On Figurative Language. 77 
- II. This part of my subject being suffi- 
ciently explained for my present purpose, I 
shall now proceed to shew for what reasons 
and under what circumstances metaphorical 
or figurative language originated ; what pur- 
poses it serves; and how, in the progress of 
language from infancy to maturity, words 
assume, renounce, and re-assume a figurative 
meaning. 
The most judicious critics truly ascribe the 
origin. of figurative language to necessity. 
This is expressly stated by Ciceroin his book 
de Oratore. . | 
_“Tertias ille. modus. transferrendi verbi 
late patet, quem necessitas genuit, inopia 
coacta et angustiis.”—Zibd. III. 55, 
We use figurative language, according to 
Quinctilian, “aut quia necesse est, aut quia 
significantius est, aut quia decentius.” In 
explaining the case of necessity, he adds; 
“Necessitate rustici dicunt yemmam in yiti- 
bus; quid enim dicerent aliud? et. sitire 
segetes, et, fructus laborare. Necessitate nos, 
durum hominem, aut asperum. Non enim 
_ proprium erat quod daremus his affectionibus 
nomen.” —Lib. VIII. Cap. VI. 
Dr. Blair has expressed nearly the same 
sentiments in his Lectures on Rhetoric: 
‘Tropes of this kind abound in all languages, 
