The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-07
CONVEX SATION.
A Growing Tendency Not to Talk Which
Should be Resisted.


A Growing Tendency Not to Talk Which
Should be Resisted.
The voice of the scientist or of the
preacher is not required to emphasize
the fact that an intense desire for amuse-
ment marks the present age. For the
man or woman wearied by the cares of
an active life, recreation now and then
is not only delightful, but healthful.
The writer's purpose is neither to point
out the proper kind of amusements nor
to indicate the extent to which they
should be indulged. On the contrary,
he merely wishes to intimate that there
seems to be a growing tendency on the
part of many people to disregard con-
versation. This is apparent in some
homes where a different state of things
would naturally be expected. In
many places it has become the fashion,
when few friends are invited in "to
spend the evening"" to ignore the pleas
ure and profit derivable from an inter-
change of ideas, and spend the time in
playing trivial game. Unhappily, this
practice is not confined to our young
people" 1t is natural that children
should wish for amusements of a trihing
character but adults ought to be.able to
say with the Apostle: "When became
a man | put away childish things"
The hope of the fathers is in the
children. What may we expect of our
young people if no effort be made to
check the excessive indulgence in parlor
games that are so popular nowadaysP
AT the same time, something better
must be provided. Indeed, one might
be pardoned for fearing that in some
places conversation is in danger of be-
coming lost art. Hence, the question
arises: ''Whither are we drifting?'
In nine cases out of ten, on the part
of those who give themselves up to non
sensical games, there will be no desire
for anything of an ennobling nature
If we habitually neglect to cultivate our
minds, we can hope for nothing but in
tellectual inferiority, and inability to
converse with ease and elegance. What
is there more enjoyable than a brilliant,
witty conversation, enlivened by an
occasional pun and sparkling repartee?
1t IS true that we all can not excel in
this delightful accomplishment, any
more than we can all excel in any
branch of learning or business; but we
can, at least, use the talents that we
have, whether they be one, two or five.
Though conversation, in its better part,
May be esteemed gift, and not an art,
ct much depends, as in the tiller s toll
On culture and the sewing of the soil"
1t is said that the celebrated Samuel
johnson for long time looked upon
conversation as the chief amusement
lie told Sir Joshua REYNOLDS that he
had always made it rule to talk upon
every occasion as well as he could.
'He had thus obtained a master over
his weapons which made him one of
the most accomplished conversational
gladiators. A great responsibility is
laid upon us to improve the mind We
should ascertain its various faculties
and susceptibllities, and earnestly strive
to make as much progress as possible.
We have the power of intrOSpectiOn, and
should not fail to make good use of it.
OF people who are negligent in this
respect, it has been well said: Thus
multNddes live and die as truly strangers
to themselves as to countries of which
they have heard the name. but which
human foot has never trodden." A
leady talker may not have any better
natural ability than one who is ''slow of
speech, but on account of being able
to express his thoughts in an ineligible
and forceful style, he is looked upon as
belonging to the 'aristocracy of intel
lect, while the other is relocated to
the region of intellectual mediocrity.-
Thomas c. B. Fraser, IN Chicago Cur
rent.