Again: Now under hanging mountains, Unheard, unknown, For ever, ever, ever, lost; Amidst Rhodope's snows.-Pope, Ode for Music, l. 97. Rhyme is not less unfit for anguish or deep distress, than for subjects elevated and lofty; and for that reason has been long disused in the English and Italian tragedy. In a work where the subject is serious, though not elevated, rhyme has not a good effect; because the airiness of the melody agrees not with the gravity of the subject the Essay on Man, which treats a subject great and important, would make a better figure in blank verse. Sportive love, mirth, gaiety, humour, and ridicule, are the province of rhyme. The boundaries assigned it by nature were extended in barbarous and illiterate ages; and in its usurpations, it has long been protected by custom but taste in the fine arts, as well as in morals, improves daily; and makes a progress towards perfection, slow indeed, but uniform; and there is no reason to doubt, that rhyme, in Britain, will in time be forced to abandon its unjust conquests, and to confine itself within its natural limits. Having said what occurred upon rhyme, I close the section with a general observation, That the melody of verse so powerfully enchants the mind as to draw a veil over very gross faults and imperfections. Of this power a stronger example cannot be given than the episode of Aristæus, which closes the Fourth book of the Georgics. To renew a stock of bees when the former is lost, Virgil asserts, that they may be produced in the entrails of a bullock, slain and managed in a certain manner. This leads him to say, how this strange receipt was invented; which is as follows. Aristaus having lost his bees by disease and famine, never dreams of employing the ordinary means for obtaining a new stock; but, like a froward child, complains heavily to his mother Cyrene, a waternymph. She advises him to consult Proteus, a sea-god, not how he was to obtain a new stock, but only by what fatality he had lost his former stock; adding, that violence was necessary, because Proteus would say nothing voluntarily. Aristæus, satisfied with this advice, though it gave him no prospect of repairing his loss, proceeds to execution. Proteus is caught sleeping, bound with cords, and compelled to speak. He declares that Aristaus was punished with the loss of his bees, for attempting the chastity of Eurydice the wife of Orpheus; she having been stung to death by a serpent in flying his embraces. Proteus, whose sullenness ought to have been coverted into wrath by the rough treatment he met with, becomes on a sudden courteous and communicative. He gives the whole history of the expedition to hell which Orpheus undertook in order to recover his spouse: a very entertaining story, but without the least relation to what was in view. Aristæus, returning to his mother, is advised to deprecate by sacrifices the wrath of Orpheus, who was now dead. A bullock is sacrificed, and out of the entrails spring miraculously a swarm of bees. Does it follow that the same may be obtained without a miracle, as is supposed in the receipt? A List of the different Feet, and of their Names. 1. PYRRHICHIUS consists of two short syllables. Deus, given, cannot, hillock, running. Examples: 2. SPONDEUS Consists of two long syllables: omnes, possess, forewarn, mankind, sometime. 3. IAMBUS, composed of a short and a long pios, intent, degree, appear, consent, repent, demand, report, suspect, affront, event. 4. TROCHAUS, or CHOREUS, a long and short: fervat, whereby, after, legal, measure, burden, holy, lofty. 5. TRIBRACHYS, three short: málius, property. 6. MOLOSSUS, three long: delectant. 7. ANAPESTUS, two short and a long animos, condescend, apprehend, overheard, acquiesce, immature, overcharge, serenade, opportune. 8. DACTYLUS, a long and two short; carmina, evident, excellence, estimate, wonderful, altitude, burdened, minister, tenement. 9. BACCHIUS, a short and two long: dolores. 10. HYPOBACCHIUS OF ANTIBACCHIUS, two long and a short: pelluntur. 11. CRETICUS, or AMPHIMACER, a short syllable between two long: insito, afternoon. 12. AMPHIBRACHYS, a long syllable between two short: honore, consider, imprudent, procedure, attended, proposed, respondent, concurrence, apprentice, respective, revenue. 13. PROCELEUSMATICUS, four short syllables: hominibus, necessary. 14. DISPONDEUS, four long syllables: infinitis. 15. DIAMBUS, composed of two Iambi: severitas. 16. DITROCHEUS, of two Trochæi: permanere, procurator. 17. IONICUS, two short syllables and two long: properabant. 18. Another foot passes under the same name, composed of two long syllables and two short: calcaribus, possessory. 19. CHORIAMBUS, two short syllables between two long: nobilitas. 20. ANTISPASTUs, two long syllables between two short: Alexander. 21. PEON 1st, one long syllable and three short: temporibus, ordinary, inventory, temperament. 22. PEON 2d, the second syllable long, and the other three short: rapidity, solemnity, minority, considered, imprudently, extravagant, respectfully, accordingly. 23. PEON 3d, the third syllable long, and the other three short: animatus, independent, condescendence, sacerdotal, reimbursement, manufacture. 24. PEON 4th, the last syllable long, and the other three short: celeritas. 25. EPITRITUS 1st, the first syllable short and the other three long: voluptates. 26. EPITRITUs 2d, the second syllable short and the other three long pœnitentes. 27. EPITRITUS 3d, the third syllable short and the other three long : discordias. 28. EPITRITUs 4th, the last syllable short and the other three long: fortunatus.. 29. A word of five syllables composed of a Pyrrhichius and Dactylus: ministerial. 30. A word of five syllables composed of a Trochæus and Dactylus: singularity. 31. A word of five syllables composed of a Dactylus and Trochaus: precipitation, examination. 32. A word of five syllables, the second only long: significancy. 33. A word of six syllables composed of two Dactyles: impetuosity. 34. A word of six syllables composed of a Tribrachys and Dactyle: pusillanimity. N. B. Every word may be considered as a prose foot, because every word is distinguished by a pause; and every foot in verse may be considered as a verse word, composed of syllables pronounced at once without a pause. CHAP. XIX. COMPARISONS. COMPARISONS, as observed above,* serve two purposes: When addressed to the understanding, their purpose is to instruct; when to the heart, their purpose is to please. Various means contribute to the latter: first, The suggesting some unusual resemblance or contrast; second, The setting an object in the strongest light; third, The associating an object with others that are agreeable; fourth, The elevating an object; and fifth, The depressing it. And that comparisons may give pleasure by these various means, appears from what is said in the chapter above cited; and will be made still more evident by examples, which shall be given after premising some general observations. Objects of different senses cannot be compared together; for such objects, being entirely separated from each other, have no circumstance in common to admit either resemblance or contrast. Objects of hearing may be compared together; as also of taste, of smell, and of touch: but the chief fund of comparison are objects of sight; because, in writing or speaking, things can only be compared in idea, and the ideas of sight are more distinct and lively than those of any other sense. When a nation, emerging out of barbarity, begins to think of the fine arts, the beauties of language cannot long lie concealed; and, when discovered, they are generally, by the force of novelty, car * Chap. 8. 310 ried beyond moderation. Thus, in the early poems of every nation, we find metaphors and similies founded on slight and distant resemblances, which, losing their grace with their novelty, wear gradually out of repute; and now, by the improvement of taste, none but correct metaphors and similies are admitted into any polite composition. To illustrate this observation, a specimen shall be given afterward of such metaphors as I have been describing; with respect to similies, take the following specimen : Behold, thou art fair, my love: Thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Mount Gilead; thy teeth are like a flock of sheep from the washing, every one bearing twins; thy lips are like a thread of scarlet; thy neck like the tower of David, built for an armoury, whereon hang a thousand shields of mighty men; thy two breasts like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies; thy eyes like the fish-pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim; thy nose like the tower of Lebanon, looking toward Damascus.-Song of Solomon. Thou art like snow on the heath; thy hair like the mist of Cromla, when it curls on the rocks and shines to the beam of the west; thy breasts are like two smooth rocks seen from Branno of the streams; thy arms like two white pillars in the hall of the mighty Fingal.—Fingal. It has no good effect to compare things, by way of simile, that are of the same kind; nor to compare, by contrast, things of different kinds. The reason is given in the chapter quoted above; and the reason shall be illustrated by examples. The first is a comparison built upon a resemblance so obvious as to make little or no impression. This just rebuke inflam'd the Lycian crew, They join, they thicken, and th' assault renew: Two stubborn swains with blows dispute their bounds; One foot, one inch, of the contended field: Thus obstinate to death, they fight, they fall; Nor these can keep, nor those can win the wall.-Iliad, xii. 505. Another, from Milton, lies open to the same objection. the fallen angels searching for mines of gold: A numerous brigade hasten'd: as when bands Or cast a rampart. Speaking of The next shall be of things contrasted that are of different kinds : Queen. What, is my Richard both in shape and mind Transform'd and weak? Hath Bolingbroke depos'd The lion thrusteth forth his paw, And wounds the earth, if nothing else, with rage To be o'erpower'd: and wilt thou, pupil-like, Take thy correction mildly, kiss the rod, And fawn on rage with base humility ?-Richard II, act 5. sc. 1. This comparison has scarce any force: a man and a lion are of different species, and therefore are proper subjects for a simile; but there is no such resemblance between them in general, as to produce any strong effect by contrasting particular attributes or circum stances. A third general observation is, That abstract terms can never be the subject of comparison, otherwise than by being personified. Shakspeare compares adversity to a toad, and slander to the bite of a crocodile; but in such comparisons these abstract terms must be imagined sensible beings. To have a just notion of comparisons, they must be distinguished into two kinds; one common and familiar, as where a man is compared to a lion in courage, or to a horse in speed; the other more distant and refined, where two things that have in themselves no resemblance or opposition, are compared with respect to their effects. This sort of comparison is occasionally explained above; and for farther explanation take what follows. There is no resemblance between a flower-pot and a cheerful song; and yet they may be compared with respect to their effects, the emotions they produce being similar. There is a little resemblance between fraternal concord and precious ointment; and yet observe how successfully they are compared with respect to the impressions they make : Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon Aaron's beard, and descended to the skirts of his garment.-Psalm 133. For illustrating this sort of comparison, I add some more examples : Delightful is thy presence, O Fingal ! it is like the sun on Cromla, when the hunter mourns his absence for a season and sees him between the clouds. Did not Ossian bear a voice? or is it the sound of days that are no more? Often, like the evening sun, comes the memory of former times on my soul. His countenance is settled from war; and is calm as the evening beam, that from the cloud of the west looks on Cona's silent vale. Sorrow, like a cloud on the sun, shades the soul of Clessammor. The music was like the memory of joys that are past, pleasant and mournful to the soul. Pleasant are the words of the song, said Cuchullin, and lovely are the tales of other times. They are like the calm dew of the morning on the hill of roes, when the sun is faint on its side, and the lake is settled and blue in the vale. These quotations are from the poems of Ossian, who abounds with comparisons of this delicate kind, and appears singularly happy in them.† I proceed to illustrate, by particular instances, the different means by which comparisons, whether of the one sort or the other, can afford pleasure; and, in the order above established, I begin with such instances as are agreeable, by suggesting some unusual resemblance or contrast: * Page 67. + The nature and merit of Ossian's comparisons is fully illustrated in a dissertation on the poems of that author, by Dr. Blair, professor of rhetoric in the college of Edinburgh;-a delicious morsel of criticism. |