true modern poet could read, to any purpose, the works of fuch men as Milton and Shakespear. It may be expected, that, like other Critics, I fhould next speak of the Paffions: But as the main end and principal effect of the Bathos is to produce Tranquillity of Mind, (and fure it is a better defign to promote fleep than madness) we have little to fay on this fubject. Nor will the fhort bounds of this discourse allow us to treat at large of the Emollients and the Opiats of Poefy, of the Cool, and the manner of producing it, or of the methods ufed by our authors in managing the Paffions. I fhall but tranfiently remark, that nothing contributes fo much to the Cool, as the use of Wit in expreffing paffion: The true genius rarely fails of points, conceits, and proper fimiles on fuch occafions: This we may term the Pathetic epigrammatical, in which even puns are made ufe of with good fuccefs. Hereby our best authors have avoided throwing themselves or their readers into any indecent Transports. But as it is fometimes needful to excite the paffions of our antagonist in the polemic way, the true Atudents in the law have conftantly taken their methods from low life, where they observed, that, to move Anger, ufe is made of fcolding and railing to move Love, of bawdry; to beget Favour and Friendship, of grofs flattery; and to produce Fear, of calumniating an adversary with crimes obnoxious to the State. As for Shame, it is a filly paffion, of which as our authors are incapable themselves, fo they would not produce it in others. Of Tropes and Figures: And firft of the variegating, confounding, and reverfing Figures. B UT we proceed to the Figures. We cannot too earnestly recommend to our authors the ftudy of the Abuse of Speech. They ought to lay it down as a principle, to fay nothing in the ufual way, but (if poffible) in the direct contrary. Therefore the Figures must be fo turn'd, as to manifeft that intricate and wonderful Caft of Head which distinguishes all writers of this kind; or (as I may、 fay) to refer exactly the Mold in which they were formed, in all its inequalities, cavities, obliquities, odd crannies, and diftortions. It would be endless, nay impoffible to enumerate all fuch Figures; but we fhall content ourselves to range the principal, which most powerfully contribute to the Bathos, under three Claffes. I. The Variegating, Confounding, or Reverfing: Tropes and Figures. II. The Magnifying, and III. The Diminishing. We cannot avoid giving to these the Greek or Roman Names; but in tenderness to our countrymen and fellow writers, many of whom, however exquifite, are wholly ignorant of those languages, we have alfo explained them in our mother tongue. I. Of the first fort, nothing fo much conduces to the Bathos, as the CATACH RESIS. A Master of this will fay, Mow the Beard, Shave the Grafs, From whence refults the fame kind of pleasure to the mind as to the eye, when we behold Harlequin trimming himself with a hatchet, hewing down a tree with a rafor, making his tea in a cauldron, and brewing his ale in a tea-pot, to the incredible fatisfaction of the British fpectator. Another fource of the Bathos is, The METONYMY, the inverfion of Caufes for Effects, of Inventors for Inventions, etc. } Laced in her Cofins new appear'd the bride, The SYNECDOCHE, which confifts, in the use of a part for the whole. You may call a young woman fometimes Pretty-face and Pigs-eyes, and fometimes Snotty-nose and Draggle-tail. Or of Accidents for Persons ; as a Lawyer is called Split-cause, a Taylor Prick-louse, etc. Or of things belonging to a man, for the man himself; as a Sword-man, a Gown-man, a T-m-T-d-man: a White flaff, a Turn-key, etc. The APO SIOPE SIS. An excellent figure for the Ignorant, as, "What fhall I fay?" when one has nothing to fay or I can no more," when one really can no more. Expreffions which the gentle reader is fo good as never to take in earnest. The METAPHOR. The first rule is to draw it from the lowest things, which is a certain way to fink the highest; as when you speak of the Thunder of Heaven, fay, f Stays. g Tweezer.cafe. h Watch. i Fan. k A fort of Perriwig: All words in ufe in this prefent Year 1727. P. The Lords above are angry and talk big. If you would defcribe a rich man refunding his treasures, express it thus, m Tho' be (as faid) may Riches gorge, the Spoil Soon fhall he perish with a fwift decay, The Second, that, whenever you start a Metaphor, you must be sure to run it down, and pursue it as far as it can go. If you get the scent of a State negotiation, follow it in this manner. n The ftones and all the elements with thee Wild beafts their favage temper fhall forget, His plighted faith the Crocodile fhall keep, Or if you represent the Creator, denouncing war against the wicked, be fure not to omit one circumstance usual in proclaiming and levying war. Envoys and Agents, who by my command 1 Lee Alex. m Blackm. Job, p. 91, 93. n Job, p. 22. Blackm. Ifa. c. xl. |