DISSIMULATION is but a faint kind of policy, or wisdom; for it asketh a strong wit, and a strong heart, to know when to tell truth, and to do it. Therefore it is the weaker sort of politics, that are the great dissemblers.
HIDING THE TRUTH is only a weak form of strategy or wisdom. It takes a sharp mind and a brave heart to know when to tell the truth, and to do so. So it is the weaker political minds that are most given to hiding the truth.
Tacitus saith, Livia sorted well with the arts of her husband, and dissimulation of her son; attributing arts or policy to Augustus, and dissimulation to Tiberius. And again, when Mucianus encourageth Vespasian, to take arms against Vitellius, he saith, We rise not against the piercing judgment of Augustus, nor the extreme caution or closeness of Tiberius. These properties, of arts or policy, and dissimulation or closeness, are indeed habits and faculties several, and to be distinguished. For if a man have that penetration of judgment, as he can discern what things are to be laid open, and what to be secreted, and what to be showed at half lights, and to whom and when (which indeed are arts of state, and arts of life, as Tacitus well calleth them), to him, a habit of dissimulation is a hinderance and a poorness. But if a man cannot obtain to that judgment, then it is left to him generally, to be close, and a dissembler. For where a man cannot choose, or vary in particulars, there it is good to take the safest, and wariest way, in general; like the going softly, by one that cannot well see. Certainly the ablest men that ever were, have had all an openness, and frankness, of dealing; and a name of certainty and veracity; but then they were like horses well managed; for they could tell passing well, when to stop or turn; and at such times, when they thought the case indeed required dissimulation, if then they used it, it came to pass that the former opinion, spread abroad, of their good faith and clearness of dealing, made them almost invisible.
Tacitus says Livia was well matched to her husband’s political skill and her son’s ability to conceal his intentions. He thus credits Augustus with political skill and Tiberius with concealment. Later, Mucianus encourages Vespasian to take up arms against Vitellius. He says, We are not rising against Augustus’s penetrating judgment or Tiberius’s extreme caution and secrecy. Political skill and the ability to conceal are distinct habits and abilities. They should not be confused. A person with penetrating judgment knows what to reveal, what to hide, and what to reveal only partly. He also knows to whom and when. Tacitus rightly calls these the arts of government and of life. For such a person, a habit of concealment is a hindrance and a weakness. But someone who cannot achieve that judgment must generally remain secretive and conceal his intentions. Someone who cannot choose or adapt to particular circumstances should generally take the safest, most cautious course. This is like walking carefully when you cannot see well. Certainly, all the ablest people who ever lived have dealt openly and frankly with others. They have also had reputations for reliability and truthfulness. But they were like well-trained horses, knowing very well when to stop or turn. At times, they judged that concealment was truly necessary. If they then used it, their established reputation for honesty and openness made their concealment almost impossible to detect.
There be three degrees of this hiding and veiling of a man's self. The first, closeness, reservation, and secrecy; when a man leaveth himself without observation, or without hold to be taken, what he is. The second, dissimulation, in the negative; when a man lets fall signs and arguments, that he is not, that he is. And the third, simulation, in the affirmative; when a man industriously and expressly feigns and pretends to be, that he is not.
There are three degrees of hiding and concealing oneself. The first is being private, reserved, and secretive. A man gives others no way to see or grasp what he is. The second is dissimulation, which works by denial. A man gives signs and hints that he is not what he really is. The third is simulation, which works by assertion. A man deliberately and openly pretends to be what he is not.
For the first of these, secrecy; it is indeed the virtue of a confessor. And assuredly, the secret man heareth many confessions. For who will open himself, to a blab or a babbler? But if a man be thought secret, it inviteth discovery; as the more close air 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 kind; while men rather discharge their minds, than impart their minds. In few words, mysteries are due to secrecy. Besides (to say truth) nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind 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 vain and credulous withal. For he that talketh what he knoweth, will also talk what he knoweth not. Therefore set it down, that an habit of secrecy, is both politic and moral. And in this part, it is good that a man's face give his tongue leave to speak. For the discovery of a man' s self, by the tracts of his countenance, is a great weakness and betraying; by how much it is many times more marked, and believed, than a man's words.
First, consider secrecy. It is indeed the virtue of someone who hears confessions. And certainly, a person who keeps secrets hears many confessions. For who will open up to a gossip or a chatterbox? But someone known for keeping secrets invites others to reveal themselves. It is like denser air drawing in thinner air. In confession, people reveal things not for practical purposes, but to ease their hearts. In the same way, discreet people learn many things. People are unburdening their minds rather than sharing their thoughts. In short, secrets belong with those who can keep them. Besides, to tell the truth, nakedness is as unbecoming in the mind as in the body. People's conduct and actions command considerably more respect when they are not entirely exposed. Talkative and frivolous people are generally vain and gullible too. For whoever talks about what he knows will also talk about what he does not know. So take it as a rule that keeping secrets is both wise and morally sound. In this matter, a person's face should let his tongue do the talking. Revealing oneself through facial expressions is a great weakness and a betrayal of oneself. Such expressions are often noticed more closely and believed more readily than a person'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 men are too cunning, to suffer a man to keep an indifferent carriage between both, and to be secret, without swaying the balance on either side. They will so beset a man with questions, and draw him on, and pick it out of him, that, without an absurd silence, he must show an inclination one way; or if he do not, they will gather as much by his silence, as by his speech. As for equivocations, or oraculous speeches, they cannot hold out long. So that no man can be secret, except he give himself a little scope of dissimulation; which is, as it were, but the skirts or train of secrecy.
The second practice, concealing your true feelings, often follows necessarily from secrecy. Anyone who wants to keep secrets must conceal their feelings to some degree. People are too cunning to let someone remain neutral and secretive without leaning toward either side. They will press someone with questions, draw them out, and pry the truth from them. Unless that person stays absurdly silent, they must show a leaning one way or the other. If they do not, people will infer as much from their silence as from their words. Ambiguous answers and mysterious pronouncements cannot work for long. So no one can keep secrets without allowing themselves some concealment of their true feelings. This concealment is, so to speak, merely the trailing edge of secrecy.
But for the third degree, which is simulation, and false profession; that I hold more culpable, and less politic; except it be in great and rare matters. And therefore a general custom of simulation (which is this last degree) is a vice, using either of a natural falseness or fearfulness, or of a mind that hath some main faults, which because a man must needs disguise, it maketh him practise simulation in other things, lest his hand should be out of use.
But the third degree, pretending and making false claims, I consider more blameworthy and less wise. The exception is in matters of great importance that rarely arise. So a habit of pretending, this last degree, is a vice. It arises either from natural dishonesty or fearfulness, or from a mind with serious faults. Because a person must hide these faults, he practices deception in other things too, to keep his hand in practice.
The great advantages of simulation and dissimulation are three. First, to lay asleep opposition, and to surprise. For where a man's intentions are published, it is an alarum, to call up all that are against them. The second is, to reserve to a man's self a fair retreat. For if a man engage himself by a manifest declaration, he must go through or take a fall. The third is, the better to discover the mind of another. For to him that opens himself, men will hardly show themselves adverse; but will fair let him go on, and turn their freedom of speech, to freedom of thought. And therefore it is a good shrewd proverb of the Spaniard, Tell a lie and find a troth. As if there were no way of discovery, but by simulation. There be also three disadvantages, to set it even. The first, that simulation and dissimulation commonly carry with them a show of fearfulness, which in any business, doth spoil the feathers, of round flying up to the mark. The second, that it puzzleth and perplexeth the conceits of many, that perhaps would otherwise co-operate with him; and makes a man walk almost alone, to his own ends. The third and greatest is, that it depriveth a man of one of the most principal instruments for action; which is trust and belief. The best composition and temperature, is to have openness in fame and opinion; secrecy in habit; dissimulation in seasonable use; and a power to feign, if there be no remedy.
Pretending and concealing the truth have three great advantages. The first is to lull opposition to sleep and take it by surprise. When a man makes his intentions public, he sounds an alarm that rallies all who oppose them. The second is to leave himself a safe retreat. If a man commits himself through an open declaration, he must follow through or suffer a defeat. The third is to discover more easily what another person thinks. People will rarely show their opposition to someone who openly reveals his intentions. Instead, they will politely let him proceed, keeping their thoughts free while holding back their words. Hence the shrewd Spanish proverb, “Tell a lie and find a truth.” It is as if there were no way to discover the truth except by pretending. To balance these advantages, there are also three disadvantages. First, pretending and concealing the truth usually give an impression of fear. In any undertaking, this weakens a man's ability to move boldly and directly toward his goal. Second, they confuse and bewilder many who might otherwise work with him. This leaves a man pursuing his aims almost alone. The third and greatest disadvantage is losing one of the most important tools for action, other people's trust and confidence. The best balance is to have a reputation for openness and a habit of keeping secrets. Conceal the truth when the time is right, and retain the ability to pretend when there is no alternative.