ch greater character to be terrible than agreeable. When
it has once entered into a man's head to have an ambition to be thought
crafty, all other evils are necessary consequences. To deceive is the
immediate endeavour of him who is proud of the capacity of doing it. It
is certain, Polypragmon does all the ill he possibly can, but pretends
to much more than he performs. He is contented in his own thoughts, and
hugs himself in his closet, that though he is locked up there and doing
nothing, the world does not know but that he is doing mischief. To
favour this suspicion, he gives half-looks and shrugs in his general
behaviour, to give you to understand that you don't know what he means.
He is also wonderfully adverbial in his expressions, and breaks off with
a "perhaps" and a nod of the head, upon matters of the most indifferent
nature. It is a mighty practice with men of this genius to avoid
frequent appearance in public, and to be as mysterious as possible when
they do come into company. There is nothing to be done, according to
them, the common way; and let the matter in hand be what it will, it
must be carried with an air of importance, and transacted, if we may so
speak, with an ostentatious secrecy. These are your persons of long
heads, who would fain make the world believe their thoughts and ideas
are very much superior to their neighbours', and do not value what these
their neighbours think of them, provided they do not reckon them fools.
These have such a romantic touch in business, that they hate to perform
anything like other men. Were it in their choice, they had rather bring
their purposes to bear by overreaching the persons they deal with, than
by a plain and simple manner. They make difficulties for the honour of
surmounting them. Polypragmon is eternally busied after this manner,
with no other prospect, than that he is in hopes to be thought the most
cunning of all men, and fears the imputation of want of understanding
much more than that of the abuse of it. But alas! how contemptible is
such an ambition, which is the very reverse of all that is truly
laudable, and the very contradiction to the only means to a just
reputation, simplicity of manners? Cunning can in no circumstance
imaginable be a quality worthy a man except in his own defence, and
merely to conceal himself from such as are so; and in such cases it is
no longer craft, but wisdom. The monstrous affectation of being thought
artful immediately ki