The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-05-22
Miscellaneous.
Conversation.

We commend the following sensible OK
tract from an address delivered before the
Nowburyport Female High School in Decem
10, Inst. by Rev. A. p. Peabody, to the care
4 f,l oerIsai of our readers, both young and
y old;
Nearly akin TO offences against good gram
\ ror is another untasteful practice, into which
you are more in danger oftalling, and which
n la CRYING sin among young ladies. mean
,5e use ofexaggerated, extravagant forms of
'-Deech-saying spLeadid for D, city, magnificent
Z, handsome. hoI7id for ve,y, horrible for IN
y ja,anL. immense for iurge, thousands OF myri-
q Iorany number more than tlDO. Were
write down, for one day, the conversation
some Young Indies ofmy acquaintance,and
men to interpret it literally, i: would imply
that within the compass oftweive or fourteen
hours. they had met with more marvellous adj
centuries and hair breadth escapes, had pass
ed through more distressing experlences,had
seen more imposing spectacies, had endured
more fright and enjoyed more rapture, than
would suffice for half dozen common lives.
This habit is attended with great many in
,onveniences. 1t deprives you of Ineligible
use of strong expressions, when YOU need
them. Ifyou use them all the time, nobody
Understands or believes you when you use
them in earnest
You are in the same predicament with the
bow who cried WOLF so often when there was
no wolf that nobody would 20 to his relief
when the wolf came. This habit has also
very bad moral bearing. Our words have u
rehux influence upon our characters. EXng-
gented speech makes one careless of the
truth The habit ofusing words without re-
gard TO their rightful meaning, often leads one
10 dstort facts, to rnisreport conversations,
and TO magnify statements, in matters in
which the literal truth is important 10 be told.
You can never trust the testimony Ofone who
10 common conversation is Indifferent 10 the
IMPORT, and regardless ofthe power of words.
m acquainted with persons. whose repre-
elatons of facts always need translation
j ni correction, and who have utterly lost their
equation for yeracity, solely through this
labit of oversEained and eXtravagant speech.
They do not mean to lie; but they have a d.
alect ofther own, in which words bear an
entirely different sense from that given them
in the daily intercourse ofdiscreet and sober
people.
In this connexion, it may not be amiss TO
notice certain class ofphrases, often employ
ed TO fill out and dilute sentences, such as I'm
3Ee,-E decLdre,-thGt'S a ffct.-you knotC-l
rant to k'tO,0,-Did you ever?-WeW nerer e.
the like. All these forms of speech disfgure
conversation, weaken the force of the nsser-
ions or statements with which thew are con-
nected, and giveuntavorabie Impressions as
TO the good breeding of tie person that uses
hem.
You will be surprised, young Iadies.to hear
me add to these counsels-"Above all things,
swear not at ALL" Yet there is u great deal
Of swearing among those who would shudder
II the thought Of being profane. The Jews
VINO we're afraid touse the most sacred names
IN common speecb,were accustomed TO swear
hv the temple, by the altar, and by their own
heads: and these oaa4ls were rebuked and for
hidden hy divine authority. know not how
the rebuke and prohibition apply not with full
force 10 The numerous Oaths by goodness, faith,
agisHes and melcy, which we hear from lips
That mean TO be neither coarse nor irreverent,
IN the school room, street, or parlor. And n
moments reflection will convince any well
lsposed person, that. in the exclamation Lor,
he cutting off Oft single letter from a conse-
rated word can hardly save one from the
ensure and penalty written in the third COM
nandment. | do lot regard these expressions
IS harmless. believe them inconsistent with
Christain laws of speech. Nor do they ac.
ord'with the simple, quiet habit of nJind
md tone of feeling, which are the most favor.
able to happiness and usefulness, and which
sit as gracefully on gay and buoyunt yogth. as
On the sedateness of maturer years. The
frame of mind in which young lady says in
'eply to question, Mercy! no, is very differ
ont from that which prompts the simple mod
est no. Were there any room for doubt
should have some doubt of the truth
of the former answer; for the unnatur-
al, excited, fiuttered state ofmind implied in
The use ofthe oath, might indicate either an
untitness to weigh the truth, or an unwilling
ness TO acknowledge it.