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U T O P I A= 
 
 OR. T H E 
 
 HAPPY REPUBLIC; 
 
 A 
 
 PHILOSOPHICAL ROMANCE, 
 
 IN TWO BOOKS. 
 
 Book I. Containing preli- 
 minary difcourfes on the 
 happieft ftate of a com 
 mon- wealth. 
 
 Book II. Containing a de- 
 fcription of the ifland of 
 Utopia, 
 
 The towns, magirtrates, me- 
 chanic trades, and manner 
 of life of the Utopians, 
 
 Their traffic, travelling, flives, 
 marriages, military difti- 
 plinc, religions. 
 
 WRITTEN IN LATIN 
 BY SIR THOMAS MORE, 
 
 Lord High Chancellor of England. 
 
 TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH 
 
 BY GILBERT BURNET D. D. 
 
 Sometime Profeflbr of Divinity in the Univerfity of Glafgow, 
 
 afterwards Bilhop of Sarum. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 PXIKTED BY AOBERT AND ANDREW FOULIS, 
 M.DCC.LZII. 
 
/v\ «,^t, \J^^ • 
 
 BISHOP BURNET'S 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 TRANSLATION) 
 
 » 
 
 PARTICULARLY THIS OF 
 
 UTOPIA. 
 
 THERE Is no way of writing To proper, for the 
 refining and polifhing a language, as the tranf- 
 lating of books into it, if he that undertakes it has a 
 competent fldll of the one tongue, and is a mafler of the 
 other. When a man writes his own thoughts, the heat 
 of his fancy, and the quicknefs of his mind, carry him 
 fo much after the notions themfelves, that for the mod 
 part he is too warm to judge of the aptnefs of words, 
 and the juftnefs of figures ; fo that he either negledts 
 thefe too rrtuch, or over-does them : but when a man 
 Iranflates, he has none of thefe heats about him: and 
 therefore the French took no ill method, when they in- 
 tended to reform and beautify their language, in fetting 
 their beft writers on work to tranflate the Greek and 
 Latin authors into it. There is fo little praife got by 
 tranflations, that a man cannot be engaged to it out of 
 
 a 2 
 
It THE PREFACE. 
 
 ranity, for it has pafTcd for a (Ign of a flow mind, th«t 
 can amufc: itfelf with fo mean an entertainment ; but we 
 begin to grow wifer, and tho' ordinary iranfliitors muft 
 fucceed ill in the efteem of the world, yet fome have 
 appeared of late that will, 1 hope, bring that way of 
 writing in credit. 1 he Knglifh language has wrought 
 itfelf out, both of the fuifome pedantry under which it 
 laboured long ago, and the trifling way of dark and un- 
 intelligible wit that came after that, and out of the 
 coarfc extravagance of canting that fucceeded this : but 
 as one extrcam commonly produces another, fo we were 
 beginning to fly into a fublime pitch of a llrong but fnlfe 
 rhetoric, which had much corrupted, not only the ihgc, 
 but even the pulpit ; two places, that tho' they ought 
 EG" to be named together, much lefs to reiemble one 
 another; yet it cannot be denied, but the rule and 
 meafure of fpeech is generally taken from them : but 
 that florid Araio is almoin quite worn out, and is be- 
 come now as ridiculous as it was once admired. So that 
 without either the expence or labour that the French 
 have undergone, our language has, like a rich wine, 
 w.cught OJt its tartar, and is infenfibly brought to a 
 purity that could not have been compafTcd without much 
 labour, had it not been for the great advantage that wc 
 have of a prince, who is fo great a judge, that his (jngle 
 appr*obaiion or diflike has almoft as great an authority 
 over our language, as his prerogative gives him over 
 our coin. We arc now fo much refined, that how dc- 
 
THE PREFACE. f 
 
 fedtive foever our imaginations or reafonings may be, 
 yet our language has fewer faults, and is more natural 
 and proper, than it was ever at any time before. When 
 one compares the belt writers of the iaft age, with thof^ 
 that excel in this, the difference is very difcerniblej 
 even the great Sir Francis Bacon, that was the firft that 
 writ our language correctly ; as he is ftill our beft a\i«» 
 thor, yet4n fome places has figures fo ftrong, that they 
 could not pals now before a fevere judge. I will not 
 provoke the prefent mafters of the ftage, by preferrinor 
 the authors of the laft age to them : for tho' they ali 
 acknowledge that they come far fliort of B. Johnfon, 
 Beaumont and Fletcher, yet I believe they are better 
 pleafcd to fay this themfelves, than to have it obferved 
 by others. Their language is now certainly properer» 
 and more natural than it was formerly, chiefly fince the 
 corredlion that was given by the Rehearfal ; and it is to 
 be hop'd, that the eflay on poetry, which may be well 
 matched with the beft pieces of its kind that eveft 
 ^uguftus's age produced, will have a more powerful 
 operation, if clear fenfe, joined with home but gentle 
 reproofs, can work more on our writers, than that un- 
 merciful expofing of them has done. 
 
 I have now much leifure, and want diverfion, fo I 
 have beftowed fome of my hours upon tranflations, i^ 
 which I have propofcdno ill patterns to myfelf : butthe 
 reader will be bcft able to judge whether I have copied 
 ikilfvjJly ^ter fuch originals. This fmall volume which 
 
i\ THE PREFACE. 
 
 I now publilh, being writ by one of the greateft mco 
 that this i/land has produced, fecmed to me to contain fo 
 many fine and well digefted notions, that 1 thought it 
 might be no unkind nor ill -entertainment to the nation, 
 to put a book in their hands, to which they have 
 fo good a title, and v/liich has a very common fate 
 upon it, to be more known and admired all the world 
 over, than here at home. It was once tranflated into 
 Englifh not long after it was written ; and I was once 
 apt to think it might have been done by Sir Thomas 
 More himfelf : for as it is in the Fnpjifh of his age, and 
 not unlike his llyle ; fo the tranflator has taken a li- 
 berty that feems too great for any but the author him- 
 felf, who is mafter of his own book, and fo may leave 
 out or alter his original as he pleafes : which is more 
 than a tranflator ought to do, I am fure it is more than 
 I have prefumed to do. 
 
 It was writ in the year 1516, as appears by the 
 date of the letter of Peter Gile's, in which he fays, that 
 it was fent him but a few days before from the author, 
 and that bears date the firft of November that year ; but 
 I cannot imagine how he comes to be called flieriff of 
 London in the title of the boek, for in all our printed ca- 
 talogues of fheriffs, his name is not to be found. I do 
 not think myfelf concerned in the matter of his book, 
 no more than any other tranflator is in his author : nor 
 do I think More himfelf went in heartily to that which 
 is the chief bafis of his Utopia, the taking away of iJJ 
 
THE PREFACE. vii 
 
 property, and the levelling the world ; but that he only 
 intended to fet many notions in his reader's way ; and 
 that he might not feem too much in earneft, he went 
 fo far out of ail roads to do it the lefs fufpe^ied : the 
 earneftnefs with which he recommends the precaution 
 ufed in marriages among the Utopians, makes one think 
 that he had a misfortune in his own choice, and that 
 therefore he was fo cautious on that head; for the 
 ftri<^nefs of his life covers him from fevere cenfures : 
 his fetting out fo barbarous a pradice, as the hiring of 
 affaffines to take off enemies is fo wild and fo immoral 
 both, that it does not admit of any thing to foften or 
 cxcufe it, much lefs to juftify it ; and the advifing men 
 in fome cafes to put an end to their lives, notwithftand- 
 ing all the caution with which he guards it, is a piece of 
 rough and fierce philofophy. The tendereft part of the 
 whole work, was the reprefentation he gives of Henry 
 the feventh's court ; and his difcourfes upon it, towards 
 the end of the firft book, in which his difguife is fo thin, 
 that the matter would not have been much plainer if he 
 had named him : but when he ventured to write fo free- 
 ly of the father in the fon's reign, and to give fuch 
 '• an idea of government under the haughtleft prince, and 
 the moft impatient of uneafy reftraints that ever reigned 
 in England, who yet was fo far from being difpleafed 
 with him for it, that as he made him long his particular 
 friend, fo he employed him in all his affairs afterwards, 
 and raifed him to be Lord Chancellor, I thought I 
 
fB THE PREFACE. 
 
 might venture to put it in more modern KnglKh : for 
 as the tranflators of Plutarch's Hero's, or of Tully's Of- 
 fices, are not concerned, cither in the maxims, or in the 
 actions that they relate ; fo I, who only tclJ, in the bed 
 Englifh I can, what Sir Thomas More writ in vnry e« 
 legant Latin, mud leave his thoughts and notions to the 
 reader's cenfure, and do think myfelf liable for nothing 
 but the fidelity of the tranflation, and the corrednefs of 
 the Englifh ; and for that I can only fay, thai 1 Wt 
 Writ as carefully, and as well as 1 cao. 
 
TESTIMONIES 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 SIR THOMAS MORE, 
 
 By Great and Learned men of different Nations and 
 Religions. 
 
 Extraded from the Hiftory of his Lir-E, written by his 
 Great-grand-fon. printed at London i 62 7. 
 
 CARDINAL POOL. 
 
 STRANGERS and men of other nations, that never 
 had feen him in their lives, received fo much grief 
 at the hearing of his death, reading the (lory thereof, 
 they could not refrain from weeping, bewailing an un- 
 knov/n perfon only famous unto them for his worthy 
 a6ls : yea, I cannot hold myfelf from weeping as I write, 
 tho' I be far off my country ; I loved him dearly, who 
 had not fo many urgent caufes of his love, as many 
 others had, only in refpedt of his virtues and heroical 
 afls, for which he was a mod necefiary member of his 
 country ; and now God is my witnefs, I (bed for him, 
 even whether I would or no, fo many tears, that they 
 hinder me from writing, and often blot out the letters 
 quite, v/hich I am framing, that I can proceed no far- 
 ther. — Thy father, oh London ! thy ornament, thy 
 defence, was brought to his death, being innocent in 
 thy fight ; by birth, thy child; by condition, thy citi- 
 zen, but thy father for the many benefits done unto 
 
 b 
 
X TESTIMONIES. 
 
 thee ; for he flicwed more evident figns of his fatherly 
 love tov/ards thee, than ever any loving father hath ex- 
 preffed to his only and truly beloved child ; yet in no- 
 thing hath he more declared his fitherly afFedion, than 
 by his end; for that he loll liis life for thy fake. — 
 "Wherefore that which wc read in the ancient (lories of 
 Greece, as touching Socrates, whom the Athenians con- 
 demned mod unjuflly to take polfon, fo thou halt now 
 feen thy Socrates beheaded before thine eyes ; a while 
 after his death, when in a play there was recited out of 
 a tragedy thefe words : * Vou have flain, you have flain 
 * the bell man of all Greece.' Upon thefe their words 
 every man fo lamented the death of Socrates, calling to 
 mind that injuftice, altho' the poet himfelf dreamed 
 lealt of him, that the whole theater was filled with no- 
 thing elfe, but tears and howling, for which caufe the 
 people prefently revenged his death, by punifhing grie- 
 voufly the chief authors thereof; thofe that were of 
 them to be found, were put to death prefently, and they 
 that could not be found out, were banifhed. There was 
 alfo a ftatue ere(5led in his honour, in the very market- 
 place. If they therefore at the on^y hearing of thefe 
 words upon the ftage took an occafion to be revenged of 
 that moll innocent man's flaughter; what more juft 
 caufe may 'ft thou, London, have of compaffion and re- 
 venge, hearing the like words to thele, not pronounced 
 only by any flage-player at home, but by mod grave and 
 reverend men in all places of chrillendom, when as they 
 
TESTIMONIES. xi 
 
 fpeak mofi: ferioufly, exprobrating often unto thee thine 
 ingratitude, and faying: ' You have flain, you have 
 * ilain tJie beft Englifh-man alive. 
 
 ERASMUS. 
 Every man bewaileth the death of Sir Thomas 
 More, even they who are adverfaries unto him for re- 
 ligion ; fo great was his courtefie to all men, fo great his 
 affability, fo excellent was his nature. AVhom did he 
 ever fend av/ay from him, if he were any thing learned, 
 without gifts ? Or who was fo great a ftranger unto 
 him, to whom he did not feek to do one good turn or o- 
 ther ? Many are favourable only to their own country- 
 men ; Frenchmen to Frenchmen, Germans to Germans, 
 Scottiflimen to Scots. But the friendfliip of his generous 
 foul extended to Irifh, to French, to Germans, to Scots. 
 This his bounty hath fo engraven More in every man's 
 heart, that they all lament his death, as the lofs of 
 their own father or brother; I myfelf have feen many 
 tears come from thofe men who never faw More in 
 their lives, nor ever received any benefit from him ; 
 yea, whilfl I writ thefe things, tears gu(h from me whe- 
 ther I will or no. How many fouls hath that axe 
 wounded, which cut of Mo re's head? 
 
 JO. COCHLEUS. 
 What praife or honour could you get by that cru- 
 elty, which you cxercifed againft Sir Th om a s Mo re ? 
 He was a man of mod known and laudable humanity, 
 
xii TESTIMONIES. 
 
 mild behaviour, alfdbillty, boanty, eloquence, wlfdom, 
 innoconcy of life, wit, learning, exceedingly beloved 
 and admired of all men ; in dignity, befidcs, iiighclt 
 judge of your country, and next to the king himlelf, fa- 
 mous from his youth ; beneficial to his country for ma- 
 ny embaflages, and now moll venerable for his gray 
 head, drawing towards old age, who having obtained of 
 the king an honourable difmilfion from his office, lived 
 privately at home with his wife, children, and nephews, 
 having never committed the lealt olfence againd any, 
 burdenfome to no man, ready to help every body, mild 
 and pkafant of difpofition. You iiave given rounfel to 
 have this fo good a man drawn out oi his own houfe, 
 out of that fwcet academy of learned and devout Chri- 
 stian Philofophers, for no other caufe but this, that he 
 would not jullify your impieties; his guililcfs confci- 
 ence reliitmg it, the fear of God, and his foul's health 
 withdrawing him from it. Do you believe thit this 
 your wicked fa<5t hath ever pleafed any one of what na- 
 tion, fex, or age foever ? 
 
 P A U L U S J O V I U S. 
 Fortune, fickle and unconftant, after her accu- 
 ftomed manner, and always hating virtue, if ever fhe 
 play'd the part of a proud and cruel dame, Ihe hath late- 
 ly behaved herfelf mod cruelly in England, under Hen- 
 ry the eight, ca(Hng down before her Thomas More, 
 whom the king, whild he was an excellent admirer 
 of virtue, had raifcd to the highcft places of honour 
 
TESTIMONIES. xiU 
 
 in his realm, that from thence, being by fatal madnefs 
 changed into a beafl:, he might fuddenly throw him 
 down again with great cruelty, becaufe he would not 
 favour the unfatiable lufl: of that furious tyrant, and for 
 that he would not flatter him in his wickednefs, being a 
 man moft eminent for the accomplifhment of all parts of 
 juftice, and moft faintly in all kinds of virtues. For 
 when the king would be divorced from his lawful wife, 
 marry a queen, and haften to difinherit, with fhame, his 
 lawful daughter (Mary,) More Lord Chancellor was 
 forced to appear at the bar guilty only for his piety and 
 innocency, and there was condemned moft wrongfully 
 to a moft cruel and fhameful death like a traitor and 
 murderer, fo that it was not lawful for his friends to 
 bury the difmembred quarters of his body. But Henry 
 for this fa6t, an imitator of Phalaris, fhall never be able 
 to bereave him of perpetual fame, by this his unlawful 
 wickednefs, but that the name of More ftiall remain 
 conftant and in honour, by his famous Utopia. 
 
 JO. RIVIUS, a learned Protestant. 
 He that is In a prince's court, ought freely, if he be 
 afl<:ed his judgment, rather to tell his mind plainly, what 
 is moft behoofeful for his prince's good, than to fpeak 
 placentia, tickling his ears with flattery ; neither ought 
 he to praife things which are not praife-worthy, nor to 
 difpraife maters that are worthy of high commendations ; 
 yea, altho' he be in danger of getting no favour by per- 
 
Xiv T E S T I M O N I E S. 
 
 fuading it, but rather punifhment and difgrace for gain- 
 laying men's appetites. — Such a man was lately- in our 
 memory that fingular and excellent for learning and pie- 
 ty, yea, the only ornament and glory of his country 
 Thomas More, who becaufe he would not agree to 
 nor approve by his confcnt, againft his own confcience, 
 the new marriage of the king of England, who would 
 needs be divorced from his firfl wife, and marry another, 
 hew.is (nil cart intoprifon, one that had fingularly well- 
 deferved of the king himfclf, and of England; and when 
 he conlhinily continued in his opinion, which he truly 
 thought to be moll jurt, mod lawful and godly, embol- 
 dened to defend it by a fincere confcience, he was put to 
 death, by that wicked parricide, that moft hateful and 
 cruel tyrant ; a cruelty not heard of before in this our 
 age. Oh ingratitude and fingular impiety of the king's, 
 who could firll endure to confume and macerate with a 
 tedious and loaihfome imprifonment, fuch a fincere and 
 holy good man ; one that had been fo careful of his glo- 
 ry, fo ftudious of his country's profit ; he that had per- 
 fuaded him always to all juftice and honefty, difluaded 
 him from all contraries, and not convinced of any 
 crime, nor found in any fault, he flew him (Oh mifer- 
 able wickednefs!) not only being innocent, but him 
 that had deferved high rewards, and his moft faithful 
 and trufly councellor. Are thefe thy rewards, O king ? 
 is this the thanks thou returned him for all his trufty 
 fcrvice and good-will unto thee ? Doth this man reap 
 
TESTIMONIES. Xv 
 
 this commodity for his mod faithful ads and employ- 
 ments? But, oh More, thou art now happy, and en- 
 joyeft eternal felicity, who wouldft lofe thy head rather 
 than approve any thing againit thine own confcience, 
 who more efteemeft righteoufnefs, juftice and piety, than 
 life itfelf ; and whilft thou art deprived of this mortal 
 life, thou pafTeft to the true and immortal happinefs of 
 heaven ; whilfl: thou are taken away from men, thou 
 art raifed up amongft the numbers of holy faints and 
 angels of blifs. 
 
 CHARLES V. Emperor. 
 Charles V. Emperor faid unto Sir Thomas Elliot 
 then the king's ambaffador in his court, after he had 
 heard of Bifliop Fiflier and Sir Thomas xMore's fuffer- 
 ings ; on a time he fpoke of it to Sir Thomas Elliot, 
 who feemed to excufe the matter by making fome doubt 
 of the report, to whom the Emperor reply 'd, " It is too 
 " true ; but if we had two fuch lights in all our king- 
 " doms, as thefe men were, we could rather have cho- 
 " fen to have loft two of the beft and ftrongeft towns in 
 *' all our empire, than fuffer ourfelves to be deprived of 
 *' them, much lefs to endure to have. them wrongfully 
 " taken from us." 
 
 Thomas More Efq; the Author's Great-grand- 
 fon, concerning his UTOPIA. 
 The book that carrieth the prize of all his other 
 
xvi TESTIMONIES. 
 
 Latin books, of witty invention, is his Utopia ; he dotk 
 in it mod lively and pleafantly paint forth fuch an ex- 
 quifite platform, pattern, and example of a fingular good 
 common-wealth, as to the fame, neither the Lacedae- 
 monians, nor the Athenians, nor yet the bell oi all o- 
 iher, that of the Romans, is comparable, full prettily 
 and probably devifing the fiiid country to be one of the 
 countries of the new-found lands, declared to him in 
 Antwerp, by Hythlodiusa Portingal, and one of the fea- 
 companions of Amcricus Vefputius, that firlt fought out 
 and found tliolc lands ; (uch an excellent and ablolutc 
 an ertaie of a common-wealth, that faving the people 
 were unchrilk-ncd, might feem to pafs any eflate and 
 common-wealth, I will not fay of the old nations by me 
 before mentioned, but even of any other in our time. 
 Many great learned men, as Budeus, and Joannes Palu- 
 danus, upon a fervent zeal wifhed, that fome excellent 
 divines might be fent thither to preach Chrift's gofpel; 
 yea, there were here amongll us at home, fundry good 
 men and learned divines very defirous to take the voyage 
 to bring the people to the faith of Chrift, whofe manners 
 they did fo well like. And this faid jolly invention of 
 Sir Thomas Mo re's fecmed to bear a good counte- 
 nance of truth, not only for the credit Sir Thomas was 
 of in the world, but alfo for that :.bout the fame time 
 many ftrange and unknown nations and countrys were 
 dlifcovered, fuch as our forefathers never knew. 
 
A LETTER 
 
 FROM 
 
 SIR THOMAS MORE 
 
 'to 
 PETER GILES, 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 UTOPIA. 
 
 T AM almoft afliamed, my deareft Peter Giles, to fend 
 -*- you this book of the Utopian common-wealth, af- 
 ter almoft a year's delay ; whereas no doubt you look'd 
 for it within fix weeks : for as you know I had no oc- 
 cafion for ufing my invention, or for taking pains to put 
 things into any method, becaufe I had nothing to do, 
 but to repeat exaftJy thofe things that I heard Raphael 
 relate in your prefence ; fo neither was their any occafi- 
 on given for a ftudied eloquence ; fince as he deHvered 
 things to us of the fudden, and in a carelefs ftile, fo he 
 being, as you know, a gi-eatsr maimer of the Greek, than 
 of the Latin, die plainer my words are, they will re- 
 femble his fimplicity the more, and will be by confe- 
 <iuence the nearer to the truth; and that is all that I 
 
 c ' 
 
xvui SIR THOMAS M O R E's 
 
 think lies on me, and it is irtdeed the only thing in whidi 
 I thought myielf concerned. I confefs, I had very little 
 left on me in this matter, for otherwife the inventing 
 and ordering of fucha fcheme, would have put a man of 
 an ordinary pitch, either of capacity, or of learning, to 
 fome pains, and have cofl him fome time ; but if it had 
 been necc/Tary that this relation fhould have been made, 
 not only truly, but eloquently, it could never have been 
 performed by me, even after all the pains and time that 
 I could have beflowed upon it. My part in it was fo 
 very fmall, that it could not give me much trouble, all 
 that belonged to me being only to give a true and full 
 account of the things that 1 had heard ; but altho' this 
 required fo very little of my time ; yet even that httle 
 was long denied me by my other affairs, which prefs 
 much upon me : for while in pleading, and hearing, and 
 in judging or corapofmg of atufes, in waiting on fome 
 men upon bufinefs, and others out of refpcift, the great- 
 eft part of the day Is fpcnt on other men's affairs, the 
 remainder of it mull be given to my family at home : 
 fo that I can referve no part of it to myfclf, that is, to 
 my ftudy : 1 muil talk with my wife, and chat with my 
 children, and I have fomewhat to fay to my fervants; 
 for all thefe things I reckon as a part of bufinefs, except 
 a man will refolve to be a ftraager at home : and with 
 whorafoever either nature, or chance, or choice has en- 
 gaged a man, in any commerce, he muft endeavour to 
 make himfclf as acceptable to thofe about him, as he 
 
LETTER. XIX 
 
 poflibly can ; ufing ftlll fuch a temper in it, that he may 
 not fpoil them by an excellive gentlenefs, fo that his fer- 
 vants may not become his mafters. In fuch things as I 
 have named to you, do^days, months and years flip a- 
 way ; what is then left for writing ? And yet I have 
 faid nothing of that time that muft go for fleep, or for 
 meat : in which many do wafte almoft as much of their 
 time, as in fleep, which confumes very near the half of 
 our hfe ; and indeed all the time which I can gain to my- 
 felf, is that which I fl:eal from my fleep and my meals ; 
 and hecaufe that is not much, I have made but a flow 
 progrefs ; yet becaufe it is fomewhat, I have at lafl: got 
 to an end of my Utopia, which I now fend to you, and 
 expedl that after you have read it, you will let me know 
 if you can put me in mind of any thing that has efcaped 
 me ; for tho' I would think myfeJf very happy, if I had 
 but as much invention and learning as I know I have 
 memory, which makes me generally depend much upon 
 it, yet I do not rely fo entirely on it, as to think I 
 Ccin forget nothing. 
 
 My fervant, John Clement, has ftarted lome things 
 that fliake me : you know he was prefent with us, as I 
 think he ought to be at every converfation that may be 
 of ufe to him, for I promife myfelf great matters from 
 the progrefs he has fo early made in the Greek and Ro- 
 man learning. As far as my memory ferves me, the 
 bridge over Anider at Amaurot, was 500 paces broad, 
 according to Raphael's account ; but John aflures me, 
 
 c 2 
 
X3C SIR THOMAS MO RE'S 
 
 he fpoke only of 300 paces ; therefore I pray you recoi- 
 led what you can remember of this, for if you agree 
 witli him, I will believe that I have been miltaken ; but 
 if you remember nothing of it, I will not alter what 
 I have written, becaufe it is according to the bed of my 
 remembrance : for as I will take care that there may be 
 nothing falfly fet down ; fo if there is any thing doubt- 
 ful, tho* I may perhaps tell a he, yet I am fure I will not 
 make one ; for I would nither pafs for a good man than 
 for a wife man : but it will be eafy to corred this mif- 
 take, if you can either meet with Raphael hirafelf, or 
 know how to write to him. 
 
 I have another difficulty that prefTcs me more, and 
 makes your writing to him the more neceflary : I know 
 not whom I ought to blame for it, whether Raphael, 
 you, or m)'fclf ; for as we did not think of alking it, fo 
 neither did he of telling us, in what part of the new- 
 found world Utopia is fituated ; this was fuch an omif- 
 fion that 1 would gladly redeem it at any rate : I am a- 
 fhamed, that after I have told fo many things concern- 
 ing this ifland, I cannot let my readers know in what 
 fea it Hes. There are fome among us that have a migh- 
 ty defire to go thither, and in particular, one pious di- 
 vine is very earneft on it, not fo much out of a vain curi- 
 ofity of feeing unknown countries, as that he may ad- 
 vance our religion, which is fo happily begun to be 
 planted there ; and that he may do this regularly, he 
 intends to procure a miiEon from the Pope, and to be 
 
LETTER. xxi 
 
 fent thither as their Bifbop. In fuch a cafe as this, he 
 makes no fcruple of afpiringto that character, and thinks 
 it is the rather meritorious to be ambitious of it, when 
 one defircs it only for advancing the Chriftian religion, 
 and not for any honour or advantage that may be had 
 by it, but is adled merely by a pious zeal. Therefore I 
 carneflly beg it of you, if you can poflibly meet with 
 Raphael, or if you know how to write to him, that you 
 will be pleafed to inform yourfelf of thefe things, that 
 there may be no falfhood left in my book, nor any im- 
 portant truth wanting. And perhaps it will not be unfit 
 to let him fee the book itfelf : for as no man can cor- 
 re<5t any errors that may be in it, fo well as he ; fo by 
 reading it, he will be able to give a more perfed judg- 
 ment of it than he can do upon any difcourfe concerning 
 it : ~ and you will be likewife able to difcover whether 
 this undertaking of mine Is acceptable to him or not ; 
 for if he intends to write a relation of his travels, per- 
 haps he will not be pleafed that I fliould prevent him, in 
 that part that belongs to the Utopian common-wealth ; 
 fince if I fhould do fo, his book will not furprize the 
 world with the pleafure which this new difcovery will 
 give the age. And I am fo little fond of appearing in 
 print upon this occafion, that If he diflikes it, I will lay 
 it afide ; and even tho' he fhould approve of It, I am not 
 pofitlvely determined as to publifhing of it. Men's 
 taftes differ much ; fome are of fo morofe a temper, fo 
 four a dlfpofition, and make fuch abfurd judgments of 
 
mU sir THOMAS M O R E's. 
 
 things, that men of chearful and lively tempers, who 
 indulge their genius, feem much more happy, than ihofe 
 \vho wade their time and ilrength in order to the publi- 
 fhing fome book, that tho' of itfclf it might be ufeful or 
 plcafant, yet inftead of being well received, will be fure 
 to be either loathed at, or cenfured. Many know no- 
 thing of learning, and others defpife it : a man that 
 is accuflomed to a coarfc and hard ftile, thinks every 
 thing is rough that is not barbarous. Our trifling pre- 
 tenders to learning, think all is flight that is not drell up 
 in words that arc worn out of ufe ; fome love only old 
 things, and many like nothing but what is their own. 
 Some are fo four that they can allow no jefls, and 
 others are fo dull that they can endure nothing that 
 is fharp ; and fome are as much afraid of any thing that 
 is quick or lively, as a man bit with a mad dog is of wa- 
 ter ; others are fo light and unfettled, that their thoughts 
 change as quick as they do their poflures : and fome, 
 when they meet in taverns, lake upon them among their 
 cups to pafs cenfurcs very freely on all writers ; and 
 with a fupercilious liberty to condemn every thing they 
 do not like : in which they have the advantage that 
 a bald man has, who can catch hold of another by the 
 hair, while the other cannot return the like upon him. 
 They are fafe as it were of gun-fhot, fmce there is 
 nothing in them confiderable enough to be taken hold of. 
 And fome arc fo unthankful, that even when they are 
 well pleafed with a book, yet they think they owe no- 
 
LETTER. xxin 
 
 thing to the author; and are like thofe rude guefts, 
 who after they have been well entertained at a good 
 dinner, go away when they have glutted their appetites, 
 without fo much as thanking him that treated diem. 
 But who would put himfelf to the charge of making 
 a feaft for men of fuch nice palats, and fo different 
 taftes ; who are fo forgetful of the civilities that are 
 done ? But do you once clear thofe points with Ra- 
 phael, and then it will be time enough to confider whe- 
 ther it be nt to publifli it or not : for lince I have been at 
 the pains to write it, if he confents to the publifhing it, 
 I will follow my friend's advice, and chiefly yours. 
 Farewel my dear Peter, commend me kindly to your 
 good wife, and love me ftill as you ufe to do, for I alFurc 
 you I love you daily more and more. 
 
THE 
 
 DISCOURSES 
 
 O F 
 
 RAPHAEL HYTHLOD'AY, 
 
 O F T HE 
 
 BEST STATE 
 
 O F A 
 
 COMMON-WEALTR 
 
 BOOK FIRST. 
 
 HENRY the Eighth, the unconquer'd King of 
 England, a prince adorned with all the virtues 
 that become a great monarch ; having fome 
 differences of no fmall confequence with Charles" the 
 moft ferene Prince of Caftile, fent me into Flanders, as 
 his ambaflador, for treating and compofmg matters be- 
 tween them. I was collegue and companion to that 
 incomparable man Cuthbert Tonftal, whom the king 
 made lately Maftcr of the Rolls, with fuch an univer- 
 fal applaufe ; of v/hom I will fay nothing, not becaufe 
 I fear that the teftimony of a friend will be fufpeded, 
 but rather becaufe his learning and virtues are greater 
 
 A 
 
2 UTOPIA. 
 
 than that they can be fet forth with advantage by rac, 
 and they are fo well known, that they need not my 
 commendations, unlcfs I would, according to the pro- 
 verb, * Shew the fun with a lanrhorn.' Thofe that 
 were appointed by the prince to treat with us, met us 
 at Bruges, according to agreement ; they were all wor- 
 thy men. The Markgrave of Bruges was their head, 
 and the chief man among them ; but he that was eflcera- 
 cd ihc wili'll, and that fp.oke for the refl, was George 
 Temfc the provort of Ciifclfee ; both art and nature 
 had concurred to mJce him eloquent : He was very 
 learned in the law ; and as he had a great capacity, fo 
 by a long practice in affairs, he was very dextrous at 
 them. After we had met once and again, and could 
 not come to an agreement, they went to Bruffcls for 
 fome days to receive the prince's pleafure. And fince 
 our bufmefs did admit of it, I went to Antwerp : while 
 I was there, among many that vifitcd me, there was 
 one that was more acceptable to me than any other : 
 Peter Giles born at Antwerp, who is a man of great ho- 
 nour, and of a good rank in his town ; yet it is not 
 fuch as he deferves : for 1 do not know if there be any 
 where to be found a learneder and a better bred young 
 man : for as he is both a very worthy perfon and a ve- 
 ry knowing man; fo he is fo civil to all men, and yet 
 fo particularly kind to his friends, and is fo full of can- 
 dour and affection, that there is not perhaps above one 
 tr two to be found any where, that is in all refpe«fks fo 
 
UTOPIA. 3 
 
 perfedl a friend as he is : He Is extraordinarily modell, 
 there is no artifice in him ; and yet no man has more of 
 a prudent fimplicity than he has : his converfation was 
 fo pleafant and fo innocently chearful, that his compa- 
 ny did in a great meafure lefTen any longings to go back 
 to my country, and to my wife and children, which an 
 abfence of four months had quickned very much. One 
 day as I was returning home from mafs at St. Mary's, 
 which is' the chief church, and the mofl: frequented of 
 any in Antwerp, I faw him by accident talking with a 
 ftranger, that feemed paft the flower of his age ; his 
 face was tanned, he had a long beard, and his cloak 
 was hanging carelefly about him, fo that by his looks 
 and habit, I concluded he was a feaman. As foon as 
 Peter faw me, he came and faluted me ; and as I was 
 returning his civility, he took me afide, and pointing to 
 him with whom he had been difcourfing, he faid, Do 
 you fee that man ? I was juft thinking to bring him to 
 you. I anfwered, he Ihould have been very welcome on 
 your account : And on his own too, replied he, if you 
 knew the man, for there is none alive that can give yoa 
 fo copious an account of unknown nations and countries 
 as he can do ; which I know you very much defire. 
 Then faid I, I did not guefs amifs, for at firft fight I 
 took him for a feaman : But you are much miftaken, 
 faid he, for he has not failed as a feaman, but as a tra- 
 veller, or rather as a philofopher; for this Raphael, 
 who from his family carries the name of Hythloday, as 
 
 A 2 
 
4 UTOPIA. 
 
 he is not ignorant of the Latin tongue, fo he is emi- 
 nently learned in the Greek, having applied himfelt' 
 more particularly to that than to the former, becaufc 
 he had given himlelf much to philofophy, in which he 
 knew that the Romans hare left us nothing that is va- 
 luable, except what is to be found in Seneca and Cice- 
 ro. He is a Portuguefe by birth, and was fo defirous 
 of feeing the world, that he divided his eftate among 
 his brothers, and run fortunes with Americus Vefputi- 
 us, and bore a Iharc in three of his four voyages, that 
 are now publilhed ; only he did not return with him 
 in his laft, but obtained leave of him almoft by force, 
 that he might be one of ihofe four and twenty ^ho 
 were left at the farthefl place at which they touched, 
 in their laft voyage to Ne\V CaiHle. The leaving him 
 thus, did not a little gratify one that was more fond of 
 travelling than of returning home, to be buried in his 
 own country ; for he ufed often to fay, that the way to 
 heaven was the fame from all places ; and he that had 
 no grave, had the heavens ftill over him. Yet this dif- 
 polition of mind had coll him dear, if God had not been 
 very gracious to him ; for after he, with five CalHlians, 
 had travelled over many countries, at lolt, by a (Grange 
 good fortune, he got to Ceylon, and from thence to 
 Caiict^t, and there he very happily found forae Portu- 
 guefe (hips ; and fo, beyond all men's expectations, he 
 came back to his own country. When Peter had faid 
 this to me, I thanked him for his kindnefs, in intending 
 
UTOPIA. 5 
 
 to give me the acquaintance of a man, whofe converfa- 
 tion he knew would be fo acceptable to me ; and upon 
 that Raphael and I embraced one another : and after 
 thofe civilities were pad, which are ordinary for {gran- 
 gers upon their firft meeting, we went all to my houfe, 
 and entering into the garden, fat down on a green bank, 
 and entertained one another in difcourfe. He told us, 
 that when Vefputius had failed away, he and his com- 
 panions that ftaid behind in New Caftile, did by de- 
 grees infinuate-themfelves into the people of the coun- 
 try, meeting often with them, and treating them gent- 
 ly : and at laft they grew not only to live among them 
 without danger, but to converfe familiarly with them ; 
 and got fo far into the heai^t of a prince, whofe name 
 and country I have forgot, that he both furniflied them 
 plentifully with all things neceflary, and alfo with the 
 conveniencies of travelling ; both boats when they 
 went by water, and waggons when they travelled over 
 land ; and he fent with them a very faithful guide, who 
 was to introduce and recommend them to fuch other 
 princes as they had a mind to fee : and after many days 
 journey, they came to towns, and cities, and to com- 
 mon- wealths, that were both happily governed, and 
 well peopled. Under the Aequator, and as far on both 
 fides of it as the fun moves, there lay vaft defarts that 
 were parched with the perpetual heat of the fun; tlie 
 foil was widiered, all things look'd difmally, and all 
 places were either quite uninhabited, or abounded with 
 
^ UTOPIA. 
 
 wild hearts and ferpcnts, and fome few men, that were 
 neither lels wild, nor lefs cruel than the beafts them- 
 felves. But as they went farther, a new fcene opened, 
 all things grew milder, the air lefs burning, the foil 
 more verdant, and even the hearts were lefs wild : and 
 at lart there arc nations, towns, and cities, that have 
 not only mutual commerce among themfelves, and with 
 their neighbours, but trade both by fea and land, to 
 very remote countries. There they found the conve- 
 niences of feeing many countries on all hands, for no 
 fhip went any voyage into which he and his compani- 
 ons were not very welcome. The firft vefTels that they 
 faw were flat-bottomed, their fails were made of reeds 
 and wicker woven clofe together, only fome were made 
 of leather ; but afterwards they found ihips made with 
 round keels, and canvafs fails, aod in all things like 
 our rtiips ; and the feamen underftood both artronomy 
 and navigation. He got wonderfully into their favour, 
 by fhewing them the ufc of the needle, of which till 
 then they were Aittcrly ignorant; and whereas they 
 failed before with great caution, and only in fummer 
 time, now they count all feafons alike, trufting wholly 
 to the loadrtone, in which they are perhaps more fe- 
 cure than fafe ; fo that there is reafon to fear, that this 
 difcovery which was thought would prove fo much to 
 their advantage, may by their imprudence become an 
 occafion of much mifchief to them. But it were too 
 long to dwell on all that he told us, he had obf^rved ia 
 
UTOPIA. 7 
 
 evety place, it would be too great a digreflioh from our 
 prefent purpofe : and whatever is neceflary to be told, 
 chiefly concerning the wife and prudent inftitutions that 
 he obferved among civilized nations, may perhaps be 
 related by us on a more proper occafion. "We aflc'd 
 him many queftions concerning all thefe things, to 
 which he anfwered very willingly ; only we made no 
 enquiries after monfters, than which nothing is more 
 common ; for every where one may hear of ravenous 
 dogs and wolves, and cruel men-eaters ; but it Is not fo 
 eafy to find ftates that are well and wifely governed. 
 
 But as he told us of many things that were amifs in 
 thofe new-found nations, fo he reckoned up not a few 
 things, from which patterns might be taken for cor- 
 redting the errors of thefe nations among whom we 
 live ; of which an account may be given, as I have al- 
 ready promifed, at fome other time ; for at prefent I 
 intend only to relate thofe particulars that he told us 
 of the manners and laws of the Utopians : But I will 
 begin with the occafion that led us to fpeak of that 
 common -wealth. After Raphael had difcourfed with 
 great judgment of the errors that were both among us 
 and thefe nations, of which there was no fmall number, 
 and had treated of the wife inftitutions both here and 
 there, and had fpoken as diftindlly of the cuftoms and 
 government of every nation through which he had paft, 
 as if he had fpent his whole life in it ; Peter being 
 ftruck with admiration, faid, I wonder, Raphael, how 
 
t UTOPIA. 
 
 it comes that you enter into no king's fervlce, for I am 
 fure there are none to whom you would not be very ac- 
 ceptable: for your learning and knowledge, both of 
 men and things, is fuch that you would not only enter- 
 tain them very pleafantJy, but be oF good ufe to them, 
 by the examples that you could fet before them, and 
 the advices that you could give them ; and by this 
 means you would both ferve your own intqrcll, and be 
 of great ufe to all your friends. As for my friends, 
 anfwcr'd he, I need not be much concerned, having al- 
 ready done all that was incumbent on me toward them ; 
 for when I was not only in good health, but frelh and 
 young, I dillributcd that among my kindred and friends, 
 which other people do not part with till they arc old 
 and fick ; and then they unwillingly give among them, 
 that which they can enjoy no longer themfelves. I 
 think my friends ought to relt contented with this, and 
 not to expc<5l that for their fakes I fliould enflave my- 
 felf to any king whatfoevcr. Soft and fair, faid Peter, 
 I do not mean that you ihould be a flave to any king, 
 but only that you fhould a/filt them, and be ufeful to 
 them. The change of the word, faid he, does not al- 
 ter the matter. But term it as you will, rep.ied Peter, 
 1 do not fee any other way in which you can be fo ufe- 
 ful, both in private to your friends, and to the public, 
 and by which you can make your own condition hap- 
 pier. Happier ! anfwer'd Raphael, is that to be com- 
 pafTed in a way fo abhorrent to my genius ? Now I live 
 
F T O P ! i^. 9 
 
 as I will, to which I believe few courtiers can pretend : 
 and there are fo very many that court the favour of 
 great men, that there will be no great lofs, if they are 
 not troubled either v/ith me, or with others of my tem- 
 per. Upon this, I faid, I perceive Raphael that you nei- 
 ther defire wealth nor greatnefs ; and indeed I value 
 and admire fuch a man much more than I do any of the 
 great men in the world. Yet I think you would do a 
 thing well becoming fo generous and fo philofophical 
 a foul as yours is, if you would apply your time and 
 thoughts to public affairs, even though you mayhap- . 
 pen to find that a little uneafy to yourfelf ; and this 
 you can never do with fo much advantage, as by bein^ 
 taken into the- council of fome great prince, and by fet- 
 ting him on to noble and worthy things, which I know 
 you would do if you were in fuch a poft ; for the fprings 
 both of good and evil, flow over a whole nation', from 
 the prince, as from a lading fountain. So much learn- 
 ing as you have, even without practice in affairs ; or fo 
 great a pradice as you have had, without any other 
 learning, would render you a very fit counfellcr to any 
 king whatfocver. You are doubly miflaken, faid he, 
 Mr. More^ both in your opinion of me, and in the ' 
 judgment that you make of things : for as I have not 
 that capacity that you fancy to be in me ; fo if I had it, 
 the public would not be one jot the better, when I had 
 facrificed my quiet to it. For moft princes apply them- 
 felves more to warlike matters, jhan to the ufeful arts 
 
 B 
 
10 UTOPIA. 
 
 of peace ; and in thefe I neither have any knowledge, 
 nor do I much define it : They are generally more fet 
 on acquiring new kingdoms, right or wrong, than on 
 governing thofe well that they have : and among the 
 minifters of princes, there are none that either are not 
 fo wife as not to need any afliftance, or at leaft that do 
 not think thcmfelves fo wife, that they imagine they 
 need none ; and if they do court any, it is only thofe 
 for whom the prince has much perfond favour, whom 
 by their fawnings and flatteries they endeavour to fix 
 to their own interefts i and indeed nature has fo made 
 us, that we all love to be flattered, and to pleale our- 
 felvcs with our own notions. The old crow loves his 
 young, and the ape his cubs. Now if in fuch a court, 
 made up of perfons that envy all others, and do only 
 admire themfelves, one fliould but propofe any thing 
 that he had either read in hiftory, or obferved in his 
 travels, the reft would think that the reputation of their 
 wifdom would fink, and that their interefts would be 
 much depreffcd, if they could not run it down : and if 
 all other things fiiled, then they would fly to this. 
 That fuch or fuch things pleafed our anceftors, and* it 
 were well for us if we could but match them. They 
 would fet up their reft on fuch an anfwer, as a fufli- 
 cient confutation of all that could be faid ; as if this 
 were a great mifchief, that any fhould be found wifer 
 than his anceftors : but tho' they v. illingly let go all the 
 good tilings that were among thofe of former ages ; yet 
 
UTOPIA. II 
 
 if better things are propofed, they cover themfelves ob- 
 jflinatcly with this excufe, of reverence to paft times. 
 I have met with thefe proud, morofe, and abfurd judg- 
 nients of things in many places, particularly once in 
 England. Was you ever there, faid I ? Yes, I was, 
 anfwered he, and ftaid fome months there, not long 
 after the rebellion in the Wefl: was fuppreffed, with a 
 great flaughter of the poor people that were engaged 
 in it. 
 
 I was then much obliged to that reverend prelate 
 John Morton archbifhop of Canterbury, cardinal, and 
 chancellor of England ; a man, faid he, Peter, (for 
 Mr. More knows well what he was) that was not lels 
 venerable for his wifdom and virtues, than for the high 
 chara6ler he bore : he was of a middle flature, not 
 broken with age ; his looks begot reverence rather than 
 fear ; his converfation v/as eafy, but ferious and grave ; 
 he took pleafure fometimes to try the force of thofe 
 that came as fuitors to him upon bufinefs, by fpeaking 
 fharply, tho' decently to them, and by that he difco- 
 vered their fpirit and prefence of mind ; with which 
 he was much delighted, when It did not grow up to an 
 impudence, as bearing a great refemblance to his own 
 temper; and he looked on fuch perfons as the fitteft 
 men for affairs. He fpoke both gracefully and weigh- 
 tily ; he was eminently flcilled in the law, and had a 
 vafl: underjftanding, and a prodigious memory: and 
 thofe excellent talents with which nature had furniihed 
 
 B 2 
 
12 UTOPIA. 
 
 him, were improved by ftudy and expcritnce. When 
 I was in England, the king depended much on his 
 councils, and the government feemed to be chiefly fup- 
 ported by him ; for from his youth up, he had been all 
 ;ilong pra(5tifed in affairs; and having paffcd through 
 many traverl'es of fortune, he had acquired to his great 
 coft, a vail (lock of wifdom : which is not foon lofl, 
 when it is purchafed fo dear. One day when I was 
 dining with him, there happened to be at table one of 
 the Eniilifh lawvers, who took occafion to run out in a 
 high commendation of the fevere execution of juftice 
 upon thieves, who, as he faid, were then hanged fo faff, 
 that there were fomctimcs twenty on one gibbet ; and 
 upon d^at he faid, he could not wonder enough how it 
 came to pafs, that fince fo few efcaped, there were yet 
 fo many thieves left who were ft ill robbing in all pla- 
 ces. Upon this, I who took the boldnefs to fpeak free- 
 ly before the cardinal, faid, there was no reafon to 
 wonder at the matter, Cnce this way of punilhing 
 thieves, wns neither juft in itfclf, nor good for the 
 public ; for as the fcveriiy was too great, {o the reme- 
 dy was not effedual ; fimple theft not being fo great ^ 
 crime, that it ought to coft a min his life ; and no pu- 
 nifliraent how fevere foever, being able to reftrain thofe 
 from robbing, who can find out no other way of lively- 
 hood ; and in this, faid I, not only you in England, 
 but a great part of the world imitate fome ill mafters, 
 thit are rcidier to diaitifc their fchokrs, than to icacA 
 
U T r I A. 13 
 
 them. There are dreadful punifhments ena(5led agalnft 
 thieves, but it were much better to make fuch good 
 provifions, by which every man might be put in a me- 
 thod how to live, and fo be preferved from the fatal 
 neceflity of dealing, and of dying for it. There has 
 been care enough taken for that, faid he, there are 
 many handicrafts, and there is huftandry, by which 
 they may make a fhift to live, unlefs theyhave a great- 
 er mind to follow ill courfes. That will not ferve your 
 turn, faid I, for many lofe their limbs in civil or for- 
 reign wars, as lately in the Gornlfli rebellion, and fome- 
 time ago in your wars with France, who being thus 
 mutilated in the fervice of their king and country, caa 
 no more follow their old trades, and are too old to 
 learn new ones : but llnce wars are only accidental 
 things, and have intervals, let us confider thofe things 
 thaffall out every day. There is a great number of 
 noblemen among you, that live not only idle them- 
 felves as drones, fubfilHng by other mens labours, who 
 are their tenants, and whom they pare to thie quick, 
 and thereby raife their revenues ; this being the only 
 inflance of their frugality, for in all other things they 
 arc prodigal, even to the beggaring of themfelves : but 
 befides this, they carry about with them a huge num- 
 ber of idle fellows, who never learned any art by which 
 they may gafh their living ; and thefe, as foon as either 
 their lord dies, or they themfelves fall fick, are turned 
 out of daors; for your lords are readier to feed idjc 
 
14 UTOPIA. 
 
 people, than to take care of the Tick ; and often the 
 heir is not able to keep together fo great a family as 
 the prcdeccflor did : now when the ftomachs of thofc 
 that are thus turned out of doors, grow keen, they rob 
 no lefs keenly ; and what elfe can they do ? for after 
 that, by wandering about, they have worn out both 
 their health and their cloaths, and are tattered, and 
 look ghaftly, men of quality will not entertain them, 
 and poor men dare not do it ; knowing that one who 
 has been bred up to idlenefs and pleafurc, and who waj 
 ufed to walk about with his fword and buckler, defpi- 
 fing all the neighbourhood with an infolent fcorn, as 
 far below him, is not fit for the fpade and mattock : 
 nor will he fcrve a poor man for fo fmall a hire, and in 
 fo low a diet as he can afford. To this he anfwercd, 
 this fort of men ought to be particularly chcrifhed a- 
 mong us, for in them confifts the force of the armies 
 for which we may have occafion ; fince their birth in- 
 fpires them with a nobler fenfe of honour, than is to b^ 
 found among tradefmen or ploughmen. You may as 
 well fay, replied I, that you muft cherilh thieves on the 
 account of wars, for you never will want the one, as 
 long as you have the other ; and as robbers prove fome- 
 times gallant foldiers, fo foldiers prove often brave 
 robbers ; fo near an alliance there is between thofe two 
 forts of life. But this bad cuftom of keeping many fer- 
 ▼ants, that is fu common among you, is not peculiar to 
 this nation. In France there is yet a more pcfliferous 
 
V TO P I A. 15 
 
 fort of people, for the whole country is full of foldiers, 
 that arc ftill kept up in time of peace ; if fuch a ftate of 
 a nation can be called a peace : and thefe are kept in 
 pay upon the fame account that you plead for thofc 
 idle retainers about noblemen : this being a maxim of 
 thofe pretended ftatefmen, that it is neceffary for the 
 public fafety, to have a good body of veteran foldiers 
 ever in readlnefs. They think raw men are not to be 
 depended on, and they fometimes feek occafions for 
 making war, that they may train up their foldiers in 
 the art of cutting throats, or as Sallufl obferved, for 
 keeping their hands in ufe, that they may not grow 
 dull by too long intermiilion. But France has learn*d' 
 to its coft, how dangerous it is to feed fuch beafts. 
 The fate of the Romans, Carthaginians, and Syrians, 
 and many other nations, rand cities, which were both 
 overturned, and quite ruined by thofe ftanding armies, 
 fliould make others wifer : and the folly of this maxim 
 of the French, appears plainly even from this, that their 
 trained foldiers fmd your raw men prove often too hard 
 for them ; of which I will not fay much, left you may 
 think I flatter the Englifli nation. Every day's experi- 
 ence (hews, that the mechanics in the towns, or the 
 clowns in the country, are not afFraid of fighting witK 
 thofe idle gentlemen, if they are not difabled by fomc 
 misfortune in their body, or difpirited by extreme 
 want, fo that you need not fear, that thofe well-fhaped 
 md ftrcng men, (for it is only fuch that noblemen love 
 
1 6 UTOPIA. 
 
 to keep about them, till they fpoil them) who no^' gro'> 
 feeble with cafe, and are foftened with their effeminate 
 manner of Hfe, would be lefs fit for adion if they were 
 well bred and well employed. And it feems very un- 
 reafonable, that for the profpet5l of war, which you 
 need never have but when you pleafe, you (hould main- 
 tain fo many idle men, as will always difhirb you in 
 time of peace, which is ever to be more confidered than 
 war. But I do not think that this riccefiity of ftealing, 
 arifes only from hence, thdfe is another caufe of it that 
 is more peculiar to England. What is that ? faid the 
 cardinal : The incrc;ife of palhire, faid I, by which 
 your fheep, that arc naturally mild, and eafily kept in 
 order, may be faid now to devour men, and unpeople, 
 not only villages, but towns : for wherever it is found, 
 that the fheep of any foil yield a fofter and richer wool 
 than ordinary, there the nobility and gentry, and even 
 thofe holy men the abbots, not contented with the old 
 rents which their farms yielded, nor thinking it enough 
 that they living at their eafe, do no good to the public, 
 refolve to do it hurt inftead of good. They flop the 
 courfe of agriculture, inclofe grounds, and deflroy 
 houfes and towns, referving only the churches, that 
 they may lodge their fheep in them : and as if forefts 
 and parks had fwallowed up too little foil, thofe wor- 
 thy contrymen turn the bed inhabited places into foli- 
 tudcs ; for when any unfatiable wretch, who is a plagMc 
 to his countr)', refolves to inclofe many ihoufand acres 
 
tj T O P I A. 27 
 
 bf ground, the owners, as well as tenants, are turned 
 » out of their pofleflions, by tricks, or by main force, or 
 being wearied out with ill ufage, they are forced to fell 
 them. So thbfe miferable people, both men and wo- 
 men, married, unmarried, old and young, with their 
 poor but numerous families, (fince country bufinefs re- 
 quires many hands) are all forced to change their feats, 
 rot knowing V/hither to go ; and they mufi; fell for al- 
 moft nothing, their houfhold-ftufF, which could not 
 bring them much money, even tho' they might ftay for 
 a buyer : when that little money is at an end, for it will 
 be foon fpent; what is left for them to do, but either 
 to fteal, and fo be hanged, (God knows how juftly) or 
 to go about and beg ? and if they do this, they are put 
 in prifon as idle vagabonds ; whereas they would wil- 
 lingly work, but ca^ find none that will hire them ; for 
 there is no more occafion for country labour, to which 
 they have beeri bred, when there is no arable ground 
 left. One fhepherd can look after a flock, which will 
 itock an extent of ground that would require many 
 hands, if it were to be ploughed and reaped. This 
 likewife raifes the price of corn in many places. The 
 price of wool is alfo rifen, that the poor people who were 
 wont to make cloth, are no more able to buy it ; and 
 this likewife makes many of them idle : for fmce the in- 
 creafe of paiiure, God has puniflied the avarice of the 
 owners, by a rot among the fheep, which has deftroyed 
 \ail numbers of them, but had been more juftiy lad 
 
 G 
 
l8 UTOPIA. 
 
 upon the owners themfelves. But fuppofe the ffieep 
 ftiould encreafe ever fo much, their price is not like to 
 faJJ ; fince tho' they cannot be called a monopoly, be- 
 caufe they are not engrofTed by one perfon, yet they 
 are in fo few hands, and thefe are fo rich, that as they 
 are not prcft to fell them fuoner than they have a mind 
 to it, fo they never do it till they have raifed the price 
 as high as is poflible. And on the fame account it is, 
 that the other kinds of cattle are fo dear, and fo much 
 the more, becaufc that many villages being pulled 
 down, and all country-labour being much negletfted, 
 there are none that look after the breeding of thera. 
 The rich do not breed cattle as they do fheep, but buy 
 them lean, and at low prices ; and after they have fat- 
 tened them on their grounds, they (t\\ them again at 
 hioh rates. And I do not think that all the inconveni- 
 
 O 
 
 cnces that this will produce, are yet obferved ; for as 
 they fell the cattle dear, fo if they are confumed faf- 
 ter than the breeding countries, from which they are 
 brought, can afford them; then the flock mull de- 
 creafe, and this muft needs end in a great fcarcity ; 
 and by thefe means this your ifland, that fecmed as to 
 this particular, the happieft in the world, will fuflfer 
 much by the curfcd avarice of a few perfons ; bsfides 
 that, the rifing of corn makes all people le/Ten their 
 families as much as tl.cy can ; and what can thofe who 
 are difraiffed by them do, but either beg or rob ? And 
 to this laft, a man of a great mind is much fooncr 
 
UTOPIA. 19 
 
 drawn than to the former. Luxury Hkewife breaks in 
 ,a-pace upon you, to fet forward your poverty and mi- 
 fery ; there is an exceffive vanity in apparel, and great 
 coft in diet ; and that not only in noblemens families, 
 but even among tradefmen, and among the farmers 
 themfelves, and among all ranks of perfons. You have 
 alfo many infamous houfes, and befides ihofe that are 
 known, the taverns and ale-houfes arc no better ; add 
 to thefe, dice, cards, tables, foot-ball, tennis and coits, 
 in which money runs fad away; and thofe that are 
 initiated into them, muft in conclufion betake them- 
 felves to robbing, for a fupply. Banifh thofe plagues, 
 and give order that thefe who have difpeopled fo much 
 foil, may either rebuild the villages that they have 
 pulled down, or let out their grounds to fuch as will 
 do it : reftrain thofe engroifrngs of the rich, that are 
 as bad almoft as monopolies ; leave fewer occafions to 
 idlenefs ; let agriculture be fet up again, and the ma- 
 nufadlure of the wool be regulated, that fo there may ' 
 be work found for thefe companies of idle people, 
 whom want forces to be thieves, or who now being 
 idle vagabonds, or ufelefs fervants, will certainly grow 
 thieves at laft. If you do not find a remedy to thefe 
 evils, it is a vain thing to boaft of your feverity of pu- 
 nifhing theft ; which tho' it may have the appearance 
 of juftice, yet in itfelf it is neither juft nor convenient : 
 for if you fuffer your people to be ill educated, and 
 their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and 
 C 2 
 
ao UTOPIA. 
 
 then punifii tliem for thofe crimes to which their Uid. 
 education difpofed them, what clfe is to be concluded 
 from this, but that you firil: make thieves, and then 
 punifh them ? 
 
 While I was talking thus, the counfcllor that was 
 prefent had prepared an anfwer, and had refolved to 
 refume all I had faid, according to the formality of 
 a debate, in which things are generally repeated more 
 fiithfuUy than they are anfwered ; as if the chief trial 
 that were to be made, were of mens memories. So he 
 faid to mc, you have talked prettily for a (Iranger, 
 having heard of many things among us, which )'ou 
 have not been able to confidcr well ; but i will nuke 
 the whole matter plain to you, and will firil repeat 
 in order all that you have faid, then I will fhcw how 
 much the ignorance of our affairs has miflcd you, and 
 will in the laft place, anfwer all your arguments. And 
 that I may begin where I promifed, ther^ were four 
 
 ♦thmgs Hold your peace, fiid the cardinal, for you 
 
 will not have done foon that begin thus ; therefore 
 we will n prefent eafe you of the trouble of anfwering, 
 and refen'e it to our next meeting, whicii (hall be to- 
 morrow, if Raphael's affairs and yours can admit of 
 it : But, Raphael, faid he to me, I would gladly know 
 of you upon what reafon it is that you think theft 
 ought not to be punifhed by death ? would you give 
 way to it ? or do you propofe any other punilhmert 
 that will be more ufeful to the pubhc ? For fincc deatU 
 
UTOPIA. 21 
 
 does not reftrain theft, if men thought their lives 
 would be fafe, what fear or force could reftrain ill 
 men ? On the contrary, they would look on the mi- 
 tigation of the punifliment, as an invitation to commit 
 more crimes. 1 anfwered, it feems to me a very un^ 
 jud thing to take away a man's life for a little mo- 
 ney ; for nothing in the world can be of equal value 
 with a man's life: and if it is faid, that it is not for 
 the money that one fufFers, but for his breaking the 
 law ; I mud fay, extreme juftice is an extreme injury : 
 for we ought not to approve of thefe terrible laws that 
 make the fmallcft offences ciipital ; nor of that opinion 
 of the Stoicks that makes all crimes equal, as if there 
 were no difference to be made between the killing a 
 man, and the taking his purfe ; between which, if we 
 examine things impartially, there is no likenefs nor 
 proportion. God has commanded us not to kill, and 
 fhall we kill fo eafily for a little money ? But if one 
 fhall fay, that by that -^aw we are only forbid to kill 
 any, except when the laws of the land allow of it ; 
 upon the fame grounds, lavvs may be made 'to allow of 
 adultery and perjury in fonie cafes : for God having 
 taken from us the right of difpofing, either of our own, 
 or of other people's lives, if it is pretended that the 
 mutual confent of men in making laws, allowing of 
 manflaughter in cafes in which God has given us no 
 example, frees people from the obligation of the di- 
 Tine law, and fo makes murder a lawful action ; Wha^ 
 
ii UTOPIA. 
 
 «s this, but to give a preference to human laws before 
 the divine ? And, if this is once admitted, by the fame 
 rule men may in all other things put what reftri^lons 
 they pleafe upon the laws of God. if by the Mofaical 
 law, tho' it was rough and fevere, as being a yoke laid 
 on an obflinate and fervile nation, men were only fined, 
 and not put to death for theft ; we cannot imagine 
 that in this new law of mercy, in which God treats 
 us with the tendernefs of a father, he has given us a 
 greater licenfe to cruelty, than he did to the Jews. 
 Upon thefe reafons it is, that I think the putting thieves 
 to death is not lawful ; and it is plain and obvious that 
 it is abfurd, and of ill confequcnce to the common- 
 wealth, that a thief and a murderer fhould be equally 
 punifhed : for if a robber fees that his danger is the 
 fame, if he is convided of theft, as if he were guilty 
 of murder, this will naturally fet him on to kill the 
 perfon whom otherwife he would only have robbed, 
 Cnce, if the punifhment is the fume, there is more fe- 
 curity, and Icfs danger of difcovery, when he that can 
 heft make it is put out of the way ; fo that the terri- 
 fying thieves too much, provokes them to cruelty. 
 
 But as to the qucftion. What more convenient way 
 of punifhment can be found ? I think it is much eafier 
 to find out that, than to invent any thing that is worfc; 
 "Why (hould we doubt but the way that was fo lor g in 
 ufe among the old Romans, who underftood fo well the 
 arts of goveroment, was very proper for their punifli- 
 
UTOPIA. 23 
 
 ftent? they condemned fuch as they found guilty of 
 great crimes, to work their whole hves in quarries, or 
 to dig in mines with chains about them. But the me- 
 thod that I liked beft, was that which I obferved in my 
 travels in Perfia, among the Polylerites, who are a 
 confiderable and well-govern'd people. They pay a 
 yearly tribute to the king of Perfia; but in all other 
 refpeds they are a free nation, and governed by their 
 own laws. They lie far from the fea, and are envi- 
 roned with hills; and being contented with the pro- 
 dudions of their own country, which is very fruitful, 
 they have little commerce with any other nation ; and 
 as they, according to the genius of their country, have 
 no appetite of enlarging their borders ; fo their moun- 
 tains, and the penfion that they pay to the Perfian, fe- 
 cure them from all invafions. Thus they have no wars 
 among them ; they live rather conveniently than fplen- 
 didly, and may be rather called a happy nation, than 
 either eminent or famous ; for I do not think that they 
 are known fo much as by name to any but their next 
 neighbours. Thofe that are found guilty of theft among 
 them, are bound to make reftitution to the owner, and 
 not as it is in other places, to the prince, for they 
 reckon that the prince has no more right to the ftolen 
 goods than the thief; but if that which was ftolen is 
 no more in being, then the goods of the thieves are 
 cftimated, and reftitution being made out of them, the 
 remainder is givea to their wiycs and children : and 
 
24 ti T O P 1 A. 
 
 they thcmfelvcs are condemned to ierve in the piib'ic 
 works, but are neither imprifoncd, nor chained, uiiJcfs 
 there happened to be Come extraordinary circumftan- 
 ces in their crimes. 'I hey go about loofe and free, 
 working tor the public : if they are idle or backward 
 to work, they are whipp'd; but if they work hard, 
 they are well iifed and treated without any mark of 
 reproach, only the lills of ihcm are called alwuys at 
 night, and then they arc fhut up, and they fuffcr no 
 other uncafinefs, but this of conft.ijit labour ; for as 
 they work for the public, fo they are well entertained 
 out of the public Hock, which is done ditferently in 
 different places : In forae places, that which is bellow- 
 ed on them, is raifed by a charitable contribution ; and 
 tho' this way may feem unccnain, yet fo merciful arc 
 the inclinations of that people, that they are plentifully 
 fupplied by it ; but in other places, public revenues aic 
 fet afide for them ; or there is a condant tax of a poll- 
 money raifed for their maintenance. In fonie places 
 they are fet to no public work, but every private man 
 that has occaGon to hire workmen, goes to the market- 
 places and hires them of the pubhc, a little lower than 
 he would do a free-man : if they go lazily about their 
 tafk, he may quicken them with the whip. By thrs 
 means there is always fome piece of work or other to 
 be done by them ; and befides their livelihood, they 
 earn fomewhat fHll to the public. They wear all a pe- 
 culiar habit, of ODe certain colour, and their hair i« 
 
Utopia: 2^ 
 
 cropt a little above their ears, and a little of one of 
 their ears is cropt off. Their friends are allowed to 
 give them either meat, drink, or cloaths, fo they are 
 of their proper colour; but it is death, both to the 
 giver and taker, if they give them money ; nor is it 
 lefs penal for any free-man to take, money from them, 
 upon any account whatfoever : and it is alfo death for 
 any of thefe flaves (fo they are called) to handle arms. 
 Thofe of every divifion of the country, are diftinguifh- 
 ed by a peculiar mark: and it is capital to lay that 
 afide, and fo it is alfo to go out of their bounds, or 
 to talk with a Have of another jurifdi6lion ; and the 
 very attempt of an efcape, is no lefs penal than an 
 efcape itfelf ; it is death for any other flave to be ac- 
 ceflbry to it : if a fiee-man engages in it, he is con- 
 demned to flavery: thofe that difcover it are rewar- 
 ded; if free-men, in money; and if flaves, with liber- 
 ty, together with a pardon for being acceffory to it ; 
 that fo they may find their account, rather in repent- 
 ing of their acceflion to fuch a defign, than in perfifHng 
 in it. 
 
 Thefe are their laws and rules in this matter ; in 
 which both die gentlenefs and advantages of them are 
 very obvious ; fince by thefe means, as vices are de- 
 ftroyed, fo men are preferved ; but are fo treated, that 
 they fee the neccffity of being good : and by the reft 
 of their life they make reparation for the mifchief they 
 had formerly done. Nor is there any hazard of their 
 
 D 
 
a6 UTOPIA. 
 
 falling back to their old cuftoms : And fo little do tra- 
 vellers apprehend mifchief from them, that they gene- 
 rally make ufe of them for guides, from one jurifdic- 
 tion to another; for there is nothing left them by 
 which they can rob, or be the better for it, fince as 
 they are difarmed, fo the very having of money is a 
 fufficient convi^^tion : and as they are certainly punifhed 
 if difcovercd, fo they cannot hope to efcape : for their 
 habit being in all the parts of it different from what is 
 commonly worn, they cannot fly away, unlefs they 
 fhould go naked, and even then their crop'd ear would 
 betray diem. The only danger to be fear'd from them 
 is their confpiring againft the government : but thofe 
 of one divilion or neighbourhood can do nothing to any 
 purpofe, unlefs a general confpiracy were laid amongd 
 all the flaves of the feveral jurifdi^^tions, which cannot 
 be done, fince they cannot meet or talk together ; nor 
 will any venture on a dtfign where the concealment 
 would be fo dangerous, and the difcovery fo profitable : 
 and none of them is quite hopelefs of recovering his 
 freedom, fincc by their obedience and patience, and by 
 giving grounds to believe that they will change their 
 manner of lik for the future, they may expe<Sk at lafl to 
 obtain their liberty : and fome are every year redored 
 to it, upon the good charader that is given of them. 
 When I had related all this, I added, that I did not fee 
 why fuch a method might not be follov/ed with more 
 advantage, than could ever be cxpeded from that fc 
 
UTOPIA. 27 
 
 ¥ere juflice which the counfellor magnified fo much. 
 To all this he anfwered, that it could never be fo fet- 
 tled in England, without endangering the whole na- 
 tion by it ; and as he faid that, he fliook his head, and 
 made fome grimaces, and fo held his peace; and all 
 the company feemed to be of his mind : only the cardi- 
 nal faid, it is not eafy to guefs whether it would fuc- 
 ceed well or ill, iince no trial has been made of it : but 
 if when the fentence of death were pafl: upon a thief, 
 the prince would reprieve him for a while, and make 
 the experiment upon him, denying him the privilege of 
 a fand:uary ; then if it had a good effedl upon him, 
 it might take place; and if it fucceeded not, the woril 
 would be, to execute the fentence on the condemned 
 perfon at laft. And I do not fee, faid he, why it would 
 be either unjuft or inconvenient, or at all dangerous, 
 to admit of fuch a delay : and I think the vagabonds 
 ought to be treated in the fame manner, againft whom 
 tho' we have made many laws, yet we have not been 
 able to gain our end by them all. When the cardinal 
 had faid this, then they all fell to commend the mo- 
 tion, tho' they had defpifed it when it came from me ; 
 but they did more particularly commend that concern- 
 ing the vagabonds, becaufe it had been added by him. 
 
 I do not know whether it be worth the while to tell 
 what followed > for it was very ridiculous ; but I fhall 
 venture at it, for as it is not foreign to this matter, 
 fo fome good ufe may be made of it. There was a 
 
 D 2 
 
28 UTOPIA, 
 
 jefter (landing by, that counterfeited tlie fool fa natu- 
 rally, that he feemed to be really one. The jefls at 
 which he offered were fo cold and dull, that we laugh- 
 ed more at him than at them; yet fometimes he.faid, 
 as it were by chance, things that were not unpleafant ; 
 fo as to juftify the old proverb, * That he who throws 
 * the dice often, will fometimes have a lucky hit.* 
 A\'hen one of die company had faid, tliat I had taken 
 care of the thieves, and the cardinal had taken care of 
 the vagabonds, fo that there remained nothing but that 
 fomc public provifion might be made for the poor, 
 whom ficknefs or old age had difablcd from labour : 
 Leave that to me, faid the fool, and I Ihall take cure 
 of them ; for there is no fort of people whofc fight I 
 abhor more, having been fo often vexed with them, 
 and with- their fad complaints ; but iis dolefully focver 
 as they have told their tale to me, they could never 
 prevail fo far as lo draw one penny of money from me : 
 lor cither I had no mind to give them any thing, or, 
 vhen I had a mind to it, I had nothing to give them : 
 and they now know me fo well, that they will not lofel 
 their labour on me, but let me pafs without giving 
 me any trouble, becaufe they hope for nothing from 
 me, no more in faith than if I were a prieft : But I 
 would have a law made, for fending all thefe beggars 
 to monafteries, the men to the Benedidines to be Jay- 
 brothers, and the women to be nuns. The cardinal 
 fmiled, and approved of it in jefl j but the reft liked it 
 
UTOPIA. 29 
 
 in earneft. There was a divine prefent, who tho* he 
 was a grave, raorofe man, yet he was fo pleafed with 
 this reflexion that was made on the priefts and the 
 monks, diat he began to play with the fool, and faid 
 to him, this will not deliver you from all beggars, 
 except you take care of us friars. That is done al- 
 ready, anfwered the fool, for the cardinal has provid- 
 ed for you, by what he propofed for the reftraining va- 
 gabonds, and fetting them to work, for I know no va- 
 gabonds like you. This was well entertained by the 
 whole company, who looking at the cardinal, perceiv- 
 ed that he was not ill pleafed at it ; only the friar 
 himfelf was fo bit, as may be eafily imagined, and fell 
 out into fuch a pallion, that he could not forbear rail- 
 ing at the fool, and called him knave, flanderer, back- 
 biter, and fon of perdition, and cited fome dreadful 
 threatnings out of the fcriptures againll: him. Now the 
 jefter thought he was in his element, and laid about 
 him freely : he faid, good friar, be not angry, for it is 
 written, '* In patience pofTefs your foul." The friar 
 anfwered, (for I fliall give you his own words) I am 
 not angry, you hangman ; at leall I do not fin in it, 
 for the Pfalmift fays, " Be ye angry, and fin not." Up- 
 on this the cardinal admonifhed him gently, and wi(h- 
 ed him to govern his pafiions. No, my lord, faid he, 
 I fpeak not but from a good zeal, which I ought to 
 have; for holy men have had a good zeal, as it is faid, 
 *' The zeal of thy houfe hath eaten me up;" and we 
 
30 UTOPIA. 
 
 fing in our church, that thofe who moclt'd Elifha as he 
 went up to the houfe of God, felt the effcds of his zeal; 
 w^ich that mocker, that rogue, that fcoundrel, will 
 perhaps feel. You do this perhaps witli a good inten- 
 tion faid the cardinal ; but, in my opinion, it were 
 wifer in you, not to fay better for you, not to engage 
 in fo ridiculous a conteft with a fool. No, my lord, 
 anfwered he, that were not wifely done ; for Solomon, 
 the wifeft of men, faid, *' Anfwer a fool according to 
 '* his folly;" which I now do, and Ihew him the ditch 
 into which he will fall, if he is not aware of it; for 
 if the many mockers of Elilha, who was but one bald 
 man, felt the effed of his zeal, what will become of one 
 mocker of fo many friars, among whom there are fo 
 many bald men ? We have likewife a bull, by which 
 all tliat jeer us are excommunicated. When the car- 
 dinal faw that there was no end of this matter, he 
 made a fign to the fool to withdraw, and turned the 
 dlfcourfe another way ; and foon after he rofe from the 
 table, and difmifling us, he went to hear caufes. 
 
 , Thus, Mr. More, I have run out into a tedious fto- 
 ry, of the length of which I had been alhamed, if, as 
 you eameflly begged it of me, I had not obferved you 
 to hearken to it, as if you had no mind to lofe any part 
 of it : I might have contra6ed it, but I refolved to give 
 it you at large, that you might obferve how thofe that 
 had defpifed what I had propofed, no fooncr perceiv- 
 ed that the cardinal did not diilike it, but they pre- 
 
UTOPIA. 31 
 
 fently approved of it, and fawned fo on him, and flat- 
 tered him to fuch a degree, that they in good earned 
 applauded thofe things that he only liked in jeft. And 
 from hence you may gather, how little courtiers would 
 value either me or my counfels. 
 
 To this I aniwered, you have done me a great kind- 
 nefs in this relation ; for as every thing has been re- 
 lated by you, both wifely and pleafantly, fo you have 
 made me imagine, that I was in my ov/n country, and 
 grown young again, by recalling that good cardinal 
 into my thoughts, in whofe family I was bred from 
 my childhood : and tho' you are upon other accounts 
 very dear to me, yet you are the dearer, becaufe you 
 honour his memory fo much : but after all this^ I can- 
 not change my opinion, for I ftill think that if you could 
 overcome that averfion which you have to the courts of 
 princes,"you might do a great deal of good to man- 
 kind, by the advices that you would give ; and this is 
 the chief defign that every good man ought to propofe 
 to himfelf in living : for whereas your friend Plato 
 thinks that then nations will be happy, when either 
 philofophers become kings, or kings become philofo- 
 phers ; no wonder if we are fo far from that happinefs, 
 if philofophers will not think it fit for them to aflifl 
 kings with their counfels. They are not fo bafe mind- 
 ed, faid he, but that they would willingly do it : many 
 of them have, already done it by their books, if thefe 
 that are in power would hearken to their good advi- 
 
32 UTOPIA. 
 
 ces. But Plato judged right, that except kings them- 
 felves became philofophers, it could never be brought 
 about, that they who from their childhood are cor- 
 rupted with faJfe notions, fhould full in intirely with 
 the councils of philofophers, which he hinifclf found 
 to be true in the peribn of Dionyfius. 
 
 Do not you think, that if I were about any king, 
 and were propofmg good laws to him, and endeavour- 
 ing to root out of him all the curfed feeds of evil that 
 I found in hira, I fhould either be turned out of his 
 court, or at leull be laughed at for my pains ? for in- 
 ftance, what could I fr^nify if I were about the King of 
 France, and were called into his cabinet-council, where 
 feveral wife men do in his hearing propofe many expe- 
 dients ; as by what arts and pradices Milan may be 
 kept ; and Naples, that has fo oft flip'd out of their 
 hands, recovered ; and how the Venetians, and after 
 them the reft of Italy may be fubdued ; and then how 
 Flanders, Brabant, and all Burgundy, and fome other 
 kingdoms which he has fwallowed already in his de- 
 ilgns, may be added to his empire. One propofes a 
 league with the Venetians, to be kept as long as he 
 finds his account in it, and that he ought to commu- 
 nicate councils with them, and give them fome (hare of 
 the fpoil, till his fuccefs makes him need or fear them 
 left, and then it will be eafily taken out of their hands. 
 Another propofes the hiring the Germans, and the fe- 
 ouring the Switzers by penfions. Another propofes thr 
 
UTOPIA. 33 
 
 gaining the Emperor by money, which is omnipotent 
 with him. Another propofes a peace with the King 
 6f Arragon, and in order to the cementing it, the 
 yielding up the King of Navarre's pretenfions. Another 
 thinks the Prince of Caftile is to be wrought on, by 
 the hope of an alliance ; and that fome of his cour- 
 tiers are to be gained to the French fa^lion by pen- 
 fions. The hardeft point of all is what to do with 
 England : A treaty of peace is to be (et on foot, 
 and if their alliance is not to be depended on, yet it 
 is to be made as firm as can be ; and they are to be 
 called friends, but fufpeded as enemies : therefore the 
 Scots are to be kept in readinefs, to be let loofe upon 
 England on every occafion ; and fome banifheH noble- 
 man is to be fnpported underhand, (for by the league it 
 cannot be done avowedly) who has a pretenfion to the 
 crov/n, by which means that fufpe^fled prince maybe 
 kept in awe. Now when things are in fo great a fer- 
 mentation, and {6 many galknt men are joinirtg coun- 
 cils, how to carry on the war, if fo mean a man as I 
 am- fhould fland up, and wilh them to change all their 
 counfels, to let Italy alone, and ftay at home, lince 
 the kingdom of France was indeed greater than that 
 it could be well governed by one man ; fo that he ought 
 not to think of adding others to it : and if after this, 
 I fhould propofe to them the refolutioiis of the Achori- 
 ans, a people that lie over againfl the ifle of Utopia to 
 the fouth eafl, who having long ago engaged in a war, 
 
 E 
 
34 UTOPIA. 
 
 that they might gain another kingdom to their klnj, 
 who had a pretenfion to it by an old alliance, by which 
 it had dcfcended to him; and having conquered it, 
 when they found tliat the trouble of keeping it, was 
 equal to that of gaining it ; for the conquered people 
 would be dill apt to rebel, or be expofed to foreign 
 invafions, fo that they mud always be in war, either 
 for them or againft them ; and that therefore they could 
 never difbcmd their army : that in the mean time taxes 
 lay heavy on them, that nK)ney went out of the king- 
 dom ; that their blood was facrificcd to their king's 
 glory, and that they were nothing the better by it, 
 even in time of peace ; their manners being corrupted 
 by a long war ; robbing and murders abounding every 
 where, and their laws falling under contempt, becaufe 
 their king being dilUacted with the cares of the king- 
 dom, was lefs able to apply his mind to any one of 
 them ; when they faw there would be no end of thofe 
 evils, they by joint councils made an humble addreft 
 to their king, defiring him to choofe which of the two 
 kingdoms he had the greateft mind to keep, fincc he 
 could not hold both ; for they were too great a people 
 to be governed by a divided king, fmce no man would 
 willingly have a groom that (hould be in common be- 
 tween him and another. Upon which the good prince 
 was forced to quit his new kingdom to one of his 
 friends, (who was not long after dethroned) and to be 
 contented with his old one. To all this I would add. 
 
UTOPIA. 55 
 
 that after all thofe warlike attempts, and the vafl con- 
 fufions, with the confumptions both of treafure arid of 
 people that maft follow them ; perhaps upon fome 
 misfortune, they might be forced to throw up all at 
 laft ; therefore it fcemed much more eligible that the 
 king fliould improve his antient kingdom all he could, 
 and make it flourifli as much as was poffible ; that he 
 fliould love his people, and be beloved of them ; ^that 
 he fhould live among them, and govern them gently ; 
 and that he fhould let other kingdoms alone, fince that 
 which had fallen to his fharje was big enough, if not 
 too big for him. Pray how do you think would fuch a 
 fpeech as this be heard ? I confefs, faid I, I think not 
 very well. 
 
 But what, faid he, if I fhould fort with another kind 
 of miniflers, whofe chief contrivances and confultations 
 were, by what art treafure might be heaped up? Where 
 one propofes the crying up of money, when the king 
 had a great debt on him, and the crying it down as 
 much when his revenues were to come in, that fo he 
 might both pay much with a little, and in a little re- 
 ceive a great deal : another propofes a pretence of a 
 war, that fo money may be raifed in order to the car- 
 rying it on, and that a peace might be concluded as 
 foon as that was done; and this was to be made up 
 with fuch appearances of religion as might work on 
 the people, and make them impute it to the piety of 
 their prince, and to his tendernefs of the Hves of his 
 
 E 2 
 
$4 UTOPIA. 
 
 fubje<ns. A tliird offers forae old mufty laws, that have 
 been antiquated by a long difufe ; and which, as they 
 had been forgotten by all the fubjeifts, fo they had 
 been alfo broken by them; and that the le\ ying of the 
 penalties of thefe lax^s, as it would bring in a vail trea- 
 furc, fo there might be a very good pretence for it, 
 fince i^ would lock like the execudng of law, and the 
 doing of juflice. A fourth propofes the prohibiting of 
 many things under fcvere penalties, efpecially fuch 
 things as were againll the interelt of the people, and 
 then the dilpcnling with ihefe prohibitions upon great 
 compolitions, to thofe who might make advantages by 
 breaking them. This would ferve two ends, both of 
 them acceptable to many ; for as thofe whofe avarice 
 !ed them to transgrefs, would be fcverely fined ; fo the 
 felling licenfes dear, would look as if a prince were 
 tender of his people, and would not eafily, or at low 
 rates, difpenfe with any thing that might be againfl the 
 pubHc good. Another propofes, that the judges muft 
 be made fure, that they may declare always in favour 
 ©f the prerogative, that they mufl be often fent for to 
 court, that the king may hear them argue thofe points 
 in which he is concerned ; fince that how unjuft foever 
 aay of his prctenfions may be, yet ftill forae one or 
 other of them, either out of contradi«5tion to others, or 
 the pride of fingularity, or that they may make their 
 court, would find out fome pretence or other to give 
 the king a fair co'uur to carry the point : for if the 
 
UTOPIA. 37 
 
 judges but differ in opinion, the cleared thing in the 
 world is made by that means difputable, and truth be- 
 ing once brought in queflion, the king upon that may 
 take advantage to expound the law for his own profit : 
 The judges that (land out will be brought over, either 
 out of fear or modefty ; and they being thus gained, all 
 of them may be fent to the bench to give fentence bold- 
 ly, as the king would have it : for fair pretences will 
 never be wanting when fentence Is to be given in the 
 prince's favour : it will either be faid, that equity lies 
 of his lide, or fome words In the law will be found 
 founding tliat way, or fome forced fenfe will be put oa 
 them ; and when all other things fail, the king's un- 
 doubted prerogative will be pretended, as that which is 
 above all law ; and to which a religious judge ought to 
 have a fpecial regard. Thus all confent to that maxim 
 of Craifus, that a prince cannot have treafure enough, 
 fince he muft maintain his armies out of it : that a king, 
 even tho' he would, can do nothing unjuftly : that all 
 property is in him, not excepting the very perfons of 
 his fubjeds : and that no man has any other property, 
 but that which the king out of his goodnefs thinks fit to 
 leave him : and they think It is the prince's intereft, 
 that there be as little of this left as m.ay be, as if it were 
 his advantage that his people Ihould have neither riches 
 nor liberty ; fmce thefe things make them lefs eafy and 
 tame to a cruel and unjuft government ; whereas ne- 
 celRty and poverty blunts them, makes them patient. 
 
58 U T O P I A. 
 
 and bears them down, and breaks that height of fplrit, 
 that might otherwife difpofe them to rebel. Now what 
 if after all ihefe propofitions were rrade, I fhould rife 
 up and affert, that fuch councils were both unbecoming 
 a king, and milchievous to him : and that not only his 
 honour, but his fafety confifted more in his people's 
 wealth, than in his own ; if I fliould fhew, that they 
 choofe a king for their own fake, and not for his ; that 
 by his care and endeavours they may be both eafy and 
 fafe ; and that therefore a prince ought to lake more 
 care of his people's happincfs, than of his own, as a 
 ihepherd is to take more care of his flock than of 
 himfclf. It is alfo certain, that they are much mi- 
 ftaken, that think the poverty of a- nation is a means 
 of the public fafety: Who quarrel more than beg- 
 gars do ? Who does more earneiUy long for a change, 
 than he that is uneafy in his preftnt circamftances ? 
 And who run in to create confufions with fo defpc- 
 rate a boldnefs, as thofe who having nothing to lofe, 
 hope to gain by them ? If a king fhould fall under fo 
 much contempt or envy, that he could not ktep his 
 fubje<51s in their duty, but by opprelTion and ill ufage, 
 and by impovcrilhing them, it were certainly better for 
 him to quit his kingdom, than to retain it by fuch me- 
 thods, by which tho' he keeps the name of authority, 
 yet he lofes the majefty due to it. Nor is it fo becom- 
 ing the dignity of a king to reign over beggars, as to 
 rjign over rich and hiippy fubjcds. And th'jrefore fa- 
 
UTOPIA. 3f 
 
 britlus, that was a man of a noble and exalted tem- 
 per, faid, he would rather govern rich men, than be 
 rich himfelf ; and for one man to abound in wealth and 
 pleafure, when all about him are mourning and groan- 
 ing, is to be a goaler and not a king : he is an unfldlful 
 phyfician, that cannot cure a difeafe, but by cafting his 
 patient into another : fo he that can find no other way 
 for corredling the errors of his people, but by taking 
 from them the conveniencies of life, fhews that he 
 knows not what it is to govern a free nation. He him- 
 felf ought rather to fiiake off his lloth, or to lay down 
 his pride ; for the contempt or hatred that his people 
 have for him, takes its rife from the vices in himfelf. 
 Let him live upon what belongs to himfelf, without 
 wronging others, and accommodate his expence to his 
 revenue. Let him punifh crimes, and by his wife con- 
 du6t let him endeavour to prevent them, rather than be 
 fevere when he has faffered them to be too common : 
 Let him not ralhly revive laws that are abrogated by 
 difufe, efpecially if they have been long forgotten, and. 
 never wanted. And let him never take any penalty for 
 the breach of them, to which a judge would not give 
 way in a private man, but would look on him as a craf- 
 ty and unjuft perfon for pretending to it. To thefc 
 things I would add, that law among the Macarians, 
 that lie not far from Utopia, by which their king, in the 
 day on which he begins to reign, is tied by an oath con- 
 firmed by folemn facrifices, never to have at once a- 
 
40 UTOPIA. 
 
 bovc a thoufand pounds of gold in his treafures, or i6 
 much filvcr as is equal to that in value. This law, as 
 they fay, was made by an excellent king, who had 
 more regard to the riches of his country, than to 
 his own wealth ; and fo provided againft the heaping 
 pp of fo much treafure, as might impoverifh the peo- 
 ple : he thought that nxxlerate fum might be fufficient 
 for any accident ; if either the king hiid occafion for it 
 againft rebels, or the kingdom againft the invafion of 
 an enemy, but that it was not enough to encourage a 
 prince to inv:ide other men's rights, which was the 
 chief cuull' of his making that law. He alfo thought, 
 that it was a good provifion for i free circulation of 
 money, that is necefTary for the courfe of commerce 
 and exchange : and when a king muft diftribute all 
 thefe extraordinary aceeflions that increiife treafure be- 
 yond the due pitch, it makes him lefs difpofed to op- 
 prcfe his fubjcifh. S^ch a king as this is, will be the 
 terror of ill men, and will be beloved of all good men. 
 If, I fay, I (hould talk of thefe or fuch like things, 
 to men that had taken their biafs another way, how 
 lieaf would they be to it all ? No doubl, very deaf, an- 
 fuf c r e d I ; and no wonder, for one is never to offer at 
 propofitions or advices, that he is certain will not be 
 •ntertaincd. Difcourfes fo much out of the road couKi 
 act avail any thing, nor have any eflfe<fl on men, whole 
 minds were prepoflefTed with different fcntiments. This 
 philofophical way of fpcculution, ij not unpleaftmt a- 
 
IT T O r I a; 41 
 
 ftiong friends in a free converfatlon, but there is no 
 room for it in the courts of princes, where great affairs 
 are carried on by authority. That is what I was fay- 
 ing, replied he, that there is no room for philofophy 
 in the courts of princes. Yes, there is, faid I, but not 
 for this fpeculative philofophy, that makes every thing 
 to be alike fitting at all times : But there is another 
 philofophy that is more pliable, that knows its proper 
 fcene, and accommodates itfelf to it ; and that teaches 
 a man to a6l that part which has fallen to his fhare, 
 fitly and decently^ If, when one of Plautus's comedies 
 is Upon the ftage, and a company of fervants are acting 
 their parts, you (hould come out in the 'garb of a phi- 
 lofopher, and repeat out of Od:avIa, a difcourfe of Se-- 
 neca's to Nero, had it not been better for you to have 
 faid nothing, than by mixing things of fuch different 
 natures, to have made fuch an impertinent tragi-come- 
 dy ? for you fpoil and corrupt the play that is in hand, 
 when you* mix with it things difagreeing to it, even 
 tho* they were better than it is : therefore go through - 
 with the play that is ading the beft you can ; and do 
 not confound it, becaufe another that is pleafanter 
 comes into your thoughts. It is even fo in a common- 
 wealth, and in the councils of princes ; if ill opinions 
 cannot be quite rooted out ; and if you cannot cure , 
 fome received vices according to your wifhes, you muft 
 not therefore abandon the common-wealth ; or forfake 
 the (hip in a ftorm, becaufe you cannot command the 
 
 F 
 
42 UTOPIA. 
 
 winds ; nor ought you to aflault people with difcourfea 
 that are out of their road, when you fee their notions 
 arc fuch that you can make no iraprellion on them: 
 but you ought to caft about, and as far as you can to 
 manage things dexteroufly, that fo if you cannot make 
 matters go well, they may be as little ill as is poflible ; 
 for except all men were good, all things cannot go 
 well ; which I do not hope to fee in a great while. By 
 this, anfwcred he, all that I (hall do (hall be to prc- 
 fcrve myfclf from being mad, while I endeavour to 
 cure the madnefs of other people : for, if 1 will fpeak 
 truth, I mud fuy fuch things as I was formerly faying ; 
 and for lying, whether a philofopher can do it or not, 
 I cannot tell ; I am fure I cannot do it. But tho' thefe 
 difcourfes may be uneafy and ungrateful to them, I do 
 not fee why they fhould feem foolifh or extravagant : 
 indeed if 1 fhould either propofe fuch things as Plato 
 has contrived in his Common-wealth, or as the Uto- 
 pians pradife in theirs, tho' they might feem better, 
 as certainly they are, yet they are fo quite different 
 from our edablilhment, which is founded on property, 
 there being no fuch thing among them, that 1 could 
 not exped that it fhould have any effed on them : but 
 fuch difcourfes as mine, that only call paft evils to 
 mind, and give warning of what may follow, have 
 nothing in them that is fo abfurd, that they may not 
 be ufed at any time ; for they can only be unpleafant 
 to thofe who are refolved to run headlong the cou- 
 
UTOPIA. 43 
 
 trary way : and if we muft let alone every thing as 
 abfurd or extravagant, which by reafon of the wicked 
 lives of many, may feerti uncouth, we muft, even among 
 chriftians, give over preffing the greateft part of thofe 
 things that Chrift hath taught us : tho' he has com- 
 manded us not to conceal them, but to proclaim on the 
 houfe tops that which he taught in fe'cret. The great- 
 eft parts of his precepts are more difagreeing to the 
 lives of the men of this age, than any part of my dif- 
 courfe has been : but the preachers feem to have learn- 
 ed that craft to v/hich you advife me ; for they obferv- 
 ing that the world would not willingly fuit their lives 
 to the rules that Chrift has given, have fitted his doc- 
 trine, as if it had been a leaden rule, to their lives ; 
 that fo fome way or other they might agree with one 
 another. But I fee no other efFed of this compliance, 
 except it be that men become more fecure in their 
 wickednefs *by it. And this is all the fuccefs that X 
 can have in a court ; for I muft always differ from the 
 reft, and then I will fignify nothing ; or if I agree with 
 them, then I will only help forward their madnefs. 
 I do not comprehend what you mean by your cafting 
 about, or by the bending and handling things fo dex- 
 teroully, that if they go not well, they may go as little 
 ill as may be : for in courts they will not bear with a 
 man's holding his peace, or conniving at them : a man 
 muft bare-facedly approve of the worft councils, and 
 confent to the blackeft defigns : fo that one would pafs^ 
 
 F 2 
 
44 U T O P I A.^ 
 
 for a fpy, or poflibly for a traytor, that did but coldly 
 approve of fuch wicked pra(5lices : And when a man is 
 engaged in fuch a fociety, he will be fo far from being 
 able to mend matters by his cafHng about, as you call 
 it, that he will find no occafions of doing any good : 
 the ill company will fooner corrupt him, than be the 
 better for him : or if notwithftanding all their ill com- 
 pany, he remains (till entire and innocent, yet their 
 follies and knavery will be imputed to him; and by 
 mixing councils with them, he mull bear his ftiare of 
 all the blame that belongs wholly to others. 
 
 It was no ill fimile, by which Plato fet forth the 
 unreafonablencfs of a philofopher's meddling with go- 
 Tcrnment : If one, fays he, (hall fee a great company 
 run out into the rain every day, and delight to be wet 
 in it ; and if he knows that it will be to no purpofc 
 for him to go and perfuadc them to come into their 
 houfes, and avoid the rain ; fo that all that can be ex- 
 peded from his going to fpeak to them, will be, that he 
 fhall be wet with them ; when it is fo, he does belt to 
 keep within doors, and prefcne himfeif, fmce he can- 
 not prevail enough to correcft other people's folly. 
 
 Tho' to fpeak plainly what is my heart, I muft' 
 freely own to you> that as long as there is any pro- 
 perty, and while money is the flandard of all other 
 things, I cannot think that a nation can be gorerned ei- 
 ther jufUy or happily : Not juflly, becaufe the bell 
 things will fall to the (hare of the word men : Nor 
 
UTOPIA.' 45 
 
 happily, becaufe all things will be divided among a 
 few, (and even thefe are not in all refpecfts happy) the 
 reft being left to be abfolutely miferable. Therefore 
 when I reflecfl on the wife and good conflitutions of 
 the Utopians, among whom all things are fo well gO" 
 verned, and with fo few laws; and among whom as 
 virtue hath its due reward, yet there is fuch an equali- 
 ty, that every man lives in plenty ; and when I compare 
 with them fo many other nations that are ftill making 
 new laws, and yet can never bring their conftitution 
 to a right regulation, among whom tho' every one has 
 his property ; yet all the laws that they can invent, 
 cannot prevail fo far, that men can cither obtain or pre- 
 ferve it, or be certainly able to diftinguifh what is their 
 own, from what is another man's ; of >vhich the many 
 law-fuits that every day break out, and depend without 
 any end, give too plain a demonftration : "When, I fay, 
 I ballance all thsfe things in my thoughts, I grow more 
 favourable to Plato, and do not wonder that he refol- 
 ved, not to make any laws for fuch as would not fub- 
 mit to a community of all things : for fo wife a man as 
 he was, could not but forefee that the fetting all upon 
 the level, was the only way to make a nation happy : 
 which cannot be obtained fo long as there is property : 
 for when every man draws to himfelf all that he can 
 Gompafs, by one title or another, it muft needs follow, 
 that how plentiful foever a nation may be, yet a few dir 
 viding the wealth of it among themfelves, the reft muft 
 
4<S UTOPIA. 
 
 fall under poverty. So that there will be two forts of 
 people among them, that deferve that their fortunes 
 (hould be interchanged; the former being ufelefs, but 
 wicked and ravenous ; and the latter, who by their con- 
 ftant induftry ferve the public more than themfelves, 
 being fincerc and modeft men. P'rom whence I am per- 
 fuaded, that till property is taken away, there can be 
 no equitable or jull dirtribution made of things, nor can 
 the world be happily governed ; for as long as that is 
 maintained, the grcaidl and the far bell part of man- 
 kind, will be lliil opprt'lfed with a load of cares and an- 
 xieties. I confcfs, without the taking of it quite away, 
 thofe prcfl'ures that lie on a great part of mankind, may 
 be made lighter ; but they can never be quite removed. 
 For if laws were made, determining at how great an 
 extent in foil, and at how much money every man muft 
 flop, and limiting the prince that he may not grow too 
 great, and retraining the people that they may not be- 
 come too infolent, and tiiat none might fa<51ioufly afpire 
 to public employments ; and that they might neither be 
 fold, nor made burthcnfome by a great expence ; fince 
 othcrwife thofe that fcrve in them, will be tempted to 
 reimburfe themfelves by cheats and violence, and it will 
 become neceflary to find out rich men for undergoing 
 thofe employments for which wife men ought rather to 
 be fought out ; thefe laws, I fay, may have fuch effects, 
 as good diet and care may have on a fick man, whofe 
 recorery is defperate : they may allay and mitigate the 
 
UTOPIA; 41^ 
 
 difeafe, but It can never be quite healed, nor the body 
 politic be brought again to a good habit, as long as 
 property remains ; and it will fall out as in a complica- 
 tion of difeafes, that by applying a remedy to one fore, 
 you will provoke another ; and that which removes the 
 one ill fymptom produces others, while the ftrengthen- 
 ing of one part of the body weakens the reft. On the 
 contrary, anfwered I, it feems to me that men cannot 
 live conveniently, where all things are common : How 
 can there be any plenty, where every man will excufe 
 himfelf from labour : for as the hope of gain doth not 
 excite him, fo the confidence he has in other men's in- 
 duftry, may make him flothful : and if people come to 
 be pinched with want, and yet cannot difpofe of any 
 thing as their own ; what can follow upon this, but 
 perpetual fedition and bloodlhed, efpecially when the 
 reverence and authority due to magiftrates falls to the 
 ground ? For I cannot imagine how that can be kept up 
 among thofe that are in all things equal to one another. 
 I do not wonder, faid he, that it appears fo to you, fince 
 you have no notion, or at leaft no right one, of fuch a 
 conftltution : but if you had been in Utopia with me, 
 and had feen their laws and rules as I did, for the fpace 
 of five years, in which I lived among them ; and during 
 which time I was fo delighted with them, that indeed 
 I would never have left them, if it had not been to make 
 the difcovery of that new world to the Europeans ; you 
 would then confefs that you had never fgen a people fo 
 
4« tr T p r A. 
 
 Well conAItuted as they are. You will not eafily per- 
 fuade me, faid Peter, that any nation in that new world 
 is better governed than thofe among us are. For as 
 our underftandings are not worfe than theirs, fo our 
 government, if I millake not, being antienter, a long 
 pra(5lice has helped us to find out many convcnicncies 
 of life : and fome happy chances have difcovered other 
 things to us, which no man's underftanding could ever 
 have invented. As for the antiquity, either of their go- 
 vernment, or of ours, faid he, you cannot pafs a true 
 judgment of it, unlefs you had read their hiltories ; for 
 if they arc to be believed, they had towns among them,- 
 before thefc parts were fo much as inhabited: and as 
 for thefe difcoveries, that have been either hit on by 
 chance, or made by ingenious men, thefe might have 
 happened there as well as here. I do not deny but we 
 are more ingenious than they are, but they exceed u^ 
 much in induftry and application : they knew little con- 
 cerning us, before our arrival among them ; they call 
 us all by a general name of the nations that lie beyond 
 the equino<5tial line ; for their chronicle mentions a 
 fhip-wrack that was made on their ccraft 1200 years 
 ago ; and that fome Romans and Egyptians that were 
 in the ftiip, getting fafe a (here, fpent the reft of their 
 days amongft them ; and fuch was their ingenuity, that 
 firom this fmgle opportunity, they drew the advantage 
 of learning from thofe unlook'd-for guefts, all the ufe- 
 ful arts that were then among the Romans, which 
 
UTOPIA. 49 
 
 tli©fe fliip-wrack'd men knew : and by the hints that 
 they gave them, they themfelves found out even fome 
 of tbofe arts which they could not fully explain to 
 them ; fo happily did they improve that accident, of 
 having fome of our people caft upon their fliore : but if 
 any fuch accident have at anytime brought any from 
 thence into Europe, we have been fo far from improv- 
 ing it, that we do not fo much as remember it ; as in 
 after times perhaps it will be forgot by our people that 
 I v/as ever there. For though they from one fuch acci- 
 dent, made themfelves mafters of all the good inven- 
 tions that were among us ; yet I believe it would be 
 long before we would learn or put in pradice any of 
 the good inftitutions that are among them : and this 
 is the true caufe of their being better governed, and 
 living happier than we do, though we come not fhort 
 of them in point of underftanding or outward advanta- 
 ges. Upon this I faid to him, I do earneflly beg of 
 you, that you would defcribe that ifland very parti- 
 cularly to us. Be not too fhort in it, but fet out in or- 
 der all things relating to their foil, their rivers, their 
 towns, their people, thar manners, conftitution, laws : 
 and in a word, all that you imagine we defire to know : 
 and you may well imagine that we defire to know every 
 thing concerning them, of which we are hitherto ig- 
 norant. I will do it very willingly, faid he, for I have 
 digefled the whofe matter carefully ; but it will take 
 up fome time. Let us go then, faid I, firft and dine, 
 
 G 
 
so UTOPIA. 
 
 and then we fhall have leifure enough. Be it fo, faid 
 he. So we went in and dined, and after dinner we 
 came back, and fat down in the fame place. I ordered 
 my lervants to take care that none might come and in- 
 terrupt us : and both Peter and I defired Raphael to 
 be as good as his word : So when he faw that we were 
 very intent upon it, he paufed a little to recolle\5l him- 
 felf, and began in this manner. 
 
THE 
 
 SECOND BOOK, 
 
 THE ifland of Utopia, in the middle of it where it 
 is broadeft, is two hundred miles broad, and 
 holds almoft at the fame breadth over a great part of 
 it; but it grows narrower towards both ends. Its fi- 
 gure is not unlike a crefcent : between its horns, the fca 
 comes in eleven miles broad, and fpreads itfelf into a 
 great bay, which is environed with land to the compafs 
 of about five hundred miles, and is well fecured from 
 winds : there is no great current in the bay, and the 
 whole coaft is, as it were, one continued harbour, 
 which gives all that live in the ifland great conveni- 
 ence for mutual commerce : but the entry into the bay, 
 what by rocks on one hand, and (hallows on the other, 
 is very dangerous. In the middle of it there is one 
 fmgle rock which appears above water, and fo is not 
 dangerous ; on the top of it there is a tower built, in 
 which a garrifon is kept. The other rocks lie under 
 water, and are very dangerous. The channel is known 
 only to the natives, fo that if any ftranger (hould enter 
 into the bay, without one of their pilots, he would run 
 a great danger of fhipwrack : for even they themfelves 
 could not pafs it fafe, if fome marks that are on their 
 coaft did not dired their way ; and if thefe fliould be 
 G 2 
 
52 UTOPIA. 
 
 but a little fliiftcd, any fleet that might come againft 
 them, how great foever it were, would be certainly 
 JofL On the other fide of the ifland, there are likewife 
 many harbours ; and the coafl is fo fortified, both by 
 nature and art, that a fmall number of men can hinder 
 the defcent of a great army. But they report (and 
 there remain good marks of it to make it credible) that 
 this was no ifland at firll, but a part of the continent, 
 Utopus that corjcjuered it (whofe name it flill carries, 
 for Abraxa Wds its firll name) and brought the rude 
 and uncivilized inhabitants into fuch a good government, 
 and to thai mcafure of polirenefs, that they do now far 
 excel all the reft of mankind ; having foon fubdued 
 them, he defigncd to feparate them from the continent, 
 and to bring the fea quite about them, and in order to 
 that he made a deep channel to be digged fifteen miles 
 Jong: he not only forced the inhabitants to work at it, 
 but likewife his own foldicrs, that the natives might 
 not think he treated them like flaves : and having fet 
 vail numbers of men to work, he brought it to a fpeedy 
 conclufion beyond alt mens expciftarions : By this their 
 neighbours, who laughed at the folly of the undertak- 
 ing at firil:, were flruck with admiration and terror, 
 when they faw it brought to perfection. There arc 
 fifty-four cities in the ifland, all large and well built ; 
 The manners, cufloms, and laws of all their cities are 
 the fame, agd they are all contrived as near in the fame 
 mivoncr as the ground on which they Hand wifl dlow : 
 
UTOPIA.. 53 
 
 the nearcfl: He at leaft twenty- four miles diflance from 
 one another, and the moft remote are not fo far diftant, 
 but that a man can go on foot in one day from it, to 
 that which Hes next it. Every city fends three of their 
 wifeft fenators once a year to Amaurot, for confulting 
 about their common concerns ; for that is the chief 
 town of the ifland, being fituated near the center of 
 it, fo that it is the moft convenient place for their 
 affembhes. Every city has fo much ground fet off for 
 its jurifdi(51:ion, that there is twenty miles of foil round 
 it, ailigned to it : and where the towns lie wider, they 
 have much more ground : no town defires to enlarge 
 their bounds, for they confider therafelves rather as 
 tenants than landlords of their foil. They have built 
 over all the country, farm-houfes for hufbandmen, 
 which are well contrived, and are furnifhed with all 
 things neceffary for country labour. Inhabitants are 
 fent by turns from the cities to dwell in them; no 
 country family has fewer than forty men and women 
 in it, befides two flaves. There is a mafter and a mif- 
 trefs fet over every family; and over thirty families 
 there is a magiftrate fettled. Every year twenty of 
 this family come back to the town, after they have 
 ftayed out two years in the country : and in their room 
 there are other twenty lent from the town, that they 
 may learn country work, from thofe that have been 
 already one year in the country, which they muft teach 
 tliofe that come to them the next year from the town, 
 
54 UTOPIA. 
 
 By this means fuch as dwell in thofc country farms, are 
 never ignorant of agriculture, and fo commit no errors 
 in it, which might otherwife be fatal to them, and 
 bring them under a fcarcity of corn. But tho' there is 
 every year fuch a (hifting of the hufbandmen, that none 
 may be forced againft his mind to follow that hard 
 courfe of life too long ; yet many among them take 
 fnch pleafure in it, tliat they defirc leave to continue 
 many years in it. Thefe hufbandmen labour the ground, 
 breed ciitile, hew wood, and convey it to the towns, 
 either by land or water, as is mod convenient. They 
 breed an infinite multitude of chickens in a very curious 
 manner : for the hens do not fit and hatch them, but 
 they lay vaft numbers of eggs in a gentle and equal 
 heat, in which they are hatched ; and they are no foon- 
 er out of the fhell, and able to ftir about, but they feeni 
 to confider thofe that feed them as their mothers, and 
 follow them as other chickens do the hen that hatched 
 them. They breed very few horfes, but thofe they 
 have, are full of mettle, and are kept only for exercif- 
 ing their youth in the art of fitting and riding of them ; 
 for they do not put them to any work, either of plow- 
 ing or carriage, in which they employ oxen; for tho' 
 horfes are (Ironger, yet they find oxen can hold out 
 longer; and as they are not fubjedt to fo many difca- 
 fes, fo they are kept upon a lefs charge, and with lefs 
 trouble : and when they are fo worn out, that they arc 
 no more fit for labour, they are good meat at laft. 
 
UTOPIA. 55 
 
 They fow no corn, but that which Is to be their bread ; 
 for they drink either wine, cider, or perry, and often 
 water, fometimes pure, and fometlmes boiled with ho- 
 ney or Hquorifh, with which they abound: and tho' , 
 they know exadlly well how much corn will ferve every 
 town, and all that traft of country which belongs to it, 
 yet they fow much more, and breed more cattle than 
 are necefTary for their confumption : and they give that 
 overplus of which they make no ufe, to their neigh- 
 bours. When they want any thing in the country 
 which it does nOt produce, they fetch that from the ^ 
 tov/n, without carrying any thing in exchange for it : 
 and the magiftrates of the town take care to fee it 
 given them : for they meet generally in the town once 
 a month, upon a feftival day. When the time of har- 
 veft comes, the magiftrates in the country fend to thofe 
 in the towns, and let them know how many hands they 
 will need for reaping the harveft ; and the number they 
 call for being fent to them, they commonly difpatch it 
 all in one day. 
 
 Of their Towns t particularly ofAmAVKOT, 
 
 TTE that knows one of their towns, knows them all, 
 
 they are fo like one another, except where the 
 
 fituation makes fome difference. I fhall therefore de- 
 
 fcribe one of them, and it is no matter which; but none 
 
_56 UTOPIA. 
 
 is fo proper as Amaurot : for as none is more eminent, 
 all the reft yielding in precedence to this, becaufe it is 
 the feat of their fupreme council ; fo there was none 
 of them better known to me, I having lived five years 
 altogether in it. 
 
 It lies upon the fide of a hill, or rather a rifing 
 ground : its figure is almoft fquare, for from the one 
 fide of it, which llioots up almofl to the top of the hill, 
 it runs down in a ck:fcent for two miles to the river 
 Anider ; but it is a little broader the other way that 
 run5 along by the bank of that river. The Anider rifts 
 about eighty miles above Amaurot, in a fmdl fpring at 
 firil ; but other brooks falling into it, of which two are 
 more confiderable : as it runs by Amaurot, it is grown 
 half a mile broad, but it Oiil grows larger and larger, 
 till after fixty miks courfe below it, it is buried in 
 the ocean. Between the town and the fea, and for 
 fome miles above the town, it ebbs and flows every fix 
 hours, with a ilrong current. The tide comes up fcrr 
 about thirty miles fo full, that there is nothing but fait 
 water in the river, the frefh v.ater being driven back 
 with its force ; and above that, for fome miles, the 
 water is brackifh, but a little higher, as it runs by the 
 town, it is quite frefh ; and when the tide ebbs, it 
 continues frelh all along to the fea. There is a bridge 
 caft over the river, not of timber, but of fair Hone, 
 eonfifting of many (lately arches ; it lies at that part of 
 the town which is LnhtH from the fea, fo that fliips 
 
V T O P I A. 5^ 
 
 v/'thout any hindrance lie all along the^fide of the 
 town. There is likewife another river that runs by it, 
 which tho' it is not great, yet it runs pieafantly, for it 
 rifes out of the fame hill on which the town ftands, and 
 fo runs down through it» and falls into the Anidcr. 
 The inhabitants have fortified the fountain-head of 
 this river, which fprings a little without the town ; 
 that fo if they Ihould happen to be befieged, the ene- 
 my might not be able to flop or divert the courfe of 
 the water, nor poifon it ; from thence it is Carried in 
 earthen pipes to the lower ftreets : and for thofe places 
 of the town, to which the water of that fmall rivet 
 cannot be conveyed, they have great cifterns for receiv- 
 ing the rain-water, which fupplies the want of the o- 
 ther. The town is compafled with a high and thick 
 wall, iii which there are many towers and forts ; there 
 js alfo a broad and deep dry ditch, fet thick with 
 thorns, caft round three fides of the town, and the 
 river is inftead of a ditch on the fourth fide. The 
 ftreets are made very convenient for all carriage, and 
 are v/ell (lieltered from the winds. Their buildings are 
 good, and are fo uniform, that a whole fide of a flreet 
 looks like one houfe. The flreets are twenty foot 
 broad; there lie gardens behind all their houfe? ; thefe 
 are large, but inclofed with buildings, that on all hands 
 face the ftreets ; fo that every houfe has both a door to 
 the flrect, and a back door to the garden : their doors 
 have all two leaves, which as they are eafily opened, fo 
 
 H 
 
^S UTOPIA. 
 
 they fhut of their own accord ; and tliere being no pro- 
 perty among them, every man may freely enter into 
 uny houfe whatfoever. At every ten years end, they 
 (hift their houfes by lots. They cultivate their gardens 
 with great care, fo that they have both vines, fruits, 
 herbs, and flowers in them ; and all is fo well ordered, 
 and fo finely kept, that I never faw gardens any where 
 that were both fo fruitful and fo beautiful as theirs are. 
 And this humour of ordering their gardens fo well, is 
 not only kept up by the pleafure they find in it, but 
 alfo by an emulation between the inhabitants of the 
 feveral ftreets, who vie with one another in this mat- 
 ter ; and there is indeed notliing belonging to the whole 
 town, that is both more ufeful, and more pleafant. So 
 that he who founded the town, feems to have taken 
 care of noihing more than of their gardens ; for they 
 fay, the whole fchcme of the tovm was dcfigned at 
 firft by Utopus, but he left all that belonged to the 
 ornament and improvement of it, to be added by thofc 
 that fhould come after him, that being too much for 
 one man to bring to perfe»5lion. Their records, that 
 contain the hiflory of their town and date, are preferv- 
 ed with an cxa^fk care, and run backwards 1 760 years. 
 From thefe it appears, that their houses were at firft 
 low and mean, like cottages, made of any fort of tim- 
 ber, and were built \vith mud walls, and thatch 'd with 
 ftraw : but now their houfes are three (lories high, the 
 fronts of them are faced either with Hone, plaillering, 
 
UTOPIA. 59 
 
 or brick ; and between the facings of their walls, they 
 throw in their rubbilh ; their roofs are flat, and on them 
 they lay a fort of plaifter which cofts very little, and 
 yet it is fo tempered, that as it is not apt to take fire, 
 fo it refifts the weather more than lead does. They 
 have abundance of glafs among them, with which they 
 glaze their windows : they ufe alfo in their windows, 
 a thin linen cloth, that is fo oiled or gummed, that by 
 that means it both lets in the light more freely to them, 
 jind keeps out the wind the better. 
 
 Of their Magijlrates, 
 
 T^HIRTY families choofe every year a magiftrate, 
 who was called anciently the Syphogrant, but is 
 called the Philarch: and over every ten Syphogrants 
 with the families fubje<5t to them, there is another ma- 
 giftrate, who was anciently called the Tranibore, but 
 of late the Arch philarch. All the Syphogrants, who 
 are in number 200, choofe the Prince out of a lift of 
 four, whom the people of the four divifions of the city 
 name to them, but they take an oath before they pro- 
 ceed to an eledion, that they will choofe him Whom 
 they think meeteft for the office : they give their voices 
 fecretly, fo that it is not known forfwhom every one 
 gives his fuffrage. The Prince is for life, unlefs he is 
 xenaoved upon fufpicion of fome defign to enflave the 
 
 H 2 
 
6o UTOPIA. 
 
 people. The Tranibors are new chofen every year, 
 but yet they are for the moft part l\'\\\ continued. All 
 their other mafgiftrates are only annual. The Trani- 
 bors meet every third day, and oftner if need be, and 
 confult with the Prince, either concerning the alfiiirs of 
 the ftatc in general, or fuch private differences as may 
 arife fometimes among the people : tho' that falls out 
 but feldom. There are always two Syphogrants called 
 into the council-chamber, and thefe arc changed every 
 day It is a fundamental rule of their government, that 
 no conclufion can be made in any thing that relates to 
 the public, till it has been firft debated three feveral 
 days in their council. It is death for any to meet and 
 confult concerning the ftate, unlefs it be either in their 
 ordinary council, or in the aflembly of the whole bo^y 
 of the people. 
 
 Thefe thmgs have been fo provided among them, 
 that the Prince and the Tranibors may not confpire 
 together to change the government, and enilave the 
 people ; and therefore when any thing of great impor- 
 tance is fet on foot, it is fcnt to the Syphogrants ; who 
 after they have communicated it with the families that 
 belong to their divifrons, and have confide^'ed it among 
 themfelves, make report to the fenate ; and upon great 
 occafions, the matter is referred to the council of the 
 whole ifland. One rule obfer\ed in their council, is, 
 ncA-er to debate a thing on the fame day in which it Is 
 ttrd propofcd ; for that is always referred to the next 
 
UTOPIA. 61 
 
 meeting, that fo men may not rafhFy, and in the heat of 
 difcourfe, engage themfelves too foon, which may biafs 
 them fo much, that inftead of confidering the good of 
 the public, they will rather ftudy to maintain their 
 own notions ; and by a perverfe and prepofterous fort 
 of fliame, hazard their country, rather than endanger 
 their own reputation, or venture the being fufpeded 
 to have wanted forefight in the expedients that they 
 propofed at lirft. And therefore to prevent this, they 
 take care that they may rather be deliberate, than fud- 
 den in their monon?. 
 
 Of their Trades y and Manner of Life, 
 
 AGRICULTURE is that which is fo univerfally 
 underftood among them all, that no perfon, either 
 man or woman, is ignorant of it ; from their childhood 
 they are in(l:ru6led in it, partly by what they learn 
 at fchool, and partly by practice, they being led out 
 often into the fields, about the town, where they not 
 only fee others at work, but are likewife exercrfed in 
 it themfelves. Befides agriculture, which is fo common 
 to them all, every man has fome peculiar trade to which 
 he applies himfelf, fuch as the manufafture of wool, or 
 flax, mafonry, fmiths work, or carpenters work; for 
 there is no other fort of trade that is in great efteem 
 among them. All the ifland over, they wear the fame 
 
62 UTOPIA. 
 
 fort of clothes without any other difllD<^on, except 
 that which is neceflary for marking the difference be- 
 tween the two fexes, and the married and unmarried. 
 The foihion never alters ; and as it is not ungrateful 
 nor uncafy, fo it is fitted for their cUmate, and calcu- 
 lated both for their fumraers and winters. Every fa- 
 mily makes their own clothes; but all among them, 
 women as well as men, learn one or other of the trades 
 formerly mentioned. Women, for the mod part, deal 
 in wool and flax, wliich fuit better witli their feeblc- 
 nefs, leaving the other ruder trades to the men. Ge-f 
 ncrally the fame trade paflcs down from father to fon, 
 inclinations often following dcfcent : But if any man's 
 genius lies another way, he is by adoption tranflated 
 into a family that deals in the trade to which he is 
 inclined : and when that is to be done, care is taken 
 DOt only by his father, but by the migiftrate, that he 
 may be put to a difcrcct and good man. And if after 
 a man ha; learned one trade, he defires to acquire ano- 
 ther, that ic a!fo allowed, and is managed in the fame 
 manner as the former. When he has learn 'd both, he 
 follows thu.t which he likes belt, unlcfs the pubhc has 
 more occafion for the other. 
 
 The cliicf, and almoft the only bufioefs of the Sy- 
 phogrants, is to take care that no man may live idle, 
 but that every one may follow his trade diligently : 
 Yet rhey do not wear themfclves out with perpetual 
 tail, from rooming to pight, as if they were beafis of 
 
V T 6 P t A. 63 
 
 burden, which as it is indeed a heavy flavery^ fo it is 
 the common courfe of Hfe of all tradesmen every 
 where, except among the Utopians : But they, divid- 
 ing the day and night into twenty-four hours, appoirit 
 fix of thefe for work, three of them are before din^ 
 ner ; and after that they dine, and interrupt their la- 
 bour for two hours, and then they go to work again fdir 
 other three hours ; and after that they fup, and at eight 
 a clock, counting from noon, they go to bed, and fleep 
 eight hours : and for their other hours, befides thofe of 
 ^ork, and thofe that go for eating and fleeping, they 
 are left to every mail's difcretion ; 5'et they are not t^ 
 abufe that interval to luxury and idlenefs, but muff 
 employ it in feme proper exeVcile according to their 
 various inclinations, which is for the moft part read- 
 ing. It is ordinary to have public ledures every morn- 
 ing before day-break; to which none are obliged to 
 go^ but thofe that are marked out for literature ; yet' 
 a great many, both men and women of all ranks, go to 
 hear ledures of one fort or another, according to thfc 
 variety of their inclinations. But if others, that are 
 PCt made for contemplation, choofe rather tcJT employ 
 thenifelves at that time in their trade, as many of theA). 
 do, they are not hindered, but are commended rather; 
 as men that take care to ferve their country. After 
 fupper, they fpend an hour in fome diverfion : in fuiil- 
 mer it is in their gardens, and in winter it is in the 
 halls where they eat ; and they entertain themfelres iii 
 
64 UTOPIA. 
 
 them, elthef with mufic or dlfcourfe. They do not To 
 much as know dice, or fuch Jike fbolifh and mifchie- 
 vous games : they have two forts of games not unhke 
 our chefs ; the one is between ieveral numbers, by 
 which one number, as it were, confumes another : the 
 other refembles a battle between the vices and the vir- 
 tues, in which the enmity in the vices among them- 
 lelves, and their agreement againft virtue is not un- 
 pleafmtly reprcfented; together with the fpecial op- 
 pofitions between the particular virtues and vices; as 
 llfo the methods by which vice does either openly af- 
 fault, or fccretly undermine virtue ; and virtue on the 
 other hand refiits it ; and the means by which cither 
 fide obtains the victory. But this matter of the time fet 
 off for labour, is to be narrowly examined, otherwife 
 you may perhaps imagine, that fince there are only fix 
 hours appointed for work, they may fall under a fear- 
 city of necelFary provifions. But it is fo far from being 
 true, that this time is not fufficient for fupplying them 
 with a plenty of all things, that are either necelfary or 
 convenient ; that it is rather too much ; and this you 
 will eafily apprehend, if you conhder how great a p?rt 
 of all other rations is quite idle. Firft, Women gene 
 rally do little, who are the half of mankind ; and if 
 fome few women are diligent, their hulbands are idle : 
 Then confider the great company of idle pricfls, and of 
 thofe that are called religious men ; add to thefe all 
 rich men, chiefly tiiofe that have eihites in lands, who 
 
UTOPIA. 65 
 
 *are called noblemen ani^ gentlemen, together with their 
 families, made up of idle perfons, that do nothing but 
 go fwaggering about : Reckon in with thefe, all thofe 
 ftrong and lufty beggars, that go about pretending fome 
 difcafe, in excufe for their begging; and upon the 
 whole account you will find, that the number of thofe 
 by whofe labours mankind is fupplied; is much lefs 
 than you did perhaps imagine : Then cbnfider how 
 few of thofe that work, are employed in labours that 
 men do really need: for we who meafure all things by 
 money, give occafions to many trades that are both vain 
 and fuperfluous, and that ferve only to fupport riot and 
 luxury. For if thofe who are at work, were employed 
 onljv in fuch things as the conveniences of life require, 
 there would be fuch an abundance of them, and by that 
 means the prices of them would fo fink, that tradef- 
 men could not be maintained by their gains ; if all thofe 
 who labour about ufelefs things, were fet to more pro- 
 fitable trades ; and if all that number that languifhes 
 .out their life in floth and idlenefs, of whom every one 
 confumes as much as any two of the men that are at 
 work do, were forced to labour, you may eafily ima- 
 gine that a fmall proportion of time would ferve for 
 doing^all that is either neceffary, profitable or pleafant 
 to mankind, pleafure being ftill kept within its due 
 bounds: which appears very plainly in Utopia, for 
 there, in a great city, and in all the territory that lies 
 joand it, you can fcarce find five hundred, either men 
 
 I 
 
66 XT T O P 1 A. 
 
 or women, that by their age and ftrength, trc capable 
 of labour, that arc not engaged in it ; even the fypho- 
 grants ihemfelves, the' the law excufes them, yet do 
 not excufe thcmfelves, that fo by their examples they 
 may excite the induftry of the reft of the people ; the 
 like exemption is allowed to thofe, who being recom- 
 mended to the people by the priefts, are by the fecret 
 fuffrages of the fyphogrants, privileged from labour, 
 that they may apply themfclves wholly to ftuHy ; and 
 if any of thcfe fall fhort of thofe hopes that he fcemed 
 to give at firll, he is obliged to go lo work. And fome- 
 times a mechanic, that does fo employ his leifure hours, 
 that he makes a confidcrable advancement in learning, 
 is eafed from being a tradefman, and ranked among 
 their learned men. Out of thefe they choofe their am- 
 baffadors, their priefls, their tranibors, and the prince 
 himfelf; who was anciently called their Baizenes, but 
 is called of !ate their Ademus. 
 
 And thus from the great numbers among them, that 
 are neither fuffcred to be idle, nor to be employed in 
 any fruitl-.fs 1 vbour ; you may eafily make the efHmate, 
 how much good work may be done in thofe few hours 
 in which they are obliged to labour. But befides all 
 that has been already faid, this is to be confidered, 
 that thofe needful arts which are among them, arc 
 managed with lefs labour than any where clfe. The 
 building, or the repairing of houfes among us, employs 
 many hands, U;caure often a thriftlefs heir fuffeii • 
 
V T O P I A. 67 
 
 hoviCe that his father built, to fall into decay, fo that 
 his fucceflbr rauft, at a great coft, repair that which 
 he might have kept up with a fmaJl charge : and oftea 
 it falls out, that the fame houfe which one built at a 
 vaft expence» is negle(5ted by another that thinks he 
 has a more ddicate fenfe of fuch things, and he fuf- 
 fering it to fall to ruin, builds another at no lefs charge. 
 But among the Utopians, all things are fo regulated, 
 that men do very feldom build upon any new piece of 
 ground ; and they are not only very quick in repairing 
 their houfes, but fhew their forcfight in preventing their 
 decay : fo that their buildings are preferved very long, 
 with very little labour : and thus the craftsmen to 
 whom that care belongs, are often without any em- 
 ployment, except it be the hewing of timber, and the 
 fquaring of ftones, that fo the materials may be in rea* 
 dinefs for raifing a building very fuddenly, when there 
 is any occalion for it. As for their clothes, obferve. 
 how little work goes for them : While they are at la- 
 bour, they are clothed with leather and fl<ins, caft care- 
 lefsly about them, which will laft feven years; and 
 when they appear in public, they put on an upper gar- 
 ment, which hides the other : and thefe are all of one 
 colour, and that is the natural colour of the wool : and 
 as they need lefs woollen cloth than is ufed any where 
 elfe, fo that which they do need, is much lefs coftly. 
 They ufe linen cloth more ; but that is prepared with 
 lefs labour, and they value cloth only by the whiteneft 
 
 I 2 
 
68 UTOPIA." 
 
 of the linen, or the cleannefs of the wool, without much' 
 regard to the finenefs of the thread ; and whereas in 
 other places, four or five upper garments of woollen 
 cloth, and of different colours, and as many vefts of 
 filk will fcarce ferve one man ; and thofe that are nicer, 
 think ten too few ; every man there is contented ^vith 
 on^ which very oft ferves him two years. Nor is there 
 any thing that can tempt a man to defire more ; for if 
 he had them, he would neither be the warmer, nor 
 would he make one jot the better appearance for it. 
 And thus fince they are all employed in fome ufeful la- 
 bour; and fince they content themfelves with fewer 
 things, it falls out that there is a great abundance of 
 all things among them : fo that often, for want of o- 
 ther work, if there is any need of mending their high 
 ways at any time, you will fee marvellous numbers of 
 people brought out to work at them ; and when there 
 is no occafion of any public work, the hours of work- 
 ing are lefTened by public proclamation ; for the magi« 
 (Irates do not engage the people into any needlefs la- 
 bour, fmcc by their conftitution they aim chiefly at this, 
 that except in fo far as public necefTity requires it, all 
 the people may have as much free time for themfelves 
 as may be neceffary for the improvement of their minds, 
 for in this they think the happinefs of life coDfifts. 
 
U T O P I A. 4^ 
 
 Of their traffic, , 
 
 "OUT it is now time to explain to you the mutual 
 intercourfe of this people, their commerce, and 
 the rules by which all things are diftributed among 
 them. As their cities are compofed of families, fo their 
 families are made up of thofe that are nearly related to 
 one another. Their women, when they grow up, are 
 married out; but all the males, both children and 
 grandchildren, live flill in the fame houfe, in great o- 
 bedience to their common parent, unlefs age has weak- 
 ned his underftanding ; and in that cafe, he that is next 
 to him in age, comes in his room. But left any city 
 fhouid become either out of meafure great, or fall un- 
 der a difpeopling by any accident, provifion is made 
 that none of their cities .may have above fix thoufand 
 femilies in it, befides thofe of the country round it ; 
 and that no family may have lefs than ten, and more 
 than fixteen perfons in it ; but there can be no deter-" 
 mined number for the children under age: and this 
 rule is eafily obferved, by removing fome of the chil- 
 dren of a more fruitful couple, to any other family that 
 does not abound fo much in them. By the fame rule, 
 they fupply cities that do not increafe fo faft, by o- 
 thers that breed fafter : And if there is any increafe 
 fiyer the whole ifland, then they draw out a number 
 
f^ UTOPIA. 
 
 of their citizens out of the feveral towns, and fend 
 them over to the neighbouring continent ; where, if 
 they find that the inhabitants have more foil than they 
 can well cuhivate, they fix a colony, taking in the in- 
 habitants 10 their focicty, if they will live with them; 
 and where they do that of their own accord, they 
 i|uickly go into their method of life, and to their rules^ 
 and this proves a happincfs to both the nations : for 
 according to their conflitution, fuch care is taken of the 
 foil, that it becomes fruitfuJ enough for both, tho* it 
 might be othcrwife too narrow and barren for any one 
 of them. But if the natives refufe to conform them* 
 fclves to their laws, they drive them out of ihofe boundf 
 which they mark out for themfclves, and ufe force if 
 they lefift. For they account it a very juft caufc of 
 war, if any nation will hinder others to come and pof» 
 fefs a part of their foil, of which they make no ufc» 
 but let it lie idle and uncultivated ; Gnce every man hat 
 by the law of nature a right to fuch a wade portion of 
 the earth, as is neceflary for his fubfirtence. if any 
 accident has fo leffened the number of the inhabitants 
 of any of their towns, that it cannot be made up frona 
 the other towns of the ifland, without diminiihing them 
 too much, which is faid to have fallen out but twice, 
 Hoce they were fird a people, by two plagues that 
 were among them; then the number is filled up, by 
 jtcalling fo many out of their colonies, for they wilj 
 
tJ T O P I A. 7t 
 
 abandon their colonies, rather than fufFer any of their 
 towns to fink too low. 
 
 But to return to the manner of their living together ; 
 the antienteft of every family governs it, as has been 
 faid. Wives ferve their hufbands, and children their 
 parents, and always the younger ferves the eMer. E- 
 very city is divided into four equal parts, and in the 
 liiiddle of every part there is a market-place : That 
 Ijvhich is brought thither manufadured by the feveral 
 families, is carried from thence to houfes appointed fof 
 that purpofe, in which all things of a fort are laid by 
 themfelves ; and every father of a family goes thither, 
 and takes whatfoever he or his family {!and in need of, 
 without either paying for it, or laying in any thing ia 
 pawn or exchange for it. There is no reafon for deny- 
 ing any thing to any perfon, fince there is fuch plenty 
 of every thing among them : and there is no danger of 
 any man's aflcing more than he needs ; for what fhould 
 make any do that, fince they are all fure that they will 
 be always fupplied ? It is the fear of want that makei 
 any of the whole rac^ of animals, either greedy or 
 ravenous ; but befides fear, there is~ in man a vaft pildtf, 
 that makes him fancy it a particular glory for him td 
 excel others in pomp and cxcefs. But by the laws of 
 the Utopians, there is no room for thefe things among 
 them. Near thefc markets there are alfo others for all 
 forts of vi(5luals, where there are not only herbs, fruits 
 and bread, but alfo fiih, fowl, and cattle. There ar« 
 
-yj V T O P 1 A, 
 
 alfo without their tov/ns, places appointed near fom'» 
 running water, for killing their bealh, and for wafhinj 
 away their filth ; which is done by their flaves, for 
 they fuffer none of their citizens to kill their cattle, 
 bccaufe they think, that pity and good nature, which 
 are among the heft of thofe affedions that are born 
 with us, are much impaired by the butchering of ani* 
 mals : Nor do they fuffer any thing that is foul or un- 
 clean to be brought within their towns, \d\ the air fhould 
 be infected by ill fmells which might prejudice their 
 health. In every rtreet there arc great halls that lie at 
 an equal diilance from one another, which are marked 
 by particular names. The fyphogranis dwell in thefe, 
 that are fct over thirty families, fifteen lying on one 
 fide of it, and as many on the other. In thefe they 
 do all meet and eat. The ftewards of every one of 
 them come to the market-place at an appointed hour ; 
 and according to the number of thofe that belong to 
 their hall, they carry home provifions. But they take 
 more care of their fick, than of any others, who are 
 looked after and lodged in public hofpitals : they have 
 belonging to every town four hofpitals, that are built 
 without their walls, and are fo large, that they may 
 pafs for little towns : by this means, if they had ever 
 fuch a number of fick pcrfons, they could lodge them 
 conveniently, and at fuch a diilance, thut fuch of them 
 as are fick of infe^ftious difeafcs, may be kept fo far 
 from the idk, that there can be nu danger of coota- 
 
UTOPIA* 73 
 
 gion. The hofpitals are fo furniflied and ftored with 
 all things that are convenient for the eafe and reco- 
 very of the fick ; and thofe that are put in them, are 
 all looked after with fo tender and watchful a care, 
 and are ^o conftantly treated by their fldlful phyiicians ; 
 that as none is fent to them againft their will, fo there 
 is fcarce one in a whole town, that if he fliould fall ill, 
 would not choofe rather to go thither, than lie fick 
 at home. 
 
 After the fteward of the hofpitals has taken for 
 them whatfoever the phyfician does p-efcribe at the 
 market-place, then the beft things that remain, are 
 diftributed equally among the halls, in proportion to 
 their numbers, only, in.thefirft place, they ferve the 
 prince, the chief prieft, the tranibors and ambafladors, 
 and Grangers, (if there are any, which indeed falls out 
 but feldom, and for whom there are houfes well fur- 
 nifhed, particularly appointed when they come among 
 them.) At the hours of dinner and fupper, the fypho- 
 granty being called together by found of trumpet, 
 meets and eats together, except only fuch as are in 
 the hofpitals, or lie fick at home. Yet after the halls 
 'are ferved, no man is hindered to carry provilions home 
 from the market-place; for tiiey know that none does 
 that but for fome good reafon ; for tho' any that will 
 may eat at home, yet none does it willingly, fince it 
 is both an indecent and foolifli thing, for any to give 
 themfelves the trouble to malce ready an ill dinner ix 
 
 K 
 
74 UTOPIA. 
 
 home, when there is a much more plentiful one made 
 ready tor him fo near hand. All the uneufy and fordid 
 fervices about thefe halls, are performed by their flavcs; 
 but the drefling and cooking their meat, and the order- 
 ing their tables, belongs only to the women, which goes 
 round all the women of erery family by turns. They 
 fit at three or more tables, according to their numbers ; 
 the men fit towards the wall, and the women fit on the 
 other fide, that if any of them fhould fall fuddenly ill, 
 which is ordinary to women with child, fhe may, with- 
 out difturbing the reft, rife and go to the nurfes room, 
 who are there with the fuckling children ; where there 
 is always fire, and clean water at hand, and fome cradles 
 in which they may lay the young children, if there is 
 occafion for it, and that they may fhift and drefs them 
 before the fire. Every child is nurfed by its own mo- 
 ther, if death or ficknefs does not intervene ; and in 
 that cafe the fyphogrants wives find out a nurfe quick- 
 ly, which is no hard matter to do ; for any one that can 
 do it, offers herfclf chearfully : for as they are much 
 inclined to that piece of mercy, fo the child whom they 
 nurfe, confiders the nurfe as its mother. All the chil- 
 dren under five years old, fit among the nurfes, the refl 
 of the younger fort of both fcxes, till they are fit for 
 marriage, do cither ferve thofe that fit at table ; or if 
 they are not flrong enough for that, they ftand by them 
 in great filence, and eat that which is given them, by 
 thofe that fit at table ; nor have they any other for- 
 
UTOPIA. 75 
 
 mality of dining. In the middle of the firfl: table, which 
 ftands in the upper end of the hall, a-crofs fits the fy- 
 phogrant and his wife, for that is the chief and moft 
 confpicuous place : Next to him (it two of the moft an- 
 cient, for there go always four to a mefs. If there is a 
 temple within that fyphogranty, the prieft and his wife 
 lit with the fyphogrant above all the reft ; Next them 
 . there is a mixture of ojd and young, who are fo placed, 
 that as the young are fet near others, fo they are mix- 
 ed with the more ancient, which they fay was appoint- 
 ed on this account, that the gravity of the old people, 
 and the reverence that is due to them, might reftrain 
 the younger from all indecent words and geftures, 
 Difhes are not ferved up to the wl\ole table at firft, 
 but the beft are lirft fet before the ancienter, whofe 
 feats are diftinguifhed from the younger, and after 
 them all the reft are ferved alike. The old men diftri- 
 bute to the younger any curious meats that happen to 
 be fet before them, if there is not fuch an abundance 
 of them, that the whole company may be ferved by 
 them. 
 
 Thus old men are honoured with a particular re- 
 fpe6l ; yet all the reft fare as well as they do. They 
 begin both dinner and fupper with fome ledlure of mo- 
 rality that is read to them ; but it is fo fhort, that it is 
 not tedious nor uneafy to them to hear it : Upon that 
 the old men take occafion to entertain thofe about them, 
 with fome ufeful and pleafant enlargements ; but they 
 
 K 2 
 
76 UTOPIA. 
 
 do not engrofs the whole difcourfe fo to themfelves, 
 during their meals, that the younger may not put m 
 for a ihare : on the contrary, they engage them to talk, 
 that fo they may in that free way of converfation, find 
 out the force of every one's fpirit, and obferve their 
 temper. They difpatch their dinners quickly, but fit 
 long at fupper : becaufe they go to work after the one, 
 and are to fleep after the other, during which they 
 think the ftomach carries on the concodion more vigo- 
 roufly. They never fup without mufic ; and ihpe is 
 always fruit ferved up after meat ; while they fit at 
 meat, forae burn perfumes, and fprinkle about fweet 
 ointments, and fweet waters : and they are wanting in 
 nothing that may cheer up their fpirits, for they give 
 themfelves a large allowance that way, and indulge 
 themfelves in all fuch pleafures as are attended with 
 no inconvenience. Thus do thofe that are in the towns 
 live together ; but in the country, where they live at a 
 greater diftancc, every one eats at home, and no fa- 
 mily wants any necelTary fort of provifion, for it is from 
 them that provifions are fent unto thofe that Uve in the 
 towns. 
 
UTOPIA.. 77 
 
 Of the Travelling of the Utopians. 
 
 TF any of them has a mind to vlfit his friends that 
 live in fome other town, or defires to travel and fee 
 the reft of the country, he obtains leave very eafily 
 from the Syphogrant and Tranibors to do it, when 
 there is no particular occafion for him at home : Such 
 as travel, carry with them a pafsport from the Prince, 
 which both certifies the licence that is granted for 
 travelling, and limits the time of their return. They 
 are furnifhed with a waggon and a Have, who drives 
 the oxen, and looks after them : but unlefs there arc 
 women in the company, the waggon is fent back at the 
 end of the journey as a needlefs trouble: While they 
 are on the road, they carry no provifions with them; 
 yet they want nothing, but are every way treated as if 
 they were at home. If they flay in any place longer 
 than a night, every one follows his proper occupation, 
 and is very well ufed by thofe of his own trade : but 
 if any man goes out of the city to which he belongs, 
 without leave, and is found going about without a pafs- 
 port, he is roughly handled, and is punifhed as a fugi- 
 tive, and fent home difgracefully ; and if he falls agaia 
 into the like fault, he is condemned to flavery. If any 
 man has a mind to travel only over the precin^fl of his 
 own city, he may freely do it, obtaining his father's 
 
^8 UTOPIA, 
 
 pcrmlffion, and his wife's confcnt; but when he comes 
 into any of the country houfes, he muft labour with 
 them according to their rules, if he expeds to be en- 
 tertained by them: and if he does this, he may freely 
 jjo over the whole precinift, being thus as ufeful to the 
 city to which he belongs, as if he were ftill within it. 
 Thus you fee that there are no idle pcrfons among them, 
 nor pretences of excufing any from labour. There are 
 no taverns, no ale-houfes, nor ftews among them ; nor 
 any other occafions of corrupting ihemielves or of get- 
 ting into corners or forming themfelvcs into parties : 
 all men live in full view, fo that oil arc obliged, both 
 to perform their ordinary tafk, and to employ them- 
 fclves well in their fpare hours. And it is certain, that 
 a people thus ordered, muft live in a great abundance 
 of all things ; and thefe being equally diftributcd a- 
 mong them, no man can want .-my thing, or be put to 
 beg. 
 
 In their great council at Amaurot, to which there 
 are three fent from every town once every year, they 
 examine what towns abound in pronfions, and what 
 are under any fcarcity, that fo the one may be fur- 
 nished from the other ; and this is done freely, with- 
 out any fort of exchange ; for according to their plen- 
 ty or fcarcity, they fupply, or arc fupplied from one 
 another ; fo that indeed the whole ifland is, as it were, 
 one family. When they have thus taken care of their 
 whole country, and laid up (lores for two years, which 
 
UTOPIA. 7^ 
 
 they do in cafe that an ill year fhould happen to come, 
 then they order an exportation of the over-plus, both 
 of corn, honey, wool, ffax, wood, fcarlet, and purple ; 
 wax, tallow, leather, and cattle, which they fend out 
 commonly in great quantities to other countries. They 
 order a feventh part of all thcfe goods to be freely 
 given to the poor of the countries to which they fend 
 them, and they fell the reft at moderate rates. And 
 by this exchange, they not only bring back thofe few 
 things that they need at home, for indeed they fcarce 
 need any thing but iron, but likewife a great deal of 
 gold and filver ; and by their driving this trade fo long, 
 it is not to be imagined how vaft a treafure they have 
 got among them : fo that now they do not much care 
 whether they fell off their merchandize for money in 
 hand, or upon truft. A great part of their treafure is 
 now in bonds : but in all their contrads no private man 
 ftands bound, but the writing runs in name of the 
 town; and the towns that ov/e them money, raife it 
 from thofe private hands that owe it to them, and lay 
 it up in their public chamber, or enjoy the profit of it 
 till the Utopians call for it ; and they choofe rather to 
 let the greateft part of it lie in their hands, who make 
 advantage by it, than to call for it themfelves : but if 
 they fee that any of their other neighbours ftand more 
 in need of it, then they raife it, and lend it to them ; 
 or ufe it themfelves, if they are engaged in a war, which 
 is the only occafion that they can have for all that 
 
So UTOPIA. 
 
 treafare that tliey have laid up ; that fo cither in great 
 extremities, or fudden accidents, they may ferve them- 
 felves by it ; chieHy for hiring foreign foldicrs, whom 
 they more wilhngly expofe to danger than their own 
 people : they give them great pay, knowing well that 
 this will work even on their enemies, and engage them 
 cither to betray their own fide, or at leail to defert it, 
 or will fet them on to mutual fa(5lions among them- 
 felves : for this end they hare an incredible treafure ; 
 but they do not keep it as a treafure, but in fuch a 
 manner as I am almod afraid to tell it, led you think it 
 fo extravagant, that you can hardly believe it ; which 1 
 have the more reafon to apprehend from others, be* 
 caufe if I had not fcen it myfclf, I could not have been 
 cafily perfuaded to have believed it upon any man's 
 report. 
 
 It is certain, that all things appear fo far incredible 
 to us, as they differ from our own cuftoms : but one 
 who can judge aright, will not wonder to find, that 
 Cnce their other conftitutions differ fo much from ours, 
 their value of gold and filver fhould be meafured, not 
 by our flandard, but by one that is very different from 
 it ; for fince they have no ufe of money among them- 
 felves, but keep it for an accident; that tho' as it may 
 pofiibly fall out, it may have great intervals ; they va- 
 lue it no farther than itdeferves, or may be ufeful to 
 them. So that it is plain, that they mull prefer iron 
 either to gold or iilver: for men can no more lire 
 
UTOPIA. 8i 
 
 \vithoiit iron, than without fire or water ; but nature 
 has marked out no ufe for the other metals, with which 
 we may not very well difpenfe. The folly of man has 
 enhanfed the value of gold and filver, becaufe of their 
 fcarcity : whereas on the contrary they reafon, that na- 
 ture, as an indulgent parent, has given us all the beft 
 things very freely, and in great abundance, fuch as are 
 water and earth, but has laid up and hid from us the 
 things that are vain and ufelefs. 
 
 If thofe metals were laid up in any tower among 
 them, it would give jealoufy of the prince and fenate, 
 according to that foolifh miftruft into which the rabble 
 is apt to fall, as if they intended to cheat the people, 
 and make advantages to themfelves by it ; or if they 
 ftiould work it into veflels, or any fort of plate, they 
 fekr that the people might grow too fond of it, and 
 fo be unvv'illing to let the plate be run down, if a war 
 made it neceffary to pay their foldiers with it : there- 
 fore to prevent all thefe inconveniences, they have fal*- 
 Icn upon an expedient, which as it agrt.es v/ith their 
 other policy, fo is very different from ours, and _will 
 fcarce gain belief among us, who value gold fo much, 
 and lay it up fo carefully : for whereas they eat and 
 drink out of vefTcls of earth, or glafs, that tho' they 
 look very pretty, yet are of very flight materials ; they 
 make their chamber pots and clofe-ltools of gold and 
 filver ; and that not only in their public halls, but in 
 tlieir private houfcs : Of the fame metals they likewife 
 
 L 
 
«a UTOPIA. 
 
 make chains and fetters for their flaves ; and as a badge 
 of infamy, they hang an ear-ring of gold to feme, and 
 make others wear a chain or a coronet of gold ; and 
 thus they take care, by all manner of ways, that gold 
 and filvcr may be of no efteem among them ; and from 
 hence it is, that whereas other nations part wiih their 
 gold and their filver, as unwillingly as if one tore out 
 their bowels, thofe of Utopia would look on their giv- 
 ing in all their gold or filver, when there were any ufe 
 for it, but as the parting with a trifle, or as we would 
 cflimatc the lofs of a penny. They find pearls on their 
 coal! ; and diamonds, and carbuncles on their rocks : 
 they do not look after ihcm, but if they fmd them by 
 chance, they pohlh them, and with them they adorn 
 their children, who are delighted with them, and glory 
 in them during their childhood; but when they grow 
 to years, and fee that none but children ufe fuch 
 baubles, they of their own accord, without being bid 
 by their parents, lay them afide, and would be as 
 much afharacd to ufe them afterwards, as children 
 among us, when they come to years, are of their nuts, 
 puppets, and other toys. 
 
 1 never faw a clearer inflance of the different ira- 
 preflioDS that different rufloms make on people, than 
 I obferved in the amb«JIadors of the Anemolians who 
 came to Amaurot when I was there. And becaufc 
 they came to treat of affairs of great confequcnce, tht 
 deputies from feveral towns had met to wait for thcix 
 
UTOPIA. 83 
 
 coming. The ambafladors of the nations that lie near 
 Utopia, knowing their cufloms, and that fine clothes are 
 of no efleem among them ; that filk is defpifed, and 
 gold is a badge of infamy, ufe to come very modeflly 
 clothed; but the Anemolians that lay more remote, 
 and fo had Httle commerce with them, when they un- 
 derftood that they were coarfly clothed, and all in the 
 fame manner, they took it for granted that they had 
 none of thofe fine things among them of which they 
 made no ufe ; and they being a vain-glorious, rather 
 than a wife people, refolved to fet themfelves out with 
 fo much pomp, that they {hould look Hke gods, and 
 fo ftrike the eyes of the poor Utopians with their fplen- 
 dor. Thus three ambafladors made their entry with 
 an hundred attendants, that were all clad in garments 
 of different colours, and the greater part in filk ; the 
 ambaffadors themfelves, who were of the nobility of 
 their country, were in cloth of gold, and adorned with 
 mafly chains, ear-rings and rings of gold : their caps 
 were covered with bracelets fet full of pearls and other 
 gems: in a word, they were fet out with all thofe 
 things, that among the Utopians were either the badg- 
 es of flavery, the marks of infamy, or children's rattles. 
 It was not unpleafant to fee on the one fide how they 
 look'd big, when they compared their rich habits with 
 the plain clothes of the Utopians, who were come out 
 in great numbers to fee them make their entry. And 
 on the other fide, to obferve how much they were mif- 
 
 L 2 
 
$4 UTOPIA. 
 
 taken in the impreiTion which they hoped this pomp 
 would have made on them ; it appeared fo ridiculous 
 a ihew to all that had never Itit red out of their coun- 
 try, and fo had not feen the cuftoms of other nations ; 
 that tho' they paid fome reverence to thofe that were 
 the moft meanly clad, as if they had been the ambaf- 
 fadors, yet when they faw the ambafladors themfelvcs, 
 fo full of gold chains they looked upon them as flaves, 
 made them no reverence at all. You might have feen 
 their children, who were grown up to that bignefs, 
 that they had thrown away their jewels, call to their 
 mothers, and pulh them gently, and cry out. Sec that 
 great fool that v.'ears pearls and gems, as if he were 
 yet a child. And their mothers anfwered them in 
 good earned, Hold your peace, this is 1 believe, one 
 of the ambafladors fools. Others cenfured the fafliion 
 of their chains, and obfcrved that they were of no 
 ufe, for they were too flight to bind their flaves, who 
 could eafUy break them ; and they faw them hang fo 
 loofe about them, that they reckoned they could eadly 
 throw them away, and fo get from them. Hut after 
 the ambafl*adars had ftaid a day among them, and faw 
 fb vail a quantity of gold in their houfes, which was 
 as much defpifcd by them, as it was efleemcd in other 
 nations, and that there was more gold and fllver in 
 the chains and fetters of one flave, than all their or- 
 naments amounted to, their plumes fell, and they were 
 alhiraeU of sdl that glory for which they had formerly 
 
UTOPIA. 85 
 
 valued themfelves, and fo laid it afide : -to which they 
 ' were the more determined, when upon their engaging 
 into fonie free difcourfe with the Utopians, they difco- 
 vered their fenfe of fuch things, and their other cuf- 
 toms. The Utopians wonder how any man fhould be 
 fo much taken with the glaring doubtful luftre of a 
 jewel or (tone, that can look up to a ftar, or to the 
 fun himfelf ; or hoAv any fliould value himfelf, becaufc 
 his cloth is made of a liner thread : for how fine fo- 
 ever that thread may be, it v/as once no' better than 
 the fleece of a fheep, and that (lieep was a fheep ftill 
 for all its wearing it. They wonder much to hear, 
 that gold which in itfelf is fo ufelefs a thing, Ihould 
 be every where fo much eftceraed, that even man for 
 whom it was made, and by whom it has its value, 
 fhould yet be thought of lefs value than it is : fo that 
 a man of lead, who has no more fenfe than a log of 
 wood, and is as bad as he is foolifli, fhould have many 
 wife and good men ferving him, only becaufe he has 
 a great heap of that metal ; and if it ihould fo happen, 
 that by fome accident, or trick of law, which does 
 fometimes produce as great changes as chance itfelf, 
 all this wealth fliould pafs from the mafl:er to the 
 meaneft varlet of his whole family, he himfelf would 
 very foon become one of his fervants, as if he were 
 a thing that belonged to his wealth, and fo were bound 
 to follow its fortune. But they do much more admire 
 and d^teft their folly, who v/hcn they fee a rich man^ 
 
t6 UTOPIA. 
 
 rfio' they neither owe him any thing, nor are in any 
 ibrt obnoxious to him, yet merely becaufe he is rich, 
 they give him little lefs than divine honours ; even tho' 
 they know him to be fo covetous and bafe minded, that 
 notwithrtanding all his wealth, he will not part with 
 one farthing of it to them as long as he lives. 
 
 Thefe and fuch like notions has that people drunk 
 In, partly from their education, being bred in a coun- 
 try, whofe cuftoms and conftitutions are very oppo- 
 fiie to all fuch foolilh maxims : and partly from their 
 learning and (hidics : for tho' there are but few in any 
 town that arc excufcd from labour, fo that they may 
 give themfelvcs wholly to their (ludies, thefe being on- 
 ly fuch perfons as difcover from their childhood an ex- 
 traordinary capacity and difpofition for letters, yet their 
 children and a great part of the nation, both men and 
 women, are taught to fpcnd thofc hours in which they 
 are not obliged to work, in reading : and this they do 
 their whole life long. They have all their learning in 
 their own tongue ; which is both a copious and pleafant 
 language, and in which a man can fully exprefs his 
 mind : it runs over a great trad of many countries, but 
 it is not equally pure in all places : they have never fo 
 much as heard of the names of any of thofe philofo- 
 phers that are fo famous in thefe parts of the world, 
 before we went among them ; and yet they had made 
 the fame difcoverics that the Greeks had done, both 
 in mufic, logic, arithmetic, and geometry. But as they 
 
UTOPIA. 87 
 
 are equal to the antient philofophers almoft In all things, 
 fo they far exceed our modern logicians, for they have 
 never yet fallen upon the barbarous niceties that our 
 youth are forced to learn in thofe trifling logical fchools 
 that are among us ; and they are fo far from minding 
 chimera's, and fantaftical images made in the mind, 
 that none of them could comprehend what we meant, 
 when we talked to them of a man in the abftradl, as 
 common to all men in particular, (fo that tho' we fpoke 
 of him as a thing that we could point at with our fin- 
 gers, yet none of them could perceive him) and yet 
 diftind from every one, as if he were fome monftrous 
 coloffus or giant. Yet for all this ignorance of thefc 
 empty notions, they knew aftronomy, and all the mo- 
 tions of the orbs exadly ; and they have many inftru- 
 ments, well contrived and divided, by which they do 
 very accurately compute the courfe and pofitions of the 
 fun, moon, and ftars. But for the cheat, of divining by 
 the ftars, and by their oppofitions or conjundions, it 
 has not fo much as entred into their thoughts. They 
 have a particular fagacity, founded on much obferva- 
 tion, of judging of the weather, by which they know 
 when they may look for rain, wind, or other altera- 
 tions in the air: But as to the philofophy of thofc 
 things, and the caufes of the faltnefs of the fea, and 
 of its ebbing and flowing, and of the original and na- 
 ture both of the heavens and the earth ; they difpute of 
 them, partly, as our antient philofophers haTC done j 
 
8§ UTOPIA. 
 
 and, partly, upon fome new hypothefis, in which, ni 
 they differ from ihem, fo they do not in all things 
 agree among themfclves. 
 
 As for moral philofophy, they have the fame dif- 
 putes among them, that we have here : they examine 
 what things are properly good, both for the body and 
 the mind : and whether any outward thing can be cal- 
 led truly good, or if that term belongs only to the 
 endowments of the mind. Th^y inquire likcwifc inro 
 the nature of virtue and picafure; but their chief dif- 
 pute is, concerning the happincfs of a man, and where- 
 in it confifts ? Whether in fome one thing, or in a great 
 many ? They feen) indeed more inclinable to that opi- 
 nion that places, if not the whole, yet the chief part of 
 a man's happinefs in pleafure ; and which may fecni 
 more ftrange, they make ufe of arguments even from 
 religion, notwithftanding its fcverity and roughnefs, 
 for the fupport of that opinion, that is fo indulgent to 
 pleafure ; for they never difputc concerning happinefs 
 V/ithout fetching forae arguments from the principles 
 of rdigion, as well as from natural reafon ; fince with- 
 out the former, they reckon that all our inquiries after 
 happinefs, muft be but conjectural and dcfctflive. 
 
 Thofe principle of their religion, arc, that the foul 
 bf man is immortal, and that God of his goodnefs has 
 defigned that it (hould be happy; and that he has 
 therefore appointed rewards for good and virtudus ac- 
 tions, and punifhmects for vice, to be diilributed after 
 
UTOPIA. 89 
 
 this life : And though thefe principles of religion are 
 conveyed down among them by tradition, they think, 
 that even reafon itfelf determines a man to believe and 
 acknowledge them: and they freely confefs, that if 
 thefe were taken away, no man would be fo infenfible, 
 as not to feek after pleafure by all manner of ways, 
 lawful or unlawful ; ufing only this caution, that a lef- 
 fer pleafure might not ft and in the way of a greater, 
 and that no pleafure ought to be purfued, that fhould 
 draw a great deal of pain after it : for they think it 
 the maddeft thing in the world to purfue virtue, that 
 is a four and difficult thing ; and not only to renounce 
 the pleafurcs of life, but willingly to undergo much 
 pain and trouble, if a man has no profpedl of a reward. 
 And what reward can there be, for one that has pafted 
 his whole life, not only without pleafure, but in pain, 
 if there is nothing to be expe6led after death ? Yet 
 they do not place happinefs in all forts of pkafures, 
 but only in thofe that in themfelves are good and ho- 
 neft : for whereas there is a party among them that 
 places happinefs in bare virtue, others think that our 
 natures are conducted by virtue to happinefs, as that 
 which is the chief good of man. They define virtue 
 thus, that it is a living according to nature ; and think 
 that we are made by God for that end : they do be- 
 lieve that a man does then follow the didates of na- 
 ture, when he purfucs or avoids things according to 
 the dire(5lion of reafon : they fay, that the firft di(5tate 
 
 M 
 
90 U T O P r A^. 
 
 of reaTon is, the kindling in us a love and rererenci 
 for the Divine Majefty, to whom we owe both all that 
 we have, and all that we can ever hope for. In the 
 next place, reafon diredls us, to keep our minds as free 
 of pafHon, and as chearful as we can ; and that wc 
 fhould confider ourfelves as bound by the ties of good 
 nature and humanity, to ufc our utniofl endeavours to 
 help forward the happinefs of all other perlons ; for 
 there was never any man that was fuch a morofe and 
 fevcre parfuer of virtue, and fuch an enemy to plea- 
 fure, that though he fet hard rules to men to undergo, 
 much pain, many watchings, and other rigours, yet 
 did not at the fame time advife them to do all they 
 could in order to the relieving and eafmg fuch people 
 as were mifcrable ; and did not reprefent it as a mark 
 of a laudable temper, that it was gentle and good na- 
 tured : and they infer from thence, that if a man ought 
 to advance the welfare and comfort of the rdt of man- 
 kind, there being no virtue more proper and peculiar to 
 our nature, than to rafe the mifcries of others, to free 
 them from trouble and anxiety, in furnilhing them with 
 the comforts of life, that confiil in pleafure ; nature 
 does mach more vigoroufly lead him to do all this for 
 himfelf. A life of pleafure, is either a real evil: and 
 in that cafe we ought not only, not to aflifl others in 
 their purfuit of it, but on the contrary, to keep them 
 from it all we can, as from that which is hurtful and 
 d;;adly to them j or if it is a good thing, fo that wc 
 
UTOPIA. 91 
 
 lot only may, but ought to help others to It, why then 
 ought not a man to begin with himfelf ? Since no man 
 can be more bound to look after the good of another, 
 tlian after his own : for nature cannot direct us to be 
 good and kind to others, and yet at the fame time to be 
 unmerciful and cruel to ourfelves. Thus as they define 
 virtue to be a living according to nature, fo they reckon 
 that nature fets all people on to feek after pleafure, as 
 the end of all they do. They do alfo obfervfi, that in 
 order to the fupporting the pleafures of life, nature in- 
 clines us to enter into fociety ; for there is no man fo 
 much raifed above the refl of mankind, that he fhould 
 be the only favourite of nature, which on the contrary 
 feems to have levelled all thofe together that belon;g to 
 the fame fpecies. Upon this they infer, that no man 
 ought to feek his own conveniences fo eagerly, that 
 thereby he fliould prejudice others ; and therefore they 
 think, that not only all agreements between private 
 perfons ought to be obferved; but likewife, that all 
 thofe laws ought to be kept, which either a good prince 
 has publifhed in due form, or to which a people, that is 
 neither oppreffed with tyranny, nor circumvented by 
 fraud, has confented, for diftributing thofe convenien- 
 ces of life which afford us all our pleafures. 
 
 They think it is an evidence of true wifdom, for a 
 
 man to purfue his own advantages, as far as the laws 
 
 allow it. They account it piety, to prefer the public 
 
 gQqd to one's private concerns ; but they think it UR^- 
 
 M 2 
 
pj UTOPIA. 
 
 juft, for a man to feek for his own pleafure, by fnatch- 
 ing another man's pleafures from him. And on the 
 contrary, they think it a fign of a gentle and good 
 foul, for a man to difpenfe with his own advantage for 
 the good of others; and that by fo doing, u good man 
 finds as much pleafure one way, as he parts with ano- 
 ther ; for as he may expcifl the like from others when 
 he may come to need it, fo if that ftiould fail him, yet 
 the fcnfc of a good ac*lion, and the refle<5tions that one 
 makes on the love and gratitude of thofe whom he has 
 fo obhgcd, gives tlic mind more pleafure, than the bo» 
 dy could have found in that from which it had rcftrain- 
 ed itfelf: they arc alfo perfuadcd that God will make 
 up the lofs of thofe fmall pleafures, with a raft and 
 cndlefs joy, of which religion docs eafily convince a 
 good foul. 
 
 Thus upon an inquiry into die whole matter, they 
 reckon that all our a<5lions, and even all our virtues 
 terminate in pleafure, as in our chief end and greateft 
 happincfs ; and they call c^ery motion or ftate, either 
 of body or mind, in which nature teaches us to delight, 
 a pleafure. And thus they cauiioufly limit pleafure, 
 only to thofe appetites to which nature leads us ; for 
 they reckon that nature leads us only to thofe delights 
 to which reafon as well as fenfe carries us, and by 
 whicli we neither injure any other pcrfon, nor let go 
 greater pie afuies for it ; ard which do not draw troubles 
 on OS after them : but they look upon thofe dcli^ihts 
 
UTOPIA. 9^ 
 
 which men, by a foollfh tho' common miflake, call plea- 
 fure, as if they could change the nature of things, aj 
 well as the ufe of words, as things that not only do not 
 advance our happinefs, but do rather obflru<5t it very 
 much, becaufe they do fo intirely pofTefs the minds of 
 thofe that once go into them, with a falfe notion of 
 pleafure, that there is no room left for truer and purer 
 pleafures. 
 
 There are many things that in themfelves have no- 
 thing that is truly delighting: On the contrary, they 
 have a good deal of bitternefs in them ; and yet by our 
 perverfe appetites after forbidden objeiis, are not only 
 ranked among the pleafures, but are made even the 
 greateft defigns of life. Among thofe who purfue thefc 
 fophifticated pleafures, they reckon thofe whom I men- 
 tioned before, who think themfelves really the better 
 for having fine clothes : in which they think they are 
 doubly miftaken, both in the opinion that they have of 
 their clothes, and in the opinion that they have of 
 themfelves ; for if you confider the ufe of clothes, why 
 fhould a fine thread be thought better than a coarfe one? 
 And yet that fort of men, as if they had fome real ad- 
 vantages beyond others, and did not owe it wholly to 
 their miftakes, look big, and feem to fancy themfelves 
 to be the more valuable on that account, and imagine 
 that a refped is due to them for the fake of a rich gar- 
 ment, to v/hich they would not have pretended, if they 
 had been more meanly clothed ; and they refent it a^ 
 
^4 U T O P I A. 
 
 «i affront, if that rerpe(5l is not paid them. It is alfo a 
 great folly to be taken with thefe outward marks of 
 refpe<fl, which fignify nothing : for what true or real 
 pleafure can one find in this, that another man flands 
 bare, or makes legs to him ? Will the bending another 
 man's thighs give you any eafe ? And will his head's 
 being bare, cure the madnefs of yours ? And yet it is 
 wonderful to fee how this falfe notion of pleafure be- 
 witches many, who delight themfclves with the fancy 
 of their nobility, and arc plcafcd with this conceit, that 
 they arc defcendcd from anccftors, who have been held 
 for forac fucceflions rich, and that they have had great 
 poffcffions ; for this is all that makes nobility at prefent ; 
 yet they tio not think ihcmfelves a whit the lefs noble, 
 tho* their immediate parents have left none of this 
 wealth to tliem; or tho' they ihemfolves have fquan- 
 dred it ail away. The Utopians have no better opinion 
 of thofe, who are much taken with gems and precious 
 (tones, and who account it a degree of happinefs, next 
 to a divine one, if they can purchdje one that is very 
 extraordinary ; efpecially if it be of that fort of (tones, 
 that is then in greaicft requefl : for the fame fort is not 
 at all times of the fame value with all forts of people ; 
 nor will men buy it, unlefs it be difmounted and taken 
 put of the gold ; and then the jeweller is made to give 
 good fecurity, and required folemnly to fwear that the 
 Aone is true, that by fuch an txad caution, a falfe one 
 jBiay not be bought infiead of a true : Whereas if 
 
UTOPIA. ^.j 
 
 you were to examine It, your eye could find no diffe- 
 rence between that which is counterfeit, and that which 
 is true ; fo that they are all one to you as much as i£ 
 you were blind : And can it be thought that they who 
 heap up an ufelefs mafs of wealth, not for any ufe that 
 it is to bring them, but merely to pleafe themfelves with 
 the contemplation of it, enjoy any true pleafure in it i 
 The delight they find, is only a falfc fhadow of joy: 
 Thofe are no better, whofe error Is fomewhat different 
 from the former, and who hide It, out of their fear of 
 lofing it ; for what other name can fit the hiding it in 
 the earth, or rather the reftoring it to it again, it be- 
 ing thus cut off from being ufeful, either to its owner, 
 or to the reft of mankind ? And yet the owner havinpf 
 hid it carefully, is glad, becaufe he thinks he is now 
 fure of it. And in cafe one (hould come to fteal it, the 
 owner, tho' he might live perhaps ten years after that, 
 would all that while after the theft, of which he knew 
 nothing, find no difference between his having it, or 
 lofing it, for both ways it was equally ufelefs to him. 
 
 Among thofe foolifh purfaers of pleafure, they reck* 
 on all thofe that delight in hunting, or birding, or gam* 
 ing : of whofe madnefs they have only heard, for they 
 have no fuch things among them : But they have aflced 
 us. What fort of pleafure is it that men can find in 
 throwing the dice ? For If there were any pleafure in 
 it, they think the doing it fo often fhould give one a 
 furfeit of it : And what pleafure can one find in hearing 
 
^6 UTOPIA. 
 
 the barking and howling of dogs, which feem rather 
 odious than pleafant founds ? Nor can they compre- 
 hend the pleafure of feeing dogs run after a hare, more 
 than of feeing one dog run after another ; for you have 
 the fame entertainment to the eye on both thefe occa- 
 fions ; if the feeing them run is that which gives the 
 pleafure, fince that is the fame in both cafes : but if the 
 pleafure hes in feeing the hare killed and torn by the 
 dogs, this ought rather to (tir pity, when a weak, harm- 
 kfs and fearful hare, is devoured by a Ilrong, fierce, 
 ind cruel dog. Therefore all this bufincfs of hunting, 
 is among the Utopians turned over to their butchers j 
 and thofc are all ilaves, as was formerly faid : and they 
 look on hunting, as one of the bufcll parts of a butch- 
 er's work : for they account it both more profitable, 
 and more decent to kill thofe bcafts that are more iie- 
 ceflary and ufeful to mankind ; whereas the killing and 
 tearing of fo fniall and mifcrable an animal, which z 
 huntfman propofes to himfelf, can only attract hira 
 with the falfe fhew of pleafure ; for it is of fo little ufe 
 to him ; they look on the deiire of the bloodshed, even 
 of beaih, as a mark of a mind that is already corrupt- 
 ed with cruelly, or that at leaft by the frequent returns 
 of fo brutal a pleafure, muft degenerate into it. 
 
 Thus tho' the rabble of mankind looks upon thefe, 
 and all other things of this kind, which are indeed in- 
 numerable, as pleafures ; the Utopians on the contrary 
 obfcrving, that there is nothing in the nature of them 
 
UTOPIA. ^7 
 
 that is truly pleafant, conclude that they are not to be 
 reckoned among pleafures : for tho' thefe things may 
 create fome tickling in the fenfes, (which feems to be 
 ia true notion of pleafure) yet they reckon that this 
 does not arife from the thing itfelf, but from a deprav- 
 ed cuftoni, which may fo vitiate a man's tafte, that bit- 
 ter things may pafs for fweet ; as women with child 
 think pitch or tallov/ taftes fweeter than honey; but 
 as a man's fenfe when corrupted, either by a difeafe, 
 or fome ill habit, does not change the nature of other 
 things, fo neither can it change the nature of pleafure. 
 They reckon up feveral forts of thefe pleafures, 
 which they call true ones : fome belong to the body, 
 and others to the mind. The pleafures of the mind lie 
 in knowledge, and in that delight which the contem- 
 plation of truth carries with it ; to which they add thi 
 joyful refle6lions on a well fpent life, and the affured 
 hopes of a future happinefs. They divide the pleafures 
 of the body into two forts ; the one is that which gives 
 Our fenfes fome real delight, and is performed, either 
 by the recruiting of nature, and fupplying thofe parts 
 on which the internal heat of Ufe feeds; and that is 
 done by eating or drinking : or when nature is eafed 
 of any furcharge that opprefTcs it, as when we empty 
 our guts, beget children, or free any of the parts of our 
 body from aches or heats by fri6tion. There is another 
 kind of this fort of pleafure, that neither gives us any 
 thing that our bodies require, nor frees us from any 
 
 N 
 
98 UTOPIA. 
 
 thing with which we are overcharged ; and yet It ex- 
 cites our fenfes by a fecret unfeen virtue, and by a ge- 
 nerous impreflion, it fo tickles and afFeds them, that it 
 turns them inwardly upon themfelves ; and this is the 
 pleafure begot by rmific. Another fort of bodily plea- 
 fure is thai which confifls in a quiet and good confti- 
 tution of body, by which there is an entire healthinefs 
 fpread over all the parts of the body, not aliay'd with 
 any difeafe. This, when it is free from all mixture of 
 pain, gives an inward pleafure of itfelf, even tho' it 
 fhoiild not be excited by any external and delighting 
 objcdt ; and altho' this pleafure does not fo vigoroufly 
 affed the fenfc, nor avf^ fo lirongly upon it ; yet as it is 
 the greateft of all pleafures, fo almoll all the Utopians 
 reckon It the foundation and bafis of all the other joys 
 of life ; fmce this alone makes one's (late of hfe to be 
 cafy and defirable ; and when this is wanting, a man 
 is really capable of no other pleafure- They look upon 
 indolence and freedom from pain, if it does not rife 
 from a perfedt health, to be a (late of (lupidity rather 
 than of pleafure. There has been a controverfy in this 
 matter very narrowly canva(red among them ; whether 
 a drm and entire health could be called a pleafure, or 
 not ? Some have thought that there was no pleafure, 
 but that which was excited by fome fcnfible motion 
 in the body. But this opinion has been long ago run 
 down among them, fo that now they do almoft all 
 agree in this, that health is the greateft of all bodily 
 
UTOPIA. 99 
 
 pleafures ; and that as there is a pain in ficknefs, which 
 is as oppofite in its nature to pleafure, as ficknefs itfelf 
 is to health, fo they hold that health carries a pleafure 
 along with it : and if any fhould fay, that ficknefs is 
 not really a pain, but that it only carries a pain along 
 with it, they look upon that as a fetch of fubtility, 
 that does not much alter the matter. So they think 
 it is all one, whether it be faid, that health is in it- 
 felf a pleafure, or that it begets a pleafure, as fire gives 
 heat ; fo it be granted, that all thofe whofe health is 
 entire, have a true pleafure in it : and they reafon thus. 
 What is the pleafure of eating, but that a man's health 
 which had been weakened, does, with the affiftance of 
 food, drive away hunger, and fo recruiting itfelf, re- 
 covers its former vigour ? And being thus refrefhed, 
 it finds a pleafure in that conflidl : and if the conflict is 
 pleafure, the viftory muft yet breed a greater pleafure, 
 except we will fancy that it becomes ftupid as foon as 
 it has obtained that which it purfued, and fo does nei- 
 ther know nor rejoice in its own welfare. If it is faid, 
 that health cannot be felt, they abfolutcly deny that, 
 for what man is in health, that does not perceive it 
 when he is awake ? Is there any man that is fo dull and 
 ftupid, as not to acknowledge that he feels a delight 
 \n health ? And what is delight, but another name for 
 pleafure ? 
 
 But of all pleafures, they efteem thofe to be the 
 moft valuable that lie in the mind ; and the chief of 
 
 N 2 
 
100 UTOPIA. 
 
 thefe, are thofe that arife out of true virtue, and tho 
 witnefs ot a good confcirnce : they account hccihh tlie 
 chief plcafure that belongs to the body ; for they think 
 that the pleafure of eating and drinking, and all the 
 o:her delights of the body, are only fo far defirable, a$ 
 they give or maintain health : but they are not plea- 
 fant in themfelves, other wife than as they refili iliofe 
 imprcirions that our natural infirmity is Aill making 
 upon us : and as a wife man deflres rather to avoid 
 difeafes, than to take phyfic ; and to be freed fron^ 
 pain, rather than to fin^ t^afc by remedies : fo it were 
 a more defirable llate, nut to need this fort of pleafure, 
 th;m to be obliged to indulge it. And if any man ima- 
 gines that there is a real happinefs in this pleafure, he 
 muft then confefs that he would be the happicil of all 
 men, if he were to lead his life in a perpetual hunger, 
 thirrt, and itching, and by confequence in perpetual 
 eating, drinking, and fcratching himfclf, which any 
 one may eafiiy fee would be not only a bafe but a nii- 
 ferablc ftate of life. 7 hefe are indeed the lowcil of 
 pleafures, and the Icail pure : for we can never relifli 
 them, but when they are mixed with the contrary 
 pains. The pain of hunger mufl give us the pleafure 
 of eating ; and here the pain out-ballances the plea- 
 fure : and as the pain is more vehement, fo it lads 
 much longer ; for as it is upon us before the pleafure 
 comes, fo it does not ceafe, but with the pleafure that 
 cxtinguilhcs it, and that goes off with it : fo that they 
 
UTOPIA. - lox 
 
 think none of thofe pleafures are to be valued, but as 
 t^ey are necefTary. Yet they rejoice in them, and with 
 due gratitude acknowledge the tendernefs of the great 
 Author of nature, who has planted in us appetites, by 
 which thofe things that are neceffary for our preferva- 
 tion, are likewife made pleafant to us. For how mife- 
 rable a thing would life be, if thofe daily difeafes of 
 hunger and thiril, were to be carried off by fuch bitter 
 drugs, as we mufl: ufe for thofe difeafes that return 
 feldomer upon us ? And thus thefe pleafant, as well as 
 proper gifts of nature, do maintain the ftrength and the 
 fprighdinefs of our bodies.' 
 
 They do alfo entertain themfelves with the other 
 delights that they let in at their eyes, their ears, and 
 their noftrils,' as the pleafant relifhes and feafonings of 
 life, which nature feems to have marked out peculiarly 
 for man : fince no other fort of animals contemplates 
 the figure and beauty of the univerfe ; nor is delighted 
 with fmells, but as they diftinguifh meats by them ; nor 
 do they apprehend the concords or difcords of founds ; 
 yet in all pleafures whatfoever, they obferve this tem- 
 per, that a lelTer joy may not hinder a greater, and that 
 pleafure may never breed pain, which they think does 
 always follow difhonefl: pleafures. But they think it 4 
 madnefs for a man to wear out the beauty of his face, 
 or the force of his natural ftrength, and to corrupt the 
 fprightlinefs of his body by floth and lazinefs, or to 
 vafte his body by fading, ^nd fo to weaken the ftrength 
 
IC3 UTOPIA. 
 
 of his conAItutlon, and rejed the other delights of life; 
 unlefs by renouncing his own fatisMion, he can either 
 ferve the public, or promote the happinefs of others, 
 for which he expe<5ls a greater recompence from God, 
 So that they look on fuch a courfe of life, as a mark, of 
 a mind, that is both cruel to itfclf, and ingrateful to 
 the Author of nature, as if we would not be beholden 
 to him for his favours, and therefore would rejed all 
 his bleflings, and Ihould aJfli»51 hinifelf for the empty 
 (hadow of virtue ; or for no better end, than to ren- 
 der himfelf capable to bear thofc misfortunes which 
 pofTibly will never happen. 
 
 This is their notion of virtue and of plcafurc; they 
 think that no man's reafon can carry him to a truer 
 idea of them, unlefs fomc difcovery from heaven fliould 
 infpirc one with fublimcr notions. I have not now the 
 leifure to examine all this, whether they think right or 
 wrong in this matter : Nor do I judge it necefTary, for 
 I have only undertaken to give you an account of their 
 conrtitution, but not to defend every thing that is a- 
 mong them. I am furc, that whatfoever may be faid of 
 their notions, there is not in the whole world, cither a 
 better people, or a happier government : their bodiei 
 are vigorous and lively ; and though they are but of a 
 middle ftature, and though they have neither the fruit- 
 fullefl foil, nor the pureft air in the world ; yet they do 
 fo fortify themfelves by their temperate courfe of life, 
 againfl the unhealthinefs of their air j and by their in- 
 
(J t O P I A. 105 
 
 duftry they do fo cultivate their foil, that there is no 
 where to be feen a greater increafe, both of corn and 
 cattle, nor are there any where healthier men to be 
 found, and freer from difeafes than among them : for 
 one may fee there, not only fuch things put in praftice, 
 that hufbandraen do commonly for manuring and im- 
 proving an ill foil, but in fome places a whole wood is 
 plucked up by the roots, as well as whole ones planted 
 in other places, where there were formerly none : In 
 doing of this, the chief confideration they have is of 
 carriage, that their timber may be either near their 
 towns, or lie upon the fea, or fome rivers, fo that it 
 may be floated to them ; for it is a harder work to car- 
 ry wood at any diflance over land, than corn. The 
 people are induftrious, apt to learn, as well as chearful 
 and pleafant ; and none can endure more labour, when 
 it is neceflary, than they; but, except in that cafe, 
 they love their eafe. They are unwearied purfuers of 
 knowledge ; for when we had given them fome hints 
 of the learning and difcipline of the Greeks, concerning 
 whom we only inftrufted them, (for we know that there 
 was nothing among the Romans, except their hiftori- 
 ans and their poets, that they would value much) it 
 was ftrange to fee how eagerly they were fet on learn- 
 ing that language: We began to read a little of It to 
 them, rather in compliance with their importunity, 
 than out of any hopes of their profiting much by it ; 
 fcut after a very (hort trial, we found they made fuch i 
 
tb4 UTOPIA. 
 
 progrefs in it, that we fa\V our labour was like to bd 
 more fuccefbrul than we could have expecftcd. They 
 learned to write their characters, and to pronounce 
 their language fo right, and took up all fo quick, they 
 remembrci it fo faithfully, and became fo ready and 
 corret5l in the ufe of it, that it would have looked like 
 a miracle, if the greater part of thofe whom we taught 
 had not been men, both of extraordinary capacity, and 
 of a fit age for it : they were for the greatell part cho- 
 fcn out among their learned men, by their chief coun- 
 cil, the' fome learned it of their own accord. In three 
 years time they became mafters of the whole language, 
 fo that they read the bell of the Greek authors very 
 exa(flly. I am indeed apt to think, that they learned 
 that language the more eafily, becaufe it feems to be 
 of kin to their own : I believe that they were a colony 
 of the Greeks ; for tho' their language comes nearer 
 the Perfian, yet they retain many names, both for their 
 towns and magirt rates, that are of Greek origination, 
 I had happened to carry a great many books with mc, 
 inllead of merchandife, when I failed my fourth voy- 
 age ; for 1 was fo far from thinking of co.ning back 
 foon, that I rather thought never to have returned a? 
 all, and I gave them all my books, among which many 
 of Plato's and fome of Arilloile's works were. I had 
 alfo Theophraftus of plants, which to my great re- 
 gret, was imporfc»5t ; for having laid it carelefsly by, 
 while wc were at fea, a monkey had fallen upon it 
 
li r o P I A. 105 
 
 and had torn out leaves in many places. They have no 
 books of grammar, but Lafcares, for I did not carry 
 Theodorus with me; nor have they any didlionaries 
 but Hefychius and Diofcorides. They efteem Plutarch 
 highly, and were much taken with Lucian's wit, and 
 with his pleafant way of writing. As for the poets, 
 they have Ariftophanes, Homer, Euripides, and So- 
 phocles of Aldus's edition; and for hiftorians, they 
 have Thucydides, Herodotus, and Herodian. One of 
 my companions, Thricius Apinatus, happened to carry 
 with him fome of Hippocrates's works, and Galen's 
 Microtechne, which they hold in great eftimation ; for 
 tho' there is no nation in the world, that needs phyfic 
 fo little as they do, yet there is not any that honou*-s 
 It fo much : they reckon the knowledge of it to be 
 one of the pleafanteft and profitablefl: parts of philo- 
 fophy, by which, as they fearch into the fecrets of 
 nature, fo they not only find marvellous pleafure in 
 it, but think that in making fuch inquiries, they do a 
 moft acceptable thing to the Author of nature ; and 
 imagine that he, as all inventors of curious engines, 
 has expofed to our view this great machine of the uni- 
 verfe, we being the only creatures capable of contem- 
 plating it : and that therefore an exa6l and curious ob- 
 ferver and admirer of his workmanfhip, is much more 
 acceptable to him, than one of the herd ; who as if he 
 Were a beaft, and not capable of reafon, looks ou all 
 
 O 
 
io6 UTOPIA. 
 
 this glorious fcene, only as a dull and unconcerned 
 fpedator. 
 
 The minds of the Utopians, when they arc once 
 excited by learning, are very ingenious in finding out 
 all fuch arts as tend to the conveniences of life. Two 
 things they owe to us, which are the art of printing, 
 and the manufaCtuie of paper: yet they do not owe 
 thefe fo entirely to us, but that a great part of the in- 
 vention was their own ; for after we ha:d fhewed them 
 fome paper books of Aldus's Impreflion, and began to 
 explain to them the way of making paper, and of print- 
 ing, tho' we fpake but very crudely of both thjfc, not 
 being praiftifcd in either of them, they prefcntly took, 
 up the whole mutter from the hints that we gave them : 
 and whereas before they only writ on parchment, or 
 on the barks of trees, or reeds ; th.y have now fet up 
 the manufaiflure of paper, and printing-pre/Tes : and 
 tho* at firfl they could not arrive at a perfe<f^ion in 
 them, yet by making many efTays, they at lufl found 
 out, and corrected all their errors, and brought the 
 whole thing to perfedion ; fo that if they had but a 
 good number of Greek aothors, they would be quickly 
 fupplied with nuny copies of them: at prefcnt, tho' 
 they have no more than thofc I have nr>cntioned, yet 
 by feveral imprefiions, they have multiplied them into 
 many thoufands. if any man fliould go among them, 
 that had fome extraordinary talent, or that by much 
 travelling had obferved the cuftoms of many naiioos, 
 
UTOPIA. lo; 
 
 (which made us to be fo well received) he would be 
 
 very welcome to them ; for they are very defirous to 
 
 know the ftate of the whole world. Very few go a- 
 
 mong them on the account of traffic, for what can a 
 
 man carry to them but iron, or gold, or filver, which 
 
 merchants defire rather to export, than import to any 
 
 ftrange country; and as for their exportation, they 
 
 think it better to manage that themfelves, than to let 
 
 foreigners come and deal in it, for by this means, as 
 
 they underftand the ftate of the neighbouring countries 
 
 better, fo they keep up the art of navigation, which 
 
 cannot be maintained but by much practice in it. 
 
 Of their Slaves, and of their Marriages, 
 
 nr HE Y do not make flaves of prifoners of war, ex- 
 cept thofe that are taken fighting againft them • 
 nor of the Tons of their flaves, nor of the flaves of other 
 nations : The flaves among them, are only fuch as are 
 condemned to that ftate of life for fome crime that they 
 had committed, or, which is more common, fuch as 
 their merchants find condemned to die in thofe parts 
 to which they trade, whom they redeem fometimes at 
 low rates ; and in other places they have them for no- 
 thing ; and fo they fetch them away. All their flaves 
 are kept at perpetual labour, and are always chained, 
 but with this difference, that they treat their owir na- 
 
 O 2 
 
|o8 U T O P I a: 
 
 tlves much worfe, looking on them as a more proflli 
 gate fort of people; who not being retrained from 
 crimes, by the advantages of fo excellent an education, 
 are judged worthy of harder ufage than others. Ano- 
 ther fort of flaves, is, when fome of the poorer fort in 
 the neighbouring countries, offer of their own accord 
 to come and fcrve them ; they treat thefe better, and 
 ufe them in all other refpeiHs, as well as their own 
 countrymen, except that they impofc more labour upon 
 them, which is no hard talk to them t|iai have been ac- 
 cuAomed to it ; and if any of thefc have a mind to go 
 back to their own country, which indeed falls out but 
 fcliiom, as they do not force them to ftay, fo they do 
 not fend them away empty-handed. 
 
 I have already told you with what care they look 
 after their fick, fo that nothing is left undone that can 
 contribute either to their eafc or health : and for thofe 
 who arc taken with fixed and incurable difeafes, they 
 ufe all pofljble ways to cherilh them, and to make their 
 lives as comfortable as may be : they vifit them often, 
 and take great pains to make their time pafs off eafily : 
 But when any is taken with a torturing and lingring 
 pain, fo that there is no hope, either of recovery or 
 cafe, the pricfls and magiftrates come and exhort them, 
 that fince they are now unable to go on with the bufi- 
 nefs of life, and are become a burden to themfelves, 
 and to all about them, fo that they have really outliv- 
 ed themfelves, they vould no longer nourifh fuch a 
 
UTOPIA.' 109 
 
 footed dlflemper, but would chufe rather to die, fince 
 they cannot hve, but in much mifery ; being aflured, 
 that if they either deHver themfelves from their prifon 
 and torture, or are wilHng that others fhould do it, 
 they fhall be happy after their deaths : ^nd fince by 
 .their dying thus, they lofe none of the pleafures, but 
 only the troubles of life ; they think they aft, not on- 
 ly reafonably in fo doing, but religioufly and pioufly • 
 becaufe they follow the advices that are given them by 
 the priefts, who are the expounders of the will of God 
 to them. Such as are wrought on by thcfe perfuaflons, 
 do either ftarve themfelves of their own accord, or 
 they take opium, and fo they die without pain. But 
 no man is forced on this w^y of ending his life ; and 
 if they cannot be perfuaded to it, they do not for that 
 fail in their attepdance and care of them : But as they 
 believe that a voluntary death, when it is chofen upon 
 fuch an authority, is very honourable ; fo if any man 
 takes away his own life, without the approbation of 
 the priefts and the fenate, they give him none of th? 
 honours of a decent funeral, but throw his body into 
 fome ditch. 
 
 Their women are not married before eighteen, nor 
 their men before two and twenty ; and if any of them 
 run into forbidden embraces before their marriage, 
 they are feverely punifhed, and the privilege of mar- 
 riage is denied them, unlefs there is a fpecial warrant 
 pbtained for it afterward from the prince. Such difor? 
 
tio IT T P T A. 
 
 ders cart a great reproach upon the mafter and miftreff 
 of the family in which they fall out; for it is fuppofed, 
 that they have been wanting to their duty. The rea- 
 fon of punifhing this fo feverely, is, becaufe ihey think 
 that if they were not flri>5lly reltrained from all vagrant 
 appetites, very few would engage in a married Hate, 
 m which men venture the quiet of their whole life, be- 
 iog reftri(f^ed to one perfon ; befides many other incon- 
 ▼cniences that do accompany it. In the way of choof- 
 tng of their wives, they ufe a method that would ap- 
 pear to us very abfurd and ridiculous, but is conftanilv 
 obfcrvcd among ihem, and accounted a wife and good 
 rule. Before marriage, fome grave matron prefents the 
 bride naked, whether fhe is a virgin or a widow, to the 
 bridegroom; and after that, fome grave man prefents 
 the bridegroom naked to the bride. We indeed both 
 laughed at th's, and condemned it as a very indecent 
 thing. But they, on the other hand, wondred at the 
 folly of the men of all other nations ; who if they are 
 but to buy a horfe of a fmali value, are fo cautious, 
 riiat they will fee every part of him, and take off both 
 his faddle, and all his other tackle, that there may 
 be no fccret ulcer hid under any of them ; and that 
 yet in the choice of a wife, on which depends the 
 happinefs or unhappinefs of the reft of his life, a man 
 (hould venture upon truft, and only fee about an hand- 
 breadth of the face, all the reft of the body being co- 
 vered ; under which there may lie hid that which may 
 
UTOPIA. lit 
 
 he contagious, as well as loathfome. All men are not 
 fo wife, that they chufe a woman only for her good 
 qualities; and even wife men confider the body, as 
 that which adds not a little to the mind: and it is 
 certain, there may be fome fuch deformity covered 
 with one's clothes, as may totally alienate a man from 
 his wife, when it is too late to part with her : for if 
 fuch 'a thing is difcovered after marriage, a man has no 
 remedy but patience : fo they think it is reafonable, 
 tliat there fhould be a good proviiion made againfl fuch 
 mifchievous frauds. 
 
 There was fo much the more reafon in making z 
 regulation in this matter, becaufe they are the only 
 people of thofe parts that do neither allow of poly- 
 gamy, nor of divorces, except in the cafes of adulte- 
 ry, or infufFerable perverfenefs : for in thefe cafes the' 
 fenate di/Tolves the marriage, and grants the injured 
 perfon leave to marry again ; but the guilty are made 
 infamous, and are never allowed the privilege of afe- 
 cond marriage. None are fuffered to put away their 
 wives againfl: their wills, becaufe of any great calamity 
 that may have fallen on their perfon; for they look 
 on it as the height of cruelty and treachery to aban- 
 don either of the married perfons, when they need mod 
 the tender care of their confort ; and that chiefly in 
 the cafe of old age, which as it carries many difeafes 
 along with it, fo it is a difeafc of itfelf. But it falls 
 often out, that when a iparried couple do not agre/^ 
 
ii2 U T O P I A. 
 
 well together, they by mutual confent feparatc, and 
 find out other perfons with whom they hope they may 
 live more happily ; Yet this is not done, without ob- 
 taining leave of the fenatd; which never admits of a 
 divorce, but upon a ftrid inquiry made, both by the 
 fenators and their wives, into the grounds upon which 
 it proceeds : and even when they are fatisfied concern- 
 ing the reafons of it, they go on but (lowly, for they 
 reckon that too great cafinefs, in granting leave for 
 n-w marriages, would very much (hake the kindnefs of 
 married perfons. They punilh fcverely thofc that de- 
 file the marriage bed : if both parties are married, they 
 are divorced, and the injared perfon^ may marry one 
 another, or whom they pteafe ; but the adulterer and 
 the adulterefs are condemned to (lavery. Yet if cither 
 of the injured perfons cannot (h;ike off the love of the 
 married perfon, ihcy may live with them (Uli in that 
 Hate; but they mull follow them to that labour to 
 v/hich the (laves are condemned; ind fometimes the 
 repentance of the condemned perfon, together with the 
 unfhaken kindnefs of the innocent and injured perfon, 
 has prevailed fo far with the prince, that he has taken 
 off the fentence : But thofe that relapfe, after they arc 
 once pardoned, are puni(hed with death. 
 
 Their law does not determine the punifhment for 
 other crimes ; but that is left to the fenate, to temper 
 it according to the circumftances of the fatfl. Hu(bands 
 have power to corred their wives, and parents to cor- 
 
UTOPIA. 113 
 
 ic^ their children, unlefs the fault is fo great, that a 
 public punifhment is thought nccefTary for the ftriking 
 terror into others. For the mofl; part, flavery is the 
 punifhment even of the greatefl: crimes ; for as that is 
 no lefs terrible to the criminals themfelves than death ; 
 fo they think the preferving them in a ftate of fervi- 
 tude, is more for the intereft of the common-wealth, 
 than the killing them outright ; fince as their labour is 
 a greater benefit to the public, than their death could 
 be, fo the fight of their mifery is a more lafling ter- 
 ror to other men, than that which would be given by 
 their death. If their flaves rebel, and will not bear 
 their yoke, and fubmit to the labour that is enjoined 
 them, they are treated as wild beafls that cannot be 
 kept in order, neither by a prifon, nor by their chains; 
 and are at lafl put to death. But thofe who bear their 
 punifhment patiently, and are fo much wrought on by 
 that preillire, that lie's fo hard on them, that it appears 
 that they are really more troubled for the crimes they 
 have committed, than for the mifcries they fuffer, are 
 not out of hope, but that at lafl either the prince will, 
 by his prerogative, or the people will by their intercef- 
 fion reflore them again to their liberty, or at leafl very 
 much mitigate their flavery. He that tempts a mar- 
 ried woman to adultery, is no lefs fevercly punifhed, 
 than he that commits it ; for they reckon that a laid 
 and fludied defign of committing any crime, is equal 
 to the fad itfelf ; fince its not taking effe«5l does not 
 
 P 
 
I 
 
 X14 UTOPIA. 
 
 make the perfon that did ail that in him lay ia order fo 
 it, a whit the Itfs guilty. 
 
 They take great pleafure in fools, and as it is 
 thought a bale and unbecoming thing to ufc them ill, 
 fo they do not think it amifs for people to divert them- 
 fclres with their folly : and they think this is a great 
 advantage to the fools themfelves : for if men were fo 
 fullen and fevere, as not at all to plcafe themfelves 
 with their ridiculous behaviour, and foohfh fayings, 
 which is all that they can do to recommend ihemlclvcs 
 to others, it could not be expei^cd that they would 
 be fo well look'd to, nor fo tenderly ufed as they mult 
 otherwife be. If any man (hould reproach another for 
 his being milhaped or imperfcdt in any part of his 
 body, it would not at all be thought a refltiftion on 
 the perfon that were fo treated, but it would be ac- 
 counted a very unworthy thing for him that had up- 
 braided another with that which he could not help. 
 It is thought a fign of a fluggifh and fordid mind, not 
 to preferve carefully one's natural beauty ; but it it 
 likcwift: nn infamous thing among them to nfe paint 
 or fard. And they all fee that no beauty recommends 
 a wife fo much to her hufband, as the probity of her 
 life, and her obedience : for as fome lew are catchcd 
 and held only by beauty, fo all people are held by the 
 other excellencies which charm all the world. 
 
 As they fright men from commining crimes by pa- 
 nilhments, fo they invite them to the love of virtue, 
 
UTOPIA. 115 
 
 by public honours : therefore they eredl ftatues in ho- 
 nour to the memories of fuch worthy m^n as have 
 deferved well of their country, and fet thefe in their 
 market-places, both to perpetuate the remembrance of 
 their adions, and to be an inci.tcraent to their pofte- 
 rity to follow their example. 
 
 If any man afplres to any office, he is fure never to 
 compafs it : they live all eafily together, for none of 
 the magiftrates are either infolcnt or cruel to the peo- 
 ple; bjat they affedt rather to be called fathers, and 
 by being really fo, they well deferve that name ; and 
 the people pay them all the marks of honour the more 
 freely, becaufe none are exaded of diem. The prince 
 himfelf has no diflindion, cither of garments or of a 
 crown ; bu^t is only known by a fheaf of corn that is 
 carried before him, as the high prieft is alfo known 
 i)y a \vax light that is carried befpre hir/j. 
 
 They have but few laws, and fuch is their confli- 
 tution, that they need not many. They do very much 
 condemn other nations, whofe laws, together with the 
 commentaries on them, fwell up to fo many volumes ; 
 for they think it an unreafonable thing to oblige men 
 to obey a body of laws, that arc both of fuch a bulk, 
 and fo dark, that they cannot be read or underftood 
 by every one of the fubjeds. 
 
 They have no lawyers among them, for they con- 
 Cder thern as a fort of people, whofe profeflion it is 
 to difguife matters, 03 well as to wreft laws; and 
 
 P 2 
 
Ii6 UTOPIA. 
 
 therefore they think it is much better that erery man 
 fhould plead his own caufe, and truft it to the judge, 
 as well as in other places the client docs it to a coun- 
 fellor. By tliis means they both cut off many delays, 
 and find out truth more certainly : for after the parties 
 have laid open the merits of their caufe, without thofc 
 artifices which lawyers arc apt to fuggeft, the judgq 
 examines the \shole matter, and fupports the fimpli- 
 city of fuch well-meaning perfops, whom otherwifc 
 crafty men would be furc to run down : and thus they 
 avoid thofe evils, which appear very remarkably a» 
 mong all thofe nations that labour under a vaA load 
 of laws. Every one of them is (killed in their law, 
 for as it is a very fliort ftudy, fo the plaintft mean- 
 ing of which words are capable, is always the fcnfe 
 of their laws. And they argue thus ; all laws are pro- 
 mulgated for this end, that every man may know his 
 duty ; and therefore the plaineft and mol\ obvious fcnfe 
 of the words, is that which muii be put on them ; 
 fince a more refined expofition cannot be eafily com- 
 prehended, and laws become thereby ufeLfs to the 
 greater part of mankind, who need moil the dire(5^ioo 
 of them : for to them it is all one, not to make a law 
 at all, and to couch it in fuch terms, that without a 
 quick apprehenfion, and much (ludy, a man cannot 
 find out the true meaning of it ; ainl the generality of 
 mankind are both fo dull, and fo much employed in 
 their fcvcral trades, th^it they have neither the leifurc 
 
UTOPIA. 11/ 
 
 tor the capacity requifite for fuch an inquiry. 
 
 Some of their neighbours, who are mafters of their 
 own liberties, having long ago, by the afliftance of the 
 Utopians, fhaken off the yoke of tyranny ; and being 
 much taken with thofe virtues that they obferve among 
 them, have come to them, and defired that they would 
 fend magiftrates among them to govern them ; fome 
 changing them every year, and others every five years. 
 At the end of their government, they bring them back 
 to Utopia, with great expreffions of honour and efteem, 
 and carry away others to govern in their ftcad. la 
 this they feem to have fallen upon a very good ex- 
 pedient for their own happinefs and fafety: for fince 
 tlie good or ill condition of a nation depends fo much 
 upon rheir magiflrates, they could not have made a 
 better choice, than by pitching on men whom no ad- 
 vantages can biafs ; for wealth is of no ufe to them^ 
 fince they muft: go fo foon back to their own country ; 
 and they being llrangers among them, are not engag- 
 ed in any of their heats or animofities : and it is cer- 
 tain, that when public judicatories are fwayed, either 
 by partial affcdlions, or by avarice, there muft foIlo\7 
 upon it a diflblution of all juftice, which is the chief 
 Cnew of fociery. 
 
 The Utopians call thofe nations that come and aflc 
 magiftrates from them, neighbours ; but they call thofe 
 to whom they have been more particularly aflifti ng, 
 friends. And whereas all other nations are perpetual- 
 
Ii8 U T O P I A. 
 
 ly either making leagues or breaking them, they ne- 
 Ter enter into any alHance with any other llite. They 
 think leagues are ufelefs things, and reckon, that if 
 the common ties of human nature do not knit men 
 together, the faith of promifcs will have no great ef- 
 fc<ft on them : And they are the more conlirmed in 
 this, by that which they fee among the nations round 
 about them, who are no ftri6^ obfervers of leagues and 
 treaties. We know how rcligioufly they are obferved 
 in Europe ; more particularly where the Chrirtian doc- 
 trine is received, among whom they arc facred and 
 inviolable. Which is partly owing to the juflice and 
 goodnefs of the princes thcmfelves and partly to their 
 reverence that they pay to the popes r who as they arc 
 mod religious obfervers of their own promifes, fo they 
 exhort all other princes to perform theirs ; and when 
 f^iintcr methods do not prevail, they compel them to 
 it by the feverlty of the paftoral cenfure; and think 
 that it would be the moll indecent thing pofiible, if 
 men who arc particularly dcfigned by the title of the 
 Faithful^ (hould not rellgioufly keep the Faith of their 
 treaties. Bat in that new found world, which is not 
 more diltant from us m fituation, than it is difagree- 
 ing from us In their manners and courfc of life, there 
 is no trufting to leagues, even tho' they were made 
 with all the pomp of the moft facred ceremonies that 
 is pofHble : On the contrary, they are the fooner brok- 
 en for that, fgme flight pretences being found in the 
 
UTOPIA. ii^ 
 
 Ivbrds of the tfeaties, which are contrived in fuch 
 ambiguous terms, and that on defign, that they carl 
 never be fo ftridtly bound, but they will always find 
 fome loop-hole toefcape at; and fo they break both 
 their leagues and their faith. And this is done with 
 that impudence, that thofe very men who value them- 
 felves on having fuggefted thefe advices to their prin- 
 ces, would yet, with a haughty fcorn, declaim againft 
 fuch craft, or, to fpeak plainer, fuch fraud and deceit, 
 if they found private men make ufe of it in their bar- 
 gains ; and would readily fay, that they deferved to be 
 hanged for it. 
 
 By this means it is, that all fbti 6f juflice pafles in 
 the world, but for a low-fpirited and vulgar virtue, 
 which is far below the dignity of royal grcatnefs. Or 
 at leaft, there are two forts of juftice fet up: The one 
 is mean, and creeps on the ground, and therefore be- 
 comes none but the bafer fort of men, and fo muft be 
 kept in feverely by many redraints, that it may not 
 break out beyond the bounds that are fet to it. The 
 other is the pecuhar virtue of princes, which as it is 
 more majeftic than that which becomes the rabble, 
 fo takes a freer compafs ; and lawful or unlawful, are 
 only raeafured by pleafure and intertft. Thefe practi- 
 ces among the princes that lie about Utopia, who make 
 fo Httle account of their faith, feem to be the reafons 
 that determine them to engage in no confederacies : 
 Perhaps they would change their mind if they lived 
 
120 UTOPIA. 
 
 among us : But yet though treaties were more rellgt- 
 oufly obferved, they would iiill diflikc the cuflom of 
 making them ; fince the world hus taken up a falfc 
 maxim upon it, as if there were no tie of nature knit- 
 ting one nation to another, that are only feparated 
 perhaps by a mountain, or a river, and that all were 
 born in a Hate of hodility, and fo might lawfully do 
 all that mifchitf to their neighbouis, againft which 
 there is no provifion made by treaties : And that when 
 treaties are made, they do not cut off the enmity, or 
 retrain the licenfe of preying upon one another, if by 
 the unrtcilfulncfs of wording them, there are not ef- 
 fc<5tual provifo's made againll them. They on the o- 
 thcr hand judge, that no man is to be elleemed our 
 enemy that hus never injured us; and that the part- 
 nerfhip of the human nature, that is among all men. 
 Is inftead of a league. And that kindnefs and good 
 nature unite men more effedually, and more forcibly 
 than any agreements whatfoever ; fince thereby the 
 engagements of men's hearts become Wronger, than anj 
 thing can be to wlxich a few words can bind thera. 
 
 Of their Military Difcipline, 
 
 npHEY deteft war as a very brutal thing ; and which, 
 
 to the reproach of human nature, is more pradif- 
 
 cd by men, than by any fort of beafts : and they, againfl 
 
UTOPIA. i2i 
 
 iht cuftom of almoft all other nations, think that there 
 is nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gain- 
 ed by war: and therefore tho' they accuftom them- 
 felves daily to military exercifes, and die difcipline of 
 war, in which not only their men, but their women 
 likewife, are trained up, that fo in cafes of neceffityi 
 they may not be quite ufelefs : yet they do not rafhly 
 engage in war, unlefs it be either to defend themfelves, 
 or their friends, from any unjuft: aggreflbrs ; or out of 
 good nature^ or in compaflion to an opprefTed nation^ 
 that they afllrt them to the fliaking off the yoke of ty- 
 ranny. They indeed help their friends, not only in 
 defend ve, but alfo in otfenfivc wars : but they never 
 do that, unlefs they had been confulted with while the 
 niattet- was yet entire ; and that being fatisfied with the 
 grounds on which they went; they had found that all 
 demands of reparation were rejected, fo that a war 
 was neceffary: which they do not think to be only 
 juft, when one neighbour makes an inrode on another, 
 by pubhc order, and carries away their fpoils; but 
 when the merchants of one country, are opprefied in 
 another, either under the pretence of fome unjuft laws, 
 or by the perverfe wreflin^ of good ones : This they 
 count a jufter caufe of war than tjie other, becaufe 
 thofe injuries are done under fotne colour of laws. 
 This was the only ground of that war, in which they 
 engaged with the Nephelogetes againft the Aleopoli- 
 tanes, a little before our time : for the merchants of 
 
123 tr T O P I A. 
 
 the former, having, as they thought, met with great 
 injuftice among the latter, that whether it was in it- 
 felf right or wrong, did draw on a terrible war, many 
 of their neighbours being engaged in it; and their 
 keennefs in carrying it on, being fupported by their 
 ftrength in niaintaining it ; it not only Ihook fome ve- 
 ry flouri(hing flatcs, and very much affl;(5ted others; 
 but after a feries of much mifchicf, it ended in the 
 intire conqucft and flavery of the AleopoUtanes, who 
 tho* before the war, they were in all rcfpeds much 
 fuperior to the Nephelogetes, yet by it they fell under 
 their empire ; but the Utopians, tho' they had affif- 
 tcd them in the war, yet pretended to no (hare of the 
 fpoil . 
 
 But tho' they aflifl their friends fo vigoroufly, in 
 taking reparations for injuries that are done them in 
 fuch matters ; yet if they ihemfelves (hould meet with 
 any fuch fraud, provided there were no violence done 
 to their perfons, they would only carry it fo far, that 
 unlefs fatisfa<5>ion were made, they wodd give over 
 trading with fuch a people. This is not done bccaufc 
 they confidcr their neighbours more than their own 
 citizens ; but fince their neighbours trade every one 
 upon his own ftock, fraud is a more fenfiblc injury ta 
 them, than it is to the Utopians, among whom the 
 public only fuffer^ in fuch a cafe: and Cincz they ex- 
 pect nothing in return for the merchandife that they 
 export, but that in which they abound fo much, and 
 
UTOPIA. 123 
 
 k of little ufe to them, the lofs does not much afFeft 
 them ; therefore they think it would be too fevere a 
 thing to revenge a lofs that brings fo little inconve- 
 nience with it, either to their life or to their livelihood, 
 with the death o£ many people ; but if any of their 
 people is either killed or wounded wrongfully, whe- 
 ther that be done by public authority, or only by pri- 
 vate men, as foon as they hear of it, they fend ambaf- 
 fadors, and demand, that the guilty perfons may be 
 delivered up to them ; and if that is denied, they de- 
 clare war ; but if that is done, they condemn thofe 
 cither to death or flavery. 
 
 They would be both troubled and afhamed^of a 
 bloody vi<^ory over their enemies ; and think it would 
 be as foolifli a purchafe, as to buy the mod valuable 
 goods at too high a rate. And in no victory do they 
 glory fo much, as in that which is gained by dexterity 
 and good condudl, without bloodflied. They appoint 
 pubhc triumphs in fuch cafes, and ere<5t trophies to the 
 honour of thofe who have fucceeded well in them ; for 
 then do they reckon that a man ads fuitably to his na- 
 ture, when he conquers his enemy in fuch a way, that 
 no other creature but a man could be capable of it, and 
 that is, by the strength of his underftanding. Bears, 
 lions, boars, wolves and dogs, and other animals, era- 
 ploy their bodily force one againft another, in which 
 as many of them are fuperior to man, both ia flreogth 
 
 Q_2 
 
124 UTOPIA. 
 
 ancl fiercenefs, fo they are all fubdued by the reafon 
 and underflanding that is in him. 
 
 The only defign of the Utopians in war, is to obtain 
 that by force, which if it had been granted them in 
 time, u'ould have prevented the war ; or if that can- 
 not be done, to take fo fcvere a revenge of thofe that 
 have injured them, that they may be terrified from 
 doing the like in uU time coming. By thefe ends they 
 mcafure all their defigns, and manage them fo, that it 
 is vifible that the appetiic of fame or vain-glory, does 
 not work fo much on them, as a juft cure of their own 
 fecurity. 
 
 As foon as they declare war, they take care to have 
 a great many fchedules, that are fealcd with their com- 
 mon feal, affixed in the moft confpicuous places of their 
 enemies country. This is carried fecretly, and done in 
 many places all at once. In thofe they promife great 
 rewards to iuch as (hall kill the prince, and lefler in 
 proportion to fuch as (hall kill any other perfons, who 
 are thofe on whom, next to the prince himfelf, they 
 caft the chief blame of the war. And they double the 
 fum to him, that inf^ead of killing the perfon fo marked 
 out, fhall take him alive, and put him in their hands. 
 They offer not only indemnity, but rewards, to fuch 
 of the perfons thenjfelves that are fo marked, if they 
 will aift againft their countrymen. By this means thofe 
 that are named in their fchedules, become not only 
 diftruftful of their fellow-citizens, but are jealous of 
 
UTOPIA, 125 
 
 one another ; and are much diftradled by fear and dan- 
 ger ; for it has often fallen out, that many of them, 
 and even the prince himfelf, have been betrayed by 
 thofe in whom they have trufted moft : for the rewards 
 that the Utopians offer, are fo unmeafurably great, that 
 there is no fort of crime to which men cannot be drawn 
 by them. They confider the riik that thofe run, who 
 undertake fuch fervices, and offer a recompence pro- 
 portioned to the danger ; not only a vaft deal of gold, 
 but great revenues in lands, that lie among other na- 
 tions that are their friends, where they may go and 
 enjoy them very fecurcly ; and they obferve the pro- 
 mifes they make of this kind moll: religiouily. They 
 do very much approve of this way of corrupting their 
 eneniies, tho' it appears to others to be a bafe and cruel 
 thing ; but they look on it as a wife eourfe, to make 
 an end of that which would be otherwife a great war, 
 without fo much as hazarding one battle to decide it. 
 They think it likewife an a<5t of mercy and love to 
 mankind, to prevent the great flaughter of thofe that 
 muft otherwife be killed in the progrefs of the war, 
 both of their own lide, and of their enemies, by the 
 death of a few that are moft guilty ; and that in fo 
 doing, they are kind even to their enemies, and pity 
 them no lefs than their own people, as knowing that 
 the greater part of them do not engage in the war of 
 their own accord, but are driven into it by the paiHons 
 of their prince. 
 
 f 
 
126 UTOPIA. 
 
 If this method does not fucceed with them, the* 
 they fow feeds of contention among their enemies, and 
 animate the prince's brother, or fame of the nobihty, 
 to afpire to the crown, if they cannot difunitc them 
 by domeftic broils, then they engage their neighbourt 
 againd them, and make them fet on foot fome old 
 pretenfions, which are never wanting to princes, whco 
 they hare occafion for them. And they fupply them 
 plentifully with money, tho' but very fparingly with 
 any auxiliary troops : for they are fo tender of their 
 own people, that they would not willingly exchange 
 one of them, even with the prince of their encmief 
 country. 
 
 But as they keep their gold and filver only for fuch 
 an occafion, lo when that offers itfelf, they eafily part 
 with it, fince it would be no inconvenience to them, 
 tho' they (hould refervc nothing of it to ihemfclves. 
 For befides the wealth that they have among them at 
 Jiomc, they have a va(l ireafure abroad; many nations 
 round about them, being deep in their debt: So that 
 they hire foldiers from all places for carrying on their 
 wan; but chiefly from the Zapoletes, who lie five hun- 
 dred miles from Utopia eaflward. They are a rude, 
 wild, and fierce nation, who delight in the woods and 
 rocks, among which they were bom and bred up. 
 They are hardned both againit heat, cold, and labour, 
 and know nothing of the dehcacies of life. They do 
 pot apply themfelves to agriculture, Dor do they care 
 
V T O f t A. t27 
 
 cither for their houfes or their clothes. Gattle is aU 
 that ihey look after; and for the greatefl: part, they 
 live either by their hunting, or upon rapine ; and are 
 made, as it were, only for war. They watch all op- 
 portunities of engaging in it, and very readily embrace 
 fuch as are offered them. Great numbers of them will 
 often go out, and offer themfelves upon a very low 
 pay, to ferve any that will employ them : They know 
 none of the arts of life, but thofe that lead to the tak- 
 ing it away; they ferve thofe that hire them, both 
 with much courage and great fidelity; but will not 
 engage to ferve for any determined time, and acrree 
 upon fuch terms, that the next day they may go over 
 to the enemies of thofe whom they ferve, if they offer 
 them a greater pay : and they will perhaps return tor 
 them the day after that, upon a higher advance of theit' 
 pay. There are few wars in which they make not a 
 confiderable part of the armies of both fides : So it falls 
 often out, that they that are of kin to one another, and 
 were hired in the fame country, and fo have lived long 
 and familial ly together; yet they forgetting both their 
 relation and former friendfhip, kill one another upon 
 no other confideration, but becaufe they are hired to 
 it for a little money, by princes of different interefls : 
 And fo great regard have they to money, that they are 
 eafily wrought on by the difference of one penny a day, 
 to change fides. So entirely docs their avarice turn 
 l^em, and yet this money on which they are fo much 
 
128 U T O P I Ao 
 
 Ifet, is of little ufe to them ; for what they piirchaf* 
 thus with their blood, they quickly wafle it on luxu- 
 ry, which among them is but of a poor and miferable 
 form. 
 
 This nation ferves the Utopians againfl all people 
 whatfoever, for they pay higher than any other. The 
 Utopians hold this for a maxim, that as they feek out 
 the beft fort of men for their own ufe at home, fo they 
 make ufe of this word fort of men for the confumption 
 of war, and therefore they hire rhem with the offers of 
 fall rewards, to expofe themfelves to all forts of ha- 
 zards, out of which the greater part never returns to 
 claim their promifes. Yet they make them good mod 
 rehgioufly to fuch as efcape. And this animates them 
 to adventure again, when there is occafion for it ; for 
 the Utopians are not at all troubled how many of them 
 foever happen to be killed ; and reckon it a fervice 
 done to mankind, if they could be a mean to deliver 
 the world from fuch a lewd and vicious fort of people, 
 that feem to have run together, as to the drain of hu- 
 man nature. Next to thefe, they are ferved in their 
 wars, with thofe upon whofe account they undertake 
 them, and with the auxiliary troops of their other 
 friends, to whom they join fome few of their own 
 people, and fend foipc man of eminent and approved 
 virtue to command in chief. There are two fent with 
 him, who djring his command, are but private men^ 
 but the Ilrft is to fucceed him if he ihould happen to 
 
UTOPIA. 137 
 
 ted into It by baptifm. But as two of our number 
 were dead, fo none of the four that furvivcd, were in 
 priefts orders; therefore we could do no more but 
 baptize them ; fo that to our great regret, they could 
 not partake of the other facraments, that can only be 
 adminiflred by priefls : but they are inftructed concern- 
 ing them, and long mod vehemently for them; and 
 they were difputing very much among themfrlves, 
 whether one that were chofen by them to be a pricft, 
 would not be thereby qualified to do all the things 
 that belong to that charafter, even tho' he had no 
 authority derived from the Pope; and they feemed.to 
 be refolved to choofe fome for that employment, but 
 they had not done it when I left them. 
 
 Thofe among them that have not received our re- 
 ligion, yet do not fright any from it, and ufe none ill 
 that goes over to it ; fo that all the while I v/as there, 
 one man was only puniflied on this occafion. He being 
 newly baptized, did, notwithftanding all that we could 
 fay to the contrary, difpute publicly concerning the 
 Chriftian religion, with more z^A than difcretion ; and 
 with fo much heat, that he not only prefer 'd our wor- 
 ship to theirs, but condemned all their rites as profane ; 
 and cried out againft all that adhered to them, as im- 
 pious and facrilegious perfons, that were to be damned 
 to everlafting burnings. Upon this he, having preach- 
 ed thefe things often, was feized on, and after a trial, 
 he was condemned to banifhment, not for having difpa- 
 
 S 
 
ijS UTOPIA. 
 
 ragc4 their religion, but for his inflaming the peop?* 
 to fcdition : for this is one of their antienteli: laws, tliat 
 no man ou^ht to be puniftied for his religion. At the 
 firft conlHtution of their government, Utopus having 
 underftood, that before his coming among them, the 
 old inhabitants had been engaged in great quarrels 
 concerning religion, by which they were fo broken a- 
 mong thenifclves, that he found it an eafy thing to con- 
 quer ihcm, Cncc they did not unite their forces againft 
 him, but every different party in religion fought by 
 themfclvcs : upon that, after he had fubdu'd them, he 
 made a law that every man might be of what religion 
 he plcafed, and might endeavour to draw others to it by 
 the force of argument, and by amicable and modelt 
 ways, but without bitternefs againft thofe of other opi- 
 nions ; but that he ought to ufe no other force but that 
 of perfuafion ; and was neither to mix reproaches nor 
 violence with it ; and fuch as did otherwife were to be 
 condemned to baniflmient or flavery. 
 
 This law was made by Utopus, not only for pre- 
 ferring the public peace, which he faw fuffered much by 
 dully contentions and irreconcilable heats in thefe mat- 
 ters, but becaufe he thought the intereft of religion itfclf 
 required it. He judged it was not fit to determine any 
 thing raflily in that matter; and fecmed to doubt 
 whether thofe different forms of religion might not all 
 come from Cod, who might infpire men differently, he 
 being pofiibly pleafed with a variety in it : and fo he 
 
y T O P I A. 139 
 
 thought it was a very indecent and fooUfli thing for any 
 man to frighten and threaten other men to beheve any 
 thing bccaufe it feemed true to him ; and in cafe that 
 one rehgion were certainly true, and all the reft falfe, 
 he reckoned that the native force of truth would bredc 
 forth at laft, and fhine bright^ if it were managed only 
 by the ftrength of argument^ and with a winning gentle- 
 nefs ; whereas if fuch matters were carried on by vio- 
 lence and tumults, then, as the wickedeft fort of men is 
 alway the moft obftinate, fo the holieft and beft religion 
 in the world might be overlaid with fo much foolifh 
 fuperftition, that it would be quite choaked with it, as 
 corn is with briars and thorns ; therefore he left men 
 wholly to their hberty in this matter, that they might 
 be free to believe as they fliould fee caufe; only he 
 made a folemn and fevere law againft fuch as fhould fo 
 far degenerate from the dignity of human nature, as to 
 think that our fouls died with our bodies, or that the 
 world was governed by chance, without a wife over-ru- 
 ling providence : for they did all formerly believe that 
 there was a ftate of rewards and punifliments to the 
 good and bad after this life ; and they look on thofe 
 that think otherwife, as fcarce fit to be counted men, 
 fmce they degrade fo noble a being hs our foul is, and 
 reckon it to be no better than a beaft's ; fo far are they 
 from looking on fuch men as fit for human fociety, or to 
 be citizens of a well-ordered commonwealth ; lince a 
 man of fuch principles muft needs, as oft as he dares do 
 S 2 
 
140 U T P I A. 
 
 it, defpife all their laws and aiftoms : for there is no 
 doubt to be made, that a man who is afraid of nothing 
 but the law, and apprehends nothing after death, will 
 not (land to break through all the laws of his country, 
 either by fraud or force, that fo he may fatisfy his ap- 
 petites. They never raife any that hold thtfc maxims, 
 either to honours or offices, nor employ them in any 
 public truft, but -defpife them, as men of bafe and for- 
 did minds : yet they do not punifli them, becaufe they 
 lay this down for a ground, that a man cannot make 
 himfclf bslieve any th:ng he pLafes ; nor do they drive 
 any lo diflemble their thoughts by thrcatnings, fo 
 that men are not tempted to lie or difguife their opi- 
 nions among them ; which being a fort of fraud, is 
 abhorred by the Utopians : they take indeed care that 
 they may not argue for thefe opinions, efpecially be- 
 fore the common people : but they do fuffcr, and even 
 encountge them to difpute concerning them in private 
 vith their pricfts, and other grave men, being confi- 
 dent tliat they will be cured of thofe mad opinions, 
 by having reafon laid before them. There are many a- 
 njong them that run far to the other extreme, the* 
 it is neither thought an ill cor unreafonable opinion, 
 and therefore is not at all difcouraged. They think 
 that the fouls of beafls are immortal, tho' far inferior 
 to the dignity of the human foul, and not capable of fo 
 great a happincfs. They are almoft all of them very 
 firmly perfuaded, that good men will be innnitely hap- 
 
UTOPIA. 141 
 
 py in another ftate ; fo that tho' they are compaflionatc 
 to all that are fick, yet they lament no mans death, 
 except they fee him part with life uneafy, and as if 
 he were forced to it ; for they look on this as a very ill 
 prefage, as if the foul being confcious to itfelf of guilt, 
 and quite hoplcfs, were afraid to die, from fome fecret 
 hints of approaching mifery. They think that fuch a 
 man's appearance before God, cannot be acceptable 
 to him, who being called on, does not go out chear- 
 fully, but is backward and unwilling, and is, as it were, 
 dragged to it. They are flruck with horror, when they 
 fee any die in this manner, and carry them out in fi- 
 lence, and with forrow, and praying God that he would 
 be merciful to the errors of the departed foul, they lay 
 the body in the ground : but when any die chearfully, 
 and full of hope, they do not mourn for them, but 
 fing hymns when they carry out their bodies, and com- 
 mending their fouls very earneftly to God, in fuch a 
 manner, that their whole behaviour is rather grave 
 than fad, they burn their body, and fet up a pillar 
 where the pile was made, with an infcription to the 
 honour of fuch men's memory. And when they come 
 from the funeral, they difcourfe of their good life, and 
 worthy adions,but fpeak of nothing oftner and with more 
 pleafure, than of their ferenity at their death. They 
 think fuch refpe(5l paid to the memory of good men, 
 is both the greatefl: incitement to engage others to fol- 
 low their example, and the molt acceptable worfhip 
 
142 U T O P I a: 
 
 tliat can be offered them ; for ihey believe, that tho', 
 by the injperfedion of human fight, they are Invifiblc 
 to us, yet they are prefent among us, and hear thofe 
 difcourfes that pafs concerning themfelres. And they 
 think that it does not agree to the happincfs of departed 
 fouls, not to be at liberty to be where they will ; nor 
 do they imagine them capable of the ingratitude of not 
 defiling to fee thofe friends, with whom they lived on 
 earth in the (lri(5tell bonds of love and kindnefs : and 
 they judge, that fuch good principles, as all other good 
 tilings, are rather increafcd than leflened in good men 
 after liieir death : fo that they conclude they are (till a- 
 mong the living, and do obfcrve all that is faid or done 
 by them. And tiiey engage in all affairs that they fet 
 about, with fo much the more affurance, trufling to 
 their protection; and the opinion that they have of their 
 anceftors being ftill prclent, is a great rellraint on them 
 from all ill dcllgns. 
 
 They dcfpife and laugh at all forts of auguries, and 
 the other vain and fuperibtious ways of divination, that 
 are fo much obfcrved among other nations ; but they 
 have great reverence for fuch miracles as cannot flow 
 from any of the powers of nature, and look on them 
 as effe<fls and indications of the prefence of the fupream 
 being, of which they fay many inllances have occurred 
 among them ; and that fometimes their public prayers, 
 which upon great and dangerous occafions they have fo- 
 lemnly put up to God, with affured confidence of being 
 
UTOPIA. 141 
 
 heard, have been anfwered in a miraculous manner. 
 They think the contemplating God in his works, and 
 the adoring him for them, is a very acceptable piece 
 of worfhip to him. 
 
 There are many among them, that upon a motive 
 of religion, negleft learning, and apply themfelves to no 
 fort of ftudy ; nor do they allow themfelves any leifure- 
 time, but are perpetually employed in doing fomewhat, 
 believing that by the good things that a man does he fe- 
 cures to himfelf that happinefs that comes after death. 
 Some of thefe vifit the fick ; others mend high -ways, 
 cleanfe ditches, or repair bridges, and dig turf, gravel, 
 or Hones. Others fell and cleave timber, and bring wood, 
 corn, and other neceiTaries, on carts into their towns. Nor 
 do thefe only ferve tlie public, but they ferve even 
 private men, more than the flaves themfelves do : for if 
 there is any where a rough, hard, and Ibrdid piece of 
 work to be done, from which many are frightened by 
 the labour and loathfomenefs of it, if not the defpair of 
 accomplifhing it, they do chearfuUy, and of their own 
 accord, take that to their (hare ; and by that means, as 
 they eafe others very much, fo they afflidt themfelves, 
 and fpend their whole life in hard labour : and yet they 
 do not value themfelves upon that, nor leffen other 
 people's credit, that by fo doing they may raife their 
 own; but by their (looping to fuch fervile employ- 
 ments, they are fo far from being defpifed, that they 
 are fo much the more efteemed by the whole nation. 
 
t44 UTOPIA. 
 
 Of thefc there arc two forts : Some live unmarri-* 
 ed and chafte, and abflain from eating any fort of flefh ; 
 and thus weaning thcmfelves from all the plcafiircs 
 of the prefent life, which they account hurtful, they 
 purfuc even by the hardefl and painfuUcft methods pof- 
 (ible, that blcfTednefs which they hope for hereafter; 
 and the nearer they approach to it, they are the more 
 chearful and earnelt in their endeavours after it. An- 
 other fort of thern is Icfs willing to put themfelves to 
 much toil, and fo they prefer a married ftate to a fingle 
 one; and as they do not deny thcmfelves the plea- 
 fure of it, fo they think the begetting of children is 
 a debt which they owe to human nature, and to their 
 country ; nor do they avoid any pleafure that does not 
 hinder labour ; and therefore they eat flefh fo much the 
 more willingly, becaufe they find themfelves fo much 
 the more able for work by it : the Utopians look up* 
 on thefe as the wifer fecft, but they edeem the others as 
 the holier. They would indeed laugh at any man, that 
 upon the principles of reafon, would prefer an unmar- 
 ried ftate to a married, or a life of labour to an eafy 
 life : but they reverence and admire fuch as do it upon 
 a motive of religion. There is nothing in which they 
 are more cautious, than in giving their opinion pofitive- 
 ly concerning any fort of religion. The men that lead 
 thofe fevere lives, arc called in the language of their 
 country Bruthefkas, which anfwers to thofe we call 
 religious orders. 
 
UTOPIA. 129 
 
 be either killed or taken ; and in cafe of the like mis- 
 fortune to him, the third comes in his place ; and thus 
 they provide againft ill events, that fuch accidents as 
 may befal their generals, may not endanger their ar- 
 mies. When they draw out troops of their own peo- 
 ple, they take fuch out of eveiy city as freely offer 
 themfelves, for none are forced to go againft their 
 wills, fmce they think that if any man is preffcd that 
 wants courage, he will not ohiy aft faintly, but by his 
 Cowardice he will difhearten others. But if any inva- 
 fion is made of their country, they make ufe of fuch 
 men, if they have good bodies, tho' they are not brave ; 
 and either put them aboard their (hips, or place them 
 on the walls of their towns, that being fo pofted, they 
 may not find occafions of flying away ; and thus either 
 fhame, the heat of adion, or the impoflibility of flying, 
 bears down their cowardice ; and fo they make often 
 a virtue of neceflity, and behave themfelves well, be- 
 caufe nothing cKq is left them. But as they force no 
 man to go into any foreign war againfl: his will, fo they 
 do not hinder fuch women as are willing to go along 
 with their hufbands : On the contrary, they encourage 
 and praifc them much for doing it ; they fland often 
 next their hulbands in the front of the army. They 
 ulfo place diofe that are related together, and parents, 
 and children, kindred, and thofc that are mutually al- 
 lied, near one another; that thofe whom nature has 
 infpired v/ith the greateft zeal of aflilHng one another, 
 
 R 
 
130 U T O ? I A. 
 
 may be the ncareft and rcidiell to do it ; and It is mat- 
 ter of great reproach, if bufband or wife furvive one 
 another, or if a child furrivcs his parent, and there- 
 fore when they come to be engaged in ajflion, they con- 
 tinue to fight to the lafl man, if ihcir enemies Hand 
 before them : And as they ufe all prudent methods tu 
 avoid the endangering their own men ; and if it is pof- 
 Ijble, let all the aiftion and danger fall upon the troops 
 that they hire; fo if it comes to that, that they mult 
 engage, they charge then with as much courage, as 
 they avoided it before with prudence : nor is it a fierce 
 charge at firil, but it increaics by degrcci ; and as they 
 continue io a^ion, they grow nk;re ubllinaie, and prcfs 
 harder upon the enemy, infomuch that they will much 
 fooner die than give ground ; for the certainty in which 
 they are, that their chddren will be well looked after, 
 when they arc dead, frees them from A\ anxiety con- 
 cerning them, which does often mailer men of great 
 courage ; and tlius ihey arc animated by a noble and 
 invincible refulution. Their QnW in mihury matters 
 increafcs their courage ; and the good opinions which 
 arc infufed io them during their education, according 
 to the laui of the country, and their learning, add 
 more vigour to their minds : for as they do not un- 
 dervalue life to the degree of throwing it away too 
 prodigally ; fo they are not fo indecendy fond of it, 
 that when they fee they muft facrificc it honourably, 
 they will prcfcne it by bafe and unbecoming method-. 
 
U T 5 P I A. 131 
 
 f n the greateft heat of acfllon, the bravefl of their youth, 
 that have jointly devoted themfelves for that piece of 
 fervice, fingle out the general of their enemies, and fet 
 on him either openly, or lay an ambufcade for him : if 
 any of them are fpent and wearied in the attempt, o- 
 thers eome in their ftcad, fo that they never give ovct 
 purfuing him, either by clofe weapons, when they can 
 get near him, or thofe that wound at a diflance, when 
 bthers get in between : thus they feldom fail to kill or 
 take him at laft, if he does not fecure himfelf by flight. 
 "When they gain the day in any battle, they kill as few 
 as poflibly they can ; and are much more fet on taking 
 many prifoners, than on killing thofe that fly before 
 them ; nor do they ever let their men fo loofe in the 
 purfuit of their enemies, that they do not retain an en- 
 tire body dill in order; fo that if they have been for- 
 ced to engage the laft of their battalions, before they 
 could gain the day, they will rather let their enemies 
 all efcape than purfue them, when their own army is 
 in diforder ; remembring well what has often fallen out 
 to themfelves ; that when the main body of their army 
 has been quite defeated and broken, fo that their ene- 
 mies reckoning the victory was fure and in their hands, 
 have let themfelves loole into an irregular purfuit, a 
 few of them that lay for a referve, waiting a fit oppor- 
 tunity, have fallen on them while they were in this 
 chace, ftraggling in diforder, apprehenfive of no dan- 
 ger, but counting the day their own ; and have turned 
 
 R 2 
 
132 U T r I A. 
 
 the whole a«5tion, ami (o wrelUn;^ out of their hinds « 
 victory thai fccmcd certaki and undoubted, the van- 
 quiihed have of a fudden become victorious. 
 
 It is hard to tell whether they are more dexterous 
 in laying or aroiding arobuOics : they fometimes fceiu 
 to fly when it is far from their thoughts ; and wheD 
 they intend to give ground, they do it fo, that it is very 
 hard to find out their dclign. If they fee they are ill 
 polled, or 3ie like to be overpowered by numbers, then 
 they cither nurch off in the night with great filencc, or 
 by (otnc (Iratagcm they delude their enemies : if they 
 retire in the day time, they do it in fuch order, that 
 it is no iefs dangerous to fall upon thtm in a retreat, 
 than in a march. 'J'hcy fortify their camps well, with 
 u deep and large trench ; and throw up the earth that 
 b dug out of it for a wall ; nor do they employ only 
 their (laves in this, but the whole army works at it, 
 except tho(c that arc then upon the guard; fo that 
 when fc "• '" hands are at work, a great lire and a 
 A rang i :oq is finiihcd in fo ihort a time, that 
 
 it is fcarcc credible. Their annour is very (hong for 
 dtfrncc, and yet b not fo heavy as to make them un* 
 eafy in their marches ; they can even fwim with it. All 
 that are trained up to war, pradife fviimming much : 
 Both horfc and foot make great ufc of arrovrs, and 
 arc very expert at it : they have no fwords, but fight 
 with a poll ax that is both (harp and heavy, by which 
 they thrull or Ihikc down an enemy; they arc very 
 
UTOPIA. 133 
 
 good at finding out warlike machines, and difgurfe 
 thtai fo vvs.^11, that the enemy docs not perceive them, 
 till ho feels the ufe of them; fo that he cannot prepare 
 fuch a defence againfl: them, by \Vhich they might be 
 made ridiculous, as well as ufelefs ; the chief confide- 
 rat;on had in the making of them, is, that they may 
 be eafily jcairied and managed. 
 
 If they agree to a truce, they obferve it fo religi- 
 oufly, that no provocations will make them break it. 
 They never lay their enemies country wafte, nor bum 
 their corn, and even in their marches they take all 
 poffible care, that neither horfe nor foot may tread 
 it down, for they do not know but that they may have 
 ufe for it themfelvcs. They hurt no man that they 
 find difarmed, unlefs he is a fpy. When a town is 
 furrendered to them, they take it into their protedi- 
 on : and when they carry a place by ftorm, they never 
 plunder it, but put thofe only to the fword that oppo- 
 fed the rendring it up, and make the reft of the garri- 
 fon flaves, but for the other inhabitants, they do them 
 no hurt ; and if any of them had advifed a furrender 
 of it, they give them good rewards out of the eftates 
 of thofe that they condemn, and diftribute the reft 
 among their auxiliary troops, but they themfelves take 
 no fhare of the fpoil. 
 
 When a war is ended, they do not oblige their 
 friends to reimburfe them of their expence in it ; but 
 they take that from the concjuered, either in money, 
 
1^4 UTOPIA. 
 
 which they keep for the next occafion, or In lands, 
 out of which a conibnt revenue is to be paid them ; by 
 many incrcafes, the revenue which they draw out from 
 feveral countries on fuch occafions, is now rifen to a- 
 bore 700,000 ducats a year. They fend fome of their 
 own people to receive thefe revenues, who have orders 
 to live magnificently, and like princes, and fo they con- 
 fomc much of it upon the place ; and cither bring over 
 the red to Utopia, or lend it to that nation in which it 
 lies. This they moft commonly do, unlefs fome great 
 occafion, which falls out but very fcldom, fhould oblig^ 
 them to call for it all. It is out of thefe lands that the^ 
 aflign thofe rewards to fuch as they encourage to ad- 
 venture on dcfperate attempts, which was mentioned 
 formerly. If any prince that engages in war with thern^ 
 is making preparations for invading their country, they 
 prevent him, and make his country the feat of thi 
 war ; for they do not willingly fuffer any war to break 
 in upon their ifland ; and if that (hould happen, the^ 
 would only defend thcmfclves by their own people ; 
 but would not at all call for auxiliary troops to their 
 alEftancc. 
 
UTOPIA. ,3. 
 
 Of the Religions of the Utopians, 
 
 'T'HFRE are feveral forts of religions, not only in 
 different parts of the ifland, but even in every 
 town; fome worfliipping the fun, others the moon, or 
 one of the planets: forae worfhip fuch men as have been 
 eminent in former times for virtue, or glory, not only 
 as ordinary deities, but as the fupreme God : vet the 
 greater and wifer fort of them worfliip none of thefe, 
 but adore one eternal, invifible, infinite, and incompre- 
 henfible Deity; as a being that is far above all our 
 apprehenfions, that is fpread over the whole univerfe, 
 not by its bulk, but by its power and virtue ; hini 
 they call the Father of all, and acknowledge that the 
 beginnings, the increafe, the progrefs, the viciffitudes, 
 and the end of all things come only from him ; nor da 
 they olfer divine honours to any but to him alone. 
 And indeed,, tho' they differ concerning other things, 
 yet all agree in this ; that they think there is one fu- 
 preme Being that made and governs the world, whom 
 tliey call in the language of their country, Mithras. 
 7"hey differ in this, that one thinks the God whom he 
 worfliips is this fupreme Being, and another thinks that 
 his idol is that God; but they all agree in one prin- 
 ciple, that whatever is this fupreme Being, is alfo that 
 great effence, to whofe glory and majefty all honours 
 are afcribed by the confent of al] nations. 
 
13^ U T P I A.' 
 
 By d;.grces, they all fall oft' from the various fupcr- 
 Aitions that arc among them, and gom up t(. that one 
 religion that is moQ in requel^, and i? modi ihc bwd ; 
 and there is no doubt to he made, but thut all the 
 others hud vanifticd long ago, it it had not hupp ? 
 that fome unlucky acculents, f.Jl'.ni; on thole who ;. ^.o 
 adviling the change ofthofe luj-ij-.t^f.oas ways of wor- 
 (hip; thtfc have been afcribed not to chance, but to 
 fomcwhai from Heaven; and fo have raifed in them 
 a fear, thai the God, whofc worilnp was Uke to be 
 abaikiotKd, has interpoTcd and revenged hiniiclf on 
 ihoi'c that dcfigncd it. 
 
 After they had heard from us, an account of the 
 doiftrine, the courfc of life, and the miracles of thrift, 
 and of the wonderful conllancy of fo many martyrs, 
 whofe blood that was fo willingly offered up by them, 
 was the chief occafion of fpreading their religion over 
 a vaft number of nations ; it is not to be imagined ho^ 
 inclined they were to receive it. 1 ftiall not determine 
 whether this proceeded from any lecrei infpiration of 
 God, or whether it was bcciufc it fcemed fo favour- 
 able to that community of goods, which is an opinion 
 fo particular, as well as fo dear to them ; fincc thty 
 perceived that Chriil and his followers lived by that 
 rule ; and that it was ftiil kept up in fome communi- 
 ties among the llncereft fort of Chri^lians. From whicli 
 focrer of thefo motives it might be, true it is, that ma- 
 ny of thcin came over to our reUgiuo, and vrerc ioitia- 
 
UTOPIA. 14J 
 
 Their prlefls are men of eminent piety, and therefore 
 they are but few, for there are only thirteen in every 
 town, one for every temple in it ; but when they go to 
 war, feven of theft go out with their forces, and fevea 
 others are chofen to fupply their room in their ab- 
 fence; but thefe enter again upon their employment 
 when they return ; and thofe who ferved in their ab- 
 sence, attend upon the high-prieft, till vacancies fall 
 by death ; for there is one that is fet over all the reft. 
 They are chofen by the people as the other magi- 
 ftrates are, by fuffrages given in fecret, for preventing 
 of fadions : and when they are chofen, they are confe- 
 crated by the college of priefls. The care of all facred 
 things, and the v/orlliip of God, and an infpeflion into 
 the manners of the people, is committed to them. It is 
 a reproach to a man to be fent for by any of them, or 
 to be even fpoke to in fecret by them, for that al- 
 ways gives fome fufpicions : all that is incumbent on 
 them, is only to exhort and admonifh people ; for the 
 power of correcting and punifliing ill men, belongs wholly 
 to the prince, and to the other magiftrates : the fevercft 
 thing that the priell does, is the excluding of men that 
 are defperately wicked from joining in their worfliip : 
 there's not any fort of punilhment that is more dread- 
 ed by. them than this, for as it loads them with infa- 
 my, fo it fills them with fecret horrors, fuch is their 
 reverence to their religion; nor will their bodies be 
 long exempted from their fliare of trouble ; for if they 
 
 T 
 
146 UTOPIA. 
 
 do not very quickly fatisfy the prieds ofthc truth of their 
 fcpcntincc, they arc fcizcd on by the fenate, and puni* 
 fhcd for their impltty. The breeding ofthc youth be- 
 longs to the pricOs, yet they do not take fo much care of 
 inl^rc^ing them in letters, as of forming their mindl 
 and mannen aright ; and they ufe all poflible methods 
 to tofufe very early in the tender and flexible mindi 
 of children, fuch opinions as arc both good in thcm- 
 felvcs, and will be ufcful to their country: for when 
 deep iniprtfllons of thtfc tilings are made at that age, 
 ihey follow men through the whole courfc of their livrs, 
 and conduce much for the prcfcrving the peace of ihego- 
 Tcrnrocnl, which fuffcrs by nothing more than by vicci 
 that rife out of ill opinions. The wives of their pritfls are 
 the molt extraordinary women ofthc whole country; 
 fometimts the women therufclves are made prices, tho* 
 that falls out but fcldom, nor are any but anticot wi- 
 dows chofen into that order. 
 
 None of the magiftratcs have greater honour paid 
 them, ilun is paid the pricHs; and if they fhould hap- 
 pen to commit any crime, they would not be quc(Honcd 
 for it : their punilhmtni is left to God, am.1 to their 
 owQ confciences : for they do not think it lawful to la^ 
 hands on any mac, how wicked fooer he is, that hat 
 been in a peculiar manner dedicated to Cod ; nor do 
 they find any great inconvenience in this, both bccaufc 
 they have fo few priells, and btcaufe thcfc are chofen 
 with much caution, fo iha.t it rauft be a very uoufual 
 
U TOPI A. 147 
 
 thing to find one who was merely out of regard to 
 his virtue, and for his being efteemed a fingularly good 
 man, raifed up to fo great a dignity, degenerate into 
 fuch corruption and vice : and if fuch a thing fhould fal^ 
 out, for man is a changeable creature ; yet there being 
 a few priefts, and thefe having no authority, but that 
 >vhich rifes out of the refped that is paid them, nothing 
 that is of great confequence to the pubhc, can cora$ 
 from the indemnity that the priefls enjoy. 
 
 They have indeed very few of them, left greater 
 numbers fliaring in the fame honour, might make the 
 dignity of that order which they efteem fo highly, to 
 fmk in its reputation : they alfo think it is hard to find 
 out many that are of fuch a pitch of goodnefs, as to be 
 equal to that dignity for which they judge that ordinary 
 virtues do not qualify a man fufficiently : nor are the 
 priefts in greater veneration among them, than they are 
 among their neighbouring nations, as you may ima- 
 gine by that which I think gives occafion for it. 
 
 When the Utopians engage in a battle, the prie/ls 
 that accompany them to the v/ar, kneel down during the 
 adion, in a place not far from the field, apparelled ii> 
 their facred veftments: and lifting up their hands to 
 heaven, they pray, firft for peace, and then for vi<9:ory 
 to their own fide, and particularly that it may be gaine4 
 without the eflPufion of much blood on either fide ; and 
 when the vi<5tory tuVns to their fide, they run in among 
 their own meo to reflrain their fury; aad if any of tliejf 
 
 T 2 
 
148 UTOPIA. 
 
 enemies fee them, or call to them, ihey are prefervcd 
 by that means : and fuch as can come fo near them as to 
 touch their garments, have not only their lives, but 
 their fortunes fjcured to them : it is upon this account 
 that all the nations round about confider them fo much, 
 and pay them fo great reverence, that they have been 
 often no lefs able to preferve their own people from the 
 fury of their enemies, than to fave their enemies from 
 their rage : for it has fometimes fallen out, that when 
 their armies have been in diforder, and forced to fly, 
 fo that their enemies were running upon the flaughter 
 and fpoil, the priefls by intcrpofing, have ftop'd the 
 fhedding of more blood, and have (eparated them from 
 one another ; fo that by their mediation, a peace has 
 been concluded on very reafonable terms ; nor is there 
 any nation about them fo fierce, cruel, or barbarous, 
 as not to look upon tiielr perfons as Lcied and invio- 
 lable. . 
 
 The firft and the laft day of the month, and of the 
 year, is a feftival : they mcafure their months by the 
 courfe of the moon ; and their years by the courfe of 
 the fun : the firft days are called in their language the 
 Cynemernes, and the lalt the Trapememes, which an- 
 fwers in our language to the fellival that begins, or 
 ends the feafon . 
 
 They have magnificent temples, that are not only 
 nobly built, but are likewife of great reception : which 
 is neceffary, fincc they have fo few of them : they 
 
UTOPIA. 149 
 
 are a little dark within, which flows not from any error 
 in their architetflure, but is done on defign ; for their 
 priefts think that too much light diilipates the thoughts, 
 and that a more moderate degree of it, both recolledls 
 the mind, and raifes devotion. Tho' there are many 
 different forms of religion among them, yet all thefe, 
 how various foever, agree in the main point, which 
 is the worfliipping the divine effence; and therefore 
 there is nothing to be feen or heard in their temples, in 
 which the feveral perfuafions among them may not a- 
 gree ; for every fe(5l performs thofe rites that are pecu- 
 liar to it, in their private houfes, nor is their any thing 
 in the public wordiip, that contradi(5ls the particular 
 ways of thofe different fedls. There are no images for 
 God in their temples, fo that every one may reprefent 
 him to his thoughts, according to the way of his religi- 
 on ; nor do they call this one God by any other name, 
 but that of Mithras, which is the common name by 
 which they all exprefs the divine effence, whatfoever o- 
 therwife they think it to be ; nor are there any prayers 
 among them, but fuch as every one of them may ufe 
 without prejudiceto his own opinion. 
 
 They meet in their temples on the evening of the 
 feftival that concludes a fcafon : and not having yet 
 broke their fafl, they thank God for their good fuccefs 
 during that year or month, which is then at an end : 
 and the next day, being that which begins the new fea- 
 fbn, they meet early in their temples, to pray for the 
 
150 UTOPIA. 
 
 luppy progrefs of *1I their atfairs during that period, 
 upon which they then enter. In the fcllival which con- 
 cladci the period, before they go to the temple, both 
 wives and children fJI on their knees before their huf- 
 baods or parents, and conftfs every th ng in which the/ 
 have either erred or f.ii]ed in their duty, and beg par* 
 4oo for it : thus all little difcuntents in fumtltes are 
 fcmoved, that fo they may offer up their devotions with 
 9 pure aod ferene mind ; for they hold it a great impie- 
 ty to enter upon ibcm with diilurbed thoughts ; or whro 
 they arc confcious to thcrufclves that they bear hatred 
 •r anger in their hearts to any pcrfun ; and think that 
 they (bould become luLk to f^-vcrc puailhm*nts, if they 
 prcfumed to otfer f<icrifices without clcoofing their hearts, 
 $ad rccoociltng all their di^erenccs. la the templet, the 
 two fcxes are feparated, the men go to the right hand, 
 and the women to the left ; and the males and females 
 do A\ place themfclves before the head, and in^l^er or 
 Biiilrefs of that family to w^uch rhey belong ; fu that 
 ihoTe who have the {Ofcrnmcni of them at home, may 
 fee their deportmeat io public. Aikl they intermingle 
 them fo, that tlte yoaog^r and the older nuy be fct by 
 •oe another ; (m if the younger fort were all fet to- 
 jether, they would perhaps tndc away that time too 
 Buch, in which they ought to beget io themfelves a 
 m^A reh^ious dread of the fupream being, which is the 
 grcatcO, aod Atnoil the only incitement to virtue. 
 Tt^y utfcf up 00 liViAg cruiuxe m f^aiEce, nor do 
 
V r T I a: i^t 
 
 they think it fuitable to the divine bein^, from whofc 
 bounty it is that thefe creatures have derived their lives, 
 to take pleafure in their death, or the offering up their 
 blood. They burn incenfe, and other fweet odours^ 
 and have a great number of wax lights during their 
 worfhip; not out of any imagination that fuch objati* 
 ons can add any thing to the divine nature, for even 
 prayers do not that ; but as it is a harmlefs and pure 
 way of worfhipping God, lo they think thofe fweet fa- 
 vours and lights, together with fome other ceremonies, 
 do, by a fecret and unaccountable virtue, elevate men's 
 fouls, and inflame them with more force and chearful- 
 nefs during the divine worHiip. 
 
 The people appear all in the temples In white gar- 
 ments; but the prieft's veflments are parti-coloured; 
 both the work and colours are wonderful : they are 
 made of no rich materials, for they are neither embroi- 
 dered, nor fet with precious ftones, but are compofed of 
 the plumes of feveral birds, laid together with fo much 
 art, and fo neatly, that the true value of them is far be- 
 yond the cofHiefl materials. They fay, that in the or- 
 dering and placing thofe plumes, fome dark myfteries 
 are reprefented, which pafs down among their priefls ia 
 a fecret tradition concerning them ; and that they are as 
 Hieroglyphics, putting them in mind of thebleffings that 
 they have received from God, and of their duties, both 
 to him and to their neighbours. As foon as the priefl 
 appears in thofe ornaments, they all fall poftrate on the 
 
152 UTOPIA, 
 
 ground, with fo much reverence and fo deep a filence^ 
 that fuch as look on, cannot but be (truck with it, as if 
 it were the effed of the appearance of a deity. After 
 they have been for fome time in this poOure, they all 
 (land up, upon a fign given by the priclt, and fmg fome 
 hymns to the honour of God, fome mufical inflruments 
 playing all the while. Thefc are quite of anctlier form 
 than thofc'that are ufed among us: but, as many of 
 them are much fwceter than ours, fo others are not to 
 be compared tothofc that we have. Yet in one thing 
 they exceed us much, which is, that all their mufic, 
 both vocal and inftrumental, does fo imitate and exprefs 
 the p.iflions, and is fo fitted to the prefent occalion, 
 whether the fubjed-mattcr of the hymn is chearful, or 
 made to appeafe, or trouble, doleful, or angry ; that 
 the mufic makes an imprcflion of that which is reprefent- 
 ed, by which it enters deep into the hearers, and does 
 very much affecl and kindle them. When this is done, 
 both pricds and people offer up very folcmn prayers to 
 God m a fet form of words ; and thtle are fo compofed, 
 that whatfoever is pronounced by the whole affembly, 
 may be likewife applied by every man in particular to his 
 own condition ; in thefe they acknowledge God to be the 
 author and governor of the world, and the fountain of 
 all the good that they receive ; for which they offer up 
 their thankf^ivings to him ; and in particular, they blefs 
 him for his goodncfs in ordering it fo, that they are born 
 under a governracnt that is the happieft in the world, 
 
Utopia; i^5 
 
 and are of a religion that they hope is the truefl: of all 
 others : but if they are miflaken, and if there is either 
 a better government, or a religion more acceptable to 
 God, they implore his goodnefs to let them know it, 
 vowing that they refolve to follow him whitherfoever 
 he leads them : but if their government is the beft, and 
 their religion the trueft, then they pray that he may for- 
 tify them in it, and bring all the world, both to the 
 fame rules of life, and to the fame opinions concerning 
 himfelf ; unlefs, according to the unfearchablenefs of 
 his mind, he is pleafed with a variety of religions. 
 Then they pray that God may give them an eafy paf- 
 fage at laft to himfelf; not prefuming to fet limits to 
 him, how early or late it fhould be; but if it may be 
 wiflied for, without derogating from his fupream Sa- 
 thority, they defire rather to be Quickly delivered, and 
 to go to God, tho' by the terribleft fort of death, than 
 to be detained long from feeing him, in the mofi: pro- 
 fperous courfe of life poffible. When this prayer is end- 
 ed, they all fall down again upon the ground, and af- 
 ter a litde while they rife np, and go home to dinner ; 
 and fpend the reft of the day indiverlion or military ex- 
 ercifes. 
 
 Thus have I defcribed to you, as particularly as I 
 could, the conftitudonof that common-wealth, which I 
 do not only think to be the heft in the world, but to 
 be indeed the only common-wealth that truly deferves 
 that name In all other places, it is vifible, that wjiers* 
 
 U 
 
154 UTOPIA. 
 
 as people talk ofa common- wealth, every man only feek» 
 his own wealth ; but there, where no man has any pro- 
 perty, all men do zealoufly purfue the good of the pub- 
 lic : and indeed, it is no wonder to fee men ad (o 
 differently, for in other common- wealths, every man 
 knows, that unlefs he provides for himfelf, how flou- 
 riftiing foever the common-wealth may be, he muil die 
 of hunger ; Co that he (cts the neccflity of preferring 
 his own concerns to the public ; but in Utopia, where 
 every man has a right to every thing, they do all know, 
 that if care is taken to keep the public (lores full, no 
 private man can want any thing ; for among them there 
 is no unequal diikibution, fo that no man is poor, nor 
 in any necelTiiy ; and tho' no man has any thing, yel 
 they are all rich ; for what can make a man fo rich, 
 as to lead a ferenc and chearful life, free from anxie- 
 ties ; neither apprehending want himfelf, nor vexed 
 with the endlefs complaints of his wife ? He is not a- 
 fraid of the mifery of his children, nor is he contriving 
 how to raife a portion for his daughters, but is fecure in 
 this, that both he and his wife, his children and grand- 
 children, to as many generations as he can fancy, will 
 all Uve, both plentifully and happily, fince among them 
 there is no Icfs care taken of thofe who were once 
 engaged in labour, but grow afterwards unable to fol- 
 low it, than there is elfewhere for thefe that continut 
 ftiil at it. 1 would gladly hear any man compare the 
 jullice that is among them, with that which is among all 
 
UTOPIA. iss 
 
 ©ther nations ; among whom, may I perifh, if I fee any 
 thing that looks either like juftice, or equity ; for what 
 juftice is there in this, that a nobleman, a goldfmith, 
 or a banquer, or any other man, that either does no- 
 thing at all, or at beft is employed in things that are of 
 no ufie to the public, fhould live in great luxury, and 
 fplendor, upon that which is fo ill acquired ; and a 
 mean man, a carter, a fmith, or a ploughman, that 
 works harder, even than the beafts themfelves, and is 
 employed in labours that are fo neceflary, that no com- 
 mon-wealth could hold out an year to an end without 
 them, can yet be able to earn fo poor a livelihood out 
 of it, and muft lead fo miferable a life in it, that the 
 beafts condition is much better than theirs ? For as the 
 beafts do not work fo conftantly, fo they feed almoft 
 as well, and more pleafantly; and have no anxiety 
 about that which is to come, whereas thefe men are 
 deprefled by a barren and fruitlefs employment, and 
 are tormented with the apprehenfions of want in their 
 old age ; fince that which they get by their daily la- 
 bour, does but maintain them at prefent, and is con- 
 fumed as faft as it comes in ; fo that there is no o- 
 verplus left them which they can lay up for old age. 
 
 Is not that government both unjuft and ungrateful, 
 that is fo prodigal of its favours, to thofe that are 
 called gentlemen, or goldfmiths, or fuch others that 
 are idle, or live either by flattery, or by contriving the 
 arts of vain pleafure ; and on the other hand, takes no 
 U 2 
 
156 UTOPIA. 
 
 care of thofe of a meaner fort, fuch as plotighmen, col. 
 iicrs, and iniiihs, without whom it could not fubtiit : 
 but after the public has been ferved by them, and that 
 they come to be oppreifcd with age, fickncfs, and want, 
 all their labours and the good that they have done is 
 forgooen; and all the rccompenfe given them, is, that 
 they are left to die in great milcry: and the richer 
 ©rt arc otien endeavouring to bring the hire of la- 
 bourers lower, not only by their fraudulent practices, 
 but by tlic laws which they procnre to be nude to that 
 cibd: To that tho' it it a thing roo(l unjuil in itfelf, to 
 five fuch Imall rewards to thoie who defcrvc fo well of 
 the public, yet they have given thcfe hardihipsthe name 
 and colour of jullicc, by prtKuring laws to be made for 
 rcgi^iing It. 
 
 Therefore I muft fay. that as I hope for mercy, 
 1 can hare do other notion of all the other governments 
 tlut I fee or know, than that they are a confpiracy of 
 the richer fon, who on preteoce of auaagi" '^ ' rub- 
 
 lie, do only puifuc tltcir private encb, tn^ ^ all 
 
 the ua>s and arts that they can find out; firA, that 
 they may, without dmgtr, prcfenre all that they have 
 fo Ul acquired, and then, that they may engage the poor- 
 er fon to toil and labour for them, at as low rates as 
 is poi&ble, and op{>rcfs them as much as they pleafe: 
 and if they can but prevail to get tlitfe contrivances efta- 
 bliihed, by the ihow of public authority, which is con- 
 (idcrcd as the rcprciaiutirc of the whole people, thei 
 
UTOPIA. 157 
 
 tiiey are accounted laws : and yet thefe wicked men af- 
 ter they have by a mo(t infatiable covetoufnefs, divided 
 that among themfeives, with which all the reft might 
 have been well fupplied, are far from that happinefs, 
 that is enjoyed among the Utopians : for the ufe as weB 
 as the defire of money being extinguilhed, there is much 
 anxiety and great occafions of mifchief cut off with it : 
 and who does not fee that frauds, thefts, robberies, 
 quarrels, tumults, contentions, feditions, murders, 
 treacheries, and witchcrafts, that are ifideed rather pu- 
 nifhed than reftrained by the fevcrities of law, would 
 all fall off, if money were not any more valued by the 
 world? Men's fears, folicitudes, cares, labours, and 
 watchings, would all perifh in the fame moment, that 
 the value of money did (ink : even poverty itfelf, for the 
 relief of which money feems moft neceffary, would fall, 
 if there were no money in the world. And in order to 
 the apprehending this aright, take one inftance, 
 
 Confider any year that has been fo unfruitful, that 
 many thoufands have died of hunger; and yet if at the 
 end of that year a furvey were made of the granaries of 
 all the rich men that have hoarded up the corn, it 
 would be found that there was enough among them, 
 to have prevented all that confumption of men that 
 perifhed in that mifery : and that if it had been diftri- 
 buted among them, none would have felt the terrible 
 effects of that fcarcity ; fo eafy a thing would it be to 
 fupply all the neceifities of life, if that bleiTed thing cal- 
 
ISS UTOPIA. 
 
 kd money, that it prcteiufecl to be inrcnted (or pro- 
 curing it, were noi rcalJy the onJy thing thut oblh ac- 
 ted it. 
 
 1 do DOC doubt but rich men are fcnfible of this, and 
 chat they know well how much a grcutcr happiocfs ic 
 were to want ootiuAg that were ncceHary, th<tQ to a* 
 boood in may fuperfluities ; and to be rcfcued out ut Co 
 maA niStxy, than to abound with lo much wealth : 
 aad I cannot think but the fcnfc ol* every nun'i ime- 
 rcAt tod the authority of Chnil'i conuiunds, who at 
 be was infinitcJy wife, and (o knew what was bdl, fo 
 was DO led good ia difcovcring it to ua, would have 
 drawn ail die world over co tlic laws ol the I'lopum, if 
 pride, that plague of bomao nature, that is tlic iourcc of 
 (o much miicry, did not hinder it ; wliich does not ntea* 
 fure happiocis fo much by iu own coovcoicftoes, as by 
 tbe nirerics of others ; aJid would not be (atitfied widi 
 bdog tboofbl a joHdcft, if oooe were left that were 
 niienUe, ami wboai itt aught infult ; and thinks its 
 owa bappiac6 flbinet ibc brighter, l>v < omourin.' it with 
 the nmfomwcs oi* other pcrfuos ; i 'Haying 
 
 its own wealth, they mtj fed their poverty the naore 
 Icafibly. This is that ijdcmal Icrpent thai crcept imo 
 the brcafb of monah, aad foBcSn them too much to 
 be ca£ly drawn out : aad tbcrdbrc 1 am glad that the 
 UtopiaM hate fJlcn upoo this form of •"*v«nicnt, ia 
 vhich I wiih thai Jl the world could U. os to i- 
 
 tbcm: fcf they have iadcoi laid duwo fuch a 
 
U T O r I A; i^p 
 
 fcheme and foundation of policy, that as men live hap- 
 py under it, fo it is Jike to be of great continuance : for 
 they having rooted out of the minds of their people^ all 
 the feeds, both of ambition and fa<5lion, there is no dan- 
 ger of any commotions at home : which alone has been 
 the ruin of many dates, that feemed otherwife to be 
 well fecured ; but as long as they live in peace at home, 
 and are governed by fuch good laws, the envy of all 
 their neighbouring princes^ who have often attempted 
 their ruin, but in vam, will never be able to put their 
 ftate into any commotion or diforder. 
 
 "When Raphael had thus made an end of fpeaking, 
 tho' many things occurred to me, both concerning the 
 manners and laws of that people, that feemed very ab- 
 furd, as well in their way of making war, as in their noti- 
 ons of religion, and divine matters ; together with feve- 
 ral other particulars, but chiefly that which feemed 
 the foundation of all the reft, their living in common, 
 without any ufe of money, ty which all nobility, mag- 
 nificence, fplendour and majefty ; which, according to 
 the common opinion, are the true ornaments of a nation, 
 would be quite taken away ; yet fince I perceived that 
 Raphael was weary, and I was not fure whether he 
 could eafily bear contradiction in thefe matters, remem- 
 bring that he had taken notice of fome, who feemed to 
 think that they were bound in honour for fupporting 
 the credit of their own wifdom, to find out fome matter 
 •f cenfure in all other men's inventions, befides their 
 
liSo UTOPIA. 
 
 oiys; therefore, 1 only coouncnded their conflitQtioOf 
 jad the account he had given of it in general ; and fo 
 taiciog him by the hand, I carried him to fupper, and 
 told him 1 would Hnd out fome other time for examining 
 that matter more particularly, and for difcouriing more 
 copiouHy concerning it ; for which 1 wiih I may tind tk 
 good opportiaiity. In the mean while, tiio' 1 cannot 
 perfeftly ajpce to every thing that wai related by 
 Raphael, yet tikrrc are many ihmgs in the common- 
 wealth of Utopu, that I rather wiih than hope to fee fol- 
 lowed to our govframcuu ; tho' it mull be confefTed, 
 that be it both a very IcarMd aao, and has hid a great 
 pradtioc tA the world. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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