The Philosophy of Rhetoric

George Campbell

doi:10.1017/CBO9781139629515

A leading figure of the Scottish Enlightenment, George Campbell (1719–96) began to write what was to become his most famous work, The Philosophy of Rhetoric, soon after his ordination as a minister in 1748. Later, as a founder of the Aberdeen Philosophical Society, he was able to present his theories, and these discourses were eventually published in 1776. In the spirit of the Enlightenment, Campbell combined classical rhetorical theory with the latest thinking in the social, behavioural and natural sciences. A proponent of 'common sense' philosophy, he was particularly interested in the effect of successful rhetoric upon the mind. Published in two volumes, the work is divided into three books. Volume 2 contains the concluding part of Book 2 and all of Book 3, which shows the author at his most intricate, expanding upon the correct selection, number and arrangement of words required for successful argument.

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The Philosophy of Rhetoric

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-ii

Contents
pp iii-vi

ERRATA
pp vii-viii

BOOK II

CHAP. V - Of the qualities of style strictly rhetorical
pp 1-4

CHAP. VI - Of perspicuity
pp 5-92

CHAP. VII - What is the cause that nonsense so often escapes being detected, both by the writer and by the reader
pp 92-129

CHAP. VIII - The extensive usefulness of perspicuity
pp 129-152

CHAP. IX - May there not be an excess of perspicuity?
pp 152-156

BOOK III - The discriminating Properties of Elocution

CHAP. I - Of vivacity as depending on the choice of words
pp 157-261

CHAP. II - Of vivacity as depending on the number of the words
pp 261-304

CHAP. III - Of Vivacity as depending on the arrangement of the words
pp 305-375

CHAP. IV - Of the connectives employed in combining the parts of a sentence
pp 375-417

CHAP. V - Of the connectives employed in combining the sentences in a discourse
pp 417-445

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