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 used by our authors in managing the Paffions. I fhall but tranfiently remark, that nothing contributes fo much to the Cool, as the ufe 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 use of with good fuccess. Hereby our best authors have avoided throwing themselves or their readers into any indecent Transports.

But as it is fometimes needful to excite the paffans of our antagonist in the polemic way, the true ftudents in the law have conftantly taken their methods from low life, where they obferved, 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 adverfary with crimes obnoxious to the State. As for Shame, it is a filly paf fion, of which as our authors are incapable themfelves, fo they would not produce it in others.

Of Tropes and Figures: And first of the variegating, confounding, and reversing Figures.

B

UT we proceed to the Figures. We cannot too earnestly recommend to our authors. the study 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 manifest 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 distortions.

It would be endless, nay impoffible to enumerate all fuch Figures; but we fhall content ourfelves to range the principal, which most powerfully contribute to the Bathos, under three Claffes.

I. The Variegating, Confounding, or Reversing 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 thofe languages, we have also explained them in our mother tongue, I. Of the first fort, nothing fo much conduces to the Bathos, as the

CATACHRESIS,

A Master of this will fay,

Mow the Beard.

Shave the Grass,
Pin the Plank,

Nail my Sleeve.

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 spectator. Another fource of the Bathos is,

The METONYMY,

the inverfion of Caufes for Effects, of Inventors for Inventions, etc.

h

Laced in her Cofins new appear'd the bride,
A Bubble-boy and Tompion at her fide,
And with an air divine her i Colmar ply'd:
Then oh! She cries, what flaves I round me fee?
Here a bright Redcoat, there a fmart * Toupee.

The SYNECHDOCHE,

k

which confifts, in the use of a part for the whole. You may call a young woman fometimes Prettyface and Pigs-eyes, and fometimes Snotty-nofe and Draggle-tail. Or of Accidents for Perfons; as a Lawyer is called Split-caufe, a Taylor Prick-loufe, 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-Staff, a Turn-key, etc.

The APOSIOPESIS.

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 thinge, which is a certain way to fink the highest; as when you speak of the Thunder of Heaven, fay,

f Stays.

Tweezer-cafe. h Watch.

i Fan. * A fort of Perriwig: All words in ufe in this prefent Year

1727. P.

1

The Lords above are angry and talk big.

If you would defcribe a rich man refunding his treasures, exprefs it thus,

m

Tho' be (as faid) may Riches gorge, the Spoil

Painful in maffy Vomit hall recoil,

Soon fhall be perish with a fwift decay,
Like his own Ordure, caft with fcorn away.

The Second, that, whenever you start a Metaphor, you must be fure 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.

"The ftones and all the elements with thee
Shall ratify a frict confederacy;

Wild beafs their favage temper shall forget,
And for a firm alliance with thee treat;
The finny tyrant of the spacious feas
Shall fend a fcally embaffy for peace;
His plighted faith the Crocodile fhall keep,
And feeing thee, for joy fincerely weep.

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

Refide in Palestina's land,