The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-22
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From London Society. n y I; n
Society seeks It's own level as surely
as water, and the level Is watery
one. It will not admit severe mental
strain, especially at hours Of rejection.
went to dine with great man en- tamille.
lie was man whose Wit and learning
must have been often appreciated by my
present readers In some OF the best con.
temporary literature Of our day. What a
pleasure It was to listen to the man. Anec.
dote, aphorism, criticism, flowed in a con,
slant stream. How he exposed the fallacy
Of the last speech, the errors Of the last
leader, the mlsquotations Of the last review,
and out Of his own abundant stores shed q
Hood OF illumination on some anxious sub.
lect greatly occupying the minds OF men
But the prophet, in the mean time, was
without honor In his own country, The
members OF the family, the ladies especi.
ally, were simply bored and tired. They
began and carried on their own con.
versation without the slightest refer.
ence TO the host and master OF the family.
Ills voice WIS nothing more than the sum.
mer wind breathing through the room. Ills
remarks fell totally unhecled, and did not
evoke single response. As 4 rule young
people do not care for grown.up talk. In
the same way grown.up people do not care
for talk which Is above their level best"
Lord lioughton and Mr.. Hayward are
among the best OF modern conversational.
lists. Sydney Smith could not make the
suiai.ess remark without provoking laugh;
and even when he said grace the young
lady who sat next TO him said, "iou al.
ways are so amusing" | think II was Dish.
op Wilbertorce who once made the remark
that conversation at dinner parties was
losing Its originality, and the best par: OF II
was now made up OF talk about new books
and quotations from early copies Of proof.
sheets in advance. l once went to dine at
the high table OF a Cambridge college,
where was to meet with a pro-
fessed conversationalist. In those days
there were professional convGrsationalists,
as at the present time there are PROBES.
slonal beauties. was told that this wor.
thy man spent hours in his study every
morning in qualifying himself to shine at
the dinner table and in the combination
room. He had published translation OF
German poetry at time when German
studies were voted heterodox at the tables
OF colleges. The subject which cropped
up was Vienna, aud of course several OF
the fellows knew Vienna pretty well. But
the curious thing was that whenever the
conversation might wander It was always re-
called by our wcll.read, well.bred friend to
somewhere in the immediate vicinity OF
Vienna. John Frederick Denison Mau.
richie used to drop the John Just rs
Dickens dropped all his Christian names
except Charles-was man who was
known in the circle OF his intimates as
'The Prophet" and some OF the best and
most gifted men OF the time used 10 hang
on hlsaccents rs something preterhuman.
No one ever lost the impression OF that
earnest face, or the vibrating tones
OF that tender, sympathetic voice.
met Maurice on one occasion
at wedding breakfast. He proposed the
health OF the bride and bridegroom. The
lady turned round and in rather bad taste
exclaimed, "Now, Mr.. Maurice, l call You
to witness that entertain no intention OF
obeying." Maurice answered with his sad,
sweet smile, "Ah, madame. you little know
the blessedness OF obedience" Bishop
Wherefore, whom mentioned Just now,
not only studied the art OF conversation,
but all the externals on which conversation
so much depends. The bishop made a
point OF never taking the head OF his table
he took care to sit on one side which would
give him larger area for the purposes Of
conversation. He would not only have
those on either side OF him, but those ex-
ac;lv in front. He also took great care who
should occupy these particular places, and
what should be the subjects OF the CONVEX
sation. To q man Of the bishops dipio-
matte turn OF mind, the dinner would
prove not SO much relief from business
as the busiest part Of the day.