George William Russell Quotes

Neither irony nor sarcasm is argument.

Convincing yourself doesn't win an argument.

Neither irony or sarcasm is argument.

Because an appeal makes logical sense is no guarantee that it will work.

Eloquence, n. The art of orally persuading fools that white is the color that it appears to be. It includes the gift of making any color appear white.

In argument, truth always prevails finally; in politics, falsehood always.

The object of oratory alone is not truth, but persuasion.

Nothing is so difficult to believe that oratory cannot make it acceptable …

At the end of reasons comes persuasion.

I never failed to convince an audience that the best thing they could do was to go away.

Eloquence, at its highest pitch, leaves little room for reason or reflection, but addresses itself entirely to the desires and affections, captivating the willing hearers, and subduing their understanding.

In oratory the will must predominate.

He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.

I did a lot of fast talking as a youth; I was pretty good at it. I was never talked into it - I was always the one doing the talking.

Logic is neither an art nor a science but a dodge.

Whoever does not philosophize for the sake of philosophy, but rather uses philosophy as a means, is a sophist.

You cannot 'rationalize' what is not rational to begin with - as if lying were called 'truthization.' There is no way to obtain more truth for a proposition by bribery, flattery, or the most passionate argument - you can make more people believe the proposition, but you cannot make it more true.

Logic is neither a science nor an art, but a dodge.

In argument similes are like songs in love; they describe much, but prove nothing.

It was said that Mr. Gladstone could persuade most people of most things, and himself of anything.

Argument is conclusive … but … it does not remove doubt.

Use your logick, and then your rhetorick. Rhetorick without logick, is like a tree with leaves and blossoms, but no root; yet I confess more are taken with rhetorick than logick, because they are catched with a free expression, when they understand not reason. Logick must be natural, or it is worth nothing at all: Your rhetorick figures may be learned.

I could sway people with words—words that welled up within me.

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.

Eloquence, when at its highest pitch, leaves little room for reason or reflection; but addressing itself entirely to the fancy or the affections, captivates the willing hearers, and subdues their understanding. Happily, this pitch it seldom attains. But what a Tully or a Demosthenes could scarcely effect over a Roman or Athenian audience, every Capuchin, every itinerant or stationary teacher can perform over the generality of mankind, and in a higher degree, by touching such gross and vulgar passions.