TACITURN CELEBRITIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11955, 14 March 1917, Page 4

TACITURN CELEBRITIES.

Genius lias always been accompanied by briefness of speech, as may be/seen bj- the following list. Napoleon rarely spoke when he could avoid it, while Wellington was similarly silent. Lnd Kitchener was positively Sphinx-like in his reserve. Lord j\ilmerston was proverbially silent, while . .dliam I'itt throughout his meteoric career was given to long periods of silence.

•Sir Isaac Newton, world-famous as a scientist, rnroly spoke save to answer a question. Darwin w2'ote much, but spoke little, whilo Lord Kelvin was among the most muto of great men. Authors are rarely great talkers. Tolstoi, the most amiable of men, was reserved in conversation, and at times absolutely mute. Balzac, the great French lomancist, when engaged in thinking out a new work, would often pass several days talking to no one but himself.

Beethoven was reticent, Mozart sparing in his speech, while it is said of Chopin that ho loved silence better even than music, and Wagner, save when discussing musical matters, was silent, even to the point of rudeness. Among tho most silent of the world's great' men were tho late Lord Tennyson and Thomas Carlyle. .Mr Thomas Hardy rarely speaks, while Sir James Barrio has exalted "savin' nuffin" into ono of the line arts.