SECT. 6.
BE not futile and over-talka∣tive, that is the Fools Pa∣radice, but a Wise-mans Purgatory: It will express a great weakness in you, and doth imply
Humane prudence, or, The art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to grandeur by A.B.
About this Item
- Title
- Humane prudence, or, The art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to grandeur by A.B.
- Author
- De Britaine, William.
- Publication
- London :: Printed for John Lawrence ...,
- MDCLXXXII [1682]
- Rights/Permissions
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To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
- Subject terms
- Conduct of life.
- Link to this Item
-
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A29590.0001.001
- Cite this Item
-
"Humane prudence, or, The art by which a man may raise himself and fortune to grandeur by A.B." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A29590.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.
Pages
Page 16
a believing that others are affect∣ed with the same vanity.
Speak well or say nothing; so if others be not better by your si∣lence, they will not be worse by your Discourse.
By your Silence you have this advantage, you observe other Mens Follies and conceal your own; and he discovereth his Abilities most, that least discovereth him∣self; not that I would have you over-reserved, that's a symptome of a sullen Nature, and unwelcome to all Society.
But let your Discourse be solid, not like a Ship that hath more Sail than Ballast.
There is no Man that talketh, if you be wise, but you may gain from him, and none that is silent, if you have not a care, but you may lose by him: If you must speak, it will be prudence in you always to speak last; and so you will be
Page 17
Master of others strength, before you discover your own.
Reservedness will be your best security, and slowness of belief the best sinew of Wisdom: Never impart that to a Friend, which may impower him to be your Enemy. Your Servants (which usually prove the worst of Enemies) you may ad∣mit into your Bed-Chamber, but never into your Closet.
A Secret, like a Crown, is no Estate to be made over in trust; and to whomsoever you do com∣mit it, you do but inable him to undo you; and you must purchase his secresie at his own price.
Consider how precarious and un∣happy your Life and Fortune will be, which depends upon so slender a Thread as anothers pleasure; therefore let me advise you always to carry two eyes about you, the one of wariness upon your self, the other of observation upon other Men.
Page 18
Parca lingua, aperta frons, and clausum pectus, are the best ingre∣dients of Wisdom; and that made the Italian say, Gli pensiere streti, & el viso sciolto; Keep your Thoughts close, and your Counte∣nance loose.
Never trust twice, where you have been deceived once; for he that makes himself an Ass, it's fitting O∣thers should ride him.