The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-12-29
Mixing Metaphors.

Metaphor is perhaps at once the mos
seductive and the most misleading form
OF speech. To the average orator it ha.
the same attraction that edged tools have
for children, and its use is as frequently
followed by lamentable results. 1t is the
earliest language of mankind. and is one
which the average modern man least sue
cessfully manages. When, at the EARL.
est epoch of our development. metaphor
was the ordinary form of speech. this
maladrOitness was not observable. In
the Bible. for example, where metaphor
is constantly employed, it invariably
adorns speech and often lifts it to the
loftiest heights possible for prose. 1t is
q lost art and not a new accomplishment
we grapple with in these degenerate
| days when we venture on metaphor.
The class of people who most fire.
quently use it claim kinship to past mas
tiers in art, inasmuch as they are lacking
in what we call education. The negro,
and above all the negro preacher, wal
lows in metaphor, invariably more or less
mixed. 1t was one of these who, con-
Tossing his faults before his congrega-
cation, cried aloud: Brethren, the
muddy pool of politics was the rock on
which split" 1t was another who fer
vently exclaimed" 1--WE thank Thee
for this spark of grace; water it, good
Lord" Another prayed for '.grace that
we might grid up the loins of our minds,
so that we shall receive the latter rain"
Mixed metaphors grow luxuriantly on
the fertile soil of the United States.
Ireland has so long been looked upon
as the home of mixed metaphor, that a
good deal of the fun has been rubbed out
by the suspicion that specimens are
made to order. OF this class is doubt.
less the peroration attributed to an Irish
barrister, Gentlemen of the jury" he
is reported to have said. lit will be for
you to say whether this defendant should
be allowed to come into court with I'M
blushing footstep. with the cloak of hy-
pocrisy in his mouth, and draw three
bullocks out of my clients pocket with
impunity." In this connection l will
quote single illustration, which has at
least the advantage of being authentic.
Early in last year, before the general
election. Mr.. Shaw, member for the
County Cork, and at that time leader of
the Home-rule party, was addressing q
meeting held one Sunday at Cork, with
the object of discussing the land ques-
ton. Mr.. Shaw is aso5er-minded man,
who, on ordinary occasions, finds plain
speech serve his purpose. At this time,
however, the spirit of metaphor came
upon him, and this is what it made him
say: They tell us that we violate the
Sabbath by being here to-day. Yet, if
the ass or the OK fall into the pit, we can
take him out on the Sabbath. Our
brother is in the pit to-day-the farmer
ard the landlord are both in it-and we
are here to try if we can lift them out"
This similitude of an Irish landlord TO
an animal predestined to slaughter was
bold but timely. The other half of the
analogy seemed calculated to get Mr..
Shaw into trouble with his constituency.
In Germany metaphors are evolved
from the inner conscience with great
success. There are one or two famous
in the literary history of the country.
Everyone has heard of the speech of
Justice Minister Hye, who, addressing
the Vienna students in the troublesome |
times of 1S4S, declared: 1.-The chariot |
Of the revolution is rolling along. and |
crashing its teeth as it rolls" On the |
other side Democrat came very near
to this success by announcing that: I'VE |
will burn all our ships. and with every
sail unfurled. steer boldly out into the
ocean of freedom" Less known is the
address by the Mayor of Rhineland
spoken to the Emperor
William, shortly after he was crowned
1t Versailles. mo Austria, no Prussiar'
said the inspired Mayor; ''only one
Germany! Such were the words the
mouth of your Imperial Majesty had al
ways in its eye" Essentially German
s sentence from the learned criticism
IN book of lyrics which carries the
signature of Prof. Johannes Sheer.
Out of the dark regions of philosophi-
al problems" says the Professor, '.the
,oet suddenly lets swarmS of songs dive
Up. carrying far-seeing pearls of thought
n their beaks." A song with pearl
n its beak would be great attraction
II the programme Of a popular concert.
We need not go far abroad in search
f mixed metaphors. This is a SUI
remacy in which the House of Com
mons holds its own as it claims to do in
very other contest of life. 1t has been
ny lot to hear good many speeches in
he House of Commons, and have from
ime to time jotted down a few of the
ems of metaphor strewed on this his
oric floor. Mr.. Shaw's chef-deuvre
Till find fitting parallel in the remark 4
made by Mr.. O'Conor Power. another ]
BILE speaker, who caught Sir Stafford {
'orthcote, the Chancellor of the Ex- ,
hequer, tripping in the matter of his ,
esolutions in respect to the business of
ne House. In his generous manner
ne honorable Baronet had too plainly |
isclOsed the fact that the resolutions,
lille protesting to deal with the gen.
raj conduct of business, were aimed I
irectly at obstruction. Whereupon I
p jumped Mr.. O'Conor Power. and with {
triumphant manner exclaimed: 'Mr $
peaker, Sir, since the Government has
It the cat out of the bag. there is I
othing to be done but to take the bull 7
Y the horns," which he forthwith did, I
chatting the matter as especially deal G
e with ObstructioDists. 1t was in a $
milar access of passionate emotion that. g
uring the debate of'the foreign policy f
Lord Baconsfield's Government. MIR. X
Herman Cotton solemnly declared {
lat Eat one stage of the negotiations v
reat European struggle was so immi- s
snt that it only required spark to let a
ip the dogs CT war;" 1t was on the :.
me night and during the same debate, I
at Mr.. Forster observed: 81 will, Mr.. O
,eaker, sit down by saying, ETC." Mr.. V
,rster has always been an adroit politi- e
an; but what new sort of maneuver S
is is that enables a man to "sit down O
saying remains unexplained. ri