Cornelii Valerii Ultraiectini In universam benedicendi [sic] rationem tabula, summam artis rhetoricae complectens

The thesis is twofold, of cognition and action: The genera of the former are three: such as, whether it is, what it is, what kind it is. The latter has two; one, which pertains to pursuing or declining something: the other, which pertains to the advantage and use of providing, or in regulating emotions.

See Cicero’s Partitions, from which these are taken, and his Topics.

time, place, and mode, about which we will speak in a more convenient place. The infinite question is twofold: either it pertains to cognition, the end of which is knowledge, such as, "Is the earth spherical?" "Does friendship exist anywhere?" Or to action, such as, "Should the republic be governed?" "With what duties should friendship be cultivated?" The genera of the former are three: Whether it is, what it is, what kind it is, and similar ones, which are handed down by dialecticians in the treatment of simple and combined themes: such as, "Do pygmies exist?" "Has the world always existed?" "Will it always be the same?" What it is: such as, "What is the soul?" What kind it is: such as, "Is the sky colored?" "Is it praiseworthy, is it useful to devote oneself to philosophy?" The other has two genera: One pertains to pursuing or declining something; such as, "By what means can you acquire friends, attain glory, avoid envy?" The other relates to advantage and use; such as, "How should the republic be administered, or how should one live in poverty?"

Hypothesis, or cause. Genera of causes. Demonstrative. See Quintilian, book 3, chapters 4 & 8.

The genera of causes or finite questions are three: demonstrative, deliberative, and judicial. In the demonstrative, we praise or blame persons, deeds, and things. Its end is, as most have taught, the honorable or the base. The orator in this genus has pleasure as the proposed object.

Deliberative.

In the deliberative, we persuade, dissuade, etc. The end is the useful or the useless. The objects proposed are hope and fear.

Judicial.

In the judicial, we accuse or defend. The end is the just or the unjust. It has clemency or cruelty proposed. And each of these genera is either honorable, base, doubtful, lowly, or obscure: which indeed is the very first thing to be considered in the method of beginning. Everything is treated by speech,