"The first, that their pretensions to this possession of an art properly so called in their art of speaking are entirely unfounded; and the second, that they are involved in a profound mistake in their confusion of the good with the pleasant"

This quote by Friedrich Schleiermacher is describing the idea of rhetoric, or the art of speaking. Schleiermacher is arguing that people are wrong in believing that they have an art of speaking, and that they are wrong in puzzling the good with the pleasant. He is stating that individuals typically error what is enjoyable for what is excellent, and that this is an error. He is recommending that people should concentrate on what is good, rather than what is pleasant, when it concerns rhetoric. He is also saying that people must not be so quick to believe that they have an art of speaking, as this is unfounded. Schleiermacher is emphasizing the importance of understanding the distinction between what is great and what is enjoyable, which individuals ought to not be so fast to believe that they have an art of speaking.