must be generally allow'd that there is a very great difference in the
common Conversation, (particularly in point of Manners) of the Members
of those August Assemblies.

A good Conversation is the greatest Advantage an Author can possibly
Enjoy, by a variety of Converse, a Man is furnish'd with a perpetual
Variety of Hints, and may acquire a greater Knowledge on some Subjects
in the space of a few Minutes, than he can attain by Study, in a
Succession of Weeks, (tho' I must allow Study to be the only
Foundation for Writing) 'twas owing to a good Conversation, that those
Entertaining Papers the _Tatlers_ were publish'd by Sir _Richard
Steel_, the _Examiner_ carried on by Mr. _Oldsworth_; and 'tis
impossible a perfect good Comedy can be written by any Person, without
a constant Resort to the best Conversation, whereby alone a Man will
be Master of the best Thoughts.

In short, Conversation is the Aliment of the Genius, the Life of all
airy Performances, as Learning is the Soul; the various Humours of
Mankind, upon all Occasions, afford the most agreeable Subjects for
all sorts of Writings, and I look upon any Performance, tho' done by a
Person celebrated for Writing, without the use of Conversation, in
some measure incompleat.

If an Author be enclin'd to write for Reformation of Manners, let him
repair to St. _Pauls_ or _Westminster-Abbey_, and observe the indecent
Behaviour of multitudes of Persons, who make those Sacred Places
Assignations of Vice; if you are enclin'd to lash the Follies and
Vanities of the fair Sex, retire to the Tea Table and the Theatre; if
your Business be to compose a Sermon, or you are engag'd in
Theological Studies, resort to _Child's_ Coffee-House in St. _Paul's_