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  • The Masonic Magazine
  • July 1, 1875
  • Page 44
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The Masonic Magazine, July 1, 1875: Page 44

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    Article CONVERSATION. ← Page 2 of 3
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Page 44

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Conversation.

We have no intention of entering at present upon the general subject of facial expression , and only suggest that there is no reason Avhy the Delsarte system should be confined to the public stage . A

Professor of Conversation should include in his curriculum a modification of this method , especially adapted to the shorter distances of the reception-room and parlour , and Avith reference to the direct and

reflected lights , and the different tones of the street and the house , both by day and night . It is evident that the expression of the same temper and mental attitudesurprise , flattery , devotion , interest , pique ,

or Avhat not—must require a different arrangement of the features according to the dress , surroundings , and especially the quantity and quality of the light . That the utilization of the countenance

m conversation is largely a matter of education there can be no doubt . We are well aware that there are persons Avho are conscious of a strange immobility of features ; who feel that their faces are , in

very truth , veils and disguises ; who , at certain moments of their lives , feel that they Avould give all they possess if they could tear aAvay the mask and expose their true feature , alight with appreciation .

But it is a question Avhether early and persistent education might not have done something for unfortunates like these . On the other hand , you may have seen men who had carried this education to such a

rjitch that they could execute a Adsual Storm-symphony with nothing but the face for orchestra . As an example of Avhat may be accomplished by concentrated effort in this

direction , Ave should be glad if Ave could present here a photograph of the face of the fish vendor Ave met this morning on Fourth Avenue . He Avas carrying two pails containing fish , balanced one on each side from a shoulder-piece such as you see

more frequently in foreign countries , and his whole countenance was given up to the shrill , concentrated , imperative statement of : "Wee-hi-ah , —striped bass ! '' There was no feature , no line or Avrinkle of his crooked countenance that Avas not

abandoned to this one end . A scientific study of a face—and of faces—like that , v * e are sure would be of incalculable benefit to a Professor of the Art of Conversation . He would be enabled , finally , by analysis and

Conversation.

classification , to read even in the silent countenance the inveterate phrase ; and he could easily deduce his rules and suggestions . The knowledge so acquired

would be of use in other ways . Every man has a favourite pun , or story , or sentence of some kind , Avhich at last makes itself apparent in Jthe set of his features .

«* * * There lies A conversation in his eyes . " This should be a Avarning in your own case as to the manner of phrase permitted to dominate your outward presentment ;

and in the case of a stranger you might learn , by looking at him , the very pun or harangue that is sure to come—and in this way make good your retreat . There are persons who , in conversation ,

have the faculty of putting you in the Avrong on your OAVU ground . You are , for instance , devoted to the Venus of Milo , so called . You have ahvays considered that your "favourite statue . '' You have

in your house the very best reproduction of it extant—cast from the original , and procured by you at great expense and no little trouble ; and day by clay you gain neAV pleasure in it , and new admiration for

it . You meet Mr . A . B . 0 . in friendl y discourse , and suddenly find yourself forced by his exclusive , appropriating culte of the Venus , into what , even to yourself , seems , for the time being , not merely a condition

of ignorance and lack of appreciation , but into almost a virulent personal animosity toward the statue . It is as if , in some dream of horror , you had flown at your idol , and clashed it into a thousand

pieces . Against conversationalists of this kind you cannot be too assiduously on guard . One method of self-protection is this . Every intelligent man has , say fifty

opinions about each topic of conversation that may be suggested . In his OAvn mind , each opinion holds its proper relation , and although the two extremes might , detached , appear incongruous , yet , in his own consciousness , they all have sense and

sequence . In-conversing with the ordinary mortal , it is not necessary to marshal these opinions in solid continuous columns . Conversation should not Toe a battle , but a spring-day excursion into the country , with agreeable companions , in search of trailing arbutus . Yet there are times

“The Masonic Magazine: 1875-07-01, Page 44” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 9 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01071875/page/44/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
TO OUR READERS. Article 2
THE SAFE RETURN. Article 3
INDEX. Article 5
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 7
HELIOTROPE. Article 8
MURIEL HALSIF. Article 8
DR. DASSIGNY'S ENQUIRY. Article 11
AN ORIGINAL DISSERTATION ON PUBLIC SPEAKING. Article 15
CHRONOGRAMS AND CHRONOPHONS. Article 17
ASSYRIAN DISCOVERIES. Article 20
A SONG FOR THE CRAFT. —CONCLUDED. Article 22
THE PALACE OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. Article 23
LET'S WELCOME THE HOUR. Article 25
A MASON'S GRAVE. Article 26
Review. Article 26
THE YOUNG WIDOW. Article 29
HOTEL INCIDENT IN THE RIVIERA. Article 30
AN ORATION FIFTY YEARS AGO. Article 34
HENCKABY BUDGINTON'S LITTLE DINNER. Article 38
IMAGININGS. Article 40
THE MYSTIC ORDER. Article 41
CONVERSATION. Article 43
LIVE MASONRY AS WELL AS TEACH IT. Article 45
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Conversation.

We have no intention of entering at present upon the general subject of facial expression , and only suggest that there is no reason Avhy the Delsarte system should be confined to the public stage . A

Professor of Conversation should include in his curriculum a modification of this method , especially adapted to the shorter distances of the reception-room and parlour , and Avith reference to the direct and

reflected lights , and the different tones of the street and the house , both by day and night . It is evident that the expression of the same temper and mental attitudesurprise , flattery , devotion , interest , pique ,

or Avhat not—must require a different arrangement of the features according to the dress , surroundings , and especially the quantity and quality of the light . That the utilization of the countenance

m conversation is largely a matter of education there can be no doubt . We are well aware that there are persons Avho are conscious of a strange immobility of features ; who feel that their faces are , in

very truth , veils and disguises ; who , at certain moments of their lives , feel that they Avould give all they possess if they could tear aAvay the mask and expose their true feature , alight with appreciation .

But it is a question Avhether early and persistent education might not have done something for unfortunates like these . On the other hand , you may have seen men who had carried this education to such a

rjitch that they could execute a Adsual Storm-symphony with nothing but the face for orchestra . As an example of Avhat may be accomplished by concentrated effort in this

direction , Ave should be glad if Ave could present here a photograph of the face of the fish vendor Ave met this morning on Fourth Avenue . He Avas carrying two pails containing fish , balanced one on each side from a shoulder-piece such as you see

more frequently in foreign countries , and his whole countenance was given up to the shrill , concentrated , imperative statement of : "Wee-hi-ah , —striped bass ! '' There was no feature , no line or Avrinkle of his crooked countenance that Avas not

abandoned to this one end . A scientific study of a face—and of faces—like that , v * e are sure would be of incalculable benefit to a Professor of the Art of Conversation . He would be enabled , finally , by analysis and

Conversation.

classification , to read even in the silent countenance the inveterate phrase ; and he could easily deduce his rules and suggestions . The knowledge so acquired

would be of use in other ways . Every man has a favourite pun , or story , or sentence of some kind , Avhich at last makes itself apparent in Jthe set of his features .

«* * * There lies A conversation in his eyes . " This should be a Avarning in your own case as to the manner of phrase permitted to dominate your outward presentment ;

and in the case of a stranger you might learn , by looking at him , the very pun or harangue that is sure to come—and in this way make good your retreat . There are persons who , in conversation ,

have the faculty of putting you in the Avrong on your OAVU ground . You are , for instance , devoted to the Venus of Milo , so called . You have ahvays considered that your "favourite statue . '' You have

in your house the very best reproduction of it extant—cast from the original , and procured by you at great expense and no little trouble ; and day by clay you gain neAV pleasure in it , and new admiration for

it . You meet Mr . A . B . 0 . in friendl y discourse , and suddenly find yourself forced by his exclusive , appropriating culte of the Venus , into what , even to yourself , seems , for the time being , not merely a condition

of ignorance and lack of appreciation , but into almost a virulent personal animosity toward the statue . It is as if , in some dream of horror , you had flown at your idol , and clashed it into a thousand

pieces . Against conversationalists of this kind you cannot be too assiduously on guard . One method of self-protection is this . Every intelligent man has , say fifty

opinions about each topic of conversation that may be suggested . In his OAvn mind , each opinion holds its proper relation , and although the two extremes might , detached , appear incongruous , yet , in his own consciousness , they all have sense and

sequence . In-conversing with the ordinary mortal , it is not necessary to marshal these opinions in solid continuous columns . Conversation should not Toe a battle , but a spring-day excursion into the country , with agreeable companions , in search of trailing arbutus . Yet there are times

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