Philosophy of Rhetoric

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Woolworth, Ainsworth, 1872 - 251 pagine
 

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Pagina 61 - Words and phrases may be marshalled in every way, but they cannot compass it. It must exist in the man, in the subject, and in the occasion. Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire after it, they cannot reach it. It comes, if it come at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force.
Pagina 60 - True eloquence, indeed, does not consist in speech. It cannot be brought from far. Labor and learning may toil for it; but they will toil in vain. Words and phrases may be marshaled in every way; but they cannot compass it. It must exist in the man, in the subject, and in the occasion.
Pagina 61 - The graces taught in the schools, the costly ornaments and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men, when their own lives, and the fate of their wives, their children, and their country, hang on the decision of the hour. Then words have lost their power, rhetoric is vain, and all elaborate oratory contemptible. Even genius itself then feels rebuked and subdued, as in the presence of higher qualities. Then patriotism is eloquent; then self-devotion is eloquent. The clear conception, outrunning...
Pagina 3 - THEEE is much seeming boldness in offering a new work on Rhetoric. Few subjects have received so much attention from so many able writers. The following treatise has arisen from considerable experience in instruction. It aims to be what it is entitled, a PHILOSOPHY OF RHETORIC, giving the principles as well as the rules on which excellence depends. The discussions present the mental and moral laws of influence. The work is chiefly designed for the later years of collegiate instruction. A simple rhetoric...
Pagina 61 - Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire after it. They cannot reach it. It comes, if it come at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force. The graces taught in the schools, the costly ornaments, and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men...
Pagina 61 - ... clear conception, outrunning the deductions of logic, the high purpose, the firm resolve, the dauntless spirit, speaking on the tongue, beaming from the eye, informing every feature, and urging the whole man onward, right onward to his object, — this, •this is eloquence ; or rather it is something greater and higher than all eloquence ; it is action, noble, sublime, godlike action.
Pagina 120 - Rosinante was scarcely less an object of humor than his master. That contempt is not always inspired by humor is shown in the fact, that we so often strive to .give this turn to the narrative of our own adventures. Yet humor, like good nature, seems to be thought a little incompatible with the highest dignity. The resemblance of ideas in wit differs from that in comparison in extent. In the last case, the more complete and perfect the agreement the better ; in the former, similarity at one point...
Pagina 174 - ... so mixed that no man can trace its ramifications. With this are mingled the bloods of Ireland, Holland, France, Sweden, and Germany. All this has been done within but a few years, so that the American may be said to have no claim to any national type of face. Nevertheless, no man has a type of face so clearly national as the American. He is acknowledged by it all over the continent...
Pagina 115 - ... familiar facts to flash light on those less known or heeded. The torch is taken from the very hand of the spectator, and its blaze cast upon the object. Th.e images of the imagination, therefore, must not merely be in themselves striking and illustrative, but must be drawn from facts which have already hold on the mind of the listener. Intimate knowledge of the habits of feeling belonging to the classes addressed is requisite to give the imagination high power. It. is the vividness of the ideas...
Pagina 14 - We define rhetoric as the art which teaches the rules of composition. By composition we understand the expression in language of thoughts, emotions, for some definite end.

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