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elevated, aucl replete with peculiar phrases and ex- 

 pressions that are employed only in similar compo- 

 sitions, from whence it is called coyagtucan^ the 

 style of parliamentary harangues. They abound 

 with i)arables and apologues, which sometimes fur- 

 nish tlie whole substance of the discourse. Their 

 orations, notwithstanding, contain all the essential 

 parts required by the rules of rhetoric, which need 

 not excite our surprise, since the same principle of 

 nature that led the Greeks to reduce eloquence to 

 an art, has taught the use of it to these people. They 

 arc deficient neither in a suitable exordium, a clear 

 narrative, a well founded argument, or a pathetic 

 peroration. They commonly divide their subject 

 into two or three points, which they call tlioy^ and 

 specify the number by saying epii thoy-gei tamen 

 piavirij what I am going to say is divided into two 

 points. They employ in their oratory several kinds 

 of style, but the most esteemed is the rachidiiguv^ 

 a word equivolent to academic. 



Their poets are called genipin, lords of speech. 

 This expressive name is well applied to them, since 

 ])Ossebsing that strong enthusiasm excited by pas- 

 sions undebilitated by the restraints and refinements 

 of civil life, they follow no other rules in their com- 

 positions than the impulse of their imaginations. Of 

 course, their poctrj" generally contains strong and 

 lively images, bold figures, frequent allusions and 

 similitudes, novel and forcible expressions, and pos- 

 sesses the art of moving and interesting the heart by 

 exciting its sensibility. Every thing in it is meta- 

 phorical and animated, and allegory is, if I may use 



