Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-11-22

The Virtue of Silence and its Advantages.
The New York Courier and Enquirer OBJ
serves:
The mysterious figure of Hermes standing
motionless, with finger on lip, is typical of a
principle well appreciated by the wise men
of savage as well as of civilized nations
through all time. Speech, noble aud dis
tinguished characteristic, illustrator ofreasen,
which lifts the man above the beast, like
most good gifts, is generally used too much.
Most public speakers fail to realize this fact.
They may please in one instance and disgust
in another, until the impression, after all, is
of a negative character. Takers to crowds
or to individuals should remember that, next
to saying something which exactly jumps
with the prejudices of their auditors, there
is nothing so effectual in preserving their
esteem as to remain absolutely silent Say
ing nothing can do no one any harm. If
you can not do service, it is a certain bene-
fit to infiCt no certain injury. More than
half the credit and power of the Delphian
oracles spIang from the iudicious selection
Of opportunities for reticence.
We have said the wise men appreciate this
principle; sometimes, however, the masses,
who are not always wise, recognize it with
unmista6able intelligence.
Instances could be multiplied ad infnitun,.
Who knows not that the sententious and
profound master of the Tui l1ries owes more
to that which he has not said, than to that
which he has?
Cicero, one of the worlds greatest orators,
says of silence, that 'there is not only an art
out an eloquence in it."
Zimmerman, whose very name is suggest
i've of deep reflection in outrageous groves,
writes "Silence is the safest response for
all the contradiction that arises from imper-
tinence, vulgarity, or envy"
The TattleT, whose name in this instance
is scarcely in keeping with his precepts,
afRrms: 'The deepest waters are the most
silent; empty vessels make the greatestsound,
and tinkling cymbals the worst music. They
who think least commonly speak most"
DR.. Blair says, 'the modes of speech are
scarcely more variable than the modes of
silence"
Shakespeare absolutely teens with illus
trations of the same ideas. "Talabras, neigh
Dor 'Verges,'" demonstrates "Dogberry.n
'Words, words, words" sighs "Hamlet,"
and even the sehile twaddler, "Polonius,'
is made to declare, "Brefity is the soul of
wit"
The African-the most garrulous ofraoes-
find certain wisdom in the monkeys, who,
they say, could talk, but refrain lest the
white man should make them work. In-
capable Of taciturnity, the negro in this il
lustration appears to confess that men be-
come the slaves of others in proportion to
their inability to hold their tongues Un-
questionably the gift of CAB" is often times
prolific Of evil rather than of good to its
possessor.
The late Senator Broderick occurs to the
writer as case in point. OF humble origin
and defective education, he owed much of
his success in life to the faculty, which he
possessed in high degree, of great senten-
tiousness.
Playgoers have realized in Sheridan's
Critic the effect of "Lord Burleigh's shake
of the head; the very absurdity which
silently scatters powder over the orchestra,
invests his lordship with certain respectai
bility. 1t is evident that, like the owl, he
'keeIs upa devil of thinking"
The theory appears to be, that by express
ing no opinion whatever in a certain emerg-
ency a man is sure not to run counter to that
of any one else; and such is the constitution
of human mind that men will readily per-
suade themselves that another fayors their
particular views when he says nothing about
them. QHot hoHlines, tot sententi9, says the
proverb, and wise is the man who can unite
many to single standard The North
American indians, beyond any race known
to history, were distinguished for their chari-
ness of words. Chattering, they affirmed,
belonged TO the birds aud the women. They
seemed like the stole philosopher-Rith
whom we are half disposed to agree-who of
all virtues made his choice of silence; "for,
by it" said be, 81 hear other mems imper-.
tectiens and conceal my own"