Page:The Prince.djvu/125

10 this from the causes we have before mentioned. The duchy of Milan was, nevertheless, twice wrested from its new master. We have mentioned the general reasons which occasioned his losing it the first time; it remains for us to examine the aauses of the second, and to speak of the measures which the King of France, or any other prince in a similar situation, ought to have adopted in order to maintain his ground bętter than Lewis did.

We must first premise that a state which a sovereign acquires and unites with those he heretofore possessed, is either bordering on and contiguous to the others, and that they speak the same language; or, that they differ in both these respects. In the former case there is nothing so easy as to maintain possession, especially if the inhabitants have not been accustomed to liberty. To extinguish the line of their princes, is to ensure its safe possession; and by preserving to them their ancient customs and their manners, provided there exists no national antipathy between the old and new states, the latter will live peaceably under their new prince, as we have seen in Burgundy, Brittany, Gascony, and Normandy, which have been so long united to France; for although there was some difference in language, yet their habits and their manners were congenial, and were therefore easily blended. Hence,