Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the nature of the same thing, as to have had different things in view while they employed the same term. Richard Whately More Quotes by Richard Whately More Quotes From Richard Whately Those who relish the study of character may profit by the reading of good works of fiction, the product of well-established authors. Richard Whately reading character fiction All gaming, since it implies a desire to profit at the expense of another, involves a breach of the tenth commandment. Richard Whately profit gambling desire Women never reason, or, if they do, they either draw correct inferences from wrong premises, or wrong inferences from correct premises; and they always poke the fire from the top. Richard Whately inference fire reason Reason can no more influence the will, and operate as a motive, than the eyes which show a man his road can enable him to move from place to place, or that a ship provided with a compass can sail without a wind. Richard Whately eye men moving The heathen mythology not only was not true, but was not even supported as true; it not only deserved no faith, but it demanded none. The very pretension to truth, the very demand of faith, were characteristic distinctions of Christianity. Richard Whately characteristics demand christianity The attendant on William Rufus, who discharged at a deer an arrow, which glanced against a tree and killed the king, was no murderer, because he had no such design. And, on the other hand, a man who should lie in wait to assassinate another, and pull the trigger of a gun with that intent, would be morally a murderer, not the less though the gun should chance to miss fire. Richard Whately gun kings lying Of metaphors, those generally conduce most to energy or vivacity of style which illustrate an intellectual by a sensible object. Richard Whately style energy intellectual In our judgment of human transactions, the law of optics is reversed, we see most dimly the objects which are close around us. Richard Whately optics judgment law The depreciation of Christianity by indifference is a more insidious and less curable evil than infidelity itself. Richard Whately infidelity indifference evil Geologists complain that when they want specimens of the common rocks of a country, they receive curious spars; just so, historians give us the extraordinary events and omit just what we want,--the every-day life of each particular time and country. Richard Whately rocks country history It is also important to guard against mistaking for good-nature what is properly good-humor,--a cheerful flow of spirits and easy temper not readily annoyed, which is compatible with great selfishness. Richard Whately cheerful annoyed important Misgive that you may not mistake. Richard Whately doubt mistake may A man who gives his children habits of industry provides for them better than by giving them a fortune. Richard Whately Every one wishes to have truth on his side, but it is not everyone sincerely wishes to be on the side of truth. Richard Whately In our judgment of human transactions, the law of optics is reversed; we see the most indistinctly the objects which are close around us. Richard Whately us human see law Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument. Richard Whately never best dinner argument There is a soul of truth in error; there is a soul of good in evil. Richard Whately good soul truth evil Preach not because you have to say something, but because you have something to say. Richard Whately preach say something you All men wish to have truth on their side; but few to be on the side of truth. Richard Whately side truth wish men It is generally true that all that is required to make men unmindful of what they owe God for any blessing is that they should receive that blessing often and regularly. Richard Whately true blessing god men
