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"It is justly remarked by Horace, that what is conveyed to our Notice through our Ears, acts with a more feeble Impulse upon the Mind, than Objects that pass through the Organs of Sight, those faithful Evidences in a mental Court of Judicature."

— Murphy, Arthur (1727-1805)

Author

Gray's-Inn Journal, No. 94

Date

Saturday, Aug. 3, 1754; 1756

Metaphor

"It is justly remarked by Horace, that what is conveyed to our Notice through our Ears, acts with a more feeble Impulse upon the Mind, than Objects that pass through the Organs of Sight, those faithful Evidences in a mental Court of Judicature."

Metaphor in Context

THERE is not a Species of Writing which has not had its particular Admirer, and various Affirmations have been made concerning the Excellence of each. The famous Doctor South was of Opinion, that a complete Epigram is the Master-piece of Composition; and Mr. Addison calls a perfect Tragedy the noblest Production of Human Nature. The Truth of it is, each Person has delivered his Sentiments agreeably to his own private Temper, and his own peculiar Turn of Thinking. Doctor South excelled in lively and surprizing Strokes of Wit; every new Combination, which he formed in the vivacious Sallies of his Imagination, was Epigram in itself, and we find all his Writings sown extremely thick with unexpected Assemblages; and on this Account we may suppose him inclinable to extol his own favourite Talent. In like Manner, Mr. Addison had employed many of his Hours in planning his Tragedy of Cato, and after it had received the most consummate Polish, which his Skill could bestow upon it, it was to be exhibited as the greatest Production of human Wit. But the Assertions of great Men, when they are unsustained by Argument, are not to be considered as Decrees from which there can be no Appeal: Tragedy most certainly can only claim the second Place, because it is manifest, that all the Powers of Genius, viz. Imagination, Eloquence and Reason, may be exerted in their full Force in the Epic Composition, whereas in Tragedy they frequently suffer great Limitation. The same Thing, which on many Occasions makes Tragedy the most powerful Performance, serves also to divest it of those Advantages which give great Brilliancy to heroic Poesy, and that is, its coming immediately before the Eye. It is justly remarked by Horace, that what is conveyed to our Notice through our Ears, acts with a more feeble Impulse upon the Mind, than Objects that pass through the Organs of Sight, those faithful Evidences in a mental Court of Judicature.

Segnius irritant animos demissa per Aurem,
Quam quae sunt Oculis subjecta fidelibus, & quae
Ipse sibi tradit Spectator.
(II, pp. 262-3)