I have been all the more desirous of so doing because two books on the
 art of rhetoric are at present circulating under my name, although never
 published by me or composed for such a purpose. One is a two days'
 lecture which was taken down by the boys who were my audience. The other
 consists of such notes as my good pupils succeeded in taking down from a
 course of lectures on a somewhat more extensive scale: I appreciate
 their kindness, but they showed an excess of enthusiasm and a certain
 lack of discretion in doing my utterances the honour of publication.
 Consequently in the present work although some passages remain the same,
 you will find many alterations and still more additions, while the whole
 theme will be treated with greater system and with as great perfection
 as lies within my power. My aim, then, is the education of the perfect orator. The first
 essential for such an one is that he should be a good man, and
 consequently we demand of him not merely the possession of exceptional
 gifts of speech, but of all the excellences of
 character as well.