A great Enemy is a great Object that inviteth Precaution, which maketh him less dangerous than a mean one.
An old Man concludeth from his knowing Mankind, that they know him too, and that maketh him very wary.
On the other hand, it must be allowed, that a Man’s being deceived by Knaves hath often this ill Effect, that it maketh him too jealous of honest Men.
The Mind, like the Body, is subject to be hurt by every thing it taketh for a Remedy.
There are some such very great Foreseers, that they grow into the Vanity of pretending to see where nothing is to be seen.
He that will see at too great a distance, will sometimes mistake a Bush for a Horse: The Prospect of a wise Man will be bounded.
A Man may so overdo it in looking too far before him, that he may stumble the more for it.
And, to conclude, He that leaveth nothing to Chance will do few things ill, but he will do very few things.
Suspicion is rather a Virtue than a Fault, as long as it doth like a Dog that watcheth, and doth not bite.
A wise Man, in trusting another, must not rely upon his Promise against his Nature.