354 NARRATION AND EXPLICATION.

Lect, that follows. A fad, or a fingle circumftance leftXXXl. in obfcurity, and mifapprebended by the judge,may deftroy the effect of all the argument andreafoning which the Speaker employs. If hisNarration be improbable , the Judge will notregard it; and if it be tedious and diffufe, hewill tire of it, and forget it. In order to producediftindnefs . befides the ftudy of the general rulesof perfpicuity which were formerly given,Narration recjuires particular attention to afcertainclearly the names, the dates, the places, andevery other material circumftance of the factsrecounted. In order to be probable in Narration,it is material to enter into the characters of theperfons of whom we fpeak , and to fhow, thattheir actions proceeded from fuch motives asare natural, and likely to gain belief. In orderto be as concife as the fubjed will admit , it is' neceffary to throw out all fuperfluous. circum-flances ; the rejedion of which , will likewifetend to make our Narration more forcible, andmote clear.

CicekO is very remarkable for his talent ofNarration; and from the examples in his Orationsmuch may be learned. The Narration , for inftance,in the celebrated Oration pro Miiorc , has beenoften and juftly admired, fits fcope is to fhow,that though in fad Clodius w^as killed by Miloor his fervants, yet that it was only in felf-de-fence; and that the defign had been laid, not•by Milo againft Clodius, but by Clodius againft.Milo’s life. All the circumftances for rendering