Two Letters in Contrast

Previous generation of humanists: Marsilo Ficino to Giovanni Cavalcanti in 1476:
Giovanni, write to me sometime about what you have been doing in those matters common to us both, or what you want done by me; that is, my good Giovanni, if you know what you want at this time. At present I do not really know what I want; it may be that I do not really want what I know and want that which I do not know.

However, I think that things are not settled for you under the benign influence of your Jupiter progressing in Pisces; but for me, under the malign influence of my Saturn retrogressing in Leo, they are far from settled.

Nevertheless, as we often observe, thanks should be given in all things to Him who, from His infinite goodness, converts all things to the good.

Machiavelli to Guicciardini 17 May 1521 (letter 270):
I was completely absorbed in my imagining my style of preacher for Florence...I am going to be as pigheaded about this idea as I am about my other ideas....They would like a preacher who would teach them the way to paradise and I should like to find one who would teach them the way to go to the Devil. Furthermore ... I believe that the following would be the true way to go to paradise: learn the way to Hell and steer clear of it.

If God converts everything to good (Ficino's letter) then there is hope that evil can be eliminated.
In Machiavelli's world, we must learn what evil is to steer clear of it. because evil will always be in man's heart, the good can be achieved once the existence of evil is acknowledged.