OF SPECIALISED CONVERSATION 177 

 patterns. But I confess that she surprised me. 

 Here is one more evidence of her quick appre- 

 hension. And I bear witness that she amused me. 

 It was indescribably ludicrous to hear her travesty 

 of Wickham's description of his first fish and how 

 he grassed it. I am sure Chavender blessed him- 

 self that he had not yet launched forth. This, of 

 course, put an end to all angling talk, and there- 

 after we discussed the Drama and other really 

 vital things. 



I am sorry that Chavender and Wickham 

 talked shop, because though I, personally, was 

 able to enjoy all that they might have said about 

 fishing, my wife was not, and it is not proper that 

 she should be teased with stuff which does not 

 interest her. Fishermen sometimes forget that all 

 the world is not agog to hear of their exploits. 

 Yet fishermen are not the only offenders. 



This power to bore with special conversation is 

 a product of this specialised age. There was, 

 there must have been, a time when, everybody 

 knowing everything that was known, it was im- 

 possible for two or more to discuss any matter 

 which was outside the knowledge of a third, fourth, 

 or fifth as the case might be. The cave-parties of 

 the first men can never have suffered from " shop." 

 To-day, however, as it is impossible for anybody 

 to be omniscient, as it becomes more and more 



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