in Rhetoric, the epilogue or last part of an oration, wherein what the orator had insisted on throughout his whole discourse is urged afresh with greater vehemence and passion. The peroration consists of two parts. 1. Recapitulation; wherein the substance of what was diffused throughout the whole speech is collected briefly and cursorily, and summed up with new force and weight. 2. The moving the passions; which is so peculiar to the peroration, that the matters of the art call this part sedes affectuum. The passions to be raised are various, according to the various kinds of oration. In a panegyric, love, admiration, emulation, joy, &c. In an invective, hatred, contempt, &c. In a deliberation, hope, confidence, or fear. The qualities required in the peroration are, that it be very vehement and passionate, and that it be short; because, as Cicero observes, tears soon dry up. These qualities were well observed by Cicero, who never had an equal in the management of this part of an orator's province; for peroration was his masterpiece.

"Concerning peroration (says Dr Blair), it is needless to say much, because it must vary so considerably, according to the strain of the preceding discourse. Sometimes the whole pathetic part comes in most properly at the peroration. Sometimes, when the discourse has been entirely argumentative, it is fit to conclude with summing up the arguments, placing them in one view, and leaving the impression of them full and strong on the mind of the audience. For the great rule of a conclusion, and what nature obviously suggests, is, to place that last on which we choose that the strength of our case should rest.

"In all discourses, it is a matter of importance to hit the precise time of concluding, so as to bring our discourse just to a point; neither ending abruptly and unexpectedly, nor disappointing the expectation of the hearers when they look for the close, and continuing to hover round and round the conclusion till they become heartily tired of us. We should endeavour to get off with a good grace; not to end with a languishing and drawling sentence, but to close with dignity and spirit, that we may leave the minds of the hearers warm, and dismiss them with a favourable impression of the subject and of the speaker."