St. Landry democrat., 1879-11-01
Coed T'afkCrs.

The first requisite OF q cood talker Is
genuine social sympathy, \ 1nan may
not saw, out OF some selfish motive, OF !
some motive of personal policy, " Goto!
viii ilecomc Il good talker." }fc must
cnioy society. and have a genuine desire
to serve and please. We have all seen
the talker who talks tor his own purro-
scs or talks toplcasc himself: lio the
wcll-knuwn chaIactcr-thc talking BORE.
The talker who gets himself up tor show,
who nlaps his conversations fora even
inr and Grams for them. becomes intol-
rraj,lc. IIo lectures; he docs NOT con-
verse. for there is no power OF Il talkCr so
DELIGHTFUL as that OF exciting Others to
,u}k- and listening to what his own IN
snirinc and suggestive uttcrances have
called forth.
Genuine soca! sympathy and a hearty
desire TO plecasc others are necessary 80
nroduce such talkcr as this, and 10
other is tolcrab]c. Social sympathy is
natural gift. and there Is a combination
of other gifts which constitute what
NAV be called esprit, that arc very essen
tiai to good talker. This continuation
includes individuality. tact, and wit
tie talents, ATTITUDES, and peculiar char
actcristc charm which enable a man to
usc the materials Of conversation III an
engaging way. entirely his own: 2or
syerv GOOD t&lker has his own way OF
saving good things, as Wcll as Of manay-
inr conversation based on his esprit.
Net il is true that there arc 10 good
t,lI,crs " hn dcpend upon their natural
lifts and such material as they get in the
usual interclianges OF society. For tho
materials of conversation We must draw
unon knowledge. No man can be a
thoroughly good talker who does not
know n great deal. Social sympathy
and tie "gift of CAB 30 but short way
toward producing good conversation.
though we hear Il great deal OF this
and exact knowledge is the very basis Of
GOOD conversation To know a great
many things we'll is to have in hand the
host and most reliable materials of good
converse ton.
There is nothing like abundance and
exactness of knowledge with which to
furnish q talkcr. Next to this. perhaps.
;s familiarity with polite literature.
The faculty of quoting from the best
outhora is very desireable one. Facts
arc valuable, and thoughts. perhaps, arc
unitc as valuable, especially as they are
o.. more stimulating to the conversation OF
4 group. The talker, who deals alone
in facts, is quite likely to have the talk
nil to himself, while the man who ia
familiar with thoughts and ideas, as
hc has found them embodied in lltera-
;ure, becomes Il stimulatOr OF Thought
and conversation in those around him.
Familiarity with knowledge and with
nroducts of literary art can not be TOO
rnurb insisted on as the furniture OF good
conversation.
Reyond this, the good tai ker must be
Familiar with the current thoughts and
rvcnts of lis time. There should be no
movement in politics. religion and soce-
" that the good talker is not familiar
with, Indeed, the man who undertakes
to talk at all, must know what IL upper
most in mems minds, and be able "a
add 70 the general fund Of thought
and knowledge, and responded to The
popular inquiry and the popular as
position for diaapssion. Inc man WIG
undertakes to - good talker shoiilo
never be caught mapping, concerning
any current topic OF immaculate puollt
interest.
How to carry and convey superiority
of knowledge and culture without ap
yearip. to be pcdantic, how to talk oui
Of abundant stores of information anG
familiarity with opinion without seem.
iny TO f5icacil. as Coleridge WAS accused
~ doing, belongs, with the ability tc
4alk we'll, to "thc art OF conversation.
II has seemed to US that il young people
co,,ld anly see low shallow and silly
vrrv much OF their talk is, and mus
NECESSARILY be, so long rs they lack tn
materials Of conversation, 1hey WouIs
take more pains with their study
would Won devote themselves moro to tin
lest books, and that. at least they. Toui'
ac1uirc and maintain more familialit,
WITH important current events. i
tnaw Something is the best cure, 10
nrirl, lorhood gossip, for talk ahou
dress, AND for ten thousand friv9llt'e
and sillincSses OF society. Besides
rood talkcr needs al audience to under
stand and respond to him, and where ]
he to find one if there Is not abundah
culture around him?