The brilliant chief, irregularly great,
Frank, haughty, rash--the Rupert of debate.

The brilliant chief, irregularly great,
Frank, haughty, rash--the Rupert of debate.

A knock-down argument; 'tis but a word and a blow.

A knock-down argument; 'tis but a word and a blow.

Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument
About it and about: read more

Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument
About it and about: but evermore
Came out by the same door wherein I went.

Hear one side and you will be in the dark. Hear both and all will be clear.

Hear one side and you will be in the dark. Hear both and all will be clear.

Be calm in arguing; for fierceness makes
Error a fault, and truth discourtesy.

Be calm in arguing; for fierceness makes
Error a fault, and truth discourtesy.

I have found you an argument; but I am not obliged to find you an
understanding.

I have found you an argument; but I am not obliged to find you an
understanding.

When a thing is said to be not worth refuting you may be sure that either it is flagrantly stupid read more

When a thing is said to be not worth refuting you may be sure that either it is flagrantly stupid -- in which case all comment is superfluous -- or it is something formidable, the very crux of the problem.

The purely agitation attitude is not good enough for a detailed consideration of a subject.

The purely agitation attitude is not good enough for a detailed consideration of a subject.

The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.

The sounder your argument, the more satisfaction you get out of it.