Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood

Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood

A dearth of words a woman need not fear;
But 'tis a task indeed to learn to hear:
read more

A dearth of words a woman need not fear;
But 'tis a task indeed to learn to hear:
In that the skill of conversation lies;
That shows and makes you both polite and wise.

A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better
than ten years' study of books.

A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better
than ten years' study of books.

Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood.

Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood.

And when you stick on conversation's burs,
Don't strew your pathway with those dreadful urs.

And when you stick on conversation's burs,
Don't strew your pathway with those dreadful urs.

Not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult, to leave unsaid the wrong read more

Not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

Tom Birch is as brisk as a bee in conversation; but no sooner
does he take a pen in read more

Tom Birch is as brisk as a bee in conversation; but no sooner
does he take a pen in his hand, than it becomes a torpedo to him,
and benumbs all his faculties.

But conversation, choose what theme we may,
And chiefly when religion leads the way,
Should flow, like read more

But conversation, choose what theme we may,
And chiefly when religion leads the way,
Should flow, like waters after summer show'rs,
Not as if raised by mere mechanic powers.

Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.

Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.