The Empress having hitherto spent her time in the examination of the Bird- Fish- Worm- and Ape-men, etc.

Then came the Lice-men, and endeavoured to measure all things to a hairsbreadth, and weigh them to an atom; but their weights would seldom agree, especially in the weighing of air, which they found a task impossible to be done; at which the Empress began to be displeased, and told them, that there was neither truth nor justice in their profession; and so dissolved their society.

After this, the Empress was resolved to hear the Magpie- Parrot- and Jackdaw-men, which were her professed orators and logicians; whereupon one of the Parrot-men rose with great formality, and endeavoured to make an eloquent speech before her Majesty; but before he had half ended, his arguments and divisions being so many, that they caused a great confusion in his brain, he could not go forward, but was forced to retire backward, with great disgrace both to himself, and the whole society; and although one of his brethren endeavoured to second him by another speech, yet was he as far to seek, as the former. At which the Empress appeared not a little troubled, and told them, that they followed too much the rules of art, and confounded themselves with too nice formalities and distinctions; but since I know, said she, that you are a people who have naturally voluble tongues, and good memories; I desire you to consider more the subject you speak of, than your artificial periods, connections and parts of speech, and leave the rest to your natural eloquence; which they did, and so became very eminent orators.

Every politician is wise: Every knave is a politician, Therefore every knave is wise.

Another contradicted him with a syllogism of the second mode of the same figure, thus:

No politician is wise:

Every knave is a politician,

Therefore no knave is wise.

No politician is wise: Every knave is a politician, Therefore no knave is wise.

The third made an argument in the third mode of the same figure, after this manner: