The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-02-02
CONFIRMATION.
I f,',n I.s .Sn-7nqr.H Rt,nt',;.,in :

CONTRIBUTION.
(itm hs >ir'jnqf.M R.jn,',:.r,n
!. must have been cook, or the son Of a
cook, who impressed with the dignity OF his
profession, or position. orr -inattd the ada.c
ti:t trvinr :n>>cncers j. trade. 1t was
iou;!esS I nan who coull do nohinc bat
ts'k. ard maGr thar As well his business as
- nrj'!t w..o first e,okr ot conversation as
Al Al IN .r,, in certain sense. i, certain
" =. hHt an az; % "" acquired hv rvrrvhotlv.
tnr0u:'. the establishment of certain rondi-
tonS aF.! obedience 70 certain rules. i: is not.
There /, src.. deal which, to use slanc
term, may be denoninat"d h,.m. in conncc-
ton with this same SUI irct of conversation.
Conversion is the familiar personal inter
change of thonrht and sentiment: As Web
strc defines II, Il IS unre>traincu tall. =
Now. to be all" TO ex0re>S ones thoughts and
sentiments IN cay and appropriate language.
free alike from Alteration and study. and 10
be ab!" 10 listen easily and respectfully 10
thc party of the other part, is to be able 10
Il" ~" ,ru" Incrnt"- ot tie wn-.;
and IN the h'"h">t <t,ic nf ~h1teyrrrn NAY ic
gltlmatelN +" called ART, in conucrtiCH w:ti.
TIE subject
But the art Of conversation" of the
dHe"aai. is an art widely different from ,l.,
and no more observes the name Of cCnycr>. l.
fion than ii does forty other names that mich
hc mentioned With some men and women.
1t is the art os making III, m>clvcs objects OF
attraction and cmin"n'c 9 in socictv: with 9th
crs sill! the Ar: of being excessively disagree
able and wi:h The rn>t ot those who really
"ro in for the cultivation of :hr art. what
ever it NAV be. Ii has its root and nonrisl-
mcnt in personal vanity. II often becomes
TIE cover for the most Disgusting c@o'i>l,l.--
Som" Of The mos: uncomfortable and cvcrv
wav divarrcrallc .nrn and women we have
ever met with were those who had cultivated
con.rr~ation rs an a,t and who tondv ina
rinrd that il was their >pccia. mission to be
brilliant. and wise, au! witty. AMI crudtc.
and humorous. Tor thr entertainment OF their
friends and ct society generally. Such peo-
,!e arc Of course. borcs: and vet. there
NAV i,r selected from these. individuals whose
acquisitions and accomplishments are 50 great
that once twice. or a few times, it will Vay
70 0ire up conversation for the sake of hear
inc them talk The imnrovicationS of Cole
ridge, alternately brilliant and stupid, always
attracted an audience, and stopped conver>a-
tion in his vicinity: but one would not cal!
his talk a conversations, or the manifestations
Of conversational power. 40 more is the
,.is"ursive speech Of a man who. in a social
circle, makes it point to air his choice quo
tations. and display lis learning and his wit
Al
In one wav those who cultivate converse.
ton as an art so great Jury to society. Mod
est pcoplc arc never at case with them, and
rarely say anything in their presence. A
gathering intended to be social not anfre
auentiy has its social character entirely de-
stroyed by the presence and active operation:
of ii conversational artist. The conversation
al powers Of group which, in silence. give:
itself up to the entertainment furnished hv a
single ,lidactic or amusing tongue, are abso
utcly weakened in the very parts in which
they should be strengthened. 1t is fact 70
successfully to be disputed that conversation
cultivated as an art is cultivated at the ex
pensc Of society.
, But is there not something desirable be
yond what we have? Is there not some wa,
in which the wheels of conversation NAV be
oiled. and made to roll more smoothly? i
there not some secret spur which will make
the laogard tongue move more readily? j
there not some mode by which the facility of
conversational intercourse may be increased:
If so, is there not some art connected will
the matter, after all p? Well, there may be
and vet the very aroma Of true conversation
is naturalness. Conversation must flow out Of
the natural relations of the individuals enga
ring in it, from the natural suggestions of ar
event or occasion; it must be free, and fol
low natural courses OF thought and expires
! sion: and he is the cleverest adept in the ar
of frue conversation VINO makes every mar
around him talk freely and without restraint
who helps to make the social group homoce
neous, bringing hearts and heads into tha
. sympathetic contact in which thought ant
feeling, sentiment and impulse. seek with ma
tura eacerness for expression. In such /;
contact we find true conversation the mos
: of that which We get in drawing-rooms, an6
| at literary soirees, where men and womer
are all playing part. and showing them
selves, being another article incorrectly la
beled.
; Conversation will be elevated and refined
, elevating and refining, as those who produce
. il possess those characteristics. A mans ma
.uraIlv uttered words. given 70 the ear OF !
friend, are his souls coinage The die vii
De- tourd to have left the print of his princi
r,es end The scale Of his elevation and refine