The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-09-25
BRILLIANT TAKERS.

Tx mas Otlen ueeH Veuia'htu tNdt the mum
her Of brilliant conversatioaalists bears a
small proportion to The number Of gifted men
and women, even in Europe, where CONVEX
sation is still more cultivated as an art imam
in this country. The Chambers Journal re-
Gently contained very interesting article
on this subject. The author says:
The late William Hezlitt. a man gifted
with great powers Of observation and ex-
preston, was of opinion that actors and au-
ihors we're not fitted. generally speaking. 10
shine in conversation. " Authors ought TO
be read ard not heard !" and as to actors,
they could not speak tragedies in the draw
! ing room. and their wit was likely to be
comedy and farce at second hand. The BIZ
0graphy of men Of letters. in great meas
lure, confirms this opinion. Some Of the
greatest names in English and French liter
atare men who have filled books with an ell
oquence and truth that defy oblivion, were
mere mutes before their fellow men. Des-
cartes, the famous mathematician, and
philosopher; Lafontaine. celebrated for his
witty fables, and Button. the great naturalist,
were all singularly deficient 10 the powers
of conversation. Marmuntel, the novelist,
was so dull in society that his friend said OF
him, after al interview: !. i must 20 and
read his tales, TO recompense me for the
WEAKNESS OF hearing him."
As TO Corneille, the greatest dramatist
of France, he was completely lost IN society
$50 absent aud embarrassed that he wrote
If himself witty couplet. importing that he
was never Ineligible but through the mouth
Of another. Wit on paper seems to be some
thing widely different from that play Of wnrt.
in conversation, which, while il sparkles,
dies; for Charles the H.. the wittiest mon
arch that ever sat on the English throne,
was 50 charmed with the wisdom OF /" Hutll-
bras" that he caused himself 10 be inirodac.
ed in the character Of private gentleman TO
Butter, lis author. The witty king found
thai author very dull companion, and vas
Of opinion. with many others, that so stupid
fellow could never have written 50 clever
book. Addison, whose classic elegance oil
STYLE has long been considered the best mode
for Young writer's, was shs aud ab,,nt IN 50
ciety, preserving, even before single stran
ger, 4 stiff aud dignIfied silence. Goldsmith
appeared. in company, to have no spark o
that genius which alone shone forth 81
brightly in his works. His address wa
awkward, his manner unconth, his languag,
unpublished he hesitated when speaking
aud was always unhappy if the conversation
did not turn upon himself.
Nearer 10 our own time, we have man
authors whose faculty told twice. Sherlda
! and Theodore Hook were men Of inhnlt
Jest; they could set a table in roar !;
: aud hll pages with pathos and Of such
quality thai II makes their survivors thin
:. We could have spared better men," Born
wa. famous for his colloqulal powers; an
, Gait il said to have been a. skilful a. III
! s,oryteIIers Of the Fast in fixing the atten
i ton. Coleridge VAS in the habit Of pourln
{ forth brilliant anbroken monolngues Of ~
!, or three hours duration TO listeners 30 en
Y chsntcd that, like Adam, whose ears wer
s filed with the eloqDence II an arch-ange
they forget "plsee, all seasons and the
!. change" Washington Irving, 10 the &C
Il count he has given u his visit to Abbottsfor'
s saws Of Sir Walter Scott, that his converts
q ton was frank, hearty. picturesque and dr'
/ matte. He never talked for effect or dli
play, bot from the flow Of spirit., the stor'
!, Of bis memory, and the sig1r Of his imag
nation. He Was as good listener as ialkei
! appreciated everything that others sail
: however hsnble might be their rank an
e prelensions, and was quick 10 testify b
: perception Of any point in their discourse
y No ones concerns, no ones thoughts az
Z opinions, no ones tastes and pleasures seen
Z Ell beneath him. He made himself !
thoroughly the companion 81 those vi
ie whom he happened TO be, that they fnrgo
= for time. Ms superiority, and only reeco
q eeted and wondered when al was over ih
4 il vas Scott 10 whose society thry had &
, % perfectly a ease.