The more securely a man holds an opinion, the more temperate he can
afford to be, and the more temperate he is, the more weight he will
carry with those who are in the long run weightiest. Ideas and
opinions, like living organisms, have a normal rate of growth which
cannot be either checked or forced beyond a certain point. They can
be held in check more safely than they can be hurried. They can also
be killed; and one of the surest ways to kill them is to try to hurry
them.
The more unpopular an opinion is, the more necessary is it that the
holder should be somewhat punctilious in his observance of
conventionalities generally, and that, if possible, he should get the
reputation of being well-to-do in the world.
Arguments are not so good as assertion. Arguments are like fire-arms
which a man may keep at home but should not carry about with him.
Indirect assertion, leaving the hearer to point the inference, is, as
a rule, to be preferred. The one great argument with most people is
that another should think this or that. The reasons of the belief
are details and, in nine cases out of ten, best omitted as confusing
and weakening the general impression.
Many, if not most, good ideas die young--mainly from neglect on the
part of the parents, but sometimes from over-fondness. Once well
started, an opinion had better be left to shift for itself.
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