master of his own parts, but
of other men's. The discreet man finds out the talents of those he
converses with, and knows how to apply them to proper uses. Accordingly,
if we look into particular communities and divisions of men, we may
observe, that it is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned,
nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to the
society. A man with great talents, but void of discretion, is like
_Polyphemus_ in the fable, strong and blind, endued with an irresistible
force, which for want of sight, is of no use to him.

5. Though a man has all other perfections, and wants discretion, he will
be of no great consequence in the world; but if he has this single
talent in perfection and but a common share of others, he may do what he
pleases in his station of life.

At the same time that I think discretion the most useful talent a man
can be master of, I look upon cunning to be the accomplishment of
little, mean, ungenerous minds. Discretion points out the noblest ends
to us, and pursues the most proper and laudable methods of attaining
them; cunning has only private selfish aims, and sticks at nothing which
may make them succeed.

6. Discretion has large and extended views, and, like a veil formed eye,
commands a whole horizon: cunning is a kind of short-sightedness, that
discovers the minutest objects which are near at hand, but is not able
to discern things at a distance. Discretion, the more it is discovered,
gives a greater authority to the person who possesses it; cunning, when
it is once detected, loses its force, and makes a man incapable of
bringing about even those events which he might have done, had he passed
only for a plain man. Discretion is the perfection of reason, and a
guide to us in all the duties of life: cunning is a kind of instinct,
that only looks out after our immediate interest and welfare.

7. Discretion is only found in men of strong sense and good
understandings: cunning is often to be met with in brutes themselves,
and in persons who are but the fewest removes from them. In short,
cunning is only the mimic of discretion, and may pass upon weak men, in
the same manner as vivacity is often mistaken for wit, and gravity for
wisdom.

The cast of mind which is natural to a discreet man, makes him look
forward into futurity, and consider what will be his condition millions
of ages hence, as well as what it is at present.

8. He knows, that the miser