the principal fubject; and the former is desi scribed in such a manner as to represent the latter. The fubject thus reprefented is kept out of view; we are left to difcover it by reflection; and we are pleased with the discovery, because it is our own work, Quintilian gives the following inftance of an allegory,

*

Onavis, referent in mare te novi

Fluctus. O quid agis? fortiter occupa portum. Horat. lib. 1. ode 14.

and explains it elegantly in the following' words: " Totufque ille Horatii locus, quo "navim pro republica, fluctuum tempeftates pro bellis civilibus, portum pro pa"ce atque concordia, dicit."

There cannot be a finer or more correct allegory than the following, in which a vineyard is put for God's own people the Jews.

Thou haft brought a vine out of Egypt: thou haft caft out the heathen, and planted it. Thou didft caufe it to take deep root, and it filled the

L. 8. cap. 6. fect. 2.

land.

ri

land. The hills were covered with its fhadowi and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. Why haft thou then broken down her hedges, fa that all which pafs do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth wafte it, and the wild beast doth de vour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hofts: look down from heaven, and behold and vifit this vine, and the vineyard thy right hand' hath planted, and the branch thou madeft ftrong for thyself.

Pfalm 80.

In a word, an allegory is in every respect fimilar to an hieroglyphical painting, excepting only, that words are used instead of colours. Their effects are precifely the fame. A hieroglyphic raises two images in the mind; one feen, which reprefents one. not feen... An allegory does the fame. The representative subject is described; and it is by resemblance that we are enabled to ́ápply the description to the subject reprefented.

In a figure of fpeech, neither is there any fiction of the imagination employ'd, nor a reprefentative fubject introdu ced. A figure of fpeech, as imply'd from VOL. III. Р

its

its name, regards the expreffion only, not the thought; and it may be defined, the employing a word in

what is proper to it. beginning of life, is by morning of life.

a fenfe different from

Thus youth or the expreffed figuratively Morning is the beginning of the day; and it is transferred fweetly and eafily to fignify the beginning of any other feries, life efpecially, the progress of which is reckoned by days.

Figures of speech are referved for a feparate fection; but a metaphor and allegory are so much connected, that it is neceffary to handle them together: the rules for dif tinguishing the good from the bad, are common to both. We fhall therefore pro ceed to these rules, after adding fome examples to illuftrate the nature of an allegory. Horace speaking of his love to Pyrrha, which was now extinguifhed, expreffes himself thus.

Me tabulâ facer

Votivâ paries indicat uvida

Sufpendiffe potenti

Veftimenta maris Deo.

Carm. 1. 1. ode

5.

Again,

Phoebus volentem prælia me loqui,
Victas et urbes, increpuit lyrâ :

Ne parva Tyrrhenum per æquor

Vela darem.

Carm. l. 4. ode 15.

Queen, Great Lords, wife men ne'er fit and wail
their loss,

But chearly feek how to redress their harms.
What though the mast be now blown overboard,
The cable broke, the holding-anchor loft,
And half our failors fwallow'd in the flood?
Yet lives our pilot ftill. Is't meet, that he
Should leave the helm, and, like a fearful lad,
With tearful eyes add water to the sea;

And give more strength to that which hath too much?

While in his moan the ship splits on the rock,
Which industry and courage might have fav'd?
Ah, what a fhame! ah, what a fault were this!

Third Part Henry VI. at 5. fc. 5.

Oroonoko. Ha! thou haft rous'd

The lion in his den, he stalks abroad

And the wide forest trembles at his roar.

I find the danger now.

Oroonoko, at 3. fc. 2.

The rules that govern metaphors and allegories, are of two kinds: thofe of the first kind concern the conftruction of a metaphor or allegory, and ascertain what are perfect and what are faulty: thofe of the other kind concern the propriety or impropriety of introduction, in what circumstances these figures may be admitted, and in what circumstances they are out of place. I begin with rules of the first kind; fome of which coincide with thofe already given with refpect to fimiles; fome are peculiar to metaphors and allegories.

And in the first place, it has been obferved, that a fimile cannot be agreeable where the refemblance is either too ftrong or too faint. This holds equally in a metaphor and allegory; and the reafon is the fame in all. In the following inftances, the refemblance is too faint to be agreeable.

Malcolm.

But there's no bottom, none, In my voluptuoufnefs: your wives, your daughters, Your matrons, and your maids, could not. The ciftern of my Juft.

fill up

Macbeth, at 4. Sc. 4.

The