The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-29
guaersua gatelligemeer,
Phe Power of Silence.


not so much of growth as Of destruction
It is not in the disturbing forces of the
earthquake, the tempest, and the fire.
but rather in the silent advance of long
geological periods, the gradual develop
mens of animal life, and the slow cooling
of the igneous globe, that her still small
voice speaks to the ear of science. 1t is,
however, of human conduct rather than
of natural laws that we are thinking
when we speak of the power of silence
The power of speech in its various forms,
whether of conversation, of argument, Of
oratory, or, in a wider sense of the word,
of written communication, is indeed
obvious enough-so obvious, that with
out it, human life would come to stand
still altogether. Language, as it is con-
stantly observed, distinguishes the ration
al from the brute creation. But, on the
other hand, the ingenious sarcasm of q
great master of diplomacy who suggested
that the principal use of language is to
conceal our thoughts has basis of fact
to rest upon. At all events, it is very
often used for that purpose, and in such
cases the language of silence, wherever it
is available, is the simplest and most
effective that can be employed. We say
wherever it is available, for tell tale
silence, according to the familiar proyerb,
may be the surest means of revealing,
not concealing thought. 1t is not every
one who knows how "to be silent in
seven languages y to speak seven Ian
guages with ease, if not g common, is
perhaps less rare accomplishment.
But the capacity, where it exists, is a
real source of strength, and Solomon in
Inmates that to be wholly destitute of it
is the mark of fool who ''uttereth all
his mind"
In such instances, silence is chiefly
used as protective power, and that is
no doubt its most obvious, though by no
means its only use. Our readers may be
aware that in former days the Fellows
of Trinity College, Dublin, were for
hidden by statute to marry, but the viola
ton of the rule, which in fact they
seldom observed, was connived at so long
as they maintained a discreet reticence
in their connubial arrangements, and
their wives bore their maiden names in
public. One of these welded celibates
was asked by a friend, who had been
much perplexed 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 silence
is characteristic of the "canny" Scot. A
Scotchman will never tell lee" 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 requisite for getting u joke into him,
is equally required for getting anything
out of him when he prefers, as he very
frequently does prefer, to keep his own
counsel. He is an adept at beating about
the bush, which is another way of saying
that he knows how to hold his tongue.
But silence is not merely protective
power. If it often serves to conceal what
there might be an indiscretion in betray-
ing, it may also prove a positive means
of influence. The Greeks thought it go
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 determine how much of the
still grander reputation of Socrates is due
to his having written nothing. In one
sense certainly he was the reverse of
silent, but he did not commit his thoughts
to paper, and he has been credited-we
do not say undeseryedly-with more than
the highest wisdom of those who under
took to report his utterances, while their
weaknesses are attributed to themselves.
How much again of influence and repu-
tation in ordinary life is due to judi
cious silence.
Nor would it be hard to show, on the
other hand, how lofty regulations and
brilliant prospects have been blighted by
too open.mouthed fankness. It matters
little what opinions an aspirant for
political or clerical promotion may hold,
so long as he understands when to hold
his tongue about them; but single slip
may mar a whole career. 1t is not un-
common, again, to hear people say that
they had rather not meet some famous
parsonage for whose character they have
conceived high admiration of reverence,
for fear the spell should be broken.
This means that they are afraid of his
saying something that would jar on their
preconceiyed notions about him; and,
considering the immense diversity of
tastes and methods of judgment, such a
result is certainly likely enough. But
no previously formed estimate, though it
may not be raised, can well be endanger-
ed by silence. Moreover, for most men,
even the ablest, noviciate of silence, so
to call it, is profitable before they enter
on the business life.
Thomas Aquinas was unquestionably
one of the greatest intellects of the mid
die ages, yet 80 silent was he through all
his earlier life that he was esteemed ex-
ceptionaly stupid, and when at last he
began to speak, his auditors exclaimed,
"Bos z0cutus est" His brain had been
working the more active while his tongue
was still.
It would not be difficult to illustrate
on the other hand the disadvantageous
results of forgetting that there Is time
to keep silence as well as time to speak.
Thus christian apologists have been
often, and only too plausibly, taunted
with their premature eagerness to come
forward with explanations of scientific
objections urged against Revelation,
which the next step in the advance of
scientific discovery may, in a few years
later, render either irrelevant or super
fuous. But history supplies one pecu-
liarly prominent illustration of the point
we have been dwelling on, with which
we must here conclude. We quoted just
now the saying of a successful dignitary
ola former age, that man could hold
anything who knew how to hold his
tongue. The reverse side of the picture
is conspicuously exhibited in the career
of a very high dignitary of our own day.
Plus TX has shown himself equally in
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