Critical WORKS

O F

Monfieur RAPIN,

In Two Volumes.

VOL. II.

CONTAINING

I. His Reflections on Eloquence in General; and particularly on that of the Bar and Pulpit.

II. His Reflections on Ariftotle's Treatise of
Poefie; with a large Preface by Mr. Rymer.
III. His Reflections upon Hiftory.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII. VIII. IX.

Upon Philofophy in General.
Upon Logick.
Upon Morality.

Upon Phyficks.

Upon Metaphyficks.

Upon the Ufe of Philofophy in Religion.

Newly Tranflated into ENGLISH, by BASIL KENNET, D. D. late President of Corpus Chrifti College, Oxon; and Others

The Second Edition Cozreaed.

LONDON: Printed for R. Bonwicke and Richard Wilkin in St. Paul's Church-yard; F. Walthoe and Tho. Ward in the Temple; T. Goodwin, M. Wotton and B. Tooke in Fleet-street ; F. Nicholfon in Little-Britain; and S. Manfhip and R. Smith near the Royal Exchange. 1716.

I.

THE

CONTENTS

OF THE

Second VOLUME.

Reflections upon Eloquence.

The Author's Preface.

HAT Eloquence cannot flourish but in

a free State, or People.

People

II. The Honours and Rewards

proposed to Eloquence made it reign at

Athens, and at Rome.

III. Nature and Genius, the chief Foundation of

Eloquence.

IV. Study may accomplish it, by adding a great

Capacity, and Extent of Knowledge.

V. The Difference between true and falfe Elo-

quence.

VI. The Practice of Compofition, a Means for the

Attainment of Eloquence.

VII. Another Means, the Art of faying Things as

they are.

VIII: A Continuation of the fame Subject,

A 2

IX. Tes

IX. To ftudy and follow One's own Genius, another

Means.

X. Nothing more effential than the Pronunciation.

XI. Logick by Perfecting our Discourse, gives Perfe-

Etion to Eloquence.

XII. An Orator must proportion his, Difcourfe to
his Subject and his Strength, in Order to preserve
a Decorum.

XIII. The Neceffity of Distinguishing the several

Kinds of Eloquence.

XIV. Of the Frigid and the Boyish Style.

XV. Of the Sublime Style, and the Use to be made

of it.

XVI. Eloquence fpoilt by too much Ornament.
XVII. True Eloquence always natural.

~XVIII. The Neceffity of Studying the Language.
XIX. The Eloquence of the Imagination, but a
vain Flow of Words

XX. Of the Ordonnance of a Discourse.

XXI. True Eloquence rather strikes the Heart than

the Head.

XXII. The Affectation of Speaking finely, very often
no more than a Shew of Eloquence...

XXIII The Elequence of Things, (which alone

is true Eloquence,) confifts in the Turn that is

given them.

XXIV. Eloquence becomes admirable, only by the
Pourtraits of the Manners and Paffions.

XXV. Virtue and Modefty, the Character of a
publick Speaker.

XXVI. Evil Education of Youth, the great
Caufe, why fo few Orators fucceed.

XXVI. No perfect Eloquence without the Affiftance

of Art.

Reflections

Reflections upon the Eloquence of the

I.

BAR.

IM died Oratory.

EN Speak at the Bar before they have stu;

II. The Study of the Law prejudicial to that of Elo-

quence.

III. Forms of Practice, likewife prejudicial.

IV. The Modes of Language, another Hindrance.

V. As is alfo the Study of too exact a Method in a

Difcourfe.

VI. And on the other Hand, the Negligence of

Speakers in preparing themselves.

VII. This Negligence commendable, on fome Occafi

ons.

VIII. Extraordinary Strokes have their Place and

Merit.

IX. The good Opinion of the Orator's Modera-
tion and Temper, a great Means of Perfua-

fion.

X. Eloquence appears childish by too frequent à Ufe
of Common Places.

XI. That Eloquence false, which is too folicitous of
Shining.

XII. The Perfection of Eloquence arifes from the

Action and Pronunciation.

XIII. The Subjects of Pleading, many times not

favourable to Eloquence.

XIV. The Judiciary Kind diffufes it felf to other

Kinds.

XV. The Eloquence of Magiftrates and Publick-

Ministers.

XVI. The Rules of Eloquence in the Demonstrative

Kind,