Campbell, George (1719-1796)

The Philosophy of Rhetoric

London

Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell

1776

"But who that has the least spark of imagination, sees not how languid the latter expression is, when compared with the former."

Sometimes indeed it is necessary, in order to set an eminent object in the most conspicuous light, to depart a little from the ordinary mode of composition, as well as of arrangement. The following is an example in this way: "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" A colder writer would have satisfied himself with saying,"Where are your fathers? and do the prophets live for ever." But who that has the least spark of imagination, sees not how languid the latter expression is, when compared with the former. The sentiment intended to be conveyed in both, namely the frailty and mortality of man, is one of those obvious truths, which it is impossible for any person in his senses to call in question. To introduce the mention of it, in order to engage my assent to what nobody ever denied or doubted, would be of no consequence at all; but it is of consequence to rouse my attention to a truth, which so nearly concerns every man, and which is, nevertheless, so little attended to by any. In such cases the end of speaking is not to make us believe, but to make us feel. It is the heart and not the head which ought to be addressed. And nothing can be better adapted to this purpose, than first, as it were independently, to raise clear ideas in the imagination, and then, by the abruptness of an unexpected question, to send us to seek for the archetypes.
(II, pp. 328-9)

Fire::Spark

C-H Lion

Only 1 entry in ESTC (1776).

The Philosophy of Rhetoric. By George Campbell, 2 vols. (London: Printed for W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1776). <Link to ESTC>

07/02/2013