Despise nobody, nor any condition; lest it come to be thy own.

Never rail nor taunt. The one is rude, the other is scornful, and both evil.

Be not provoked by injuries to commit them.

Upbraid only ingratitude.

Haste makes work, which caution pre

vents.

Tempt no man, lest thou fall for it.

Have a care of presuming upon after games, for if that miss, all is gone.

Opportunities should never be lost, because they can hardly be gained.

It is well to cure, but better to prevent a distemper. The first shows more skill, but the last more wisdom.

Never make a trial of skill in difficult or hazardous cases.

Refuse not to be informed, for that shows pride or stupidity.

Humility and knowledge in poor clothes, excel pride and ignorance in costly attire.

Neither despise, nor oppose, what thou

dost not understand.

POPULARITY.

Affect not to be seen, and men will less see thy weakness.

They that show more than they are, raise an expectation they cannot answer; and so lose their credit, as soon as they are found

out.

Avoid popularity. It has many snares, and no real benefit to thyself; and uncertainty to others.

GOVERNMENT.

Government has many shapes; but it is sovereignty, though not freedom, in all of them.

Rex and Tyrannus, are very different characters: one rules his people by laws, to which they consent; the other by his abso

lute will and power. That is called freedom;

this, tyranny.

The first is endangered by the ambition of the populace, which shakes the constitution; the other by an ill administration, which hazards the tyrant and his family.

It is great wisdom, in princes of both sorts, not to strain points too high with their people; for whether the people have a right to oppose them or not, they are ever sure to attempt it when things are carried too far: though the remedy oftentimes proves worse than the disease.

Happy that king who is great by justice, and the people who are free by obedience.

Where the ruler is just, he may be strict; else it is two to one it turns upon him: and though he should prevail, he can be no gainer, where his people are the losers.

Princes must not have passions in government, nor resent beyond interest and religion.

Where example keeps pace with author

ity, power hardly fails to be obeyed, and magistrates to be honored.

Let the people think they govern, and they will be governed.

This cannot fail, if those they trust are trusted.

That prince who is just to them in great things, and humors them oftentimes in small ones, is sure to have and keep them from all the world.

For the people are the politic wife of the prince, that may be better managed by wisdom, than ruled by force.

But where the magistrate is partial, and serves ill turns, he loses his authority with the people, and gives the populace opportunity to gratify their ambition; and so lays a stumbling-block for his people to fall.

It is true, that where a subject is more popular than the prince, the prince is in danger; but it is true,'that it is his own fault: for nobody has the like means, interest, or reason, to be as popular, as he.

It is an unaccountable thing, that some princes incline rather to be feared than loved; when they see, that fear does not oftener secure a prince against the dissatisfaction of his people, than love makes a subject too many for such a prince.

Certainly service upon inclination is like to go farther, than obedience upon compulsion.

The Romans had a just sense of this, when they placed Optimus before Maximus, to their most illustrious captains and Cæsars.

Besides, experience tells us, that goodness raises a nobler passion in the soul, and gives a better sense of duty, than severity.

What did Pharaoh get by increasing the Israelites' task? Ruin to himself in the end.

Kings, chiefly in this, should imitate God; their mercy should be above all their works.

The difference between the prince and the peasant is in this world; but a temper ought to be observed by him that has the ad