The morning call., 1891-06-21
ART OF CONVERSATION.
why Shouldn't People Prepare Themselves to
Talk as We'll as TO Feast?

We remember reading in the Nineteenth
Century an article by Lord Ribblesdale on
"The Art of Conversation" just what was
in the article we do not altogether Clearly re-
member. That there was some description
therein of the methods Of a certain friend of
the writer who had attained to some diStinc-
ton in London drawing-r00mS as conversa-
tiOnaliSt, we remember very we'll This gen.
tleman, 1t seemed, prepared himself for tea
fights" and 'muffin-scrambles." as we have
heard them called in England, and for other
social functions where tea, women, and con-
verSauOn were the staple, much as an under
graduate prepares himself by "cramming'
for an examination. Lord RbbleSdale held
his friend up to rldlcule, laughed at his
stores of neatly assorted anecdotes, pooh
poohed at his collection of old magazine
articles, and in general scOtfed at the
thought of preparation for conversation.
To those, however, who are much dued
and tead. and drawn into the social
labyrinthS where conversation obtains as
the main relaxation, the thought of prepare
ton Tor cenversatIOn-on the part OF other
peOple-comeS as very welcome SuggeS-
ton. When man goes to another mans
house as his guest he usually prepares him
self as to everything except his mind. But
he goes ofttimes As whited intellectual
out; dull, tired, eaten up with wCr-
ries within Nor is he usually in the
least cGnscience-stricken TO 20 thus men,
tally naked into the presence of his friends.
Just why one should not take fifteen
minutes or half hour in easy chair to col
lect ones self and TO prepare ones self to
drop honey here and salt there, and thus do
his share at feast or function, we know not.
Ii men and women were so constructed
that the business OF life could 60 on inter-
minaby and thus be the staple product of
conversation wherever they met together, it
I l. a. -
all ones needs. But this is not so. 1t Is not
merely agreeable to have change and rest,
it is necessity of human existence, and
wherever and whenever man or woman
lifts the curtain upon new scene, or pro-
vides new picture of life, or leads one be-
side the still waters or into pastures fresh
and green, there Is new impetus given 10
life; and of the innumerable ways in which
such inspiration may spend itself for the
good OF humanity, no one can calculate or
determine. 1t NAV not be an heroic
part to play but welding sword is not so
efficaciouS in case of faintinS as waving
fan. Just to give a little freshness to the
social air is often enough to do a very good
deed in red world. No one need be
ashamed, therefore, we should think, to
give himself a little private coaching with
this end in view. The beasts rush at their
meals and rend and tear and chew and
swallow, but this is neither wholesome nor
proper for men and women. And yet in
some households the gathering together
about the table is a sullen. silent affair."
where no one feels responsible for cheer
fulness, and where, in consequence,
the clouds and thick darkness of dys-
pepsa settle down, without a fash of
social lightning or a roar of conversational
thunder to break the dull dripping of the
monotonous shower. We remember very
distinctly, on the other hand, an establish
ment where from ten to fifteen members of
large family gathered daily at the table
and where it wasa mark of infamy almost
upon each one who did not make an effort to
add to the general fund of conversation.
They were busy people. too-the men busy
with affair sometimes of large dimensions, the
women busy with the care OF large estab-
lishment and the demands of widely
varied social life. They all had cares and
disappointments. and some of them very
real sorrows but when they met together
theygave in, each one, something to the
store of general happiness Gazette