te A PEL ye — 
XXI. 9.] THE SECOND BOOK. 201 
that we are much beholden to Machiavel and others, that 
write what men do, and not what they ought to do. For 
it is not possible to join serpentine wisdom with the 
columbine innocency, except men know exactly all the 
conditions of the serpent; his baseness and going upon 
his belly, his volubility and lubricity, his envy and sting, 
and the rest; that is, all forms and natures of evil. For 
without this, virtue lieth open and unfenced. Nay, an 
honest man can do no good upon those that are wicked, 
to reclaim them, without the help of the knowledge of 
evil. For men of corrupted minds presuppose that 
honesty groweth out of simplicity of manners, and _be- 
lieving of preachers, schoolmasters, and men’s exterior 
language. So as, except you can make them perceive 
that you know the utmost reaches of their own corrupt 
opinions, they despise all morality. Mon recipit stultus 
verba prudentia, nist ea dixerts que versantur in corde ejus. 
10. Unto this part, touching respective duty, doth also 
appertain the duties between husband and wife, parent 
and child, master and servant. So likewise the laws of 
friendship and gratitude, the civil bond of companies, 
colleges, and politic bodies, of neighbourhood, and all 
other proportionate duties; not as they are parts of 
government and society, but as to the framing of the 
mind of particular persons. 
11. The knowledge concerning good respecting society 
doth handle it also, not simply alone, but comparatively; 
whereunto belongeth the weighing of duties between per- 
son and person, case and case, particular and public. As 
we see in the proceeding of Lucius Brutus against his 
own sons, which was so much extolled; yet what was 
said? 
Infelix, utcunque ferent ea fata minores. 
