The paper focuses on the continuity of rhetorical studies at the technical university. An analysis of rhetorical principles, described in I.S.Rizhsky’s «Rhetoric Practice» (1796), is carried out. The author summarized methodical principles of teaching rhetoric at the first technical university of Russia – Saint-Petersburg Mining College. A comparison has been made between I.S.Rizhsky’s work, classical treatises and the first Russian scientific rhetoric – «Rhetoric» by M.V.Lomonosov. It has been found that, following Lomonosov’s scientific theory, I.S.Rizhsky created an original educational-scientific genre (rhetoric practice), addressed to a specific audience – students of Saint-Petersburg Mining College. The role of I.S.Rizhsky’s scientific and educational activities in teaching humanities at the technical university has been defined. The paper justifies the necessity to republish works of scientists from 18^th-19^th centuries, whose names have left their marks in the development history of rhetoric as a study of Russian oratory traditions. The paper also describes material of contemporary educational programs on the culture of speech, which focus on the historical tradition of Russian rhetoric. In particular, it has been noted that lecture and practical courses imply not only orthology studies (correctness, clearness, orderliness, expressiveness of speech), but also acquaintance with works on the history of European and Russian rhetoric.