Those that be too long, leave the Hearer behind, like him that walking, goes beyond the usual end of the Walk, and thereby out-goes him that walks with him.

They that be too short, make the Hearer stumble; for when he looks far before him, the end stops him before he be

aware.

A period that is divided into parts, is either divided only; or has also an Opposition of the Parts one to another.

Divided only is such as this: This the Senate knows; the Consul sees; and yet the Man lives.

A Period with Opposition of Parts, called also Antithesis, and the parts Antitheta, is when contrary parts are put together; or also joyned by a third.

Contrary parts are put together, as here, The one has obtained Glory, the other Riches; both by my benefit.

Antitheta are therefore acceptable; because not only the parts appear the better for the opposition; but also for that they carry with them a certain appearance of that kind of En· thymeme, which leads to Impossibility.

Parts, or Members of a Period, are said to be equal, when they have altogether, or almost equal Number of Syllables. Parts, or Members of a Period, are said to be like, when they begin, or end alike: and the more Similitudes, and the greater equality there is of Syllables, the more graceful is the Period.

CHAP. IX.

Of those Things that grace an Oration, and make it delightful.

FORASMUCH as there is nothing more delightful to a Man, than to find that he apprehends and learns easily; it necessarily follows, that those Words are most grateful to the Ear, that make a Man seem to see before his Eyes the things signified.

And therefore Forraign Words are unpleasant, because Obscure; and Plain Words, because too Manifest, making us learn nothing new: but Metaphors please; for they beget in us by the Genus, or some common thing to that with another, a kind of Science: as when an Old Man is called Stubble; Man suddenly learns that he grows up, flourisheth, and

withers like Grass, being put in mind of it by the qualities common to Stubble, and to Old Men.

That which a Metaphor does, a Similitude does the same; but with less grace, because with more prolixity.

Such Enthymemes are the most graceful, which neither are presently very Manifest, nor yet very hard to be understood1, but are comprehended, while they are uttering, or presently after, though not understood before.

The things that make a speech graceful, are these; Antitheta, Metaphors, and Animation.

Of Antitheta and Antithesis hath been spoken in the precedent Chapter.

Of Metaphors the most graceful is that which is drawn from Proportion.

[Aristotle (in the 12 Chapter of his Poetry) defines a Metaphor to be the translation of a name from one signification to another; whereof he makes four kinds : 1. From the General to the Particular. 2. From the Particular to the General. 3. From one Particular to another. 4. From Proportion.]

A Metaphor from Proportion is such as this, A State without Youth, is a Year without a Spring.

Animation is that expression which makes us seem to see the thing before our eyes; as he that said, The Athenians poured out their City into Sicily, meaning, they sent thither the greatest Army they could make; and this is the greatest grace of an Oration.

If therefore in the same Sentence there concur both Metaphor, and this Animation, and also Antithesis, it cannot choose but be very graceful.

That an Oration is graced by Metaphor, Animation, and Antithesis, hath been said: but how 'tis graced, is to be said in the next Chapter.

CHAP. X.

In what Manner an Oration is graced by the Things aforesaid. "TIs graced by Animation, when the actions of living Creatures are attributed to things without life; as when the Sword is said to devour.

1 ἐπιπόλαια and ἀγνούμενα

Such Metaphors as these come into a Mans mind by the observation of things that have similitude and proportion one to another. And the more unlike and unproportionable the things be otherwise, the more grace hath the Metaphor.

A Metaphor without Animation, adds grace then, when the Hearer finds he learns somewhat by such use of the word.

Also Paradoxes are graceful, so Men inwardly do believe them for they have in them somewhat like to those jests that are grounded upon the similitude of words, which have usually one sense, and in the present another; and somewhat like to those jests which are grounded upon the deceiving of a Mans expectation.

And Paragrams; that is, allusions of words are graceful, if they be well placed; and in Periods not too long; and with Antithesis; for by these means the ambiguity is taken away. And the more of these; namely, Metaphor, Animation, Antithesis, Equality of Members, a Period hath, the more graceful it is.

Similitudes grace an Oration, when they contain also a Metaphor.

And Proverbs are graceful, because they are Metaphors, or Translations of words from one species to another.

And Hyperboles, because they also are Metaphors: but they are youthful, and bewray vehemence; and are used with most grace by them that are angry; and for that cause are not comely in Old Men.

CHAP. XI.

Of the Difference between the Stile to be used in Writing, and the Stile to be used in Pleading.

THE Stile that should be Read ought to be more exact and

accurate.

But the Stile of a Pleader ought to be suited to Action and Pronuntiation.

Orations of them that Plead, pass away with the hearing. But those that are Written, Men carry about them, and are considered at leisure; and consequently must endure to be sifted and examined.

Written Orations appear flat in Pleading.

And Orations made for the Barr, when the Action is away, appear in Reading insipide.

In Written Orations Repetition is justly condemned.

But in Pleadings, by the help of Action, and by some change in the Pleader, Repetition becomes Amplification.

In Written Orations Disjunctives do ill; as, I came, I found him, I asked him: for they seem superfluous, and but one thing, because they are not distinguished by Action.

But in Pleadings 'tis Amplification; because that which is but one thing, is made to seem many.

Of Pleadings, that which is Judicial ought to be more accurate, than that which is before the people.

And an Oration to the people ought to be more accommodate to Action, than a Judicial.

And of Judicial Orations, that ought to be more accurate, which is uttered to few Judges; and that ought to be more accommodate to Action, which is uttered to many. As in a Picture, the farther he stands off that beholds it, the less need there is that the Colours be fine: so in Orations, the farther the Hearer stands off, the less need there is for his Oration to be elegant.

Therefore Demonstrative Orations are most proper for Writing, the end whereof is to Read.

CHAP. XII.

Of the Parts of an Oration, and their Order.

THE necessary Parts of an Oration are but two; Propositions, and Proof; which are as it were the Probleme, and Demonstration.

The Proposition is the explication, or opening of the Matter to be proved.

And Proof is the Demonstration of the Matter propounded. To these necessary parts, are sometimes added two other, the Proeme and the Epilogue, neither of which are any Proof.

So that in some there be four parts of an Oration; the Proeme, the Proposition, or (as the others call it) the Narration, the Proofs, (which contain Confirmation, Confutation, Amplification, and Diminution,) and the Epilogue.

CHAP. XIII.

Of the Proeme.

THE Proeme is the beginning of an Oration, and, as it were, the preparing of the way before one enter into it.

In some kinds of Orations it resembles the Prelude of Musicians, who first play what they list, and afterwards the Tune they intended.

In other kinds it resembles the Prologue of a Play, that contains the Argument.

Proemes of the first sort, are most proper for Demonstrative Orations; in which a Man is free to foretell, or not, what points he will insist upon; and for the most part 'tis better not: because when a Man has not obliged himself to a certain matter, Digression will seem Variety: but if he have ingaged himself, Variety will be accounted Digression.

In Demonstratives the matter of the Proeme consisteth in the Praise or Dispraise of some Law or Custom, or in Exhortation, or Dehortation; or something that serves to incline the Hearer to the purpose.

Proemes of the second kind are most proper for Judicial Orations. For as the Prologue in a Dramatick, and the Exordium in an Epique Poem, setteth first in few words the Argument of the Poem: so in a Judicial Oration the Orator ought to exhibit a Model of his Oration, that the mind of the Hearer may not be suspended, and for want of fore-sight, err or wander. Whatsoever else belongs to a Proeme, is drawn from one of these four; From the Speaker, From the Adversary, From the Hearer, or from the Matter.

From the Speaker and Adversary are drawn into Proemes such Criminations and Purgations as belong not to the cause. To the Defendant 'tis necessary in the Proeme to answer to the accusations of his Adversary; that those being cleared, he may have a more favourable entrance to the rest of his Oration.

But to the Plaintife 'tis better to cast his Criminations all into the Epilogue, that the Judge may the more easily remember them.

From the Hearer and from the Matter are drawn into the Proeme such things as serve to make the Hearer favourable, or angry; attentive, or not attentive, as need shall require.