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high and hard adventure； worth attempting。 With both you can pass
days in an enchanted country of the mind； with people； scenery and
manners of its own； live a life apart； more arduous； active and
glowing than any real existence； and come forth again when the talk
is over； as out of a theatre or a dream； to find the east wind
still blowing and the chimney…pots of the old battered city still
around you。 Jack has the far finer mind； Burly the far more
honest； Jack gives us the animated poetry； Burly the romantic
prose； of similar themes； the one glances high like a meteor and
makes a light in darkness； the other； with many changing hues of
fire； burns at the sea…level； like a conflagration； but both have
the same humour and artistic interests； the same unquenched ardour
in pursuit； the same gusts of talk and thunderclaps of
contradiction。
Cockshot （5） is a different article； but vastly entertaining； and
has been meat and drink to me for many a long evening。 His manner
is dry； brisk and pertinacious； and the choice of words not much。
The point about him is his extraordinary readiness and spirit。 You
can propound nothing but he has either a theory about it ready…
made； or will have one instantly on the stocks； and proceed to lay
its timbers and launch it in your presence。 〃Let me see；〃 he will
say。 〃Give me a moment。 I SHOULD have some theory for that。〃 A
blither spectacle than the vigour with which he sets about the
task； it were hard to fancy。 He is possessed by a demoniac energy；
welding the elements for his life； and bending ideas； as an athlete
bends a horse…shoe； with a visible and lively effort。 He has； in
theorising； a compass； an art； what I would call the synthetic
gusto； something of a Herbert Spencer； who should see the fun of
the thing。 You are not bound； and no more is he； to place your
faith in these brand…new opinions。 But some of them are right
enough； durable even for life； and the poorest serve for a cock shy
… as when idle people； after picnics； float a bottle on a pond and
have an hour's diversion ere it sinks。 Whichever they are； serious
opinions or humours of the moment； he still defends his ventures
with indefatigable wit and spirit； hitting savagely himself； but
taking punishment like a man。 He knows and never forgets that
people talk； first of all； for the sake of talking； conducts
himself in the ring； to use the old slang； like a thorough
〃glutton；〃 and honestly enjoys a telling facer from his adversary。
Cockshot is bottled effervescency； the sworn foe of sleep。 Three…
in…the…morning Cockshot； says a victim。 His talk is like the
driest of all imaginable dry champagnes。 Sleight of hand and
inimitable quickness are the qualities by which he lives。
Athelred； on the other hand； presents you with the spectacle of a
sincere and somewhat slow nature thinking aloud。 He is the most
unready man I ever knew to shine in conversation。 You may see him
sometimes wrestle with a refractory jest for a minute or two
together； and perhaps fail to throw it in the end。 And there is
something singularly engaging； often instructive； in the simplicity
with which he thus exposes the process as well as the result； the
works as well as the dial of the clock。 Withal he has his hours of
inspiration。 Apt words come to him as if by accident； and； coming
from deeper down； they smack the more personally； they have the
more of fine old crusted humanity； rich in sediment and humour。
There are sayings of his in which he has stamped himself into the
very grain of the language； you would think he must have worn the
words next his skin and slept with them。 Yet it is not as a sayer
of particular good things that Athelred is most to he regarded；
rather as the stalwart woodman of thought。 I have pulled on a
light cord often enough； while he has been wielding the broad…axe；
and between us； on this unequal division； many a specious fallacy
has fallen。 I have known him to battle the same question night
after night for years； keeping it in the reign of talk； constantly
applying it and re…applying it to life with humorous or grave
intention； and all the while； never hurrying； nor flagging； nor
taking an unfair advantage of the facts。 Jack at a given moment；
when arising； as it were； from the tripod； can be more radiantly
just to those from whom he differs； but then the tenor of his
thoughts is even calumnious； while Athelred； slower to forge
excuses； is yet slower to condemn； and sits over the welter of the
world； vacillating but still judicial； and still faithfully
contending with his doubts。
Both the last talkers deal much in points of conduct and religion
studied in the 〃dry light〃 of prose。 Indirectly and as if against
his will the same elements from time to time appear in the troubled
and poetic talk of Opalstein。 His various and exotic knowledge；
complete although unready sympathies； and fine； full；
discriminative flow of language； fit him out to be the best of
talkers； so perhaps he is with some； not quite with me … PROXIME
ACCESSIT； I should say。 He sings the praises of the earth and the
arts； flowers and jewels； wine and music； in a moonlight；
serenading manner； as to the light guitar； even wisdom comes from
his tongue like singing； no one is； indeed； more tuneful in the
upper notes。 But even while he sings the song of the Sirens； he
still hearkens to the barking of the Sphinx。 Jarring Byronic notes
interrupt the flow of his Horatian humours。 His mirth has
something of the tragedy of the world for its perpetual background；
and he feasts like Don Giovanni to a double orchestra； one lightly
sounding for the dance； one pealing Beethoven in the distance。 He
is not truly reconciled either with life or with himself； and this
instant war in his members sometimes divides the man's attention。
He does not always； perhaps not often； frankly surrender himself in
conversation。 He brings into the talk other thoughts than those
which he expresses； you are conscious that he keeps an eye on
something else； that he does not shake off the world； nor quite
forget himself。 Hence arise occasional disappointments； even an
occasional unfairness for his companions； who find themselves one
day giving too much； and the next； when they are wary out of
season； giving perhaps too little。 Purcel is in another class from
any I have mentioned。 He is no debater； but appears in
conversation； as occasion rises； in two distinct characters； one of
which I admire and fear； and the other love。 In the first； he is
radiantly civil and rather silent； sits on a high； courtly hilltop；
and from that vantage…ground drops you his remarks like favours。
He seems not to share in our sublunary contentions； he wears no
sign of interest； when on a sudden there falls in a crystal of wit；
so polished that the dull do not perceive it； but so right that the
sensitive are silenced。 True talk should have more body and blood；
should be louder； vainer and more declaratory of the man； the true
talker should not hold so steady an advantage over whom he speaks
with； and that is one reason out of a score why I prefer my Purcel
in his second character； when he unbends into a strain of graceful
gossip； singing like the fireside kettle。 In these moods he has an
elegant homeliness that rings of the true Queen Anne。 I know
another person who attains； in his moments； to the insolence of a
Restoration comedy； speaking； I declare； as Congreve wrote； but
that is a sport of nature； and scarce falls under the rubric； for
there is none； alas！ to give him answer。
One last remark occurs： It is the mark of genuine conversation that
the sayings can scarce be quoted with their full effect beyond the
circle of common friends。 To have their proper weight they should
appear in a biography； and with the portrait of the speaker。 Good
talk is dramatic； it is like an impromptu piece of acting where
each should represent himself to the greatest advantage； and that
is the best kind of talk where each speaker is most fully and
candidly himself； and where； if you were to shift the speeches
round from one to another； there would be the greatest loss in
significance and perspicuity。 It is for this reason that talk
depends so wholly on our company。 We should like to introduce
Falstaff and Mercutio； or Falstaff and Sir Toby； but Falstaff in
talk with Cordelia seems even painful。 Most of us； by the Protean
quality of man； can talk to some degree with all； but the true
talk； that strikes out all the slumbering best of us； comes only
with the peculiar brethren of our spirits； is founded as deep as
love in the constitution of our being； and is a thing to relish
with all our energy； while yet we have it； and to be grateful for
forever。
CHA