the pocket oracle and art of prudence

[sahil112]

i recently got this book which was written over 350 years ago and is a collection of 300 thought-provoking aphorisms and i will be posting 1 regularly here

heres 1 to start of:
----46----
Conquer your aversions: We usually hate people without reason, often even prejudging them. And sometimes this innate and vulgar aversion is directed at eminent men. Good sense should correct it, for there is nothing more discreditable than loathing the best. Just as affinity with heroes shows superiority, so antipathy towards them is dishonourable.

[sahil112]

26

Find everyone’s weak spot: this is the art of moving people’s wills. It consists more in skill than determination- knowledge of how to get inside each person. Everyone’s will has its own particular predilection, all different according to the variety of tastes. We all idolize something; for some, esteem, for others self interests and for most pleasure. The trick to influencing people lies in knowing what they idolize. Knowing each person’s driving impulse is like having the key to their will. You should go direct to what most motivates a person, normally something base rather than anything noble, for there are more self-indulgent people then self-controlled ones in the world. You should first divine someone’s character, then touch upon their fixation, and take control of their driving passion which, without fail, will defeat their free will.

[sahil112]

180

Never be ruled by what you think your enemy should do: Fools never do what a sensible person thinks they will, because they can’t discern what’s best. Neither will those with discretion, because they will want to hide their intentions which may have been discerned and even anticipated. The pro and contra of every matter should be thought through and both sides analysed, anticipating the different courses things may take. Opinions vary: let impartiality be attentive not so much to what will happen as what may.

[sahil112]

50

Never lose yourself respect: even when alone, don’t be too lax with yourself. Let your own integrity be the measure of your rectitude; owe more to the severity of your own opinion than to external rules. Stop yourself doing something improper more through fear of your own good sense than of some external authority. Stand in fear of yourself and you will have no need on Seneca’s imaginary tutor.

[sahil112]

214

Don’t turn one stupid mistake into two: it’s very common in fixing one to commit a further four. To try to amend one inappropriate act with a greater one is akin to telling a lie, or a lie is akin to such stupidity, for one leads to many others. The worst of a bad cause is actually defending it; and worse than something bad is not knowing how to disguise it. Each imperfection taxes us, and not the cost increases as they do. The wisest person can slip up once, but not twice, and only inadvertently, not out of habit.