tolerable talkers. A friend of my acquaintance confesses that a
device she has occasionally employed is to think of subjects in
alphabetical order. I could not practise this device myself,
because when I had lighted upon, we will say, algebra, archery, and
astigmatism, as possible subjects for talk, I should find it
impossible to invent any gambit by which they could be successfully
introduced.

The only recipe which I would offer to a student of the art is not
to be afraid of apparent egotism, but to talk frankly of any
subject in which he may be interested, from a personal point of
view. An impersonal talker is apt to be a dull dog. There is
nothing like a frank expression of personal views to elicit an
equally frank expression of divergence or agreement. Neither is it
well to despise the day of small things; the weather, railway
travelling, symptoms of illness, visits to a dentist, sea-sickness,
as representing the universal experiences and interests of
humanity, will often serve as points d'appui.

Of course there come to all people horrible tongue-tied moments
when they can think of nothing to say, and, feel like a walrus on
an ice-floe, heavy, melancholy, ineffective. Such a catastrophe is
almost invariably precipitated in my own case by being told that
some one is particularly anxious to be introduced to me. A
philosopher of my acquaintance, who was an admirable talker, told
me that on a certain occasion, an evening party, his hostess led up
a young girl to him, like Iphigenia decked for the sacrifice, and
said that Miss ---- was desirous of meeting him. The world became
instantly a blank to him. The enthusiastic damsel stared at him
with large admiring eyes. After a period of agonized silence, a