A well-educated and finely cultured person proclaims himself by the simplicity and terseness of his language.
In conversation all provincialisms, affectations of foreign accents, mannerisms, exaggerations, and slang are detestable.
Flippancy is as much an evidence of ill-breeding as is the perpetual smile, the wandering eye, the vacant stare, or the half-open mouth of the man who is preparing to break in upon the conversation.
Interruption of the speech of others is a great sin against good breeding.
Anecdotes should be sparsely introduced into a conversation, lest they become stale. Repartee must be indulged in with moderation. Puns are considered vulgar by many.
In addressing persons with titles, one ought always to add the name; as, “What do you think, Doctor Graves?” not, “What do you think, Doctor?”
The great secret of talking well is to adapt one’s conversation skillfully to the hearers.
In a tête-à-tête conversation, it is extremely ill-bred to drop the voice to a whisper, or to converse on private matters.
One should never try to hide the lips in talking by putting up the hand or a fan.
One should avoid long conversations in society with members of his own family.