Evolution of Expression, Volume 2—Revised A Compilation of Selections Illustrating the Four Stages of Development in Art As Applied to Oratory; Twenty-Eighth Edition

by Charles Wesley Emerson

"Evolution of Expression, Volume 2—Revised" by Charles Wesley Emerson is a compilation examining the stages of development in art as it applies to oratory, likely written in the early 20th century. This volume, revised with extensive selections, aims to illustrate the growth of eloquence through various literary works, demonstrating how effective communication evolves through different techniques and styles. At the start of the book, Emerson introduces the concept of "slides" as a means for a speaker to engage an audience by breaking down discourse into distinct parts, allowing each thought to be highlighted and appreciated. He emphasizes the importance of this phase for students of oratory as they learn to balance their presentations carefully, likening it to crossing stones in a brook. The opening discusses the transition from viewing a subject as a whole to appreciating its components, setting the stage for the exploration of rhetorical techniques that follow in the text.