Word: tact
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Dates: during 1870-1879
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...people and take his chances for election; and even if he were not elected, the general culture of the community would be elevated by the presence of such a learned person. A knowledge of the subjects suggested is indeed valuable to a statesman, but unless one has genius, tact, and experience, - things that no college course can give, - he may have ever so much book learning and yet be but a sorry politician. Yet if more Harvard students should read the daily newspaper carefully, intelligently, and with a view to becoming acquainted with the events and the leading...
...they perfectly awful?" to the acquaintances who agree with her for the nonce, but secretly decide that the picture "flatters dreadfully," there seems to be no one really contented. One expects, of course, to have his pictures criticised, but such criticism is often a delicate matter, and requires some tact, - more tact, at least, than was shown by the man who, on seeing the photograph of a friend, then in his presence, almost choked with laughter, and finally added, "But it looks just like you, though...
...opinion in regard to the proper management of his pocket. Disagree as much as you please in thought, but listen with equal amiability and assent to the spendthrift and the miser. Of course you will not be a hypocrite, - one of those clumsy fools who think that tact and lying are the same thing. All I tell you to do is to listen amiably to other men's nonsense, and to keep your own counsel. Remember to be enough of the man of the world never to be surprised at any theory that you may hear advanced, however absurd...
...almost unknown from the rarity of his manuscripts, has been recently exhumed, as it were, and dressed up in English, does not prove that he was a great poet, or deserves to be classed with Hafiz, Firdansi, or Nizami. On the contrary, Mr. Emerson, it would seem, shows commendable tact and judgment in not citing more of this astrologer who dabbled in poetry. However, being unable myself to read Persian, it is impossible to judge the accuracy of Mr. Fitzgerald's translation; but certainly in its English garb it approaches, with some notable exceptions, about as near to the boundary...
...exercise of tact by individuals, or of policy by corporations, be an unselfish...