in matters of literature, a certain relation and agreement between two or more things, which in other respects are entirely different.

There is likewise an analogy between beings that have some conformity or resemblance to one another; for example, between animals and plants; but the analogy is still stronger between two different species of certain animals.

Analogy enters much into all our reasoning, and serves to explain and illustrate. A great part of our philosophy has no other foundation than analogy, the utility of which consists in superseding all necessity of examining minutely every particular body; for it suffices us to know that every thing is governed by general and immutable laws, in order to regulate our conduct with regard to all similar bodies, as we may reasonably believe that they are all endowed with the same properties: Thus, we never doubt that the fruit of the same tree has the same taste.

among geometers, denotes a similitude of ratios. See Ratio.

in medicine, the resemblance observable between different diseases, which indicates a similar treatment.

among grammarians, is the correspondence which a word or phrase bears to the genius and received forms of any language.

ANALOGY of doctrine, among critics, is the explaining the passage of an author, in a manner consistent with the system which he is known to have generally followed.

in rhetoric, a figure of speech, otherwise called comparison. See Comparison.