The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-02-07
A Friendly Criticism.

Conversation and, manners, to be
agreeable should alike be free from
all artificial restraints. TO be free and
easy in both is absolutely essential to
making pleasant impression on
those around US. Nothing is more
tedius and fatiguing than to associate
with persons who seem to be con-
stautly on the watch to observe every
rule of etiquette, or who are self-con.
sciously polite; agreeable conversa-
ton is impossible with those who
seem to watch and study every SEN
tence lest they make some slip of the
tongue.
Emerson says that persons of fine
manners "make their own forms every
moment and speak or abstain, take
wine or refuse it, stay or 90, sit on a
chair or sprawl with the children on
the floor, or stand on their head, or
what else soever, in new and origi-
nal way" So in conversation new
and piquant and original forms of eX-
preston are always interesting. and
he utmost freedom from restraint is
one of the clemens of fine and capti.
waiting address. Butall this does not
prevent our noticing unpleasant and
Earring effects produced by certain in
appropriate and unmeaniug express
ions which are frequently heard in
conversation, especially among young
people, aud which greatly mar an
otherwise pleasant conversational gift.
One of these is the constant use Of
superlatives.
10 hear a young lady describe bon
net or a walking suit makes one won
der where she would find adjectives
with which to describe sunset or a
storm. The bonnet, the suit is des-
cribed as "perfectly splendid" "just
gorgeous" 'too magnificent" "the
loveiiest thing my eyes ever rested
on,n etc., while the apparent enthusi-
asm with which these terms are used
might lead one 20 believe that the
speaker was in real earnest, and that
never before had the real emotions OF
her soul been fully aroused. If the
thing described is displeasing the ad-
! iectives are just as snperlative. 1t is
Hperfectly horrid,n "morstrous, ;"
lawful" "too intolerable 'abomi.
nable," "ugliest," and all other bad
adiectives that end in "est." If a
young lady had occasion to express
real anger, sorrow, or terror, where
would she find language adequate in
which to do so.
Again, some fall into habits of using
adiectives such as beautiful, lovely,
charming and make use of them SO
constantly and indescriminately as to
make them an offense to the ear. If a
friends hospitality, temper, children,
slippers, library, paintings, cook, roast
beef, cake. and flowers are all alike
emphatically declared to be "beauti'
full" the impression the word conveys
is apt to become slightly mixed.
The word most frequently missap-
piled, especially in certain Western
localities, is the word funny" "My
father aud mother died on the same
day of the year, wasn't it funny"'
remarked very pretty young lady at
party the other evening. LIVERY
time take my children to the country
they are taken sick; it is too funny !"
was the remark of matron at the
company. And yet both were really
well-educated and well-bred people.
1t is carelessness. pure carelessness.
that permits such an awkward and in.
Inappropriate expressions, and it would
certainly be no damage, but a great
Improvement, to general conversation
il sufficient attention were paid to the
form and manner of expression; to
prevent such blemishes from fastening
themselves upoE this delightful art.