New-York tribune., 1874-06-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MATHEwSs GREAT CONvERsERs.


ssting of variety of offhand essays desui'o's :"
their contents collooual in manner. ana iroe-""u-
easy to the greatest extent In style anu eA
The authori is evidently an omnivoreus reaoe'' M,'0
in his likipgs catholic in his Judgments anu WIN"
s1ieestSea no less robust than his appetite. he
fopcbes lightly on an immense number OF snoJec's,
d. aars. from flower TO flower with the rapidity of
the bumming Bird but with all his versatility he is
rarely if ever superficial or crude. showing habit
of reflection and refinement of taste that betray
the cultivation of the scholar no less than the
curiosity of the book-fancier
In his essay on The Great Conyersers, the author
discusses the question whether the best takers are
to be found among men of the world or persons de-
voted to literary pursuits. Hazhtt asserted that
eutbors were not fitted to shine in the social circle
Rousseau on the other hand pronounces the CONVEX
sation of authors superior to their books. But this
DIR. Mathews finds hardly supported by their most
celebrated biographies. DIR. johnson, 1t IS true,
spoke like wit and wrote like pedant. but bis
elephantine mind needed the excitement of conver-
sation to sting it into activity. Many of the most
renowned writers have been dumb before their fell
low-men. Many fine spirit that can present the
most brilliant fancies upon paper cannot put TWO
ideas together by word of mouth lie may have
plenty of golden ingots that he can burnish up
at home, and convert into coin of the realm,
but he cannot produce the farthings current
in the marketplace. There is good reason why this
should be so. One cannot expect the author who
has exhausted himself in his books to be equally
brilliant in company. The very fact that he has
ayished his riches in his writings must prevent him
from displaying them elsewhere. 1t is because he
has been aroused an intense degree of excitement
IN the task ii composition that he is langud in his
social hours The bird that scars to the stars must
sometimes rest its wing upon the earth. Neither
Pope nor Dryden was brilliant in conversation
Neither Addison nor Cowper shone IN society. ana
the same is true of the celebrated French authors
Descartes. Mofere, La Fontaine. and Button
Hume's writings were so superior TO his converse
ton that Horace Walpole used to say that he under
stood nothing till he had written upon it, Gold
smith was a blundering converser, and showed
hardly spark of the genius that glows IN his
writings. Neither Corneille nor Marmontel was
master of the intellectual fols. NicOle said of a
sparkling wit: "He vanquishes me in the drawing
room but surrenders to me at discretion up stairs"
Rousseau confessed that when forced to open his
mouth he infallibly talked nonsense Il hastily
gable over number of words without ideas happy
only when they chance to mean nothing; TINS en-
deavoring to conquer or hide my incapacity rarely
fail to show it," The author of Hudibras a dull
companion. Goodwin the author of "Caleb Will
liamsp was as dull as Butler. All his geniHs was
boarded for his books. 1t the same with
Adam Smith, who hardly dared open his
lips in society, lest some pearl should drop out.
"The shyness of authors, the natural result of
their recuse habits is doubtless of the secrets Of
their frequent failures in conversation That Oliver
Goldsmith, awed by a johnson, bullied by q Bos-
well, and snubbed by Moser, should have talked
like poor POLL Garrick declared, is not strange
but there are few who will not agree with kind
hearted writer in BlackuOOd, that had any
p,t oil - oil 70
over a bottle Of Madeira in Godsmiths
own lodging, and talked to him lovingly of his
works, he would have gone away with the convic-
tion that there was something in the welspring OF
80 much genius, more marvellous than its diamond
like spray-that the man was immeasurably greater
than the fragments of him found in his books. Camp
bells conversation in general society was commonly
disappointing; yet the writer just quoted says that
accepting an invitation to sup with him t6te-d-tee
he found him a most brilliant talker: 1 went at
ten | stayed till dawn and all my recollections of
the most sparkling talk / have ever heard in draw
ing-rooms afford nothing to equal the rotous affu
ence of wit of humOr of fancy, of genius. which the
great lyrist poured forth i'll his wOndrous mono
logue.'"
The ancients. according TO Professor Mathews
outshOne the mOdeTns III the gift of conversation.
Socrates barefoot and plainly Clad inexorably log
cal, and the incarnation of common sense
brilliant and instructive talker The few sayings
we haveof Themistocles and Alcbiades are steeped
in the very bnpe of concet, and sparkle like salt iii
fire. Cicero was splendid talker, and must have
been what Sydney Smith calls "a diner out of the
highest luster.'
Coming down TO modern times, find Martin Luther
20 have been of the most charming takers OF
the ages. Fond Of society, fond of music fond Of
children intensely earnest, outspoken, and bubbllng
with humor, he had just the qualities which
make a good converser and We lind his " "Tabe'Ialk"
light from a window theme
even the darkest and most dreary Coarse and violent
he sometimes he used plain words, strpt OF their
SHIRTS called spartanlke, spade spade; and loved,
what Teuon does D0t !-Is glass OF Deer But reVO
lutions not made with rosewater, nor can broad
have the delic9cy OF edge OF raZ0rs. The more
Iptimatey We know Luther better we like him, for
as another said he has the charm of nature. or
the most delicate wine man Is sometimes tired; bat
water is eternaiy fresh aud new, welcome the thou
sandth time as the first" "God made the priest" said
he, one day the devil set about imitation but he
made the tonsnre too large, and produced a monk"
In Illustration the great reormer IS especially happy
That little fellow, he said OF bird going to roost
self 10 sleep without care for O-norrow's lodging
calmly holding by his little twig and leaving God 10
heavy trbuations, rush out among my pigs. rather
thau remain alone by myself The human heart is like
a lnillsione IN a mll when yeu put wheat under II.
1t and gnds and bruises the wheat to flour. II
you put no wheat, IL still grinds on but then It's it.
self grluCs and wears away" Sometimes he tells
good story An IDLE priest, instead of reeting
MS breyIarT used TO run over the alphabet and then
geher how you VIM" Had DR.. Martin lived in our
day, ne would perhaps nave thrown his lnkstand at
he mad no sympathy with buestockngs. or "woman's-
rghtsers" for he says "There is no gown or garment
that worse becomes woman than when sire will be
wise" Though often deeply depressed he always
seled Of heart in Others "Tne BIRDS" lie said
"must fy over our heads why allow them roOst
in our lair a. OF female beauty he says, The hair
the finest ornament women have. or old virgins used
70 1t loose. except when they were IN mourning.
like women to let Their hair fall down their back; IT'S
most agreeable sight"
The aDthor has presented characteristic sketches