Written in 1797, to serve as a primer for those wishing to master oratory skills. The Columbian Orator includes speeches by William Pitt, George Washington and Julius Caesar.
It contains a variety of original and selected pieces, together with rules, calculated to improve youth and others in the ornamental and useful art of eloquence and business.
"The Columbian Orator was of profound importance to the shaping of the African American canon, through The Narrative of Frederick Douglass. David Blight has done historians and literary critics a profound service by so expertly editing this germinal text. A must read for scholars of American and African American studies."
- Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Harvard University
"Thousands of young readers in 19th century America learned about eloquence and liberty from the stirring speeches, plays, and poems in The Columbian Orator. When one reads it today—even better, reads it aloud—its eloquence speaks to us all."
- Sydney Nathans, Duke University
"Frederick Douglass validated his manhood by giving Edward Covey, his surrogate slave master, a good whipping. What inspired his fists was not only manly rage, but liberating knowledge—knowledge gained in part from his reading of The Columbian Orator. I read it now and the words still inspire and inflame."
- Ossie Davis
Orations included:
* Oration on Eloquence
* Speech in Congress, 1789 (Washington)
* Speech of a Roman General (P.Emilius)
* Exhortation on Temperance in Pleasure (Blair)
* Judah's Plea for Benjamin before Joseph (Philo)
* Plea on behalf of Thomas Muir (Muir)
* On the Starry Heavens (Hervey)
* Paper, a poem (Franklin)
* Speech before the Roman Senate (Cato)
* Dialogue between Duellist, Savage, and Mercury
* Speech of an Indian Chief
* On the Creation of the World (Blair)
* Lines Spoken by a Little Boy (Everett)
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1766 (Pitt)
* Scene from the Farce of Lethe (Garrick)
* Eulogy of Dr. Franklin (Fauchet)
* Epilogue to Addison's Cato
* Self-Conceit, an Address by a small boy
* Dialogue between Howard and Lester
* Christ's Crucifixion (Cumberland)
* The Wonders of Nature (Hervey)
* Dialogue on Physiognomy
* Oration at the Festival of Gratitude (Carnot)
* Address to the President of the United States (Adet)
* President's Answer (Washington)
* The Oppressive Landlord, a Dialogue
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 (Mansfield)
* On the Day of Judgment (Davies)
* Christ triumphant over the apostate Angels (Milton)
* Slaves in Barbary, a Drama in two Acts (Everett)
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 (Pitt)
* Plea Before a Roman Court (Socrates)
* Dialogue on Cowardice and Knavery
* Speech in the British Parliament (Sheridan)
* Extract from an Oration against Catiline (Cicero)
* Description of the first American Congress (Barlow)
* Speech of a French General (Buonaparte)
* Reflections over the Grave of a Young Man (Hervey)
* Scene from the Drama of 'Moses in the Bulrushes'
* Speech of a Roman General (G. Cassius)
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1784 (Erskine)
* Address to the People of the United States (Washington)
* Dialogue on the Choice of Business for Life
* Speech of a French General (Buonaparte)
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1777 (Pitt)
* Dialogue between School-master and School Committee
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 (Pitt)
* On the general Judgement Day (Dwight)
* On the Works of Creation and Providence (Hervey)
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1778 (Fox)
* The Conjurer, a Dialogue (Everett)
* Speech in the British Parliament, 1775 (Pitt)
* Speech of the Caledonian General (Galgachus)
* Modern Education, a Dialogue
* On the Existence of God, a Sermon (Maxcy)
* The Dignity of Human Nature (Burges)
Unabridged Edition
Running Time: 8 Hrs. 30 Min.
