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We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.

Quintilian

Forbidden pleasures alone are loved immoderately; when lawful, they do not excite desire.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Desire Excite Feeling Law
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
QUINTILIAN

Difficult Excuse Ourselves
From writing rapidly it does not result that one writes well, but from writing well it results that one writes rapidly.
QUINTILIAN

Fast Oneself Result Writing
Although virtue receives some of its excellencies from nature, yet it is perfected by education.
QUINTILIAN

Excellence Nature Perfection Virtue
Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no immaterial accomplishment.
QUINTILIAN

Accomplishment Man Quality Value Wrong
The perfection of art is to conceal art.
QUINTILIAN

Art Hide Perfection
Study depends on the goodwill of the student, a quality that cannot be secured by compulsion.
QUINTILIAN

Compulsion Goodness Secure Study
Verse satire indeed is entirely our own.
QUINTILIAN

Ourselves Verse
It is the heart which inspires eloquence.
QUINTILIAN

Heart Inspirational One Liner
Without natural gifts technical rules are useless.
QUINTILIAN

Gift Natural Rule Technical
A great part of art consists in imitation. For the whole conduct of life is based on this: that what we admire in others we want to do ourselves.
QUINTILIAN

Admire Art Consist Greatness Life Ourselves
That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes.
QUINTILIAN

Arrival Lost Perfection Vanish
For it would have been better that man should have been born dumb, nay, void of all reason, rather than that he should employ the gifts of Providence to the destruction of his neighbor.
QUINTILIAN

Better Born Destruction Dumb Man Neighbor Reason
Men, even when alone, lighten their labors by song, however rude it may be.
QUINTILIAN

Alone Light Man Rude
A liar must have a good memory.
QUINTILIAN

Goodness Lying Memories
Where evil habits are once settled, they are more easily broken than mended.
QUINTILIAN

Break Easy Evil Habit Repair Settle

We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.

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We should not speak so that it is possible for the audience to understand us, but so that it is impossible for them to misunderstand us.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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