One of the Last Great Orators:Catch the Burning Flag, By Henry J. Hyde, Published by National Review Books, $22.95, available from http://store.nationalreview.com.(Book review)

A New York Times article published in October 1882 lamented the decline of great oratory in the United States, saying, "Nature scattered her gifts with a lavish hand along the pathway of the first century of the Republic, and has now withdrawn her treasures for a time more favorable for their display in the future."

The Times may have been on to something.

If there was a dearth of oratorical talent in the late 1800s, the last century could, no doubt, be considered a full-scale drought. Gone are the days when great statesmen made great speeches based on soaring ideals and finely tuned logic.

Throughout the 20th century, we have seen very few who could be worthy of the "Great American Orator" mantle. Roosevelt, Kennedy, King, and Reagan quickly come to mind. But topping that list would have to be pro-life stalwart and late Congressman Henry J. Hyde.

In today's hyper-information age, that someone's words would be captured for the ages between book covers is even more extraordinary. In a labor of love between National Review publisher Jack Fowler and Congressman Hyde that began shortly after Hyde's retirement in 2007, Catch the Burning Flag captures some of the greatest speeches given by Hyde during his 32-year career in the House of Representatives.

Syndicated columnist Robert Novak, writing in his forward, notes that "[a] collected book of speeches is rare in 21st Century American politics because hardly any members of today's political class have anything to say that is worth putting between hard covers. ... These speeches reflect a rare combination of eloquence and erudition, and something more. In an age of increasing specialization on Capitol Hill, Henry Hyde was the Renaissance man there."

For pro-lifers it's easy to identify Henry Hyde as the pro-life congressman of our time. However, in 32 years of public service, his activism spanned a vast array of causes. From opposition to term limits to preserving democracy for generations to relations with other nations, Henry Hyde addressed them all. Many of those speeches appear in the book.