Zealous men are ever displaying to you the strength of their belief, while judicious men are showing you the grounds of it.

Shenstone contrasts two ways people present conviction. “Zealous” individuals emphasize intensity—how strongly they feel or how fiercely they assert—treating fervor as proof. “Judicious” individuals, by contrast, offer reasons: the evidence, arguments, or experiences that justify belief. The aphorism warns that passion can be performative and socially coercive, while sound judgment is quieter and explanatory. It also implies a standard for evaluating claims: do not be persuaded by volume, certainty, or moral heat; look for grounds. In a broader moral sense, the quote champions intellectual humility and rational discourse over dogmatism.