"Nothing," he used to say to his intimates,
"nothing ages a man like living always with the same woman." Well
aware, on the other hand, of the inequality of social conditions and
keenly desirous of raising the moral tone of his people, he framed iron
laws to restrain those irregularities of married life which had been a
disreputable feature of local society prior to his accession.
Not in vain had he pondered in youth the political maxims of the great
Florentine. He cultivated assiduously the friendship of Church and Mob;
he knew that no throne, however seemingly well-established, can weather
the blasts of fortune save by resting on those twin pillars of
security. So it came about that, while all Europe was convulsed in
savage warfare, his relations with other rulers were marked by rare
cordiality and simplicity of intercourse. He never failed to conciliate
his more powerful neighbours by timely gifts of local delicacies--gifts
of dark-eyed virgins to grace their palaces, and frequent hampers of
those succulent LANGOUSTES for which the coastal waters of the island
are renowned, both items of the finest quality obtainable.
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