;

worldly Ufe, but for the Ease of a Man's Heart fo Secret Men come to the Knowledge of many Things in that Kind; while Men rather discharge their Minds than impart their Minds. In few words, Mysteries are due to Secrecy. Befides (to fay Truth) Nakedness is uncomely, as well in Mind as Body; and it addeth no small Reverence to Men's Manners and Actions, if they be not altogether Open. As for Talkers and Futile Perfons, they are commonly vain and credulous withal. For he that talketh what he knoweth, will also talk what he knoweth not. Therefore fet it down, That an Habit of Secrecy is both Politic and Moral. And in this Part it is good that a Man's Face give his Tongue leave to Speak. For the Discovery of a Man's Self, by the Tracts of his Countenance, is a great Weakness and Betraying; by how much it is many times more marked and believed, than a Man's words.5

For the second, which is Dissimulation; it followeth many times upon Secrecy by a neceffity: fo that he that will be Secret must be a Diffembler in fome degree. For Men are too cunning to fuffer a Man to keep an indifferent carriage between both, and to be Secret, without Swaying the Balance on either fide. They will fo befet a Man with Questions, and draw him on, and pick it out of him, that, without an abfurd Silence, he must show an Inclination one way; or if he do not,

5 The reader will be reminded of Sir Henry Wooton's Letter to Milton, prefixed to Comus in the ed. of 1645.

"I & penfieri ftretti il vifo fciolto will go fafely over the whole

world."

they will gather as much by his Silence as by his Speech. As for Equivocations, or Oraculous Speeches, they cannot hold out long. So that no man can be secret, except he give himself a little Scope of Diffimulation, which is, as it were, but the Skirts or Train of Secrecy.

matters.

But for the third Degree, which is Simulation and falfe Profeffion; that I hold more culpable, and lefs politic; except it be in great and rare And therefore a general Custom of Simulation (which is this last Degree) is a Vice rifing either of a natural Falseness, or Fearfulness; or of a mind, that hath fome main Faults: which, because a Man must needs disguise, it maketh him practife Simulation in other things, left his Hand fhould be out of ure.

The Advantages of Simulation and Diffimulation are three. Firft, to lay afleep Oppofition, and to Surprise. For where a Man's Intentions are published, it is an Alarum to call up all that are against them. The second is, to reserve to a Man's Self a fair Retreat for if a man engage himself, by a manifeft Declaration, he muft go through, or take a Fall. The third is, the better to discover the Mind of another. For to him that opens himself, Men will hardly fhow themselves adverfe; but will (fair) let him go on, and turn their Freedom of Speech to Freedom of Thought. And therefore, it is a good shrewd Proverb of the Spaniard; Tell a Lie and find a Troth. As if there were

6 The Spanish proverb is "Decir mentira para facar verdad." It is applied to those who fimulate to know things of which they are

no way of Discovery but by Simulation. There be alfo three Difadvantages to fet it even. The firft, That Simulation and Diffimulation commonly carry with them a Show of Fearfulness, which, in any Bufinefs doth fpoil the Feathers of round flying up to the Mark. The fecond, that it puzzleth and perplexeth the Conceits of many, that perhaps would otherwife co-operate with him; and makes a Man walk almost alone to his own Ends. The third and greatest is, that it depriveth a Man of one of the most principal Inftruments for Action, which is Truft and Belief. The best Compofition and Temperature is to have Openness in Fame and Opinion; Secrecy in Habit; Diffimulation in seasonable ufe; and a Power to feign, if there be no Remedy.

VII. Of Parents and Children.'

HE Joys of Parents are fecret, and fo are their Griefs and Fears; they cannot utter the one, nor they will not utter the other. Children fweeten La

bours; but they make Misfortunes more bitter : ignorant. So the Greek proverb. Пepi λa kai kvapov. Juxta falem et fabam. In eos dicebatur qui fe fimularent fcire quod nefcirent. Siquidem divini refponfuri, fabam et falem apponebant τοὺς περὶ ἅλα καὶ κύαμον appellabant. Erafmus,—who fays that Plutarch has it, ερi aλa кai kúpivov. So the Italians fay, "E giuoca a'ndovinare' in the fame fenfe.-Comp. Adv. of L. xxiii. 13, where the Spanish is, "Di Mentira y facaras verdad."

I See Antitheta, No. 5.

They increase the Cares of Life; but they mitigate the Remembrance of Death. The perpetuity by Generation is common to Beasts; but Memory, Merit, and noble Works, are proper to Men: and furely a Man fhall fee the nobleft Works, and Foundations, have proceeded from Childless Men, which have fought to exprefs the Images of their Minds, where thofe of their Bodies have failed: fo the care of Pofterity, is most in them, that have no Pofterity. They that are the first Raifers of their Houses, are moft indulgent towards their Children; beholding them as the Continuance, not only of their kind, but of their Work; and fo both Children, and Creatures.2

The difference in Affection of Parents towards their feveral Children, is many times unequal, and fometimes unworthy; especially in the Mother; as Solomon faith; A wife Son rejoiceth the Father; but an ungracious Son fhames the Mother.3 A Man fhall fee, where there is a Houfe full of Children, one or two of the Eldeft refpected, and the Youngest made wantons; but in the midft fome that are, as it were, forgotten, who many times nevertheless prove the best. The Illiberality of Parents, in allowance towards their Children, is an harmful Error; makes them bafe; acquaints them with Shifts; makes them fort with mean Company; and makes them furfeit more when they come to Plenty and therefore the Proof is

2 It may not be fuperfluous to note that creatures here fignifies things created, in the fenfe of the French créatures.

3 Prov. x. I.

best when Men keep their Authority towards their Children, but not their Purse. Men have a foolish manner (both Parents, and Schoolmafters, and Servants) in creating and breeding an Emulation between Brothers during Childhood, which many times forteth to Difcord when they are Men, and disturbeth Families. The Italians make little difference between Children and Nephews, or near Kinsfolk; but so they be of the Lump they care not, though they pass not through their own Body. And, to say Truth, in Nature it is much a like matter; infomuch that we see a Nephew, fometimes, resembleth an Uncle, or a Kinsman, more than his own Parent; as the Blood happens. Let Parents choose betimes the Vocations and Courses they mean their Children should take; for then they are most flexible: and let them not too much apply themselves to the difpofition of their Children, as thinking they will take best to that which they have most Mind to. It is true, that if the Affection, or Aptnefs of the Children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross it; but generally the Precept is good; Optimum elige, fuave et facile illud faciet Confuetudo. Younger Brothers are commonly fortunate; but seldom or never where the Elder are difinherited.

4 This Gnome occurs a little varied in Gruter's Florilegium Ethico-Politicum, T. i. p. 140.

Optimam vitam eligas; dulcefcit confuetudine.