Smyrna times., 1858-07-22
SELECT ARTICLES.
Exaggeration in Conversation.


Exaggeration may be vice in some other
ua tions Tor aught we know, but we are sure it
is the besetting sin of our own. The house
was crammed TO the ceiling" We hear it report
ed, when the vacant seats would hold many
more. "The procession consisted of ten thou
sand well-dressed, respectable people," yet
when counted there were but 1850 all told
there, and most of them were shabby fellows
enough, some indeed just out of the pentcntia-
ry Many have the habit of using the little,
but significant words " never,' Eaiways," and
the like, with perfect looseness, "Jack, you
are the LATEST fellow existing, and never do
anything from morning to night" whereas he
had that very day, when this sweeping asser-
tion was made, been running on nine errands
for the complainant to the milliner, grocer, and
dry goods store, beside tending the cradle two
hours together, and answering the door-bell
seven times, to tell callers that the lady had
gone into the country, that s,was busy up stairs
preparing a dress for some of the anniversaries.
We overheard one individual charging another
with ma king thousand mistakes in a piece of
writing. which did not on investigation contain
more than five hundred words IN ALL More
over this man alleged, that certain newspaper
VIGOROUSLY carefully printed, d" was always full
of mistakes, the very worst in this respect in
the whole country On being challenged to
point them out, he did not find one, but protest
ed that he could, give him time.
The hyperbole of speech runs into extrava-
gance of conduct, but OF this nothing will now
be said. Concerning this disagreeabe trick of
speech it is to be remarked that it defeats itself
One cannot be positive about the statements of
man who has superatives perpetually on his
tongue. Overcharged assertions are falsehoods
though they may not be lies for the want Of
malicious intent. But they wholly deprive the
person employing them of all credit in his state
ments. He commits the very common mistake
of destroying the vigor of his language by the
intense and overwrOught phrases, which he
thought would give it strength. The i'm
preston made by such a person Is there
fore feeble, his expressions being received as
sound and fury, signifying nothing. The way
to effect by language is to speak the truth i'll
simplicity, nothing exaggeratng, and setting
down naught in a false light. Renounce this
injurious habit, for it robs the language of its
strength. When superlatives and intense ex-
pressions ore made to do service on trivial oc-
casons, nothing will be left for use at times
when all the resources of the language will be
required as vehicles for thoughts9he most pow
ertul, and emotions the most profound.
There is a species of exsggeration so bold,
ingenious and extraordinary, as to deserve the
name of wit. His horse was not clrcum-
stance to my Arthur in speed Arthur out
stripped him at once, and was much faster
lightning is than funeral" This is not very
strong example that just occurs. 1t runs in the
blood Of certain families, aud is Il kind Of etiio-
rescence of the imagination, not under judiclous
restraint. The mischief is that many believe
they possess this sort of talent, as others think
they can pun when they cannot. The conver-
salion of such persons consequently rarely or
never rises higher than those pretenders to
smart talk, who interlard all they have to say,
sometimes composing the staple Of it, with some
current cant phrases. Ono of these has made
large part of some peoples talk for several
years past it is the phrase "you know" A
gentleman of this school addressed US the other
day somewhat as follows: "On my arrival at
Washington, you know, was sent for by the
President, you know, who wanted to see me on
a matter of importance. | did not suppose
should SEQ Miss Lane, you know, but | was
shown you know, by express command OF the
President, into the drawing-room where she
was found her as charming in conversation,
YOU know, as she was fascinating in person."
&c, &C. Now | did not know any of these
things, and what is more, did not believe
them; but such poor gabble as this prevails ex-
tensively. Gentlemen, and sometmes ladies'
too, must have sUme cant word to bring in fire.
quently to fill up, round off the style. and help
them with ito oar to skull along. Those who
have the habit of proane swearing make use OF
the windy sails of oaths for this purpose, of
which it must be said they are ouly worse than
the everlasting, you know, one hears in all
companies.