The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-10
Art of Conversation.

About sixty persons, in the parlors of
Plymouth Church, last night. heard Miss
Chaffee on Conversation as a Fine Art"
In the days of early France, she said. the
people understood theart, and to a French
woman the compliment of being a skillful
and ar entertaining talker was regarded
as highly as that of being physically beau
tiful or neat in dress. Art, literature. poll
tics and ever religion were discussed then
as now. and in each special line it
was the aim to secure and to
give information as we'll as pleasure.
In the earlier days of America there was a
tendency in conversation to turn upon
pedigrees and colonial blood, but gradually
topics with broader foundation and wOr-
thier character have been substituted.
The one great feature about a people who
are able to talk is that with them the mind
is king. and wealth or honor play but mi
nor parts.
From the earliest time, Miss Chaffee con-
tinued. men and women have talked. 1t is
their distinctive mark over the brute crea-
ton, and yet this power or lack of it is
often noticeable throughout a whole ma
tion. The English, as a people, are not
good conversationalists because they are
not responsive in their natures. Sydney
Smith has said that there is nothing an
E~nglishman likes SO well as sulkiness, and
this seems to be an almost universal
trait, not because he is unwilling to talk,
but because he usually has nothing
to say. Conversation has degenerated, the
lady thought, both in England and in this
country, and here everything should be
done to restore the art. The sphere of q
person in conversation Is the same as that
of an orator, namely to raise his nearer up
line: Many men acquire reputation through
merit, but q ready and q sensible talker Is
always to be admired. By some it is
thought that the art of conversation is q
natural one and is spontaneous, and that to
attempt to train it is to make the person a
bore, but plausible as this may seem. the
power of conversation may be cultivated
and often acquired as we'll as that of speak
ing. It's laws depend upon logic, rhetoric
and common sense.
voice, a lack of mannerisms, and the alb
sence of slang. Miss Chaffe said. do much TO
make conversation perfect, and a great
benefit is derived from mental superiority.
The broad knowledge of men and books,
added TO a vide range. of thought acquired
from extended experience, are two essen
uials to good conversation, and both are
strengthened by a q~uickness of wit that
will enable a person TO think readily and
to shape his thoughts into words without
depending upon the usual amount of time
devoted TO remarks on the weather as an
Introduction to further remarks. But the
highest condition of the art is not physical
or mental, but rather moral, being best de-
fined by tact, which some attain by SYM
pathy and some by watching the mistakes
of their ~neighbors.. By this quality a
person is enabled to see when he
is becoming tedious or prosy-in
other words, tact is the ability to read
human nature, and to frame his actions &C
cordingly. Long arguments and special
points of contention between two persons
are always out of place, although many
people are as ignorant of when TO cease
talking as when to begin. This, the speaker
said, reminded her of an Italian harp, in
the playing of which as much skill is re-
quired in placing the fingers on the strings
to stop their vibration as in causing them
to twang.
Conversation, Miss Chaffe continued,
while it is full of flaws, Is as susceptible of
the ideal as is sculpture or painting, and
when it contains the suggestive il is of
more value than when the argumentative
prevails. To talk well and successfully