Rethoric is the art of embellishing language with the ornaments of construction, so as to enable the speaker to persuade or affect his hearers. It supposes and requires a proper acquaintance with the rest of the liberal arts; for the first step toward adorning a discourse is for the speaker to become thoroughly acquainted with its subject, and hence the ancient rule that that the orator should be acquainted with all the arts and sciences. Its importance as a branch of liberal education is recommended to the Freemason in the Fellow Craft's Degree. It is one of the seven liberal arts and sciences, the second in order, and is described in the ancient Constitutions as "retoricke that teacheth a man to speake faire and in subtill terms."
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This page is adapted from the Glossary at Phoenixmasonry — Used with permission.
