Smyrna times., 1861-06-27
NISCEI.LAN NEOUS.
Brilliant Takers.

i has often beeR remarked that the number ,
Of brilliant cOnversers bears 4 small proper
tlon 10 tae number Of gifted mea and women
even IN Europe, where conversation is more
Cultivated as an ar. than ia this country
Gamblers Journal, recently, contained very
ialerssilng article sn this subject. The au.
dior saJs:
The late William Hazlett. man gifted vita
great powers Of observation and expression,
Was o. opinion that actors aud authors were
not fitted. generally speaking. to shine in con.
F-rsaiion. Authors ought to be read and
hn' heard" and as to actors they could not
speak tragedies in the drawing room, and
their Wit as likely 70 be comedy and farce as
second hand. The biography of men of let
tiers IA great measure. confirms this opinion.
Soms OF the greatest names in English and
French literature. men who have filled books
Suh elOQuence and truth tAat defy oblivion,
Sers nea mutes before their fellow men,
Descsries the famous mathematician and phi
iSsOPheri Lafontaine. celebrated for his witty
f'bles and Button, the great naturalist, were
ell singulary deficient in the powers of con-
'erssuOn. MsrmonIel, the novelist, was so
- IN society that his friend said of him, after
an interview, ~ must go and read his tales to
Tecompense myself for the WEAKNESS Of hear
rg hun"
AZ to COrneiIle, the greatest dramatist Of
France. he was completely lost in society-so
Gsssnt and embarrassed that he wrote of him
selfs witty eouPlet, importing that he was
hs'er inIelIigble bu. through the mouth of an
sIhsr. Wit on paper seems to be something
s'dslY different from that play Of words in
eSaVeSsa,lOn. whIck, while II s2arkles, dies
fr Charles H., the wIttiesi monarch that ever
s't on the English throne. was go charmed
sIa the hUmoT Of " Hudlbras" that he caused
A'Dseli 10 be introduced in the character of a
private gentleman to Butler, the author. The
SI'iJ king found the author a very dull com
PanOn. and was Of OpInion, with many others
that 50 stupid fellow could never have writ
Ten 90 clever book. Add ison, whose classic
f'sganee Of style bas long been considered tht
best model fOS young writer's. wss shy and ab
Stranger. stIffsn digniied silence. Goldsmith
appeared 10 company to have no spark of tina
genius which alobe shcne forth go brightly i
be works. His address was awkward, hi
msnner uneouth, his language unpublished h
hesta'ed 10 speaking. and mas a alvays unhap pp
h the eonVersatioa did not turn upon himself
Nearer iS our own time, we have many az
thOrs whose facility told twice. Sheridan an
TheOj. re Hook were men OF infinite lest the
% could set table in a roar" and fll pag,
mskes their IurgiVors think 1--WE could ha,
spared tetter men," Burns was famous
his eOl!oquial powers; and Calais is said to ha'
been ss skiIlful as the slOry-tellers Of the Ea
IN hHIng The attentions. Coleridge was in Il
habit OF pouring forth brilliant unbroken mo
oiogues OF two or three hours duration TO Ii
teners So enchanted that, like Adam, who
ears were filed with the eloquence Of an arc
angel, they forgot "sll place-sll seasons al
aheis changes" Washington Irving. the q
count be has given Of his visit to Abbotsfor
says Of Sir Walter Scott that his conversati
was frank. hearty. picturesque and dramat
Tie never talked foe effect Of display, but frC
the aow OF Spirits the stores Of his memoi
aas the vigOr Of his Imagination. He was
good listener as talkeri appreciated ever
thing that others said. however humble mig
bssheir rank and professions. and was qua
80.