The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1870-01-26
Conversation Dying Out.

among tho lost arts Of which Wen
doll Philips discourscs Certain
~, society is every day growing
less and less capable Of convcrsn
ton, moro and moro wcarisomc tt
itself. Now, tho strange thing
about tins is that almost all Amer
leans arc fluent takers American
women arc generally gifted with
a flucncy far surprising that oI
French women, whom they equal
~ surpass in information and in
lclligoncc. Why, thcn, havo We
no convcrsation-in society at
least? VOL, for ono reason, be-
cause society (wo arc speaking Q
now OF Now Iork) is afflicted witt,
atefc tctc practice, which socms
absolutely to prohibit general con.
vcrsation. Take u social gather.
ing Of Now Workers, at which
there arc on y six persons present,
and what do you observe Not
SIX persons engaged in convcrsa-
lon, but three couples, distinct
and separate, each couple occupied
IN tctc q tctr. OF course, if tho
SIX people were always three cou-
pies Of lovers, this would be de.
lighttul and if general convorsa.
ton suffered Tho lovers would not
much care. But these things do
not usually thus arrange them
selves aud there are very few
people who can carry on u long
talk, fctc q tetc, without firing each
other. Moreover, such " dialogue
makes IT necessary that there
Shall be no pause. You know that
tho moment your partner stops
you must go on and an iron no.
ccssity Of this kind is tho death OF
all true conversation. But let tho
SIX people talk together. ono
throwing tho ball to his nciwhbor,
who llings it on in his turn and ills
marvellous how bright and ami
mated becomes tho conversation
OF even very ordinary pcrsons.--
no one feels that ho must spcul,
at Il certain moment whether he
likes it or not and ho must be
very dull indeed if tho ideas flash.
ing around do not fro him with
somo IDEAS Of his own.
The splitting up Of society into
couples is q popularity which
must strike " stranger very much
III Now York. People absolutely
will not talk cxccp! in twos. x
French lady, herself mistress
ana q lover of good conversation,
ana for many years II resident Of
Now York, has assured us that all
her most strenuous and rcsoutc cf-
forts to introduce tho sysLcm Of
general conversation in her own
drawlng-room, when only q social
few arc present, havo proved an
absolute failure. Even tho oxpc-
rImcnt OF gathering her guests
round Il circular table was unsuc-
ccssEul. They would remain ST.
lent, on discourse in isolated cou-
pies, So sho gave up the effort at
reform. In tho salon Of her coun-
trywoman, Madame Rccamicr,
NV "'o was r'Slo that conVcrSa-
uon must DO general. Once, n
young lady ventnrcd on a remark
IN low tono to u ncighbor.-
Niadamc kocamicr gently, but do.
@esIvcly, rcbnkcd the offender.
some plying friond camo to tho
rescue, ana pleaded that Madam
olsol 'o was probably too modest
10 speak aloud in SO distinguished
u company, "l'ut surely she is
not 100 modest to liS!cn,' the host
cSs calmly replied. Now: we don't
want AL tho rigor Of tho beautiful
rule; but mild and
mod'lcd application Of it would
Dc Il great boon to New York.
Ncb"f" m Jdn. GaiaTy.
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