《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第8则
Adapt Yourself to your Company. There is no need to show your ability before every one. Employ no more force than is necessary. Let there be no unnecessary expenditure either of knowledge or of power. The skilful falconer only flies enough birds to serve for the chase. If there is too much display to-day there will be nothing to show to-morrow. Always have some novelty wherewith to dazzle. To show something fresh each day keeps expectation alive and conceals the limits of capacity.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文连接起来，其实在说同一件事：一个人应当根据所处的圈子来调配自己的展示，而不是在任何场合都将全部能力倾囊而出。葛拉西安在这里用的 falconer 形象极为精当——隼猎者放出猎禽，从来不是为了炫耀他养了多少只鸟，而是恰好够完成一次猎取。多放一只，既是浪费，也反而扰乱了鹰隼本身的节奏与人前那种收放自如的印象。同样，与人相处时把所有知与能一次…