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CHAPTER XVIII.

ON SECRECY.

WHOм a statesman trusts at all he should trust largely, not to say unboundedly; and he should avow his trust to the world. In nine cases out of ten of betrayed confidence in affairs of state, vanity is the traitor. When a man comes into possession of some chance secrets now and then he is tempted to parade

some one or two

them to this friend or that. But when he is known to be trusted with all manner of secrets, his vanity is interested, not to show them, but to show that he can keep them. And his fidelity of heart is also better secured.

A secret may be sometimes best kept by

It is

keeping the secret of its being a secret. not many years since a state secret of the greatest importance was printed without being divulged, merely by sending it to the press like any other matter, and trusting to the mechanical habits of the persons employed for their printing the document without knowing what subject it related to.

The only secrecy which is worthy of trust in matters of state and indeed the same may be

said of secrecy in private friendship

is that which not merely observes an enjoined silence, but which maintains a considerate and judicious reticence in matters in which silence is perceived to be expedient, though it have not been enjoined. Faithfulness to public interests and to official and to friendly confidence, demands a careful exercise of the judgment as to what shall be spoken and what not, on many occasions when there is no question of obedience to express injunctions of secrecy. And indeed, in

K

dealing with a confidential officer or friend, a statesman would do well to avoid any frequency of injunction on this head on particular occasions, because it tends to impair, on the part of such officer or friend, that general watchfulness which is produced in a man who feels that he is thrown upon his own judgment and caution.

Secrecy will hardly be perfectly preserved unless by one who makes it a rule to avoid the whole of a subject of which he has to retain a part. To flesh your friend's curiosity, and then endeavour to leave him with a húc usque, is exposing your faculty of reticence to an unnecessary trial.

The most difficult of all subjects to be kept secret are such as will furnish fair occasion for a jest; and a statesman should regulate his confidence accordingly; being especially sparing of it in regard to such matters, and where he must needs impart them, taking care not to

imp their wings by any jest of his own imparted along with them.

Shy and unready men are great betrayers of secrets; for there are few wants more urgent for the moment than the want of something

to say.

132

CHAPTER XIX.

ON AMBITION.

WHERE there are large powers with little ambition (which will happen sometimes, though seldom) nature may be said to have fallen short of her purposes; for she has given the machinery without the vis motrix. Hardly any thing will bring a man's mind into full activity if ambition be wanting; but where it is least forthcoming as a substantive and waking passion, there are various indirect adjuncts of other passions whereby it may be quickened. Love may be a provocative, if advancement in life be a facility to the courtship. Philanthropy leads to it; for who can do good to mankind without power?