第2章

　　Machiavelisanauthorwhoshouldhavegreatauthoritywiththepersonslikelytoopposeme。Heproposestoprincestheamplificationoftheirpower，theextentoftheirdominion，andthesubjectionoftheirpeople，asthesoleobjectsoftheirpolicy。Hedevisesandrecommendsallmeansthattendtothesepurposes，withouttheconsiderationofanydutyowingtoGodorman，oranyregardtothemoralityorimmoralityofactions。Yetevenhedeclarestheaffectationofvirtuetobeusefultoprinces：heissofaronmysideinthepresentquestion。Theonlydifferencebetweenusis，I

　　wouldhavethevirtuereal：herequiresnomorethantheappearanceofit。

　　InthetenthchapterofthefirstbookofDiscourses，heappearsconvinced，suchistheforceoftruth，buthowconsistentlywithhimselfletothersdetermine，thatthesupremegloryofaprinceaccruestohimwhoestablishesgoodgovernmentandafreeconstitution；andthataprince，ambitiousoffame，mustwishtocomeintopossessionofadisorderedandcorruptedstate，nottofinishthewickedworkthatothershavebegun，andtocompletetheruin，buttostoptheprogressofthefirst，andtopreventthelast。Hethinksthisnotonlythetruewaytofame，buttosecurityandquiet；asthecontraryleads，forhereisnothirdway，andaprincemustmakehisoptionbetweenthesetwo，notonlytoinfamy，buttodangerandtoperpetualdisquietude。Herepresentsthosewhomightestablishacommonwealthoralegalmonarchy，andwhochoosetoimprovetheopportunityofestablishingtyranny，thatis，monarchywithoutanyruleoflaw，asmenwhoaredeceivedbyfalsenotionsofgood，andfalseappearancesofglory，andwhoareineffectblindtotheirtrueinterestineveryrespect：’n&egrave；siavveggonoperquestopartitoquantafama，quantagloria，quantoonore，sicurt&agrave；，quiete，consodisfazioned’animoeifuggono，einquantainfamia，vituperio，biasimo，pericoloetinquietudineincorrono’。Hetouchesanotheradvantagewhichpatriotprincesreap，andinthathecontradictsflatlythemainpointonwhichhishalf—taughtscholarsinsist。Hedeniesthatsuchprincesdiminishtheirpowerbycircumscribingit：andaffirms，withtruthonhisside，thatTimoleon，andothersofthesamecharacterwhomhehadcited，possessedasgreatauthorityintheircountry，witheveryotheradvantagebesides，asDionysiusorPhalarishadacquired，withthelossofallthoseadvantages。

　　ThusfarMachiavelreasonsjustly；buthetakesinonlyapartofhissubject，andconfineshimselftothosemotivesthatshoulddetermineawiseprincetomaintainliberty，becauseitishisinteresttodoso。Herisesnohigherthantheconsiderationofmereinterest，offame，ofsecurity，ofquiet，andofpower，allpersonaltotheprince：andbysuchmotivesaloneevenhisfavouriteBorgiamighthavebeendeterminedtoaffectthevirtuesofapatriotprince；morethanwhichthisgreatdoctorinpoliticalknowledgewouldnothaverequiredofhim。Butheisfarfromgoinguptothatmotivewhichshouldabovealldetermineagoodprincetoholdthisconduct，becauseitishisdutytodoso；adutythatheowestoGodbyonelaw，andtohispeoplebyanother。NowitiswiththisthatIshallbeginwhatIintendtoofferconcerningthesystemofprinciplesandconductbywhichaPatriotKingwillgovernhimselfandhispeople。Ishallnotonlybeginhigher，butdescendintomoredetail，andkeepstillinmyeyetheapplicationofthewholetotheconstitutionofGreatBritain，eventothepresentstateofournation，andtemperofourpeople。

　　Ithinkenoughhasbeenalreadysaid，toestablishthefirstandtrueprinciplesofmonarchicalandindeedofeveryotherkindofgovernment：andIwillsaywithconfidence，thatnoprinciplesbutthese，andsuchasthese，canbeadvanced，whichdeservetobetreatedseriously；thoughMrLockecondescendedtoexaminethoseofFilmer，moreoutofregardtotheprejudicesofthetime，thantotheimportanceofthework。Uponsuchfoundationswemustconclude，thatsincemenweredirectedbynaturetoformsocieties，becausetheycannotbytheirnaturesubsistwithoutthem，norinastateofindividuality；andsincetheyweredirectedinlikemannertoestablishgovernments，becausesocietiescannotbemaintainedwithoutthem，norsubsistinastateofanarchy，theultimateendofallgovernmentsisthegoodofthepeople，forwhosesaketheyweremade，andwithoutwhoseconsenttheycouldnothavebeenmade。