Classic Poem

If that, at Court, you'd show more Sense, or Wit,
There show it less, more to demonstrate it;
To prove your self there, more for Counsel fit,
Your Counsel keep; let none your Weakness know,
The more your Strength of Parts, you mean to show;
And, if at Court, (which is a Lottery)
Young Pusher! you your Fortune mean to try,
Depend not on your Parts, your Wit, or Sense,
To give you, to more Fortune, more Pretence;
If there you'd Play a Profitable Game,
Let not your Friend, or Foe, discern your Aim;
Since Gamesters, for each other, are too hard,
By Playing still the least Suspected Card;
At Court, concealing what you drive at, you,
But with less Skill, more Fortunate will grow;
Both your Design, and Art from all conceal,
That better with 'em you may know to deal;
Seem a Plain-Dealer, more a Cheat be,
By Fraud, be from Suspicion of it free;
Where Open Truth is thought Simplicity,
Secure your Credit by your Fallacy;
Since to be cheated, our Dishonour grows,
Then others cheat, your Honour not to lose;
For of necessity, we find and see,
A Man must be the Cheat, or cheated be;
To show more Cunning, it then more conceal,
Since useless 'tis, when it once you reveal;
To prove thy Sense more, show but less thy Wit,
More silent be, to make more Proof of it;
Since silent Nonsense will for Prudence go,
And 'tis true Wisdom, Folly not to show,
Which, talking too much, even Wise Men do;
Let then thy prudent Taciturnity,
Make Dulness pass for Thought or Mystery;
For Silence the Fool's Sanctuary is,
By which he's safe from Scorn or Injuries,
From others Censure, or Self-Prejudice;
Since Men, by more Wit, oft less Judgment show,
By which their Minds they let their false Friends know,
Then Silence is both Wit and Wisdom too.