boat gallops over the waves," means; or the noun ship, in the proposition, "the ship flies along the water," if the words boat and ship were not used in their proper sense, to denote a real boat and a real ship, to the exclusion of everything else? When the subject of the metaphorical term is not expressly mentioned in the proposition itself, as in elliptical metaphors, it is still indicated with equal certainty in the connexion. 4. The figure lies wholly in the affirmative part of the proposition; as in the prediction, "The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap hands" (Isa. lv. 12), the predicates, "shall break forth into singing," and "shall clap hands," are the parts that are used by the figure; the nominatives, "the mountains and the hills" and "the trees," are employed in their literal sense. In like manner, in the expressions, "The beasts of the field shall honor me; "The land mourneth, it languisheth;" "Lebanon is put to shame;" "The desert and the waste shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice and flourish;" the metaphor lies exclusively in the predicates; that is, in the declarations made by the verbs. This and the preceding characteristics belong to metaphors universally, and are of the utmost im portance, as they render it certain that that of which the metaphorical affirmation is made, is the subject literally of that which the figurative expression denotes; as when it is said, "Judah is a lion's whelp," it is Judah literally, not anything else, to whom that is ascribed, which is meant by the declaration that he is a lion's whelp. 5. The peculiarity of the metaphorical use of words lies in their being applied affirmatively to subjects to which that which they properly signify does not really belong, but only something that resembles it; as God is said by the figure to be "a consuming fire," which he is not really, to signify that in the exercise of his justice he is to his enemies like a consuming fire. The fields are said to smile-a movement of which they are incapable-to denote that when clothed in verdure, and lighted up by sunshine, they exhibit a cheerfulness and beauty that resembles a smile. 6. The terms, therefore, that are used by this figure always carry with them their literal sense, not a different or modified meaning. Thus when the valleys are said to laugh, and the floods to clap hands, it is laughing that is affirmed of the valleys, and clapping hands that is ascribed to the floods, not anything else; and the object of the affirmation is to signify, in a bold and emphatic manner, that the appearances and movements which they exhibit, resemble, in cheerfulness and gladness, laughter and clapping hands in human beings. 7. When the figure ascribes a nature to an agent or thing that does not belong to it, the acts or events that are then affirmed of it are such as are proper to that imputed nature, not to its own. Thus when night is denominated a goddess, it is exhibited as having a throne, and stretching forth a sceptre over the world. To determine whether a word is used literally or metaphorically, is simply to ascertain whether that which it literally signifies, is proper and natural to the subject of which it is affirmed, or not. In the expression, for example, "green fields are beautiful," as the predicate, "are beautiful," is truly and properly descriptive of green fields, it is used literally; in the expression, however, "the landscape smiles," as a smile is not proper to a landscape, but only a cheerful appearance that resembles a smile, the verb is used metaphorically. All classes of words are used by the figure. Nouns are often metaphorized; thus, "God" is a sun, a shield, a rock, a fortress, a high tower (Ps. lxxxiv. 11; xviii. 2). "Happiness, It is the gay to-morrow of the mind That never comes." PROCTOR. "Yon gray lines That fret the clouds are messengers of morn." SHAKSPEARE. "The spider's most attenuated thread Is cord, is cable, to man's tender tie YOUNG. "Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player, Told by an idiot-full of sound and fury, SHAKSPEARE. Many of the most beautiful noun metaphors of the poets are elliptical: "Night, sable goddess! from her ebon throne, In rayless majesty, now stretches forth Her leaden sceptre o'er a slumbering world. Silence how dread! and darkness how profound! "Above me are the Alps, The palaces of nature, whose vast walls Have pinnacled in clouds their snowy scalps, And throned eternity in icy halls Of cold sublimity; where forms and falls YOUNG. The avalanche, the thunderbolt of snow! All that expands the spirit yet appals Gathers around their summits, as to show How earth may pierce to heaven, and leave vain man below." BYRON. Verbs are still more frequently metaphorized: "Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity." Is. lvii. 15. "And the wilderness shall rejoice and flourish; The well-watered plain of Jordan shall also rejoice ; LOWTH'S IS. Xxxv. 1, 2. "Her gates shall lament and mourn.” 66 Is. iii. 26. Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground, and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched." "Look what envious streaks JER. vii. 20. Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east: SHAKSPEARE |