Both Uses of
discretion
in
The Mill on the Floss
- The children were used to hear themselves talked of as freely as if they were birds, and could understand nothing, however they might stretch their necks and listen; but on this occasion Mrs. Tulliver manifested an unusual discretion, because she had recently had evidence that the going to school to a clergyman was a sore point with Tom, who looked at it as very much on a par with going to school to a constable.†
Chpt 1.7 *
- Dr. Kenn, at first enlightened only by a few hints as to the new turn which gossip and slander had taken in relation to Maggie, had recently been made more fully aware of it by an earnest remonstrance from one of his male parishioners against the indiscretion of persisting in the attempt to overcome the prevalent feeling in the parish by a course of resistance.†
Chpt 7.5 *
Definitions:
-
(discretion as in: It is within her discretion.) the right to make a decision (and perhaps accompanying good judgment)
-
(discretion as in: embarrassing lack of discretion) behavior that does not attract undesired attention or reveal private information