LEVIATHAN

An excerpt

By Thomas Hobbe

Prudence
When the thoughts of a man, that has a designe in hand, running over a multitude of
things, observes how they conduce to that designe; or what designe they may conduce
into; if his observations be such as are not easie, or usuall, This wit of his is called
PRUDENCE; and dependeth on much Experience, and Memory of the like things, and
their consequences heretofore. In which there is not so much difference of Men, as there
is in their Fancies and Judgements; Because the Experience of men equall in age, is not
much unequall, as to the quantity; but lyes in different occasions; every one having his
private designes. To govern well a family, and a kingdome, are not different degrees of
Prudence; but different sorts of businesse; no more then to draw a picture in little, or as
great, or greater then the life, are different degrees of Art. A plain husband-man is more
Prudent in affaires of his own house, then a Privy Counseller in the affaires of another
man.

Craft
To Prudence, if you adde the use of unjust, or dishonest means, such as usually are
prompted to men by Feare, or Want; you have that Crooked Wisdome, which is called
CRAFT; which is a signe of Pusillanimity. For Magnanimity is contempt of unjust, or
dishonest helps. And that which the Latines Call Versutia, (translated into English,
Shifting,) and is a putting off of a present danger or incommodity, by engaging into a
greater, as when a man robbs one to pay another, is but a shorter sighted Craft, called
Versutia, from Versura, which signifies taking mony at usurie, for the present payment of
interest.
 Acquired Wit
As for Acquired Wit, (I mean acquired by method and instruction,) there is none but
Reason; which is grounded on the right use of Speech; and produceth the Sciences. But
of Reason and Science, I have already spoken in the fifth and sixth Chapters.
The causes of this difference of Witts, are in the Passions: and the difference of Passions,
proceedeth partly from the different Constitution of the body, and partly from different
Education. For if the difference proceeded from the temper of the brain, and the organs
of Sense, either exterior or interior, there would be no lesse difference of men in their
Sight, Hearing, or other Senses, than in their Fancies, and Discretions. It proceeds
therefore from the Passions; which are different, not onely from the difference of mens
complexions; but also from their difference of customes, and education.
The Passions that most of all cause the differences of Wit, are principally, the more or
lesse Desire of Power, of Riches, of Knowledge, and of Honour. All which may be
reduced to the first, that is Desire of Power. For Riches, Knowledge and Honour are but
severall sorts of Power.

Giddinesse
Madnesse
And therefore, a man who has no great Passion for any of these things; but is as men
terme it indifferent; though he may be so farre a good man, as to be free from giving
offence; yet he cannot possibly have either a great Fancy, or much Judgement. For the
Thoughts, are to the Desires, as Scouts, and Spies, to range abroad, and find the way to
the things Desired: All Stedinesse of the minds motion, and all quicknesse of the same,
proceeding from thence. For as to have no Desire, is to be Dead: so to have weak
Passions, is Dulnesse; and to have Passions indifferently for every thing, GIDDINESSE,
and Distraction; and to have stronger, and more vehement Passions for any thing, than is
ordinarily seen in others, is that which men call MADNESSE.
Whereof there be almost as many kinds, as of the Passions themselves. Sometimes the
extraordinary and extravagant Passion, proceedeth from the evill constitution of the
organs of the Body, or harme done them; and sometimes the hurt, and indisposition of
the Organs, is caused by the vehemence, or long continuance of the Passion. But in both
cases the Madnesse is of one and the same nature.
The Passion, whose violence, or continuance maketh Madnesse, is either great Vaine-
Glory; which is commonly called Pride, and Selfe-Conceipt; or great Dejection of mind.
 Rage
Pride, subjecteth a man to Anger, the excesse whereof, is the Madnesse called RAGE,
and FURY. And thus it comes to passe that excessive desire of Revenge, when it
becomes habituall, hurteth the organs, and becomes Rage: That excessive love, with
jealousie, becomes also Rage: Excessive opinion of a mans own selfe, for divine
inspiration, for wisdome, learning, forme, and the like, becomes Distraction, and
Giddinesse: the same, joyned with Envy, Rage: Vehement opinion of the truth of any
thing, contradicted by others, Rage.