ge my conduct in
the minutest particular."

It is not however practicable that frankness should be carried to the
extent above mentioned. It has been calculated that the human mind is
capable of being impressed with three hundred and twenty sensations in
a second of time. At all events we well know that, even "while I am
speaking, a variety of sensations are experienced by me, without so much
as interrupting, that is, without materially diverting, the train of
my ideas. My eye successively remarks a thousand objects that present
themselves, and my mind wanders to the different parts of my body,
without occasioning the minutest obstacle to my discourse, or my being
in any degree distracted by the multiplicity of these objects(35)."
It is therefore beyond the reach of the faculty of speech, for me to
communicate all the sensations I experience; and I am of necessity
reduced to a selection.

(35) See above, Essay 7.

Nor is this the whole. We do not communicate all that we feel, and all
that we think; for this would be impertinent. We owe a certain deference
and consideration to our fellow-men; we owe it in reality to ourselves.
We do not communicate indiscriminately all that passes within us. The
time would fail us; and "the world would not contain the books that
might be written." We do not speak merely for the sake of speaking;
otherwise the communication of man with his fellow would be but one
eternal babble. Speech is to be employed for some useful purpose; nor
ought we to give utterance to any thing that shall not promise to be in
some way productive of benefit or amusement.

Frankness has its limits, beyond which it would cease to be either
advantageous or virtuous. We are not to tell every thing: but we are not
to conceal any thing, that it would be useful or becoming in us to
utter. Our first duty regarding the faculty of speech is, not to keep
back what it would be beneficial to our neighbour to know. But this is a
negative sincerity only. If we would acquire a character for frankness,
we must be careful that our conversation is such, as to excite in him
the idea that we are open, ingenuous and fearless. We must appear
forward to speak all that will give him pleasure, and contribute to
maintain in him an agreeable state of being. It must be obvious that we
are not artificial and on our guard.--After all, it is difficult to lay
down rules on this subject: the spring of whatever is desirable
respecting