140.—If it was not for the company of fools, a witty man would often be greatly at a loss.
141.—We often boast that we are never bored, but yet we are so conceited that we do not perceive how often we bore others.
142.—As it is the mark of great minds to say many things in a few words, so it is that of little minds to use many words to say nothing.
["So much they talked, so very little said." Churchill, Rosciad, 550.
"Men who are unequal to the labour of discussing an argument or wish to avoid it, are willing enough to suppose that much has been proved because much has been said."— Junius, Jan. 1769.]
143.—It is oftener by the estimation of our own feelings that we exaggerate the good qualities of others than by their merit, and when we praise them we wish to attract their praise.
144.—We do not like to praise, and we never praise without a motive. Praise is flattery, artful, hidden, delicate, which gratifies differently him who praises and him who is praised. The one takes it as the reward of merit, the other bestows it to show his impartiality and knowledge.
145.—We often select envenomed praise which, by a reaction upon those we praise, shows faults we could not have shown by other means.
146.—Usually we only praise to be praised.
147.—Few are sufficiently wise to prefer censure which is useful to praise which is treacherous.