Conversation is an exercise of the mind; gossip is merely an exercise of the tongue.

Conversation is an exercise of the mind; gossip is merely an exercise of the tongue.

Form'd by thy converse, happily steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.

Form'd by thy converse, happily steer
From grave to gay, from lively to severe.

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 about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

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

Do you ever think if people heard our conversations they'd lock us up?" All the time.

Do you ever think if people heard our conversations they'd lock us up?" All the time.

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

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

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.

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.

A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two read more

A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.