the very Constitution of one, that hath studied Men more than Books. Such Men are fitter for Practice, than for Counfel; and they are good only in their own Walks. Turn them to new Men, and they have loft their Aim; fo as the old Rule, to know a Fool from a wife Man, (Send them both to Strangers, and you fhall fee;) doth fcarce hold in those Men: And because these CUNNING Men are like Haberdashers of Small Wares, 'twill not be amifs to examine their Shops.

It may be reckon'd a Point of CUNNING, for a Man to obferve nicely the Countenance of him with whom he speaks: A Rule which the Jefuits allo give. For there are many Men, and thofe Wife too, that have Secret Hearts, and Tranfparent Countenances. But this fhould be done with a demure Cafting down of the Eye by Turns, as the Jefuits alfo ufe to do.

ANOTHER Piece of CUNNING is, that, when you defire to obtain any Thing eafily, and to have it prefently

dispatch'd, you detain, and pre-engage the Party with whom you Treat, by bringing in Difcourfe about fome other Bulinefs; left he fhould be too much awake to Objections and Scruples. I knew a certain Counsellor and Secretary, that never came to Queen Elizabeth with Bills to Sign, but he would first draw her into Difcourse about fome weighty State-Affairs, to the End that being intent upon these, she might the less mind the Bills.

THE fame Effect has a fudden Surprize, viz. the moving a Thing, whẹn the Party treated with, is hafting to other Things, and cannot allow Time to confider the Matter accurately.

IF a Man would crofs a Bufinefs, that he doubts fome other would handfomly and effectually move, let him pretend to wish it well, and move it himself, but in fuch Manner as to destroy the Success of it.

THE Breaking off in the Middle of Difcourfe, as if a Man took himself up, breeds a greater Appetite in him with whom

whom you confer, to inquire further. And because that makes a stronger Impreffion that is got from you by Question, than what you offer of your self; you may lay a Bait for a Question, by putting on an unusual Vifage; whereby an Occasion may be given to the other to ask; What that Change of Countenance means; as Nehemiah did: And I had not before that Time been fad before the King.

IN Things that are tender and unpleafing, it is good to break the Ice by fome whofe Words are of lefs Weight, and to reserve the more weighty Voice to come in as by Chance upon the other's Speech. As Narciffus did, in relating to Claudius the Marriage of Mesfalina and Silius.

IN Things that a Man would not be seen in himself, it is not amiss to borrow the Name of the World: As if a Man fhould ufe fome fuch Form as this: The World fays; or, There is a Speech abroad.

I

I knew one, that, when he wrote a Letter, would always put that which was moft Material in the Poftfcript, as a Thing that he had almost forgot.

I knew another, that, when he camè to have Speech with any one, useð tö pass over that which he was most concern'd for, and to go away, and tỏ come back again, and then af last to mention the Thing, as if it had almost flipt out of his Mind.

OTHERS procure themfelves to be furpriz'd at fuch a Time as 'tis likely the Party they lay wait for, will fuddenly come upon them; and to be found with a Paper in their Hand, or doing fomething contrary to Custom ; to the end they may be ask'd about thofe Things, which in Reality they are defirous of themselves to utter.

Ir is a good Piece of CUNNING enough, to let fall thofe Words in a Man's own Name, which he would have another Man lay hold of, and make use of, that thereby he may enfnare and ruin the other.

I knew two that were Competitors for the Secretary's Place in Queen Elizabeth's Time; who nevertheless treated one another amicably; for they often conferr'd together about the Business of their Competition. And one of them said, That to be Secretary in the Declension of a Monarchy, was a Thing of no fmall Danger; and that he for his Part did by no means affect an Honour of that Kind. The other straight caught up, in Simplicity of Heart, thofe Words that were craftily thrown out, and difcours'd freely with fome of his Friends, that he had no Reason to be ambitious of the Secretary's Place in the Declenfion of a Monarchy. The firft made Advantage of this, and took care to have thofe Words brought to the Queen, as tho' utter'd by his Competitor: Who refenting the Expreffion, in the Declension of a Monarchy, when fhe thought her felf in Vigour, would never after hear of the other's Suit.

THERE is a CUNNING, which we in England call, The Turning Cat in

Pan;