The Works of Jonathan Swift, D. D., And Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, Vol. 6 of 6: With Copious Notes and Additions, and a Memoir of the Author (Classic Reprint) - Tapa dura

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Excerpt from The Works of Jonathan Swift, D. D., And Dean of St. Patrick's, Dublin, Vol. 6 of 6: With Copious Notes and Additions, and a Memoir of the Author

As my life has been chiefly spent in consulting the honor and welfare of my country for more than forty years past, not without answerable success, if the world and my friends have not flattered me, so there is no point wherein I have so much labored as that of improving and polishing all parts of conversation between persons of quality, whether they meet by accident or invitation, at meals, tea, or visits, mornings, noon, or evenings.

I have passed perhaps more time than any other man of my age and country in visits and assemblies, where the polite persons of both sexes distinguish themselves; and could not without much grief observe how frequently both gentlemen and ladies are at a loss for questions, answers, replies, and rejoinders. However, my concern was much abated when I found that these defects were not occasioned by any want of materials, but because those materials were not in every hand: for instance, one lady can give an answer better than ask a question: one gentleman is happy at a reply; an other excels in a rejoinder: one can revive a languishing conversa tion by a sudden surprising sentence; another is more dexterous in seconding; a third can fill up the gap with laughing, or commend ing what has been said: thus fresh hints may be started, and the ball of the discourse kept up.

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