If by thy ignorance of Evil thou art surpriz'd with Evil it is an unhappy Ignorance Happy is he that hath so much Knowledge of Good as to desire it and but so much Knowledge of Evil as to fear it MAX. 63. When the Flesh presents thee with delights then present thy self with dangers Where the World possesses thee with vain Hopes there possess thy self with true Fear When the Devil brings thee Oil bring thou Vinegar The way to be safe is never to be secure MAX. 64. If thy Brother hath offended thee forgive him freely and be reconciled To do Evil for Evil is humane Corruption to do Good for Good is civil Retribution To do Good for Evil is Christian perfections the Act of Forgiveness is God's Precept the manner of Forgiveness is God's President MAX. 65. Reverence the Writings of Holy Men but lodge not thy Faith upon them because but Men They are good Pools but no Fountains Build on Paul himself no longer than he builds on Christ If Peter renounce his Master renounce Peter The word of Man may convince Reason but the word of God alone can compel Conscience MAX. 66. In Civil things follow the most in matters of Religion the fewest in all things follow the best so shall thy ways be pleasing to God so shall thy behaviour be plausible with Men. MAX. 67. If any loss or misery hath befallen to thy Brother dissemble it to thy self and what Counsel thou givest him Register carefully and when the case is thine follow it so shall thine own Reason convince thy Passion or thy Passion confess her own Unreasonableness MAX. 68. When thou goest about to change thy Moral Liberty into a Christian Servitude prepare thy self to be the world's laughing stock if thou overcome her Scoffs thou shalt have double honour if overcome double shame He is unworthy of a good Master that is ashamed of a bad Livery MAX. 69. Let not the falling of a Salt or the crossing of a Hare or the crying of a Cricket trouble thee They portend no evil but what thou fearest He is ill acquainted with himself that knows not his own Fortunes better than they If evil follow it it is the Punishment of thy Superstition not the fulfilling of their Portent All things are lucky to thee if thou wilt nothing but is ominous to the Superstitious MAX. 70. So behave thy self in thy course of Life as at a Banquet Take what is offered with modest Thankfulness and expect what is not as yet offered with hopeful Patience Let not thy rude Appetite press thee nor a slight carefulness indispose thee nor a sullen discontent deject thee Who desires more than enough hath too much and he that is satisfied with a little hath no less than enough MAX. 71. Is thy Child dead He is restored not lost Is thy Treasure stoln It is not lost it is restored He is an ill Debtor that counts Repayment loss but it was an ill chance that took thy Child and a wicked hand that stole thy Treasure What is that to thee It matters not by whom he requires the things from whom he lent them what Goods are ours by Loan are not lost when willingly restored but when unworthily received MAX. 72. Censure no man detract from no man praise no man before his Face traduce no man behind his back Boast not thy self abroad nor flatter thy self at home If any thing cross thee accuse thy self if any extol thee humble thy self Honour those that instruct thee and be thankful to those that reprehend thee Let all thy Desires be subjected to Reason and let thy Reason be corrected By Religion Weigh thy self by thy own Ballances and trust not the Voice of wild Opinion Observe thy self as thy greatest Enemy so shalt thou become thy greatest Friend MAX. 73. Endeavour to make thy discourse such as may administer Profit to thy self or Standers by lest thou incur the danger of an idle Word Above all Subjects avoid all those that are scurrilous and obscene Tales that are impertinent and improbable and Dreams MAX. 74. If God hath blest thee with a Son bless thou that Son with a lawful Calling chuse such Employment as may stand with his Fancy and thy Judgment if his Country claims his Ability towards the building of her Honour if he cannot bring a Cedar let him bring a Shrub He that brings nothing usurps his Life and robs his Country of a Servant MAX. 75. At thy first Entrance into thy Estate keep a low Sail thou must rise with Honour thou canst not decline without Shame He that begins as his Father ended shall end as his Father begun MAX. 76. If any obscene Tale should chance to slip into thine Ears among the Varieties of Discourse if opportunity admit reprove it if otherwise let thy Silence or change of Countenance interpret thy dislike The smiling Ear is Bawd to the lascivious Tongue MAX. 77. Be more circumspect over the Works of thy Brain than the Actions of thy Body these have Infirmity to plead for them but they must stand upon their own bottoms these are but the Objects of few they of all these will have Equals to defend them they have Inferiours to envy them Superiours to deride them all to censure them It is no less danger for these to be proclaimed at Paul's-Cross than for them to be protested in Paul's Church-yard MAX. 78. Use Common place-books or Collections as Indexes to light thee to the Authors lest thou be abused He that takes Learning upon Trust makes him a fair Cupboard with another's Plate he is an ill advised Purchaser whose Title depends more on Witnesses than Evidences MAX. 79. If thou desire to make the best advantage of the Muses either by reading to benefit thy self or by writing others keep a peaceful Soul within a temperate Body A full Belly makes a dull Brain and a turbulent Spirit a distracted Judgment The Muses starve in a Cook 's Shop and a Lawyer 's Study MAX. 80. When thou communicatest thy self by Letters heighten or dâ—press thy Stile according to the Quality of the Person and Business that which thy tongue would present to any if present let thy pen represent to him absent The Tongue is the Mind's Interpreter and the Pen is the Tongue 's Secretary MAX. 81. Keep thy Soul in exercise lest her Faculties rust for want of Motion to eat sleep or sport too long stops the natural course of her natural actions To dwell too long in the Employments of the Body is both the Cause and Sign of a dull Spirit MAX. 82. Be very circumspect to whose Tuition thou committest thy Child every good Scholar is not a good Master He must be a man of invincible Patience and singular Observation He must study Children that will teach them well and Reason must rule him that would rule wisely he must not take advantage of an ignorant Father nor give too much ear to an indulgent Grandmother The common Good must outweigh
one another and more strongly prepared to encounter with a common Enemy Those whom Civil Commotions set at variance foreign Hostility reconciles Men rather affect the Possession of an inconvenient Good than the Possibility of an uncertain Better MAX. 2. If thou hast made a Conquest with thy Sword think not to maintain it with thy Sceptre neither conceive That new Favours can cancel old Injuries No Conquerour sits secure upon his new got Throne so long as they subsist in Power that were despoiled of their Possessession by this Conqueror MAX. 3. Let no Price nor Promise of Honour bribe thee to take part with the Enemy of thy Natural Prince assure thy self whoever wins thou art lost If thy Prince prevail thou art proclaimed a Rebel and branded for Death if the Enemy prosper thou shalt be reckoned but as a meritorious Traytor and not secure of thy self He that loves the Treason hates the Traitor MAX. 4. If thy strength of Parts hath raised thee to eminent Place in the Commonwealth take heed thou sit sure if not thy Fall will be the greater As Worth is fit matter for Glory so Glory is a fair mark for Envy By how much the more thy Advancement was thought the Reward of Desert by so much thy Fall will administer matter for Disdain It is the ill fortune of a strong Brain if not to be dignified as meritorious to be deprest as dangerous MAX. 5. It is the Duty of a Statesman especially in a free State to hold the Commonwealth to her first frame of Government from which the more it swerves the more it declines which being declined is not commonly reduced without that Extremity the danger whereof rather ruines than rectifies Fundamental Alterations being inevitable Perils MAX. 6. There be three sorts of Governments Monarchical Aristocratical Democratical and they are apt to fall three several ways into Ruine the first by Tyranny the second by Ambition the last by Tumults A Commonwealth grounded upon any one of these is not of long continuance but wisely mingled each guard the other and make the Government exact MAX. 7. Let not the Proceedings of a Captain though never so commendable be confined As the Times alter so must they if these vary and not they Ruine is at hand He least fails in his Design that meets Time in its own way and he that observes not the Alteration of the Times shall never be a Conqueror He is a wise Commander and only he that can discover the Change of Times and changes his Proceedings according to the Times MAX. 8. If thou desire to make War with a Prince with whom thou hast formerly ratified a League assail some of his Allies rather than himself if he resent it and come or send in then thou hast a fair Gale to thy Desires If not his Infidelity in not assisting his Allie will be discovered Hereby thou shalt gain thy self Advantage and facilitate thy Designs MAX. 9. Before thou undertakest a War let thine Eye number thy Forces and let thy Judgment weigh them If thou hast a rich Enemy no matter how poor thy Soldiers be if couragious and faithful Trust not too much the Power of thy Treasure for it will deceive thee being more apt to expose thee for a Prey than to defend thee Gold is not able to find good Soldiers but good Soldiers are able to find out Gold MAX. 10. If the Territories of thy equal Enemy are situated far South from thee the advantage is thine whether he make Offensive or Defensive War If North the advantage is his Cold is less tolerable than Heat this is a Friend to Nature that an Enemy MAX. 11. It is not only uncivil but dangerous for Soldiers by reproachful Words to throw disgrace upon their Enemy Base Terms are Bellows to a slacking Fury and Goads to quicken up Revenge in a fleeing Foe He that objects Cowardice against a failing Enemy adds Spirit to him to disprove the Aspersion at his own Cost It is therefore the part of a wise Soldier to refrain it or of a wise Commander to punish it MAX. 12. It is better for 2 weak Kingdoms rather to compound an Injury tho' to some loss than seek for Satisfaction by the Sword lest while they 2 weaken themselves by mutual blows a third decide the Controversy to both their Ruines When the Frog and the Mouse could not take up the Quarrel the Kite was Umpire MAX. 13. Let that Commonwealth which desires to flourish be very strict both in her Punishments and Rewards according to the Merits of Subjects and Offence of the Delinquents Let the Service of the Deserver be rewarded lest thou discourage Worth and let the Crime of the Offender be punished lest thou encourage Vice The neglect of the one weakens a Commonwealth the omission of both ruines it MAX. 14. It is Wisdom for him that sits at the Helm of a settled State to demean himself toward his Subjects at all times so that upon any evil Accident they may be ready to serve his Occasion He that is only Gracious at the approach of a danger will be in danger when he expects Deliverance MAX. 15. In all Designs which require not sudden execution take mature Deliberation and weigh the convenients with the inconvenients and then resolve after which neither delay the execution nor betray thy Intention He that discovers himself till he hath made himself Master of his Desires lays himself open to his own Ruine and makes himself Prisoner to his own Tongue MAX. 16. Liberality in a Prince is no Virtue when maintained at the Subject's unwilling cost It is less reproach by Miserableness to deserve the popular Love than by Liberality to deserve private Thanks MAX. 17. It is the Excellent Property of a good and wise Prince to use War as he doth Physick Carefully Unwillingly and Seasonably either to prevent approaching Dangers or to correct a present Mischief or to recover a former Loss He that declines Physick till he be accosted with the Danger or weakned with the Disease is bold too long and wise too late That Peace is too precise that limits the Justness of a War to a Sword drawn or a blow given MAX. 18. Let a Prince that would beware of Conspiracies be rather jealous of such whom his Extraordinary Favours have advanced than of those whom his Pleasure hath discontented These want means to execute their pleasures but they have means at pleasure to Execute their desires Ambition to Rule is more vehement than Malice to Revenge MAX. 19. Before thou undertake a War cast an Imperial Eye upon the Cause If it be Just prepare thy Army and let them all know they fight for God and thee It adds fire to the Spirit of a Soldier to be assured that he shall either prosper in a fair War or perish in a Just Cause MAX. 20. If thou desire to know the Power of a State observe in what Correspondence it lives with her Neighbouring State If she make
Alliance with the Contribution of Money it is an evident sign of Weakness If with her Valour and repute of her forces it manifests a Native Strength It is an unfallible sign of Power to sell Friendship and of weakness to buy it That is bought with Gold will hardly be maintained with Steel MAX. 21. In the Calms of Peace it is most requisite for a Prince to prepare against the Storms of War both Theorically in reading Heroick Histories and Practically in maintaining Martial Discipline Above all things let him avoid Idleness as the bane of Honour which in Peace Indisposes the Body and in War Effeminates the Soul He that would be in War Victorious must be in Peace Laborious MAX. 22. If thy two Neighbouring Princes fall out shew thy self either a true Friend or a fair Enemy It is indiscretion to adhere to him whom thou hast least cause to fear if he Vanquish Neutrality is dangerous whereby thou becomest a necessary Prey to the Conqueror MAX. 23. It is a great argument of a Prince's Wisdom not only to chuse but also to prefer Wise Counsellors and such are they that seek less their own advantages than his whom Wise Princes ought to reward lest they become their own Carvers and so of good Servants turn bad Masters MAX. 24. It much conduces to the dishonour of a King and the Ill-fare of his Kingdom to Multiply Nobility in an over proportion to the Common People Cheap Honour darkens Majesty and a Numerous Nobility brings a State to Necessity MAX. 25. It is very dangerous to try Experiments in a State unless extreme Necessity be Urgent or popular Utility be palpable It is better for a State to Connive a while at any Inconveencies than too suddenly to Rush upon a Reformation MAX. 26. If a Valiant Prince be succeeded by a weak Successor he may for a while maintain a happy State by the remaining Virtue of his Glorious Predecessor but if his Life be long or dying he be succeeded by one less Valiant than the first the Kingdom is in danger to fall to ruine that Prince is a true Father to his Country that leaves it the rich Inheritance of a brave Son When Alexander succeeded Philip the World was too little for the Conqueror MAX. 27. It is very dangerous for a Prince or Republick to make continual practice of Cruel Exaction For where the subject stands in sense or Expectation of Evil he is apt to provide for his safety or for the Danger he fears and growing bold in Conspiracy makes Faction which Faction is the Mother of Ruine MAX. 28. Be careful to consider the Good or Ill Disposition of the People towards thee upon Ordinary Occasions if it be Good labour to continue it if Evil provide against it As there is nothing more terrible than a dissolute Multitude without a head so there is nothing more easily reduc'd if thou canst endure the first shock of their Fury which if a little appeased every one begins to doubt himself and think of home and secure themselves either by flight or agreement MAX. 29. That Prince who stands in fear more of his own People than Strangers ought to build Fortresses in his Land But he that is more afraid of Strangers than his own People shall build them more secure in the affections of his Subjects MAX. 30. Carry a watchful Eye upon dangers before they come to Ripeness and when they are ripe let loose a Speedy hand He that expects them too long or meets them too soon gives advantage to the Evil Commit their beginnings to Argus his hundred Eyes and their end to Briareus's hundred Hands and thou art safe MAX. 31. Of all the difficulties of a State the temper of true Government most felicifies and perpetuates it Too sudden alteration distempers it Had Nero tuned his Kingdom as he did his Harp his harmony had been more honourable and his Reign more prosperous MAX. 32. If a Prince Fearing to be assailed by a Foreign Enemy hath a well armed People well addrest for War Let him stay at home and expect him there but if his Subjects be unarmed or his Kingdom unacquainted with the stroke of War let him meet the Enemy in his Quarters The farther he keeps the War from his own home the less Danger The Seat of War is always miserable MAX. 33. It is a necessary Wisdom for a Prince to grow in Strength as he encreases in Dominions It is no less Virtue to keep than to get Conquests not having power answerable to their Greatness invite new Conquerors to the Ruine of the Old MAX. 34. It is great prudence in a Statesman to discover an Inconvenience in the birth which so discovered is easie to be supprest But if it ripen into a Custom the sudden Remedy thereof is often worse than the Disease In such a case it is better to temporise a little than to struggle too much He that opposes a full aged Inconvenience too suddenly strengthens it MAX. 35. If thou hast Conquered a Land whose Language differs not from thine change not their Laws and Taxes and the two Kingdoms will in a short time incorporate and make one body But if the Laws and Language differ it is difficult to maintain thy Conquest which that thou mayst the easier do observe three things First to live there in Person or rather send Colonies Secondly to assist the weak Inhabitants and weaken the mighty Thirdly To admit no powerful Foreigner to reside there Remember Lewis XIII of France how suddenly he took Milan and how soon he lost it MAX. 36. It is a gracious Wisdom in a Prince in Civil Comotions rather to use Juleps than Phlebotomy and rather to break the Distemper by a wise delay than to Correct it with too rash an Onset It is more honourable by a slow preparation to declare himself a gracious Father than by a hasty War to appear a furious Enemy MAX. 37. It is Wisdom for a Prince in Fair Weather to provide for Tempests He that so much relies upon his People's Faith to neglect his own Preparation discovers more Confidence than Wisdom He that ventures to fall from above with hopes to be catch'd below may be dead e'er he come to Ground MAX. 38. He that would reform an ancient State in a free City buys Convenience with a great danger To work this Reformation with the less mischief let such a one keep the shadows of their ancient Customs tho' in substance they be new Let him take heed when he alters the Nature of things they bear at least their antient Names The Common People that are naturally impatient of Innovations will be satisfied with that which seems to be as well as that which is MAX. 39. Upon any difference between Foreign States It is neither safe nor honourable for a Prince either to buy his Peace or to take it up at Interest He that hath not a Sword to command it shall either want it or want honour with it