By deafness one gains in one respect more than one loses one misses more nonsense than sense.

Walpole treats deafness with characteristic wit, reframing a physical loss as a social advantage. The remark suggests that much of what people say is “nonsense” rather than “sense,” so diminished hearing can function as a filter against triviality, gossip, and empty talk. Implicitly, the line critiques conversational culture—especially the chatter of polite society—by implying that meaningful speech is rarer than noise. The aphorism also models a stoic, self-protective humor: rather than lament impairment, one can reclaim agency by emphasizing what is spared (irritation, distraction) and what remains (judgment, inward life).