Two Books of the Elements of Rhetoric

from the topics of the Demonstrative kind, while he speaks not about the case, but about the person, whose praises could be expounded in a judgment of dignity. And Demosthenes, in persuading, takes many things from the Demonstrative kind, while he inveighs against Philip of Macedon.

CONCERNING THE DIDACTIC KIND.

dial. 84.

If anyone desires longer precepts concerning this kind, let him return to Dialectic, which alone hands down the method of teaching perfectly. For Dialectic is properly the art of teaching correctly. But the power and utility of this kind is very great. For often men must be taught about religion, about law, and about every duty, where without this method, things cannot be made plain. And we cannot even learn ourselves, and correctly grasp in our minds difficult and intricate things, unless we follow this Method, which is very easy if one has applied moderate practice.

But questions are twofold. Some are simple, as when one asks about a single word, What is virtue, What is repentance. Some are compound, as when some proposition is to be confirmed or refuted, as, whether it is right for a Christian to cast away his possessions.