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

Conversation is a game of circles.

Conversation is a game of circles.

I love any discourse of rivers, and fish and fishing.

I love any discourse of rivers, and fish and fishing.

Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, read more

The difficulty with this conversation is that it's very different from most of the ones I've had of late. Which, as I explained, have mostly been with trees.

I never, with important air,
In conversation overbear.
. . . .
My tongue read more

I never, with important air,
In conversation overbear.
. . . .
My tongue within my lips I rein;
For who talks much must talk in vain.

A good memory and a tongue tied in the middle is a combination which gives immortality to conversation.

A good memory and a tongue tied in the middle is a combination which gives immortality to conversation.

It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much.

It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much.

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.