The art of conversation, like the art of letter-writing, reached its highest point in the eighteenth century; cheap postage destroyed the latter, and the hurly-burly of modern life has been almost too strong for the former. In the French Salons of the eighteenth century, and in the coffeehouses and drawing-rooms of England, good conversation was regarded as a most desirable accomplishment, and was practised by many with extraordinary wit and skill. Swift's satire on Polite Conversation (1738) as well as the number of times he discusses the art of conversation in other places, shows how seriously he actually regarded it. Stevenson, like many persons who are forced away from active life, loved a good talk. Good writers are perhaps now more common than good talkers.
FIRST PAPER
[Note 1: Sir, we had a good talk. This remark was made by the Doctor in 1768, the morning after a memorable meeting at the Crown and Anchor tavern, where he had been engaged in conversation with seven or eight notable literary men. "When I called upon Dr. Johnson next morning," says Boswell, "I found him highly satisfied with his colloquial prowess the preceding evening. 'Well,' said he, 'we had good talk.' BOSWELL: 'Yes, sir, you tossed and gored several persons.'">[
[Note 2: As we must account. This remark of Franklin's occurs in Poor Richard's Almanac for 1738.]
[Note 3: Flies … in the amber. Bartlett gives Martial.]
"The bee enclosed and through the amber shown,
Seems buried in the juice which was his own."
Bacon, Donne, Herrick, Pope and many other authors speak of flies in amber.]
[Note 4: Fancy free. See Midsummer Night's Dream, Act II, Sc. 2.
"And the imperial votaress passed on,
In maiden meditation, fancy-free."
This has been called the most graceful among all the countless compliments received by Queen Elizabeth. The word "fancy" in the Shaksperian quotation means simply "love.">[