University of Virginia Library

6. CHAP. VI.
Of Elocution.

OF all the parts of Rhetorick, Elocution in my judgment is the most excellent, for that it is but to little purpose to have a good invention, and an excellent way of methodizing or disposing of arguments, unless we can also express them in apt and fitting words, and handsomely adorn them with Tropes and Figures. In the wording therefore of an Oration care must be had, that the words thereof be first plain and significant, and then neat and elegant, and hence this

part of Rhetorick may be thus defined.

Elocution or the garnishing of speech, is an art by which the speeeh is beautified with the elegancy of words and sentences.

And this is performed two ways, by the fine manner of words called a Trope, or by the fine frame of speech called a Figure.

A Trope is such an Elocution or manner of speech, as doth change the signification of a word into a different signification from the natural.

In a Trope two things are to be considered.

1. The Affections.

2. The Kinds.

The Affections of a Trope are 4.

Catachresis
Hyperbole
Metalepsis
Allegoria.

Catachresis is a harsh and unpleasant change of a word; as namely when one word or name is put for another, not by any proper relation, but by a kind of force. He threatens me a good turn. Enoch was translated, that he should not see death.

Hyperbole is a very false relation of a thing, or a more bold excess of a Trope, which doth exceed belief, either by augmentation or by diminution. Note, that though an Hyperbole doth

vary from the truth, yet doth it not deceive us through fiction or such variation.

An Hyperbole is twofold: Auxesis, or Meiosis.

An Auxesis is, when for augmentation sake or Amplification, we interpose a more vehement expression, in his proper place; as when we say, Magnificent for Liberal, Cruel for Severe, Sacrilegious for Wicked.

A Meiosis, or a Tapinosis is when for extenuation sake we use a milder or more favourable expression, than the matter requireth: as when we say a Flatterer is a courteous and an affable person.

A Metalepsis is that which conteineth many Tropes in one expression; as when we by an improper speech, signifie, first that which is improper, and by that improper speech perhaps another, and so forward till we come to that which is proper, making way for transition by interposing a mean degree; as All the City was moved. Math. 21. 10. where the City is put for Jerusalem, by a Synecdoche Generis: and Jerusalem for its inhabitants, by a Metonymy of the subject.

An ALLEGORY is the continuation of a Trope, as where many Tropes of the same

kind are joyned together: as, put on the whole armour of God. Ephes. 6. 11. He shall be as a Tree planted by the rivers of water. Psalm. 1.

In an Allegory observe to end with the same kind of Trope with which you begin; or else the inconsequence will be absurd.

The several kinds of Tropes are these four.

1. A Metonymy.

2. An Irony.

3. A Metaphore, and

4. A Synechdoche.

A Metonymy is a Trope of the cause to the effect, of the subject to the adjunct: and the contrary, of the effect to the cause, or of the adjunct to the subject.

4. There are four kinds of Causes.

1. The Efficient cause, by which a thing is.

2. The Material cause, of which a thing is made.

3. The Formal cause, by which a thing is what it is.

4. The Final cause, for which a thing is: of which the two first only belong to our present purpose.

A Metonymy of the Cause is twofold, that is, of the Efficient or of the Material Cause.

A Metonymy of the efficient Cause is, when

the Author or inventor of any thing is put for those things which they have effected, or of which he is Author, as Mars for war, Vulcan for fire, Neptune for the Sea, Ceres for bread, Bacchus for wine, Venus for love, Livie for the History written by Livie, Virgil for the poems or works composed by Virgil.

And thus the instrument is also put for the thing effected by it. As the tongue for speech, the hand for writing, the sword for slaughter, Arms for war.

A Metonymy of the Material Cause is, when the name of the matter is put for the effect; as Brass for brass mony, Silver for Silver mony, Gold for gold coin: they worshipped wood and stone; i.e. Idols made of wood and stone: the iron entered into his soul, i.e. fetters.

A Metonymy of the effect is, when the efficient cause is signified by the effects: as Victory is by nature proud and insolent; that is, it maketh men proud and insolent. Pale death; which maketh pale.

Note. That is called the effect which dependeth upon the efficient cause.

Thus Wickedness is put for the ungodly [unclear] of wicked actions, the work for the [unclear].

Quas meruit pœnas jam dedivillud opus.

The work hath received that punishment which it did deserve; that is Ovid the Author of the work.

A Metonymy of the Subject is, when the proper name of any subject is made to signifie the adjunct.

Note. That is said to be a Subject, in which a thing may be any way said to be or adhere.

There may be Metonymy of the subject these nine several ways.

1. When a Subject is put for an inherent accident; as, Curii for Victory, Curius being the name of a certain victorious Captain.

2. When the thing conteining is put for the conteined. As the Cup for the drink in the Cup, the purse for the mony.

3. When the place is put for the inhabitants; as, The City for the Citizens. They smote the city with the sword, i.e. the men in it.

4. When the place is put for the things done in the place; as, Psal. 68. 29. Because of thy Temple at Jerusalem; where by Temple is understood the holy exercises and divine worship used in the Temple.

5. When the possessor is put for the thing possessed by him; as, Joel, 3. 20. Judah shall be inhabited for ever: where Judah the Son of Jacob is put for the Land of Jury, which was promised to his posterity and by them possessed.

6. When the Captain is put for his army; as, Annibal is conquered, that is, Annibal's army.

7. When a Patron or advocate is put for his client; as, The cause will go against the Attorney General, that is, against his client.

8. When a thing which is done in time is put for the time in which it was done; as, Harvest for Summer, Job. 32. 7. I said days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom, i. e, the aged who have seen many days.

9. When the name of the thing signified is put for the sign; as, Ovid. Fast: 1. vers. 201.

Virg. Eclog. 3. Orpheaq; in medio posuit, sylvasq; sequentes.

In the midst he set Orpheus and the woods following, that is, the carved images of Orpheus and the woods.

A Metonymy of the adjunct is, when the adjunct is put for the subject. Gen. 31. 53. Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac, i.e. by God whom Isaac feared.

There may be a Metonymy of the adjunct eight several ways.

1. When the names of vertues are put for good men, of vices for wicked, and of many other things for the persons to whom they belong, or to whom they may be called Adjuncts; as, on this side modesty contendeth, impudence on that; where modesty is put for modest men, and impudence for impudent men.

2. When the thing conteined is put for the thing conteining; as, Psal. II.7. The righteous Lord loverth righteousness, i. e. righteous men.

3. When the adjunct of the time is put for the subject. Thus the night is put for sleep, which is usually taken in the night. Ephes. 5. 16. The days are evil, i. e. the hearts and conversations of the men of these days are evil.

4. When the Sign is put for the thing signified; as, The Scepter for the Kingdome, a gown for peace, Arms for war.

5. When the thing placed is put for the place it self: we sought thee in all books, that is, in booksellers shops.

6. When the Antecedent is put for the consequent; as, pray hear, meaning, pray observe.

7. When the consequent is put for the antecedent; as, He is buried, instead of, he is dead.

8. When one Concomitant is put for another; as, Annibal staid there, that is the Army of Anninal.

An Irony is a Trope from one opposite to another; or, in which we speak by contraries.

An Irony may be perceived three ways 1. by the manner of pronunciation; 2. by the person; 3. by the nature of the thing: for if any of these do differ from the words, it is clear, that the intention doth differ from them also.

Opposites are of two sorts, Unlike, or Contrary.

All things of different natures are said to be unlike; as, A man, a Stone, a Book, a Dog;

and therefore one particular thing, may be equally opposed to many things. All things are said to be contrary to one another that are of contrary natures: as light and darkness, head and cold: and therefore one particular thing may be equally opposed to another particular. An Irony of a thing unlike is, when any thing is spoken of one person and understood of another: whether it be affirmed of both, or denyed of one, as, Virgil Eclog. 3.

Where Menalcas naming himself means Dametas.

Denied of one, as, Ovid Metam. 13.

Nec in his quisquam damnatus & exul.
None of these were either hanged or banished.

Where Ulysses accusing Ajax tells him that none of his kindred were either hanged or banished ; thereby intimating that some of Ajax's generation were, to wit,

his father Telamon, and his Uncle Peleus, for killing of Phoenix.

An Irony from the contrary is, when one contrary is signified by another; as,

O Salve bene vir cucurasti probe.
O thou art an honest man, thou hast done very well:

meaning that he was a very rogue and had been very careless.

Paralepsis is a kind of Irony, by which we seem to pass by or take no notice of such things which yet we strictly observe and remember.

The forms of this figure are these; I let pass, I am silent, I omit, I will leave out, I say not &c. as thus, I say nothing of your licentious life, incestuous marriage, or your being perjured in such a cause, &c. Where in a kind of elegancy we seem to pass by those crimes, which we do more eminently remember.

Apopharis is a kind of Irony, by which we deny to say or do, which yet we speak with greatest earnestness, and do with all our might; as, nor will I mention these things, which if I should, you could not I am sure, deny them. This figure differs from the former, in nothing but the manner of speaking.

A Metaphore is a Trope by which we express our selves by a word, which is of like signification, with that we mean. There is nothing in the world, of which there is not another thing to which it may be resembled; and therefore there is nothing from whence a Metaphore may not be deduced; as, Princeps caput Rei-publicæe, The King is the head of the common wealth.

There are eight sort of things especially, from which a Metaphore may be deduced.

1. From sacred and holy things; as, One man is a God to another.

2. From the Heavens; as, Virgil the sun of Poets.

3. From the Elements; as, The fire of envy; the flood of eloquence and Rhetorick.

4. From Meteors; as The lightning of an Oration.

5. From Minerals; as, Golden ages; an Iron breast.

6. From Vegetables; as, The flower of nobility.

7. From living creatures; as, England is the eye of Islands; Orators do bark not speak.

8. From Artificial things; as, Appion is the Cymbal of the world, so called for his much talking.

And hence are these expressions, To file a writing, to polish an oration, to rip or unsow friendship.

Synecdoche is a Trope, by which a part is put for the whole and the contrary; i. e. the whole is put for a part.

A part is twofold. A Member, or A Species.

A Synecdoche of a Member is, when by a member the whole is signified. As the Roof for the house, the swords point for the sword it self, a General for his Army, the soul for a man.

Thus the singular number is put for the plural; as, The Roman was victor in battel, meaning the army of the Romans.

Note. That the singular number is a part or member of the plural, not a distinct nature: especially considering that every multitude doth consist of unities, as of so many particulars.

A Synecdoche of the Species is, when the Species is put for the Genus; as, when Aristides is put for a just man, Crœsus for a rich man.

Thus we put an infinite number for a great number; as, you may bring six hundred

such; Six hundred, one species or sort of a great number, for a great number in the general.

A Synecdoche of the whole is, when the whole is put for a part.

The whole is either an Integer, or A Genus.

A Synecdoche of an Integer is, when an Integer is put for a member; as, His Army was so great as that it drank the rivers dry: meaning a great part of the water in the rivers.

Thus the plural number is put for the singular; as, Cicero to Brutus; we deceived the people and seemed Orators: When the Orator spake of himself only.

A Synecdoche of the Genus is, when the General is put for the Special; as, a man for Catiline, Vertue for fortitude, Poet for Homer or Virgil, Orator for Demosthenes or Tully. Mark. 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every creature: meaning mankind only, and not any other creature.

Hitherto of Tropes the first kind of elocution; the second kind of elocution is by Figure.