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 humors, 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 videbis, 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.
We take cunning to mean a sinister or crooked kind of wisdom. Certainly, there is a great difference between a cunning person and a wise one, in both honesty and ability. Some people can rig the cards but cannot play well. Likewise, some are skilled at scheming and factional politics but are otherwise weak in ability. Again, understanding people is one thing, and understanding the issues is another. Many know people’s moods and temperaments perfectly but have little grasp of the substance of business. This is the character of someone who has studied people more than books. Such people are better suited to maneuvering than to giving advice. They are effective, but only within their own circle. Put them among unfamiliar people, and they lose their bearings. So the old rule for distinguishing a fool from a wise person hardly applies to them. It says, “Send both, stripped of everything, among strangers, and you will see.” And because these cunning people resemble shopkeepers selling small wares, it is worth displaying what their shop contains.
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.
One cunning tactic is to watch the person you are speaking with closely, as the Jesuits advise. Many wise men hide their thoughts, yet their faces reveal them. Still, you should sometimes lower your eyes modestly, as the Jesuits also do.
Another is, that when you have anything to obtain, of present despatch, you entertain and amuse the party, with whom you deal, with some other discourse; that he be not too much awake to make objections. I knew a counsellor and secretary, that never came to Queen Elizabeth of England, with bills to sign, but he would always first put her into some discourse of estate, that she mought the less mind the bills.
Another tactic, when you need something done immediately, is to distract the person you are dealing with by discussing something else. This keeps them from being alert enough to raise objections. I knew a counsellor and secretary who brought bills to Queen Elizabeth of England for her signature. He always began by drawing her into a discussion of state affairs, so she would pay less attention to the bills.
The like surprise may be made by moving things, when the party is in haste, and cannot stay to consider advisedly of that is moved.
You can similarly catch someone off guard by raising a matter when they are in a hurry. They cannot stop to consider it carefully.
If a man would cross a business, that he doubts some other would handsomely and effectually move, let him pretend to wish it well, and move it himself in such sort as may foil it.
If a man wants to block a proposal he fears someone else might present skillfully and effectively, he should pretend to support it. He should then present it himself in a way that ensures its failure.
The breaking off, in the midst of that one was about to say, as if he took himself up, breeds a greater appetite in him with whom you confer, to know more.
Breaking off in the middle of what you were about to say, as if stopping yourself, makes your listener more eager to know more.
And because it works better, when anything seemeth to be gotten from you by question, than if you offer it of yourself, you may lay a bait for a question, by showing another visage, and countenance, than you are wont; to the end to give occasion, for the party to ask, what the matter is of the change? As Nehemias did; And I had not before that time, been sad before the king.
Something has more effect when it seems drawn from you by a question than when you offer it freely. So you can bait someone into asking a question by wearing a different expression than usual. This gives them a reason to ask what has caused the change. Nehemiah did this when he said, “Before that time, I had never been sad in the king’s presence.”
In things that are tender and unpleasing, it is good to break the ice, by some whose words are of less weight, and to reserve the more weighty voice, to come in as by chance, so that he may be asked the question upon the other's speech: as Narcissus did, relating to Claudius the marriage of Messalina and Silius.
For sensitive and unpleasant matters, it is good to let someone whose words carry less weight break the ice. Save the more authoritative speaker to join in as if by chance. He can then be asked about what the first speaker said. Narcissus used this approach when telling Claudius about the marriage of Messalina and Silius.
In things that a man would not be seen in himself, it is a point of cunning, to borrow the name of the world; as to say, The world says, or There is a speech abroad.
When a man wants to hide his own involvement, a cunning trick is to speak in the world’s name. He might say, “People are saying,” or “There’s a rumor going around.”
I knew one that, when he wrote a letter, he would put that, which was most material, in the postscript, as if it had been a by-matter.
I knew someone who always put the most important part of a letter in the postscript. He made it seem like a minor detail.
I knew another that, when he came to have speech, he would pass over that, that he intended most; and go forth, and come back again, and speak of it as of a thing, that he had almost forgot.
I knew another man who, when speaking, would skip over the very thing he most wanted to discuss. He would leave, then return and mention it as though he had almost forgotten it.
Some procure themselves, to be surprised, at such times as it is like the party that they work upon, will suddenly come upon them; and to be found with a letter in their hand, or doing somewhat which they are not accustomed; to the end, they may be apposed of those things, which of themselves they are desirous to utter.
Some arrange to be caught off guard when the person they want to influence is likely to appear unexpectedly. They make sure they are found holding a letter or doing something unusual for them. They do this to invite questions about things they already want to reveal.
It is a point of cunning, to let fall those words in a man's own name, which he would have another man learn, and use, and thereupon take advantage. I knew two, that were competitors for the secretary's place in Queen Elizabeth's time, and yet kept good quarter between themselves; and would confer, one with another, upon the business; and the one of them said, That to be a secretary, in the declination of a monarchy, was a ticklish thing, and that he did not affect it: the other straight caught up those words, and discoursed with divers of his friends, that he had no reason to desire to be secretary, in the declination of a monarchy. The first man took hold of it, and found means it was told the Queen; who, hearing of a declination of a monarchy, took it so ill, as she would never after hear of the other's suit.
One cunning trick is to say something as your own opinion, hoping another man will repeat it. You can then use his words against him. I knew two men competing for the secretary’s post in Queen Elizabeth’s time. Yet they remained on friendly terms and discussed the business together. One said that serving as secretary when a monarchy was declining was a delicate matter. He added that he did not want the post. The other immediately picked up these words and told several friends the same thing. He said he had no reason to want to be secretary when the monarchy was declining. The first man seized on this and arranged for the Queen to hear of it. She was so offended by the suggestion that the monarchy was declining that she never again considered the other’s application.
There is a cunning, which we in England call, the turning of the cat in the pan; which is, when that which a man says to another, he lays it as if another had said it to him. And to say truth, it is not easy, when such a matter passed between two, to make it appear from which of them it first moved and began.
There is a trick we in England call “turning the cat in the pan.” Someone says something to another person, then claims the other person said it to him. In truth, when something passes between two people, it is not easy to establish who first brought it up.
It is a way that some men have, to glance and dart at others, by justifying themselves by negatives; as to say, This I do not; as Tigellinus did towards Burrhus, Se non diversas spes, sed incolumitatem imperatoris simpliciter spectare.
Some men take indirect shots at others by defending themselves through denials, saying, "I do not do this." Tigellinus did this to Burrhus, saying he had no other ambitions, but cared only for the emperor's safety.
Some have in readiness so many tales and stories, as there is nothing they would insinuate, but they can wrap it into a tale; which serveth both to keep themselves more in guard, and to make others carry it with more pleasure. It is a good point of cunning, for a man to shape the answer he would have, in his own words and propositions; for it makes the other party stick the less.
Some people have so many tales and stories ready that they can wrap any point they want to suggest in one. This helps them avoid exposing themselves and makes others more willing to accept the point. A clever tactic is to frame the answer you want in your own words and proposals. This makes the other person less likely to hesitate.
It is strange how long some men will lie in wait to speak somewhat they desire to say; and how far about they will fetch; and how many other matters they will beat over, to come near it. It is a thing of great patience, but yet of much use.
It is strange how long some men will wait for a chance to say what they want to say. They take such roundabout routes and cover so many other subjects before coming near their point. This takes great patience, but it is also very useful.
A sudden, bold, and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man, and lay him open. Like to him that, having changed his name, and walking in Paul's, another suddenly came behind him, and called him by his true name, whereat straightways he looked back.
A sudden, bold, unexpected question often catches a man off guard and exposes him. Take the man who had changed his name and was walking in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Someone suddenly came up behind him and called him by his real name. He immediately looked back.
But these small wares, and petty points, of cunning, are infinite; and it were a good deed to make a list of them; for that nothing doth more hurt in a state, than that cunning men pass for wise.
But these little tricks and petty tactics of cunning are endless. It would be a good deed to list them. For nothing does more harm to a state than cunning men being mistaken for wise ones.
But certainly some there are that know the resorts and falls of business, that cannot sink into the main of it; like a house that hath convenient stairs and entries, but never a fair room. Therefore, you shall see them find out pretty looses in the conclusion, but are no ways able to examine or debate matters. And yet commonly they take advantage of their inability, and would be thought wits of direction. Some build rather upon the abusing of others, and (as we now say) putting tricks upon them, than upon soundness of their own proceedings. But Solomon saith, Prudens advertit ad gressus suos; stultus divertit ad dolos.
Certainly, some people know the twists and turns of business but cannot grasp its substance. They are like a house with convenient stairs and entrances, but not a single fine room. You will see them find clever ways out at the end, yet they cannot examine or debate the issues. Usually, they even turn this inability to their advantage, seeking a reputation for knowing how to direct affairs. Some rely more on deceiving others and playing tricks on them than on the soundness of their own actions. But Solomon says, “The wise person watches his own steps. The fool turns to deceit.”