THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER the charge that was made against me last evening, to wit: that I spoke as I did rather for the purpose of detracting from the Court Lady's praises (by raising a false belief that other excel- lences can be ascribed to the Courtier, and by thus artfully mak- ing him her superior), than because what I said was true. Wherefore, to adapt myself to the hour, which is later than it is wont to be when we begin our discussions, I shall be brief. 4 — •' So, to pursue these gentlemen's discourse, which I wholly approve and confirm, I say that of the things that we call good, there are some which simply and in themselves are always good, like temperance, fortitude, health, and all the virtues that bestow tranquillity upon the mind; others, which are good in various respects and for the object to which they tend, like law, liberal- ity, riches, and other like things. Hence I think that the perfect Courtier, such as Count Ludovico and messer Federico have de- scribed, may be a truly good thing and w^orthy of praise, not however simply and in himself, but in respect to the end to which he may be directed. For indeed if by being nobly born, graceful, agreeable, and expert in so many exercises, the Courtier ]irought forth no other fruit than merely being what he is, I should not deem it right for a man to devote so much study and pains to acquiring this perfection of Courtiership, as anyone must who wishes to attain it. Nay, I should say that many of those accom- plishments that have been ascribed to him (like dancing, merry- making, singing and playing) were follies and vanities, and in a man of rank worthy rather of censure than of praise : for these elegances, devices, mottoes, and other like things that pertain to discourse about women and love, although perhaps many other men think the contrary, often serve only to effeminate the mind, to corrupt youth, and to reduce it to great wantonness of living; whence then it comes to pass that the Italian name is brought into opprobrium, and but few are to be found who dare, I will not say to die, but even to run into danger. " And surely there are countless other things, which, if industry and study were spent upon them, would be of much greater utility in both peace and war than this kind of Courtiership in itself merely; but if the Courtier's actions are directed to that good end to which they ought, and which I have in mind, 246
