Mary Greer Conklin

he discust only the standard of literary language and the prescribed limits of the "vulgar tongue," or the Italian in which Petrarch and Boccaccio had written. What he says about grace, however, applies also to conversation: "I say that in everything it is so hard to know the true perfection as to be well-nigh impossible; and this because of the variety of opinions. Thus there are many who will like a man who speaks much, and will call him pleasing; some will prefer modesty; some others an active and restless man; still others one who shows calmness

ess and deliberation in everything;

every man praises or decries according to his mind, always clothing vice with the name of its kindred virtue, or virtue with the name of its kindred vice; for example, calling an impudent man frank, a modest man dull, an ignorant man good, a knave discreet, and so in all things else. Yet I believe that there exists in everything its own perfection, altho concealed; and that this can be determined through rational discussion by any having knowledge of the thing in hand."

What is the aim of conversation?

Society has no right to force their mentioning it.

aim of conversation is to distract, to interest, to amuse; not to teach nor to be taught, unless incidentally.

The aim and design of conversation is, therefore, pleasure.

Conversation, above all, is dialog, not monolog.

It is listening as well as talking.

The good conversationalists are not the ones who dominate the talk in any gathering.