Latest / The Philosophy Insights Collection / 19 - Know Your Pitfalls - The Art of Worldly Wisdom - Baltasar Gracian
Transcript
- Know your pet faults. The most perfect of men has them, and is either wedded to them or has illicit relations with them. They are often faults of intellect, and the greater this is, the greater they are, or at least the more conspicuous. It is not so much that their possessor does not know them, he loves them, which is a double evil irrational affection. For avoidable faults. They are spots on perfection. They displease the onlooker as much as they please the possessor. Tis a gallant thing to get clear of them, and so give play to one's other qualities. For all men hit upon such a failing, and on going over your qualifications, they make a long stay at this blot and blacken it as deeply as possible, in order to cast your other talents into the shade. One sixty two. How to triumph over rivals and detractors. It is not enough to despise them, though this is often wise. A gallant bearing is the thing. One cannot praise a man too much who speaks well of them who speak ill of him. There is no more heroic vengeance than that of talents and services, which at once conquer and torment the envious. Every success is a further twist of the cord round the neck of the ill affected. And an enemy's glory is the rival's hell. The envious die not once, but as oft as the envied wins applause. The immortality of his fame is the measure of the other's torture. The one lives in endless honor, the other in endless pain. The clearion of fame announces immortality to the one, and death to the other, the slow death of envy, long drawn out one sixty three. Never from sympathy with the unfortunate, involve yourself in his fate. One man's misfortune is another man's luck, for one cannot be lucky without many being unlucky. It is a peculiarity of the unfortunate to arouse people's good will, who desire to compensate them for the blows of fortune with their useless favor. And it happens that one who is abhorred by all in prosperity is adored by all inadversity. Vengeance on the wing is exchanged for compassion of foot. Yet tis to be noticed how fate shuffles the cards. There are men who always consort with the unlucky, and he that yesterday flew high and happy, stands today miserable at their side. That argues nobility of soul, but not worldly wisdom. One sixty four. Throw straws in the air to find how things will be received, especially those whose reception or success is doubtful. One can thus be assured if its turning out well, and an opportunity is afforded for going on in earnest or withdrawing entirely. By trying men's intentions. In this way, the wise man knows on what ground he stands. This is the great rule of foresight, in asking, in desiring, and in ruling. One sixty five. Wage war honorably. You may be obliged to wage war, but not to use poisoned arrows. Everyone must needs act as he is, not as others would make him to be. Gallantry in the battle of life wins all men's praise. One should fight so as to conquer, not alone by force, but by the way it is used. A mean victory brings no glory, but rather disgrace. Honor always has the upper hand. An honorable man never uses forbidden weapons, such as using a friendship that's ended for the purpose of a hatred just begun. A confidence must never be used for a vengeance. The slightest taint of treason tarnishes the good name in men of honor, the smallest trays of meanness repels the noble, and the ignoble should be miles apart, be able to boast that if gallantry, generosity, and fidelity were lost in the world, men would be able to find them again in your own breast one sixty six. Distinguish the men of words from the men of deeds. Discrimination here is as important as in the case of friends, persons, and employments, which have all many varieties. Bad words, even without bad deeds, are bad enough. Good words with bad deeds are words. One cannot dine off words which are wind nor of politeness, which is but polite deceit To catch birds with a mirror is the ideal snare. It is the vain alone who take their wages in windy words. Words should be the pledges of work, and, like pawn tickets have their market price. Trees that bear leaves but not fruit have usually no pith. Know them for what they are of no use except for shade. One sixty seven. Know how to take your own part in great crises. There is no better companion than a bold heart, And if it becomes weak, it must be strengthened from the neighboring parts. Worries die away before a man who asserts himself. One must not surrender to misfortune, or else it would become intolerable. Many men do not help themselves in their troubles, and double their weight by not knowing how to bear them. He that knows himself knows how to strengthen his weakness. And the wise man conquers everything, even the stars. In their courses one sixty eight. Indulge in the eccentricities of folly, like vain, presumptuous, egotistical, untrustworthy, capricious, obstinate, fanciful, theatrical, whimsical, inquisitive, paradoxical, sectarian people, and all kinds of one sided persons. They are all monstrosities of impertinence. All deformity of mind is more obnoxious than that of the body, because it contravenes a higher beauty. Yet who can assist such a complete confusion of mind? Where self control is wanting, there is no room for other guidance instead of paying attention to other people's real derision. Men of this kind blind themselves with the unfounded assumption of their imaginary applause one six nine. Be more careful to miss once than to hit a hundred times. No one looks at the blazing sun all gaze when he is eclipsed. The common talk does not reckon what goes right, but what goes wrong. Evil report carries farther than any applause. Many men are not known to the world till they have left it. All the exploits of a man, taken together are not enough to wipe out a single small blemish, avoid therefore falling into air, seeing that ill will notices every air, and no success one seventy. In all things, keep something in reserve tis a sure means of keeping up your importance. A man should not employ all his capacity and power at once and on every occasion. Even in knowledge. There should be a rear guard, so that your resources are doubled. One must always have something to resort to when there is fear of a defeat. The reserve is of more importance than the attacking force, for it is distinguished for valor and reputation. Prudence always sets to work with assurance of safety. In this matter, the pick and paradox holds good that the half is more than the whole end of Section nineteen