The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-09-07
The Art of Talking.

Talking is an art, susceptible of
Improvement and elaboration, like
any other art, and capable of being
seriously impaired by neglect, like
any vocation which, after being
learned, may be forgotten. 1t is a
mistake to imagine that ali good
takers are born with the endow-
ment; some, indeed, possess it as
native talent, but many others ac-
quire it by a long and carful effort.
As general thing, persons with
wibe mouths and thin tongues are
able to express their ideas with ease
and 70 converse and speak with en-
We'd fuency, while those with mar
row mouthsand thick tongues STAN
mer through a conversation with la
Dor to themselves, and little salts
faction to those who listen to them.
But even this latter class may by at
tention and effort overcome the in
firmities of their organs of speech,
and learn to express themselves ca
silly and gracefully. The faculty of
fluent and graceful expression is a
most charming anil enviable one
and where it does not exist as a nat
ural gift, is worth the years ofatten-
tion and labor that the acquisition
costs. Itrequires, in the first place
deliberation-and this is why 50 few
cultivate it in the midst of the hur
ry and haste of business pursuits.
The words should be selected with
care and with taste, and pronounc-
ed with distinctness and precision
of utterance. At first this will pro
duce an appearance of affectation
and Stiffness; but after a little prac-
tice it will become an easy and fac
lie habit; the very effort to select
choice and apt words will cause
them to flow spontaneously to the
tongue; and the clear, distinct pro-
nunciation of them will become an
easy task, for the organs of speech
will adjust themselves to the work,
and perform it without constraint.
Every one who has tried to an
nounce the best in him-the deepest
thoughts, the highest aspiration
th3 warmest af6ections-has been
conscious that his words fell short
at least of his meaning, if not, in
deed, greatly misrepresenting it.
This is not owing to the poverty of
the language, as some may think.
Words and ideas grow side by side
and there are always means of ade-
quate expression at hand, if we can
find and arrange them. Bnt to do
this requires a previous training,
that the schools alone cannot give,
and that only personal attention
and constant habit can produce.
The thoughts and ideas that rise iu
our mind must not be permitted to
tumble together like an inorganic
ed mob; they must be disciplined
and systematized, and controlled, so
that we can express each at its prop
er time, and leave unexpressed
those which We would conceal. Our
ideas being thus disciplined, viii re-
feet their own good order upon
our words, and VIC shall find that to
think and to speak accurately are
parts of the same task. Strange
and high sounding words should be
avoided, for good speech does not
consist in belching the dictionary
upon your hearers heads, and stun
ming them with an awful sense of
your profound wisdom. In conyer-
sation, simple plain words, clearly
and pointedly spoken. are the most
effective: for knowledge really con
sists ia ileas and thoughts instead
Of words.
a.. 7. Stewards new hotel for wo-