THE PAPER SUGGESTS the use of concepts and practices related to rethoric as an analytical instrument to deal with intelectual history in Brazil. Intellectual history is taken in its strict sense of history of discursive forms of thought. The paper starts with a brief evaluation of the state of the art of intellectual history in Brazil. Then a discussion is made of the rethorical tradition inherited from Portugal. Finally, ways of using this tradition to interpret Brazilian texts, especially from the XIX century, are suggested.