130 deviating from the measure of what is necessary, so that, rising above the relinquished step of brutish- ness, they attain a distinguished rank of humanity. Let it be recommended to watch by night as much as possible; never to show violent enmity towards any man •, and to beware of making one's bosom the prison-house of rancour; should it nevertheless take place from the infirmity of human nature, let it soon be stifled: for, in the interior of our soul resides the true agent, the unparallelled God, and raises tumul- tuous strife for the sake of provoking the investiga- tion of truth. A governor should disdain laughing and joking; he should always be informed of every occurrence by spies; but never rely upon the information of one of them, because truth and disinterestedness are rare among them ; therefore, in every affair, let him appoint several spies and intelligencers, who are not to know each other; and, having written down separately the account given by each of them; compare them, with each other. But the notorious spies are to be dismissed and discarded from his presence, nor access granted to persons of mean birth and depraved habits, although this sort of people may be usefully employed against other bad men; but he should never let the account-book slip out of his hands, and always entertain in his heart suspicion against this class of men, that they may