terms are, the picture is the fainter; the more special they
are, it is the brighter. The same sentiments may be express-
ed with equal justness, and even perspicuity, in the former
way as in the latter; but as the colouring will in that case be
more languid, it cannot give equal pleasure to the fancy, and,
by consequence, will not contribute so much either to fix the
attention or to impress the memory. I shall illustrate this
doctrine by some examples.

In the song of Moses, occasioned by the miraculous pas-
sage of the Israelites through the Red Sea, the inspired poet,
speaking of the Egyptians, says, "They sank as lead in the
mighty waters." ^* Make but a small alteration on the expres-
sion, and say, "They fell as metal in the mighty waters," and
the difference in the effect will be quite astonishing. Yet the
sentiment will be equally just, and in either way the meaning
of the author can hardly be mistaken. Nor is there another
alteration made upon the sentence but that the terms are ren-
dered more comprehensive or generical. To this alone, there-
fore, the difference of the effect must be ascribed. To sink
is, as it were, the species, as it implies only "falling or mo-
ving downward in a liquid element;" to fall answers to the ge-
nus; ^† in like manner, lead is the species, metal is the genus.

"Consider," says our Lord, "the lilies how they grow: they
toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon
in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If, then,
God so clothe the grass which to-day is in the field and to-
morrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe
you?" ^‡ Let us here adopt a little of the tasteless manner
of modern paraphrasts, by the substitution of more general
terms, one of their many expedients of infrigidating, and let
us observe the effect produced by this change. "Consider
the flowers how they gradually increase in their size; they
do no manner of work, and yet I declare to you that no king
whatever, in his most splendid habit, is dressed up like them.
If, then, God in his providence doth so adorn the vegetable
productions which continue but a little time on the land, and
are afterward put into the fire, how much more will he pro-
vide clothing for you?" How spiritless is the same senti
ment rendered by these small variations! The very partic-

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