<P> Castiglione's characters opine about how their courtier can impress his audience and win its approval . Similar to the Classical Roman rhetoricians Cicero and Quintilian, Castiglione stresses the importance of delivery while speaking . In Book I, the Count states that when the courtier speaks he must have a "sonorous, clear, sweet and well sounding" voice that is neither too effeminate nor too rough and be "tempered by a calm face and with a play of the eyes that shall give an effect of grace ." (Castiglione 1.33) This grace, or grazia, becomes an important element in the courtier's appearance to the audience . Edoardo Saccone states in his analysis of Castiglione, "grazia consists of, or rather is obtained through, sprezzatura ." </P> <P> According to the Count, sprezzatura is amongst one of the most important, if not the most important, rhetorical device the courtier needs . Peter Burke describes sprezzatura in The Book of the Courtier as "nonchalance", "careful negligence", and "effortless and ease ." The ideal courtier is someone who "conceals art, and presents what is done and said as if it was done without effort and virtually without thought ." (31). </P> <P> The Count advocates the courtier engage in sprezzatura, or this "certain nonchalance", in all the activities he participates in, especially speech . In Book I, he states, "Accordingly we may affirm that to be true art which does not appear to be art; nor to anything must we give greater care than to conceal art, for if it is discovered, it quite destroys our credit and brings us into small esteem ." (Castiglione 1.26) The Count reasons that by obscuring his knowledge of letters, the courtier gives the appearance that his "orations were composed very simply" as if they sprang up from "nature and truth (rather) than from study and art ." (1.26). This much more natural appearance, even though it is not natural by any means, is more advantageous to the courtier . </P> <P> The Count contends that if the courtier wants to attain grazia and be esteemed excellent, it would be in his best interest to have this appearance of nonchalance . By failing to employ sprezzatura, he destroys his opportunity for grace . By applying sprezzatura to his speech and everything else he does, the courtier appears to have grazia and impresses his audience, thereby achieving excellence and perfection . (Saccone 16). </P>

Baldassare castiglione the book of the courtier summary