Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-03-15
reassefe themselves, and turn their feet in
the right path.-A. K. L. IN Journal of Ao-
7icuhure. 9
FLUENCY IN CONVERSATION

AS NUN
we bellcve the fact is indisputable that in
scores OF instances, individuals possessing
i"'ei'ee'oal powers OF the highest grade,
ana who, while abstractedly occupied in the
discussion OF any topic, carry on the pro-
cess OF silent r%atiocination with eo1a] facili-
" ana eXactness, are no sooner subjected to
tle ordeaf of conversation or "tal5, (as
Johnson was won't to call itl, than. almost
on the instant, they seem to part with their
sel1-possession painfully betraying in their
dlsJolnted and obscure remarks. the wide
and lamentable difference between merely
oral and meditative communication. We
cam conceive OF nothing more annoying. to
an individual conscious of possessing supe-
r1of mental misunderstanding las
"o1osihltn was for lnstance) that he could
argue best in his ~closet"-than the morti-
1lcatlon which is so apt to await an individ-
ral of this description in his colloouial in
tercotrse or encounters with men of much
lnferlo mental endowments to his own. but
possessing much greater presence of mind.
we cannot help the surmise, that vanity
exercises no inconsiderable influence la
Bringing about the very modification we
allude to. Vanity, of course begets a con-
stant,'nay cage, desire to excel; and not
only to excel, but, by means of a mans
writings or conversation (as the case may
chance to be9 to elicit or draw forth the flat
terlng comments of readers and listeners
alike. Now conversation, next to author
ship, constitutes the choicest arena possible
for intellectual display, it follows, that to
"shlne in conversational no matter who
may constitute your audience, is an achieve
ment quite as gratifying to ones vanity as
any other display. But alas, and alacka-
day! among authors who have earned inn
mortality by their writings Cof course we
make an exception in the case of public
speakers who have become authors), how
few and far between have been those
who could lay claim to the merest distinc-
ton Ito say nothing of Immortality on ac-
count of their conversational ability. John
son, we suppose, was the great exception
and there have been, we rather think, a few
others, whose names will probably occur to
tie reader without any mention OF our part.
Now to talk of johnson Being actuated' by
vanity in his determination to lead the con-
versation, in whatever company he might
find himself, would, it appears to us, involve
a naisnoner: johnson did not know what
vanity really was, although he defines it in
his dictionary. Downright arogapce,, he
knew perfectly we'll the meaning of, and
did not fall on any occasion, or in any COM
Y,onu fn bt;,o. r. +nI hoo,s+ ,,,>on tho ;~al;o
Greet individual who might prove rtsh
enough to'dispute his literary authority.
Enough of the great photographer, and
now, by way of moral, and as bearing upon
the few desultory remarks we have above
INDUCED in, let us advise our younger read
ers (those intellectually given) to do battle
against vanity and self-conceit, as being the
bane of genuine merit wherever the latter
becomes subjected to their sway.
NEwsPAPERs.-I an sure that every per-
son will be willing, as Lam, to acknowledge
in the most ample terms, the information,
the instruction and amusement derived from
the public press.-Lord L~ynnhu1st. The
newspaper is the chronicle of civilization,
the common reservoir into which every
stream pours its living waters, at which ess-
cry man may conre and drink; it is the
newspaper which gives to liberty practical'
life. its perpetual vigilance, its uhrelaxinso
actiaity. The newspaper is II chilly and
sleepless Waterman, That report to you ey-
cry danger which mehaces the institutions
of your country, and its interests at home
and abroad The neyySnaDer informs lepiS-