98 On Figurative Language. 
less as.we advance in developing and explain- 
ing it; and if its reasonableness have. not 
already appeared, it will be to little purpose 
to seek for accessory or collateral — proofs. 
The writer, however, would justly be charge- 
able with want of respect to this society, if 
not, of deference to his own opinion, if he 
omitted some additional remarks which seem 
further to. confirm what he has advanced. 
Most. writers on rhetoric have been suffi- 
ciently aware of the manner in which words 
assume a metaphorical attitude, as may be in- 
ferred from. the short extracts which were 
introduced at the commencement. In con- 
firmation, of which change of words from a 
proper to a metaphorical meaning, the follow- 
ing sentence may be quoted from Quintilian’s 
Oratorical Institutes: “‘ Verborum vero figure 
et mutate sunt semper, et utcunque valuit 
consuetudo, mutantur. Itaque si antiquum 
sermonem nostro comparemus, pene jam 
quicquid Joquimur, figura est.”* There is a 
passage in Dr. Blair’s Lectures on Rhetoric + 
which seems still nearer to coincide with what 
has been suggested in the foregoing pages. 
“ In every language,” says he, “ there. are a 
multitude of words, which, though they were 
figurative in their first application to certain 
* Quiatil. B. UX. c. IIT.—Gizson. + Lect. XIV. 
