The Eleventh Matter

The Eleventh Matter

The integrity and correctness of speech are obtained by its proving the proposition together with its necessary consequences and conditioning precedents and means of defence. It is like this: so as not to impair the necessary consequences or disturb the proposition's equanimity and to seek vitality from the precedents and have recourse to them, the speech has to be girded with parts that will reply to implicit questions and the assaults of nagging objections. That is to say, speech is a fruit-bearing tree; it is decked out with thorns and bayonets to protect it from abuse and fruit-thieves. As though the devils of delusions cannot share in listening to that speech since it is the elevated result of many debates and is the substance of much thought and reasoning; they cannot look on it malevolently. As though the speaker has raised up walls all around it, considering its six sides. That is, placing defenders against the assaults of misapprehensions by reinforcing the subject and predicate, and the adjectives, or at other strategic points, so decking it out from top to bottom with parts that reply to implicit questions. If you would like an example of this, the whole of this book provides a lengthy one. The Third Article is an especially fine example of it.

The Twelfth Matter

The Twelfth Matter

Speech may be correct and be honed and moderate by allotting each part its right and due and clothing it in the appropriate style. Also, if recounting a tale, the speaker should put himself in the place of the one recounted. That is, if he is describing another's feelings and thoughts, he should enter into that person, visit his heart as a guest, and speak with his tongue. While if he is directing his own affairs, he should dispense justice by alloting care and attention, the sign of worth, taking into account the right, capacity, and rank of each part, and should fashion the garment of the literary styles and devices in accordance with the disposition of each. Then