Lord Bacon calls crooked or left-handed wisdom, and which is never made use of but by those who have not true wisdom. And the same great man says, that dissimulation is only to hide our own cards; whereas simulation is put on in order to look into other people's. Lord Bolingbroke in his "Idea of a Patriot King," which he has lately published, and which I will send you by the first opportunity, says, very justly, that simulation is a stiletto; not only an unjust but an unlawful weapon, and the use of it very rarely to be excused, never justified. Whereas dissimulation is a shield, as secrecy is armor; and it is no more possible to preserve secrecy in business, without some degree of dissimulation, than it is to succeed in business without secrecy. [Same date.]
The Face.—Make yourself absolute master,
therefore, of your temper, and your countenance, so
far, at least, as that no visible change do appear in
either, whatever you may feel inwardly. This may
be difficult, but it is by no means impossible; and,
as a man of sense never attempts impossibilities on
one hand, on the other he is never discouraged by
difficulties. [Same date.]
The Easy Moment.—Some people are to be
reasoned, some flattered, some intimidated, and some
