54 BACON'S ESSAYS 



hundred eyes, and the ends to Briareus with his hundred 

 hands ; first to watch, and then to speed. For the helmet 

 of Pluto, which maketh the politic man go invisible, is 

 secrecy in the counsel and celerity in the execution. For 

 when things are once come to the execution, there is no 

 secrecy comparable to celerity ; like the motion of a bullet 

 in the air, which flieth so swift as it outruns the eye. 



XXII 



. 



OF CUNNING 



WE take Cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom. And 

 certainly there is a great difference between a cunning man 

 and a wise man ; not only in point of honesty, but in point 

 of ability. There be that can pack the cards, and yet 

 cannot play well ; so there are some that are good in 

 canvasses and factions, that are otherwise weak men. 

 Again, it is one thing to understand persons, and another 

 thing to understand matters ; for many are perfect in 

 men's humours, that are not greatly capable of the real 

 part of business ; which is the constitution of one that 

 hath studied men more than books. Such men are fitter 

 for practice than for counsel ; and they are good but in 

 their own alley: turn them to new men, and they have lost 

 their aim ; so as the old rule to know a fool from a wise 

 man, Mitte ambos nudos ad ignotos, et vi debts, doth scarce 

 hold for them. And because these cunning men are like 

 haberdashers of small wares, it is not amiss to set forth 

 their shop. 



It is a point of cunning, to wait upon him with whom 

 you speak, with your eye; as the Jesuits give it in precept: 

 for there be many wise men that have secret hearts and 

 transparent countenances. Yet this would be done with 

 a demure abasing of your eye sometimes, as the Jesuits 

 also do use. 



Another is, that when you have any thing to obtain of 

 present despatch, you entertain and amuse the party with 



