qualities, and let him seem
to him that sees and hears him, all pitty, all faith, all integrity, all
humanity, all religion; nor is there any thing more necessary for him to
seem to have, than this last quality: for all men in general judge
thereof, rather by the sight, than by the touch; for every man may come
to the sight of him, few come to the touch and feeling of him; yvery man
may come to see what thou seemest, few come to perceive and understand
what thou art; and those few dare not oppose the opinion of many, who
have the majesty of State to protect them: And in all mens actions,
especially those of Princes wherein there is no judgement to appeale
unto men, forbeare to give their censures, till the events and ends of
things. Let a Prince therefore take the surest courses he can to
maintain his life and State: the means shall alwaies be thought
honorable, and commended by every one; for the vulgar is over-taken with
the appearance and event of a thing: and for the most part of people,
they are but the vulgar: the others that are but few, take place where
the vulgar have no subsisteance. A Prince there is in these dayes, whom
I shall not do well to name, that preaches nothing else but peace and
faith; but had he kept the one and the other, several times had they
taken from him his state and reputation.

In the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth Chap, our Author
descends to particulars, perswading his Prince in his sixteenth
to such a suppleness of disposition, as that upon occasion he
can make use either of liberality or miserableness, as need
shall require. But that of liberality is to last no longer than
while he is in the way to some designe: which if he well weigh,
is not really a reward of vertue, how ere it seems; but a bait
and lure to bring birds to the net. In the seventeenth Chap, he
treats of clemency and cruelty, neither of which are to be
exercis'd by him as acts of mercy or justice; but as they may
serve to advantage his further purposes. And lest the Prince
should incline too much to clemency, our Author allows rather
the restraint by fear, than by love. The contrary to which all
stories shew us. I will say this only, cruelty may cut of the
power of some, but causes the hatred of all, and gives a will to
most to take the first occasion offerd for revenge. In the
eighteenth Chap, our Author discourses how Princes ought to
g