•
..

1

:~.

L. ECTURES
OK

R H E T

0

R·I C

ARI>

BELLES LETTRES.
lly HUGH BLAIR, D. D •
. . . . or TR• l!UNJSTll.I . OP THa HICR CRVl.C:H. AKO I
l'l.Ol'assoa. 01' l.B&TO&IC A•D •a1.1.a1 Ll2'Ta11
I.If TB& VXl~&l.llTT• 01' &DINBVl.Olle

IN TH.R.EE VOL UM Es.
VOL. L
THI llCOHD EOITION1 COlUl~CTID.

I. 0 N D

o

N:

•tl•TaD POI. W. ITl.ARAlf; T. CADll.L• IN THa ITILAllDI

•KD Wo Cl.&BCH, IK &81KIVl.GR,

MDC:Cf.Ul(V,

•
PREFACE.

1

I

ti
T
Twenty-four years.· ·

HE following LEc'l'tJtllS were read

nivedity of ·Edinburgh, fot
The ptiblication .of
tliemt at prefent, was not altogether ·a matter
of choice. Imperfea Copies of th~m, in
.Mantlfcript, from notes taken by Students
•ho ·heard them read, were firft privately
handed ·about ; an~ afterwards frequently
expofeci·to public fale. When the Authot
&w them circulate fo currently, as e\"en to
be quoted in print•, and found himfelf often

in the

threatened ·with furreptitious· publications of
them,-he judged ·it to be high time that they

fbould proceed from his own band, rather
than C!Jme into public view under fome very

clefettive and erroneous form. .

THEY were originally deflgned for the

lnltiation of Youth into the ftudy .of Belles
. • Biognpbia Britannica. Article,

A

~

ADDISON'.

Lettres,

I
•lV

PREFACE.

PREFACE.

Lettres, and of Compofition.. With the
fame intention they are now publilhed; and;
therefore, the form of Lectures, in which
they were at firft compofed, is fiill ~etained.
The Author gives them to the world, neither as a Work wholly original, .nor a.S a .
Compilation from the .Writings of others~
On· every fubjelt contained. in them; he ha.S
thought for himfelf. He confulted his 9wn
ideas and refiell:ions _: and a great . P~ .of
what will be found in thefe Lectures is_en- .
th-elt his own. At the fame .time, · .he
availed
himfelf of the ideas and reflections
.
.
of others; as far as. he thought them proper
to be adop~ed. · ~o proceed-i~ this. man.n~,
was his duty as .a Publi~ Profeffor. . It_was
incumbent on him, to convey to his Pupils
all the knowledge that could improve the~ ;
to deliver not merely . ~hat was ·new,. .b ut
what might be ufeful, fron:i whateyer:quar- .
ter it came. He hopes, that to fuch as_are
fiudying to cultivate..their . Tafte, -~~
their Style, or to prepare themfelves
Pµ_blic Speaking or Compofition, · his tee-·
tures
afford a more ·comprehenfive view .
of what relates to thefe fubjelts, ·than, as

form

·ror

will

·

far

v

far as he knows, iS to be received from any
one .Book in.our Language..

.

I~ . order to render his Work of greater

feI"VJ.~e, he has generally referred to the
: ~ooks which he confulted, as far as he rC.:

~embei:s them ; tha~ the. )leaders might be

dU"elted to any farther . illullration which
they afford. . But, as fuch a length of tim~
h;as elapfed fince the fi~ Compofition of his
L~es, he ~ay, perhaps, have adopted th~
fenmnents of fome Author into whofe
Writings he had then looked, without now .
~membering whence he derived them.

IN the opinions which he has delivered
concerning fuch a variety of Authors and
of literary. matters, as co~e under hi; con- ·
fideration, he cannot expect that all his
. Reader~ ~ill concur with him. The fob·' je& are of fuch a nature, as allow room
for much"diverfity of tafte and fentiment :
' and the Aut_hor will refpeafully fubmit to
. · ·
the judgment of the Public.

~ETAININo 'the fimplicity of the Lec(Urmg Style, as beft ·fitted for conveying
inftrutl:i~n,

I
•

V1

P It E F A 0 E.
fuftniaiori, he ha~ aimed, in ·bis Language,
at no mbre than perfpicliitj'.. ·If, after·thc
liberties which it was neceffary for him to
take, in criticlfing the Style- of the moft
-eminent Writers in our Language; his own
Style £hall be thought 'open to reprehenfio11t .
all that he can fay, is, that his Book wili
add one to · the many proof& :tlre:ady :lfforded . to . the ·world, .of its being much
cafier · to . give inftruetion, than ·tf>_ fet
example.

C 0 NT EN T .S
0,

F I R ST

TH&

V .O L U ME.

~ECT.

Page

I .. INTRODUCTION.
II.
Cf"ajle. ·
"III. Critieifm-Gmius-Pleajures of
CJ"afte-Su/Jlimity in O/Jje!ls.
. IV. !(be Stl/J/ime in Writing.
V. Beauty, and other Plea.fures of CJ"ajle.
. VI. R!fe and Progreft of Language.
VII. Rift and Progrefs of Language, and
of Writing. ·
VIII. ~tru!lurt of Language. ..
IX. Stru!lurt of ·Language - Englijb
· · t"ongue.
X. Style-Perjpi&11ily and Prttifion.
XI. Stru!lure of Smtmees. ·
-.
· XII. Stru!lurt of St11tmC1s.
.

\

.

I

rg
46
72
100

122

IAf.S
173

!201

2jI

258

dS

XIII. Sru-

C 0 N T E N T S.

viii
LECT.

.

Page

XUI. Strullure of Sentmctl-Harmony~ 313
XIV. Origin and Nature of Figurative
Language.
343
XV. Metaphor.
37z
XVI. lljper/Jole-Perjonification -.Apojlrophe.
400
XVII. Comparyon, .Antitbe.fis, Interroga-

L ·E CT URE

I.

tim, Exclamation> antl other
Figures of Speech.
430

INT R .O DUCT I 0 N.
NE of the moil: diftingui1hed privi..; LE CT•
L
leges whic!h Pro~id.encc has ~on(errcd '--*'
_,
·
upon mankind> is the power of ~om­
municatjng their thoughts to one another.
l>eftitute of this power> Reafon would be a
folitary> and> in fome meafurc> an unavailing
i>rint;iple. . Speech is the gr:eat inftrumcnt by
which man becomes beneficial to man : and it
, is to the intercourfe and uanfmiffi.oo oi though~
by means of fpeech, that we arc chiefly
indebted for the improvement of thought
itfelf. ~mall · are the advances which a finglc
\Jnalfill:ed individual can make towards perfeaing any .of . his powers. What we call
human reaton, is not the effort or ability of
one, fo much as it is the refult of the reafon
of many, arifing from lighu mutually comVOL. I.
B
111unicated,.

0

LEC·

I N T R O D U C T I 0 N.
t. E

c

I.

T•

~ ..J

s

lNT~ODUCTtO~

municated,. m confequen~e o( difcourfe
writing.

and

IT. is obvious, then, that wrmng and
difcourfe are objcCts intitled to the higheft
attention. Whether the influence of the
fpeaker, ot the entertainment of the hearer,
be confulted; whether utility or pleafure be.the
principal aim in view, we are promptetl, b}'
the ftrongefr motives, to ftudy how we maf
Communicate our thotights to one another with
moft advantage. Accordingly we find, that
in almoft every' nation., as (oon as languago
had extended itfelf beyond that fcanty communication which was requifitc for the f upply
f)f men's. neceffities, the improvement of dif"
courfe began to attract regard. In · the Ian.
guage even of rude uncultivated tribes,.· w·e
can trace fome attcntiOn ·to the gtacc and farce
er" thole cxpreffions which they ufed, · when
they fought to perfuade or to afft::B:• They
were early fenfible of a beauty in difcourfe~
and endeavoured·to give it certain decoration5
which txperiencc had taught them it.was
pable of receiving, long before the ftudy ofthofc:
decorations was formed into a regular art.

ca-·

Bu'i', ·among n~tions in a civilized ftate, noart has been cultivated with more care, than
that of language, ftyle,. and compofiiiori..
The .attention paid to it may, indeed,, be·

affuincd

.,l

alfumed as .one mark of the progrefs of (o- L E C T.
ciety. ~owards. its moft improved period. ·· For, ~ _,.
according as focict}r improves and flourifhes,
men acquire more influence over one another
·by means of reafoning and difcourfe; and in
proportion as that influence is felt to enlarge._
it muft follow, as a natural confequence, that
they will bcftow more care upon the methods
of exprcffing their conceptions with proprictj
· and eloquence. Hence we find, thats in all
the poli1hed nations of Europe, this ftudy has
been treated as highly important, and has po(fcffed a confiderable place in every plan of li·
heral education.
INDEED, when the arts of fpeech and writing
are mentioned, I am fenfible that prejudices
againft them are apt to rife in the minds 0£
many. A fort of ar.t is immediatdy thoughc
o~ that is oftentatious and deceitful; the mihutc and trifling ftudy of words alone; the
· pomp of expreffion; the ftudied fallacies o£
rhetoric; ornament fubftitutcd in the room 0£
ufe. We need not wonder, that, underfuch
imputations, all ftudy of difcourfc as an air,.
fhould have fuffered in the opinion of mcn·o£
underftanding : and I am far from denying.
that rhetoric and criticifm have fometimcs
been fo managed as to tend to the corruption.
rather than to the improvement, of good taftc
and true doquence. But fure it ia equally
poffiblc
B ~

,.....

•
L "f., CT.

poffible to apply the principles of rea(on and
'--v= . good fenfe to this art, as to any other that is .
cultiv~ted among men. · If the following
LeCtures have any merit_, .it wilt confift in an
endeavour to fubftitu::c the ·application of thefe
prin<:iples in the place of artificial and fcholaftic ,rhetoric"; in an endeavour to ·explode
falfe ·ornament, to direct attention more ·towards fubftance than fliow> to recommend
good fenfe as ·the foundation of all good compofitlort~ arid fimplicity as effential to all true
ornament.
I.

w

.iiEN entering on- the fuhjefr, I may be
· allowed, on this occafion_, to fuggdl:. a few
thoughts concerning the importance and 3d-Yantages of fuch ftudies> and the rank they;u-e
iotitled to po.cr1:fs in academical education •.
I am under no temptation_, for this purpofe_, ·
of extolling' their importance at the ·cxpence·
of any other department of fcience. On the
conq-ary_, . the ftudy · of. Rhetoric and Belles
Lcttres fuppofes and requires a proper ac-·
quaintance with the reft of the liberal arts.

· • The Author was the firtl who read Leaarcs on this fubjeEl in the Univerfay of Edinburgh. He began with reading.them in a printe charatlcr jq the year lj)9• In the
following year he was chofen Profefi"or of Rhetoric b7 the.
}4agiftrares and Town-council of Edinbnrgh : and. ' in
1762 0 .his Majefy was plea.fed to erea. and .endow a Pro- .
feflion of Rhetoric and Belles Letbes in that Univerfity;
die Author was apfOiiltcd the firJl Regius P10fcJr11r.

ad

x

s

:t N T R 0 D U C T I 0 N.

l N T R 0 D U C T I 0 N.

+

k

lt embraces them all within "its circle_, and
recommends. ·them to the:higheft regard~ ·The
firft care of all -fuch as wifh ·either to write
'With reputation, :or to {peak i~ public fo as t~
command ·attention; .muft .be, to extend their
knowledge;.; · to lay ·in .a ri~h {J:orc. of ideas relating tf!. thofe fu.bje~s of.which .the occafions
~f life .may ci\11 them to .difcourfe or to write.
Hen~~among · the . anci~i\ts, it ~ClS afonda~ental .principle_, . and &equ~ntly incul~ated,
."' <l_uod ·omnib~$ difciplinis. ct: artib.us de bet
" c:ffe · inftrutl:us orator;" that th:C · orator
ought to be an. . acc:omplifhed fcholar_, a~d
Fnverfant in every · part of learning. It is
Jndced impoffibl~ ta contrive an arc,. and very
pcr.Qicious. it were if it could be contrived,
which fhould giv.e the ftamp of merit to any
C<Ullpofition i:_ich. or. fplendid fo expreffioq, \Jut
bar~.en or crroµeous _in . thought. ·.They arc
.th~ wretched. attempts. towards an art of ibis
kintl which have fo Often difgraced oratory_,
and <leb~ed it. belQw .hs. trµe fiandard. The
gta~~ of comp.o!itio.1.1 h.ave beeµ employed.to
,d.ifguife orr to _fuppty the want ofn1att~r.; and
the teml?orary applaufe of .t he ignorant has.
:~een_ .ctrutted; infteac.lof the lafring· approbation of' ·the· di(cerning~ · Bue. foch impofture
. .c;an ncv.cr maintainits ground .lo~g. Knowaedge and fcience mull:. furnifh the materials
any .Va·
_that form -the. body .ancf fubftance
luablc compofition. · Rhetoric· fcrvcs to adcl
·B J
the

of

LE CT.
I.

..

I"° T .R .O DUCT I 0 N~

I N T R 0 D U C T .l 0 N.
· L E

1~ T. the poli.fh ; and we know that none but

k> • •

and folid bodies can be polifhed well.

~ in<kbtcd to nature
merely. Nature has., ind~.. conferr~ upon
fome a very favourab~e ~iftipdion in . this re..

OF th~fe who perufe the following ~B:~res.,
fome., in confequence either of the~ profcf~

fpect,, beyond others. !Jut iJJ, thefe.,.
in
moft other .talents 1he bcftows.., fhe h;as. left

~

Jcind for ·which .we

u.

much to be wrough~ out ·by every man's OWi)
indufuy. So confpicuous have been the cffcB:s of ftudy anc;I improvement in every part
of eloquence; fuch remarkable examples have
appeared of perfons funpo"Unting, by their diJigencc,, the .difadvantag~ of the inoft un.,..
toward nature., that among the learned it h~
Jong been a co11tefted,, aQ.d remains ftill an undecided point., whether nature o~ a~ .confer
moft towar$ cxc~lijng in writipg and dif,;ourf~
·'

fion, or of their prevailing inclination., may
have the view of being employed in coml?oJi~
tion., or in public fpeaking. Others., without
any profpea of thi~ kind, inay wi.fh only to '
hnprove their tafl:ewith refped: to writing and
difcourfe., and to acquire principles ·which
. ~ill enable th~m to judge for th~mfclves in
that part of literature called the Belles Lettres.
.°tVIT~ refpetl:

to

the former, fuch as may
)lave occafion to communicate their fentiments to the Public, it i.s abundantly clear
that fome preparation o( ftudy is requifite for
the ~nd . which ·they have in. view. To fpeak
or to write perfpicuoufiy and agreeably, with
purity, wi~ grace . and ftrcngth~ are attainments of the utmoft co~fequencc
alt. who
purpofe, either by' fpeech or writing, to addrefs the Public. For without being mafter.
of thofe attainments, no man can do juftice to
his own conceptions ; but how rich foever he
may be in knowledge arid in good fenfc, ~
be· able ~o avail himfelf lefs of thofe treafures~
than fuch ~ poffefs not half his fto~e., but who
can 'di[play what they poff'efs with more propriety. Neither arc thefe attainments of that.

to

kine{

1

W1Tu refpeB: to the manner in which arf
can moft effeB:ually furnifh affiftance for fuch
a purpofe, there may be diyerfity of opinions~
I by no means preteQd. to fay that mere rhcto. iical rule~, how juft foever.., ~e fuQicient tO
form an. orator~ Suppofing natµra} ge~us tQ
be fav.ourable, more by a great deal will depend upon private application and ftudy,, than
1lpon.:'"°y fyftc~ of inftruffion that~ capable
of bcmg publicly communicated. But at
the fame tim~ though rules and inftruB:ions
cannot do all that is requifite.., they may> how".=Ver.,.d~ much that is of real ufc. I.They can~
PO~ lt IS tru~ infpire genius i but they can
B +
direft
•

"7
LE

CT~

L

•
I N T R 0 D U C T I 0 N• .

!

LE CT. direCt and
I.
barrenn~fs ;
~

affift it. They cannot remedy
but they may correC\: redundancy.
They point out proper models .for imitation.
They bring into view the chief beauties that
ought to be frndied, and- the principal faults
that ought to be avoided; and thereby tend.
enlighten taCl:e, and to lead. genius from
tmnatural deviations, into its prQper channel.
'Vhat would not avail for the produetion of
great excellencies, may at le~ft ferve to prevent the comn1iffion of confiderable errors.

I N T R 0 D U C T I 0 ·N .

. mdc to his indiftinCt . conception -of the f ubthoughts .and the words in which .they arc

dothcdJ

. .THE ftitd! -~ . cotnpoGriio_
n , . important in
ttfCif at- ·all times; has acquired additional·importance from the tafte · -and · manners of" the
prcfenr -age.. . It iS an . a~e · wh·e rdn imptove-

to

ALL that regard~ the ftudy of eloquence and·
compofition, merits the higher attention upon.
this account, that· it is intimately connected
with the improvement of our intelleetual
power.s. For I muft be allowed to fay, that .
when we are employed, after a proper manner, in the ftudy of compofition, we are cultivating reafon itfelf. True rhetoric and found
logic are very nearly allied. The ftudy of
arranging and expreffing our thoughts with
propriety, teaches to think, as well as to
{pea.le, accurately. By putting our fentimerit9 into words, we always conceive them
more diftinc9:1y. Every one who ·has the
aio-hteft acquaintance with compofitioti knows,
th:t when he exprdfes himfelf ill on any fubjeCt, when. his arrangement is foofe, and his
fentences become · feeble, the defeCts of his
Ayle c;an., almoft on t;very occafion~ be traced
·
·
back.

LE CT.

jc&: fo. clQfc .is: the. a>nnetl:ion betw-een .__ 1.r - '

tttents, rn evety part of f cience; have beeri
·all the liberal
ptofecuted ·with ·ardour.
arts :mUc:h -attention has ·been · pilid; . and.· to
none ·more_thah ~o -~he ·. beauty of language,
ind .the grac«? ~nd - e~cgartce of every ' kind 0 (
-.vfltmg... :The ·public ear 'is 'become refiued~
l~ivi:il noc:·eafily·beai what is fiovenly and·fo .
corr~~· Every author muft afpire to fom~
· mcr1t.m expreffio_n, . as well as in fentiment, if
lie,would -not' irtcur the danoer :of . beino- ne0
gfceted aild- defpifed~ Q
·

To

n>i,J "1LL

not de~y that:tli¢ fove' of minute ele-

·~c_e, ·~?d ·.~ttent~o~ _t~ infe"ifor ·o~na.r:nents of

ifo~poflt10~,_._may at P.r~fent · ~ave engrotred
~ -~~~~a· d~ee of th~ public regard. :·:Ii: is
, Ui~e~~.'IJiY:· opliuon, --?~at we -lean' ·co ~his .ex;;.
I1 ~err ·.o~te!1· m~r~ _:c~re~til ·'Of polifhfog ftyle~
~an 1of :fh>nng if• .- ~th thotlght. Yet hence
; ~Cs ~ \ :new l'e~foii . for . t!ic.~udt. of juoi and
~ o~r c?mp~fit1on. If It be requifite"not to '
·be d~ficlcnt m elegance or ornament in times ·

I

when

/.~

-

-

-

'ill

I N T R. 0 D U C T I 0 N.

I N T R 0 D U C T I: 0 N.

~o

fu~ high eftimation> it ·it
ftill more requifite to attain the power of dif...
tinguifuing falfe ornament from true> in order
to prevent our being carried away by that tor;.,
rent 9f falfe and frivolous tai\:e> which never
fails, when it is prevalent, ·to fweep along
with. it the raw and the ignorant. ~hey who
have never ftudied cloqµence in it~ principles~.
nor have been trained to attend to the genuine ·
and manly beauties of good writing, are a}..
ways ready to be caught by the mere glare of
language;. and when they come_ to fpeak i~
public, or to compofe, have no ot;her ftan ...
dard on which to form ~emfelves, except
what chances to be fafuionable and popular"
how corrupted foever1 or ~rroneous~ that qiay

Jo EC T. when they arc in
J.

'"--

\>e.

.

'BuT as th~re are many who have no fuch
objeCl:s as either compofition or public fpeaking in view, let us ~ext confider ~hat advan-tages may be derived by t~em, from fuch ftu~
dies as form the fubjeB: of thefe Leetures.
To them, rhetoric' is not fo much a l>raetical,
art as a fpeculative fcience i and the fame in..
ftruaions which ~ft othe~s in compofing,
will alftft them in difceming, and relifuing,
~h~ beauties of compofition. Whatever enables genius to exc:cute ~el1 1 will enabl~ taftc
to criticife juftlf ~

W BE~ ~e. name criticifing, prejudices may L E c T.
perhaps arifc> of th~ fame kind with thofc ~ L ~
whic.h~ I m_e~tioncd . befo!'C ~i~ refpeB.: tQ . • .
rhetoric. A~ ~hetoric has been fomctimq
·thought to fignify nothing m9re than the
fcholaftic . ftudy of ~rds, and phrafe~> and
tropes> fo cpticifm has been confidered .
mer~y t:he art of fin~ing faul~ ~ ~- the ftjgi4
app.hcatlon of cert~ technical terms> by
means of which perfons are taught ·to cavil
and cenfure in a learned manner. But this is
the criticifm of ped~ts only. True criticifin
is a liberal and· humane art. it is the off...
fpring ~f ~d fenfe a.pd refined . tafte. It
aims at acquiring a jufl: difcermnent of the
~eal merit of authors. It prom~tcs a lively .
relifh of thei~ beauti~ while it prefervcs US
from the1:t blind and implicit veneration which
I would confoun~ their beauties and faults j~
<>Ur efteem. It teaches us_, in a word> to admire and to blaine wit~ ju.d.~ent, a~d not to
follow the crowd blin~y. ··
' ·

u

I

I · IN an age whe':1 works of genius ~d lite.. rature arc fo frequently the fubjefu of difcourfc, when every one ere& himfelf into a
l j~d~e, and when we can hardly mingle in poi lite fociety without bearing fame fhare in fuch
' difcuffions ; fn1dies of this kind, it is not to
be _d~ubtcd, will appear to derive part of
,their imponance from the ufe to which they
may
1

..

-INT .R. OD"U C TIO N.

I N T R 0 D U C T l 0 N•

1

L E ~ T.

~

•

·may be applied in furnifhing materials fot
1 · thofe fafhionable ·topics of difcourfc» .aR<t
thereby. enabling.us ·to fupport-a ·proper ·rank
·ii:l 'focial

!'

life~ ·

·

BuT i fh~ld -be forrv·i f we"could not reft the
merit of fuch ftodies o~ fomcwhat of folid .;md
intrinfical ufe, :independcn1> of appcaran~c ·and
lbow. The: exe·rcife of taftc and-t>f found c.riricifm, is in truth-one of. the moil: imprtiv!ng
employments of the: un<letftanding.· To .apply the principles of ·goo4 fenfe ·to compofi. ti on and difcourfe ; to examine wha:~ is beau..
tifol, and why it· is fo ; · to employ ourfelvcs
in diftinguithing accurately between the fpecious and the folid, :between affe&ed ami·rlatural ornament, muft certainly-improve us not
a little in the moil: valuable part of all. philo(ophy,. the philoiophy of human ·n ature. F.or
foch difquifitions :are very intimately connect:ed
with -the· knowledge
.ourfclvcs. Thoey neccffarily lead us to reflect: on the.operatioris.of
the imagination, and the movements of the
. heart; . and increafc. our . acquaintance with
fome · of -the m,oft.,refilled feelings .which lJo.;..
long ·to-our frame~

of

LOGICAL and Ethical difquifitlons move in
a higher f phcre; and ·are converfant with object:& of a more feverc kind; the progr.efs of
the underftanding in jti fear.ch. aftq kno~-

lcdge3

IJ

. ledge, and · the, direction .of : the -will· irt the LE c T.
p~~r-purfuitof good • .They point out to man ~ ~
th~ 1mprov:em~nt of_his nature as an intelligent
bci?g;. and his duties as the fubject of moral
obligation.~ _Belles ~t~res and criticifm chiefly
coµfider him as _rBeing endowed.with , thofe
~ers ·of tafte ind imaginatio~, which ~e~c:
1~tcnd~d to c?1~eUi{h .his mind, a~d t~ . fupply
him W\th rational and ufeful entertainment
They ·Open a. field of inveftigation pe~~liar t~
. themfclves. · All that relates to beauty, harmony, . grandeur, and ·elegance j . all that
footh the. mind,. gratify the fancy, or move
the affechons1 . belongs . to their. provin~c.
T.hcy prefent hu~an . n'!-ture under. a different
afpcft fro~ that ~hich it affumes ·when ~viewed
otjter. fcicnces. . They. bring . to light va1 ·~y
r~~os ~pm)g-s of action, which, without their
aid, might have paffed u_p obfervcd; and which,
, ~pgb of_ a~dehcate ·nature, frequently exert
·a powerful. m~uence .on ~ever~ departments

can

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,of.human·bfc.;

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.

SucH ftud1es have alfo this peculiar advan~e~ that they cxercife our reafon without fa..
tigumg it. They lead to enquiries acute but
DQ~ painful; profound, but not dry nor' aqfl~. They -fti:ew flowers in the path of
~cncc.; and while they keep the mind bent,
. ;· m fom~ degree, and act:ivc, they relieve it at the
.f fame tlmc from that more . toilfomc labour to
· whic})
I,

•

1-· ·-

.t N T ll 0 D U C T I 0 N.

I N T ll O D U C T I O N.

a

burden to himfclf. He is not obliged to L E c
fly to low companyt or to court the riot of ~ _L
laofe pleafures, in order to cure the tcdiouf.. _W -4
ncfs of exiftencc. ·

c T. which it muft fubmit in the acquifition of ~e·
"""""~ , cdfary erudition, or the inveftigation of all..

i. E

ftrafr troth.
cultivation of tafte is farther recommended by the happy effe& whic~ it n~tu­
rally tends to produce on human . bfe. Th~
moft bufy man, in the moft affiv~ fphere,
cannot be always occupied by bufinefs. Men
of ferious profeffions cannot alw~ys be on the
fl:retch of fcrious thought. Neither can the
inoft gay and flouritbing fituations of fortune afford any man the power of filling all
his hours with pleafure. Lif~ muft alwars
languifh in the hands of the idle. It wil~
frequently languitb even in the han~s of the
bufy, if they have not fome c~plo~ent fu~·
·ndiary to that which forms their . mam purfu1t•
How then fhall thefe vacant fpaces, thofe un..;.
employed intervals, _which, more or lefs,
occur in the life of aery one, be filled up ?
How can we contrive to difpofe of them in_
any Vlay that fhall be more ~":eable in itfelf,
or more confonant to the d1gmty of the humind, than in the entertainments ·of taft~,
and the ftudy of pol~te literature ? He who 1s
fo happy as to have acquired a rclifu for t?efe,
has always at hand an innocent and irreproachable amufemcnt for his leifure hours, ~o
uvc him from the danger of many a permcious paffion. He is not in hazard of being
a burden
4
·T HE

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Paov1DENCE feems plainly to have pointed
out this ·ufeful purpofc to which the pleafw:cs

of tafte may be applied. by interpofing them
in a middle ftation between the pleafurcs of
fcnfc, and thofc of pure ·intellea. We were
not defigned to grovel always among objdls
fo low as the: former; nor arc we capable of
. dwelling conftantly in fo high a region as the
latter. . The pleafurcs of tafte refrefb. · the .
· mind after the toils of the intellctt, and the
labours .of abftraa ftudy; and they gradually
raifc it above the attaehmcnts of fenfc, and
prepare it for the enjo:Ymcnts of virtue.

So confona.nt is this to .experience, . that, in
the education of youth, no objea has in every
age a~peared more important to. wife men,
than to tinfrure them early with a rclifb. for
the entertainments of tafte. The tranfition is
commonly made with eafc from thefc to the
difcharge of the higher and niore important
:duties of life. Good hopes may .be cnter.tained of thofe whofc minds have this Jiber:il
a~d elegant turn. It is favourable to many
v_1~cs. Whereas, to be cntirely:devoid of
rcbfh for eloquence, poetry, ·or · any of the
fine

ff
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IN1'R.0DlJCTION.

TI 0 N•

fine arts, is juftly cop.frrued to .-be an unpro~
mifing. fymptom · of youth; and raifes fufpi...:
cions of their being -prone to low gratifica~
tions, or deftined to drudge in the more vu}.:
gar and illiberal purfuits of life.
THERE are indeed few good difpofitions of
any kind with which the improvement of tafte
is not more or lefs conn,eCl:ed. A cultivated
tafre increafes fenfibility to all the tende~ and
humane paffioils, by giving them frequent excrcife; while it tends to weak.en the more vio"'
lent and fierce emotions.

---lngenuas didicifi"e fideliter artes
E1nollit mores> nee finit dl"e feros

•6

.The elevated fentiments and high.examples
which poetry, eloquence and hiftory are often
bringing under our view, naturally · tend to
nourifh in our minds public fpirit, the love
of glory, contempt of extetrtal fortune~ and
the admiration of what is truly illufcrious and
great.

I WIL~ not go fo far as to fay that the improvement of tafte and of virtue is the fame;
or that they may always be expected to to. ciift in an equ.al degree. More powerful cc;>rreCl:ives than tafte ca11: apply, are neceffary for
• Thefe polilh'd arts have humaniz'd mankind,
Soften'd the rude, andcalm'd the boift'rous mind.

reformin~

.•'1
refurlning the corrupt propeiifities ·which too L .E J.CT.
·f?cqucntly prevail among ma·n kfod. · Elegant
wJ
Jp~culatfons are fometimes -found to float on
I. ~e for:fa~e of the mind, w~iie bad paffions
poJfefs :the_"interidr regions of the heart. · At
the fa.'llc time this cannot but be admitted,
thar tlie exer~ife of."taO:C" is~ fo its native tendency, ~oral and purifying~ . . From reading.
die · nioft . admired ·productions . of · genius,
whether ~n poetry ~r profe, almoft every_one
' rifcs ·with. foine good · impi-c;ffion~ · le(i: oit. his
mind; and th?ush .•thefe may noi· arw:ays be
durable, they are at leaft to be · ranked·-arriong
the means. of difpofing the heart to · virtue.
One thing is certain, and I 1hall hereafter
.1 have occafion to illuftrate it more fully, that•
without poffeffing the virtuo.u s · affeetions .in .a
(hong degree, no ·man can attain e"ffiinence in
the fublime parts of eloquence. . He mull: fed
what a good man feels, if he expeCts greatly
to move, or to intereft mankind. They are
the ardent fentiments of honour, virtue, magnanimity, and public fpirit, that only C:ln
' kindle that fire of genius, and call up into the
uiind ·thofe high ideas, . which attratt the adinUation of ages ·; and if this f pirit be neceffary to produce the moft diftinguifhed efforts
()f eloquence, it muft be neceffary alfo to our
reli(hing them with proper .tafte :md feeling.

Voi.. I.

c

ON

INTJlOJ>UCTIQ?I_.

.

Os ·the(e general topics l 1h111l dwell nQ
· ..., ,, • ·longer,; · bu~ prQceed dil'.e~y ~o-thc-confide*a.
· tion of the fubjetl:s which ~c to. ~mploy the
following Lctl:ures. They divide them(elvea
into five parts. Firft, . fome intr0 du8:ory dif..
fertatio~s on the N a~ure ~f T afte, and upon the
fourccs of its. pleafores. Secondly, .the con..
fideration of Langu~ge: T!iirdly1 ~f Style;
Fourthly, of Eloquence pr0perlyfo called, o~
Public Speaking in its different kind$. Laftly~
a critical examination of the · moft diftin..:
guifhed Species of Compofition, both in pro(c

x. ' c

T.

and vcrfe.

.L E C T . U R E . II.

TASTE.
1

j

HE nature of the prefent undertaking L E c
leads me to begin with fome cnqu_iries ~ IL
concerning T afte, as it is this faculty which is
•
always appeal':'1 to in difqu~ti-ons concerning
the merit of difcourfe and wnnng.

T

THERE arc few fubjttb on which men talk
more loofely and indiftinaiy than on Tafte;
few which it is more difficult to explain with
preCifion ; and none which in this Courfc oi
Lefuires will appear more dry or abftratl.
.What I have to fay on the fubjeB: {ball be in
the following order. I 1hall firft explain the
Nature of T afte as a power or faculty in the
human mind. I fiiall next confider how far
it . is an improveable faculty. I fhall fucw
the fources of its improvement, and the charat\:ers of T afte in its moft perfeB: ftate. I
'1tall then examine the various flultuations to
C 2
wh.lc~

T.

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rE \/\O~
.e,\,,

\'1~6411w

LECTURES
ON

RHETORIC
AND

BELLES LETTRES.
Bibliographical note:
this facsimile has been made from a
copy in .the Harvard University Library
(9278 2.5)

"
By HUGH BLAIR, D. D.
eKS OP TBS IUKISTEl.S OP TBS HICB CHUI.CH• A•D
l'l.OPSSSOI. OP l.BSTO&IC AKD aELL£S LITTl.IS
, . TRI V•lYSl.SITT. OP ~Dlftava.ca.

IN THREE VOLUMES.
V 0 L . IL

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75-112080
TH£ SECOND EDITION,, CORRECTED.

Printed in U.S.A.

L 0 ND ON:
a&l•Tl'.D POI. W. STl.ABAS; T. CA DELL• IS THI S'l'&.&XDJ

A•D w. c1.1.1cu. rN 1.011c•v1.os.
JID~CLUXY'.

CONTENTS
I

.'

-O"F T ·HE

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.:

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SECQND

VOLUME.

I

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Paao

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XVIII. p1G.URA'f IY£ Lztlg114geGeneral Char1,18us efStyl1Diffufe. Cmcift - Fee/Ile.
Nera6Us-Dry. Plt1in, Neat.

;

XIX. Gaeral Chara8a.s of Sty/e-SU.-

.'

E/tgf1111. Flfl'Wery.
,1

..

..1

pl.e, Jlffet1etl. Yehnamt-Di-

I

rellitms for

f "'11isg

11

proper

Styl~

\

XX.

32

Critical Ex(!m/nation of the Style
of Mr. Addifon1 in N° "1-1 l of

· 59

The SpeCtator.

· JOCI.

Critical Exami11ati01t of Jbe Style i1i .

N° 4n efThc Spetbtor.

84:

Ct'itical Examination of the Style i~
N• 413 of.The SpeB:ator.
l06
XJ(III. Critical Examinatim of the Style i~
N° 414 ef Thc SpeCtator.
!ZS
nIV. Critical Examination of the Style i11
• ""!ffage o/Dean Swift's WritX~II.

f ' .I
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143

XXV. E/o.

C 0 N T E N T S.
L .E. C T.

Page

XX.V. Eloquence., or PzdJficSpeal:ingHijlory of El:q:ience:_Grecian
171
Elorptazce-Demcjfbmes.
XXVI. Hiflor;~ of Eloq:ta:ce cc11tinuedRoman Eloqumce-CicuoM_odern Eloquozce.
z.01
XXVH. Dij[erent Kinds Of Puillic Speakir.g-Eloquer.ceofPopular4ffi.'7.7blies-ExtraBs from De1nif.!mres.

·

228

XXVIII. Elorjlter.ce of tbe Bar-.Analyjis
of Cfrero's Oration for Clumtius~

· 264

XXIX. Elogumce of the Pulpit.

299

XXX. Critical Exami1U1tio11 of a Ser- man of Bijhop Alt1T"!Ju7s.
332
XXXI. CMduEI of a DffeourJe in alt its
Par1s-hztrodut1io11-Di'Vifion-Narratitin and Expliu-

tin.

369

XXXII. CtlllduB of a D!ftourfa- <fhe
Argummtatrve P11rJ - fie
Patbeli& Part-'fbe Per1mstiva.
398
XX.XIII. Pronunciation., or DelifJtry.
428
XX.XIV. }lfecns of imprwing iii Elotju~e. 457

LEC-

LECTURE

XVIII.

FICURATIVE J.ANGUAGE- GENERAL CHARACTERS OF STYLE-DIFFUSE, C~'lCISE­
~EEBLE, ·l'rnRVOUS--,.DRY. rl..u..'l. NEAT..
ELEGANT, FLOWERY.

·HAVING tre:1t~d> at confid~rab!e

LE CT.

xvm.""'
length, of the Figures of Speecn, of ~ •
·
their origin; of their nature, and of
. the management. of fuch of them as are . importAnt eno\Jgh to requir~ a parti~ulat ~ifcuf:­
.fion> before finally difimffing thts fubJecr. I
think it incumbent on me> to m~e fome
bbfervatic>ns concerning the proper life of Figur~dve Language· in general. T~e:e> in deed> ·I have> in . part; already anuc1paced.
But, as great errors· are often committed i_n
this . part Df Style> cfj>ec~ally b~ young wr1~rs., it may be of ufc that I bnng together.,
under one view, the moft material directions·
on this head.

VoL. II.

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CRITICAL EXAMTNATION6 &c.

c 'T. before the Reftoration; and, .perhaps, fincc
xxx.
' th.a~ _period, have been too mucb negleB:cd,
Ther afford an opportunity of bringing home.
to tile .confdences of the audience, manx
things, whi~h, in the . courle of :he Sermon,
were,. perhaps, delivere4 in the abftraa:.

L E

~ w

I .SH.ALL not dwell on the Conclufion'.ofth~
Sei:_mon,__ wh~.4 is ch~e6y __e~ployed · i~ : ~bfer-;
~a~i~~s..o~.the pofture o_f puh1~c . affairs ·~c ~a~
time . . Confidere~, u~n the whole, t~1s D1~~
courfe of Bifhop Att~rbury's is both"ufeful. an~ .
beautiful, though T ~aV:e ven~ured to point o~~
fome defefu iri"it. · Seldom, or never, can we
cx~ea to meet ~ith a compoiiti9n_of any kind~ .
which is abfolutcly pcrfcc\:"in all its parts: .an6
when WC take . into account the difi.icultic~
which I befor~ 1howcd to attend the Eloqucn~.
of the Pulpit, we have, perhaps, l.efs rcafon to
look for pe_rfetl:ioQ in a Sermon, ' than in any

other compoJition.

··

·

·

L 'E .·C T u :R·E xxxr.

~NDUCT OF A DIS'COURSE

IN

ALL' ITS

fARTS---:INTRODUCT-lON-DIVISION- .
- .· NARRATION AND -.EXPLICATION. -

·I·.HAY~what
i~ .th~ (~ur.pr:.ecedingLcthircs, conis
to
of the three
.: fM.le~d

peculiar

~ach

gr~at 'f¥~ds_ of Pub~c: :· Speaking, ?op~lar Af-·.
f~~-b_fl~s~ _ t!ie Bar~ and the Pulpit. I .am now
~J~e~~ ?.~: '!h~t is ~cnn.~~-n t? them all ; of the
cpndutt ~f a·Difcourfe or Oration, in aeneral.
'l':he prcvtious view whic~· i have give: of the
diftiog~fhing fpirit
charaB:er of different
kinds.af_P ublic Speak.in& was nc:ceffa~ for the
proper apelication of the rule~ which I am
af?out t0 ddivc:r; and as I proceed, I .fhall farther point out, how far any of thefc rules may
have a particular rcfpe4 .t o the Bar,. to the Pulpit, or to Popular Courts.

L

:s c T.
XXXI.

• =

and.

OH whatever fubje8: any one intends to difcourfe, he will moll: commonly begin with fomc
lntrJ><luClion, in order to prepare the minds of

VoL. II.

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II

·I

CONOUCT OF A DISCOU!S:l.

INTRODUCTION' OF A DISCOURSE.

L l c T. his hearers; he will then ftatc his fubjea, and
.XXXJ
· d.
• h ..
h ·11
"""" r· · ·• explain the fach connec:~ed ~lt'. n ;. .. e w1 .
employ · argumenu fOX: dl:abhfiu~g. hts owlt
opinion, and overthrowing that of his antag?nift . he may perhaps, if the.re be room.for it,
cnd;avour to touch the pa.ffiom of h~ Au-dience; and after having faid all h~ think• .
proper, he will bring his. Difcourfc to.a .clo(e,. '~
by fome .Pcroration or Conclofi~n.. This be· '
ing the nat1;1ral train of Speak.mg, t~e par,t.t .
that compofe a regular formal Orauo~~ .ucr· .
thcfe .frx• firft, the Exardium os: lntroduaioa.t
fecondly'.1 the · State, and the Divifio~ of..d~
Su~jetl:1 thirdly.Ii Narration, or E"pl~ation1 .
fourthly,. the Reafoning 91" Arg~u~nts; fifth.ly. •
the Pa.thetic Pai-t; and bfrly,. the CoQtluuon,.1
I ·do not mean,. that eath of thcfe ntiire c:nler
into every Public Difcour(c1 OF that 1'bc~ muft enter mays in this oi'der.... T))·ere·i$ no re~
for being fo formal on every occafit>n·; · nay; ·ic
would often be a fault, and would ten<kr a
Difcourfc pedantic and· ftiff.. Th(re niay be
many ~xcellei_:it Difcouc{es .in publk., w~er~
ft:veral of thcfe part~ are altogether wanting; "
where ~he Speaker, for inftance, ufe~ no Intro 4
duction
hi~ fobjcdi
..
) . but ·~atcrs tlirethly o'n
where .he has n<>oceafron either to divide~tx-1
pl~n; but fimply reafons on- one frd~ of chc
qucil:ion. and then finifu.es. But as the para.
which I have. mentioned, are_ the natural con•. ,.
i\i~Jlt parti of a regµlar Oration,; and as fo :-

J

every· Dlfcoui:fe. whatever,. fom¢ of them muft
be found, it is necelfary to our prcfent purpof~,
that I ihould tr.eat.of each of them d~'il:intl:ly.

I BEOtN, of courte, with the Exordium or
lntroduCl:ion. This is manifeftlY. common to
all die three kinds o( Public· Speaking. 'It is
not-.nhetorical invention. It is founded upon
nature, and fuggefted by- . c01nmon f ei:tfe.
When one ·is going to counfel ·another; when
Jfe takes upon him to iriftrufr,: or to l"epro~,
pf"u<fence will generally- dire&·him not to dQ it
lbrupdy, but tO ufe fome·preparation; to begin
wi·ch-IOme.whac· that . may incline the pcrfons~
let ~in he- acldteffcs himfdf, to judge favour' ~bly ~f.what he is abo~t to fan and may di"(..•
pofe them to (llch· a train of thought, as will
forward ·and affift 'the purpofe which he has in
view. This is, or ought to be, the main {cope
ot ah Introduction. Accordingly Cicero and
~inB:ilian mention tlfree cnas~ to· .one or
. ()t}ier·ofwhichit ihould be fobfervient, .,, Red•C">dtre auditorcs bc~evofos, · anentos, dociles." ·

L ! .CT.

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XXXI.

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.F.uu't, To .conciliate the good-will of the~rs; to render them :benevolenr, or wellaffcetcd· to the. Speaker and . to · the . fubject.
"I-opics for..this purpofc may, in Caufes. at the
Bar;. be fomctimes taken ·from the. particular
Btuation -0f the · Speaker• himfelf, or of his ·
c~icn~ .or fr~m the charafrer'_'Or b:haviour of
I hll · antagomfts contrafted ·with his own; on
Bb 2
otl~c1·

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INTRODUCTION OE . A .

DISCQUR:SJt~·

c T. ·other occalions, from the nature '<.>f the f ubjecl:

xxxr
·. · ' •
· ··
· ·
..__ • • as clofely conncttc:J wah the mtereft of .the
• -= hearers·: and, in general,· f i;om t11e modc;fty
and good . in~entiun,. 'with . which' the Speaker
enters upc;>l,1 .. his fubjell:. T\le ·fccond end of
an.Jnq·pdutl:ion, is,
raife the attention of the
hearers; which .may.. he · effetl:ed, by givin·g 1
them fo;ne hints of the importance; dignity,.1 :or
~o~elty: ·of .the. fubjeCl:; or fome favourable: ·
y.is:.w..<>f the clearnefs and precifion with whicli
we. .are to ' treat . it; and of the brcvicy·' with
which ·.we are to difcO\lrfe. Tile · thitc' end,
1,. ro .J:Clldcr the. hearers docile,.ot opeo_t<.. .Pet·
fuafion·; for ·which- end; we muft begin'· wiili
{tudyin'g to r~move · any ~art~cli~al'. r~eporrer-·
lions ·they. may have contratl:cd aga1nft thC'..
6ufc,· :.or . fide .'. of th~ aq~~mt:~i: "whidi ·-we··

to

efpou(c~ .

· · SoM~

o.Ci:e of thefr ends-lhould be propofed by

e~eryJotr<>duB:ion. When· there is rio occalion
for aimincr at any of thein i when:we are already

frcure of ~~e good.,will, ·the 'ati:erition,: and tbe ·
docility of the Audience, a5 may"oftcn·bc ·th~
cafe, . fo~~a1 1.ntrodutl:io·~s ;.in:~r~ wit.bout. an~1
prejudice, be omitted. And; indeed) when ·ffiey
f erve for ~o .p urpofe but
oftenta~ion, they~
had fo~ the moft part better be omitte~; ' unlefs4'
as far as refpecho theAudience makes1taeeenr;
that a Speaker fhould not break in upon thell1
too abruptly, but by a lhort cxordium prepare
them for what he is going to fay. Demofthenes's
1

mere

- - - -·
.

._

- -

INTRODUCTION . OF A DISCOURSE.

thenes's Introdutl:ions are always fhort :ind
funpie; Cicero's are fuller and more artful.

371
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Lo •

· Tff~ an~ient Critics diitinguifh two kind$
of r 11troduCl:ions,. which they call' '~ Princi" pium," and " In!inuatio:" ·cc Principium••
is> ~here the Orator plainly and directly pro ...
fdfes his . aim in fpeaking. '' Infinuatio" is.
where . a larger compafs muft be 'taken j and
where, ·prc'fuming the difpofition of the Audience to be much againft ·the Orator, he mutt
gradually reconcile them to hearing him; be.:·
fore. he plainly difcovers chc point which he
ltas .in view.
Oir thii latter fort of Introdu8:ion, we have
an admirable inftance in Cicero's fecond Ora~
tion againft Rullus. This Rullus was Tribune of the People, and had propofed an
Agrarian Law; the purpofe of which was to
create a Decemvirate, or ten Commiffioners,
with abfol.ute power for five years over all the
·lands conquere~ by the Republic, in order to
divide.them among the citizens. · Such laws
had often peen propofed by fatl:ious magiil:rates, and were always greedily received by
the: people. Cicero is f peaking to ~he people j
he .had lately been m~<le <;:onful by their inrcrdt; and his firCt attempt i~ to make them
rcjett this law. The fubjett was exiremdy.
'1c:licace,. ;ind required much art. Hu begin~
B~ 3
with

·•
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INTR.~DUCTION

JNTR.ODUCTION. OF A PISCOU&SE.
LE CT.
XXXI.

'

with ·a cknowle9.giqg . all ihc favours which· he
had .receive<\ f!om . th~ peoplca .in .prcfi::ren~· ~ ~
the nobility. He profeffes himfelf the creature
of_ .tbe.ir ~power, . and of all men · the moil: ~n­
gaged to promote their. intcreft. He dee~
that he held himfelf to be the Conful of the
.People; and .that ·he would always. gloiy ~
preferving the charatl:er of a ·popular ;m~
ftratc •. But to be popular, he obfcrvcs,,· is Q
4Ullbigu0\,l$ word. He -uoderll:ood it ·to im..
port, ~ fteady attachment to the · r~l intcJ"dt
of the peopl~1 to their liberty, their. cafc,, and
their peace~ but by .fomc,, he faw, . it W3'
abufcd, and made a co.ver to their .own fdfi1h
and ambitious defigps. In this _manner.,
begins to draw gradually ~carer tohis,purpo~
of attacking ~he propofal of .Rullus; ,but .ftiij
wi~a grea~ management and refervc.; He p~
~(!fts, that he is far fr~m . bc:ing w -aiemy tO
.J\grarian.La>.V.s; be giv..cs.the; h_igheft ptAifesua
the Gracchi, thofe zealous patrons of the pco-ple; and aifures them:, that when he firft heard
of Rullus's ·law, he had refolved. to- fupport it_
if he found it for their intcreft; · bl:J~ th~·upori
examining it, . he .found it calculated.. ro cfta.
blifu a dominion that ·was inconfll\:ent -with -·;;-:;;:;~~
liberty, and .to .aggrandize a few men at. the
<xpence of the public: aocl then .terminates
his cxordiµm, with. telling them,; th~t . he ·is
going to give his reafons for being of this
opinion i but that if his reafons fh~ not

be

facisfy

~~-~

OF A DISCOURSE.

fatisfy them, he will give up-his own opinion,
and embrace theirs. ·1n all this~ · there was
great art. His Eloquence produced the intended effect; and the people,, with one voice,
J"ejctted this Agrarian Law.

LE CT.
XXXJ.

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given thefc general views of t~
aatutc and end of an Introduction, I proceed
.to lay down fome rules for the proper compolition of it. Thefe arc the more nccdfary, as·
this is a part of the Difcourfc which requires ·
no fmall care. le is always of importance to
begin well; to make a favourable impreffion
.at firft fetting out; when the minds of the
hearers, vacant as yet and free, are moO: difpofed to receive any impreffion eafily. I muft
add too, that a good lntrodutl:ion is often found
to be extremely difficult. Few pares of the
Difcourfe give the Compofer more trouble, or
arc attended with more nicety in the.execution.
HAVING

THE firft rule is, that the lntroduCl:ion
fhould be eafy and natural. The fubjeCI: muft
always fuggeft it. ·le muft appear; a, Cicero
bca.utifully expreffes it, " Effioruilre pcnitus
\I' ex re de qua rum agirur• ."
It is too common a fault in Introductions, that they . are
iaken from fome ·common-place topic, which
1ias no peculiar relation to the fubjeCI: ill hand;

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• •• To have fprung up. of it.i own accord frozp the
maticr which ia under confideration. ••
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INT1'-0.l)UCTJO~ OP ~- ~Iscou•s~

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by which 111ea.QS ~c:r - ~od apart, like pieces
:.i • ..._, clc:tachcd f~o~ the re~ of. Pie Difcourfc. ! ·D I
this_kind ace Sallq~·s lotr~4:q&ions_. pre~
to_ l!is c.~tilin~:m and J UgQrthine wars. Thq .
might ~ wcll hav~ p~c~ Inp-~dµ~iQQS to ~1 i
~ther. H1ftory> or to any Qthcr Treatife what· !
-ever: anq> therefo~, though elegant in them~
f dvcs,, they muft be confidcrcd as blemiihcs ~
the work, from want of due conneCtion with ii
C:icerq,, ~ough abundantly co~c;Clin th~ par~
_.uc;u~ar . 1ci his OratiQ~, yet i$ not fo in ;his
_9thcr ~orks. It appears from. a icttcr <>f ~
.to Attlcus (L. xvi. 6.) that it was bis cuftom
to prepare, at his lcifurc> a c~llcai~ of dif~
fercnt IntrodµB:ions br P.rcfaccs, ready t0 be
prefixed to any work that he might afterwards
publi1b. In confequcnce of this ftranQ'.C mo~hod of c~mpolin~ it happ~ne_d to -him, .
employ the fame. lntroducaon twice~· with~m • ·'"................""
tcmembering it• prefixing it to two different
works. Upon Atticus informing him of this,- '
hfui a
lie acknowledges the miftake, andf
_new IntrOdudio~. ·
. .: · ..- ..• •.:• ·• •.: !·• ·
• •"
J.

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IN order to re~der lntr~du·fc·i~ns n~rurd a~d

.eafy. it is; in my opinion, a good rule,· that
they 1hould not be planned, till after one hllS
meditated in his own mind the fubft~ce of his
Difcourfe• .. Then> and not till then, be fhould
pegin to think of fome pf?per and
l~­
troduttion. By ta.lcing a cQntrary courfe, ~
··
.·
Jabourin~

nann..i

..

labouring in the fuft place on an IntroduB:ion;. i. E c T.
r:vcry one who is accuftomed to compofition ._~
will often find,, thaf either he is led to lay hold
of fome commoq-place topic,, or that, inftead.
of the lntroduffion l>cing accommodated to
the l)ifcpurfe> he is obliged to accommodate
the whole Difcourfe to the lntroduaion which
Jae had previoufiy writt~n~ Cicero makes this
ianark ;' though, as we have feco, his pratlicc
·was aot always conformable to his own rule.
.fc-Orµnibus -rebus· <ion.fidcraris, tum deniq~c
~c ~d ~qod primum eft dicendum, poftmntim
~··«Oleo :cogitare.11 quo utar cxordio. Nain fi
~ qtiando· id -primum mvenirc volui, nullum
·~ ~ihi · ~rrit> nifi aut ·exile> aut nugatorium,
!c aut vulgarc • :· After the mind has been
~rite wktn(d
put ~n, by dofe m~di­
'tation on the fubjea> materials for the Pr~­
·facc will then fuggcft thmuelves much moil:
·readily• .

.and

in

lrl the fecond place> In

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lntrOduB:iori_,

~orrcancfs 1h~uld be carefully ftudicd in the
~rcffion. This is r~qui{it~~ on account of

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• ~· When I liuc planned and digefted all t.hc ma.tuWs
"'·of •J f)ifcourte0 it u my cuflom. ro dain1:0 ia t.hc Jal
...pl~ of _die ~ttoduaion with which I am co begUi.
.. For. if at a~y tune I hue cndcuollttd to iat'cnt an
~ -Introdaffioa firti. · ~ot.hiag bs ever oc:cmml t.; me
...tar dau purpofc. bac what was lri.Din:. ail(atorT. and
{' nlpr.~.
·

the

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INTRODUCTION OF A ·DiaCOURSl!.

UllTAODUCTION OF A DISCOURSE.

c ~. the fituation of 'the hearc:r.s·. They are drcq
XXXJ.
.~ . fc than at any otlter
.. • _, ·more difipofced to cnuc1
·period ; they are, ·as 7er, tmoccupied· with the ·
·fubjcd: ·or thC arguments~ their · attention is
wholly direB:ed to the Speaker's ftylc and man•
ner. Something muft be .done, therefore, tb
prepoffefs them in his favol,lr; though., for the
fame reafons., too much art muft be a~oided;
for it will be more eafily-detetl:ed :it' that titn~,
than afterwards ; and will derogate-from pc;rfuafion in all that follows.· A correct plaidnefs., an elegant fimplicicy, is the proper cha~ . •
catl:er of an lntrodutl:ion ; · " -ut videamur,u
fays ~inet:ilian, " accurate non callide

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· IN the third place, · Modeftr is- 'antither ~ha.. ·
ratl:er which it muft carry; · All appearaa~s
of modcfty are favourable., .aitd prepolfeffing• .
If the Orator fe~ out with an air of arrogance
and oftentation, ·the felf-love and 'p ride of the
hearers will be prcfently awakened, arid will
follow him with a very fufpicieus eye through.w
out all his progrefs, His modefty fhould di!=. ·
cover iddf not only in his expreffions at the·
beginning~ but in his "".hole : manner; in his
looks,, in his geftures., in the tone of his voict. '
Every auditory take in good part thofe mark~
of refpeCl: and awe., whi~h are paici to them by
one who addreffes them. - Indeed ,the modefty
of ~ Introduction ihould never betray any
tlung

thing mean or abjetl:. It is always of great
11fe to an Orator,, that together with modefty
.and deference to his hearers., he 1hould fhow a
certain fenfe of dignity., arifing from a perfuafion of the juftice or importance of the fubjefr
oµ wh.kh he is tQ fpeak.
THE modeily of an Introdutl:ion requires,
that it.promife not too much. "Non fumum
'' ex fulgore, fed ex fumo dare lucem • :•
This certainly is the general rule., th~t· an Orator fhould not put forth all his ftrength at the
beginning; but fhould rife and grow upon us.,
as his Difcourfc advances. There are cafes,,
however,, in which it is allowable for him to
fet out from 'he firft in a high and bold tone;
as,, for inftance, when he rifes to defend fome
caufe which has been much run down., and de~
cried by the Public. Too modeft a beginning, might be then like a confeilon of guilt.
By the boldnefs and ftrength of his Exordium,
he mu.ft endeavour · to ftem the tide that is
againft him, and to remove prejudices, by encountering them without fear. In fubjeB:s too
of a declamatory nature, and in Sermons,
where the fubje& is {hiking, a magnificent

• He does not lavifh at a blaze his fire,
Sudden to glare, and then in fmoke expire;
~ut rifes from a cloud of fmoke to light,
A11d pours his fpccious miracles to fight.

Hoa., Ar.s PoaT. F1tANcrs.

Intro-

379
LE CT,.
XXXI•.
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INTRODUCTION·op·· i\ : DtsCOtJ~

c

T.

~'Jf~'· ,.
· "

.

IntroduCl:ion has·fometimes'~ ·g00~ cffdf;:il'
it be properly fupported in·tlte fequcl •... ~hbs
Eilhop Atterbury, in · beginning ~n ~l~qu~h~
~ermon, preached on the ·30~ of Jan~~ry~..th~
Anniverfary of what is called King Cbar~cs!~
Martyrdom, fets out in this·pompousmarihct:
u This is a day .of troub~e-, of rebuke, and. of
blafphemy i diftingµifh~d in ~he calen~a_r of
u our Church, and the annals .of. ()Ur .nat1on11
" by the fufferings of an excellent yri11ce, · ~ho
cc fell a facrifice to the rage of h1~ reb~h9u~
~~ fubjech; and, by his fall, derived · ·.ir:ifamy~
H mifery, and guilt on them, and thell" fi~ful
" pofterity." Boffuet, Fkchier~ : and the
other celebrated Fre~ch freachers very .oftel\
begin their Difcourfe~ with ~l~~o~red and~~:
~ttentmn~
1.11ne IntroduCl:i()ns: · Thefe: 'ra1fe
•
. . ..
~nd throw a luft~ ·on·:thc·· fubJ~d:: ·1 f?ut ·4ef
t>very Spc;aker be much o~ · -~is ~a~~·: ag,ain~
lhiking· a highet note at ·the beginnmg, thaq
he is ~ble ·10 K.e~- ·up in·hi~· proirrcfs.·
·
(C

b th~ .fourth plaq:., ..t\.n Jl)trodncrion. fbnuld .
dually be carried O.IJ m the ·calm 1Ila11ner~
This is f eldom th~ place for ~tihcmence .and
paffion. Emotio·n~ muil: rife,,.as _the JJ~tcp"!rf:C:
advances. The minds of the hearers nruft PC.
gradually prepared, before : ·the. Speak:er. can
venture on il:rong and paffi~nate. · fenuments.
The exceptions to this rule are, when the ~ub4
jCct

INTRODUCTION· .OP· 'A t:HSCCt1RSlt·

381

~'G J~s .fuch,·.
that the:very mention of it natu~·
.

,s.--

or

.{!lllyi awakens· fomc paflionate emotion;
when_ the uncxpetl:cd prefcnce of fome perfori
or object~ in a Popular· Affembly J ·inflames the
~peakci-; aml..makes him l;>~ak forth wich unlilfual :warmth .. · :.Either of thefe will juO:ify·
w!Uc·is called the Exordium a/J abruptu. Thus
fhe:appearance of Catiline in the Senate, reudet9 the vehement beginning of Cicero's firfl:
Or.tcion again{t him very natutal and proper :

L I

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XXXI

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<~ :~oufque tandem; ·Catilina, ab_u tere pa.ti<~' entia no.ftra ?·" ~ricl thus· Bifhop Atterbury,

i.n preaching from this text) '~ BleJTed js he,
Wwhofoe;er !Iiaff not be · offe~ded in me,"
'~nhfrcfa c~·:breaking forth wirh this bold Ex.,
ottlium;c- ;c.c.;And can. any man then be offended
~~·in ,t~~J ~ bleffed ·Jefus ?.. ·which addrefs ro
ow :Saviour> he .c ontinues for a page or two)
trll ' hc enters· on..: the divifion of his fubjeet.
}kt fuch lntroduCtions as thcfe fhould be ha2~rded by· very few, as they promife fo much
vehemence and un.Ction through the reft of the
~ifco:urfe, _that it -is very difficult to fulfil the
b'it:pcfutions of the hearers.

· t1 ;}.:r· the· fame time, though the lntroducti'pti
not the place in which warm emotions
ai;e ufually to be "lttempted, ·yet · I muft take
notice, that it ought to prepare the way· for
fu.ch. as arc defigned to be raifed in fubfequent
p~rts .of the Difcourfe. The Ora.tor thould,

is·

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LE CT.
XXXI.
~

l: i
tNTRODUCTION OF A DISCOURSE.

in the beginning; turn the minds of his hearcn
towards thofe · fentiments and feelings· wbiclt
he fee ks ·to awaken iri the couife of his Speech._
According, for inft~ce, as it is compaffion1
or · indignation, or ·contemp~, Qn . which. his.
Difcourfe is to reft, he ought to Jow the feeds.
of thefe in his Introdutl:ion; he ought to ~...
gin with breathing that fpirit which h.c means
to infpirc. Much of .the Orator's art and.
ability is fhown, In thus {hiking properly at
the commencement~ the key-note, if we may,
fo exprefs· it, of the reft of his Oration,,, .

. hi the fifth place, It is a rule iµ. Introouc..
tions, not to anticipate any m~terial .par~ of
the fubjctl:. When topics, or argumen~..
which are afterwards to be enlarge}:l upon, are
h~nted at, and, in part, brought forth in the:
Introdutl:ion, they lofe .the grace of novelty
upon their fecond appearance. The imprcf..
fion intended tQ be made by :my capita)
thought; is always made with ~he grcateO:
advantage, when it is made ·entire, and in ju·
proper place.

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IN · the laft place, The lntioduction ougln
to be proportioned, both in length and in
kind, to the Difcourfc that is to follow : 1n
length, as nothing can be more abfurd than
to ere.Cl: a very great portico before a f rnaU
building; and in kind, as it is no lefs abford

lNTRODUCTION OF A DISCOGR.SE.

to overcharge,.. with .foperb. ornaments, . the L . ~ c T.
• o f a.p .}am
. d we )}"mg- houfceA .or to mak e. '-=XXXI,
por.tico
_-....
the ~ntranc~ to a monument as gay as .that t0i
an arbour. C.ommon fcnfe directs, that every
part of a Difcourte fhould be fuited to the !train.
and fpirit of tbe·whole.

THEst; are

~he principal

rules rhat relace to

Uitrodu8:io~s. They ar~ adapted, ~ a great
mcafurc7 equally, to Difcourfcs of all kinds.
Jn Pleadings a.t . the Bar, or. Speeches in Public
Afl"emblies1 particu_lar care muft .be taken not
to employ. any Introduffion of that· kind,
which thcadverfe party may lay hold of, and
tum to his advan~agc. To this inconvenience,
thofc lntroduetions arc expofed,.. which are
taken from general and common-place topics .;
and it never fails to give an advcrfary a_ con.fiderable triumph, if: by giving a fmall turn
to (omethmg
had faid in our Exordium,
he c-an appear to convert, to his own favour,
the principles with which we had fet out, in
beginning our attack upon r.im. In the cafe
of Replies, ~inttilia11 m;Akes an obferyacion
which is very worthy of notice·; th3.t Introductions, drawn from f9mething that- lus . been
faid in. the courte of the_Dcb:.tel 'h:ive 2.lw.lys a
p.e culiar grace 7 and the reafon he giv~s for it

l~

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is- juft. and fe.n.Iible:

.M ultu !•l gi:ic:'.!: :::xor<lio
u eit, quod ab ae):ione. diyerfre. p:ir.tis. nuteri:im

u uahit; hoc

«

ipfq~

quod. non ccm,?Q11r:.im_
" dom.1,

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INTRODUCTJON OF ·A DISCOURsE.

"j34

DlVISIO,N OF A ..UlSCOUASE.

fall Qf ~eing tedious. 'J aricty _fhould be fui~i.cd. in this part ~f . compofition as much as
poµible .• ..often lt may be proper t~ begin
~1thout aii.Y -in~rodu.Cl:i~n at all, unlcfs, pcr' lta:os,, one or two·· fentences. Explahlltory Introctuctions from the context, are the moft
mpple of any. and "frequently the beft that ca'n
he
but as they
in hazard of becoming dcy, they fhou~d.never be long. A Hiftoricaf "lnfro.dutl:ion· has, genc~y> a happy
, cff'ctt ·to' 'rolife "attention ; when one can lay
hold upon fame noted fact that is connctl:Cd
wi~ .the Text or the Difcour(c, and, by a pro
illuftrat~on _of it, open the way · to the fu!J.
3ea that is to be trc:itcd of.

domi; ·fed ibi atque c re·natu111; ·.ct facill~
tatc famam "ingenii :auger; . face fimpb""!;
cc cis, fumptiquc c proxim(j feqnouis; fidem
~ quoque .acCJU!fit ; adeo, ut etlainti ·rcliqua
~ fcripta atque· tlabdrll.ta lint, . tamen videatur
•.c tota extemporalis orati~~ ·cuju'l· initi~mi ·ruli~
cc P.repara.turo h~ buiffc, manifeftum eft • :·

.. '.E c 'r. a
XXXI.
ct
Q r

er

ufed :

a praflice as this cannot
and,. indeed, "in ·compofuig Ser-..

IN $ermo_ns.; fuch
tt~e.

place;
mons, few things. arc more difficult than to
remove an appearance ·o( ftiffnefs '.frc>m ·a.o InttoduB:ion, when a fonnal one is ufed. ·:rhe ·
French Preachers, as I bcfo~ obfe~cd
·~
·
.
.
often very fplendid and lively in their Inuodutl:ions; but; among us, attempts of _this
kind arc nc~t always fo ·fucccfsfuL When
long Introdutl:ions arc formed . upon fomc.
common-place topic, as the defirc ofhappincf.$
being natural to man, or the like, they never
• ~ •• An lntroduaion, which is founded upon the pleadcc ing o(the oppofite party, is extremely graceful; for this
•• reafon, that it appears not to haYe been ineditated at
•• home, but to have taken rife from the. bufinrfs. and tO
..:have been compofed on the fpot. Henc:e,.itguesto the
•• Speaker the ttpntation of a quick invention. and .Mldt
•• weight lil:cwife to his Difcourfe, as anlefs and. unl~0 ed; infomach, .that though all the ref!: of 1iis 'Oratioa
•• .fhould be Audied and . written, yet the. whole Dif.. coarfc has the appearance of being cnemporary• ., it
"' is evident that the Litrcdaf'..ioA to it was unJ1rcmedi~

..

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4

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.. .

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.:!

AF'.rER. the lntroduB:ionJ what commonly
comes next in order, is the ·Propofition, ot
Enunciation of the Subjctl:; concerning which
there is nothing to be faid, but that it fhould

be a5 clear and diftina as poffible, Ind cxpre11"cd ~n few and plain. 'words, without the

4

lcaft atfctl:ati~n. To this generally fuccccds
. the Divifion, or the laying down the method
of the Difcourfe; on which k is ncce11"ary to
make {ome obferVations. · I do not mean,
that in every Difcourfc, a forffial Divifion or
t>ill:fibutiQiiofit into
incquifite. There
UC many occafions of Public Speaking when
'this. ls·ncit~er rcquifitc nor would · be proper•
wiien''the· Difcou.r(c,. perhaps, is co be Jhort.
V..oL. II.
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DIVISlON OF A DISCOURSE
L l' c T.
XXXJ.

l>lVISION OF A DISCOURSE.

or only one t>oint Is to be tteat~ of; or Wh~n
the Speaker does not chufe to warn his hearers
· of the mechod he is to follow,, or of the tondufion ~o which he feeks to · brlng them.
Order of one kind or other is, indeed, eJI'ential .
to every good Difcourfe; that is, every thing
fhould be fo arranged as that what goes 'bcfo.re, may give light and force to what follow~.
But this may be accomplifhed by means of a
co~cealed method. What we call Divifion i:;,
when the method is propounded in form. tQ the
hearers.
THE Dif'courfe in which this. fort <>f Dixl.fion moft commonly takes place, is a Sermon;
and a-quefiion-hilit'bec:n _n:i.oved,, ·whei:her lbis
met-hod of laying <lown heads, as it ·is .c:allcd,
be · .the beft metpod qf preachi,ng; A very
able judge, the.Archbifh9p ofCambray, in his
Dialogues on El9quence, . qeclares ftrongly
aga.i.-,fr it. ife Qbferves, that it is a modern
invention; .that -i t was never pr~ctife!i by. the
Fathers of the Church; and, what is certainly
tr~' that . it rook its ~jfe. from the_fchoplmen,
when metaphyfics began t~ be introd_uced into
preaching. He is of opii:iion, . that it. rengers
a Sermon ftiff; that it breaks the unity of the
Difcourfe; and tha~ by the natural conl'\ection of one part with another,, the attention of
the hearers would be carri_ed along the whole
v:irh more advantage.
.

.

.

BtrT_.

3!1'

·BUT notwithftanding his authority and his L:x~I.T.
argum;nts, I cannot help being o_f opi~ion, '--y--J
that the prefent method of div.iding a Ser:non
into heads ouaht not to be laid afide. EftabliChed p~acti;e h.a$ now giv.cn it fo ?1u~h
weight, that, were there nothing more rn Its
favour, it would be dangerous for any Preacher
to deviate fo far 'from the common. trade. But
the praaice itfelf ·has alfo, in my' judgi:n~nc, ·
much rcafon on its fide. If formal p·aruuons
give a Se~on lefs of the oratorial appearance,
they.render it, ho~cver, more clear, m_ore eafily apprehended, and, of courf~, ~ore· mftructive co the bulk of hearers, which is always the
main object to be kept in view. · The heads
of a :Sermon are great affifiances to the memory . and recollection of a hearer. They
feric alfo to fix his attention. They enable
him more · cafily to keep pace with the progrefs of the Difcourfe; ~hey give him paufes
and refting places, where he can reflect on
what has been faid, and look forward to what
is to follow. They are attended with this advantage too, that they.give the audience the
opportunity of knowing, before-h~nd, when
they are to }Je rdeafed _from the fatigue of attention, :ind thereby make them follow the
Speaker ~ore patient!!: "Re.ficit audie~tem,"
fays ~inctilian, taking notice of this very
advantage. of Divifions in other _Dircou~fes,,
cc Reficit audientem certo fingularum partmm

Cc

2.

n

fine,;

Dl\T~.SION . OF ·.f., l)lSCOUJ.lS!.-

3BI
LE CT.
XXXI.

••

" fine; non a1•tei' quam faci,.nribu~. itcc, tn~l­
'~ tu~ -~etrah.u~i: ~atiga.tioniit. J)utataJp,ati~,iQ_,
u fcript1s lap1d:bus: nam et. exhaufti laborii
IC DOffe ffiCnfuram '"volup~ati eft,; . t;t h~rt~~
cc ad reliqua fonius exequenda~ fcire ..quan~
cc tuin.fuperfic ~ .'~ · With regard to brcak~iik
~~ Unity .o f a D~fcourfe, I cannot be o~:opi~.
n10~ tbat .~here anfes, fro~ .that quarter, any
argument :igainft the method I am defendjng;
If die Unity be broken, it is
the nature :oi
the heads, or topics of which the Spc~k~
treats, that this is to be imputed ; not
hi;:
laying them down in form. , On the cop.trary;
if his heads be well'='chofen, his marking. them
out, and dift:inguifiling them, in place. .ol.im .
pairing the unity of. the .whoi~~ renatt$. lt
more confpic11.ous and complefe ~ by fho-wJ~g
how all . th~ paru of a Difc~urfe._.hang -upoo
one another,. and tend to .o ne point

to

to

.IN a Sermon, or in a Pleading, <>r~any:Dif-'
coorfe, where Divifion is · proper to be:ufcd.
the moft material rules are,

"
••
"
.,
-··

• " The coaclufion of each head is. a relief to the
hearers; j aft as, upon a journey; the milc-donea, wt.ida
are fet up on the road, fcne 'tO diminilb the :trncllcr'i.
fatigue. For we are alwaya pleafed with feeing our la~
bour begin to lclfcn ; and, by c~culating how .much
remains, arc flirrcd up to Jinilh our ta1k more cheer:

•• fally." .

Ill
11 1

1111

D rVI'S t 0 N . 0 F
··

A DIS C 0 UR s !!;.

}t-1 R.sT~ That the'Teveral'..parc.s· into. whic~ Lfxii•.''&·

the' f~bjeB: is. divid-~d;·_- he· really -diftinc( fro~
one' 'another; - that is~ ..that' no one. include

aiic;th~r. re w~ie ·;i."very ·abfur~~ Div~fion,. · foi: .
inftailce;· if ·one '1hotild · p.ropole to treat firfra
of'tiie advaritag~s Virtue, _and next, ~r thofe
of' Jufticc or T~mperance ;. becaufe, the firft
head c~ide.ntly ·comprehends the fe.tond, as a ·
Gentis ·'does the Species; which-·inethod of
·p~bce~dtng invol~e~ the fubjeet. in indiitinttJtcfs"and diforder.
·

of

· Stcol'luL¥"j: In Divifion,' we ·muft ~'ke lfare
to' follow the ·order of nature i begin!lirig with
the'.:fi~pleft points, fuch as arc- 'e.{'ftfil aiS°preJicncfed', ·_abd , neceff'ary to be-< firft difcuffed·;
and'pt&c'ee.ding thence to thofe ~hich are built
upoti :the former~ and which {uppofe them to
be known. ·We mufi: divide the fubjeet into
thofe parts, into which moil: eafily and naturally:ic is· refolved; that it may feem to fplit
ltfdf~ •and not to be violently torn afunder -i:
" Dividere," as is commonly faid, ~~ non
cc frangcre."

The feveral member:s of a Divi'.fioh ought to cxhauft the fubjell: ; othc~ife we
de. not make a complete Divifion ; we exhibit
di.e lubjcet lly pieces and corner~ only, wit~­
out giving any fuch plan as difplays the
whole.
TruR.DLY-

Cc3

FOURTHLY)

390
L "£ C T,
XXXJ,

DIVISION OF A DISCOUllSE.

NARRATION AN:D EXPLICATION..

Fou.ll'.J'.JlLY, . The terms in which our parci..:
tioos are cxpreffed~ fuould be as concife as
poffible. Avoid all circumlocution here. Admit not a finglc word but what is ncccfi'ary.
Precifion is to be ftudied, above all things, in
laying down a method. It is this which chiefly
makes a Divifion appear neat and elegant;
when th!= feveral heads are propounded in the
clearcft, moft expreflivc, and, at the fame
time, the f eweft words poffibl~. · TJiis never
fails to fuike the hearers agrecab~y; apd ~
at the fame time, of great confequence towards making the Pivifions be more cafuy.rcmcmbercd,

it will lead them ail:ray in all that follows. It
will render the whole Di(courfe either perplexed or languid ; and though the hearers
may not be able to tell where the fault or diforder lies,, they will be fenfible there is a diforder fomewhere, and find thcmfelves little
affected by. what is fpoken. Tile French
writers of· Sermons ftudy neatnefs and elegance in the Divifion of their fubjefrs, much
more than the · Englifh do ; whofe diftributions, though fcnfible and juft, yet are often
inartificial and verbofe. Among the FrcncnJ
however, too much quaintnefs appears in their
Divifions, with an afreCl:ation of always fetting
out either with two, or with three, general
heads of Difcourfe. A Divifion of Maffillon's
on this text, cc It is finifued," has been much
cxtQlled by the ·F rench Critics : " This imcc portsJ" fays the Preacher, " confummation,
" firftJ of juftice on the·part of God ; fee on dee ly, of wickednefs on the .Pare of men;
cc thirdly, of love on the part of Chrift."
This. alfo of Bourdal01.~e·s has been much
praifed from· thefe wordsJ " My peace I give
cc unto you:" cc 'Peace,·· · fays he, cc firCl:, t<l
cc the underftanding, by fubmiffion to faith ;
'F (econ.d ly, to the heart, by fubmiffion to the:

FIFTHLY, Avoid an unneccffary multiplica.
tion of heads. To fplit a fubjed: into a- grca.t
many minute par.cs, by Divifions arid' Subdi..
vifions without end, has always a bad effect in
fpcaking. It may be proper in logical·treatife; but it ·makes an Oration appear ·hard and
dry, and unneceffarily fatigues the memory.
In a Sermon, ihere may be from three to ·five,,
or fix heads, including Subdivifions',; fddom
fhould there be more.

a

IN a Sermon, or ~n a Pleading· at th~ Bar.,
few things arc of greater confequence, than
_a proper <>r happy Divilion. It fuould . be
ftudied with much accuracy ~nd care; . for if
one take a wrong method at firft fetting out~

it

'~law ...

L l!: CT.

'XXXI.

'---v--'

~

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THE next conftituent part of a Difcou~1e,
which I mentfoned, was Narration or ExpliCc 4
cation.

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..
'~

N All ).ATION "AN'D' ltX·PLlCA'I'ro.:tr..

XXXJ. .. cation•. . I put thcfc . t;,o. togetlter, . both : ~­
' w;. .· caufe they .fall nearly · U~ider - th,:·famerµles,
and bccaufc they commonly anTwer the .lam~
purpofc; fcrving to illuftratc thc.caufc/ot11'e
fubj~a of which the Orator tr~ats., before." he
p1occeds to argue either· on one fide or ·o~er;
or to make any atcemp~ for intcrdqng the
paffions of the hearers.

J.

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C T.

.. IN PleadingS at the Bar, N arratioo is ·often.
~ very important pan of the. D_ifcourfe; · ~nci·

' l

requires to be particularly attended :to-;=:~Bc~·
fides its bein' in any cafc ~o cafy m~~~cr;~o:
relate with grace and propncty> · tk.rc ·.1~;: In ·
Narrations at the. Bar,. a peculiar: difficUlty.'
The Pleader · mu~ fay noihing _· but~iwh'a.f:-:1&'
true; -and, at the fame time~:. he"muft: hvoid
fayinnany thin 0a that will
hul"t ·his:uufe~· 'tii~
b
.
•
fafu which he relates, ·-are to be the:ground
work of all his future rcafonirig.·i. :..To f"Ctou'n~
them fo .. as ·to ·keep ftritUy within:'the bo\fna·s·
of tnJth,
yet to• prefcnt· them ~ndet'thc
colours moft favourable to his caufc.;-to plac~
in the moft ftriking light, ~cry :circumftaqee
~hich is to his advantage,; and. to· foften :.and
weaken fuch as make againft him, dem.and no.
fmall · exertion of fkill and -dextetitf. He!
muft always ~ememb~r, th~t _if .he ·d~fc~vc:rs
too much art, he ~cfrat's_ bis o?in P...~iJ>ofe, anq
creates a diftruft of .his liricerity. ~ ~inB:iliao
~err pr~.Pcdy dirclks, '' .E.ffugicncla m · ~ac
•• pra:c1puc

and

NAR.ltATION .\N1>"HXPLtCATION'.

391

•< pl':e.Cipue _parte>

omnis calliditatis fufpicio j Lfxii_T·
cc ncqu'e .c:rtim ·fc"-t»q\lam magis cuftodit ju- ~
'' dex, ~\lam· l:um n~r~t ora~o~ ; nihil ~
'' vidcatur fi~ .... nthil folhc1tum; omma" pouus a caufa, . '1~ ab· oratorc, .profeB:&:
" videa:ntur ~ .""
· To be clear and difhntl:,, to be pi:oJ>able,
and
be concife, are the qualities which Criri~~:~Jiicfly ·require in ~ Narration;-· each- of
Which carri~ · fufficicntly, the cvidcacc of iis
imPortance.: .Diftinaitcfs belongs to the whole
train of~ Difcourfc, but is cfpccially .rcquifitt in .Narration, .which ought to throw light
o·n·.all· that folli:>ws. A.
or a finglc ·cir.;
eum~ncc left . in obfcurity.,: and mifappre- .
h~de<,I by· the Judgc., may dcftroy the cffetl:
ofaij the . ~gument . and rcafoning which the
Speaker· :employ~. · . Y: ,his -Narration ·be impro~~ble; the Judg~ wjll not· regard · it; and
if -~ .bc: tedious and diffufc; he will be tired of
it, an<J forget i~. In-otde.r to.produce diftinctnc:{$,, _~fidcs theAtudy. of the general rules of
perlpicility :which were .~omi_crJy given., .N arµuori ·rC:quircs particular attention. ·to after~

to

-

raa.

~~~In ~· ~Qf D!fcoorfe. ~e Speaker inuJl be very.
•• c'areful ·to fhun eYery appeaf'Ulce of art and cuaDiog
· .. For tbcR ·is ·no time at which the J11dge is more apo11
.. ~is _g~~ ~hu whca ~e ~Jcadcr/•.~la~~~faas. · Let
•• floth.iag th_C11 feem feigned ; nothing amuoufiy coa" tealtd, Let. all tbat U.faid. appc~;
arife from du:
·IC · ~afe ·itfelr. aad iot co ·be the work of the Orator." ·
I

''°

tain

I.

- ·NAR~AT10N

AND .EXPLICATION.

tain clearly the names, the dates, the places,
apd. every 1;>ther material circumftanc;c of the
f all:s recounted. . In order. to be probable in.
Narration, . it is material. to enter into the ch;i...
raC\:ers of the perfons of whom we f peak~ .and
to fuow, that their actions proceeded from
fuch motives as are natural, and iikely to gain
belief. In order to be as concifc as. the fubjeCl: will admit, .it is necefi'ary to throw out all
· fuperfiuous circumftances ; the .rejetl:ion ·o f
which, will likcwifc tend to make our N arra.
tion more forcible, and more·clear...

Cicuo is very remarkable for his talent
of NarratioJ.l; and from the c:x<J.mplcs .in
his Orations . much may be learned. T.bc
N arrati.o n, for inftance, in the ~cle.brated
Oration pro Milone, has be~n often andjuftly .
admired. . His kope is to fhow,, that .t hough
in fact Clodius .was killed by Milo, or his fcrvants, yet that it was only in felf-defenc~; . and
that the . defign had beep laid, not by Milo
againft Clodius, but by Clodius againft Milo's
life. All the circumftances for rcnderin~ this
probable are painted with wonderful art. ln
relating the manner Milo's fetting out from
Rome, he gives the moft natural defcription
of a family excurfion to the country, under
which it was impoffibJe that any bloody de-··
.fign ·could be ·concealed. cc He remained/•
fays .he, '"iii the Senate-houfe that day, till all
''the bufinefs was over. He came hom.e_,
"changecl

of

:MAR.RATION AND EXPLICATION.

l9~

CT.
"changed his clothes deliberately, · and wait-. LE
XXXI.
cc cd for fome ·time, till his wife had got all '--" J
'" her things ready for going with him in his
., carriage to the country. He did not fct out,
ac till fuch time as Clodius might eafily have
" been in Rome, if he had not been lying in
cc wait for Milo by the way. By and · by,
cc ·Clodius met him on the road, on horfeback_,
•<like a man prepared for aaion, no carriage,
" not ·his wife, as was ufuil, nor any family
'' equipage· along with him : whilft Milo, who
cc is fuppofed to be meditating fiaughter and
cc ~affination, is travelling in a carriage with
cc his wife, wrapped· up in his cloak, embar'' ralfed wi~ baggage, and attended by a
cc great train of women fcrvants, and boys."
He goes on; defcribing the rencounter that
followed, Ciodius's · fervants attacking thofe
ofMilo, and killing the driver of his carriage; Milo jumping out, throwing off his
cloak, and making the be{l: defence he could,
while Clodius'$ fervants endeavoured to furround him; and then concludes his N arration with a very delicate and happy ihoke.
He . does not fay in plain words,' that
Milo's fcrvants killed Clodius, but that,
''in tbe midft of the tu~ult, Milo's fer" vants_, with~ut the orders, without the
"knowledge_, -without the prefence of their
fc_maftcr, did what cveiy mai\:er would have
swifu(d

;

·,

l

i

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.

NARRATION AND .EXP.LI:.ATlON.

tfAR"R ATI ON AND E XPLICATl01".

IN Sermons; where there is -fcldon. any (jj;~
cafion fur Narration, Explication of !tlii tlm"!'
jefr to be difcourfcd on, comers · m the 'P1at:e
of Narration · at the Bar, and is tQ be taken 1Jl>
.. ~ ., Milo, cum.in Sena ta f uifi"ct eo die, qu~4 6eu\~
•• dimilfos e.ll, domum venit. Calccos ct vcftimenta sxtll•
.. uvit; paullfper, ·dam fc ax"C1r (ut fit) comi>arat. com.
•• moratus ·en; deiride profedui ell, id tempori• cum JalQ
•• Clodias, ..fi qiaide'm · eo die · Rcimam vcnt11nu· -era'\, le.
., due potuHfet • . Obviana it ei : CJodiua . expeditm.~ ha
1 f equo, nullarheda, nullis imped~nw, nuµis Grz?.~
.~ coinitibus; ut folebat .i ~~!!-iUcor~-. quod siu~guaadc~:
" Cum bic:.infidiator, qui iter mud ad ~em t.u;lendaua
.. apparim:t, ·cum ..u:xonf . ¥C:Jaer-etu; ~rf ~hid&,.: peoub.i~
.. vulgi magno im,P.edime:'!to.. ac:.mwi!.bri: e.t.. ddix:ato~~

" ~iUarum. pucror.umque co!lli_ta!u~ . ~ F~- -~~~~; ~~<!!!
•• ante rand um cju~,. )rn~a fc:re ~ndec:ia,ia •. .\lilt _non .....'9!d{O
.. fccus. .. "statlm · complures cutil ""l:elii "!. in ." 1iu'iic .
" ciullt -de loco .fapcri<>re impetuiu. : ·· ·adYcfll- ! i~nua
.. occjd11nt; _c\iqi,au~ent · bi~~ 1beda;'."1l'ljctl& :othwa·. 4e1'
.. fihlllret • . feciue ~~#. animo oefendf~.-illi" .s .u i- er~
•• cuni Clodio, gladi~s~u~s._p·~·"' ..,.-:urrl!rte vi rhea•~•­
.. at ter~ Milonein -ado;i"rcntur • pa.rum, . 'iuocl .n.u~
.. jam interfcaum pucareot; "·czae~e 'incipforii~jils rC!r~oi
cc q~i Poll cran~ .i _e~ 41uibus q~I~ •nizno ~eld~ doallJUUll
cc et przfcnti fueruut,. partiuu>ccili l!"1t·; J>lf!tl~; C:~
" rhedam pugnarc ~id~runt, :Ct .d~mino fu_c~_urrere pr~hf:
•• bcrentur, Miloncmqiie ·occifoin cti:i~
"ip~ · c;tod1e
•• audirent, et ita elTe putarcnt;· feceruut id .fc,Yi- MiJoiiii
•• (dic;,m cnim n.on dcrivaadi criminis. caufa.~ fed iu:.f.ao" tum c:.ll) ncque imperantc, ncquc fcicnte, ~ n_eque,.pia:•
"fente domino, ·quod fuos qaifquc fcrvosinb.li re faceJ'O
•• voluiifct."

r...

:a

;d

ex

.much on the fame tone j that is, . it muft be.
coni::ife, clear, and diftirict ; '.and in a Style
correct and elegant, rather than ·highly adorn~d. _ To. explain 'the doctrine of the .t ext
wi~ ~,iopriety; t~. give a full _~d perfpicuous
account of the Qa.tUre 'of that vircue or duty
wruc}). forms the.. fubjet.l: of che Difcourfe, is
properly tbe didactic part of Prea~hlng; on the
right execucion of which much depends' for all
CO'tnes zfc.. 1 ward in the way of perfuafion •
Ttti great" art in· fucceeding in it, is, to meditat~ prc;>foundly on.the. fubject,
as to be able
Jo~ placc i~in .a clear-and {\:rong point of view.
Coilfider what·fight ?ther_paifages.of S~ripture
th.row '1PPn it ; confider whether it be a fubject
n~arly -£clat~d to fome ocher from which it js
proper. to diftinguifh it ; confider whether it
can be illuftraced to adva~cage by comparing
it with, or oppofini.it to, fome other thing;
bJ: enquiring into caufes, or tracing effects;
by pointing out examples, or appealing to the
f~lings of the hearers; that . thus, a definite_.
_prc'rife, · circun_dl:ahtial view may be afforded
0£.. chc doctrine to be inculcated. Let the
Preacher be perfuaded, that by fuch diftinct
and, apt illuftrations of the known truths of religion, . it may both difplay great merit in the
way of Cumpoficion, and, what he ought to
confider as far more valuable, render his Difcourfes weighty, inftruCl:ive, and ufeful.

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.L t C T,
XXXI.

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~~

'l'Hlt ARCUMENTATIVE PART. &c.

j99

arrangement of them ; and thirdfy, the ex- L E c T.
XXXJL
preffing of them in fuch a ftylc and manner, as '- ........,
.to give them their full force.

L E C T U R E XXXII.

firft o( thefe, Invention, is, withouc
doubt, the moft material,, and the groundwork of the . rcft. But, with refpeCl: to this
I am afraid it is beyond the power of arc t~
give ~y real affiftance. A~ cannot go fo (ar,
llS .to fupply a. ~pcaker with ·arguments on
every caufe, and every fubjell:; though.it may
be of confide~able ule in aff'lll:ing him to arrange, .and· cxprefs thofc, which his knowledge
of the rul?je& has difcovered. For ic is one
.thi.ng to difcover.the rea~ons that are mo ft proper to convmcc men, and another.. to manaoe
the_(e ·reafons wich moll advantage. · The lat~r
is all .that Rhetoric can pretend to.

.:1·.
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'~ '.

THE

CONDUCT OF A DISCOURSE......:.THE ARGU!'
MENTATIVE PART-THE PATHETIC
PART-THE PERORATION.
1. E CT.

xxxu.

Lo " """"'

N treating of the conftituent parts of a r~"'
gular Difcourfe ot Oration, I have already
confidered the Introdud:ioo,- the Divifion,, and
the Narration or Explication. . l proceed next
to · treat of the argumentative ot reafoning
Part of a Difcourfe. In whatever place2 or 9n
whatever fuhjeet one fpeaks, this, beyond
doubt, is of the grcatcft confequence. For
the great end for which men fpeak on any fcrious occafion, is to conVincc tbcir hearers o(
fomething bdng either true,, or rjght, or
good .J and, by means of this conviCl:ion, .to
influence their prad:ice. · Reafon and Argu.
ment make the foundation, as I have often inculcated, of all ma~ly and .perfuafivc Eloquence.

I

Now, with refpea to Arguments, three
things are requifite. Firft, the invention of
them ; fecondly, the proper difpofition and.
arrangement

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THE ancient Rhetoricians did indeed at.tempt to go much farther than this. They
,attempted to form Rhetoric into a more complete fyf.lem; and profeJTed noc only co aIIill:
Public Speakers in fetting off their arguments
to moft aq:vantagc; but to fupply the defect
of t~eir invention, and to teach them where to
find arguments on every fubjeCl: and caufe.
Hence their Dod:rinc of Topics.. or, "Loci
0
·Communes,:• and" Sedes Argumentorum/'
whic~ makes ~o great a figure in the writings
of Anftode.. · Cicero,, and ~inetilian. Thefe
!1.
Topics

11~ i
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TH~

ARGUMENTATIVE .PAllT

() 1 A D l S C 0 U R. S. E.

c T. Topics or Loci, were no other than general
xxxu
.
~ 1'deas app l"1cabl e to a great many different
fub ..
jeas, which the Orator was diretled to confult~ in order to find out materials for his
Speech. They had their intrinfic and exufo ..
fie Loci ; forpe Loci, that were common to ~l
t.he diffe~ent kinds <?f Public Speaking, . ~d
fome that ~ere peculiar to each. The c'ommon or·general Loci, were fuch as Genus. and
Species, Caufe and Effea, Antec~dents and
Confequents, Likenefs and Contrariety, Definition, Circumftances of Time and Plac~;
and a great many more of the fame kind. For
each of the different kinds P~hlic Spe~ing,
they had their '' Loci Perfonarum~" and
0
Loci Rerum :" As in Dem"onihativc Or~
tions, for inftance, the heir- s from. whicb.
any one could be decriea or ; aifed ; hi$
binh, his country, his education, his kindred, the qualities of his body. tht. qualities
o_f his rriind, the fortune he ... njoyed, the {b. · .~
t1ons he had filled, &c. ; and in Deliberative '"· <C"" ,..;I i•
Orations, the ~ opics th:it might be ufed in
~ecommending any p~blic meafure, or di.ffuad~
mg fro~ it; fuch .as, honefty,jufticc,· faciliti.
profit, plcafure, glory, affiftance from triends1
mortification to enemies, and the like.
L .E

of

I

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11

f

~.

THE Grecian Sophifi:s were the firft invent..
ors of this artificial fyfiem of Oratory ; and
they 1howed a prodigious fubtilty, and fcrtµ!r:z·

4o

ill"

in tha conmvance of thefe Loci.

Succeeding
Rhetoricians; dazzled by the plan, wrought
them up "inco . fo '· regular a fyftem, that one
would think they meant to teach how a perfon
might mechanically ·become an Orator, with~
out any genius at all. ·They gave him rectipts for making Speeches, on nil manner of
fubjc:tl:s. Al the fame ""time; it is evident,
that though this ftody of common places might
produce very thowy academical declamations)
it co~ld never ·produce -ufcful difcourfes on real
bufinefs~ ; The Loci indeed f upplied •1 mo ft
~xiiberanC-fCcundity of matter. One who had
110-oth"et:a1m; but to talk copioufly and plau·1ibiy, ·by 'cbf1(u1iing them on every fubjecr,
and laying ho1d of all that they fuggefted,
migtit ·difcourfe without end ; and t~~t too,
tliough be had none but the mo!l: fuperficial
knowledge of his fubjett. But fuch _Difco"UrCe,
co!Jld be no other than trivial. What is truly
fotid _and perfoa!ive, mufl: be drawn re" ex vif~,- cenbus ·caufa:," from a thorough knowledae
.
~
of the fubjeCl:, an~ profound meditation on it·.
They who would · direct ftudents of Oratory co
Inv other · fources of Argumentation, only de1\Jde them; and by attempting to render Rhetoric too perfect ail arr, they render it, in truth,
• trifline?; and childiih fi:udy.

L t CT•

XXJtlI,

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ON this dofuine, therefore, of the Rhetorical
.J.:qci, orTopica, I think it fuperfluous to infi!t~

Vo&.. 11.

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THE ARGUMENTATIVE PAR'I'
LE CT.

"xxu.

L

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If any think that the knowledge of them ma'/
contribute to improve their invention, .and
extend their views, they may confult A.riftodc
and ~inctilian,.or what Cicero has .written
ori this head, in his Treatife De InventitUt«.
his 'I'opica, and Second Book De Oratore.
But when they are to prepare a Difcourfc, '.by
which they purpofe to convince a Judgc, or ~
produce any confiderable effect upon an Af-..
frmbly, I would advife them to lay afidc their
common places, and to think clofcly of their
fubjet\. Demofthenes, I dare fay, confultcd
none of the Loci, when he was inciting.. the
Athenians to take arms againfl Philip 9• and
where Cicero has had recourfe to them,... his
Orations are fo much the worfe on. that ac.. '
count.
I PROCEED to what is of more real ufe, to
point out the affiftance that can be given,, not
with refpea to the invention, but with refpea:
to the difpofition and c0 nduCl: of Argu1nents.

Two different methods may' .be ufed by
Orators in the. conduct of their reafoni~g.; the
terms of ar~ for wh.icll:~re, tjie Analytic,,. and
the Synthetic method.. The Analytic is, when
the Orator conceals . hi~ intention concerni~_g
the point he is to pPove, till he has gradually
brought his hearers to the defigned conclufion.
They are led on, ftep by ftep,, from one known .
truth

7

·t> P A D I S"C 0 U ll S E.

.fOJ

1ruth to· another; ·tilf ·the ·conclufion be.ftolen
upon .. them,; as the ·naroral · confequence of ·a
chain .ef propafitions. .As> for inftance, when
one intending .tu· prove the _being .of a . God,
fcu .out: with.obferving that every thing which
we fee in the world has had a beginning ; that
:whatever hu;had a beginning; mu ft have had :a
ptior.-caufo_;~ that in human. productions, art
iioW11 in .tjic effect, neceffarily infers defign ·in
ahe cautc; ~d proceeds leading you on (rom one
a.u.1e to.another> till you ·arrive at one fupreme
firft caufe, from. whom is derived all the order
:ahd deiign vifible in his works • .: This is much
rhc ~with the Socratic .method, by whicfl
.that_ :Philofopher filenced the Sophifts of his
age. · ·1c ·is a very ~rtful method of reafoning·;
may .be carried on with · much beauty, and is
proper to be ufed whc:n the h~arers are much
.prejudiced againft .any truth;_ and by imperttptibh: fteps muft be led to conviction. ·
B\JT there are few -fubjects that will admit
this method,, and not many occafions on which
it is ptoper to be employed. The mode of
lcafoning moft generally ufed," and moft fuited
to the ttain of Popular Speaking,· is~ what is
Called the Synthetic ; when the point to be
proved is iairly laid down, and one Argument
aftct another is made to bear upon it, . till the
6tarcn be fully ci>nvinccd..

D d

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Now,

LE CT.

X"Xi1."·
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':'HE ARGUMENT.ATI_YE .PAR"r

4e+
J. t: C T.

xxxu.

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Now, in all arguing, one of the firft. uyng.t
to be attended to •s, · among the v;ufou.~_4r~
men ts which ma}' occur upon a_caufe~; - to,~k'!
a proper feletlion of fuch _.. appear rto.o,~··
fclf the moft folid; · and to. employ thcfc as~~!
chief mean.9- of perfuafion.. Every Speak~
Jhould place himfelf in the fi.tuation of a. hearera:
and think how he would be a·ffeCtc~by·~of~
reafons, which he purpofes to employ for ~r~.
fuading others. For he muft not cxpeet . ~
impofe on mankind ·by mere acts of Spee~.
They are not fo eafily impofed on, . P.ubH~
Speakers arc fometimes apt to think• .. Shi-cw4;
nefs and fagacity are found among all ran~~~(
2.nd the Spea}c.er may be praifed, f9r. his fine
Difcourfe, while yet the hearers .arc not -F~
fuaded of the truth of any one i:bing he - .

as

as

nttcrcd.

Suno:11Nc me Arguments properly c:J,Ofc:.11.
it is evid~nt that their effect will, . in fomc mc:a~
fore, depend . on ·.the. righi .arrangrmc.nt of
them J • fo .as they f4all, not, .juftle and. em bu,.,
rafs one another, but give. mutual aid.-; ~Qd
bear with · the faireft a.nd .fulleft dirc~ion· ..PD
the point in view. ... Concerning this, .the,.£ol.+
lowing .rules may be tak~n :.

C 1" A ' u·I S 'C 0 UR s·E".
"£' c T.
prove ohe of otli.er "'(thefce t h ree t h •ings ; t·h_at t; xxxn.
fomething · is · true'· that it is mdrally right or '- , J
fit'; or that~ iS profitable-and· good. · Thcfe
make ~ 'the: thrt:e· ·great fu~jeB:s .of· .dif<!uffion
:.mong·iriankind-{"Truth; Duty,-· ind Inter.eft.
Bttt' the Arguments direcrcd towards ·any one
. .of"tht!tn are ' genericaliy diftina i and he wh-o
tilcndS'>them 'all imder one Topic; which he
cans his Argument, as; ..in Sermons efpecially,
is: too ofcen done; will render his reafoning in.:.
<fifHritC'and inelegant. Suppofe-, for inft:ance,
th~t l'am recommending to an Audience Benc!volerice, or the · Love of our Neighbour;
.arld " tha~ I · take my firft Argument, from the
irr~ard fatisfaB:ion which a benevolent temper
affords'; • my .. fecond, :. from the obl j gation
wliich •the example"' oC-Chrift lays upon us to
this·duty;.. and my third, from its tendency
to procure us the good-will of all around us ;
m{ 'Arguments are· good, but I have arranged
them wrong:· for my firft and third Arguments are taken from confiderations of intereft-, •ntcmal peace, and external advantages;
and betiveen the!e, I have introduced one,
whicli refts wholly upon tluty. I Owuld have
kept-thofc daffe!i of Arguments, which are addreifed . to · different principles in· human nature, fepa.rate and diil:inB:.

IN the firfl: place, avoid blending Arguments
confufedly together, that arc of a foparatc na-

ture. All Arguments whatever are directed to
prove

IN the fecond place, With regard to the
different dt"gr<."ei. of ftrength m Arguments,
D d 3
the

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THE ARGUMENTATI·V~ PAR. T

IN t~e third place~ When our Argument4
arc ftrong and fatisfaEl:ory, the mote they are
diftingui.lhed and treated apart from ea.ch
other"

rs c 0 u R 9 R.

other, the better. Each.. can then bear to be LXXXlt.
1! c T.
brought out· by itfelf, placed in its full light, ~
amplified and ·refted upon. But-when our ArR\\t'n,nt< ue · do\\htfol, and only of the prefompdve klnd, it li. fafcr to throw them to•
gcthcr in· a crowd; and to· run them into one
aridthfr: " uc ·q u:e font natura imbecill:i,''" u
~inttilian fpcaks, · c4 mutuo auxmo fufiine" anttJr ;'.. that · though infirm of' themfelvcs.,
they may fer-Ve mutually ·to prop · each other.
He -g~vcs. a good example, in the cafc o( one
who was accofed· of murdering a relation,
tt.t whom he was heir.
Dirctl: · proof was
1'{inting ; but, •• you expctl:cd a fuccefc~ :fion.,. and a great fucceffion ; ·you were in
o diftreft circumftances; · you were pu1hed
"the uunoft by your creditors ; you had of•• {roded your relation, who . had .made you
'" hi$ heir ; you knew that he · wa~ juft then
" intending to alcer his -Will '; no time was to
., be loft. Each of thde particulars, by·itfelf,"
fays. the Author, · cc is inconclufivc; but.when
u they were. zffcmblcd in one · gl'oupe, they
·~a.ve cffcCb'..l

L ixiii• th~ general rule is, .to advance in the Waf' ()f

r. ~ . chma~, " · l!t aug~~tur f®p~r;. ct foacfcu
" oratio." Th is ~fpec;ially i' to be the c:Ourfe
whft\ tht Spok.tr h~i ~ dor ~a.uf~, -."d ii~
fi<lt-nl tl1at he can prove.1~ flJJly. .lln may UlCIQ
adventure to bt:gin . wit~ f{ch]cr argument&
rifing gradually,_ and nQt putting forth hi:
whole ftr~ngch . till the laft, whep· he can. rr.u(t
to. his ~aking a fuccefsful impreffion -on the
minds of hear~rs, prepared by whac has· gone
before Eu.c this rule is not .to. ~ always (ot...
lowed. For, if he diftrufi:s his:caufe, and has
but one material Argument on which ro lay
the fir~fs, putting lefs confidence in .the rcJl
in. this caf~, it is .oft;en proper for.h~ in plac;
this maten~l Argument in the front;.; to· ptt;.
occupy the hearer.s .earlya and make the
firongeft effort at fuft; th~t, bU(jng r.cmovcd
prejudices, and difpofed t.hem to be filYOUTable,
tpe reft of his re.a foning may be liftenod t~
with more candour.. . When it happens, that
.amidft a variety of Arguments, thert are ona
or two which we arc fcnfible are more inooncl~five than the reft, and yet proper ro beu(cd.
Cicero advifes to place thefe in the middle, · a1
a ftation lcfs confpicuous t~tt ;either tho ibe~
ginning, or the c:nd • .of the train cif r~afo.nin&

D

to

•

Or ·the diftlntl: amplification of one 'per-·
{'QfiVe Argument, we· have a moft beautiful
example, in Cicero's Oration for Milo. The
Argument i$ . taken from a circumftance of
time. Milo was candidate for the · Confulibip a and. Clodius was ·killed a few day$ be-

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THE AR.9.UMEN·'.f.ATIVtt.: fART

(ore the .elctl:ion • . He ~' if .i.ny_one ~oukl
?eli~ve th;lt Mil'! wou_ld be .• ~ad:t':Qougl\; :'
f~~h a qiti~al time.1 by '~oft ~lO".JS affa!ri,¥~
t10~ to al1en~tc from hiqifclf ~e fayQur of
pc~p~e~ whofc fuffrlltges he· w~s .f~ ap~i9qQy
courting?. T_hi~ Argume9f, th,c ffi()~cq~J~M
fuggefted? appe:ir~ to h~vc coqfidcrablc ~'ig~
~ut ~t, was not c:nough, fi~ply t~ fuggc,fy ,~i''
tt ~~~Id bear t? be _ dw~~t -_ upon, apd . ~f9,~g~V
out JPt<> full light. ~he Ofatoi:, ~hercf~m,~
'=1raws a jull: and fhiking pi~~e of !hat {ol_
iC:j,t1
ous attention ~~th _whic~ ~and.~da.trs_, 1Lt f\i~~;;
feafon, always found . i~ ~e(:cff.ary tQ cµltlv~~A
the good opinion ~f the: people. ,. !.', ~~-t~i:nr
:: .Pore/' .~a~s ~1e. '~: .(Sdp. enim-, q~;~ ':.tj{nj,'4
fit am~mo, ttuantaquc ct quafll follicita,
~', c?J>i.~it~~ ~onfu~~tm). .. omnµr.: JlQ{'
r.d • c~wn
•
•
I
'.,.qua;:.reprehendi pa1am> -.I~
qua:=-~~
' ·' fcurc cogitari · poffunt, timemus~ ': · :Riini~.
:: r~~' :fa~~l~r:n ~~aa_~ ~.t f~(aii)~· pcrho.rre1Q~.
. mu:; _;.. ~ra pmmtJm .atque !>CUJ® intuemur.:.·
" -~ihil ~nim dl . tam .t~e.rum.,- . tam ~~t fr.a.;.
" gile aut ~exibiJ~, quam volu.iit~: tfgo'"n·o~
~ fenfufquc civium, · qu! .non modi j~prpPi~
~ tati i~afcunt~ candidatorum~ . fed ctiam , ;~ ,
" . r.eac faltis f3:pc· . ~aftidiu_nt~~' _·. · Fr~m ::al[·
which h()-moll: juft1y concl1:1d~s,, er Hun~ ~i~I)\:
·~ igitut ~ampi~ fperat~m atque. . ~.xopta.tum.~· ,
" fibi proponens Milo, .cruencis manjbus,. fee ..
cc lus atquc facinus prz fc feren5> · ad illa cm-'·
"' turiaram aufpicia· veniebat? -~;µl_l hc;>c}n'. ,

ai

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A . l) I S C 0 U R. S E.

'ic· illo : minimum credibile• !'• Bui: tliou.g h
"fuch amplification as this be t"ictreme1y beauti:..

fur, ·I

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.XXXll:
I

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mufi: add·a caution,

IN the fourth place, againfi: extending .Arguments too fat; . and multiplying them . coo
~~ch ...' !his ferV_es ·~ather. ~o render .a caufe•
fllfp«!frro;_ th'an' t<?,''give· it weight. An un-:·
~ectftary _m ultiplicity of Arguments, both burc:f~iis.. the memory, and detraCts . from -~ the
~eight of that co~vietiO~, · which a few well
chof~n A,rgu~ents carry • . It is to be obferved
i'oo~· thic 'i n the Amplification of Arguments,
~·:(tJ.ffilf~~ ;~d _fp~~ading method, beyond the
bOU.QcIS of' ,.,.afon~ble illufl:ration, is. always en::·~'~'Welf do I

k.10\V

to wllat length the timidity goes of

·~.(uch1a.t are cmdidates for public offices. and: how many
•: a;n,xi9Qf car~s ao~ aucntioDI, a anvafs for the Confulfhip

" neceffiUily carries. along .with it. On fuch an occafion,
···~ ~ ·aft~ici n~t
of ~vh~t- ~e
openly be re!'-proachea: ~ith, bat of what others may think of us in .
••-fecret• . The fligbtell rumour, the moll improbable talc
~~.~at _Cal\ be dcvifed to our prcj udice, alarms and difcon·~ certs us. We ftudy the countenance, and , the look!,. of
!.; ~l' lani~'nd
For nothing is fo delicate, fo frail; and
~~H«tta.ln, anhe public f:l.vour. Our fellow-citizens not
.,·onl)' are-jlilUy offended with :the vice• of candida1c:s, -but
f' evea~ Qn. occaf&on Qf meritorioas atlions, are.ape to con.; Cieive capricious difgu.fts. Js there then the leall Credi-.
•a. biJity that ·Milo. ifter having fo iong fixed his attention
!'. oo ·th_e important an·d wilhed~for day of dell.ion, would
.. care to have any thoughts of ·prefenting . bimfelf before
, .. the ~ogufl Afi"embly of. the ·People, ;u :a murderer and
.. :aJraJiin, with his h:ands embrued in blood?,.

·c,n,y

may

us.:·

4

feebling.

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·HO
LE CT.

xxxn.

....... 4

THE PATHETIC PART OF A DISCOURSE•.

fecbleing. It ta~es off greatly from th:it " vis
cc ct acumenJ". which !hould be the diftinguifh·
ing character of the Argumentative Part of a
Difcourfo. · Vvhen a Speaker dwells long on a
favourite Argument, and feek!: to turn it into
every poffiblc Eght, it dmo!l: always happens.
that, fatigued with the effort, he lofc.:s the fpirit
with which he fer out; and concludes with
feeblenefs, what he began with force. ·There
i~ a proper temperance in reafoning; as there
is in o.ther parts of a Difcourfe,
due :mentien given to the proper arran()'ement
of Argumeots, .what is next rco
quifite for their fuccefs, is to exprefs the:n · ~n
fuch a Style, and to deliver them in fuch
a manner, as !hall give them full · force~
On thefe heads 1 muft refer the Reader to the
dir~Cl:ions I have give~ in treating_ofStyle, i~
former LcC\:ures; ~nd to the dir~Cl:ions I am
;.fterwards to give concerning .Pronunciation
and Delivery~
AFTER

I PROCEED, therefore, next, to. another cfl"ential part ?f Difcourfe which I me~tio~ed as.the
fifrh in order, that is_, the Pathetic; m which,
if any where, Eloquen.ce rei~ns,. and. e~erts its
· power. I fhall not, 1? begmnrng this hea~.
take up t~me in combating the fcruplcs of thole
who have mpved a qucftion, wl1ether it -be
confiil:ent with fairnefs and candor in a Public
5,Peaker,, to addrefs the paffions of his Audience?

'THE PATHETIC PART OF A DISCOURSE.

•Pl

cience? This is a queftion about words alone, L ~'EX~I;:·
and which common fenfe eafily determines. In ~
enquiries after mere truth, in matters of ftmple
information and infrruCl:ion, there is no queftion ·
that the paffions have no concern, and that all
attempts to move them are abfurd. Wherever
convittion is the objetl:, ii: is the underfi:anding alone that is. to be applied to. It is by argument and reafoning, that one man attempts ·
to fatisfy another of what is true, or right, or
ju ft 1 but ii perfuafion be the objeet, the cate
js · changed; In all that relates to praetice,
there is no man who ferioufiy means to per- .
fuade another, but addrelf~s himlclf to his
paffions more or lefs; for this plain reafon_,
L"lat paffions are the great fprings of hum:in
action. .The moll: virtuous man, in treating
of the moft virtuous fubject, feeks to touch
the heart of him to whom he fpeaks; ·and
makes no fcruplc to raifc his indignation at
injufi:ice, or his pity to the difrreffed, though
pity and indignation be paffions.

1·1

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IN treating .of this part '!f Eloquence, the
anticnts made the fame fort of attempt as they
~~ployed ~ith refpect
the argumentative
part, in. ord~r to bring Rhetoric into a more ·
·perfeet fyftem. They enquired metaphyfically
into the nature of every paffion; they gave a
definition, and a d~fcription of it; they treatell
of its caufcS;. its cffeas, and its concomitants;

to

and

I j,j

THE PATHETIC PART OF A DISCOURSE.

c . T. and thence deduced rules fqr '!orking upon.it.
x:um. A n·n:ot1e ·m· parucu
· 1ar has,
· ·m· h'1s T rca~fc up<>n
'--y--J
L E

Rhetoric, difcu!l."ed the· nature ·of the ·patlions·
wit~ much profoundnefS and fubtilty; and.
what he has writte_n on that head, may be reacl.
with no fina~l profit, -~ a valuable piece of
Moral Philofophy ~ but whe~ner it will .h a.v e anp
effect in rendering .an Orator : more pathetic,
is to me doub_tful. It is ·· not; .I :am · afr.i1d_,
any philofophical knowledge of· the paffions,
tha~ can C01_
1fer this talent~ We muftbe ind~~t:­
ed for ~t to Nature, to. a certain ftrong .and
ltappy fen~b~lity of mi11d; . and one ~ay bc . ,a
moft thorough adept in all the fpecula.uve ~
knowledge that. can be. acqt1:ired conccr~1{1g
the paffions, ·and . rema~~ ·~t
fame rime a
cold and dry Speaker•. rhc ufc of rules· and.
inftrultions Of\ this ·o r · any other part 9f" Ora,..
tory, is not to fupply the want of gena~s, but
to di:-eCt i~ where it. is. found, ._mto its: prop~r
channel; to affifr kin e.xerpng itf.clf~with moft.
advantage, .and to prevent the errors and.ex,._
tr~vaganc_icS·.i~_to. which}.( i~, .fp~:~~im.es . apt ~
r~n.. On t.h e head 01 _t_he .·l>~~e_r•c;, . t)i~ followi~g· oirell:ions :!fpear to .rn~ to. be _ufeful • .

tnc

THE- firft _
i s ~o confide{ carefully> whethet,
rhe fobjett ·admit :the· Pathetic, and . render it·
proper; ~nd if it does, what part of the· Dif-·
courfe is the moft proper for attempting it. To•
determine thefe points belongs to good fenfe f

for

for ~t is evide11r, ..th~t there :ire many fubjetts L_E c T.
. h d ·
he p
.
·
xxxn.
-w: h.. ic, a m1t .,not .t
atheuc at all, and .that ._ " ~
cv:e.n m thofe that. are..fufceptible of it, an at~~
te.~pt to. excite the p~ffions in the w~ong place,
rpay _expofe an Orator ,to ridicule. All that
ca~ ~e .faid ~n genera.I is, that· if we expect any
cm~t1~r;i w h.1c,h .we i:a1fo to have a lafting effect,
w~;,~~~ b~ _careful to bring over to our ficlc..,
i[\_ t~<fi~ place, the underftandJ.ng and judgm_~~t •. .. ';l',he_ h_earers muit be convinced that
tli~.rc:~ ':ir~ good and (u~cient grounds, for ~heir"
cp~~rf.n.g . ~it!i ~ar~th into _the .c aufe. They,
n:iufl)~C: ~hie to JUft1fy_to themfe~ves the paffion
~N.~h:they :ed; ·and remain fatisfied that they
a:.e.. !1<?.~. ~a~ned away by mere delufion. Unl~fs, gi~ir rfiin'ds. ~e brought into this ftate; al-"
th.9ugh :.ther may 'have been. heated by the
O~a,~~r'.s d~f~~urfe1. yet, as foon as he ceafes to
fpe~k, _t~ey_'will .~efurn_e their ordinary tone of
thotighti ' arid ·the· emotion which he has raifed
viiildie -~~dr~ly ~~a·y. Hence ~oft writers
aflJ:g~ ~e.· P~_thetic_ to the Peroration or Cond~~?n,':a.~ _ it.~ :°atural place; and, no doubt,
~~'. ~tlie~ . t.h~ngs b,e ing equal, this is the impreffion t~at ~me w_o uld chufe to make lafl:, leaving
the mmch of the hearers warmed with the fubjefr~ after. argument and reafoning had produced me1r full e~ect: but wherever it is introduced. 1 muft advife,

I ·'

• f,

I'

:;,

I

'

1

''"

l.EC'C
XlCXJI.

.... '-.J

THE PATHETIC PART OF "A DISCOURSE.

.JN the fecond place, i'ievel" to fet apart

41~

THE PATHETIC· PART OF · A DISCOURSE.
&

head of a difcotirfe in .form, for rAifing atif
paffion; · never give warning that you -ar~
about to be pathetic ; and call .upon yout
hearers, as is fometirrtes done, to fallow yau ilt
the·attempt. This almoft never fails t.o prove
a refrigerant to pailion~ · It puts the hearers
immediately ·on their guard, and tUfpofo
them for tritii::iung, much more than for be"
ing moved. The indirett.. method Of making
an imprellion is likely to be more fuccefsfui;
when you feize the critical mornent that i~·
"\tourable to emotion, in whateve~ pare ·or tht
difcourfe it occurs; and then, after"tlue preparation, throw in Tuch circumftanccs, ·and
prefent fuch glowing images, as may kindle
their "paffions before t'hey are aware~ ·This
can often be done more happily, in a few frntences infpired by" natur~ wanntll, than : in -a
!Ong and ftudied Addrcfs.

ra.

IN the third place, lt is ncccitary to obfcrve,
that there is a greardifference between fhowing
the hearers that they ought to be moved, and
actually moving them. · This dHl:int'tion is
not fufficiently attended to, cfpecially by
Preachers; who, if they l1ave a head in thtit
Sermon to fuow how much we are bound to be
grateful to God, or to be compaffionate· to the
~iil:reft, are apt to imagine' this to be a pathetic
patt.

part. Now, all the Arguments you produce i:. tr c T.
I\..
·
xxxn.
d
. ·.
h . .
to mow m~,, w1lY 1t, 1s my uty,. w y 1t 1s rea• ·~
fonable and .fit, t}µt I thould be moved in .a
.~ertain way, go . no .further ·than to difpofe or
preparcme for entering into fuch an emotion 9
but. they do not aetually excite it. To. every
emotion or paffion, Nature has adapted a fet ot
correfponding objcets; and, without fetcing
dtcfe be~orc the mind, it is not in the power of
any Orator to raife that emotion. I am warm~
ct\ °with .gratitude, I am touched with compallion, not when a Speaker fhows me that
thcfc. arc noble difpofitions, and that it is my
duty to feel them; or when he exclaims againft
me for my indifference and coldnefs. All this
time, he is fpeaking only to my reaf~n or con ...
fcicnce. . He muft defcribe the kindnefs and
~endernefs of my friend; he m~fl fet before me.
the ~ftrefs fuffer.ed by the perfon for whom he
would intereft me; then, and not till then, my
heart begins to be touched, my gratitude or
my.compaffion begins to flow. The foundation,, therefore, of all fuccefsful execution in
the "way of Pathetic Oratory is, .to paint the
objett of that paffion whic!'i· we wifu .to raife, in
the moil: natural and il:riking 11_1~nner; to defqibe it with fuch circumftances as .are likely
tQ awaken it_ in the minds of others. Every
paffion .is moft ftrongly excited by fenfation !
as anger, by the feeling of an injury, or ~e
~fence of the injurer. Next to the influence

of

THB PATHETIC t'AR.T-OF A l>ISOOUIUL

416
L J! ·c T.

xxxu.

. . . . .J

THE. PATHETIC PART. OF A DISCOURSE. ,

of.-Senre~ .is _that--of -Memoryr~and next •
Memory is, the in~uencc-0f the Imagination.·
. Of ~his power, therefore, the Orator muft· avail

himfelf, fo as to ftrike the imagination of the
hearers with circumftances which, in luftrc and.
. fteadinefs, tefemble thofe of Sehfation and Re~
mcmbrance. In ordet to atcompli!h thls,

· IN the fourth place, the only dfe8:ual me~
thod is, to be moved yourfelves.: ··There arc a
thoufand intercfting cir:cumftanccs · fugge1\:ed.
by real paffion, which no art can imitate, and·
no refine_ment can fupply. There iS obvioufif
a contagion among the paffions.
Ut ridentibus arrident. fie ftcntibus adflent.
Humani vultus.

The i~ternal emotion of the Speaker adds a
pathos to his words, his looks, his gcftures,,
and his whole manner, which exerts a power'
almoft irrefiftible o\·cr thofe who heN" him 1".
But on this point, though the moft-material of. .
all, I fhall not now infift; as I have often h"ad
• "' Q.:;id enirn aliud e.II C.ufai tit laientei, ~~ ~nti

·~ dolore, difertiffime qazJam ei.:damare videantur:1

cdra

..
..
••
••

nonunqu:im in indoais · qu.oque eloquentiam fadat·
qnam quod illis inell vis mentis, et veritas ipfa Marum
quare in iis quz verilimilia elfe voiu'nius, fimos· ipi
6miles eorum qai vere patiuatur, affellibus; et 'a . uJi ·
11
animo proficifcatur oratio qualem facere judicem vol~
•• Afticiamur a.nteq,uam afticcrc 'conemar."

t

Q..rnncT. Lib. 6.

occafion

fuow,

4-'7

x'xiu:··

eccafion before .t,0
that: . all attempts to- L
wards. . becoming :Pathetic. ·when we are noc '- .,
~oved ourfelves, .expofe us to certain ridicule.
Q,£nrcTILIAN, .wh9 . .difcourfes upon this
C..sbjea: .with .Plucp goo<;l Jen(e, takes pains to
inform µs ·of ~he method which he ufeq, when
be ~.. a Public_. Spcak~r, for entering into
tllof~ ,pa!lions. which he wanted to ,excite in
others• · fetting Qcfore _his own imagination.
~-.t h~ calls, .~' Phantafire," or u Vifiones,,•.•
fl:.r ong piet\J.res of the diftrefs or i~dignities.
which. .they had fu.ffered, whofe caufe he ~as to
pleaµ,, and·· for vihom. he was to intereft his
hearers; dwelling upon thefe, and putting
bimfel£·in ·.their fituation, till he was affetl:ed
by a paffion fimi)ar to that which the perfons
thecnfelves had .felt.•. .To this method he att.ributes :µ1 the fuccefs he ever had in Public
Speaking,
there can be no doubt, that ·

~

11·'

I
,I

and

· • " Ut homincm Oc:cifum querar; non omnia quz ia re
•• prcfcnti acciwffc crcdibile ell, in oculis habebo l Non
·~ _pcrci&fiOr me .fubitus crumpet l non expavefcet circum.; nntus l exclamabit, vel rogabit, vcl fugiet ? . non fericn.. tem, °'on concidentem videbo? ~on· animo fanguis, et
.f_.paflor,.et gemitas, cxtrcmus denique expirantis hjatus,
•'!nlidetl:..;.:Ubi vcro mifcratione opus erit, nobis ea de
•f ~uibus querimu ·accidi.m~ crcdamus, atquo id uimo
•• notiro perfuadeanius: . Nos illi fimas, quos gravia, in•!'.digna, triftia,·palfos queramur. Nee ag:imus rem quafi
ei-&Uenam; fed aft"umamus parumper ilium dolorem. Ita
•'.die.emu, quz ia 6mili notlro cafu dit\uri e1fc111us...

Lib. 6.

V QJo II.

E c

whatever

l

l
I

J
I

II
1

4ti
J. E

THE P...1THETIC l'All.T DF.A DISCOURSE.

whatever tends. to-jnc;reafe_ 311..OratorS. fcnJi,.-. , biliry,. will add gr~. \~f 10 his fathetic_Provcn.
c

T.

:xxxu.

IN the fifrh place, Ir is necdfary to attend
to the prop~r langu;\gc of the paffions. We.
fuould obiave in w1a.t manner any oae: cxpre.ffes himfdf who is under the powet of a
real and .a fl.rong paffion; and we fhall-alway.s
find his. language unaffetl:ed and fimple. It
may be animated, indeed, with bold and
1trong figures, but it will have no .ornament'OI'

finerv. He is not at leifure to follow ol.,l! .the
play ·of Imagination. · His mind being wholly
feized by one objelt which has heated it, _hf;
has no other aim, bur to r-eprefent dia~ in .rul
its circumftances, a$ ftrongly .as ho feds Jc;
This muft be the S~yk of the Orator, whca'.he
would be Pathetic ' and this will be his S~l~>
if he fpeaks from real feeling; bold, ardent,
fjmple~ No fort of defcdption will .ihen fuc ....
ceed, but what is written " fervcnte. calamo,"
If he ftay till he can work up his Style.., and
p_olifu and adorn it, .he will jQ.faJlib]_y C9Ql ])is
own ardor; and then he will touch the heart
no more. . His <:ompofition will becQ.mc
frigid; it will be the ianguage of one who.
defcribes, but who dQes not feel. We mult
take notice, that there is a great difference.
between painting to the imagination... ap,d
painting to the heart. The one may be done
coolly, and at leifure: the other muft always

+

be.

419

Tiffi PATIIET!C PART OF A DISCOURSr..
be rapid and ardent. In the form~r, art and
labour may be foffered to appear ~ m the latter, no effect can follow, unlefs it fcem to be
the work of narure only.

t !

c T.

XXXll.

lN the fixth place, Avoid interweaving a~y
thing of a foreign nature with th~ pathetic
part of a Difcourfe. Beware of all d1greffions>
which may interrupt or turrt afidt: the natural
courfe of the·paffion 1 when once. it begins to
rife and fwell. Sacrifice all beauties; however
bright and fhowy; which would divert the:
mind from the principal object, and which
would amufe the imagination, rather than
touch the heart. Hence compari(ons are al.ways d~ngerous, and generally quite improper_.
the midft of paffion. Beware even of rea;..
foning unfeafonably; or, .at leaft, of ~arrying
on a long and fubtile tram of reafonmg, on
occafions when the principal aim is to excite
warm emotions.

m

IN the }aft place, N c:ver attempt

prolong~

ing the Pathetic too much. Warm emotions
ate' to0violc:nt to be: lall:ing•. Study the pro.• .. Nunquam debet efi"e longa miferatl.o; um c~ai
•• -reros dolores mitiget tempw, cicius nanefcar; necetfe eft
•• ilia, quam dicendo eflinximus, imago 1 i? q?a• ii mo.ra"
••"iaar, Lacrymis fatigatur auditor, et req11aefc1t, et ab 1110
•• 41aem cepent impetu, in rationem redit. Non patiamut
"igiturfrigefcere hoc opus; et aff'eaum, cum ad fommum
11 perduxerimus,
relinquamnJ i nee fperemu1 fore, uC
..-anena mala ciwfciwam diu plorec."
(btUfCT. L. 6.

Ec

~

per

li

' ,j
'

.THB. PATHETIC .PART .OF. A:::DISCOUltSE;
·L~ l· per time of making .a retreat; of:making;a
1
• ,... • uanfition from the pailionair:fo~the calm tones

fo fuch. a manner,, howev.cr,,· ;as ·to dcfccncl
without fallin& by keeping·. up the fame ftraiJl
of Sentiment that was carried on beforC;
though now exprdling it with ·more ·mode~
tion. Above all things, beware of fuaining
paffion too far; of attempting · to · raife ·it-:. to
unnarural heights. Prefervc always a due·rc..;
gard to what the hearers will bear; and .re.;
member~ that he who ftops not at the proper
point; who attempts to carry thein farther, : i~
paffion~ than L'iey will follow hi~~ dellroys 'hi$
wbole defign. By endeavouriiig warm therii
too much, he takes the moft effeffual methoa
of fre('zing them -completcl~.

to

.. H.1.v1~c given thefe _rUies.concerning the
I fuall .give one .example. from
Cicero, -which will ferve to illullrate fc;veral of
them, particulu:y the l~ft•.. It Jhall be .tak.~
from his laft Orati?n. ~g~nfi: Verrcs, . whrrem
he defcrib es the crudty cxrrcifed by V~rres,
when Governor of Sicily_, a,gainfl; .one Gaviu5>
a Roman citizen. This Ga\'jus had made .hia
efcape from prifon., into wliich he had been
thrown by the Governor; .and whenjuft embarking at Mefiina, thinking himfclf now f~c,
had uttered fome threats, that when he had
once arrived at Rome, V erres Jhould hear of
him, and be brought to account for having.
put
Pat~eric,

THE .PATHB.TJC PART OF A DISCOURSE •

LxiilLT.

put a Roman citizen in chains. The Chief
Magiftrate of Meffina, a creature of Verres's., """' ..inftantly apprehends him., and gives information of his threatenings. The behaviour of
Vcrres, on this occafion, is dcfcribed . in the
moft .piB:urcfquc manner, and with all the
colours which were proper, in order to ex.cite
againft him the public indignation. He
thanks the magiftratc of Meffina for his ,diligence. Filled with rage,, he comes into the
Forum;. orders Gavius to be brought forth.
the executioners to attend., and againft: the
laws, and contrary to. the well-known privileges of .a Roman citizen, commands him to
be ."{hipped naked, bound, and fcourged
publicly in a cruel manner. Cicero then
proceeds thus; cc Credebatur virgis, · in medio
" foro Melfanre, civis Roman us, J udices !..
every word rifes above another in defcribing
this flagrant enormity; and., cc Judices/' is
brought out at the end with the greateft propriety : - cc Credebatur virgis, in mcdio foro
iH Meffanre, civis Romanus, J udices ! cum
" interea, nullus gcmitus, nulla vox alia iftius
~ mifcri, inter dolorem crcpitumquc plagarum
'' audicbarur, nifi hzc, Civis Romanus furn.
~-Hae (e commemora:tione civitatis,,. omnia
c.c; vCTbera depulfurum a corporc arbitrabatur.
fJ. ls non modo hoc non perfecir, ut v irgarum
"'vim dcprecaretur, fed cum imploraret
"' foq>iµs ufurparccque nomen civis, crux,

Ee3

J

r

1·

J.
THE PATHETIC PART OF ·4\
i.

i'xisl" " crux

....__"'.

" qui

DJSCOU.R61~

in~:p~am.. infdici. ifto 4. :i:rutnllofo,
nunquam ifttm potcitatem vider.~

"comparabatuf. 0 . nomen duke ljb~t~iis!
" 0 jus cximium noftra: civitatis 1 .a Lea
u Porcia~ kgcfquc Se~pronia: I Huccinc
'c omnia unqem reciderunt,.1 ut civis Romanu~
'' in provinci~ populi Romani, in oppido f~
~' deratorum, ab co qui beneficio -p.opu~i. ~Q­
~ mani fafces et fecurei haberet~ del~garus, iq
u foro, virgis ~ied~ret~ • 1·~
NoTHINP can be finer, nor better conducled

than this

pafi"age~

The circumftanccs are w~ll

• " In the 111idll: of the market-place of MeB'ana, a Ro!• man Citizen, 0 Jadges ! wu cruelly fcour,ged with.rods;
cc when, in the mean time, amidll the noife of the blows
H
which he fuff'ered, DO voice, DO. Complaint of this unb~pp7
cc man w~• · hear<l, except this exclamation,· Reme.m bcr
!'that I am a Roman citi~enl By pleading thi1.pr.i,ilegc
•• of his binluigl\t, he hoped to have. ftopped the ftrokes pf
0
the executioner. ~ut nit hopes w~re vain' t for. · fO hr
" W25 he·from being able to obtain thereby any mitlgatio~
'' of his torture,· that when he continued to re1~t ·tail ex" clamation, and to plead the rights _of a citizeit. a ~roU..11
" aofs, I fay, was preparing to be fet up for the executioq
•• of this unfortunate perfon, who never before had bc:helc\
t• that iollrument of cruel deatla. 0 fac;red .and bononred
•• name of Liberty! P bpafted a~d r~vered ,privilege qf a
"Roman Citizen! 0 ye Porcian and SemprQnian ·Laws!
0 to this 1lfue have ye all come, that a.Citizen of Rome.
•• in a province of the Roman Etnpir(I, within · Ill al" lied city, fhould puhlicly, in a market-place. be loaded
'' w.ith chains, and beaten with zods, at the c.ommand .o f
" one _who, fro~ the favour of the Roman people alone.
h dµived all his authority and cnfigns of power!''

chofcn

TllE P-ATHETIC PART OF A DISCOURSE.

or

ieho(cn for exciting both the compaffion
lils l x~x~1:·
hearers . fbr G~vios 1 and their· indignation . ' • _,
againft Verres. The ftyle is fimple ·, and the
paffionace Exclamation, the Addrefs to Liberty and· the Laws, is weU-d1ned, aha in. the
pro.per ftyle of Paffi<>ri. Tne Orator g<>es on
to exaggerate _Verres~~ crue1ty ftill farth~r, · by
~other very ftrilting tircumll:ance. He ·o rdered a gibbet to be erecred for Gaifos, not in
the common place of c~ecution, but jult by
the fea-fhore 1 over againft the coafi: of ItaJy.
0 Let him ° faid he,"' who boa.fts fo much of
1
u his being a Roman citizen, take a view from
it his ·gibbet of his own country .-This bafe
." in(ult ewer a dying man is the leaft part of
CC' his guil.t.
was not Gavius alone . that
'' V crres meant to ·infult; .but it was .you,, O
• 4 Romansl ·it was every citizen who now
'c nears me .a in the perfon of Gavius1 he
" fcoffed .at. y9ur. rights, and ihowcd . in what
" · contempt he ·held the Roman name, and
cc Roman liberties.••·

re

all is beautiful, animated, pathetic ;. and the model would have been per£ett, if Cicero had ftopped at this point. Bt1t
his. redundant and florid genius carried him
further. He muft needs intereft, not his
hearers only, but the beafts~ the mountains,
anq the jlQoes,, again ft 'Verres :. · ·~ Si ·hzc nQll
Hr'rHER.TO

Ee

~

cc

itd

.I
4tj

THR PAT.lieTlC. P.AJlT OB· A :DISCOt1Jt$1.

LE CT,
xxxu~

•

•

cJ

ad civcs Romanos, non ad : 2mi0o1 noftre.
" ciyitatis, non ad cos qui · populi Romani•
" nomeQ audiffcnt; dcnique fi.·non· ad :homi..;
'-' nes, . verum ad beftias• .atque : ut longiua1 .
'.' progrcdiar, fi in aliqua· d.cfertiffima-:fo~
u tudioc, ad faxa et ad .fcopulos, ha:c .- "COZK ."qucri.: ct. deplorare vellcm, t~e~·~ .omnia.·
"muta atque inanima, tanra ct ta~ . indigna
u rerum atrocitate commoverentur •/~ ··· This~
with all the deference due to fo eloquent ·an·
Orator, we muft pronounce to be Dedalfia•
tory, not Pathetic. This is-. ftraining· the
language _o f Paffion too far. Every hearer
fees this immediately to be a ftudied figure ·of
Rhetoric; it may amufe him, but inftead of
inftaming~him rnore; it, . in truth~ coo1s ~is
paffion~ ". So dangerous it is to give Tcopc to-a
flow.cry , imagination, ··when one . intends ca
make a fuong and paffioriate impreffion •.
u

No other part of Difcourfe· remains · n~ to
be trcat-cd o~ ··except the P~roration, or Con..
~ .• . " . Were I iemploy~d in hmentlng: thofe i11llancca of••
• • :i;_trocious opprdlion and crnelry. not ..a111ong: an afrcmbtf
.. of Roman-. citizens, not
i"he..allies of our
rioc
.. among thofe who had ever he:ird ·me
the .Ro1.11an
.. people, not eyrn among .human :creatures, but" in the
"midft of the brute creation; a_nd: to go.farther_.: · w~ I
.; pouring fo~th my _lamentations t«? the flonq, 'and •., tlte
•' rocks, .in fome remote an"d defert wildernefs, eve .. 'nofe
•• mute and inanimate beings would, at the recital of 10th
•• lhocl.:io g isidignitie!l ~ :J!u'9wn _i1110.~ommotion.~

among

name of

flate

clufion.

CONCLUSION OF A DISCOURSE.

415

Concerning-. this, it j9 needlers to fay Lx~x~i~·
much, becaufe .. it=:mufr: vary fo. con~dcr:ab~y._ - " j
according to the ftrain of the preced10~ D1fcourfe. : Sometimes, the whole pathetic ~art
comes . in. mofr- properly at the Peroration.
Sometimes when·the Difcourfe has been en>
• h
tircly argumcntativc,
·· ic is fit to· c~ndude w1~
fumming up the arguments, ·· placmg · them Ul
one view and kaving the impreffion of them.
(ull ~cl l\:rong. on .the mind of the audience.
F~ the .great rule of .a Conclufion, and what
·nature obviQufiy fuggefts, is, to place that lafl:
~n-which we choofe that the ftrength of OUl'
clufion.

~~uf~· 1b.ould ·fei\.

IN. Sermons, inferences from what has .bcea
{aid, ~~e . ~ ~~Qlmon Conclufion. · With reg~4 thefe11 ·e:ar~ 1hould be take~, not only
that they rjfe naturally, but (wha~ is lefs commonly. at~~~ded to) that they 1hould fo much
~rec wi~h th.e .ftrain of fentiment th~oughout
the Difcourfc, as not to break the U mcy of the
Se;~on~ For inferences, how juftly foevcr
ihey may be deduced from the doflrinc of the .
text,=·yet have: a bad . eff'~a:, "iG at the: Conclufion'of"'a Pitcourfe. they 'introduce .fome fub ..
j~Ct - alc9gether . new,., and - ~urn off ou~ at~en­
tion -· from . the· main · obJctl: to .. ~h1ch the
Preacher 'had· diretted :·ou~· thoughts. ~- · They
appc~. -~n this ~.afe, . like cxcrcfcenccs jutting
out from the.· bodyJ. whica fonn au unnatural

co

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CONCLUSION OP A DISCOt1RSL

CONCLUSION OF A . DISCOURSE.

c T. addition to it; and tend to enfeeble tha im:xxxn.
w
preffion which the Compofitipn, as a whole, i5
calculated to make. .

L E

THE moft eloquent of the French, perhaps,
indeed, of all modern Orators, Bo1fuct, Bifuo,t>
of Meaux, terminates in a very moving mairner, his funeral Oration on the great Ptincc·of
Conde, with this return upon hitrifelf, and his
old age : " Accept; 0 Prince ! thefe laft:
cc efforts of a voice which you once well
cc knew. With you all my funeral Difcourfes
cc are now to end. Infl:ead of deploring ·the
cc death of others, henceforth, it fuall · be my
." ftudy to learn from you, .how my own m~y
"be bleffcd. Happy, if warned by thofc
cc grey.hairs; of the account which I muft foon
cc give of my miniftry, I rcferve, folely, for
cc that flock whom I ought to feed with the
" word of life, the feeble remains of a voice
~<which now trembles, and of an ardor whicb
~c is now on the point of being, extinet • •0

• " Agrrez ces dernien dforts d'une voix que vous fat
.. conn ue. Vous mettrez f.n a tous ces difcours. Au lieu de
•• deplorer la mort des autres, Grand Prince! dorenavanc
... jc veux apprendre de vous, rendre la mienne fainte.
•• Heureux, fi averti par ces cheveux blancs du compte que
•• jc dois ~endre de moo adminiftration, je referve au troa.,
•• peau que je dois nourrir de la paro!c de vie, Jes relies
u d'une voix qui tombe, .& d'une ardeur qui s'eteint."'fhefc: are the laft fenten,es of that Oration : b11t the whole

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!N all Difcourfes, it is a matter of import.. LE CT.
xxxu.
·ance to hit the precife time of concluding, fo
;as to bring our Difcourfe juft to a point,; nei ..
Jher ending abruptly and uncxpeB:edly; nor
difappointing the expeCtation of the hearers,
when they fook for the clofe ; and continuing
to hover round and round the Conclufion, till
they become. heartily tired of us. . We fhould
endeavour to go off with a good grace ; not to
e~d with a languifhing and drawling f~ntence;
but to clofe with dignity and f pirit> that we
may leave the minds of the hearers warm; and
difmifs them with a favourable impreffion of
the fubjeB: and of the Speaker.

ot the

Peroration from that paJl'age, cc Vcnez, peoples,
•• W'Cnez main tenant," &c. though it is too long for iaferti.on~ ia a &rcat matkr-piec:e 9f fathetic Elociueni;;c.
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LECTURES
c> N

·. R H B T 0

R I C

AH i>

l3ELLnS

LHTTR..ES.

Bibliographical note:
this facsimile has been made from a
copy in the Harvard University Library
(9278 2.5)

Bt HUGH BL A I it; i>. D.
Olla O• TBS

IU•HT•as

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7&.0•••ioa o• ae&Toa1c ASD a&LLU LITTaH
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IN TH.llEE VOLUMES.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75-112080

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CONTENTS

.V,:>:
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.T ·H ·I ·R · -D

THE .

V ·o L U M E.

LE CT.
~v. coMPARA~IYE

Page

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tbt Antimts and lbt Mo1
Jerns-Hijlorical Writing.
r
XXXVI •. Hijlorical Writing.
28
. XXXVII. Pbilofqpbica/ Writing - Dialogue-Epijlo/ary Wr#ingFitlitious Hiflory.
51
XXXVIII. Nature of Poetry-Its Origin
anJ Progreft-Yerfijication. 84
XXXIX. Paflora/ Poetry-Lyric Poetry. 114
XL. DiJaOic Poetry· - Defcriptive
Poetry.
14,6
·xu. 'Ibe Poetry of tbt Hebrews. 17
XLII. Epic Poetry.
!lOJ
· , XLIII. H.omer.'s Iliad and OdJJ!tJ230
.
Yirgil's £ntiJ. ~

s

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· C ·o . N .T E N- T - S•

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l'ago

XUV. LUcan's Pbarjali11-<fajfo's 1•..
rujalem-Camom's L#fi~
Fenelon' s c.felemachus - Yol-

l

l ~ECT · u RE

taire' s Henriatle - Milton's
259
Paratlife Lo.fl.
XLV. Dramatic Poetry-~r11ge'7,. 291
XLVI. '.tragedy- Greek~ French~
Englifb '.trageJ,.
J2~
XLVII. Comedy - Greilc and RomanFren&b-Englifo CometlJ. . JSS

xxxv.

COMPARATIVE MEllrr OF THE ANTiENTS
AND THE MODERNs-HISTORICAL

W.l.UTING.

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HAVE . now · fihilhtd that part of the

I, · Gnuf~ which ~~B:cd Oratory or Pu~lic
.

Syak10~ and which, as far as the fubJea

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xxxv•

• .- . raJ

allow~

LEC-

i have endeavoured to form into
fomc:fort o( {yftcm. le remains, that 1 enter
on the. tonJideratio.il of th~ mbft diftingui1hed
kinds of Compofition both in Profe and
Vcrfc, and point out the principles af Criti1 cifm iclating to them.
This part of the work
might· ctfily be drawn out to a great length ;
but I :am fcnJible, . that aitical difcufilons,
when they arc purfued too far, become both
. trifling and tedious. I Jhall ftudy, therefore,,
~o avoid lillneccfi"ary prolixity i and hope, at
the
fame time, to omit• nothing that is very
I
material under the fcvUal heads.
; I SHALL follow.the fame method here which
I · have all along purfucd, and without.which,,. · ·
I VoL.111.
B
diefe
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