He invents a name to indicate a certain character: “Aliger" for one of fickle or capricious temper ; “Avarus” for a miser; "Gelidus" for a man of phlegmatic disposition, &c., and then gives a brief description of the habits or peculiarities of this imaginary personage. For example: "Eriphile has employed her eloquence for twenty years upon the degeneracy of servants, the nastiness of her house, the ruin of her furniture, the difficulty of preserving tapestry from the moths, and the carelessness of the sluts whom she employs in brushing it. It is her business every morning to visit the rooms in hopes of finding a chair without its cover, a window shut or open contrary to her orders, a spot on the hearth, or a feather on the floor, that the rest of the day may be justifiably spent in taunts of contempt, or vociferations of anger. She lives for no other purpose but to preserve the neatness of a house and gardens, and feels neither inclination to pleasure, nor aspiration after virtue, while she is engrossed by the great employment of keeping gravel from grass, and wainscot from dust. Of three amiable nieces, she has declared herself an irreconcilable enemy to one, because she broke off a tulip with her hoop; to another, because she spilt her coffee on a Turkey carpet; and to the third, because she let a wet dog run into the parlour. She has broken off her intercourse of visits, because company makes a house dirty; and resolves to confine herself more to her own affairs, and to live no longer in mire by foolish lenity." 1 A lover of strife. Exercises in figurative Language. The forms of the following sentences are to be changed by the learner; a figure of speech being substituted for some given expression. The words in parentheses are intended as suggestions. 1. At twelve o'clock at night, when all was silent, we were awakened from sleep by an explosion of artillery (dead, voice). 2. To prevent injury, it was ordered that all heretics should quit the city immediately (contaminate, pollution). 3. The wonderful eloquence of the orator so excited the patriotism of the people, that they rose to a man in rebellion (kindle, spark, burst, flame). 4. The whole transaction was so disgraceful and dishonourable, that it were well could his name be no more heard (stain, blot, page). 5. The monks of the middle ages preserved much of the knowledge of antiquity (light, glimmer, distant ages). 6. After inflicting this terrible injury on the enemy, the general again proposed to negotiate a peace (blow, olive-branch). 7. The chief, finding all remonstrances vain, at length unwillingly signed the treaty (heavy heart). 8. Though the poor man used every exertion to maintain his family, he was always in difficulties; and he now daily grew more and more straitened in circumstances (struggle, fortune, overtake, poverty). 9. Nothing could surpass his persuasive eloquence; he had but to speak the word, and all were at once ready to take up arms in his cause (honey, flow, lips; swords, leap, scabbards). 10. This decree of the Emperor took the whole city by surprise; and none of the inhabitants dared to resist it (thunderbolt, lift voice). 11. The beautiful vessel, with all sails spread, passed us rapidly, and was soon out of sight (wings, fade, view). 12. News is just arrived of the loss of this vessel; she is supposed to have sprung a leak and gone down: all on board perished (victim, watery grave). 13. By these judicious measures, the discontent of the people was at length put a stop to; and the whole country was again peaceful (spirit, expire, reign). 14. The persevering labours of the missionaries at length succeeded:-Christianity was, eventually, firmly established among the natives (crown, triumph, cross). 15. Let us turn from these sad records of national disgrace, to recount more honourable transactions (brighter page). 16. Notwithstanding all my entreaties, I could not persuade him to attend to my remonstrances, and he obstinately persisted in his previouslyformed scheme (lend ear; follow path). 17. This subject is of so speculative a nature, that it is by no means easy to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion upon it (wide field). 18. The city was crowded with people from all parts of the country, who had come to be present at the coronation (swarm). 19. In his travels through Asia Minor, he discovered several Greek manuscripts on philosophical subjects (rescue, oblivion). 20. His joy was so extravagant, that he scarcely knew what he was doing; he sang, danced, and capered about like one possessed (intoxicate). 21. His industry and perseverance enabled him to overcome difficulties which would have stopped the progress of ordinary men (surmount, barriers, daunt). 22. This revolution was of a nature to interrupt the relations of society, and destroy all human sympathies (shock fabric, loosen bonds). 23. New hordes of barbarians continually invaded the empire; and no sooner was one tribe settled in a province, than it was succeeded by another (inundate, wave, barbarism). 24. He pronounced a funeral oration over the corpse of the hero, in which the virtues and talents of the illustrious dead were celebrated with the highest praises (glowing strains). 25. Justly fearing the anger of his fellow-citizens, he took every means to pacify their indignation (divert storm). 26. Foreseeing the approach of danger, he made all the preparations against it which the crisis required (storm). 27. The Arabs had for some time coveted the pos session of Spain, and eagerly seized this opportunity of getting a footing in that country (longing eyes). 28. Being thrown into the thickest of the crowd, he found it impossible to extricate himself from the mass of human beings by whom he was surrounded (hurried along, tide). 29. Wherever he came, the poet found that his fame had preceded him, and he was received with the greatest honours in every city through which he passed (fame, trumpet, laurels). 30. The castle stood on a lofty rock, close to the shores of a beautiful Swiss lake (washed, waters). 31. Harassed by grief and vexation, the unfortunate prelate was seized with a fever, of which he died after an illness of six weeks (prey, carried off). 32. The principle of imitation is innate in man; he feels its influence, and unconsciously puts it in practice from infancy to old age (cradle, grave, sway). 33. This misfortune put an end to all his hopes; he fell ill, and never again recovered his strength (blow, held up, head). 34. It was a consolation to his friends to find that after so many toils and dangers, he should at length enjoy the results of his devotion to the cause (reap fruits). 35. The people rose in rebellion against this intolerable despotism, and regained their liberty (burst bonds, shackles, &c.). 36. His affairs were so extensive and complicated, that any unforeseen obstruction, even in a matter of minor importance, immediately threw the whole into inextricable confusion (machine, irregularity, smaller wheels). |