7. Another use of speech is _instigation_ and appeasing, by which we increase or diminish one another’s passion: it is the same thing with _persuasion_; the difference not being real; for, the begetting of _opinion_ and _passion_ is the _same_. But whereas in _persuasion_ we aim at _getting opinion from passion_; _here_, the end is, _to raise passion from opinion_. And as in raising an opinion from passion, any premises are good enough to enforce the desired conclusion; so, in raising passion from opinion, it is no matter whether the opinion be true or false, or the narration historical or fabulous; for, _not_ the _truth_, but the _image_, maketh passion: and a tragedy, well acted, affecteth no less than a murder. 8. Though words be the _signs_ we have of one another’s _opinions_ and intentions, because the _equivocation_ of them is so _frequent according_ to the _diversity of contexture_, and of the company wherewith they go, which, the presence of him that speaketh, our _sight_ of his _actions_, and _conjecture_ of his _intentions_, must help to discharge us of; it must therefore be _extremely hard_ to find the _opinions_ and meaning of those _men_ that are _gone from us long ago_, and have left us no other signification thereof than their books, which cannot possibly be understood without _history_, to discover those aforementioned circumstances, and also without great prudence to _observe_ them. 9. When it happeneth that a man signifieth unto two _contradictory_ opinions, whereof the _one_ is _clearly_ and directly _signified_, and the _other_ either _drawn_ from that by _consequence_, or not known to be contradictory to it; then, when he is not present to explicate himself better, we are to take the _former_ for his opinion; for that is clearly signified to be his, and directly; whereas the other might proceed from error in the deduction, or ignorance of the repugnancy. The like also is to be held in two contradictory expressions of a man’s intention and will, for the same reason. 10. Forasmuch as whosoever _speaketh_ to another, intendeth thereby to _make_ him _understand_ what he saith, if he speak unto him either in a language which he that heareth understandeth not, or use any word in other sense than he believeth is the sense of him that heareth, he _intendeth also not_ to make him understand what he saith; which is a _contradiction_ of himself. It is therefore always to be supposed, that he which intendeth not to deceive, alloweth the private interpretation of his speech to him to whom it is addressed. 11. _Silence_, in him that _believeth_ that the same shall be taken for a _sign of his intent_, _is_ a sign thereof indeed: for, if he did not consent, the labour of speaking so much as to declare the same, is so little, as it is to be presumed he would have done it. CONCLUSION.