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- 9898
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- 2026-01-30T20:48:52.921Z
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- 9843
- text
- whimsical humors; nor ever feels any compunction at receiving the
greatest possible favors from those who are as able to grant, as free to
bestow. He himself bestows upon occasion; so that, at bottom, common
charity steps in to dictate a favorable consideration for all possible
profferings; seeing that the acceptance shall only the more enrich him,
indirectly, for new and larger beneficences of his own.
And as for those who noways pretend with themselves to regulate their
deportment by considerations of genuine benevolence, and to whom such
courteous profferings hypocritically come from persons whom they suspect
for secret enemies; then to such minds not only will their own worldly
tactics at once forbid the uncivil blank repulse of such offers; but if
they are secretly malicious as well as frigid, or if they are at all
capable of being fully gratified by the sense of concealed superiority
and mastership (which precious few men are) then how delightful for such
persons under the guise of mere acquiescence in his own voluntary
civilities, to make genteel use of their foe. For one would like to
know, what were foes made for except to be used? In the rude ages men
hunted and javelined the tiger, because they hated him for a
mischief-minded wild-beast; but in these enlightened times, though we
love the tiger as little as ever, still we mostly hunt him for the sake
of his skin. A wise man then will wear his tiger; every morning put on
his tiger for a robe to keep him warm and adorn him. In this view, foes
are far more desirable than friends; for who would hunt and kill his own
faithful affectionate dog for the sake of his skin? and is a dog's skin
as valuable as a tiger's? Cases there are where it becomes soberly
advisable, by direct arts to convert some well-wishers into foes. It is
false that in point of policy a man should never make enemies. As
well-wishers some men may not only be nugatory but positive obstacles in
your peculiar plans; but as foes you may subordinately cement them into
your general design.
But into these ulterior refinements of cool Tuscan policy, Pierre as yet
had never become initiated; his experiences hitherto not having been
varied and ripe enough for that; besides, he had altogether too much
generous blood in his heart. Nevertheless, thereafter, in a less
immature hour, though still he shall not have the heart to practice upon
such maxims as the above, yet shall he have the brain thoroughly to
comprehend their practicability; which is not always the case. And
generally, in worldly wisdom, men will deny to one the possession of all
insight, which one does not by his every-day outward life practically
reveal. It is a very common error of some unscrupulously
infidel-minded, selfish, unprincipled, or downright knavish men, to
suppose that believing men, or benevolent-hearted men, or good men, do
not know enough to be unscrupulously selfish, do not know enough to be
unscrupulous knaves. And thus--thanks to the world!--are there many
spies in the world's camp, who are mistaken for strolling simpletons.
And these strolling simpletons seem to act upon the principle, that in
certain things, we do not so much learn, by showing that already we know
a vast deal, as by negatively seeming rather ignorant. But here we press
upon the frontiers of that sort of wisdom, which it is very well to
possess, but not sagacious to show that you possess. Still, men there
are, who having quite done with the world, all its mere worldly contents
are become so far indifferent, that they care little of what mere
worldly imprudence they may be guilty.
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