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An Allegory is a continuation of se∣veral Metaphors. There is an excellent Example of a perfect Allegory in the Poem of S. Prosper, Part. 2. chap. 14. where he speaks of Divine Grace.
By this the Soul of Man becomes a Soil, Fit to receive the Seed of Faith, and while By this Divine Efflux, the drooping Mind Is rais'd above her self, that Plant doth find Room to take root, and largely spread, through all Those thoughts and actions, which since the Fall,
Deserve the Name of Good. To this w' are bound, That that good Fruit, for which the Saints are crown'd, Comes to maturity, and is not kill'd By th' Tares of Passions, with which is fill'd Depraved humane Nature: 'Tis this strength By which Faith brings forth Fruit, and at the length, Maugre the desp'rate Onsets of fierce lusts, Grows up secure to Him in whom she trusts. This props up tender Faith from being struck down, 'Till happy Perseverance gives a Crown.
Great care must be taken in an Alle∣gory, that it ends as it begins; that the Metaphors be continued, and the same things made use of to the last, from whence we borrowed our first Expres∣sions; which Prosper observed exactly in his Metaphor from Corn. When these Allegories are obscure, and the na∣tural sense of the words not presently perceptible, they may be call'd Enigma's, as in these Verses, where the Poet de∣scribes
the agitation and ebullition of the blood in the time of a Feaver.
Ce sang chaud & boüillant, cette flâme liquide, Cette source de vie à ce coup homicide, Et son let agité, ne se peut reposer Et consume le champ qu' elle doit arroser. Dan ses canaux troubles, sa course vaga∣bonde Porte un tribut Mortel au Roy du petit Monde.
This last Verse is more particularly Enigmatical; and on a sudden we do not perceive that he intends by the word King the Heart, as the principal part by which the Blood of the whole Body passes continually: It must first be considered, that Man is called fre∣quently a Microcosm of little World.