Conversation should touch everything, but should concentrate itself on nothing.

Conversation should touch everything, but should concentrate itself on nothing.

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.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God
in company.

We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God
in company.

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.

Men of great conversational powers almost universally practise a
sort of lively sophistry and exaggeration which deceives for the read more

Men of great conversational powers almost universally practise a
sort of lively sophistry and exaggeration which deceives for the
moment both themselves and their auditors.

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.

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

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

Conversation is an art in which man has all mankind for competitors.

Conversation is an art in which man has all mankind for competitors.

Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know.

Conversation would be vastly improved by the constant use of four simple words: I do not know.