I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of
the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish
to know what there has been in the conduct of the British
ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with
which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves
and the house? Is it that insidious smile with which our
petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will
prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be
betrayed with a kiss.
Which best explains the purpose of the rhetorical device used in this excerpt?
A. The strong appeal to pathos urges the audience to follow their
passions rather than their reason.
B. The imagery of the British receiving the petition with a smile
illustrates ambiguity of the situation,
C. The allusion to Judas's betrayal of Jesus with a kiss appeals to
the audience's sense of logic.
D. The metaphor of a lamp to represent experience implies that
Henry has an authoritative awareness of the topic.