or conditions, for another, in order by a resemblance to exemplify that for which the substitute is used; as when a person attempting to accomplish something that either from its nature, or his power or condition, is impossible or of extreme difficulty to him, is said to undertake to force his bark against wind and tide-a work of one kind which is known to be hopeless, being employed to exemplify the impracticableness of the other.

The name Hypocatástasis, in Greek “Ixoxatáσtñois, denoting substitution, is drawn, like the names of all the other figures, from that language, and is, like them, descriptive of the figure itself, which consists in the use of one thing as the substitute for another for the purpose of illustration.

The Apostrophe is a direct address, in a speech, argument, narrative, or prediction, to a person or object that is the subject of discourse, or to one who hears it, and is to form a judgment respecting it; as when one, in pronouncing a funeral eulogy, directly addresses the departed, as though he were listening to what is uttered, and able to respond to and confirm it.

The Prosopopoeia, or Personification, is an ascription of intelligence to an inanimate object, by

addressing it as though it had the organs of hearing or sight, or ascribing to it the passions or actions of men; as when the prophet calls to the heavens to hear, and to the earth to attend to his word.

The Allegory, or Parable, is the use of intelligences acting in one sphere or relation, to exemplify and illustrate their own or the agency of others in another; or the use of unintelligent objects in a natural or supposititious relation, to exemplify the conduct of men. They are sometimes employed together; as in the lxxxth Psalm, a vine is used as the representative of the Israelites; and God's planting and rearing it is employed to exemplify his administration over them. There is always an intimation at the beginning or close of the Allegory or Parable, who or what it is, that it is employed to exemplify.

Figures differ essentially from symbols; figures being used only for illustration and ornament, and the agents or objects to which they are applied being always the agents or subjects of the acts or qualities which they ascribe to them; while symbols, on the other hand, instead of mere names or predicates of agents or objects, are themselves agents, objects, qualities, acts, conditions, or effects,

that are used as representatives of agents, objects, qualities, acts, conditions, or effects, generally of a different but resembling class. Thus in Daniel's vision, wild beasts are employed as prophetic representatives of cruel, bloody, and destroying men: powerful and ferocious creatures in the animal world, that preyed on inferior beasts, being put in the place of men in the political world of a corresponding character towards mankind; and destructive acts of the one employed to represent the resembling acts of the other. In like manner, in the Apocalypse, candlesticks, or lamp stands, whose office it is to support lights, are used to represent churches which support teachers that spread the knowledge of the Gospel; and stars whose office it is to shed light on the world when wrapped in the darkness of night, are employed as representatives of teachers of the church, whose work it is to spread the light of the Gospel in the world of men, which is involved in moral darkness.

Questions which the learner should answer in respect to the nature of figures, their classes, and kinds.

What is a figure of speech? How many classes of figures are there! What are they! Give an example of one that lies in the use of a word. Give an example of one that lies in the use of a thing. For what purpose are they used; or what service do they render in the treatment of subjects? What figures belong to the

first class? What belong to the second? What is the peculiarity of a verbal figure? What is the peculiarity of the other class? In what sense are the words employed in figures in which things are the instrument of illustration? What constitutes an expression figurative? How can it be known that a sentence is tropical? How many kinds of figures are there? Name them. Define the comparison, metaphor, metonymy, and others. What is a symbol? How do symbols differ from figures? Give an example of a symbol, and the mode in which it is used.

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CHAPTER II

THE COMPARISON.

A Simile, or Comparison, is an affirmation of the likeness of one thing to another, and is expressed by as, like, so, or some other term of resemblance. Thus the personage throned on the cloud (Rev. xiv. 14) is said to have been like a son of man; that is, of a human form. In the description of Christ (Rev. i. 14) it is said, "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and his voice as the sound of many waters ;" and the visibleness and conspicuity of his coming is compared to a shaft of lightning that flashes across the firmament. "As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be." (Matt. xxiv. 27.) The change from condemnation to forgiveness consequent on repentance, is compared to a change from the deepest red to the purest white. "Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow;