The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-26
The Art Of Listening.

Persons who talk we'll are always in
danger Of talking too much; the better
they talk the greater the danger. Nearly
all men and women who have gained the
reputation of eminent conversationalists
have been little less than monologists, and
monologue is as deadly foe to converse
ton as incurable stupidity. Weget tired
after a while, Of hearing the most eloquent
speech, if it comes from one mouth, and
we inwardly pray for what has been
aptly called, few flashes of silence.
How many brilliant people there are in
society whom all their acquaintance fear
on account of their gift Of utterance!
Everybody breads to breach subject,
lest the sparkling talker should exhaust
it and his hearers, and still be talking
on. The passion for speech, like other
passions grows by indulgence, and at
certain stage Of development becomes so
morbid as to require neither sympathy nor
response.
1t is related of Macaulay, that having
been introduced to, and driving distance
of six miles with deaf and dumb man,
he pronounced him, some days after, to be
gentlemen of the soundcst views on pol
itics, with an admiral way of presenting
them.
Madame De Stael, as the story goes
was induced by satirist to harangue
stuffed figure one evening in darkened
room for nearly two full hours, the satirist
having assured her that the figure was
distinguished Bavarian who regarded her
Germany as the greatest work that had
appeared during the Empire. Questioned
subsequently as to her opinion, she de-
clared that his merit was wholly beyond
his reputation; that his ideas were at
once original, profound, and COM
prehensive, and that he expressed them
| with luminous clearness and particular
! elegance.
These anecdotes, if not facts, are true
to human nature, and illustrate the advan-
tage of listening, or seeming to listen. No
doubt Macaulay and De stael-so egotis-
tic and dogmatic were they, so absorbed
In themselves have been so en-.
rapt.lred by the sound of their own voices
as to imagine their monologue converse
ton, and the persons who had never in
terrupted them as fascinating companions.
If the thing did not happen, it might have
happened.
The art of listening is delicate and
difficult art, and one that is seldom prac-
ticed. It is delicate, because it demands
if not sympathy, show Of sympathy, and
continuous attention as we'll as IN air of
interest. 1t is difficult because self as
sertion is natural, and state of passive
ness, without manifestation of WEAKNESS
is irksome to MAINTAIN. On account of
its delicacy and difficulty, not less than
from want Of knowing how to manage it,
its the art rare in society. The few listen
ers who understand listening are invaria
bly, liked, even admired, and not infre-
quently charm the, takers to whom thew
give ear. The nice listener is pretty sure
to get name for intellect, culture, wit,
readiness any sort of quality, which
he or she does not reveal, and may not
possess. The person fond of talking US
ually endows the person who listens, with
whatever attribute he thinks he has him
self; and his good opinion of the listen
er grows steadily, until sometimes it
amounts to positive worship. ...,... :,
1t is not enough to listen merely in q
| negative manner; for this appears like
resignation, like silent suffering, like un-