STORY-TELLING
SIR RICHARD STEELE was an English author，who ws born in 1671，and died 1729.He was one of the authors of the Tatler ，the Spectator，and the Guardian.
1.TOM LIZARD told us a story，the other day，of some persons which our family know very well，with so much humor and life，that it caused a great deal of mirth at the tea-table.His brother Will，the Templar，was highly delighted with it；and the next day，being withSir Richard Steele by Jonathan Richardsonsome of his Inns-of-court acquaintance，resolved to entertain them with what he called “a pleasant humor enough.”I was in great pain for him when I heard him begin，and was not at all surprised to find the company very little moved by it.Will blushed，looked round the room，and，with a forced laugh，“Faith，gentlemen，”said he，“I do not know what makes you look so grave；it was an admirable story when I heard it！”
2.When I came home，I fell into a profound contemplation upon story-telling；and，as I have nothing so much at heart as the good of my country，I resolved to lay down some precautions upon this subject.
3.I have often thought that a story-teller is born，as well as a poet.
It is，I think，certain，that some men have such a peculiar cast of mind，that they see things in another light than men of grave dispositions.Men of lively imaginations and a mirthful temper will represent things to their hearers in the same manner as they themselves were affected with them；and whereas serious spirits might，perhaps，have been disgusted at the sight of some odd occurrences in life，yet the very same occurrences shall please them in a well told story，where the disagreeable parts of the images are concealed，and those only which are pleasing，exhibited to the fancy.Story-telling is，therefore，not an art，but what we call a “knack；”it doth not so much subsist upon wit as upon humor；and，I will add，that it is not perfect without proper gesticulations of the body，which naturally attend such merry emotions of the mind.
4.I would advise all professors of this art never to tell stories，but as they seem to grow out of the subject-matter of the conversation，or as they serve to illustrate or enliven it.Stories that are very common are generally irksome，but may be aptly introduced，provided they be only hinted at，and mentioned by way of allusion.Those that are altogether new should never be ushered in，without a short and pertinent character of the persons concerned.A little circumstance in the complexion or dress of the man you are talking of，sets his image before the hearer，if it be chosen aptly for the story.Besides marking distinct characters，and selecting pertinent circumstances，it is likewise necessary to leave off in time，and end smartly；so that there is a kind of drama in the forming of the story；and the manner of conducting and pointing it is the same as in an epigram.It is a miserable thing，after one has raised the expectation of the company by humorous characters and a pretty conceit，to pursue the matter too far.There is no retreating；and how poor is it for a story-teller to end his relation by saying，“That‘s all！”