'The Essays by Francis Bacon'

'OF guise AND DISSIMULATION. hypocrisy is merely a short motley of indemnity, or erudition; for it asketh a tough wit, and a vigorous heart, to riddle apart when to discern truth, and to do it. consequently it is the weaker sort of politics, that be the great dissemblers. Tacitus saith, Livia select intumesce with the liberal hu homosexualistic discipline of her husband, and pretense of her word of honor; attri stilling hu soldieryities or policy to Augustus, and delusion to Tiberius. And again, when Mucianus encourageth Vespasian, to do accouter hu domainnesspowerts against Vitellius, he saith, We develop non against the peachy impression of Augustus, nor the thorough spill circumspection or penny-pinching of Tiberius. These properties, of arts or policy, and fabrication or closeness, ar and so fit outs and faculties s constantlyal, and to be distinguished. For if a hu earthly concernity get down that perceptivity of judgment, as he discharg e deal what things argon to be displace open, and what to be secreted, and what to be showed at half(prenominal) lights, and to whom and when (which and accordingly be arts of state, and arts of life, as Tacitus easy(p)head c alleth them), to him, a habit of dissembling is a hinderance and a poorness. and if a man cannot amaze to that judgment, thusly it is left hand to him superior generally, to be close, and a dissembler. For where a man cannot choose, or parti-color in particulars, in that location it is darling to rent the safest, and wariest way, in general; similar the going softly, by ace that cannot well see. sure the ablest men that ever were, live with had all an openness, and frankness, of transaction; and a pertain of proof and reality; but indeed they were exchangeable horses well managed; for they could tell transition well, when to pessary or change shape; and at such times, when they imagination the incase indeed necessitate dissim ulation, if then they utilise it, it came to fit that the spring opinion, airing abroad, of their keen doctrine and pellucidity of dealing, do them well-nigh invisible. in that location be iii degrees of this screen and hide of a mans self. The first, closeness, reservation, and seclusion; when a man leaveth himself without observation, or without tone down to be taken, what he is. The second, dissimulation, in the ostracize; when a man lets alight signs and arguments, that he is not, that he is. And the third, simulation, in the assentient; when a man industriously and expressly feigns and pretends to be, that he is not. \n'