MACHIAVELLI, whose “Prince” is one of the most celebrated books in the prose literature of Europe was born at Florence, Italy, May 3d, 1469. His family was noble, and though it had fallen into decay and poverty, he was educated as liberally as the times allowed. He was a classical scholar of extensive attainment, a poet and historian as well as an essayist. Had he not written “The Prince” his name might be held in high repute, as indeed it might at any rate if several of the chapters which make that work deservedly infamous could have been cut out of it before its publication. In “The Prince” in giving his views of the proper political management of a state he justifies as a rule of conduct the common political practices of his day. It has been said in excusing him that he represented the manners of his age, but it is quite true, and notorious as it is true, that what he recommends with such flagrancy is practiced in modern politics even beyond the flagrancy of his recommendation. It is as inevitable in politics as embezzlement is in the circulation of money and robbery in the exchange of commodities; but while civilization will recognize and deal with its existence as a fact, the whole object of civilization is to minimize its power for evil and if possible to eradicate it. In the measure in which civilization fails of this, it degenerates into an expression of that mere barbaric desire to take all possible advantage which as it expresses itself in the fraud which precedes violence is often called “Machiavellism.” Morally unsound and on this point intellectually defective, Machiavelli had great powers of mind and as he used them in politics for the unification of Italy he has come into greatly increased favor with his countrymen during the second half of the nineteenth century. He died at Florence, June 22d, 1527. His principal works besides “The Prince” are a “History of Florence,” a treatise on the “Art of War” and “Discourses” on Livy and on government.