IRONY IN CONTROVERSY.

141

The words printed in italics are a repetition by Cordelia of what the rough man is supposed to say of himself craftily. She repeats them, to show their falsity, simply by a peculiar emphasis. This kind of irony is often prompted by anger.

60. Irony in Controversy.-Controversialists sometimes resort to Irony to expose the ridiculousness of the errors which they oppose. Thus Henry Rogers* ironically asks deists to construct a book as ingenious and powerful as the Bible. He begs of them, "Do not let your imaginative forms be so exquisite as to make mankind take them for genuine history" [as they have taken the Bible]; "do not, I warn you, so transcend Homer and Shakspeare, as to make people fancy your fable fact! Or else not only will you fail of your object, but will have added unexpectedly another to the many historical religions !"

This is exquisite Irony, as is the whole letter from which it is taken. None can deny the efficiency of this weapon, when properly used, either to expose error, or meanness, or ignorance, or vice.

Bishop Haret has a long argument, in the form of a letter, to dissuade young clergymen from studying the Bible, so written as to show that such a neglect as it pretends to advise would be cowardly and guilty. Such ironical writing, when well done, is exceedingly efficient.

*The Greyson letters: Selections from the Correspondence of R. G. H. Greyson, Esq. Edited by Henry Rogers (Boston, 1857), p..

428.

†The Works of Dr. Francis Hare, Lord Bishop of Chichester (London, 1746), vol. ii. p. 1–38.

61. Irony intended to Amuse.-The lighter use of Irony, simply to amuse, may be seen principally in humorous productions. Some whole volumes have a vein of irony running through them; and while to superficial readers they appear to be sober, are really ridiculing some theory or practice. This covert, gentle irony, it is, that gives such an inexpressible charm to such works, as "Don Quixote," the "Vicar of Wakefield," and many of the writings of Dean Swift and Sydney Smith. Washington Irving, in his "Knickerbocker's History of New York," has given us some of the best specimens of this kind of irony. We have room but for a single passage:

"Of the creation of the world we have a thousand contradictory accounts; and though a very satisfactory one is furnished us by divine revelation, yet every philosopher feels himself in honor bound to furnish us with a better. As an impartial historian, I consider it my duty to notice their several theories, by which mankind have been so exceedingly edified and instructed."

Who does not perceive in this a ridicule of the absurd theories of the origin of the world that have been promulgated?

One of the most successful specimens of ironical writing is a pamphlet by the celebrated humorist Swift, entitled, "A Modest Proposal to the Public for preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from being a Burden to their Country, and for making them Beneficial to the Public?" The "modest proposal" is that the little children be fattened and used for food! He enters into grave statistical calculations of the pecuniary profit of such a course, written with such an appearance of candor and cool brutality, that

ILLUSTRATION OF IRONY.

143

it is said a contemporary writer in France was actually deceived by it, and denounced it as horribly inhuman. The design of Swift was to censure England for an alleged disregard for the rights of the Irish people.

Henry Ward Beecher commends fishing thus:

"Alas! that a world should be so barbarous as to condemn piscatory sports so long as they contribute to exercise taste, sentiment, and moral enjoyment; and that all objection ceases when a man can prove that he labored for his mouth alone. It is all right, if it was eating that he had in mind. The frying-pan is in universal favor. This is the modern image that fell down from heaven, which all men hold in reverence!"*

In the above, an idea which the author disapproves is first soberly stated. It is then repeated in other forms again and again, till the very strength of statement begins to make it ridiculous, and the mind recoils from accepting it, when it becomes Irony. By the punctuation the author indicates that the last sentence alone is ironical. We think the two preceding sentences should be punctuated in the same way. This gradual sliding into irony is common with earnest, eloquent controversialists who have a vein of wit in their nature.

62. Ironical Questions.-Irony is often forcibly ex pressed in the form of questions:

"Can gray hairs render folly venerable ?"

Hon. Mr. Fessenden, in the Senate, inquired:

"Are we not men of some degree of sense and discretion? Are we sent here, senators, chosen men of states, representatives, the se

* Star-Papers; or, Experiences of Art and Nature. By Henry Ward Beecher (New York, 1855), p. 238.

lectmen of the people in the several districts, without any idea whatever of a correct course of proceeding in this matter ?"

So Hon. Mr. Corwin represented the people of Mexico as saying:

"Have you not room in your own country to bury your dead men? If you come into mine, we will greet you-with bloody hands, and welcome you to hospitable graves!"

Such questions are not asked because they require an answer, but because the very opposite to what they suggest is true; they are therefore Irony.

63. Directions upon the Use of Irony.-The following directions on the use of Irony should be observed.

(1.) Let it be suited to the subject and occasion. If light and humorous, let it not be associated with grave instruction, or the earnest expression of feeling, so as to awaken a sense of inconsistency. If severe and sarcastic, be sure that the occasion will justi fy it.

(2.) In oral productions the intonations of the voice should always indicate Irony when it is employed; in written productions be careful, either by giving some intimation of your purpose, or by the punctuation, to enable the reader to perceive your meaning, so as not to mistake Irony for the direct expression of sentiment, unless, indeed, it be your sober purpose to leave your expressions obscure, or to test the mental ability of your reader.

(3.) Do not neglect to cultivate the use of so efficient a weapon, but bear in mind that the frequent use of Irony is unpleasant to a well-cultivated taste.

PERSONIFICATION.

145

CHAPTER IX.

PERSONIFICATION AND PROSOPOPEIA.

64. Definition.-WHEN a lifeless object is represented or addressed as though it had life, it is said to be personified.

65. Philosophy of it.-Personification is a natural expression of strong feeling connected with the object personified. A child will often vent his anger upon a stone or stick by which he has been struck, and older persons who have not yet passed out of the childhood stage of development are sometimes betrayed into similar folly. Many who would not strike an insensible object may often feel an impulse to blame it. When we censure or praise a senseless thing, we fancy it for the time endowed with life. What seems unreasonable in its rudimentary manifestations may, if done in a cultivated manner, please the taste and task the highest mental energy.

66. First Degree of Personification. - Personification exists in three degrees. In Personification of the first degree the object is presented as having some qualities that properly belong only to living creatures.

Thus we speak of an obedient ship, or say that a house befriends a weary traveller. This degree of Personification is most frequently exhibited by the use of some appellative that strictly applies only to G