Page:The Prince.djvu/251

136 and if he perceives that any one hesitates to tell him every thing, he ought to evince his displeasure ạt it.

We most grossly deceive ourselves if we imagine that a prince will be less esteemed because he ļistens to the counsel of another, and is therefore incapable of judging by what he sees himself, For a prince who does not possess an intelligent mind can never be well advised, unless he has the good fortune to meet with an able minister, on whom he may repose the whole cares of government: but in this case he runs a great risk of seeing himself despoiled of his states by the very person to whom hẹ has so indiscreetly confided his authority. And if instead of one counsellor he has several, how can he, ignorant and uninformed as he is, conciliate the various and opposite opinions of those ministers, who are probably more intent on their own interests than those of the state, and that without his suspecting it?

Besides, men being naturally wickęd, incline to good only when they are compelled to it: from whence we may conclude that good counsels, given by and from whom they may, are only owing to the wisdom of the prince, and not the wisdom of the prince to the goodness of the counsels.