tactful silence Quotes

The silence often of pure innocence persuades when speaking fails.

Dishonesty is not the only alternative to honesty. There is also the highly underrated virtue of shutting up.

The real secret about diplomats is that we're trained to say something, when there is nothing to say, and to say nothing when there is something to say.

And be silent for the most part, or else make only the most necessary remarks, and express these in few words. But rarely, and when occasion requires you to talk, talk, indeed, but about no ordinary topics. Do not talk about gladiators, or horseraces, or athletes, or things to eat or drink - topics that arise on all occasions; but above all, do not talk about people, either blaming, or praising, or comparing them.

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.

It is ill-manners to silence a fool and cruelty to let him go on

About the greatest virtue a friend can have, is to be able to hold her tongue; and through this, like all virtues carried to extremity, may grow into a fault, and do great harm, still, it never can do so much harm as that horrible laxity and profligacy of speech which is a the root of half the quarrels, cruelties, and injustices of the world.

It is a great misfortune not to possess sufficient wit to speak well, nor sufficient judgment to keep silent.

It is the way of my people to use light words at such times and say less than they mean. We fear to say too much. It robs us of the right words when a jest is out of place.

There are more quarrels smothered by just shutting your mouth, and holding it shut, than by all the wisdom in the world.

There are times in life when language fails us, when everything that needs to be said can be expressed only by saying nothing at all.

Little said is soon amended. There is always time to add a word, never to withdraw one.

Some promises are better left unsaid

Also, when I didn't like something, I could keep my opinion to myself.

It is difficult for a statesman who still has a political future to reveal everything that he knows: and in a profession in which one is a baby at 50 and middle-aged at seventy-five, it is natural that anyone who has not actually been disgraced should feel that he still has a future.