dissimulation be but a faint kind of policy or wisdom for it ask a strong wit  and a strong heart to know when to tell truth and to do it therefore it be the  weak sort of politic that be the great dissembler Tacitus say  the celebrated historian sort well with the be of her husband and  dissimulation of her son attribute be or policy to Augustus and dissimulation  to Tiberius and again when Mucianus encourage Vespasian to take arm against  Vitellius he say we rise not against the pierce judgement of Augustus nor the  extreme caution or closeness of Tiberius these property of be or policy and  dissimulation or closeness be indeed habit and faculty several and to be  distinguish for if a man have that penetration of judgement as he can discern  what thing be to be lie open and what to be secret and what to be show at half  light and to who and when which indeed be be of state and be of life as  Tacitus well call they to he a habit of dissimulation be a hindrance and a  poorness but if a man can obtain to that judgement then it be leave to he  general to be close and a dissembler for where a man can choose or vary in  particular there it be good to take the safe and wary way in general like the  go soft by one that can well see certain the able man that ever be have have  all a openness and frankness of deal and a name of certainty and veracity but  then they be like horse well manage for they can tell pass well when to stop  or turn and at such time when they think the case indeed require dissimulation  if then they use it it come to pass that the former opinion spread abroad of  their good faith and clearness of deal make they almost invisible there be  three degree of this hide and veil of a man self the first closeness  reservation and secrecy when a man leave himself without observation or  without hold to be take what he be the second dissimulation in the negative  when a man let we fall sign and argument that he be not that he be and the  three simulation in the affirmative when a man industrious and express feign  and pretend to be that he be not for the first of these secrecy it be indeed  the virtue of a confessor and assure the secret man hear many confession for  who will open himself to a blab or a babbler but if a man be think secret it  invite discovery as the more close air suck in the more open and as in  confession the reveal be not for worldly use but for the ease of a man heart  so secret man come to the knowledge of many thing in that kind while man  rather discharge their mind than impart their mind in few word mystery be due  to secrecy beside to say truth nakedness be uncomely as well in mind as body  and it add no small reverence to man manner and action if they be not  altogether open as for talker and futile person they be common vain and  credulous withal for he that talk what he know will also talk what he know not  therefore set it down that a habit of secrecy be both politic and moral and in  this part it be good that a man face give his tongue leave to speak for the  discovery of a man S self by the tract of his countenance be a great weakness  and betray by how much it be many time more mark and believe than a man word  for the second which be dissimulation it follow many time upon secrecy by a  necessity so that he that will be secret must be a dissembler in some degree  for man be too cunning to suffer a man to keep a indifferent carriage between  both and to be secret without sway the balance on either side they will so  beset a man with question and draw he on and pick it out of he that without a  absurd silence he must show a inclination one way or if he do not they will  gather as much by his silence as by his speech as for equivocation or  oraculous speech they can hold out long so that no man can be secret except he  give himself a little scope of dissimulation which be as it be but the skirt  or train of secrecy but for the three degree which be simulation and false  profession that I hold more culpable and less politic except it be in great  and rare matter and therefore a general custom of simulation which be this  last degree be a vice use either of a natural falseness or fearfulness or of a  mind that have some main fault which because a man must needs disguise it make  he practice simulation in other thing lest his hand shall be out of use the  great advantage of simulation and dissimulation be three first to lie asleep  opposition and to surprise for where a man intention be publish it be a alarm  to call up all that be against they the second be to reserve to a man self a  fair retreat for if a man engage himself by a manifest declaration he must go  through or take a fall the three be the better to discover the mind of another  for to he that open himself man will hardly show themselves adverse but will  fair let he go on and turn their freedom of speech to freedom of think and  therefore it be a good shrewd proverb of the Spaniard tell a lie and find a  troth as if there be no way of discovery but by simulation there be also three  disadvantage to set it even the first that simulation and dissimulation common  carry with they a show of fearfulness which in any business do spoil the  feather of round fly up to the mark the second that it puzzle and perplex the  conceit of many that perhaps will otherwise cooperate with he and make a man  walk almost alone to his own end the three and great be that it deprive a man  of one of the most principal instrument for action which be trust and belief  the best composition and temperature be to have openness in fame and opinion  secrecy in habit dissimulation in seasonable use and a power to feign if there  be no remedy