Note, 1. He that is wise does not affect to proclaim his wisdom, and it
is his honour that he does not. He communicates his knowledge when it
may turn to the edification of others, but he conceals it when the
showing of it would only tend to his own commendation. Knowing men, if
they be prudent men, will carefully avoid every thing that savours of
ostentation, and not take all occasions to show their learning and
reading, but only to use it for good purposes, and then let their own
works praise them. Ars est celare artem--The perfection of art is to
conceal it. 2. He that is foolish cannot avoid proclaiming his folly,
and it is his shame that he cannot: The heart of fools, by their
foolish words and actions, proclaims foolishness; either they do not
desire to hide it, so little sense have they of good and evil, honour
and dishonour, or they know not how to hide it, so little discretion
have they in the management of themselves, Eccl. x. 3.