86 GREEK PHILOSOPHY. 



active and passive powers of operation ; if compound, we must enume- 

 rate its different kinds, and accurately distinguish the virtues of each, 

 how they operate, and by what they are affected? So I think. 

 Without this method, our progress will be like that of a blind man. 

 Now he, who performs anything, according to art, cannot be compared 

 to the blind or the deaf: is it not therefore evident, whoever speaks 

 with true art must understand well the nature of that which he 

 addresses ? Now this is the mind. Undoubtedly. Does not the 

 whole labour of the pleader tend to this, that he may persuade the 

 hearer ? Yes. It follows from all this, that Thrasymachus, or any 

 other teacher of rhetoric, ought with the utmost assiduity to investigate 

 and declare, whether the mind is by nature simple and uniform, or 

 compound, as the body ; this is what we mean by explaining nature. 

 I understand you. Secondly, he is to show, how the mind acts, and 

 how it is acted upon. Right. Thirdly, having regularly taught the 

 different kinds of speech, and various passions of minds, and examined 

 the motive, which influence them, he is to adapt the one to the other, 

 and teach how, and for what reason, a mind of such a temper is 

 necessarily persuaded by such an argument, while another one is not in 

 the least moved by it. A noble method, indeed, Socrates. Believe me, 

 neither the art of rhetoric, nor any science whatever, can be taught, or 

 explained to advantage any other way than this ; our modern rhetort- 

 cians, whom we daily hear, are men of shrewd parts, they keep to 

 themselves their knowledge of the human heart, and will not commu- 

 nicate it to the world : but till they teach and write in the manner we 

 have mentioned, I shall never be convinced they are skilful in their 

 art. What manner do you mean ? It will not be easy, Phasdrus, to 

 explain this fully ; but I shall briefly intimate, what method the true 

 teacher of this science is to follow. Pray let me hear it. Since elo- 

 quence is nothing else than pleasing and convincing the mind, a good 

 orator ought surely to know how many sorts of minds there are, so 

 many of one, so many of another quality ; whence men are of oppo- 

 site tempers and characters : these distinctions being made, 'tis next 

 to be observed, there are different kinds of speech too ; each of which 

 has its own peculiar quality. Some men will be persuaded by one 

 kind of speech and motives, which will hardly have any influence on 

 others. One of a ready capacity, who has been taught this art, will 

 be able, on proper occasions, to bring it readily into practice, and see 

 at first sight when and how to apply it ; if he cannot, he will be little 

 wiser for his knowledge of the theory ; but if he knows that such a 

 person jvill be prevailed on by such a speech, and can in practice 

 penetrate into the mind, and discern at once, that now occurs the 

 character which is to be persuaded, by such an argument to such an 

 action ; he, I say, who is master of this art, and nice discernment, and 

 can, in an easy and elegant manner introduce the different ornaments 

 and figures of diction, the pathetic, sublime, and vehement, is the 

 consummate orator ! Whoever is defective in any of these respects, 



