native genius.  It is certain that Machiavelli knew quite enough of Latin and Greek literature to serve his turn; and his familiarity with some of the classical historians and philosophers is intimate.  There is even too much parade in his works of illustrations borrowed from Polybius, Livy, and Plutarch:  the only question is whether Machiavelli relied upon translations rather than originals.  On this point, it is also worthy of remark that his culture was rather Roman than Hellenic.  Had he at any period of his life made as profound a study of Plato’s political dialogues as he made of Livy’s histories, we cannot but feel that his theories both of government and statecraft might have been more concordant with a sane and normal humanity.

    [1] See Villani’s Machiavelli, vol. i. p. 303.  Ed. Le
    Monnier.

    [2] See vol. i. of the edition of Machiavelli, by Mess.  Fanfani
    and Passerini, Florence, 1873; p. lv.  Villani’s Machiavelli,
    ib. p. 306.  The income is estimated at about 180_l._

    [3] See Pandolfini, Trattato del Governo della Famiglia.

    [4] Fanfani and Passerini’s edition, vol. i. p. xcii.

    [5] Elogia, cap. 87.

In 1494, the date of the expulsion of the Medici, Machiavelli was admitted to the Chancery of the Commune as a clerk; and in 1498 he was appointed to the post of chancellor and secretary to the Dieci di liberta e pace.  This place he held for the better half of fifteen years, that is to say, during the whole period of Florentine freedom.  His diplomatic missions undertaken at the instance of the Republic were very numerous.  Omitting those of less importance, we find him at the camp of Cesare Borgia in 1502, in France in 1504, with Julius II. in 1506, with the Emperor Maximilian in 1507, and again at the French Court in 1510.[1] To this department of his public life belong the dispatches and Relazioni which he sent home to the Signory of Florence, his Monograph upon the Massacre of Sinigaglia, his treatises upon the method of dealing with Pisa, Pistoja, and Valdichiana, and those two remarkable studies of foreign nations which are entitled Ritratti delle Cose dell’ Alemagna and Ritratti delle Cose di Francia.  It was also in the year 1500 that he laid the first foundations of his improved military system.  The political sagacity and the patriotism for which Machiavelli has been admired are nowhere more conspicuous than in the discernment which suggested this measure, and in the indefatigable zeal with which he strove to carry it into effect.  Pondering upon the causes of Italian weakness when confronted with nations like the French, and comparing contemporary with ancient history, Machiavelli came to the conclusion that the universal employment of mercenary troops was the chief secret of the insecurity of Italy.  He therefore conceived a plan for establishing a national militia, and for placing the whole male population at the service