New-York tribune., 1882-04-23
TALK 4ND TAKERS.
p Z Stcrens in me C0rnhiM

r. l.. Sfcrens in The C0rnhH
There are few subjects; and SO far as they are
trulV talkable more than the half OF them may DO
reduced to three: that l am l. that sou are you.
and that there are other people dnly Understood 70
be not quite the same as either wherever tax may
range il still runs half the time on these eternal
lines. The theme being set, each plays on himself
MS on an instrument asserts and JustIhes himself
ransacks his brain for instances and opinions, aud
brings thom forth new-miuted. to his own surprise
and the admiration of his adversary. All natural
talk is festival of ostentation; and by the law,
OF the game, each accepts anu ials Tue fsnl,y o.
the other 1t is for that reason that We venture m
Law ourselves open. that we dare TO De 80
warmly eloquent, and that we swell In each others
eyes to such vast proportion. For takers once
launched, begin tC overflow the limits OF thei
ordinary selves, tower up TO the height OF theif
secret pTetensiOns and give themselves ont ior the
heroes brave. piOus musical and wise. that III tnen
most shining moments they aspire to be. 30 they
weave for themselves with words, and for While
inhabit palace of delights, temple at once and
theatre where they fill the round OF the Worlds
dignities and feast with the gods, eXulting ID
Kudos And when the talk IS over, each goes hls
way. still flushed at once with vanity and admIra'
ton stlll trailing clouds of glory each declines
from the height of tins ideal orglc not IN "a mo
ment, bnt by slow decension.
Natural talk, ike plonghng, should turn upa
aro, surface of life rather than dig mines INTO geo
logical strata. Masses of experience, anecdote. IN
cident cT0ss-lights quotation, historical instances
the " hole ilotsam and jetsam OF two minds forced
in and in upon the matter in hand from every point
of the compass ard from every degree 0l mental
elevation aud abasement-these are the naterak
with which talk Is iOrthed, the fOod on whleh ths
tqlkers thrive. Such argument AS ls proper To tht
exercise should still be briei annd seblng. lax
should proceed by instances; 10y the opposite, MOI
the NpOsItOry. IL should keep close along Tie ilhe
Of humanity. near the bosoms and buslnessesoi
men, at the level where history, fiction ana expert
ence Intersect and illuminate each other. Into na
Dlusary region where the speakers reign supreme
mankind must be evoked, not only IN thc augus'
names and shadOwy attributes oi history Dut ~
the lite the humOr. the very bodily iigufc OF theu
common friends. Wit Is thus that they DeS,h -
.ii.l
contention; and as they SIT aoit ana reason nlgn,
the whole pageant OF mans lie passes DoIoe tuo, ivan
i'm review. | an |, and You are You. WIN an NY
heart: but conceive how these loan propositions
change and brighten when, instead OF words tie
actual you and SIT cheek py Jow tiu sPiii. nouseu
i'm the live body and the very ciothes ntterihs
voices TO cOrrObOratC the story III tc race OI lcss
surprising is the change when we leave OIL To SPEAK
of ceneraliiiesthc bad. the good the inlsci anu a
tbe characters of Thcuphrastus-and call up Other
men, by anecdOte or instance. III their very tricS
and feature; or trading on common knowIeuse,
toss each other fam0uS naines stu glowing WIN
the hles Of life. Communication Is no Longer Ny
words. but by the nstancng OF whole biographies
epcs systems of philosophy and epochs Oh niS,2iy;
i'm bulk. That which Is understood eAcelS tnas
which IL spoken in quantity and quallty aiike;
IDEAS thus figured and persoDlhcd. change hahuS ~
we may say, like coin and the speakers inpts inpS
wi hout effort the most obscure and Intricate
thoughts Strangers who have large cOmhivyu
ground of reading, will. tor this reason come % '1
to the grapple OF genuine converse. ;sss ~ VS."
know Othello and Napoleon. ConSnelo ana Iai' @ 'so'
Uarlowe Iautrin and SteeLlo .SteensOn, lncl o', I
leave Ceneralities and begin at once to speak ny
figures. ,. ,hot arise
Conduct and art are the two subjects that aIss
most freduently and that embrace the Widest ~.
of facts few pleas urcs bear discussion Ioi Ioi;nio,
own sake; but only those which are most Socll' "a
most radically human; and even these can on; n;s
discussed among their dcyotees. techhlcSSii,3
always welcome to the expert, whether III a. % n
art or law; have heard the best klnd OF lain & -" a.
technica ities from such rare anu haPpy peiSo ,sn
both know and love their business NO Iin"., i,ss
being ever spoke of scenery for above two lnnuo 80
Mt n time which makes me suspect we hear VI vi
much of il in literature. The weather IS reeauus
as the very nadr and scott OF conversational n
And vet the weather the dramatic elcinen, a.,
scenery is far more tractabe III language an. Ian %
more human both In import and Suggestion md "d
the stable features OF the Landscape saol, saiol, and
mountain, talk we'll Of 1t; IL Is often ecn51ps
presented in literature, and Mr.. Clark hulhs,d
squalls and hurricanes are things TO Dc rcmo,I ,.It
dnring life. But the tendency of al lNIns s ,sf of
draw il back ana back into the common los'o nd
humanity; talk rs O creature OF the s,rco' eo'.sorf
market place. feeding on gossip; anu us ass hrois
is still In discussion morals. That Is tnc ~ hor 20
form of gossip; heroic in virtue OF It's hign p p,.
tensions but still gossip because IL turnS 18th. %
sonalities You can keep no men long, nor ooo on
mon at all Oft moral theological discusSo.
These are to all the world what law Is 70 law1G 1r
they arc evcrybody's tcchnicalities the incui in, in
thronch which all consider life, and tho dalcIs ,s
vonpc men who walked together daily ior Soo SOU and
montRs In o solemn and beautiful FOREST I'D
In cloudless summer weather daily they ..h.t
with unabated zest and yet scarce waVerou ,ns '
whole time beyond two subjects: theology ahu an
And perhaps neither . court OF lo,o no. re-
assembly Of diyines would have granted 'no" ~
snila or welcomed their CONCLUSIONS