Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series I/Volume II/On Christian Doctrine/Book IV/Chapter 22

Chapter 22.—The Necessity of Variety in Style.

51.&#160; But we are not to suppose that it is against rule to mingle these various styles:&#160; on the contrary, every variety of style should be introduced so far as is consistent with good taste.&#160; For when we keep monotonously to one style, we fail to retain the hearer&#8217;s attention; but when we pass from one style to another, the discourse goes off more gracefully, even though it extend to greater length.&#160; Each separate style, again, has varieties of its own which prevent the hearer&#8217;s attention from cooling or becoming languid.&#160; We can bear the subdued style, however, longer without variety than the majestic style.&#160; For the mental emotion which it is necessary to stir up in order to carry the hearer&#8217;s feelings with us, when once it has been sufficiently excited, the higher the pitch to which it is raised, can be maintained the shorter time.&#160; And therefore we must be on our guard, lest, in striving to carry to a higher point the emotion we have excited, we rather lose what we have already gained.&#160; But after the interposition of matter that we have to treat in a quieter style, we can return with good effect to that which must be treated forcibly, thus making the tide of eloquence to ebb and flow like the sea.&#160; It follows from this, that the majestic style, if it is to be long continued, ought not to be unvaried, but should alternate at intervals with the other styles; the speech or writing as a whole, however, being referred to that style which is the prevailing one.