§ 266. Melody of Proportion - Nature, Principles INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER I. DEFINITION OF RHETORIC. § 1. RHETORIC has been correctly defined to be the ART OF DISCOURSE. This definition presents Rhetoric as an art, in distinction from a science. There are divers fundamental respects in which an art of discourse differs from a science. An art directly and immediately concerns itself with the faculty of discoursing as its proper subject. It fastens upon that and keeps it ever in its view as it teaches how that may be developed, trained, and guided. A science, on the other hand, regards rather the product of this faculty; and, keeping its view directly upon that, proceeds to unfold its nature and proper characteristics. In perfect accordance with this primary distinction, Art aims ever at skill as its one governing end and object; whereas, Science aims only at knowledge. Still further, and in perfect keeping with these distinctions, the method of Art is synthetic, constructive; while that of Science is analytic and critical. Art takes element by element, marks out stage by stage successively, and constructs and develops into a composite, harmonious whole of power and skill; while Science dissects the given whole of discourse, and leaves it unfolded, explicated into its several parts and elements. In outer form there will be much that is common in a true art and a true science of Discourse, 1 inasmuch as all art must proceed in intelligence, that is, in science; the product of a faculty must partake of the proper character of the faculty. Skill involves knowledge; and analysis implies synthesis. But a proper art will be developed in a very different spirit from a science; it will ever be putting the learner upon practice, and abound in cautions and rules, while a science will content itself with mere facts and truths. Accordingly, the most critical and thorough mastery of a science will not suffice to make an artist; and a certain skill and tact may exist in comparative ignorance of principles. There will be more or less of difference, thus, in the matter which makes up the body of an art and that of a science. An art will, in particular, present exercises for the practical application of its rules, which would be entirely foreign to the design and nature of a science. In respect of immediate subject, therefore, as also of aim, of method, and of matter, a proper art will differ from a science. The definition also presents discourse as the limiting or specific subject-matter of the art of Rhetoric. This term, discourse, like many others in language, is used in different connections, for three different purposes: to denote the faculty, the exertion or operation of the faculty, and the result or product of the operation. By earlier writers it was employed to denote the discursive faculty of intelligence, in distinction from the original faculties, from the presentative, or the intuitive in the broader import of the word as including both the perceptive and the proper intuitive; as "It adds to my calamity that I have Discourse and Reason." "Reason is her being, Discursive or intuitive; discourse Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours.' - Milton. The term is used also to denote the exercise of this faculty as thus discriminated from the faculties of original knowledge. Thus Chillingworth: "By discourse no man can pos |