OF FACTION
 

IX.

OF FACTION.

Many have a new wisdom, otherwise called a fondi
opinion, that for a prince to govern his estate, or fot
a great person to govern his proceedings according
to the respect of faction, is the principal part of'
policy. Whereas, contrariwise, the chiefest wisdomi
is either in ordering those things which are general,
and wherein men of several factions do nevertheless
agree, or in dealing with correspondent persons one
by one. But I say not that the consideration of
factions is to be neglected. Mean men must adhere,
but great men, that have strength in themselves,
were better to maintain themselves indifferent and
neutral ; yet, even in beginners, to adhere so mode¬
rately as he be a man of the one faction vv^hich is
passablest with the other, commonly giveth best
way. The lower and weaker faction is the firmer in
condition. When one of the factions is extinguished,
the remaining subdivideth, which is good for a second.