch of the metonymy. Thus the orator, with the Romans, fhall mean Cicero; with the Greeks, Demofthenes. We call a rich man a Crafus, and a cruel tyrant a Nero.

An irony the quite reverfe intends

Of what it fpeaks. Well done! right trufty friends! '

The word is of Greek original, and fignifies diffimulation;: for by this trope we fneeringly fay one thing, and mean the contrary. This, however, is fufficiently difcovered either by the tone of the voice, the character of the perfon spoken of, or the very nature of the thing. Thus, for instance, when we fee a little boy behave impudently and undutifully to his father and mother, we are

apt

apt to cry out, A hopeful child indeed! Whereas from our accent in uttering the words, as well as from the nature of the cafe, it is evident we mean quite the reverse. In like manner, if we call a harlot by the name of Penelope, a woman remarkable for her chastity, or a fool by the name of Solomon, the wifeft of men, the irony is immediately perceived, as well from the character of the perfons commended, as from the exorbitance of the commendation.

Hyperbole foars high, or finks too low:

He touch'd the fkies. A fnail don't crawl fo flow.

The term is Greek, fignifying an over-shooting or exceeding; for by this trope we go beyond the bounds of truth, in representing things greater or fmaller, better or worse than they really are, in order to raise admiration or love, fear or contempt. When we say that any thing is whiter than fnow, or fwifter than the wind, we speak hyperbolically, in order to carry the idea as far as it will poffibly go.

A catachrefis words abus'd applies :

Over his grave a wooden tomb-stone lies

It is a Greek word, and fignifies abufe; for by this trope we make use of an improper term,

either for want of a proper one, or for the fake of boldness and novelty. Thus, having no appropriate and authorized name for a murderer of his prince, master, child, uncle, or other relation, we call fuch a one a parricide, though the word in Arictness is only applicable to him who has murdered his father. To ride upon a switch, is a catachrefis; and fo is a brafs inkhorn. The following poetical flight is evidently of the fame nature.

"The eaft wind rides the mad Sicilian wave.”

The catachrefis fhould never be admitted, but for the fake of neceffity, novelty, or energy.

-I fteer my bark, and fail

"On even keel with gentle gale;
"At helm I make my reason fit;
"My crew of paffions all fubmit.
"If dark and bluftring prove fome nights,
"Philofophy puts forth her lights.
"Experience holds the cautious glass,
"To fhun the breakers as I pafs.'

There is a general analogy and relation, says a judicous writer*, between all tropes. In each of them, a man ufes a foreign or ftrange word instead of a proper one; and therefore fays one thing, and

* Blackwall.

means

means fomething different. When he fays one thing, and means another almost the same, it is a Synecdoche. When he fays one thing, and means another mutually depending, it is a metonymy. When he fays one thing, and means another oppofite or contrary, it is an irony. When he says one thing, and means another like to it, it is a metaphor. A metaphor continued, and often repeated, becomes an allegory. A metaphor carried to a great degree of boldness is an hyperbole; and when at first found it feems a little harsh and fhocking, and may be imagined to carry fome impropriety in it, it is a catachrefis.

CHA P. LXXXVIII.

OF RHETORICAL FIGURES.

A Rhetorical figure is an emphatical manner of

fpeaking, different from the plain and ordinary way,' and 'expreffing either a paffion, or con-'

taining