The Elements of Rhetoric

sion in actual use, pervading all literature, and entering largely into the speech of common life; so that while their effect upon the development of language may claim the attention of the philologist, their influence upon literature will not be disregarded by the student of style. Attention has also been paid to that aspect of rhetoric which is commonly described by the term "belles-lettres," under which it approximates in character to the fine arts, and presents for consideration such topics as word-painting, tone, and rhythm. These subjects, and others which need not be enumerated here, form the leading features of style, and disclose the various modes by which the writer attains to clearness, harmony, or persuasiveness. Besides this, there is also the preparation of subject-matter, which is here discussed under the name of method, and embraces invention, the author's point of view, classification of material, order of thought, argument, and the laws of reasoning. The language of the emotions is also regarded as appertaining to the sphere of rhetoric, and considered in connection with the beautiful and the sublime, wit and humor, the fantastic and the pathetic. Finally a survey is made of the general departments of literature description and narration, exposition and oratory, poetry and the drama, in which each of these subjects is investigated in order.

So many writers have been consulted in the preparation of this work that an acknowledgment of indebtedness would be little else than the catalogue of a good-sized library. Wherever special use has been made of any author, care has been taken to give full credit, and if this has not been done in any case, the omission has not been intentional. Some things will be found here which are jottings from memory, or newspaper clippings, the authorship of which could. not be traced; but many others are the common property of writers on rhetoric, and for the use of these no acknowledgments are due.

While a work on rhetoric can hardly contain anything new in the subject-matter, it is still possible to exhibit some originality in the mode of treatment. Not a few subjects are discussed here in a way which differs somewhat from that adopted by other writers. A leading feature of the book may be found in the fulness and profusion of the examples and illustrations which accompany the discussion of each topic. No pains have been spared to make these at once applicable and accurate, for it has been felt that without these the best definitions and explanations are comparatively useless.

The author's design has been to make his labors subserve what he conceives to be the great end of rhetorical study. He has endeavored to make his method distinct and intelligible, and in style he has aimed at nothing more than clearness and simplicity. How he has succeeded it is for others to say, but he may be permitted to indulge the hope that this work will not be without some value both to the student and the general reader.

can Conciliation. P. 822

CONTENTS.

PART I-PERSPICUITY IN STYLE.

CHAPTER I. STYLE..

.....

.Page 13

§ 1. Derivation and Definition of the Term Rhetoric; § 2. Main

Divisions of the Subject of Rhetoric; § 3. Definition of Style;

§ 4. Style differs among Nations and Individuals; § 5. Utility of

Rules; § 6. General Divisions of Style.

CHAPTER II.

PERSPICUITY IN WORDS.-SIMPLICITY.

§ 7. Perspicuity Defined and Explained; § 8. Divisions of the Sub-

ject of Perspicuity; § 9. Sources of Perspicuity in Words; § 10. Sim-

plicity; § 11. Concrete Terms; § 12. Words of Anglo-Saxon Origin;

§ 13. Table showing the Percentage of Words of Anglo-Saxon Origin;

§ 14. Anglo-Saxon the Essential Element in the Language; § 15. The

Anglo-Saxon Element; § 16. Many Latin Words equally Simple;

§ 17. Importance of the Latin Element in our Language.

CHAPTER III. PERSPICUITY IN WORDS, CONTINUED.-PRECISION... 27

§ 18. Precision; § 19. In Substantive Terms; § 20. In Attributive

Terms; § 21. In Predicative Terms; § 22. Clearness of Conception;

§ 23. Care in the Use of Words; § 24. Synonymous Words; § 25. Im-

propriety; § 26. Vague Words; § 27. Verbosity; § 28. Tautology;

§ 29. Circumlocution; § 30. Verbosity in the Pulpit and the Press.

CHAPTER IV. PERSPICUITY IN WORDS, CONTINUED.-PURITY...... 41

§ 31. Purity; § 32. Obsolete Words; § 33. Obsolete Terminations

and Meanings; § 34. Obsolete Words used in Religious Literature;
$ 35. In Poetry; § 36. In Fiction; § 37. Archaism; § 38. Obsolete
Words Restored to Geral Use; § 39. New Words; § 40. Their
Growth; 41. Sources; 8 42. Rapidity of Increase; § 43. Proper
Authority Defined; § 44. Faulty Use of New Words; § 45. New Com-
pound Words; § 46. Faulty Use of New Compounds; § 47. Conclud-
ing Remarks on Purity; § 48. Grammar and Idiom.

CHAPTER V. PERSPICUITY IN SENTENCES..

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§ 49. Periodic and Simple Structure; § 50. Rule for Arrangement

of Words; § 51. Limitation of Rule; § 52. Unity; § 53. Prominence

of the Principal Subject; § 54. Appended Clauses; § 55. Parenthesis ;

$56. Long and Short Sentences.

CHAPTER VI. PERSPICUITY IN GENERAL...

§ 57. Clearness of Conception and Method; § 58. Conciseness;

§ 59. Diffuseness; § 60. Repetition; § 61. Digression; § 62. Loose

Style; § 63. Perspicuity sometimes not aimed at.

PART II-PERSUASIVENESS IN STYLE.

CHAPTER I. FIGURES OF SPEECH...

§ 64. Persuasiveness; § 65. Definition of; § 66. General Divisions;

§ 67. Figures of Speech; § 68. Their Importance; § 69. Tropes;
70. Various Classifications of Figures; § 71. Classification adopted

in this Work.

CHAPTER II. FIGURES OF RELATIVITY ARISING FROM THE IDEA OF

CONTRAST.

...

$72. Figures of Relativity; § 73. Contrast; § 74. Antithesis De-
fined; § 75. Its Utility; § 76. Its Effectiveness in Various Departments
of Literature; § 77. Antithesis Compared with Plain Statement;
$ 78. Various Forms of Antithesis; § 79. Antimetabole; § 80. Para-
diastole; § 81. Synœceosis, or Enantiosis; § 82. Oxymoron; § 83. Pa-
rison, Isocolon; § 84. Prosapodosis.

CHAPTER III. FIGURES OF RELATIVITY ARISING FROM THE PERCEP-

TION OF RESEMBLANCE..

102

§ 85. The Perception of Resemblance; § 86. Parallel; § 87. Diexo-

dus; § 88. Tricola; § 89. Diallage; § 90. Metabole; § 91. Exergasia ;

§ 92. Paradiastole; § 93. Comparison; § 94. Of Degree; § 95. Of

Analogy; § 96. Of Similarity; § 97. As an Ornament; § 98. For Ex-

planation; § 99. Faults in the Use of Comparison; § 100. Metaphor;

§ 101. Where one Living Thing is put for Another; § 102. One Inani-

mate Thing for Another; § 103. Inanimate Things for Things having

Life; § 104. Inanimate Things Represented as Endowed with Life;

§ 105. Metaphor used as an Ornament; § 106. For Explanation ;

§ 107. To give Emphasis; § 108. Faults in their Use; § 109. Mixed

Metaphors; § 110. Not always Objectionable; § 111. Catachresis;

§ 112. Allegory; § 113. Parable; § 114. Fable; § 115. Personification;

§ 116. Apostrophe; § 117. Vision; § 118. Allusion; § 119. Historical

Allusion; § 120. Literary Allusion; § 121. Quotation; § 122. Plagiar-

ism; § 123. Other Figures; § 124. Irony; § 125. Sarcasm; § 126. In-

nuendo.

CHAPTER IV. FIGURES OF RELATIVITY ARISING FROM THE IDEA OF

..Page 134

CONTIGUITY.

§ 127. Figures of Contiguity; § 128. Synecdoche; § 129. Antimeria,
Enallage; § 130. Metonymy; § 131. Metalepsis; § 132. Periphrasis;
$133. Euphemism; § 134. Hypocorisma; § 135. Litotes; § 136. Ex-
emplum; § 137. Epithets; § 138. Importance of; § 139. Their Popu-
larity; § 140. In Poetry; § 141. In Prose; § 142. Faulty Use.

CHAPTER V.

FIGURES OF GRADATION-AUGMENTATIVE..

152

§ 143. Figures of Gradation; § 144. Augmentative Figures; § 145.

Amplification; § 146. By Dwelling upon Details; § 147. By Direct

Statement; § 148. By Comparison; § 149. Accumulation; § 150. Col-

lectio, Aggregatio; § 151. Synathroismus; § 152. Diasceue; § 153.

Synezeugmenon; § 154. Epexergasia; § 155. Dinumeratio; § 156. De-

scription; § 157. Ecloge; § 158. Hypotyposis; § 159. Metastasis;

§ 160. Climax; § 161. Incrementum; § 162. Progressio; § 163. Hyper-

bole; § 164. Transgressio.

CHAPTER VI. FIGURES OF GRADATION-DECREMENTIVE.......... 168