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The choice of servants is of no little importance to a prince,

and they are good or not according to the discrimination of the

prince. And the first opinion which one forms of a prince, and of

his understanding, is by observing the men he has around him; and

when they are capable and faithful he may always be considered

wise, because he has known how to recognize the capable and to

keep them faithful. But when they are otherwise one cannot form a

good opinion of him, for the prime error which he made was in

choosing them.