New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-28
ON THE LOST ART or CONVERSATION.
From LnnHOn Societn.

From London Society
Society seeks its own level as surely as water, and
the level is a waery one II will not admit severe
mental strain, especially at hours of rejection.
went 10 dine with Il great man en- famllle lie was
a man whose wit and learning must have been often
appreclated by my present readers in some OF hC
hest contemporary literature of our day. What a
pleasure it was 10 listen 10 the man AnecdOe,
aphorsn criticism, flowed III a constant stream.
How he exposed the tailacy of he last sp ech, the
errors Of the last leader, the msquO atlOns of the
last review, and out OF his own abundant stores
shed "A mood of illumination on some anxious subJrc,
greatly occupying the minds OF men But lne
prophet in the meantime, was without honor III AS
own country. The members Of he family. the ladies
especially, were simply bored and tired. They be-
gan and carried their own conversation VI, hout
the slightest reference To the hos, and master of the
family. HIS voice was nothing more than the sum
mer wind breathing through the room. Ills remarks
fell totally unhecded and did NOT evoke Ingc
response As a RUE young people % not care ior
grOwn-up talk. In the same way grOwn-up people
do NOT care for talk which above their lcYel Dcs
Lord HOughtOn and Mr. hayward are among the
best OF modern converse lOnallsts. sydney smith
could not make tine smallest remark without pro
yoking "A laugh ana even when he sald grace the
Young lady VINO sat next to him SAID You al "ays
are so Amusing ! think II was Bishop W llrerfcrcr
who once maze the remark that conversation at
diuner-pariles WAS losing Its originality, ana the
best part of il now made mp Of talk about new
books and quotations from early copies or proof
sheets III advance.
| once went to dine at the high table of a Cam
bridge college, where was to meet win pIoiessed
cOnyeIsatI )uaiIst. In those days there were pIo-
fe>.onal couVerAlOuaIists as at tine present time
th.r,. are professional beauties. Ou hat this
worthy man spent hours IN lis study every morn
ing in uuaiIfy VIM himself to sDDe at the dime
HE and III the cOmUinatlOn-rOOn. lie hai published
a translation OF German poetry at "a time nheA CIR
man studies were voted hcterodoX at the Ia
bIes of colleges. The subject which
cropped up was Vienna AMI OF course oral
of The Fellows knew Vienna pretty wei.
But tue curious thing was thai Whenever the con-
VcTsatlOn might Wander 1t was always recalled by
our wei-lcau, Well-bred Trend 10 mere III The
immediate v.clnlty OF Vienna.
Jonn Frederick DenIsOn Mdurlcc-he used TO drop
the John just Dickens dropped all his Christian
maine, except ChaIlcs-wdS "A man who known
in tnc circe of his III, lnates rs The Prophet land
some oi the best and most gifted men OF the time
used to hang his accents some tnlng prctcrnu-
man, No one ever lost the linptesslOu Oh That earn
est face The vibrating tones OF that ender sJ M
pathetic voice. met Aiaurlce on one occasion al
a Wedding breakfast. lie proposed the health OF
The bride ana bridegroom hc lady turned round
anu III Father baG taste exclaimed, Now. Nj Maui
rice | call YOU ~ wlIness tn | entertain no intuu-
lon OF DeyIng." Maurice answered with ms sad
sweet smile, An, madam, you little know the
blessednoss of obedience Bishop MilUeriOrcc,
whom men dOned just now, lot only stunned the
art of conversation, but all the e1ternals when
conversation 80 much depends. The Bishop made IA
point of never taking the mead OF his table. lie
took care 10 sIt one side, winch would give HIM
a larger area for The purposes OF conversation. Ho
would not only have tnOse on eiLhcI slide oil Inn.
bul those exactly front lie also touK great
who should occupy these particular places, and
what should be the subjects vi The conversation 10
a man oil the Bishops diplomatic turn OF mind, the
dinner would prove not much relief from DuSl-
ness the busiest part vi the day.