FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75  
76   77   78   79   80   81   >>  
re, and add them together, they would be found to bear a very small, or rather an infinitesimal proportion to the passages in which these supreme masters have attained absolute perfection. Therefore it is that all posterity, whose judgment envy herself cannot impeach, has brought and bestowed on them the crown of glory, has guarded their fame until this day against all attack, and is likely to preserve it "As long as lofty trees shall grow, And restless waters seaward flow." 3 It has been urged by one writer that we should not prefer the huge disproportioned Colossus to the Doryphorus of Polycletus. But (to give one out of many possible answers) in art we admire exactness, in the works of nature magnificence; and it is from nature that man derives the faculty of speech. Whereas, then, in statuary we look for close resemblance to humanity, in literature we require something which transcends humanity. 4 Nevertheless (to reiterate the advice which we gave at the beginning of this essay), since that success which consists in avoidance of error is usually the gift of art, while high, though unequal excellence is the attribute of genius, it is proper on all occasions to call in art as an ally to nature. By the combined resources of these two we may hope to achieve perfection. Such are the conclusions which were forced upon me concerning the points at issue; but every one may consult his own taste. XXXVII To return, however, from this long digression; closely allied to metaphors are comparisons and similes, differing only in this * * *[1] [Footnote 1: The asterisks denote gaps in the original text.] XXXVIII Such absurdities as, "Unless you carry your brains next to the ground in your heels."[1] Hence it is necessary to know where to draw the line; for if ever it is overstepped the effect of the hyperbole is spoilt, being in such cases relaxed by overstraining, and producing the very opposite to the effect desired. [Footnote 1: Pseud. Dem. de Halon. 45.] 2 Isocrates, for instance, from an ambitious desire of lending everything a strong rhetorical colouring, shows himself in quite a childish light. Having in his Panegyrical Oration set himself to prove that the Athenian state has surpassed that of Sparta in her services to Hellas, he starts off at the very outset with these words: "Such is the power of language that it can extenuate what is great, and lend greatness to what is little,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75  
76   77   78   79   80   81   >>  



Top keywords:

nature

 

humanity

 

Footnote

 
perfection
 
effect
 

denote

 
brains
 

Unless

 

absurdities

 

original


ground
 

XXXVIII

 

allied

 

points

 

consult

 
achieve
 

conclusions

 

forced

 

comparisons

 
metaphors

similes

 
differing
 

closely

 

XXXVII

 

return

 

digression

 

asterisks

 
overstraining
 

Athenian

 

surpassed


Sparta

 

services

 

childish

 

Having

 

Panegyrical

 

Oration

 

Hellas

 

extenuate

 

greatness

 

language


starts

 

outset

 

relaxed

 

producing

 

opposite

 

desired

 
overstepped
 

hyperbole

 

spoilt

 

lending