show great strength of character. How many actions are accomplished, not because they have been selected as the most rational, but because they, when they occurred in our minds, in some way or other tickled our ambition and vanity so that we persist in them and rashly accomplish them. Thus they strengthen in us the belief in our character and our safe conscience, hence, generally speaking, in our strength: whilst the choice of the most rational acts maintains scepticism against us and a sense of weakness in us.
302
Once, trice, and thrice true.—Men lie unspeakably often, but they do not trouble to think of it, and generally do not believe it.
303
Sport of the discerner of men.—He fancies that he knows me, and feels genteel and important when associating with me in some way or other: I take good care not to undeceive him. For I should have to suffer for it, whereas now he is kindly disposed to me since I evoke in him a sensation of conscious superiority. There stands another, who fears that I fancy to know him, and feels humiliated by this fear. Consequently he behaves in an abominable and awkward mamer, trying to mislead me with regard to himself in order again to gain ascendency over me.
