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4. But the theories and rules on this subject (to which, when you
add a tongue thoroughly skilled by exercise and habit in the use of many
words and many ornaments of speech, you have what is called eloquence
or oratory) may be learnt apart from these writings of mine, if a
suitable space of time be set aside for the purpose at a fit and proper
age. But only by those who can learn them any one who cannot learn
this art quickly can never thoroughly learn it at all. Whether this be
true or not, why need we inquire? For even if this art can
occasionally be in the end mastered by men of slower intellect, I do
not think it of so much importance as to wish men who have arrived at
mature age to spend time in learning it. It is enough that boys should
give attention to it; and even of these, not all who are to be fitted
for usefulness in the Church, but only those who are not yet engaged
in any occupation of more urgent necessity, or which ought evidently to
take precedence of it. For men of quick intellect and glowing
temperament find it easier to become eloquent by reading and listening
to eloquent speakers than by following rules for eloquence. And even
outside the canon, which to our great advantage is fixed in a place of
secure authority, there is no want of ecclesiastical writings, in
reading which a man of ability will acquire a tinge of the eloquence
with which they are written, even though he does not aim at this, but
is solely intent on the matters treated of; especially, of course, if
in addition he practise himself in writing, or dictating, and at last
also in speaking, the opinions he has formed on grounds of piety them,
and who speak with fluency and elegance, cannot always think of them
when they are speaking so as to speak in accordance with them, unless
they are discussing the rules themselves. Indeed, I think there are
scarcely any who can do both things that is, speak well, and; in
order to do this, think of the rules of speaking while they are
speaking. For we must be careful that what we have got to say does not
escape us whilst we are thinking about saying it according to the rules
of art. Nevertheless, in the speeches of eloquent men, we find rules
of eloquence carried out which the speakers did not think of as aids to
eloquence at the time when they were speaking, whether they had ever
learnt them, or whether they had never even met with them. For it is
because they are eloquent that they exemplify these rules; it is not
that they use them in order to be eloquent.
5. And, therefore, as infants cannot learn to speak except by
learning words and phrases from those who do speak, why should not men
become eloquent without being taught any art of speech, simply by
reading and learning the speeches of eloquent men, and by imitating
them as far as they can? And what do we find from the examples
themselves to be the case in this respect? We know numbers who,
without acquaintance with rhetorical rules, are more eloquent than many
who have learnt these; but we know no one who is eloquent without
having read and listened to the speeches and debates of eloquent men.
For even the art of grammar, which teaches correctness of speech,
need not be learnt by boys, if they have the advantage of growing up
and living among men who speak correctly. For without knowing the
names of any of the faults, they will, from being accustomed to
correct speech, lay hold upon whatever is faulty in the speech of any
one they listen to, and avoid it; just as city-bred men, even when
illiterate, seize upon the faults of rustics.
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