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Article CONVERSATION. ← Page 2 of 3 Article CONVERSATION. Page 2 of 3 →
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Conversation.
We have no intention of entering at present upon the general subject of facial expression , and only suggest that there is no reason Avhy the Delsarte system should be confined to the public stage . A
Professor of Conversation should include in his curriculum a modification of this method , especially adapted to the shorter distances of the reception-room and parlour , and Avith reference to the direct and
reflected lights , and the different tones of the street and the house , both by day and night . It is evident that the expression of the same temper and mental attitudesurprise , flattery , devotion , interest , pique ,
or Avhat not—must require a different arrangement of the features according to the dress , surroundings , and especially the quantity and quality of the light . That the utilization of the countenance
m conversation is largely a matter of education there can be no doubt . We are well aware that there are persons Avho are conscious of a strange immobility of features ; who feel that their faces are , in
very truth , veils and disguises ; who , at certain moments of their lives , feel that they Avould give all they possess if they could tear aAvay the mask and expose their true feature , alight with appreciation .
But it is a question Avhether early and persistent education might not have done something for unfortunates like these . On the other hand , you may have seen men who had carried this education to such a
rjitch that they could execute a Adsual Storm-symphony with nothing but the face for orchestra . As an example of Avhat may be accomplished by concentrated effort in this
direction , Ave should be glad if Ave could present here a photograph of the face of the fish vendor Ave met this morning on Fourth Avenue . He Avas carrying two pails containing fish , balanced one on each side from a shoulder-piece such as you see
more frequently in foreign countries , and his whole countenance was given up to the shrill , concentrated , imperative statement of : "Wee-hi-ah , —striped bass ! '' There was no feature , no line or Avrinkle of his crooked countenance that Avas not
abandoned to this one end . A scientific study of a face—and of faces—like that , v * e are sure would be of incalculable benefit to a Professor of the Art of Conversation . He would be enabled , finally , by analysis and
Conversation.
classification , to read even in the silent countenance the inveterate phrase ; and he could easily deduce his rules and suggestions . The knowledge so acquired
would be of use in other ways . Every man has a favourite pun , or story , or sentence of some kind , Avhich at last makes itself apparent in Jthe set of his features .
«* * * There lies A conversation in his eyes . " This should be a Avarning in your own case as to the manner of phrase permitted to dominate your outward presentment ;
and in the case of a stranger you might learn , by looking at him , the very pun or harangue that is sure to come—and in this way make good your retreat . There are persons who , in conversation ,
have the faculty of putting you in the Avrong on your OAVU ground . You are , for instance , devoted to the Venus of Milo , so called . You have ahvays considered that your "favourite statue . '' You have
in your house the very best reproduction of it extant—cast from the original , and procured by you at great expense and no little trouble ; and day by clay you gain neAV pleasure in it , and new admiration for
it . You meet Mr . A . B . 0 . in friendl y discourse , and suddenly find yourself forced by his exclusive , appropriating culte of the Venus , into what , even to yourself , seems , for the time being , not merely a condition
of ignorance and lack of appreciation , but into almost a virulent personal animosity toward the statue . It is as if , in some dream of horror , you had flown at your idol , and clashed it into a thousand
pieces . Against conversationalists of this kind you cannot be too assiduously on guard . One method of self-protection is this . Every intelligent man has , say fifty
opinions about each topic of conversation that may be suggested . In his OAvn mind , each opinion holds its proper relation , and although the two extremes might , detached , appear incongruous , yet , in his own consciousness , they all have sense and
sequence . In-conversing with the ordinary mortal , it is not necessary to marshal these opinions in solid continuous columns . Conversation should not Toe a battle , but a spring-day excursion into the country , with agreeable companions , in search of trailing arbutus . Yet there are times
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Conversation.
We have no intention of entering at present upon the general subject of facial expression , and only suggest that there is no reason Avhy the Delsarte system should be confined to the public stage . A
Professor of Conversation should include in his curriculum a modification of this method , especially adapted to the shorter distances of the reception-room and parlour , and Avith reference to the direct and
reflected lights , and the different tones of the street and the house , both by day and night . It is evident that the expression of the same temper and mental attitudesurprise , flattery , devotion , interest , pique ,
or Avhat not—must require a different arrangement of the features according to the dress , surroundings , and especially the quantity and quality of the light . That the utilization of the countenance
m conversation is largely a matter of education there can be no doubt . We are well aware that there are persons Avho are conscious of a strange immobility of features ; who feel that their faces are , in
very truth , veils and disguises ; who , at certain moments of their lives , feel that they Avould give all they possess if they could tear aAvay the mask and expose their true feature , alight with appreciation .
But it is a question Avhether early and persistent education might not have done something for unfortunates like these . On the other hand , you may have seen men who had carried this education to such a
rjitch that they could execute a Adsual Storm-symphony with nothing but the face for orchestra . As an example of Avhat may be accomplished by concentrated effort in this
direction , Ave should be glad if Ave could present here a photograph of the face of the fish vendor Ave met this morning on Fourth Avenue . He Avas carrying two pails containing fish , balanced one on each side from a shoulder-piece such as you see
more frequently in foreign countries , and his whole countenance was given up to the shrill , concentrated , imperative statement of : "Wee-hi-ah , —striped bass ! '' There was no feature , no line or Avrinkle of his crooked countenance that Avas not
abandoned to this one end . A scientific study of a face—and of faces—like that , v * e are sure would be of incalculable benefit to a Professor of the Art of Conversation . He would be enabled , finally , by analysis and
Conversation.
classification , to read even in the silent countenance the inveterate phrase ; and he could easily deduce his rules and suggestions . The knowledge so acquired
would be of use in other ways . Every man has a favourite pun , or story , or sentence of some kind , Avhich at last makes itself apparent in Jthe set of his features .
«* * * There lies A conversation in his eyes . " This should be a Avarning in your own case as to the manner of phrase permitted to dominate your outward presentment ;
and in the case of a stranger you might learn , by looking at him , the very pun or harangue that is sure to come—and in this way make good your retreat . There are persons who , in conversation ,
have the faculty of putting you in the Avrong on your OAVU ground . You are , for instance , devoted to the Venus of Milo , so called . You have ahvays considered that your "favourite statue . '' You have
in your house the very best reproduction of it extant—cast from the original , and procured by you at great expense and no little trouble ; and day by clay you gain neAV pleasure in it , and new admiration for
it . You meet Mr . A . B . 0 . in friendl y discourse , and suddenly find yourself forced by his exclusive , appropriating culte of the Venus , into what , even to yourself , seems , for the time being , not merely a condition
of ignorance and lack of appreciation , but into almost a virulent personal animosity toward the statue . It is as if , in some dream of horror , you had flown at your idol , and clashed it into a thousand
pieces . Against conversationalists of this kind you cannot be too assiduously on guard . One method of self-protection is this . Every intelligent man has , say fifty
opinions about each topic of conversation that may be suggested . In his OAvn mind , each opinion holds its proper relation , and although the two extremes might , detached , appear incongruous , yet , in his own consciousness , they all have sense and
sequence . In-conversing with the ordinary mortal , it is not necessary to marshal these opinions in solid continuous columns . Conversation should not Toe a battle , but a spring-day excursion into the country , with agreeable companions , in search of trailing arbutus . Yet there are times