The San Francisco call., 1910-06-26
"The Lost Art of Conversation"

Edited by Horatio s. Kraus Published by
Sturgis & Walton Company. New York. Price
s1.J0.
Calling conversation lost art" is
not original with Mr.. Kraus, but who
first said it is not on record. The dam
age has been done and we have meekly
submitted to the statement and ac-
cepted it as fact. Now Mr.. Horatio S.
Kraus has accepted it and apparently it
has never occurred to him to doubt it's
truth. For. hoping to be able to do
something to restore this lost art, he
has collected in one volume the best
English essays on conversation with a
view, says the paper wrapper, ito pro-
viding those who would excel in the
art with hints. suggestions. rules and
precepts likely to be helpful in the
making of good talk
The editor has succeeded in bringing
together some of the most interesting
essays on conversation in the language
and they are real delight to read, but
they do not furnish assistance toward
conversation of the sort possible today.
Swift. In his "GenteeI and Ingenious
Conversation" is purely satirical. and
IN his Hints Toward an Essay on Con-
yersation" points out only what to
avoid
De Quincy makes a suggestion of q
three minute glass TO limit takers,
which many a listener of today might
wish had become a law; but If any can
All 90 -.
versation" by J. 2. Mahaffy and not
fee in terror he has no sense Of humor
Cas it's author) and our pity is wasted.
Two essays by Stevenson are includ-
ed, the Truth of Intercourse from
Virginibus Puerisque, and Talk and
Takers from Memories and Por-
traits" One learns more from bit of
these delightful essays than a whole
book of the old fashioned heavy pro-
fessional takers. Stevenson. himself
the prince Of takers. appreciated good
conversation:
The theme being set, each plays on
himself as on an instrument; asserts
and justifies himself; ransacks his
brain for instances and opinions, and
brings them forth new minted. to his
own surprise and the admiration of
his adversary. Ali natural talk is a
leSllNdi OF ana bY the laws
of the game each accepts and fans the
variety of the other. 1t is from that
reason that we venture TO lay our
selves so open. that we dare to be so
warmly eloquent, and that we swell in
each others eyes to such a vast pro-
portion. For takers. once launched.
begin to overflow the limits of their
ordinary selves. tower up to the
heights of their secret pretentions and
give themselves out for the heroes,
brave, pious, musical and wise, that in
their most shining moments they as
pire to be. So they weave for them
selves with words and for awhile in
habit a palace of delights, temple at
once and theater, where they feel the
round OF the worlds dignities and
feast with the gods, exulting in Ku-
dos"
1t is difficult to halt in quoting Stew
enson and these essays are in his very
best style. 1t is a pleasure to read of
conversation as existing now, today,
for stevenson, though gone, is the
most modern of all the collection of
authors. Of whom Mahaffy is the only
one now living
The book is beautifully printed and
bound and contains some reproductions
of famous old prints appropriate to the
text. It is an interesting and valuable
book, whose only fault is its title.