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Examples

  • _How our writing and speaches publike ought to be figuratiue, and if they be not doe greatly disgrace the cause and purpose of the speaker and writer.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • Bvt before there had bene yet any precise obseruation made of figuratiue speeches, the first learned artificers of language considered that the bewtie and good grace of vtterance rested in no many pointes: and whatsoeuer transgressed those lymits, they counted it for vitious; and thereupon did set downe a manner of regiment in all speech generally to be obserued, consisting in sixe pointes.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • There is a kinde of figuratiue speach when we aske many questions and looke for none answere, speaking indeed by interrogation, which we might as well say by affirmation.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • So among other things did they to their figuratiue speeches deuise cortainen ames.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • When ye will speake giuing euery person or thing besides his proper name a qualitie by way of addition whether it be of good or of bad it is a figuratiue speach of audible alteration, so is it also of sence as to say.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • These repetitions be not figuratiue but phantastical, for a figure is euer vsed to a purpose, either of beautie or of efficacie: and these last recited be to no purpose, for neither can ye say that it vrges affection, nor that it beautifieth or enforceth the sence, nor hath any other subtilitie in it, and therfore is a very foolish impertinency of speech, and not a figure.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • Then haue ye a maner speach, not so figuratiue as fit for argumentation, and worketh not vnlike the _dilemma_ of the Logicians, because he propones two or moe matters entierly, and doth as it were set downe the whole tale or rekoning of an argument and then cleare euery part by it selfe, as thus.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • Then also is the sence figuratiue when we deuise a new name to any thing consonant, as neere as we can to the nature thereof, as to say: _flashing of lightning, clashing of blades, clinking of fetters, chinking of money_:

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • This is done by a manner of speech, both figuratiue and argumentatiue, when we do briefly set down all our best reasons seruing the purpose and reiect all of them sauing one, which we accept to satisfie the cause: as he that in a litigious case for land would prooue it not the aduersaries, but his clients.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

  • Ye haue a figuratiue speach which the Greeks cal _Antipophora_, I name him the _Responce_, and is when we will seeme to aske a question to th'intent we will aunswere it our selues, and is a figure of argument and also of amplification.

    The Arte of English Poesie George Puttenham

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