The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-03-05
Conversational Powers Of Great Men.

Conversational Powers of Great Men
The late William Hazlitt, man gilte,
with great powers Of observation and ex
preston, was Of opinion that actors ant
authors were not fitted, generally speak
ing, to shine in conversation. "Author
ough. TO be read, and not heard )" and Al
to actors, they could not speak tragede
in the drawing room, and their wit wa
likely TO be comedy and farce at secon,
hand-The biography Of men of letter.
in great measure confirms this opinion
some Of the greatest names in English am
French literature, men who have GlleC
books with an eloquence and truth that de-
ly oblivion, were mere mutes before he;t
fellow men. They had golden ngos
which, in the privacy Of home, they could
convert into coin bearing an impress thai
would insure universal currency but they
could not, on the spur ol the moment, pro-
ducc the larlhings current in the market
place. Descdrtcs, the famous mathema-
tician and philosopher, La-Foniaine, Gel
ebrated for his witty fables, and Button, The
great naturalist, were al singularly deG>
cient in the powers Of conversation. Mar
nontcI. the uovelisl, was so duh in society.
| hat his friend said Of him, after an inler>
view, " | must 20 and read his tales, to rec.
IumpcnsU myself for the weariness Of hear.
ing him"
As to CUrneliic, the greatest dranatist
o' France he was completely lost in soci-
rty so abscrt cnd embarrassed, that he
wrote Of 5,msclf a witty couplet, import
ing that he was never ineligible but
through the mouth OF another Wit on
paper seems sto be something widely differ
ont lrom that play Of wo rds in conversation
which, while it sparkles, dies Tor Charles
H., the wiiiiest monarch that ever sal on
the English throne, was so charmed with
the humor OF Hudbras," that he caused
himself to be introduced, in the characte r
oil private gentleman, 10 Butler, its au-
thor. The witty king found the author a
very dull companion, and was of opinion
with many others. that go stupid fellow
could never have written so clever u book.
Addison, whose classic elegance of stvle
has long been considered the best model
Tor young writer's, was shy and absent in
society, preserving, even before single
stranger, stil end dignlied silence.
He was accustomed TO say that there
could be 10 real conversation but between
two persons, friends-and that it was then
thinking aloud. Steele, Swift, Pope ard
Congreve, men possessing literary aud
Conversational powers of the highest or
der, allowed him TO have been a delinhtiul
companion among intimates-and Young
writes of him that he was rather mute in
society on some occasions, but when he be-
gan to be company lie was full OF vivacty.
and went on in noble strain Of thought
and language, 50 rs 10 chain the attention
oi every one 10 him." Goldsmith. on the
contrary, as described by his contempora-
ry writer's, appeared in company to have
no spark oi that genius which shone forth
so brightly in his works. Hi. address was
awkward, his ma nner uncouth, his lang
nage nnPolished lie hestated in speaking.
and WINS always unhappy if the conversa-
tion did not turn upon himself" Dr.
Johnson spoke Of him as an inspired idiot
yet the great essayisl. though DELIVERING
oracles 10 those around him in pompous
phrases, which have been happily descrb-
ed as spoken in The Johneoncsc tongue.
was not entitled 10 be called a good con.
! versor
Nearer to our own Time we nave had
many authors whose faculty told twice
SHERIDAN and Theodore Hook were persons
OF infinite jest; they could set a table in
roar and fill pages with palhos aud vii
Of such quality, that i makes their sur.
Vivors think "we could have spared better
men" Burns was famous for his colo.
qulal powers; aud Gait is reported 10 hav
been as skiIl'll as the story .elIers of the
East in fixing the attention OF his sudi,or
on his prolonged narrations. Coleridge
was IN the habit of pouring forth brilliant
unbroken monolOgues OF two or three hours
duration, to listeners So enchanted That.
Ike Adam, whose ears were filed with the
eIoquence Of an arChangel, they forgot
all place all seasons aud their change y
but this was not conversation, and few
might venture to emulate that "old man
eloquent with hopes Of equal success.
Washington lrv ing, in the account he
has given OF his visit 10 Abbotsford, SAYS
Of Sir Waller Scott, that his conversation
was frank, hearty, picturesque aud dra>
matte. lie never talked lor effect or dis
play, but from the flow Of his spirits, the
stores OF his memory and the vigor Of his
imagination. lie was as good listener
as lalker; appreciated every thing lha /
others said, however humble might be
their rank ana pretcnsions, and was quick
TO testify his perception Of any point in
their discourse. No ones concerns. no
ones thoughts and opinions, no ones
tastes and pleasures, seemed beneath him.
flo made himself go thoroughly the
companion Of those with whom he hap
Pencd TO be that they lo'got, for a lime, his
vast superiority, aud only reoeolecled nnd
wondered, when all was over, that it was
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