Year: 1870

q What is becoming of conTersationW inquir-
ing minds are beginning to ask. Is it to be
classed among the lost arts of which Wendell
Philips discourses2 Certainly, society is every
day growing less and less capable of conversa-
ton more and more wearisome to itself. Now,
the strange thing about this is that almost all
Americans fluent takers American women
are generally gifted with a huency far surpass-
ing that of French women, whom they eqraly
surpass in information and intelligence Why,
then, have we no oconversation-in society atleast2
Well for one reason, because society 1--WE are
speaking now of New York; is afflicted with
tete-a-tete practice, which seems absolutely to
prohibit general conversation. Take a social
gathering of New Workers, at which there are
only six persons present, and what do you OBJ
serve? Not six persons engaged in conversation,
but three couples, distinct and separate, each
couple occupied in teted-tete. Of course, if the
six people were always three couples of lovers
this would be delightful and if general conver-
satiOn suffered, the lovers would not much care.
But these things do no: usually thus arrange
themselves and there are very few people who
can carry on long talk tete-a-tete, without tir-


ing each other. Moreover, such a dialogue
makes it necessary that there shall be no pause.
You know that the moment your partner stops
you must 90 on and an iron necessity of this
kind is the death of all true conversation. But


let the six people talk together, one throwing
the ball to his neghbor, who filings it on in his
turn and it is marvellous how bright and ami
mated becomes the conversation of even ordi-
nary persons. No one feels that he must speak
ut IL certain moment, whether he likes it or not
and he must be very dull indeed if the ideas
flashing around him do not fire him with some


ideas of his own. The splitting up of society
into couples is a peculiarly which must strike
stranger very much in New York. People abso-
lutely will not talk except in twos. French


lady, herself a mistress and lover Of good con-
versation, and for many years resident of New
York, has assured us that all her most strenu-
Gus and resolute efforts to introduce the sys-
TEN of general conversation in her own draw
ing room, when only social few are present,
have proved an absolute failure. Even the
pertinent Of gathering her guests round a circu-
lar table was unsuccessful. They would remain
silent, or discourse in isolated couples. SO she
gave up the effort at reform. In the SQion of her
countrywoman, Madame Recamier, the rule was
rigid that the conversation must be general


Once young lady ventured on remark in
low tone TO a neighbor. Madame Recamier
gently, but decisively, rebuked the offender
Some plying friend came to the rescue, and
pleaded that Mademoselle was probably too
modest to speak aloud in so distinguished a COM.
pany. But surely she is not too modest to
listen," the hostess calmly replied. Now, we
DOM want all the rigor of the beautiful Recam-
ier's rule but mild and modified application
of it " ould be great boon TO New York.-Gal-
arg.


MARSHALL, THE GOLD DIscovERER.-J. w. Mar
shall, the first discoverer of gold in California,
lives at Kelseys Diggings, FL Dorado county, in
destitute circumstances The miners in the up
country have started the project of making small
contributions tor his relief. The moneys to
be sent to the State Controller, Robert Watt, at