With Charm of earliest Birds, nor rising Sun In this delightful Land, nor Herb, Fruit, Flow'r, Glift'ring with Dew, nor Fragrance after Nor grateful Ev'ning mild, nor filent Night is fweet*. This beautiful Figure makes People attentive; and when it is perfect, as here, amply rewards the closest Attention. Great Care must be taken, that the Expectation which is rais'd, be not disappointed: For nothing is more vain and contemptible than to promise much, and perform nothing; to usher in an errant Trifle with the Formality of Preface, and folemn Preparation. * Milt. Par. Lost, IV. ver. 641, &c. Inverfion Inverfion is a Branch of this lively Figure: Which is when the plain Order of a Sentence is advantageously tranfpos'd, to give Vigour and Variety to it; and to keep the Mind in an agreeable Sufpenfe, and Expectation of a marvellous Turn and Conclufion. It is a confiderable Beauty and Grace of Speech, either in Verse or Profe, when we have it from an able Genius. That Inverfion, in the Beginning of Virgil's eighth Paftoral, is brought in by the excellent Archbishop of Cambray as complete: Paftorum Mufam, Damonis & Alphef:boei, Take away this Inverfion, fays that great and good Man, and place the Words Words in the Order of Grammar, and you'll take away all their Motion and Majefty, their Grace, and their Harmony. 8. INTERROGATION is when the Writer or Orator raifes Queftions, and returns Anfwers; not as if he was in a Speech, or continu'd Difcourfe, but in Dialogue or Conference with bis Reader, Auditor, or Adversary, "Tell me, will you go about, and "afk one another what News? What "can be more aftonishing News than "this, that the Man of Macedon "makes War upon the Athenians, "and difpofes the Affairs of Greece? "Is Philip dead? No; but he's fick. "What fignifies it to you, whether "he be dead or alive? For if any thing happen to this Philip, you'll immediately raise up another *. * Demofthenes quoted by Longinus. All All this, deliver'd without Interrogation, had been faint and ineffectual; but the Suddennefs and Fervor of Queftion and Answer imitates the Tranfport of Paffion; makes the Dif courfe to found with Probability, and to be heard with Attention. What is faid after fuch a warm and eager Manner, does not feem the Effect of Study and Premeditation, but the natural Result and Effufion of a Man's unfeign'd Concern. The Orator conceals his Art and Defign, and fo gains the Efteem of the Audience for his Sincerity and Heartinefs; they lie open to him, and are carry'd along with the Torrent of his Paffion, and refiftlefs Eloquence. Scarce any Pafion can be nam'd but may be put into the Form of Interrogation, and may appear with Beauty and Advantage in it. Expoftulation is nearly related to this vigorous and preffing Figure: Whereby Whereby the injur'd Perfon urges the Offender with all the proper Questions he thinks can be propos'd, and pleads with him from all the Topics of Reason; that he may convince him of his Injuftice, and make him afham'd of his Folly and Ingratitude; that he may beat him off his Excufes, and Pleas of Abatement; that he may reduce him to an ingenuous Promise, and steady Refolution, for the future to observe his Duty. "For what have you left unat"tempted, what have you efteem'd "facred these late Days? What Names "fhall I bestow on this Affembly? "Shall I call you Soldiers, who have befieg'd your General, and Empe"ror's Son, with Trenches and Arms? "Citizens, who fo contemptuously "infult the Authority of the Senate? Nay more, you have even violated "the Right of Enemies, the Sacred"nefs of Embaffadors, and the Law "of |