"Item: And to those who are no longer children or youths or lovers, I leave memory, and I bequeath to them the volumes of the poems of Burns and Shakespeare and of other poets, if there be others, to the end that they may live over the old days again, freely and fully, without tithe or diminution.

"Item: To our loved ones with snowy crowns I bequeath the happiness of old age, the love and gratitude of their children, until they fall asleep."

Give a character sketch of Charles Lounsbury, telling from what you have been able to gather from reading his Will - just what kind of man you think he must have been.

LESSON III

Look over the following selections and give an exposition (oral) of one of the subjects suggested by them, or of one of the subjects suggested by the selections you read in Lesson II, or of a subject given in the appendix in the list of subjects for expository themes.

1. Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), the great man of South Africa, left by his will a large sum of money, the income of which was to be used in providing scholarships at Oxford University, England, for a number of young men from America and other countries. Each year some are selected to go over; and those who form the committee to pick them, are guided in their selection by certain stipulations in the will:

"I direct that in the election of a student to a scholarship, regard shall be had to

"1. His literary and scholastic attainments.

2. His fondness of and success in manly out-door sports, such as cricket, football, and the like.

"3. His qualities of manhood, truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for the protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness, and,

"4. His exhibition during school-days of moral force of character,

and instincts to lead and take an interest in his school-mates; for those latter attributes will be likely in after life to guide him to esteem the performance of public duties as his highest aim."

Take some member of your school, who you think would qualify to become a Rhodes Scholar, and give a character sketch of him.

2. "Julian inviolably preserved for Athens that tender regard which seldom fails to arise in a liberal mind from the recollection of the place where it has discovered and exercised its growing powers."

This selection is taken from Edward Gibbon's (17371794) Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and tells us how the Emperor Julian felt towards the place where he had been a student. Notice how beautifully it is expressed; notice also that the tender regard he felt for the place was due chiefly to the fact that he had "found himself " there.

Give an exposition of "School Spirit," telling fully what it is that makes you feel a tender regard for the institution of which you are a member.

3. "If Julian could now revisit the capital of France, he might converse with men of science and genius, capable of understanding and of instructing a disciple of the Greeks; he might excuse the lively and graceful follies of a nation whose martial spirit has never been enervated by the indulgence of luxury; and he must applaud the perfection of that inestimable art which softens and refines and embellishes the intercourse of social life."

Julian, in Gaul,

This selection is also from Gibbon. which at that time was pretty crude, - longed to return to Athens, then the home of culture. Now, Gibbon says, the capital of France is quite as cultivated a place as ancient Athens. Notice how smoothly, gracefully, beautifully the last clause reads.

Give an exposition of some city or town or community or organization you are acquainted with, in which everything tends to "soften and refine and embellish the intercourse of social life." Use as many of the words Gibbon has employed as you can.

(Remember this does not call for a description. You are not asked to tell how the place or organization looks, but what it is.)

LESSON IV

Write out in a theme what, in the previous lesson, you prepared for a speech.

CHAPTER XXIX

ARGUMENTATION

LESSON I

Argumentation. There are three very important things to remember in connection with argumentation.

1. Don't argue about everything. It is quite as bad form to be "cantankerous " and to doubt everything that is said, as it is to be a "gull" and believe everything that is said.

2. Your own personal opinion about a certain thing, or your belief in it, does not necessarily make it true.

3. A mere statement is not an argument; you must present facts to back it up.

To these we might add a fourth, though it might almost go without saying, -be fair, be honest, be courteous.

First, think out your proposition clearly. Then collect all your facts (make clear statements about them) and arrange them so that your hearer or reader may know immediately just what you are supporting, and what is to be your line of proof. Then present your proofs; but do not have too many of them, for they may confuse your reader. Two or three strong arguments can do more to convince than a dozen weak ones. A rifle bullet goes farther and does more execution than the discharge from a shot-gun.

In presenting your proofs remember that an appeal, an exhortation, is not an argument. Remember also that a mere statement amounts to little unless you put facts behind it.

So far we have spoken only of the constructive side of argumentation. There is also a destructive side to it. Arguing is really something like fighting. In war it is not enough merely to dig and build your own trenches; if you want to win the battle, you must destroy your opponent's trenches. So in argumentation it is not enough merely to build up your arguments; if you want to win someone over to your way of thinking, you must destroy his arguments. This is what is called refutation. You must clear away any objections that may lie in the way of your opponent's agreeing with you; you must point out, too, the fallacies or weak points in his line of argument.

No rule can be laid down as to just what order you should follow. Sometimes it is best to destroy your opponent's arguments first and then to go on and build. up your own. Sometimes it is best to build up your own first, and then gradually and gracefully to destroy his. The only thing that can guide you is your common sense, and that is a pretty safe thing to rely on.

At the close you should always sum up, in a few convincing words, the main points of your argument. Be sure to make your last sentence the strongest.

[Never use the expression "to have an argument," when you mean simply "to talk over" or "to discuss" something.]

A complete outline for a debate is given in Appendix VI.