Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-06-30
Faults 0f C0ssUers0ltOn.
FROM sw1rr's cKLKpnrrkD ESSAY

There are two faults in conversation
which appear very different. .e, arise from,
the same root. and are equally bIaneahIr !;
mean an Impotence to interrupt Others,
and the uneasine~s If being interrupted
ourselves. The two chief ends If cnmvt r.
sati"m are to entertain and improve those
we are among. Ol 10 receive those benefits
ourselves which whoever will consider.
cannot easily run into ti:ier Of these er.
rors because when any mam speakelh il
company, i, is to be supposed that i,e do !,
il f"r his hearers sake, and moi his own !;
ST. that common discretion will tea. h u.
not to force their attention if they are moi
willing to lend il; nor. "n the other side.
to interrupt him who Is III I",ssessiun he.
cause tina, is the grossest manner t. give
the preference to our ow" good sense.
J here are some people whose good
manners v i'll moi suffer them Ia interrupt
you; bu,. what is most as bad. will dis
cover abundance 1t Impotence. and lie up
on the watch until you have done. because
ihey have started something in their own
thoughts which they long ,o be deli, cred
OF. Meantime they are far from regarding
what passes. tina. their imagina,,"ns are
wh"ll! turned upon VIVA, they have il, r..
serve. f"r fear i. should slip gu, of their
memory; and thus they c"ufne their in-
yen'ion. which might otherwise range d.
yer hundred things full as good. and thai
might be much more naturally Introduced
there is sort 81 rude familiarity, which
some people, by practising AIMING their in
tims,es, la. e inlrnducp ed into their geuer-
al conversation. and would have il pass for
innocent freedom or hu,nor. which is a
dangerous experiment in our northern rli
Rsa'e. here all The lis,le dec"rum and ln,.
likeness We have are 2uelv forced by art,
and are SO ready I" lapse int" barhari,y.
This among the Romans was the rai.e,,
Of slaves. Of which we have SD many in
stances in PIau,ns. II seeme,h IL have
been we'll introduced among US hv Crn,n-
well. who. by preferring The scum Of The
people. made IL court entertainment. III
which have heard many particulars. and
considering all things were turned upside
down. j, was reasonable and judiri",s al.
though j, was piece If p",iry f"uGd on,
10 rld'cule a point Of honor in the other
extreme. when the smallest word mispla.
ced among gentlemen ended in duel
There are some men excellent a, telling
astory. anu provided with a plentiful stock
OF them which they can draw gu, up,,u
ocrasion in all companies and CONSIDER.
ing how long conversation runs nov a.
mong us. it is MT altogether a con,emp,i-
BILE talen,.-However. Il is subject Ia two
unavoidable defects: frequen, repetition,
and being too soon Exhausted. 50 Tia, who
ever valueth his gift in himself. hath need
u g"n' memory. aud ough, frequently
to sh't' his c".nlany. Thai he NAV moi tli,
cover the weakness nf his fun,i. for ,ho..
who are thus endowed have seldom an,
other revenue. bat live on The main s,,..t
Great speakers in public are seldom =.
gree able in private conversation. whether
their faculty be natural, or acquired bv
prac,.ce aud of,en-sen,uring. Natural eli.
otu''"n. although i, may seem paradox
usually springe,h from barrenness Eu
Invention aud Of words. by which men
Who have only one stock Of no,ion, nn...
every subjec, and one Sc, Of phrases - ) :,
press them Ill, swim upon the sunerf;ce.