關燈 巨大 直達底部
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第4部分

ugh for the servant’s good to be preferred before the master’s; but yet it is a greater extreme; when a little good of the servant shall carry things against a great good of the master’s。 And yet that is the case of bad officers; treasurers; ambassadors; generals; and other false and corrupt4 servants; which set a bias upon their bowl; of their own petty ends and envies; to the overthrow of their master’s great and important affairs。 And for the most part; the good such servants receive is after the model of their own fortune; but the hurt they sell for that good is after the model of their master’s fortune。 And certainly it is the nature of extreme self…lovers; as they will set an house on fire; and it were but to roast their eggs; and yet these men many times hold credit with their masters; because their study is but to please them and profit themselves; and for either respect they will abandon the good of their affairs。

Wisdom for a man’s self is; in many branches thereof; a depraved thing。 It is the wisdom of rats; that will be sure to leave a house somewhat before it fall。 It is the wisdom of the fox; that thrusts out the badger; who digged and made room for him。 It is the wisdom of crocodiles5; that shed tears when they would devour。 But that which is specially to be noted is; that those which (as Cicero says of Pompey) are sui amantes; sine rivali; are many times unfortunate。 And whereas they have all their time sacrificed to themselves; they bee in the end them