I consider it a mark of great prudence in a man to abstain from threats or any contemptuous expressions, for neither of these weaken the enemy, but threats make him more cautious, and the other excites his hatred, and a desire to revenge himself. – Niccolo Machiavelli
One change always leaves the way open for the establishment of others. – Niccolo Machiavelli
A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests. – Niccolo Machiavelli
Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration. – Niccolo Machiavelli
We can easily become as much slaves to precaution as we can to fear. Although we can never rivet our fortune so tight as to make it impregnible, we may by our excessive prudence squeeze out of the life that we are guarding so anxiously all the adventurous quality that makes it worth living. – Randolph Silliman Bourne
Presently a light breeze sprang up, rolling the fog before it, and then dying away, leaving the lighthouse enshrouded…. The two great fog-bells of the lighthouse were therefore set agoing, and they rang out their slow deep-toned peal all that day and all that night… – R.M. Ballantyne, The Lighthouse: Being the Story of a Great Fight Between Man an