Fortress of Virtue

Stratagems of the Absolute

Detering Attack
be boring

be a low value target.

appear to be too dangerous

when enemy is superior in strength drop all appearance of military preparedness and act casually. It may dissuade the enemy from attacking.

pretend to lure to keep enemy rooted. fake trap 		Draw in an Attack
feign internal problems to draw in an attack.

make something of no value appear valuable.

fake opportunity

If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.


Conceal our plans
feed false info to known spies.

He must be able to mystify his officers and men by false reports and appearances, and thus keep them in total ignorance.

By altering his arrangements and changing his plans, he keeps the enemy without definite knowledge. By shifting his camp and taking circuitous routes, he prevents the enemy from anticipating his purpose. 		Discover enemy plans
Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

Spies

Knowledge of past battles

other clues

think of yourself in the enemy's position to gain an insight.

indicate that you are about to attack strongly, to discover his resources/defensive tactics.


Refrain from Attack
Refrain from intercepting an enemy whose banners are in perfect order,

refrain from attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident array.

refrain from advancing uphill against the enemy,

do not attack soldiers whose temper is keen.

Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy.
 Do Attack
When fire breaks out inside to enemy's camp, respond at once with an attack from without. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are

Everything can collapse. Houses, bodies, and enemies collapse when their rhythm becomes deranged. In large-scale strategy, when the enemy starts to collapse, you must pursue him without letting the chance go. If you fail to take advantage of your enemies' collapse, they may recover and not be so negligent.


Oppose
 Do not oppose (retreat)
Do not oppose him when he comes downhill


Pursue
If enemy has valuable information for their Allies

If enemy has valuable resources. 		Do not Pursue
Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight;

Do not interfere with an army that is returning home


Our Alliances
We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors.

Borrow resources from an ally to defeat a common enemy.

Recruit those who have greater skills than yourself.

Enemy Alliances
sow discord between the enemy and his allys.

false flag attack. trick his own ally to attack him.

Divide and rule


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"When you conceal your will from others that is thick. When you impose your will on others that is black."

There are many great books on strategy. Such works represent fragments, glimses and echos of the essence of strategy. Where do they arise from? What is their source? Thick Black Theory is the capstone of strategy

veil, clandestine, invisible, veiled, smoke screen, blindness, obscure, decoy, hidden, re-veiled, stealth, non-reflective, no answering echo, privacy, mask, censorship, unsearchable, ignorance, confusion, mirror, see, unpredictable, cloak and dagger, curiosity, boring, curtain, distraction, haze, surprise.

Good and Bad
A parent wants to know what the child has been doing. It is an issue of control. Therefore openness is rewarded as good. Keeping silent is labeled as bad.

A thick face symbolizes:

Universal Veiling Techniques
To shed light on an area of life we focus our attention on it and study it deeply. Slowly but surely we gain awareness of and control over an area that we had previously been unconscious. An example of a suitable subject for such a study is the Universal Veiling Techniques. How are things concealed? What methods does nature use to hide and obscure? By increasing our awareness of this subject we may better protect ourselves from the damaging attention of others and we empower ourselves to see through the illusions of this world.

Most people deceive themselves and hide essential truths from themselves because of fear and ignorance. This self deception is invariably damaging and self limiting. What tricks does your mind employ to conceal things from you and perpetuate your delusions?

Internally and externally, for good and for ill, the same few basic veiling techniques are used everywhere, that is why we call them universal.

Thus we can learn from nature. We can learn from the animal kingdom for example, many universal martial tactics including the Universal Veiling Techniques. The other exploration method that we can use is the VirtueScience principle of opposite concepts. If we see that we may conceal our move by making it very fast so as to bypass the opponent's attention then the principle suggests that moving very slowly will also be some kind of veiling technique. Nature confirms this with many real life examples. Consider a predator that slowly creeps towards it's prey. The very slowness reduces the chance of the prey's attention being drawn to the predator. Moving slowly so as not to draw attention is a universal veiling technique. This does not apply only to physical movement (to physical advances and retreats etc) it applies to all kinds of change.

We can see how moving very fast and moving very slow are conceptually opposite and are both veiling techniques. They are often both used within a strategy at different times ie the practitioner may move very slowly so as not to attract attention. Then when an objective is in range they move lightening fast to bypass the opponent's attention.

Along with nature another good place to study veiling techniques is with magicians. They also use many universal techniques in order to hide the reality of their actions so as to produce the illusion of magic powers. They misdirect the audience's attention with superflous gestures, loud bangs, bright flashes and beautiful assistants at just the right time then they perform an action which is so quick as to be not noticable.

Here are a few more universal veiling techniques:

Camourflage: make the colours and patterns of the object to be concealed blend in with the surrounding background. Break up the object's outline to make it unrecognizable.

Opportunism: Perform the action when the enemy is distracted by something else.

Many Decoys: Create many objects that look similar to the one that is to be concealed. For example to conceal the Holy Grail in a room, you could put in hundreds of other similar looking cups in the same room. This would confuse and delay the seeker. If there was treasure buried under a tree with a red symbol painted on it, you could make note of a different characteristic of the tree and then paint hundreds of other trees with the same symbol.

Covering Your Tracks: For example using a branch to brush away your footprints.

Leaving False Tracks: For example dropping an item a short distance up one way in a fork in the road and then going up the other way.

Fogging the Medium: The medium is an intervening substance through which something else is transmitted or carried on. For example the space between you and the observer through which light travels. By filling that space with smoke for example you will be concealed. In nature the squid might squirt out ink which makes the surounding water difficult to see through.

In the new Shhhhh martial art it is suggested that you make as full a possible list of the Universal Veiling Techniques and then organise them into a symmetrical conceptual matrix.

Preferences are dangerous for a warrior
Preferences are like colours staining the will, staining the heart. Preferences are irrational tendencies based on limited past experiences. In this context a black heart is colourless and invisible because the preferences, bias has been washed away.

So the blacker the heart the thicker the face and the thicker the face the blacker the heart.

Who or What Rules the World?
People who are following tactics. People who are slave to tactics. Who or What Rules the World? Is there a deeper answer?
The deeper answer may surprise you. Mathematics.

Throw out false morality




surveilance , uncommon motives , purpose, clues , intent, imagined pressure of keeping a secret , plain sight

d(<'>_<'>)b
To know is to no. The Obvious.

Conceal the goal, conceal the method, conceal the veil.Do not reveal the time or place or method of attack. Hide one's desire to attack. The ability to attack should be concealed.

Silent and invisible.

Cloak and Dagger

The cloak and dagger should protect each other. A cloak unseen is a double veil. False cloaks

The cloak symbolizes the concealment of the will. The dagger symbolizes the application of the will. A cloak without a dagger is powerless. A dagger without a cloak can be stopped.

The cloak hides, the dagger divides.

The purpose of the cloak is to:
obscure the presence of the dagger,
obscure the movement of the dagger,
provide minor protection from slashes,
restrict the movement of the opponent's weapon,
provide a distraction.

The dagger
concealable and silent weapon.

A Thousand Cloaks, a Thousand Daggers Word - that invisible dagger.

A cloak of invisibility leave no trace

cloak of daggers

cloak of shadows

decoy

distract

move too fast, move to slow

hide in plain sight

conceal the goal, the path to the goal, the ability to get to the goal.

Upon discovery of the goal, fake a change

appear weaker and stronger in different areas

confuse an enemy

camourflage, blend in

actions should be hidden

harmony/disharmony

Outshining the master and inccuring wrath

appearing vulnerable and attracting an attack from inferiors.

avoid the strong, attack the weak.

hide: existence, position, motives, plans, abilities, knowledge, ignorance, weaknesses, allies, enemies, time of attack, place of attack, method of attack

findout the opponents: ...........

have no preferences,
All warfare is based on deception.

While heading the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules. According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one's plans.

Hold out baits to entice the enemy.

Feign disorder, and crush him.
If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.
If his forces are united, separate them.
when able to attack, we must seem unable;
when using our forces, we must seem inactive;
when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away;
when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs.

Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards.

This is called, using the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.

Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

first put yourself beyond the possibility of defeat, and then wait for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack--the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.

Hide order beneath the cloak of disorder conceal courage under a show of timidity mask strength with weakness

Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted.

Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be

If the enemy is taking his ease, he can harass him;
if well supplied with food, he can starve him out;
if quietly encamped, he can force him to move.

You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended.You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked

Cause indecision in the enemy Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.

You may advance and be absolutely irresistible, if you make for the enemy's weak points; you may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy.

If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve

If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.

The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; and his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few.

Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient

victory may be produced out of the enemy's own tactics.

Unpredictable
Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.

modify your tactics in relation to your opponent and other circumstances

turn the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain



We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country--its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.

We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides.

Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.

Targets: moralle and focus A whole army may be robbed of its spirit; a commander-in-chief may be robbed of his presence of mind.

A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods.

Tipping point
that which is near the point of no return
that which will soon recover

(the reality and what enemy thinks)

To be near the goal while the enemy is still far from it,
to wait at ease while the enemy is toiling and struggling,
to be well-fed while the enemy is famished:-

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard, allow enemy to save face

When in difficult country, do not encamp.
In country where high roads intersect, join hands with your allies.
Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions.
In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem.
In desperate position, you must fight.
Keep your back to the wall?

Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them; and make trouble for them, and keep them constantly engaged; hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given point.

rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.

When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet it in mid-stream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.

Enemy Dispositions
Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy is advancing.

Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.

When the light chariots come out first and take up a position on the wings, it is a sign that the enemy is forming for battle.

Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot.

When there is much running about and the soldiers fall into rank, it means that the critical moment has come.

When some are seen advancing and some retreating, it is a lure.

When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears, they are faint from want of food.

If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking themselves, the army is suffering from thirst.

If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no effort to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted.

If birds gather on any spot, it is unoccupied. Clamor by night betokens nervousness.

If there is disturbance in the camp, the general's authority is weak. If the banners and flags are shifted about, sedition is afoot. If the officers are angry, it means that the men are weary.

When an army feeds its horses with grain and kills its cattle for food, and when the men do not hang their cooking-pots over the camp-fires, showing that they will not return to their tents, you may know that they are determined to fight to the death.

The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file.

Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of his resources; too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.

To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy's numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence.

When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.

If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain facing ours for a long time without either joining battle or taking themselves off again, the situation is one that demands great vigilance and circumspection.

If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient; it only means that no direct attack can be made. What we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength, keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.

Supplies
carefully guard your line of supplies
have hidden, multiple redundant lines of supplies
forrage from the enemy
be frugal efficient
have emergency stores


Ground
Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible.

3. With regard to ground of this nature, be before the enemy in occupying the raised and sunny spots, and carefully guard your line of supplies. Then you will be able to fight with advantage.

4. Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to re-occupy is called entangling.

5. From a position of this sort, if the enemy is unprepared, you may sally forth and defeat him. But if the enemy is prepared for your coming, and you fail to defeat him, then, return being impossible, disaster will ensue.

6. When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move, it is called temporizing ground.

7. In a position of this sort, even though the enemy should offer us an attractive bait, it will be advisable not to stir forth, but rather to retreat, thus enticing the enemy in his turn; then, when part of his army has come out, we may deliver our attack with advantage.

8. With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

9. Should the army forestall you in occupying a pass, do not go after him if the pass is fully garrisoned, but only if it is weakly garrisoned.

10. With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up.

11. If the enemy has occupied them before you, do not follow him, but retreat and try to entice him away.

12. If you are situated at a great distance from the enemy, and the strength of the two armies is equal, it is not easy to provoke a battle, and fighting will be to your disadvantage.


The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

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When a chieftain is fighting in his own territory, it is dispersive ground: fight not. I would see that there is close connection between all parts of my army.

When he has penetrated into hostile territory, but to no great distance, it is facile ground: halt not.

Ground the possession of which imports great advantage to either side, is contentious ground: attack not. I would hurry up my rear.

Ground on which each side has liberty of movement is open ground: do not try to block the enemy's way. I would keep a vigilant eye on my defenses.

Ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who occupies it first has most of the Empire at his command, is a ground of intersecting highways: join hands with your allies.

When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground: gather in plunder. I would try to ensure a continuous stream of supplies.

Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens--all country that is hard to traverse: this is difficult ground: keep steadily on the march.

Ground which is reached through narrow gorges, and from which we can only retire by tortuous paths, so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a large body of our men: this is hemmed in ground: resort to stratagem. I would block any way of retreat.

Ground on which we can only be saved from destruction by fighting without delay, is desperate ground: fight

At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you.

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Those who were called skillful leaders of old knew how to drive a wedge between the enemy's front and rear; to prevent co-operation between his large and small divisions; to hinder the good troops from rescuing the bad, the officers from rallying their men.

When the enemy's men were united, they managed to keep them in disorder.

If asked how to cope with a great host of the enemy in orderly array and on the point of marching to the attack, I should say: "Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will."

Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.

When invading hostile territory, the general principle is, that penetrating deeply brings cohesion; penetrating but a short way means dispersion.

Do not think dishonestly.
The Way is in training.
Become acquainted with every art.
Know the Ways of all professions.
Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters.
Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.
Perceive those things which cannot be seen.
Pay attention even to trifles.
Do nothing which is of no use.

The Gaze in Strategy
The gaze should be large and broad. This is the twofold gaze "Perception and Sight". Perception is strong and sight week.

In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things. It is important in strategy to know the enemy's sword and not to be distracted by insignificant movements of his sword. You must study this. The gaze is the same for single combat and for large-scale strategy.

It is necessary in strategy to be able to look to both sides without moving the eyeballs. You cannot master this ability quickly. Learn what is written here; use this gaze in everyday life and do not vary it whatever happens.


"In One Timing" means, when you have closed with the enemy, to hit him as quickly and directly as possible, without moving your body or settling your spirit, while you see that he is still undecided. The timing of hitting before the enemy decides to withdraw, break or hit, is this "In One Timing".

Examine your environment.

Stand in the sun; that is, take up an attitude with the sun behind you. If the situation does not allow this, you must try to keep the sun on your right side. In buildings, you must stand with the entrance behind you or to your right. Make sure that your rear is unobstructed, and that there is free space on your left, your right side being occupied with your side attitude. At night, if the enemy can be seen, keep the fire behind you and the entrance to your right, and otherwise take up your attitude as above. You must look down on the enemy, and take up your attitude on slightly higher places. For example, the Kamiza in a house is thought of as a high place.

When the fight comes, always endeavour to chase the enemy around to your left side. Chase him towards awkward places, and try to keep him with his back to awkward places. When the enemy gets into an inconvenient position, do not let him look around, but conscientiously chase him around and pin him down. In houses, chase the enemy into the thresholds, lintels, doors, verandas, pillars, and so on, again not letting him see his situation.

Always chase the enemy into bad footholds, obstacles at the side, and so on, using the virtues of the place to establish predominant positions from which to fight.

The first is to forestall him by attacking. This is called Ken No Sen (to set him up).

Another method is to forestall him as he attacks. This is called Tai No Sen (to wait for the initiative).

The other method is when you and the enemy attack together. This is called Tai Tai No Sen (to accompany him and forestall him).

When the enemy attacks, remain undisturbed but feign weakness. As the enemy reaches you, suddenly move away indicating that you intend to jump aside, then dash in attacking strongly as soon as you see the enemy relax. This is one way.

Or, as the enemy attacks, attack still more strongly, taking advantage of the resulting disorder in his timing to win.

in contests of strategy it is bad to be led about by the enemy. You must always be able to lead the enemy about.

Hide a knife behind a smile.

delay entering the battlefield until the other combatants are exausted then go in full strength.

sacrifice a short term objective for the benefit of a long term objective.

profit from the smallest opportunity

Injure the Corners


never directly attack an opponent whos advantage is derived from his position. First lure him away from his stronghold.

bait is the illusion of an opportunity for gain.

Capture the chief to demoralize and confuse an enemy force. but they may fight doubly strong if loyal.

indirectly weaken a strong enemy before engaging in open conflict.

create confusion in an enemy before attacking.


play dead.

Leave behind the lizards tail.


go contrary to the enemies standard training to disrupt them.

use innuendo/indirectness to criticise, control, warn, discipline a person of status eg criticise someone else for similar things.

play dumb so enemy drops his guard. keep your guard up even if enemy plays dumb. lure them to underestimate the present condition and the general prowess. ie promote overconfidence in the enemy.

lure the enemy to treacherous terrain and then cut off communication, way of escape.

make something of no threat appear dangerous.



defeat the enemy from within via peace treaties, surrender or cooperation. When inside find a weakness and attack.

send your enemy beautiful women to distract, act as spies, assasinate and cause jealousy amongst other women at cort.

pretend to be injured to encourage enemy to attack or give impression that you cannot attack or to pretend it was from mutual enemy so as to ingratiate yourself. or to get pity.

appear not to be an immediate threat.

use multiple strategies simultaneously.

retreat and regroup

surrender, compromise




frighten: by shouting, making a small force seem large, or by threatening them from the flank without warning.

do one thing openly and another secretly.

The commander knows the troops" applies everywhere in fights in my Way of strategy.

Using the wisdom of strategy, think of the enemy as your own troops. When you think in this way you can move him at will and be able to chase him around. You become the general and the enemy becomes your troops. You must master this.


fake danger

fake safty
ambush

Best Strategy
Prevent problems before they occur, and resolve conlicts before they start.

patience


Ruse: "dodging movements of a hunted animal"

"A silent man is easily reputed wise. A man who suffers none to see him in the common jostle and undress of life, easily gathers round him a mysterious veil of unknown sanctity, and men honor him for a saint. The unknown is always wonderful."
Frederick William Robertson

"Virtue has a veil, vice a mask."
Victor Hugo A mask of gold hides all deformities.
Thomas Dekker

As we ascend the social ladder, viciousness wears a thicker mask.
Erich Fromm

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
Oscar Wilde

Pride works frequently under a dense mask, and will often assume the garb of humility.
Adam Clarke

The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.
Jim Morrison

Vice, in its true light, is so deformed, that it shocks us at first sight; and would hardly ever seduce us, if it did not at first wear the mask of some virtue.
Lord Chesterfield

Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable.
Jean de La Fontaine

Beauty is a manifestation of secret natural laws, which otherwise would have been hidden from us forever.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Depth must be hidden. Where? On the surface.
Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Depth must be hidden. Where? On the surface.
Janos Arany

Everything we see hides another thing, we always want to see what is hidden by what we see.
Rene Magritte

Good merchandise, even hidden, soon finds buyers.
Plautus

The intelligence of few perceives what has been carefully hidden in the recesses of the mind.
Phaedrus

The more hidden the venom, the more dangerous it is.
Marguerite de Valois

The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.
Thomas Carlyle

There is great force hidden in a gentle command.
George Herbert

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.
Sun Tzu

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
Groucho Marx

The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious.
Marcus Aurelius

The secret of being a bore... is to tell everything.
Voltaire

The safest course is to do nothing against one's conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death.
Voltaire

Whoever wishes to keep a secret must hide the fact that he possesses one.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret.
Salvador Dali

Be secret and exult, Because of all things known That is most difficult.
William Butler Yeats

Actions are visible, though motives are secret.
Samuel Johnson

The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it.
Samuel Johnson

How can we expect another to keep our secret if we have been unable to keep it ourselves?
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

The secret of success is sincerity.
Jean Giraudoux

Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
Marlene Dietrich

He that communicates his secret to another makes himself that other's slave.
Baltasar Gracian

To know that one has a secret is to know half the secret itself.
Henry Ward Beecher

A man's most open actions have a secret side to them.
Joseph Conrad

People who are in power make their arrangements in secret, largely as a way of maintaining and furthering that power.
Don DeLillo

Reprove your friends in secret, praise them openly.
Publilius Syrus

Many a secret that cannot be pried out by curiosity can be drawn out by indifference.
Sydney J. Harris

Your secret is your prisoner; once you reveal it, you become its slave.
Solomon Ibn Gabirol

Our inventions mirror our secret wishes.
Lawrence Durrell

The secret of having a personal life is not answering too many questions about it.
Joan Collins

To keep your secret is wisdom; to expect others to keep it is folly.
William Samuel Johnson

Give a wolf a taste then keep him hungry

"Fragments of the War Crystal" title idea