Unforced, as conversation passed,
he had the talent of saluting
felicitously every theme,
of listening like a judge supreme
while serious topics were disputing,
or, with an epigram-surprise,
of kindling smiles in ladies’ eyes.

These lines praise a social gift: effortless conversational mastery. The speaker depicts a man who can enter any topic without strain (“unforced”), respond aptly to whatever arises, and shift registers as needed—grave attention when serious matters are debated, and quick, witty turns (“epigram-surprise”) when lightness is called for. The comparison to a “judge supreme” suggests not only intelligence but poise and authority: he listens with measured fairness, then speaks with precision. The final image—smiles “in ladies’ eyes”—frames wit as a form of charm, implying that true elegance lies in tactful responsiveness rather than domination of the room.