follow the effectuall truth of
the matter, than the imagination thereof; And many Principalities and
Republiques, have been in imagination, which neither have been seen nor
knowne to be indeed: for there is such a distance between how men doe
live, and how men ought to live; that he who leaves that which is done,
for that which ought to be done, learnes sooner his ruine than his
preservation; for that man who will professe honesty in all his actions,
must needs goe to ruine among so many that are dishonest. Whereupon it
is necessary for a Prince, desiring to preserve himselfe, to be able to
make use of that honestie, and to lay it aside againe, as need shall
require. Passing by then things that are only in imagination belonging
to a Prince, to discourse upon those that are really true; I say that
all men, whensoever mention is made of them, and especially Princes,
because they are placed aloft in the view of all, are taken notice of
for some of these qualities, which procure them either commendations or
blame: and this is that some one is held liberal, some miserable,
(miserable I say, nor covetous; for the covetous desire to have, though
it were by rapine; but a miserable man is he, that too much for bears to
make use of his owne) some free givers, others extortioners; some
cruell, others pitious; the one a Leaguebreaker, another faithfull; the
one effeminate and of small courage, the other fierce and couragious;
the one courteous, the other proud; the one lascivious, the other
chaste; the one of faire dealing, the other wily and crafty; the one
hard, the other easie; the one grave, the other light; the one
religious, the other incredulous, and such like. I know that every one
will confesse, it were exceedingly praise worthy for a Prince to be
adorned with all these above nam'd qualities that are good: but because
this is not possible, nor doe humane conditions admit such perfection in
vertues, it is necessary for him to be so discret, that he know how to
avoid the infamie of those vices which would thrust him out of his
State; and if it be possible, beware of those also which are not able to
remove him thence; but where it cannot be, let them passe with lesse
regard. And yet, let him not stand much upon it, though he incurre the
infamie of those vices, without which he can very hardly save his State:
for if all be throughly considerd, some thing we shall find which will
have the colour and very face of Vertue, and foll