Classic Poem

Cunning , Wise, Cautious, Folly is, by which,
(Whilst Wit does beggar Men) they grow more Rich;
Wise Folly, on which Weak Men most rely,
And the most honourable Knavery,
Term'd by the Wise and Great, Sage Policy.
Wise Folly, and most honourable Fear,
Does most, in hiding of itself, appear;
Whence they, who seem of Wit and Wisdom too,
More shy, as more they seek themselves to show;
(Since Cunning hides it self,) distrust not it,
Which better Sense most often does out-wit,
And speaks itself, by Taciturnity,
Which, ev'n in Fools, were Sense and Policy;
So, by its subtil Silence, still thinks fit,
To prove more Wisdom, as it shows less Wit;
Which minds its Int'rest most, as Honour least,
Then, as most useful Wisdom, 'tis the best,
Whilst Wit seeks Fame more than its Interest;
When Crast prefers its Int'rest to its Fame,
Thinks nought, that's its Advantage, is its Shame,
Whose Prudence, 'tis its Wisdom's to conceal,
Whilst Wisdom, is its Knowledge to reveal;
By which it is incapable to do
The safe, wise, great Things, which by Craft (we know)
Are done, since Wisdom's open to its Foe;
Will him, to his opposing it, defie,
Whilst Cunning for her's does in Ambush lie;
Wisdom does lose its End, for being known,
Gives Foes Suspicion, by its being shown;
Whilst its Design, wise Cunning cannot miss,
Since it by true Sense least supected is;
Which since half Sense, half Policy, half Wit,
Puzzles true Sense, the more to deal with it;
In spight of Wit, it plays Discretion's part,
Since the best Skill is, to conceal one's Art;
And the Head's Prudence, not to show the Heart:
He's most Wise then, who seems to be so least;
Who hides his Wit, his Sense to manifest;
So Cunning proves the truest Wisdom then,
Which has no vain Aim ever to be seen;
True Wisdom, if sage Prudence, subtil Wit
It be, to be most shy of showing it;
And that is the sole Reason, Cunning can
Its Credit more i'th' World than Wit, maintain;
More in the World, than Wit or Wisdom do,
Who seem so bold, so busie, forward too,
To show themselves; that they by their Pretence
To more Sense, show more their Impertinence;
'Till they their Folly, by their Sense proclaim,
Seek Praise, before their Profit, (to their Shame)
Whilst Profit before Praise, is Cunning's Aim:
When vainer Wisdom gives it self the Lie,
From ostentatious Self-sufficiency,
Becomes the greatest Folly, Vanity;
Whilst Craft proves Wisdom by its shunning Pride,
True Prudence, which itself to show, must hide,
Since ineffectual 'tis, when once 'tis spy'd;
If the true Politician's wisest Aim,
Be, not to keep from Guilt, but Guilt from Shame;
And since the greatest Aim now Wise Men have,
Is less their Virtue than their Fame to save,
They Credit keep, safely to play the Knave;
Stand on their Honour, tho' dishon'rably,
But by their false pretended Honesty,
To cheat those most, who most on it rely:
But by their Knavery, their Honour gain,
Since without Wealth, none Honour can maintain;
Whilst foolish Wits, more to their Reason's blame,
Will to their Profit still prefer their Fame,
To make sought Praise, by Vanity, their Shame:
When Craft its Sense, concealing it, has shown,
Since better thought of, but as less 'tis known;
So does, because itself it wou'd not show,
Too hard for Pow'r, Wealth, Wit, or Wisdom grow;
Then shou'd go for true Policy, nay Wit,
Since Men, undone by that, are made by it;
Whilst down-right Honesty, Wit, Wisdom, are
Foes to their Friends, whom they keep Poor, and Bare,
To keep Men in more Want, more Fear, or Care.
Then, dull Plain-dealing, which by Truth seeks Fame,
By Man's pretence to Honour, grows his Shame;
And Wit preferring still, to Profit Praise,
Shou'd of the Proof of Sense, turn its Disgrace.
But Cunning's Wit, nay Wisdom, Honour too;
Which can for all Three, without either go,
And can more than all Three together do,
To make Knaves gain Trusts, Int'rest, Credit, Fame,
To merit Censure, yet to bear no Blame,
To make their Fraud their Praise, though others Shame:
Then Cunning shou'd for the best Science go,
Which, without Learning, does best Knowledge show;
Does Wit, Pow'r, Art, by Nature best out-do;
Strange Science! since all Wisdom, Courage, Wit,
Must to it universally submit:
It rules the World, in spight of True Wit, so,
(Tho' but its Bastard-Brother) ought to go,
Like Bastards, for the Wiser of the Two;
Which, (whilst the other makes Man less to thrive:)
Does help her Man the better still to live:
Which, tho' 'tis often call'd Sinister-Sense,
Against Right Reason, makes the best Defence;
Which gives it, of its Foes, most Diffidence:
Whilst where to have it, Right Sense never knows;
Since it ne'er by right Rules of Reason goes;
A Slight i'th' Brain 'tis, like a Slight in Strength,
The better Side makes of the worse, (at length;)
As Cheats by Tricks at Cards will cozen still
Those, who have in the true Play better Skill;
So Cunning then is Wisdom's highest Pitch;
'Tis, as at Cards, a Trick in Shuffling, which,
More than good Play, bold Pushers will enrich:
It is a Trick, which seems an Art, 'till known;
But shames the skilful Shuffler, and proves none,
When once it comes above-board to be shown;
'Tis Bastard-Sense, and like all Bastards so,
Does in the World but more successful grow,
Than the True, which does True Wits most undo.