CHARACTER OF THE ALLEGORY. [Analysis.-1. Illustrations of the simile, the metaphor, and the allegory. The character of the allegory.-On what it is based. How it differs from the metaphor. A metaphor illustrative of the allegory.-3. The use of allegories. and parables. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.-4. Allegory in art. painting. A pictorial allegory explained. Allegorical emblems. Life.] Riddles, fables, Compared to a Cole's Voyage of 1. IF, in describing the people of Israel, I say, "Israel is like an empty vine," I make use of a simile, or formal comparison: if I say, "Israel is an empty vine," I employ a metaphor; but if I say, "Behold an empty vine," and go on and describe the vine in such a manner as to make it plain that I mean Israel, although I do not mention the name, the comparison, thus hidden, becomes an allegory. Thus allegory is a continued allusion to something that is not mentioned. 2. Hence an allegory, like a metaphor, is based upon comparison, and is the representation of one thing by another that is described in its stead. In the metaphor, the primary object which we wish to explain, or illustrate, is ever kept in view; in the allegory, the secondary object only is mentioned, and we are left to discover the primary by our own ingenuity. The following metaphor very happily sets forth the beauty of the allegory. "Of all the flowers that embellish the regions of romance, there is no other that bears so rich and beautiful a blossom, that diffuses such a copious and exquisite fragrance, or that so amply rewards the care and culture of the poet or the orator." 3. Allegories were a favorite method of giving reproof, and imparting instruction, in ancient times; and among them are still found some of the choicest gems of language, Riddles, the fables of Æsop and La Fontaine, and the parables of the New Testament, are allegories; and it is the moral, or hidden truth of the fable or allegory, the instruction . designed in the parable, and the solution of the riddle, that contain the hidden meaning aimed at. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, in which a journey is described to illustrate the commencement, progress, and conclusion of the Christian life, is an allegory, continued through a volume. 4. The principle of the allegory is introduced largely into some of the departments of Art-in painting, in sculpture, and even in architecture, and wherever one object is made to symbolize another; and hence an allegory is in every respect similar to a hieroglyphical painting, excepting only that words are used in the former instead of colors. An artist who should paint a picture in which the lion should be taken as the symbol of courage, the lamb as the symbol of meekness and patience, the eye of sight and knowledge, the anchor of hope, the olive branch of peace, etc., would be dealing in allegory. So war, peace, and commerce have their well known allegorical emblems; and the career of a gambler, a drunkard, a miser, a murderer, may be sketched by the pencil as well as by the pen. One of the most striking and now well-known pictorial allegories is Cole's "Voyage of Life," comprised in a series of four allegorical paintings. LESSON LXI. BRIEF EXAMPLES OF ALLEGORY. In Matthew Prior's "Henry and Emma," Emma, in the following allegorical manner, describes her constancy to Henry. I. CONSTANCY. [An Interrogative Allegory.] DID I but purpose to embark with thee II. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL REPRESENTED UNDER THE IMAGE OF A VINE. [A Prayer of David.] The 1. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. hills were covered with the shadow of it; and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. 2. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they The boar out which pass by the way do pluck her'? of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine.Psalm 1xxx., 8-14. III. WISDOM'S CALL. [Wisdom personified.] 1. Wisdom hath builded her house'; she hath hewn out her seven pillars'. She hath killed her beasts'; she hath mingled her wine'; she hath also furnished her table'. 2. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, "Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither." As for him that desireth understanding, she saith to him, "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish and live; and go in the way of understanding."-Proverbs ix., 1-6. IV. THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AS A VINEYARD. [God's Judgments upon Israel. A parable. At the close, the parable is explained.] 1. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vines, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes; and it brought forth wild grapes. 2. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done'? Wherefore', when I looked that it should bring forth grapes', brought it forth wild grapes'? 3. And now' go to'; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof', and it shall be eaten up'; and break down the wall thereof', and it shall be trodden down'. And I will lay it waste'; it shall not be pruned', nor digged', but there shall come up briers and thorns': I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant.Isaiah v., 1. V. THE STATE PICTURED AS A DISABLED SHIP AT SEA. [Queen Margaret's address to the Lords and soldiers.] 1. Great lords', wise men ne'er sit and wail their loss, And give more strength to that which has too much'; 10 2. Ah, what a shame'1o! ah, what a fault were this'10! Say, Warwick was our anchor; what of thât11? And Montague our top-mast; what of him"? The friends of France our shrouds and tacklings"1? For once allowed the skillful pilot's charge'3? King Henry VI., Act V., Scene 4. VI. CIVIL LIBERTY. [In the second verse Civil Liberty is described under the figure of a half-finished building. The object is to show that Civil Liberty is not to be judged of from the outrages and violent acts which attend revolutions.] 1. The final and permanent fruits of liberty are wisdom', moderation', and mercy'. Its immediate effects are often atrocious crimes', conflicting errors', skepticism on points the most clear', dogmatism on points the most mysterious'. 2. It is just at this crisis that its enemies love to exhibit it. They pull down the scaffolding from the half-finished edifice'; they point to the flying dust', the falling bricks', the comfortless rooms', the frightful irregularity' of the whole appearance', and then ask in scorn', where the promised splendor and comfort are to be found'.-MA CAULAY. LESSON LXII. THE VALLEY OF AIDENNa. A descriptive Allegory.-BULWER. [BULWER LYTTON, a celebrated English novelist and politician, was born in 1805. In 1844, having succeeded to the estates of his mother, he exchanged his surname of Bulwer for that of Lytton, which he now bears. The valley of Aidenn, described in this allegory, is but a picture of that dreamland of youth-a paradise of happiness without alloy-which so many in fancy have visited, only to awaken from its fond illusions to find themselves once more on the real solid earth, with life duties and life labors still awaiting them. The picture of Love, exalted into a goddess, and surrounded by numerous attendant deities who minister to every sensual delight, is here happily drawn; but Time soon begins to reveal wrinkles upon the brow of beauty, darkness falls upon dreamland, and the poetry of life is gone forever.] 1. Ar length the traveler emerged from a mighty forest, through which, for several days, he had threaded his weary |