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.

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.

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

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

Questioning is not the mode of conversation among gentlemen.

Questioning is not the mode of conversation among gentlemen.

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.

Conversation is a game of circles.

Conversation is a game of circles.

They converse as those who know that God hears.
[Lat., Ita fabulantur ut qui sciant Dominum audire.]

They converse as those who know that God hears.
[Lat., Ita fabulantur ut qui sciant Dominum audire.]

They would talk of nothing but high life and high-lived company,
with other fashionable topics, such as pictures, taste, read more

They would talk of nothing but high life and high-lived company,
with other fashionable topics, such as pictures, taste,
Shakespeare, and the musical glasses.

There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the read more

There is no such thing as a worthless conversation, provided you know what to listen for. And questions are the breath of life for a conversation.