The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1876-01-28
The Virtue of Silence.

IN instances, and many might be men
tined, silence is chiefly used as q protective
} power, and that is no doubt it's most obyi
Gus, though by no means it's only use. II
former days the Fellows of Trinity College
Dublin, were forbidden by statute to mar
ry; but the violation of the rule, which in
fact they seldom observed, was conniyed at
sol ong as they maintained discreet reti.
cence on their connubial arrangements, and
their wives bore their maiden names in pub
lie. One of these welded celibates was
asked by friend, who had been much per
picked on discovering the state of the case,
how he managed to hold his fellowship ?
MY dear Sir, was the reply, " a man can
hold anything who can hold his tongue -
1t follows, of course, that man who wears
his heart on his sleeve will let everything
! slip through his fingers. This gift of ST.
! ience is a characteristic of the sseanny =
Scot. A Scotchman will never ''tell lee, y
but he will make it next to impossible for
| You to discover what he wishes to conceal.
The surgical operation which is said to be
SO requisite for getting a joke into him is
equally required for getting anything out
oi him when he prefers, as he very fire.
quently does prefer, to keep his own coun-
sci. he is an adept at beating about the
| bush, which is another way of saying that
lie knows how to hold his tongue. But si-
lence. is not merely protective power. If
it often serves to conceal what there might
be an indiscretion in betraying, it may also
prove positive means of influence. The
tireeks thought it SO difficult to ''speak
good-omened words that they used the
phrase as equivalent to what the Romans
more directly termed ''sacred silence"
And, great as is the repute which their
philosophers, orators and poets have won
by their writings, it is difficult to deter
mine how much of the still grander repu-
tation of Socrates is due to his having
written nothing. In one sense certainly he
was the reverse of silent, and has been
credited-we do not say undeservedly-
with more than the highest wisdom of
sAAOoO WIZ uuuCiL W IopOft Ills uCEcI-
ances, while their weaknesses are attributed
to themselves How much gain of inf1u-
ences and reputation in ordinary life is due
to judicious silence. We have all heard
of Lord Thurlow's awful nod, but there
are other professions than the law where
sententious silence has proved the secret of
success. How maRy medical regulations
have been built on capacity for looking
wise and saying nothing A doctor who
knows how to inslnuate by tone and face
and gesture his perfect command of the sit
uation, without committing himself to spe-
cific assertions, may make little skill go a
long way, and may even make serious mis-
takes with impunity. 1t does not seem SO
easy for a preacher to trade upon his ca
pacity of reseve, yet even in the clerical
profession many have gained the reputa-
tion of profound divines and able guides in
the spiritual life by judicious manage
ment of platitudes. Nor would it be hard
to shew, on the other hand. how loftErepu-
blighted by too open-mouthed frankness.
1t matters little what opinions an aspirant
for political or clerical promotion may hold,
SO long as he knows when to hold his tongue
about them; but a single slip may mar
whole career.