Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-23
Inquisitive and Talkative Men.
Th' inquisitive will blab; from such refrain
Thnic lnnk1 q NJ lncrnt q refrain

Inelr leaky ears no secret can re1raln
There is creature who has all the organs
of speech, tolerably good capacity for con-
eeivng what is said to it, together with a
pretty proper behavior in all the occurrences
of common life; but naturally very vacant of
thought in ITSELF and therefore forced to APP
| ply itself to foreign assistances. OF this
make is that man who is very nquisitve-
You may often observe, that though he speaks
as good sense as any man upon anything with
which he is well acquitted he can not trust
to the range of his own fancy to entertain
himself upon that foundation, but goes on
still to new inquiries. Thus though you
know he is fit for the most polite conversa-
ton, you shall see him very well contented to
sit by jockey, giving an account of the
many revolutions in his horses health, what
potion be made him take how that agreed
with him, how afterwards he came to his
stomach and exercise, or any the like imper-
tinence; and be as well pleased as if you
talked to him on the most important truths
This humor is far from making man I'M
happy, though it may subject him to railery;
for he generally falls in with person who
seems to be born for him, which is your talk
alive fellow 1t is so ordered, that there is
a secret bent, as natural as the meeting of
different sexes, inMthese two characters, to
supply each others wants. As we sat in a
public room the other day, we saw an inquis-
tive man looking with an air OF satisfaction
upon the approach Of one of these takers
The man of ready autterance sat down by
him, and rubbing his head, leaning on his arm,
and making an uneasy countenance, he be-
gan: There is no manner of news to-day. |
can not tell what is the matter with me, but
| slept very i'll last night; whether | caught
cold or no, know not, but do not wear
shoes thick enough for the weather, and l
have coughed all this week. 1t must be SO,
for the custom of washing my head winter
and summer with cold water prevents any
injury from the season entering that way; so
it must come in at my feet; but | take nc
notice of it-as it comes SO it goes. Most
of our evils proceed from too much tendrness;
and our faces are naturally as little able to
resist the cold as other parts. The Indian
answered very well when asked how he could
go naked am all face"
We observe this discourse was as welcome
to cur general inquirer as any other of NJ
more consequence could have been; but
somebody calling our talker to another part
of the room, the inquirer told the next whc
sat beside him, that Mr. Such-a-one, who was
just gooe from him, used to wash his head il
cold water every morning; and so repeated
almost verbatim all that had been said tc
him. The truth is, the inquisitive are tn,
tunnels of conversation; they do not take il
anything for their own use, but merely to pas,
it to another. They are the channels through
which all the good and evil that is spoken
are conveyed. Such as are offended at them
or think they suffer by their behavior, may
themselves mend that inconvenience. for they
are not malicious people, and if you will
supply them, you may contradict anything
they have said before, by their own mouths