The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-09-06
TEE ART or CONVERSATION.
A Centributiea 20 the Dsscussieo q speech
and T~aciturnity.

discussion provoked ny the question OF the
lady II taciturnity IL due To an oveftuppiy
or an undersupply Of thoughts IL very IN
terestnr In England n would he called
an Incident OF the silly season but such
discussions are not a. all silly The interest
they arouse shows rather that newspaper.
by going outside Of tho rule OF perfuhctory
treatment Of perfunctory public questions
and turning their attention sometimes IN
themes which furnish material for the or
binary conversation Of intelligent people.
may mate themselves more entertaining
than-'han. for example. the Ersn'"o Post.
80 heavily oppressed by the CONSCIOUSNESS
Of Ia awfully serious moral mission
The most delightful thing In life 10 IN"
clever conversstlon Of clever p~opi" VINO
In apparently and casually skimmihE many
subjects a. they are brought az. can s"nd
down Incidentally a quick plummet into
deep thought without making a great to-do
over tho operation one Of your correspond
ents TO- day rather pridee him -elf on his knack
of telling apt stories for the delectation OF
any company In which he chances IN be
do not de-pise that gift. though am obliged
IN say | md Il often abused hy such pro
hcients They may he tho slow IN s"tnhs
AZ thair point. so that the int"rlocutnr ar
rives there long before. and the polite neces-
atty Of laughing with them may become .
little burdensome. Very few Of m. man who
think they have mastered the art Of story
telling are really able To recall or msnufAct-
ure q story which 10 justified by ia singular
patne.s A. an illustration The gift OF send
ing out q sudden and momentsry ray OF
Illuminating humor 10 far rar"r and higher
the play appears on the surface OF 4 mind
which the very trininE indicates has desps
below think n was sidney smith who
said tina, II such play l. not r"co gnizahl" ~
tho .portiven~.s ~ n mind capahl" ~ serious
thought. n 10 the mere laughter ~ tho fool
Another NJ your correspondents -p"aks
~ big men 81 AFFAIRS ~ almost Invariably
taciturn 81 they may b" In general oonN"r-
sation, hut their tariturnity Their" IL sttrihu-
table usually a. scarcity Of ideas on ~" sub
jectS talk 81 about rather than to anv Wis"
philosophy Of reserve In them Their "S-
precision. hAhitually restrained by business
pnldenco. has Lost Ella sticity and spon'anet'y.
40 that they are dull company for freer spitiiS
So also a man may h" very learned vet be-
cause ~ his habit ~ interesting himself only
IN a special range NJ subjects, he may he
impossible IN general society b." has not the
ART Of touching lightly the themes that come
up in conversation and o. passing them by
quickly 10 turn 20 others That il why The
society which socks only pleasur" In inter
course IL accused Of barring out the intel
l~c,uai as necessarily alien 10 ~ super
rciality Tho intellectual would he welcome
enough 10 4, u they mad" any contribution
10 ia enjoyment but usually they shut them
selves out by their hare deficiency In the
social art Thcy haven't learned III" TRICK
Of making them selves agreeable
n l. not true. however. that wisdom and
taci;urnity are cause and consequence. capt.
Buushy was no; wise because he said 80 little.
but he said 80 it'll. beca'Is" he was not wise
Was Goethe taciturn' MacnulAy's flow ~
language at the dinner tahl" vas a. eN'raor-
binary as his marvellous memory. 1hack-
80 aNmAHN AWA
so was Lowell. and ltolm"s was a master ~
the art Croker l. called a silent man. hut
when he has horses o. talk about | viii wager
he T. fluent enough. ~ cour~~. he does
not spill about his political secrets any NOR"
than perpont Morgan gives way his great
financial projects N every ohanc" listener
lincoln knew how to conceal his serious
thought and purpose without mmtu up
the ru@ncv Of h- sp~-cl Tallevrand. ~
We all know. was famous for the bulliancy
Of his conversation and bismarck could
make himself ent' rtaining In any society
Nov a. 20 the silent on~-. ! have found
many Of them In New England. wh-rc also.
however. have met the most delirhttul
conV~rsatonalists ~ has been my fortune
~ encounter anywhere In the world have
observed a variety 81 N" Ros'onian who al
wAys seems tn hc afraid ~ give himself away.
to he Away on Ia guard lest he should -"
huncord hy his companion. and over against
him l. a.. Bostutfan who's" notion - Ito
great function 81 conversation d. o. NV" Won
valuable information and on. ght"n YOUR
presumed ignorance 1hcn. again. ! have
met an intelligent man fnr example, ono
With whom walked IN tie country for hours
together without ha saying n word who
seemed 50 ohlivious 81 nv pr"scno" as To
-uggc-t my utter inS.gr,do,ur" ~ hts '-t.-
nation. when actually I knew that hts silence
implied q compliment - mo. ls on" who could
entertain himself sufficiently Vth his own
thoughts. n he himself DID II was only
that the spirit - Joyous Comradcship vas
not In him, his breeding. good fellow. was
deficient
such tacitnrnitv Is \ great misfortune,
o. the man himself and t. tbos" Mt Naom
h~ Il brought In cout1ct u should BOO N"
care Of parents ~ ovcrr"w" any disposition
O. u In their children ~ Inconsistent WITH
good breeding and a bar Ia hRppincs, ia inter
course with the world. The ability Of eN-
preston should he stimulated aud cultivated
Simplicity and spontsncitN are ~" greatest
81 charms: hAbituai self-rcvrr.s,on and self
consciousness and neutrality-suspicious. are
social vices which DESTROY "a" victim ~ them
A. an enjoyable member ~ society who gets
a r-rex Of pleasure from "a" pleasure h."
confer. for ~ all tho arts which make cN-
i.tence desirable the art 81 graceful and de-
llghtful conversation l. no chief
A. ON NV yoEkHR