terms, for he used more than twenty thousand words -more perhaps than any other writer in the English language before or since. And yet his writings abound in metaphors. Generally, incongruous metaphors should be avoided. "The corner-stone of this edifice will soon fall prostrate to the earth," is very absurd. Many ludicrous mixed metaphors are thrown off by imaginative speakers which are offensive to good taste, unless the object is to amuse by their extravagance. The following are specimens: "The apple of discord is now fairly in our midst, and if not nipped in the bud it will burst forth into a conflagration which will deluge the sea of politics with an earthquake of heresies." "This man, gentlemen of the jury, walks into court like a motionless statue, with the cloak of hypocrisy in his mouth, and is attempting to screw three large oaks out of my clients' pockets." "Boyle was the father of chemistry, and brother to the Earl of Cork." At the same time, on this subject as on others, it is possible to use the pruning-knife too severely. Many eminent writers have been entirely destitute of bold metaphors, but a talent to employ them should be cultivated by observation and exercise. 34. The Mind notices both Similarities and Differences of Objects. - We have remarked under Comparison that it is a law of the mind to observe the similarity of objects, in one or more particulars, that differ in other respects. It is also a law of the mind's action to observe the differences of objects, in one or more particulars, that are alike in all other respects. On the action of these laws does the mind depend for the classification of facts and objects. Promptitude and power in this exercise characterize the strongest minds. 35. Definitions and Illustrations. - Antithesis (from the Greek αντι, against, and τιθημι, to place) is the collocation of two objects together that differ distinctly, at least in one particular, and agree in others. The simplest antitheses are those in which the attention is called to the difference between two objects of the same kind for the purpose of definition. For instance, "The brig is a square-rigged vessel with two masts; the sloop is a fore-and-aft-rigged vessel with one mast and a jib-stay." "The old Roman had an aquiline nose, the Greek, a nose long and straight." The antithesis becomes more striking and pleasing if the contrast exists in more than one particular, while the likeness in other particulars remains. Thus, "Caesar died a violent death, but his empire remained; Cromwell died a natural death, but his empire vanished." Antithesis is the union of objects by their differences, and exhibits that power of mind without which there can be no correct generalization nor accurate analysis. It should therefore be assiduously cultivated. It sharpens the outline of the objects, whether material or mental, which are at the same time compared and contrasted, and makes an impression of their relative character more vivid than could otherwise be produced. The higher exercise of this power is exhibited in detecting and presenting differences between objects that seem, to a casual observer, to be alike; but the highest of all is the presentation both of differences and of similarities at the same time between objects that were never classified together before. Upon the degree in which these compared and contrasted points exist, and the vividness with which they are expressed, depend the force and beauty of the antithesis. "Melissa, like the bee, gathers honey from every weed; while Arachne, like the spider, sucks poison from the fairest flowers." In this instance it will be seen that Melissa and Arachne are alike in nearly all respects, being both girls; but they differ in two respects: Melissa gathers instruction as the bee gathers honey, while Arachne gathers bad influences as the PREVALENCE OF ANTITHESIS. 115 spider gathers poison; and Melissa gathers her instruction from unfavorable sources, "weeds," while Arachne gathers her bad influences from good sources, "the fairest flowers." "The lamb gambols alike through the green pastures or to the place of slaughter. Up to the last flutter of her wings, the bird ceases not to trill her matins upon the air. But the only immortal being upon the earth lives in dread of death. The only being to whom death is an impossibility fears every day that it will come." man. In this instance, the lamb and the bird, standing for all brute animals, are compared by antithesis with Both classes are alike, in being exposed to death, but the differences are, they are mortal, he at once mortal and immortal; and again, they do not fear to die, though death ends them; he does fear to die, though death does not end him. Who does not see that the idea of both mortality and immortality are rendered more vivid by such an antithesis? "Here lies the great False marble, where? The antithesis in this consists in the two pictures that the marble monument might suggest of the man whose body is buried beneath it either "the great," as he was when living, or "the sordid dust," which the body is now. Many excellent specimens of antithesis are found in the Holy Scriptures. It was often employed by the Saviour in his necessarily condensed expressions, in which the greatest possible amount of thought was stored up for all future generations. "He that hath, to him shall be given; he that hath not, from him shall be taken that which he hath," is antithetical, equivalent to, "He that really hath (or improves what he has), shall have more; while he that does not really have any thing (that is, does not improve any thing), shall lose what he has." The principle of this antithetical expression is uttered in the proverb, "Rivers run to the sea." The prevalence of antithesis is so great in good composition, and it is so mingled with the various figures of speech, that it is exceedingly difficult in some instances to detect it, or to discriminate between it and comparison and metaphor. The following passage undoubtedly owes much of its impressiveness to the antithesis of its thoughts. "The infinity of worlds, and the narrow spot of earth which we call our home-the eternity of ages, and the few hours of life-the almighty power of God, and human nothingness-it is impossible to think of these in succession without a feeling like that which is produced by the sublimest eloquence." It will be seen in the above that, first, "the infinity of worlds" and "the narrow spot of earth called home" are supposed to be alike as space, but antithetic in size only; then "eternity" and "the few hours" are alike as duration, antithetic in extent or amount; "almighty power" and "human nothingness" are alike as power, for by "nothingness" is really meant only feebleness, but antithetic in degree; and these antitheses are justly pronounced impressive. 36. Effect of Antitheses. - Scientific statements acquire precision from antithesis. "In the animal body," says Tyndall, in his "Heat and Mode of Mo |