Smyrna times., 1868-09-30
TALK AND SILENCE.

Taking is not simply habit, but matter |
of original constitution. Some persons have a
talking endowment, and some have not. There
is positive faculty of expression, vocallzatlon,
of which silence is merely negative. As cold
is only the absence of heat SC silence may be,
not the result of prudence, but the want of
gift or impulse OF speech.
There is a popular impression that great
takers are of course fippant, and that silent
people are presumativey wise. To say of a
man he talks a great deal, is equivalent to
saying that he thinks but little. But will OBJ
servation bear this out? 1t is true that some
wise people are taciturn but others equally
sagaciOus, are laxative. Some foolish people
talk great deal; but there are a great many
foolish people who are very uncommunicatlve.
| One may see every day that some wise men
talk very little, and others, equally wlse good
deal A little observation will show, too, that
silent men sometimes think much, and other
silent men very little. 1t is true that train
| ing in the ways OF the world will render man
cautious of what he says; but the impulse of
speech is so strong in many natures that moth
| ing can represS it.
General Sherman in an incessant talker.-
| He will talk for hours for the sake, as it would
seem, of relieving himself of some inward
fullness. General Grant, except in private
circle, is very silent. Yet both of these men
are wise, and each, in his own way, man of
genius Each is wise in his own way. Some
people hold their peace because they will not
say, and some because they cannot say, and
some because they have nothing to say. Silence
is mere cover. 1t hides thoughts, and equal
ly it hides emptiness; so soemnity is the arch
father Of hypocrisy-the mask behind which
cant and insincerlty practice their parts; so 81
! lence is used to hide weakness and folly.
A talkative man is seldom over estimated
= = silent man often is There is great cunning
in judicious silence. To sit quietly while one
talks, to look knowingly, to shake the heaC
skillfuny, to retire with grave features and 81
: lent tongue, gives one the reputation of being
/. wise, cOnsiderate and self-contained. l hav'
an owl upon my bookcase which excites m!
? admiration. He listens with the most profounC
= gravity to every conversation. His great sObe
: eyes let nothing escape them. Ever since
have known him he has maintained this pru
!, dent demeanor, and has never let fall o slngl
speech which he might wish to recall An
z vet there are some people who do not regar
= the owl as the wisest bird that fes-whO eve
II prefer q magpie or parrot, and think that /
D spite of incessqnt chattering, they are as sage
cious as the philosophic owl.
Commend me, however, to one who use
speech or silence as instruments of his will.
Some there be who discern your moods an
occaslOns-know when silence will soothe
when speech will cheer.
This converse is food when you hunger,
r medicine when you are sick. 1t does not a
sault you, TsPpiRg at your unwilling ears, as
IL sheriff that forces on you process. il Stea
n in as summer wind from the garden. III
Ier silence of such is like pause in music hol
Ter ing you gently between sweet sounds remeI
5 bered and those expected -' s-s Il '@>--..