He that fancies fuch a fufficiency in himself, that he can live without all the World, is mightily mistaken; but he that imagines himself fo neceffary, that other People cannot live without him, is fo a great deal more.

Affected Simplicity and Plainnefs is but a nicer and more labour'd Cheat.

Men would never live fo long together in Society and good Correfpondence, if they did not mutually make Fools of one another.

The common way of fome to do their Bufinefs, and rife in the World, is to ufe all poffible means of perfwading People that their Bufinefs is done already.

We are fo used to diffemble with others, that in time we come to deceive and diffemble with our felves.

It is fometimes of great Ufe for a Man to pretend he is deceiv'd; for when we let a fubtile Fellow fee that we are fenfible of his Tricks, it gives him occafion to be more refin'd.

It is a hard task upon Knaves to be perpetually employ'd in concealing their own want of Sincerity, and making amends for the Breaches of their Promise.

Honefly and Plain-dealing puts Knaves out of their Byafs; it breaks all their Measures by which they hop'd to compass their Ends: for Knaves commonly think that nothing can be done but by Tricks and Artifice.

* All Frauds are covered and gilded over with fpecious Pretences and Men are every jot as easily impos'd upon, as Birds, Beafts, or Fifhes; while the eagerness of our Appetites fufpends the Exercife of our Reason. A Treat, a Woman or a Bottle

is the fame thing to us, that a Worm, a Gudgeon, a grain of Corn, or a piece of Flesh is to thofe Animals: We fnap at the Bait without ever dreaming of the Hook, the Trap, or the Snare, that goes along with it.

Men never can bear to be over-reach'd by their Enemies, or betray'd by their Friends, and yet they are often contented to be both cheated and betray'd by their own felves.

He is an unhappy Man that lives in the World without being deceiv'd.

The Pleasure of Deceit goes fometimes fo far, that the greatest of your Enemies makes himfelf agreeable when he impofes upon you; and the best of your Friends feldom undeceives you, but you are offended at it.

* It is in fome fort natural to be a Knave. We were made fo, in the very compofition of our Flesh and Blood: Only Fraud is call'd Wit in one cafe, Good Husbandry in another, &c. while 'tis the whole Bufinefs of the World for one Man to Cozen another. But there's this to be faid for't yet, that we play the Fool by confent. We Cozen in our Words, and in our Actions; only we are agree'd upon't, that fuch and fuch Forms of Civility, like fome Adulterations, fhall pafs current for fo much. A fashionable Imposture or Hypocrific, fhall be called Good Manners; and fo we make shift,in fome fort, to legitimate the Abuse.

There is nothing more agreeable in Converfation, than a frank, open way of Dealing, and a fimplicity of Manners, but yet, where there is an habitual Hardness of ill-Nature, it must be a Diamond that cuts a Diamond; for one Fraud is beft undermin'd and difappointed by another.

H

* When

* When a Crafty Knave is Infatuated, any filly Wretch may put Tricks upon him.

*The main Bufinefs of the World is nothing but Sharping, and putting Tricks upon one another by Turns.

TH

Clemency, Good-Nature.

"He Clemency of Princes is very often little less but a State Trick, to gain upon the Affection of their Subjects.

That Clemency which is fo mightily cry'd up in the World for a Vertue, is often practis'd out of Pride; fometimes out of Sloth and Neglect, fometimes out of Fear, and generally out of a mixture of all thefe Motives together.

* No Vertue is fo often in fault as Clemency. * Good Nature is a great Misfortune when it is not manag'd with Prudence.

* A bare eafinefs of Pardoning, has often the force of a Temptation to offend again.

'Tis a great Error to take Facility for Good Nature: Tenderness without Discretion, is no better than a more pardonable Folly.

Affurance, Bafbfulness.

Tis good not to conceive fuch a high Notion of People, as to become Bashful in their Prefence. Some appear to be Men of Importance, till others Trear with them; but Communication foon undeceives the Credulous. Dignity gives

an

an apparent Authority, but it is rare when the Perfonal Qualities answer it; For Fortune is wont to clog the fuperiority of the Employment, by the inferiority of Merits. Imagination is always upon the Wing, and reprefents things greater than they are; but Reafon having been undeceived by fo many Experiences, ought to undeceive it. In a Word, it neither becomes Ignorance to be bold, nor Capacity to be bathful. And if Confidence be ufeful to them, who have but a fmall ftock, upon ftronger Reason it ought to be useful to thofe who have a great deal.

Confidence, Secrecy.

THe Confidence we have in our felves, creates great part of that Truft which we have in

others.

The greateft part of our Confidence proceeds from a defire either to be pitied or admired.

We often dare not difclofe our Hearts to our Friends, not fo much out of any diftruft we have of 'em, as that we have of our felves.

There is feldom any thing but a Noble Birth, or good Education, that can make a Man capable of being Secret.

All manner of Confidence, which is not abfolute and intire, is dangerous: There are few occafions, but where a Man ought either fay all, or conceal all; and how little foever you have reveal'd your Secret to a Friend, you have already faid too much,

if you think it not fafe to make him privy to all the Particulars.

'Tis ill trusting a Reconcil'd Enemy; but 'tis worfe yet, to proceed at one step from Clemency and Tenderness, to Confidence, especially where there are fo many Memorials in fight, for Hatred and Revenge to work upon.

* A Supine, Credulous Facility, exposes a Man to be both a Prey and a Laughing-ftock at once; and the Impofture can hardly miscarry, where there is a full Confidence on the one fide, and a plaufible Addrefs and Difpofition on the other.

'Tis a great point of skill not to be too free nor open, for it is the Admiration of Novelty that makes Events to be valued; there's neither Pleafure nor Profit in playing ones Game too openly, and therefore we ought to hold Minds in Sufpence, efpecially in matters of Importance, which are the Object of univerfal Expectation. That makes every thing to be thought a Mystery, and the Secret of that raifes Veneration. He that declares himself, is obnoxious to Cenfure, and if he fucceeds not, he is doubly Miferable.

Confidence, which ought to make the ties of Friendship ftronger, does generally produce a contrary Effect; fo that it is a Wife Man's Part to be as referved in this particular as is confiftent with the Laws of Decency and united Affections. But above all, let us have a care not to disclose our Hearts to thofe who fhut up theirs from us.