New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-24

r. Osgood & Co.
Mr.. Detmold very truly observes in his preface
that Machiavelli has been abused much more man
no has been read. 1t would probably be difficult
70 name any writer, ancient or modern, VINO is so
little known and yet bears SO bau reputation;
and il the present publication should have no other
effect than TO lead to an examination OF the oasis
upon which this exceptional notoriety has resteo
for three hundred years there would still De aiipo
justification for its appearance. There nave uoo"
various translations from Machiavelh I'D our Las"
guage but none complete. Tho moSt com
sive we believe, that made by al Hnei"'n ,
clergyman named Framework. over hu""'0a
wears ago; but the only version current Nv p,o
is the ANONYMOUS one ip Bohn's standard i"'i"l'
which includes only the History Oh 'io'on'o'
aThe Prince" and few slight tracts ana iraB
monts Mr. Detmold. debarred from active pur
snits nv some wears of impaired health has found
olooscnt occupation and INDUCED noble ambition
hv making the new translation which Is here pre-
sented in a sumptuous and imposing FORM Inc
four thick volumes are beautifully printed on
heavy paper in style appropriately sohel' anu
beliotvpe portraits of Machiaveli. Lorenzo de
Medlci and Cesare Borgia are inserted. The VIII
inps presented here are The History of Florence
which though not of high value rs authority Is o'
great interest for its vividnesS and its phiioSoPhic
CRASH: the notorious treatise on The Prince ; the
DScourSes on the first Decade of llvy," IN whlch
Machayelli laws down for the guidance of States
code of principles corresponding somewhat with the
advice he gives elsewhere to princess the eXcelleht
letters in which he renders an official account OF
his various diplomatic missions; and a few mia'eI
laneOus papers. mostly on affairs OF state these
comprise all the works necessary to compTeheh'
sion of the nan's character and genius Mr.. Oct
mold has turned them into simple and suthclehtIy
fluent English. lacking sometimes in elegance ana
not faultleSs in the lenses, hut furnishing upon
the whole pretty easy reading
There IS not much doubt that the strange dlIier
suces of opinion Oh the subject of Machlavellls
morals and the new interest Ill him which has
lately been arouSed must be IN part attributed to
the fervor OF Italian political sentiment Tie was
one Of the first preachers OF Italian unity and III
dependence. He was keenly sensible OF the ms
cries inflicted upon the States of the peninsula by
their ncighbors and invaders. lie saw them preyel
upon by Frenchnlan, German and Spanlard IN turn;
and he felt that Italy never could he prosperous
and great TIL her petty divisions were obiiteIated
md the wretched hIrchng bands OF cOnGottlcrL
WIN SIM, lied the italian princes with burlesque
soldiery were replaced 10y national army. By
conviction he was republican but he he'd indie
pendence of more Importance than any particular
form of governments no perceived that unity was
the first requisite for independence; ana since
unity was unattainabe then under republic he
sought to consolidate the Italian states under one
prncey rule, believing that n strong aud eniight'
ened native despotlsm was better than puuy ana
abarchical commonwealth harried by foreigners.
He placed his hopes IN the House OF Medlcli ana
one OF his avowcd objects in writing The Prince
and presenting 1t to Lorenzo the Magnificent. was
TO teach that ruler how to govern tho States which
he might "acquire' The purpose with which he
served the Medic is the key alike to his political
conduct and his political writings. He favored
their ambition because 1t seemed TO nm The readl'
est agency for the promotion Of Italian unity; ana
he recommended t. them pCridy and hypocrisy
because he did not believe that they could maintain
themselves by truth and honor II has indeed been
argued that Machavellis intention was TO arm his
countrymen against despOtism by exhibiting ITS
methods in the most repulsive light There never
was any real foundation for this over-charitable
bvDothesis and it is now generally abandoned
MIR Detmod who discusses the moral question
briefly in his preface wastes no wOrds upon TINS
theory: but he is not ready to admit the iull le-
eponsibIlity of his author for the scandalous
system of practical politics laid down IN the
treatise Macmavel he rcmlnds us, was not the
originator of the scheme OF fraud which he de-
scribes; almost all government il bis time WIS
cheat. diplomacy was a lie nobody kept faith
moment longer than self-intercst dictated
Machiavelh only set down in writing the prlnclHIes
upon which all sOvereigns acted. Besides, pleas
the apolocis his morality is not so very bad after
all and there are maty passages OF his book winch
condemn the very practices hc Is accused OF IN
cucatIng 1t is natural that the translator should
look with all possible indulgence upon the author
who has eugrosscd so much of his time but we
cannot say that his remarks are conclusive or th1t
his mild Judgment Is iuotitcd even by the extracts
he has cited in his preface. The case Is unfortu'
nately too clear. " 1t must be evident TO every
II l..
worthy foI a prince always to maintain good faith
and practise integrity, rather than craft and
deceit but then he goes to show that caft and
deceit in this world carry the day, and so wise
prince must not be scrupulons about employing
them 1t is essential that he should seem to be vir
tuous; il is pernicous Tor him always to practise
virtue. He should seem 10 he mercilul, fai hful,
humane. rel gous and u right, and should even be
so IN reality; but he should have his mind 50
trained that, when occasion requires 1t. he may
know how to change to the opposite lie cannot
always do what is right He is often obliged, " for
the sake of maintaining his state to act contrary to
humanity charity and religion" Nor IS it only in
certain chapters OF L" The Prince" that the FlOIen.
tine statesman lays down such rules. The same
tone through his writings generally. lie
looks upon the object of his pursuit as ono TO be
reached at any cost; by fair means If possible; by
lies cruelty, corruption and breach of faith If fair
means will not answer To show by the citation OF
passages of another sort that Machiavclll honored
an inculca.e ed virtue is only to prove that he was
aware of the immortality of his own teachings and
TO weaken what after all the only Talliation of
his offences, that the customs of the time had
bunted the general conscience as to political per-
fdy. Honor and faith not valued in the si&
teenth century as they are now; but Machlavelli
had the distinction of explicitly advising in calm.
serious and systematic treat se the commission OF
crimes which less cynical politicians habitually