CUNNING

Related Subjects: Concealment, Deceit, Fox, Hypocrisy, Policy, Skill, Subtlety, Trickery

1. Cunning is only the mimic of discretion, and may pass upon weak men, as vivacity is often  mistaken for wit, and gravity for wisdom.—ADDISON
   

2. In things that a man would not be seen in himself, it is a point of cunning to borrow the name of the world; as to say, "The world says," or "There is a speech abroad."—BACON, Of Cunning
   

3. It is a good point of cunning for a man to shape the answer he would have in his own words and propositions, for it makes the other party stick the less.—BACON, Of Cunning
   

4. We take cunning for a sinister or crooked wisdom, and certainly there is a great difference between a cunning man and a wise man, not only in point of honesty, but in point of ability.—BACON, Of Cunning
   

5. A cunning man overreaches no one half as much as himself.—H. W. BEECHER
   

6. The weak in courage is strong in cunning.—BLAKE, Proverbs of Hell
   

7. Cunning pays no regard to virtue, and is but the low mimic of wisdom.—BOLINGBROKE
   

8. The very cunning conceal their cunning; the indifferently shrewd boast of it.—C. N. BOVEE
   

9. There is a cunning which we in England call the turning of the cat in the pan.—BYRON, Essays
   

10. The certain way to be cheated is to fancy one's self more cunning than others.—P. CHARRON
    

11. We should do by our cunning as we do by our courage,—always have it ready to defend ourselves, never to offend others.—GREVILLE
    

12. Cunning has effect from the credulity of others. It requires no extraordinary talents to lie and deceive.—SAMUEL JOHNSON
    

13. In a great business there is nothing so fatal as cunning management.—JUNIUS
    

14. Cunning is none of the best nor worst qualities; it floats between virtue and vice; there is scarce any exigence where it may not, and perhaps ought not to be supplied by prudence.—LA BRUYERE
    

15. Cunning leads to knavery. It is but a step from one to the other, and that very slippery. Only lying makes the difference; add that to cunning and it is knavery.—LA BRUYERE
    

16. The common practice of cunning is the sign of a small genius. It almost always happens that those who use it to cover themselves in one place, lay themselves open in another.—LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, Maxims
    

17. The greatest of all cunning is to seem blind to the snares which we know are laid for us; men are never so easily deceived as while they are endeavoring to deceive others.—LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, Maxims
    

18. Cunning is the ape of wisdom.—LOCKE
    

19. It is a cunning part to play the fool well.—Proverb
    

20. As cunning as Craddock & Co.—Proverb
    

21. Springes to catch woodcocks.—SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet

22. A still-soliciting eye, and such a tongue
    That I am glad I have not.—SHAKESPEARE, King Lear