OCR Text |
Show TOPICS FOR CONVERSATION Society Talks, by Preference, About Amusements Because People Wish to Relieve Their Minds. Society talks, by preference, about amusements ; it does so because when people meet for recreation they wish to relieve their minds from serious cares and also for the practical reason rea-son that society must talk about what what its members have in common and their amusements are more common com-mon than their work. As M. Thiers recommended the republican form of government in France on the ground that it was the form which divided his countrymen least, so a polite and highly civilized society chooses for the subject of general conversation the topic which is least likely to separate the different people who are present. It almost always happens that the best topic having this recommendation rec-ommendation is some species of amusement; since amusements are easily learnt outside the business of life and we are all initiated into them in youth. For these reasons I think that we ought to be extremely tolerant of the dullness or frivolity which may seem to prevail in any numerous com-,pany, com-,pany, and not to conclude too hastily that th members of it are in any degree more dull or frivolous than ourselves. Philip Gilbert Hanier-ton. |