The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-24

"HE ability to converse well is strong
1y magnetic in man, and is the
L chief charm of a woman. By
woman 1t is more to be coveted than
beauty of face or shapliness of FORM A
woman may have the physical charms OF
a Hebe, or the projections of venus
de Medici; she may move with the grace
of an Ariel, .fn rhythmic action unex-
celed," and yet, If she be unable to add
her part to the interchange of thought,
she is STALE fiat and Improbable" Be-
ing accomplished. however. in this charm
ing art, her very skill disarms criticism
and compels it to forget her irregular
features and plainness of face, should she
have them.
Madam de Stael was not a pretty
woman, but Curran said of her: "She has
the power of talking herself into perfect
beauty" George Eliot was, perhaps, the
homeliest woman In England. Her face
was long and honey, her lips were thick
and her nose was immensely large. In
deed she resembled composite portrait
of Dante and Savonarola, two of the
ugliest men, in facial formation, that ever
lived in the world of letters Nevertke-
less, the subtle charm of her intellect, the
accuracy of her formation and the depth
of her learning enabled her to become
queen In conversational ability and
lady beauty" Among those who were
profoundly impressed by her conversation
were scientists, philosophers, poets, paint
ers, writers5 and eminent musical COM
posers. The reader may remember that.
In "Middemarch," George Eliot gives a
rfn of
says: 1T was like the voice of soul
that had once lived in an Aeoean harp"
Her friends used to say that this was the
quality of George Eliot's voice in CONVEX
sation.
Now, I do not mean to depreciate physi-
cal beauty of which all the poets have
sung since the days of Ovid; but l have
associated with men and women long
enough to draw my own conclusions from
the multiplied criticisms that have heard
through many years. How often have
heard such utterances as these: Pretty,
but could not talk" her eyes are beauti-
fully colored but there's no light In them
and she takes no interest in converse
tom" 1--WE tried every subject In the
world to draw that girl out of herself,
but all that she says is yes or no -;
EXCUSE me; that girls dumb; I had her
on my hands for two hours at Jones
party last week. and the only sentence
bananas?'" Similar criticisms have l
often heard Of men. The young men who
can only .'Ha, ha." or He he" or "Aint
there a crowd here is bore to any
woman or man. Neither his stylish at
tire, nor the prodigality Of his shirt front
diamonds can save him. Socially, he's
lost, and when he calls on certain young
women 1t is not to be wondered at that
they are mot at home this evening to
him.
There is positively an antecedent to In
teresting and profitable conversation. 1t
is information. That is to say, before one
can talk well there must be something to
talk about. Stock subjects are soon ex-
hausted. The weather will do for while,
and whataa good turn it has served peo-
pie who converse. What would we do II
we had no weather at all? How would
we begin a conversation? But even this
profound and popular theme soon loses
interest, and the evening has just begun.
Leigh Hunt said: IF you are ever at a
loss to support tagging conversation,
just Introduce the subject of eating" This
10 a. topic that everybody knows some
thing about, it IL true, but as subject
Of polite conversation it's suitability may
be questioned. The subject of Servants"
has saved the day many time. 1t Is
common ground in almost any group OF
persons. and the troubles that it suggests
are about limttless.