Among Those Who Were Singularly Deficient in the Art of Conversation Were
Corneille, Addison, Milton, Dante, and Goldsmith.
"He wrote like an angel and talked like poor poll," was the manner in
which Oliver Goldsmith was described by one of his contemporaries, and all
acounts agree that the author of "The Deserted Village" made a sorry
figure as a conversationalist. But Goldsmith was far from being the only
writer of undoubted genius whose conversation was devoid of charm. Indeed,
there is a wealth of evidence to prove that the art of writing well and
talking well are not akin.
Descartes, the famous mathematician and philosopher; La
Fontaine, celebrated for his witty fables; Buffon, the great
naturalist, were all singularly deficient in the powers of
conversation.
Marmontel, the novelist, was so dull in society that his
friend said of him, after an interview, that he must go and
read his tales to recompense himself for the weariness of
hearing him.
As to Corneille, the grandest dramatist in France, he was
completely lost in society--so absent and embarrassed that
he wrote of himself a witty couplet importing that he was
never intelligible but through the mouth of another.
Wit on paper seems to be something widely different from
that play of words in conversation, which, while it
sparkles, dies; for Charles II, the wittiest monarch that
sat on the English throne, was so charmed with the humor of
"Hudibras" that he caused himself to be introduced in the
character of a private gentleman to Butler, its author. The
witty king found the author a very dull companion, and was
of opinion, with many others, that so stupid a fellow could
never have written so clever a book.
Addison, whose classic elegance has long been considered a
model of style, was shy and absent in society, preserving,
even before a single stranger, stiff and dignified silence.
In conversation Dante was taciturn and satirical.
Rousseau was remarkably trite in conversation--not a word of
fancy or eloquence warmed him.
Milton was unsocial, and even irritable, when much pressed
by talk of others.