Poor Talkers

Many oí our greatest men seem to have been singularly deficiënt in the power of conversation. Even those noted for their great wit, and for the Bparkling1 gems of thoug'ht thrown out to an admiring world on paper, have been so dull and stupid in eonversation that those who knew them personally could neverunderstand their right to be ealled clever; but wit on paper is a very different thing1 from wit on the tongue's end, ready to drop otï it tbr owner's will, without time for preparation or remodelin. charming all listeners as much by its spontaneity as by its sparkle. Wc can scarcely believe when readiny "Htldibras," overflowiny. as it does, with wit and humor, that its anthor, IUitler, was the dullest and most stupid companion imaginable; but such vas the case. Thai Addiuon, whose "classic lntalligence" channs you, and after whom you have endeavored to model your own stylc, was sliy and absent in society. That La Fontaine is really the author of those witty fables that you have read and laughed over - La Fontaine who was almost totally deficiënt in conversational powers, as thougli he sold all his thouffhts to his publishers. Corneille, the yreat French dramatiet. waa so completely lost and embarrassed in society, that he wrote a witty couplet on himself to the effect that he was intelligent only through the mouth of another. One of our greatest novelista was so tiresome in society, that a f riend said of him: "I must go and read his tales in recompense to myself for the weariness of hearing him converse." Fortúnate is he who can so recompense his frienils. After roaming with Milton thrwugh "Paradise Lost" and "Paradise Regained," we are astonished to find that he was unsocial and sarcastic. That Dance was taciturn and satirical we attribute to the fact that Keatrice jilted him. which had the usual and very natural effect of souring his disposition; henee, we regard his fault with lenieney. We are told that Giay seldom talked or smiled. Perhaps talking so little accounts for the deep thoughts embodied in his "Elegy in a Counti-y Churchyard;" and, as for his not smiling, we forgive him for that mist.ake when we remember that a man may sniile and smile and be a villain. Melancthon, the contemporary of Luther, was so shy and so casily emba-assed that once when attemptingto preach to a large house he could get no f urther than the text, and kept repeatr ing that - "Feed my sheep." Luther, who, fortunately was at his side, told him to sit down and he would perform his duty for him. He obeyed, and right gladly too, no doubt. We might mention many more great men who have been wall flowers in the parlor, but who shone as "bright, particular stars"' in the library, and the latter being the more endurable, and consequently the more to be envied position, we reserve our pity for those who have greater necessity for it - those of the present day who may not hope to shine either in parlor or librarv.