Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-09-20
Good Takers,

Ihe hrs: rtQlsltc oil & good talker is genuine
social sympathy. a man may not say, out Of
| somo selfish mctivc. or some motive of personal
policy, "Go to | vii! become a good taker."
Ho mus! crjo7 society, aud have q genuine de-.
sire to sclvo and please. We have all sesn the
taIkcr who talks for his own purposes, or talks
to please himself. lie is tho we'll known char
acter-tte taIkisg bore. Tho talso. who gets
himself up for show, who plans his converse.
tlons TOR On evening, and Grams for them, be-
comes lutolersb!e. lie Lectures: he does not
converse; for there is 10 power Of talker so
delightful rs that ct exciting others to talk.
and listening 10 what his own inspiring and
suggestive u;tcrsnoes have called forth. Gen.
uRc social sym Dathy and Q hearty desire to
please others arc Necessary 10 produoe such
tsEtr es this. aud 40 other il tolarab!c Social
sympathy is natural gift, spd there is com.
binat!on tt other gifts which constitute what
may be called esprit, that are very cssential to
good tslker. rhis combination i1c!udes 10
dlVidua!!ty, tac', aad wlt-.hu talents, ap,.
iudas, and peculiar characteristic charm which
enable mau TO usa tho materials tf converse.
tion III al cogasiug way, entirely his owe: for
every good taSker ia, his owa way Of saying
good things, az we'll as cf managing oonVersa~
llun UBoCu Oh ne c2EFit.
I ct 1t Is true that there are DO good talka,s
who depend upoa thti; natural gifts and su,h
material as they get in the usual incrchan2es
OF society. For the materials Of conversation
we must draw upon knowledge. No man can
be thoroughly good taiker who does nos know
great deal. Steal sympathy aod "the Elf.
OF CAB 20 but short way toward producing
good conversation though wo hear great deal
Of this kind of tslk among tho young. Sound
and exact know edge i, tho very basis of GOOD
conversation. 10 ko0w gtest many things
we'll is TO have in hand the best and most re-
liable materials OF g9ol conversation. There
is nothing like abundance aud cxactness of
knowledge With whch to furnish taIkcr. Next
to this rerhars, is familiarity with polite litera.
ture. The ficuty Of quoting from the best su.
tnors iva very desfabie onr. Facts are vslus.
ble and though hts, pernsps, sre quite IS valuable
especially as they ere more stimulating to the
conversation OF group. The talker, who deals
alone in facts is quite likely to have the talk all
to himself whiio the man who is familiar with
thoughts and ideas, rs hehas found them embod.
lod in literature, bec2m5s astinulator ofthough!
and conversation in those around him. Fanl.
isrity with knowledge and with the products of
literary ar! Cannot be too much insisted on ss the
furniture Of good convtr3eiion.
Beyond this, tho good tslker must bs familiar
with the current though. and events Of his time.
Ue HO lQ pOlltlCe, religion
and society that tho good tsker is not familiar
with. Indeed. the man VINO undertakes to tAlk
at all mus! know what is u2permost in mems
mind, and be able to sdd to the general fuad of
thought and kno Wedge. and respond to the pop.
ular inquiry and the popular disposition for dis
cussion. The man who undertakes to be good
tslker should nevo. bo caught mapping, con-
cerning any current topic OF immediate public
interest.
How to carry and convey superiority OF knowl
edge and culture without appearing to be pedau.
tic, how 10 talk oat OF abundant stores Of infor-
nation and familiarity with opinion withou!
seeming to preach, as Coleridge was accused OF
donE belongs with tho ability to talk we'll, to
the art Of cooversatior." 1t has seemed to US
that if young psop!e could only see how shallow
and silly very much oftheir talk is aud must
necessarily DO. 80 loRg rs they lack the materials
o. conversation, they would take more pains
with their study, would devote themselver mora
TO the beat books. aud that, Is lest. thsy would
acquire and maintain more familiarity Within
portantcurrent events. TO know something is ths
b3st cure for neigh hborhooh gossip for talk about
dress, and for ten thousand irivoIites and silli.
nesses OF society. Besides, good ts!i,er needs
"a audience to understand ma respond to hin.
and where is he 10 ii nd one if there is not Rhun-
dant culture sround him m?-Dr. HolLant in
ScribNc" for Octojer.