Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 01.djvu/433

ALLEGORY. from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, are portrayed by the spiritual conflicts and the ultimate victory of the faithful Christian. Allegory, like other kindred figurative ways of speech, such as metaphor and personification, appears in all literatures. The Eastern people from the earliest times have been fond of it. Witness the beast fables which pass under the name of Pilpay. where moral observations are enforced by tales about animals; also the comparison of Israel to a vine in the eightieth Psalm. Though the Greeks had the allegorical habit earlier, the first definite mention of an allegory among them occurs in Plato's Phædrus. In this dialogue, Socrates remarks on the tendency toward the rationalistic explanation of myths. This and other dialogues of Plato contain very beautiful allegories, among which may be cited the comparison of the soul to a charioteer drawn by two horses, one white and the other black. For Latin literature may be mentioned the story of Cupid and Psyche, which, though Greek in origin, survives only in the Golden Ass of Apuleius. Vergil's well-known description of Fame in the fourth book of the Æneid. and Ovid's splendid picture of the abode of that goddess in the twelfth book of the Metamorphoses. To a later time belongs Boëthius's De Consolatione Philosophiæ (sixth century ), which was one of the widest read books in the Middle-Ages. The most flourishing period for the allegory in Western Europe was from 1300 to 1600. In the long list of works are Dante's Divine Comedy, The Romance of the Rose. Langland's Piers Plowman, Chaucer's House of Fame, the writings of a whole school of Scotch poets, Hawes's Pastime of Pleasure, Barclay's Ship of Fools, and Spenser's Faerie Queene. Set allegory has now gone out of fashion, but we have in its place a vaguer symbolism, as in Tennyson's Idylls of the King.

The form of allegory thus defined and illustrated is often called moral or spiritual, to distinguish it from the historical allegory: i.e., the representation of historical characters under fictitious names. Thus Lucifera in the Faerie Queene stands not only for pride, but also for Mary, Queen of Scots. The historical allegory became in the seventeenth century a favorite device of romancers, who described contemporary events in the terms of recent history. Of this style, an admirable example is Madame de Lafayette's Princesse de Clèves. Moreover, allegory is not confined to literature; it appears ecjually in painting, and sometimes in sculpture.

Allegorical Interpretation. That kind of interpretation whereby the literal meaning of a passage or work is set aside for a more spiritual and profound import. St. Paul allegorizes when he interprets the history of the free-born Isaac and the slave-born Ishmael (Galatians iv:24). At Alexandria, where met the Greek and the Jew, allegorical intrepretation of the Old Testament was practiced as a critical method. Philo Judæus (B.C., 20), for example, applied the principles of Plato's philosophy to Hebrew theology. He was followed by many Christian theologians, the most famous of whom were Clement of Alexandria and Origen. The latter went so far as to say that "the Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written." As a specimen of his procedure may be taken his interpretation of the Mosaic account of the Garden of Eden. According to him, Paradise symbolized a high primeval spirituality: the Fall consisted in the loss of this state through spiritual and not material temptation; and the expulsion from the Garden lay in the soul's being driven out of its region of original purity. This allegorical method also gained foothold among the critics of Greek literature. Porphyry (d. c. 305), for example, explained the grotto of the nymphs in Homer's Odyssey (Book XII [. ) as an allegory of the World. For a succinct account of the progress of allegory with special reference to English literature, consult W. J. Courthope. A History of English Poetry (London. 1895). ALLEGRI, al-la'gre, Antonio. See. ALLEGRI, Gregorio (c. 1584-1652). An Italian composer. He was born in Home, probably of the Correggio family. He studied under Nanini, and was a friend of Palestrina. Appointed to the choir of the Sistine Chapel, Rome, by Urban VIII., he retained the position until his death. He was one of the earliest composers for stringed instruments. His most celebrated work, however, is the Miserere, for two choirs (of four and five parts), still annually rendered in the Sistine Chapel on Good Friday. Mozart, at the age of fourteen, performed the wonderful feat of writing the entire work from memory after having heard it but twice. Allegri is regarded as a link between the Roman and Neapolitan periods of Italian music. ALLEGRO, al-lfi'gro (It., from Lat. alacer, alaeritous, lively). One of the five principal tempos ( q.v. ) in music, implying that the piece is to be performed in a quick or lively style. Allegro, like all the other degrees of movement, is often modified by other terms, such as Allegro non tanto, Allegro ma non troppo, Allegro moderato, maestoso, giusto, commodo, vivace, assai, di molto, con brio, etc. As a substantive, Allegro is used as the name of a whole piece of music, or a movement of a symphony, sonata, or quartet. Allegretto, a diminutive of Allegro, somewhat slower than the latter and faster than Andante. ALLEINE, al'lcn, (1634-68). An English nonconformist divine, author of An Alarm to the Unconverted. He was born at Devizes, 86 miles west of London, was educated in Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and became a tutor there (16.53). He was offered a political place, which he declined, but gladly took the office of assistant to George Newton, rector of the church of St. Mary Magdalene. Taunton (1654). About this time he married Theodosia, daughter of Richard Alleine. He was not only constant in religious work, but deeply learned in various sciences, and on intimate terms with the patriarchs of the Royal Society. When the persecution of nonconformists came, he and his senior pastor were ejected, and Alleine became an itinerant preacher of the Gospel wherever he could find opportunity. For this he was imprisoned, but released in May, 1664; yet in spite of the Conventicle Act or Five-mile Act, he pursued his work, and was again imprisoned. His later .years were full of persecution and suffering. No Puritan nonconformist name is more affectionately cherished than his. He died at Taunton, November 17, 1668. For his life, consult Stanford (London, 1861).