The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-10
FAULTS OF CONVERSATION.

There are two faults in conversation which
appear very different yet arise from the same
root and are equally blameabe | mean an i'm
patience TO interrupt others, and the uneasincss
OF being interrupted ourselves. The two chief
ends OF conversation are 10 entertain and i'm
prove those we are among, or to receive those
benefits ourselves, which whoever will consider,
cannot easily run into either of these two errors;
because when any man speaketh in company, il
Is TO be supposed that he doth it for his hearers
sake, and not his own SO that common discre-
ton will teach US not to force their attention if
they are not willing to lend il; nor, on the other
side, to interrupt him who is in possession, be-
cause that is the grossest manner 10 give the
preference to our own good sense.
There are some people whose good manners
will not suffer them TO interrupt you but what
is almost as bad, will discover abundance of i'm
patience, and lie upon the watch until you have
done, because they have started something in
their own thoughts which they long TO be de-
livered OF. Meantime they are so far from re-
garding what passes, that their imaginations are
wholly turned upon what they have in reserve,
for fear il should slip out Of their memory and
thus they confine their invention, which might
otherwise range over hundred things full as
good, and that might be much more naturally
introduced.
There is sort Of rude familiarity which
some people, by practising among their intnnates
have introduced into their general conversation,
and would have il pass for innocent freedom OF
humor, which is dangerous experiment in our
northern climate, where all the little decorum
and politeness we have are purely forced by art,
and are SO ready TO lapse into barbarity. This,
among the Romans, was the raillery of slavea,
of which we have SO many instances in Plautus.
Ii seemeth to have been well introduced among
us by Cromwell, who, by preferring the scum of
the people, made it court entertainment, of
al haa
dering all things were turned upside down, il
was reasonable and judicious although il was
piece of policy found out to ridicule point Of
honor in the other extreme, when the smallest
word misplaced among gentlemen ended in
duel
There are some men excellent at telling
story and provided with plentiful stock ofthem,
which they can draw out upon occasion in all
companies and considering how long CONVEX
sation runs now among US, II is not altogether
contemplate talent. However il is subject 10
two unavoidable defects; frequent repettion,
and being too soon exhausted, so that whoever
valueth this gift in himself, hath need of good
memory, and ought frequently 10 shift his com
pany, that he may not discover the weakness OF
his fund for those who are thus endowed, have
seldom any other revenue, but live upon the
main stock
Great speakers in public are seldom agreeable
in private conversation, whether their faculty be
natural, or acquired by practice and often-ven
turing Natural elocution, although II may seem
a paradox. usually springeth from barrenness
of invention and Of words, by which men who
have only one stock of notions upon every sub
iect, and one set of phrases to express them in
swim upon the superfcies, and offer themselves
upon every occasion; therefore, men Of much
learning, and who knows the compass OF Ian
guage, are generally the worst takers on a sud
den until much practice hath Injured and EN-.
boldened them, because they are COMPOUNDED
with plenty of matter, variety Of notions, and OF
words which they cannot readily choose, but are
perplexed and entangled by too great choice,
which is no disadvantage in private converse
ton; where, on the other side, the talent of
haranguing is of all others the most insupporta-
Bile.
Nothing hath spoiled men more for converse
ton than the character Of being wits; to sup
port which, they never fail of encouraging a
number of followers and admirers, who lift them
selves in their service wherein they find Their
accounts on both sides by pleasing their mutual
vanity This hath given the former such an air
Of superiority, and made the latter so pragmat-
cal, that neither of them are well to be endured.
| say nothing here Of the state OF dispute aud
contradiction, telling OF lies or OF those who are
troubled with the disease called the wandering
of the thoughts, that they are never present in
mind at what passeth in discourse; for whoever
abors under any of these possessions, Is as UNIT
for conversation as a mailman in Bedlam.