Mchenry. 617 MACHIAVELLI. to request his resignation. He then retired to ilaryland, where he lived during tlie remainder of his life. Fort McHenry (q.v. ) was named in his honor. McHENRY, James (1785-1845). An Ameri- can physician and autlior, born at Lame, County Antrim, Ireland. He studied at Duhlin and Glas- gow, and then practiced for a time in Ireland, but in 1817 emigrated to the United States. In 1842 he was appointed United States consul at Londonderry, a post he held until his death. His writings include: O'llaUorun. or the. Insurgent (1824) ; The Wilderness, or Braddock's Times, a Talc of the West (2 vols., 1823) ; The Betrothed of Wi/oming (2d ed. 1830) ; Jackson's Wreath (1829) ; and The Usurper, an Flistoricul Tragedy, which was played at the old Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia in 1829. MACHIAS, machi'ns. A town and the coun- ty-seat of Washington County, Maine, 62 miles east by south of Bangor: on the ilachias River, 12 miles from its mouth and at the head of navi- gation, and on the Washington County Railroad (Slap: ilaine, J 6). It has a fine court-house, jail. Federal CTOvernment building. L'nited States llarine Hospital, and the Porter Memorial Library with 4000 volumes, ilachias is chiefly engaged in shipbuilding and lumber manufac- turing, and in the coastwise and lumber trade. There is good water power. Population, in 1890, 2035: in 1900, 2082. In 1033 several Englishmen established a trad- ing post here, but the French forced them to leave in the same year, and the ])ost was re- moved. Machias was settled in 1703. became a township in 1770, and was incorporated as a town in 1784. From August 1 to Xovember 1. 1777, it was besieged, and on August 17th it was unsuccessfully attacked bj^ a small British fleet under Sir George Collier. Out of the orig- inal township, East ilachias, Machiasport. Whit- ney'ille, and Marshfield were subsequently created. Consult Memorial of the Centennial Anniversan/ of the Settlement of Machias (Ma- chias, 1803). MACHIAVELLI, mU'kya-vel'le, XiccoLO (1409-1527). An Italian historian, statesman, and man of letters. He was born in Florence, May 3. 1409, the second of four children of Ber- nardo Machiavelli and Bartolomea dei Xelli. His family belonged to the Tuscan nobility, but for some time had been poor in worldly goods. Of his early life we have little au- thentic information. He had the literary edu- cation of a well-born Florentine of his day. knew some law, wrote Latin readily. but hadnoacquaint- ance with Greek. His abundant knowledge of later years was the result of private study, thought, and observation of men and events. In 1494 he obtained a post in tlie Second Chancellery of Florence, comprising the bureaus of Foreign Af- fairs and War. This was at the time of the ex- pulsion of the iledici and the estaldishnient of a new republican government under the auspices of Savonarola. He became first Secretary of the Ten in 1498, and held the position for fourteen years. The office was more responsible and im- portant than lucrative, and Machiavelli wa-s throughout his life a poor man. The Reiuiblic of Florence did not even supply funds for the neces- sary expenses of the many diplomatic missions upon which he was sent, and these were a heavy drain upon his slender private resources. We have slight glimpses into his family life. He mar- ried Marietta Corsini in 1502 and she bore him six children. His principal modern biographer describes him as "of middle height, slender figure, with sparkling eyes, dark hair, rather a small head, a slightly a(|uiline nose, a tightly closed mouth. All about him bore the impress of a very acute observer and tliinker, but not that of one able to wield nuich influence over others." The position of Machiavelli in public life was a pe- culiar one. He was never a leader; but he was for man.v years in positions of trust and respon- sibility and intimately associated with the most important business of government and with the chief men of the period. He had, therefore, unique opportunities for impartial study of the business of government. The Pisan war laid upon him diplomatic duties, as well as those of commissary of the forces. In the latter capacity he was able to study the system of mercenary- military service then in vogue, and thereafter he actively opposed the mercenary system in favor of a national military organization, such as all nations maintain to-day. He spent much time on diplomatic duty at the Court of Cesare Borgia and saw the rise and fall of the power of that master of sinister and conscienceless poli- ties. A study of Cesare's methods, embodied in the essay. On the Mode of Treating the Rebels in the Val di Chiana, was the first attempt at a new science of politics. The embassies of Ma- chiavelli also included one to the Emperor Maxi- milian I., two to Pope Julius II., four to Louis XII. of France, and many to the various Italian States. His letters and papers relating to these constitute an invaluable note-book upon the political conditions of the period. The Florentine ship of state sailed in troubled waters in the years 1510-12 and soon, deserted by its allies, the Republic was left to fight its battle alone against the exiled Jledici. backed by the Papal power. Machiavelli worked with energy for the defense of the city, but with the overthrow of the Republic was involved in the downfall of his friend and patron, the Gonfa- loniere Soderini (1512). As the Medici showed great moderation upon their restoration, Ma- chiavelli seems to have entertained hope of re- turning to his office, the income of which he needed, while the work suited his taste. He was, however, dismissed and banished for a year from the city, but without permission to leave Floren- tine territory, and put under bonds. It is worthy of note that he was able to render exact and cor- rect accounts upon relinquishing his office. In 1513 he was arrested on suspicion of complicity in the conspiracy of Boscoli and Capponi, but after being put to the torture he was adjudged innocent. Reduced to want and deprived of wholesome activities, he abandoned himself to debauchery and wrote ^■erses and comedies, of which the best known is Mandragola. He soon turned, however, to a better task, and wrote his great works on politics — II principe and Dis- corsi sopra la prima deca di Tito Livio. Before 1520 Machiavelli gave the Prince its final form, and wrote all that was ever written of the Dis- courses and the seven books on the Art of War. Some favor now began to be shown him. He was admitted to the company that g-athered in the Oricellari Gardens, and ventured to put forth a Discourse Touching the Reform of Gev-
