Joseph Addison Quotes

When Demaratus was asked whether he held his tongue because he was a fool or for want of words, he replied, "A fool cannot hold his tongue.

The water in a vessel is sparkling; the water in the sea is dark. The small truth has words which are clear; the great truth has great silence.

People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little.

As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.

Concerning great things one should either be silent or speak loftily.

Speak only if it improves upon the silence.

A man of virtue, judgment, and prudence speaks not until there is silence.

Fools give you reasons, wise men never try.

He says a million things without saying a word. I have never heard a more eloquent silence.

The wiser a man is, the less talkative will he be.

Silence is the sanctuary of prudence.

With each passing year, one has less to say, and knows better how to say it.

Silence is Wisdom where Speaking is Folly.

Speech is great, but silence is greater.

Silence is not silent. Silence speaks. It speaks most eloquently. Silence is not still. Silence leads. It leads most perfectly.

Qui plussait, plus se tait. French, you know. The more a man knows, the less he talks.

The pause - that impressive silence, that eloquent silence, that geometrically progressive silence which often achieves a desired effect where no combination of words, howsoever felicitous, could accomplish it.

You can't improve on saying nothing.

Silence is all the genius a fool has.

In Silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.

In Maine we have a saying that there's no point in speaking unless you can improve on silence.

Silence is one great art of conversation. He is not a fool who knows when to hold his tongue; and a person may gain credit for sense, eloquence, wit, who merely says nothing to lessen the opinion which others have of these qualities in themselves.

Nothing is often a good thing to do and always a good thing to say.

Cunning differs from wisdom as twilight from open day.

Eloquence is the child of knowledge. When a mind is full, like a wholesome river, it is also clear.