The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-02


| cient. imprisoned rhapsodist who has
been there and seen It all. Like Dominic
Samson he is simply ''prodigious And
anon YOU meet up" with the old-maidish
"Aflss" who puts you through-yes,
| through and through-with the latest
| novels. intersprinkled with dashes OF trita
| quotations from the standard poets. To
| call any OF this conversation" Is. OF
| course. to take an objectionable liberty
/ with language. There is not In II. at all.
| the intercourse OF mind with mind; the
exchange OF Views and reflections; the
sedate propounding OF questions. and re-
niles given with thoughtful elaboration.
the whole marked by that courteous con-
sidcratlon which moves the one TO attend
10 the utterances OF the other with at
least an assumed interest How rare,
how very rare, is It to meet with CON
varsatlonalist" Of this true type, We
are not spcsking now OF commonplace
dialogues upon tho weather. the crops,
current politics. or other such trivial
and excruciatlng employment or vocal
sound. We mean conversation" between
men OF women Of intelligence. taste and
culture. upon really interesting and ra-
,ional themes. Some such Of the very
highest order OF interest we had In Var
elnia. within the memory Of living man.
as the phrase goes. But who cannot
count upon the fingers OF ono hand all
OF these who were really gifted I'M TINS
rare and exquisite art? At the head OF
the list Of those rarely gifted, whom the
writer has known. stands that most
charming gentleman. the late p. John
son Barbour And an in addition TO ne
gift OF courteous dialogue, what de-
ughtful power did he possess TO make
The English sweet upon the tongue. a.
ancient Chaucer saith. The late DR.. John
A Broadus was very highly gifted with
this rare accomplishment. And there re-
Gently died at Lexington gentleman
known 10 many OF our readers who was
hardly surpassed oy any as true ana
delightful conversationalist, Colonel Ed
ward Dillon. We conhne ourselves, IN
this enumeration to those who have. I'M
happily for Us who survive, passed from
the scenes Of earth.
But there is another delightful power
Of intellectual display, akin TO CONVEX
sation, and yet not conversation. OF
which Virginia has produced many nota-
bic examples the gift OF high discourse:
for discourse may be- though not neces-
sarily so, an absolute and exclusive mo-
nologue. OF these far the foremost OF all
within living memory. was that Titan In
statue and in intellect. Frederick w.
Coleman, whose name and memory is as
ISOLATED with hundreds yet living
throughout an the South. from Virginia
TO Texas, with the Concord Academy"
In discourse he was indeed a colossus;
but the vocal deliversnce was all on one
side Under the full sway and sweep of
his swift-howing teeming thoughts
which found expression in articulate ut
tcrance that resembled the rush Of a
mountain torrent there was no pause
for reply from the enrsptured listener.
And so it was not conversation. but dis
course.
excelled also in this most entertaining
and instructive gift, DR.. Robert Cole
man, OF this city, and Lewis NJ. Coleman
who established Hanover Academy"
was afterwards Latin Professor at the
University Of Virginia, and as colonel Of
artillery sustained a mortal wound at the
battle of Fredericksburg possessed this
gift Of the fine discourse in a high degree,
though by no means so conspicuously
as tho first of the name whom we have
mentioned. lie indeed in this art could
do "the big bow-wow," TO use an express
sion of Sir Walter Scott. The name OF
Henry a. Wise will at once occur to
many OF our readers as a shining exam
pie Of the eminent Virginians who excel
led in monologue.
There are men who with excellent ca
pacity for fluent speech. yet excel as
good listeners. Perhaps there was no
eminent Virginian of recent years who
was so good listener as Senator r. NJ.
Y. Hunter. He won many of the aspir-
ing youth to him by this fattering trait
He seemed to be greatly interested in the
views they expressed. Doubtless he well
understood that in no other way can 4
distinguished man so certainly win the
good will Of an ambitious young man,
particularly If the bump of self-esteem
be little prominent in his phrenologi-
cal makeup.
We could extend the list Of Virginans
who excclled in charming conversation
and in brilliant discourse, but we have
perhaps enlarged upon the subject sufi-
GENTLY for the present The distinguish
ed men we have named left but little
contribution from their pens by which
the succeeding generation will remember
them. But in their day they were lum-
inaries who shone brightly in the firma-
ment of Virginia thought, letters and po-
litics. Peace TO their honored ashes
=====
OUR VIRGINIA PORTS AGAIN.
Mr. John Y Wilson President Of the