Sunday, January 2, 2011

Ben Frank...and his life

That is what I am reading right now.
Here is an excerpt: This whole thing is an excerpt--
"Men should be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos'd as things forgot;"  Farther recommending to us "To speak, tho' sure, with seeming diffidence."  And he might have coupled with this line that which he has coupled with another, I think, less properly,  "For what of modesty is want of sense."  If you ask, Why less properly?  I must repeat the lines, "Immodest words admit of no defense,   For want of modesty is want of sense."
Right before that part he wrote, Benjamin Franklin wrote:
For, if you would inform, a positive and dogmatical manner in advancing your sentiments may provoke contradiction and prevent a candid attention.  If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix'd in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.  And by such a manner, you can seldom hope you recommend yourself in pleasing your hearers, or to persuade those whose concurrence you desire.  Pope says, judiciously (go back up there and read that quote) :)

When I read this it really hit home for me...
Maybe that is why I get funny looks at Sunday school.
It is one thing to be open minded {which I consider myself to be}, and quite another to be able
to convey that via one's speech, or lack thereof, no?
No one has every explained this to me.
Thank you Benjamin Franklin. ;)

1 comment:

Bethany said...

But you know what? It is a notable, remarkable thing about you, that you speak your mind. Truly. Don't change. ;) Oh, and, I ike the {long quote} - his writing makes my mind twist in knots, trying to understand it properly, and then makes me grin at how words can be used so. Nice start to the year, with that classic!

Spot on!

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