After general conveniences, the prince must pay attention to the conveniences of each individual because men are not made alike and what might appear convenient, easy, and agreeable to one of them would not be to another with respect to his natural disposition. It is fitting to accommodate these differences in dispositions that are in the bodies and in the minds of men, which are impossible to change. Although it seems very difficult for the prince to enter (328) in such great detail into individual affairs, he should not however neglect this point, because it is of great consequence, especially in relation to the choice of trade or profession that everyone must make according to the strengths of his body and his mind. How many people lead an uncomfortable and miserable life and cannot succeed at anything because they do not practice a profession that suits them? The prince will be able to provide an excellent solution to this by appointing wise people to public schools who will examine the natural disposition of each child and make him accept a profession within his reach; who will draw the superior geniuses from the dregs of the people and employ them in important things; (329) who will not allow children to follow only their caprice or that of their parents in choosing a profession. The exact observance of this maxim will carry great weight for the state’s wealth.
In Germany when a child is simple-minded and slow, we usually say—he is a good child, he must be made a priest. If this false reasoning did not also extend to other professions, we could tolerate that a number of priests were simple-minded because this disposition contributes much to leading a pious life, without scandal, the greatest talent a priest can have; but we also often reason badly with regard to other professions, the most important for the state’s wealth. (330) Let us begin with the jobs that concern the government, on which the happiness of a nation and a state depends almost entirely. One very often hides from the prince the necessary knowledge to make a good choice; the one who is master of his heart and his mind sometimes has no other plan than to fill the top positions with his own children, relatives and friends, or with those who give money, without worrying if they have the requisite qualities to procure opulence for the people and to support this balance that makes all their temporal happiness. He uses slander and lies to remove those who, because they are not in his cabal, seem dangerous due to their merit and their ability, (331) and works continually to put them in a bad light in the prince’s mind or to prevent him from knowing the right instruments that must be used to enrich his states. Another important subject for the prince’s attention is not to be mistaken in the choice of his ministers.
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