New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-18
MACHIAVELLIAN PEACE TERMS
No Lasting Peace Possible Evil Spirit Has Been Cast Ou'
The Present Offer Viewed with Suspicion

often is not sufficient it is necessary to have
recourse TO the second way. So prince must
know how to be both beast and man. This
doctrine was taught sllegorically by the an
Gent writer's 10 princes; they write how Achllle'
and many other ancient princes were gwen
to Chiron the Centsur to bring up and edu-
cate. This means that prince should have
for a tutor one who is half man half beast
ard also that a prince must be able 70 use
both natures; for one without the other Will
not endure. Then, since prince Is oolgeo
10 act like a beast he ought TO choose the
fox and the lion; because lion cannot de-
fend himself from snares, the fox cannot de-
fend himself from wolves. IL IS therefore
necessary 20 be fox in order TO see the
snare and 10 be a lion in order TO frgnten
off wolves Those who play the lion only
don't know fully what they are about.
$50. prudent ruler cannot keep faith, nor
ought he. when keeping faith would turn 70
/ his disadvantage and the reasons that made
him plight faith are past and over. II men
were all good this advice would not be good;
but because men are bad and would not
keep faith with you, you are not obliged TO
keep it with them. And a prince will never
lack plausible preteKts TO cover his breach
Of faith. OF this could give any number OF
les how many promises, have been broken
and rendered vain by the faithlessness OF
princes; and he who has best known how 10
/ play the fox has succeeded best. But it is
very necessary 70 be able TO color over tins
nature. and be a great dissimulator. Men
are such fools and are so subservient TO I'M
mediate needs that trickster will always
/ find somebody that will suffer himself to be
tricked OF recent instances ! will mention
one
alexander VI never did anything except
deceive men-he never thought about any
| thing else and found means to do so; there
was never man who had greater persistency
in asseverations or who affirmed thing with
stronger osths and kept them less. Neverthe'
less. his deceits always succeeded, because he
knew that side Of men. a prince, therefore
need not have the qualities aforesaid (faltn.
integrity, absence Of fraud, but 1t rs very
necessary to seem to have them. Rather, l
make bold TO say this, that 70 possess them
and 70 live up 70 them Is hUrtful; but 10
appear 10 possess them is useful, as 70 sp-
pear to be dutiful, loyal, humane, religious
honest: and it is useful to be so, but TO have
YOUR mind so educated that you able
and know how to shift 70 their opposltes; and
YOU must know this, that prince, and eX-
n
those things for which men arc reputed good,
as it is often necessary, in order to main
tain the state, TO act contrary TO humanity,
10 kindness, TO religion. And so he must
have mind ready to turn about, according
as the winds and mutations Of fortune com
mand and, as ! said before, not 10 depart
from good il he can, but TO know how 70 do
evil If he must A prince, therefore, should
take great care that nothing shall issue from
his mouth that is not full of the traits sfore-
said. that he shall appear TO those who sec
and hear him TO be all piety, all integrity,
all humanity. all religion. And nothing is
more necessary TO appear to possess than
this last trait, for men in general Judge more
by the eye than by the touch because every
body sees and but few feel Every one sees
what you appear TO be; few feel what you
are, and those few do not dare TO oppose
themselves to the opinion of the many who
are under the protection Of the government;
and in the actions Of all men, and especially
of princes, where there is no higher au-
thority TO appeal to- you must judge BY the
result. Let a prince then, take care TO main
tain himself and his principality and his
methods will always be judged honorable and
be praised by all, because the vulgar are
always caught by appearance and by the event,
and in the world there are none but the vul-
gar A certain prince of this pres
ent time, whom it is well not to name, never
proclaims anything but peace and faith, but
if he had observed either
But ! have quoted more than enough to
show that if Frederick the Great did really
act the Machiavel, and if the Chancellor had
been taught from earliest youth that Fred
erick the Great should be the model for every
German statesman. then Of these suspicious
are not, as we all hope, unjust) he would
be likely TO put forward proposals very much
in the form and way that he has done.
HENRY DWIGHT SEDGWICK.
New York. Dec. ID, 1916.