r must be carefully tested. While a
piece of material that could be omitted without loss to the
explanation may sometimes find a place in exposition, such a thing
must not occur in argument. As soon as a reader discovers that the
writer is off the track, either he loses respect for the author's
words, or he suspects him of trying to hide the weakness of his
position in a cloud of worthless and irrelevant matters. Every bit of
material should advance the argument one step; it should fill its
niche in the well-planned structure; it should contribute its part to
the strength of the whole.

Plan called The Brief.

When the material has been selected, it must be arranged. An argument
is a demonstration. Each of its parts is the natural result of what
has preceded, and, up to the last step, each part is the basis for the
next step. As in geometry a demonstration that omits one step in its
development, or, which comes to the same thing, puts the point out of
its logical order, is worthless as a demonstration, so in argument not
one essential step can be omitted, nor can it be misplaced. The plan
in an argument may be more evident than in exposition. We are a little
offended if the framework shows too plainly in exposition; but there
is no offense in a well-articulated skeleton in an argument. It is
quite the rule that the general plan and the main divisions of the
argument are announced at the very beginning. Any device that will
make the relation of the parts clearer should be used. Over and over
again the writer should arrange the cards with the topics until he is
certain that no other order is so good. The writing is a mere trifle
compared with the outline, called in argument the brief.

Though the brief is so essential, it is unfortunately a thing about
which but few suggestions can be given. The circumstances under which
arguments are written--especially whether written to defend a position
or to attack it--are so various that rules cannot be given. Still a
few general principles may be of value.

Climax.

Proofs should be arranged in a climax. This does not mean that the
weakest argument should come first, and the next stronger should
follow, and so on until the last and strongest is reached. It is
necessary to begin with something that will catch the attention; and
in argument it is frequently a proof strong enough to convince the
reader that the writer knows what he is contending for, and that he
can strike