Restrained Communication Quotes

But believe me, there's a lot I'd like to say - but I don't think the time is right now.

A thousand times today I've started to open my mouth, started to squeak out, "Can you tell me...? But then I'd look into the front seat, at my mother's silent shaking, my father's grim profile, the mournful bags under his eyes, and all the questions I might ask seemed abusive. Assault and battery, a question mark used like a club. My parents are old and fragile. I'd have to heartless to want to hurt them.

In some ways I'm a reticent man, and for quite a number of years there wasn't very much of my real true deep feelings in my writing.

The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence; not in silence, but restraint.

Silence and modesty are very valuable qualities in conversation.

A slave is he who cannot speak his thoughts.

I'm too diplomatic. I tend to edit my mind before I speak - it can be incredibly draining.

To the old our mouths are always partly closed; we must swallow our obvious retorts and listen. They sit above our heads, on life's raised dais, and appeal at once to our respect and pity.