rts the wise man who knows when and how to be
silent.

We have heard men of great experience say that they have often regretted
having spoken, but never once regretted holding their tongue. "Be
silent," says Pythagoras, "or say something better than silence." "Speak
fitly," says George Herbert, "or be silent wisely." St. Francis de
Sales, whom Leigh Hunt styled "the Gentleman Saint," has said: "It is
better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humouredly, and
so spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce." Another
Frenchman, Lacordaire, characteristically puts speech first, and silence
next. "After speech," he says, "silence is the greatest power in the
world." Yet a word spoken in season, how powerful it may be! As the old
Welsh proverb has it, "A golden tongue is in the mouth of the blessed."

It is related, as a remarkable instance of self-control on the part of
De Leon, a distinguished Spanish poet of the sixteenth century, who lay
for years in the dungeons of the Inquisition without light or society,
because of his having translated a part of the Scriptures into
his native tongue, that on being liberated and restored to his
professorship, an immense crowd attended his first lecture, expecting
some account of his long imprisonment; but Do Leon was too wise and too
gentle to indulge in recrimination. He merely resumed the lecture which,
five years before, had been so sadly interrupted, with the accustomed
formula "HERI DICEBAMUS," and went directly into his subject.

There are, of course, times and occasions when the expression of
indignation is not only justifiable but necessary. We are bound to be
indignant at falsehood, selfishness, and cruelty. A man of true feeling
fires up naturally at baseness or meanness of any sort, even in cases
where he may be under no obligation to speak out. "I would have nothing
to do," said Perthes, "with the man who cannot be moved to indignation.
There are more good people than bad in the world, and the bad get the
upper hand merely because they are bolder. We cannot help being pleased
with a man who uses his powers with decision; and we often take his side
for no other reason than because he does so use them. No doubt, I have
often repented speaking; but not less often have I repented keeping
silence." [158]

One who loves right cannot be indifferent to wrong, or wrongdoing. If he
feels warmly, he will speak warmly, out of the fulness of his heart. As
a noble