Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-02-04
The Art Of Conversation,

and pleasant the intervals of rest from the f;.-
tIgue and cares of business, that would other
wise hang yhcaGy on our hands, and be rather
burden than u relief to u.s. Wo arc com.
torted and gladdcncd by tho kindly glance,
the winning smile, the friendly tone, the joy.
Gus laugh, the sympathy and encouragement
OF our tellow.crcatGres. Accounts of mutual
friends in whom wo are Interested the news
of the day, anccdote, narrative, curious traits
OF character, salics of wit, humor or spright-
Illness, Jest and rcpartce, with occasional use
full information acquired, and discussion of a
solid and improving character, supply men
tai cordial that "cheers but not ncbratcs," :"
and makes tho time fy quickly and sgrcesbly
10 numbers conversation is, in TRUTH n
most valuable medicine, preventing the mind
from preying on itself, and distractipg the
thoughts from unnecessary brooding over cares,
troubles and anxietics. BY the interchange
Of our several stores of knowledge, varying rc,
cording to our tastes and opportunities, we
mutually instruct and arc instructed. The
friendly conflict of mind with mind sharpens
our faculties, expands our views, corrects our
crude notions and prejuliccs, enightcns us
aud cxcites thought by the new ideas, new
aspects of things, and fresh material for men
tai action, which are brought before us. All
this is obtained without cost, without trouble.
Conversation is truly the balm of life. Like
mercy, it is twice blcsscd-it blesses him who
gives and him who receives, and it is one of
the most Dcneficent productions of civilization
Every ones experience must have taught him
that pleasant intercourse with others in con
vcrsation is one of the greatest and best of
the cnjoyments within the reach uf civilized
man.
Yet how often does it happen that convcr
sationa intercourse is anything but pleas
ant; that it does not amuse, interest, in
struct or CRAFTY us, but iatigucs or dispIcascs
us; that we come from it wearicd, disappoint
cd, irritated, out of humor with ourselves
or others, often with both. Upwards of one
hundred years ago, one Of the best cssayists
declared round'y that the conversation of most
men is di,agrecablc, while another complains
that the company of half mankind 10 rather
tedious than amusing. Dean Swift speaks Of
his " Indignation to reflect that 80 useful and
so innocent pleasure, so fitted for every peri
cd and condition of life, and so much in all
mems power, should be so much neglected
and abused A Quarterly Reviewer remarks
-" We feel intensely the social misery which
ii single Bore, with il powerful memory and II
tongue can iniiict on Il large and respectable
family circle" Every one has lad ample ex-
peSiencc of social intercourse, from which he
lad anticipated much enjoyment, yielding
only disappointment CT disgust-of cunvcrsa-
tions which he expected to be cheerful, har-
monious and agreeable, proving UNPLEASANT,
d'scorlant and iarring. Nay. further, at
times we fall in with people whose chief aim
in conversation appears to bc to render them
selves disagrccabie and the company uncom-
Portable
We might suppose that when number Of
persons, having escaped for time from the
cnres, troubles, and irritations of business, meet
together for relaxation and to enjoy each 9TH
ers society, we should have SOFT of social
paradise, each doing his best to please and en-
frrtain the others. But we know that not
nnfrcqncntly, though under the mask of a
formal politcness, a social meeting turns out II
KIND OF Pandcmonium, where g envy, hatred
malice and all uncharitablcness arc cngen-
derod and exhibited where intocrahlc pride,
arrogance, spite, concct, scandal, bearishncss,
loquacity, pugnacty, Stiffness, sclishncss, ego
tlsm and crotchincss, meet to have " field
day" At other times, an intolcrablc dulncss
pcrvadcs the conversation people will neither
speak themselves nor show the interest and
attention necessary to encourage others each
ventures only on vague, empty gcncraitics,
coldly received by the rest the company seem
at once jealous and afraid of each other, and,
instead of an enjoyment, the social meeting
becomes an oppression, and we breathe freely
and rejoice when it comes to an end Or we
arc tatigucd by some dull, heavy proser, who
will tnlk; or some volnblo cha,tcrbox, who
cannot be quiet moment; or annoyed by
some snappishncss or bcarishncss that creates
IN unpleasant feeling. The number of rude,
disagrccabc, inconsidcratc things said in con
vcrsatjon is, indeed, extraordinary and that
not only by the young and inexperienced, but
by persons of maturer years, who have had
the best opportunities for being well bred"
Pride and selishncss = two leading elements
in, human naturc-play a prominent part in
conversation, leading to many foolish and un-