“It is the nature of men to be bound by the benefits they confer as much as by those they receive.”

Source: The Prince (1513), Ch. 10; translated by W. K. Marriot

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Niccolo Machiavelli130

Italian politician, Writer and Author 1469–1527

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La reconnaissance de la plupart des hommes n'est qu'une secrète envie de recevoir de plus grands bienfaits.
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“Thanksgiving for the benefits received from God is made acceptable by humility and not looking down on those who lack them. It is rendered unacceptable, however, by being conceited, as if those benefits resulted from our own efforts and knowledge, and by condemning those who have not received them.”

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“The second generation did not pass through as much as the first generation did, but they received the benefit of what the first generation experienced.”

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“For my own Part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring Favours, but as paying Debts. In my Travels, and since my Settlement, I have received much Kindness from Men, to whom I shall never have any Opportunity of making the least direct Return. And numberless Mercies from God, who is infinitely above being benefited by our Services. Those Kindnesses from Men, I can therefore only Return on their Fellow Men; and I can only shew my Gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other Children and my Brethren. For I do not think that Thanks and Compliments, tho’ repeated weekly, can discharge our real Obligations to each other, and much less those to our Creator.”

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“In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.”

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Context: Again, in our enterprises we present the singular spectacle of daring and deliberation, each carried to its highest point, and both united in the same persons; although usually decision is the fruit of ignorance, hesitation of reflection. But the palm of courage will surely be adjudged most justly to those, who best know the difference between hardship and pleasure and yet are never tempted to shrink from danger. In generosity we are equally singular, acquiring our friends by conferring, not by receiving, favours.

“Wisely was it written: ‘Let him that desireth oblivion confer benefits—but the memory of an injury endureth for ever.”

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Source: The Brass Bottle (1900), Chapter 4, “At Large”

“Science is a social phenomenon, and like every other social phenomenon is limited by the benefit of injury it confers on the community.”

Hermann Rauschning (1887–1982) German politician

Source: The Voice of Destruction (1940), p. 223

“It is the nature of men to be bound by the benefits they confer as much as by those they receive.”

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Niccolo Machiavelli130

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