Genuine good taste consists in saying much in few words, in choosing among our thoughts, in having order and arrangement in what we say, and in speaking with composure.
Interpretation
True good taste is the ability to express thoughts clearly and succinctly while maintaining composure.
Francois Fenelon emphasizes the importance of expressing oneself thoughtfully and concisely. Genuine good taste is not just about eloquence, but about selecting the most meaningful words, organizing ideas effectively, and delivering them with calmness, which collectively enhances communication and understanding.
In practice
This quote is perfect for advising young writers on the importance of brevity.
True prayer is only another name for the love of God. Its excellence does not consist in the multitude of our words; for our Father knoweth what things we have need of before we ask Him. The true prayer is that of the heart, and the heart prays only for what it desires. To pray, then is to desire -- but to desire what God would have us desire. He who asks what he does not from the bottom of his heart desire, is mistaken in thinking that he prays.
The greatest of all crosses is self. If we die in part every day, we shall have but little to do on the last. These little daily deaths will destroy the power of the final dying.
How rare it is to find a soul quiet enough to hear God speak.
If we were faultless we should not be so much annoyed by the defects of those with whom we associate.
If the crowns of all the kingdoms of the empire were laid down at my feet in exchange for my books and my love of reading I would spurn them all.
You can often help others more by correcting your own faults than theirs. Remember, and you should, because of your own experience, that allowing God to correct your faults is not easy. Be patient with people, wait for God to work with them as He wills.
The greater intellect one has, the more originality one finds in men. Ordinary persons find no difference between men.
Grace works that way. It's a kind word from a gentle person with an impossible prayer. It's a force sometimes transmitted best hand to hand in a dark place.
Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth.
The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.
Temperance and labor are the two real physicians of man.
No Ideas original - there is nothing new under the sun.
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