THE PHILOSOPHY OF RHETORIC

Preface

Introduction

BOOK I. The Nature and Foundations of Eloquence.

CHAPTER I. Eloquence in the largest acceptation defined . . .

CHAPTER II. Of wit, humour, and ridicule.

SECTION I.  Of wit.
SECTION II.  Of Humour.
SECTION III.  Of Ridicule.

CHAPTER III. The Doctrine of the Preceding Chapter Defended

SECTION I.  Aristotle's account of the Ridiculous explained.
SECTION II.  Hobbes's account of Laughter examined.

CHAPTER IV. Of the Relation which Eloquence Bears to Logic and to Grammar

CHAPTER V. Of the Different Sources of Evidence and the Different Subjects to whichThey are Respectively Adapted

SECTION I.  Of Intuitive Evidence.

PART I.  Mathematical Axioms.
PART II.  Consciousness.
PART III.  Common Sense.

SECTION II.  Of deductive evidence.

PART I.  Division of the subject into scientific and moral, with the principal distinctions between them.
PART. II.  The nature and origin of Experience.
PART III.  The subdivisions of Moral Reasoning.
PART IV.  The superiority of Scientific Evidence re-examined.

CHAPTER. VI. Of the Nature and Use of the Scholastic Art of Syllogizing

CHAPTER VII. Of the Consideration which the Speaker ought to have of the Hearers, as men in general.

SECTION I.  Men considered as endowed with Understanding.
SECTION II.  Men considered as endowed with Imagination.
SECTION III.  Men considered as endowed with Memory.
SECTION IV.  Men considered as endowed with Passions.
SECTION V.  The circumstances that are chiefly instrumental in operating on the Passions.

PART I.  Probability.
PART II.  Plausibility.
PART III.  Importance.
PART IV.  Proximity of Time.
PART V.  Connexion of Place.
PART VI.  Relation to the Persons concerned.
PART VII.  Interest in the Consequences.

SECTION VI.  Other Passions, as well as Moral Sentiments, useful auxiliaries.
SECTION VII.  How an Unfavourable Passion must be calmed.

CHAPTER VIII. Of the Consideration which the Speaker ought to have of the Hearers, as such men in particular.

CHAPTER IX. Of the Consideration which the Speaker ought to have of Himself.

CHAPTER X. The different kinds of public speaking in use among the moderns compared, with a view to their different advantages in respect of eloquence.

SECTION I.  In regard to the Speaker.
SECTION II.  In regard to the Persons addressed.
SECTION III.  In regard to the Subject.
SECTION IV.  In regard to the Occasion.
SECTION V.  In regard to the End in view.

CHAPTER XI. Of the cause of that pleasure which we receive from objects or representations that excite pity and other painful feelings.

SECTION I.  The different solutions hitherto given by philosophers examined.

PART I.  The first hypothesis.
PART II.  The second hypothesis.
PART III.  The third hypothesis.
PART IV.  The fourth hypothesis.

SECTION II.  The author’s hypothesis on this subject.