NOTE: This extract is posted true the The Ladies' Book of Etiquette
CONVERSATION.
The art of conversation consists in the exercise
of two fine qualities. You must originate, and you must sympathize; you must
possess at the same time the habit of communicating and of listening
attentively. The union is rare but irresistible. None but an excessively
ill-bred person will allow her attention to wander from the person with whom
she is conversing; and especially she will never, while seeming to be entirely
attentive to her companion, answer a remark or question made to another person,
in another group. Unless the conversation be general among a party of friends,
confine your remarks and attention entirely to the person with whom you are
conversing. Steele says, "I would establish but one great general rule in
conversation, which is this—that people should not talk to please themselves,
but those who hear them. This would make them consider whether what they speak be worth hearing; whether
there be either wit or sense in what they are about to say; and whether it be
adapted to the time when, the place where, and the person to whom, it is
spoken."
Be careful in conversation to avoid topics which
may be supposed to have any direct reference to events or circumstances which
may be painful for your companion to hear discussed; you may unintentionally
start a subject which annoys or troubles the friend with whom you may be
conversing; in that case, do not stop abruptly, when you perceive that it
causes pain, and, above all, do not make the matter worse by apologizing; turn
to another subject as soon as possible, and pay no attention to the agitation
your unfortunate remark may have excited. Many persons will, for the sake of
appearing witty or smart, wound the feelings of another deeply; avoid this; it
is not only ill-bred, but cruel.
Remember that having all the talk sustained by
one person is not conversation; do not engross all the attention yourself, by
refusing to allow another person an opportunity to speak, and also avoid the
other extreme of total silence, or answering only in monosyllables.
If your companion relates an incident or tells a
story, be very careful not to interrupt her by questions, even if you do not
clearly understand her; wait until she has finished her relation, and then ask
any questions you may desire. There is nothing more annoying than to be so
interrupted. I have heard a story told to an impertinent listener, which ran in
this way:—
"I saw a fearful sight——"
"When?"
"I was about to tell you; last Monday, on
the train——"
"What train?"
"The train from B——. We were near the
bridge——"
"What bridge?"
"I will tell you all about it, if you will
only let me speak. I was coming from B——"
"Last Monday, did you say?"
and so on. The story was interrupted at every
sentence, and the relator condemned as a most tedious story-teller, when, had
he been permitted to go forward, he would have made the incident interesting
and short.
Never interrupt any one who is speaking. It is
very ill-bred. If you see that a person to whom you wish to speak is being
addressed by another person, never speak until she has heard and replied; until
her conversation with that person is finished. No truly polite lady ever breaks
in upon a conversation or interrupts another speaker.
Never, in speaking to a married lady, enquire
for her husband, or, if a gentleman, ask for his wife. The
elegant way is to call the absent party by their name; ask Mr. Smith how Mrs.
Smith is, or enquire of Mrs. Jones for Mr. Jones, but never for "your
husband" or "your wife." On the other hand, if you are married,
never speak of your husband as your "lord," "husband," or
"good man," avoid, also, unless amongst relatives, calling him by his
Christian name. If you wish others to respect him, show by speaking of him in
respectful terms that you do so yourself. If either your own husband or your
friend's is in the army or navy, or can claim the Dr., Prof., or any other
prefix to his name, there is no
impropriety in speaking of him as the colonel, doctor, or whatever his title
may be.
It is a mark of ill-breeding to use French
phrases or words, unless you are sure your companion is a French scholar, and,
even then, it is best to avoid them. Above all, do not use any foreign word or
phrase, unless you have the language perfectly at your command. I heard a lady
once use a Spanish quotation; she had mastered that one sentence alone; but a
Cuban gentleman, delighted to meet an American who could converse with him in
his own tongue, immediately addressed her in Spanish. Embarrassed and ashamed,
she was obliged to confess that her knowledge of the language was confined to
one quotation.
Never anticipate the point or joke of any
anecdote told in your presence. If you have heard the story before, it
may be new to others, and the narrator should always be allowed to finish it in
his own words. To take any sentence from the mouth of another person, before he
has time to utter it, is the height of ill-breeding. Avoid it carefully.
Never use the phrases, "What-d-ye call
it," "Thingummy," "What's his name," or any such
substitutes for a proper name or place. If you cannot recall the names you wish
to use, it is better not to tell the story or incident connected with them. No
lady of high breeding will ever use these substitutes in conversation.
Be careful always to speak in a distinct, clear
voice; at the same time avoid talking too loudly,
Overlook
the deficiencies of others when conversing with them, as they may be the
results of ignorance, and impossible to correct. Never pain another person by
correcting, before others, a word or phrase mispronounced or ungrammatically
constructed. If your intimacy will allow it, speak of the fault upon another
occasion, kindly and privately, or let it pass. Do not be continually watching
for faults, that you may display your own superior wisdom in correcting them.
Let modesty and kind feeling govern your conversation, as other rules of life.
If, on the other hand, your companion uses words or expressions which you
cannot understand, do not affect knowledge, or be ashamed of your ignorance,
but frankly ask for an explanation.
In conversing with professional gentlemen, never
question them upon matters connected with their employment. An author may
communicate, voluntarily, information interesting to you, upon the subject of
his works, but any questions from you would be extremely rude. If you meet a
physician who is attending a friend, you may enquire for their progress, but do
not expect him to give you a detailed account of the disease and his manner of
treating it. The same rule applies to questioning lawyers about their clients,
artists on their paintings, merchants or mechanics of their several branches of
business. Professional or business men, when with ladies, generally wish for
miscellaneous subjects of conversation, and, as their visits are for
recreation, they will feel excessively annoyed if obliged to "talk
shop." Still many men can converse on no other subject than their every
day employment. In this case
listen politely, and show your interest. You will probably gain useful
information in such conversation.
Never question the veracity of any statement
made in general conversation. If you are certain a statement is false, and it
is injurious to another person, who may be absent, you may quietly and
courteously inform the speaker that he is mistaken, but if the falsehood is of
no consequence, let it pass. If a statement appears monstrous, but you do not know
that it is false, listen, but do not question its veracity. It may be true,
though it strikes you as improbable.
Never attempt to disparage an absent friend. It
is the height of meanness. If others admire her, and you do not, let them have
their opinion in peace; you will probably fail if you try to lower her in their
esteem, and gain for yourself the character of an ill-natured, envious person.
In conversing with foreigners, if they speak
slightingly of the manners of your country, do not retort rudely, or
resentfully. If their views are wrong, converse upon the subject, giving them
frankly your views, but never retaliate by telling them that some custom of
their own country is worse. A gentleman or lady of true refinement will always
give your words candid consideration, and admit that an American may possibly
know the customs of her country better than they do, and if your opponent is
not well-bred, your rudeness will not improve his manners. Let the conversation
upon national subjects be candid, and at the same time courteous, and leave him
to think that the ladies in
America are well-bred, however much he may dislike some little national
peculiarity.
Avoid, at all times, mentioning subjects or
incidents that can in any way disgust your hearers. Many persons will enter
into the details of sicknesses which should be mentioned only when absolutely
necessary, or describe the most revolting scenes before a room full of people,
or even at table. Others speak of vermin, noxious plants, or instances of
uncleanliness. All such conversation or allusion is excessively ill-bred. It is
not only annoying, but absolutely sickening to some, and a truly lady-like
person will avoid all such topics.
I cannot too severely censure the habit of using
sentences which admit of a double meaning. It is not only ill-bred, but
indelicate, and no person of true refinement will ever do it. If you are so
unfortunate as to converse with one who uses such phrases, never by word, look,
or sign show that you understand any meaning beyond the plain, outspoken
language.
Avoid always any discussion upon religious
topics, unless you are perfectly certain that your remarks cannot annoy or pain
any one present. If you are tête-à-tête with a friend, and such a discussion
arise, inquire your companion's church and mention your own, that you may
yourself avoid unpleasant remarks, and caution him.
Never, when advancing an opinion, assert
positively that a thing "is so," but give your opinion as
an opinion. Say, "I think this is so," or "these are my
views," but remember that your companion may be better informed upon the
subject under discussion, or, where it is a mere matter of taste or feeling, do not
expect that all the world will feel exactly as you do.
Never repeat to a person with whom you converse,
any unpleasant speech you may have heard
Amongst well-bred persons, every conversation is
considered in a measure confidential. A lady or gentleman tacitly confides in
you when he (or she) tells you an incident which may cause trouble if repeated,
and you violate a confidence as much in such a repetition, as if you were bound
over to secrecy. Remember this.
Never criticise a companion's dress, or indeed
make any remark whatever upon it. If a near friend, you may, if sincere, admire
any article, but with a mere acquaintance let it pass unnoticed. If, however,
any accident has happened to the dress, of which she is ignorant, tell her of
it, and assist her in repairing the mischief.
To be able to converse really well, you must
read much, treasure in your memory the pearls of what you read; you must have a
quick comprehension, observe passing events, and listen attentively whenever
there is any opportunity of acquiring knowledge. A quick tact is necessary,
too, in conversation. To converse with an entirely uneducated person upon
literature, interlarding your remarks with quotations, is ill-bred. It places
them in an awkward situation, and does not add to your popularity. In
conversing with persons of refinement
and intelligence, do not endeavor to attract their admiration by pouring forth
every item of your own information upon the subject under consideration, but
listen as well as talk, and modestly follow their lead. I do not mean, to
assent to any opinion they may advance, if you really differ in your own
tastes, but do not be too ready to show your superior judgment or
information. Avoid argument; it is not conversation, and frequently leads to
ill feeling. If you are unfortunately drawn into an argument, keep your temper
under perfect control, and if you find your adversary is getting too warm,
endeavor to introduce some other topic.
Avoid carefully any allusion to the age or
personal defects of your companion, or any one who may be in the room, and be
very careful in your language when speaking of a stranger to another person. I
have heard a lady inquire of a gentleman, "who that frightful girl in blue
could be," and receive the information that the lady in question was the
gentleman's own sister.
Be careful, when traveling, not to wound the
feelings of your friends in another country or city, by underrating their native
place, or attempting to prove the superiority of your own home over theirs.
Very young girls are apt to suppose, from what
they observe in older ones, that there is some particular manner to be put on,
in talking to gentlemen, and, not knowing exactly what it is, they are
embarrassed and reserved; others observe certain airs and looks, used by their
elders in this intercourse, and try to imitate them, as a necessary part of
company behaviours, and, so become affected, and lose that first of charms,
simplicity, natural
grace. To such, let me say, your companions are in error; it requires no
peculiar manner, nothing to be put on, in order to converse with gentlemen, any
more than with ladies; and the more pure and elevated your sentiments are, and
the better cultivated your intellect is, the easier will you find it to
converse pleasantly with all. One good rule can be always followed by young
ladies; to converse with a lady friend as if there were gentlemen present, and
to converse with a gentleman as if in the room with other ladies.
Avoid affectation; it is the sure test of a deceitful,
vulgar mind. The best cure is to try to have those virtues which you would
affect, and then they will appear naturally.
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