CONVERSATION.

FRIEND DOUGLASS:—Methinks you smile as you glance at this caption, and wonder why I should write an article on Conversation, I who am myself so deficient in that important particular; but that I am deficient is the very reason why I have selected that as my subject. It is only when we feel our own deficiency that we are willing to ask advice of others. And as it is from conversation that we gain a knowledge of men and things, it is important that all should possess the art of conversing properly. Now will you not wield your vigorous pen for the benefit of any of your read ers who may be afflicted as I am, and tell us why it is that we are not gifted with the art of social converse, which Pope has truly called 'the feast of reason and flow of soul?'—Some there are who have brilliant conversational powers and ready wit, while others equally well-educated are slow of speech, and their thoughts struggle vainly for utterance, and why is it? To me there is nothing more interesting than a pleasant social circle, where all join in discussing some useful topic, each giving his or her opinion kindly, mingled with the merry jest and gay repartee, where rich gems of thought fall from the lips, and all are benefited by this mutual interchange of sentiment. Truly, in the language of another, 'the conversation of a wise man, like the gentle showers of summer, falls upon youthful hearts with an inspiring, fertilizing influence, sowing the seeds of useful knowledge, and lay ing the foundation of virtues which last through life.' This is the kind of conversation I would cultivate, not the frivolous 'small talk,' which is, alas, too common in American social life. Some there are who talk a great deal, but in reality say nothing, that is, nothing beneficial either to themselves or others; this class of talkers are numerous, especially among the women of our country. Women are said to be always conversational, but there

are many exceptions to this rule. That the women of America are deficient in useful conversation is, I think, owing to the fact that they are not as well educated as men; they are not a reading class, and not having read instructive books they have nothing to talk about but 'the horrid state of the weather,' 'the last new novel,' 'Mrs. B.'s splendid dress,' or her 'love of a bonnet,' and thus women are accused of being naturally given to gossiping when it is only the fault of their education.—When women have some higher aims and more ennobling purposes in life than mere display, when the avenues to lucrative employments are thrown open to them, then their conversation will be improved, and not till then. We have been kept in ignorance from childhood, and well have we conned the oft-repeated lesson of our grand-mothers, 'little girls should be seen and not heard,' and the still later lesson of 'woman's sphere,' as it is taught us by American religion and American law, until we are deplorably deficient in all that makes true women. But happily for us, the old dogmas about 'woman's sphere' are receding before the dawn of more liberal principles, and women are not only seen, but heard, both in public and private, and woman's voice and woman's pen shall yet assist in overthrowing the foul system of slavery. Then let us continue to labor for the 'good time coming,' when all nations shall stand on the broad platform of human brotherhood, and conversation shall have become pure and ennobling, for in the language of Gerald Massey.

'Creeds, Empires, Systems, rot with age,
But the great peoples every youthful.
And it shall write the future's page
To our humanity more truthful.

The gnarliest heart hath tender chords
To waken at the name of brother.
And time comes when brain-scorpion words
We shall not speak, to sting each other.'

E. H.

WAVERLY, Sept. 27, 1859.