Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-01-27
Conversation Dying Out.

What is becoming Of conversation
inquiring minds are beginning to ask.
Is it to be classed among rhe lost arts
which Wendell Philips discourses
Certainly society is every day growing
less and less capable of conversation,
more and more wearisome To itself.
Now the strange thing is that almost
all Americans are fluent takers Amer
lean women are generally gifted with
iluency far surprising that Of French
women, whom they equally surpass in
information and intelligence. Why,
tnen. have we no conversation--in So
ciety at least! Well. for one reason,
because society 1--WE are now speaking
of New York; is afflicted with a tete a.
fete practice, which seem absolutely to
prohibit general conversation. Take
4 social gathering OF New Workers, at
which there are only six persons pres
ent. and what do you observe? Not
six persons engaged in conversation,
but three couples. distinct and separ-
ate. each couple occupied in tete H.
tete. OF course, if the six people were
always three couples of lovers this
would hc delightful; and if general
conversation suffered, the lovers would
not much care. But these things do
not usually thus arrange themselves
and there are very few people who can
carry on long talk. tete u tete, without
tiring each other. Moreover. such
dialogue makes it necessary that there
shall bc no pause. You know that the
moment Your partner stops you must
20 on and an iron necessity of this
Kind is the death Of all true conversa-
tion. But let the six people talk to-
gcthcr, one throwing the ball To his
neighbor, who filings it on in hi, turn.
ami 1t Is marvellous how bright and
animated becomes the conversation of
even ordinary persons. No one feels
that he must speak ut certain mo-
mcnt whether he likes it or not and
he must be very dull indeed if the ideas
flashing around him do not fire him
with some ideas Of his own.
The splitting up of society into
couples j. peculiarly which must
strike stranger very much in New
York. People absolutely will not talk
except III twus. \ French lady, her
self a mistress and lover OF good con
NerSatioi', and for many years resi-
dent Of New York. has assured us that
all her most strenuous and resolute
Efforts TO introduce the system Of gen
cral conversation in her own drawing
10 IN. when only social few are pres
cnt, have proved an absolute failure.
Even thc experiment Of gathering her
guests round a circular table was un-
successful. They would remain ST.
lent, or discourse in isolated couples.
- >tc gave up the effort of reform.
IL The @fiDn Of her countiy -womaIf.
Madame Rccamlcr. the rule was riyii
that conversation mist he general
Once Young ladlv vcnturci On re-
mark IN n low tone to neighbor.
Madame Rccamler gently, but decisive
ly, rcbuAcd the offender. Some pity
ln5 irlcnI came 10 the rescue, and
pleaded that Made noiscllc Was prob
ahiy trn modest to speak aloud in So
distinguished company. But sure
IL the j. not too modest % listen" the
hostess calmly replied. Now, We don't
want all tie rignr Of Tile beautiful
Recanier' ; rule; but mild and modl-
iiti application OF it would hc IL great
boon u New York. Nei,.ie in Juna-
dry Guial.y.