A CHAPTER ON SIMILES. 



left them far behind those of the old school in point of strength and 

 solidity. 



If I am right in considering Mr. Wordsworth's theory to be that 

 there is more eloquence and genuine poetry among the unlettered and 

 unsophisticated part of the community than among the higher and 

 better educated classes, I am inclined to become a convert to his 

 doctrine. For having devoted considerable attention to the similes 

 of the common people, I have found them invariably distinguished 

 for their vivacity and spirit. They possess in some instances a pithy 

 expressiveness, a racy wit, and, on some occasions, a strength and 

 startling spiritedness, of which we in vain look for examples in more 

 classic composers. They want indeed that effeminate delicacy, or cold 

 dignity, which will always have a certain charm in the eyes of the 

 school-bred critic; but they have a picturesque vigour, a rough but 

 endearing homeliness, which make more than amends for the absence 

 of these meretricious attractions. They deal with more familiar ob- 

 jects, and accordingly come more home to the business and bosoms of 

 men. Science is not taxed for a learned and laborious illustration. 

 Natural history is frequently resorted to, as will be seen hereafter ; 

 but the objects selected are generally of some species well known in 

 the country: the globe is not circumnavigated before a fastidious 

 taste can be satisfied. " He put his hands into his breeches pocket 

 like a crocodile." This is far too elaborate and recondite. One sees 

 immediately that this simile must have emanated from a person of 

 quality. The crocodile (crocodylus major] is a native of Africa. This 

 is too far to go for a simile. Unfortunately, however, your over- 

 refined people are always committing this mistake. Nothing will 

 suit them but what they can bring, with great pains, from a great 

 distance ; whereas, after all, nothing pleases so long or so well as per- 

 fect simplicity. The great poets of old understood this principle, and 

 acted upon it. Solomon compares the eyes of his mistress to the 

 fish-pools in Heshbon., by the gate of Bath-rabbin, and her nose to 

 the tower of Lebanon which looked toward Damascus, evidently re- 

 ferring to objects exceeding well known in those days, when, in all 

 probability, such powerful illustrations must have had a grandeur 

 and effectiveness which even now startles the imagination. A modern 

 poet likens his lady's eyes to those of the gazelle (copra syl. Linn.) ; 

 but this is an illustration, which, besides that it is comparatively in- 

 significant, must be thrown away upon the majority of readers, from 

 their ignorance of the nature of the beast. Hence it appears to me 

 that one of the greatest improvements of which modern poetry and 

 eloquence are susceptible would be to divert the attention of authors 

 and orators, in their search for resemblances, from all remote and re- 

 condite analogies from mountains and cataracts from rocks and 

 rainbows to the pleasingly familiar objects of domestic life, which 

 require only to be mentioned to recal a thousand delightful asso- 

 ciations and images, would by these means be rendered more distinct 

 and vivid; they would attain a truth and transparency which it is 

 the great end of poetry to produce ; nor would they lose any thing 

 but that vagueness and obscurity, which there cannot be a greater 

 proof of bad taste than to mistake for sublimity or beauty. It is de- 



M.M. No 102. 4O 



