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102 extremely well known, he was in all his artifices successful. Oaths and protestations cost him nothing; never did a prince so often break his word, nor pay less regard to his engagements. This was because he knew perfectly well this part of the art of government. (Vide Appendix C.)

There is therefore no necessity for a prince to possess all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is indispensible that he should appear to have them: I will even go so far as to say, that it is sometimes dangerous to make use of them, though it is always useful to seem to possess them. It is the duty of a prince most earnestly to endeavour to gain the reputation of kindness, clemency, piety, justice, and fidelity to his engagements. He aught to possess all these good qualities, but still to retain such power over himself as to display their opposites whenever it may be expedient. I maințain it that a prince, and more especially a new prince, cannot with impunity exercise all the virtues, because his own self-preservation will often compel him to violate the laws of charity, religion, and humanity. He should habituate himself to bend easily to the various circumstances which may from time to time surround him. In a word, it will be as usefuļ to him to persevere in the path of rectitude, while he feels no inconvenience in doing so, as to