《智慧书·第三辑·一〇一至一五〇》第48则
Have the Art of Conversation. That is where the real personality shows itself. No act in life requires more attention, though it be the commonest thing in life. You must either lose or gain by it. If it needs care to write a letter which is but a deliberate and written conversation, how much more the ordinary kind in which there is occasion for a prompt display of intelligence? Experts feel the pulse of the soul in the tongue, wherefore the sage said, "Speak, that I may know thee." Some hold that the art of conversation is to be without art—that it should be neat, not gaudy, like the garments. This holds good for talk between friends. But when held with persons to whom one would show respect, it should be more dignified to answer to the dignity of the person addressed. To be appropriate it should adapt itself to the mind and tone of the interlocutor. And do not be a critic of words, or you will be taken for a pedant; nor a taxgatherer of ideas, or men will avoid you, or at least sell their thoughts dear. In conversation discretion is more important than eloquence.
注释摘要
在这则格言里，葛拉西安开宗明义地把谈话与整个人格等同起来——“真正的性格在此显露无遗”。这不是一句修辞上的客气话。在他那个耶稣会人文主义的世界里，话语不是信息传递的工具，而是灵魂的直接窗口。他引用了一句著名的古话“Speak, that I may know thee”，这其实是苏格拉底的那句“说吧，好让我看见你”，本身就预设了一个前提：言语不是外在于人的…