The Rhetorical Reader: Consisting of Instructions for Regulating the Voice, With a Rhetorical Notation, Illustrating Inflection, Emphasis and Modulation, and a Course of Rhetorical Exercises

The Rhetorical Reader: Consisting Of Instructions For Regulating The Voice, With A Rhetorical Notation, Illustrating Inflection, Emphasis And Modulation, And A Course Of Rhetorical Exercises by Ebenezer Porter is a nineteenth?century instructional text on rhetorical delivery designed for academies and high schools. The work aims to regulate the voice through a clear system of notation for inflection and modulation and to accompany instruction with a thorough course of exercises. Porter distinguishes grammatical reading (focused on intelligibility and structural relations) from rhetorical reading (which employs sentiment, emotion, and expressive voice). The book covers articulation, inflection, accent, emphasis, and modulation, and extends into topics such as compass of voice, rhetorical pause, transition, expression, and gesture, with a substantial set of exercises organized under Part I and Part II. The Preface notes the evolution from Porter’s earlier Analyses of Rhetorical Delivery and the author’s conviction that instruction in reading and delivery benefits professional and religious life. The text compiles selections from British and American writers, Scripture, poetry, and prose to illustrate principles of delivery and is oriented toward practical training in elocution and public speaking.