On Generosity and
Miserliness
Beginning, therefore,
with the first of the above mentioned qualities. I say that it would be good to
be considered generous; nevertheless, generosity used in such a manner as to give
you a reputation for it will harm you, because if it is employed virtuously and
as one should employ it, it will not be recognized and you will not avoid the
reproach of its opposite. And so, if a prince wants to maintain his reputation
for generosity among men, it is necessary for him not to neglect any possible
means of lavish display, in so doing such a prince will always use up all his
resources and he will be obliged, eventually, if he wished to maintain his
reputation for generosity, to burden the people with excessive taxes and to do
everything possible to raise funds. This will begin to make him hateful to is
subjects, and, becoming impoverished, he will not be much esteemed by anyone,
so that, as a consequence of his generosity, having offended many and rewarded
few, he will feel the effects of any slight unrest and will be ruined at the
first sign of danger, recognizing this and wishing to alter his policies, he
immediately runs the risk of being reproached as a miser.
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