Anonymous

The Lady's Rhetoric: Containing the Rules for Speaking and Writing Elegantly.

London

Printed for J. Taylor and A. Bell

1707

The mind may be "soak'd in the bottom of the Belly" of one's Ignorance so that he needs the syrup of understanding and knowledge "to liquify the Matter" of his thoughts.

"Tis worth Observation, that the Metaphor ought no to be too much strain'd, nor taken from things that are mean, flat and contemptible. Here is an Example of each, Of things too much strain'd one of our Authors informs us, that a certain Person speaking of the Tower of a Church that was fallen to the ground, said, That the Twoer was gone to pay a Visit to its Foundation. The Expression of PAaiying a Visit, is there a Metaphor too extravagant; tho' Jesting may cause it to pass current. Of mean things, Tertullian has been blam'd for saying, That the Deluge was but the washing and cleaning of Nature: For the word Washing is too mean for the Deluge, that came from the Appointment of the Lord. And fo contemptible and insipid Metaphors, here is an Example out of M. de la Serre: Each Respiration marks a Minute of the Clock of our Pulse, till our last Breath shall cause the A[lar]m and Hour of our Departure to sound. What a pitiful Metaphor is this? 'Tis doubtless in imitation of the Gibberish of Beuseambille, who has said, The Footman of my Prayers has been tir'd to knock at the Door of your Heart, and the Servant of your Compassion has never vouchsafed to open it. And Harlequin speaking in a Comedy as an Apothecary to Madam Colombine, says, Madam, my Mind is soak'd in the bottom of the Belly of my Ignorance, that I need have some Syrup of your Understanding and Knowledge to liquify the Matter of my Thoughts. But at last the Barber of Time has pull'd out the Tooth of my Passion, that caus'd me to complain so much. And I cannot but relate a Bombast Metaphor, which I heard from the mouth of one who fancy'd that he spoke elegantly. Discoursing of the preaching of the Gospel, in the Audience of the Clergy at a Visitation, from the Pulpt, he said, That it was the brightest Ray, shot out of the Quiver of God's Goodness and Mercy to the English Nation. Did you ever see the Rays of Light come out of a Quiver?
(pp. 92-3, in. 97-8)

Body::Belly

Gale's Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO).

The Lady's Rhetoric: Containing the Rules for Speaking and Writing Elegantly. In a Familiar Discourse directed to an Honourable and Learned Lady. Enrich'd with many delightful Remarks, witty Repartees, and pleasant Stories, both Antient and Modern. Done from the French, with some Improvements. (London: Printed for J. Taylor and A. Bell, 1707).

01/16/2004