ȚII. NATURAL RELIGION PERSONIFIED.a [The Savior and Mahomet compared.] 8. "Go to your natural religion: lay before her Mahomet, and his disciples, arrayed in armor and blood, riding in triumph over the spoils of thousands who fell by his victorious sword. Show her the cities which he set in flames, the countries which he ravaged and destroyed, and the miserable distress of all the inhabitants. When she has viewed him in this scene, carry her into his retirement; show her the prophet's chamber; his concubines and his wives; and let her hear him allege revelation, and a divine commission, to justify his adultery and lust. 66 9. When she is tired with this prospect, then show her the blessed Jesus, humble and meek, doing good to all the sons of men. Let her see him in his most retired privacies: let her follow him to the mount, and hear his devotions and supplications to God. Carry her to his table, to view his poor fare, and hear his heavenly discourse. Let her attend him to the tribunal, and consider the patience with which he endured the scoffs and reproaches of his enemies. Lead her to his cross; let her view him in the agony of death, and hear his last prayer for his persecutors: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!' 10. “When natural religion has thus viewed both, ask her which is the Prophet of God? But her answer we have already had, when she saw part of this scene, through the eyes of the centurion, who attended at the cross. By him she spoke, and said, 'Truly, this man was the Son of God."— BISHOP SHERLOCK. 11. Personifications of this kind, though less common in prose than those of the first degree, are the very life and soul of poetry. We find them abundant in Homer, the father and prince of poets, in whose writings war, peace, darts, spears, towns, rivers-every thing, in short, is glowing with life and action. The same is the case with Milton, and Shakspeare, and Thomson, and with all modern poets of eminence.. The following from Milton, on the occasion of Eve's eating the forbidden fruit, is very striking and appropriate : 12. IV. EARTH AND NATURE PERSONIFIED. "So saying, her rash hand in evil hour Forth reaching to the fruit, she pluck'd, she ate; 13. In the third and highest degree of this figure, common inanimate objects are addressed as if alive, and listening to the speaker, sometimes replying to him,—and, like sentient beings, sharing his joys and sorrows. The first two degrees of this figure are employed in the language of description. The third, which is the language of direct address, and hence the boldest of all rhetorical figures, is never to be attempted unless when the mind is in a state of violent agitation,— whether it be under the influence of the stronger passionslove, anger, and indignation, or of the plaintive and dispiriting, such as grief, remorse, and melancholy. 14. It is well known that all passions struggle for expression, and, if they can find no other object, will, rather than be silent, pour themselves forth to woods, and rocks, and the most insensible things; especially if these be in any degree connected with the causes and objects that have thrown the mind into this agitation. Milton affords us an exceedingly fine example of the third degree of this figure, in that moving and tender address which Eve makes to Paradise just before she is compelled to leave it: V. EVE'S ADDRESS TO PARADISE, AFTER THE FALL. Paradise personified. 15. "Oh! unexpected stroke, worse than of death! At ev'n, which I bred up with tender hand, Your tribes, and water from th' ambrosial fount ?" VI. VICE PERSONIFIED. 16. From Pope we select an example in which Vice, personified, is represented as a hideous monster; and on page 328 may be found another example of personification from the same author. "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien', As to be hated' needs but to be seen'; Yet seen too oft', familiar with her face', We first endure', then pity', then embrace'." a In this extract the words that are used figuratively, in a personified sense, are put in italics. The italics, therefore, have nothing to do with emphasis. b Now generally pronounced Mā'ho met; formerly, Ma hom'et. LESSON LXXXV. ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF PERSONIFICATION. I. PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION. Personification of the Second Degree. 1. PHILOSOPHY is a goddess, whose head indeed is in heaven, but whose feet are upon earth; she attempts more than she accomplishes, and promises more than she performs: she can teach us to hear or read of the calamities of others with magnanimity, but it is religion only that can teach us to bear our own with resignation. II. THE REIGN OF JUSTICE. Personification of the Second Degree.-SYDNEY SMITH. 2. Truth is its handmaid', Freedom is its child', Peace is its companion', Safety walks in its steps', Victory follows in its train': it is the brightest emanation of the Gospel; it is the greatest attribute of God. 3. It is that centre around which human passions and interests turn-and Justice, sitting on high, sees genius, and power, and wealth, and birth, revolving round her throne, while she teaches their paths, and marks out their orbits. She warns with a loud voice, and rules with a strong hand, and carries order and discipline into a world which, but for her, would be a wild waste of passions. III. UNKINDNESS. Personification of the Third Degree.-Burns. 4. Blow, blow, ye winds, with heavier gust! Than heaven-illumined man on brother man bestows. IV. INGRATITUDE DESCRIBED. Personification of the Third Degree.-SHAKSPEARE. [The Wind, and the cold, bitter Sky, are here personified; and then, by way of simile, are made to illustrate the keen, biting severity of Ingratitude.] 5. 6. Blow, blow, thou winter wind'; Thou art not so unkind As man's ingratitude: Thy tooth is not so keen, Although thy breath be rude. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky'; As friend remembered not. V. KING HENRY'S ADDRESS TO SLEEP. Personification of the Third Degree.-SHAKSPEARE. That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down, Why, rather, Sleep, liest thou in smoky cribs, Upon uneasy pallets stretching thee, And hushed with buzzing night-flies to thy slumber, And lull'd with sounds of sweetest melody? 8. O thou dull god', why liest thou with the vile, Uneasy lies the head Then, happy low, lie down'! that wears a crown. 2d Part of King Henry IV., Act III., Scene 1. a A strong figure, in which the kingly couch is likened to a watch-case (ever disturbed by the ticking of the watch), or to a common alarum bell. b A grammatical fault, only excusable as a poetic license. C "Happy low"-those in lowly situations, whom he calls upon to lie down in quiet. LESSON LXXXVI. THE POWER OF MEMORY. SAMUEL ROGERS. [SAMUEL ROGERS, one of the most elegant of English poets, born in London in 1762; died in 1856, in the 94th year of his age. He presents a rare instance of great wealth allied to great talents, untiring industry in literary pursuits, and pure morals. In the following extract, not only Memory itself, but Time, Place, Thought, Genius, Art, Science, Hope, Fancy, Virtue and Joy, Peace and Power, are personified.] 1. SWEET Memory! wafted by thy gentle gale, Oft up the stream of Time I turn my sail, Bless'd with far greener shades, far fresher flowers. |