Page:Bacons Essays 1908 West.djvu/39

Rh a Man's Selfe. The first, Closenesse, Reservation, and Secrecy; when a Man leaveth himselfc without Observation, or without Hold to be taken, what he is. The second, Dissimulation, in the Negative; when a man lets fall Signes and Arguments that he is not that he is. And the third, Simulation, in the Affirmative; when a Man industriously and expressely faigns and pretends to be that he is not.

For the first of these, Secrecy; It is indeed, the Vertue of a Confessour; And assuredly, the Secret Man eareth many Confessions; For who will open himselfe to a Blab or a Babler? But if a Man be thought Secret, it inviteth Discoverie ; As the more Close Aire sucketh in the more Open; And, as in Confession the Revealing is not for worldly use, but for the Ease of a Man's Heart, so Secret Men come to the Knowledge of Many Things in that kinde ; while Men rather discharge their Mindes then impart their Mindes. In few words, Mysteries are due to Secrecy. Besides (to say Truth) Nakednesse is uncomely, as well in Minde as Body; and it addeth no small Reverence to Men's Manners and Actions, if they be not altogether Open. As for Talkers and Futile Persons, they are commonly Vaine and Credulous withall. For He that talketh what he knoweth, will also talke what he knoweth not. Therfore set it downe, That an Habit of Secrecy is both Politick and Morall. And in this Part, it is good that a Man's Face give his Tongue leave to Speake. For the Discovery of a Man's Selfe, by the Tracts of his Countenance, is a great Weaknesse and Betraying, By how much it is many times more marked and beleeved then a Man's words.

For the Second, which is Dissimulation. It followeth many times upon Secrecy by a necessity; So that he that will be Secret must be a Dissembler in some degree. For