Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from The Battle of the Books, and other Short Pieces, by Jonathan Swift
Great speakers in public are seldom agreeable in private conversation,
whether their faculty be natural, or acquired by practice and often
venturing. Natural elocution, although it may seem a paradox, usually
springeth from a barrenness of invention and of words, by which men who
have only one stock of notions upon every subject, and one set of phrases
to express them in, they swim upon the superficies, and offer themselves
on every occasion; therefore, men of much learning, and who know the
compass of a language, are generally the worst talkers on a sudden, until
much practice hath inured and emboldened them; because they are
confounded with plenty of matter, variety of notions, and of words, which
they cannot readily choose, but are perplexed and entangled by too great
a choice, which is no disadvantage in private conversation; where, on the
other side, the talent of haranguing is, of all others, most
insupportable.
Nothing hath spoiled men more for conversation than the character of
being wits; to support which, they never fail of encouraging a number of
followers and admirers, who list themselves in their service, wherein
they find their accounts on both sides by pleasing their mutual vanity.
This hath given the former such an air of superiority, and made the
latter so pragmatical, that neither of them are well to be endured. I
say nothing here of the itch of dispute and contradiction, telling of
lies, or of those who are troubled with the disease called the wandering
of the thoughts, that they are never present in mind at what passeth in
discourse; for whoever labours under any of these possessions is as unfit
for conversation as madmen in Bedlam.
I think I have gone over most of the errors in conversation that have
fallen under my notice or memory, except some that are merely personal,
and others too gross to need exploding; such as lewd or profane talk; but
I pretend only to treat the errors of conversation in general, and not
the several subjects of discourse, which would be infinite. Thus we see
how human nature is most debased, by the abuse of that faculty, which is
held the great distinction between men and brutes; and how little
advantage we make of that which might be the greatest, the most lasting,
and the most innocent, as well as useful pleasure of life: in default of
which, we are forced to take up with those poor amusements of dress and
visiting, or the more pernicious ones of play, drink, and vicious amours,
whereby the nobility and gentry of both sexes are entirely corrupted both
in body and mind, and have lost all notions of love, honour, friendship,
and generosity; which, under the name of fopperies, have been for some
time laughed out of doors.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Battle of the Books and Other Short Pieces by Jonathan Swift
Context of the Work
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), best known for Gulliver’s Travels, was a satirist, clergyman, and political writer who critiqued human folly, social pretensions, and intellectual vanity. The Battle of the Books (1704) is a satirical work defending the superiority of ancient literature over modern, but the excerpt provided comes from a later essay (likely "Hints Towards an Essay on Conversation", 1710), where Swift turns his sharp wit toward the art—or rather, the failures—of human conversation.
Swift’s era (the early 18th century) was marked by the rise of coffeehouse culture, salon debates, and a burgeoning print media, all of which fostered public discourse. However, Swift observes that many who engage in conversation do so poorly, often out of vanity, pedantry, or sheer incompetence. His essay is both a guide to proper discourse and a biting critique of social affectations.
Themes in the Excerpt
The Paradox of Eloquence Swift argues that those who excel in public speaking (orators, preachers, politicians) often fail in private conversation. Their skill is not a sign of intelligence but of limitation—they rely on rehearsed phrases and shallow ideas, making them tedious in informal settings.
The Curse of Wit and Vanity He critiques the "character of being wits"—those who cultivate a reputation for cleverness but surround themselves with sycophants, creating an insufferable dynamic where neither party truly engages in meaningful exchange.
The Corruption of Human Faculty Swift laments that conversation, which should be the "greatest, most lasting, and most innocent pleasure of life," is instead abused, leading people to seek hollow amusements (fashion, gossip, vice) that degrade both mind and morals.
Social Decay The nobility and gentry, he claims, have abandoned virtues like "love, honour, friendship, and generosity" in favor of frivolity and debauchery, reducing human interaction to empty rituals.
Literary Devices & Stylistic Features
Paradox & Irony
- "Natural elocution… springeth from a barrenness of invention" → Swift ironically suggests that fluent speakers are often shallow, while the truly learned struggle to articulate their thoughts spontaneously.
- The idea that wit—supposedly a mark of intelligence—actually ruins conversation is itself paradoxical.
Satirical Exaggeration
- Comparing bad conversationalists to "madmen in Bedlam" (a notorious asylum) hyperbolically emphasizes their irrationality.
- The claim that the nobility have been "entirely corrupted" in body and mind is deliberately extreme to provoke reflection.
Metaphor & Imagery
- "Swim upon the superficies" → Those with limited ideas stay on the "surface" of thought, never diving deep.
- "Confounded with plenty of matter" → The learned are "perplexed" by their own knowledge, unable to select the right words quickly.
Enumeration & Cataloguing Swift lists vices (disputes, lying, absentmindedness) and frivolous pastimes (dress, visiting, drink) to create a cumulative effect, showing how conversation’s decline leads to broader moral decay.
Juxtaposition
- The contrast between the "great distinction between men and brutes" (reason/speech) and its "abuse" (leading to bestial behavior) underscores human hypocrisy.
- The shift from intellectual failures (bad conversation) to physical corruptions (drink, "vicious amours") links mental and moral decline.
Line-by-Line Analysis & Significance
1. Public Speakers vs. Private Conversationalists
"Great speakers in public are seldom agreeable in private conversation… Natural elocution… springeth from a barrenness of invention and of words."
- Meaning: Swift argues that orators (like politicians or preachers) rely on memorized phrases and limited ideas, making them dull in casual talk. True intellect requires adaptability, which they lack.
- Significance: This critiques the performative nature of public discourse, where style often masks substance. Swift, who himself was a master of rhetoric, exposes the hollowness behind eloquence.
2. The Learned vs. the Glib
"Men of much learning… are generally the worst talkers on a sudden… perplexed and entangled by too great a choice."
- Meaning: Those with deep knowledge struggle to converse spontaneously because they overthink, while shallow minds speak effortlessly (but meaninglessly).
- Significance: Swift values depth over fluency, suggesting that true wisdom requires patience—not the quick wit prized in social circles.
3. The Pretentious "Wits"
"Nothing hath spoiled men more for conversation than the character of being wits… they never fail of encouraging a number of followers and admirers."
- Meaning: So-called "wits" (clever people) surround themselves with flatterers, creating a cycle of mutual vanity where real dialogue is impossible.
- Significance: This targets the intellectual pretensions of Swift’s contemporaries, particularly the scandalum magnatum (gossip about the great) in London’s literary salons.
4. Conversational Vices
"The itch of dispute and contradiction, telling of lies, or… the wandering of the thoughts."
- Meaning: Swift catalogs behaviors that ruin conversation:
- Disputatiousness: Arguing for the sake of it.
- Lying: Fabricating stories for effect.
- Absentmindedness: Being mentally elsewhere (a dig at those who monologue without listening).
- Significance: These flaws reflect deeper moral failings—pride, deceit, selfishness—showing how poor conversation mirrors poor character.
5. The Decline of Virtue
"We are forced to take up with… poor amusements of dress and visiting, or the more pernicious ones of play, drink, and vicious amours… [having] lost all notions of love, honour, friendship, and generosity."
- Meaning: Without meaningful conversation, society turns to frivolity (fashion, gossip) or vice (gambling, drunkenness, affairs), abandoning traditional virtues.
- Significance: Swift ties linguistic decay to moral decay, a common theme in his work (e.g., Gulliver’s Travels, where the Houyhnhnms’ rational language contrasts with the Yahoos’ grunts). The nobility’s corruption reflects the rot in Augustan England’s elite.
Why This Matters
Swift’s essay is more than a manners guide—it’s a diagnosis of cultural sickness. By attacking bad conversation, he critiques:
- Intellectual posturing: The "wits" who value reputation over truth.
- Social hypocrisy: The nobility’s empty rituals masking moral bankruptcy.
- The degradation of language: When speech fails, so does civilization.
His satire remains relevant today, where social media rewards soundbites over substance, and public discourse often prioritizes performative outrage over genuine exchange. Swift’s ideal—conversation as a "lasting, innocent, and useful pleasure"—is a call to value depth, honesty, and mutual respect in dialogue.
Key Takeaways
- Swift’s View of Good Conversation: It should be spontaneous yet thoughtful, engaging yet humble—neither a performance nor a power struggle.
- Satirical Targets: Pedants, flatterers, liars, and the morally corrupt who replace virtue with vice.
- Broader Warning: When language is abused, society decays, forcing people into trivial or destructive pursuits.
- Literary Legacy: The excerpt exemplifies Swift’s razor-sharp prose, blending humor, moral urgency, and psychological insight—a hallmark of Augustan satire.
In essence, Swift doesn’t just mock bad conversationalists; he mourns the loss of what conversation could be: a tool for connection, wisdom, and human dignity.