or to apologize for some deficiency; this may be called the "Introduction preparatory." Introduction narrative. 5thly, and lastly, in many cases there will be occasion for what may be called a "Narrative Introduction," to put the reader or hearer in possession of the outline of some transaction, or the description of some state of things, to which references and allusions are to be made in the course of the Composition. Thus, in Preaching, it is generally found advisable to detail, or at least briefly to sum up, a portion of Scripture-history, or a parable, when either of these is made the subject of a Sermon. Two or more of the Introductions that have been mentioned are often combined; especially in the Preface to a work of any length. And very often the Introduction will contain appeals to various passions and feelings in the hearers; especially a feeling of approbation towards the speaker, or of prejudice against an opponent who has preceded him: but this is, as Aristotle has remarked, not confined to Introductions. Titles of books. The Title of a book is evidently of the character of an Introduction; being indeed sometimes the only one so that what has been just said respecting Introductions, will, for the most part, be applicable to Titles. It is a matter of considerable nicety to make choice of a good Title; neither unattractive, nor yet so full of pretension as either to excite disgust, or lead to disappointment. It is also, in one respect, more important than the exordium of a Speech; because the Orator who has opened injudiciously will yet usually obtain a hearing, in the course of which he may recover the lost ground; while an ill-chosen Title may prevent a Book from being read at all. The fault committed in respect of the Title of the present Work is alluded to in the beginning of the Preface. Conclusions. $3. Concerning the "Conclusion" [Peroration of the Latins, and Epilogus of the Greeks] it is not necessary to say much; since the general rules, that it should be neither so sudden and abrupt as to induce the hearer to say, "I did not know he was going to leave off," nor again so long as to excite impatience, are so obvious as not to need being dwelt on at large. Both faults however are common; and the latter, both the more common, and the worse. It is rather more common, because the writer or speaker is liable to find fresh and fresh thoughts occur to him as he proceeds, which he is loath to omit; especially if he have not, in the outset, drawn out, on paper, or mentally, (according to the recommendation formerly given,) a skeleton outline of his discourse. And it is also a worse fault than the other the abrupt Conclusion, because the disappointment caused is not as in that case— single, but repeated and prolonged. And moreover, it not only excites immediate disapprobation, but weakens in the hearers' minds the force of all that had gone before. The caution against these faults is evidently far the more important in reference to a discourse orally delivered, because, to a reader, the eye sufficiently shows the approach to the end. It should therefore be carefully recollected by one who is delivering orally a written discourse, that though to him it is written, it is not so to his hearers; and he is consequently in danger of overlooking a fault in the Conclusion, such as I have been speaking of, while they will be struck by it. In all Compositions however it is an advantage-though far the more important in those addressed to the ear— that notice should be given, a little, and but a little, beforehand, of the approach to a close; by saying "I will conclude by remarking," &c. or the like; and the closing remark should be not a long one, and should be not the least important and striking of the whole discourse: and if it contain a compressed repetition of something that had been before dwelt on, this is all the better. Indeed, in any Composition that is not very short, the most frequent, and the most appropriate kind of Conclusion is a Recapitulation, either of the whole, or of part of the arguments that have been adduced: respecting which a remark has been made at the end of Ch. III. § 7. It may be worth while here to remark that it is a common fault of an extemporary speaker, to be tempted, by finding himself listened to with attention and approbation, to go on adding another and another sentence (what is called, in the homely language of the jest, "more last words ") after he had intended, and announced his intention, to bring his discourse to a close; till at length the audience becoming manifestly weary and impatient, he is forced to conclude in a feeble and spiritless manner, like a half-extinguished candle going out in smoke. Let the Speaker decide beforehand what shall be his concluding topic; and let him premeditate thoroughly, not only the substance of it, but the mode of treating it, and all but the very words: and let him resolve that whatever liberty he may reserve to himself of expanding or contracting other parts of his speech, according as he finds the hearers more or less interested, (which is, for an extem porary speaker, natural and proper,) he will strictly adhere to his original design in respect of what he has fixed on for his Conclusion; and that whenever he shall see fit to arrive at that, nothing shall tempt him either to expand it beyond what he had determined on, or to add any thing else beyond it. Any thing relative to the Feelings and the Will, that may be especially appropriate to the Conclusion, will be mentioned in its proper place in the ensuing Part. PART II. OF PERSUASION. CHAP. I.-Introductory. § 1. PERSUASION, properly so called, i. e. the art Analysis of of influencing the Will, is the next point to be considered. And Rhetoric is often regarded (as was formerly remarked) in a more limited sense, as conversant about this head alone. But even, according to that view, the rules above laid down will be found not the less relevant; since the Conviction of the understanding (of which I have hitherto been treating) is an essential part of Persuasion; and will generally need to be effected by the Arguments of the Writer or Speaker. For in order that the Will may be influenced, two things are requisite; viz. 1. that the proposed Object should appear desirable; and 2. that the Means suggested should be proved to be conducive to the attainment of that object; and this last, evidently must depend on a process of Reasoning. In order, e. g. to induce the Greeks to unite their efforts against the Persian invader, it was necessary both to prove that coöperation could alone render their resistance effectual, and also to awaken such feelings of patriotism and abhorrence of a foreign yoke, as might prompt them 18* 209 |