MANY ill matters and projects are undertaken; and private suits do putrefy the public good. Many good matters, are undertaken with bad minds; I mean not only corrupt minds, but crafty minds, that intend not performance. Some embrace suits, which never mean to deal effectually in them; but if they see there may be life in the matter, by some other mean, they will be content to win a thank, or take a second reward, or at least to make use, in the meantime, of the suitor's hopes. Some take hold of suits, only for an occasion to cross some other; or to make an information, whereof they could not otherwise have apt pretext; without care what become of the suit, when that turn is served; or, generally, to make other men's business a kind of entertainment, to bring in their own. Nay, some undertake suits, with a full purpose to let them fall; to the end to gratify the adverse party, or competitor. Surely there is in some sort a right in every suit; either a right of equity, if it be a suit of controversy; or a right of desert, if it be a suit of petition. If affection lead a man to favor the wrong side in justice, let him rather use his countenance to compound the matter, than to carry it. If affection lead a man to favor the less worthy in desert, let him do it, without depraving or disabling the better deserver. In suits which a man doth not well understand, it is good to refer them to some friend of trust and judgment, that may report, whether he may deal in them with honor: but let him choose well his referendaries, for else he may be led by the nose. Suitors are so distasted with delays and abuses, that plain dealing, in denying to deal in suits at first, and reporting the success barely, and in challenging no more thanks than one hath deserved, is grown not only honorable, but also gracious. In suits of favor, the first coming ought to take little place: so far forth, consideration may be had of his trust, that if intelligence of the matter could not otherwise have been had, but by him, advantage be not taken of the note, but the party left to his other means; and in some sort recompensed, for his discovery. To be ignorant of the value of a suit, is simplicity; as well as to be ignorant of the right thereof, is want of conscience. Secrecy in suits, is a great mean of obtaining; for voicing them to be in forwardness, may discourage some kind of suitors, but doth quicken and awake others. But timing of the suit is the principal. Timing, I say, not only in respect of the person that should grant it, but in respect of those, which are like to cross it. Let a man, in the choice of his mean, rather choose the fittest mean, than the greatest mean; and rather them that deal in certain things, than those that are general. The reparation of a denial, is sometimes equal to the first grant; if a man show himself neither dejected nor discontented. Iniquum petas ut aequum feras is a good rule, where a man hath strength of favor: but otherwise, a man were better rise in his suit; for he, that would have ventured at first to have lost the suitor, will not in the conclusion lose both the suitor, and his own former favor. Nothing is thought so easy a request to a great person, as his letter; and yet, if it be not in a good cause, it is so much out of his reputation. There are no worse instruments, than these general contrivers of suits; for they are but a kind of poison, and infection, to public proceedings.
Many harmful schemes and projects are undertaken, and private requests corrupt the public good. Many good causes are taken up with bad intentions. I mean not only corrupt intentions, but cunning ones, with no intention of following through. Some take up requests without ever intending to work effectively on them. But if they see another route to success, they are content to claim thanks or take a second reward. Or at least they exploit the applicant’s hopes in the meantime. Some take up requests only to obstruct someone else. Others use them as a pretext to pass on information they could not otherwise find a suitable excuse to reveal. Once that purpose is served, they do not care what happens to the request. More generally, they use other people’s business as a diversion to advance their own. Some even take up requests fully intending to let them fail, to please the opposing party or a competitor. Surely every request carries some kind of rightful claim. In a dispute, it is a claim to fairness. In a petition, it is a claim based on merit. If personal attachment leads someone to support the wrong side in a legal dispute, let him use his influence differently. Let him help settle the matter rather than secure a victory. If attachment leads him to favor someone less deserving, let him do so without slandering or undermining the better candidate. When someone does not fully understand a request, he should refer it to a trusted friend with sound judgment. That friend can advise whether he can honorably take it up. But he must choose his advisers carefully, or they may lead him by the nose. Applicants are so disgusted by delays and abuses that honest dealing has become not only honorable but welcome. This means refusing plainly at the outset, reporting results without embellishment, and claiming no more thanks than one deserves. When requests concern favors, being first to apply should count for little. Still, the applicant’s trust deserves this consideration. If the opportunity could only have become known through him, do not exploit the information at his expense. Leave him free to pursue it through other channels, and give him some compensation for revealing it. Not knowing a request’s value is foolish, just as not knowing whether it is just shows a lack of conscience. Keeping a request secret greatly helps its success. Announcing that it is making progress may discourage some applicants, but it stirs others into action. Timing, however, matters most. Consider not only the person who can grant the request, but also those likely to oppose it. When choosing an intermediary, choose the most suitable person rather than the most powerful. Prefer those who handle particular kinds of business to those who handle everything. Compensation for a refusal can sometimes be worth as much as granting the original request. This may happen if the applicant shows neither discouragement nor resentment. “Ask for more than is fair to get what is fair” is a good rule for someone with strong backing. Otherwise, it is better to increase the request gradually. Someone might initially have been willing to lose the applicant’s goodwill. But after granting earlier favors, he will not want to lose both that goodwill and the value of those favors. No request seems easier to make of a powerful person than asking for a letter of support. Yet if the cause is not good, the letter costs him something of his reputation. There are no worse agents than these all-purpose brokers of requests. They are a kind of poison and infection in public affairs.