WHEN THE DIVISION IS DESIRABLE

If many things are to be avoided or refuted, the division will be both

useful and pleasing, causing everything to appear in the order in which

it is to be said. But if we defend a single crime by various ways,

division will be superfluous, as, "I shall make it clear that the person

I defend is not such as to make it seem probable that he could be guilty

of murder; it shall also be shown that he had no motives to induce him

to do it; and lastly, that he was across the sea when this murder took

place." Whatever is cited and argued before the third point must seem

quite unnecessary, for the judge is in haste to have you come to that

which is of most consequence, and the patient, will tacitly call upon

you to acquit yourself of your promise, or, if he has much business to

dispatch, or his dignity puts him above your trifling, or he is of a

peevish humor, he will oblige you to speak to the purpose, and perhaps

do so in disrespectful terms.

The Training of a Public Speaker · 第 50 / 109 题