The upheavals of adolescence silenced 'A Christmas Carol' for a few years. I became a firebrand atheist. Christmas - humbug! Too commercial! Then I became an agnostic. Christmas was a pro-forma affair basically a chore. Buy mother a book dad a new tie my brother and sister small gifts. Pretend thanks for the fountain pens and shirts I received.

Silence is an ornament for women.

What could be more lonely than to be enveloped in silence to be the last of your people to speak your native tongue to have no way to pass on the wisdom of the elders to anticipate the promise of the children. This tragic fate is indeed the plight of someone somewhere roughly every two weeks.

Silence and reserve will give anyone a reputation for wisdom.

Silence at the proper season is wisdom and better than any speech.

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.

Not every truth is the better for showing its face undisguised and often silence is the wisest thing for a man to heed.

Truth is not only violated by falsehood it may be equally outraged by silence.

Silence is the mother of truth.

Silence is as deep as eternity speech a shallow as time.