Strona 125 z 310

And there is nothing wastes so rapidly as liberality, for even

whilst you exercise it you lose the power to do so, and so become

either poor or despised, or else, in avoiding poverty, rapacious

and hated. And a prince should guard himself, above all things,

against being despised and hated; and liberality leads you to

both. Therefore it is wiser to have a reputation for meanness

which brings reproach without hatred, than to be compelled

through seeking a reputation for liberality to incur a name for

rapacity which begets reproach with hatred.

CHAPTER XVII. CONCERNING CRUELTY AND CLEMENCY, AND WHETHER IT IS

BETTER TO BE LOVED THAN FEARED