Rhetorical Science [pp. 660-678]

RHETORICAL SCIENCE.
full possession of all his powers and acquisitions, writing out
the full expression of his nature, in the most natural forms; and
this we term the highest art. " Le style c'est l'homme," says
Buffon. "The style is the Alan." It is the expression of self
in order to the impression of others; it is making what is subjectivre in us, subjective in those who read us, the transfer of
personal feeling into the most central experience of others. It
is thus that the ingenious Pascal writes: "When we find only
an author, we find one who writes,'plus poetice quam humane,'
but when we see a natural style, we are altogether ravished, for
in our expectation of seeing an author, behold we have found a
man."* More of the writer's personality is what we ne d in our
writing, a more unreserved utterance (i. e. out-terance) of the
inner man, self revelation; and then would we have of necessity,
both nature and art in the purity of perfection. Of each of us
as writers it should be said, as Denham said of Curley, that
"Both in him so equal are,
None knows which bears the happiest share."
In its best and last analysis, the Art of Rhetoric is what
Palmer t calls "eine naturwiuchsige Kunst," an art of a natural
growth. (Discussion of special terms, in relation to the subject as
now defined.) In order, then, to a view of the Nature and Function
of Rhetoric from another standpoint, let us develop still further
the ideas just suggested. Our object will be attained by an understanding of the terms Science and Art, Nature and Art, Form
and Substance, in their applications to the subject in hand.
Rhetoric is a Science in that it has to do with the abstract
principles of Discourse, and an Art in that it applies them. As
a Science, it is capable of giving form to Discourse, and as an
Art, is influential in and by these visible forms; and let it be
remembered, as most important, that these two-the Science and
the Art-are so intertwined and co-related, that their divorce is
no less unprofitable than unnatural. It is because of this divorce
in the department hitherto, that its present unsettled condition
is before us. Taught as a mere Science, or Formal RPhetoric
only, it has of necessity degenerated into lifeless verbal criticism,and tal.lght as a mere Art, apart from its principle as
fundamental, it has as rapidly degenerated into lawless composi
* Histoire d e! a Litiratnre Fraricaise (Demogert).
Homniletik.
I Die evangelisehe
1874.]
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