Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-10-03
VIRTUES OF SILENCE.
NO TROUBLE FoR A BLocKHeAD TO
 REMAIN SILENT.
But the Thoughtless or Ignorant Often Betray Their Best Friends lily Speaking Too
 Much.

The praises of silent have been sung for many ages, yet it's virtues are of q negative character, and sensible speech is of much greater value and importance. Any block head may be (though he seldom is) silent, says the Baltimore Sun; the wise onespeak. or are they silent, as best serves their purpose. Put arch expressed the full idea in the saying, "Silenee at the proper season is wisdom and better than any speech" This is lesson which most men learn by experience, but only after they have suffered from unwise speech.
 The thoughtless betray their ignorance, or ininre their best friends, or get themselves into trouble by careless speech. The tattler, without perhaps intending any harm, furn- ishes the malignant OF mischievous with gossip that the latter turn to bad uses. Our opinions of people whom we meet are found usually on insufficient data. We cannot help forming them, and should our selves be guided by them, but they are not opinions that should be given expression except upon com plusion, or when they have been well fortified and occasion requires that they should be expressed in the in- terest of truth and honesty. Men learn this truth after they have seen the evil effects of gossip which deals with the characters and motives of men and women. For the opinions of the character, to which expression is given. are likely to be banded about from mouth to mouth until they reach the ear of the person concerned, and a quarrel or an estrangement ensues. As Confucius says, "Silence is q friend that will never betray." Speech, however guarded, is liable to be misreported or misinterpreted and to bring about mischief. The skill full use of silence may have the effect of eloquence. When one's heart is bursting with grief the sympathy of a friend silently expressed is sooth- ing, though words, however tender and kindly, would grate unpleas- antly on the ear.
 It is folly, however, to praise silence, (as Carlyle has done in his extrayagant way,) as something at all times and under all circum- stances superior to speech. It is through speech, wise and unwise, that man has been lifted sahove the animal; that society has been orga- nized; that men have become mutu- ally helpful and have been enabled to advance in civilization with giant stride. Silence has been of no service to mankind except in q, negative way, us it has suppressed unwise speech. Thus, after all, that which we should all try 10 learn is to speak well and wisely and at the proper time. Silence will then be imposed upon us when we have nothing to say that is worth the saying In short, we should guard our tongues against gossip and idle talk of all kinds, but not against wise and useful speech. It is a good rule also not to repeat what one hears about other people except for sound reason. Remarks are often made by the designing that are intended to be repeated. There is some satisfaction i'll thwarthing the malicious by not putting into circulation ther base coin. Self-im- posed silence of this character implies thought as much as speech, and tine wise man will be known as much by what he says as what he leaves unsaid. Silence is to speech as the rest to the note in music; both must be used intelligently if the proper effect is to be produced.
 Removed