The art of rhetoric, with A discourse of the laws of England by Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury.

About this Item

Title
The art of rhetoric, with A discourse of the laws of England by Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury.
Author
Hobbes, Thomas, 1588-1679.
Publication
London :: Printed for William Crooke ...,
1681.
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Subject terms
Rhetoric -- Early works to 1800.
Oratory -- Early works to 1800.
Law -- Great Britain -- History.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A43971.0001.001
Cite this Item
"The art of rhetoric, with A discourse of the laws of England by Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A43971.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 12, 2025.

Pages

CHAP. III.

Of the things that make an Oration Flat.

THe things that make an Oration flat, or insipide, are four.

1. Words Compounded; [and yet a Man may Compound a word, when the Compo∣sition is necessary, for want of a simple word; and easie, and seldom used.]

2. Forraign Words. As for Example, such as are newly derived from the Latine; which though they were proper among them whose tongue it is, are Forraign in another Language: and yet these may be used, so it be moderately.

3. Long, impertinent, and often Epithets,

4. Metaphors, indecent, and obscure. Ob∣scure they are, when they are far fetcht. In∣decent when they are ridiculous, as in Co∣medies; or too grave, as in Tragedies.

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