Meaning of "Low cunning"

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi teachers,

Please look at a sentence from The Fall of the House of Usher.

His countenance, I thought, wore a mingled expression of low cunning and perplexity.

What does “low cunnig” mean?

Thanks in advance

Jupiter

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2

Hi Jupiter,

Cunning is the characteristic of the fox. In other words it means being crafty, clever and to some extent underhand in the way you do things. Low cunning means having this ability in an even lower sense or in a more secretive and underhand way.

Alan

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