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colours of the sunset。
Natural talk； like ploughing； should turn up a large surface of
life； rather than dig mines into geological strata。 Masses of
experience； anecdote； incident； cross…lights； quotation； historical
instances； the whole flotsam and jetsam of two minds forced in and
in upon the matter in hand from every point of the compass； and
from every degree of mental elevation and abasement … these are the
material with which talk is fortified； the food on which the
talkers thrive。 Such argument as is proper to the exercise should
still be brief and seizing。 Talk should proceed by instances； by
the apposite； not the expository。 It should keep close along the
lines of humanity； near the bosoms and businesses of men； at the
level where history； fiction and experience intersect and
illuminate each other。 I am I； and You are You； with all my heart；
but conceive how these lean propositions change and brighten when；
instead of words； the actual you and I sit cheek by jowl； the
spirit housed in the live body； and the very clothes uttering
voices to corroborate the story in the face。 Not less surprising
is the change when we leave off to speak of generalities … the bad；
the good； the miser； and all the characters of Theophrastus … and
call up other men； by anecdote or instance； in their very trick and
feature； or trading on a common knowledge； toss each other famous
names； still glowing with the hues of life。 Communication is no
longer by words； but by the instancing of whole biographies； epics；
systems of philosophy； and epochs of history； in bulk。 That which
is understood excels that which is spoken in quantity and quality
alike； ideas thus figured and personified； change hands； as we may
say； like coin； and the speakers imply without effort the most
obscure and intricate thoughts。 Strangers who have a large common
ground of reading will； for this reason； come the sooner to the
grapple of genuine converse。 If they know Othello and Napoleon；
Consuelo and Clarissa Harlowe； Vautrin and Steenie Steenson； they
can leave generalities and begin at once to speak by figures。
Conduct and art are the two subjects that arise most frequently and
that embrace the widest range of facts。 A few pleasures bear
discussion for their own sake； but only those which are most social
or most radically human； and even these can only be discussed among
their devotees。 A technicality is always welcome to the expert；
whether in athletics； art or law； I have heard the best kind of
talk on technicalities from such rare and happy persons as both
know and love their business。 No human being ever spoke of scenery
for above two minutes at a time； which makes me suspect we hear too
much of it in literature。 The weather is regarded as the very
nadir and scoff of conversational topics。 And yet the weather； the
dramatic element in scenery； is far more tractable in language； and
far more human both in import and suggestion than the stable
features of the landscape。 Sailors and shepherds； and the people
generally of coast and mountain； talk well of it； and it is often
excitingly presented in literature。 But the tendency of all living
talk draws it back and back into the common focus of humanity。
Talk is a creature of the street and market…place； feeding on
gossip； and its last resort is still in a discussion on morals。
That is the heroic form of gossip； heroic in virtue of its high
pretensions； but still gossip； because it turns on personalities。
You can keep no men long； nor Scotchmen at all； off moral or
theological discussion。 These are to all the world what law is to
lawyers； they are everybody's technicalities； the medium through
which all consider life； and the dialect in which they express
their judgments。 I knew three young men who walked together daily
for some two months in a solemn and beautiful forest and in
cloudless summer weather； daily they talked with unabated zest； and
yet scarce wandered that whole time beyond two subjects … theology
and love。 And perhaps neither a court of love nor an assembly of
divines would have granted their premisses or welcomed their
conclusions。
Conclusions； indeed； are not often reached by talk any more than by
private thinking。 That is not the profit。 The profit is in the
exercise； and above all in the experience； for when we reason at
large on any subject； we review our state and history in life。
From time to time； however； and specially； I think； in talking art；
talk becomes elective； conquering like war； widening the boundaries
of knowledge like an exploration。 A point arises； the question
takes a problematical； a baffling； yet a likely air； the talkers
begin to feel lively presentiments of some conclusion near at hand；
towards this they strive with emulous ardour； each by his own path；
and struggling for first utterance； and then one leaps upon the
summit of that matter with a shout； and almost at the same moment
the other is beside him； and behold they are agreed。 Like enough；
the progress is illusory； a mere cat's cradle having been wound and
unwound out of words。 But the sense of joint discovery is none the
less giddy and inspiriting。 And in the life of the talker such
triumphs； though imaginary； are neither few nor far apart； they are
attained with speed and pleasure； in the hour of mirth； and by the
nature of the process； they are always worthily shared。
There is a certain attitude； combative at once and deferential；
eager to fight yet most averse to quarrel； which marks out at once
the talkable man。 It is not eloquence； not fairness； not
obstinacy； but a certain proportion of all of these that I love to
encounter in my amicable adversaries。 They must not be pontiffs
holding doctrine； but huntsmen questing after elements of truth。
Neither must they be boys to be instructed； but fellow…teachers
with whom I may wrangle and agree on equal terms。 We must reach
some solution； some shadow of consent； for without that； eager talk
becomes a torture。 But we do not wish to reach it cheaply； or
quickly； or without the tussle and effort wherein pleasure lies。
The very best talker； with me； is one whom I shall call Spring…
Heel'd Jack。 I say so； because I never knew any one who mingled so
largely the possible ingredients of converse。 In the Spanish
proverb； the fourth man necessary to compound a salad； is a madman
to mix it： Jack is that madman。 I know not which is more
remarkable； the insane lucidity of his conclusions the humorous
eloquence of his language； or his power of method； bringing the
whole of life into the focus of the subject treated； mixing the
conversational salad like a drunken god。 He doubles like the
serpent； changes and flashes like the shaken kaleidoscope；
transmigrates bodily into the views of others； and so； in the
twinkling of an eye and with a heady rapture； turns questions
inside out and flings them empty before you on the ground； like a
triumphant conjuror。 It is my common practice when a piece of
conduct puzzles me； to attack it in the presence of Jack with such
grossness； such partiality and such wearing iteration； as at length
shall spur him up in its defence。 In a moment he transmigrates；
dons the required character； and with moonstruck philosophy
justifies the act in question。 I can fancy nothing to compare with
the VIM of these impersonations； the strange scale of language；
flying from Shakespeare to Kant； and from Kant to Major Dyngwell …
〃As fast as a musician scatters sounds
Out of an instrument〃
the sudden； sweeping generalisations； the absurd irrelevant
particularities； the wit； wisdom； folly； humour； eloquence and
bathos； each startling in its kind； and yet all luminous in the
admired disorder of their combination。 A talker of a different
calibre； though