Conversation may be compared to a lyre with seven chords - philosophy, art, poetry, love, scandal, and the weather.

Conversation may be compared to a lyre with seven chords - philosophy, art, poetry, love, scandal, and the weather.

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.

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

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

Questioning is not the mode of conversation among gentlemen.

Questioning is not the mode of conversation among gentlemen.

But conversation, choose what theme we may,
And chiefly when religion leads the way,
Should flow, like read more

But conversation, choose what theme we may,
And chiefly when religion leads the way,
Should flow, like waters after summer show'rs,
Not as if raised by mere mechanic powers.

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

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.

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.

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.

His conversation does not show the minute hand; but he strikes
the hour very correctly.

His conversation does not show the minute hand; but he strikes
the hour very correctly.