meet fuch a writef, throw him afide for a
coxcomb. Some authors of reputation have
ufed a fliort and concife way of expreffion,
I muft own ; and if they are not fo clear
as others, the fault is to be laid on the bre-
vity they labour after : for while we ftudy
to be concife, we can hardly avoid being
obfcure. We crowd our thoughts into too
fmall a compafs, and are fo fparing of our
words, that we will not afford enow to ex-
prefs our meaning.
There is another extreme in obfcure
writers, not much taken notice of, which
fome empty conceited heads are apt to run
into out of a prodigality of words, and
a want of fenfe. This is the extravagance
of your copious writers, who lofe their
meaning in the multitude of words, and
bury their fenfe under iieaps of phrafes.
Their undeiftanding is rather rarified than
condcnfed : their meaning, we cannot fay,
is dark and thick ; it is too light and fubtle
to be difcerned; it is fpread fo thin, and
diffufed fo wide, that it is hard to be col-
lected. Two lines would exprefs all they
fay in two pages : 'tis nothing but whipt
fyllabub and froth, a little varnifh and
gilding, without any folidity or fubftance.
§ 96. On the Decorafiojis and Ornaments
of Stjle.
The deepeft rivers have the plaineft fur-
face, and the pureft waters are always
cleareft. Cryftal is not the lefs folid for
being tranfparent ; the value of a ftyle rifes
like the value of precious ftones. If it be
dark and cloudy, it is in vain to polifli it :
it bears its v/orth in its native looks, and
the fame art which enhances its price v.'hen
it is clear, only debafes it if it be dull.
You fee I have borrowed fome n;erapliors
to explain my thoughts; and it is, I be-
lieve, impoffible to dcfcribe the plainnefs
and
33^
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book II.
and clearnefs of ftyle, without foms expref-
fions clearer than the terms I am othcrwife
bound up to ufe.
You muft give me leave to go on with
you to the decorations and ornaments of
ftyle : there is no inconfiilency between
the plainnefs and perfpicuity, and the or-
nament of writing. A ftyle refembleth
beauty, where the face is clear and plain
as to fymmetry and proportion, but is ca-
pable of wonderful improvements, as to
features and complexion. If I may tranf-
grefs in too frequent allofions, becaufe I
would make every thing plain to you, I
would pafs on from painters to ftatuarieg,
whofe excellence it is at firft to form true
and juft proportions, and aftcrw-ards to give
them that foftnefs, that exprelfion, that
ftrength and delicacy, which make them
almoft breathe and live.
The decorations of ftyle are formed out
of thofe feveral fchemes and figures, which
are contrived to exprefs the paffions and
motions of our minds in our fpeech ; to
give life and ornament, grace and beauty,
to our expreffions. I ihall not undertake
tlie rhetorician's province, in giving you
an account of all the figures they have in-
vented, and thofe feveral ornaments of
writing, whofe grace and commendation
lie in being ufed with judgment and pro-
priety. It were endlefs to purfue this fub-
jeft through all the fchemes and illuftra-
tions of fpeech : irjt there are fome com-
mon forms, which every writer upon every
fubjeift may ufe, to enliven and adorn his
work.
Thefe are metaphor and fimilitude ;
and thofe images and reprefentations, that
are drawn in the ftrongeft and moft lively
colours, to imprint w^hat the writer woujld
have his readers conceive, more deeply on
their minds. In the choice, and in the
ufe of thefe, your ordinary writers are moft
apt to offend. Images are very fparlngly
to be introduced : their proper place is in
poems and orations ; and their ufe is to
move pity or terror, admiration, compaf-
fion, anger, and refentment, by reprefent-
ing foniething very affeflionate or very
dreadful, very aftonifhing, very miferable,
or very provoking, to oar thoughts. They
give a wonderful force and beauty to the
iTubjeft, where they are painted by a mafter-
Iv hand ; but if they are either weakly
drawn, or unlkilfuUy placed, they raife no
pallion but indignation in the reader.
FeL'o;:.
§ g-j. Ok Metaphors and Similitudes. ,
The moft common ornaments are Me-
taphor Tind Similijude. One is an allu-'!
lion to words, the other to things ; and
both have their beauties, if properly ap-
plied. '
Similitudes ought to be drawn from the
moft familiar and bell: known particular* â–
in tlie world : if any thing is dark and ob- '
fcure in them, tlie purpofe of ufing them
is defeated; and that which is not clear
itfelf, can never give light to any thing
that wants it. It is the idle fancy of fome
poor brains, to run out perpc'c ually into a
courfe of fimilitudes, coniounding their
fubjeA by the multitude of likenefles ; and
making it like fo many things, that it is'
like nothing at all. This trifling hum.our
is good for nothing, but to convince us,
that the author is in the dark himfelf;
and, while he is likening his fubjeft to every
thing, he knoweth not what it is like.
There is another tedious fault in fome
fimile men ; which is, drawing their com-
parifons into a great length and minute
particulars, where it is of no import:ince
whether the refemblance holds or not.
But the true art of illuftrating any fubjedl
by fimilitude, is, firft to pitch on fuch a
refemblance as all the world will agree in :â– -
and then, without being careful to have it
run on all four, to touch it only in the
ftrongeft lines, and the neareft likenefs. I
And this will fecure us from all ftiffnefs
and formality in fimilitude,. and deliver us
from the naufeous repetition of as and fo,
whick fome fo fo writers, if 1 may beg
leave to call them fo, are continually found-
ing in our ears.
I have nothing to fay to thofe gentle- ;
men who bring fimilitudes and forget the I
refemblance. All the pleafure we can take,
when we meet thefe promifing fparks, is
in the difappointment, where we find their
fancy is fo like their fubjeft, that it is not
like at all. Ibid.
§ gS. On Metaphors.
Metaphors require great judgment and
confideration in the ufe of them. They
are a fhorter fimilitude, v/here the likenefs
is rather implied than exprefled. The
fignification of one word, in metaphors, is
transferred to another, and we talk of .one
thing in the terms and propriety of ano-
ther. But there muft be a common re-
ferablance, fome origiaal likenefs in nature,
foKie
iooKll. CLASSICAL AND HISTORICAL.
Ibme correfpondence and eafy tranfit'on, or
jrnetaphors are fliocking and confufed.
I The beauty of them difphiys itfclf in
their ealinefs and propriety, where they
jare naturally introduced ; but where they
(are forced and crowded, too frequent and
jvarlous, and do not rife out of the courfe of
.ithoTight, but are conilrained and preffed
I into the fervice, inftead of making the dif-
courfe more lively and cheerful, they make
jit fullen, dull, and gloomy.
j You muft form your judgment upon the
beft models, and the moft celebrated pens,
where you will find the mxtaphor in all
its grace and ftrength, {heading a luftre
and beauty on the work. For it ought
never to be ufed but when it gives greater
force to the fentence, an ilIufl:ration to the
thought, and infmuates a fi]ent argument
in the allufion. The ufe of metaphors is
not only to convey the thought in a more
I pleafing manner, but to give it a ftronger
I iraprefiion, and enforce it on the mind.
Where this is not' regarded, tijey are vain
I and trifling trafh ; and in a due obfervance
' of this, in a pure, chalte, natural exprefTion,
confift the juftnefs, beauty, and delicacy
of ftyle. Felio}'..
§ 99. On Epithets.
I have faid nothing of Epithets. Their
bufmefs is to exprefs the nature of the
things they are applied to ; and the choice
of them depends upon a good judgment,
to diftinguifli what are the moft proper
titles to be given on all occaficns, and a
complete knowledge in the accidents, qua-
lities, and aiTeftions of every thing in the
world. They are of moft ornament when
they are of ufe ; they are to determine the
charafter of every perfon, and decide the
merits of every caufe; confcience and juf-
tice are to be regarded; and great iliill
and exaftnefs are required in the ufe of
them. For it is of great importance to
call things by their right names : the
points of fatire and ftrains of compliment,
depend upon it; otherwife we may make
an afs of a lion, commend a man in fatire,
and lampoon him in panegyric. Here alfo
there is room for genius : common juftice
and judgment fnould direft us to fay v/hat
is proper at leaft ; but it is parts and fire
that will prompt us to the moft lively and
tnoft forcible epithets than can be applied :
and 'tis in their energy and propriety their
beauty lies, 'ihid.
§ 100, On Allegories.
Allegories I need not n;^^otion, becaufe
3J3
they are not fo much any ornament of
ftyle, as an artful way of recommending
truth to the world in a borrowed fhape, and
a drefs more agreeable to the fancy, than
naked truth herfelf can be. Truth is ever
moit beautiful and evident in her native
drefs : and the arts that are ufed to con-
vey her to our minds, are no argument
that flie is deficient, but fo many teftimo-
nies of the corruption of our nature, when
truth, of all things the plaineft and fincereft,
is forced to gain admittance to us in dif-
guife, and court us in mafquerade.
Ibid,
§ I or. On the Sublime.
There is one ingredient more required
to the perfedion of ftyle, which I have
partly mentioned already, in fpeaking of
the fuitablenefs of the thoughts to the fub-
jedi, and of the words to the thoughts ; but
you will give me leave to confider it in
another light, with regard to the majefty
and dignity of the fubjed.
It is fit, as we have faid already, that the
thoughts and expreffions. ftiould be fuited
to the matter on all occafions ; but in no-
bler and greater fubjefts, efpecially where
the theme is facred and divine, it muft be
our care to think and write up to the dig-
nity and majefty of the things we prefume
to treat of: nothing little, mean, or low,
no childifti thoughts, or boyifh expreffions,
will be endured : all muft be awful and
grave, and great and folemn. The nobleft
fentiments muft be conveyed in the weighticft
words : all ornaments and illuftrations muft
be borrowed from the richeft parts ot uni-
verfal nature ; 'and in divine fubjefts, efpe-
cially vv'hen \vt attempt to fpeak of God,
of his wifdom, goodnefs, and power, of
his mercy and juftice, of his difpenfations
and providence (by all which he is pleafed
to manifeft himfel'f to the fons of men) we
muft raife our thoughts, and enlarge onr
minds, and fi-arch all the treafures of know-
ledge for every thing that is great, wonder-
ful, and magnificent : we can only exprefs
our thoughts of the Creator in the works
of his creation : and the brighteft of tliefe
can only give us fome faint fhadows of
his greatnefs and his glory. The ftrongeft
figures are too weak, the moft exalted
language too low, to exprefs his ineffable
excellence. No hyperbole can be brought
to_ heighten our thoughts ; for in fo fu-
blime a theme, nothing can be hyperbo-
lical. The riches of imagination are poor,
and aiji the rivers of eloquence are dry, in
fupplying
334
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book Ilj
fupplying thought on an infinite fubjeft.
How poor and mean, how bafe and grovel-
ing, are the Heathen conceptions oF the
as he '.vas, owes his fuperiority over Ho-
mer and Virgil, in majeily of thought artj
Iplendour of exprefTion, to the fcriptures :
the fountain from which he de
rived his light; the facred treafure that
enriched his fancy, and furnifhed him with
all the truth and wonders of .God afid his
creation, of angels and men, which no
mortal brain was able either to difcover
or conceive : and in him of all human
writers, you will meet all his fentiments
and words raifed and fnited to the great-
nefs and dignity of the fubjeft.
I have detained you the longer on thi$
maj-5fty of ftyle, being perhaps myfelf car-
ried away with the greatnefs : ' 1 pleafurc
Deity ! fomething fublime and noble muft tney are
needs be faid on fo great an occafion ; but ^
in this great article, the moft celebrated
of the Heathen pens feem to flag and fink ;
they bear up in no proportion to the dig-
nity of the theme, as if they were depreffed
by the weight, and dazzled with the fplen-
dour of the fubjeft.
We have no inftances to produce of any
writers that rife at all to the majefty and
dignity of the Divine Attributes except
the facred penmen. No lefs than Divine
Infpiration could enable men to write wor-
thily of God, and none but the Spirit of ot the contemplation. What I have dwelt
- - • " ' ■'■fo much on with refpeft to divine fubjefts,
is more eafily to be obferved with reference
to human ; for in all things below divinity,
we are rather able to exceed than fall fhort
and in adorning all other fubjefts, ouf
words and fentiments may rife in i
proportion to them : nothing is above the
reach of man, but heaven ; and the fame
wit can raife a human fubjeft, that only
debafcs a divine. Fehon,.
§ 102. Rules of Order and Proportion.
After all thefe excellencies of ftyle, in
purity, in plainnefs and perfpicuity, in'
God knew how to exprefs his greatnefs,
and difplay his glory : in comparifon of
thefe divine writers, the greateit geniufes,
the nobleil wits of the Heathen world, are
low and dull. The fublime majefty and
royal magnificence of the fcripture poems
are above the reach, and beyond the power
of all mortal wit. Take the beft and live-
lieft poems of antiquit}', and read thern as
â– we do the fcriptures, in a profe tranflation,
and they are fiat and poor, Horace, and
Virgil, and Homer, lofe their fpirits and
their ftrength in the transfufion, to that
degree, that we ha^'e hardly patience to _
read them. But the facred writings, even ornament and majefty, are confidered, a
in our tranflation, preferve their majefty finifhed piece of what kind foever muft (bine
and their glory, and very far furpafs the in the order and proportion of the whole ;
brighteft and nobleft compofitions ot Greece for light rifes out of order, and beauty
and Rome. And this is not owing to the from Proportion. In architedure and paint-
richnefs and folemnity of the eaftern elo- ing, thefe fill and relieve the eye. A juft
queues (for it holds in no other inftance) difpofition gives us a clear v-.^w of the
but to the divine direftion and aftiflancc whole at once ; and the due fymmetry and
of the holy writers. For, let me only proportion of every part in itfelf, and of all
make this remark, that the moft literal together, leave no vacancy in our thoughts
or eyes ; nothing is wanting, every thing
is complete, and we are fatisiied in be-
holding.
But when I fpeak of order and propor-
tion, I do not intend any ftiff and formal
method, but only a proper diftribution of
the parts in general, where they follow in
a natural courfe, and are not confounded
tranflation of the fcriptures, in the mwft
natural fignification of the words, is gene-
rally the beft ; and the fame pundualnefs,
which debafes other writings, preferves
the fpirit and majefty of the facred text:
it can fufFer no improvement from human
wit ; and we m^ay obferve, that thofe who
have prefumed to heighten the exprefiions
by a poetical tranflation or paraphrafe, with one another. La)'ing down a fcheme,
have funk in the attempt ; and all the de- and marking out the divifions and fubdi-
corations of their verfe, whether Greek or vifions of a difcourfe, are only neceffary
Latin, have not been able to reach the in fyftems, and fome pieces of controver fy
dignity, the majefty, and folemnity of our and argumentation : you fee, however, that
profe : fo that the profe of fcripture can- I have ventured to write v/ithout any de-
not be improved by verfe, and even the clared order; and this is allowable, v/hcre
divine poetry is moft like itfelf in profe. tlie method opens as you read, and the
One obfervation more I would leave with order difcovcrs itfelf in the progrefo of the
you : Milton himfelf, as great a genius fubjcft: but certainly, of all pieces that
were
J
Book II. CLASSICAL AND HISTORICAL. 335
tributed through the whole : too full and
glaring a light is offcnfivc, and confounds
the eyes : in heaven itfeif there are vr.can-
cies and fpaces between the ftars ; and the
da)' is not lefs beautiful for being inter-
fperfed with clouds; they only moderate
the brightnefs of tlie fun, and, without di-
were ever written in a profeffed and ftated
method, and diftinguilhed by the number
and fucceffioa of their parts, our Englilh
fcrmons are the completed in order and
proportion ; the method is fo eafy and na-
tural, the parts bear fo juit a proportion to
one another, that among many others, this
may pafs for a peculiar commendation of minifhing from his fplendour, gild and
them; for thofe divifions and particulars adorn themfclves M'ith his rays. But to
defcend from the ikies : It is in writino- as
which obfcure and perplex other uritmgs,
give a clearer light to ours. All that I
would infmuate, therefore, is only this,
that it is not necefiary to lay the method
We ufe before the reader, only to write,
and then he will read, in order. *
But it requires a full command of the
in drefs ; the richcll habits are not always
the completeft, and a gentleman may mal:e
a better figure in a plain fuit, than in au
embroidered coat ; the drefs depends upon
the imagination, but muft be adjuiled by
the â– ' . . . -
ji^dgment, contrary to the opinion of
ftibjedl, a dillinct view, to keep it always the ladies, who value nothing but a good
in fight, or elfe, without fome method firfl: fancy in the choice of their cloaths. l~he
defigned, we fiiould be in danger of lofing firfl: excellence is to write in purity, plainh%
and clearly; there is no difpenfation from
thefe : but afterwards you have your choice
of colours, and may enliven, adorn, and
paint your fubjeft as you pleafe.
In writing, the rules have a relation and
dependance on one another. They are
held in one focial bond, and joinedj like
the moral virtues, and liberal arts, in a fore
It, and wandering after it, till we hav
Jolt ourfelves, and bewildered the reader.
A prefcribed method is ncceilar}' for
weaker heads, but the beauty of order is
is its freedom and uuconftraint : it mutt be
difperfed and fhine in all the parts through
the whole performance ; but there is no ne-
celfity of writing in trammels, when we can
move more at eafe without them : neither of harmony and concord. He that
IS the proportion of writing to be mea-
fured out like the proportions of a horfe,
where every part mult be dravvn in the
miauteft refpeCt to the fize and bignefs of
the reft ; but it is to be taken by the mind,
and formed upon a general view and con-
fidcration of the whole. The ftatuary that
carves Hercules in ftone, or cafls him in
brafs, may be obliged to take his dimen-
Cons from his foot ; but the poet that de-
fcribes him is not bound up to the geo-
meter's rule: nor is an author under any
obligation to write by the fcale.
write pure, plain Englifh, muft never pre-
tend to write at all ; it is in vain for hini
to drefs and adorn his difcourfe : the finer
he endeavours to make it, he makes it
only the more ridiculous. And on the
other fide, let a man write in the exafteft
he
^ Ibme
force^ and fpirit, it is nothing but a mere
ccrpfe, and a lumpifh, umvieldy mafs of
matter. But every true genius, who is
perfeft matter of the language he writes
in, will let no fitting ornaments and deco-
v^..n._i iiiiv,, 1V.L a luaii wiitc in me exac'
purity and propriety of language, if
has not life and fire, to give his work fo
Thefe hints will ferve to give you fome rations be- v/anting.- His fancy flows
notion of order and proportion ; and I mutt
not dwell too long upon them, left 1 tranf-
grefs the rules I am liiying down.
Felton.
§ 103. A Recapitulation.
1 fliall make no formal recapitulation of
what I have delivered. Out of all thefe
rules together, rifes a juft ftyle, and a pcr-
feft compofition. All the latitude that can
be admitted, is in the ornament of writing ;
w-e do not require every author to fhine xn.
gold and jewels ; there is a moderation to
be ufed in the pomp and trappings of a
difcourfe: it is not neceifary that every
part Ihould be embeUittied and adorned ;
but tUe decoration fjiould be ikiifully dif-
the richeft vein, and gives his pieces fuck
lively colours, and fo beautiful a com-
plexion, that you would almott fay his own
blood and fpirits were transfufed into the
work. j'oij^
§. 104. Hc^jj to form a right Tafte.
A perfea mattery and elegance of ftyle
is to be learned from the common rules,
but mutt be improved by readino- the ora-
tors and poets, and the celebrated matters
in^every kind; this will give you a ri^ht
tatte, and a true relifh ;, and when you can
dittinguifh the beauties of evcrv iiniOied
piece, you will write yourfelf w-ich equal
commendation.
I do not affert that every g-co'd writer
muft
336
ELEGANT EXTRACTS,
Book II:
muft have a genius for poetry ; I know
Tully is an undeniable exception : but I
will venture to affirm, that a foul that is
not moved with poetry, and has no tafte
that way, is too dull and lumpifh ever to
write with any profpefc of being read. It
is a fatal miftake, and fimple fuperftition,
to difcourage youth from poetry, and en-
deavour to prejudice them againft it ; if
they are of a poetical genius, there is no
reftraining them : Ovid, you know, was
deaf to his father's frequent admonitions.
But if they are not quite fmitten and be-
witched with love of verfe, they fhould be.
trained to it, to make them mailers of
every kind of poetry, that by learning to
imitate the originals, they may arrive at a
right conception, and a true tafte of their
authors : and being able to write in verfe
upon occafion, I can afiure you, is no dif-
advantage to profe ; for without relifhing
the one, a man mufc never pretend to any
tafte of the other.
Tafte is a metaphor, borrowed from the
palate, by which we approve or difiike \^hat
we eat and drink, from the agreeablenefs or
difagreeablenefs of the relifh in our mouth.
Nature direfts us in the common ufe, and
every body can tell fweet from bitter, what
is fharp or four, or vapid, or naufeous ;
but it requires fcnfes more refined and ex-
ercifed, to difcover every tafte that is moft
perfeft in its kind ; every palate is not a
judge of that, and yet drinking is more
ufed than reading. All that I pretend to
know of the matter, is, that wine fhould
be, like a ftyle, clear, deep, bright, and
ftrong, fmcere and pure, found and dry
(as our advertifements do well exprefs it)
which laft is a commendable term, that
contains the juice of the richeft fpirits, and
only keeps out all cold and dampnefs.
. It is common to commend a man for an
car to mufic, and a tafte for painting ;
which are nothing but a juft difcernment
of what is excellent and moft perfeft in
them. The firft depends entirely on the
car ; a man can never expeft to be a maftcr,
that has not an ear tuned and fet to mufic ;
and you can no more fing an ode without
an ear, than without a genius you can vvrite
one. Painting, we fhould think, requires
fome underftanding in the art, and cxadl
knowledge of the beft mafters' manner, to
be a judge of it; but this ficulty, like the
reft, is founded in nature : knowledge in
the art, and frequent qonverfation with the
beft originals, v.iil certainly perfeft, a man's
judgment ; but if there is not a natural fa-
gacity and aptnefs, experience will be of no
great fervice. A good tafte is an argument
of a great foul, as well as a lively wit.
It is the infirmity of poor fpirits to be takea
with every appearance, and dazzled bjr ,
every thing that fparkles : but to pafs by
what the generality of the world admires,
and to be detained with nothing but what
is moft perfect and excellent in its kind,
fpeaks a fuperior genius, and. a true dif-
cernm.ent : a new pifture by fome meaner
hand, where the colours are frefti and lively ,^
will engage the eye, but the pleafure goes
off with looking, and what we ran to at firft
with eagernefs, we prefently leave with in-
difference : but the old pieces of Raphael,
Michael Angelo, Tintoret, and Titian,
though not fo inviting at firft, open to the
eye by degrees ; and the longer and oftener