text_original: The successful man of letters had proved himself rapidly to be a successful orator and a politician who would have to be reckoned with. [Sidenote: 1766  The influence of Burke's career] It has been contended, and not unreasonably, that as an orator Burke is not merely in the first rank, but that he is himself the first, that he stands alone, without a rival, without a peer, and that none of the orators of antiquity can be said even to contest his unquestionable supremacy.
text_transcription: THE SUCCESSFUL MAN OF LETTERS HAD PROVED HIMSELF RAPIDLY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ORATOR AND A POLITICIAN WHO WOULD HAVE TO BE RECKONED WITH IT HAS BEEN CONTENDED AND NOT UNREASONABLY THAT AS AN ORATOR BURKE IS NOT MERELY IN THE FIRST RANK BUT THAT HE IS HIMSELF THE FIRST THAT HE STANDS ALONE WITHOUT A RIVAL WITHOUT A PEER AND THAT NONE OF THE ORATORS OF ANTIQUITY CAN BE SAID EVEN TO CONTEST HIS UNQUESTIONABLE SUPREMACY
phonemes: ðə səksˈɛsfəl mˈæn ʌv lˈɛɾɚz hæd pɹˈuːvd hɪmsˈɛlf ɹˈæpɪdli təbi ɐ səksˈɛsfəl ˈɔːɹəɾɚ ænd ɐ pˌɑːlɪtˈɪʃən hˌuː wʊdhˌævtə biː ɹˈɛkənd wɪð. [sˈaɪdnoʊt: wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɪks ðɪ ˈɪnfluːəns ʌv bˈɜːks kɚɹˈɪɹ] ɪt hˈæzbiːn kəntˈɛndᵻd, ænd nˌɑːt ʌnɹˈiːzənəbli, ðæt æz ɐn ˈɔːɹəɾɚ bˈɜːk ɪz nˌɑːt mˈɪɹli ɪnðə fˈɜːst ɹˈæŋk, bˌʌt ðæt hiː ɪz hɪmsˈɛlf ðə fˈɜːst, ðæt hiː stˈændz ɐlˈoʊn, wɪðˌaʊt ɐ ɹˈaɪvəl, wɪðˌaʊt ɐ pˈɪɹ, ænd ðæt nˈʌn ʌvðɪ ˈɔːɹəɾɚz ʌv æntˈɪkwᵻɾi kæn biː sˈɛd ˈiːvən tə kəntˈɛst hɪz ʌŋkwˈɛstʃənəbəl suːpɹˈɛməsi.