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Show , FISHERMAN'S LUCK perfection, if you can catch him alonc,-the gift of being interesting, charming, delightful, in the most off-hand and various modes of utterance. Talkability is not at all the same thing as eloquence. The eloquent man surprises, overwhelms, and sometimes paralyzes us by the display of his power. Great orators are seldom good talkers. Oratory in exercise is masterful and jealous, and intolerant of all interruptions. Oratory in preparation is silent, self-centred, uncommunicative. The painful truth of this remark may be seen in the row of countenances along the president's table at a public banquet about nine o'clock in the evening. The bicycle-face seems unconstrained and merry by comparison with the after-dinner-speechface. The flow of table-talk is corked by the anxious conception of post-prandial oratory. Thackeray, in one of his Roundabout Papers, speaks of "the sin of tall-talking," which, he says, "is the sin of schoolmasters, governesses, critics, sermoners, and .instructors of young or old people." But this is not in accord with my observation. I should say it was rather the sin of dilettanti who 66 TALKABILITY are ambitious of that high-stepping accompli•hment which is called "conversational ability." This has usually, to my mind, something set and artificial about it, although in its most perfect form the art almost succeeds in concealing itself. But, at all events, "conversation" is tn1k in evening dress, with perhaps a little powder and a touch of rouge. 'T is like one of those wise virgins who are said to look their best by lamplight. And doubtless this is an excellent thing, and not without its advantages. But for my part, commend me to one who loses nothing by the early morning illumination,- one who brings all her attractions with her when she comes down to breakfast,-she is a very pleasant maid. Talk is that form of human speech which is exempt from all duties, foreign and domestic. It is the nearest thing in the world to thinking and feeling aloud. It is necessarily not for publication, -solely an evidence of good faith and mutual kindness. You tell me what you have seen and what you are thinking about, because you take it for granted that it will interest and entertain me; and 67 |