The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-03-11
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
Efom Cha,nber,s Journal.

WEEKLY, %
From Chambers Journal.
CONVERSATIONAL Powers or GREAT MEa.-
The late William Hazlitt, a man gifted with
great powers of observation and expression, was
of opinion that actors and authors were not fitted
generally speaking, to shine in conversation
"Authors ought to be read, and not heard !" and
us TO actors, they could not speak tragedies in
the drawing room, and their wit was likely to be
comedy and farce at a second hand. The biog-
raphy Of men Of letters, in u great measure, con
firms this opinion some of the greatest names
in English and French literature, men who have
filled books with an eloquence and truth that
defy oblivion, were mere mutes before their fell
low men. They have golden ingots, which in
the privacy OF home they could convert into
coin bearing an impress that would insure uni
versal currency; but they could not, on the spur
OF the moment, produce the farthing's current
in the market place. Descartes, the famous
mathematician and philosophcr--La Fontaine,
celebrated for his witty fables-and Button, the
great natunlist-were all singularly defcientin
the powers of conversation Marmontel, the
novelist, was 80 dull in society that his friends
said of him, after an interview, '"We must go
on and read his tales, to recompense ourselves
for the WEAKNESS of hearing him."
As to COrneille, the greatest dramatist Of
France, he was completely lost in society-so
absent and embarrassed, that he wrote of him
self witty couplet, importing that he was never
Ineligible but through the mouth of another
Wit on paper seems to be something widely
different from that play Of words in conversation
which, while it sparkles, dies; for Charles H.,
the wittiest monarch that ever sat on the Eng
lish throne, was so charmed with the humor of
"Hudibras" that lie caused himself to be intro
duced, in the character Of a private gentleman,
TO Butler, its author. The witty King found
the author very dull companion, and was of
opinion, with many others, TINT 80 stupied
fellow could never have written so clever book
Addison, whose classic elegance Of style has
long been considered the best model for young
writer's was shy and absent in society," preserv-
ing, even before single stranger, stiff and Dig
nified silence. 4e4 az
He was accustomed to say there could be no
real conversation, but between two persons,
friends--and that it was then thinking aloud
Steel, Swift, Pope, and Congreve, men pos
sessing literary and conversational powers of
the highest order, allowed him to have been
delightful companion among intimates--and
Young writes of him that ahe was rather mute
in society on some occasions, but when he be-
gan to be company he was full Of yiyacity and
went on in noble strain of thought and Ian
guage, so as to chain the attention Of every one
to him." Goldsmith, on the contrary, as de-
scribed by his contemporary writer's, appeared
in company to have no spark of that genius
which shone forth so brightly in his works His
address was awkward, his manner uncouth, his
language unpublished; he hesitated in speaking,
and was always unhappy if the conversation did
not turn upon himself DIR. Johnson spoke of
him as an inspired IDIOT; yet the great essayist,
though delivering Oracles to those around him
in pompous phrases, which have been happily
described rs spoken in the Johnsonese tongue,
was not entitled to be called good converser
Nearer to our own time we have had many
authors whose faculty told twice-Sherdan and
Theodore Hook were fellows of infinite Jest ;
they could set table in roar, and fill pages
with pathos and wit of such quality that it
makes their survivors think 1--WE could have
spared better men," Burns was famous for his
colOquial powers; and Gait is reported to have
been skilfu as the story-tellers of the East
in fixing the attention of his auditors on his
prolonged variations. Colerdge was in the
habit Of pouring forth brilliant unbroken mono
louges of two or three hours duration, to lis
teners 30 enchanted that like Adam, whose ears
were filled with the eloquence of an nrchangel,
they forget call place, all seasons and their
change" but this is not conversation, and few
might venture to emulate that "old men elo-
quent' with hope of equal success.
Washington Irving in the account he has
given of his visit to Abbotsford, says of Sir
Walter Scott, that his conversation WINS frank,
hearty, picturesque, and dramatic He never
talked for effect or display, but from the flow
of his memory, and the vigor of his Imagination
He was as good listener as talker: appre-
ciated every thing that others said, however
humble might be their rank and prctensions, and
was quick to testify his perception Of any point
in their discourse. No ones concerns, no ones
thoughts and opinions, no ones tastes aud pleas
ures, seemed beneath him. He made himself
so thoroughly the companion of those with
whom he happened to be, that they forgot for n
time, his vast superiority, and only recolected
and wondered when all was over, that il WAS
Scott with whom they had been on such famil-
lar terms, in whose society they had felt so per-
fectly at ease.
AN EXCELLENT SToRY-A young American
gentleman, Mr., p, who is visiting Paris with
the cod folks" went to masked ball to see
the elephant, and to have some fun. His great
desire was to meet an angel Of the fair sex
He first looked all round, waiting to take de-
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