FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1931.
OUR CONVERSATION
BRILLIANT BORES ALWAYS SPOIL
GOOD TALK.
(By H. C. Bailey.)
"O, my dear Janics, conversation fa. at a very low-ebb in this world," So Timothy Tickler complained a hundred years ago, and one of our headmasters last week. To the headmaster, as a natural, parents are the root of the evil.
FASCINATION OF SNAKES.
Baseless Popular Belief.
THE CHINA MAIL
[By E., G. Boulenger, Director, Zoological Society's Aquarium.] Scarcely, a day paezca when I do not overhear parents and Teachers in the Zoo reptila house inform their charges that snakes faecinate And with reverence I submit to their prey by the power of the eye, the headmaster that being imposed and this in spite of all the efforts upon by such pretences is the pecuat papularising natural-us opposed liar weakness of the English to unnatural-history. Truth may nation. Our desiro fór edification be stranger than fiction, but it is is so inordinate that we perpetual- often far less popular. ly believe a Borious subject makes what is said about it important.
You remember Charles Lamb's Are we satisfied, be demands of sorrowful anawer to Coleridge. "Did you ever hear the preach?" the parental conscience, are We
asked the sage, who. had been satisfied with the topics of conver-parson as well as most other things, sation at meal times and with surnover heard you do anything own contribution? Famous though else," Lamb stuttered, "Excellent
· headmasters are for putting other talker, very," said Hazlitt, if you let him start from no premises and people at their case, I venture to come to no conclusion." And hint a doubt whether this is the Carlyle's description of the process way to prepare a feast of reason will be vivid as long as meri talk and a flow of soul in the family and others listen. "To sit as a passive bucket and be pumped in to, whether you consent or not, can in the long run be exhilarating to no human creature.
circle.
That awkwardness which, happi- ly unknown to headmasters, is apt to arise in conversation between one generation and another, those difficulties in the selection of sub-
jects and treatment, within the understanding of age yet not too childish for youth, are often acute when a happy family is reunited, for the holidays. Which of us does not remember young amazement at the stuff which our elders took seriously, young horror at the humours by which our elders were amused? And now we suffer the Mume emotions at the preferences af our children,
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Q
To arrange edifying and im- proving conversation round family table is beyond the powers of ordinary men. Whether it would ever be worth while I take leave to doubt, Dull as a dinner party can be, the deepest depths of du ness are sounded when topics are started of malice afore-thought to draw somebody out, and people
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Those who believe in the hypnotic power of snakes should visit certain ContinentalTM Zoos. Where
these reptiles are fed on live animals in public. They will see there, as I have, three or four sparrows hop ping round a rattlesnake capable of killing most of the human onlookers; or 'n mouse sitting upon a snake's back, upon which it feeds, dozes, or performa a leisurely toilet.
The writer was an eye-witness of an episode which Illustrates this indifference on the part of "the quarry" popularly supposed to be fascinated or hypnotised by terror as soon as confronted with á snake. A pet serpent, known by the awe- inspiring title of the African In- fernal Sanke, which was owned by a well-knows naturalist, was kept some years ago in a room in the Natural History Museum, where on a certain Autumn day it was given a white rat. The snake hungry and lived in harmony with the rodent until Winter came, when, prompted by Instinct, it dug for it- self a snug burrow; in proposed to forget all Winter ills- Anot the least of which was its high- minor
spirited stable companion.
"But if it be withal a confused, unintelligible flood of utterance, threatening to submerge all known landmarks of utterance and drown the world and you! I have heard Coleridge talk with eager musical energy two stricken hours, his face radiant and moist, and communi- cate no meaning whatsoever to any individual of his hearers." But who has not suffered under Coleridge?
A
"
*
was not
which it
There are other, there may be worɛe kinds of oratorieal conversa- Not for long, however, was the tion. Queen Victoria is said to snake left in peace, for the rat have complained that Mr. Glad showed the ingenuity of its species stone spoke to her as if she were in appropriating the ready-made a public meeting. Our earnest nest. He hauled the snake out of nation has brought forth too many his newly constructed home, taking small Gladstones. "He discourses, over the cosy burrow as his due. he lectures, he harangues,"
The wretched snake, faced with a faithful admirer wrote. "But if a Winter in the open, dug a fresh subject is started which does not hole and once more settled himself interest him it falls flat. He makes in, but the rat, apparently deciding no attempt to return the ball." that the reptile's last effort was We all know that exhausting type, better than its first, plumbed for but you may rely upon it, it is the "better hole," and again evicted always satisfied with its choice of the rightful owner.
SO
a
BOOKS AS CURE FOR INSOMNIA.
Dean Inge Suggests His Own Works.
$60 LB. TUNNY CAUGHT.
First of Season at Scarborough.
The value of books to those in
Scarborough, September 1. ill-health was emphasised by Sir
There was grent excitentent on Bruce Bruce-Porter, the noted the pier here this afternoon when physician, and Dean Inge, speaking Mr. Mitchell Henry, the well-known on hospital libraries at the annual London big-game angler, brought in conference of the Literary Associa-the first tunny caught by rod and tion, which opened at Cheltenham like off Scarborough this year. last month.
Dean Inge went so far as to bint that some works-including his own-might provide a cure for in somnia
Sir Bruce Bruce-Porter said that the companionship of books for the sick was vitally necessary.
|- Curióuely enough just over twelve months ago Mr. Mitchell Henry was the first to catch this huge specimen of the mackered family off the Yorkshire coast, and was presented with a souvenir by the Scarborough "The cost of living," he went on, Harbour Commissioners." has gone up. So has the cost of Mr. Mitchell Henry was accom dying. While many is spent panied on his present trip by Lord lavishly in improvements in medical Egerton and Mr. F. B. Haunan, equipment, there is urgent need for recasting the side which has to vice-chairman of the British Sea do with the mental welfare of in- Angling Association, mates.
"Every hospital should have, ita library. But we need highly skill- ed librarians who not only love books but humanity.
1
A Fine Specimen.'
It was officially unounced to-night that the tunny weighs 5061b., and its length is 9ft, and its girth 5ft. Bin. It is not the largest tunny caught off Scarborough, but it put up the stoutest fight of quy caught
Prayer Books and Cigarettes. "The varied tastes of readers is surprising in hospitals, Men in distant lands have often found amusement in studying the pages up-to-date. Mr. Mitchell Henry had of Bradshaw and planning trips for six and a half hours tussle with their own home leave.
him.
In an interview on the pier, Mr. Mitchell Henry said:-
"In one military hospital dur- ing the war there was at one time a great demand among "We left port at eleven o'clock on patients for Prayer-books., and Monday morning and went out Testaments printed on.. Indio
altogether between 40 and 60 miles. paper. This WEB puzzle We hung about amongst trawlers, until someone discovered that and about a quarter to three this the inspiration was not a remorning, when it was pitch-dark, I ligious revival, but a shortage of hooked my fish. He was a stout cigarette papers. (Laughter.) · fellow, and it was a quarter to xine "A librarian must have know before he gave in and sank. ledge of the books to prescribe.
"I have had a long experience of He must not recommend a book on tunny fishing in many waters, but the Bronte family to a tubercular I have never had such a fight in my patient, since six of the children life. My biggest fight before has portrayed in the book died of con- been four and a half hours, and then sumption. (Laughter.) Rather
not with tackle I know, which is should he recommend the lives of Voltaire, Emerson,
my own invention."" and Ruskin, Mr. F. B. Hannan, in, conversa- who all lived to an advanced age tion, agreed with Mr. Mitchell in spite of the disease.
Henry, and said when he caught a Dean Inge observed that he had tunny quite as heavy as the one If we were painfully to analyse
heard it suggested that landed to-day, he got it in an hour each bout of conversation that we
doctore might prescribe certain a- and a half. He added all the tunny pass through, I suppose we should subjects and its own contributions. How long this might have gone thors in cases 'of persistent in
caught off Scarborough Inat year And nine times out of ten that we Next among those who adminis-on I cannot say, but Spring awaken-somnia.
were spent females, but this one is not altogether Batister weariness and vexation of ed the snake's appetite, and without "I have reason to believe that my ed with the topics or with our own spirit I should put those who pur wasting time on fascination, it own works are especially valuable
LCBB of that vey information. The stock exam- engulfed the autocratic rat, subject and more of this we should ple, of course, is Macaulay, pour-
In the olden days in the Zoo I found my wife sleeping peacefully fish to Harrogate in the morning, have liked better, and the numbering out a relentless stream of facts have seen ducks worrying the coils with one of my own books upside and it will be cut up by a local fish
His of a huge python till they had fore-down on her knee." (Laughter.) on any and every subject. knowledge, however, was large and ed them into a neat-like formation com- meeting with the birds" approval.
come prepared to talk for effect.
were
share in the talk.
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*
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Take
an
this is
never
in these cases, because I have often
Heading Aloud.
"We do not do enough reading aloud," said Dean Inge. "The old practice of reading aloud in the family circle is a very delightful
a mule fish in perfect condition.
Mr. Mitchell Henry is sending the
merchant and sold as food.
Mr. Paul Latham, M.P. for the Scarborough and Whithy Division, has given a trophy which will go to the angler who catches the heaviest tunny during the season, and the Scarborough Corporation will give to every successful angler souvenir I was brought up on it. buttons of ironze, silver, and gold, "Reading aloud taken one alone according to the size of the tunny at just the right pace.
Most peo caught pie read too quickly. I can read books of all kinds except trashy novels, obsolete theology, books of field sporta, except when the hunter
опе.
ALPINIST'S RARE FIND.
purperly mauled by wild beasts, and mathematics, which I am con. A discovery of great interest has genitally unable to understand. just been made in the Gorges du "As one gets on one should read Verdon on the southern-boundary of less. I do not read so much philo the Basses Alpes Department The sophy and theology as I used to. Gorgea are noted for their ple because if I agree with the writer Itüremque precipices, many of which know most of what he wants to tell have never yet been explored. me, and if I do not his arguments make
impression on me. (Laughter.)
no
A NOVEL TOURNAMENT,
Recently M. Serre, the Mayor of Eguilles, with Ave companions det out to examine one of them. By means of a lead line they discover- ed a shelf of rock at a depth of 76ft. and descended on to it. They next found a deep pit, the sides of which were formed by masalve rocke and let themselves down into this to a depth of 120ft..
of effective things we omitted to say is deplorable.
But this is a dreary, self- generally accurate, and the conscious form of meditation in mon characteristic of people who So far as is known, only one kind which normal people do not often insist upon giving you information of snake employe any kind of indulge. We prefer to take talk is that they know little, and do not "fascination," and
not as it comes and goes, not as
eye. A tropical know that right. A conviction of achieved by the earnent effort for the improvement one's duty to instruct others tree snake possesses a lance-shaped- of our minds or for a display of generally arises from ignorance.
head of striking colouration. The our wit. This careless attitude is
long forked tongue la similarly, pat an abomination to our headmaster
terned, and being thrust in and out Some will rank higher among creates the illusion of a head that who finds the English unsociable "because they have never develop bores what I should call the fourth a telescoping in a truly night-mare ed intelligence in conversation.”*
class, the deliberate amusers, the fashion. The Inquisitive lizard, By a recent, if not an ancient wits, the dealers in good things. faced with this phenomenon, gazes Long ago Smollett remarked, that, at it in perplexity, as well he may, tradition, we are A dumb race. The tradition is certainly so far while one wit in a party, like and by the time hia interests are true that many other nations are knuckle. of ham in a soup, might fully aroused the snake is within much more fluent on anything and give a flavour, two were too many striking distance-and the curtain
This has always been the opinion fails. everything as It turns up. The ordinary operations of the dally of the wits themselves. round require a far larger quantity Sydney Smith upon Talleyrand:
It is quite likely that the enake's of talk in any country of the Con- "Lady Holland laboured incessant unwinking stare, due to its lack of tinent known to me than with us.ly to convince me that Talleyrand eyelids, has much to answer for as
was agreeable, and was very angry, regards the almost universal abhor because his arrival was usually a
rence in which all snakes, harmless signal for my departure." Sydney or otherwise, are held. The sinuous did, indeed, handsomely allow that wanderinga common to all species nobody's wit was of so high
art also doubtless prejudicious, order and none had stood so well since many other related creatures, the test of time. But, in fact, if such as worms and cela, having we put aside the shrewd political similar movements, sharc the opinions; that Napoleon's execu snake's unpopularity. tion of D'Enghien was "worse than
One curious instance of possible crime, a blunder," that Napoleon's "fascination may be mentioned in death was "not an event, only connection with a numerous tribe of news," and, such things the wit has small and degenerate serpents not worn very well. What emert known as burrowing or worm of the Palais Royal to another. other store of climbing equipment. talk does? Your circle may "echo snakes. In these the tall is thick Until 11 years ago the club had its He then descended alone into the helpless laughter to the jest" of an and rounded, and the eyes are so But I am not persuaded to admit inimitable Brookfield, but the jests hidden by the head shields that the headquarters in two cafes near the dark depths for a distance of 450ft, Comedie Francaise Then it There,.standing on solld rock, he that the intelligence la, developed will be flat enough in the morning, two extremities are almost indis-shifted to a cafe in the garden of faced the entrance to a magnificent through talk on high matters and and the converantion which de tinguishable, so that many ignorant the Palais Royal. But as this is cave, which he declares to be one of deep matters by people who have pende on the performances of such persons have regarded them as to be pulled down it has now moved the finest in France. It comprises nothing in particular. to say and jestera is not the most delectable being two-headed. This belief no to another of the Palais which has five great halls, pillared by white no particular right to say anything. The argumentative man may be, doubt originated from their habit euch an interesting past that it is stalactitee a veritable fairyland At a time when there was much as: Cowper thought, & worse when pursued of burrowing their classed as an historical monument. palace. He spent the night there discussion of the religious difficul- nuisance. There is no quenching heads beneath the sand, but leaving
To celebratae the removal it has before beginning his assent. ties of the forgotten Robert him short of force. For oppost the tail exposed and cocked in been arranged that a world famous "Elemere, "I like religion to be tlon gives opinion strength Diverts threatening attitude.
master shall play eight of the beat French players. The matches will take place in a small room, and the players will not be allowed to make Consignees of cargo ex as. Ben notes. As the moyes are called cleuch are reminded to lake de out they will be registered on. livery of their goods which will chess boards in outer rooms acces be subject to rent after October 5-sible to the public. The tourna-
Consignees for cargo oxyment will therefore be one of the COMING Yankee SOON Java are reminded to take delivery most difficult ever arranged, the of their goods which will be sub- master and his elght opponente fect to rent after October 5. having to rely entirely on memory, i
But this is not conversation nor does it involve any intelligence, it Is merely a preference for going through routine with many words instead of few. The Frenchman, we are to admit, takes more pains over making his ordinary phrases nest than we do, he is more apt to let his conversation range to large issues and general principles, and in this last quality the German will go beyond him. Wo are rather shy of these things unless we mow our company very well.
treated seriously," Browning com- plained, "and I don't want to know what this curate or that curate thinks about It"
the champions prodigal of breath and puts the peaceably disposed to death." But, the name of bores is legion. Very
I permit myself doubts of the What, then, I may be challenged, value of any philosophising in con- is good talk? I will take refuge vorsation. The sage has things a with Johnson. "The happiest con great deal too much his own way, versation is that of which nothing You are continually liable to be distinctly remembered bata imposed upon by his claim to a general affect of pleasing Impres- solemn, subject or a lofty purpose.falon.
CONSIGNEES”, NOTICES,
A chess tournament, in which the playera will have neither cheas beards nor picces, is about to be held in Paris. It will celebrate the migration of one of the moet im portant chess clubs from one part
Returning to the surface they established a depot of ropes, rope- judders, axes, and powerful acetylene Caree. Then M. Serre went down again about 240ft und set up an-
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