CHAPTER X11. 83 of a Soeratical dispute by question and answer, it would won- derfully enlighten the minds of children, and it would improve their intellectual and reasoning powers, at the same time that it leads them into the knowledge of religion ; and it is upon one account well suited to the capacity of children; for the questions may be pretty numerous, and the querist must not proceed too swiftly towards the determinationof his point proposed, that he may with more ease, with brighter evidence, and with surer suc- cess, draw the learner on to assent to those principles step by step, from whence the final conclusion will naturally arise. The only inconveniencewould be this, that if children were to reason out all their way entirely into the knowledge of every part of their religion, it would draw common catechisms into too large a volume for their leisure, attention or memory. Yet those who explain their catechisms to them may, by due applicationand forethought, instruct them in this manner. CHAP. XII.Of Forensic Disputes. Í. THE Forum was a public place in Rome, where lawyers and orators made their speeches before the proper judge in mat- tersof property, or in criminal cases to accuse or excuse, to com- plain or defend ; thence all sorts of disputations in public assem- blies or courtsof justice, where several persons make their dis- tinct speeches for or against any person or thing whatsoever, but more especially in civil matters, maycome under the name of forensic disputes. H. This is practised not only in the courts ofjudicature, where a single person sits to judge of the truth or goodness of any cause, and to determine according to the weight of reasons on either side ; but it is used also in political senates or parlia- ments, ecclesiastical synods, and assemblies of various kinds. In these assemblies, generally one person is chosenchairman or moderator, not to give a determination to the controversy, but chiefly to keep the several speakers to the rules of order and decency in their conduct; but the final determination of the questions arises from the majority of opinions or votes in the assembly, according as they are or ought to be swayed by the superior weight of reason appearing in the several speeches that are made. III. The method of proceeding is usually in some such form as this. The first person who speaks when the court is set, opens the case either more briefly or at large, and propo- ses the case to the judge or the chairman, or moderator of the assembly, and gives his own reasons for his opinion in the case proposed. F2
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