The Nevada Democrat., 1862-05-10
ON CONVERSATION.


"To excel in conversation" says sem
sibIe writer, tone must not always try TO
say good things to say one good lhlng'
one must sav many bad aud more indilier-
ent onesu II is much to be regretted,
since conversation is the charm of society,
that there are so few good takers in the
world. when there are SO many orators.
Most men are harangue very few can con-
verse every village can boast OF score
of Fourth Of July orators, each OF whom,
with the field to himself. can hold forth by
the hour together, sensibly aad eloquently,
at least acceptably while the same men
if placed in a drawing room, would be
either completely silent, or "monopollze lhe
floor" in delivering a dissertation.
The ar Of keeping up the interest OF
sOicial discussion by short, brilliant saliies,
lively repartees, apt illustrations aud grace
full illusions, is exceedingly rare IL IS at
tanned only by long practice. The south
ern nations of Europe, particularly me
French, ere adept in this eminently social
art but they are trained to it from early
infancy. The momeat a French boy can
speak his expressions of language are care
fully watched and corrected. lie is made
to select iudiciOusly between nearly syn
onymOus epithets and as he grows up,
this habit becomes q second nature to him,
begetting confidence fuency and elegance
of speech. Nor does the Frenchman, the
Italian, the Spaniard or the Greek, speak
with his lips alone his eyes, his limbs, bis
features, are all animation, and the faction
-action-action," deemed by the master
of oratory its Alpha and Omega, is readily
and constantly employed.
1t might be thought that the huency OF
the languages of southern Europe alone ac-
counted for this facility, had there not been
brilliant examples of conversational excel
lence in England, in spite of the Saxon ton
que. Sheridan owed much of the renown
he enjoyed-much of his personal fascioa-
tion, to brilliant conversation. But with
him il was no art carried to the extent of
second nature he suffered under the diff
Guilty expressed at the commencement of
this artcle-he was constantly laboring to
excel. His reputation as wit compelled
him to make these efforts and he thus pre-
pared his brilliant sayings beforehand, and
until an opportunity occurred to introduce
or rather to 'work them in," he sat silent
and anxious.
1t is related of Sheridan that an acquain-
tance Of his, knowing bis friends habit
pilfered one of bis conversation cards"
on which the heads of his anecdotes and
witticisms were written down previous to
being delivered at brilliant party. Hav-
ing mastered this programme the malicious
Wag went to the party little before Sher
idan, and related all his good tbngs,so that
when the wit himself arrived, he was NOR
titled and astonished at the GOODNESS and
indifference with which all his salies were
received, aud at being told that all bis bran
new stories were affairs of at least half an
hour I'D. Theodore Hook was far happier
than Sheridan in society; running fire
of puns, wttcsms and humor sustained the
spirit of his talk, and rendered him irresst-
ibe. Bat he possessed the rare gift of i'm
provisation; and we are told he could si.
down to the piano and compose the air and
words of song as he went along. Such
facility is almost Incredible. "The soul
of conversation" says Hazlitt, "is sympa-
thy. Authors should converse chiefly with
authors, and their talk should be of books.
No man can get above his pursuit in life
il is getting above himself. which is impos.
sibe. In general it shines only by reiec.
tion. You must take your cue from your
company-must rise as they rise, and sink
as they fall. You must see that your good
things your knowing allusons, are not
flung away, like the pearls in the adage."
But there is one little idea above all
others that we would humbly suggest as
worthy the consideration of all. Whether
in sermonizing or in storytelling, 10 wit or
pathos, in sorrow or in mirth, be short.
''For brevty is very good,
When we are, or are not, understood"