The Fourth Book : Essays and Discourses 131 



XLIX 



That good commanders, and experienced soldiers, are like 

 skilful fencers, who defend with prudence, and assault with 

 courage, and kill their enemies by art, not trusting their lives 

 to chance or fortune ; for as a little man with skill may easily 

 kill an ignorant giant, so a small army that hath experienced 

 commanders may easily overcome a great army that hath none. 



That gallant men having no employment for heroic actions 

 become lazy, as hating any other business ; whereas cowards 

 and base persons are only active and stirring in times of 

 peace, working ill designs to breed factions, and cause distur- 

 bances in a commonwealth. 



LI 



That there have been many questions and disputes con- 

 cerning the governments of princes ; as, whether they ought 

 to govern by love, or fear ? But the best way of government 

 is, and has always been, by just rewards and punishments ; 

 for that state which cannot tell how and when to punish and 

 reward, does not know how to govern, by reason all the world 

 is governed that way. 



LII 



That if the ancient Britons had had skill according to their 

 courage, they might have conquered all the world, as the 

 Romans did. 



LIII 



That it would be very beneficial for great princes to be 

 sometimes present in courts of judicature, to examine the 

 causes of their poor subjects, and find out the extortions and 

 corruptions of magistrates and officers ; by which glorious 

 act they would gain much love and fame from the people. 



