"the fword; they wandered about in sheep"fkins and goat-fkins, being deftitute, "afflicted, tormented:

"They wandered in deferts, and moun"tains, and dens, and caves of the earth "of whom the world was not worthy."

In these three verfes all the difgrace and misfortunes, that can attend humanity, are pointed out with expreffive brevity.

ANY figures ftrike at once; Amplifi

Mcation, by a paraphrafe of thought.

Defcription is the foul of amplification. The object is gradually aggrandifed to its full majefty: the mind roves in the easy mæanders of ideas, and admires the coherence of the chain. The definition of this figure

by

by LONGINUS feems not altogether fixed: the latter part of it is a direct contrast to the former.

Doctor YOUNG, in his Revenge, admirably amplifies on the blow given to ZANGA by his mafter. The distraction of his imagi nation is boldly supported by quick fallies of expreffion, judiciously tranfpofed. ZANGA defcants upon his ill-fortune, his flavery, and his usage under flavery; and winds up the whole pathos with the blow received. Indeed, the firft fcene of the tragedy is employed on this difgraceful event, and the character of the Moor is painted in its proper colours-of great revenge.

"One day, (may that returning day be night, "The ftain, the curfe of each fucceeding year!). "For fomething, or for nothing, in his pride "He ftruck me-(While I tell it, do I live?)

Hefmote me on the cheek.-I did not ftab him, "For that were poor revenge.-Ere fince his folly "Has ftrove to bury it beneath a heap

Of kindneffes, and thinks it is forgot.

"Infolent thought! and like a second blow ! "Affronts are innocent, where men are worthless, "And fuch alone can wifely drop revenge."

ISABELLA folicits him to moderate his refentment. ZANGA again breaks out,

"Has the dark adder venom? So have I, "When trod upon.-Proud Spaniard, thou shal "feel me !

"For from that day, that day of my dishonor, "I from that day have curs'd the rising fun, "Which never fail'd to tell me of my fhame; "I from that day have blefs'd the coming night, "Which promis'd to conceal it—but in vain ; "The blow return'd for ever in my dream."

This example is introduced, as a parallel to that quoted from Hamlet by Mr. SMITH, under the head of the Hyperbaton, Sect. XXII. though there is nothing in the example of LONGINUS to vindicate its insertion as an inftance of that figure.

Another paffage occurs, where this rhetorical ornament is naturally introduced.

"Well!

1

"Well!-fay there is no kingdom then for

"RICHARD

"What other pleasure can the world afford?
"I'll make my heaven on a lady's lap,
"And deck my body in gay ornaments,

"And witch sweet ladies with my words and "looks.

"Oh! miferable thought, and more unlikely "Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns. "Why--Love forfwore me in my mother's womb, "And, for I should not deal in her foft laws, "She did corrupt frail Nature with fome bribe "To shrink my arm like to a wither'd shrub;" "To make an envious mountain on my back, "Where fits Deformity to mock my body; "To shape my legs of an uneven fize,* "To difproportion me in ev'ry part, "Like to a chaös, or unlick'd bear-whelp That carries no impreffion like the dam. "And am I then a man to be belov'd? Oh! monstrous fault to harbor fuch a thought! "Then

E 2

* This wither'd arm has been reftored by, the medicinal pen of HORACE WALPOLE, this mountain removed by his magic wand, and thefe legs new-fhapen for the dancing-room of his Hiftoric Doubts.

"Then-fince the world affords no joy to me, "But to command, to check, to o'erbear fuch "As are of better perfon than myself;

"I'll make my heav'n to dream upon the crown, "And, while I live, t'account this world but hell, Until the mis-fhap'd trunk, that bears this head, "Be round impaled with a glorious crown.

GLOCESTER's Solil. HEN. VI.

A& iii. Sc. 3.

An excellent example of amplification is produced in that unrivaled comparison between Mahomet and our bleffed Saviour; SHERLOCK'S Serm. Vol. I. Difc. ix.

"Go to your natural religion : lay before "her Mahomet, and his difciples, arrayed in 66 armor and in blood, riding in triumph "over the fpoils of thousands, and tens of

thoufands, who fell by his victorious. "fword: fhew her the cities which he fet

in flames, the countries which he ra"vaged and deftroyed, and the miferable

diftrefs of all the inhabitants of the earth. "When fhe has viewed him in this fcene, 66 carry