3. Whether, by their settled and avowed scorn of thoughtless talkers,
the _Persians_ were able to diffuse to any great extent, the virtue of
taciturnity, we are hindered by the distress of those times from being
able to discover, there being very few memoirs remaining of the court of
_Persepolis_, nor any distinct accounts handed down to us of their
office-clerks, their ladies of the bed-chamber, their attornies, their
chamber-maids, or the foot-men.

4. In these latter ages, though the old animosity against a prattler is
still retained, it appears wholly to have lost its effects upon the
conduct of mankind; for secrets are so seldom kept, that it may with
some reason be doubted, whether the ancients were not mistaken in their
first postulate, whether the quality of retention be so generally
bestowed, and whether a secret has not some subtile volatility, by which
it escapes almost imperceptibly at the smallest vent; or some power of
fermentation, by which it expands itself so as to burst the heart that
will not give it way.

5. Those that study either the body or the mind of man, very often find
the most specious and pleasing theory falling under the weight of
contrary experience: and instead of gratifying their vanity by inferring
effects from causes, they are always reduced at last to conjecture
causes from effects. That it is easy to be secret, the speculatist can
demonstrate in his retreat, and therefore thinks himself justified in
placing confidence: the man of the world knows, that, whether difficult
or not, it is not uncommon, and therefore finds himself rather inclined
to search after the reason of this universal failure in one of the most
important duties of society.

6. The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally