of simulation & dissimulation 論作偽與掩飾

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 me weaker sort of politics, that are the great dissemblers.

掩飾不過是策略或智謀中較弱的一種，因?yàn)橐篮螘r(shí)當(dāng)說真話，何時(shí)當(dāng)行真事需要強(qiáng)壯的腦筋和心胸也。因此政治家之中較弱的一流方是善于掩飾者。

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 lucianus 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 mem), to him, a habit of dissimulation is a hindrance, 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 me former opinion, spread abroad of their good faith, and clearness of dealing, made them almost invisible.

泰西塔斯說：“里維亞同她丈夫底智略和她兒子底虛偽都很融洽”就是說奧古斯塔斯有智略而泰比瑞阿斯善掩飾的意思。又當(dāng)繆西阿奴斯勸外斯帕顯舉兵攻委泰立阿斯的時(shí)候，他說：“我們現(xiàn)在起事，所與為敵者既不是奧古斯塔斯底洞察的判斷力，也不是泰比瑞阿斯底極端審慎或隱密”這些特質(zhì)——權(quán)謀或策略與掩飾或隱密——確是不同的習(xí)慣與能力，并且是應(yīng)當(dāng)辨別的。因?yàn)榧偃缫粋€(gè)人有那種明察的能力，能夠看得出某事應(yīng)當(dāng)公開，某事應(yīng)當(dāng)隱秘，某事應(yīng)當(dāng)在半明半暗之中微露，并且看得出這事底或隱或顯應(yīng)當(dāng)是對何人，在何時(shí)(這些正即是泰西塔斯所謂的治國與處世的要術(shù))，那末在他這樣的一個(gè)人，一種掩飾的習(xí)慣是一種阻撓，一個(gè)弱點(diǎn)。但是假如一個(gè)人達(dá)不到那種明察的能力，那末他就不得不常趨隱秘，并且為一個(gè)掩飾者了。因?yàn)橐粋€(gè)人在不能隨機(jī)應(yīng)變有所選擇的時(shí)候，自以取那一般地最安全最謹(jǐn)慎的途徑為佳;就好象目力不濟(jì)的人走路是輕而且慢一樣。無疑地，從來最有能力的人都是有坦白直爽的行為，信實(shí)不欺的名譽(yù)的;可是他們是象訓(xùn)練得很好的馬一樣，因?yàn)樗麄儤O能懂得何時(shí)當(dāng)止，何時(shí)當(dāng)轉(zhuǎn)，并且在他們以為某事真需要掩飾的時(shí)候，如果他們果然掩飾了，以往流傳各處的關(guān)于他們底信實(shí)和正直坦白的見解也使他們差不多不至為人所疑的。