a hard blow. Then again, it is evident that in all
arguments there are main points in the discussion that must be
established by points of minor importance. The main points should be
arranged in a logical climax, and the sub-topics which go to support
one of the main divisions should have their climax. At the end of the
whole should be the strongest and the most comprehensive argument. It
should be a general advance of the whole line of argument, including
all the propositions that have previously been called into action,
sweeping everything before it.

Inductive precedes Deductive.

To gain this climax what kind of arguments should precede? Of
inductive and deductive, the inductive proofs generally go first. The
advance from particular instances to general truths is the best suited
to catch the attention, for men think with individual examples, and
general truths make little appeal to them. Moreover, if one is
addressing people of opposing views,--and in most cases he is, else
why is he arguing?--it is unwise to begin with bald statements of
unwelcome truths. They will be rejected without consideration. They
can with advantage be delayed until they are reached in the regular
development, and the reader has been prepared for their reception.
General truths and their application by deductive arguments usually
stand late in the brief.

Cause precedes Sign.

Of arguments from cause, sign, or example, it is ordinarily wise to
place arguments from cause first. A person does not listen to any
explanation of an unknown truth until he knows that the explanation is
plausible; that the cause assigned is adequate to produce the result.
After one knows that the cause is sufficient and may have brought
about the result, he is in a position to learn that it is the very
cause that produced the effect. Arguments from cause are very rarely
conclusive proofs of fact. They only establish a probability. And it
would be unwise to prove that a thing might be a possibility after one
had attempted to prove that it is a fact. It would be a long step
backward, a retreat. Therefore arguments from cause, unless absolutely
conclusive proof of fact, should not come last; but by other
arguments,--by testimony, by example, by analogy,--the possibility,
which has been reached by the argument from cause, may be established
as a fact.

Example follows Sign.

Of the two, sign and example, example generally follows sign. In
arguments about h