--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to…" description: "\"Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to preach, yet from the artistic point of view I am sure it is a sound one. Reticence conduces to effect, blatancy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/m-r-james-55687_artistic_reticence-may-be-an-elderly-doctrine-to_1748144.jpg" --- # Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to preach, yet from… ![“Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to preach, yet from the artistic point of view I am sure it is a sound one. Reticence conduces to effect, blatancy ruins it.” quote by M. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/m-r-james-55687_artistic_reticence-may-be-an-elderly-doctrine-to_1748144.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/m-r-james-55687_artistic_reticence-may-be-an-elderly-doctrine-to_1748144.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4d/m-r-james-55687_artistic_reticence-may-be-an-elderly-doctrine-to_1748144.jpg) > “Reticence may be an elderly doctrine to preach, yet from the artistic point of view I am sure it is a sound one. Reticence conduces to effect, blatancy ruins it.” [M. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reticence, or restraint, enhances artistic impact, while obviousness destroys it. **In simple terms:** Holding back can improve art; being too obvious harms it. Key Takeaway Practice restraint in creative work. Themes art communication restraint Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - writing - painting - public speaking - marketing - design Key Concepts aesthetic theory psychology of perception Questions to Reflect On - When does restraint become a barrier? - How can you balance subtlety and clarity? A Different Perspective Over‑restraint may lead to incomprehensibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Doctrine Preach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine-preach-1580221/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [Elderly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elderly/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Preach Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preach-artistic-1580219/) [Reticence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reticence/) [Reticence Conduces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reticence-conduces-1580218/) [Reticence Elderly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reticence-elderly-1580220/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) ## Related quotes > [“Faith and repentance will be good doctrine to preach and hear to the end of the world; you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/faith-and-repentance-will-be-good-doctrine-to-preach-and-hear-to-the/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [This is the doctrine that we preach; if a man be saved, all the honor is to be given to Christ; but if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/this-is-the-doctrine-that-we-preach-if-a-man-be-saved-all-the-honor/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“There are a great many opinions in this world, and a good half of them are professed by people who have never been in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/there-are-a-great-many-opinions-in-this-world-and-a-good-half-of-them/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Racing is a great mania to which one must sacrifice everything, without reticence, without hesitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-ferrari/racing-is-a-great-mania-to-which-one-must-sacrifice-everything/) [Enzo Ferrari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-ferrari/) > [The name Shatner is Austrian and partly Germanic, and there's Germanic reticence and silence perhaps, but there is passion underneath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/the-name-shatner-is-austrian-and-partly-germanic-and-there-s-germanic/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [Still, there is a basic reticence about his approach that feels refreshing in today's culture of maximum exposure. 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