without the
least conventionality. And a real neighborhood, as our modern life is
arranged, is becoming more and more rare.

I am not sure that the talkers in this conversation expressed their
real, final sentiments, or that they should be held accountable for what
they said. Nothing so surely kills the freedom of talk as to have some
matter-of-fact person instantly bring you to book for some impulsive
remark flashed out on the instant, instead of playing with it and
tossing it about in a way that shall expose its absurdity or show its
value. Freedom is lost with too much responsibility and seriousness, and
the truth is more likely to be struck out in a lively play of assertion
and retort than when all the words and sentiments are weighed. A person
very likely cannot tell what he does think till his thoughts are exposed
to the air, and it is the bright fallacies and impulsive, rash ventures
in conversation that are often most fruitful to talker and listeners.
The talk is always tame if no one dares anything. I have seen the most
promising paradox come to grief by a simple "Do you think so?" Nobody, I
sometimes think, should be held accountable for anything said in private
conversation, the vivacity of which is in a tentative play about the
subject. And this is a sufficient reason why one should repudiate any
private conversation reported in the newspapers. It is bad enough to be
held fast forever to what one writes and prints, but to shackle a man
with all his flashing utterances, which may be put into his mouth by
some imp in the air, is intolerable slavery. A man had better be silent
if he can only say today what he will stand by tomorrow, or if he may
not launch into the general talk the whim and fancy of the moment. Racy,
entertaining talk is only exposed thought, and no one would hold a man
responsible for the thronging thoughts that contradict and displace each
other in his mind. Probably no one ever actually makes up his mind until
he either acts or puts out his conclusion beyond his recall. Why
should one be debarred the privilege of pitching his crude ideas into a
conversation where they may have a chance of being precipitated?

I remember that Morgan said in this talk that there was too much
diversity. "Almost every church has trouble with it--the different
social conditions."

An Englishman who was present pricked-up his ears at this, as if he
expected to obtain a note on the character of Dissenters. "I tho