INTRIGUE XXII. How to prevent and escape hidden Snares.

IF you be informed that private Mischiefs, and secret Snares, are laid out for you, (which, openly, and by out ward force, you cannot repel;) you must, by all means, carry your self, as if you knew nothing of them; for, in so doing, you will have the better opportu∣nity, and may, with the greater ease, prevent and frustrate them. But if your Adversaries suspect, or find out an Informér, they will ha∣sten their Enterprizes, and run all hazards, to the utmost. Thus Hanno, a Carthaginian King, had designed, at his Daughter's Marriage, to poison or kill all the Senate, that without Op∣position, he might reign absolutely. Whereof the Senate being, privately informed, they con∣cealed their Knowledge of so pernitious a De∣sign. But, before the Marriage came, they made a Law, prohibiting all sumptuous Feasts, and that many should not be invited to a Ban∣quet, as if they had only struck at Vice and Riot; whilst, in the mean time, they saved the Commonwealth by their Law.