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Upon agreement, of fwift Severn's flood;
Who then affrighted with their bloody looks,
Ran fearfully among the trembling reeds,
And hid his crifp'd head in the hollow bank
Blood-ftained with these valiant combatants.

First Part Henry IV. act 1. fc, 4.

Speaking of Henry V.

England ne'er had a King until his time:
Virtue he had, deferving to command :

His brandifh'd fword did blind men with its beams:
His arms fpread wider than a dragon's wings:
His fparkling eyes, replete with awful fire,
More dazzled, and drove back his enemies,
Than mid-day fun fierce bent againft their faces.
What should I fay? his deeds exceed all speech:
He never lifted up his hand, but conquer'd.

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First Part Henry VI. at 1. fc. 1.

Laftly, an hyperbole after it is introduced with all advantages, ought to be comprehended within the feweft words poffible. As it cannot be relished but in the hurry and fwelling of the mind, a leifurely view diffolves the charm, and discovers the defcription to be extravagant at least, and perhaps alfo ridiculous. This fault is pal

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pable in a fonnet which paffeth for one of the most complete in the French language. Phillis is made as far to outfhine the fun as he outfhines the stars.

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Le filence regnoit fur la terre et fur l'onde,
L'air devenoit ferain, &c.

Collection of French epigrams, vol. 1. p. 66, There is in Chaucer a thought expreffed in a fingle line, which fets a young beauty in a more advantageous light, than the whole of this much-laboured poem.

Up rose the fun, and up rofe Emelie, i

SE C T.
T. IV.

The means or inftrument conceived to be the agent.

IN

N viewing a group of things, we have obviously a natural tendency to bestow all poffible perfection upon that particular object which makes the greatest figure. The emotion raised by the object, is, by

this means, thoroughly gratified; and if the emotion be lively, it prompts us even to exceed nature in the conception we form of the object. Take the following examples. For Neleus' fons Alcides' rage had flain.

A broken rock the force of Pirus threw.

In these inftances, the rage of Hercules and the force of Pirus, being the capital circumstances, are fo far exalted as to be cons ceived the agents that produce the effects.

In the following inftance, hunger being the chief circumftance in the description, is itself imagined to be the patient.

Whofe hunger has not tafted food these three days. Jane Shore.

As when the forces i

Of fubterranean wind tranfports a hill.

Paradife Loft.

As when the potent rod

Of Amram's fon in Egypt's evil day

Way'd round the coaft, upcall'd a pitchy cloud

Of locufts.

N 2

Paradife Loft

SECT.

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A figure, which, among related objects, extends properties of one to another.

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THis figure is not dignified with a proper name, because it has been overlooked by all writers. It merits, however, > place in this work; and must be distinguished from those formerly handled, as depend-· ing on a different principle. Giddy brink, jovial wine, daring wound, are examples of this figure. Here are expreffions that certainly import not the ordinary relation of an adjective to its fubftantive. A brink, for example, cannot be termed giddy in a proper fense: neither can it be termed giddy in any figurative fenfe that can import any of its qualities or attributes. When we attend to the expreffion, we discover that a brink is termed giddy from producing that effect in those who ftand on it. In the fame manner a wound is faid to be daring,

not

not with respect to itself, but with respect to the boldness of the perfon who inflicts it: and wine is faid to be jovial, as infpiring mirth and jollity. Thus the attributes of one fubject, are extended to another with which it is connected; and fuch expreffion must be confidered as a figure, because it deviates from ordinary language.

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How are we to account for this figure, for we fee it lies in the thought, and to what principle fhall we refer it? Have poets a privilege to alter the nature of things, and at pleasure to bestow attributes upon subjects to which thefe attributes do not belong? It is an evident truth, which we have had often occafion to inculcate, that the mind, in idea, paffeth easily and sweetly along a train of connected objects; and, where the objects are intimately connected, that it is difpofed to carry along the good or bad properties of one to another; especially where it is in any degree inflamed with these properties*. From this principle is derived the figure under confideration.

See chap. 2. part 1. fect. 4.

Language,

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