The speeches and writings in "The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 5" were delivered by American orator and agnostic Robert G. Ingersoll throughout the 19th century. Politics, science, literature, and religion are among the many themes covered in the book. Ingersoll focuses on the idea of individual freedom and how it relates to society in this book. He contends that everyone should be let to live their life as they see fit, provided that they do not do damage to other people. According to Ingersoll, repressive institutions like slavery and monarchy should be eliminated since they are barriers to development. Ingersoll not only promotes individual freedom but also addresses other social and political concerns of the day such women's rights, the function of the state, and the death sentence. His works and speeches were well-liked during his time and distinguished by his humor, eloquence, and rationality. Scholars and readers alike still ponder and value his writings today.
Known as "the Great Agnostic," Robert G. Ingersoll was an American lawyer, author, and orator who advocated for agnosticism during the Golden Age of Free Thought. He lived from August 11, 1833, to July 21, 1899. In Dresden, New York, Robert Ingersoll was born. His father, John Ingersoll, was a radical Congregationalist preacher who supported abolition and regularly moved his family as a result of his views. While American revivalist Charles G. Finney was on a tour of Europe, Rev. John Ingersoll temporarily filled in as the preacher. After Finney's return, Rev. Ingersoll stayed as Finney's co-pastor and associate pastor. In 1853, "Bob" Ingersoll spent a time teaching in Metropolis, Illinois, where he delegated the "larger part of the instruction, while Latin and history absorbed his own attention" to one of his pupils, the future judge Angus M. L. McBane. Ingersoll had already worked as a teacher in Mount Vernon, Illinois, at some point before taking the position in Metropolis. On February 13, 1862, Ingersoll wed Eva Amelia Parker (1841–1923). Their two daughters were well-known feminists and suffragists, Eva Ingersoll-Brown, was the elder daughter.
