The Columbian Orator

Caleb Bingham, David W. Blight

NYU Press, 1998 - History - 262 pages

An 1797 publication of Enlightenment era thought, read by virtually every American schoolboy in the early 19th century

First published in 1797, The Columbian Orator helped shape the American mind for the next half century, going through some 23 editions and totaling 200,000 copies in sales. The book was read by virtually every American schoolboy in the first half of the 19th century. As a slave youth, Frederick Douglass owned just one book, and read it frequently, referring to it as a "gem" and his "rich treasure."

The Columbian Orator presents 84 selections, most of which are notable examples of oratory on such subjects as nationalism, religious faith, individual liberty, freedom, and slavery, including pieces by Washington, Franklin, Milton, Socrates, and Cicero, as well as heroic poetry and dramatic dialogues. Augmenting these is an essay on effective public speaking which influenced Abraham Lincoln as a young politician.

As America experiences a resurgence of interest in the art of debating and oratory, The Columbian Orator--whether as historical artifact or contemporary guidebook--is one of those rare books to be valued for what it meant in its own time, and for how its ideas have endured. Above all, this book is a remarkable compilation of Enlightenment era thought and language that has stood the test of time.

Contents

• Preface: 3
• General Instructions for Speaking: 5
• Oration on Eloquence: 27
• Speech in Congress 1789: 30
• Speech of a Roman General: 32
• Exhortation on Temperance in Pleasure: 33
• Judahs Plea for Benjamin before Joseph: 35
• Plea in Behalf of Thomas Muir: 37
• On the starry Heavens: 38
• Paper a Poem: 40
• Speech before the Roman Senate: 41
• Dialogue between Duellist Savage and Mercury: 43
• Speech of an Indian Chief: 46
• On the Creation of the World: 47
• Lines spoken by a little Boy: 49
• Speech in the British Parliament 1766: 50
• Scene from the Farce of Lethe: 52
• Eulogy on Dr Franklin: 55
• Epilogue to Addisons Cato: 59
• SelfConceit an Address by a small Boy: 60
• Dialogue between Howard and Lester: 62
• Christs Crucifixion: 63
• The Wonders of Nature: 66
• Dialogue on Physiognomy: 68
• Oration at the Festival of Gratitude: 70
• Address to the President of the United States: 73
• Presidents Answer: 74
• The oppressive Landlord a Dialogue: 76
• Speech in the British parliament 1770: 82
• On the Day of Judgment: 84
• Christ triumphant over the apostate Angels: 86
• Slaves in Barbary a Drama in two Acts: 88
• Speech in the British Parliament 1770: 104
• Plea before a Roman Court: 107
• Dialogue on Cowardice and Knavery: 110
• Speech in the British Parliament: 114
• Extract from an Oration against Catiline: 115
• Description of the first American Congress: 116
• Speech of a French General to his Army: 118
• Reflections over the Grave of a young Man: 120
• Speech of a Roman General: 125
• Speech in the British Parliament 1784: 127
• Address to the People of the United States: 129
• Dialogue on the Choice of Business for Life: 132
• Speech of a French General: 135
• Speech in the British Parliament 1777: 137
• Dialogue between a Schoolmaster and School Committee: 138
• Speech in the British Parliament 1770: 145
• On the general Judgment Day: 147
• On the Works of Creation and Providence: 150
• Speech in the British Parliament 1778: 151
• The Conjurer a Dialogue: 153
• Speech in the British Parliament 1775: 161
• Speech of the Caledonian General: 162
• Modern Education a Dialogue: 165
• On the Existence of God a Sermon: 170
• The Dignity of Human Nature: 177
• Infernal Conference: 178
• Speech in the British Parliament 1777: 187
• On the Day of Judgment: 189
• The dissipated Oxford Student: 191
• Speech in Congress on the British Treaty: 201
• Oration on Independence July 4 1796: 204
• General Description of America a Poem: 207
• Dialogue between a Master and Slave: 209
• Speech in the Irish Parliament: 212
• Scene from the Tragedy of Tamerlane: 216
• Speech in the British Parliament: 220
• The Last Day: 222
• Dialogue on Loquacity: 225
• American Sages: 228
• Speech in the British Parliament 1777: 229
• Scene from the Tragedy of Cato: 232
• Oration delivered at Boston July 4 1794: 234
• Dialogue between a White Man and an Indian: 235
• Oration pronounced at Boston July 4 1796: 238
• Dialogue between Edward and Harry: 240
• David and Goliath: 242
• Oration on the Powers of Eloquence: 246
• Dialogue on Civilization: 252
• Oration on the Manumission of Slaves: 256
• A Forensic Dispute: 257
• Oration delivered at Boston March 5th 1780: 262

About the author

Professor of History and Black Studies at Amherst College, David W. Blight is the author of Fredrick Douglass' Civil War: Keeping Faith in Jubilee and editor of the Bedford Books editions of Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, An American Slave and W. E. B. DuBois's The Souls of Black Folk.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Columbian Orator; UPCC book collections on Project MUSE
• Editors: Caleb Bingham, David W. Blight
• Compiled by: Caleb Bingham
• Publisher: NYU Press, 1998
• ISBN: 081471322X, 9780814713228
• Length: 262 pages
• Subjects: History / United States / General; Language Arts & Disciplines / Public Speaking & Speech Writing