The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-27
'trhere motley images her fancy STRIKE,
Eigures in pair'd, and SMILES unlike.


The English side of the Courier pays us the COM
pliment of keeping strict watch over our lucubra'
tons. Ofihis we by no means complain, but shall
at all times be ready to learn a lesson from one
whose style is "a correct, and who dsservedly en-
lows the reputation of an accomplished bellies e,,res
scholar. We can readily account for its warm
defence of "that excellent play, the Stranger"
If the Courier feels its withers wrung, we
must expect it to vince under the operation. While
it is at liberty to commend "this touching and elo
quent production, and euogize its moral, trust
that we may be permitted to express our opinion OF
thie, and all other works or actions, calculated 10
familiariae the public mind TO the Dissertation of
that institution, which lies at the foundation of
woman's present elevated position. kozebue is
immortal, precisely as is Arnold Tho two names
are damned to eternal infamy. Koizebue fell by
the dagger of German patriot, and met the just
doom Of venal traitor.
The criticism of the Crescent is sustained by the
highest names in the German world of letters.
But we are surprised that the Courier should I'M
dertake the defence of the Charleston poetry:
"The figure of Cardinals shield calamity adysnced
red Chspu epeo papaby proper and poeca to the plain
est sppfehnso9and strict good Keeping and strictly
expressive line WAR LEFT IT'S HUMAN Wreck
ms, bs ysd hen b
war, buried where they SO bravey fell
Beneath Palmettos CORY shield
least zoe comprehend the and graphic beauty Of
the coupe and do envy the critic that mental obtueness
which prevents his compromising and enjoying popular
play popular poem appreciated and admired by his con-
ismporariss."
Its readers are favored with long list of quota
tons from the Shaksperian Inde1 " to show that
the word ,creck is not now confined to one
meaning, but is used to express the ruins, remnants
Of any thing or things destroyed" This only
proves
"How inder learning turns student pale"
The two figures of the Charleston poet, taken by
themselves, are very good, though none OF the
newest. But we repeat there is an incongruty in
their union. Will the editor, who seems to have
the poets at his fingers ends, favor us with one
authority to sustain this union ? The ridiculous
error which we point out, however trivial the
Courier may deem it, has been thought worthy to
receive the censure Of all writers on rhetoric.
Blair enumerates as the fifth error to be avoided,
!" to make two different metaphors meet on one OBJ
iect" This is what is called mixed metaphor, and
is indeed one Of the grossest abuses Of this figure
(metaphor): such as Shakspeare's expression, to
take arms against sea Of troubles" He cites
Quintilian: "We must be particularly attentive
to end with the same kind Of metaphor with which
we began some, when they begin the figure with
a tempest conclude it with confagration.'
Numerous examples are given from Shakespeare
Addison, Horace. Pope, Johnson and others. He
says: "a good rule has been given for examining
the proprety Of metaphors, when we doubt whether
or not they be of the mixed kind, namely: that we
should try to form picture upon them, and con
slider how the party would agree and what sort of
| figure the whole would present, when delineatet
with pencil" Apply this rule to the verse
Remember Chprubusco's field.
And red Chaputepec,
Where meath Palmeto's CORY shield.
War left its human Ureck ~
| Imagination paints maiden warrior protecting
with her shield, the gallant who constituted
the human wreck +" "of red Chapultepec." The
shield which will cover this wreck must equal tina
"ponderous shield which protected Satan
1.-THE broad circumference
Hung his shoulders like the moon"
John Quincy Adams at one time Professor
Of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University
and published two volumes of lectures. He exam.
ines this at great length, and shows it to be
very common even in good writer's, and, therefore
to be strictly guarded against. Our readers il
possession of the verse they can decide very easily
whether it presents or two figures, and whethe
| they are consistent with each other The lynx
| eyed vision of which the Courier complains, W
have the honor to share with all writers on rhetoric
| and like his poet we err in illustrious company