The Columbian Orator


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(3.8 stars; 6 reviews)

The Columbian Orator, a collection of political essays, poems, and dialogues first published in 1797, was widely used in American schoolrooms in the first quarter of the 19th century to teach reading and speaking. Typical of many readers of that period, the anthology included many speeches celebrating "republican virtues" and promoting patriotism. The Columbian Orator is an example of progymnasmata, containing examples for students to copy and imitate. In his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, former slave and abolitionist writer Douglass describes how he "got hold" of a copy of the Columbian Orator at the age of twelve, with far-reaching consequences for his life. - Summary by Wikipedia
Some of the sections were done as Dramas instead of solos. The readers for these Dramas are: Kalynda, MaryAnnS, Algy Pug, Linette Geisel, David Olson, progressingamerica, Chuck Williamson, A LibriVox Volunteer, Larry Wilson, Sonia, Craig Franklin, Nemo, Leanne Yau, Tomas Peter, Jim Locke, April6090, and CarinaStarr7.
The dramas were edited and proof listened by Linette Geisel and A LibriVox Volunteer.

Chapters

Select a chapter to play

00 - Introduction and Preface 3:03 Read by TheNeobro
01 - General Instructions for Speaking 53:15 Read by Jim Locke
02 - Oration on Eloquence - Perkins 8:53 Read by TheNeobro
03 - Speech in Congress, 1789 - Washington 5:22 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
04 - Speech of a Roman General - P. Emilius 4:16 Read by DebK
05 - Exhortation on Temperance in Pleasure - Blair 5:20 Read by Jim Locke
06 - Judah's Plea for Benjamin, before Joseph - Philo 5:26 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
07 - Plea in behalf of Thomas Muir - Muir 4:13 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
08 - On the starry Heavens - Hervey 6:01 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
09 - Paper, a Poem - Franklin 3:55
10 - Speech before the Roman Senate - Cato 3:15 Read by DebK
11 - Dialogue between Duellist, Savage, and Mercury - Littleton 10:25 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
12 - Speech of an Indian Chief 3:42 Read by Jim Locke
13 - On the Creation of the World - Blair 5:28 Read by Jim Locke
14 - Lines spoken by a little Boy - Everett 1:48 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
15 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1766 - Pitt 6:37 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
16 - Scene from the Farce of Lethe - Garrick 6:55 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
17 - Eulogy on Dr. Franklin - Fauchet 11:49 Read by Jim Locke
18 - Epilogue to Addison's Cato 2:47 Read by Jim Locke
19 - Self-Conceit, an Address by a small Boy 5:04 Read by Jim Locke
20 - Dialogue between Howard and Lester 4:00 Read by Jim Locke
21 - Christ's Crucifixion - Cumberland 7:48 Read by Jim Locke
22 - The Wonders of Nature - Hervey 4:00 Read by Jim Locke
23 - Dialogue on Physiognomy 5:55 Read by Jim Locke
24 - Oration at the Festival of Gratitude - Carnot 8:08 Read by Jim Locke
25 - Address to the President of the United States - Adet 3:19 Read by Jim Locke
26 - President's Answer - Washington 3:18 Read by Jim Locke
27 - The oppressive Landlord, a Dialogue 14:18 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
28 - Speech in the British Parhament, 1770 - Mansfield 7:07 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
29 - On the Day of Judgment - Davies 6:00 Read by Jim Locke
30 - Christ triumphant over the apostate Angels - Milton 4:42 Read by Jim Locke
31 - Slaves in Barbary, a Drama in two Acts - Everett 36:59 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
32 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 - Pitt 9:06 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
33 - Plea before a Roman Court - Socrates 8:56 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
34 - Dialogue on Cowardice and Knavery 8:26 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
35 - Speech in the British Parliament - - Sheridan 4:07 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
36 - Extract from an Oration against Catiline - Cicero 2:47 Read by DebK
37 - Description of the first American Congress - Barlow 5:27 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
38 - Speech of a French General to his Army - Buonaparte 3:54 Read by Jim Locke
39 - Reflections over the Grave of a young Man - Hervey 2:54 Read by Jim Locke
40 - Scene from the Drama of "Moses in the Bulrushes" - H. More 8:28 Read by Jim Locke
41 - Speech of a Roman General - C. Cassius 4:39 Read by DebK
42 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1784 - Erskine 6:42 Read by Jim Locke
43 - Address to the People of the United States - Washington 8:15 Read by Brian Darby
44 - Dialogue on the Choice of Business for Life 8:11 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
45 - Speech of a French General - Buonaparte 5:52 Read by Brian Darby
46 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1777 - Pitt 5:17 Read by progressingamerica
47 - Dialogue between a Schoolmaster and School-Committee 16:27 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
48 - Speech in the British Pariiament, 1770 - Pitt 8:17 Read by Jim Locke
49 - On the general Judgment Day - Dwight 6:22 Read by Jim Locke
50 - On the Works of Creation and Providence - Hervey 3:16 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
51 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 - Fox 6:33 Read by Jim Locke
52 - The Conjurer, a Dialogue - Everett 21:04 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
53 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1775 - Pitt 4:05 Read by Jim Locke
54 - Speech of the Caledonian General - Galgachus 7:25 Read by Jim Locke
55 - Modern Education, a Dialogue 13:35 Read by Jim Locke
56 - On the Existence of God, a Sermon - Maxcy 20:01 Read by Jim Locke
57 - The Dignity of Human Nature - Burges 3:48 Read by Jim Locke
58 - Infernal Conference - Cumberland 20:51 Read by Jim Locke
59 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1777 - Pitt 6:40 Read by Jim Locke
60 - On the Day of Judgment - Young 4:25 Read by Jim Locke
61 - The dissipated Oxford Student - Altered from Burney 23:56 Read by Jim Locke
62 - Speech in Congress, on the British Treaty - Ames 8:56 Read by Jim Locke
63 - Oration on Independence, July 4, 1796 - Blake 6:28 Read by SunnyMoroz
64 - General Description of America, a Poem - Everett 6:17 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
65 - Dialogue between a Master and Slave - Aikin 6:36 Read by Jim Locke
66 - Speech in the Irish Parliament - O'Connor 15:45 Read by Carol
67 - Scene from the Tragedy of Tamerlane - Rowe 9:23 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
68 - Speech in the British Parliament - Barre 3:55 Read by Jim Locke
69 - The Last Day - Everett 8:25 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
70 - Dialogue on Loquacity 8:47 Read by Jim Locke
71 - American Sages - Barlow 2:42 Read by Jim Locke
72 - Speech in the British Parliament, 1777 - Pitt 8:21 Read by Larry Wilson
73 - Scene from the Tragedy of Cato - Addison 5:33 Read by Jim Locke
74 - Oration delivered at Boston, July 4, 1794 - Phillips 2:29 Read by Jim Locke
75 - Dialogue between a White Man and an Indian - Everett 8:13 Read by Jim Locke
76 - Oration, pronounced at Boston, July 4, 1796 - Lathrop 5:47 Read by Jim Locke
77 - Dialogue between Edward and Harry - Everett 7:23 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
78 - David and Goliath - H. More 8:28 Read by Jim Locke
79 - Oration on the Powers of Eloquence 18:44 Read by Jim Locke
80 - Dialogue on Civilization 10:30 Read by Jim Locke
81 - Oration on the Manumission of Slaves - Miller 4:04 Read by A LibriVox Volunteer
82 - A Forensic Dispute - Everett 10:36 Read by Jim Locke
83 - Oration delivered at Boston, March 5th, 1780 - Mason 2:46 Read by Jim Locke

Reviews


(3 stars)

I don’t want to say the readers were poor choices, laborious manner, poor affect, but they were. Couldn’t finish it.