The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-21
Conversational Powers.

The late William Hazlltt, Q man BlIteO
with great powers Of observation and ex'
preston, was of the opinion that actors
and authors were not fitted generally
speaking, to shine in conversation. "Au.
thors ought to be read and not heard !;
and as to actors, they could not speak
tragedies in the drawing-room, and their
wit was likely to be comedy and farce at
q second band. The biography Of men
of letters, in q great measure, confirms
this opinion. Some Of the greatest names
in English and French literature-men
who have filed books with eloquence
and truth that defy oblivion, were mutes
before their fcllow.men. They had gold
en- ingots, which, in the privacy OF homo,
they could convert into coin bearing the
impress that would insure universal cur.
ren:y; but they could not, on the spur
Of the moment, produce the farthings cur
rent in the market place. Descartes, the
famous mathematician and philosopher !;
LaIontain, celebrated for his witty fables;
and Button, the great naturalist, were ell
singuIarly deficient in the powers Of con-
versation. MarInontel, the novelist, was
so dull in society that his friend said Of
him, after an interview: 81 must so and
read his tales to recompence myself for
the WEAKNESS of hearing hin"
AS to GorRielle, the greatest dEamatiSt
Of France, he was completely lost in So
ciety-so absent and embarrassed that he
wrote himself witty couplet, importing
that he never was ineligible but through
the mouth of another. Wit on paper
seems to be something widely different
from that play Of words in cOnyersation,
which, while It sparklCs, dies; for Charles
H., the wittiest monarch that ever sat on
the English throne, was so charmed with
the humor Of " Hudibras" that he caused
himself to be introduced in the character
Of private gentleman to Butler, its au.
thor. Tho witty king found the author
a very dull companion and was Of the
opinion. with many others, that so stupid
q fellow could never have written 20 clever
n book. Addison, whose classical Gle.
gance Of style has long been considered
the best model for young writer's, was
shy and absent In society, preserving,
even before q single stranger, q stiff and
dignitied silence. lie was accustomed to
say there could be no conversation but
between two persons, friends; and It was
then thinking aloud. Steele, Swift, Pope,
and Congreve-m possessing literary
and conversational powers Of the highest
order--allowed him to have been de.
lightful companion among intimates; and
Young writes Of him, that "he was rath.
er mute in society on some occasions, but
when he began to know the company nc
was full of vivacity, and went on in D.
ble strain of'thought and language, so as
TO chain the attention of every one to
him." Goldsmith, on the contrary, as
described by his contemporary writer's,
appeared in company to have no spark OI
that genius that shone forth so brightly
in his works. His address was awkward,
his manner uncouth, his language unpoi-
ished; he heSitated in speaking, and was
always unhappy if the conversation did
not turn upon himself. DR.. 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 al
spoken in JOhsonese tongue, was not en-
titled to be called good convcrser.
Nearer to our own time, We have had
many authors whose faculty told twice.
Sheridan and Theodore Hook were fellows
Of infinite jest; they could "set table
in roar" and till pages with pathos and
wit Of such a quality that it makes their
survivors think we could have spared
better men," Burns was famous for his
colOquial powers; and Gait is said to have
been as skillful as the story-tellers of the
Eust in fixing the attention Of his audi
tors on his prolonged narrations. Cole
ridge was in the habit Of pouring forth
brilliant unbroken mOnologues of two OF
three hours duration to listeners so en-
chanted, that, like Adam, whose ears wert
filled with the elOqnence Of mn archangel
they forgot "all place-all seasons, and
their change" but this was not cOnver
satiOn, and few might venture to emulate
that "Old man eloquent" with hopes o.
equal success. Washington Irving, In
the account he has given of his visit t.
Abbotsford, says Of Sir Walter Scott, that
his conversation was frank, hearty, pic
turesque and dramatic. lie never talked
for effect or display, but from the flow o.
his spirits, the stores Of his memory, and
the vigor Of his Imagination. He was q
good listener as talker; appreciated ev
erything that others said, however hum
BILE might be their rank and pretensions
and was quick to testify his perception O
any point in their discourse. No ones
concerns, no ones thoughts and opinions
no ones tastes and pleasures seemed be
meath him. lie made himself SO thor
oughly the companion Of those with whom
he happened to be, that they forgot, for ,
time, his vast superiority, and only rec
objected and wondered, when all was over
that it was Scott with whom they haC
been on such familiar terms, in whose so
ciety they had been SO perfectly at ease
--Ch0m6ers' Journal.