National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-17
c0NvERsAzIoNE.

coNvERsAzIoNE.
Few Departure in Our Colored Society.
Perhaps the most enjoyable, and certainly the
most instructive and intellectually elevsting, en-
tertsinment ever given to strangers visiting our
city was the "conversaIionen given last Friday
night BY one Of our prominent citizens.
This meeting for literary conversation and
amuseu eat Is hailed % new era BY those In So
ciety who, anxious for its moral and intellectual
advancement, had lived long in hopes and were
we'll nigh ready to die in despair, and it provedto
them most timely and gratifying innovation.
This class Of persons do not desire to deprive 30
cisl gatherings Of their amusements and diver
sions, from which 50 much pleasure Is oetVeo.
They want that which simply smuses nsps Ths1
want the passport TO be merit a. II is seen In the
full and orderly development Of all ones powers,
and not the ability one has to Whirl gracefully In
At $50 O'Clock all Of the invited guests were
present and had been presented BY the most 70
was given. Tbs company was small, numbering
about twelve couples, among whom were some OF
our brightest .literary stare" The spacious par
with the nature Of the entertainment. Against
the walls hung portraits, engrayings, pencil pic
lures and oil paintings many Oh when Mere as -
teresting relics and curiosities. On the centre
table were copies of the PORTRAIT Gallery OF En-:
iDent Men and women omen Of IL EPes INV WsHs noiIsc
ton Of wood engrayings, and the works Of some
Of the greatest poets.
The attention Of the guests, AFTER the usual
words Of greeting had passed among the friends
present-for friends confabulations are comfort
able at all time, as fire in WHEREAS invited 70
by their host. Criticisms and commendstio
which can be made only by such as nave given
time and study to the liberal arts, were heard
from different parts Of the room.
The epRrayinRs were passed round from one
group of guests TO another, always leaving those
from which they were taken in pleasant converse
totally ignorant Of Roman history could have
gathered sufficient from the conversations on the
Temple Of Vesta, Arch Of Constantine, The APP
plan Way, Palace Of the Caesars and st. Peters
70 make him feel that he TOO, was Historically 10
q very instructive and entertaining conversation
on the origin and advancement of column archi-
lecture. That the earliest columns were made OF
tied by q lady, who showed from history that the
first hsbitations in nearly all countries were made
Of wood.
The engraving Of the arch Of Constantine"
provoked quite an extended talk in another part
Of the room. The "POrta Triumphalis' and quite
a number of the triumphal professions which
passed through it into Rome were recalled. The
complications of political affairs which put I'VE
other emperors in the held with Constantine were
intelligently discussed. Some one who never
loses sie bit Of ''the wrongs that men do, " men,
toned the putting to death OF Crispus and Oon-
AS the copies of the Portrait Gallery" were
pa ssing from cluster TO cluster, many short and
enlightened talks were started and kept up with
zest. t. portrait of Shakespeare called forth
viewing Gibbons portrait, remarks were made on
the great amount of industry and genius evinced
in his " Decline and Fall Of the Roman Empire"
Disrseli was admired by one for the good things
which he has said, and for his remarkable perse-
yerance of which that wonderful prophecy Of his
eral times, and have often succeeded at last. 1
shall sit down now, but the time will come when
you will hear me-" Another thought he excells
party praised the success he has met in mixing
politics with fictien in some Of his novels. The
Grand Napoleon Of the Realms Of Rhyme" called
forth Indignation. He was abused for the per-
nicious influence e1erted by his writings on the
taste and sentiments Of Europe.
There was q very happy conversation between
two ladies on the lives Of Elizabeth b. Browning
and Felicia ID. HemAns. They boasted Of the
superior culture, recoDdlte learning and keen
poetic insight Of the former. Trey regretted that
of the latter, and were almost unwilling to admit
what Scott says Of her style, "Too many flowers
for the fruit A lady read for the benefit of few
Immediately around her o short selection from
Wordsworth, commencing
"Three years she grew in sun and shower,
Then nature said, "A lovelier hower.'"
The conversations thus far were not general, but
confined to groups some Of the topics and talks of
which we have briefly given. To have all engaged
in the same exercise the host proposed the play
better social amusement for testing ones ability
to construct English sentences. We discover in
this, too, wide field for the display Of wit and
practical aid to extemPore speaking. Or the seven
after only three questions had been asked. "The
longest way round is the shortest way home" was
missed, probably because 1t does not contain any
very prominent words. For an example of the
wit and the command Of the English language
possessed by those present we give the questions
and answers made in this proverb: The lady en-
tertnR the room INQUIRIES OF one "Can you tell w
l am to find out the proverbs" ~ should like to
tell you the proyerb itself" To another, "Can
the Longest tongues for your Information" "My
friend, can you not help me?" 81 should, but do
not see my ,rGy clear "Iiss -, did you go
out to drive to-day?" "Yes, drove round the
Soldiers Home"
While the person guessing the proVerp, "Stm
waters run deep" was bordering anxiously the
had been given in answers) the host announced
refreshments, into which we will dive deep, ex-
claimed a gentleman, TO help the guesser.
When the company returned from the refresh
ment table an agreeable memory exercise was in
troduced, called "PoetiEing." Some guest recited
q line Of poetry; Immediately after another party
gave q line commencing with the last letter Of
the first line recited; after him q third party, and
so on for quite an hour-Quoting from all the best
poets. Quite q number Of comic lines and lines
from parodies on celebrated poems were inter
spersed; which created much merriment. This
was then varied by each In turn recting an en-
tire verse. Much enthusiasm was manifested in
tunity to "get Off his favorite lines which many
did with ease and imposing delivery. All the
reciting was done memoriter.
The next and last amusement was charades, or,
as the Germans call them, syllable puzzles"
They were all ''acted charades."
very great amount Of inventiveness was
shown by the ladies who arranged the scenes,
and those who acted displayed selEpossession
and ready talk which was highly commendable,
and was received with the most gratifying ex-
pressiops Of satisfaction. The guests at Il o'clock
bid their generous host good night and dep lrted.