1809. They begin by removing others out of the way, especially the upright, whom they persecute in various ways, and yet not by vilifying them, as integrity defends itself, but by manifold other methods and procedures, as by taking advantage of [a patron's] simplicity to pervert his counsels, calling them evil, and attributing to him unfortunate results, and by many other means, as I learned by lively experience, since there were those about me of this quality, to whom it was given to obtain a certain degree of controlling influence over me.