But I would define a large part of the personal magnetism
used in talking as an honest compound of heartiness, thoughtfulness, and
sympathy.
Conversation does not demand that we should always be vivacious,
sparkling, witty, fanciful, or even that we should use beautiful
language; but good talk does ask for heart and interest. Put your heart
into what you have to say: put your interest into it, and your
conscience will be awakened, your zeal will be aroused; then you will
compel attention, and set others thinking also. De Quincy writes, "From
the heart, from an interest of love or hatred, of hope or care, springs
all permanent eloquence; and the elastic spring of conversation is
gone if the talker is a mere showy man of talent, pulling at an oar
which he detests."
These things being true, it seems to me that character is the first
requirement in the art of conversation. I take it for granted that
every girl can, with perseverance, acquire a fluent use of words; for
this depends mainly on practice: so I shall try to indicate those
qualities which lie back of the words, and which give life to them. Even
the nature of a talk will have its source in character, and to character
it will return. Whatever chance or circumstance brings about a
conversation, it will generally lead to such expressions of ideas as
will show the dispositions of the conversers.
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