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|
Essays (1625) |
Sir Francis Bacon |
| 1 |
WE take Cunning for a Sinister or Crooked Wisedome.
And certainly, there is great
difference, between a Cunning Man, and a Wise Man; Not onely in
Point of Honesty, but in point of Ability.
There be that can packe the Cards, and
yet cannot play well ; So there are some,
that are good in Canuasses, and Factions,
that are otherwise Weake Men. Againe,
it is one thing to vnderstand Persons, and
another thing to vnderstand Matters; For
many are perfect in Mens Humours, that
are not greatly Capable of the Reall Part
of Businesse; Which is the Constitution
of one, that hath studied Men, more then
Bookes. Such Men are fitter for Practise,
then for Counsell; And they are good but
in their own Alley: Turne them to New
Men, and they haue lost their Ayme; So
as the old Rule, to know a Foole from a
Wise Man; | 2 |
It is a point of Cunning; to wait vpon
him, with whom you speake, with your
eye; As the Iesuites giue it in precept: For
there be many Wise Men, that haue Secret
Hearts, and Transparant Countenances.
Yet this would be done, with a demure
Abasing of your Eye sometimes, as the
Iesuites also doe vse.
| 3 |
Another is, that when you haue any
thing to obtaine of present dispatch, you
entertaine, and amuse the party, with
whom you deale, with some other Discourse; That he be not too much awake,
to make Obiections. I knew a Counsellor
and Secretary, that neuer came to Queene
Elizabeth of England, with Bills to signe,
but he would alwaies first put her into
some discourse of Estate, that she mought
the lesse minde the Bills.
| 4 |
The like Surprize, may be made, by
Mouing things, when the Party is in
haste, and cannot stay, to consider aduisedly, of that is moued.
| 5 |
If a man would crosse a Businesse, that
he doubts some other would handsomely and effectually moue, let him pretend
to wish it well, and moue it himselfe, in
such sort, as may foile it.
| 6 |
The breaking off, in the midst of that,
one was about to say, as if he tooke
himselfe vp, breeds a greater Appetite in
him, with whom you conferre, to know
more.
| 7 |
And because it workes better, when any thing seemeth to be gotten from you
by Question, then if you offer it of your
selfe, you may lay a Bait for a Question,
by shewing another Vsage and Countenance, then you are wont; To the end, to
giue Occasion, for the party to aske, what
the Matter is of the Change? As Nehemias did; And I had not before that time been
sad before the King.
| 8 |
In Things, that are tender and vnpleasing, it is good to breake the Ice, by some
whose Words are of lesse weight, and to
reserue the more weighty Voice, to come
in, as by chance so that he may be asked
the Question vpon the others Speech. As
Narcissus did, in relating to Claudius, the
Marriage of Messalina and Silius.
| 9 |
In things, that a Man would not be
seen in, himselfe; It is a Point of Cunning,
to borrow the Name of the World; As to
say; The World sayes, Or, There is a speech
abroad.
| 10 |
I knew one, that when he wrote a Letter, he would put that which was most
Materiall, in the Post-script, as if it had been
a By-matter.
| 11 |
I knew another, that when he came to
haue Speech, he would passe ouer that,
that he intended most, and goe forth, and
come backe againe, and speake of it, as of
a Thing, that he had almost forgot.
| 12 |
Some procure themselues, to be surprized, at such times, as it is like, the party
that they work vpon, will suddenly come
vpon them: And to be found with a Letter in their hand, or doing somewhat
which they are not accustomed; To the
end, they may be apposed of those things,
which of themselues they are desirous to
vtter.
| 13 |
It is a Point of Cunning, to let fall those
Words, in a Mans owne Name, which he
would haue another Man learne, and vse,
and thereupon take Aduantage. I knew
two, that were Competitors, for the Secretaries Place, in Queene Elizabeths time,
and yet kept good Quarter betweene
themselues; And would conferre, one
with another, vpon the Businesse; And
the one of them said, That to be a Secretary, in the Declination of a Monarchy,
was a Ticklish Thing, and that he did not
affect it: The other, straight caught
vp those Words, and discoursed with diuers of his Friends, that he had no reason to desire to be Secretary, in the Declination of a Monarchy. The first Man tooke
hold of it, and found Meanes, it was told
the Queene; Who hearing of a Declination
of a Monarchy, tooke it so ill, as she would
neuer after heare of the others Suit.
| 14 |
There is a Cunning, which we in England call, The Turning of the Cat in the Pan;
which is, when that which a Man sayes to
another, he laies it, as if Another had said
it to him. And to say Truth, it is not easie,
when such a Matter passed between two,
to make it appeare, from which of them,
it first moued and began.
| 15 |
It is a way, that some men haue, to
glaunce and dart at Others, by Iustifying
themselues, by Negatiues; As to say, This
I doe not: As Tigillinus did towards Burrhus; | 16 |
Some haue in readinesse, so many Tales
and Stories, as there is Nothing, they
would insinuate, but they can wrap it in
to a Tale; which serueth both to keepe
themselues more in Guard, and to make
others carry it, with more Pleasure.
| 17 |
It is a good Point of Cunning, for a
Man, to shape the Answer he would
haue, in his owne Words, and Propositi-
Propositions; For it makes the other Party sticke
the lesse.
| 18 |
It is strange, how long some Men will
lie in wait, to speake somewhat, they desire to say; And how farre about they will
fetch; And how many other Matters they
will beat ouer, to come neare it. It is a
Thing of great Patience, but yet of much
Vse.
| 19 |
A sudden, bold, and vnexpected Question, doth many times surprise a Man,
and lay him open. Like to him, that hauing changed his Name, and walking
in Pauls, Another suddenly came behind
him, and called him by his true Name,
whereat straightwaies he looked backe.
| 20 |
But these Small Wares, and Petty Points
of Cunning, are infinite: And it were a
good deed, to make a List of them: For
that nothing doth more hurt in a State,
then that Cunning Men passe for Wise.
| 21 |
But certainly, some there are, that know
the Resorts and Falls of Businesse, that
cannot sinke into the Maine of it: Like a
House, that hath conuenient Staires, and
Entries, but neuer a faire Roome. Therfore, you shall see them finde out pretty
Looses in the Conclusion, but are no
waies able to Examine, or debate Matters. And yet commonly they take aduantage of their Inability, and would be
thought Wits of direction. Some build
rather vpon the Abusing of others, and (as
we now say;) Putting Tricks vpon them;
Then vpon Soundnesse of their own proceedings. But Salomon saith; | |
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