,,ideal ,,commonwealths   ,,plutarch',s 
,,lycurgus  ,,more',s ,,utopia          
,,bacon',s ,,new ,,atlantis             
,,campanella',s ,,city ,,of ,,the ,,sun 
,,and ,a ,,fragment ,,of  ,,hall',s     
,,mundus ,,alter ,,et ,,idem   ,,with   
,,an ,,introduction ,,by ,,henry        
,,morley  ,,ll4,d41 ,,professor ,,of    
,,english ,,literature ,,at ,,university
 ,,college1 ,,london  ,,fifth ,,edition 
,,london ,,george ,,routledge ,,and     
,,sons1 ,,limited ,,broadway1 ,,ludgate 
,,hill ,,glasgow1 ,,manchester1 ,,and   
,,new ,,york  #ahij  ,,morley',s        
,,universal ,,library4   #a4 ,sheridan's
 ,plays4  #b4 ,plays from ,molire4 ,by  
,english ,dramatists4  #c4 ,marlowe's   
,faustus and ,goethe's ,faust4  #d4     
,chronicle of the ,cid4  #e4 ,rabelais' 
,gargantua and the ,heroic ,deeds of    
,pantagruel4  #f4 ,machiavelli's        
,prince4  #g4 ,bacon's ,essays4  #h4    
,defoe's ,journal of the ,plague ,year4 
#i4 ,locke on ,civil ,government and    
,filmer's ,patriarcha4  #aj4 ,butler's  

,analogy of ,religion4  #aa4 ,dryden's  
,virgil4  #ab4 ,scott's ,demonology and 
,witchcraft4  #ac4 ,herrick's           
,hesperides4  #ad4 ,coleridge's         
,table-,talk4  #ae4 ,boccaccio's        
,decameron4  #af4 ,sterne's ,tristram   
,shandy4  #ag4 ,chapman's ,homer's      
,iliad4  #ah4 ,medival ,tales4  #ai4    
,voltaire's ,candide1 and ,johnson's    
,rasselas4  #bj4 ,jonson's ,plays and   
,poems4  #ba4 ,hobbes's ,leviathan4     
#bb4 ,samuel ,butler's ,hudibras4  #bc4 
,ideal ,commonwealths4  #bd4            
,cavendish's ,life of ,wolsey4  #be     
#bf4 ,don ,quixote4  #bg4 ,burlesque    
,plays and ,poems4  #bh4 ,dante's       
,divine ,comedy4 ,,longfellow',s        
,translation4  #bi4 ,goldsmith's ,vicar 
of ,wakefield1 ,plays1 and ,poems4  #cj4
 ,fables and ,proverbs from the         
,sanskrit4 7,hitopadesa47  #ca4 ,lamb's 
,essays of ,elia4  #cb4 ,the ,history of
 ,thomas ,ellwood4  #cc4 ,emerson's     
,essays1 c4  #cd4 ,southey's ,life of   
,nelson4  #ce4 ,de ,quincey's           

,confession of an ,opium-,eater1 c4     
#cf4 ,stories of ,ireland4 ,by ,miss    
,,edgeworth4  #cg4 ,frere's             
,aristophanes3 ,acharnians1 ,knights1   
,birds4  #ch4 ,burke's ,speeches and    
,letters4  #ci4 ,thomas  ,kempis4  #dj4 
,popular ,songs of ,ireland4  #da4      
,potter's schylus4  #db4 ,goethe's      
,faust3 ,part ,,ii4 ,,anster',s         
,translation4  #dc4 ,famous ,pamphlets4 
#dd4 ,francklin's ,sophocles4  #de4     
,m4,g4 ,lewis's ,tales of ,terror and   
,wonder4  #df4 ,vestiges of the ,natural
 ,history of ,creation4  #dg4 ,drayton's
 ,barons' ,wars1 ,nymphidia1 c4  #dh4   
,cobbett's ,advice to ,young ,men4  #di4
 ,the ,banquet of ,dante4  #ej4         
,walker's ,original4  #ea4 ,schiller's  
,poems and ,ballads4  #eb4 ,peele's     
,plays and ,poems4  #ec4 ,harrington's  
,oceana4  #ed4 ,euripides3 ,alcestis and
 other ,plays4  #ee4 ,praed's ,essays4  
#ef4 ,traditional ,tales4 ,,allan       
,,cunningham4  #eg4 ,hooker's           
,ecclesiastical ,polity4 ,books         

,i4-,,iv4  #eh4 ,euripides3 ,the        
,bacchanals and other ,plays4  #ei4     
,izaak ,walton's ,lives4  #fj4          
,aristotle's ,politics4  #fa4           
,euripides3 ,hecuba and other ,plays4   
#fb4 ,rabelais--,sequel to ,pantagruel4 
#fc4 ,a ,miscellany4  ,marvels of clear 
type and general neatness4--,daily      
,telegraph4     ,,introduction4   ,plato
 in his ,republic argues that it is the 
aim of ,individual ,man as of the ,state
 to be wise1 brave and temperate4 ,in a 
,state1 he says1 there are three orders1
 the ,guardians1 the ,auxiliaries1 the  
,producers4 ,wisdom should be the       
special virtue of the ,guardians2       
,courage of the ,auxiliaries2 and       
,temperance of all4 ,these three virtues
 belong respectively to the ,individual 
,man1 ,wisdom to his ,rational part2    
,courage to his ,spirited2 and          
,temperance to his ,appetitive3 while in
 the ,state as in the ,man it is        
,injustice that disturbs their harmony4 
,because the character of ,man appears  

in the ,state unchanged1 but in a larger
 form1 ,plato represented ,socrates as  
studying the ideal man himself through  
an ,ideal ,commonwealth4  ,in another of
 his dialogues1 ,critias1 of which we   
have only the beginning1 ,socrates      
wishes that he could see how such a     
commonwealth would work1 if it were set 
moving4 ,critias undertakes to tell him4
 ,for he has received tradition of      
events that happened more than nine     
thousand years ago1 when the ,athenians 
themselves were such ideal citizens4    
,critias has received this tradition1 he
 says1 from a ninety-year-old           
grandfather1 whose father1 ,dropides1   
was the friend of ,solon4 ,solon1       
lawgiver and poet1 had heard it from the
 priests of the goddess ,neth or ,athene
 at ,sais1 and had begun to shape it    
into a heroic poem4  ,this was the      
tradition3--,nine thousand years before 
the time of ,solon1 the goddess ,athene1
 who was worshipped also in ,sais1 had  
given to her ,athenians a healthy       

climate1 a fertile soil1 and temperate  
people strong in wisdom and courage4    
,their ,republic was like that which    
,socrates imagined1 and it had to bear  
the shock of a great invasion by the    
people of the vast island ,atlantis4    
,this island1 larger than all ,libya and
 ,asia put together1 was once in the sea
 westward beyond the ,atlantic          
waves1--thus ,america was dreamed of    
long before it was discovered4 ,atlantis
 had ten kings1 descended from ten sons 
of ,poseidon 7,neptune71 who was the god
 magnificently worshipped by its people4
 ,vast power and dominion1 that extended
 through all ,libya as far as ,egypt1   
and over a part of ,europe1 caused the  
,atlantid kings to grow ambitious and   
unjust4 ,then they entered the          
,mediterranean and fell upon ,athens    
with enormous force4 ,but in the little 
band of citizens1 temperate1 brave1 and 
wise1 there were forces of ,reason able 
to resist and overcome brute strength4  
,now1 however1 gone are the ,atlantids1 

gone are the old virtues of ,athens4    
,earthquakes and deluges laid waste the 
world4 ,the whole great island of       
,atlantis1 with its people and its      
wealth1 sank to the bottom of the ocean4
 ,the ideal warriors of ,athens1 in one 
day and night1 were swallowed by an     
earthquake1 and were to be seen no more4
  ,plato1 a philosopher with the soul of
 a poet1 died in the year #cdg before   
,christ4 ,plutarch was writing at the   
close of the first century after        
,christ1 and in his parallel ,lives of  
,greeks and ,romans1 the most famous of 
his many writings1 he took occasion to  
paint an ,ideal ,commonwealth as the    
conception of ,lycurgus1 the half       
mythical or all mythical ,solon of      
,sparta4 ,to ,plutarch's ,life of       
,lycurgus1 as well as to ,plato1 ,thomas
 ,more and others have been indebted for
 some part of the shaping of their      
philosophic dreams4  ,the discovery of  
the ,new ,world at the end of the       
fifteenth century followed hard upon the

 diffusion of the new invention of      
printing1 and came at a time when the   
fall of ,constantinople by scattering   
,greek scholars1 who became teachers in 
,italy1 ,france and elsewhere1 spread   
the study of ,greek1 and caused ,plato  
to live again4 ,little had been heard of
 him through the ,arabs1 who cared      
little for his poetic method4 ,but with 
the revival of learning he had become a 
force in ,europe1 a strong aid to the   
,reformers4  ,sir ,thomas ,more's       
,utopia was written in the years        
#aeae-af1 when its author's age was     
about thirty-seven4 ,he was a young man 
of twenty when ,columbus first touched  
the continent named after the           
,florentine ,amerigo ,vespucci1 who made
 his voyages to it in the years         
#adii-aejc4 ,more wrote his ,utopia when
 imaginations of men were stirred by the
 sudden enlargement of their conceptions
 of the world1 and ,amerigo ,vespucci's 
account of his voyages1 first printed in
 #aejg1 was fresh in every scholar's    

mind4 ,he imagined a traveller1 ,raphael
 ,hythloday--whose name is from ,greek  
words that mean ,knowing in             
,trifles--who had sailed with ,vespucci 
on his three last voyages1 but had not  
returned from the last voyage until1    
after separation from his comrades1 he  
had wandered into some farther discovery
 of his own4 ,thus he had found1        
somewhere in those parts1 the island of 
,utopia4 ,its name is from ,greek words 
meaning ,nowhere4 ,more had gone on an  
embassy to ,brussels with ,cuthbert     
,tunstal when he wrote his philosophical
 satire upon ,european1 and more        
particularly ,english1 statecraft1 in   
the form of an ,ideal ,commonwealth     
described by ,hythloday as he had found 
it in ,utopia4 ,it was printed at       
,louvain in the latter part of the year 
#aeaf1 under the editorship of ,erasmus1
 and that enlightened young secretary to
 the municipality of ,antwerp1 ,peter   
,giles1 or gidius1 who is introduced    
into the story4 ,utopia was not printed 

in ,england in the reign of ,henry      
,,viii41 and could not be1 for its      
satire was too direct to be             
misunderstood1 even when it mocked      
,english policy with ironical praise for
 doing exactly what it failed to do4    
,more was a wit and a philosopher1 but  
at the same time so practical and       
earnest that ,erasmus tells of a        
burgomaster at ,antwerp who fastened    
upon the parable of ,utopia with such   
goodwill that he learnt it by heart4    
,and in #aeag ,erasmus advised a        
correspondent to send for ,utopia1 if he
 had not yet read it1 and if he wished  
to see the true source of all political 
evils4  ,francis ,bacon's ,new          
,atlantis1 first written in ,latin1 was 
published in #afbi1 three years after   
its author's death4 ,bacon placed his   
,ideal ,commonwealth in those seas where
 a great ,austral continent was even    
then supposed to be1 but had not been   
discovered4 ,as the old ,atlantis       
implied a foreboding of the ,american   

continent1 so the ,new ,atlantis implied
 foreboding of the ,australian4 ,bacon  
in his philosophy sought through        
experimental science the dominion of men
 over things1 for ,nature is only       
governed by obeying her4 ,in his ,ideal 
,world of the ,new ,atlantis1 ,science  
is made the civilizer who binds man to  
man1 and is his leader to the love of   
,god4  ,thomas ,campanella was ,bacon's 
contemporary1 a man only seven years    
younger2 and an ,italian who suffered   
for his ardour in the cause of science4 
,he was born in ,calabria in #aefh1 and 
died in #afci4 ,he entered the          
,dominican order when a boy1 but had a  
free and eager appetite for knowledge4  
,he urged1 like ,bacon1 that ,nature    
should be studied through her own works1
 not through books2 he attacked1 like   
,bacon1 the dead faith in ,aristotle1   
that instead of following his energetic 
spirit of research1 lapsed into blind   
idolatry4 ,campanella strenuously urged 
that men should reform all sciences by  

following ,nature and the books of ,god4
 ,he had been stirring in this way for  
ten years1 when there arose in ,calabria
 a conspiracy against the ,spanish rule4
 ,campanella1 who was an ,italian       
patriot was seized and sent to ,naples4 
,the ,spanish inquisition joined in     
attack on him4 ,he was accused of books 
he had not written and of opinions he   
did not hold2 he was seven times put to 
the question and suffered1 with firmness
 of mind1 the most cruel tortures4 ,the 
,pope interceded in vain for him with   
the ,king of ,spain4 ,he suffered       
imprisonment for twenty-seven years1    
during which time he wrote much1 and one
 piece of his prison work was his ideal 
of ,the ,city of the ,sun4  ,released at
 last from his prison1 ,campanella went 
to ,rome1 where he was defended by ,pope
 ,urban ,,viii4 against continued       
violence of attack4 ,but he was         
compelled at last to leave ,rome1 and   
made his escape as a servant in the     
livery of the ,french ambassador4 ,in   

,paris1 ,richelieu became ,campanella's 
friend2 the ,king of ,france gave him a 
pension of three thousand livres2 the   
,sorbonne vouched for the orthodoxy of  
his writings4 ,he died in ,paris1 at the
 age of seventy-one1 in the ,convent of 
the ,dominicans4  ,of ,campanella's     
,civitas ,solis1 which has not hitherto 
been translated into ,english1 the      
translation here given1 with one or two 
omissions of detail which can well be   
spared1 has been made for me by my old  
pupil and friend1 ,mr4 ,thomas ,w4      
,halliday4  ,in the works 7published in 
#aggf7 of the witty ,dr4 ,william ,king1
 who played much with the subject of    
cookery1 is a fragment found among his  
remaining papers1 and given by his      
editors as an original piece in the     
manner of ,rabelais4 ,it seems never to 
have been observed that this is only a  
translation of that part of ,joseph     
,hall's ,mundus ,alter es ,idem1 which  
deals with the kitchen side of life4    
,the fragment will be found at the end  

of this volume1 preceded by a short     
description of the other parts of       
,hall's ,world which is other than ours1
 and yet the same4  ,h4,m4  ,march      
#ahhe4     ,,plutarch',s  ,,life ,,of   
,,lycurgus4     ,,life ,,of ,,lycurgus4 
,of ,lycurgus the lawgiver we have      
nothing to relate that is certain and   
uncontroverted4 ,for there are different
 accounts of his birth1 his travels1 his
 death1 and especially of the laws and  
form of government which he established4
 ,but least of all are the times agreed 
upon in which this great man lived4 ,for
 some say he flourished at the same time
 with ,iphitus1 and joined with him in  
settling the cessation of arms during   
the ,olympic games4 ,among these is     
,aristotle the philosopher1 who alleges 
for proof an ,olympic quoit1 on which   
was preserved the inscription of        
,lycurgus's name4 ,but others who1 with 
,eratosthenes and ,apollodorus1 compute 
the time by the succession of the       
,spartan kings1 place him much earlier  

than the first ,olympiad4 ,timus1       
however1 supposes that1 as there were   
two ,lycurguses in ,sparta at different 
times1 the actions of both are ascribed 
to one1 on account of his particular    
renown2 and that the more ancient of    
them lived not long after ,homer3 nay1  
some say he had seen him4 ,xenophon too 
confirms the opinion of his antiquity1  
when he makes him contemporary with the 
,heraclid4 ,it is true1 the latest of   
the ,lacedmonian kings were of the      
lineage of the ,heraclid2 but ,xenophon 
there seems to speak of the first and   
more immediate descendants of ,hercules4
 ,as the history of those times is thus 
involved1 in relating the circumstances 
of ,lycurgus's life1 we shall endeavour 
to select such as are least             
controverted1 and follow authors of the 
greatest credit4  ,simonides the poet1  
tells us1 that ,prytanis1 not ,eunomus1 
was father to ,lycurgus4 ,but most      
writers give us the genealogy of        
,lycurgus and ,eunomus in a different   

manner2 for1 according to them1 ,sous   
was the son of ,patrocles1 and grandson 
of ,aristodemus1 ,eurytion the son of   
,sous1 ,prytanis of ,eurytion1 and      
,eunomus of ,prytanis2 to this ,eunomus 
was born ,polydectes1 by a former wife1 
and by a second1 named ,dianassa1       
,lycurgus4 ,eutychidas1 however1 says   
,lycurgus was the sixth from ,patrocles1
 and the eleventh from ,hercules4 ,the  
most distinguished of his ancestors was 
,sous1 under whom the ,lacedmonians made
 the ,helotes their slaves1 and gained  
an extensive tract of land from the     
,arcadians4 ,of this ,sous it is        
related1 that1 being besieged by the    
,clitorians in a difficult post where   
there was no water1 he agreed to give up
 all his conquests1 provided that       
himself and all his army should drink of
 the neighbouring spring4 ,when these   
conditions were sworn to1 he assembled  
his forces1 and offered his kingdom to  
the man that would forbear drinking2 not
 one of them1 however1 would deny       

himself1 but they all drank4 ,then ,sous
 went down to the spring himself1 and   
having only sprinkled his face in sight 
of the enemy1 he marched off1 and still 
held the country1 because all had not   
drank4 ,yet1 though he was highly       
honoured for this1 the family had not   
their name from him1 but from his son1  
were called ,eurytionid2 and this1      
because ,eurytion seems to be the first 
who relaxed the strictness of kingly    
government1 inclining to the interest of
 the people1 and ingratiating himself   
with them4 ,upon this relaxation their  
encroachments increased1 and the        
succeeding kings1 either becoming       
odious1 treating them with greater      
rigour1 or else giving way through      
weakness or in hopes of favour1 for a   
long time anarchy and confusion         
prevailed in ,sparta2 by which one of   
its kings1 the father of ,lycurgus1 lost
 his life4 ,for while he was            
endeavouring to part some persons who   
were concerned in a fray1 he received a 

wound by a kitchen knife1 of which he   
died1 leaving the kingdom to his eldest 
son ,polydectes4  ,but he too dying soon
 after1 the general voice gave it for   
,lycurgus to ascend the throne2 and he  
actually did so1 till it appeared that  
his brother's widow was pregnant4 ,as   
soon as he perceived this1 he declared  
that the kingdom belonged to her issue1 
provided it were male1 and he kept the  
administration in his hands only as his 
guardian4 ,this he did with the title of
 ,prodicos1 which the ,lacedmonians give
 to the guardians of infant kings4 ,soon
 after1 the queen made him a private    
overture1 that she would destroy her    
child1 upon condition that he would     
marry her when king of ,sparta4 ,though 
he detested her wickedness1 he said     
nothing against the proposal1 but       
pretending to approve it1 charged her   
not to take any drugs to procure an     
abortion1 lest she should endanger her  
own health or life2 for he would take   
care that the child1 as soon as born1   

should be destroyed4 ,thus he artfully  
drew on the woman to her full time1 and1
 when he heard she was in labour1 he    
sent persons to attend and watch her    
delivery1 with orders1 if it were a     
girl1 to give it to the women1 but if a 
boy1 to bring it to him1 in whatever    
business he might be engaged4 ,it       
happened that he was at supper with the 
magistrates when she was delivered of a 
boy1 and his servants1 who were present1
 carried the child to him4 ,when he     
received it1 he is reported to have said
 to the company1 ,spartans1 see here    
your new-born king4 ,he then laid him   
down upon the chair of state1 and named 
him ,charilaus1 because of the joy and  
admiration of his magnanimity and       
justice testified by all present4 ,thus 
the reign of ,lycurgus lasted only eight
 months4 ,but the citizens had a great  
veneration for him on other accounts1   
and there were more that paid him their 
attentions1 and were ready to execute   
his commands1 out of regard to his      

virtues1 than those that obeyed him as a
 guardian to the king1 and director of  
the administration4 ,there were not1    
however1 wanting those that envied him1 
and opposed his advancement1 as too high
 for so young a man2 particularly the   
relations and friends of the            
queen-mother1 who seemed to have been   
treated with contempt4 ,her brother     
,leonidas1 one day boldly attacked him  
with virulent language1 and scrupled not
 to tell him that he was well assured he
 would soon be king2 thus preparing     
suspicions1 and matter of accusation    
against ,lycurgus1 in case any accident 
should befall the king4 ,insinuations of
 the same kind were likewise spread by  
the queen-mother4 ,moved with this      
ill-treatment1 and fearing some dark    
design1 he determined to get clear of   
all suspicion1 by travelling into other 
countries1 till his nephew should be    
grown up1 and have a son to succeed him 
in the kingdom4  ,he set sail1          
therefore1 and landed in ,crete4 ,there 

having observed the forms of government1
 and conversed with the most illustrious
 personages1 he was struck with         
admiration of some of their laws1 and   
resolved at his return to make use of   
them in ,sparta4 ,some others he        
rejected4 ,among the friends he gained  
in ,crete was ,thales1 with whom he had 
interest enough to persuade him to go   
and settle at ,sparta4 ,thales was famed
 for his wisdom and political abilities3
 he was withal a lyric poet1 who under  
colour of exercising his art1 performed 
as great things as the most excellent   
lawgivers4 ,for his odes were so many   
persuasives to obedience and unanimity1 
as by means of melody and numbers they  
had great grace and power1 they softened
 insensibly the manners of the audience1
 drew them off from the animosities     
which then prevailed1 and united them in
 zeal for excellence and virtue4 ,so    
that1 in some measure1 he prepared the  
way for ,lycurgus towards the           
instruction of the ,spartans4 ,from     

,crete ,lycurgus passed to ,asia1       
desirous1 as is said1 to compare the    
,ionian expense and luxury with the     
,cretan frugality and hard diet1 so as  
to judge what effect each had on their  
several manners and governments2 just as
 physicians compare bodies that are weak
 and sickly with the healthy and robust4
 ,there also1 probably1 he met with     
,homer's poems1 which were preserved by 
the posterity of ,cleophylus4 ,observing
 that many moral sentences and much     
political knowledge were intermixed with
 his stories1 which had an irresistible 
charm1 he collected them into one body1 
and transcribed them with pleasure1 in  
order to take them home with him4 ,for  
his glorious poetry was not yet fully   
known in ,greece2 only some particular  
pieces were in a few hands1 as they     
happened to be dispersed4 ,lycurgus was 
the first that made them generally      
known4 ,the ,egyptians likewise suppose 
that he visited them2 and as of all     
their institutions he was most pleased  

with their distinguishing the military  
men from the rest of the people1 he took
 the same method at ,sparta1 and1 by    
separating from these the mechanics and 
artificers1 he rendered the constitution
 more noble and more of a piece4 ,this  
assertion of the ,egyptians is confirmed
 by some of the ,greek writers4 ,but we 
know of no one1 except ,aristocrates1   
son of ,hipparchus1 and a ,spartan1 who 
has affirmed that he went to ,libya and 
,spain1 and in his ,indian excursions   
conversed with the ,gymnosophists4  ,the
 ,lacedmonians found the want of        
,lycurgus when absent1 and sent many    
embassies to entreat him to return4 ,for
 they perceived that their kings had    
barely the title and outward appendages 
of royalty1 but in nothing else differed
 from the multitude2 whereas ,lycurgus  
had abilities from nature to guide the  
measures of government1 and powers of   
persuasion1 that drew the hearts of men 
to him4 ,the kings1 however1 where      
consulted about his return1 and they    

hoped that in his presence they should  
experience less insolence amongst the   
people4 ,returning then to a city thus  
disposed1 he immediately applied himself
 to alter the whole frame of the        
constitution2 sensible that a partial   
change1 and the introducing of some new 
laws1 would be of no sort of advantage2 
but1 as in the case of a body diseased  
and full of bad humours1 whose          
temperament is to be corrected and new  
formed by medicines1 it was necessary to
 begin a new regimen4 ,with these       
sentiments he went to ,delphi1 and when 
he had offered and consulted the god1 he
 returned with that celebrated oracle1  
in which the priestess called him       
,beloved of the gods1 and rather a god  
than a man4 ,as to his request that he  
might enact good laws1 she told him1    
,apollo had heard his request1 and      
promised that the constitution he should
 establish would be the most excellent  
in the world4 ,thus encouraged1 he      
applied to the nobility1 and desired    

them to put their hands to the work2    
addressing himself privately at first to
 his friends1 and afterwards by degrees1
 trying the disposition of others1 and  
preparing them to concur in the         
business4 ,when matters were ripe1 he   
ordered thirty of the principal citizens
 to appear armed in the market-place by 
break of day1 to strike terror into such
 as might desire to oppose him4         
,hermippus has given us the names of    
twenty of the most eminent of them2 but 
he that had the greatest share in the   
whole enterprise1 and gave ,lycurgus the
 best assistance in the establishing of 
his laws1 was called ,arithmiades4 ,upon
 the first alarm1 king ,charilaus1      
apprehending it to be a design against  
his person1 took refuge in the          
,chalcioicos4 ,but he was soon          
satisfied1 and accepted of their oath4  
,nay1 so far from being obstinate1 he   
joined in the undertaking4 ,indeed1 he  
was so remarkable for the gentleness of 
his disposition1 that ,archelaus1 his   

partner in the throne1 is reported to   
have said to some that were praising the
 young king1 ,yes1 ,charilaus is a good 
man to be sure1 who cannot find in his  
heart to punish the bad4 ,among the many
 new institutions of ,lycurgus1 the     
first and most important was that of a  
senate2 which sharing1 as ,plato says1  
in the power of the kings1 too imperious
 and unrestrained before1 and having    
equal authority with them1 was the means
 of keeping them within the bounds of   
moderation1 and highly contributed to   
the preservation of the state4 ,for     
before it had been veering and          
unsettled1 sometimes inclining to       
arbitrary power1 and sometimes towards a
 pure democracy2 but this establishment 
of a senate1 an intermediate body1 like 
ballast1 kept it in a just equilibrium1 
and put it in a safe posture3 the       
twenty-eight senators adhering to the   
kings1 whenever they saw the people too 
encroaching1 and1 on the other hand1    
supporting the people1 when the kings   

attempted to make themselves absolute4  
,this1 according to ,aristotle1 was the 
number of senators fixed upon1 because  
two of the thirty associates of         
,lycurgus deserted the business through 
fear4 ,but ,sphrus tells us there were  
only twenty-eight at first entrusted    
with the design4 ,something1 perhaps1   
there is in its being a perfect number1 
formed of seven multiplied by four1 and 
withal the first number1 after six1 that
 is equal to all its parts4 ,but ,i     
rather think1 just so many senators were
 created1 that1 together with the two   
kings1 the whole body might consist of  
thirty members4  ,he had this           
institution so much at heart1 that he   
obtained from ,delphi an oracle in its  
behalf1 called rhetra1 or the decree4   
,this was couched in very ancient and   
uncommon terms1 which interpreted1 ran  
thus3 ,when you have built a temple to  
the ,syllanian ,jupiter1 and the        
,syllanian ,minerva1 divided the people 
into tribes and classes1 and established

 a senate of thirty persons1 including  
the two kings1 you shall occasionally   
summon the people to an assembly between
 ,babyce and ,cnacion1 and they shall   
have the determining voice4 ,babyce and 
,cnacion are now called ,oenus4 ,but    
,aristotle thinks1 by ,cnacion is meant 
the river1 and by ,babyce the bridge4   
,between these they held their          
assemblies1 having neither halls1 nor   
any kind of building for that purpose4  
,these things he thought of no advantage
 to their councils1 but rather a        
disservice2 as they distracted the      
attention1 and turned it upon trifles1  
on observing the statues and pictures1  
the splendid roofs1 and every other     
theatrical ornament4 ,the people thus   
assembled had no right to propose any   
subject of debate1 and were only        
authorized to ratify or reject what     
might be proposed to them by the senate 
and the kings4 ,but because1 in process 
of time1 the people1 by additions or    
retrenchments1 changed the terms1 and   

perverted the sense of the decrees1 the 
kings ,polydorus and ,theopompus        
inserted in the rhetra this clause3 ,if 
the people attempt to corrupt any law1  
the senate and chiefs shall retire3 that
 is1 they shall dissolve the assembly1  
and annul the alterations4 ,and they    
found means to persuade the ,spartans   
that this too was ordered by ,apollo2 as
 we learn from these verses of ,tyrtus3 
,ye sons of ,sparta1 who at ,phbus'     
shrine      ,your humble vows prefer1   
attentive hear      ,the god's decision4
 ,o'er your beauteous lands      ,two   
guardian kings1 a senate1 and the voice 
,of the concurring people1 lasting laws 
,shall with joint power establish4      
,though the government was thus tempered
 by ,lycurgus1 yet soon after it        
degenerated into an oligarchy1 whose    
power was exercised with such wantonness
 and violence1 that it wanted indeed a  
bridle1 as ,plato expresses it4 ,this   
curb they found in the authority of the 
,ephori1 about a hundred and thirty     

years after ,lycurgus4 ,elatus was the  
first invested with this dignity1 in the
 reign of ,theopompus2 who1 when his    
wife upbraided him1 that he would leave 
the regal power to his children less    
than he received it1 replied1 ,nay but  
greater1 because more lasting4 ,and1 in 
fact1 the prerogative1 so stripped of   
all extravagant pretensions1 no longer  
occasioned either envy or danger to its 
possessors4 ,by these means they escaped
 the miseries which befell the          
,messenian and ,argive kings1 who would 
not in the least relax the severity of  
their power in favour of the people4    
,indeed1 from nothing more does the     
wisdom and foresight of ,lycurgus       
appear1 than from the disorderly        
governments1 and the bad understanding  
that subsisted between the kings and    
people of ,messena and ,argos1          
neighbouring states1 and related in     
blood to ,sparta4 ,for1 as at first they
 were in all respects equal to her1 and 
possessed of a better country1 and yet  

preserved no lasting happiness1 but1    
through the insolence of the kings and  
disobedience of the people1 were        
harassed with perpetual troubles1 they  
made it very evident that it was really 
a felicity more than human1 a blessing  
from heaven to the ,spartans1 to have a 
legislator who knew so well how to frame
 and temper their government4 ,but this 
was an event of a later date4  ,a second
 and bolder political enterprise of     
,lycurgus was a new division of the     
lands4 ,for he found a prodigious       
inequality1 the city overcharged with   
many indigent persons1 who had no land1 
and the wealth centred in the hands of a
 few4 ,determined1 therefore1 to root   
out the evils of insolence1 envy1       
avarice1 and luxury1 and those          
distempers of a state still more        
inveterate and fatal1 ,i mean poverty   
and riches1 he persuaded them to cancel 
all former divisions of land1 and to    
make new ones1 in such a manner that    
they might be perfectly equal in their  

possessions and way of living4 ,hence1  
if they were ambitious of distinction   
they might seek it in virtue1 as no     
other difference was left between them  
but that which arises from the dishonour
 of base actions and the praise of good 
ones4 ,his proposal was put in practice4
 ,he made nine thousand lots for the    
territory of ,sparta1 which he          
distributed among so many citizens1 and 
thirty thousand for the inhabitants of  
the rest of ,laconia4 ,but some say he  
made only six thousand shares for the   
city1 and that ,polydorus added three   
thousand afterwards2 others1 that       
,polydorus doubled the number appointed 
by ,lycurgus1 which were only four      
thousand five hundred4 ,each lot was    
capable of producing 7one year with     
another7 seventy bushels of grain for   
each man1 and twelve for each woman1    
besides a quantity of wine and oil in   
proportion4 ,such a provision they      
thought sufficient for health and a good
 habit of body1 and they wanted nothing 

more4 ,a story goes of our legislator1  
that some time after returning from a   
journey through the fields just reaped1 
and seeing the shocks standing parallel 
and equal1 he smiled1 and said to some  
that were by1 ,how like is ,laconia to  
an estate newly divided among many      
brothers6  ,after this1 he attempted to 
divide also the movables1 in order to   
take away all appearance of inequality2 
but he soon perceived that they could   
not bear to have their goods directly   
taken from them1 and therefore took     
another method1 counterworking their    
avarice by a stratagem4 ,first he       
stopped the currency of the gold and    
silver coin1 and ordered that they      
should make use of iron money only1 then
 to a great quantity and weight of this 
he assigned but a small value2 so that  
to lay up ten min1 a whole room was     
required1 and to remove it1 nothing less
 than a yoke of oxen4 ,when this became 
current1 many kinds of injustice ceased 
in ,lacedmon4 ,who would steal or take a

 bribe1 who would defraud or rob1 when  
he could not conceal the booty2 when he 
could neither be dignified by the       
possession of it1 nor if cut in pieces  
be served by its use8 ,for we are told  
that when hot1 they quenched it in      
vinegar1 to make it brittle and         
unmalleable1 and consequently unfit for 
any other service4 ,in the next place1  
he excluded unprofitable and superfluous
 arts3 indeed1 if he had not done this1 
most of them would have fallen of       
themselves1 when the new money took     
place1 as the manufactures could not be 
disposed of4 ,their iron coin would not 
pass in the rest of ,greece1 but was    
ridiculed and despised2 so that the     
,spartans had no means of purchasing any
 foreign or curious wares2 nor did any  
merchant-ship unlade in their harbours4 
,there were not even to be found in all 
their country either sophists1 wandering
 fortune-tellers1 keepers of infamous   
houses1 or dealers in gold and silver   
trinkets1 because there was no money4   

,thus luxury1 losing by degrees the     
means that cherished and supported it1  
died away of itself3 even they who had  
great possessions1 had no advantage from
 them1 since they could not be displayed
 in public1 but must lie useless1 in    
unregarded repositories4 ,hence it was1 
that excellent workmanship was shown in 
their useful and necessary furniture1 as
 beds1 chairs1 and tables2 and the      
,lacedmonian cup called cothon1 as      
,critias informs us1 was highly valued1 
particularly in campaigns3 for the      
water1 which must then of necessity be  
drank1 though it would often otherwise  
offend the sight1 had its muddiness     
concealed by the colour of the cup1 and 
the thick part stopping at the shelving 
brim1 it came clearer to the lips4 ,of  
these improvements the lawgiver was the 
cause2 for the workmen having no more   
employment in matters of mere curiosity1
 showed the excellence of their art in  
necessary things4  ,desirous to complete
 the conquest of luxury1 and exterminate

 the love of riches1 he introduced a    
third institution1 which was wisely     
enough and ingeniously contrived4 ,this 
was the use of public tables1 where all 
were to eat in common of the same meat1 
and such kinds of it as were appointed  
by law4 ,at the same time they were     
forbidden to eat at home1 upon expensive
 couches and tables1 to call in the     
assistance of butchers and cooks1 or to 
fatten like voracious animals in        
private4 ,for so not only their manners 
would be corrupted1 but their bodies    
disordered2 abandoned to all manner of  
sensuality and dissoluteness1 they would
 require long sleep1 warm baths1 and the
 same indulgence as in perpetual        
sickness4 ,to effect this was certainly 
very great2 but it was greater still1 to
 secure riches from rapine and from     
envy1 as ,theophrastus expresses it1 or 
rather by their eating in common1 and by
 the frugality of their table1 to take  
from riches their very being4 ,for what 
use or enjoyment of them1 what peculiar 

display of magnificence could there be1 
where the poor man went to the same     
refreshment with the rich8 ,hence the   
observation1 that it was only at ,sparta
 where ,plutus 7according to the        
proverb7 was kept blind1 and like an    
image1 destitute of life or motion4 ,it 
must further be observed1 that they had 
not the privilege to eat at home1 and so
 to come without appetite to the public 
repast3 they made a point of it to      
observe any one that did not eat and    
drink with them1 and to reproach him as 
an intemperate and effeminate person    
that was sick of the common diet4  ,the 
rich1 therefore 7we are told71 were more
 offended with this regulation than with
 any other1 and1 rising in a body1 they 
loudly expressed their indignation3 nay1
 they proceeded so far as to assault    
,lycurgus with stones1 so that he was   
forced to fly from the assembly and take
 refuge in a temple4 ,unhappily1        
however1 before he reached it1 a young  
man named ,alcander1 hasty in his       

resentments1 though not otherwise       
ill-tempered1 came up with him1 and1    
upon his turning round1 struck out one  
of his eyes with a stick4 ,lycurgus then
 stopped short1 and1 without giving way 
to passion1 showed the people his eye   
beat out1 and his face streaming with   
blood4 ,they were so struck with shame  
and sorrow at the sight1 that they      
surrendered ,alcander to him1 and       
conducted him home with the utmost      
expressions of regret4 ,lycurgus thanked
 them for their care of his person1 and 
dismissed them all except ,alcander4 ,he
 took him into his house1 but showed no 
ill treatment either by word or action2 
only ordering him to wait upon him1     
instead of his usual servants and       
attendants4 ,the youth1 who was of an   
ingenuous disposition1 without          
murmuring1 did as he was commanded4     
,living in this manner with ,lycurgus1  
and having an opportunity to observe the
 mildness and goodness of his heart1 his
 strict temperance and indefatigable    

industry1 he told his friends that      
,lycurgus was not that proud and severe 
man he might have been taken for1 but1  
above all others1 gentle and engaging in
 his behaviour4 ,this1 then1 was the    
chastisement1 and this punishment he    
suffered1 of a wild and headstrong young
 man to become a very modest and prudent
 citizen4 ,in memory of his misfortune1 
,lycurgus built a temple to ,minerva    
,optiletis1 so called by him from a term
 which the ,dorians use for the eye4    
,yet ,dioscorides1 who wrote a treatise 
concerning the ,lacedmonian government1 
and others1 relate that his eye was     
hurt1 but not put out1 and that he built
 the temple in gratitude to the goddess 
for his cure4 ,however1 the ,spartans   
never carried staves to their assemblies
 afterwards4  ,the public repasts were  
called by the ,cretans ,andria2 but the 
,lacedmonians styled them ,phiditia1    
either from their tendency to friendship
 and mutual benevolence1 phiditia being 
used instead of philitia2 or else from  

their teaching frugality and parsimony1 
which the word pheido signifies4 ,but it
 is not all impossible that the first   
letter might by some means or other be  
added1 and so phiditia take place of    
editia1 which barely signifies eating4  
,there were fifteen persons to a table1 
or a few more or less4 ,each of them was
 obliged to bring in monthly a bushel of
 meal1 eight gallons of wine1 five      
pounds of cheese1 two pounds and a half 
of figs1 and a little money to buy flesh
 and fish4 ,if any of them happened to  
offer a sacrifice of first fruits1 or to
 kill venison1 he sent a part of it to  
the public table3 for after a sacrifice 
or hunting1 he was at liberty to sup at 
home3 but the rest were to appear at the
 usual place4 ,for a long time this     
eating in common was observed with great
 exactness3 so that when king ,agis     
returned from a successful expedition   
against the ,athenians1 and from a      
desire to sup with his wife1 requested  
to have his portion at home1 the        

,polemarchs refused to send it3 nay1    
when1 through resentment1 he neglected1 
the day following1 to offer the         
sacrifice usual on occasion of victory1 
they set a fine upon him4 ,children also
 were introduced at these public tables1
 as so many schools of sobriety4 ,there 
they heard discourses concerning        
government1 and were instructed in the  
most liberal breeding4 ,there they were 
allowed to jest without scurrility1 and 
were not to take it ill when the        
raillery was returned4 ,for it was      
reckoned worthy of a ,lacedmonian to    
bear a jest3 but if any one's patience  
failed1 he had only to desire them to be
 quiet1 and they left off immediately4  
,when they first entered1 the oldest man
 present pointed to the door1 and said1 
,not a word spoken in this company goes 
out there4 ,the admitting of any man to 
a particular table was under the        
following regulation4 ,each member of   
that small society took a little ball of
 soft bread in his hand4 ,this he was to

 drop1 without saying a word1 into a    
vessel called caddos1 which the waiter  
carried upon his head4 ,in case he      
approved of the candidate1 he did it    
without altering the figure1 if not1 he 
first pressed it flat in his hand2 for a
 flatted ball was considered as a       
negative4 ,and if but one such was      
found1 the person was not admitted1 as  
they thought it proper that the whole   
company should be satisfied with each   
other4 ,he who thus rejected1 was said  
to have no luck in the caddos4 ,the dish
 that was in the highest esteem amongst 
them was the black broth4 ,the old men  
were so fond of it that they ranged     
themselves on one side and eat it1      
leaving the meat to the young people4   
,it is related of a king of ,pontus1    
that he purchased a ,lacedmonian cook1  
for the sake of this broth4 ,but when he
 came to taste it he strongly expressed 
his dislike2 and the cook made answer1  
,sir1 to make this broth relish1 it is  
necessary first to bathe in the         

,eurotas4 ,after they had drank         
moderately1 they went home without      
lights4 ,indeed1 they were forbidden to 
walk with a light either on this or any 
other occasion1 that they might accustom
 themselves to march in the darkest     
night boldly and resolutely4 ,such was  
the order of their public repasts4      
,lycurgus left none of his laws in      
writing2 it was ordered in one of the   
,rhetr that none should be written4 ,for
 what he thought most conducive to the  
virtue and happiness of a city1 was     
principles interwoven with the manners  
and breeding of the people4 ,these would
 remain immovable1 as founded in        
inclination1 and be the strongest and   
most lasting tie2 and the habits which  
education produced in the youth1 would  
answer in each the purpose of a         
lawgiver4 ,as for smaller matters1      
contracts about property1 and whatever  
occasionally varied1 it was better not  
to reduce these to a written form and   
unalterable method1 but to suffer them  

to change with the times1 and to admit  
of additions or retrenchments at the    
pleasure of persons so well educated4   
,for he resolved the whole business of  
legislation into the bringing up of     
youth4 ,and this1 as we have observed1  
was the reason why one of his ordinances
 forbad them to have any written laws4  
,another ordinance levelled against     
magnificence and expense1 directed that 
the ceilings of houses should be wrought
 with no tool but the axe and the doors 
with nothing but the saw4 ,for1 as      
,epaminondas is reported to have said   
afterwards1 of his table1 ,treason lurks
 not under such a dinner1 so ,lycurgus  
perceived before him1 that such a house 
admits of no luxury and needless        
splendour4 ,indeed1 no man could be so  
absurd as to bring into a dwelling so   
homely and simple1 bedsteads with silver
 feet1 purple coverlets1 golden cups1   
and a train of expense that follows     
these3 but all would necessarily have   
the bed suitable to the room1 the       

coverlet of the bed and the rest of     
their utensils and furniture to that4   
,from this plain sort of dwellings1     
proceeded the question of ,leotychidas  
the elder to his host1 when he supped at
 ,corinth1 and saw the ceiling of the   
room very splendid and curiously        
wrought1 ,whether trees grew square in  
his country4  ,a third ordinance of     
,lycurgus was1 that they should not     
often make war against the same enemy1  
lest1 by being frequently put upon      
defending themselves1 they too should   
become able warriors in their turn4 ,and
 this they most blamed king ,agesilaus  
for afterwards1 that by frequent and    
continued incursions into ,boeotia1 he  
taught the ,thebans to make head against
 the ,lacedmonians4 ,this made          
,antalcidas say1 when he saw him        
wounded1 ,the ,thebans pay you well for 
making them good soldiers who neither   
were willing nor able to fight you      
before4 ,these ordinances he called     
,rhetr1 as if they had been oracles and 

decrees of the ,deity himself4  ,as for 
the education of youth1 which he looked 
upon as the greatest and most glorious  
work of a lawgiver1 he began with it at 
the very source1 taking into            
consideration their conception and      
birth1 by regulating the marriages4 ,for
 he did not 7as ,aristotle says7 desist 
from his attempt to bring the women     
under sober rules4 ,they had1 indeed1   
assumed great liberty and power on      
account of the frequent expeditions of  
their husbands1 during which they were  
left sole mistresses at home1 and so    
gained an undue deference and improper  
titles2 but notwithstanding this he took
 all possible care of them4 ,he ordered 
the virgins to exercise themselves in   
running1 wrestling1 and throwing quoits 
and darts2 that their bodies being      
strong and vigorous1 the children       
afterwards produced from them might be  
the same2 and that1 thus fortified by   
exercise1 they might the better support 
the pangs of child-birth1 and be        

delivered with safety4 ,in order to take
 away the excessive tenderness and      
delicacy of the sex1 the consequence of 
a recluse life1 he accustomed the       
virgins occasionally to be seen naked as
 well as the young men1 and to dance and
 sing in their presence on certain      
festivals4 ,there they sometimes        
indulged in a little raillery upon those
 that had misbehaved themselves1 and    
sometimes they sung encomiums on such as
 deserved them1 thus exciting in the    
young men a useful emulation and love of
 glory4 ,for he who was praised for his 
bravery and celebrated among the        
virgins1 went away perfectly happy3     
while their satirical glances thrown out
 in sport1 were no less cutting than    
serious admonitions2 especially as the  
kings and senate went with the other    
citizens to see all that passed4 ,as for
 the virgins appearing naked1 there was 
nothing disgraceful in it1 because      
everything was conducted with modesty1  
and without one indecent word or action4

 ,nay1 it caused a simplicity of manners
 and an emulation for the best habit of 
body2 their ideas too were naturally    
enlarged1 while they were not excluded  
from their share of bravery and honour4 
,hence they were furnished with         
sentiments and language1 such as ,gorgo 
the wife of ,leonidas is said to have   
made use of4 ,when a woman of another   
country said to her1 ,you of ,lacedmon  
are the only women in the world that    
rule the men2 she answered1 ,we are the 
only women that bring forth men4  ,these
 public dances and other exercises of   
the young maidens naked1 in sight of the
 young men1 were1 moreover1 incentives  
to marriage3 and1 to use ,plato's       
expression1 drew them almost as         
necessarily by the attractions of love1 
as a geometrical conclusion follows from
 the premises4 ,to encourage it still   
more1 some marks of infamy were set upon
 those that continued bachelors4 ,for   
they were not permitted to see these    
exercises of the naked virgins2 and the 

magistrates commanded them to march     
naked round the market-place in the     
winter1 and to sing a song composed     
against themselves1 which expressed how 
justly they were punished for their     
disobedience to the laws4 ,they were    
also deprived of that honour and respect
 which the younger people paid to the   
old2 so that nobody found fault with    
what was said to ,dercyllidas1 though an
 eminent commander4 ,it seems1 when he  
came one day into company1 a young man1 
instead of rising up and giving place1  
told him1 ,you have no child to give    
place to me1 when ,i am old4  ,in their 
marriages1 the bridegroom carried off   
the bride by violence2 and she was never
 chosen in a tender age1 but when she   
had arrived at full maturity4 ,then the 
woman that had the direction of the     
wedding1 cut the bride's hair close to  
the skin1 dressed her in man's clothes1 
laid her upon a mattrass1 and left her  
in the dark4 ,the bridegroom1 neither   
oppressed with wine nor enervated with  

luxury1 but perfectly sober1 as having  
always supped at the common table1 went 
in privately1 untied her girdle1 and    
carried her to another bed4 ,having     
stayed there a short time1 he modestly  
retired to his usual apartment1 to sleep
 with the other young men2 and observed 
the same conduct afterwards1 spending   
the day with his companions1 and        
reposing himself with them in the night1
 nor even visiting his bride but with   
great caution and apprehensions of being
 discovered by the rest of the family2  
the bride at the same time exerted all  
her art to contrive convenient          
opportunities for their private         
meetings4 ,and this they did not for a  
short time only1 but some of them even  
had children before they had an         
interview with their wives in the       
daytime4 ,this kind of commerce not only
 exercised their temperance and         
chastity1 but kept their bodies         
fruitful1 and the first ardour of their 
love fresh and unabated2 for as they    

were not satiated like those that are   
always with their wives1 there still was
 place for unextinguished desire4 ,when 
he had thus established a proper regard 
to modesty and decorum with respect to  
marriage1 he was equally studious to    
drive from that state the vain and      
womanish passion of jealousy2 by making 
it quite as reputable to have children  
in common with persons of merit1 as to  
avoid all offensive freedom in their own
 behaviour to their wives4 ,he laughed  
at those who revenge with wars and      
bloodshed the communication of a married
 woman's favours2 and allowed1 that if a
 man in years should have a young wife1 
he might introduce to her some handsome 
and honest young man1 whom he most      
approved of1 and when she had a child of
 this generous race1 bring it up as his 
own4 ,on the other hand1 he allowed1    
that if a man of character should       
entertain a passion for a married woman 
on account of her modesty and the beauty
 of her children1 he might treat with   

her husband for admission to her        
company1 that so planting in a          
beauty-bearing soil1 he might produce   
excellent children1 the congenial       
offspring of excellent parents4 ,for1 in
 the first place1 ,lycurgus considered  
children1 not so much the property of   
their parents as of the state2 and      
therefore he would not have them begot  
by ordinary persons1 but by the best men
 in it4 ,in the next place1 he observed 
the vanity and absurdity of other       
nations1 where people study to have     
their horses and dogs of the finest     
breed they can procure either by        
interest or money2 and yet keep their   
wives shut up1 that they may have       
children by none but themselves1 though 
they may happen to be doting1 decrepit1 
or infirm4 ,as if children1 when sprung 
from a bad stock1 and consequently good 
for nothing1 were no detriment to those 
whom they belong to1 and who have the   
trouble of bringing them up1 nor any    
advantage1 when well descended and of a 

generous disposition4 ,these regulations
 tending to secure a healthy offspring1 
and consequently beneficial to the      
state1 were so far from encouraging that
 licentiousness of the women which      
prevailed afterwards1 that adultery was 
not known amongst them4 ,a saying1 upon 
this subject of ,geradas1 an ancient    
,spartan1 is thus related4 ,a stranger  
had asked him1 ,what punishment their   
law appointed for adulterers8 ,he       
answered1 ,my friend1 there are no      
adulterers in our country4 ,the other   
replied1 ,but what if there should be   
one8 ,why then1 says ,geradas1 he must  
forfeit a bull so large that he might   
drink of the ,eurotas from the top of   
,mount ,taygetus4 ,when the stranger    
expressed his surprise at this1 and     
said1 ,how can such a bull be found8    
,geradas answered with a smile1 ,how can
 an adulterer be found in ,sparta8 ,this
 is the account we have of their        
marriages4  ,it was not left to the     
father to rear what children he pleased1

 but he was obliged to carry the child  
to a place called ,lesche1 to be        
examined by the most ancient men of the 
tribe1 who were assembled there4 ,if it 
was strong and well-proportioned1 they  
gave orders for its education1 and      
assigned it one of the nine thousand    
shares of land2 but if it was weakly and
 deformed1 they ordered it to be thrown 
into the place called ,apothet1 which is
 a deep cavern near the mountain        
,taygetus2 concluding that its life     
could be no advantage either to itself  
or to the public1 since nature had not  
given it at first any strength or       
goodness of constitution4 ,for the same 
reason the women did not wash their     
new-born infants with water1 but with   
wine1 thus making some trial of their   
habit of body2 imagining that sickly and
 epileptic children sink and die under  
the experiment1 while healthy became    
more vigorous and hardy4 ,great care and
 art was also exerted by the nurses2    
for1 as they never swathed the infants1 

their limbs had a freer turn1 and their 
countenances a more liberal air2        
besides1 they used them to any sort of  
meat1 to have no terrors in the dark1   
nor to be afraid of being alone1 and to 
leave all ill humour and unmanly crying4
 ,hence people of other countries       
purchased ,lacedmonian nurses for their 
children2 and ,alcibiades the ,athenian 
is said to have been nursed by ,amicla1 
a ,spartan4 ,but if he was fortunate in 
a nurse1 he was not so in a preceptor3  
for ,zopyrus1 appointed to that office  
by ,pericles1 was1 as ,plato tells us1  
no better qualified than a common slave4
 ,the ,spartan children were not in that
 manner1 under tutors purchased or hired
 with money1 nor were the parents at    
liberty to educate them as they pleased3
 but as soon as they were seven years   
old1 ,lycurgus ordered them to be       
enrolled in companies1 where they were  
all kept under the same order and       
discipline1 and had their exercises and 
recreations in common4 ,he who showed   

the most conduct and courage amongst    
them1 was made captain of the company4  
,the rest kept their eyes upon him1     
obeyed his orders1 and bore with        
patience the punishment he inflicted3 so
 that their whole education was an      
exercise of obedience4 ,the old men were
 present at their diversions1 and often 
suggested some occasion of dispute or   
quarrel1 that they might observe with   
exactness the spirit of each1 and their 
firmness in battle4  ,as for learning1  
they had just what was absolutely       
necessary4 ,all the rest of their       
education was calculated to make them   
subject to command1 to endure labour1 to
 fight and conquer4 ,they added1        
therefore1 to their discipline1 as they 
advance in age2 cutting their hair very 
close1 making them go barefoot1 and     
play1 for the most part1 quite naked4   
,at twelve years of age1 their under    
garment was taken away1 and but one     
upper one a year allowed them4 ,hence   
they were necessarily dirty in their    

persons1 and not indulged the great     
favour of baths1 and oils1 except on    
some particular days of the year4 ,they 
slept in companies1 on beds made of the 
tops of reeds1 which they gathered with 
their own hands1 without knives1 and    
brought from the banks of the ,eurotas4 
,in winter they were permitted to add a 
little thistle-down1 as that seemed to  
have some warmth in it4  ,at this age1  
the most distinguished amongst them     
became the favourite companions of the  
elder2 and the old men attended more    
constantly their places of exercise1    
observing their trials of strength and  
wit1 not slightly and in a cursory      
manner1 but as their fathers1 guardians1
 and governors3 so that there was       
neither time nor place where persons    
were wanting to instruct and chastise   
them4 ,one of the best and ablest men of
 the city was1 moreover1 appointed      
inspector of the youth3 and he gave the 
command of each company to the          
discreetest and most spirited of those  

called ,irens4 ,an ,iren was one that   
had been two years out of the class of  
boys3 a ,melliren one of the oldest     
lads4 ,this ,iren1 then1 a youth twenty 
years old1 gives orders to those under  
his command in their little battles1 and
 has them to serve him at his house4 ,he
 sends the oldest of them to fetch wood1
 and the younger to gather pot-herbs3   
these they steal where they can find    
them1 either slily getting into gardens1
 or else craftily and warily creeping to
 the common tables4 ,but if any one be  
caught1 he is severely flogged for      
negligence or want of dexterity4 ,they  
steal1 too1 whatever victuals they      
possibly can1 ingeniously contriving to 
do it when persons are asleep1 or keep  
but indifferent watch4 ,if they are     
discovered1 they are punished not only  
with whipping1 but with hunger4 ,indeed1
 their supper is but slender at all     
times1 that1 to fence against want1 they
 may be forced to exercise their courage
 and address4 ,this is the first        

intention of their spare diet3 a        
subordinate one is1 to make them grow   
tall4 ,for when the animal spirits are  
not too much oppressed by a great       
quantity of food1 which stretches itself
 out in breadth and thickness1 they     
mount upwards by their natural          
lightness1 and the body easily and      
freely shoots up in height4 ,this also  
contributes to make them handsome2 for  
thin and slender habits yield more      
freely to nature1 which then gives a    
fine proportion to the limbs2 whilst the
 heavy and gross resist her by their    
weight4 ,so women that take physic      
during their pregnancy1 have slighter   
children indeed1 but of a finer and more
 delicate turn1 because the suppleness  
of the matter more readily obeys the    
plastic power4 ,however1 these are      
speculations which we shall leave to    
others4  ,the boys steal with so much   
caution1 that one of them having        
conveyed a young fox under his garment1 
suffered the creature to tear out his   

bowels with his teeth and claws1        
choosing rather to die than to be       
detected4 ,nor does this appear         
incredible1 if we consider what their   
young men can endure to this day2 for we
 have seen many of them expire under the
 lash at the altar of ,diana ,orthia4   
,the ,iren1 reposing himself after      
supper1 used to order one of the boys to
 sing a song2 to another he put some    
question which required a judicious     
answer3 for example1 ,who was the best  
man in the city8 or ,what he thought of 
such an action8 ,this accustomed them   
from their childhood to judge of the    
virtues1 to enter into the affairs of   
their countrymen4 ,for if one of them   
was asked1 ,who is a good citizen1 or   
who an infamous one1 and hesitated in   
his answer1 he was considered a boy of  
slow parts1 and of a soul that would not
 aspire to honour4 ,the answer was      
likewise to have a reason assigned for  
it1 and proof conceived in few words4   
,he whose account of the matter was     

wrong1 by way of punishment had his     
thumb bit by the ,iren4 ,the old men and
 magistrates often attended these little
 trials1 to see whether the ,iren       
exercised his authority in a rational   
and proper manner4 ,he was permitted1   
indeed1 to inflict the penalties2 but   
when the boys were gone1 he was to be   
chastised himself1 if he had punished   
them either with too much severity or   
remissness4  ,the adopters of favourites
 also shared both in the honour and     
disgrace of their boys3 and one of them 
is said to have been mulcted by the     
magistrates1 because the boy whom he had
 taken into his affections let some     
ungenerous word or cry escape him as he 
was fighting4 ,this love was so         
honourable and in so much esteem1 that  
the virgins too had their lovers amongst
 the most virtuous matrons4 ,a          
competition of affection caused no      
misunderstanding1 but rather a mutual   
friendship between those that had fixed 
their regards upon the same youth1 and  

an united endeavour to make him as      
accomplished as possible4  ,the boys    
were also taught to use sharp repartee1 
seasoned with humour1 and whatever they 
said was to be concise and pithy4 ,for  
,lycurgus1 as we have observed1 fixed   
but a small value on a considerable     
quantity of his iron money2 but1 on the 
contrary1 the worth of speech was to    
consist in its being comprised in a few 
plain words1 pregnant with a great deal 
of sense3 and he contrived that by long 
silence they might learn to be          
sententious and acute in their replies4 
,as debauchery often causes weakness and
 sterility in the body1 so the          
intemperance of the tongue makes        
conversation empty and insipid4 ,king   
,agis1 therefore1 when a certain        
,athenian laughed at the ,lacedmonian   
short swords1 and said1 ,the jugglers   
would swallow them with ease upon the   
stage1 answered in his laconic way1 ,and
 yet we can reach our enemies' hearts   
with them4 ,indeed1 to me there seems to

 be something in this concise manner of 
speaking which immediately reaches the  
object aimed at1 and forcibly strikes   
the mind of the hearer4 ,lycurgus       
himself was short and sententious in his
 discourse1 if we may judge by some of  
his answers which are recorded2 that1   
for instance1 concerning the            
constitution4 ,when one advised him to  
establish a popular government in       
,lacedmon1 ,go1 said he1 and first make 
a trial of it in thy own family4 ,that  
again1 concerning sacrifices to the     
,deity1 when he was asked why he        
appointed them so trifling and of so    
little value1 ,that we might never be in
 want1 said he1 of something to offer   
him4 ,once more1 when they inquired of  
him1 what sort of martial exercises he  
allowed of1 he answered1 ,all1 except   
those in which you stretch out your     
hands4 ,several such like replies of his
 are said to be taken from the letters  
which he wrote to his countrymen3 as to 
their question1 ,how shall we best guard

 against the invasion of an enemy8--,by 
continuing poor1 and not desiring in    
your possessions to be one above        
another4 ,and to the question1 whether  
they should enclose ,sparta with walls1 
,that city is well fortified1 which has 
a wall of men instead of brick4 ,whether
 these and some other letters ascribed  
to him are genuine or not1 is no easy   
matter to determine4 ,however1 that they
 hated long speeches1 the following     
apophthegms are a farther proof4 ,king  
,leonidas said to one who discoursed at 
an improper time about affairs of some  
concern1 ,my friend1 you should not talk
 so much to the purpose1 of what it is  
not to the purpose to talk of4          
,charilaus1 the nephew of ,lycurgus1    
being asked why his uncle had made so   
few laws1 answered1 ,to men of few      
words1 few laws are sufficient4 ,some   
people finding fault with ,hecatus the  
sophist1 because1 when admitted to one  
of the public repasts1 he said nothing  
all the time1 ,archidamidas replied1 ,he

 that knows how to speak1 knows also    
when to speak4  ,the manner of their    
repartees1 which1 as ,i said1 were      
seasoned with humour1 may be gathered   
from these instances4 ,when a           
troublesome fellow was pestering        
,demaratus with impertinent questions1  
and this in particular several times    
repeated1 ,who is the best man in       
,sparta8 ,he answered1 ,he that is least
 like you4 ,to some who were commending 
the ,eleans for managing the ,olympic   
games with so much justice and          
propriety1 ,agis said1 ,what great      
matter is it1 if the ,eleans do justice 
once in five years8 ,when a stranger was
 professing his regard for ,theopompus1 
and saying that his own countrymen      
called him ,philolacon 7a lover of the  
,lacedmonians71 the king answered him1  
,my good friend1 it were much better1 if
 they called you ,philopolites 7a lover 
of your own countrymen74 ,plistonax1 the
 son of ,pausanias1 replied to an orator
 of ,athens1 who said the ,lacedmonians 

had no learning4 ,true1 for we are the  
only people of ,greece that have learned
 no ill of you4 ,to one who asked what  
number of men there was in ,sparta1     
,archidamidas said1 ,enough to keep bad 
men at a distance4  ,even when they     
indulged a vein of pleasantry1 one might
 perceive that they would not use one   
unnecessary word1 nor let an expression 
escape them that had not some sense     
worth attending to4 ,for one being asked
 to go and hear a person who imitated   
the nightingale to perfection1 answered1
 ,i have heard the nightingale herself4 
,another said1 upon reading this        
epitaph1       ,victims of ,mars1 at    
,selinus they fell1      ,who quench'd  
the rage of tyranny--  ,and they        
deserved to fall1 for1 instead of       
quenching it1 they should have let it   
burn out4 ,a young man answered one that
 promised him some game-cocks that would
 stand their death1 ,give me those that 
will be the death of others4 ,another   
seeing some people carried into the     

country in litters1 said1 ,may ,i never 
sit in any place where ,i cannot rise   
before the aged6 ,this was the manner of
 their apophthegms3 so that it has been 
justly enough observed that the term    
lakonizein 7to act the ,lacedmonian7 is 
to be referred rather to the exercises  
of the mind1 than those of the body4    
,nor were poetry and music less         
cultivated among them1 than a concise   
dignity of expression4 ,their songs had 
a spirit1 which could rouse the soul1   
and impel it in an enthusiastic manner  
to action4 ,the language was plain and  
manly1 the subject serious and moral4   
,for they consisted chiefly of the      
praises of heroes that had died for     
,sparta1 or else of expressions of      
detestation for such wretches as had    
declined the glorious opportunity1 and  
rather chose to drag on life in misery  
and contempt4 ,nor did they forget to   
express an ambition for glory suitable  
to their respective ages4 ,of this it   
may not be amiss to give an instance4   

,there were three choirs on their       
festivals1 corresponding with the three 
ages of man4 ,the old men began1        
,once in battle bold we shone2  the     
young men answered1       ,try us3 our  
vigour is not gone2  and the boys       
concluded1       ,the palm remains for  
us alone4  ,indeed1 if we consider with 
some attention such of the ,lacedmonian 
poems as are still extant1 and get into 
those airs which were played upon the   
flute when they marched to battle1 we   
must agree that ,terpander and ,pindar  
have very fitly joined valour and music 
together4 ,the former thus speaks of    
,lacedmon1       ,there gleams the      
youth's bright falchion3 there the muse 
,lifts her sweet voice3 there awful     
,justice opes      ,her wide pavilion4  
,and ,pindar sings1       ,there in     
grave council sits the sage2      ,there
 burns the youth's resistless rage      
,to hurl the quiv'ring lance2      ,the 
,muse with glory crowns their arms1     
,and ,melody exerts her charms1         

,and ,pleasure leads the dance4  ,thus  
we are informed1 not only of their      
warlike turn1 but their skill in music4 
,for as the ,spartan poet says1         
,to swell the bold notes of the lyre1   
,becomes the warrior's lofty fire4  ,and
 the king always offered sacrifice to   
the muses before a battle1 putting his  
troops in mind1 ,i suppose1 of their    
early education and of the judgment that
 would be passed upon them2 as well as  
that those divinities might teach them  
to despite danger1 while they performed 
some exploit fit for them to celebrate4 
,on these occasions they relaxed the    
severity of their discipline1 permitting
 their men to be curious in dressing    
their hair1 and elegant in their arms   
and apparel1 while they expressed their 
alacrity1 like horses full of fire and  
neighing for the race4 ,they let their  
hair1 therefore1 grow from their youth1 
but took more particular care1 when they
 expected an action1 to have it well    
combed and shining2 remembering a saying

 of ,lycurgus1 that a large head of hair
 made the handsome more graceful1 and   
the ugly more terrible4 ,the exercises1 
too1 of the young men1 during the       
campaigns1 were more moderate1 their    
diet not so hard1 and their whole       
treatment more indulgent3 so that they  
were the only people in the world with  
whom military discipline wore1 in time  
of war1 a gentler face than usual4 ,when
 the army was drawn up1 and the enemy   
near1 the king sacrificed a goat1 and   
commanded them all to set garlands upon 
their heads1 and the musicians to play  
,castro's march1 while himself began the
 pan1 which was the signal to advance4  
,it was at once a solemn and dreadful   
sight to see them measuring their steps 
to the sound of music1 and without the  
least disorder in their ranks or tumult 
of spirits1 moving forward cheerfully   
and composedly1 with harmony1 to battle4
 ,neither fear nor rashness was likely  
to approve men so disposed1 possessed as
 they were of a firm presence of mind1  

with courage and confidence of success1 
as under the conduct of heaven4 ,when   
the king advanced against the enemy1 he 
had always with him some one that had   
been crowned in the public games of     
,greece4 ,and they tell us1 that a      
,lacedmonian1 when large sums were      
offered him on condition that he would  
not enter the ,olympic lists1 refused   
them1 having with much difficulty thrown
 his antagonist1 one put this question  
to him1 ,spartan1 what will you get by  
this victory8 ,he answered with a smile1
 ,i shall have the honour to fight      
foremost in the ranks before my prince4 
,when they had routed the enemy1 they   
continued the pursuit till they were    
assured of the victory3 after that they 
immediately desisted2 deeming it neither
 generous nor worthy of a ,grecian to   
destroy those who made no farther       
resistance4 ,this was not only a proof  
of magnanimity1 but of great service to 
their cause4 ,for when their adversaries
 found that they killed such as stood it

 out1 but spared the fugitives1 they    
concluded it was better to fly than to  
meet their fate upon the spot4  ,hippias
 the sophist tells us1 that ,lycurgus   
himself was a man of great personal     
valour1 and an experienced commander4   
,philostephanus also ascribes to him the
 first division of cavalry into troops  
of fifty1 who were drawn up in a square 
body4 ,but ,demetrius the ,phalerean    
says1 that he never had any military    
employment1 and that there was the      
profoundest peace imaginable when he    
established the constitution of ,sparta4
 ,his providing for a cessation of arms 
during the ,olympic games is likewise a 
mark of the humane and peaceable man4   
,some1 however1 acquaint us1 and among  
the rest ,hermippus1 that ,lucurgus at  
first had no communication with         
,iphitus2 but coming that way1 and      
happening to be a spectator1 he heard   
behind him a human voice 7as he thought7
 which expressed some wonder and        
displeasure that he did not put his     

countrymen upon resorting to so great an
 assembly4 ,he turned round immediately1
 to discover whence the voice came1 and 
as there was no man to be seen1         
concluded it was from heaven4 ,he joined
 ,iphitus1 therefore2 and ordering1     
along with him1 the ceremonies of the   
festival1 rendered it more magnificent  
and lasting4  ,the discipline of the    
,lacedmonians continued after they were 
arrived at years of maturity4 ,for no   
man was at liberty to live as he        
pleased2 the city being like one great  
camp1 where all had their stated        
allowance1 and knew their public charge1
 each man concluding that he was born1  
not for himself1 but for his country4   
,hence1 if they had no particular       
orders1 they employed themselves in     
inspecting the boys1 and teaching them  
something useful1 or in learning of     
those that were older than themselves4  
,one of the greatest privileges that    
,lycurgus procured his countrymen1 was  
the enjoyment of leisure1 the           

consequence of his forbidding them to   
exercise any mechanic trade4 ,it was not
 worth their while to take great pains  
to raise a fortune1 since riches there  
were of no account3 and the ,helotes1   
who tilled the ground1 were answerable  
for the produce above-mentioned4 ,to    
this purpose we have a story of a       
,lacedmonian1 who1 happening to be at   
,athens while the court sat1 was        
informed of a man who was fined for     
idleness2 and when the poor fellow was  
returning home in great dejection1      
attended by his condoling friends1 he   
desired the company to show him the     
person that was condemned for keeping up
 his dignity4 ,so much beneath them they
 reckoned all attention to mechanics    
arts1 and all desire of riches6         
,lawsuits were banished from ,lacedmon  
with money4 ,the ,spartans knew neither 
riches nor poverty1 but possessed an    
equal competency1 and had a cheap and   
easy way of supplying their few wants4  
,hence1 when they were not engaged in   

war1 their time was taken up with       
dancing1 feasting1 hunting1 or meeting  
to exercise1 or converse4 ,they went not
 to market under thirty years of age1   
all their necessary concerns being      
managed by their relations and adopters4
 ,nor was it reckoned a credit to the   
old to be seen sauntering in the        
market-place2 it was deemed more        
suitable for them to pass great part of 
the day in the schools of exercise1 or  
places of conversation4 ,their discourse
 seldom turned upon money1 or business1 
or trade1 but upon the praise of the    
excellent1 or the contempt of the       
worthless2 and the last was expressed   
with that pleasantry and humour1 which  
conveyed instruction and correction     
without seeming to intend it4 ,nor was  
,lycurgus himself immoderately severe in
 his manner2 but1 as ,sosibius tells us1
 he dedicated a little statue to the god
 of laughter in each hall4 ,he          
considered facetiousness as a seasoning 
of their hard exercise and diet1 and    

therefore ordered it to take place on   
all proper occasions1 in their common   
entertainments and parties of pleasure4 
,upon the whole1 he taught his citizens 
to think nothing more disagreeable than 
to live by 7or for7 themselves4 ,like   
bees1 they acted with one impulse for   
the public good1 and always assembled   
about their prince4 ,they were possessed
 with a thirst of honour1 an enthusiasm 
bordering upon insanity1 and had not a  
wish but for their country4 ,these      
sentiments are confirmed by some of     
their aphorisms4 ,when ,pdaretus lost   
his election for one of the three       
hundred1 he went away rejoicing that    
there were three hundred better men than
 himself found in the city4             
,pisistratidas going with some others1  
ambassador to the king of ,persia's     
lieutenants1 was asked whether they came
 with a public commission1 or on their  
own account1 to which he answered1 ,if  
successful1 for the public2 if          
unsuccessful1 for ourselves4            

,agrileonis1 the mother of ,brasidas1   
asking some ,amphipolitans that waited  
upon her at her house1 whether ,brasidas
 died honourably and as became a        
,spartan8 they greatly extolled his     
merit1 and said there was not such a man
 left in ,sparta2 whereupon she replied1
 ,say not so1 my friends2 for ,brasidas 
was indeed a man of honour1 but         
,lacedmon can boast of many better men  
than he4  ,the senate1 as ,i said       
before1 consisted at first of those that
 were assistants to ,lycurgus in his    
great enterprise4 ,afterwards1 to fill  
up any vacancy that might happen1 he    
ordered the most worthy men to be       
selected1 of those that were full       
threescore years old4 ,this was the most
 respectable dispute in the world1 and  
the contest was truly glorious2 for it  
was not who should be swiftest among the
 swift1 or strongest of the strong1 but 
who was the wisest and best among the   
good and wise4 ,he who had the          
preference was to bear this mark of     

superior excellence through life1 this  
great authority1 which put into his     
hands the lives and honour of the       
citizens1 and every other important     
affair4 ,the manner of the election was 
this3 when the people were assembled1   
some persons appointed for the purpose  
were shut up in a room near the place2  
where they could neither see nor be     
seen1 and only hear the shouts of the   
constituents3 for by them they decided  
this and most other affairs4 ,each      
candidate walked silently through the   
assembly1 one after another according to
 lot4 ,those that were shut up had      
writing tables1 in which they set down  
in different columns the number and     
loudness of the shouts1 without knowing 
who they were for2 only they marked them
 as first1 second1 third1 and so on1    
according to the number of the          
competitors4 ,he that had the most and  
loudest acclamations1 was declared duly 
elected4 ,then he was crowned with a    
garland1 and went round to give thanks  

to the gods3 a number of young men      
followed1 striving which should extol   
him most1 and the women celebrated his  
virtues in their songs1 and blessed his 
worthy life and conduct4 ,each of his   
relations offered him a repast1 and     
their address on the occasion was1      
,sparta honours you with this collation4
 ,when he had finished the procession1  
he went to the common table1 and lived  
as before4 ,only two portions were set  
before him1 one of which he carried     
away3 and as all the women related to   
him attended at the gates of the public 
hall1 he called her for whom he had the 
greatest esteem1 and presented her with 
the portion1 saying at the same time1   
,that which ,i received as a mark of    
honour1 ,i give to you4 ,then she was   
conducted home with great applause by   
the rest of the women4  ,lycurgus       
likewise made good regulations with     
respect to burials4 ,in the first place1
 to take away all superstition1 he      
ordered the dead to be buried in the    

city1 and even permitted their monuments
 to be erected near the temples2        
accustoming the youth to such sights    
from their infancy1 that they might have
 no uneasiness from them1 nor any horror
 for death1 as if people were polluted  
with the touch of a dead body1 or with  
treading upon a grave4 ,in the next     
place1 he suffered nothing to be buried 
with the corpse1 except the red cloth   
and the olive leaves in which it was    
wrapped4 ,nor would he suffer the       
relations to inscribe any names upon the
 tombs1 except of those men that fell in
 battle1 or those women who died in some
 sacred office4 ,he fixed eleven days   
for the time of mourning3 on the twelfth
 they were to put an end to it1 after   
offering sacrifice to ,ceres4 ,no part  
of life was left vacant and unimproved1 
but even with their necessary actions he
 interwove the praise of virtue and the 
contempt of vice3 and he so filled the  
city with living examples1 that it was  
next to impossible1 for persons who had 

these from their infancy before their   
eyes1 not to be drawn and formed to     
honour4  ,for the same reason he would  
not permit all that desired to go abroad
 and see other countries1 lest they     
should contract foreign manners1 gain   
traces of a life of little discipline1  
and of a different form of government4  
,he forbid strangers too to resort to   
,sparta1 who could not assign a good    
reason for their coming2 not1 as        
,thucydides says1 out of fear they      
should imitate the constitution of that 
city1 and make improvements in virtue1  
but lest they should teach his own      
people some evil4 ,for along with       
foreigners come new subjects of         
discourse2 new discourse produces new   
opinions2 and from these there          
necessarily spring new passions and     
desires1 which1 like discords in music1 
would disturb the established           
government4 ,he1 therefore1 thought it  
more expedient for the city to keep out 
of it corrupt customs and manners1 than 

even to prevent the introduction of a   
pestilence4  ,thus far1 then1 we can    
perceive no vestiges of a disregard to  
right and wrong1 which is the fault some
 people find with the laws of ,lycurgus1
 allowing them well enough calculated to
 produce valour1 but not to promote     
justice4 ,perhaps it was the ,cryptia1  
as they called it1 or ambuscade1 if that
 was really one of this lawgiver's      
institutions1 as ,aristotle says it was1
 which gave ,plato so bad an impression 
both of ,lycurgus and his laws4 ,the    
governors of the youth ordered the      
shrewdest of them from time to time to  
disperse themselves in the country1     
provided only with daggers and some     
necessary provisions4 ,in the daytime   
they hid themselves1 and rested in the  
most private places they could find1 but
 at night they sallied out into the     
roads1 and killed all the ,helotes they 
could meet with4 ,nay1 sometimes by day1
 they fell upon them in the fields1 and 
murdered the ablest and strongest of    

them4 ,thucydides relates in his history
 of the ,peloponnesian war1 that the    
,spartans selected such of them as were 
distinguished for their courage1 to the 
number of two thousand or more1 declared
 them free1 crowned them with garlands1 
and conducted them to the temples of the
 gods2 but soon after they all          
disappeared2 and no one could1 either   
then or since1 give account in what     
manner they were destroyed4 ,aristotle  
particularly says1 that the ,ephori1 as 
soon as they were invested in their     
office1 declared war against the        
,helotes1 that they might be massacred  
under pretence of law4 ,in other        
respects they treated them with great   
inhumanity3 sometimes they made them    
drink till they were intoxicated1 and in
 that condition led them into the public
 halls1 to show the young men what      
drunkenness was4 ,they ordered them too 
to sing mean songs1 and to dance        
ridiculous dances1 but not to meddle    
with any that were genteel and graceful4

 ,thus they tell us1 that when the      
,thebans afterwards invaded ,laconia1   
and took a great number of the ,helotes 
prisoners1 they ordered them to sing the
 odes of ,terpander1 ,aleman1 or        
,spendon the ,lacedmonian1 but they     
excused themselves1 alleging that it was
 forbidden by their masters4 ,those who 
say that a freeman in ,sparta was most a
 freeman1 and a slave most a slave1 seem
 well to have considered the difference 
of states4 ,but in my opinion1 it was in
 after-times that these cruelties took  
place among the ,lacedmonians1 chiefly  
after the great earthquake1 when1 as    
history informs us1 the ,helotes1       
joining the ,messenians1 attacked them1 
did infinite damage to the country1 and 
brought the city to the greatest        
extremity4 ,i can never ascribe to      
,lycurgus so abominable an act as that  
of the ambuscade4 ,i would judge in this
 case by the mildness and justice which 
appeared in the rest of his conduct1 to 
which also the gods gave their sanction4

  ,when his principal institutions had  
taken root in the manners of the people1
 and the government was come to such    
maturity as to be able to support and   
preserve itself1 then1 as ,plato says of
 the ,deity1 that he rejoiced when he   
had created the world1 and given it its 
first motion2 so ,lycurgus was charmed  
with the beauty and greatness of his    
political establishment1 when he saw it 
exemplified in fact1 and move on in due 
order4 ,he was next desirous to make it 
immortal1 so far as human wisdom could  
effect it1 and to deliver it down       
unchanged to the latest times4 ,for this
 purpose he assembled all the people1   
and told them the provisions he had     
already made for the state were indeed  
sufficient for virtue and happiness1 but
 the greatest and most important matter 
was still behind1 which he could not    
disclose to them till he had consulted  
the oracle2 that they must therefore    
inviolably observe his laws1 without    
altering anything in them1 till he      

returned from ,delphi2 and then he would
 acquaint them with the pleasure of     
,apollo4 ,when they had all promised to 
do so1 and desired him to set forward1  
he took an oath of the kings and        
senators1 and afterwards of all the     
citizens1 that they would abide by the  
present establishment till ,lycurgus    
came back4 ,he then took his journey to 
,delphi4  ,when he arrived there1 he    
offered sacrifice to the gods1 and      
consulted the oracle1 whether his laws  
were sufficient to promote virtue1 and  
secure the happiness of the state4      
,apollo answered1 that the laws were    
excellent1 and that the city which kept 
to the constitution he had established1 
would be the most glorious in the world4
 ,this oracle ,lycurgus took down in    
writing1 and sent it to ,sparta4 ,he    
then offered another sacrifice1 and     
embraced his friends and his son1       
determined never to release his citizens
 from their oath1 but voluntarily there 
to put a period to his life2 while he   

was yet of an age when life was not a   
burden1 when death was not desirable1   
and while he was not unhappy in any one 
circumstance4 ,he1 therefore1 destroyed 
himself by abstaining from food1        
persuaded that the very death of        
lawgivers should have its use1 and their
 exit1 so far from being insignificant1 
have its share of virtue1 and be        
considered as a great action4 ,to him1  
indeed1 whose performances were so      
illustrious1 the conclusion of life was 
the crown of happiness1 and his death   
was left guardian of those invaluable   
blessings he had procured his countrymen
 through life1 as they had taken an oath
 not to depart from his establishment   
till his return4 ,nor was he deceived in
 his expectations4 ,sparta continued    
superior to the rest of ,greece1 both in
 its government at home and reputation  
abroad1 so long as it retained the      
institution of ,lycurgus3 and this it   
did during the space of five hundred    
years1 and the reign of fourteen        

successive kings1 down to ,agis the son 
of ,archidamus4 ,as for the appointment 
of the ,ephori1 it was so far from      
weakening the constitution1 that it gave
 it additional vigour1 and though it    
seemed to be established in favour of   
the people1 it strengthened the         
aristocracy4  ,but in the reign of ,agis
 money found its way into ,sparta1 and  
with money came its inseparable         
attendant--avarice4 ,this was by means  
of ,lysander2 who1 though himself       
incapable of being corrupted by money1  
filled his country with the love of it1 
and with luxury too4 ,he brought both   
gold and silver from the wars1 and      
thereby broke through the laws of       
,lycurgus4 ,while these were in force1  
,sparta was not so much under the       
political regulations of a commonwealth1
 as the strict rules of a philosophic   
life2 and as the poets feign of         
,hercules1 that only with a club and    
lion's skin he travelled over the world1
 clearing it of lawless ruffians and    

cruel tyrants2 so the ,lacedmonians with
 a piece of parchment and coarse coat   
kept ,greece in a voluntary obedience1  
destroyed usurpation and tyranny in the 
states1 put an end to wars1 and laid    
seditions asleep1 very often without    
either shield or lance1 and only by     
sending one ambassador2 to whose        
directions all parties concerned        
immediately submitted4 ,thus bees1 when 
their prince appears1 compose their     
quarrels and unite in one swarm4 ,so    
much did justice and good government    
prevail in that state1 that ,i am       
surprised at those who say the          
,lacedmonians knew indeed how to obey1  
but not how to govern3 and on this      
occasion quote the saying of king       
,theopompus1 who1 when one told him that
 ,sparta was preserved by the good      
administration of its kings1 replied1   
,nay1 rather by the obedience of their  
subjects4 ,it is certain that people    
will not continue pliant to those who   
know not how to command2 but it is the  

part of a good governor to teach        
obedience4 ,he who knows how to lead    
well1 is sure to be well followed3 and  
as it is by the art of horsemanship that
 a horse is made gentle and tractable1  
so it is by the abilities of him that   
fills the throne that the people become 
ductile and submissive4 ,such was the   
conduct of the ,lacedmonians1 that      
people did not only endure1 but even    
desired to be their subjects4 ,they     
asked not of them either ships1 money or
 troops1 but only a ,spartan general4   
,when they had received him1 they       
treated him with the greatest honour and
 respect2 so ,gylippus was revered by   
the ,sicilians1 ,brasidas by the        
,chalcidians1 ,lysander1 ,callicratidas1
 and ,agesilaus by all the people of    
,asia4 ,these1 and such as these1       
wherever they came1 were called         
moderators and reformers1 both of the   
magistrates and people1 and ,sparta     
itself was considered as a school of    
discipline1 where the beauty of life and

 political order were taught in the     
utmost perfection4 ,hence ,stratonicus  
seems facetiously enough to have said1  
that he would order the ,athenians to   
have the conduct of mysteries and       
processions2 the ,eleans to preside in  
games1 as their particular province2 and
 the ,lacedmonians to be beaten1 if the 
other did amiss4 ,this was spoken in    
jest3 but ,antisthenes1 one of the      
scholars of ,socrates1 said 7more       
seriously7 of the ,thebans1 when he saw 
them pluming themselves upon their      
success at ,leuctra1 ,they were just    
like so many school-boys rejoicing that 
they had beaten their master4  ,it was  
not1 however1 the principal design of   
,lycurgus that his city should govern   
many others1 but he considered its      
happiness like that of a private man1 as
 flowing from virtue and                
self-consistency3 he therefore so       
ordered and disposed it1 that by the    
freedom and sobriety of its inhabitants1
 and their having a sufficiency within  

themselves1 its continuance might be the
 more secure4 ,plato1 ,diogenes1 ,zeno1 
and other writers upon government1 have 
taken ,lycurgus for their model3 and    
these have attained great praise1 though
 they left only an idea of something    
excellent4 ,yet he who1 not in idea and 
in words1 but in fact produced a most   
inimitable form of government1 and by   
showing a whole city of philosophers1   
confounded those who imagine that the so
 much talked of strictness of a         
philosophic life is impracticable2 he1  
,i say1 stands in the rank of glory far 
beyond the founders of all the other    
,grecian states4 ,therefore ,aristotle  
is of opinion1 that the honours paid him
 in ,lacedmon were far beneath his      
merit4 ,yet those honours were very     
great2 for he has a temple there1 and   
they offer him a yearly sacrifice1 as a 
god4 ,it is also said1 that when his    
remains were brought home1 his tomb was 
struck with lightning3 a seal of        
divinity which no other man1 however    

eminent1 has had1 except ,euripides1 who
 died and was buried at ,arethusa in    
,macedonia4 ,this was matter of great   
satisfaction and triumph to the friends 
of ,euripides1 that the same thing      
should befall him after death1 which had
 formerly happened to the most venerable
 of men1 and the most favoured of       
heaven4 ,some say1 ,lycurgus died at    
,cirrha2 but ,apollothemis will have it1
 that he was brought to ,elis and died  
there2 and ,timus and ,aristoxenus      
write1 that he ended his days in ,crete2
 nay1 ,aristoxenus adds1 that the       
,cretans show his tomb at ,pergamia1    
near the high road4 ,we are told1 he    
left an only son named ,antiorus3 and as
 he died without issue1 the family was  
extinct4 ,his friends and relations     
observed his anniversary1 which         
subsisted for many ages1 and the days on
 which they met for that purpose they   
called ,lycurgid4 ,aristocrates1 the son
 of ,hipparchus1 relates1 that the      
friends of ,lycurgus1 with whom he      

sojourned1 and at last died in ,crete1  
burned his body1 and1 at his request1   
threw his ashes into the sea4 ,thus he  
guarded against the possibility of his  
remains being brought back to ,sparta by
 the ,lacedmonians1 lest they should    
then think themselves released from     
their oath1 on the pretence that he was 
returned1 and make innovations in the   
government4 ,this is what we had to say 
of ,lycurgus4     ,,sir ,,thomas        
,,more',s  ,,utopia4     ,,utopia4      
,,book ,i4   ,henry the ,eighth1 the    
unconquered ,king of ,england1 a prince 
adorned with all the virtues that become
 a great monarch1 having some           
differences of no small consequence with
 ,charles the most serene prince of     
,castile1 sent me into ,flanders1 as his
 ambassador1 for treating and composing 
matters between them4 ,i was colleague  
and companion to that incomparable man  
,cuthbert ,tonstal1 whom the king with  
such universal applause lately made     
,master of the ,rolls2 but of whom ,i   

will say nothing2 not because ,i fear   
that the testimony of a friend will be  
suspected1 but rather because his       
learning and virtues are too great for  
me to do them justice1 and so well      
known1 that they need not my            
commendations unless ,i would1 according
 to the proverb1 ,show the sun with a   
lanthorn4 ,those that were appointed by 
the prince to treat with us met us at   
,bruges1 according to agreement2 they   
were all worthy men4 ,the ,margrave of  
,bruges was their head1 and the chief   
man among them2 but he that was esteemed
 the wisest1 and that spoke for the     
rest1 was ,george ,temse1 the ,provost  
of ,casselsee2 both art and nature had  
concurred to make him eloquent3 he was  
very learned in the law2 and as he had a
 great capacity1 so by a long practice  
in affairs he was very dextrous at      
unravelling them4 ,after we had several 
times met without coming to an          
agreement1 they went to ,brussels for   
some days to know the prince's pleasure4

 ,and since our business would admit it1
 ,i went to ,antwerp4 ,while ,i was     
there1 among many that visited me1 there
 was one that was more acceptable to me 
than any other1 ,peter ,giles1 born at  
,antwerp1 who is a man of great honour1 
and of a good rank in his town1 though  
less than he deserves2 for ,i do not    
know if there be anywhere to be found a 
more learned and a better bred young    
man3 for as he is both a very worthy and
 a very knowing person1 so he is so     
civil to all men1 so particularly kind  
to his friends1 and so full of candour  
and affection1 that there is not perhaps
 above one or two anywhere to be found  
that is in all respects so perfect a    
friend4 ,he is extraordinarily modest1  
there is no artifice in him2 and yet no 
man has more of a prudent simplicity3   
his conversation was so pleasant and so 
innocently cheerful1 that his company in
 a great measure lessened any longings  
to go back to my country1 and to my wife
 and children1 which an absence of four 

months had quickened very much4 ,one day
 as ,i was returning home from ,mass at 
,st4 ,mary's1 which is the chief church1
 and the most frequented of any in      
,antwerp1 ,i saw him by accident talking
 with a stranger1 who seemed past the   
flower of his age2 his face was tanned1 
he had a long beard1 and his cloak was  
hanging carelessly about him1 so that by
 his looks and habit ,i concluded he was
 a seaman4 ,as soon as ,peter saw me1 he
 came and saluted me2 and as ,i was     
returning his civility1 he took me      
aside1 and pointing to him with whom he 
had been discoursing1 he said1 ,do you  
see that man8 ,i was just thinking to   
bring him to you4 ,i answered1 ,he      
should have been very welcome on your   
account4 ,and on his own too1 replied   
he1 if you knew the man1 for there is   
none alive that can give so copious an  
account of unknown nations and countries
 as he can do2 which ,i know you very   
much desire4 ,then said ,i1 ,i did not  
guess amiss1 for at first sight ,i took 

him for a seaman4 ,but you are much     
mistaken1 said he1 for he has not sailed
 as a seaman1 but as a traveller1 or    
rather a philosopher4 ,this ,raphael1   
who from his family carries the name of 
,hythloday1 is not ignorant of the      
,latin tongue1 but is eminently learned 
in the ,greek1 having applied himself   
more particularly to that than to the   
former1 because he had given himself    
much to philosophy1 in which he knew    
that the ,romans have left us nothing   
that is valuable1 except what is to be  
found in ,seneca and ,cicero4 ,he is a  
,portuguese by birth1 and was so        
desirous of seeing the world1 that he   
divided his estate among his brothers1  
run the same hazard as ,americus        
,vesputius1 and bore a share in three of
 his four voyages1 that are now         
published2 only he did not return with  
him in his last1 but obtained leave of  
him almost by force1 that he might be   
one of those twenty-four who were left  
at the farthest place at which they     

touched1 in their last voyage to ,new   
,castile4 ,the leaving him thus did not 
a little gratify one that was more fond 
of travelling than of returning home1 to
 be buried in his own country2 for he   
used often to say1 that the way to      
heaven was the same from all places2 and
 he that had no grave1 had the heaven   
still over him4 ,yet this disposition of
 mind had cost him dear1 if ,god had not
 been very gracious to him2 for after   
he1 with five ,castilians1 had travelled
 over many countries1 at last1 by       
strange good fortune1 he got to ,ceylon1
 and from thence to ,calicut1 where he  
very happily found some ,portuguese     
ships2 and1 beyond all men's            
expectations1 returned to his native    
country4 ,when ,peter had said this to  
me1 ,i thanked him for his kindness1 in 
intending to give me the acquaintance of
 a man whose conversation he knew would 
be so acceptable2 and upon that ,raphael
 and ,i embraced each other4 ,after     
those civilities were past which are    

usual with strangers upon their first   
meeting1 we all went to my house1 and   
entering into the garden1 sat down on a 
green bank1 and entertained one another 
in discourse4 ,he told us1 that when    
,vesputius had sailed away1 he and his  
companions that stayed behind in ,new   
,castile1 by degrees insinuated         
themselves into the affections of the   
people of the country1 meeting often    
with them1 and treating them gently3 and
 at last they not only lived among them 
without danger1 but conversed familiarly
 with them2 and got so far into the     
heart of a prince1 whose name and       
country ,i have forgot1 that he both    
furnished them plentifully with all     
things necessary1 and also with the     
conveniences of travelling2 both boats  
when they went by water1 and waggons    
when they travelled over land3 he sent  
with them a very faithful guide1 who was
 to introduce and recommend them to such
 other princes as they had a mind to    
see3 and after many days' journey1 they 

came to towns1 and cities1 and to       
commonwealths1 that were both happily   
governed and well peopled4 ,under the   
equator1 and as far on both sides of it 
as the sun moves1 there lay vast deserts
 that were parched with the perpetual   
heat of the sun2 the soil was withered1 
all things looked dismally1 and all     
places were either quite uninhabited1 or
 abounded with wild beasts and serpents1
 and some few men1 that were neither    
less wild nor less cruel than the beasts
 themselves4 ,but as they went farther1 
a new scene opened1 all things grew     
milder1 the air less burning1 the soil  
more verdant1 and even the beasts were  
less wild3 and at last there were       
nations1 towns1 and cities1 that had not
 only mutual commerce among themselves1 
and with their neighbours1 but traded   
both by sea and land1 to very remote    
countries4 ,there they found the        
conveniences of seeing many countries on
 all hands1 for no ship went any voyage 
into which he and his companions were   

not very welcome4 ,the first vessels    
that they saw were flat-bottomed1 their 
sails were made of reeds and wicker     
woven close together1 only some were of 
leather2 but afterwards they found ships
 made with round keels1 and canvas      
sails1 and in all respects like our     
ships2 and the seamen understood both   
astronomy and navigation4 ,he got       
wonderfully into their favour1 by       
showing them the use of the needle1 of  
which till then they were utterly       
ignorant4 ,they sailed before with great
 caution1 and only in summer-time1 but  
now they count all seasons alike1       
trusting wholly to the loadstone1 in    
which they are perhaps more secure than 
safe2 so that there is reason to fear   
that this discovery1 which was thought  
would prove so much to their advantage1 
may by their imprudence become an       
occasion of much mischief to them4 ,but 
it were too long to dwell on all that he
 told us he had observed in every place2
 it would be too great a digression from

 our present purpose3 whatever is       
necessary to be told1 concerning those  
wise and prudent institutions which he  
observed among civilized nations1 may   
perhaps be related by us on a more      
proper occasion4 ,we asked him many     
questions concerning all these things1  
to which he answered very willingly2    
only we made no inquiries after         
monsters1 than which nothing is more    
common2 for everywhere one may hear of  
ravenous dogs and wolves1 and cruel     
men-eaters2 but it is not so easy to    
find states that are well and wisely    
governed4  ,as he told us of many things
 that were amiss in those new-discovered
 countries1 so he reckoned up not a few 
things from which patterns might be     
taken for correcting the errors of these
 nations among whom we live2 of which an
 account may be given1 as ,i have       
already promised1 at some other time2   
for at present ,i intend only to relate 
those particulars that he told us of the
 manners and laws of the ,utopians3 but 

,i will begin with the occasion that led
 us to speak of that commonwealth4      
,after ,raphael had discoursed with     
great judgment on the many errors that  
were both among us and these nations2   
had treated of the wise institutions    
both here and there1 and had spoken as  
distinctly of the customs and government
 of every nation through which he had   
passed1 as if he had spent his whole    
life in it2 ,peter being struck with    
admiration1 said1 ,i wonder1 ,raphael1  
how it comes that you enter into no     
king's service1 for ,i am sure there are
 none to whom you would not be very     
acceptable3 for your learning and       
knowledge1 both of men and things1 is   
such1 that you would not only entertain 
them very pleasantly1 but be of great   
use to them1 by the examples you could  
set before them1 and the advices you    
could give them2 and by this means you  
would both serve your own interest1 and 
be of great use to all your             
friends4--,as for my friends1 answered  

he1 ,i need not be much concerned1      
having already done for them all that   
was incumbent on me2 for when ,i was not
 only in good health1 but fresh and     
young1 ,i distributed that among my     
kindred and friends which other people  
do not part with till they are old and  
sick2 when they then unwillingly give   
that which they can enjoy no longer     
themselves4 ,i think my friends ought to
 rest contented with this1 and not to   
expect that for their sakes ,i should   
enslave myself to any king              
whatsoever4--,soft and fair1 said       
,peter1 ,i do not mean that you should  
be a slave to any king1 but only that   
you should assist them1 and be useful to
 them4--,the change of the word1 said   
he1 does not alter the matter4--,but    
term it as you will1 replied ,peter1 ,i 
do not see any other way in which you   
can be so useful1 both in private to    
your friends1 and to the public1 and by 
which you can make your own condition   
happier4--,happier6 answered ,raphael1  

is that to be compassed in a way so     
abhorrent to my genius8 ,now ,i live as 
,i will1 to which ,i believe few        
courtiers can pretend4 ,and there are so
 many that court the favour of great    
men1 that there will be no great loss if
 they are not troubled either with me or
 with others of my temper4 ,upon this1  
said ,i1 ,i perceive1 ,raphael1 that you
 neither desire wealth nor greatness2   
and indeed ,i value and admire such a   
man much more than ,i do any of the     
great men in the world4 ,yet ,i think   
you would do what would well become so  
generous and philosophical a soul as    
yours is1 if you would apply your time  
and thoughts to public affairs1 even    
though you may happen to find it a      
little uneasy to yourself3 and this you 
can never do with so much advantage1 as 
by being taken into the counsel of some 
great prince1 and putting him on noble  
and worthy actions1 which ,i know you   
would do if you were in such a post2 for
 the springs both of good and evil flow 

from the prince1 over a whole nation1 as
 from a lasting fountain4 ,so much      
learning as you have1 even without      
practice in affairs1 or so great a      
practice as you have had1 without any   
other learning1 would render you a very 
fit counsellor to any king              
whatsoever4--,you are doubly mistaken1  
said he1 ,mr4 ,more1 both in your       
opinion of me1 and in the judgment you  
make of things3 for as ,i have not that 
capacity that you fancy ,i have2 so1 if 
,i had it1 the public would not be one  
jot the better1 when ,i had sacrificed  
my quiet to it4 ,for most princes apply 
themselves more to affairs of war than  
to the useful arts of peace2 and in     
these ,i neither have any knowledge1 nor
 do ,i much desire it3 they are         
generally more set on acquiring new     
kingdoms1 right or wrong1 than on       
governing well those they possess4 ,and 
among the ministers of princes1 there   
are none that are not so wise as to need
 no assistance1 or at least that do not 

think themselves so wise1 that they     
imagine they need none2 and if they     
court any1 it is only those for whom the
 prince has much personal favour1 whom  
by their fawnings and flatteries they   
endeavour to fix to their own interests3
 and indeed ,nature has so made us1 that
 we all love to be flattered1 and to    
please ourselves with our own notions4  
,the old crow loves his young1 and the  
ape her cubs4 ,now if in such a ,court1 
made up of persons who envy all others1 
and only admire themselves1 a person    
should but propose anything that he had 
either read in history1 or observed in  
his travels1 the rest would think that  
the reputation of their wisdom would    
sink1 and that their interest would be  
much depressed1 if they could not run it
 down3 and if all other things failed1  
then they would fly to this1 that such  
or such things pleased our ancestors1   
and it were well for us if we could but 
match them4 ,they would set up their    
rest on such an answer1 as a sufficient 

confutation of all that could be said2  
as if it were a great misfortune1 that  
any should be found wiser than his      
ancestors2 but though they willingly let
 go all the good things that were among 
those of former ages1 yet if better     
things are proposed they cover          
themselves obstinately with this excuse 
of reverence to past times4 ,i have met 
with these proud1 morose1 and absurd    
judgments of things in many places1     
particularly once in ,england4--,was you
 ever there8 said ,i4--,yes1 ,i was1    
answered he1 and stayed some months     
there1 not long after the rebellion in  
the west was suppressed with a great    
slaughter of the poor people that were  
engaged in it4  ,i was then much obliged
 to that reverend prelate1 ,john        
,morton1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1    
,cardinal1 and ,chancellor of ,england3 
a man1 said he1 ,peter 7for ,mr4 ,more  
knows well what he was71 that was not   
less venerable for his wisdom and       
virtues1 than for the high character he 

bore4 ,he was of a middle stature1 not  
broken with age2 his looks begot        
reverence rather than fear2 his         
conversation was easy1 but serious and  
grave2 he sometimes took pleasure to try
 the force of those that came as suitors
 to him upon business1 by speaking      
sharply1 though decently to them1 and by
 that he discovered their spirit and    
presence of mind1 with which he was much
 delighted1 when it did not grow up to  
impudence1 as bearing a great           
resemblance to his own temper2 and he   
looked on such persons as the fittest   
men for affairs4 ,he spoke both         
gracefully and weightily2 he was        
eminently skilled in the law1 had a vast
 understanding1 and a prodigious memory2
 and those excellent talents with which 
,nature had furnished him1 were improved
 by study and experience4 ,when ,i was  
in ,england the king depended much on   
his counsels1 and the government seemed 
to be chiefly supported by him2 for from
 his youth he had been all along        

practised in affairs2 and having passed 
through many traverses of fortune1 he   
had with great cost acquired a vast     
stock of wisdom1 which is not soon lost 
when it is purchased so dear4 ,one day  
when ,i was dining with him there       
happened to be at table one of the      
,english lawyers1 who took occasion to  
run out in a high commendation of the   
severe execution of justice upon        
thieves1 who1 as he said1 were then     
hanged so fast1 that there were         
sometimes twenty on one gibbet2 and upon
 that he said he could not wonder enough
 how it came to pass1 that since so few 
escaped1 there were yet so many thieves 
left who were still robbing in all      
places4 ,upon this1 ,i who took the     
boldness to speak freely before the     
,cardinal1 said1 there was no reason to 
wonder at the matter1 since this way of 
punishing thieves was neither just in   
itself nor good for the public2 for as  
the severity was too great1 so the      
remedy was not effectual2 simple theft  

not being so great a crime that it ought
 to cost a man his life1 no punishment  
how severe soever being able to restrain
 those from robbing who can find out no 
other way of livelihood4 ',in this1'    
said ,i1 'not only you in ,england1 but 
a great part of the world imitate some  
ill masters that are readier to chastise
 their scholars than to teach them4     
,there are dreadful punishments enacted 
against thieves1 but it were much better
 to make such good provisions by which  
every man might be put in a method how  
to live1 and so be preserved from the   
fatal necessity of stealing and of dying
 for it4'--',there has been care enough 
taken for that1' said he1 'there are    
many handicrafts1 and there is          
husbandry1 by which they may make a     
shift to live unless they have a greater
 mind to follow ill courses4'--',that   
will not serve your turn1' said ,i1 'for
 many lose their limbs in civil or      
foreign wars1 as lately in the ,cornish 
rebellion1 and some time ago in your    

wars with ,france1 who being thus       
mutilated in the service of their king  
and country1 can no more follow their   
old trades1 and are too old to learn new
 ones3 but since wars are only          
accidental things1 and have intervals1  
let us consider those things that fall  
out every day4 ,there is a great number 
of noblemen among you1 that are         
themselves as idle as drones1 that      
subsist on other men's labour1 on the   
labour of their tenants1 whom1 to raise 
their revenues1 they pare to the quick4 
,this indeed is the only instance of    
their frugality1 for in all other things
 they are prodigal1 even to the         
beggaring of themselves3 but besides    
this1 they carry about with them a great
 number of idle fellows1 who never      
learned any art by which they may gain  
their living2 and these1 as soon as     
either their lord dies1 or they         
themselves fall sick1 are turned out of 
doors2 for your lords are readier to    
feed idle people1 than to take care of  

the sick2 and often the heir is not able
 to keep together so great a family as  
his predecessor did4 ,now when the      
stomachs of those that are thus turned  
out of doors1 grow keen1 they rob no    
less keenly2 and what else can they do8 
for when1 by wandering about1 they have 
worn out both their health and their    
clothes1 and are tattered1 and look     
ghastly1 men of quality will not        
entertain them1 and poor men dare not do
 it2 knowing that one who has been bred 
up in idleness and pleasure1 and who was
 used to walk about with his sword and  
buckler1 despising all the neighbourhood
 with an insolent scorn1 as far below   
him1 is not fit for the spade and       
mattock3 nor will he serve a poor man   
for so small a hire1 and in so low a    
diet as he can afford to give him4' ,to 
this he answered1 ',this sort of men    
ought to be particularly cherished1 for 
in them consists the force of the armies
 for which we have occasion2 since their
 birth inspires them with a nobler sense

 of honour1 than is to be found among   
tradesmen or ploughmen4'--',you may as  
well say1' replied ,i1 'that you must   
cherish thieves on the account of wars1 
for you will never want the one1 as long
 as you have the other2 and as robbers  
prove sometimes gallant soldiers1 so    
soldiers often prove brave robbers2 so  
near an alliance there is between those 
two sorts of life4 ,but this bad custom1
 so common among you1 of keeping many   
servants1 is not peculiar to this       
nation4 ,in ,france there is yet a more 
pestiferous sort of people1 for the     
whole country is full of soldiers1 still
 kept up in time of peace2 if such a    
state of a nation can be called a peace3
 and these are kept in pay upon the same
 account that you plead for those idle  
retainers about noblemen2 this being a  
maxim of those pretended statesmen that 
it is necessary for the public safety1  
to have a good body of veteran soldiers 
ever in readiness4 ,they think raw men  
are not to be depended on1 and they     

sometimes seek occasions for making war1
 that they may train up their soldiers  
in the art of cutting throats2 or as    
,sallust observed1 for keeping their    
hands in use1 that they may not grow    
dull by too long an intermission4 ,but  
,france has learned to its cost1 how    
dangerous it is to feed such beasts4    
,the fate of the ,romans1               
,carthaginians1 and ,syrians1 and many  
other nations and cities1 which were    
both overturned and quite ruined by     
those standing armies1 should make      
others wiser3 and the folly of this     
maxim of the ,french1 appears plainly   
even from this1 that their trained      
soldiers often find your raw men prove  
too hard for them2 of which ,i will not 
say much1 lest you may think ,i flatter 
the ,english4 ,every day's experience   
shows1 that the mechanics in the towns1 
or the clowns in the country1 are not   
afraid of fighting with those idle      
gentlemen1 if they are not disabled by  
some misfortune in their body1 or       

dispirited by extreme want1 so that you 
need not fear that those well-shaped and
 strong men 7for it is only such that   
noblemen love to keep about them1 till  
they spoil them7 who now grow feeble    
with ease1 and are softened with their  
effeminate manner of life1 would be less
 fit for action if they were well bred  
and well employed4 ,and it seems very   
unreasonable1 that for the prospect of a
 war1 which you need never have but when
 you please1 you should maintain so many
 idle men1 as will always disturb you in
 time of peace1 which is ever to be more
 considered than war4 ,but ,i do not    
think that this necessity of stealing   
arises only from hence2 there is another
 cause of it more peculiar to           
,england4'--',what is that8' said the   
,cardinal4--',the increase of pasture1' 
said ,i1 'by which your sheep1 which are
 naturally mild1 and easily kept in     
order1 may be said now to devour men1   
and unpeople1 not only villages1 but    
towns2 for wherever it is found that the

 sheep of any soil yield a softer and   
richer wool than ordinary1 there the    
nobility and gentry1 and even those holy
 men the abbots1 not contented with the 
old rents which their farms yielded1 nor
 thinking it enough that they1 living at
 their ease1 do no good to the public1  
resolve to do it hurt instead of good4  
,they stop the course of agriculture1   
destroying houses and towns1 reserving  
only the churches1 and enclose grounds  
that they may lodge their sheep in them4
 ,as if forests and parks had swallowed 
up too little of the land1 those worthy 
countrymen turn the best inhabited      
places in solitudes2 for when an        
insatiable wretch1 who is a plague to   
his country1 resolves to inclose many   
thousand acres of ground1 the owners1 as
 well as tenants1 are turned out of     
their possessions1 by tricks1 or by main
 force1 or being wearied out with ill   
usage1 they are forced to sell them4 ,by
 which means those miserable people1    
both men and women1 married and         

unmarried1 old and young1 with their    
poor but numerous families 7since       
country business requires many hands71  
are all forced to change their seats1   
not knowing whither to go2 and they must
 sell almost for nothing their household
 stuff1 which could not bring them much 
money1 even though they might stay for a
 buyer4 ,when that little money is at an
 end1 for it will be soon spent2 what is
 left for them to do1 but either to     
steal and so to be hanged 7,god knows   
how justly71 or to go about and beg8    
,and if they do this1 they are put in   
prison as idle vagabonds2 while they    
would willingly work1 but can find none 
that will hire them2 for there is no    
more occasion for country labour1 to    
which they have been bred1 when there is
 no arable ground left4 ,one shepherd   
can look after a flock1 which will stock
 an extent of ground that would require 
many hands1 if it were to be ploughed   
and reaped4 ,this likewise in many      
places raises the price of corn4 ,the   

price of wool is also so risen1 that the
 poor people who were wont to make cloth
 are no more able to buy it2 and this   
likewise makes many of them idle4 ,for  
since the increase of pasture1 ,god has 
punished the avarice of the owners1 by a
 rot among the sheep1 which has         
destroyed vast numbers of them2 to us it
 might have seemed more just had it fell
 on the owners themselves4 ,but suppose 
the sheep should increase ever so much1 
their price is not like to fall2 since  
though they cannot be called a monopoly1
 because they are not engrossed by one  
person1 yet they are in so few hands1   
and these are so rich1 that as they are 
not pressed to sell them sooner than    
they have a mind to it1 so they never do
 it till they have raised the price as  
high as possible4 ,and on the same      
account it is1 that the other kinds of  
cattle are so dear1 because many        
villages being pulled down1 and all     
country labour being much neglected1    
there are none who make it their        

business to breed them4 ,the rich do not
 breed cattle as they do sheep1 but buy 
them lean1 and at low prices2 and after 
they have fattened them on their        
grounds1 sell them again at high rates4 
,and ,i do not think that all the       
inconveniences this will produce are yet
 observed2 for as they sell the cattle  
dear1 so if they are consumed faster    
than the breeding countries from which  
they are brought can afford them1 then  
the stock must decrease1 and this must  
needs end in great scarcity2 and by     
these means this your island1 which     
seemed as to this particular the        
happiest in the world1 will suffer much 
by the cursed avarice of a few persons2 
besides this1 the rising of corn makes  
all people lessen their families as much
 as they can2 and what can those who are
 dismissed by them do1 but either beg or
 rob8 ,and to this last1 a man of a     
great mind is much sooner drawn than to 
the former4 ,luxury likewise breaks in  
apace upon you1 to set forward your     

poverty and misery2 there is an         
excessive vanity in apparel1 and great  
cost in diet2 and that not only in      
noblemen's families1 but even among     
tradesmen1 among the farmers themselves1
 and among all ranks of persons4 ,you   
have also many infamous houses1 and     
besides those that are known1 the       
taverns and alehouses are no better2 add
 to these1 dice1 cards1 tables1         
foot-ball1 tennis1 and quoits1 in which 
money runs fast away2 and those that are
 initiated into them1 must in the       
conclusion betake themselves to robbing 
for a supply4 ,banish these plagues1 and
 give orders that those who have        
dispeopled so much soil1 may either     
rebuild the villages they have pulled   
down1 or let out their grounds to such  
as will do it3 restrain those           
engrossings of the rich1 that are as bad
 almost as monopolies2 leave fewer      
occasions to idleness2 let agriculture  
be set up again1 and the manufacture of 
the wool be regulated1 that so there may

 be work found for those companies of   
idle people whom want forces to be      
thieves1 or who now being idle          
vagabonds1 or useless servants1 will    
certainly grow thieves at last4 ,if you 
do not find a remedy to these evils1 it 
is a vain thing to boast of your        
severity in punishing theft1 which      
though it may have the appearance of    
justice1 yet in itself is neither just  
nor convenient4 ,for if you suffer your 
people to be ill educated1 and their    
manners to be corrupted from their      
infancy1 and then punish them for those 
crimes to which their first education   
disposed them1 what else is to be       
concluded from this1 but that you first 
make thieves and then punish them8'     
,while ,i was talking thus1 the         
counsellor who was present had prepared 
an answer1 and had resolved to resume   
all ,i had said1 according to the       
formality of a debate1 in which things  
are generally repeated more faithfully  
than they are answered2 as if the chief 

trial to be made were of men's memories4
 ',you have talked prettily for a       
stranger1' said he1 'having heard of    
many things among us which you have not 
been able to consider well2 but ,i will 
make the whole matter plain to you1 and 
will first repeat in order all that you 
have said1 then ,i will show how much   
your ignorance of our affairs has misled
 you1 and will in the last place answer 
all your arguments4 ,and that ,i may    
begin where ,i promised1 there were four
 things----' ',hold your peace1' said   
the ,cardinal1 'this will take up too   
much time2 therefore we will at present 
ease you of the trouble of answering1   
and reserve it to our next meeting1     
which shall be to-morrow1 if ,raphael's 
affairs and yours can admit of it4 ,but1
 ,raphael1' said he to me1 ',i would    
gladly know upon what reason it is that 
you think theft ought not to be punished
 by death8 ,would you give way to it8   
,or do you propose any other punishment 
that will be more useful to the public8 

,for since death does not restrain      
theft1 if men thought their lives would 
be safe1 what fear or force could       
restrain ill men8 ,on the contrary1 they
 would look on the mitigation of the    
punishment as an invitation to commit   
more crimes4' ,i answered1 ',it seems to
 me a very unjust thing to take away a  
man's life for a little money2 for      
nothing in the world can be of equal    
value with a man's life3 and if it is   
said1 that it is not for the money that 
one suffers1 but for his breaking the   
law1 ,i must say1 extreme justice is an 
extreme injury2 for we ought not to     
approve of these terrible laws that make
 the smallest offences capital1 nor of  
that opinion of the ,stoics1 that makes 
all crimes equal1 as if there were no   
difference to be made between the       
killing a man and the taking his purse1 
between which1 if we examine things     
impartially1 there is no likeness nor   
proportion4 ,god has commanded us not to
 kill1 and shall we kill so easily for a

 little money8 ,but if one shall say1   
that by that law we are only forbid to  
kill any1 except when the laws of the   
land allow of it2 upon the same grounds1
 laws may be made in some cases to allow
 of adultery and perjury3 for ,god      
having taken from us the right of       
disposing1 either of our own or of other
 people's lives1 if it is pretended that
 the mutual consent of man in making    
laws can authorize man-slaughter in     
cases in which ,god has given us no     
example1 that it frees people from the  
obligation of the divine law1 and so    
makes murder a lawful action2 what is   
this1 but to give a preference to human 
laws before the divine8 ,and if this is 
once admitted1 by the same rule men may 
in all other things put what            
restrictions they please upon the laws  
of ,god4 ,if by the ,mosaical law1      
though it was rough and severe1 as being
 a yoke laid on an obstinate and servile
 nation1 men were only fined1 and not   
put to death for theft1 we cannot       

imagine that in this new law of mercy1  
in which ,god treats us with the        
tenderness of a father1 ,he has given us
 a greater license to cruelty than ,he  
did to the ,jews4 ,upon these reasons it
 is1 that ,i think putting thieves to   
death is not lawful2 and it is plain and
 obvious that it is absurd1 and of ill  
consequence to the commonwealth1 that a 
thief and a murderer should be equally  
punished2 for if a robber sees that his 
danger is the same1 if he is convicted  
of theft as if he were guilty of murder1
 this will naturally incite him to kill 
the person whom otherwise he would only 
have robbed1 since if the punishment is 
the same1 there is more security1 and   
less danger of discovery1 when he that  
can best make it is put out of the way2 
so that terrifying thieves too much1    
provokes them to cruelty4  ',but as to  
the question1 what more convenient way  
of punishment can be found8 ,i think it 
is much more easier to find out that1   
than to invent anything that is worse2  

why should we doubt but the way that was
 so long in use among the old ,romans1  
who understood so well the arts of      
government1 was very proper for their   
punishment8 ,they condemned such as they
 found guilty of great crimes1 to work  
their whole lives in quarries1 or to dig
 in mines with chains about them4 ,but  
the method that ,i liked best1 was that 
which ,i observed in my travels in      
,persia1 among the ,polylerits1 who are 
a considerable and well-governed people4
 ,they pay a yearly tribute to the ,king
 of ,persia2 but in all other respects  
they are a free nation1 and governed by 
their own laws4 ,they lie far from the  
sea1 and are environed with hills2 and  
being contented with the productions of 
their own country1 which is very        
fruitful1 they have little commerce with
 any other nation2 and as they1         
according to the genius of their        
country1 have no inclination to enlarge 
their borders2 so their mountains1 and  
the pension they pay to the ,persian1   

secure them from all invasions4 ,thus   
they have no wars among them3 they live 
rather conveniently than with splendour1
 and may be rather called a happy       
nation1 than either eminent or famous2  
for ,i do not think that they are known 
so much as by name to any but their next
 neighbours4 ,those that are found      
guilty of theft among them1 are bound to
 make restitution to the owner1 and not 
as it is in other places1 to the prince1
 for they reckon that the prince has no 
more right to the stolen goods than the 
thief2 but if that which was stolen is  
no more in being1 then the goods of the 
thieves are estimated1 and restitution  
being made out of them1 the remainder is
 given to their wives and children3 and 
they themselves are condemned to serve  
in the public works1 but are neither    
imprisoned1 nor chained1 unless there   
happened to be some extraordinary       
circumstances in their crimes4 ,they go 
about loose and free1 working for the   
public4 ,if they are idle or backward to

 work1 they are whipped2 but if they    
work hard1 they are well used and       
treated without any mark of reproach1   
only the lists of them are called always
 at night1 and then they are shut up4   
,they suffer no other uneasiness1 but   
this of constant labour2 for as they    
work for the public1 so they are well   
entertained out of the public stock1    
which is done differently in different  
places4 ,in some places1 whatever is    
bestowed on them1 is raised by a        
charitable contribution2 and though this
 way may seem uncertain1 yet so merciful
 are the inclinations of that people1   
that they are plentifully supplied by   
it2 but in other places1 public revenues
 are set aside for them2 or there is a  
constant tax of a poll-money raised for 
their maintenance4 ,in some places they 
are set to no public work1 but every    
private man that has occasion to hire   
workmen1 goes to the market-places and  
hires them of the public1 a little lower
 than he would do a freeman3 if they go 

lazily about their task1 he may quicken 
them with the whip4 ,by this means there
 is always some piece of work or other  
to be done by them2 and beside their    
livelihood1 they earn somewhat still to 
the public4 ,they all wear a peculiar   
habit1 of one certain colour1 and their 
hair is cropped a little above their    
ears1 and a piece of one of their ears  
is cut off4 ,their friends are allowed  
to give them either meat1 drink1 or     
clothes1 so they are of their proper    
colour2 but it is death1 both to the    
giver and taker1 if they give them      
money2 nor is it less penal for any     
freeman to take money from them1 upon   
any account whatsoever3 and it is also  
death for any of these slaves 7so they  
are called7 to handle arms4 ,those of   
every division of the country are       
distinguished by a peculiar mark2 which 
it is capital for them to lay aside1 to 
go out of their bounds1 or to talk with 
a slave of another jurisdiction2 and the
 very attempt of an escape is no less   

penal than an escape itself2 it is death
 for any other slave to be accessory to 
it2 and if a freeman engages in it he is
 condemned to slavery4 ,those that      
discover it are rewarded2 if freemen1 in
 money2 and if slaves1 with liberty1    
together with a pardon for being        
accessory to it2 that so they might find
 their account1 rather in repenting of  
their engaging in such a design1 than in
 persisting in it4  ,these are their    
laws and rules in relation to robbery2  
and it is obvious that they are as      
advantageous as they are mild and       
gentle2 since vice is not only          
destroyed1 and men preserved1 but they  
treated in such a manner as to make them
 see the necessity of being honest1 and 
of employing the rest of their lives in 
repairing the injuries they have        
formerly done to society4 ,nor is there 
any hazard of their falling back to     
their old customs3 and so little do     
travellers apprehend mischief from them1
 that they generally make use of them   

for guides1 from one jurisdiction to    
another2 for there is nothing left them 
by which they can rob1 or be the better 
for it1 since as they are disarmed1 so  
the very having of money is a sufficient
 conviction3 and as they are certainly  
punished if discovered1 so they cannot  
hope to escape2 for their habit being in
 all the parts of it different from what
 is commonly worn1 they cannot fly away1
 unless they would go naked1 and even   
then their cropped ear would betray     
them4 ,the only danger to be feared from
 them1 is their conspiring against the  
government3 but those of one division   
and neighbourhood can do nothing to any 
purpose1 unless a general conspiracy    
were laid amongst all the slaves of the 
several jurisdictions1 which cannot be  
done1 since they cannot meet or talk    
together2 nor will any venture on a     
design where the concealment would be so
 dangerous1 and the discovery so        
profitable4 ,none are quite hopeless of 
recovering their freedom1 since by their

 obedience and patience1 and by giving  
good grounds to believe that they will  
change their manner of life for the     
future1 they may expect at last to      
obtain their liberty3 and some are every
 year restored to it1 upon the good     
character that is given of them4--,when 
,i had related all this1 ,i added1 that 
,i did not see why such a method might  
not be followed with more advantage1    
than could ever be expected from that   
severe justice which the counsellor     
magnified so much4 ,to this he answered1
 that it could never take place in      
,england1 without endangering the whole 
nation4 ,as he said this1 he shook his  
head1 made some grimaces1 and held his  
peace1 while all the company seemed of  
his opinion1 except the ,cardinal1 who  
said that it was not easy to form a     
judgment of its success1 since it was a 
method that never yet had been tried4   
',but if1' said he1 'when the sentence  
of death was passed upon a thief1 the   
prince would reprieve him for a while1  

and make the experiment upon him1       
denying him the privilege of a          
sanctuary2 and then if it had a good    
effect upon him1 it might take place2   
and if it did not succeed1 the worst    
would be1 to execute the sentence on the
 condemned persons at last4 ,and ,i do  
not see1' added he1 'why it would be    
either unjust1 inconvenient1 or at all  
dangerous1 to admit of such a delay3 in 
my opinion1 the vagabonds ought to be   
treated in the same manner2 against     
whom1 though we have made many laws1 yet
 we have not been able to gain our end4'
 ,when the ,cardinal had done1 they all 
commended the motion1 though they had   
despised it when it came from me2 but   
more particularly commended what related
 to the vagabonds1 because it was his   
own observation4  ,i do not know whether
 it be worth while to tell what         
followed1 for it was very ridiculous2   
but ,i shall venture at it1 for as it is
 not foreign to this matter1 so some    
good use may be made of it4 ,there was a

 jester standing by1 that counterfeited 
the fool so naturally1 that he seemed to
 be really one4 ,the jests which he     
offered were so cold and dull1 that we  
laughed more at him than at them2 yet   
sometimes he said1 as it were by chance1
 things that were not unpleasant2 so as 
to justify the old proverb1 ',that he   
who throws the dice often1 will         
sometimes have a lucky hit4' ,when one  
of the company had said1 that ,i had    
taken care of the thieves1 and the      
,cardinal had taken care of the         
vagabonds1 so that there remained       
nothing but that some public provision  
might be made for the poor1 whom        
sickness or old age had disabled from   
labour4 ',leave that to me1' said the   
fool1 'and ,i shall take care of them2  
for there is no sort of people whose    
sight ,i abhor more1 having been so     
often vexed with them1 and with their   
sad complaints2 but as dolefully soever 
as they have told their tale1 they could
 never prevail so far as to draw one    

penny from me3 for either ,i had no mind
 to give them anything1 or when ,i had a
 mind to do it1 ,i had nothing to give  
them3 and they now know me so well1 that
 they will not lose their labour1 but   
let me pass without giving me any       
trouble1 because they hope for nothing1 
no more in faith than if ,i were a      
priest3 but ,i would have a law made1   
for sending all these beggars to        
monasteries1 the men to the             
,benedictines to be made lay-brothers1  
and the women to be nuns4' ,the         
,cardinal smiled1 and approved of it in 
jest2 but the rest liked it in earnest4 
,there was a divine present1 who though 
he was a grave morose man1 yet he was so
 pleased with this reflection that was  
made on the priests and the monks1 that 
he began to play with the fool1 and said
 to him1 ',this will not deliver you    
from all beggars1 except you take care  
of us friars4'--',that is done already1'
 answered the fool1 'for the ,cardinal  
has provided for you1 by what he        

proposed for restraining vagabonds1 and 
setting them to work1 for ,i know no    
vagabonds like you4' ,this was well     
entertained by the whole company1 who   
looking at the ,cardinal1 perceived that
 he was not ill pleased at it2 only the 
friar himself was vexed1 as may be      
easily imagined1 and fell into such a   
passion1 that he could not forbear      
railing at the fool1 and calling him    
knave1 slanderer1 back-biter1 and son of
 perdition1 and then cited some dreadful
 threatenings out of the ,scriptures    
against him4 ,now the jester thought he 
was in his element1 and laid about him  
freely4 ',good friar1' said he1 'be not 
angry1 for it is written1 ,in patience  
possess your soul4'--,the friar answered
 7for ,i shall give you his own words71 
',i am not angry1 you hangman2 at least 
,i do not sin in it1 for the ,psalmist  
says1 ,be ye angry1 and sin not4'--,upon
 this the ,cardinal admonished him      
gently1 and wished him to govern his    
passions4 ',no1 my lord1' said he1 ',i  

speak not but from a good zeal1 which ,i
 ought to have2 for holy men have had a 
good zeal1 as it is said1 ,the zeal of  
thy house hath eaten me up2 and we sing 
in our church1 that those who mocked    
,elisha as he went up to the house of   
,god1 felt the effects of his zeal2     
which that mocker1 that rogue1 that     
scoundrel1 will perhaps feel4'--',you do
 this perhaps with a good intention1'   
said the ,cardinal2 'but in my opinion1 
it were wiser in you1 and perhaps better
 for you1 not to engage in so ridiculous
 a contest with a fool4'--',no1 my      
lord1' answered he1 'that were not      
wisely done2 for ,solomon1 the wisest of
 men1 said1 ,answer a fool according to 
his folly2 which ,i now do1 and show him
 the ditch into which he will fall1 if  
he is not aware of it2 for if the many  
mockers of ,elisha1 who was but one bald
 man1 felt the effect of his zeal1 what 
will become of one mocker of so many    
friars1 among whom there are so many    
bald men8 ,we have likewise a ,bull1 by 

which all that jeer us are              
excommunicated4'--,when the ,cardinal   
saw that there was no end of this       
matter1 he made a sign to the fool to   
withdraw1 turned the discourse another  
way2 and soon after rose from the table1
 and dismissing us1 went to hear causes4
  ,thus1 ,mr4 ,more1 ,i have run out    
into a tedious story1 of the length of  
which ,i had been ashamed1 if1 as you   
earnestly begged it of me1 ,i had not   
observed you to hearken to it1 as if you
 had no mind to lose any part of it4 ,i 
might have contracted it1 but ,i        
resolved to give it you at large1 that  
you might observe how those that        
despised what ,i had proposed1 no sooner
 perceived that the ,cardinal did not   
dislike it1 but presently approved of   
it1 fawned so on him1 and flattered him 
to such a degree1 that they in good     
earnest applauded those things that he  
only liked in jest4 ,and from hence you 
may gather1 how little courtiers would  
value either me or my counsels4  ,to    

this ,i answered1 ,you have done me a   
great kindness in this relation2 for as 
everything has been related by you1 both
 wisely and pleasantly1 so you have made
 me imagine that ,i was in my own       
country1 and grown young again1 by      
recalling that good ,cardinal to my     
thoughts1 in whose family ,i was bred   
from my childhood3 and though you are   
upon other accounts very dear to me1 yet
 you are the dearer1 because you honour 
his memory so much2 but after all this  
,i cannot change my opinion2 for ,i     
still think that if you could overcome  
that aversion which you have to the     
,courts of ,princes1 you might1 by the  
advice which it is in your power to     
give1 do a great deal of good to        
mankind2 and this is the chief design   
that every good man ought to propose to 
himself in living3 for your friend      
,plato thinks that nations will be      
happy1 when either philosophers become  
kings1 or kings become philosophers2 it 
is no wonder if we are so far from that 

happiness1 while philosophers will not  
think it their duty to assist kings with
 their councils4--,they are not so      
base-minded1 said he1 but that they     
would willingly do it2 many of them have
 already done it by their books1 if     
those that are in power would but       
hearken to their good advice4 ,but      
,plato judged right1 that except kings  
themselves became philosophers1 they who
 from their childhood are corrupted with
 false notions1 would never fall in     
entirely with the councils of           
philosophers1 and this he himself found 
to be true in the person of ,dionysius4 
,do not you think1 that if ,i were about
 any king1 proposing good laws to him1  
and endeavouring to root out all the    
cursed seeds of evil that ,i found in   
him1 ,i should either be turned out of  
his ,court1 or at least be laughed at   
for my pains8 ,for instance1 what could 
it signify if ,i were about the ,king of
 ,france1 and were called into his      
cabinet-council1 where several wise men1

 in his hearing1 were proposing many    
expedients2 as by what arts and         
practices ,milan may be kept2 and       
,naples1 that had so oft slipped out of 
their hands1 recovered2 how the         
,venetians1 and after them the rest of  
,italy1 may be subdued2 and then how    
,flanders1 ,brabant1 and all ,burgundy1 
and some other kingdoms which he has    
swallowed already in his designs1 may be
 added to his empire4 ,one proposes a   
league with the ,venetians1 to be kept  
as long as he finds his account in it1  
and that he ought to communicate        
councils with them1 and give them some  
share of the spoil1 till his success    
makes him need or fear them less1 and   
then it will be easily taken out of     
their hands4 ,another proposes the      
hiring the ,germans1 and the securing   
the ,switzers by pensions4 ,another     
proposes the gaining the ,emperor by    
money1 which is omnipotent with him4    
,another proposes a peace with the ,king
 of ,arragon1 and in order to cement it1

 the yielding up the ,king of ,navarre's
 pretensions4 ,another thinks the       
,prince of ,castile is to be wrought on1
 by the hope of an alliance2 and that   
some of his courtiers are to be gained  
to the ,french faction by pensions4 ,the
 hardest point of all is what to do with
 ,england3 a treaty of peace is to be   
set on foot1 and if their alliance is   
not to be depended on1 yet it is to be  
made as firm as possible2 and they are  
to be called friends1 but suspected as  
enemies3 therefore the ,scots are to be 
kept in readiness1 to be let loose upon 
,england on every occasion3 and some    
banished nobleman is to be supported    
underhand 7for by the league it cannot  
be done avowedly7 who has a pretension  
to the crown1 by which means that       
suspected prince may be kept in awe4    
,now when things are in so great a      
fermentation1 and so many gallant men   
are joining councils1 how to carry on   
the war1 if so mean a man as ,i should  
stand up1 and wish them to change all   

their councils1 to let ,italy alone1 and
 stay at home1 since the kingdom of     
,france was indeed greater than could be
 well governed by one man2 that         
therefore he ought not to think of      
adding others to it3 and if after this1 
,i should propose to them the           
resolutions of the ,achorians1 a people 
that lie on the south-east of ,utopia1  
who long ago engaged in war1 in order to
 add to the dominions of their prince   
another kingdom1 to which he had some   
pretensions by an ancient alliance4     
,this they conquered1 but found that the
 trouble of keeping it was equal to that
 by which it was gained2 that the       
conquered people were always either in  
rebellion or exposed to foreign         
invasions1 while they were obliged to be
 incessantly at war1 either for or      
against them1 and consequently could    
never disband their army2 that in the   
meantime they were oppressed with taxes1
 their money went out of the kingdom1   
their blood was spilt for the glory of  

their king1 without procuring the least 
advantage to the people1 who received   
not the smallest benefit from it even in
 time of peace2 and that their manners  
being corrupted by a long war1 robbery  
and murders everywhere abounded1 and    
their laws fell into contempt2 while    
their king1 distracted with the care of 
two kingdoms1 was the less able to apply
 his mind to the interests of either4   
,when they saw this1 and that there     
would be no end to these evils1 they by 
joint councils made an humble address to
 their king1 desiring him to choose     
which of the two kingdoms he had the    
greatest mind to keep1 since he could   
not hold both2 for they were too great a
 people to be governed by a divided     
king1 since no man would willingly have 
a groom that should be in common between
 him and another4 ,upon which the good  
prince was forced to quit his new       
kingdom to one of his friends 7who was  
not long after dethroned71 and to be    
contented with his old one4 ,to this ,i 

would add1 that after all those warlike 
attempts1 the vast confusions1 and the  
consumption both of treasure and of     
people that must follow them2 perhaps   
upon some misfortune1 they might be     
forced to throw up all at last2         
therefore it seemed much more eligible  
that the king should improve his ancient
 kingdom all he could1 and make it      
flourish as much as possible2 that he   
should love his people1 and be beloved  
of them2 that he should live among them1
 govern them gently1 and let other      
kingdoms alone1 since that which had    
fallen to his share was big enough1 if  
not too big for him4 ,pray how do you   
think would such a speech as this be    
heard8--,i confess1 said ,i1 ,i think   
not very well4  ,but what1 said he1 if  
,i should sort with another kind of     
ministers1 whose chief contrivances and 
consultations were1 by what art the     
prince's treasures might be increased4  
,where one proposes raising the value of
 specie when the king's debts are large1

 and lowering it when his revenues were 
to come in1 that so he might both pay   
much with a little1 and in a little     
receive a great deal3 another proposes a
 pretence of a war1 that money might be 
raised in order to carry it on1 and that
 a peace be concluded as soon as that   
was done2 and this with such appearances
 of religion as might work on the       
people1 and make them impute it to the  
piety of their prince1 and to his       
tenderness for the lives of his         
subjects4 ,a third offers some old musty
 laws1 that have been antiquated by a   
long disuse2 and which1 as they had been
 forgotten by all the subjects1 so they 
had been also broken by them2 and       
proposes the levying the penalties of   
these laws1 that as it would bring in a 
vast treasure1 so there might be a very 
good pretence for it1 since it would    
look like the executing a law1 and the  
doing of justice4 ,a fourth proposes the
 prohibiting of many things under severe
 penalties1 especially such as were     

against the interest of the people1 and 
then the dispensing with these          
prohibitions upon great compositions1 to
 those who might find their advantage in
 breaking them4 ,this would serve two   
ends1 both of them acceptable to many2  
for as those whose avarice led them to  
transgress would be severely fined1 so  
the selling licenses dear would look as 
if a prince were tender of his people1  
and would not easily1 or at low rates1  
dispense with anything that might be    
against the public good4 ,another       
proposes that the judges must be made   
sure1 that they may declare always in   
favour of the prerogative1 that they    
must be often sent for to ,court1 that  
the king may hear them argue those      
points in which he is concerned2 since  
how unjust soever any of his pretensions
 may be1 yet still some one or other of 
them1 either out of contradiction to    
others1 or the pride of singularity1 or 
to make their court1 would find out some
 pretence or other to give the king a   

fair colour to carry the point3 for if  
the judges but differ in opinion1 the   
clearest thing in the world is made by  
that means disputable1 and truth being  
once brought in question1 the king may  
then take advantage to expound the law  
for his own profit2 while the judges    
that stand out will be brought over1    
either out of fear or modesty2 and they 
being thus gained1 all of them may be   
sent to the bench to give sentence      
boldly1 as the king would have it3 for  
fair pretences will never be wanting    
when sentence is to be given in the     
prince's favour4 ,it will either be said
 that equity lies of his side1 or some  
words in the law will be found sounding 
that way1 or some forced sense will be  
put on them2 and when all other things  
fail1 the king's undoubted prerogative  
will be pretended1 as that which is     
above all law2 and to which a religious 
judge ought to have a special regard4   
,thus all consent to that maxim of      
,crassus1 that a prince cannot have     

treasure enough1 since he must maintain 
his armies out of it3 that a king1 even 
though he would1 can do nothing         
unjustly2 that all property is in him1  
not excepting the very persons of his   
subjects3 and that no man has any other 
property1 but that which the king out of
 his goodness thinks fit to leave him4  
,and they think it is the prince's      
interest1 that there be as little of    
this left as may be1 as if it were his  
advantage that his people should have   
neither riches nor liberty2 since these 
things make them less easy and less     
willing to submit to a cruel and unjust 
government2 whereas necessity and       
poverty blunts them1 makes them patient1
 beats them down1 and breaks that height
 of spirit1 that might otherwise dispose
 them to rebel4 ,now what if after all  
these propositions were made1 ,i should 
rise up and assert1 that such councils  
were both unbecoming a king1 and        
mischievous to him3 and that not only   
his honour but his safety consisted more

 in his people's wealth1 than in his    
own2 if ,i should show that they choose 
a king for their own sake1 and not for  
his2 that by his care and endeavours    
they may be both easy and safe2 and that
 therefore a prince ought to take more  
care of his people's happiness than of  
his own1 as a shepherd is to take more  
care of his flock than of himself4 ,it  
is also certain1 that they are much     
mistaken that think the poverty of a    
nation is a means of the public safety4 
,who quarrel more than beggars8 ,who    
does more earnestly long for a change1  
than he that is uneasy in his present   
circumstances8 ,and who run to create   
confusions with so desperate a boldness1
 as those who have nothing to lose1 hope
 to gain by them8 ,if a king should fall
 under such contempt or envy1 that he   
could not keep his subjects in their    
duty1 but by oppression and ill usage1  
and by rendering them poor and          
miserable1 it were certainly better for 
him to quit his kingdom1 than to retain 

it by such methods1 as makes him while  
he keeps the name of authority1 lose the
 majesty due to it4 ,nor is it so       
becoming the dignity of a king to reign 
over beggars1 as over rich and happy    
subjects4 ,and therefore ,fabricius1 a  
man of a noble and exalted temper1 said1
 he would rather govern rich men1 than  
be rich himself2 since for one man to   
abound in wealth and pleasure1 when all 
about him are mourning and groaning1 is 
to be a gaoler and not a king4 ,he is an
 unskilful physician1 that cannot cure  
one disease without casting his patient 
into another3 so he that can find no    
other way for correcting the errors of  
his people1 but by taking from them the 
conveniences of life1 shows that he     
knows not what it is to govern a free   
nation4 ,he himself ought rather to     
shake off his sloth1 or to lay down his 
pride2 for the contempt or hatred that  
his people have for him1 takes its rise 
from the vices in himself4 ,let him live
 upon what belongs to him1 without      

wronging others1 and accommodate his    
expense to his revenue4 ,let him punish 
crimes1 and by his wise conduct let him 
endeavour to prevent them1 rather than  
be severe when he has suffered them to  
be too common3 let him not rashly revive
 laws that are abrogated by disuse1     
especially if they have been long       
forgotten1 and never wanted2 and let him
 never take any penalty for the breach  
of them1 to which a judge would not give
 way in a private man1 but would look on
 him as a crafty and unjust person for  
pretending to it4 ,to these things ,i   
would add1 that law among the           
,macarians1 a people that lie not far   
from ,utopia1 by which their king1 on   
the day on which he begins to reign1 is 
tied by an oath confirmed by solemn     
sacrifices1 never to have at once above 
a thousand pounds of gold in his        
treasures1 or so much silver as is equal
 to that in value4 ,this law1 they tell 
us1 was made by an excellent king1 who  
had more regard to the riches of his    

country than to his own wealth2 and     
therefore provided against the heaping  
up of so much treasure1 as might        
impoverish the people4 ,he thought that 
moderate sum might be sufficient for any
 accident2 if either the king had       
occasion for it against rebels1 or the  
kingdom against the invasion of an      
enemy2 but that it was not enough to    
encourage a prince to invade other men's
 rights1 a circumstance that was the    
chief cause of his making that law4 ,he 
also thought that it was a good         
provision for that free circulation of  
money1 so necessary for the course of   
commerce and exchange3 and when a king  
must distribute all those extraordinary 
accessions that increase treasure beyond
 the due pitch1 it makes him less       
disposed to oppress his subjects4 ,such 
a king as this will be the terror of ill
 men1 and will be beloved by all the    
good4  ,if1 ,i say1 ,i should talk of   
these or such like things1 to men that  
had taken their bias another way1 how   

deaf would they be to all ,i could      
say8--,no doubt1 very deaf1 answered ,i2
 and no wonder1 for one is never to     
offer at propositions or advice that we 
are certain will not be entertained4    
,discourses so much out of the road     
could not avail anything1 nor have any  
effect on men whose minds were          
prepossessed with different sentiments4 
,this philosophical way of speculation  
is not unpleasant among friends in a    
free conversation1 but there is no room 
for it in the ,courts of ,princes where 
great affairs are carried on by         
authority4--,that is what ,i was saying1
 replied he1 that there is no room for  
philosophy in the ,courts of            
,princes4--,yes1 there is1 said ,i1 but 
not for this speculative philosophy that
 makes everything to be alike fitting at
 all times3 but there is another        
philosophy that is more pliable1 that   
knows its proper scene1 accommodates    
itself to it1 and teaches a man with    
propriety and decency to act that part  

which has fallen to his share4 ,if when 
one of ,plautus's comedies is upon the  
stage and a company of servants are     
acting their parts1 you should come out 
in the garb of a philosopher1 and repeat
 out of ',octavia' a discourse of       
,seneca's to ,nero1 would it not be     
better for you to say nothing than by   
mixing things of such different natures 
to make an impertinent tragi-comedy8    
,for you spoil and corrupt the play that
 is in hand when you mix with it things 
of an opposite nature1 even though they 
are much better4 ,therefore go through  
with the play that is acting the best   
you can1 and do not confound it because 
another that is pleasanter comes into   
your thoughts4 ,it is even so in a      
commonwealth1 and in the councils of    
princes2 if ill opinions cannot be quite
 rooted out1 and you cannot cure some   
received vice according to your wishes1 
you must not therefore abandon the      
commonwealth1 for the same reasons you  
should not forsake the ship in a storm  

because you cannot command the winds4   
,you are not obliged to assault people  
with discourses that are out of their   
road1 when you see that their received  
notions must prevent your making an     
impression upon them4 ,you ought rather 
to cast about and to manage things with 
all the dexterity in your power1 so that
 if you are not able to make them go    
well they may be as little ill as       
possible2 for except all men were good  
everything cannot be right1 and that is 
a blessing that ,i do not at present    
hope to see4 ,according to your         
arguments1 answered he1 all that ,i     
could be able to do would be to preserve
 myself from being mad while ,i         
endeavoured to cure the madness of      
others2 for if ,i speak truth1 ,i must  
repeat what ,i have said to you2 and as 
for lying1 whether a philosopher can do 
it or not1 ,i cannot tell1 ,i am sure ,i
 cannot do it4 ,but though these        
discourses may be uneasy and ungrateful 
to them1 ,i do not see why they should  

seem foolish or extravagant3 indeed if  
,i should either propose such things as 
,plato has contrived in his             
commonwealth1 or as the ,utopians       
practise in theirs1 though they might   
seem better1 as certainly they are1 yet 
they are so different from our          
establishment1 which is founded on      
property1 there being no such thing     
among them1 that ,i could not expect    
that it would have any effect on them2  
but such discourses as mine1 which only 
call past evils to mind and give warning
 of what may follow1 have nothing in    
them that is so absurd that they may not
 be used at any time1 for they can only 
be unpleasant to those who are resolved 
to run headlong the contrary way2 and if
 we must let alone everything as absurd 
or extravagant which by reason of the   
wicked lives of many may seem uncouth1  
we must1 even among ,christians1 give   
over pressing the greatest part of those
 things that ,christ hath taught us1    
though ,he has commanded us not to      

conceal them1 but to proclaim on the    
house-tops that which ,he taught in     
secret4 ,the greatest parts of ,his     
precepts are more opposite to the lives 
of the men of this age than any part of 
my discourse has been2 but the preachers
 seemed to have learned that craft to   
which you advise me1 for they observing 
that the world would not willingly suit 
their lives to the rules that ,christ   
has given1 have fitted ,his doctrine as 
if it had been a leaden rule1 to their  
lives1 that so some way or other they   
might agree with one another4 ,but ,i   
see no other effect of this compliance  
except it be that men become more secure
 in their wickedness by it4 ,and this is
 all the success that ,i can have in a  
,court1 for ,i must always differ from  
the rest1 and then ,i shall signify     
nothing2 or if ,i agree with them1 ,i   
shall then only help forward their      
madness4 ,i do not comprehend what you  
mean by your casting about1 or by the   
bending and handling things so          

dexterously1 that if they go not well   
they may go as little ill as may be2 for
 in ,courts they will not bear with a   
man's holding his peace or conniving at 
what others do4 ,a man must barefacedly 
approve of the worst counsels1 and      
consent to the blackest designs3 so that
 he would pass for a spy1 or possibly   
for a traitor1 that did but coldly      
approve of such wicked practices3 and   
therefore when a man is engaged in such 
a society1 he will be so far from being 
able to mend matters by his casting     
about1 as you call it1 that he will find
 no occasions of doing any good3 the ill
 company will sooner corrupt him1 than  
be the better for him3 or if            
notwithstanding all their ill company1  
he still remains steady and innocent1   
yet their follies and knavery will be   
imputed to him2 and by mixing counsels  
with them1 he must bear his share of all
 the blame that belongs wholly to       
others4  ,it was no ill simile by which 
,plato set forth the unreasonableness of

 a philosopher's meddling with          
government4 ,if a man1 says he1 was to  
see a great company run out every day   
into the rain1 and take delight in being
 wet2 if he knew that it would be to no 
purpose for him to go and persuade them 
to return to their houses1 in order to  
avoid the storm1 and that all that could
 be expected by his going to speak to   
them would be that he himself should be 
as wet as they1 it would be best for him
 to keep within doors2 and since he had 
not influence enough to correct other   
people's folly1 to take care to preserve
 himself4  ,though to speak plainly my  
real sentiments1 ,i must freely own1    
that as long as there is any property1  
and while money is the standard of all  
other things1 ,i cannot think that a    
nation can be governed either justly or 
happily3 not justly1 because the best   
things will fall to the share of the    
worst men2 nor happily1 because all     
things will be divided among a few 7and 
even these are not in all respects      

happy71 the rest being left to be       
absolutely miserable4 ,therefore when ,i
 reflect on the wise and good           
constitution of the ,utopians1 among    
whom all things are so well governed1   
and with so few laws2 where virtue hath 
its due reward1 and yet there is such an
 equality1 that every man lives in      
plenty2 when ,i compare with them so    
many other nations that are still making
 new laws1 and yet can never bring their
 constitution to a right regulation1    
where notwithstanding every one has his 
property2 yet all the laws that they can
 invent have not the power either to    
obtain or preserve it1 or even to enable
 men certainly to distinguish what is   
their own from what is another's2 of    
which the many lawsuits that every day  
break out1 and are eternally depending1 
give too plain a demonstration2 when1 ,i
 say1 ,i balance all these things in my 
thoughts1 ,i grow more favourable to    
,plato1 and do not wonder that he       
resolved not to make any laws for such  

as would not submit to a community of   
all things3 for so wise a man could not 
but foresee that the setting all upon a 
level was the only way to make a nation 
happy1 which cannot be obtained so long 
as there is property3 for when every man
 draws to himself all that he can       
compass1 by one title or another1 it    
must needs follow1 that how plentiful   
soever a nation may be1 yet a few       
dividing the wealth of it among         
themselves1 the rest must fall into     
indigence4 ,so that there will be two   
sorts of people among them1 who deserve 
that their fortunes should be           
interchanged2 the former useless1 but   
wicked and ravenous2 and the latter1 who
 by their constant industry serve the   
public more than themselves1 sincere and
 modest men4 ,from whence ,i am         
persuaded1 that till property is taken  
away there can be no equitable or just  
distribution of things1 nor can the     
world be happily governed3 for as long  
as that is maintained1 the greatest and 

the far best part of mankind will be    
still oppressed with a load of cares and
 anxieties4 ,i confess without taking it
 quite away1 those pressures that lie on
 a great part of mankind may be made    
lighter2 but they can never be quite    
removed4 ,for if laws were made to      
determine at how great an extent in     
soil1 and at how much money every man   
must stop1 to limit the prince that he  
might not grow too great1 and to        
restrain the people that they might not 
become too insolent1 and that none might
 factiously aspire to public            
employments2 which ought neither to be  
sold1 nor made burthensome by a great   
expense2 since otherwise those that     
serve in them would be tempted to       
reimburse themselves by cheats and      
violence1 and it would become necessary 
to find out rich men for undergoing     
those employments which ought rather to 
be trusted to the wise4 ,these laws1 ,i 
say1 might have such effects1 as good   
diet and care might have on a sick man1 

whose recovery is desperate3 they might 
allay and mitigate the disease1 but it  
could never be quite healed1 nor the    
body politic be brought again to a good 
habit1 as long as property remains2 and 
it will fall out as in a complication of
 diseases1 that by applying a remedy to 
one sore1 you will provoke another2 and 
that which removes the one ill symptom  
produces others1 while the strengthening
 one part of the body weakens the       
rest4--,on the contrary1 answered ,i1 it
 seems to me that men cannot live       
conveniently1 where all things are      
common3 how can there be any plenty1    
where every man will excuse himself from
 labour8 ,for as the hope of gain doth  
not excite him1 so the confidence that  
he has in other men's industry may make 
him slothful3 if people come to be      
pinched with want1 and yet cannot       
dispose of anything as their own2 what  
can follow upon this but perpetual      
sedition and bloodshed1 especially when 
the reverence and authority due to      

magistrates falls to the ground8 ,for ,i
 cannot imagine how that can be kept up 
among those that are in all things equal
 to one another4--,i do not wonder1 said
 he1 that it appears so to you1 since   
you have no notion1 or at least no right
 one1 of such a constitution3 but if you
 had been in ,utopia with me1 and had   
seen their laws and rules1 as ,i did1   
for the space of five years1 in which ,i
 lived among them2 and during which time
 ,i was so delighted with them1 that    
indeed ,i should never have left them1  
if it had not been to make the discovery
 of that new world to the ,europeans2   
you would then confess that you had     
never seen a people so well constituted 
as they1--,you will not easily persuade 
me1 said ,peter1 that any nation in that
 new world is better governed than those
 among us4 ,for as our understandings   
are not worse than theirs1 so our       
government1 if ,i mistake not1 being    
more ancient1 a long practice has helped
 us to find out many conveniences of    

life3 and some happy chances have       
discovered other things to us1 which no 
man's understanding could ever have     
invented4--,as for the antiquity1 either
 of their government1 or of ours1 said  
he1 you cannot pass a true judgment of  
it1 unless you had read their histories2
 for if they are to be believed1 they   
had towns among them before these parts 
were so much as inhabited4 ,and as for  
those discoveries1 that have been either
 hit on by chance1 or made by ingenious 
men1 these might have happened there as 
well as here4 ,i do not deny but we are 
more ingenious than they are1 but they  
exceed us much in industry and          
application4 ,they knew little          
concerning us before our arrival among  
them2 they call us all by a general name
 of the nations that lie beyond the     
,equinoctial ,line2 for their ,chronicle
 mentions a shipwreck that was made on  
their coast #a1bjj years ago2 and that  
some ,romans and ,egyptians that were in
 the ship1 getting safe ashore1 spent   

the rest of their days amongst them2 and
 such was their ingenuity1 that from    
this single opportunity they drew the   
advantage of learning from those        
unlooked-for guests1 and acquired all   
the useful arts that were then among the
 ,romans1 and which were known to these 
shipwrecked men3 and by the hints that  
they gave them1 they themselves found   
out even some of those arts which they  
could not fully explain2 so happily did 
they improve that accident1 of having   
some of our people cast upon their      
shore4 ,but if such an accident has at  
any time brought any from thence into   
,europe1 we have been so far from       
improving it1 that we do not so much as 
remember it2 as in after-times perhaps  
it will be forgot by our people that ,i 
was ever there4 ,for though they from   
one such accident made themselves       
masters of all the good inventions that 
were among us2 yet ,i believe it would  
be long before we should learn or put in
 practice any of the good institutions  

that are among them4 ,and this is the   
true cause of their being better        
governed1 and living happier than we1   
though we come not short of them in     
point of understanding or outward       
advantages4--,upon this ,i said to him1 
,i earnestly beg you would describe that
 island very particularly to us4 ,be not
 too short1 but set out in order all    
things relating to their soil1 their    
rivers1 their towns1 their people1 their
 manners1 constitution1 laws1 and1 in a 
word1 all that you imagine we desire to 
know4 ,and you may well imagine that we 
desire to know everything concerning    
them1 of which we are hitherto          
ignorant4--,i will do it very willingly1
 said he1 for ,i have digested the whole
 matter carefully2 but it will take up  
some time1--,let us go then1 said ,i1   
first and dine1 and then we shall have  
leisure enough4 ,he consented4 ,we went 
in and dined1 and after dinner came     
back1 and sat down in the same place4 ,i
 ordered my servants to take care that  

none might come and interrupt us4 ,and  
both ,peter and ,i desired ,raphael to  
be as good as his word4 ,when he saw    
that we were very intent upon it1 he    
paused a little to recollect himself1   
and began in this manner4     ,,book    
,,ii4   ,the island of ,utopia is in the
 middle two hundred miles broad1 and    
holds almost at the same breadth over a 
great part of it2 but it grows narrower 
towards both ends4 ,its figure is not   
unlike a crescent3 between its horns1   
the sea comes in eleven miles broad1 and
 spreads itself into a great bay1 which 
is environed with land to the compass of
 about five hundred miles1 and is well  
secured from winds4 ,in this bay there  
is no great current1 the whole coast is1
 as it were1 one continued harbour1     
which gives all that live in the island 
great convenience for mutual commerce2  
but the entry into the bay1 occasioned  
by rocks on the one hand1 and shallows  
on the other1 is very dangerous4 ,in the
 middle of it there is one single rock  

which appears above water1 and may      
therefore be easily avoided1 and on the 
top of it there is a tower in which a   
garrison is kept1 the other rocks lie   
under water1 and are very dangerous4    
,the channel is known only to the       
natives1 so that if any stranger should 
enter into the bay1 without one of their
 pilots1 he would run great danger of   
shipwreck2 for even they themselves     
could not pass it safe1 if some marks   
that are on the coast did not direct    
their way2 and if these should be but a 
little shifted1 any fleet that might    
come against them1 how great soever it  
were1 would be certainly lost4 ,on the  
other side of the island there are      
likewise many harbours2 and the coast is
 so fortified1 both by nature and art1  
that a small number of men can hinder   
the descent of a great army4 ,but they  
report 7and there remains good marks of 
it to make it credible7 that this was no
 island at first1 but a part of the     
continent4 ,utopus that conquered it    

7whose name it still carries1 for       
,abraxa was its first name7 brought the 
rude and uncivilized inhabitants into   
such a good government1 and to that     
measure of politeness1 that they now far
 excel all the rest of mankind2 having  
soon subdued them1 he designed to       
separate them from the continent1 and to
 bring the sea quite round them4 ,to    
accomplish this1 he ordered a deep      
channel to be dug fifteen miles long2   
and that the natives might not think he 
treated them like slaves1 he not only   
forced the inhabitants1 but also his own
 soldiers1 to labour in carrying it on4 
,as he set a vast number of men to work1
 he beyond all men's expectations       
brought it to a speedy conclusion4 ,and 
his neighbours who at first laughed at  
the folly of the undertaking1 no sooner 
saw it brought to perfection1 than they 
were struck with admiration and terror4 
,there are fifty-four cities in the     
island1 all large and well built3 the   
manners1 customs1 and laws of which are 

the same1 and they are all contrived as 
near in the same manner as the ground on
 which they stand will allow4 ,the      
nearest lie at least twenty-four miles  
distance from one another1 and the most 
remote are not so far distant1 but that 
a man can go on foot in one day from it1
 to that which lies next it4 ,every city
 sends three of their wisest senators   
once a year to ,amaurot1 to consult     
about their common concerns2 for that is
 chief town of the island1 being        
situated near the centre of it1 so that 
it is the most convenient place for     
their assemblies4 ,the jurisdiction of  
every city extends at least twenty      
miles3 and where the towns lie wider1   
they have much more ground3 no town     
desires to enlarge its bounds1 for the  
people consider themselves rather as    
tenants than landlords4 ,they have built
 over all the country1 farmhouses for   
husbandmen1 which are well contrived1   
and are furnished with all things       
necessary for country labour4           

,inhabitants are sent by turns from the 
cities to dwell in them2 no country     
family has fewer than forty men and     
women in it1 besides two slaves4 ,there 
is a master and a mistress set over     
every family2 and over thirty families  
there is a magistrate4 ,every year      
twenty of this family come back to the  
town1 after they have stayed two years  
in the country2 and in their room there 
are other twenty sent from the town1    
that they may learn country work from   
those that have been already one year in
 the country1 as they must teach those  
that come to them the next from the     
town4 ,by this means such as dwell in   
those country farms are never ignorant  
of agriculture1 and so commit no errors1
 which might otherwise be fatal1 and    
bring them under a scarcity of corn4    
,but though there is every year such a  
shifting of the husbandmen1 to prevent  
any man being forced against his will to
 follow that hard course of life too    
long2 yet many among them take such     

pleasure in it1 that they desire leave  
to continue in it many years4 ,these    
husbandmen till the ground1 breed       
cattle1 hew wood1 and convey it to the  
towns1 either by land or water1 as is   
most convenient4 ,they breed an infinite
 multitude of chickens in a very curious
 manner2 for the hens do not sit and    
hatch them1 but vast number of eggs are 
laid in a gentle and equal heat1 in     
order to be hatched1 and they are no    
sooner out of the shell1 and able to    
stir about1 but they seem to consider   
those that feed them as their mothers1  
and follow them as other chickens do the
 hen that hatched them4 ,they breed very
 few horses1 but those they have are    
full of mettle1 and are kept only for   
exercising their youth in the art of    
sitting and riding them2 for they do not
 put them to any work1 either of        
ploughing or carriage1 in which they    
employ oxen2 for though their horses are
 stronger1 yet they find oxen can hold  
out longer2 and as they are not subject 

to so many diseases1 so they are kept   
upon a less charge1 and with less       
trouble2 and even when they are so worn 
out1 that they are no more fit for      
labour1 they are good meat at last4     
,they sow no corn1 but that which is to 
be their bread2 for they drink either   
wine1 cyder1 or perry1 and often water1 
sometimes boiled with honey or          
liquorice1 with which they abound2 and  
though they know exactly how much corn  
will serve every town1 and all that     
tract of country which belongs to it1   
yet they sow much more1 and breed more  
cattle than are necessary for their     
consumption2 and they give that overplus
 of which they make no use to their     
neighbours4 ,when they want anything in 
the country which it does not produce1  
they fetch that from the town1 without  
carrying anything in exchange for it4   
,and the magistrates of the town take   
care to see it given them2 for they meet
 generally in the town once a month1    
upon a festival day4 ,when the time of  

harvest comes1 the magistrates in the   
country send to those in the towns1 and 
let them know how many hands they will  
need for reaping the harvest2 and the   
number they call for being sent to them1
 they commonly despatch it all in one   
day4   ,,of ,,their ,,towns1            
,,particularly ,,of ,,amaurot4  ,he that
 knows one of their towns1 knows them   
all1 they are so like one another1      
except where the situation makes some   
difference4 ,i shall therefore describe 
one of them2 and none is so proper as   
,amaurot2 for as none is more eminent1  
all the rest yielding in precedence to  
this1 because it is the seat of their   
supreme council2 so there was none of   
them better known to me1 ,i having lived
 five years altogether in it4  ,it lies 
upon the side of a hill1 or rather a    
rising ground3 its figure is almost     
square1 for from the one side of it1    
which shoots up almost to the top of the
 hill1 it runs down in a descent for two
 miles to the river ,anider2 but it is a

 little broader the other way that runs 
along by the bank of that river4 ,the   
,anider rises about eighty miles above  
,amaurot in a small spring at first2 but
 other brooks falling into it1 of which 
two are more considerable than the rest4
 ,as it runs by ,amaurot1 it is grown   
half a mile broad2 but it still grows   
larger and larger1 till after sixty     
miles course below it1 it is lost in the
 ocean1 between the town and the sea1   
and for some miles above the town1 it   
ebbs and flows every six hours1 with a  
strong current4 ,the tide comes up for  
about thirty miles so full1 that there  
is nothing but salt water in the river1 
the fresh water being driven back with  
its force2 and above that1 for some     
miles1 the water is brackish2 but a     
little higher1 as it runs by the town1  
it is quite fresh2 and when the tide    
ebbs1 it continues fresh all along to   
the sea4 ,there is a bridge cast over   
the river1 not of timber1 but of fair   
stone1 consisting of many stately       

arches2 it lies at that part of the town
 which is farthest from the sea1 so that
 ships without any hindrance lie all    
along the side of the town4 ,there is   
likewise another river that runs by it1 
which though it is not great1 yet it    
runs pleasantly1 for it rises out of the
 same hill on which the town stands1 and
 so runs down through it1 and falls into
 the ,anider4 ,the inhabitants have     
fortified the fountain-head of this     
river1 which springs a little without   
the towns2 that so if they should happen
 to be besieged1 the enemy might not be 
able to stop or divert the course of the
 water1 nor poison it2 from thence it is
 carried in earthen pipes to the lower  
streets2 and for those places of the    
town to which the water of that small   
river cannot be conveyed1 they have     
great cisterns for receiving the        
rain-water1 which supplies the want of  
the other4 ,the town is compassed with a
 high and thick wall1 in which there are
 many towers and forts2 there is also a 

broad and deep dry ditch1 set thick with
 thorns1 cast round three sides of the  
town1 and the river is instead of a     
ditch on the fourth side4 ,the streets  
are very convenient for all carriage1   
and are well sheltered from the winds4  
,their buildings are good1 and are so   
uniform1 that a whole side of a street  
looks like one house4 ,the streets are  
twenty feet broad2 there lie gardens    
behind all their houses2 these are large
 but enclosed with buildings1 that on   
all hands face the streets2 so that     
every house has both a door to the      
street1 and a back door to the garden4  
,their doors have all two leaves1 which1
 as they are easily opened1 so they shut
 of their own accord2 and there being no
 property among them1 every man may     
freely enter into any house whatsoever4 
,at every ten years end they shift their
 houses by lots4 ,they cultivate their  
gardens with great care1 so that they   
have both vines1 fruits1 herbs1 and     
flowers in them2 and all is so well     

ordered1 and so finely kept1 that ,i    
never saw gardens anywhere that were    
both so fruitful and so beautiful as    
theirs4 ,and this humour of ordering    
their gardens so well1 is not only kept 
up by the pleasure they find in it1 but 
also by an emulation between the        
inhabitants of the several streets1 who 
vie with each other2 and there is indeed
 nothing belonging to the whole town    
that is both more useful and more       
pleasant4 ,so that he who founded the   
town1 seems to have taken care of       
nothing more than of their gardens2 for 
they say1 the whole scheme of the town  
was designed at first by ,utopus1 but he
 left all that belonged to the ornament 
and improvement of it1 to be added by   
those that should come after him1 that  
being too much for one man to bring to  
perfection4 ,their records1 that contain
 the history of their town and state1   
are preserved with an exact care1 and   
run backwards #a1gfj years4 ,from these 
it appears that their houses were at    

first low and mean1 like cottages1 made 
of any sort of timber1 and were built   
with mud walls and thatched with straw4 
,but now their houses are three stories 
high3 the fronts of them are faced      
either with stone1 plastering1 or brick2
 and between the facings of their walls 
they throw in their rubbish4 ,their     
roofs are flat1 and on them they lay a  
sort of plaster1 which costs very       
little1 and yet is so tempered that it  
is not apt to take fire1 and yet resists
 the weather more than lead4 ,they have 
great quantities of glass among them1   
with which they glaze their windows4    
,they use also in their windows a thin  
linen cloth1 that is so oiled or gummed 
that it both keeps out the wind and     
gives free admission to the light4      
,,of ,,their ,,magistrates4  ,thirty    
families choose every year a magistrate1
 who was anciently called the           
,syphogrant1 but is now called the      
,philarch2 and over every ten           
,syphogrants1 with the families subject 

to them1 there is another magistrate1   
who was anciently called the ,tranibor1 
but of late the ,archphilarch4 ,all the 
,syphogrants1 who are in number #bjj1   
choose the ,prince out of a list of     
four1 who are named by the people of the
 four divisions of the city2 but they   
take an oath before they proceed to an  
election1 that they will choose him whom
 they think most fit for the office4    
,they give their voices secretly1 so    
that it is not known for whom every one 
gives his suffrage4 ,the ,prince is for 
life1 unless he is removed upon         
suspicion of some design to enslave the 
people4 ,the ,tranibors are new chosen  
every year1 but yet they are for the    
most part continued4 ,all their other   
magistrates are only annual4 ,the       
,tranibors meet every third day1 and    
oftener if necessary1 and consult with  
the ,prince1 either concerning the      
affairs of the state in general1 or such
 private differences as may arise       
sometimes among the people2 though that 

falls out but seldom4 ,there are always 
two ,syphogrants called into the        
council-chamber1 and these are changed  
every day4 ,it is a fundamental rule of 
their government1 that no conclusion can
 be made in anything that relates to the
 public1 till it has been first debated 
three several days in their council4 ,it
 is death for any to meet and consult   
concerning the state1 unless it be      
either in their ordinary council1 or in 
the assembly of the whole body of the   
people4  ,these things have been so     
provided among them1 that the ,prince   
and the ,tranibors may not conspire     
together to change the government1 and  
enslave the people2 and therefore when  
anything of great importance is set on  
foot1 it is sent to the ,syphogrants2   
who after they have communicated it to  
the families that belong to their       
divisions1 and have considered it among 
themselves1 make report to the senate2  
and upon great occasions1 the matter is 
referred to the council of the whole    

island4 ,one rule observed in their     
council1 is1 never to debate a thing on 
the same day in which it is first       
proposed2 for that is always referred to
 the next meeting1 that so men may not  
rashly1 and in the heat of discourse1   
engage themselves too soon1 which might 
bias them so much1 that instead of      
consulting the good of the public1 they 
might rather study to support their     
first opinions1 and by a perverse and   
preposterous sort of shame1 hazard their
 country rather than endanger their own 
reputation1 or venture the being        
suspected to have wanted foresight in   
the expedients that they at first       
proposed4 ,and therefore to prevent     
this1 they take care that they may      
rather be deliberate than sudden in     
their motions4   ,,of ,,their ,,trades1 
,,and ,,manner ,,of ,,life4             
,agriculture is that which is so        
universally understood among them1 that 
no person1 either man or woman1 is      
ignorant of it2 they are instructed in  

it from their childhood1 partly by what 
they learn at school1 and partly by     
practice2 they being led out often into 
the fields1 about the town1 where they  
not only see others at work1 but are    
likewise exercised in it themselves4    
,besides agriculture1 which is so common
 to them all1 every man has some        
peculiar trade to which he applies      
himself1 such as the manufacture of     
wool1 or flax1 masonry1 smith's work1 or
 carpenter's work2 for there is no sort 
of trade that is in great esteem among  
them4 ,throughout the island they wear  
the same sort of clothes without any    
other distinction1 except what is       
necessary to distinguish the two sexes1 
and the married and unmarried4 ,the     
fashion never alters2 and as it is      
neither disagreeable nor uneasy1 so it  
is suited to the climate1 and calculated
 both for their summers and winters4    
,every family makes their own clothes2  
but all among them1 women as well men1  
learn one or other of the trades        

formerly mentioned4 ,women1 for the most
 part1 deal in wool and flax1 which suit
 best with their weakness1 leaving the  
ruder trades to the men4 ,the same trade
 generally passes down from father to   
son1 inclinations often following       
descent2 but if any man's genius lies   
another way1 he is by adoption          
translated into a family that deals in  
the trade to which he is inclined3 and  
when that is to be done1 care is taken  
not only by his father1 but by the      
magistrate1 that he may be put to a     
discreet and good man4 ,and if after a  
person has learned one trade1 he desires
 to acquire another1 that is also       
allowed1 and is managed in the same     
manner as the former4 ,when he has      
learned both1 he follows that which he  
likes best1 unless the public has more  
occasion for the other4  ,the chief1 and
 almost the only business of the        
,syphogrants1 is to take care that no   
man may live idle1 but that every one   
may follow his trade diligently3 yet    

they do not wear themselves out with    
perpetual toil1 from morning to night1  
as if they were beasts of burden1 which 
as it is indeed a heavy slavery1 so it  
is everywhere the common course of life 
amongst all mechanics except the        
,utopians2 but they dividing the day and
 night into twenty-four hours1 appoint  
six of these for work2 three of which   
are before dinner2 and three after4     
,they then sup1 and at eight o'clock1   
counting from noon1 go to bed and sleep 
eight hours4 ,the rest of their time    
besides that taken up in work1 eating   
and sleeping1 is left to every man's    
discretion2 yet they are not to abuse   
that interval to luxury and idleness1   
but must employ it in some proper       
exercise according to their various     
inclinations1 which is for the most part
 reading4 ,it is ordinary to have public
 lectures every morning before daybreak2
 at which none are obliged to appear but
 those who are marked out for           
literature2 yet a great many1 both men  

and women of all ranks1 go to hear      
lectures of one sort or other1 according
 to their inclinations4 ,but if others1 
that are not made for contemplation1    
choose rather to employ themselves at   
that time in their trades1 as many of   
them do1 they are not hindered1 but are 
rather commended1 as men that take care 
to serve their country4 ,after supper1  
they spend an hour in some diversion1 in
 summer in their gardens1 and in winter 
in the halls where they eat2 where they 
entertain each other1 either with music 
or discourse4 ,they do not so much as   
know dice1 or any such foolish and      
mischievous games3 they have1 however1  
two sorts of games not unlike our chess2
 the one is between several numbers1 in 
which one number1 as it were1 consumes  
another3 the other resembles a battle   
between the virtues and the vices1 in   
which the enmity in the vices among     
themselves1 and their agreement against 
virtue1 is not unpleasantly represented2
 together with the special oppositions  

between the particular virtues and      
vices2 as also the methods by which vice
 either openly assaults or secretly     
undermines virtue2 and virtue on the    
other hand resists it4 ,but the time    
appointed for labour is to be narrowly  
examined1 otherwise you may imagine1    
that since there are only six hours     
appointed for work1 they may fall under 
a scarcity of necessary provisions4 ,but
 it is so far from being true1 that this
 time is not sufficient for supplying   
them with plenty of all things1 either  
necessary or convenient2 that it is     
rather too much2 and this you will      
easily apprehend1 if you consider how   
great a part of all other nations is    
quite idle4 ,first1 women generally do  
little1 who are the half of mankind2 and
 if some few women are diligent1 their  
husbands are idle3 then consider the    
great company of idle priests1 and of   
those that are called religious men2 add
 to these all rich men1 chiefly those   
that have estates in land1 who are      

called noblemen and gentlemen1 together 
with their families1 made up of idle    
persons1 that are kept more for show    
than use2 add to these1 all those strong
 and lusty beggars1 that go about       
pretending some disease1 in excuse for  
their begging2 and upon the whole       
account you will find that the number of
 those by whose labours mankind is      
supplied1 is much less than you perhaps 
imagined4 ,then consider how few of     
those that work are employed in labours 
that are of real service2 for we who    
measure all things by money1 give rise  
to many trades that are both vain and   
superfluous1 and serve only to support  
riot and luxury4 ,for if those who work 
were employed only in such things as the
 conveniences of life require1 there    
would be such an abundance of them1 that
 the prices of them would so sink1 that 
tradesmen could not be maintained by    
their gains2 if all those who labour    
about useless things1 were set to more  
profitable employments1 and if all they 

that languish out their lives in sloth  
and idleness1 every one of whom consumes
 as much as any two of the men that are 
at work1 were forced to labour1 you may 
easily imagine that a small proportion  
of time would serve for doing all that  
is either necessary1 profitable1 or     
pleasant to mankind1 especially while   
pleasure is kept within its due bounds4 
,this appears very plainly in ,utopia1  
for there1 in a great city1 and in all  
the territory that lies round it1 you   
can scarce find five hundred1 either men
 or women1 by their age and strength1   
are capable of labour1 that are not     
engaged in it2 even the ,syphogrants1   
though excused by the law1 yet do not   
excuse themselves1 but work1 that by    
their examples they may excite the      
industry of the rest of the people4 ,the
 like exemption is allowed to those1 who
 being recommended to the people by the 
priests1 are by the secret suffrages of 
the ,syphogrants privileged from labour1
 that they may apply themselves wholly  

to study2 and if any of these fall short
 of those hopes that they seemed at     
first to give1 they are obliged to      
return to work4 ,and sometimes a        
mechanic1 that so employs his leisure   
hours1 as to make a considerable        
advancement in learning1 is eased from  
being a tradesman1 and ranked among     
their learned men4 ,out of these they   
choose their ambassadors1 their priests1
 their ,tranibors1 and the ,prince      
himself2 anciently called their         
,barzenes1 but is called of late their  
,ademus4  ,and thus from the great      
numbers among them that are neither     
suffered to be idle1 nor to be employed 
in any fruitless labour1 you may easily 
make the estimate how much may be done  
in those few hours in which they are    
obliged to labour4 ,but besides all that
 has been already said1 it is to be     
considered that the needful arts among  
them are managed with less labour than  
anywhere else4 ,the building or the     
repairing of houses among us employ many

 hands1 because often a thriftless heir 
suffers a house that his father built to
 fall into decay1 so that his successor 
must1 at a great cost1 repair that which
 he might have kept up with a small     
charge3 it frequently happens1 that the 
same house which one person built at a  
vast expense1 is neglected by another1  
who thinks he has a more delicate sense 
of the beauties of architecture2 and he 
suffering it to fall to ruin1 builds    
another at no less charge4 ,but among   
the ,utopians1 all things are so        
regulated that men very seldom build    
upon a new piece of ground2 and are not 
only very quick in repairing their      
houses1 but show their foresight in     
preventing their decay3 so that their   
buildings are preserved very long1 with 
but little labour2 and thus the builders
 to whom that care belongs are often    
without employment1 except the hewing of
 timber1 and the squaring of stones1    
that the materials may be in readiness  
for raising a building very suddenly1   

when there is any occasion for it4 ,as  
to their clothes1 observe how little    
work is spent in them3 while they are at
 labour1 they are clothed with leather  
and skins1 cast carelessly about them1  
which will last seven years2 and when   
they appear in public they put on an    
upper garment1 which hides the other2   
and these are all of one colour1 and    
that is the natural colour of the wool4 
,as they need less woollen cloth than is
 used anywhere else1 so that which they 
make use of is much less costly4 ,they  
use linen cloth more2 but that is       
prepared with less labour1 and they     
value cloth only by the whiteness of the
 linen1 or the cleanness of the wool1   
without much regard to the fineness of  
the thread3 while in other places1 four 
or five upper garments of woollen cloth1
 of different colours1 and as many vests
 of silk1 will scarce serve one man2 and
 while those that are nicer think ten   
too few1 every man there is content with
 one1 which very often serves him two   

years4 ,nor is there anything that can  
tempt a man to desire more2 for if he   
had them1 he would neither be the       
warmer1 nor would he make one jot the   
better appearance for it4 ,and thus1    
since they are all employed in some     
useful labour1 and since they content   
themselves with fewer things1 it falls  
out that there is a great abundance of  
all things among them3 so that it       
frequently happens1 that for want of    
other work1 vast numbers are sent out to
 mend the highways4 ,but when no public 
undertaking is to be performed1 the     
hours of working are lessened4 ,the     
magistrates never engage the people in  
unnecessary labour1 since the chief end 
of the constitution is to regulate      
labour by the necessities of the public1
 and to allow all the people as much    
time as is necessary for the improvement
 of their minds1 in which they think the
 happiness of life consists4   ,,of     
,,their ,,traffic4  ,but it is now time 
to explain to you the mutual intercourse

 of this people1 their commerce1 and the
 rules by which all things are          
distributed among them4  ,as their      
cities are composed of families1 so     
their families are made up of those that
 are nearly related to one another4     
,their women1 when they grow up1 are    
married out2 but all the males1 both    
children and grandchildren1 live still  
in the same house1 in great obedience to
 their common parent1 unless age has    
weakened his understanding2 and in that 
case1 he that is next to him in age     
comes in his room4 ,but lest any city   
should become either too great1 or by   
any accident be dispeopled1 provision is
 made that none of their cities may     
contain above six thousand families1    
besides those of the country round it4  
,no family may have less than ten1 and  
more than sixteen persons in it2 but    
there can be no determined number for   
the children under age4 ,this rule is   
easily observed1 by removing some of the
 children of a more fruitful couple to  

any other family that does not abound so
 much in them4 ,by the same rule1 they  
supply cities that do not increase so   
fast1 from others that breed faster2 and
 if there is any increase over the whole
 island1 then they draw out a number of 
their citizens out of the several towns1
 and send them over to the neighbouring 
continent2 where1 if they find that the 
inhabitants have more soil than they can
 well cultivate1 they fix a colony1     
taking the inhabitants into their       
society1 if they are willing to live    
with them2 and where they do that of    
their own accord1 they quickly enter    
into their method of life1 and conform  
to their rules1 and this proves a       
happiness to both nations3 for according
 to their constitution1 such care is    
taken of the soil1 that it becomes      
fruitful enough for both1 though it     
might be otherwise too narrow and barren
 for any one of them4 ,but if the       
natives refuse to conform themselves to 
their laws1 they drive them out of those

 bounds which they mark out for         
themselves1 and use force if they       
resist4 ,for they account it a very just
 cause of war1 for a nation to hinder   
others from possessing a part of that   
soil1 of which they make no use1 but    
which is suffered to lie idle and       
uncultivated2 since every man has by the
 law of ,nature a right to such a waste 
portion of the earth as is necessary for
 his subsistence4 ,if an accident has so
 lessened the number of the inhabitants 
of any of their towns1 that it cannot be
 made up from the other towns of the    
island1 without diminishing them too    
much1 which is said to have fallen out  
but twice since they were first a       
people1 when great numbers were carried 
off by the plague2 the loss is then     
supplied by recalling as many as are    
wanted from their colonies2 for they    
will abandon these1 rather than suffer  
the towns in the island to sink too low4
  ,but to return to their manner of     
living in society1 the oldest man of    

every family1 as has been already said1 
is its governor4 ,wives serve their     
husbands1 and children their parents1   
and always the younger serves the elder4
 ,every city is divided into four equal 
parts1 and in the middle of each there  
is a market-place3 what is brought      
thither1 and manufactured by the several
 families1 is carried from thence to    
houses appointed for that purpose1 in   
which all things of a sort are laid by  
themselves2 and thither every father    
goes and takes whatsoever he or his     
family stand in need of1 without either 
paying for it1 or leaving anything in   
exchange4 ,there is no reason for giving
 a denial to any person1 since there is 
such plenty of everything among them2   
and there is no danger of a man's asking
 for more than he needs2 they have no   
inducements to do this1 since they are  
sure that they shall always be supplied4
 ,it is the fear of want that makes any 
of the whole race of animals either     
greedy or ravenous2 but besides fear1   

there is in man a pride that makes him  
fancy it a particular glory to excel    
others in pomp and excess4 ,but by the  
laws of the ,utopians1 there is no room 
for this4 ,near these markets there are 
others for all sorts of provisions1     
where there are not only herbs1 fruits1 
and bread1 but also fish1 fowl1 and     
cattle4 ,there are also1 without their  
towns1 places appointed near some       
running water1 for killing their beasts1
 and for washing away their filth2 which
 is done by their slaves3 for they      
suffer none of their citizens to kill   
their cattle1 because they think that   
pity and good-nature1 which are among   
the best of those affections that are   
born with us1 are much impaired by the  
butchering of animals3 nor do they      
suffer anything that is foul or unclean 
to be brought within their towns1 lest  
the air should be infected by ill smells
 which might prejudice their health4 ,in
 every street there are great halls that
 lie at an equal distance from each     

other1 distinguished by particular      
names4 ,the ,syphogrants dwell in those 
that are set over thirty families1      
fifteen lying on one side of it1 and as 
many on the other4 ,in these halls they 
all meet and have their repasts4 ,the   
stewards of every one of them come to   
the market-place at an appointed hour2  
and according to the number of those    
that belong to the hall1 they carry home
 provisions4 ,but they take more care of
 their sick than of any others3 these   
are lodged and provided for in public   
hospitals3 they have belonging to every 
town four hospitals1 that are built     
without their walls1 and are so large   
that they may pass for little towns3 by 
this means1 if they had ever such a     
number of sick persons1 they could lodge
 them conveniently1 and at such a       
distance1 that such of them as are sick 
of infectious diseases may be kept so   
far from the rest that there can be no  
danger of contagion4 ,the hospitals are 
furnished and stored with all things    

that are convenient for the ease and    
recovery of the sick2 and those that are
 put in them are looked after with such 
tender and watchful care1 and are so    
constantly attended by their skilful    
physicians1 that as none is sent to them
 against their will1 so there is scarce 
one in a whole town that1 if he should  
fall ill1 would not choose rather to go 
thither than lie sick at home4  ,after  
the steward of the hospitals has taken  
for the sick whatsoever the physician   
prescribes1 then the best things that   
are left in the market are distributed  
equally among the halls1 in proportion  
to their numbers1 only1 in the first    
place1 they serve the ,prince1 the chief
 priest1 the ,tranibors1 the            
ambassadors1 and strangers1 if there are
 any1 which indeed falls out but seldom1
 and for whom there are houses well     
furnished1 particularly appointed for   
their reception when they come among    
them4 ,at the hours of dinner and       
supper1 the whole ,syphogranty being    

called together by sound of trumpet1    
they meet and eat together1 except only 
such as are in the hospitals1 or lie    
sick at home4 ,yet after the halls are  
served1 no man is hindered to carry     
provisions home from the market-place2  
for they know that none does that but   
for some good reason2 for though any    
that will may eat at home1 yet none does
 it willingly1 since it is both         
ridiculous and foolish for any to give  
themselves the trouble to make ready an 
ill dinner at home1 when there is a much
 more plentiful one made ready for him  
so near hand4 ,all the uneasy and sordid
 services about these halls are         
performed by their slaves2 but the      
dressing and cooking their meat1 and the
 ordering their tables1 belong only to  
the women1 all those of every family    
taking it by turns4 ,they sit at three  
or more tables1 according to their      
number2 the men sit towards the wall1   
and the women sit on the other side1    
that if any of them should be taken     

suddenly ill1 which is no uncommon case 
amongst women with child1 she may1      
without disturbing the rest1 rise and go
 to the nurse's room1 who are there with
 the sucking children2 where there is   
always clean water at hand1 and cradles 
in which they may lay the young         
children1 if there is occasion for it1  
and a fire that they may shift and dress
 them before it4 ,every child is nursed 
by its own mother1 if death or sickness 
does not intervene2 and in that case the
 ,syphogrants' wives find out a nurse   
quickly1 which is no hard matter2 for   
any one that can do it1 offers herself  
cheerfully2 for as they are much        
inclined to that piece of mercy1 so the 
child whom they nurse considers the     
nurse as its mother4 ,all the children  
under five years old sit among the      
nurses1 the rest of the younger sort of 
both sexes1 till they are fit for       
marriage1 either serve those that sit at
 table2 or if they are not strong enough
 for that1 stand by them in great       

silence1 and eat what is given them2 nor
 have they any other formality of       
dining4 ,in the middle of the first     
table1 which stands across the upper end
 of the hall1 sit the ,syphogrant and   
his wife2 for that is the chief and most
 conspicuous place2 next to him sit two 
of the most ancient1 for there go always
 four to a mess4 ,if there is a temple  
within that ,syphogranty1 the priest and
 his wife sit with the ,syphogrant above
 all the rest3 next them there is a     
mixture of old and young1 who are so    
placed1 that as the young are set near  
others1 so they are mixed with the more 
ancient2 which they say was appointed on
 this account1 that the gravity of the  
old people1 and the reverence that is   
due to them1 might restrain the younger 
from all indecent words and gestures4   
,dishes are not served up to the whole  
table at first1 but the best are first  
set before the old1 whose seats are     
distinguished from the young1 and after 
them all the rest are served alike4 ,the

 old men distribute to the younger any  
curious meats that happen to be set     
before them1 if there is not such an    
abundance of them that the whole company
 may be served alike4  ,thus old men are
 honoured with a particular respect2 yet
 all the rest fare as well as they4     
,both dinner and supper are begun with  
some lecture of morality that is read to
 them2 but it is so short1 that it is   
not tedious nor uneasy to them to hear  
it3 from hence the old men take occasion
 to entertain those about them1 with    
some useful and pleasant enlargements2  
but they do not engross the whole       
discourse so to themselves1 during their
 meals1 that the younger may not put in 
for a share3 on the contrary1 they      
engage them to talk1 that so they may in
 that free way of conversation find out 
the force of every one's spirit1 and    
observe his temper4 ,they despatch their
 dinners quickly1 but sit long at       
supper2 because they go to work after   
the one1 and are to sleep after the     

other1 during which they think the      
stomach carries on the concoction more  
vigorously4 ,they never sup without     
music2 and there is always fruit served 
up after meat2 while they are at table1 
some burn perfumes1 and sprinkle about  
fragrant ointments and sweet waters3 in 
short1 they want nothing that may cheer 
up their spirits3 they give themselves a
 large allowance that way1 and indulge  
themselves in all such pleasures as are 
attended with no inconvenience4 ,thus do
 those that are in the towns live       
together2 but in the country1 where they
 live at great distance1 every one eats 
at home1 and no family wants any        
necessary sort of provision1 for it is  
from them that provisions are sent unto 
those that live in the towns4   ,,of    
,,the ,,travelling ,,of ,,the           
,,utopians4  ,if any man has a mind to  
visit his friends that live in some     
other town1 or desires to travel and see
 the rest of the country1 he obtains    
leave very easily from the ,syphogrant  

and ,tranibors1 when there is no        
particular occasion for him at home3    
such as travel1 carry with them a       
passport from the ,prince1 which both   
certifies the license that is granted   
for travelling1 and limits the time of  
their return4 ,they are furnished with a
 waggon and a slave1 who drives the     
oxen1 and looks after them3 but unless  
there are women in the company1 the     
waggon is sent back at the end of the   
journey as a needless encumbrance3 while
 they are on the road1 they carry no    
provisions with them2 yet they want     
nothing1 but are everywhere treated as  
if they were at home4 ,if they stay in  
any place longer than a night1 every one
 follows his proper occupation1 and is  
very well used by those of his own      
trade3 but if any man goes out of the   
city to which he belongs1 without leave1
 and is found rambling without a        
passport1 he is severely treated1 he is 
punished as a fugitive1 and sent home   
disgracefully2 and if he falls again    

into the like fault1 is condemned to    
slavery4 ,if any man has a mind to      
travel only over the precinct of his own
 city1 he may freely do it1 with his    
father's permission and his wife's      
consent2 but when he comes into any of  
the country houses1 if he expects to be 
entertained by them1 he must labour with
 them and conform to their rules3 and if
 he does this1 he may freely go over the
 whole precinct2 being thus as useful to
 the city to which he belongs1 as if he 
were still within it4 ,thus you see that
 there are no idle persons among them1  
nor pretences of excusing any from      
labour4 ,there are no taverns1 no       
alehouses nor stews among them2 nor any 
other occasions of corrupting each      
other1 of getting into corners1 or      
forming themselves into parties3 all men
 live in full view1 so that all are     
obliged1 both to perform their ordinary 
task1 and to employ themselves well in  
their spare hours4 ,and it is certain   
that a people thus ordered must live in 

great abundance of all things2 and these
 being equally distributed among them1  
no man can want1 or be obliged to beg4  
,in their great council at ,amaurot1 to 
which there are three sent from every   
town once a year1 they examine what     
towns abound in provisions1 and what are
 under any scarcity1 that so the one may
 be furnished from the other2 and this  
is done freely1 without any sort of     
exchange2 for according to their plenty 
or scarcity1 they supply1 or are        
supplied from one another2 so that      
indeed the whole island is1 as it were1 
one family4 ,when they have thus taken  
care of their whole country1 and laid up
 stores for two years1 which they do to 
prevent the ill consequences of an      
unfavourable season1 they order an      
exportation of the overplus1 both of    
corn1 honey1 wool1 flax1 wood1 wax1     
tallow1 leather1 and cattle2 which they 
send out commonly in great quantities to
 other nations4 ,they order a seventh   
part of all these goods to be freely    

given to the poor of the countries to   
which they send them1 and sell the rest 
at moderate rates4 ,and by this         
exchange1 they not only bring back those
 few things that they need at home 7for 
indeed they scarce need anything but    
iron71 but likewise a great deal of gold
 and silver2 and by their driving this  
trade so long1 it is not to be imagined 
how vast a treasure they have got among 
them3 so that now they do not much care 
whether they sell off their merchandise 
for money in hand1 or upon trust4 ,a    
great part of their treasure is now in  
bonds2 but in all their contracts no    
private man stands bound1 but the       
writing runs in the name of the town2   
and the towns that owe them money1 raise
 it from those private hands that owe it
 to them1 lay it up in their public     
chamber1 or enjoy the profit of it till 
the ,utopians call for it2 and they     
choose rather to let the greatest part  
of it lie in their hands who make       
advantage by it1 than to call for it    

themselves3 but if they see that any of 
their other neighbours stand more in    
need of it1 then they call it in and    
lend it to them3 whenever they are      
engaged in war1 which is the only       
occasion in which their treasure can be 
usefully employed1 they make use of it  
themselves4 ,in great extremities or    
sudden accidents they employ it in      
hiring foreign troops1 whom they more   
willingly expose to danger than their   
own people3 they give them great pay1   
knowing well that this will work even on
 their enemies1 that it will engage them
 either to betray their own side1 or at 
least to desert it1 and that it is the  
best means of raising mutual jealousies 
among them3 for this end they have an   
incredible treasure2 but they do not    
keep it as a treasure1 but in such a    
manner as ,i am almost afraid to tell1  
lest you think it so extravagant1 as to 
be hardly credible4 ,this ,i have the   
more reason to apprehend1 because if ,i 
had not seen it myself1 ,i could not    

have been easily persuaded to have      
believed it upon any man's report4  ,it 
is certain that all things appear       
incredible to us1 in proportion as they 
differ from own customs4 ,but one who   
can judge aright1 will not wonder to    
find1 that since their constitution     
differs so much from ours1 their value  
of gold and silver should be measured by
 a very different standard2 for since   
they have no use for money among        
themselves1 but keep it as a provision  
against events which seldom happen1 and 
between which there are generally long  
intervening intervals2 they value it no 
farther than it deserves1 that is1 in   
proportion to its use4 ,so that it is   
plain1 they must prefer iron either to  
gold or silver3 for men can no more live
 without iron1 than without fire or     
water2 but ,nature has marked out no use
 for the other metals1 so essential as  
not easily to be dispensed with4 ,the   
folly of men has enhanced the value of  
gold and silver1 because of their       

scarcity4 ,whereas1 on the contrary1 it 
is their opinion that ,nature1 as an    
indulgent parent1 has freely given us   
all the best things in great abundance1 
such as water and earth1 but has laid up
 and hid from us the things that are    
vain and useless4  ,if these metals were
 laid up in any tower in the kingdom1 it
 would raise a jealousy of the ,prince  
and ,senate1 and give birth to that     
foolish mistrust into which the people  
are apt to fall1 a jealousy of their    
intending to sacrifice the interest of  
the public to their own private         
advantage4 ,if they should work it into 
vessels1 or any sort of plate1 they fear
 that the people might grow too fond of 
it1 and so be unwilling to let the plate
 be run down1 if a war made it necessary
 to employ it in paying their soldiers4 
,to prevent all these inconveniences1   
they have fallen upon an expedient1     
which as it agrees with their other     
policy1 so is it very different from    
ours1 and will scarce gain belief among 

us1 who value gold so much1 and lay it  
up so carefully4 ,they eat and drink out
 of vessels of earth1 or glass1 which   
make an agreeable appearance though     
formed of brittle materials3 while they 
make their chamber-pots and close-stools
 of gold and silver2 and that not only  
in their public halls1 but in their     
private houses3 of the same metals they 
likewise make chains and fetters for    
their slaves2 to some of which1 as a    
badge of infamy1 they hang an ear-ring  
of gold1 and make others wear a chain or
 a coronet of the same metal2 and thus  
they take care1 by all possible means1  
to render gold and silver of no esteem4 
,and from hence it is1 that while other 
nations part with their gold and silver1
 as unwillingly as if one tore out their
 bowels1 those of ,utopia would look on 
their giving in all they possess of     
those 7metals1 when there were any use  
for them7 but as the parting with a     
trifle1 or as we would esteem the loss  
of a penny4 ,they find pearls on their  

coast2 and diamonds and carbuncles on   
their rocks2 they do not look after     
them1 but if they find them by chance1  
they polish them1 and with them they    
adorn their children1 who are delighted 
with them1 and glory in them during     
their childhood2 but when they grow to  
years1 and see that none but children   
use such baubles1 they of their own     
accord1 without being bid by their      
parents1 lay them aside2 and would be as
 much ashamed to use them afterwards1 as
 children among us1 when they come to   
years1 are of their puppets and other   
toys4  ,i never saw a clearer instance  
of the opposite impressions that        
different customs make on people1 than  
,i observed in the ambassadors of the   
,anemolians1 who came to ,amaurot when  
,i was there4 ,as they came to treat of 
affairs of great consequence1 the       
deputies from several towns met together
 to wait for their coming4 ,the         
ambassadors of the nations that lie near
 ,utopia1 knowing their customs1 and    

that fine clothes are in no esteem among
 them1 that silk is despised1 and gold  
is a badge of infamy1 use to come very  
modestly clothed2 but the ,anemolians   
lying more remote1 and having had little
 commerce with them1 understanding that 
they were coarsely clothed1 and all in  
the same manner1 took it for granted    
that they had none of those fine things 
among them of which they made no use2   
and they being a vain-glorious rather   
than a wise people1 resolved to set     
themselves out with so much pomp1 that  
they should look like gods1 and strike  
the eyes of the poor ,utopians with     
their splendour4 ,thus three ambassadors
 made their entry with an hundred       
attendants1 all clad in garments of     
different colours1 and the greater part 
in silk2 the ambassadors themselves1 who
 were of the nobility of their country1 
were in cloth of gold1 and adorned with 
massy chains1 ear-rings and rings of    
gold3 their caps were covered with      
bracelets set full of pearls and other  

gems3 in a word1 they were set out with 
all those things that1 among the        
,utopians1 were either the badges of    
slavery1 the marks of infamy1 or the    
playthings of children4 ,it was not     
unpleasant to see1 on the one side1 how 
they looked big1 when they compared     
their rich habits with the plain clothes
 of the ,utopians1 who were come out in 
great numbers to see them make their    
entry3 and1 on the other1 to observe how
 much they were mistaken in the         
impression which they hoped this pomp   
would have made on them4 ,it appeared so
 ridiculous a show to all that had never
 stirred out of their country1 and had  
not seen the customs of other nations1  
that though they paid some reverence to 
those that were the most meanly clad1 as
 if they had been the ambassadors1 yet  
when they saw the ambassadors           
themselves1 so full of gold and chains1 
they looked upon them as slaves1 and    
forbore to treat them with reverence4   
,you might have seen the children1 who  

were grown big enough to despise their  
playthings1 and who had thrown away     
their jewels1 call to their mothers1    
push them gently1 and cry out1 ,see that
 great fool that wears pearls and gems1 
as if he were yet a child4 ,while their 
mothers very innocently replied1 ,hold  
your peace1 this ,i believe is one of   
the ambassador's fools4 ,others censured
 the fashion of their chains1 and       
observed that they were of no use2 for  
they were too slight to bind their      
slaves1 who could easily break them2 and
 besides hung so loose about them1 that 
they thought it easy to throw them away1
 and so get from them4 ,but after the   
ambassadors had stayed a day among them1
 and saw so vast a quantity of gold in  
their houses1 which was as much despised
 by them as it was esteemed in other    
nations1 and beheld more gold and silver
 in the chains and fetters of one slave 
than all their ornaments amounted to1   
their plumes fell1 and they were ashamed
 of all that glory for which they had   

formerly valued themselves1 and         
accordingly laid it aside2 a resolution 
that they immediately took1 when on     
their engaging in some free discourse   
with the ,utopians1 they discovered     
their sense of such things and their    
other customs4 ,the ,utopians wonder how
 any man should be so much taken with   
the glaring doubtful lustre of a jewel  
or a stone1 that can look up to a star1 
or to the sun himself2 or how any should
 value himself because his cloth is made
 of a finer thread3 for how fine soever 
that thread may be1 it was once no      
better than the fleece of a sheep1 and  
that sheep was a sheep still for all its
 wearing it4 ,they wonder much to hear  
that gold which in itself is so useless 
a thing1 should be everywhere so much   
esteemed1 that even men for whom it was 
made1 and by whom it has its value1     
should yet be thought of less value than
 this metal4 ,that a man of lead1 who   
has no more sense than a log of wood1   
and is as bad as he is foolish1 should  

have many wise and good men to serve    
him1 only because he has a great heap of
 that metal2 and that if it should      
happen that by some accident or trick of
 law 7which sometimes produces as great 
changes as chance itself7 all this      
wealth should pass from the master to   
the meanest varlet of his whole family1 
he himself would very soon become one of
 his servants1 as if he were a thing    
that belonged to his wealth1 and so were
 bound to follow its fortune4 ,but they 
much more admire and detest the folly of
 those who when they see a rich man1    
though they neither owe him anything1   
nor are in any sort dependent on his    
bounty1 yet merely because he is rich   
give him little less than divine        
honours2 even though they know him to be
 so covetous and base-minded1 that      
notwithstanding all his wealth1 he will 
not part with one farthing of it to them
 as long as he lives4  ,these and such  
like notions has that people imbibed1   
partly from their education1 being bred 

in a country whose customs and laws are 
opposite to all such foolish maxims1 and
 partly from their learning and studies2
 for though there are but few in any    
town that are so wholly excused from    
labour as to give themselves entirely up
 to their studies1 these being only such
 persons as discover from their         
childhood an extraordinary capacity and 
disposition for letters2 yet their      
children1 and a great part of the       
nation1 both men and women1 are taught  
to spend those hours in which they are  
not obliged to work in reading3 and this
 they do through the whole progress of  
life4 ,they have all their learning in  
their own tongue1 which is both a       
copious and pleasant language1 and in   
which a man can fully express his mind4 
,it runs over a great tract of many     
countries1 but it is not equally pure in
 all places4 ,they had never so much as 
heard of the names of any of those      
philosophers that are so famous in these
 parts of the world1 before we went     

among them2 and yet they had made the   
same discoveries as the ,greeks1 both in
 music1 logic1 arithmetic1 and geometry4
 ,but as they are almost in everything  
equal to the ancient philosophers1 so   
they far exceed our modern logicians2   
for they have never yet fallen upon the 
barbarous niceties that our youth are   
forced to learn in those trifling       
logical schools that are among us2 they 
are so far from minding chimeras1 and   
fantastical images made in the mind1    
that none of them could comprehend what 
we meant when we talked to them of a man
 in the abstract1 as common to all men  
in particular 7so that though we spoke  
of him as a thing that we could point at
 with our fingers1 yet none of them     
could perceive him71 and yet distinct   
from every one1 as if he were some      
monstrous ,colossus or giant4 ,yet for  
all this ignorance of these empty       
notions1 they knew astronomy1 and were  
perfectly acquainted with the motions of
 the heavenly bodies1 and have many     

instruments1 well contrived and divided1
 by which they very accurately compute  
the course and positions of the sun1    
moon1 and stars4 ,but for the cheat1 of 
divining by the stars by their          
oppositions or conjunctions1 it has not 
so much as entered into their thoughts4 
,they have a particular sagacity1       
founded upon much observation1 in       
judging of the weather1 by which they   
know when they may look for rain1 wind1 
or other alterations in the air2 but as 
to the philosophy of these things1 the  
causes of the saltness of the sea1 of   
its ebbing and flowing1 and of the      
original and nature both of the heavens 
and the earth2 they dispute of them1    
partly as our ancient philosophers have 
done1 and partly upon some new          
hypothesis1 in which1 as they differ    
from them1 so they do not in all things 
agree among themselves4  ,as to moral   
philosophy1 they have the same disputes 
among them as we have here3 they examine
 what are properly good both for the    

body and the mind1 and whether any      
outward thing can be called truly good1 
or if that term belong only to the      
endowments of the soul4 ,they inquire   
likewise into the nature of virtue and  
pleasure2 but their chief dispute is    
concerning the happiness of a man1 and  
wherein it consists8 ,whether in some   
one thing1 or in a great many8 ,they    
seem1 indeed1 more inclinable to that   
opinion that places1 if not the whole1  
yet the chief part of a man's happiness 
in pleasure2 and1 what may seem more    
strange1 they make use of arguments even
 from religion1 notwithstanding its     
severity and roughness1 for the support 
of that opinion so indulgent to         
pleasure2 for they never dispute        
concerning happiness without fetching   
some arguments from the principles of   
religion1 as well as from natural       
reason1 since without the former they   
reckon that all our inquiries after     
happiness must be but conjectural and   
defective4  ,these are their religious  

principles1 that the soul of man is     
immortal1 and that ,god of ,his goodness
 has designed that it should be happy2  
and that ,he has therefore appointed    
rewards for good and virtuous actions1  
and punishments for vice1 to be         
distributed after this life4 ,though    
these principles of religion are        
conveyed down among them by tradition1  
they think that even reason itself      
determines a man to believe and         
acknowledge them1 and freely confess    
that if these were taken away no man    
would be so insensible as not to seek   
after pleasure by all possible means1   
lawful or unlawful2 using only this     
caution1 that a lesser pleasure might   
not stand in the way of a greater1 and  
that no pleasure ought to be pursued    
that should draw a great deal of pain   
after it2 for they think it the maddest 
thing in the world to pursue virtue1    
that is a sour and difficult thing2 and 
not only to renounce the pleasures of   
life1 but willingly to undergo much pain

 and trouble1 if a man has no prospect  
of a reward4 ,and what reward can there 
be for one that has passed his whole    
life1 not only without pleasure1 but in 
pain1 if there is nothing to be expected
 after death8 ,yet they do not place    
happiness in all sorts of pleasures1 but
 only in those that in themselves are   
good and honest4 ,there is a party among
 them who place happiness in bare       
virtue2 others think that our natures   
are conducted by virtue to happiness1 as
 that which is the chief good of man4   
,they define virtue thus1 that it is a  
living according to ,nature1 and think  
that we are made by ,god for that end2  
they believe that a man then follows the
 dictates of ,nature when he pursues or 
avoids things according to the direction
 of reason2 they say that the first     
dictate of reason is the kindling in us 
a love and reverence for the ,divine    
,majesty1 to whom we owe both all that  
we have1 and all that we can ever hope  
for4 ,in the next place1 reason directs 

us to keep our minds as free from       
passion and as cheerful as we can1 and  
that we should consider ourselves as    
bound by the ties of good-nature and    
humanity to use our utmost endeavours to
 help forward the happiness of all other
 persons2 for there never was any man   
such a morose and severe pursuer of     
virtue1 such an enemy to pleasure1 that 
though he set hard rules for men to     
undergo much pain1 many watchings1 and  
other rigours1 yet did not at the same  
time advise them to do all they could1  
in order to relieve and ease the        
miserable1 and who did not represent    
gentleness and good-nature as amiable   
dispositions4 ,and from thence they     
infer that if a man ought to advance the
 welfare and comfort of the rest of     
mankind1 there being no virtue more     
proper and peculiar to our nature1 than 
to ease the miseries of others1 to free 
from trouble and anxiety1 in furnishing 
them with the comforts of life1 in which
 pleasure consists1 ,nature much more   

vigorously leads them to do all this for
 himself4 ,a life of pleasure is either 
a real evil1 and in that case we ought  
not to assist others in their pursuit of
 it1 but on the contrary1 to keep them  
from it all we can1 as from that which  
is most hurtful and deadly2 or if it is 
a good thing1 so that we not only may1  
but ought to help others to it1 why then
 ought not a man to begin with himself8 
,since no man can be more bound to look 
after the good of another than after his
 own2 for ,nature cannot direct us to be
 good and kind to others1 and yet at the
 same time to be unmerciful and cruel to
 ourselves4 ,thus1 as they define virtue
 to be living according to ,nature1 so  
they imagine that ,nature prompts all   
people on to seek after pleasure1 as the
 end of all they do4 ,they also observe 
that in order to our supporting the     
pleasures of life1 ,nature inclines us  
to enter into society2 for there is no  
man so much raised above the rest of    
mankind as to be the only favourite of  

,nature1 who1 on the contrary1 seems to 
have placed on a level all those that   
belong to the same species4 ,upon this  
they infer that no man ought to seek his
 own conveniences so eagerly as to      
prejudice others2 and therefore they    
think that not only all agreements      
between private persons ought to be     
observed2 but likewise that all those   
laws ought to be kept1 which either a   
good prince has published in due form1  
or to which a people1 that is neither   
oppressed with tyranny nor circumvented 
by fraud1 has consented1 for            
distributing those conveniences of life 
which afford us all our pleasures4      
,they think it is an evidence of true   
wisdom for a man to pursue his own      
advantages1 as far as the laws allow it4
 ,they account it piety to prefer the   
public good to one's private concerns2  
but they think it unjust for a man to   
seek for pleasure1 by snatching another 
man's pleasures from him4 ,and on the   
contrary1 they think it a sign of a     

gentle and good soul1 for a man to      
dispense with his own advantage for the 
good of others2 and that by this means a
 good man finds as much pleasure one    
way1 as he parts with another2 for as he
 may expect the like from others when he
 may come to need it1 so if that should 
fail him1 yet the sense of a good       
action1 and the reflections that he     
makes on the love and gratitude of those
 whom he has so obliged1 gives the mind 
more pleasure than the body could have  
found in that from which it had         
restrained itself4 ,they are also       
persuaded that ,god will make up the    
loss of those small pleasures1 with a   
vast and endless joy1 of which religion 
easily convinces a good soul4  ,thus    
upon an inquiry into the whole matter1  
they reckon that all our actions1 and   
even all our virtues1 terminate in      
pleasure1 as in our chief end and       
greatest happiness2 and they call every 
motion or state1 either of body or mind1
 in which ,nature teaches us to delight1

 a pleasure4 ,thus they cautiously limit
 pleasure only to those appetites to    
which ,nature leads us2 for they say    
that ,nature leads us only to those     
delights to which reason as well as     
sense carries us1 and by which we       
neither injure any other person1 nor    
lose the possession of greater          
pleasures1 and of such as draw no       
troubles after them2 but they look upon 
those delights which men by a foolish1  
though common1 mistake call pleasure1 as
 if they could change as easily the     
nature of things as the use of words2 as
 things that greatly obstruct their real
 happiness1 instead of advancing it1    
because they so entirely possess the    
minds of those that are once captivated 
by them with a false notion of pleasure1
 that there is no room left for         
pleasures of a truer or purer kind4     
,there are many things that in          
themselves have nothing that is truly   
delightful2 on the contrary1 they have a
 good deal of bitterness in them2 and   

yet from our perverse appetites after   
forbidden objects1 are not only ranked  
among the pleasures1 but are made even  
the greatest designs of life4 ,among    
those who pursue these sophisticated    
pleasures1 they reckon such as ,i       
mentioned before1 who think themselves  
really the better for having fine       
clothes2 in which they think they are   
doubly mistaken1 both in the opinion    
that they have of their clothes1 and in 
that they have of themselves2 for if you
 consider the use of clothes1 why should
 a fine thread be thought better than a 
coarse one8 ,and yet these men1 as if   
they had some real advantages beyond    
others1 and did not owe them wholly to  
their mistakes1 look big1 seem to fancy 
themselves to be more valuable1 and     
imagine that a respect is due to them   
for the sake of a rich garment1 to which
 they would not have pretended if they  
had been more meanly clothed2 and even  
resent it as an affront1 if that respect
 is not paid them4 ,it is also a great  

folly to be taken with outward marks of 
respect1 which signify nothing3 for what
 true or real pleasure can one man find 
in another's standing bare1 or making   
legs to him8 ,will the bending another  
man's knees give ease to yours8 ,and    
will the head's being bare cure the     
madness of yours8 ,and yet it is        
wonderful to see how this false notion  
of pleasure bewitches many who delight  
themselves with the fancy of their      
nobility1 and are pleased with this     
conceit1 that they are descended from   
ancestors1 who have been held for some  
successions rich1 and who have had great
 possessions2 for this is all that makes
 nobility at present2 yet they do not   
think themselves a whit the less noble1 
though their immediate parents have left
 none of this wealth to them1 or though 
they themselves have squandered it away4
 ,the ,utopians have no better opinion  
of those who are much taken with gems   
and precious stones1 and who account it 
a degree of happiness1 next to a divine 

one1 if they can purchase one that is   
very extraordinary2 especially if it be 
of that sort of stones that is then in  
greatest request2 for the same sort is  
not at all times universally of the same
 value2 nor will men buy it unless it be
 dismounted and taken out of the gold2  
the jeweller is then made to give good  
security1 and required solemnly to swear
 that the stone is true1 that by such an
 exact caution a false one might not be 
bought instead of a true3 though if you 
were to examine it1 your eye could find 
no difference between the counterfeit   
and that which is true2 so that they are
 all one to you as much as if you were  
blind4 ,or can it be thought that they  
who heap up an useless mass of wealth1  
not for any use that it is to bring     
them1 but merely to please themselves   
with the contemplation of it1 enjoy any 
true pleasure in it8 ,the delight they  
find is only a false shadow of joy4     
,those are no better whose error is     
somewhat different from the former1 and 

who hide it1 out of their fear of losing
 it2 for what other name can fit the    
hiding it in the earth1 or rather the   
restoring it to it again1 it being thus 
cut off from being useful1 either to its
 owner or to the rest of mankind8 ,and  
yet the owner having hid it carefully1  
is glad1 because he thinks he is now    
sure of it4 ,if it should be stole1 the 
owner1 though he might live perhaps ten 
years after the theft1 of which he knew 
nothing1 would find no difference       
between his having or losing it2 for    
both ways it was equally useless to him4
  ,among those foolish pursuers of      
pleasure1 they reckon all that delight  
in hunting1 in fowling1 or gaming3 of   
whose madness they have only heard1 for 
they have no such things among them4    
,but they have asked us1 what sort of   
pleasure is it that men can find in     
throwing the dice8 ,for if there were   
any pleasure in it1 they think the doing
 of it so often should give one a       
surfeit of it3 and what pleasure can one

 find in hearing the barking and howling
 of dogs1 which seem rather odious than 
pleasant sounds8 ,nor can they          
comprehend the pleasure of seeing dogs  
run after a hare1 more than of seeing   
one dog run after another2 for if the   
seeing them run is that which gives the 
pleasure1 you have the same             
entertainment to the eye on both these  
occasions2 since that is the same in    
both cases3 but if the pleasure lies in 
seeing the hare killed and torn by the  
dogs1 this ought rather to stir pity1   
that a weak1 harmless and fearful hare  
should be devoured by strong1 fierce1   
and cruel dogs4 ,therefore all this     
business of hunting is1 among the       
,utopians1 turned over to their         
butchers2 and those1 as has been already
 said1 are all slaves2 and they look on 
hunting as one of the basest parts of a 
butcher's work3 for they account it both
 more profitable and more decent to kill
 those beasts that are more necessary   
and useful to mankind2 whereas the      

killing and tearing of so small and     
miserable an animal can only attract the
 huntsman with a false show of pleasure1
 from which he can reap but small       
advantage4 ,they look on the desire of  
the bloodshed1 even of beasts1 as a mark
 of a mind that is already corrupted    
with cruelty1 or that at least by the   
frequent returns of so brutal a pleasure
 must degenerate into it4  ,thus1 though
 the rabble of mankind look upon these1 
and on innumerable other things of the  
same nature1 as pleasures2 the          
,utopians1 on the contrary1 observing   
that there is nothing in them truly     
pleasant1 conclude that they are not to 
be reckoned among pleasures3 for though 
these things may create some tickling in
 the senses 7which seems to be a true   
notion of pleasure71 yet they imagine   
that this does not arise from the thing 
itself1 but from a depraved custom1     
which may so vitiate a man's taste1 that
 bitter things may pass for sweet2 as   
women with child think pitch or tallow  

taste sweeter than honey2 but as a man's
 sense when corrupted1 either by a      
disease or some ill habit1 does not     
change the nature of other things1 so   
neither can it change the nature of     
pleasure4  ,they reckon up several sorts
 of pleasures1 which they call true     
ones3 some belong to the body and others
 to the mind4 ,the pleasures of the mind
 lie in knowledge1 and in that delight  
which the contemplation of truth carries
 with it2 to which they add the joyful  
reflections on a well-spent life1 and   
the assured hopes of a future happiness4
 ,they divide the pleasures of the body 
into two sorts2 the one is that which   
gives our senses some real delight1 and 
is performed1 either by recruiting      
nature1 and supplying those parts which 
feed the internal heat of life by eating
 and drinking2 or when nature is eased  
of any surcharge that oppresses it2 when
 we are relieved from sudden pain1 or   
that which arises from satisfying the   
appetite which ,nature has wisely given 

to lead us to the propagation of the    
species4 ,there is another kind of      
pleasure that arises neither from our   
receiving what the body requires1 nor   
its being relieved when overcharged1 and
 yet by a secret1 unseen virtue affects 
the senses1 raises the passions1 and    
strikes the mind with generous          
impressions2 this is the pleasure that  
arises from music4 ,another kind of     
bodily pleasure is that which results   
from an undisturbed and vigorous        
constitution of body1 when life and     
active spirits seem to actuate every    
part4 ,this lively health1 when entirely
 free from all mixture of pain1 of      
itself gives an inward pleasure1        
independent of all external objects of  
delight2 and though this pleasure does  
not so powerfully affect us1 nor act so 
strongly on the senses as some of the   
others1 yet it may be esteemed as the   
greatest of all pleasures1 and almost   
all the ,utopians reckon it the         
foundation and basis of all the other   

joys of life2 since this alone makes the
 state of life easy and desirable2 and  
when this is wanting1 a man is really   
capable of no other pleasure4 ,they look
 upon freedom from pain1 if it does not 
rise from perfect health1 to be a state 
of stupidity rather than of pleasure4   
,this subject has been very narrowly    
canvassed among them2 and it has been   
debated whether a firm and entire health
 could be called a pleasure or not8     
,some have thought that there was no    
pleasure but what was excited by some   
sensible motion in the body4 ,but this  
opinion has been long ago excluded from 
among them1 so that now they almost     
universally agree that health is the    
greatest of all bodily pleasures2 and   
that as there is a pain in sickness1    
which is as opposite in its nature to   
pleasure as sickness itself is to       
health2 so they hold1 that health is    
accompanied with pleasure3 and if any   
should say that sickness is not really  
pain1 but that it only carries pain     

along with it1 they look upon that as a 
fetch of subtilty1 that does not much   
alter the matter4 ,it is all one1 in    
their opinion1 whether it be said that  
health is in itself a pleasure1 or that 
it begets a pleasure1 as fire gives     
heat2 so it be granted1 that all those  
whose health is entire have a true      
pleasure in the enjoyment of it3 and    
they reason thus--what is the pleasure  
of eating1 but that a man's health which
 had been weakened1 does1 with the      
assistance of food1 drive away hunger1  
and so recruiting itself recovers its   
former vigour8 ,and being thus          
refreshed1 it finds a pleasure in that  
conflict2 and if the conflict is        
pleasure1 the victory must yet breed a  
greater pleasure1 except we fancy that  
it becomes stupid as soon as it has     
obtained that which it pursued1 and so  
neither knows nor rejoices in its own   
welfare4 ,if it is said that health     
cannot be felt1 they absolutely deny it2
 for what man is in health that does not

 perceive it when he is awake8 ,is there
 any man that is so dull and stupid as  
not to acknowledge that he feels a      
delight in health8 ,and what is delight 
but another name for pleasure8  ,but of 
all pleasures1 they esteem those to be  
most valuable that lie in the mind2 the 
chief of which arises out of true       
virtue1 and the witness of a good       
conscience4 ,they account health the    
chief pleasure that belongs to the body2
 for they think that the pleasure of    
eating and drinking1 and all the other  
delights of sense1 are only so far      
desirable as they give or maintain      
health4 ,but they are not pleasant in   
themselves1 otherwise than as they      
resist those impressions that our       
natural infirmities are still making    
upon us3 for as a wise man desires      
rather to avoid diseases than to take   
physic2 and to be freed from pain1      
rather than to find ease by remedies2 so
 it is more desirable not to need this  
sort of pleasure1 than to be obliged to 

indulge it4 ,if any man imagines that   
there is a real happiness in these      
enjoyments1 he must then confess that he
 would be the happiest of all men if he 
were to lead his life in perpetual      
hunger1 thirst1 and itching1 and by     
consequence in perpetual eating1        
drinking1 and scratching himself2 which 
any one may easily see would be not only
 a base1 but a miserable state of a     
life4 ,these are indeed the lowest of   
pleasures1 and the least pure2 for we   
can never relish them1 but when they are
 mixed with the contrary pains4 ,the    
pain of hunger must give us the pleasure
 of eating2 and here the pain           
out-balances the pleasure2 and as the   
pain is more vehement1 so it lasts much 
longer2 for as it begins before the     
pleasure1 so it does not cease but with 
the pleasure that extinguishes it1 and  
both expire together4 ,they think1      
therefore1 none of those pleasures are  
to be valued any further than as they   
are necessary2 yet they rejoice in them1

 and with due gratitude acknowledge the 
tenderness of the great ,author of      
,nature1 who has planted in us          
appetites1 by which those things that   
are necessary for our preservation are  
likewise made pleasant to us4 ,for how  
miserable a thing would life be1 if     
those daily diseases of hunger and      
thirst were to be carried off by such   
bitter drugs as we must use for those   
diseases that return seldomer upon us8  
,and thus these pleasant as well as     
proper gifts of ,nature maintain the    
strength and the sprightliness of our   
bodies4  ,they also entertain themselves
 with the other delights let in at their
 eyes1 their ears1 and their nostrils1  
as the pleasant relishes and seasonings 
of life1 which ,nature seems to have    
marked out peculiarly for man2 since no 
other sort of animals contemplates the  
figure and beauty of the universe2 nor  
is delighted with smells1 any farther   
than as they distinguish meats by them2 
not do they apprehend the concords or   

discords of sound2 yet in all pleasures 
whatsoever they take care that a lesser 
joy does not hinder a greater1 and that 
pleasure may never breed pain1 which    
they think always follows dishonest     
pleasures4 ,but they think it madness   
for a man to wear out the beauty of his 
face1 or the force of his natural       
strength2 to corrupt the sprightliness  
of his body by sloth and laziness1 or to
 waste it by fasting2 that it is madness
 to weaken the strength of his          
constitution1 and reject the other      
delights of life2 unless by renouncing  
his own satisfaction1 he can either     
serve the public or promote the         
happiness of others1 for which he       
expects a greater recompense from ,god4 
,so that they look on such a course of  
life as the mark of a mind that is both 
cruel to itself1 and ungrateful to the  
,author of ,nature1 as if we would not  
be beholden to ,him for ,his favours1   
and therefore rejects all ,his          
blessings2 as one who should afflict    

himself for the empty shadow of virtue2 
or for no better end than to render     
himself capable of bearing those        
misfortunes which possibly will never   
happen4  ,this is their notion of virtue
 and of pleasure2 they think that no    
man's reason can carry him to a truer   
idea of them1 unless some discovery from
 ,heaven should inspire him with        
sublimer notions4 ,i have not now the   
leisure to examine whether they think   
right or wrong in this matter3 nor do ,i
 judge it necessary1 for ,i have only   
undertaken to give you an account of    
their constitution1 but not to defend   
all their principles4 ,i am sure1 that  
whatsoever may be said of their notions1
 there is not in the whole world either 
a better people or a happier government3
 their bodies are vigorous and lively2  
and though they are but of a middle     
stature1 and have neither the           
fruitfullest soil nor the purest air in 
the world1 yet they fortify themselves  
so well by their temperate course of    

life1 against the unhealthiness of their
 air1 and by their industry they so     
cultivate their soil1 that there is     
nowhere to be seen a greater increase   
both of corn and cattle1 nor are there  
anywhere healthier men1 and freer from  
diseases3 for one may there see reduced 
to practice1 not only all the art that  
the husbandman employs in manuring and  
improving an ill soil1 but whole woods  
plucked up by the roots1 and in other   
places new ones planted1 where there    
were none before4 ,their principal      
motive for this is the convenience of   
carriage1 that their timber may be      
either near their towns1 or growing on  
the banks of the sea1 or of some rivers1
 so as to be floated to them2 for it is 
a harder work to carry wood at any      
distance over land1 than corn4 ,the     
people are industrious1 apt to learn1 as
 well as cheerful and pleasant2 and none
 can endure more labour1 when it is     
necessary2 but except in that case they 
love their ease4 ,they are unwearied    

pursuers of knowledge2 for when we had  
given them some hints of the learning   
and discipline of the ,greeks1          
concerning whom we only instructed them 
7for we know that there was nothing     
among the ,romans1 except their         
historians and their poets1 that they   
would value much71 it was strange to see
 how eagerly they were set on learning  
that language4 ,we began to read a      
little of it to them1 rather in         
compliance with their importunity1 than 
out of any hopes of their reaping from  
it any great advantage4 ,but after a    
very short trial1 we found they made    
such progress1 that we saw our labour   
was like to be more successful than we  
could have expected4 ,they learned to   
write their characters1 and to pronounce
 their language so exactly1 had so quick
 an apprehension1 they remembered it so 
faithfully1 and became so ready and     
correct in the use of it1 that it would 
have looked like a miracle if the       
greater part of those whom we taught had

 not been men both of extraordinary     
capacity and of a fit age for           
instruction4 ,they were for the greatest
 part chosen from among their learned   
men1 by their chief council1 though some
 studied it of their own accord4 ,in    
three years' time they became masters of
 the whole language1 so that they read  
the best of the ,greek authors very     
exactly4 ,i am indeed apt to think that 
they learned that language the more     
easily1 from its having some relation to
 their own4 ,i believe that they were a 
colony of the ,greeks2 for though their 
language comes nearer the ,persian1 yet 
they retain many names1 both for their  
towns and magistrates1 that are of      
,greek derivation4 ,i happened to carry 
a great many books with me1 instead of  
merchandise1 when ,i sailed my fourth   
voyage2 for ,i was so far from thinking 
of soon coming back1 that ,i rather     
thought never to have returned at all1  
and ,i gave them all my books1 among    
which were many of ,plato's and some of 

,aristotle's works4 ,i had also         
,theophrastus on ,plants1 which1 to my  
great regret1 was imperfect2 for having 
laid it carelessly by1 while we were at 
sea1 a monkey had seized upon it1 and in
 many places torn out the leaves4 ,they 
have no books of grammar but ,lascares1 
for ,i did not carry ,theodorus with me2
 nor have they any dictionaries but     
,hesichius and ,dioscorides4 ,they      
esteem ,plutarch highly1 and were much  
taken with ,lucian's wit1 and with his  
pleasant way of writing4 ,as for the    
poets1 they have ,aristophanes1 ,homer1 
,euripides1 and ,sophocles of ,aldus's  
edition2 and for historians ,thucydides1
 ,herodotus and ,herodian4 ,one of my   
companions1 ,thricius ,apinatus1        
happened to carry with him some of      
,hippocrates's works1 and ,galen's      
,microtechne1 which they hold in great  
estimation2 for though there is no      
nation in the world that needs physic so
 little as they do1 yet there is not any
 that honours it so much3 they reckon   

the knowledge of it one of the          
pleasantest and most profitable parts of
 philosophy1 by which1 as they search   
into the secrets of ,nature1 so they not
 only find this study highly agreeable1 
but think that such inquiries are very  
acceptable to the ,author of ,nature2   
and imagine that as ,he1 like the       
inventors of curious engines amongst    
mankind1 has exposed this great machine 
of the universe to the view of the only 
creatures capable of contemplating it1  
so an exact and curious observer1 who   
admires ,his workmanship1 is much more  
acceptable to ,him than one of the herd1
 who like a beast incapable of reason1  
looks on this glorious scene with the   
eyes of a dull and unconcerned          
spectator4  ,the minds of the ,utopians 
when fenced with a love for learning1   
are very ingenious in discovering all   
such arts as are necessary to carry it  
to perfection4 ,two things they owe to  
us1 the manufacture of paper1 and the   
art of printing3 yet they are not so    

entirely indebted to us for these       
discoveries1 but that a great part of   
the invention was their own4 ,we showed 
them some books printed by ,aldus1 we   
explained to them the way of making     
paper1 and the mystery of printing2 but 
as we had never practised these arts1 we
 described them in a crude and          
superficial manner4 ,they seized the    
hints we gave them1 and though at first 
they could not arrive at perfection1 yet
 by making many essays they at last     
found out and corrected all their       
errors1 and conquered every difficulty4 
,before this they only wrote on         
parchment1 on reeds1 or on the barks of 
trees2 but now they have established the
 manufactures of paper1 and set up      
printing-presses1 so that if they had   
but a good number of ,greek authors they
 would be quickly supplied with many    
copies of them3 at present1 though they 
have no more than those ,i have         
mentioned1 yet by several impressions   
they have multiplied them into many     

thousands4 ,if any man was to go among  
them that had some extraordinary talent1
 or that by much travelling had observed
 the customs of many nations 7which made
 us to be so well received71 he would   
receive a hearty welcome2 for they are  
very desirous to know the state of the  
whole world4 ,very few go among them on 
the account of traffic1 for what can a  
man carry to them but iron1 or gold1 or 
silver1 which merchants desire rather to
 export than import to a strange        
country3 and as for their exportation1  
they think it better to manage that     
themselves than to leave it to          
foreigners1 for by this means1 as they  
understand the state of the neighbouring
 countries better1 so they keep up the  
art of navigation1 which cannot be      
maintained but by much practice4   ,,of 
,,their ,,slaves1 ,,and ,,of ,,their    
,,marriages4  ,they do not make slaves  
of prisoners of war1 except those that  
are taken in battle2 nor of the sons of 
their slaves1 nor of those of other     

nations3 the slaves among them are only 
such as are condemned to that state of  
life for the commission of some crime1  
or1 which is more common1 such as their 
merchants find condemned to die in those
 parts to which they trade1 whom they   
sometimes redeem at low rates2 and in   
other places have them for nothing4     
,they are kept at perpetual labour1 and 
are always chained1 but with this       
difference1 that their own natives are  
treated much worse than others2 they are
 considered as more profligate than the 
rest1 and since they could not be       
restrained by the advantages of so      
excellent an education1 are judged      
worthy of harder usage4 ,another sort of
 slaves are the poor of the neighbouring
 countries1 who offer of their own      
accord to come and serve them2 they     
treat these better1 and use them in all 
other respects as well as their own     
countrymen1 except their imposing more  
labour upon them1 which is no hard task 
to those that have been accustomed to   

it2 and if any of these have a mind to  
go back to their own country1 which     
indeed falls out but seldom1 as they do 
not force them to stay1 so they do not  
send them away empty-handed4  ,i have   
already told you with what care they    
look after their sick1 so that nothing  
is left undone that can contribute      
either to their ease or health3 and for 
those who are taken with fixed and      
incurable diseases1 they use all        
possible ways to cherish them1 and to   
make their lives as comfortable as      
possible4 ,they visit them often1 and   
take great pains to make their time pass
 off easily3 but when any is taken with 
a torturing and lingering pain1 so that 
there is no hope1 either of recovery or 
ease1 the priests and magistrates come  
and exhort them1 that since they are now
 unable to go on with the business of   
life1 are become a burden to themselves 
and to all about them1 and they have    
really outlived themselves1 they should 
no longer nourish such a rooted         

distemper1 but choose rather to die1    
since they cannot live but in much      
misery3 being assured1 that if they thus
 deliver themselves from torture1 or are
 willing that others should do it1 they 
shall be happy after death4 ,since by   
their acting thus1 they lose none of the
 pleasures1 but only the troubles of    
life2 they think they behave not only   
reasonably1 but in a manner consistent  
with religion and piety2 because they   
follow the advice given them by their   
priests1 who are the expounders of the  
will of ,god4 ,such as are wrought on by
 these persuasions1 either starve       
themselves of their own accord1 or take 
opium1 and by that means die without    
pain4 ,but no man is forced on this way 
of ending his life2 and if they cannot  
be persuaded to it1 this does not induce
 them to fail in their attendance and   
care of them2 but as they believe that a
 voluntary death1 when it is chosen upon
 such an authority1 is very honourable1 
so if any man takes away his own life1  

without the approbation of the priests  
and the ,senate1 they give him none of  
the honours of a decent funeral1 but    
throw his body into a ditch4  ,their    
women are not married before eighteen1  
nor their men before two-and-twenty1 and
 if any of them run into forbidden      
embraces before marriage they are       
severely punished1 and the privilege of 
marriage is denied them1 unless they can
 obtain a special warrant from the      
,prince4 ,such disorders cast a great   
reproach upon the master and mistress of
 the family in which they happen1 for it
 is supposed that they have failed in   
their duty4 ,the reason of punishing    
this so severely is1 because they think 
that if they were not strictly          
restrained from all vagrant appetites1  
very few would engage in a state in     
which they venture the quiet of their   
whole lives1 by being confined to one   
person1 and are obliged to endure all   
the inconveniences with which it is     
accompanied4 ,in choosing their wives   

they use a method that would appear to  
us very absurd and ridiculous1 but it is
 constantly observed among them1 and is 
accounted perfectly consistent with     
wisdom4 ,before marriage some grave     
matron presents the bride naked1 whether
 she is a virgin or a widow1 to the     
bridegroom2 and after that some grave   
man presents the bridegroom naked to the
 bride4 ,we indeed both laughed at this1
 and condemned it as very indecent4 ,but
 they1 on the other hand1 wondered at   
the folly of the men of all other       
nations1 who1 if they are but to buy a  
horse of a small value1 are so cautious 
that they will see every part of him1   
and take off both his saddle and all his
 other tackle1 that there may be no     
secret ulcer hid under any of them2 and 
that yet in the choice of a wife1 on    
which depends the happiness or          
unhappiness of the rest of his life1 a  
man should venture upon trust1 and only 
see about a hand's-breadth of the face1 
all the rest of the body being covered1 

under which there may lie hid what may  
be contagious1 as well as loathsome4    
,all men are not so wise as to choose a 
woman only for her good qualities2 and  
even wise men consider the body as that 
which adds not a little to the mind3 and
 it is certain there may be some such   
deformity covered with the clothes as   
may totally alienate a man from his wife
 when it is too late to part with her4  
,if such a thing is discovered after    
marriage1 a man has no remedy but       
patience4 ,they therefore think it is   
reasonable that there should be good    
provision made against such mischievous 
frauds4  ,there was so much the more    
reason for them to make a regulation in 
this matter1 because they are the only  
people of those parts that neither allow
 of polygamy1 nor of divorces1 except in
 the case of adultery1 or insufferable  
perverseness2 for in these cases the    
,senate dissolves the marriage1 and     
grants the injured person leave to marry
 again2 but the guilty are made         

infamous1 and are never allowed the     
privilege of a second marriage4 ,none   
are suffered to put away their wives    
against their wills1 from any great     
calamity that may have fallen on their  
persons2 for they look on it as the     
height of cruelty and treachery to      
abandon either of the married persons   
when they need most the tender care of  
their comfort1 and that chiefly in the  
case of old age1 which as it carries    
many diseases along with it1 so it is a 
disease of itself4 ,but it frequently   
falls out that when a married couple do 
not well agree1 they by mutual consent  
separate1 and find out other persons    
with whom they hope they may live more  
happily4 ,yet this is not done without  
obtaining leave of the ,senate1 which   
never admits of a divorce1 but upon a   
strict inquiry made1 both by the        
senators and their wives1 into the      
grounds upon which it is desired2 and   
even when they are satisfied concerning 
the reasons of it1 they go on but       

slowly1 for they imagine that too great 
easiness in granting leave for new      
marriages would very much shake the     
kindness of married people4 ,they punish
 severely those that defile the         
marriage-bed4 ,if both parties are      
married they are divorced1 and the      
injured persons may marry one another1  
or whom they please2 but the adulterer  
and the adulteress are condemned to     
slavery4 ,yet if either of the injured  
persons cannot shake off the love of the
 married person1 they may live with them
 still in that state1 but they must     
follow them to that labour to which the 
slaves are condemned2 and sometimes the 
repentance of the condemned1 together   
with the unshaken kindness of the       
innocent and injured person1 has        
prevailed so far with the ,prince that  
he has taken off the sentence2 but those
 that relapse after they are once       
pardoned are punished with death4       
,their law does not determine the       
punishment for other crimes2 but that is

 left to the ,senate1 to temper it      
according to the circumstances of the   
fact4 ,husbands have power to correct   
their wives1 and parents to chastise    
their children1 unless the fault is so  
great that a public punishment is       
thought necessary for striking terror   
into others4 ,for the most part1 slavery
 is the punishment even of the greatest 
crimes2 for as that is no less terrible 
to the criminals themselves than death1 
so they think the preserving them in a  
state of servitude is more for the      
interest of the commonwealth than       
killing them2 since as their labour is a
 greater benefit to the public than     
their death could be1 so the sight of   
their misery is a more lasting terror to
 other men than that which would be     
given by their death4 ,if their slaves  
rebel1 and will not bear their yoke1 and
 submit to the labour that is enjoined  
them1 they are treated as wild beasts   
that cannot be kept in order1 neither by
 a prison1 nor by their chains2 and are 

at last put to death4 ,but those who    
bear their punishment patiently1 and are
 so much wrought on by that pressure    
that lies so hard on them that it       
appears they are really more troubled   
for the crimes they have committed than 
for the miseries they suffer1 are not   
out of hope but that at last either the 
,prince will1 by his prerogative1 or the
 people by their intercession1 restore  
them again to their liberty1 or at least
 very much mitigate their slavery4 ,he  
that tempts a married woman to adultery1
 is no less severely punished than he   
that commits it2 for they believe that a
 deliberate design to commit a crime1 is
 equal to the fact itself3 since its not
 taking effect does not make the person 
that miscarried in his attempt at all   
the less guilty4  ,they take great      
pleasure in fools1 and as it is thought 
a base and unbecoming thing to use them 
ill1 so they do not think it amiss for  
people to divert themselves with their  
folly3 and1 in their opinion1 this is a 

great advantage to the fools themselves3
 for if men were so sullen and severe as
 not at all to please themselves with   
their ridiculous behaviour and foolish  
sayings1 which is all that they can do  
to recommend themselves to others1 it   
could not be expected that they would be
 so well provided for1 nor so tenderly  
used as they must otherwise be4 ,if any 
man should reproach another for his     
being misshaped or imperfect in any part
 of his body1 it would not at all be    
thought a reflection on the person so   
treated1 but it would be accounted      
scandalous in him that had upbraided    
another with what he could not help4 ,it
 is thought a sign of a sluggish and    
sordid mind not to preserve carefully   
one's natural beauty2 but it is likewise
 infamous among them to use paint4 ,they
 all see that no beauty recommends a    
wife so much to her husband as the      
probity of her life1 and her obedience3 
for as some few are catched and held    
only by beauty1 so all are attracted by 

the other excellences which charm all   
the world4  ,as they fright men from    
committing crimes by punishments1 so    
they invite them to the love of virtue  
by public honours3 therefore they erect 
statues to the memories of such worthy  
men as have deserved well of their      
country1 and set these in their         
market-places1 both to perpetuate the   
remembrance of their actions1 and to be 
an incitement to their posterity to     
follow their example4  ,if any man      
aspires to any office1 he is sure never 
to compass it3 they all live easily     
together1 for none of the magistrates   
are either insolent or cruel to the     
people3 they affect rather to be called 
fathers1 and by being really so1 they   
well deserve the name2 and the people   
pay them all the marks of honour the    
more freely1 because none are exacted   
from them4 ,the ,prince himself has no  
distinction1 either of garments1 or of a
 crown2 but is only distinguished by a  
sheaf of corn carried before him2 as the

 high priest is also known by his being 
preceded by a person carrying a wax     
light4  ,they have but few laws1 and    
such is their constitution that they    
need not many4 ,they very much condemn  
other nations1 whose laws1 together with
 the commentaries on them1 swell up to  
so many volumes2 for they think it an   
unreasonable thing to oblige men to obey
 a body of laws that are both of such a 
bulk1 and so dark as not to be read and 
understood by every one of the subjects4
  ,they have no lawyers among them1 for 
they consider them as a sort of people  
whose profession it is to disguise      
matters1 and to wrest the laws2 and     
therefore they think it is much better  
that every man should plead his own     
cause1 and trust it to the judge1 as in 
other places the client trusts it to a  
counsellor4 ,by this means they both cut
 off many delays1 and find out truth    
more certainly3 for after the parties   
have laid open the merits of the cause1 
without those artifices which lawyers   

are apt to suggest1 the judge examines  
the whole matter1 and supports the      
simplicity of such well-meaning persons1
 whom otherwise crafty men would be sure
 to run down3 and thus they avoid those 
evils which appear very remarkably among
 all those nations that labour under a  
vast load of laws4 ,every one of them is
 skilled in their law1 for as it is a   
very short study1 so the plainest       
meaning of which words are capable is   
always the sense of their laws4 ,and    
they argue thus3 all laws are           
promulgated for this end1 that every man
 may know his duty2 and therefore the   
plainest and most obvious sense of the  
words is that which ought to be put upon
 them2 since a more refined exposition  
cannot be easily comprehended1 and would
 only serve to make the laws become     
useless to the greater part of mankind1 
and especially to those who need most   
the direction of them3 for it is all    
one1 not to make a law at all1 or to    
couch it in such terms that without a   

quick apprehension1 and much study1 a   
man cannot find out the true meaning of 
it2 since the generality of mankind are 
both so dull1 and so much employed in   
their several trades1 that they have    
neither the leisure nor the capacity    
requisite for such an inquiry4  ,some of
 their neighbours1 who are masters of   
their own liberties1 having long ago1 by
 the assistance of the ,utopians1 shaken
 off the yoke of tyranny1 and being much
 taken with those virtues which they    
observe among them1 have come to desire 
that they would send magistrates to     
govern them2 some changing them every   
year1 and others every five years4 ,at  
the end of their government they bring  
them back to ,utopia1 with great        
expressions of honour and esteem1 and   
carry away others to govern in their    
stead4 ,in this they seem to have fallen
 upon a very good expedient for their   
own happiness and safety2 for since the 
good or ill condition of a nation       
depends so much upon their magistrates1 

they could not have made a better choice
 than by pitching on men whom no        
advantages can bias2 for wealth is of no
 use to them1 since they must so soon go
 back to their own country2 and they    
being strangers among them1 are not     
engaged in any of their heats or        
animosities2 and it is certain that when
 public judicatories are swayed1 either 
by avarice or partial affections1 there 
must follow a dissolution of justice1   
the chief sinew of society4  ,the       
,utopians call those nations that come  
and ask magistrates from them1          
neighbours2 but those to whom they have 
been of more particular service1        
friends4 ,and as all other nations are  
perpetually either making leagues or    
breaking them1 they never enter into an 
alliance with any state4 ,they think    
leagues are useless things1 and believe 
that if the common ties of humanity do  
not knit men together1 the faith of     
promises will have no great effect2 and 
they are the more confirmed in this by  

what they see among the nations round   
about them1 who are no strict observers 
of leagues and treaties4 ,we know how   
religiously they are observed in        
,europe1 more particularly where the    
,christian doctrine is received1 among  
whom they are sacred and inviolable4    
,which is partly owing to the justice   
and goodness of the princes themselves1 
and partly to the reverence they pay to 
the popes2 who as they are most         
religious observers of their own        
promises1 so they exhort all other      
princes to perform theirs2 and when     
fainter methods do not prevail1 they    
compel them to it by the severity of the
 pastoral censure1 and think that it    
would be the most indecent thing        
possible if men who are particularly    
distinguished by the title of the       
faithful1 should not religiously keep   
the faith of their treaties4 ,but in    
that new-found world1 which is not more 
distant from us in situation than the   
people are in their manners and course  

of life1 there is no trusting to        
leagues1 even though they were made with
 all the pomp of the most sacred        
ceremonies2 on the contrary1 they are on
 this account the sooner broken1 some   
slight pretence being found in the words
 of the treaties1 which are purposely   
couched in such ambiguous terms that    
they can never be so strictly bound but 
they will always find some loophole to  
escape at2 and thus they break both     
their leagues and their faith4 ,and this
 is done with such impudence1 that those
 very men who value themselves on having
 suggested these expedients to their    
princes1 would with a haughty scorn     
declaim against such craft1 or to speak 
plainer1 such fraud and deceit1 if they 
found private men make use of it in     
their bargains1 and would readily say   
that they deserved to be hanged4  ,by   
this means it is1 that all sort of      
justice passes in the world for a       
low-spirited and vulgar virtue1 far     
below the dignity of royal greatness4   

,or at least1 there are set up two sorts
 of justice2 the one is mean1 and creeps
 on the ground1 and therefore becomes   
none but the lower part of mankind1 and 
so must be kept in severely by many     
restraints that it may not break out    
beyond the bounds that are set to it4   
,the other is the peculiar virtue of    
princes1 which as it is more majestic   
than that which becomes the rabble1 so  
takes a freer compass2 and thus lawful  
and unlawful are only measured by       
pleasure and interest4 ,these practices 
of the princes that lie about ,utopia1  
who make so little account of their     
faith1 seem to be the reasons that      
determine them to engage in no          
confederacies2 perhaps they would change
 their mind if they lived among us2 but 
yet though treaties were more           
religiously observed1 they would still  
dislike the custom of making them2 since
 the world has taken up a false maxim   
upon it1 as if there were no tie of     
,nature uniting one nation to another1  

only separated perhaps by a mountain or 
a river1 and that all were born in a    
state of hostility1 and so might        
lawfully do all that mischief to their  
neighbours against which there is no    
provision made by treaties2 and that    
when treaties are made1 they do not cut 
off the enmity1 or restrain the license 
of preying upon each other1 if by the   
unskilfulness of wording them there are 
not effectual provisoes made against    
them4 ,they1 on the other hand1 judge   
that no man is to be esteemed our enemy 
that has never injured us2 and that the 
partnership of the human nature is      
instead of a league4 ,and that kindness 
and good-nature unite men more          
effectually and with greater strength   
than any agreements whatsoever2 since   
thereby the engagements of men's hearts 
become stronger than the bond and       
obligation of words4   ,,of ,,their     
,,military ,,discipline4  ,they detest  
war as a very brutal thing2 and which1  
to the reproach of human nature1 is more

 practised by men than by any sort of   
beasts4 ,they1 in opposition to the     
sentiments of almost all other nations1 
think that there is nothing more        
inglorious than that glory that is      
gained by war4 ,and therefore though    
they accustom themselves daily to       
military exercises and the discipline of
 war1 in which not only their men but   
their women likewise are trained up1    
that in cases of necessity they may not 
be quite useless2 yet they do not rashly
 engage in war1 unless it be either to  
defend themselves1 or their friends1    
from any unjust aggressors2 or out of   
good-nature or in compassion assist an  
oppressed nation in shaking off the yoke
 of tyranny4 ,they indeed help their    
friends1 not only in defensive1 but also
 in offensive wars2 but they never do   
that unless they had been consulted     
before the breach was made1 and being   
satisfied with the grounds on which they
 went1 they had found that all demands  
of reparation were rejected1 so that a  

war was unavoidable4 ,this they think to
 be not only just1 when one neighbour   
makes an inroad on another1 by public   
order1 and carry away the spoils2 but   
when the merchants of one country are   
oppressed in another1 either under      
pretence of some unjust laws1 or by the 
perverse wresting of good ones4 ,this   
they count a juster cause of war than   
the other1 because those injuries are   
done under some colour of laws4 ,this   
was the only ground of that war in which
 they engaged with the ,nephelogetes    
against the ,aleopolitanes1 a little    
before our time2 for the merchants of   
the former having1 as they thought1 met 
with great injustice among the latter1  
which1 whether it was in itself right or
 wrong1 drew on a terrible war1 in which
 many of their neighbours were engaged2 
and their keenness in carrying it on    
being supported by their strength in    
maintaining it1 it not only shook some  
very flourishing states1 and very much  
afflicted others1 but after a series of 

much mischief ended in the entire       
conquest and slavery of the             
,aleopolitanes1 who though before the   
war they were in all respects much      
superior to the ,nephelogetes1 were yet 
subdued2 but though the ,utopians had   
assisted them in the war1 yet they      
pretended to no share of the spoil4     
,but though they so vigorously assist   
their friends in obtaining reparation   
for the injuries they have received in  
affairs of this nature1 yet if any such 
frauds was committed against themselves1
 provided no violence was done to their 
persons1 they would only on their being 
refused satisfaction forbear trading    
with such a people4 ,this is not because
 they consider their neighbours more    
than their own citizens2 but since their
 neighbours trade every one upon his own
 stock1 fraud is a more sensible injury 
to them than it is to the ,utopians1    
among whom the public in such a case    
only suffers4 ,as they expect nothing in
 return for the merchandises they export

 but that in which they so much abound1 
and is of little use to them1 the loss  
does not much affect them2 they think   
therefore it would be too severe to     
revenge a loss attended with so little  
inconvenience either to their lives1 or 
their subsistence1 with the death of    
many persons2 but if any of their people
 is either killed or wounded wrongfully1
 whether it be done by public authority 
or only by private men1 as soon as they 
hear of it they send ambassadors1 and   
demand that the guilty persons may be   
delivered up to them2 and if that is    
denied1 they declare war2 but if it be  
complied with1 the offenders are        
condemned either to death or slavery4   
,they would be both troubled and ashamed
 of a bloody victory over their enemies1
 and think it would be as foolish a     
purchase as to buy the most valuable    
goods at too high a rate4 ,and in no    
victory do they glory so much as in that
 which is gained by dexterity and good  
conduct1 without bloodshed4 ,in such    

cases they appoint public triumphs1 and 
erect trophies to the honour of those   
who have succeeded2 for then do they    
reckon that a man acts suitably to his  
nature when he conquers his enemy in    
such a way as that no other creature but
 a man could be capable of1 and that is 
by the strength of his understanding4   
,bears1 lions1 boars1 wolves1 and dogs1 
and all other animals employ their      
bodily force one against another1 in    
which as many of them are superior to   
men1 both in strength and fierceness1 so
 they are all subdued by his reason and 
understanding4  ,the only design of the 
,utopians in war is to obtain that by   
force1 which if it had been granted them
 in time would have prevented the war2  
or if that cannot be done1 to take so   
severe a revenge on those that have     
injured them that they may be terrified 
from doing the like for the time to     
come4 ,by these ends they measure all   
their designs1 and manage them so that  
it is visible that the appetite of fame 

or vain-glory does not work so much on  
them as a just care of their own        
security4  ,as soon as they declare war1
 they take care to have a great many    
schedules1 that are sealed with their   
common seal1 affixed in the most        
conspicuous places of their enemies'    
country4 ,this is carried secretly1 and 
done in many places all at once4 ,in    
these they promise great rewards to such
 as shall kill the prince1 and lesser in
 proportion to such as shall kill any   
other persons1 who are those on whom1   
next to the prince himself1 they cast   
the chief balance of the war4 ,and they 
double the sum to him that1 instead of  
killing the person so marked out1 shall 
take him alive and put him in their     
hands4 ,they offer not only indemnity1  
but rewards1 to such of the persons     
themselves that are so marked1 if they  
will act against their countrymen3 by   
this means those that are named in their
 schedules become not only distrustful  
of their fellow-citizens1 but are       

jealous of one another1 and are much    
distracted by fear and danger2 for it   
has often fallen out that many of them1 
and even the ,prince himself1 have been 
betrayed by those in whom they have     
trusted most3 for the rewards that the  
,utopians offer are so unmeasurably     
great1 that there is no sort of crime to
 which men cannot be drawn by them4     
,they consider the risk that those run  
who undertake such services1 and offer a
 recompense proportioned to the danger2 
not only a vast deal of gold1 but great 
revenues in lands1 that lie among other 
nations that are their friends1 where   
they may go and enjoy them very         
securely2 and they observe the promises 
they make of this kind most religiously4
 ,they very much approve of this way of 
corrupting their enemies1 though it     
appears to others to be base and cruel2 
but they look on it as a wise course1 to
 make an end of what would be otherwise 
a long war1 without so much as hazarding
 one battle to decide it4 ,they think it

 likewise an act of mercy and love to   
mankind to prevent the great slaughter  
of those that must otherwise be killed  
in the progress of the war1 both on     
their own side and on that of their     
enemies1 by the death of a few that are 
most guilty2 and that in so doing they  
are kind even to their enemies1 and pity
 them no less than their own people1 as 
knowing that the greater part of them do
 not engage in the war of their own     
accord1 but are driven into it by the   
passions of their prince4  ,if this     
method does not succeed with them1 then 
they sow seeds of contention among their
 enemies1 and animate the prince's      
brother1 or some of the nobility1 to    
aspire to the crown4 ,if they cannot    
disunite them by domestic broils1 then  
they engage their neighbours against    
them1 and make them set on foot some old
 pretensions1 which are never wanting to
 princes when they have occasion for    
them4 ,these they plentifully supply    
with money1 though but very sparingly   

with any auxiliary troops3 for they are 
so tender of their own people1 that they
 would not willingly exchange one of    
them1 even with the prince of their     
enemies' country4  ,but as they keep    
their gold and silver only for such an  
occasion1 so when that offers itself    
they easily part with it1 since it would
 be no inconvenience to them though they
 should reserve nothing of it to        
themselves4 ,for besides the wealth that
 they have among them at home1 they have
 a vast treasure abroad1 many nations   
round about them being deep in their    
debt3 so that they hire soldiers from   
all places for carrying on their wars1  
but chiefly from the ,zapolets1 who live
 five hundred miles east of ,utopia4    
,they are a rude1 wild1 and fierce      
nation1 who delight in the woods and    
rocks1 among which they were born and   
bred up4 ,they are hardened both against
 heat1 cold and labour1 and know nothing
 of the delicacies of life4 ,they do not
 apply themselves to agriculture1 nor do

 they care either for their houses or   
their clothes4 ,cattle is all that they 
look after2 and for the greatest part   
they live either by hunting1 or upon    
rapine2 and are made1 as it were1 only  
for war4 ,they watch all opportunities  
of engaging in it1 and very readily     
embrace such as are offered them4 ,great
 numbers of them will frequently go out1
 and offer themselves for a very low    
pay1 to serve any that will employ them3
 they know none of the arts of life1 but
 those that lead to the taking it away2 
they serve those that hire them1 both   
with much courage and great fidelity2   
but will not engage to serve for any    
determined time1 and agree upon such    
terms1 that the next day they may go    
over to the enemies of those whom they  
serve1 if they offer them a greater     
encouragement3 and will perhaps return  
to them the day after that1 upon a      
higher advance of their pay4 ,there are 
few wars in which they make not a       
considerable part of the armies of both 

sides3 so it often falls out that they  
who are related1 and were hired in the  
same country1 and so have lived long and
 familiarly together1 forgetting both   
their relations and former friendship1  
kill one another upon no other          
consideration than that of being hired  
to it for a little money1 by princes of 
different interests2 and such a regard  
have they for money1 that they are      
easily wrought on by the difference of  
one penny a day to change sides4 ,so    
entirely does their avarice influence   
them2 and yet this money1 which they    
value so highly1 is of little use to    
them2 for what they purchase thus with  
their blood1 they quickly waste on      
luxury1 which among them is but of a    
poor and miserable form4  ,this nation  
serves the ,utopians against all people 
whatsoever1 for they pay higher than any
 other4 ,the ,utopians hold this for a  
maxim1 that as they seek out the best   
sort of men for their own use at home1  
so they make use of this worst sort of  

men for the consumption of war1 and     
therefore they hire them with the offers
 of vast rewards1 to expose themselves  
to all sorts of hazards1 out of which   
the greater part never returns to claim 
their promises4 ,yet they make them good
 most religiously to such as escape4    
,this animates them to adventure again1 
whenever there is occasion for it2 for  
the ,utopians are not at all troubled   
how many of these happen to be killed1  
and reckon it a service done to mankind 
if they could be a means to deliver the 
world from such a lewd and vicious sort 
of people1 that seem to have run        
together as to the drain of human       
nature4 ,next to these they are served  
in their wars with those upon whose     
account they undertake them1 and with   
the auxiliary troops of their other     
friends1 to whom they join a few of     
their own people1 and send some men of  
eminent and approved virtue to command  
in chief4 ,there are two sent with him1 
who during his command are but private  

men1 but the first is to succeed him if 
he should happen to be either killed or 
taken2 and in case of the like          
misfortune to him1 the third comes in   
his place2 and thus they provide against
 ill events1 that such accidents as may 
befall their generals may not endanger  
their armies4 ,when they draw out troops
 of their own people1 they take such out
 of every city as freely offer          
themselves1 for none are forced to go   
against their wills1 since they think   
that if any man is pressed that wants   
courage1 he will not only act faintly1  
but by his cowardice dishearten others4 
,but if an invasion is made on their    
country they make use of such men1 if   
they have good bodies1 though they are  
not brave2 and either put them aboard   
their ships or place them on the walls  
of their towns1 that being so posted    
they may find no opportunity of flying  
away2 and thus either shame1 the heat of
 action1 or the impossibility of flying1
 bears down their cowardice2 they often 

make a virtue of necessity and behave   
themselves well1 because nothing else is
 left them4 ,but as they force no man to
 go into any foreign war against his    
will1 so they do not hinder those women 
who are willing to go along with their  
husbands2 on the contrary1 they         
encourage and praise them1 and they     
stand often next their husbands in the  
front of the army4 ,they also place     
together those who are related1 parents 
and children1 kindred1 and those that   
are mutually allied1 near one another2  
that those whom ,nature has inspired    
with the greatest zeal for assisting one
 another1 may be the nearest and        
readiest to do it2 and it is matter of  
great reproach if husband or wife       
survive one another1 or if a child      
survives his parents1 and therefore when
 they come to be engaged in action they 
continue to fight to the last man1 if   
their enemies stand before them4 ,and as
 they use all prudent methods to avoid  
the endangering their own men1 and if it

 is possible let all the action and     
danger fall upon the troops that they   
hire1 so if it becomes necessary for    
themselves to engage1 they then charge  
with as much courage as they avoided it 
before with prudence3 nor is it a fierce
 charge at first1 but it increases by   
degrees2 and as they continue in action1
 they grow more obstinate and press     
harder upon the enemy1 insomuch that    
they will much sooner die than give     
ground2 for the certainty that their    
children will be well looked after when 
they are dead1 frees them from all that 
anxiety concerning them which often     
masters men of great courage2 and thus  
they are animated by a noble and        
invincible resolution4 ,their skill in  
military affairs increases their        
courage2 and the wise sentiments which1 
according to the laws of their country  
are instilled into them in their        
education1 give additional vigour to    
their minds3 for as they do not         
undervalue life so as prodigally to     

throw it away1 they are not so          
indecently fond of it as to preserve it 
by base and unbecoming methods4 ,in the 
greatest heat of action1 the bravest of 
their youth1 who have devoted themselves
 to that service1 single out the general
 of their enemies1 set on him either    
openly or by ambuscade1 pursue him      
everywhere1 and when spent and wearied  
out1 are relieved by others1 who never  
give over the pursuit2 either attacking 
him with close weapons when they can get
 near him1 or with those which wound at 
a distance1 when others get in between  
them2 so that unless he secures himself 
by flight1 they seldom fail at last to  
kill or to take him prisoner4 ,when they
 have obtained a victory1 they kill as  
few as possible1 and are much more bent 
on taking many prisoners than on killing
 those that fly before them2 nor do they
 ever let their men so loose in the     
pursuit of their enemies1 as not to     
retain an entire body still in order2 so
 that if they have been forced to engage

 the last of their battalions before    
they could gain the day1 they will      
rather let their enemies all escape than
 pursue them1 when their own army is in 
disorder2 remembering well what has     
often fallen out to themselves1 that    
when the main body of their army has    
been quite defeated and broken1 when    
their enemies imagining the victory     
obtained1 have let themselves loose into
 an irregular pursuit1 a few of them    
that lay for a reserve1 waiting a fit   
opportunity1 have fallen on them in     
their chase1 and when straggling in     
disorder and apprehensive of no danger1 
but counting the day their own1 have    
turned the whole action1 and wresting   
out of their hands a victory that seemed
 certain and undoubted1 while the       
vanquished have suddenly become         
victorious4  ,it is hard to tell whether
 they are more dexterous in laying or   
avoiding ambushes4 ,they sometimes seem 
to fly when it is far from their        
thoughts2 and when they intend to give  

ground1 they do it so that it is very   
hard to find out their design4 ,if they 
see they are ill posted1 or are like to 
be overpowered by numbers1 they then    
either march off in the night with great
 silence1 or by some stratagem delude   
their enemies3 if they retire in the    
daytime1 they do it in such order1 that 
it is no less dangerous to fall upon    
them in a retreat than in a march4 ,they
 fortify their camps with a deep and    
large trench1 and throw up the earth    
that is dug out of it for a wall2 nor do
 they employ only their slaves in this1 
but the whole army works at it1 except  
those that are then upon the guard2 so  
that when so many hands are at work1 a  
great line and a strong fortification is
 finished in so short a time that it is 
scarce credible4 ,their armour is very  
strong for defence1 and yet is not so   
heavy as to make them uneasy in their   
marches2 they can even swim with it4    
,all that are trained up to war1        
practise swimming4 ,both horse and foot 

make great use of arrows1 and are very  
expert4 ,they have no swords1 but fight 
with a pole-axe that is both sharp and  
heavy1 by which they thrust or strike   
down an enemy4 ,they are very good at   
finding out warlike machines1 and       
disguise them so well1 that the enemy   
does not perceive them till he feels the
 use of them2 so that he cannot prepare 
such a defence as would render them     
useless2 the chief consideration had in 
the making them1 is that they may be    
easily carried and managed4  ,if they   
agree to a truce1 they observe it so    
religiously that no provocations will   
make them break it4 ,they never lay     
their enemies' country waste1 nor burn  
their corn1 and even in their marches   
they take all possible care that neither
 horse nor foot may tread it down1 for  
they do not know but that they may have 
use for it themselves4 ,they hurt no man
 whom they find disarmed1 unless he is a
 spy4 ,when a town is surrendered to    
them1 they take it into their           

protection3 and when they carry a place 
by storm1 they never plunder it1 but put
 those only to the sword that opposed   
the rendering of it up1 and make the    
rest of the garrison slaves1 but for the
 other inhabitants1 they do them no     
hurt2 and if any of them had advised a  
surrender1 they give them good rewards  
out of the estates of those that they   
condemn1 and distribute the rest among  
their auxiliary troops1 but they        
themselves take no share of the spoil4  
,when a war is ended1 they do not oblige
 their friends to reimburse their       
expenses2 but they obtain them of the   
conquered1 either in money1 which they  
keep for the next occasion1 or in lands1
 out of which a constant revenue is to  
be paid them2 by many increases1 the    
revenue which they draw out from several
 countries on such occasions1 is now    
risen to above #gjj1jjj ducats a year4  
,they send some of their own people to  
receive these revenues1 who have orders 
to live magnificently1 and like princes1

 by which means they consume much of it 
upon the place2 and either bring over   
the rest to ,utopia1 or lend it to that 
nation in which it lies4 ,this they most
 commonly do1 unless some great         
occasion1 which falls out but very      
seldom1 should oblige them to call for  
it all4 ,it is out of these lands that  
they assign rewards to such as they     
encourage to adventure on desperate     
attempts4 ,if any prince that engages in
 war with them is making preparations   
for invading their country1 they prevent
 him1 and make his country the seat of  
the war2 for they do not willingly      
suffer any war to break in upon their   
island2 and if that should happen1 they 
would only defend themselves by their   
own people1 but would not call for      
auxiliary troops to their assistance4   
,,of ,,the ,,religions ,,of ,,the       
,,utopians4  ,there are several sorts of
 religions1 not only in different parts 
of the island1 but even in every town2  
some worshipping the sun1 others the    

moon1 or one of the planets2 some       
worship such men as have been eminent in
 former times for virtue1 or glory1 not 
only as ordinary deities1 but as the    
supreme ,god3 yet the greater and wiser 
sort of them worship none of these1 but 
adore one eternal1 invisible1 infinite1 
and incomprehensible ,deity2 as a ,being
 that is far above all our              
apprehensions1 that is spread over the  
whole universe1 not by ,his bulk1 but by
 ,his power and virtue2 ,him they call  
the ,father of ,all1 and acknowledge    
that the beginnings1 the increase1 the  
progress1 the vicissitudes1 and the end 
of all things come only from ,him2 nor  
do they offer divine honours to any but 
to ,him alone4 ,and indeed1 though they 
differ concerning other things1 yet all 
agree in this1 that they think there is 
one supreme ,being that made and governs
 the world1 whom they call in the       
language of their country ,mithras4     
,they differ in this1 that one thinks   
the ,god whom he worships is this       

supreme ,being1 and another thinks that 
his idol is that ,god2 but they all     
agree in one principle1 that whoever is 
this supreme ,being1 ,he is also that   
great ,essence to whose glory and       
majesty all honours are ascribed by the 
consent of all nations4  ,by degrees1   
they fall off from the various          
superstitions that are among them1 and  
grow up to that one religion that is the
 best and most in request2 and there is 
no doubt to be made but that all the    
others had vanished long ago1 if some of
 those who advised them to lay aside    
their superstitions had not met with    
some unhappy accident1 which being      
considered as inflicted by ,heaven1 made
 them afraid that the ,god whose worship
 had like to have been abandoned1 had   
interposed1 and revenged themselves on  
those who despised their authority4     
,after they had heard from us an account
 of the doctrine1 the course of life1   
and the miracles of ,christ1 and of the 
wonderful constancy of so many martyrs1 

whose blood1 so willingly offered up by 
them1 was the chief occasion of         
spreading their religion over a vast    
number of nations2 it is not to be      
imagined how inclined they were to      
receive it4 ,i shall not determine      
whether this proceeded from any secret  
inspiration of ,god1 or whether it was  
because it seemed so favourable to that 
community of goods1 which is an opinion 
so particular as well as so dear to     
them2 since they perceived that ,christ 
and ,his followers lived by that rule1  
and that it was still kept up in some   
communities among the sincerest sort of 
,christians4 ,from whichsoever of these 
motives it might be1 true it is that    
many of them came over to our religion1 
and were initiated into it by baptism4  
,but as two of our number were dead1 so 
none of the four that survived were in  
priest's orders2 we therefore could only
 baptize them2 so that to our great     
regret they could not partake of the    
other sacraments1 that can only be      

administered by priests2 but they are   
instructed concerning them1 and long    
most vehemently for them4 ,they have had
 great disputes among themselves1       
whether one chosen by them to be a      
priest would not be thereby qualified to
 do all the things that belong to that  
character1 even though he had no        
authority derived from the ,pope2 and   
they seemed to be resolved to choose    
some for that employment1 but they had  
not done it when ,i left them4  ,those  
among them that have not received our   
religion1 do not fright any from it1 and
 use none ill that goes over to it2 so  
that all the while ,i was there1 one man
 was only punished on this occasion4 ,he
 being newly baptized1 did1             
notwithstanding all that we could say to
 the contrary1 dispute publicly         
concerning the ,christian religion with 
more zeal than discretion2 and with so  
much heat1 that he not only preferred   
our worship to theirs1 but condemned all
 their rites as profane2 and cried out  

against all that adhered to them1 as    
impious and sacrilegious persons1 that  
were to be damned to everlasting        
burnings4 ,upon his having frequently   
preached in this manner1 he was seized1 
and after trial he was condemned to     
banishment1 not for having disparaged   
their religion1 but for his inflaming   
the people to sedition3 for this is one 
of their most ancient laws1 that no man 
ought to be punished for his religion4  
,at the first constitution of their     
government1 ,utopus having understood   
that before his coming among them the   
old inhabitants had been engaged in     
great quarrels concerning religion1 by  
which they were so divided among        
themselves1 that he found it an easy    
thing to conquer them1 since instead of 
uniting their forces against him1 every 
different party in religion fought by   
themselves2 after he had subdued them1  
he made a law that every man might be of
 what religion he pleased1 and might    
endeavour to draw others to it by the   

force of argument1 and by amicable and  
modest ways1 but without bitterness     
against those of other opinions2 but    
that he ought to use no other force but 
that of persuasion1 and was neither to  
mix with it reproaches nor violence2 and
 such as did otherwise were to be       
condemned to banishment or slavery4     
,this law was made by ,utopus1 not only 
for preserving the public peace1 which  
he saw suffered much by daily           
contentions and irreconcilable heats1   
but because he thought the interest of  
religion itself required it4 ,he judged 
it not fit to determine anything rashly1
 and seemed to doubt whether those      
different forms of religion might not   
all come from ,god1 who might inspire   
men in a different manner1 and be       
pleased with this variety2 he therefore 
thought it indecent and foolish for any 
man to threaten and terrify another to  
make him believe what did not appear to 
him to be true4 ,and supposing that only
 one religion was really true1 and the  

rest false1 he imagined that the native 
force of truth would at last break forth
 and shine bright1 if supported only by 
the strength of argument1 and attended  
to with a gentle and unprejudiced mind2 
while1 on the other hand1 if such       
debates were carried on with violence   
and tumults1 as the most wicked are     
always the most obstinate1 so the best  
and most holy religion might be choked  
with superstition1 as corn is with      
briars and thorns2 he therefore left men
 wholly to their liberty1 that they     
might be free to believe as they should 
see cause2 only he made a solemn and    
severe law against such as should so far
 degenerate from the dignity of human   
nature as to think that our souls died  
with our bodies1 or that the world was  
governed by chance1 without a wise      
overruling ,providence3 for they all    
formerly believed that there was a state
 of rewards and punishments to the good 
and bad after this life2 and they now   
look on those that think otherwise as   

scarce fit to be counted men1 since they
 degrade so noble a being as the soul1  
and reckon it no better than a beast's3 
thus they are far from looking on such  
men as fit for human society1 or to be  
citizens of a well-ordered commonwealth2
 since a man of such principles must    
needs1 as oft as he dares do it1 despise
 all their laws and customs3 for there  
is no doubt to be made that a man who is
 afraid of nothing but the law1 and     
apprehends nothing after death1 will not
 scruple to break through all the laws  
of his country1 either by fraud or      
force1 when by this means he may satisfy
 his appetites4 ,they never raise any   
that hold these maxims1 either to       
honours or offices1 nor employ them in  
any public trust1 but despise them1 as  
men of base and sordid minds3 yet they  
do not punish them1 because they lay    
this down as a maxim that a man cannot  
make himself believe anything he        
pleases2 nor do they drive any to       
dissemble their thoughts by             

threatenings1 so that men are not       
tempted to lie or disguise their        
opinions2 which being a sort of fraud1  
is abhorred by the ,utopians4 ,they take
 care indeed to prevent their disputing 
in defence of these opinions1 especially
 before the common people2 but they     
suffer1 and even encourage them to      
dispute concerning them in private with 
their priests and other grave men1 being
 confident that they will be cured of   
those mad opinions by having reason laid
 before them4 ,there are many among them
 that run far to the other extreme1     
though it is neither thought an ill nor 
unreasonable opinion1 and therefore is  
not at all discouraged4 ,they think that
 the souls of beasts are immortal1      
though far inferior to the dignity of   
the human soul1 and not capable of so   
great a happiness4 ,they are almost all 
of them very firmly persuaded that good 
men will be infinitely happy in another 
state2 so that though they are          
compassionate to all that are sick1 yet 

they lament no man's death1 except they 
see him loth to depart with life2 for   
they look on this as a very ill presage1
 as if the soul1 conscious to itself of 
guilt1 and quite hopeless1 was afraid to
 leave the body1 from some secret hints 
of approaching misery4 ,they think that 
such a man's appearance before ,god     
cannot be acceptable to ,him1 who1 being
 called on1 does not go out cheerfully1 
but is backward and unwilling1 and is1  
as it were1 dragged to it4 ,they are    
struck with horror when they see any die
 in this manner1 and carry them out in  
silence and with sorrow1 and praying    
,god that ,he would be merciful to the  
errors of the departed soul1 they lay   
the body in the ground2 but when any die
 cheerfully1 and full of hope1 they do  
not mourn for them1 but sing hymns when 
they carry out their bodies1 and        
commending their souls very earnestly to
 ,god3 their whole behaviour is then    
rather grave than sad1 they burn the    
body1 and set up a pillar where the pile

 was made1 with an inscription to the   
honour of the deceased4 ,when they come 
from the funeral1 they discourse of his 
good life and worthy actions1 but speak 
of nothing oftener and with more        
pleasure than of his serenity at the    
hour of death4 ,they think such respect 
paid to the memory of good men is both  
the greatest incitement to engage others
 to follow their example1 and the most  
acceptable worship that can be offered  
them2 for they believe that though by   
the imperfection of human sight they are
 invisible to us1 yet they are present  
among us1 and hear those discourses that
 pass concerning themselves4 ,they      
believe it inconsistent1 with the       
happiness of departed souls not to be at
 liberty to be where they will1 and do  
not imagine them capable of the         
ingratitude of not desiring to see those
 friends with whom they lived on earth  
in the strictest bonds of love and      
kindness3 besides they are persuaded    
that good men after death have these    

affections and all other good           
dispositions increased rather than      
diminished1 and therefore conclude that 
they are still among the living1 and    
observe all they say or do4 ,from hence 
they engage in all their affairs with   
the greater confidence of success1 as   
trusting to their protection2 while this
 opinion of the presence of their       
ancestors is a restraint that prevents  
their engaging in ill designs4  ,they   
despise and laugh at auguries1 and the  
other vain and superstitious ways of    
divination1 so much observed among other
 nations2 but have great reverence for  
such miracles as cannot flow from any of
 the powers of ,nature1 and look on them
 as effects and indications of the      
presence of the supreme ,being1 of which
 they say many instances have occurred  
among them2 and that sometimes their    
public prayers1 which upon great and    
dangerous occasions they have solemnly  
put up to ,god1 with assured confidence 
of being heard1 have been answered in a 

miraculous manner4  ,they think the     
contemplating ,god in ,his works1 and   
the adoring ,him for them1 is a very    
acceptable piece of worship to ,him4    
,there are many among them1 that upon a 
motive of religion neglect learning1 and
 apply themselves to no sort of study2  
nor do they allow themselves any leisure
 time1 but are perpetually employed1    
believing that by the good things that a
 man does he secures to himself that    
happiness that comes after death4 ,some 
of these visit the sick2 others mend    
highways1 cleanse ditches1 repair       
bridges1 or dig turf1 gravel1 or stones4
 ,others fell and cleave timber1 and    
bring wood1 corn1 and other necessaries 
on carts into their towns4 ,nor do these
 only serve the public1 but they serve  
even private men1 more than the slaves  
themselves do2 for if there is anywhere 
a rough1 hard1 and sordid piece of work 
to be done1 from which many are         
frightened by the labour and            
loathsomeness of it1 if not the despair 

of accomplishing it1 they cheerfully1   
and of their own accord1 take that to   
their share2 and by that means1 as they 
ease others very much1 so they afflict  
themselves1 and spend their whole life  
in hard labour2 and yet they do not     
value themselves upon this1 nor lessen  
other people's credit to raise their    
own2 but by their stooping to such      
servile employments1 they are so far    
from being despised1 that they are so   
much the more esteemed by the whole     
nation4  ,of these there are two sorts2 
some live unmarried and chaste1 and     
abstain from eating any sort of flesh2  
and thus weaning themselves from all the
 pleasures of the present life1 which   
they account hurtful1 they pursue1 even 
by the hardest and painfullest methods  
possible1 that blessedness which they   
hope for hereafter2 and the nearer they 
approach to it1 they are the more       
cheerful and earnest in their endeavours
 after it4 ,another sort of them is less
 willing to put themselves to much toil1

 and therefore prefer a married state to
 a single one2 and as they do not deny  
themselves the pleasure of it1 so they  
think the begetting of children is a    
debt which they owe to human nature and 
to their country2 nor do they avoid any 
pleasure that does not hinder labour1   
and therefore eat flesh so much the more
 willingly1 as they find that by this   
means they are the more able to work2   
the ,utopians look upon these as the    
wiser sect1 but they esteem the others  
as the most holy4 ,they would indeed    
laugh at any man1 who from the          
principles of reason would prefer an    
unmarried state to a married1 or a life 
of labour to an easy life2 but they     
reverence and admire such as do it from 
the motives of religion4 ,there is      
nothing in which they are more cautious 
than in giving their opinion positively 
concerning any sort of religion4 ,the   
men that lead those severe lives are    
called in the language of their country 
,brutheskas1 which answers to those we  

call religious orders4  ,their priests  
are men of eminent piety1 and therefore 
they are but few1 for there are only    
thirteen in every town1 one for every   
temple2 but when they go to war1 seven  
of these go out with their forces1 and  
seven others are chosen to supply their 
room in their absence2 but these enter  
again upon their employment when they   
return2 and those who served in their   
absence attend upon the high-priest1    
till vacancies fall by death2 for there 
is one set over all the rest4 ,they are 
chosen by the people as the other       
magistrates are1 by suffrages given in  
secret1 for preventing of factions2 and 
when they are chosen they are           
consecrated by the college of priests4  
,the care of all sacred things1 the     
worship of ,god1 and an inspection into 
the manners of the people1 are committed
 to them4 ,it is a reproach to a man to 
be sent for by any of them1 or for them 
to speak to him in secret1 for that     
always gives some suspicion4 ,all that  

is incumbent on them is only to exhort  
and admonish the people2 for the power  
of correcting and punishing ill men     
belongs wholly to the ,prince and to the
 other magistrates4 ,the severest thing 
that the priest does1 is the excluding  
those that are desperately wicked from  
joining in their worship4 ,there is not 
any sort of punishment more dreaded by  
them than this1 for as it loads them    
with infamy1 so it fills them with      
secret horrors1 such is their reverence 
to their religion2 nor will their bodies
 be long exempted from their share of   
trouble2 for if they do not very quickly
 satisfy the priests of the truth of    
their repentance1 they are seized on by 
the ,senate1 and punished for their     
impiety4 ,the education of youth belongs
 to the priests1 yet they do not take so
 much care of instructing them in       
letters as in forming their minds and   
manners aright2 they use all possible   
methods to infuse very early into the   
tender and flexible minds of children   

such opinions as are both good in       
themselves and will be useful to their  
country4 ,for when deep impressions of  
these things are made at that age1 they 
follow men through the whole course of  
their lives1 and conduce much to        
preserve the peace of the government1   
which suffers by nothing more than by   
vices that rise out of ill opinions4    
,the wives of their priests are the most
 extraordinary women of the whole       
country2 sometimes the women themselves 
are made priests1 though that falls out 
but seldom1 nor are any but ancient     
widows chosen into that order4  ,none of
 the magistrates have greater honour    
paid them than is paid the priests2 and 
if they should happen to commit any     
crime1 they would not be questioned for 
it4 ,their punishment is left to ,god1  
and to their own consciences2 for they  
do not think it lawful to lay hands on  
any man1 how wicked soever he is1 that  
has been in a peculiar manner dedicated 
to ,god2 nor do they find any great     

inconvenience in this1 both because they
 have so few priests1 and because these 
are chosen with much caution1 so that it
 must be a very unusual thing to find   
one who merely out of regard to his     
virtue1 and for his being esteemed a    
singularly good man1 was raised up to so
 great a dignity1 degenerate into       
corruption and vice4 ,and if such a     
thing should fall out1 for man is a     
changeable creature1 yet there being few
 priests1 and these having no authority 
but what rises out of the respect that  
is paid them1 nothing of great          
consequence to the public can proceed   
from the indemnity that the priests     
enjoy4  ,they have indeed very few of   
them1 lest greater numbers sharing in   
the same honour might make the dignity  
of that order which they esteem so      
highly to sink in its reputation4 ,they 
also think it difficult to find out many
 of such an exalted pitch of goodness1  
as to be equal to that dignity which    
demands the exercise of more than       

ordinary virtues4 ,nor are the priests  
in greater veneration among them than   
they are among their neighbouring       
nations1 as you may imagine by that     
which ,i think gives occasion for it4   
,when the ,utopians engage in battle1   
the priests who accompany them to the   
war1 apparelled in their sacred         
vestments1 kneel down during the action1
 in a place not far from the field2 and 
lifting up their hands to heaven1 pray1 
first for peace1 and then for victory to
 their own side1 and particularly that  
it may be gained without the effusion of
 much blood on either side2 and when the
 victory turns to their side1 they run  
in among their own men to restrain their
 fury2 and if any of their enemies see  
them1 or call to them1 they are         
preserved by that means2 and such as can
 come so near them as to touch their    
garments1 have not only their lives1 but
 their fortunes secured to them2 it is  
upon this account that all the nations  
roundabout consider them so much1 and   

treat them with such reverence1 that    
they have been often no less able to    
preserve their own people from the fury 
of their enemies1 than to save their    
enemies from their rage2 for it has     
sometimes fallen out1 that when their   
armies have been in disorder1 and forced
 to fly1 so that their enemies were     
running upon the slaughter and spoil1   
the priests by interposing have         
separated them from one another1 and    
stopped the effusion of more blood2 so  
that by their mediation a peace has been
 concluded on very reasonable terms2 nor
 is there any nation about them so      
fierce1 cruel1 or barbarous as not to   
look upon their persons as sacred and   
inviolable4  ,the first and the last day
 of the month1 and of the year1 is a    
festival4 ,they measure their months by 
the course of the moon1 and their years 
by the course of the sun4 ,the first    
days are called in their language the   
,cynemernes1 and the last the           
,trapemernes2 which answers in our      

language to the festival that begins1 or
 ends the season4  ,they have           
magnificent temples1 that are not only  
nobly built1 but extremely spacious2    
which is the more necessary1 as they    
have so few of them2 they are a little  
dark within1 which proceeds not from any
 error in the architecture1 but is done 
with design2 for their priests think    
that too much light dissipates the      
thoughts1 and that a more moderate      
degree of it both recollects the mind   
and raises devotion4 ,though there are  
many different forms of religion among  
them1 yet all these1 how various soever1
 agree in the main point1 which is the  
worshipping the ,divine ,essence2 and   
therefore there is nothing to be seen or
 heard in their temples in which the    
several persuasions among them may not  
agree2 for every sect performs those    
rites that are peculiar to it1 in their 
private houses1 nor is there anything in
 the public worship that contradicts the
 particular ways of those different     

sects4 ,there are no images for ,god in 
their temples1 so that every one may    
represent ,him to his thoughts1         
according to the way of his religion2   
nor do they call this one ,god by any   
other name but that of ,mithras1 which  
is the common name by which they all    
express the ,divine ,essence1 whatsoever
 otherwise they think it to be2 nor are 
there any prayers among them but such as
 every one of them may use without      
prejudice to his own opinion4  ,they    
meet in their temples on the evening of 
the festival that concludes a season3   
and not having yet broke their fast1    
they thank ,god for their good success  
during that year or month1 which is then
 at an end2 and the next day being that 
which begins the new season1 they meet  
early in their temples1 to pray for the 
happy progress of all their affairs     
during that period upon which they then 
enter4 ,in the festival which concludes 
the period1 before they go to the       
temple1 both wives and children fall on 

their knees before their husbands or    
parents1 and confess everything in which
 they have either erred or failed in    
their duty1 and beg pardon for it4 ,thus
 all little discontents in families are 
removed1 that they may offer up their   
devotions with a pure and serene mind2  
for they hold it a great impiety to     
enter upon them with disturbed thoughts1
 or with a consciousness of their       
bearing hatred or anger in their hearts 
to any person whatsoever2 and think that
 they should become liable to severe    
punishments if they presumed to offer   
sacrifices without cleansing their      
hearts1 and reconciling all their       
differences4 ,in the temples1 the two   
sexes are separated1 the men go to the  
right hand1 and the women to the left2  
and the males and females all place     
themselves before the head and master or
 mistress of that family to which they  
belong2 so that those who have the      
government of them at home may see their
 deportment in public2 and they         

intermingle them so1 that the younger   
and the older may be set by one another2
 for if the younger sort were all set   
together1 they would perhaps trifle away
 that time too much in which they ought 
to beget in themselves that religious   
dread of the supreme ,being1 which is   
the greatest and almost the only        
incitement to virtue4  ,they offer up no
 living creature in sacrifice1 nor do   
they think it suitable to the divine    
,being1 from whose bounty it is that    
these creatures have derived their      
lives1 to take pleasure in their deaths1
 or the offering up their blood4 ,they  
burn incense and other sweet odours1 and
 have a great number of wax lights      
during their worship2 not out of any    
imagination that such oblations can add 
anything to the divine ,nature1 which   
even prayers cannot do2 but as it is a  
harmless and pure way of worshipping    
,god1 so they think those sweet savours 
and lights1 together with some other    
ceremonies1 by a secret and             

unaccountable virtue1 elevate men's     
souls1 and inflame them with greater    
energy and cheerfulness during the      
divine worship4  ,all the people appear 
in the temples in white garments1 but   
the priest's vestments are              
parti-coloured1 and both the work and   
colours are wonderful4 ,they are made of
 no rich materials1 for they are neither
 embroidered nor set with precious      
stones1 but are composed of the plumes  
of several birds1 laid together with so 
much art and so neatly1 that the true   
value of them is far beyond the         
costliest materials4 ,they say that in  
the ordering and placing those plumes   
some dark mysteries are represented1    
which pass down among their priests in a
 secret tradition concerning them2 and  
that they are as hieroglyphics1 putting 
them in mind of the blessings that they 
have received from ,god1 and of their   
duties both to ,him and to their        
neighbours4 ,as soon as the priest      
appears in those ornaments1 they all    

fall prostrate on the ground1 with so   
much reverence and so deep a silence    
that such as look on cannot but be      
struck with it1 as if it were the effect
 of the appearance of a ,deity4 ,after  
they have been for some time in this    
posture1 they all stand up1 upon a sign 
given by the priest1 and sing hymns to  
the honour of ,god1 some musical        
instruments playing all the while4      
,these are quite of another form than   
those used among us3 but as many of them
 are much sweeter than ours1 so others  
are made use of by us4 ,yet in one thing
 they very much exceed us2 all their    
music1 both vocal and instrumental1 is  
adapted to imitate and express the      
passions1 and is so happily suited to   
every occasion1 that whether the subject
 of the hymn be cheerful or formed to   
soothe or trouble the mind1 or to       
express grief or remorse1 the music     
takes the impression of whatever is     
represented1 affects and kindles the    
passions1 and works the sentiments deep 

into the hearts of the hearers4 ,when   
this is done1 both priests and people   
offer up very solemn prayers to ,god in 
a set form of words2 and these are so   
composed1 that whatsoever is pronounced 
by the whole assembly may be likewise   
applied by every man in particular to   
his own condition2 in these they        
acknowledge ,god to be the author and   
governor of the world1 and the fountain 
of all the good they receive1 and       
therefore offer up to ,him their        
thanksgiving2 and in particular bless   
,him for ,his goodness in ordering it   
so1 that they are born under the        
happiest government in the world1 and   
are of a religion which they hope is the
 truest of all others3 but if they are  
mistaken1 and if there is either a      
better government or a religion more    
acceptable to ,god1 they implore ,his   
goodness to let them know it1 vowing    
that they resolve to follow ,him        
whithersoever ,he leads them4 ,but if   
their government is the best1 and their 

religion the truest1 then they pray that
 ,he may fortify them in it1 and bring  
all the world both to the same rules of 
life1 and to the same opinions          
concerning himself2 unless1 according to
 the unsearchableness of ,his mind1 ,he 
is pleased with a variety of religions4 
,then they pray that ,god may give them 
an easy passage at last to himself2 not 
presuming to set limits to ,him1 how    
early or late it should be2 but if it   
may be wished for1 without derogating   
from ,his supreme authority1 they desire
 to be quickly delivered1 and to be     
taken to himself1 though by the most    
terrible kind of death1 rather than to  
be detained long from seeing ,him by the
 most prosperous course of life4 ,when  
this prayer is ended1 they all fall down
 again upon the ground1 and after a     
little while they rise up1 go home to   
dinner1 and spend the rest of the day in
 diversion or military exercises4  ,thus
 have ,i described to you1 as           
particularly as ,i could1 the           

constitution of that commonwealth1 which
 ,i do not only think the best in the   
world1 but indeed the only commonwealth 
that truly deserves that name4 ,in all  
other places it is visible1 that while  
people talk of a commonwealth1 every man
 only seeks his own wealth2 but there1  
where no man has any property1 all men  
zealously pursue the good of the public3
 and1 indeed1 it is no wonder to see men
 act so differently2 for in other       
commonwealths1 every man knows that     
unless he provides for himself1 how     
flourishing soever the commonwealth may 
be1 he must die of hunger2 so that he   
sees the necessity of preferring his own
 concerns to the public2 but in ,utopia1
 where every man has a right to         
everything1 they all know that if care  
is taken to keep the public stores full1
 no private man can want anything2 for  
among them there is no unequal          
distribution1 so that no man is poor1   
none in necessity2 and though no man has
 anything1 yet they are all rich2 for   

what can make a man so rich as to lead a
 serene and cheerful life1 free from    
anxieties2 neither apprehending want    
himself1 nor vexed with the endless     
complaints of his wife8 ,he is not      
afraid of the misery of his children1   
nor is he contriving how to raise a     
portion for his daughters1 but is secure
 in this1 that both he and his wife1 his
 children and grandchildren1 to as many 
generations as he can fancy1 will all   
live both plentifully and happily2 since
 among them there is no less care taken 
of those who were once engaged in       
labour1 but grow afterwards unable to   
follow it1 than there is elsewhere of   
these that continue still employed4 ,i  
would gladly hear any man compare the   
justice that is among them with that of 
all other nations2 among whom1 may ,i   
perish1 if ,i see anything that looks   
either like justice or equity3 for what 
justice is there in this1 that a        
nobleman1 a goldsmith1 a banker1 or any 
other man1 that either does nothing at  

all1 or at best is employed in things   
that are of no use to the public1 should
 live in great luxury and splendour1    
upon what is so ill acquired2 and a mean
 man1 a carter1 a smith1 or a ploughman1
 that works harder even than the beasts 
themselves1 and is employed in labours  
so necessary1 that no commonwealth could
 hold out a year without them1 can only 
earn so poor a livelihood1 and must lead
 so miserable a life1 that the condition
 of the beasts is much better than      
theirs8 ,for as the beasts do not work  
so constantly1 so they feed almost as   
well1 and with more pleasure2 and have  
no anxiety about what is to come1 whilst
 these men are depressed by a barren and
 fruitless employment1 and tormented    
with the apprehensions of want in their 
old age2 since that which they get by   
their daily labour does but maintain    
them at present1 and is consumed as fast
 as it comes in1 there is no overplus   
left to lay up for old age4  ,is not    
that government both unjust and         

ungrateful1 that is so prodigal of its  
favours to those that are called        
gentlemen1 or goldsmiths1 or such others
 who are idle1 or live either by        
flattery1 or by contriving the arts of  
vain pleasure2 and on the other hand1   
takes no care of those of a meaner sort1
 such as ploughmen1 colliers1 and       
smiths1 without whom it could not       
subsist8 ,but after the public has      
reaped all the advantage of their       
service1 and they come to be oppressed  
with age1 sickness1 and want1 all their 
labours and the good they have done is  
forgotten2 and all the recompense given 
them is that they are left to die in    
great misery4 ,the richer sort are often
 endeavouring to bring the hire of      
labourers lower1 not only by their      
fraudulent practices1 but by the laws   
which they procure to be made to that   
effect2 so that though it is a thing    
most unjust in itself1 to give such     
small rewards to those who deserve so   
well of the public1 yet they have given 

those hardships the name and colour of  
justice1 by procuring laws to be made   
for regulating them4  ,therefore ,i must
 say that1 as ,i hope for mercy1 ,i can 
have no other notion of all the other   
governments that ,i see or know1 than   
that they are a conspiracy of the rich1 
who on pretence of managing the public  
only pursue their private ends1 and     
devise all the ways and arts they can   
find out2 first1 that they may1 without 
danger1 preserve all that they have so  
ill acquired1 and then that they may    
engage the poor to toil and labour for  
them at as low rates as possible1 and   
oppress them as much as they please4    
,and if they can but prevail to get     
these contrivances established by the   
show of public authority1 which is      
considered as the representative of the 
whole people1 then they are accounted   
laws4 ,yet these wicked men after they  
have1 by a most insatiable covetousness1
 divided that among themselves with     
which all the rest might have been well 

supplied1 are far from that happiness   
that is enjoyed among the ,utopians3 for
 the use as well as the desire of money 
being extinguished1 much anxiety and    
great occasions of mischief is cut off  
with it4 ,and who does not see that the 
frauds1 thefts1 robberies1 quarrels1    
tumults1 contentions1 seditions1        
murders1 treacheries1 and witchcrafts1  
which are indeed rather punished than   
restrained by the severities of law1    
would all fall off1 if money were not   
any more valued by the world8 ,men's    
fears1 solicitudes1 cares1 labours1 and 
watchings1 would all perish in the same 
moment with the value of money3 even    
poverty itself1 for the relief of which 
money seems most necessary1 would fall4 
,but1 in order to the apprehending this 
aright1 take one instance4  ,consider   
any year that has been so unfruitful    
that many thousands have died of hunger2
 and yet if at the end of that year a   
survey was made of the granaries of all 
the rich men that have hoarded up the   

corn1 it would be found that there was  
enough among them to have prevented all 
that consumption of men that perished in
 misery2 and that if it had been        
distributed among them1 none would have 
felt the terrible effects of that       
scarcity2 so easy a thing would it be to
 supply all the necessities of life1 if 
that blessed thing called money1 which  
is pretended to be invented for         
procuring them1 was not really the only 
thing that obstructed their being       
procured6  ,i do not doubt but rich men 
are sensible of this1 and that they well
 know how much a greater happiness it is
 to want nothing necessary than to      
abound in many superfluities1 and to be 
rescued out of so much misery than to   
abound with so much wealth2 and ,i      
cannot think but the sense of every     
man's interest1 added to the authority  
of ,christ's commands1 who as ,he was   
infinitely wise1 knew what was best1 and
 was not less good in discovering it to 
us1 would have drawn all the world over 

to the laws of the ,utopians1 if pride1 
that plague of human nature1 that source
 of so much misery1 did not hinder it2  
for this vice does not measure happiness
 so much by its own conveniences as by  
the miseries of others2 and would not be
 satisfied with being thought a goddess1
 if none were left that were miserable1 
over whom she might insult4 ,pride      
thinks its own happiness shines the     
brighter by comparing it with the       
misfortunes of other persons2 that by   
displaying its own wealth1 they may feel
 their poverty the more sensibly4 ,this 
is that infernal serpent that creeps    
into the breasts of mortals1 and        
possesses them too much to be easily    
drawn out2 and therefore ,i am glad that
 the ,utopians have fallen upon this    
form of government1 in which ,i wish    
that all the world could be so wise as  
to imitate them2 for they have indeed   
laid down such a scheme and foundation  
of policy1 that as men live happily     
under it1 so it is like to be of great  

continuance2 for they having rooted out 
of the minds of their people all the    
seeds both of ambition and faction1     
there is no danger of any commotion at  
home2 which alone has been the ruin of  
many states1 that seemed otherwise to be
 well secured2 but as long as they live 
in peace at home1 and are governed by   
such good laws1 the envy of all their   
neighbouring princes1 who have often    
though in vain attempted their ruin1    
will never be able to put their state   
into any commotion or disorder4         
99       99       99       99       99  
,when ,raphael had thus made an end of  
speaking1 though many things occurred to
 me1 both concerning the manners and    
laws of that people1 that seemed very   
absurd1 as well as their way of making  
war1 as in their notions of religion and
 divine matters2 together with several  
other particulars1 but chiefly what     
seemed the foundation of all the rest1  
their living in common1 without the use 
of money1 by which all nobility1        

magnificence1 splendour1 and majesty1   
which1 according to the common opinion1 
are the true ornaments of a nation1     
would be quite taken away2 yet since ,i 
perceived that ,raphael was weary1 and  
was not sure whether he could easily    
bear contradiction1 remembering that he 
had taken notice of some who seemed to  
think they were bound in honour to      
support the credit of their own wisdom1 
by finding out something to censure in  
all other men's inventions1 besides     
their own2 ,i only commended their      
constitution1 and the account he had    
given of it in general2 and so taking   
him by the hand1 carried him to supper1 
and told him ,i would find out some     
other time for examining this subject   
more particularly1 and for discoursing  
more copiously upon it2 and indeed ,i   
shall be glad to embrace an opportunity 
of doing it4 ,in the meanwhile1 though  
it must be confessed that he is both a  
very learned man1 and a person who has  
obtained a great knowledge of the world1

 ,i cannot perfectly agree to everything
 he has related2 however1 there are many
 things in the ,commonwealth of ,utopia 
that ,i rather wish1 than hope1 to see  
followed in our governments4            
,,bacon',s  ,,new ,,atlantis4     ,,new 
,,atlantis4   ,we sailed from ,peru1    
where we had continued by the space of  
one whole year1 for ,china and ,japan1  
by the ,south ,sea1 taking with us      
victuals for twelve months2 and had good
 winds from the east1 though soft and   
weak1 for five months' space and more4  
,but then the wind came about1 and      
settled in the west for many days1 so as
 we could make little or no way1 and    
were sometimes in purpose to turn back4 
,but then again there arose strong and  
great winds from the south1 with a point
 east2 which carried us up1 for all that
 we could do1 towards the north3 by     
which time our victuals failed us1      
though we had made good spare of them4  
,so that finding ourselves1 in the midst
 of the greatest wilderness of waters in

 the world1 without victual1 we gave    
ourselves for lost men1 and prepared for
 death4 ,yet we did lift up our hearts  
and voices to ,god above1 who showeth   
,his wonders in the deep2 beseeching    
,him of his mercy1 that as in the       
beginning ,he discovered the face of the
 deep1 and brought forth dry land1 so   
,he would now discover land to us1 that 
we might not perish4 ,and it came to    
pass1 that the next day about evening we
 saw within a kenning before us1 towards
 the north1 as it were thick clouds1    
which did put us in some hope of land3  
knowing how that part of the ,south ,sea
 was utterly unknown3 and might have    
islands or continents1 that hitherto    
were not come to light4 ,wherefore we   
bent out course thither1 where we saw   
the appearance of land1 all that night3 
and in the dawning of next day1 we might
 plainly discern that it was a land flat
 to our sight1 and full of boscage1     
which made it show the more dark4 ,and  
after an hour and a half's sailing1 we  

entered into a good haven1 being the    
port of a fair city4 ,not great indeed1 
but well built1 and that gave a pleasant
 view from the sea4 ,and we thinking    
every minute long till we were on land1 
came close to the shore and offered to  
land4 ,but straightways we saw divers of
 the people1 with bastons in their      
hands1 as it were forbidding us to land3
 yet without any cries or fierceness1   
but only as warning us off1 by signs    
that they made4 ,whereupon being not a  
little discomfited1 we were advising    
with ourselves what we should do4       
,during which time there made forth to  
us a small boat1 with about eight       
persons in it1 whereof one of them had  
in his hand a tipstaff of a yellow cane1
 tipped at both ends with blue1 who made
 aboard our ship1 without any show of   
distrust at all4 ,and when he saw one of
 our number present himself somewhat    
afore the rest1 he drew forth a little  
scroll of parchment 7somewhat yellower  
than our parchment1 and shining like the

 leaves of writing tables1 but otherwise
 soft and flexible71 and delivered it to
 our foremost man4 ,in which scroll were
 written in ancient ,hebrew1 and in     
ancient ,greek1 and in good ,latin of   
the school1 and in ,spanish these words3
 ,land ye not1 none of you1 and provide 
to be gone from this coast within       
sixteen days1 except you have further   
time given you2 meanwhile1 if you want  
fresh water1 or victual1 or help for    
your sick1 or that your ship needeth    
repair1 write down your wants1 and you  
shall have that which belongeth to      
mercy4 ,this scroll was signed with a   
stamp of cherubim's wings1 not spread1  
but hanging downwards2 and by them a    
cross4 ,this being delivered1 the       
officer returned1 and left only a       
servant with us to receive our answer4  
,consulting hereupon amongst ourselves1 
we were much perplexed4 ,the denial of  
landing1 and hasty warning us away1     
troubled us much3 on the other side1 to 
find that the people had languages1 and 

were so full of humanity1 did comfort us
 not a little4 ,and above all1 the sign 
of the cross to that instrument1 was to 
us a great rejoicing1 and as it were a  
certain presage of good4 ,our answer was
 in the ,spanish tongue1 ,that for our  
ship1 it was well2 for we had rather met
 with calms and contrary winds1 than any
 tempests4 ,for our sick1 they were     
many1 and in very ill case2 so that if  
they were not permitted to land1 they   
ran in danger of their lives4 ,our other
 wants we set down in particular1       
adding1 ,that we had some little store  
of merchandise1 which if it pleased them
 to deal for1 it might supply our wants1
 without being chargeable unto them4 ,we
 offered some reward in pistolets unto  
the servant1 and a piece of crimson     
velvet to be presented to the officer2  
but the servant took them not1 nor would
 scarce look upon them2 and so left us1 
and went back in another little boat    
which was sent for him4  ,about three   
hours after we had despatched our answer

 there came towards us a person 7as it  
seemed7 of a place4 ,he had on him a    
gown with wide sleeves1 of a kind of    
water chamolet1 of an excellent azure   
colour1 far more glossy than ours3 his  
under apparel was green1 and so was his 
hat1 being in the form of a turban1     
daintily made1 and not so huge as the   
,turkish turbans2 and the locks of his  
hair came down below the brims of it4 ,a
 reverend man was he to behold4 ,he came
 in a boat1 gilt in some part of it1    
with four persons more only in that     
boat2 and was followed by another boat1 
wherein were some twenty4 ,when he was  
come within a flight-shot of our ship1  
signs were made to us that we should    
send forth some to meet him upon the    
water1 which we presently did in our    
ship-boat1 sending the principal man    
amongst us save one1 and four of our    
number with him4 ,when we were come     
within six yards of their boat1 they    
called to us to stay1 and not to        
approach farther1 which we did4 ,and    

thereupon the man1 whom ,i before       
described1 stood up1 and with a loud    
voice in ,spanish1 asked1 ,are ye       
,christians8 ,we answered1 ,we were2    
fearing the less1 because of the cross  
we had seen in the subscription4 ,at    
which answer the said person lift up his
 right hand towards heaven1 and drew it 
softly to his mouth 7which is the       
gesture they use1 when they thank ,god71
 and then said3 ,if ye will swear1 all  
of you1 by the merits of the ,saviour1  
that ye are no pirates2 nor have shed   
blood1 lawfully nor unlawfully1 within  
forty days past2 you may have license to
 come on land4 ,we said1 ,we were all   
ready to take that oath4 ,whereupon one 
of those that were with him1 being 7as  
it seemed7 a notary1 made an entry of   
this act4 ,which done1 another of the   
attendants of the great person1 which   
was with him in the same boat1 after his
 lord had spoken a little to him1 said  
aloud3 ,my lord would have you know1    
that it is not of pride1 or greatness1  

that he cometh not aboard your ship3 but
 for that1 in your answer1 you declare  
that you have many sick amongst you1 he 
was warned by the conservator of health 
of the city that he should keep a       
distance4 ,we bowed ourselves towards   
him1 and answered3 ,we were his humble  
servants2 and accounted for great honour
 and singular humanity towards us1 that 
which was already done3 but hoped well1 
that the nature of the sickness of our  
men was not infectious4 ,so he returned2
 and a while after came the notary to us
 aboard our ship2 holding in his hand a 
fruit of that country1 like an orange1  
but of colour between orange-tawny and  
scarlet3 which cast a most excellent    
odour4 ,he used it 7as it seemed7 for a 
preservative against infection4 ,he gave
 us our oath1 ,by the name of ,jesus1   
and ,his merits3 and after told us1 that
 the next day by six of the clock in the
 morning1 we should be sent to1 and     
brought to the strangers' house 7so he  
called it71 where we should be          

accommodated of things1 both for our    
whole and for our sick4 ,so he left us2 
and when we offered him some pistolets1 
he smiling1 said1 ,he must not be twice 
paid for one labour3 meaning 7as ,i take
 it7 that he had salary sufficient of   
the state for his service4 ,for 7as ,i  
after learned7 they call an officer that
 taketh rewards twice-paid4  ,the next  
morning early1 there came to us the same
 officer that came to us at first with  
his cane1 and told us3 ,he came to      
conduct us to the strangers' house3 and 
that he had prevented the hour1 because 
we might have the whole day before us   
for our business4 ,for 7said he7 if you 
will follow my advice1 there shall first
 go with me some few of you1 and see the
 place1 and how it may be made          
convenient for you3 and then you may    
send for your sick1 and the rest of your
 number1 which ye will bring on land4   
,we thanked him1 and said1 ,that his    
care which he took of desolate          
strangers1 ,god would reward4 ,and so   

six of us went on land with him2 and    
when we were on land1 he went before us1
 and turned to us1 and said1 ,he was but
 our servant1 and our guide4 ,he led us 
through three fair streets2 and all the 
way we went there were gathered some    
people on both sides1 standing in a row2
 but in so civil a fashion1 as if it had
 been1 not to wonder at us1 but to      
welcome us2 and divers of them1 as we   
passed by them1 put their arms a little 
abroad1 which is their gesture when they
 bid any welcome4 ,the strangers' house 
is a fair and spacious house1 built of  
brick1 of somewhat a bluer colour than  
our brick2 and with handsome windows1   
some of glass1 some of a kind of cambric
 oiled4 ,he brought us first into a fair
 parlour above stairs1 and then asked   
us1 ,what number of persons we were8 and
 how many sick8 ,we answered1 ,we were  
in all 7sick and whole7 one and fifty   
persons1 whereof our sick were          
seventeen4 ,he desired us to have       
patience a little1 and to stay till he  

came back to us1 which was about an hour
 after2 and then he led us to see the   
chambers which were provided for us1    
being in number nineteen4 ,they having  
cast it 7as it seemeth7 that four of    
those chambers1 which were better than  
the rest1 might receive four of the     
principal men of our company2 and lodge 
them alone by themselves2 and the other 
fifteen chambers were to lodge us1 two  
and two together4 ,the chambers were    
handsome and cheerful chambers1 and     
furnished civilly4 ,then he led us to a 
long gallery1 like a dorture1 where he  
showed us all along the one side 7for   
the other side was but wall and window7 
seventeen cells1 very neat ones1 having 
partitions of cedar wood4 ,which gallery
 and cells1 being in all forty 7many    
more than we needed71 were instituted as
 an infirmary for sick persons4 ,and he 
told us withal1 that as any of our sick 
waxed well1 he might be removed from his
 cell to a chamber3 for which purpose   
there were set forth ten spare chambers1

 besides the number we spake of before4 
,this done1 he brought us back to the   
parlour1 and lifting up his cane a      
little 7as they do when they give any   
charge or command71 said to us1 ,ye are 
to know that the custom of the land     
requireth1 that after this day and      
to-morrow 7which we give you for        
removing your people from your ship71   
you are to keep within doors for three  
days4 ,but let it not trouble you1 nor  
do not think yourselves restrained1 but 
rather left to your rest and ease4 ,you 
shall want nothing2 and there are six of
 our people appointed to attend you for 
any business you may have abroad4 ,we   
gave him thanks with all affection and  
respect1 and said1 ,god surely is       
manifested in this land4 ,we offered him
 also twenty pistolets2 but he smiled1  
and only said3 ,what8 ,twice paid6 ,and 
so he left us4 ,soon after our dinner   
was served in2 which was right good     
viands1 both for bread and meat3 better 
than any collegiate diet that ,i have   

known in ,europe4 ,we had also drink of 
three sorts1 all wholesome and good2    
wine of the grape2 a drink of grain1    
such as is with us our ale1 but more    
clear2 and a kind of cider made of a    
fruit of that country2 a wonderful      
pleasing and refreshing drink4 ,besides1
 there were brought in to us great store
 of those scarlet oranges for our sick2 
which 7they said7 were an assured remedy
 for sickness taken at sea4 ,there was  
given us also a box of small grey or    
whitish pills1 which they wished our    
sick should take1 one of the pills every
 night before sleep2 which 7they said7  
would hasten their recovery4 ,the next  
day1 after that our trouble of carriage 
and removing of our men and goods out of
 our ship was somewhat settled and      
quiet1 ,i thought good to call our      
company together1 and when they were    
assembled1 said unto them1 ,my dear     
friends1 let us know ourselves1 and how 
it standeth with us4 ,we are men cast on
 land1 as ,jonas was out of the whale's 

belly1 when we were as buried in the    
deep2 and now we are on land1 we are but
 between death and life1 for we are     
beyond both the old world and the new2  
and whether ever we shall see ,europe1  
,god only knoweth4 ,it is a kind of     
miracle hath brought us hither1 and it  
must be little less that shall bring us 
hence4 ,therefore in regard of our      
deliverance past1 and our danger present
 and to come1 let us look up to ,god1   
and every man reform his own ways4      
,besides we are come here amongst a     
,christian people1 full of piety and    
humanity4 ,let us not bring that        
confusion of face upon ourselves1 as to 
show our vices or unworthiness before   
them4 ,yet there is more1 for they have 
by commandment 7though in form of       
courtesy7 cloistered us within these    
walls for three days2 who knoweth       
whether it be not to take some taste of 
our manners and conditions8 ,and if they
 find them bad1 to banish us            
straightways2 if good1 to give us       

further time4 ,for these men that they  
have given us for attendance1 may withal
 have an eye upon us4 ,therefore1 for   
,god's love1 and as we love the weal of 
our souls and bodies1 let us so behave  
ourselves1 as we may be at peace with   
,god1 and may find grace in the eyes of 
this people4 ,our company with one voice
 thanked me for my good admonition1 and 
promised me to live soberly and civilly1
 and without giving any the least       
occasion of offence4 ,so we spent our   
three days joyfully1 and without care1  
in expectation what would be done with  
us when they were expired4 ,during which
 time1 we had every hour joy of the     
amendment of our sick1 who thought      
themselves cast into some divine pool of
 healing1 they mended so kindly and so  
fast4  ,the morrow after our three days 
were past1 there came to us a new man1  
that we had not seen before1 clothed in 
blue as the former was1 save that his   
turban was white with a small red cross 
on the top4 ,he had also a tippet of    

fine linen4 ,at his coming in1 he did   
bend to us a little1 and put his arms   
abroad4 ,we of our parts saluted him in 
a very lowly and submissive manner2 as  
looking that from him we should receive 
sentence of life or death4 ,he desired  
to speak with some few of us4 ,whereupon
 six of us only stayed1 and the rest    
avoided the room4 ,he said1 ,i am by    
office governor of this house of        
strangers1 and by vocation ,i am a      
,christian priest2 and therefore am come
 to you1 to offer you my service1 both  
as strangers1 and chiefly as            
,christians4 ,some things ,i may tell   
you1 which ,i think you will not be     
unwilling to hear4 ,the state hath given
 you license to stay on land for the    
space of six weeks3 and let it not      
trouble you1 if your occasions ask      
further time1 for the law in this point 
is not precise2 and ,i do not doubt1 but
 myself shall be able to obtain for you 
such further time as shall be           
convenient4 ,ye shall also understand1  

that the strangers' house is at this    
time rich1 and much aforehand2 for it   
hath laid up revenue these thirty-seven 
years3 for so long it is since any      
stranger arrived in this part2 and      
therefore take ye no care2 the state    
will defray you all the time you stay4  
,neither shall you stay one day the less
 for that4 ,as for any merchandise you  
have brought1 ye shall be well used1 and
 have your return1 either in merchandise
 or in gold and silver3 for to us it is 
all one4 ,and if you have any other     
request to make1 hide it not2 for ye    
shall find we will not make your        
countenance to fall by the answer ye    
shall receive4 ,only this ,i must tell  
you1 that none of you must go above a   
karan 7that is with them a mile and a   
half7 from the walls of the city1       
without special leave4 ,we answered1    
after we had looked a while upon one    
another1 admiring this gracious and     
parent-like usage1 that we could not    
tell what to say1 for we wanted words to

 express our thanks2 and his noble free 
offers left us nothing to ask4 ,it      
seemed to us1 that we had before us a   
picture of our salvation in heaven2 for 
we that were a while since in the jaws  
of death1 were now brought into a place 
where we found nothing but consolations4
 ,for the commandment laid upon us1 we  
would not fail to obey it1 though it was
 impossible but our hearts should be    
inflamed to tread further upon this     
happy and holy ground4 ,we added1 that  
our tongues should first cleave to the  
roofs of our mouths1 ere we should      
forget1 either this reverend person1 or 
this whole nation1 in our prayers4 ,we  
also most humbly besought him to accept 
of us as his true servants1 by as just a
 right as ever men on earth were        
bounden2 laying and presenting both our 
persons and all we had at his feet4 ,he 
said1 he was a priest1 and looked lot a 
priest's reward2 which was our brotherly
 love1 and the good of our souls and    
bodies4 ,so he went from us1 not without

 tears of tenderness in his eyes1 and   
left us also confused with joy and      
kindness1 saying amongst ourselves1 that
 we were come into a land of angels1    
which did appear to us daily1 and       
prevent us with comforts1 which we      
thought not of1 much less expected4     
,the next day1 about ten of the clock1  
the governor came to us again1 and after
 salutations1 said familiarly1 that he  
was come to visit us2 and called for a  
chair1 and sat him down2 and we being   
some ten of us 7the rest were of the    
meaner sort1 or else gone abroad71 sat  
down with him2 and when we were set1 he 
began thus3 ,we of this island of       
,bensalem 7for so they called it in     
their language7 have this3 that by means
 of our solitary situation1 and of the  
laws of secrecy1 which we have for our  
travellers1 and our rare admission of   
strangers2 we know well most part of the
 habitable world1 and are ourselves     
unknown4 ,therefore because he that     
knoweth least is fittest to ask         

questions1 it is more reason1 for the   
entertainment of the time1 that ye ask  
me questions1 than that ,i ask you4 ,we 
answered1 that we humbly thanked him1   
that he would give us leave so to do4   
,and that we conceived by the taste we  
had already1 that there was no worldly  
thing on earth more worthy to be known  
than the state of that happy land4 ,but 
above all 7we said7 since that we were  
met from the several ends of the world1 
and hoped assuredly that we should meet 
one day in the kingdom of heaven 7for   
that we were both parts ,christians71 we
 desired to know 7in respect that land  
was so remote1 and so divided by vast   
and unknown seas from the land where our
 ,saviour walked on earth7 who was the  
apostle of that nation1 and how it was  
converted to the faith8 ,it appeared in 
his face1 that he took great contentment
 in this our question2 he said1 ,ye knit
 my heart to you1 by asking this        
question in the first place3 for it     
showeth that you first seek the kingdom 

of heaven3 and ,i shall gladly1 and     
briefly1 satisfy your demand4  ,about   
twenty years after the ascension of our 
,saviour it came to pass1 that there was
 seen by the people of ,renfusa 7a city 
upon the eastern coast of our island1   
within sight1 the night was cloudy and  
calm71 as it might be some mile in the  
sea1 a great pillar of light2 not sharp1
 but in form of a column1 or cylinder1  
rising from the sea1 a great way up     
towards heaven2 and on the top of it was
 seen a large cross of light1 more      
bright and resplendent than the body of 
the pillar4 ,upon which so strange a    
spectacle1 the people of the city       
gathered apace together upon the sands1 
to wonder2 and so after put themselves  
into a number of small boats to go      
nearer to this marvellous sight4 ,but   
when the boats were come within about   
sixty yards of the pillar1 they found   
themselves all bound1 and could go no   
further1 yet so as they might move to go
 about1 but might not approach nearer2  

so as the boats stood all as in a       
theatre1 beholding this light1 as an    
heavenly sign4 ,it so fell out1 that    
there was in one of the boats one of the
 wise men of the ,society of ,salomon's 
,house2 which house or college1 my good 
brethren1 is the very eye of this       
kingdom1 who having a while attentively 
and devoutly viewed and contemplated    
this pillar and cross1 fell down upon   
his face2 and then raised himself upon  
his knees1 and lifting up his hands to  
heaven1 made his prayers in this manner3
  ',lord ,god of heaven and earth2 thou 
hast vouchsafed of thy grace1 to those  
of our order to know thy works of       
creation1 and true secrets of them2 and 
to discern 7as far as appertaineth to   
the generations of men7 between divine  
miracles1 works of ,nature1 works of art
 and impostures1 and illusions of all   
sorts4 ,i do here acknowledge and       
testify before this people1 that the    
thing we now see before our eyes1 is thy
 finger1 and a true miracle4 ,and       

forasmuch as we learn in our books1 that
 thou never workest miracles1 but to a  
divine and excellent end 7for the laws  
of ,nature are thine own laws1 and thou 
exceedest them not but upon great       
cause71 we most humbly beseech thee to  
prosper this great sign1 and to give us 
the interpretation and use of it in     
mercy2 which thou dost in some part     
secretly promise1 by sending it unto    
us4'  ,when he had made his prayer1 he  
presently found the boat he was in      
movable and unbound2 whereas all the    
rest remained still fast2 and taking    
that for an assurance of leave to       
approach1 he caused the boat to be      
softly and with silence rowed towards   
the pillar2 but ere he came near it1 the
 pillar and cross of light broke up1 and
 cast itself abroad1 as it were into a  
firmament of many stars1 which also     
vanished soon after2 and there was      
nothing left to be seen but a small ark1
 or chest of cedar1 dry and not wet at  
all with water1 though it swam2 and in  

the fore-end of it1 which was towards   
him1 grew a small green branch of palm2 
and when the wise man had taken it with 
all reverence into his boat1 it opened  
of itself1 and there were found in it a 
book and a letter1 both written in fine 
parchment1 and wrapped in sindons of    
linen4 ,the book contained all the      
canonical books of the ,old and ,new    
,testament1 according as you have them  
7for we know well what the churches with
 you receive71 and the ,apocalypse      
itself2 and some other books of the ,new
 ,testament1 which were not at that time
 written1 were nevertheless in the book4
 ,and for the letter1 it was in these   
words3  ',i ,bartholomew1 a servant of  
the ,highest1 and apostle of ,jesus     
,christ1 was warned by an angel that    
appeared to me in a vision of glory1    
that ,i should commit this ark to the   
floods of the sea4 ,therefore ,i do     
testify and declare unto that people    
where ,god shall ordain this ark to come
 to land1 that in the same day is come  

unto them salvation and peace1 and      
goodwill from the ,father1 and from the 
,lord ,jesus4'  ,there was also in both 
these writings1 as well the book as the 
letter1 wrought a great miracle1 conform
 to that of the apostles1 in the        
original gift of tongues4 ,for there    
being at that time1 in this land1       
,hebrews1 ,persians1 and ,indians1      
besides the natives1 every one read upon
 the book and letter1 as if they had    
been written in his own language4 ,and  
thus was this land saved from infidelity
 7as the remain of the old world was    
from water7 by an ark1 through the      
apostolical and miraculous evangelism of
 ,st4 ,bartholomew4 ,and here he paused1
 and a messenger came1 and called him   
forth from us4 ,so this was all that    
passed in that conference4  ,the next   
day1 the same governor came again to us1
 immediately after dinner1 and excused  
himself1 saying1 ,that the day before he
 was called from us somewhat abruptly1  
but now he would make us amends1 and    

spend time with us1 if we held his      
company and conference agreeable4 ,we   
answered1 that we held it so agreeable  
and pleasing to us1 as we forgot both   
dangers past1 and fears to come1 for the
 time we heard him speak2 and that we   
thought an hour spent with him was worth
 years of our former life4 ,he bowed    
himself a little to us1 and after we    
were set again1 he said1 ,well1 the     
questions are on your part4 ,one of our 
number said1 after a little pause1 that 
there was a matter we were no less      
desirous to know than fearful to ask1   
lest we might presume too far4 ,but     
encouraged by his rare humanity towards 
us 7that could scarce think ourselves   
strangers1 being his vowed and professed
 servants71 we would take the hardness  
to propound it2 humbly beseeching him1  
if he thought it not fit to be answered1
 that he would pardon it1 though he     
rejected it4 ,we said1 we well observed 
those his words1 which he formerly      
spake1 that this happy island1 where we 

now stood1 was known to few1 and yet    
knew most of the nations of the world1  
which we found to be true1 considering  
they had the languages of ,europe1 and  
knew much of our state and business2 and
 yet we in ,europe 7notwithstanding all 
the remote discoveries and navigations  
of this last age7 never heard any of the
 least inkling or glimpse of this       
island4 ,this we found wonderful        
strange2 for that all nations have      
interknowledge one of another1 either by
 voyage into foreign parts1 or by       
strangers that come to them2 and though 
the traveller into a foreign country    
doth commonly know more by the eye than 
he that stayeth at home can by relation 
of the traveller2 yet both ways suffice 
to make a mutual knowledge1 in some     
degree1 on both parts4 ,but for this    
island1 we never heard tell of any ship 
of theirs1 that had been seen to arrive 
upon any shore of ,europe2 no1 nor of   
either the ,east or ,west ,indies1 nor  
yet of any ship of any other part of the

 world1 that had made return for them4  
,and yet the marvel rested not in this4 
,for the situation of it 7as his        
lordship said7 in the secret conclave of
 such a vast sea might cause it4 ,but   
then1 that they should have knowledge of
 the languages1 books1 affairs1 of those
 that lie such a distance from them1 it 
was a thing we could not tell what to   
make of2 for that it seemed to us a     
condition and propriety of divine powers
 and beings1 to be hidden and unseen to 
others1 and yet to have others open1 and
 as in a light to them4 ,at this speech 
the governor gave a gracious smile and  
said1 that we did well to ask pardon for
 this question we now asked1 for that it
 imported1 as if we thought this land a 
land of magicians1 that sent forth      
spirits of the air into all parts1 to   
bring them news and intelligence of     
other countries4 ,it was answered by us 
all1 in all possible humbleness1 but yet
 with a countenance taking knowledge1   
that we knew that he spake it but       

merrily4 ,that we were apt enough to    
think1 there was somewhat supernatural  
in this island1 but yet rather as       
angelical than magical4 ,but to let his 
lordship know truly what it was that    
made us tender and doubtful to ask this 
question1 it was not any such conceit1  
but because we remembered he had given a
 touch in his former speech1 that this  
land had laws of secrecy touching       
strangers4 ,to this he said1 ,you       
remember it aright2 and therefore in    
that ,i shall say to you1 ,i must       
reserve some particulars1 which it is   
not lawful for me to reveal1 but there  
will be enough left to give you         
satisfaction4  ,you shall understand    
7that which perhaps you will scarce     
think credible7 that about three        
thousand years ago1 or somewhat more1   
the navigation of the world 7especially 
for remote voyages7 was greater than at 
this day4 ,do not think with yourselves1
 that ,i know not how much it is        
increased with you1 within these        

threescore years2 ,i know it well1 and  
yet ,i say1 greater then than now2      
whether it was1 that the example of the 
ark1 that saved the remnant of men from 
the universal deluge1 gave men          
confidence to adventure upon the waters1
 or what it was2 but such is the truth4 
,the ,phoenicians1 and especially the   
,tyrians1 had great fleets2 so had the  
,carthaginians their colony1 which is   
yet farther west4 ,toward the east the  
shipping of ,egypt1 and of ,palestine1  
was likewise great4 ,china also1 and the
 great ,atlantis 7that you call         
,america71 which have now but junks and 
canoes1 abounded then in tall ships4    
,this island 7as appeareth by faithful  
registers of those times7 had then      
fifteen hundred strong ships1 of great  
content4 ,of all this there is with you 
sparing memory1 or none2 but we have    
large knowledge thereof4  ,at that time1
 this land was known and frequented by  
the ships and vessels of all the nations
 before named4 ,and 7as it cometh to    

pass7 they had many times men of other  
countries1 that were no sailors1 that   
came with them2 as ,persians1           
,chaldeans1 ,arabians1 so as almost all 
nations of might and fame resorted      
hither2 of whom we have some stirps and 
little tribes with us at this day4 ,and 
for our own ships1 they went sundry     
voyages1 as well to your straits1 which 
you call the ,pillars of ,hercules1 as  
to other parts in the ,atlantic and     
,mediterranean ,seas2 as to ,paguin     
7which is the same with ,cambalaine7 and
 ,quinzy1 upon the ,oriental ,seas1 as  
far as to the borders of the ,east      
,tartary4  ,at the same time1 and an age
 after or more1 the inhabitants of the  
great ,atlantis did flourish4 ,for      
though the narration and description    
which is made by a great man with you1  
that the descendants of ,neptune planted
 there1 and of the magnificent temple1  
palace1 city and hill2 and the manifold 
streams of goodly navigable rivers1     
which as so many chains environed the   

same site and temple2 and the several   
degrees of ascent1 whereby men did climb
 up to the same1 as if it had been a    
,scala ,cli2 be all poetical and        
fabulous2 yet so much is true1 that the 
said country of ,atlantis1 as well that 
of ,peru1 then called ,coya1 as that of 
,mexico1 then named ,tyrambel1 were     
mighty and proud kingdoms1 in arms1     
shipping1 and riches2 so mighty1 as at  
one time1 or at least within the space  
of ten years1 they both made two great  
expeditions2 they of ,tyrambel through  
the ,atlantic to the ,mediterranean     
,sea2 and they of ,coya1 through the    
,south ,sea upon this our island2 and   
for the former of these1 which was into 
,europe1 the same author amongst you1 as
 it seemeth1 had some relation from the 
,egyptian priest1 whom he citeth4 ,for  
assuredly1 such a thing there was4 ,but 
whether it were the ancient ,athenians  
that had the glory of the repulse and   
resistance of those forces1 ,i can say  
nothing2 but certain it is there never  

came back either ship or man from that  
voyage4 ,neither had the other voyage of
 those of ,coya upon us had better      
fortune1 if they had not met with       
enemies of greater clemency4 ,for the   
king of this island1 by name ,altabin1 a
 wise man and a great warrior1 knowing  
well both his own strength and that of  
his enemies1 handled the matter so1 as  
he cut off their land forces from their 
ships1 and entoiled both their navy and 
their camp with a greater power than    
theirs1 both by sea and land2 and       
compelled them to render themselves     
without striking a stroke2 and after    
they were at his mercy1 contenting      
himself only with their oath1 that they 
should no more bear arms against him1   
dismissed them all in safety4 ,but the  
divine revenge overtook not long after  
those proud enterprises4 ,for within    
less than the space of one hundred years
 the ,great ,atlantis was utterly lost  
and destroyed2 not by a great           
earthquake1 as your man saith1 for that 

whole tract is little subject to        
earthquakes1 but by a particular deluge1
 or inundation2 those countries having  
at this day far greater rivers1 and far 
higher mountains to pour down waters1   
than any part of the old world4 ,but it 
is true that the same inundation was not
 deep1 not past forty foot1 in most     
places1 from the ground1 so that        
although it destroyed man and beast     
generally1 yet some few wild inhabitants
 of the wood escaped4 ,birds also were  
saved by flying to the high trees and   
woods4 ,for as for men1 although they   
had buildings in many places higher than
 the depth of the water1 yet that       
inundation1 though it were shallow1 had 
a long continuance1 whereby they of the 
vale that were not drowned perished for 
want of food1 and other things          
necessary4 ,so as marvel you not at the 
thin population of ,america1 nor at the 
rudeness and ignorance of the people2   
for you must account your inhabitants of
 ,america as a young people1 younger a  

thousand years at the least than the    
rest of the world1 for that there was so
 much time between the universal flood  
and their particular inundation4 ,for   
the poor remnant of human seed which    
remained in their mountains1 peopled the
 country again slowly1 by little and    
little1 and being simple and a savage   
people 7not like ,noah and his sons1    
which was the chief family of the       
earth71 they were not able to leave     
letters1 arts1 and civility to their    
posterity2 and having likewise in their 
mountainous habitations been used1 in   
respect of the extreme cold of those    
regions1 to clothe themselves with the  
skins of tigers1 bears1 and great hairy 
goats1 that they have in those parts2   
when after they came down into the      
valley1 and found the intolerable heats 
which are there1 and knew no means of   
lighter apparel1 they were forced to    
begin the custom of going naked1 which  
continueth at this day4 ,only they take 
great pride and delight in the feathers 

of birds1 and this also they took from  
those their ancestors of the mountains1 
who were invited unto it1 by the        
infinite flight of birds1 that came up  
to the high grounds1 while the waters   
stood below4 ,so you see1 by this main  
accident of time1 we lost our traffic   
with the ,americans1 with whom of all   
others1 in regard they lay nearest to   
us1 we had most commerce4 ,as for the   
other parts of the world1 it is most    
manifest that in the ages following     
7whether it were in respect of wars1 or 
by a natural revolution of time7        
navigation did everywhere greatly decay1
 and specially far voyages 7the rather  
by the use of galleys1 and such vessels 
as could hardly brook the ocean7 were   
altogether left and omitted4 ,so then1  
that part of intercourse which could be 
from other nations1 to sail to us1 you  
see how it hath long since ceased2      
except it were by some rare accident1 as
 this of yours4 ,but now of the         
cessation of that other part of         

intercourse1 which might be by our      
sailing to other nations1 ,i must yield 
you some other cause4 ,for ,i cannot    
say1 if ,i shall say truly1 but our     
shipping1 for number1 strength1         
mariners1 pilots1 and all things that   
appertain to navigation1 is as great as 
ever2 and therefore why we should sit at
 home1 ,i shall now give you an account 
by itself2 and it will draw nearer1 to  
give you satisfaction1 to your principal
 question4  ,there reigned in this      
island1 about #a1ijj years ago1 a king1 
whose memory of all others we most      
adore2 not superstitiously1 but as a    
divine instrument1 though a mortal man3 
his name was ,salomona2 and we esteem   
him as the lawgiver of our nation4 ,this
 king had a large heart1 inscrutable for
 good2 and was wholly bent to make his  
kingdom and people happy4 ,he therefore 
taking into consideration how sufficient
 and substantive this land was1 to      
maintain itself without any aid at all  
of the foreigner2 being #e1jjj miles in 

circuit1 and of rare fertility of soil1 
in the greatest part thereof2 and       
finding also the shipping of this       
country might be plentifully set on     
work1 both by fishing and by            
transportations from port to port1 and  
likewise by sailing unto some small     
islands that are not far from us1 and   
are under the crown and laws of this    
state2 and recalling into his memory the
 happy and flourishing estate wherein   
this land then was1 so as it might be a 
thousand ways altered to the worse1 but 
scarce any one way to the better2 though
 nothing wanted to his noble and        
heroical intentions1 but only 7as far as
 human foresight might reach7 to give   
perpetuity to that which was in his time
 so happily established1 therefore      
amongst his other fundamental laws of   
this kingdom he did ordain the          
interdicts and prohibitions which we    
have touching entrance of strangers2    
which at that time 7though it was after 
the calamity of ,america7 was frequent2 

doubting novelties and commixture of    
manners4 ,it is true1 the like law      
against the admission of strangers      
without license is an ancient law in the
 kingdom of ,china1 and yet continued in
 use4 ,but there it is a poor thing2 and
 hath made them a curious1 ignorant1    
fearful foolish nation4 ,but our        
lawgiver made his law of another temper4
 ,for first1 he hath preserved all      
points of humanity1 in taking order and 
making provision for the relief of      
strangers distressed2 whereof you have  
tasted4 ,at which speech 7as reason was7
 we all rose up1 and bowed ourselves4   
,he went on3 ,that king also still      
desiring to join humanity and policy    
together2 and thinking it against       
humanity1 to detain strangers here      
against their wills2 and against policy1
 that they should return1 and discover  
their knowledge of this estate1 he took 
this course2 he did ordain1 that of the 
strangers that should be permitted to   
land1 as many at all times might depart 

as many as would2 but as many as would  
stay1 should have very good conditions1 
and means to live from the state4       
,wherein he saw so far1 that now in so  
many ages since the prohibition1 we have
 memory not of one ship that ever       
returned1 and but of thirteen persons   
only1 at several times1 that chose to   
return in our bottoms4 ,what those few  
that returned may have reported abroad1 
,i know not4 ,but you must think1       
whatsoever they have said1 could be     
taken where they came but for a dream4  
,now for our travelling from hence into 
parts abroad1 our lawgiver thought fit  
altogether to restrain it4 ,so is it not
 in ,china4 ,for the ,chinese sail where
 they will1 or can2 which showeth1 that 
their law of keeping out strangers is a 
law of pusillanimity and fear4 ,but this
 restraint of ours hath one only        
exception1 which is admirable2          
preserving the good which cometh by     
communicating with strangers1 and       
avoiding the hurt3 and ,i will now open 

it to you4 ,and here ,i shall seem a    
little to digress1 but you will         
by-and-by find it pertinent4 ,ye shall  
understand1 my dear friends1 that       
amongst the excellent acts of that king1
 one above all hath the pre-eminence4   
,it was the erection and institution of 
an order1 or society1 which we call     
,salomon's ,house2 the noblest          
foundation1 as we think1 that ever was  
upon the earth1 and the lantern of this 
kingdom4 ,it is dedicated to the study  
of the works and creatures of ,god4     
,some think it beareth the founder's    
name a little corrupted1 as if it should
 be ,solomon's ,house4 ,but the records 
write it as it is spoken4 ,so as ,i take
 it to be denominate of the king of the 
,hebrews1 which is famous with you1 and 
no strangers to us2 for we have some    
parts of his works which with you are   
lost2 namely1 that natural history which
 he wrote of all plants1 from the cedar 
of ,libanus to the moss that groweth out
 of the wall2 and of all things that    

have life and motion4 ,this maketh me   
think that our king finding himself to  
symbolize1 in many things1 with that    
king of the ,hebrews1 which lived many  
years before him1 honoured him with the 
title of this foundation4 ,and ,i am the
 rather induced to be of this opinion1  
for that ,i find in ancient records1    
this order or society is sometimes      
called ,solomon's ,house1 and sometimes 
the ,college of the ,six ,days' ,works2 
whereby ,i am satisfied that our        
excellent king had learned from the     
,hebrews that ,god had created the      
world1 and all that therein is1 within  
six days3 and therefore he instituted   
that house1 for the finding out of the  
true nature of all things1 whereby ,god 
might have the more glory in the        
workmanship of them1 and men the more   
fruit in their use of them1 did give it 
also that second name4 ,but now to come 
to our present purpose4 ,when the king  
had forbidden to all his people         
navigation into any part that was not   

under his crown1 he made nevertheless   
this ordinance2 that every twelve years 
there should be set forth out of this   
kingdom1 two ships1 appointed to several
 voyages2 that in either of these ships 
there should be a mission of three of   
the fellows or brethren of ,salomon's   
,house1 whose errand was only to give us
 knowledge of the affairs and state of  
those countries to which they were      
designed2 and especially of the         
sciences1 arts1 manufactures1 and       
inventions of all the world2 and withal 
to bring unto us books1 instruments1 and
 patterns in every kind3 that the ships1
 after they had landed the brethren1    
should return2 and that the brethren    
should stay abroad till the new mission1
 the ships are not otherwise fraught    
than with store of victuals1 and good   
quantity of treasure to remain with the 
brethren1 for the buying of such things1
 and rewarding of such persons1 as they 
should think fit4 ,now for me to tell   
you how the vulgar sort of mariners are 

contained from being discovered at land1
 and how they that must be put on shore 
for any time1 colour themselves under   
the names of other nations1 and to what 
places these voyages have been designed2
 and what places of rendezvous are      
appointed for the new missions1 and the 
like circumstances of the practice1 ,i  
may not do it1 neither is it much to    
your desire4 ,but thus you see we       
maintain a trade1 not for gold1 silver1 
or jewels1 nor for silks1 nor for       
spices1 nor any other commodity of      
matter2 but only for ,god's first       
creature1 which was light2 to have      
light1 ,i say1 of the growth of all     
parts of the world4 ,and when he had    
said this1 he was silent1 and so were we
 all2 for indeed we were all astonished 
to hear so strange things so probably   
told4 ,and he perceiving that we were   
willing to say somewhat1 but had it not 
ready1 in great courtesy took us off1   
and descended to ask us questions of our
 voyage and fortunes1 and in the end    

concluded that we might do well to think
 with ourselves1 what time of stay we   
would demand of the state1 and bade us  
not to scant ourselves2 for he would    
procure such time as we desired4        
,whereupon we all rose up and presented 
ourselves to kiss the skirt of his      
tippet1 but he would not suffer us1 and 
so took his leave4 ,but when it came    
once amongst our people1 that the state 
used to offer conditions to strangers   
that would stay1 we had work enough to  
get any of our men to look to our ship1 
and to keep them from going presently to
 the governor1 to crave conditions2 but 
with much ado we restrained them1 till  
we might agree what course to take4  ,we
 took ourselves now for freemen1 seeing 
there was no danger of our utter        
perdition1 and lived most joyfully1     
going abroad and seeing what was to be  
seen in the city and places adjacent1   
within our tedder2 and obtaining        
acquaintance with many of the city1 not 
of the meanest quality1 at whose hands  

we found such humanity1 and such a      
freedom and desire to take strangers1 as
 it were1 into their bosom1 as was      
enough to make us forget all that was   
dear to us in our own countries2 and    
continually we met with many things1    
right worthy of observation and         
relation2 as indeed1 if there be a      
mirror in the world1 worthy to hold     
men's eyes1 it is that country4 ,one day
 there were two of our company bidden to
 a feast of the family1 as they call it2
 a most natural1 pious1 and reverend    
custom it is1 showing that nation to be 
compounded of all goodness4 ,this is the
 manner of it2 it is granted to any man 
that shall live to see thirty persons   
descended of his body1 alive together1  
and all above three years old1 to make  
this feast1 which is done at the cost of
 the state4 ,the father of the family1  
whom they call the ,tirsan1 two days    
before the feast1 taketh to him three of
 such friends as he liketh to choose1   
and is assisted also by the governor of 

the city or place where the feast is    
celebrated1 and all the persons of the  
family1 of both sexes1 are summoned to  
attend him4 ,these two days the ,tirsan 
sitteth in consultation1 concerning the 
good estate of the family4 ,there1 if   
there be any discord or suits between   
any of the family1 they are compounded  
and appeased4 ,there1 if any of the     
family be distressed or decayed1 order  
is taken for their relief1 and competent
 means to live4 ,there1 if any be       
subject to vice1 or take ill courses1   
they are reproved and censured4 ,so     
likewise direction is given touching    
marriages1 and the courses of life which
 any of them should take1 with divers   
other the like orders and advices4 ,the 
governor assisteth to the end1 to put in
 execution1 by his public authority1 the
 decrees and orders of the ,tirsan1 if  
they should be disobeyed1 though that   
seldom needeth2 such reverence and      
obedience they give to the order of     
,nature4 ,the ,tirsan doth also then    

ever choose one man from amongst his    
sons1 to live in house with him2 who is 
called ever after the ,son of the ,vine4
 ,the reason will hereafter appear4 ,on 
the feast day1 the father or ,tirsan    
cometh forth after divine service into a
 large room where the feast is          
celebrated2 which room hath an half-pace
 at the upper end4 ,against the wall1 in
 the middle of the half-pace1 is a chair
 placed for him1 with a table and carpet
 before it4 ,over the chair is a state1 
made round or oval1 and it is of ivy2 an
 ivy somewhat whiter than ours1 like the
 leaf of a silver asp1 but more shining2
 for it is green all winter4 ,and the   
state is curiously wrought with silver  
and silk of divers colours1 broiding or 
binding in the ivy2 and is ever of the  
work of some of the daughters of the    
family2 and veiled over at the top1 with
 a fine net of silk and silver4 ,but the
 substance of it is true ivy2 whereof   
after it is taken down1 the friends of  
the family are desirous to have some    

leaf or sprig to keep4 ,the ,tirsan     
cometh forth with all his generation or 
lineage1 the males before him1 and the  
females following him2 and if there be a
 mother1 from whose body the whole      
lineage is descended1 there is a        
traverse placed in a loft above on the  
right hand of the chair1 with a privy   
door1 and a carved window of glass1     
leaded with gold and blue2 where she    
sitteth1 but is not seen4 ,when the     
,tirsan is come forth1 he sitteth down  
in the chair2 and all the lineage place 
themselves against the wall1 both at his
 back1 and upon the return of the       
half-pace1 in order of their years1     
without difference of sex1 and stand    
upon their feet4 ,when he is set1 the   
room being always full of company1 but  
well kept and without disorder1 after   
some pause there cometh in from the     
lower end of the room a ,taratan 7which 
is as much as an herald71 and on either 
side of him two young lads3 whereof one 
carrieth a scroll of their shining      

yellow parchment1 and the other a       
cluster of grapes of gold1 with a long  
foot or stalk4 ,the herald and children 
are clothed with mantles of sea-water   
green satin2 but the herald's mantle is 
streamed with gold1 and hath a train4   
,then the herald with three curtsies1 or
 rather inclinations1 cometh up as far  
as the half-pace1 and there first taketh
 into his hand the scroll4 ,this scroll 
is the king's charter1 containing gift  
of revenue1 and many privileges1        
exemptions1 and points of honour1       
granted to the father of the family2 and
 it is ever styled and directed1 ,to    
such an one1 our well-beloved friend and
 creditor1 which is a title proper only 
to this case4 ,for they say1 the king is
 debtor to no man1 but for propagation  
of his subjects2 the seal set to the    
king's charter is the king's image1     
embossed or moulded in gold2 and though 
such charters be expedited of course1   
and as of right1 yet they are varied by 
discretion1 according to the number and 

dignity of the family4 ,this charter the
 herald readeth aloud2 and while it is  
read1 the father or ,tirsan standeth up1
 supported by two of his sons1 such as  
he chooseth4 ,then the herald mounteth  
the half-pace1 and delivereth the       
charter into his hand3 and with that    
there is an acclamation1 by all that are
 present1 in their language1 which is   
thus much1 ,happy are the people of     
,bensalem4 ,then the herald taketh into 
his hand from the other child the       
cluster of grapes1 which is of gold2    
both the stalk1 and the grapes4 ,but the
 grapes are daintily enamelled2 and if  
the males of the family be the greater  
number1 the grapes are enamelled purple1
 with a little sun set on the top2 if   
the females1 then they are enamelled    
into a greenish yellow1 with a crescent 
on the top4 ,the grapes are in number as
 many as there are descendants of the   
family4 ,this golden cluster the herald 
delivereth also to the ,tirsan2 who     
presently delivereth it over to that son

 that he had formerly chosen1 to be in  
house with him3 who beareth it before   
his father1 as an ensign of honour1 when
 he goeth in public ever after2 and is  
thereupon called the ,son of the ,vine4 
,after this ceremony ended the father or
 ,tirsan retireth2 and after some time  
cometh forth again to dinner1 where he  
sitteth alone under the state1 as       
before2 and none of his descendants sit 
with him1 of what degree or dignity so  
ever1 except he hap to be of ,salomon's 
,house4 ,he is served only by his own   
children1 such as are male2 who perform 
unto him all service of the table upon  
the knee1 and the women only stand about
 him1 leaning against the wall4 ,the    
room below his half-pace hath tables on 
the sides for the guests that are       
bidden2 who are served with great and   
comely order2 and towards the end of    
dinner 7which in the greatest feasts    
with them lasteth never above an hour   
and a half7 there is an hymn sung1      
varied according to the invention of him

 that composeth it 7for they have       
excellent poesy71 but the subject of it 
is always the praises of ,adam1 and     
,noah1 and ,abraham2 whereof the former 
two peopled the world1 and the last was 
the father of the faithful3 concluding  
ever with a thanksgiving for the        
nativity of our ,saviour1 in whose birth
 the births of all are only blessed4    
,dinner being done1 the ,tirsan retireth
 again2 and having withdrawn himself    
alone into a place1 where he maketh some
 private prayers1 he cometh forth the   
third time1 to give the blessing2 with  
all his descendants1 who stand about him
 as at the first4 ,then he calleth them 
forth by one and by one1 by name as he  
pleaseth1 though seldom the order of age
 be inverted4 ,the person that is called
 7the table being before removed7       
kneeleth down before the chair1 and the 
father layeth his hand upon his head1 or
 her head1 and giveth the blessing in   
these words3 ,son of ,bensalem 7or      
daughter of ,bensalem71 thy father saith

 it2 the man by whom thou hast breath   
and life speaketh the word2 the blessing
 of the everlasting ,father1 the ,prince
 of ,peace1 and the ,holy ,dove be upon 
thee1 and make the days of thy          
pilgrimage good and many4 ,this he saith
 to every of them2 and that done1 if    
there be any of his sons of eminent     
merit and virtue1 so they be not above  
two1 he calleth for them again1 and     
saith1 laying his arm over their        
shoulders1 they standing3 ,sons1 it is  
well you are born1 give ,god the praise1
 and persevere to the end4 ,and withal  
delivereth to either of them a jewel1   
made in the figure of an ear of wheat1  
which they ever after wear in the front 
of their turban1 or hat2 this done1 they
 fall to music and dances1 and other    
recreations1 after their manner1 for the
 rest of the day4 ,this is the full     
order of that feast4  ,by that time six 
or seven days were spent1 ,i was fallen 
into straight acquaintance with a       
merchant of that city1 whose name was   

,joabin4 ,he was a ,jew and circumcised2
 for they have some few stirps of ,jews 
yet remaining among them1 whom they     
leave to their own religion4 ,which they
 may the better do1 because they are of 
a far differing disposition from the    
,jews in other parts4 ,for whereas they 
hate the name of ,christ1 and have a    
secret inbred rancour against the people
 amongst whom they live2 these1         
contrariwise1 give unto our ,saviour    
many high attributes1 and love the      
nation of ,bensalem extremely4 ,surely  
this man of whom ,i speak would ever    
acknowledge that ,christ was born of a  
,virgin2 and that ,he was more than a   
man2 and he would tell how ,god made    
,him ruler of the seraphims1 which guard
 ,his throne2 and they call ,him also   
the ,milken ,way1 and the ,eliah of the 
,messiah1 and many other high names1    
which though they be inferior to ,his   
divine majesty1 yet they are far from   
the language of other ,jews4 ,and for   
the country of ,bensalem1 this man would

 make no end of commending it1 being    
desirous by tradition among the ,jews   
there to have it believed that the      
people thereof were of the generations  
of ,abraham1 by another son1 whom they  
call ,nachoran2 and that ,moses by a    
secret cabala ordained the laws of      
,bensalem which they now use2 and that  
when the ,messias should come1 and sit  
in ,his throne at ,hierusalem1 the ,king
 of ,bensalem should sit at ,his feet1  
whereas other kings should keep a great 
distance4 ,but yet setting aside these  
,jewish dreams1 the man was a wise man  
and learned1 and of great policy1 and   
excellently seen in the laws and customs
 of that nation4 ,amongst other         
discourses one day ,i told him1 ,i was  
much affected with the relation ,i had  
from some of the company of their custom
 in holding the feast of the family1 for
 that1 methought1 ,i had never heard of 
a solemnity wherein ,nature did so much 
preside4 ,and because propagation of    
families proceedeth from the nuptial    

copulation1 ,i desired to know of him   
what laws and customs they had          
concerning marriage1 and whether they   
kept marriage well1 and whether they    
were tied to one wife8 ,for that where  
population is so much affected1 and such
 as with them it seemed to be1 there is 
commonly permission of plurality of     
wives4 ,to this he said3 ,you have      
reason for to commend that excellent    
institution of the feast of the family2 
and indeed we have experience1 that     
those families that are partakers of the
 blessings of that feast1 do flourish   
and prosper ever after1 in an           
extraordinary manner4 ,but hear me now1 
and ,i will tell you what ,i know4 ,you 
shall understand that there is not under
 the heavens so chaste a nation as this 
of ,bensalem1 nor so free from all      
pollution or foulness4 ,it is the virgin
 of the world2 ,i remember1 ,i have read
 in one of your ,european books1 of an  
holy hermit amongst you1 that desired to
 see the spirit of fornication1 and     

there appeared to him a little foul ugly
 ,ethiope2 but if he had desired to see 
the spirit of chastity of ,bensalem1 it 
would have appeared to him in the       
likeness of a fair beautiful cherubim4  
,for there is nothing1 amongst mortal   
men1 more fair and admirable than the   
chaste minds of this people4 ,know1     
therefore1 that with them there are no  
stews1 no dissolute houses1 no          
courtezans1 nor anything of that kind4  
,nay1 they wonder1 with detestation1 at 
you in ,europe1 which permit such       
things4 ,they say ye have put marriage  
out of office2 for marriage is ordained 
a remedy for unlawful concupiscence2 and
 natural concupiscence seemeth as a spur
 to marriage4 ,but when men have at hand
 a remedy1 more agreeable to their      
corrupt will1 marriage is almost        
expulsed4 ,and therefore there are with 
you seen infinite men that marry not1   
but choose rather a libertine and impure
 single life1 than to be yoked in       
marriage2 and many that do marry1 marry 

late1 when the prime and strength of    
their years is past4 ,and when they do  
marry1 what is marriage to them but a   
very bargain2 wherein is sought         
alliance1 or portion1 or reputation1    
with some desire 7almost indifferent7 of
 issue2 and not the faithful nuptial    
union of man and wife1 that was first   
instituted4 ,neither is it possible1    
that those that have cast away so basely
 so much of their strength1 should      
greatly esteem children 7being of the   
same matter7 as chaste men do4 ,so      
likewise during marriage is the case    
much amended1 as it ought to be if those
 things were tolerated only for         
necessity2 no1 but they remain still as 
a very affront to marriage4 ,the        
haunting of those dissolute places1 or  
resort to courtezans1 are no more       
punished in married men than in         
bachelors4 ,and the depraved custom of  
change1 and the delight in meretricious 
embracements 7where sin is turned into  
art71 maketh marriage a dull thing1 and 

a kind of imposition or tax4 ,they hear 
you defend these things1 as done to     
avoid greater evils2 as advoutries1     
deflowering of virgins1 unnatural lust1 
and the like4 ,but they say1 this is a  
preposterous wisdom2 and they call it   
,lot's offer1 who to save his guests    
from abusing1 offered his daughters2    
nay1 they say further1 that there is    
little gained in this2 for that the same
 vices and appetites do still remain and
 abound1 unlawful lust being like a     
furnace1 that if you stop the flames    
altogether it will quench1 but if you   
give it any vent it will rage2 as for   
masculine love1 they have no touch of   
it2 and yet there are not so faithful   
and inviolate friendships in the world  
again as are there1 and to speak        
generally 7as ,i said before7 ,i have   
not read of any such chastity in any    
people as theirs4 ,and their usual      
saying is that whosoever is unchaste    
cannot reverence himself2 and they say  
that the reverence of a man's self1 is1 

next religion1 the chiefest bridle of   
all vices4 ,and when he had said this   
the good ,jew paused a little2 whereupon
 ,i1 far more willing to hear him speak 
on than to speak myself2 yet thinking it
 decent that upon his pause of speech ,i
 should not be altogether silent1 said  
only this2 that ,i would say to him1 as 
the widow of ,sarepta said to ,elias3   
that he was come to bring to memory our 
sins2 and that ,i confess the           
righteousness of ,bensalem was greater  
than the righteousness of ,europe4 ,at  
which speech he bowed his head1 and went
 on this manner3 ,they have also many   
wise and excellent laws1 touching       
marriage4 ,they allow no polygamy4 ,they
 have ordained that none do intermarry1 
or contract1 until a month be past from 
their first interview4 ,marriage without
 consent of parents they do not make    
void1 but they mulct it in the          
inheritors2 for the children of such    
marriages are not admitted to inherit   
above a third part of their parents'    

inheritance4 ,i have read in a book of  
one of your men1 of a feigned           
commonwealth1 where the married couple  
are permitted1 before they contract1 to 
see one another naked4 ,this they       
dislike2 for they think it a scorn to   
give a refusal after so familiar        
knowledge2 but because of many hidden   
defects in men and women's bodies1 they 
have a more civil way2 for they have    
near every town a couple of pools 7which
 they call ,adam and ,eve's pools71     
where it is permitted to one of the     
friends of the man1 and another of the  
friends of the woman1 to see them       
severally bathe naked4  ,and as we were 
thus in conference1 there came one that 
seemed to be a messenger1 in a rich     
huke1 that spake with the ,jew2         
whereupon he turned to me1 and said1    
,you will pardon me1 for ,i am commanded
 away in haste4 ,the next morning he    
came to me again1 joyful as it seemed1  
and said1 ,there is word come to the    
governor of the city1 that one of the   

fathers of ,salomon's ,house will be    
here this day seven-night2 we have seen 
none of them this dozen years4 ,his     
coming is in state2 but the cause of his
 coming is secret4 ,i will provide you  
and your fellows of a good standing to  
see his entry4 ,i thanked him1 and told 
him ,i was most glad of the news4 ,the  
day being come he made his entry4 ,he   
was a man of middle stature and age1    
comely of person1 and had an aspect as  
if he pitied men4 ,he was clothed in a  
robe of fine black cloth with wide      
sleeves1 and a cape3 his under garment  
was of excellent white linen down to the
 foot1 girt with a girdle of the same2  
and a sindon or tippet of the same about
 his neck4 ,he had gloves that were     
curious1 and set with stone2 and shoes  
of peach-coloured velvet4 ,his neck was 
bare to the shoulders4 ,his hat was like
 a helmet1 or ,spanish montero2 and his 
locks curled below it decently2 they    
were of colour brown4 ,his beard was cut
 round and of the same colour with his  

hair1 somewhat lighter4 ,he was carried 
in a rich chariot1 without wheels1      
litter-wise1 with two horses at either  
end1 richly trapped in blue velvet      
embroidered2 and two footmen on each    
side in the like attire4 ,the chariot   
was all of cedar1 gilt and adorned with 
crystal2 save that the fore-end had     
panels of sapphires1 set in borders of  
gold1 and the hinder-end the like of    
emeralds of the ,peru colour4 ,there was
 also a sun of gold1 radiant upon the   
top1 in the midst2 and on the top before
 a small cherub of gold1 with wings     
displayed4 ,the chariot was covered with
 cloth of gold tissued upon blue4 ,he   
had before him fifty attendants1 young  
men all1 in white satin loose coats up  
to the mid-leg1 and stockings of white  
silk2 and shoes of blue velvet2 and hats
 of blue velvet1 with fine plumes of    
divers colours1 set round like          
hat-bands4 ,next before the chariot went
 two men1 bare-headed1 in linen garments
 down to the foot1 girt1 and shoes of   

blue velvet1 who carried the one a      
crosier1 the other a pastoral staff like
 a sheep-hook2 neither of them of metal1
 but the crosier of balm-wood1 the      
pastoral staff of cedar4 ,horsemen he   
had none1 neither before nor behind his 
chariot2 as it seemeth1 to avoid all    
tumult and trouble4 ,behind his chariot 
went all the officers and principals of 
the companies of the city4 ,he sat      
alone1 upon cushions1 of a kind of      
excellent plush1 blue2 and under his    
foot curious carpets of silk of divers  
colours1 like the ,persian1 but far     
finer4 ,he held up his bare hand1 as he 
went1 as blessing the people1 but in    
silence4 ,the street was wonderfully    
well kept2 so that there was never any  
army had their men stand in better      
battle-array than the people stood4 ,the
 windows likewise were not crowded1 but 
every one stood in them1 as if they had 
been placed4 ,when the show was passed1 
the ,jew said to me1 ,i shall not be    
able to attend you as ,i would1 in      

regard of some charge the city hath laid
 upon me for the entertaining of this   
great person4 ,three days after the ,jew
 came to me again1 and said1 ,ye are    
happy men2 for the father of ,salomon's 
,house taketh knowledge of your being   
here1 and commanded me to tell you1 that
 he will admit all your company to his  
presence1 and have private conference   
with one of you1 that ye shall choose2  
and for this hath appointed the next day
 after to-morrow4 ,and because he       
meaneth to give you his blessing1 he    
hath appointed it in the forenoon4 ,we  
came at our day and hour1 and ,i was    
chosen by my fellows for the private    
access4 ,we found him in a fair chamber1
 richly hanged1 and carpeted under foot1
 without any degrees to the state2 he   
was set upon a low throne richly        
adorned1 and a rich cloth of state over 
his head of blue satin embroidered4 ,he 
was alone1 save that he had two pages of
 honour1 on either hand one1 finely     
attired in white4 ,his under garments   

were the like that we saw him wear in   
the chariot2 but instead of his gown1 he
 had on him a mantle with a cape1 of the
 same fine black1 fastened about him4   
,when we came in1 as we were taught1 we 
bowed low at our first entrance2 and    
when we were come near his chair1 he    
stood up1 holding forth his hand        
ungloved1 and in posture of blessing2   
and we every one of us stooped down1 and
 kissed the end of his tippet4 ,that    
done1 the rest departed1 and ,i         
remained4 ,then he warned the pages     
forth of the room1 and caused me to sit 
down beside him1 and spake to me thus in
 the ,spanish tongue3  ,god bless thee1 
my son2 ,i will give thee the greatest  
jewel ,i have4 ,for ,i will impart unto 
thee1 for the love of ,god and men1 a   
relation of the true state of ,salomon's
 ,house4 ,son1 to make you know the true
 state of ,salomon's ,house1 ,i will    
keep this order4 ,first1 ,i will set    
forth unto you the end of our           
foundation4 ,secondly1 the preparations 

and instruments we have for our works4  
,thirdly1 the several employments and   
functions whereto our fellows are       
assigned4 ,and fourthly1 the ordinances 
and rites which we observe4  ,the end of
 our foundation is the knowledge of     
causes1 and secret motions of things2   
and the enlarging of the bounds of human
 empire1 to the effecting of all things 
possible4  ,the preparations and        
instruments are these4 ,we have large   
and deep caves of several depths2 the   
deepest are sunk #fjj fathoms2 and some 
of them are digged and made under great 
hills and mountains2 so that if you     
reckon together the depth of the hill1  
and the depth of the cave1 they are1    
some of them1 above three miles deep4   
,for we find that the depth of an hill1 
and the depth of a cave from the flat1  
is the same thing2 both remote alike    
from the sun and heaven's beams1 and    
from the open air4 ,these caves we call 
the lower region4 ,and we use them for  
all coagulations1 indurations1          

refrigerations1 and conservations of    
bodies4 ,we use them likewise for the   
imitation of natural mines and the      
producing also of new artificial metals1
 by compositions and materials which we 
use and lay there for many years4 ,we   
use them also sometimes 7which may seem 
strange7 for curing of some diseases1   
and for prolongation of life1 in some   
hermits that choose to live there1 well 
accommodated of all things necessary1   
and indeed live very long2 by whom also 
we learn many things4  ,we have burials 
in several earths1 where we put divers  
cements1 as the ,chinese do their       
porcelain4 ,but we have them in greater 
variety1 and some of them more fine4 ,we
 also have great variety of composts and
 soils1 for the making of the earth     
fruitful4  ,we have high towers1 the    
highest about half a mile in height1 and
 some of them likewise set upon high    
mountains1 so that the vantage of the   
hill with the tower1 is in the highest  
of them three miles at least4 ,and these

 places we call the upper region1       
account the air between the high places 
and the low1 as a middle region4 ,we use
 these towers1 according to their       
several heights and situations1 for     
insulation1 refrigeration1 conservation1
 and for the view of divers meteors--as 
winds1 rain1 snow1 hail2 and some of the
 fiery meteors also4 ,and upon them1 in 
some places1 are dwellings of hermits1  
whom we visit sometimes1 and instruct   
what to observe4  ,we have great lakes1 
both salt and fresh1 whereof we have use
 for the fish and fowl4 ,we use them    
also for burials of some natural bodies1
 for we find a difference in things     
buried in earth1 or in air below the    
earth1 and things buried in water4 ,we  
have also pools1 of which some do strain
 fresh water out of salt1 and others by 
art do turn fresh water into salt4 ,we  
have also some rocks in the midst of the
 sea1 and some bays upon the shore for  
some works1 wherein is required the air 
and vapour of the sea4 ,we have likewise

 violent streams and cataracts1 which   
serve us for many motions2 and likewise 
engines for multiplying and enforcing of
 winds to set also on divers motions4   
,we have also a number of artificial    
wells and fountains1 made in imitation  
of the natural sources and baths1 as    
tincted upon vitriol1 sulphur1 steel1   
brass1 lead1 nitre1 and other minerals2 
and again1 we have little wells for     
infusions of many things1 where the     
waters take the virtue quicker and      
better than in vessels or basins4 ,and  
amongst them we have a water1 which we  
call water of ,paradise1 being by that  
we do it made very sovereign for health 
and prolongation of life4  ,we have also
 great and spacious houses1 where we    
imitate and demonstrate meteors--as     
snow1 hail1 rain1 some artificial rains 
of bodies1 and not of water1 thunders1  
lightnings2 also generations of bodies  
in air--as frogs1 flies1 and divers     
others4  ,we have also certain chambers1
 which we call chambers of health1 where

 we qualify the air as we think good and
 proper for the cure of divers diseases1
 and preservation of health4  ,we have  
also fair and large baths1 of several   
mixtures1 for the cure of diseases1 and 
the restoring of man's body from        
arefaction2 and others for the          
confirming of it in strength of sinews1 
vital parts1 and the very juice and     
substance of the body4  ,we have also   
large and various orchards and gardens1 
wherein we do not so much respect beauty
 as variety of ground and soil1 proper  
for divers trees and herbs1 and some    
very spacious1 where trees and berries  
are set1 whereof we make divers kinds of
 drinks1 besides the vineyards4 ,in     
these we practise likewise all          
conclusions of grafting1 and            
inoculating1 as well of wild-trees as   
fruit-trees1 which produceth many       
effects4 ,and we make by art1 in the    
same orchards and gardens1 trees and    
flowers1 to come earlier or later than  
their seasons1 and to come up and bear  

more speedily than by their natural     
course they do4 ,we make them also by   
art greater much than their nature2 and 
their fruit greater and sweeter1 and of 
differing taste1 smell1 colour1 and     
figure1 from their nature4 ,and many of 
them we so order1 as that they become of
 medicinal use4  ,we have also means to 
make divers plants rise by mixtures of  
earths without seeds1 and likewise to   
make divers new plants1 differing from  
the vulgar1 and to make one tree or     
plant turn into another4  ,we have also 
parks1 and enclosures of all sorts1 of  
beasts and birds2 which we use not only 
for view or rareness1 but likewise for  
dissections and trials1 that thereby may
 take light what may be wrought upon the
 body of man4 ,wherein we find many     
strange effects3 as continuing life in  
them1 though divers parts1 which you    
account vital1 be perished and taken    
forth2 resuscitating of some that seem  
dead in appearance1 and the like4 ,we   
try also all poisons1 and other         

medicines upon them1 as well of         
chirurgery as physic4 ,by art likewise  
we make them greater or smaller than    
their kind is1 and contrariwise dwarf   
them and stay their growth2 we make them
 more fruitful and bearing than their   
kind is1 and contrariwise barren and not
 generative4 ,also we make them differ  
in colour1 shape1 activity1 many ways4  
,we find means to make commixtures and  
copulations of divers kinds1 which have 
produced many new kinds1 and them not   
barren1 as the general opinion is4 ,we  
make a number of kinds of serpents1     
worms1 flies1 fishes of putrefaction1   
whereof some are advanced 7in effect7 to
 be perfect creatures1 like beasts or   
birds1 and have sexes1 and do propagate4
 ,neither do we this by chance1 but we  
know beforehand of what matter and      
commixture1 what kind of those creatures
 will arise4  ,we have also particular  
pools where we make trials upon fishes1 
as we have said before of beasts and    
birds4  ,we have also places for breed  

and generation of those kinds of worms  
and flies which are of special use2 such
 as are with you your silkworms and     
bees4  ,i will not hold you long with   
recounting of our brew-houses1          
bake-houses1 and kitchens1 where are    
made divers drinks1 breads1 and meats1  
rare and of special effects4 ,wines we  
have of grapes1 and drinks of other     
juice1 of fruits1 of grains1 and of     
roots1 and of mixtures with honey1      
sugar1 manna1 and fruits dried and      
decocted2 also of the tears or wounding 
of trees1 and of the pulp of canes4 ,and
 these drinks are of several ages1 some 
to the age or last of forty years4 ,we  
have drinks also brewed with several    
herbs1 and roots1 and spices2 yea1 with 
several fleshes1 and white-meats2       
whereof some of the drinks are such as  
they are in effect meat and drink both1 
so that divers1 especially in age1 do   
desire to live with them with little or 
no meat or bread4 ,and above all we     
strive to have drinks of extreme thin   

parts1 to insinuate into the body1 and  
yet without all biting1 sharpness1 or   
fretting2 insomuch as some of them put  
upon the back of your hand1 will with a 
little stay pass through to the palm1   
and yet taste mild to the mouth4 ,we    
have also waters1 which we ripen in that
 fashion1 as they become nourishing1 so 
that they are indeed excellent drinks1  
and many will use no other4 ,bread we   
have of several grains1 roots1 and      
kernels2 yea1 and some of flesh1 and    
fish1 dried2 with divers kinds of       
leavings and seasonings2 so that some do
 extremely move appetites1 some do      
nourish so1 as divers do live of them1  
without any other meat1 who live very   
long4 ,so for meats1 we have some of    
them so beaten1 and made tender1 and    
mortified1 yet without all corrupting1  
as a weak heat of the stomach will turn 
them into good chilus1 as well as a     
strong heat would meat otherwise        
prepared4 ,we have some meats also and  
bread1 and drinks1 which taken by men1  

enable them to fast long after2 and some
 other1 that used make the very flesh of
 men's bodies sensibly more hard and    
tough1 and their strength far greater   
than otherwise it would be4  ,we have   
dispensatories or shops of medicines2   
wherein you may easily think1 if we have
 such variety of plants1 and living     
creatures1 more than you have in ,europe
 7for we know what you have71 the       
simples1 drugs1 and ingredients of      
medicines1 must likewise be in so much  
the greater variety4 ,we have them      
likewise of divers ages1 and long       
fermentations4 ,and for their           
preparations1 we have not only all      
manner of exquisite distillations1 and  
separations1 and especially by gentle   
heats1 and percolations through divers  
strainers1 yea1 and substances2 but also
 exact forms of composition1 whereby    
they incorporate almost as they were    
natural simples4  ,we have also divers  
mechanical arts1 which you have not2 and
 stuffs made by them1 as papers1 linen1 

silks1 tissues1 dainty works of feathers
 of wonderful lustre1 excellent dyes1   
and many others1 and shops likewise as  
well for such as are not brought into   
vulgar use amongst us1 as for those that
 are4 ,for you must know1 that of the   
things before recited1 many of them are 
grown into use throughout the kingdom1  
but yet1 if they did flow from our      
invention1 we have of them also for     
patterns and principals4  ,we have also 
furnaces of great diversities1 and that 
keep great diversity of heats2 fierce   
and quick1 strong and constant1 soft and
 mild1 blown1 quiet1 dry1 moist1 and the
 like4 ,but above all we have heats1 in 
imitation of the sun's and heavenly     
bodies' heats1 that pass divers         
inequalities1 and as it were orbs1      
progresses1 and returns whereby we      
produce admirable effects4 ,besides1 we 
have heats of dungs1 and of bellies and 
maws of living creatures and of their   
bloods and bodies1 and of hays and herbs
 laid up moist1 of lime unquenched1 and 

such like4 ,instruments also which      
generate heat only by motion4 ,and      
farther1 places for strong insulations2 
and again1 places under the earth1 which
 by nature or art yield heat4 ,these    
divers heats we use1 as the nature of   
the operation which we intend requireth4
  ,we have also perspective-houses1     
where we make demonstrations of all     
lights and radiations1 and of all       
colours2 and out of things uncoloured   
and transparent1 we can represent unto  
you all several colours1 not in         
rainbows1 as it is in gems and prisms1  
but of themselves single4 ,we represent 
also all multiplications of light1 which
 we carry to great distance1 and make so
 sharp1 as to discern small points and  
lines4 ,also all colourations of light3 
all delusions and deceits of the sight1 
in figures1 magnitudes1 motions1        
colours2 all demonstrations of shadows4 
,we find also divers means1 yet unknown 
to you1 of producing of light1          
originally from divers bodies4 ,we      

procure means of seeing objects afar    
off1 as in the heaven and remote places2
 and represent things near as afar off1 
and things afar off as near2 making     
feigned distances4 ,we have also helps  
for the sight far above spectacles and  
glasses in use2 we have also glasses and
 means to see small and minute bodies1  
perfectly and distinctly2 as the shapes 
and colours of small flies and worms1   
grains1 and flaws in gems1 which cannot 
otherwise be seen1 observations in urine
 and blood not otherwise to be seen4 ,we
 make artificial rainbows1 halos1 and   
circles about light4 ,we represent also 
all manner of reflections1 refractions1 
and multiplications of visual beams of  
objects4  ,we have also precious stones1
 of all kinds1 many of them of great    
beauty and to you unknown2 crystals     
likewise1 and glasses of divers kind2   
and amongst them some of metals         
vitrificated1 and other materials1      
besides those of which you make glass4  
,also a number of fossils1 and imperfect

 minerals1 which you have not4 ,likewise
 loadstones of prodigious virtue3 and   
other rare stones1 both natural and     
artificial4  ,we have also sound-houses1
 where we practise and demonstrate all  
sounds and their generation4 ,we have   
harmony which you have not1 of          
quarter-sounds and lesser slides of     
sounds4 ,divers instruments of music    
likewise to you unknown1 some sweeter   
than any you have2 with bells and rings 
that are dainty and sweet4 ,we represent
 small sounds as great and deep1        
likewise great sounds1 extenuate and    
sharp2 we make divers tremblings and    
warblings of sounds1 which in their     
original are entire4 ,we represent and  
imitate all articulate sounds and       
letters1 and the voices and notes of    
beasts and birds4 ,we have certain      
helps1 which set to the ear do further  
the hearing greatly2 we have also divers
 strange and artificial echoes1         
reflecting the voice many times1 and as 
it were tossing it2 and some that give  

back the voice louder than it came1 some
 shriller and some deeper2 yea1 some    
rendering the voice1 differing in the   
letters or articulate sound from that   
they receive4 ,we have all means to     
convey sounds in trunks and pipes1 in   
strange lines and distances4  ,we have  
also perfume-houses1 wherewith we join  
also practices of taste4 ,we multiply   
smells which may seem strange3 we       
imitate smells1 making all smells to    
breathe out of other mixtures than those
 that give them4 ,we make divers        
imitations of taste likewise1 so that   
they will deceive any man's taste4 ,and 
in this house we contain also a         
confiture-house1 where we make all      
sweetmeats1 dry and moist1 and divers   
pleasant wines1 milks1 broths1 and      
salads1 far in greater variety than you 
have4  ,we have also engine-houses1     
where are prepared engines and          
instruments for all sorts of motions4   
,there we imitate and practise to make  
swifter motions than any you have1      

either out of your muskets or any engine
 that you have2 and to make them and    
multiply them more easily and with small
 force1 by wheels and other means1 and  
to make them stronger and more violent  
than yours are1 exceeding your greatest 
cannons and basilisks4 ,we represent    
also ordnance and instruments of war and
 engines of all kinds2 and likewise new 
mixtures and compositions of gunpowder1 
wild-fires burning in water and         
unquenchable1 also fire-works of all    
variety1 both for pleasure and use4 ,we 
imitate also flights of birds2 we have  
some degrees of flying in the air4 ,we  
have ships and boats for going under    
water and brooking of seas1 also        
swimming-girdles and supporters4 ,we    
have divers curious clocks and other    
like motions of return1 and some        
perpetual motions4 ,we imitate also     
motions of living creatures by images of
 men1 beasts1 birds1 fishes1 and        
serpents2 we have also a great number of
 other various motions1 strange for     

equality1 fineness and subtilty4  ,we   
have also a mathematical-house1 where   
are represented all instruments1 as well
 of geometry as astronomy1 exquisitely  
made4  ,we have also houses of deceits  
of the senses1 where we represent all   
manner of feats of juggling1 false      
apparitions1 impostures and illusions1  
and their fallacies4 ,and surely you    
will easily believe that we1 that have  
so many things truly natural which      
induce admiration1 could in a world of  
particulars deceive the senses if we    
would disguise those things1 and labour 
to make them more miraculous4 ,but we do
 hate all impostures and lies1 insomuch 
as we have severely forbidden it to all 
our fellows1 under pain of ignominy and 
fines1 that they do not show any natural
 work or thing adorned or swelling1 but 
only pure as it is1 and without all     
affectation of strangeness4  ,these are1
 my son1 the riches of ,salomon's       
,house4  ,for the several employments   
and offices of our fellows1 we have     

twelve that sail into foreign countries 
under the names of other nations 7for   
our own we conceal71 who bring us the   
books and abstracts1 and patterns of    
experiments of all other parts4 ,these  
we call merchants of light4  ,we have   
three that collect the experiments which
 are in all books4 ,these we call       
deprepators4  ,we have three that       
collect the experiments of all          
mechanical arts1 and also of liberal    
sciences1 and also of practices which   
are not brought into arts4 ,these we    
call mystery-men4  ,we have three that  
try new experiments4  ,such as          
themselves think good4 ,these we call   
pioneers or miners4  ,we have three that
 draw the experiments of the former four
 into titles and tables1 to give the    
better light for the drawing of         
observations and axioms out of them4    
,these we call compilers4 ,we have three
 that bend themselves1 looking into the 
experiments of their fellows1 and cast  
about how to draw out of them things of 

use and practice for man's life and     
knowledge1 as well for works as for     
plain demonstration of causes1 means of 
natural divinations1 and the easy and   
clear discovery of the virtues and parts
 of bodies4 ,these we call dowry-men or 
benefactors4  ,then after divers        
meetings and consults of our whole      
number1 to consider of the former       
labours and collections1 we have three  
that take care out of them to direct new
 experiments1 of a higher light1 more   
penetrating into ,nature than the       
former4 ,these we call lamps4  ,we have 
three others that do execute the        
experiment so directed1 and report them4
 ,these we call inoculators4  ,lastly1  
we have three that raise the former     
discoveries by experiments into greater 
observations1 axioms1 and aphorisms4    
,these we call interpreters of ,nature4 
,we have also1 as you must think1       
novices and apprentices1 that the       
succession of the former employed men do
 not fail2 besides a great number of    

servants and attendants1 men and women4 
,and this we do also3 we have           
consultations1 which of the inventions  
and experiences which we have discovered
 shall be published1 and which not3 and 
take all an oath of secrecy for the     
concealing of those which we think fit  
to keep secret3 though some of those we 
do reveal sometime to the state1 and    
some not4  ,for our ordinances and      
rites1 we have two very long and fair   
galleries3 in one of these we place     
patterns and samples of all manner of   
the more rare and excellent inventions3 
in the other we place the statues of all
 principal inventors4 ,there we have the
 statue of your ,columbus1 that         
discovered the ,west ,indies3 also the  
inventor of ships3 your ,monk that was  
the inventor of ordnance and of         
gunpowder3 the inventor of music3 the   
inventor of letters3 the inventor of    
printing3 the inventor of observations  
of astronomy3 the inventor of works in  
metal3 the inventor of glass3 the       

inventor of silk of the worm3 the       
inventor of wine3 the inventor of corn  
and bread3 the inventor of sugars2 and  
all these by more certain tradition than
 you have4 ,then we have divers         
inventors of our own1 of excellent      
works2 which since you have not seen1 it
 were too long to make descriptions of  
them2 and besides1 in the right         
understanding of those descriptions you 
might easily err4 ,for upon every       
invention of value we erect a statue to 
the inventor1 and give him a liberal and
 honourable reward4 ,these statues are  
some of brass1 some of marble and       
touchstone1 some of cedar and other     
special woods gilt and adorned2 some of 
iron1 some of silver1 some of gold4  ,we
 have certain hymns and services1 which 
we say daily1 of laud and thanks to ,god
 for ,his marvellous works4 ,and forms  
of prayers1 imploring ,his aid and      
blessing for the illumination of our    
labours2 and turning them into good and 
holy uses4  ,lastly1 we have circuits or

 visits1 of divers principal cities of  
the kingdom2 where as it cometh to pass 
we do publish such new profitable       
inventions as we think good4 ,and we do 
also declare natural divinations of     
diseases1 plagues1 swarms of hurtful    
creatures1 scarcity1 tempest1           
earthquakes1 great inundations1 comets1 
temperature of the year1 and divers     
other things2 and we give counsel       
thereupon1 what the people shall do for 
the prevention and remedy of them4  ,and
 when he had said this1 he stood up2 and
 ,i1 as ,i had been taught1 knelt down2 
and he laid his right hand upon my head1
 and said1 ,god bless thee1 my son1 and 
,god bless this relation which ,i have  
made4 ,i give thee leave to publish it1 
for the good of other nations2 for we   
here are in ,god's bosom1 a land        
unknown4 ,and so he left me2 having     
assigned a value of about two thousand  
ducats for a bounty to me and my        
fellows4 ,for they give great largesses1
 where they come1 upon all occasions4   

,,the ,,rest ,,was ,,not ,,perfected4   
,,campanella',s  ,,city ,,of ,,the      
,,sun4     ,,the ,,city ,,of ,,the      
,,sun4  ,a ,poetical ,dialogue between a
 ,grandmaster of the ,knights           
,hospitallers and a ,genoese            
,sea-captain1 his guest4  ,g4,m4        
,prithee1 now1 tell me what happened to 
you during that voyage8  ,capt4 ,i have 
already told you how ,i wandered over   
the whole earth4 ,in the course of my   
journeying ,i came to ,taprobane1 and   
was compelled to go ashore at a place1  
where through fear of the inhabitants ,i
 remained in a wood4 ,when ,i stepped   
out of this ,i found myself on a large  
plain immediately under the equator4    
,g4,m4 ,and what befell you here8       
,capt4 ,i came upon a large crowd of men
 and armed women1 many of whom did not  
understand our language1 and they       
conducted me forthwith to the ,city of  
the ,sun4  ,g4,m4 ,tell me after what   
plan this city is built and how it is   
governed8  ,capt4 ,the greater part of  

the city is built upon a high hill1     
which rises from an extensive plain1 but
 several of its circles extend for some 
distance beyond the base of the hill1   
which is of such a size that the        
diameter of the city is upwards of two  
miles1 so that its circumference becomes
 about seven4 ,on account of the humped 
shape of the mountain1 however1 the     
diameter of the city is really more than
 if it were built on a plain4  ,it is   
divided into seven rings or huge circles
 named from the seven planets1 and the  
way from one to the other of these is by
 four streets and through four gates1   
that look towards the four points of the
 compass4 ,furthermore1 it is so built  
that if the first circle were stormed1  
it would of necessity entail a double   
amount of energy to storm the second2   
still more to storm the third2 and in   
each succeeding case the strength and   
energy would have to be doubled2 so that
 he who wishes to capture that city     
must1 as it were1 storm it seven times4 

,for my own part1 however1 ,i think that
 not even the first wall could be       
occupied1 so thick are the earthworks   
and so well fortified is it with        
breastworks1 towers1 guns and ditches4  
,when ,i had been taken through the     
northern gate 7which is shut with an    
iron door so wrought that it can be     
raised and let down1 and locked in      
easily and strongly1 its projections    
running into the grooves of the thick   
posts by a marvellous device71 ,i saw a 
level space seventy paces#a wide between
 the first and second walls4 ,from hence
 can be seen large palaces all joined to
 the wall of the second circuit1 in such
 a manner as to appear all one palace4  
,arches run on a level with the middle  
height of the palaces1 and are continued
 round the whole ring4 ,there are       
galleries for promenading upon these    
arches1 which are supported from beneath
 by thick and well-shaped columns1      
enclosing arcades like peristyles1 or   
cloisters of an abbey4  ,footnote #a3 ,a

 pace was #a-i_/be yards1 #a1jjj paces  
making a mile4  ,but the palaces have no
 entrances from below1 except on the    
inner or concave partition1 from which  
one enters directly to the lower parts  
of the building4 ,the higher parts1     
however1 are reached by flights of      
marble steps1 which lead to galleries   
for promenading on the inside similar to
 those on the outside4 ,from these one  
enters the higher rooms1 which are very 
beautiful1 and have windows on the      
concave and convex partitions4 ,these   
rooms are divided from one another by   
richly decorated walls4 ,the convex or  
outer wall of the ring is about eight   
spans thick2 the concave1 three2 the    
intermediate walls are one1 or perhaps  
one and a half4 ,leaving this circle one
 gets to the second plain1 which is     
nearly three paces narrower than the    
first4 ,then the first wall of the      
second ring is seen adorned above and   
below with similar galleries for        
walking1 and there is on the inside of  

it another interior wall enclosing      
palaces4 ,it has also similar peristyles
 supported by columns in the lower part1
 but above are excellent pictures1 round
 the ways into the upper houses4 ,and so
 on afterwards through similar spaces   
and double walls1 enclosing palaces1 and
 adorned with galleries for walking1    
extending along their outer side1 and   
supported by columns1 till the last     
circuit is reached1 the way being still 
over a level plain4  ,but when the two  
gates1 that is to say1 those of the     
outmost and the inmost walls1 have been 
passed1 one mounts by means of steps so 
formed that an ascent is scarcely       
discernible1 since it proceeds in a     
slanting direction1 and the steps       
succeed one another at almost           
imperceptible heights4 ,on the top of   
the hill is a rather spacious plain1 and
 in the midst of this there rises a     
temple built with wondrous art4  ,g4,m4 
,tell on1 ,i pray you6 ,tell on6 ,i am  
dying to hear more4  ,capt4 ,the temple 

is built in the form of a circle2 it is 
not girt with walls1 but stands upon    
thick columns1 beautifully grouped4 ,a  
very large dome1 built with great care  
in the centre or pole1 contains another 
small vault as it were rising out of it1
 and in this is a spiracle1 which is    
right over the altar4 ,there is but one 
altar in the middle of the temple1 and  
this is hedged round by columns4 ,the   
temple itself is on a space of more than
 three hundred and fifty paces4 ,without
 it1 arches measuring about eight paces 
extend from the heads of the columns    
outwards1 whence other columns rise     
about three paces from the thick1 strong
 and erect wall4 ,between these and the 
former columns there are galleries for  
walking1 with beautiful pavements1 and  
in the recess of the wall1 which is     
adorned with numerous large doors1 there
 are immovable seats1 placed as it were 
between the inside columns1 supporting  
the temple4 ,portable chairs are not    
wanting1 many and well adorned4 ,nothing

 is seen over the altar but a large     
globe1 upon which the heavenly bodies   
are painted1 and another globe upon     
which there is a representation of the  
earth4 ,furthermore1 in the vault of the
 dome there can be discerned            
representations of all the stars of     
heaven from the first to the sixth      
magnitude1 with their proper names and  
power to influence terrestrial things   
marked in three little verses for each4 
,there are the poles and greater and    
lesser circles according to the right   
latitude of the place1 but these are not
 perfect because there is no wall below4
 ,they seem1 too1 to be made in their   
relation to the globes on the altar4    
,the pavement of the temple is bright   
with precious stones4 ,its seven golden 
lamps hang always burning1 and these    
bear the names of the seven planets4    
,at the top of the building several     
small and beautiful cells surround the  
small dome1 and behind the level space  
above the bands or arches of the        

exterior and interior columns there are 
many cells1 both small and large1 where 
the priests and religious officers dwell
 to the number of forty-nine4  ,a       
revolving flag projects from the smaller
 dome1 and this shows in what quarter   
the wind is4 ,the flag is marked with   
figures up to thirty-six1 and the       
priests know what sort of year the      
different kinds of winds bring and what 
will be the changes of weather on land  
and sea4 ,furthermore1 under the flag a 
book is always kept written with letters
 of gold4  ,g4,m4 ,i pray you1 worthy   
hero1 explain to me their whole system  
of government2 for ,i am anxious to hear
 it4  ,capt4 ,the great ruler among them
 is a priest whom they call by the name 
,,hoh1 though we should call him        
,metaphysic4 ,he is head over all1 in   
temporal and spiritual matters1 and all 
business and lawsuits are settled by    
him1 as the supreme authority4 ,three   
princes of equal power--viz41 ,pon1 ,sin
 and ,mor--assist him1 and these in our 

tongue we should call ,,power1 ,,wisdom 
and ,,love4 ,to ,,power belongs the care
 of all matters relating to war and     
peace4 ,he attends to the military arts1
 and1 next to ,hoh1 he is ruler in every
 affair of a warlike nature4 ,he governs
 the military magistrates and the       
soldiers1 and has the management of the 
munitions1 the fortifications1 the      
storming of places1 the implements of   
war1 the armories1 the smiths and       
workmen connected with matters of this  
sort4  ,but ,,wisdom is the ruler of the
 liberal arts1 of mechanics1 of all     
sciences with their magistrates and     
doctors1 and of the discipline of the   
schools4 ,as many doctors as there are1 
are under his control4 ,there is one    
doctor who is called ,astrologus2 a     
second1 ,cosmographus2 a third1         
,arithmeticus2 a fourth1 ,geometra2 a   
fifth1 ,historiographus2 a sixth1       
,poeta2 a seventh1 ,logicus2 an eighth1 
,rhetor2 a ninth1 ,grammaticus2 a tenth1
 ,medicus2 an eleventh1 ,physiologus2 a 

twelfth1 ,politicus2 a thirteenth1      
,moralis4 ,they have but one book1 which
 they call ,wisdom1 and in it all the   
sciences are written with conciseness   
and marvellous fluency of expression4   
,this they read to the people after the 
custom of the ,pythagoreans4 ,it is     
,wisdom who causes the exterior and     
interior1 the higher and lower walls of 
the city to be adorned with the finest  
pictures1 and to have all the sciences  
painted upon them in an admirable       
manner4 ,on the walls of the temple and 
on the dome1 which is let down when the 
priest gives an address1 lest the sounds
 of his voice1 being scattered1 should  
fly away from his audience1 there are   
pictures of stars in their different    
magnitudes1 with the powers and motions 
of each1 expressed separately in three  
little verses4  ,on the interior wall of
 the first circuit all the mathematical 
figures are conspicuously               
painted--figures more in number than    
,archimedes or ,euclid discovered1      

marked symmetrically1 and with the      
explanation of them neatly written and  
contained each in a little verse4 ,there
 are definitions and propositions1 c4 c4
 ,on the exterior convex wall is first  
an immense drawing of the whole earth1  
given at one view4 ,following upon this1
 there are tablets setting forth for    
every separate country the customs both 
public and private1 the laws1 the       
origins and the power of the            
inhabitants2 and the alphabets the      
different people use can be seen above  
that of the ,city of the ,sun4  ,on the 
inside of the second circuit1 that is to
 say of the second ring of buildings1   
paintings of all kinds of precious and  
common stones1 of minerals and metals1  
are seen2 and a little piece of the     
metal itself is also there with an      
apposite explanation in two small verses
 for each metal or stone4 ,on the       
outside are marked all the seas1 rivers1
 lakes and streams which are on the face
 of the earth2 as are also the wines and

 the oils and the different liquids1    
with the sources from which the last are
 extracted1 their qualities and         
strength4 ,there are also vessels built 
into the wall above the arches1 and     
these are full of liquids from one to   
three hundred years old1 which cure all 
diseases4 ,hail and snow1 storms and    
thunder1 and whatever else takes place  
in the air1 are represented with        
suitable figures and little verses4 ,the
 inhabitants even have the art of       
representing in stone all the phenomena 
of the air1 such as the wind1 rain1     
thunder1 the rainbow1 c4  ,on the       
interior of the third circuit all the   
different families of trees and herbs   
are depicted1 and there is a live       
specimen of each plant in earthenware   
vessels placed upon the outer partition 
of the arches4 ,with the specimens there
 are explanations as to where they were 
first found1 what are their powers and  
natures1 and resemblances to celestial  
things and to metals3 to parts of the   

human body and to things in the sea1 and
 also as to their uses in medicine1 c4  
,on the exterior wall are all the races 
of fish1 found in rivers1 lakes and     
seas1 and their habits and values1 and  
ways of breeding1 training and living1  
the purposes for which they exist in the
 world1 and their uses to man4 ,further1
 their resemblances to celestial and    
terrestrial things1 produced both by    
nature and art1 are so given that ,i was
 astonished when ,i saw a fish which was
 like a bishop1 one like a chain1       
another like a garment1 a fourth like a 
nail1 a fifth like a star1 and others   
like images of those things existing    
among us1 the relation in each case     
being completely manifest4 ,there are   
sea-urchins to be seen1 and the purple  
shell-fish and mussels2 and whatever the
 watery world possesses worthy of being 
known is there fully shown in marvellous
 characters of painting and drawing4    
,on the fourth interior wall all the    
different kinds of birds are painted1   

with their natures1 sizes1 customs1     
colours1 manner of living1 c42 and the  
only real phoenix is possessed by the   
inhabitants of this city4 ,on the       
exterior are shown all the races of     
creeping animals1 serpents1 dragons and 
worms2 the insects1 the flies1 gnats1   
beetles1 c41 in their different states1 
strength1 venoms and uses1 and a great  
deal more than you or ,i can think of4  
,on the fifth interior they have all the
 larger animals of the earth1 as many in
 number as would astonish you4 ,we      
indeed know not the thousandth part of  
them1 for on the exterior wall also a   
great many of immense size are also     
portrayed4 ,to be sure1 of horses alone1
 how great a number of breeds there is  
and how beautiful are the forms there   
cleverly displayed6  ,on the sixth      
interior are painted all the mechanical 
arts1 with the several instruments for  
each and their manner of use among      
different nations4 ,alongside the       
dignity of such is placed1 and their    

several inventors are named4 ,but on the
 exterior all the inventors in science1 
in warfare1 and in law are represented4 
,there ,i saw ,moses1 ,osiris1 ,jupiter1
 ,mercury1 ,lycurgus1 ,pompilius1       
,pythagoras1 ,zamolxis1 ,solon1         
,charondas1 ,phoroneus1 with very many  
others4 ,they even have ,mahomet1 whom  
nevertheless they hate as a false and   
sordid legislator4 ,in the most         
dignified position ,i saw a             
representation of ,jesus ,christ and of 
the twelve ,apostles1 whom they consider
 very worthy and hold to be great4 ,of  
the representations of men1 ,i perceived
 ,csar1 ,alexander1 ,pyrrhus and        
,hannibal in the highest place2 and     
other very renowned heroes in peace and 
war1 especially ,roman heroes1 were     
painted in lower positions1 under the   
galleries4 ,and when ,i asked with      
astonishment whence they had obtained   
our history1 they told me that among    
them there was a knowledge of all       
languages1 and that by perseverance they

 continually send explorers and         
ambassadors over the whole earth1 who   
learn thoroughly the customs1 forces1   
rule and histories of the nations1 bad  
and good alike4 ,these they apply all to
 their own republic1 and with this they 
are well pleased4 ,i learnt that cannon 
and typography were invented by the     
,chinese before we knew of them4 ,there 
are magistrates1 who announce the       
meaning of the pictures1 and boys are   
accustomed to learn all the sciences1   
without toil and as if for pleasure2 but
 in the way of history only until they  
are ten years old4  ,,love is foremost  
in attending to the charge of the race4 
,he sees that men and women are so      
joined together1 that they bring forth  
the best offspring4 ,indeed1 they laugh 
at us who exhibit a studious care for   
our breed of horses and dogs1 but       
neglect the breeding of human beings4   
,thus the education of the children is  
under his rule4 ,so also is the medicine
 that is sold1 the sowing and collecting

 of fruits of the earth and of trees1   
agriculture1 pasturage1 the preparations
 for the months1 the cooking            
arrangements1 and whatever has any      
reference to food1 clothing1 and the    
intercourse of the sexes4 ,love himself 
is ruler1 but there are many male and   
female magistrates dedicated to these   
arts4  ,metaphysic then with these three
 rulers manage all the above-named      
matters1 and even by himself alone      
nothing is done2 all business is        
discharged by the four together1 but in 
whatever ,metaphysic inclines to the    
rest are sure to agree4  ,g4,m4 ,tell   
me1 please1 of the magistrates1 their   
services and duties1 of the education   
and mode of living1 whether the         
government is a monarchy1 a republic1 or
 an aristocracy4  ,capt4 ,this race of  
men came there from ,india1 flying from 
the sword of the ,magi1 a race of       
plunderers and tyrants who laid waste   
their country1 and they determined to   
lead a philosophic life in fellowship   

with one another4 ,although the         
community of wives is not instituted    
among the other inhabitants of their    
province1 among them it is in use after 
this manner4 ,all things are common with
 them1 and their dispensation is by the 
authority of the magistrates4 ,arts and 
honours and pleasures are common1 and   
are held in such a manner that no one   
can appropriate anything to himself4    
,they say that all private property is  
acquired and improved for the reason    
that each one of us by himself has his  
own home and wife and children4 ,from   
this self-love springs4 ,for when we    
raise a son to riches and dignities1 and
 leave an heir to much wealth1 we become
 either ready to grasp at the property  
of the state1 if in any case fear should
 be removed from the power which belongs
 to riches and rank2 or avaricious1     
crafty1 and hypocritical1 if any one is 
of slender purse1 little strength1 and  
mean ancestry4 ,but when we have taken  
away self-love1 there remains only love 

for the state4  ,g4,m4 ,under such      
circumstances no one will be willing to 
labour1 while he expects others to work1
 on the fruit of whose labours he can   
live1 as ,aristotle argues against      
,plato4  ,capt4 ,i do not know how to   
deal with that argument1 but ,i declare 
to you that they burn with so great a   
love for their fatherland1 as ,i could  
scarcely have believed possible2 and    
indeed with much more than the histories
 tell us belonged to the ,romans1 who   
fell willingly for their country1       
inasmuch as they have to a greater      
extent surrendered their private        
property4 ,i think truly that the friars
 and monks and clergy of our country1 if
 they were not weakened by love for     
their kindred and friends1 or by the    
ambition to rise to higher dignities1   
would be less fond of property1 and more
 imbued with a spirit of charity towards
 all1 as it was in the time of the      
,apostles1 and is now in a great many   
cases4  ,g4,m4 ,st4 ,augustine may say  

that1 but ,i say that among this race of
 men1 friendship is worth nothing2 since
 they have not the chance of conferring 
mutual benefits on one another4  ,capt4 
,nay1 indeed4 ,for it is worth the      
trouble to see that no one can receive  
gifts from another4 ,whatever is        
necessary they have1 they receive it    
from the community1 and the magistrate  
takes care that no one receives more    
than he deserves4 ,yet nothing necessary
 is denied to any one4 ,friendship is   
recognized among them in war1 in        
infirmity1 in the art contests1 by which
 means they aid one another mutually by 
teaching4 ,sometimes they improve       
themselves mutually with praises1 with  
conversation1 with actions and out of   
the things they need4 ,all those of the 
same age call one another brothers4     
,they call all over twenty-two years of 
age1 fathers2 those who are less than   
twenty-two are named sons4 ,moreover1   
the magistrates govern well1 so that no 
one in the fraternity can do injury to  

another4  ,g4,m4 ,and how8  ,capt4 ,as  
many names of virtues as there are      
amongst us1 so many magistrates there   
are among them4 ,there is a magistrate  
who is named ,magnanimity1 another      
,fortitude1 a third ,chastity1 a fourth 
,liberality1 a fifth ,criminal and      
,civil ,justice1 a sixth ,comfort1 a    
seventh ,truth1 an eighth ,kindness1 a  
tenth ,gratitude1 an eleventh           
,cheerfulness1 a twelfth ,exercise1 a   
thirteenth ,sobriety1 c4 ,they are      
elected to duties of that kind1 each one
 to that duty for excellence in which he
 is known from boyhood to be most       
suitable4 ,wherefore among them neither 
robbery nor clever murders1 nor         
lewdness1 incest1 adultery1 or other    
crimes of which we accuse one another1  
can be found4 ,they accuse themselves of
 ingratitude and malignity when any one 
denies a lawful satisfaction to another1
 of indolence1 of sadness1 of anger1 of 
scurrility1 of slander1 and of lying1   
which curseful thing they thoroughly    

hate4 ,accused persons undergoing       
punishment are deprived of the common   
table1 and other honours1 until the     
judge thinks that they agree with their 
correction4  ,g4,m4 ,tell me the manner 
in which the magistrates are chosen4    
,capt4 ,you would not rightly understand
 this1 unless you first learnt their    
manner of living4 ,that you may know    
then1 men and women wear the same kind  
of garment1 suited for war4 ,the women  
wear the toga below the knee1 but the   
men above4 ,and both sexes are          
instructed in all the arts together4    
,when this has been done as a start1 and
 before their third year1 the boys learn
 the language and the alphabet on the   
walls by walking round them4 ,they have 
four leaders1 and four elders1 the first
 to direct them1 the second to teach    
them1 and these are men approved beyond 
all others4 ,after some time they       
exercise themselves with gymnastics1    
running1 quoits1 and other games1 by    
means of which all their muscles are    

strengthened alike4 ,their feet are     
always bare1 and so are their heads as  
far as the seventh ring4 ,afterwards    
they lead them to the offices of the    
trades1 such as shoemaking1 cooking1    
metal-working1 carpentry1 painting1 c4  
,in order to find out the bent of the   
genius of each one1 after their seventh 
year1 when they have already gone       
through the mathematics on the walls1   
they take them to the readings of all   
the sciences2 there are four lectures at
 each reading1 and in the course of four
 hours the four in their order explain  
everything4  ,for some take physical    
exercise or busy themselves with public 
services or functions1 others apply     
themselves to reading4 ,leaving these   
studies all are devoted to the more     
abstruse subjects1 to mathematics1 to   
medicine1 and to other sciences4 ,there 
is continual debate and studied argument
 amongst them1 and after a time they    
become magistrates of those sciences or 
mechanical arts in which they are the   

most proficient2 for every one follows  
the opinion of his leader and judge1 and
 goes out to the plains to the works of 
the field1 and for the purpose of       
becoming acquainted with the pasturage  
of the dumb animals4 ,and they consider 
him the more noble and renowned who has 
dedicated himself to the study of the   
most arts and knows how to practise them
 wisely4 ,wherefore they laugh at us in 
that we consider our workmen ignoble1   
and hold those to be noble who have     
mastered no pursuit2 but live in ease1  
and are so many slaves given over to    
their own pleasure and lasciviousness2  
and thus as it were from a school of    
vices so many idle and wicked fellows go
 forth for the ruin of the state4  ,the 
rest of the officials1 however1 are     
chosen by the four chiefs1 ,hoh1 ,pon1  
,sin and ,mor1 and by the teachers of   
that art over which they are fit to     
preside4 ,and these teachers know well  
who is most suited for rule4 ,certain   
men are proposed by the magistrates in  

council1 they themselves not seeking to 
become candidates1 and he opposes who   
knows anything against those brought    
forward for election1 or if not1 speaks 
in favour of them4 ,but no one attains  
to the dignity of ,hoh except him who   
knows the histories of the nations1 and 
their customs and sacrifices and laws1  
and their form of government1 whether a 
republic or a monarchy4 ,he must also   
know the names of the lawgivers and the 
inventors in science1 and the laws and  
the history of the earth and the        
heavenly bodies4 ,they think it also    
necessary that he should understand all 
the mechanical arts1 the physical       
sciences1 astrology and mathematics4    
7,nearly every two days they teach our  
mechanical art4 ,they are not allowed to
 overwork themselves1 but frequent      
practice and the paintings render       
learning easy to them4 ,not too much    
care is given to the cultivation of     
languages1 as they have a goodly number 
of interpreters who are grammarians in  

the state47 ,but beyond everything else 
it is necessary that ,hoh should        
understand metaphysics and theology2    
that he should know thoroughly the      
derivations1 foundations and            
demonstrations of all the arts and      
sciences2 the likeness and difference of
 things2 necessity1 fate1 and the       
harmonies of the universe2 power1       
wisdom1 and the love of things and of   
,god2 the stages of life and its        
symbols2 everything relating to the     
heavens1 the earth and the sea2 and the 
ideas of ,god1 as much as mortal man can
 know of ,him4 ,he must also be well    
read in the ,prophets and in astrology4 
,and thus they know long beforehand who 
will be ,hoh4 ,he is not chosen to so   
great a dignity unless he has attained  
his thirty-fifth year4 ,and this office 
is perpetual1 because it is not known   
who may be too wise for it or who too   
skilled in ruling4  ,g4,m4 ,who indeed  
can be so wise8 ,if even any one has a  
knowledge of the sciences it seems that 

he must be unskilled in ruling4  ,capt4 
,this very question ,i asked them and   
they replied thus3 ,we1 indeed1 are more
 certain that such a very learned man   
has the knowledge of governing1 than you
 who place ignorant persons in          
authority1 and consider them suitable   
merely because they have sprung from    
rulers or have been chosen by a powerful
 faction4 ,but our ,hoh1 a man really   
the most capable to rule1 is for all    
that never cruel nor wicked1 nor a      
tyrant1 inasmuch as he possesses so much
 wisdom4 ,this1 moreover1 is not unknown
 to you1 that the same argument cannot  
apply among you1 when you consider that 
man the most learned who knows most of  
grammar1 or logic1 or of ,aristotle or  
any other author4 ,for such knowledge as
 this of yours much servile labour and  
memory work is required1 so that a man  
is rendered unskilful2 since he has     
contemplated nothing but the words of   
books and has given his mind with       
useless result to the consideration of  

the dead signs of things4 ,hence he     
knows not in what way ,god rules the    
universe1 nor the ways and customs of   
,nature and the nations4 ,wherefore he  
is not equal to our ,,hoh4 ,for that one
 cannot know so many arts and sciences  
thoroughly1 who is not esteemed for     
skilled ingenuity1 very apt at all      
things1 and therefore at ruling         
especially4 ,this also is plain to us   
that he who knows only one science1 does
 not really know either that or the     
others1 and he who is suited for only   
one science and has gathered his        
knowledge from books1 is unlearned and  
unskilled4 ,but this is not the case    
with intellects prompt and expert in    
every branch of knowledge and suitable  
for the consideration of natural        
objects1 as it is necessary that our    
,,hoh should be4 ,besides in our state  
the sciences are taught with a facility 
7as you have seen7 by which more        
scholars are turned out by us in one    
year than by you in ten1 or even        

fifteen4 ,make trial1 ,i pray you1 of   
these boys4 ,in this matter ,i was      
struck with astonishment at their       
truthful discourse and at the trial of  
their boys1 who did not understand my   
language well4 ,indeed it is necessary  
that three of them should be skilled in 
our tongue1 three in ,arabic1 three in  
,polish1 and three in each of the other 
languages1 and no recreation is allowed 
them unless they become more learned4   
,for that they go out to the plain for  
the sake of running about and hurling   
arrows and lances1 and of firing        
harquebuses1 and for the sake of hunting
 the wild animals and getting a         
knowledge of plants and stones1 and     
agriculture and pasturage2 sometimes the
 band of boys does one thing1 sometimes 
another4  ,they do not consider it      
necessary that the three rulers         
assisting ,,hoh should know other than  
the arts having reference to their rule1
 and so they have only a historical     
knowledge of the arts which are common  

to all4 ,but their own they know well1  
to which certainly one is dedicated more
 than another4 ,thus ,,power is the most
 learned in the equestrian art1 in      
marshalling the army1 in marking out of 
camps1 in the manufacture of every kind 
of weapon and of warlike machines1 in   
planning stratagems1 and in every affair
 of a military nature4 ,and for these   
reasons1 they consider it necessary that
 these chiefs should have been          
philosophers1 historians1 politicians1  
and physicists4 ,concerning the other   
two triumvirs1 understand remarks       
similar to those ,i have made about     
,,power4  ,g4,m4 ,i really wish that you
 would recount all their public duties1 
and would distinguish between them1 and 
also that you would tell clearly how    
they are all taught in common4  ,capt4  
,they have dwellings in common and      
dormitories1 and couches and other      
necessaries4 ,but at the end of every   
six months they are separated by the    
masters4 ,some shall sleep in this ring1

 some in another2 some in the first     
apartment1 and some in the second2 and  
these apartments are marked by means of 
the alphabet on the lintel4 ,there are  
occupations1 mechanical and theoretical1
 common to both men and women1 with this
 difference1 that the occupations which 
require more hard work1 and walking a   
long distance1 are practised by men1    
such as ploughing1 sowing1 gathering the
 fruits1 working at the threshing-floor1
 and perchance at the vintage4 ,but it  
is customary to choose women for milking
 the cows1 and for making cheese4 ,in   
like manner1 they go to the gardens near
 to the outskirts of the city both for  
collecting the plants and for           
cultivating them4 ,in fact1 all         
sedentary and stationary pursuits are   
practised by the women1 such as weaving1
 spinning1 sewing1 cutting the hair1    
shaving1 dispensing medicines1 and      
making all kinds of garments4 ,they are1
 however1 excluded from working in wood 
and the manufacture of arms4 ,if a woman

 is fit to paint1 she is not prevented  
from doing so2 nevertheless1 music is   
given over to the women alone1 because  
they please the more1 and of a truth to 
boys also4 ,but the women have not the  
practice of the drum and the horn4  ,and
 they prepare their feasts and arrange  
the tables in the following manner4 ,it 
is the peculiar work of the boys and    
girls under twenty to wait at the       
tables4 ,in every ring there are the    
suitable kitchens1 barns1 and stores of 
utensils for eating and drinking1 and   
over every department an old man and an 
old woman preside4 ,these two have at   
once the command of those who serve1 and
 the power of chastising1 or causing to 
be chastised1 those who are negligent or
 disobedient2 and they also examine and 
mark each one1 both male and female1 who
 excels in his or her duties4  ,all the 
young people wait upon the older ones   
who have passed the age of forty1 and in
 the evening when they go to sleep the  
master and mistress command that those  

should be sent to work in the morning1  
upon whom in succession the duty falls1 
one or two to separate apartments4 ,the 
young people1 however1 wait upon one    
another1 and that alas6 with some       
unwillingness4 ,they have first and     
second tables1 and on both sides there  
are seats4 ,on one side sit the women1  
on the other the men2 and as in the     
refectories of the monks1 there is no   
noise4 ,while they are eating a young   
man reads a book from a platform1       
intoning distinctly and sonorously1 and 
often the magistrates question them upon
 the more important parts of the        
reading4 ,and truly it is pleasant to   
observe in what manner these young      
people1 so beautiful and clothed in     
garments so suitable1 attend to them1   
and to see at the same time so many     
friends1 brothers1 sons1 fathers and    
mothers all in their turn living        
together with so much honesty1 propriety
 and love4 ,so each one is given a      
napkin1 a plate1 fish1 and a dish of    

food4 ,it is the duty of the medical    
officers to tell the cooks what repasts 
shall be prepared on each day1 and what 
food for the old1 what for the young1   
and what for the sick4 ,the magistrates 
receive the full-grown and fatter       
portion1 and they from their share      
always distribute something to the boys 
at the table who have shown themselves  
more studious in the morning at the     
lectures and debates concerning wisdom  
and arms4 ,and this is held to be one of
 the most distinguished honours4 ,for   
six days they ordain to sing with music 
at table4 ,only a few1 however1 sing2 or
 there is one voice accompanying the    
lute and one for each other instrument4 
,and when all alike in service join     
their hands1 nothing is found to be     
wanting4 ,the old men placed at the head
 of the cooking business and of the     
refectories of the servants praise the  
cleanliness of the streets1 the houses1 
the vessels1 the garments1 the workshops
 and the warehouses4  ,they wear white  

undergarments to which adheres a        
covering1 which is at once coat and     
legging1 without wrinkles4 ,the borders 
of the fastenings are furnished with    
globular buttons1 extended round and    
caught up here and there by chains4 ,the
 coverings of the legs descend to the   
shoes and are continued even to the     
heels4 ,then they cover the feet with   
large socks1 or as it were half-buskins 
fastened by buckles1 over which they    
wear a half-boot1 and besides1 as ,i    
have already said1 they are clothed with
 a toga4 ,and so aptly fitting are the  
garments1 that when the toga is         
destroyed1 the different parts of the   
whole body are straight-way discerned1  
no part being concealed4 ,they change   
their clothes for different ones four   
times in the year1 that is when the sun 
enters respectively the constellations  
,aries1 ,cancer1 ,libra and ,capricorn1 
and according to the circumstances and  
necessity as decided by the officer of  
health4 ,the keepers of clothes for the 

different rings are wont to distribute  
them1 and it is marvellous that they    
have at the same time as many garments  
as there is need for1 some heavy and    
some slight1 according to the weather4  
,they all use white clothing1 and this  
is washed in each month with lye or     
soap1 as are also the workshops of the  
lower trades1 the kitchens1 the         
pantries1 the barns1 the store-houses1  
the armories1 the refectories and the   
baths4 ,moreover1 the clothes are washed
 at the pillars of the peristyles1 and  
the water is brought down by means of   
canals which are continued as sewers4   
,in every street of the different rings 
there are suitable fountains1 which send
 forth their water by means of canals1  
the water being drawn up from nearly the
 bottom of the mountain by the sole     
movement of a cleverly contrived handle4
 ,there is water in fountains and in    
cisterns1 whither the rain-water        
collected from the roofs of the houses  
is brought through pipes full of sand4  

,they wash their bodies often1 according
 as the doctor and master command4 ,all 
the mechanical arts are practised under 
the peristyles1 but the speculative are 
carried on above in the walking         
galleries and ramparts where are the    
more splendid paintings1 but the more   
sacred ones are taught in the temple4   
,in the halls and wings of the rings    
there are solar time-pieces and bells1  
and hands by which the hours and seasons
 are marked off4  ,g4,m4 ,tell me about 
their children4  ,capt4 ,when their     
women have brought forth children1 they 
suckle and rear them in temples set     
apart for all4 ,they give milk for two  
years or more as the physician orders4  
,after that time the weaned child is    
given into the charge of the mistresses1
 if it is a female1 and to the masters1 
if it is a male4 ,and then with other   
young children they are pleasantly      
instructed in the alphabet1 and in the  
knowledge of the pictures1 and in       
running1 walking and wrestling2 also in 

the historical drawings1 and in         
languages2 and they are adorned with a  
suitable garment of different colours4  
,after their sixth year they are taught 
natural science1 and then the mechanical
 sciences4 ,the men who are weak in     
intellect are sent to farms1 and when   
they have become more proficient some of
 them are received into the state4 ,and 
those of the same age and born under the
 same constellation are especially like 
one another in strength and in          
appearance1 and hence arises much       
lasting concord in the state1 these men 
honouring one another with mutual love  
and help4 ,names are given to them by   
,metaphysicus1 and that not by chance   
but designedly1 and according to each   
one's peculiarity1 as was the custom    
among the ancient ,romans4 ,wherefore   
one is called ,beautiful 7,pulcher71    
another the ,big-nosed 7,naso71 another 
the ,fat-legged 7,cranipes7 another     
,crooked 7,torvus7 another ,lean        
7,macer7 and so on4 ,but when they have 

become very skilled in their professions
 and done any great deed in war or in   
time of peace1 a cognomen from art is   
given to them1 such as ,beautiful1 the  
great painter 7,pulcher1 ,pictor        
,magnus71 the golden one 7,aureus7 the  
excellent one 7,excellens7 or the strong
 7,strenuus72 or from their deeds1 such 
as ,naso the ,brave 7,nason ,fortis7 or 
the cunning1 or the great1 or very great
 conqueror2 or from the enemy any one   
has overcome1 ,africanus1 ,asiaticus1   
,etruscus2 or if any one has overcome   
,manfred or ,tortelius1 he is called    
,macer ,manfred or ,tortelius1 and so   
on4 ,all these cognomens are added by   
the higher magistrates1 and very often  
with a crown suitable to the deed or    
art1 and with the flourish of music4    
,for gold and silver is reckoned of     
little value among them except as       
material for their vessels and          
ornaments1 which are common to all4     
,g4,m4 ,tell me1 ,i pray you1 is there  
no jealousy among them or disappointment

 to that one who has not been elected to
 a magistracy1 or to any other dignity  
to which he aspires8  ,capt4 ,certainly 
not4 ,for no one wants either           
necessaries or luxuries4 ,moreover1 the 
race is managed for the good of the     
commonwealth and not of private         
individuals1 and the magistrates must be
 obeyed4 ,they deny what we hold--viz41 
that it is natural to man to recognize  
his offspring and to educate them1 and  
to use his wife and house and children  
as his own4 ,for they say that children 
are bred for the preservation of the    
species and not for individual pleasure1
 as ,st4 ,thomas also asserts4          
,therefore the breeding of children has 
reference to the commonwealth and not to
 individuals1 except in so far as they  
are constituents of the commonwealth4   
,and since individuals for the most part
 bring forth children wrongly and       
educate them wrongly1 they consider that
 they remove destruction from the state1
 and therefore1 for this reason1 with   

most sacred fear1 they commit the       
education of the children1 who as it    
were are the element of the republic1 to
 the care of magistrates2 for the safety
 of the community is not that of a few4 
,and thus they distribute male and      
female breeders of the best natures     
according to philosophical rules4 ,plato
 thinks that this distribution ought to 
be made by lot1 lest some men seeing    
that they are kept away from the        
beautiful women1 should rise up with    
anger and hatred against the            
magistrates2 and he thinks further that 
those who do not deserve cohabitation   
with the more beautiful women1 should be
 deceived whilst the lots are being led 
out of the city by the magistrates1 so  
that at all times the women who are     
suitable should fall to their lot1 not  
those whom they desire4 ,this           
shrewdness1 however1 is not necessary   
among the inhabitants of the ,city of   
the ,sun4 ,for with them deformity is   
unknown4 ,when the women are exercised  

they get a clear complexion1 and become 
strong of limb1 tall and agile1 and with
 them beauty consists in tallness and   
strength4 ,therefore1 if any woman dyes 
her face1 so that it may become         
beautiful1 or uses high-heeled boots so 
that she may appear tall1 or garments   
with trains to cover her wooden shoes1  
she is condemned to capital punishment4 
,but if the women should even desire    
them1 they have no facility for doing   
these things4 ,for who indeed would give
 them this facility8 ,further1 they     
assert that among us abuses of this kind
 arise from the leisure and sloth of    
women4 ,by these means they lose their  
colour and have pale complexions1 and   
become feeble and small4 ,for this      
reason they are without proper          
complexions1 use high sandals1 and      
become beautiful not from strength1 but 
from slothful tenderness4 ,and thus they
 ruin their own tempers and natures1 and
 consequently those of their offspring4 
,furthermore1 if at any time a man is   

taken captive with ardent love for a    
certain woman1 the two are allowed to   
converse and joke together1 and to give 
one another garlands of flowers or      
leaves1 and to make verses4 ,but if the 
race is endangered1 by no means is      
further union between them permitted4   
,moreover1 the love born of eager desire
 is not known among them2 only that born
 of friendship4  ,domestic affairs and  
partnerships are of little account1     
because1 excepting the sign of honour1  
each one receives what he is in need of4
 ,to the heroes and heroines of the     
republic1 it is customary to give the   
pleasing gifts of honour1 beautiful     
wreaths1 sweet food or splendid clothes1
 while they are feasting4 ,in the       
daytime all use white garments within   
the city1 but at night or outside the   
city they use red garments either of    
wool or silk4 ,they hate black as they  
do dung1 and therefore they dislike the 
,japanese1 who are fond of black4 ,pride
 they consider the most execrable vice1 

and one who acts proudly is chastised   
with the most ruthless correction4      
,wherefore no one thinks it lowering to 
wait at table or to work in the kitchen 
or fields4 ,all work they call          
discipline1 and thus they say that it is
 honourable to go on foot1 to do any act
 of nature1 to see with the eye1 and to 
speak with the tongue2 and when there is
 need1 they distinguish philosophically 
between tears and spittle4  ,every man  
who1 when he is told off to work1 does  
his duty1 is considered very honourable4
 ,it is not the custom to keep slaves4  
,for they are enough1 and more than     
enough1 for themselves4 ,but with us1   
alas6 it is not so4 ,in ,naples there   
exists seventy thousand souls1 and out  
of these scarcely ten or fifteen        
thousand do any work1 and they are      
always lean from overwork and are       
getting weaker every day4 ,the rest     
become a prey to idleness1 avarice1     
ill-health1 lasciviousness1 usury and   
other vices1 and contaminate and corrupt

 very many families by holding them in  
servitude for their own use1 by keeping 
them in poverty and slavishness1 and by 
imparting to them their own vices4      
,therefore public slavery ruins them2   
useful works1 in the field1 in military 
service and in arts1 except those which 
are debasing1 are not cultivated1 the   
few who do practise them doing so with  
much aversion4 ,but in the ,city of the 
,sun1 while duty and work is distributed
 among all1 it only falls to each one to
 work for about four hours every day4   
,the remaining hours are spent in       
learning joyously1 in debating1 in      
reading1 in reciting1 in writing1 in    
walking1 in exercising the mind and     
body1 and with play4 ,they allow no game
 which is played while sitting1 neither 
the single die nor dice1 nor chess1 nor 
others like these4 ,but they play with  
the ball1 with the sack1 with the hoop1 
with wrestling1 with hurling at the     
stake4 ,they say1 moreover1 that        
grinding poverty renders men worthless1 

cunning1 sulky1 thievish1 insidious1    
vagabonds1 liars1 false witnesses1 c42  
and that wealth makes them insolent1    
proud1 ignorant1 traitors1 assumers of  
what they know not1 deceivers1 boasters1
 wanting in affection1 slanderers1 c4   
,but with them all the rich and poor    
together make up the community4 ,they   
are rich because they want nothing1 poor
 because they possess nothing2 and      
consequently they are not slaves to     
circumstances1 but circumstances serve  
them4 ,and on this point they strongly  
recommend the religion of the           
,christians1 and especially the life of 
the ,apostles4  ,g4,m4 ,this seems      
excellent and sacred1 but the community 
of women is a thing too difficult to    
attain4 ,the holy ,roman ,clement says  
that wives ought to be common in        
accordance with the apostolic           
institution1 and praises ,plato and     
,socrates1 who thus teach1 but the      
,glossary interprets this community with
 regard to obedience4 ,and ,tertullian  

agrees with the ,glossary1 that the     
first ,christians had everything in     
common except wives4  ,capt4 ,these     
things ,i know little of4 ,but this ,i  
saw among the inhabitants of the ,city  
of the ,sun that they did not make this 
exception4 ,and they defend themselves  
by the opinion of ,socrates1 of ,cato1  
of ,plato1 and of ,st4 ,clement but1 as 
you say1 they misunderstand the opinions
 of these thinkers4 ,and the inhabitants
 of the solar city ascribe this to their
 want of education1 since they are by no
 means learned in philosophy4           
,nevertheless1 they send abroad to      
discover the customs of nations1 and the
 best of these they always adopt4       
,practice makes the women suitable for  
war and other duties4 ,thus they agree  
with ,plato1 in whom ,i have read these 
same things4 ,the reasoning of our      
,cajetan does not convince me1 and least
 of all that of ,aristotle4 ,this thing1
 however1 existing among them is        
excellent and worthy of imitation--viz41

 that no physical defect renders a man  
incapable of being serviceable except   
the decrepitude of old age1 since even  
the deformed are useful for             
consultation4 ,the lame serve as guards1
 watching with the eyes which they      
possess4 ,the blind card wool with their
 hands1 separating the down from the    
hairs1 with which latter they stuff the 
couches and sofas2 those who are without
 the use of eyes and hands give the use 
of their ears or their voice for the    
convenience of the state1 and if one has
 only one sense1 he uses it in the      
farms4 ,and these cripples are well     
treated1 and some become spies1 telling 
the officers of the state what they have
 heard4  ,g4,m4 ,tell me now1 ,i pray   
you1 of their military affairs4 ,then   
you may explain their arts1 ways of life
 and sciences1 and lastly their         
religion4  ,capt4 ,the triumvir1 ,power1
 has under him all the magistrates of   
arms1 of artillery1 of cavalry1 of      
foot-soldiers1 of architects1 and of    

strategists1 and the masters and many of
 the most excellent workmen obey the    
magistrates1 the men of each art paying 
allegiance to their respective chiefs4  
,moreover1 ,power is at the head of all 
the professors of gymnastics1 who teach 
military exercise1 and who are prudent  
generals1 advanced in age4 ,by these the
 boys are trained after their twelfth   
year4 ,before this age1 however1 they   
have been accustomed to wrestling1      
running1 throwing the weight and other  
minor exercises1 under inferior masters4
 ,but at twelve they are taught how to  
strike at the enemy1 at horses and      
elephants1 to handle the spear1 the     
sword1 the arrow and the sling2 to      
manage the horse2 to advance and to     
retreat2 to remain in order of battle2  
to help a comrade in arms2 to anticipate
 the enemy by cunning2 and to conquer4  
,the women also are taught these arts   
under their own magistrates and         
mistresses1 so that they may be able if 
need be to render assistance to the     

males in battles near the city4 ,they   
are taught to watch the fortifications  
lest at some time a hasty attack should 
suddenly be made4 ,in this respect they 
praise the ,spartans and ,amazons4 ,the 
women know well also how to let fly     
fiery balls1 and how to make them from  
lead2 how to throw stones from pinnacles
 and to go in the way of an attack4     
,they are accustomed also to give up    
wine unmixed altogether1 and that one is
 punished most severely who shows any   
fear4  ,the inhabitants of the ,city of 
the ,sun do not fear death1 because they
 all believe that the soul is immortal1 
and that when it has left the body it is
 associated with other spirits1 wicked  
or good1 according to the merits of this
 present life4 ,although they are partly
 followers of ,bramah and ,pythagoras1  
they do not believe in the              
transmigration of souls1 except in some 
cases1 by a distinct decree of ,god4    
,they do not abstain from injuring an   
enemy of the republic and of religion1  

who is unworthy of pity4 ,during the    
second month the army is reviewed1 and  
every day there is practice of arms1    
either in the cavalry plain or within   
the walls4 ,nor are they ever without   
lectures on the science of war4 ,they   
take care that the accounts of ,moses1  
of ,joshua1 of ,david1 of ,judas        
,maccabeus1 of ,csar1 of ,alexander1 of 
,scipio1 of ,hannibal1 and other great  
soldiers should be read4 ,and then each 
one gives his own opinion as to whether 
these generals acted well or ill1       
usefully or honourably1 and then the    
teacher answers and says who are right4 
,g4,m4 ,with whom do they wage war1 and 
for what reasons1 since they are so     
prosperous8  ,capt4 ,wars might never   
occur1 nevertheless they are exercised  
in military tactics and in hunting1 lest
 perchance they should become effeminate
 and unprepared for any emergency4      
,besides there are four kingdoms in the 
island1 which are very envious of their 
prosperity1 for this reason that the    

people desire to live after the manner  
of the inhabitants of the ,city of the  
,sun1 and to be under their rule rather 
than that of their own kings4 ,wherefore
 the state often makes war upon these   
because1 being neighbours1 they are     
usurpers and live impiously1 since they 
have not an object of worship and do not
 observe the religion of other nations  
or of the ,brahmins4 ,and other nations 
of ,india1 to which formerly they were  
subject1 rise up as it were in          
rebellion1 as also do the ,taprobanese1 
whom they wanted to join them at first4 
,the warriors of the ,city of the ,sun1 
however1 are always the victors4 ,as    
soon as they suffered from insult or    
disgrace or plunder1 or when their      
allies have been harassed1 or a people  
have been oppressed by a tyrant of the  
state 7for they are always the advocates
 of liberty71 they go immediately to the
 council for deliberation4 ,after they  
have knelt in the presence of ,god that 
,he might inspire their consultation1   

they proceed to examine the merits of   
the business1 and thus war is decided   
on4 ,immediately after a priest1 whom   
they call ,forensic1 is sent away4 ,he  
demands from the enemy the restitution  
of the plunder1 asks that the allies    
should be freed from oppression1 or that
 the tyrant should be deposed4 ,if they 
deny these things war is declared by    
invoking the vengeance of ,god--the ,god
 of ,sabaoth--for destruction of those  
who maintain an unjust cause4 ,but if   
the enemy refuse to reply1 the priest   
gives him the space of one hour for his 
answer1 if he is a king1 but three if it
 is a republic1 so that they cannot     
escape giving a response4 ,and in this  
manner is war undertaken against the    
insolent enemies of natural rights and  
of religion4 ,when war has been         
declared1 the deputy of ,power performs 
everything1 but ,power1 like the ,roman 
dictator1 plans and wills everything1 so
 that hurtful tardiness may be avoided4 
,and when anything of great moment      

arises he consults ,hoh and ,wisdom and 
,love4  ,before this1 however1 the      
occasion of war and the justice of      
making an expedition is declared by a   
herald in the great council4 ,all from  
twenty years and upwards are admitted to
 this council1 and thus the necessaries 
are agreed upon4 ,all kinds of weapons  
stand in the armories1 and these they   
use often in sham fights4 ,the exterior 
walls of each ring are full of guns     
prepared by their labours1 and they have
 other engines for hurling which are    
called cannons1 and which they take into
 battle upon mules and asses and        
carriages4 ,when they have arrived in an
 open plain they enclose in the middle  
the provisions1 engines of war1         
chariots1 ladders and machines and all  
fight courageously4 ,then each one      
returns to the standards1 and the enemy 
thinking that they are giving and       
preparing to flee1 are deceived and     
relax their order3 then the warriors of 
the ,city of the ,sun1 wheeling into    

wings and columns on each side1 regain  
their breath and strength1 and ordering 
the artillery to discharge their bullets
 they resume the fight against a        
disorganized host4 ,and they observe    
many ruses of this kind4 ,they overcome 
all mortals with their stratagems and   
engines4 ,their camp is fortified after 
the manner of the ,romans4 ,they pitch  
their tents and fortify with wall and   
ditch with wonderful quickness4 ,the    
masters of works1 of engines and hurling
 machines1 stand ready1 and the soldiers
 understand the use of the spade and the
 axe4  ,five1 eight1 or ten leaders     
learned in the order of battle and in   
strategy consult together concerning the
 business of war1 and command their     
bands after consultation4 ,it is their  
wont to take out with them a body of    
boys1 armed and on horses1 so that they 
may learn to fight1 just as the whelps  
of lions and wolves are accustomed to   
blood4 ,and these in time of danger     
betake themselves to a place of safety1 

along with many armed women4 ,after the 
battle the women and boys soothe and    
relieve the pain of the warriors1 and   
wait upon them and encourage them with  
embraces and pleasant words4 ,how       
wonderful a help is this6 ,for the      
soldiers1 in order that they may acquit 
themselves as sturdy men in the eyes of 
their wives and offspring1 endure       
hardships1 and so love makes them       
conquerors4 ,he who in the fight first  
scales the enemy's walls receives after 
the battle a crown of grass1 as a token 
of honour1 and at the presentation the  
women and boys applaud loudly2 that one 
who affords aid to an ally gets a civic 
crown of oak-leaves2 he who kills a     
tyrant dedicates his arms in the temple 
and receives from ,hoh the cognomen of  
his deed1 and other warriors obtain     
other kinds of crowns4 ,every           
horse-soldier carries a spear and two   
strongly tempered pistols1 narrow at the
 mouth1 hanging from his saddle4 ,and to
 get the barrels of their pistols narrow

 they pierce the metal which they intend
 to convert into arms4 ,further1 every  
cavalry soldier has a sword and a       
dagger4 ,but the rest1 who form the     
light-armed troops1 carry a metal       
cudgel4 ,for if the foe cannot pierce   
their metal for pistols and cannot make 
swords1 they attack him with clubs1     
shatter and overthrow him4 ,two chains  
of six spans length hang from the club1 
and at the end of these are iron balls1 
and when these aimed at the enemy they  
surround his neck and drag him to the   
ground2 and in order that they may be   
able to use the club more easily1 they  
do not hold the reins with their hands1 
but use them by means of the feet4 ,if  
perchance the reins are interchanged    
above the trappings of the saddle1 the  
ends are fastened to the stirrups with  
buckles and not to the feet4 ,and the   
stirrups have an arrangement for swift  
movement of the bridle1 so that they    
draw in or let out the rein with        
marvellous celerity4 ,with the right    

foot they turn the horse to the left and
 with the left to the right4 ,this      
secret1 moreover1 is not known to the   
,tartars4 ,for1 although they govern the
 reins with their feet1 they are        
ignorant nevertheless of turning them   
and drawing them in and letting them out
 by means of the block of the stirrups4 
,the light-armed cavalry with them are  
the first to engage in battle1 then the 
men forming the phalanx with their      
spears1 then the archers for whose      
services a great price is paid1 and who 
are accustomed to fight in lines        
crossing one another as the threads of  
cloth1 some rushing forward in their    
turn and others receding4 ,they have a  
band of lancers strengthening the line  
of battle1 but they make trial of the   
swords only at the end4  ,after the     
battle they celebrate the military      
triumphs after the manner of the        
,romans1 and even in a more magnificent 
way4 ,prayers by the way of             
thank-offerings are made to ,god1 and   

then the general presents himself in the
 temple1 and the deeds1 good and bad1   
are related by the poet or historian1   
who according to custom was with the    
expedition4 ,and the greatest chief1    
,hoh1 crowns the general with laurel and
 distributes little gifts and honours to
 all the valorous soldiers1 who are for 
some days free from public duties4 ,but 
this exemption from work is by no means 
pleasing to them1 since they know not   
what it is to be at leisure1 and so they
 help their companions4 ,on the other   
hand1 they who have been conquered      
through their own fault1 or have lost   
the victory1 are blamed2 and they who   
were the first to take to flight are in 
no way worthy to escape death1 unless   
when the whole army asks their lives1   
and each one takes upon himself a part  
of their punishment4 ,but this          
indulgence is rarely granted1 except    
when there are good reasons favouring   
it4 ,but he who did not bear help to an 
ally or friend is beaten with rods4     

,that one who did not obey orders is    
given to the beasts1 in an enclosure1 to
 be devoured1 and a staff is put in his 
hand1 and if he should conquer the lions
 and the bears that are there1 which is 
almost impossible1 he is received into  
favour again4 ,the conquered states or  
those willingly delivered up to them1   
forthwith have all things in common1 and
 receive a garrison and magistrates from
 the ,city of the ,sun1 and by degrees  
they are accustomed to the ways of the  
city1 the mistress of all1 to which they
 even send their sons to be taught      
without contributing anything for       
expense4  ,it would be too great trouble
 to tell you about the spies and their  
master1 and about the guards and laws   
and ceremonies1 both within and without 
the state1 which you can of yourself    
imagine4 ,since from childhood they are 
chosen according to their inclination   
and the star under which they were born1
 therefore each one working according to
 his natural propensity does his duty   

well and pleasantly1 because naturally4 
,the same things ,i may say concerning  
strategy and the other functions4       
,there are guards in the city by day and
 by night1 and they are placed at the   
four gates1 and outside the walls of the
 seventh ring1 above the breastworks and
 towers and inside mounds4 ,these places
 are guarded in the day by women1 in the
 night by men4 ,and lest the guard      
should become weary of watching1 and in 
case of a surprise1 they change them    
every three hours1 as is the custom with
 our soldiers4 ,at sunset1 when the drum
 and symphonia sound1 the armed guards  
are distributed4 ,cavalry and infantry  
make use of hunting as the symbol of    
war1 and practise games and hold        
festivities in the plains4 ,then the    
music strikes up1 and freely they pardon
 the offences and faults of the enemy1  
and after the victories they are kind to
 them1 if it has been decreed that they 
should destroy the walls of the enemy's 
city and take their lives4 ,all these   

things are done on the same day as the  
victory1 and afterwards they never cease
 to load the conquered with favours1 for
 they say that there ought to be no     
fighting1 except when the conquerors    
give up the conquered1 not when they    
kill them4 ,if there is a dispute among 
them concerning injury or any other     
matter 7for they themselves scarcely    
ever contend except in matters of       
honour71 the chief and his magistrates  
chastise the accused one secretly1 if he
 has done harm in deeds after he has    
been first angry4 ,if they wait until   
the time of the battle for the verbal   
decision1 they must give vent to their  
anger against the enemy1 and he who in  
battle shows the most daring deeds is   
considered to have defended the better  
and truer cause in the struggle1 and the
 other yields1 and they are punished    
justly4 ,nevertheless1 they are not     
allowed to come to single combat1 since 
right is maintained by the tribunal1 and
 because the unjust cause is often      

apparent when the more just succumbs1   
and he who professes to be the better   
man shows this in public fight4  ,g4,m4 
,this is worth while1 so that factions  
should not be cherished for the harm of 
the fatherland1 and so that civil wars  
might not occur1 for by means of these a
 tyrant often arises1 as the examples of
 ,rome and ,athens show4 ,now1 ,i pray  
you1 tell me of their works and matter  
connected therewith4  ,capt4 ,i believe 
that you have already heard about their 
military affairs and about their        
agricultural and pastoral life1 and in  
what way these are common to them1 and  
how they honour with the first grade of 
nobility whoever is considered1 to have 
a knowledge of these4 ,they who are     
skilful in more arts than these they    
consider still nobler1 and they set that
 one apart for teaching the art in which
 he is most skilful4 ,the occupations   
which require the most labour1 such as  
working in metals and building1 are the 
most praiseworthy amongst them4 ,no one 

declines to go to these occupations1 for
 the reason that from the beginning     
their propensities are well known1 and  
among them1 on account of the           
distribution of labour1 no one does work
 harmful to him1 but only that which is 
necessary for him4 ,the occupations     
entailing less labour belong to the     
women4 ,all of them are expected to know
 how to swim1 and for this reason ponds 
are dug outside the walls of the city   
and within them near to the fountains4  
,commerce is of little use to them1 but 
they know the value of money1 and they  
count for the use of their ambassadors  
and explorers1 so that with it they may 
have the means of living4 ,they receive 
merchants into their states from the    
different countries of the world1 and   
these buy the superfluous goods of the  
city4 ,the people of the ,city of the   
,sun refuse to take money1 but in       
importing they accept in exchange those 
things of which they are in need1 and   
sometimes they buy with money2 and the  

young people in the ,city of the ,sun   
are much amused when they see that for a
 small price they receive so many things
 in exchange4 ,the old men1 however1 do 
not laugh4 ,they are unwilling that the 
state should be corrupted by the vicious
 customs of slaves and foreigners4      
,therefore they do business at the      
gates1 and sell those whom they have    
taken in war or keep them for digging   
ditches and other hard work without the 
city1 and for this reason they always   
send four bands of soldiers to take care
 of the fields1 and with them there are 
the labourers4 ,they go out of the four 
gates from which roads with walls on    
both sides of them lead to the sea1 so  
that goods might easily be carried over 
them and foreigners might not meet with 
difficulty on their way4  ,to strangers 
they are kind and polite2 they keep them
 for three days at the public expense2  
after they have first washed their feet1
 they show them their city and its      
customs1 and they honour them with a    

seat at the council and public table1   
and there are men whose duty it is to   
take care of and guard the guests4 ,but 
if strangers should wish to become      
citizens of their state1 they try them  
first for a month on a farm1 and for    
another month in the city1 then they    
decide concerning them1 and admit them  
with certain ceremonies and oaths4      
,agriculture is much followed among     
them2 there is not a span of earth      
without cultivation1 and they observe   
the winds and propitious stars4 ,with   
the exception of a few left in the city 
all go out armed1 and with flags and    
drums and trumpets sounding1 to the     
fields1 for the purposes of ploughing1  
sowing1 digging1 hoeing1 reaping1       
gathering fruit and grapes2 and they set
 in order everything1 and do their work 
in a very few hours and with much care4 
,they use waggons fitted with sails     
which are borne along by the wind even  
when it is contrary1 by the marvellous  
contrivance of wheels within wheels4    

,and when there is no wind a beast draws
 along a huge cart1 which is a grand    
sight4  ,the guardians of the land move 
about in the meantime1 armed and always 
in their proper turn4 ,they do not use  
dung and filth for manuring the fields1 
thinking that the fruit contracts       
something of their rottenness1 and when 
eaten gives a short and poor            
subsistence1 as women who are beautiful 
with rouge and from want of exercise    
bring forth feeble offspring4 ,wherefore
 they do not as it were paint the earth1
 but dig it up well and use secret      
remedies1 so that fruit is borne quickly
 and multiplies1 and is not destroyed4  
,they have a book for this work1 which  
they call the ,georgics4 ,as much of the
 land as is necessary is cultivated1 and
 the rest is used for the pasturage of  
cattle4  ,the excellent occupation of   
breeding and rearing horses1 oxen1      
sheep1 dogs and all kinds of domestic   
and tame animals1 is in the highest     
esteem among them as it was in the time 

of ,abraham4 ,and the animals are led so
 to pair that they may be able to breed 
well4  ,fine pictures of oxen1 horses1  
sheep1 and other animals are placed     
before them4 ,they do not turn out      
horses with mares to feed1 but at the   
proper time they bring them together in 
an enclosure of the stables in their    
fields4 ,and this is done when they     
observe that the constellation ,archer  
is in favourable conjunction with ,mars 
and ,jupiter4 ,for the oxen they observe
 the ,bull1 for the sheep the ,ram1 and 
so on in accordance with art4 ,under the
 ,pleiades they keep a drove of hens and
 ducks and geese1 which are driven out  
by the women to feed near the city4 ,the
 women only do this when it is a        
pleasure to them4 ,there are also places
 enclosed1 where they make cheese1      
butter1 and milk-food4 ,they also keep  
capons1 fruit and other things1 and for 
all these matters there is a book which 
they call the ,bucolics4 ,they have an  
abundance of all things1 since every one

 likes to be industrious1 their labours 
being slight and profitable4 ,they are  
docile1 and that one among them who is  
head of the rest in duties of this kind 
they call king4 ,for they say that this 
is the proper name of the leaders1 and  
it does not belong to ignorant persons4 
,it is wonderful to see how men and     
women march together collectively1 and  
always in obedience to the voice of the 
king4 ,nor do they regard him with      
loathing as we do1 for they know that   
although he is greater than themselves1 
he is for all that their father and     
brother4 ,they keep groves and woods for
 wild animals1 and they often hunt4     
,the science of navigation is considered
 very dignified by them1 and they       
possess rafts and triremes1 which go    
over the waters without rowers or the   
force of the wind1 but by a marvellous  
contrivance4 ,and other vessels they    
have which are moved by the winds4 ,they
 have a correct knowledge of the stars1 
and of the ebb and flow of the tide4    

,they navigate for the sake of becoming 
acquainted with nations and different   
countries and things4 ,they injure      
nobody1 and they do not put up with     
injury1 and they never go to battle     
unless when provoked4 ,they assert that 
the whole earth will in time come to    
live in accordance with their customs1  
and consequently they always find out   
whether there be a nation whose manner  
of living is better and more approved   
than the rest4 ,they admire the         
,christian institutions and look for a  
realisation of the apostolic life in    
vogue among themselves and in us4 ,there
 are treaties between them and the      
,chinese1 and many other nations1 both  
insular and continental1 such as ,siam  
and ,calicut1 which they are only just  
able to explore4 ,furthermore1 they have
 artificial fires1 battles on sea and   
land1 and many strategic secrets4       
,therefore they are nearly always       
victorious4  ,g4,m4 ,now it would be    
very pleasant to learn with what foods  

and drinks they are nourished1 and in   
what way and for how long they live4    
,capt4 ,their food consists of flesh1   
butter1 honey1 cheese1 garden herbs1 and
 vegetables of various kinds4 ,they were
 unwilling at first to slay animals1    
because it seemed cruel2 but thinking   
afterwards that it was also cruel to    
destroy herbs which have a share of     
sensitive feeling1 they saw that they   
would perish from hunger unless they did
 an unjustifiable action for the sake of
 justifiable ones1 and so now they all  
eat meat4 ,nevertheless1 they do not    
kill willingly useful animals1 such as  
oxen and horses4 ,they observe the      
difference between useful and harmful   
foods1 and for this they employ the     
science of medicine4 ,they always change
 their food4 ,first they eat flesh1 then
 fish1 then afterwards they go back to  
flesh1 and nature is never incommoded or
 weakened4 ,the old people use the more 
digestible kind of food1 and take three 
meals a day1 eating only a little4 ,but 

the general community eat twice1 and the
 boys four times1 that they might       
satisfy nature4 ,the length of their    
lives is generally one hundred years1   
but often they reach two hundred4  ,as  
regards drinking1 they are extremely    
moderate4 ,wine is never given to young 
people until they are ten years old1    
unless the state of their health demands
 it4 ,after their tenth year they take  
it diluted with water1 and so do the    
women1 but the old men of fifty and     
upwards use little or no water4 ,they   
eat the most healthy things1 according  
to the time of the year4  ,they think   
nothing harmful which is brought forth  
by ,god1 except when there has been     
abuse by taking too much4 ,and therefore
 in the summer they feed on fruits1     
because they are moist and juicy and    
cool1 and counteract the heat and       
dryness4 ,in the winter they feed on dry
 articles1 and in the autumn they eat   
grapes1 since they are given by ,god to 
remove melancholy and sadness2 and they 

also make use of scents to a great      
degree4 ,in the morning1 when they have 
all risen they comb their hair and wash 
their faces and hands with cold water4  
,then they chew thyme or rock parsley or
 fennel1 or rub their hands with these  
plants4 ,the old men make incense1 and  
with their faces to the east repeat the 
short prayer which ,jesus ,christ taught
 us4 ,after this they go to wait upon   
the old men1 some go to the dance1 and  
others to the duties of the state4      
,later on they meet at the early        
lectures1 then in the temple1 then for  
bodily exercise4 ,then for a little     
while they sit down to rest1 and at     
length they go to dinner4  ,among them  
there is never gout in the hands or     
feet1 no catarrh1 nor sciatica1 nor     
grievous colics1 nor flatulency1 nor    
hard breathing4 ,for these diseases are 
caused by indigestion and flatulency1   
and by frugality and exercise they      
remove every humour and spasm4          
,wherefore it is unseemly in the extreme

 to be seen vomiting or spitting1 since 
they say that this is a sign either of  
little exercise or of ignoble sloth1 or 
of drunkenness or gluttony4 ,they suffer
 rather from swellings or from the dry  
spasm1 which they relieve with plenty of
 good and juicy food4 ,they heal fevers 
with pleasant baths and with milk-food1 
and with a pleasant habitation in the   
country and by gradual exercise4        
,unclean diseases cannot be prevalent   
with them because they often clean their
 bodies by bathing in wine1 and soothe  
them with aromatic oil1 and by the sweat
 of exercise they diffuse the poisonous 
vapour which corrupts the blood and the 
marrow4 ,they do suffer a little from   
consumption1 because they cannot        
perspire at the breast1 but they never  
have asthma1 for the humid nature of    
which a heavy man is required4 ,they    
cure hot fevers with cold potations of  
water1 but slight ones with sweet       
smells1 with cheese-bread or sleep1 with
 music or dancing4 ,tertiary fevers are 

cured by bleeding1 by rhubarb or by a   
similar drawing remedy1 or by water     
soaked in the roots of plants1 with     
purgative and sharp-tasting qualities4  
,but it is rarely that they take        
purgative medicines4 ,fevers occurring  
every fourth day are cured easily by    
suddenly startling the unprepared       
patients1 and by means of herbs         
producing effects opposite to the       
humours of this fever4 ,all these       
secrets they told me in opposition to   
their own wishes4 ,they take more       
diligent pains to cure the lasting      
fevers1 which they fear more1 and they  
strive to counteract these by the       
observation of stars and of plants1 and 
by prayers to ,god4 ,fevers recurring   
every fifth1 sixth1 eighth or more days1
 you never find whenever heavy humours  
are wanting4  ,they use baths1 and      
moreover they have warm ones according  
to the ,roman custom1 and they make use 
also of olive oil4 ,they have found out1
 too1 a great many secret cures for the 

preservation of cleanliness and health4 
,and in other ways they labour to cure  
the epilepsy1 with which they are often 
troubled4  ,g4,m4 ,a sign this disease  
is of wonderful cleverness1 for from it 
,hercules1 ,scotus1 ,socrates1          
,callimachus1 and ,mahomet have         
suffered4  ,capt4 ,they cure by means of
 prayers to heaven1 by strengthening the
 head1 by acids1 by planned gymnastics1 
and with fat cheese-bread sprinkled with
 the flour of wheaten corn4 ,they are   
very skilled in making dishes1 and in   
them they put spice1 honey1 butter and  
many highly strengthening spices1 and   
they temper their richness with acids1  
so that they never vomit4 ,they do not  
drink ice-cold drinks nor artificial hot
 drinks1 as the ,chinese do2 for they   
are not without aid against the humours 
of the body1 on account of the help they
 get from the natural heat of the water2
 but they strengthen it with crushed    
garlic1 with vinegar1 with wild thyme1  
with mint1 and with basil1 in the summer

 or in time of special heaviness4 ,they 
know also a secret for renovating life  
after about the seventieth year1 and for
 ridding it of affliction1 and this they
 do by a pleasing and indeed wonderful  
art4  ,g4,m4 ,thus far you have said    
nothing concerning their sciences and   
magistrates4  ,capt4 ,undoubtedly ,i    
have4 ,but since you are so curious ,i  
will add more4 ,both when it is new moon
 and full moon they call a council after
 a sacrifice4 ,to this all from twenty  
years upwards are admitted1 and each one
 is asked separately to say what is     
wanting in the state1 and which of the  
magistrates have discharged their duties
 rightly and which wrongly4 ,then after 
eight days all the magistrates assemble1
 to wit1 ,hoh first1 and with him       
,power1 ,wisdom and ,love4 ,each one of 
the three last has three magistrates    
under him1 making in all thirteen1 and  
they consider the affairs of the arts   
pertaining to each one of them2 ,power1 
of war2 ,wisdom1 of the sciences2 ,love1

 of food1 clothing1 education and       
breeding4 ,the masters of all the bands1
 who are captains of tens1 of fifties1  
of hundreds1 also assemble1 the women   
first and then the men4 ,they argue     
about those things which are for the    
welfare of the state1 and they choose   
the magistrates from among those who    
have already been named in the great    
council4 ,in this manner they assemble  
daily1 ,hoh and his three princes1 and  
they correct1 confirm and execute the   
matters passing to them1 as decisions in
 the elections2 other necessary         
questions they provide of themselves4   
,they do not use lots unless when they  
are altogether doubtful how to decide4  
,the eight magistrates under ,hoh1      
,power1 ,wisdom and ,love are changed   
according to the wish of the people1 but
 the first four are never changed1      
unless they1 taking counsel with        
themselves1 give up the dignity of one  
to another1 whom among them they know to
 be wiser1 more renowned1 and more      

nearly perfect4 ,and then they are      
obedient and honourable1 since they     
yield willingly to the wiser man and are
 taught by him4 ,this1 however1 rarely  
happens4 ,the principals of the         
sciences1 except ,metaphysics1 who is   
,hoh himself1 and is as it were the     
architect of all science1 having rule   
over all1 are attached to ,wisdom4 ,hoh 
is ashamed to be ignorant of any        
possible thing4 ,under ,wisdom therefore
 is ,grammar1 ,logic1 ,physics1         
,medicine1 ,astrology1 ,astronomy1      
,geometry1 ,cosmography1 ,music1        
,perspective1 ,arithmetic1 ,poetry1     
,rhetoric1 ,painting1 ,sculpture4 ,under
 the triumvir ,love are ,breeding1      
,agriculture1 ,education1 ,medicine1    
,clothing1 ,pasturage1 ,coining4  ,g4,m4
 ,what about their judges8  ,capt4 ,this
 is the point ,i was just thinking of   
explaining4 ,everyone is judged by the  
first master of his trade1 and thus all 
the head artificers are judges4 ,they   
punish with exile1 with flogging1 with  

blame1 with deprivation of the common   
table1 with exclusion from the church   
and from the company of women4 ,when    
there is a case in which great injury   
has been done1 it is punished with      
death1 and they repay an eye with an    
eye1 a nose for a nose1 a tooth for a   
tooth1 and so on1 according to the law  
of retaliation4 ,if the offence is      
wilful the council decides4 ,when there 
is strife and it takes place            
undesignedly1 the sentence is mitigated2
 nevertheless1 not by the judge but by  
the triumvirate1 from whom even it may  
be referred to ,hoh1 not on account of  
justice but of mercy1 for ,hoh is able  
to pardon4 ,they have no prisons1 except
 one tower for shutting up rebellious   
enemies1 and there is no written        
statement of a case1 which we commonly  
call a lawsuit4 ,but the accusation and 
witnesses are produced in the presence  
of the judge and ,power2 the accused    
person makes his defence1 and he is     
immediately acquitted or condemned by   

the judge2 and if he appeals to the     
triumvirate1 on the following day he is 
acquitted of condemned4 ,on the third   
day he is dismissed through the mercy   
and clemency of ,hoh1 or receives the   
inviolable rigour of his sentence4 ,an  
accused person is reconciled to his     
accuser and to his witnesses1 as it     
were1 with the medicine of his          
complaint1 that is1 with embracing and  
kissing4 ,no one is killed or stoned    
unless by the hands of the people1 the  
accuser and the witnesses beginning     
first4 ,for they have no executioners   
and lictors1 lest the state should sink 
into ruin4 ,the choice of death is given
 to the rest of the people1 who enclose 
the lifeless remains in little bags and 
burn them by the application of fire1   
while exhorters are present for the     
purpose of advising concerning a good   
death4 ,nevertheless1 the whole nation  
laments and beseeches ,god that ,his    
anger may be appeased1 being in grief   
that it should as it were have to cut   

off a rotten member of the state4       
,certain officers talk to and convince  
the accused man by means of arguments   
until he himself acquiesces in the      
sentence of death passed upon him1 or   
else he does not die4 ,but if a crime   
has been committed against the liberty  
of the republic1 or against ,god1 or    
against the supreme magistrates1 there  
is immediate censure without pity4      
,these only are punished with death4 ,he
 who is about to die is compelled to    
state in the presence of the people and 
with religious scrupulousness the       
reasons for which he does not deserve   
death1 and also the sins of the others  
who ought to die instead of him1 and    
further the mistakes of the magistrates4
 ,if1 moreover1 it should seem right to 
the person thus asserting1 he must say  
why the accused ones are deserving of   
less punishment than he4 ,and if by his 
arguments he gains the victory he is    
sent into exile1 and appeases the state 
by means of prayers and sacrifices and  

good life ensuing4 ,they do not torture 
those named by the accused person1 but  
they warn them4 ,sins of frailty and    
ignorance are punished only with        
blaming1 and with compulsory            
continuation as learners under the law  
and discipline of those sciences or arts
 against which they have sinned4 ,and   
all these things they have mutually     
among themselves1 since they seem to be 
in very truth members of the same body1 
and one of another4  ,this further ,i   
would have you know1 that if a          
transgressor1 without waiting to be     
accused1 goes of his own accord before a
 magistrate1 accusing himself and       
seeking to make amends1 that one is     
liberated from the punishment of a      
secret crime1 and since he has not been 
accused of such a crime1 his punishment 
is changed into another4 ,they take     
special care that no one should invent  
slander1 and if this should happen they 
meet the offence with the punishment of 
retaliation4 ,since they always walk    

about and work in crowds1 five witnesses
 are required for the conviction of a   
transgressor4 ,if the case is otherwise1
 after having threatened him1 he is     
released after he has sworn an oath as  
the warrant of good conduct4 ,or if he  
is accused a second or third time1 his  
increased punishment rests on the       
testimony of three or two witnesses4    
,they have but few laws1 and these short
 and plain1 and written upon a flat     
table1 and hanging to the doors of the  
temple1 that is between the columns4    
,and on single columns can be seen the  
essences of things described in the very
 terse style of ,metaphysics--viz41 the 
essences of ,god1 of the angels1 of the 
world1 of the stars1 of man1 of fate1 of
 virtue1 all done with great wisdom4    
,the definitions of all the virtues are 
also delineated here1 and here is the   
tribunal1 where the judges of all the   
virtues have their seat4 ,the definition
 of a certain virtue is written under   
that column where the judges for the    

aforesaid virtue sit1 and when a judge  
gives judgment he sits and speaks thus3 
,o son1 thou hast sinned against this   
sacred definition of beneficence1 or of 
magnanimity1 or of another virtue1 as   
the case may be4 ,and after discussion  
the judge legally condemns him to the   
punishment for the crime of which he is 
accused--viz41 for injury for           
despondency1 for pride1 for ingratitude1
 for sloth1 c4 ,but the sentences are   
certain and true correctives1 savouring 
more of clemency than of actual         
punishment4  ,g4,m4 ,now you ought to   
tell me about their priests1 their      
sacrifices1 their religion1 and their   
belief4  ,capt4 ,the chief priest is    
,hoh1 and it is the duty of all the     
superior magistrates to pardon sins4    
,therefore the whole state by secret    
confession1 which we also use1 tell     
their sins to the magistrates1 who at   
once purge their souls and teach those  
that are inimical to the people4 ,then  
the sacred magistrates themselves       

confess their own sinfulness to the     
three supreme chiefs1 and together they 
confess the faults of one another1      
though no special one is named1 and they
 confess especially the heavier faults  
and those harmful to the state4 ,at     
length the triumvirs confess their      
sinfulness to ,hoh himself1 who         
forthwith recognizes the kinds of sins  
that are harmful to the state1 and      
succours with timely remedies4 ,then he 
offers sacrifices and prayers to ,god4  
,and before this he confesses the sins  
of the whole people1 in the presence of 
,god1 and publicly in the temple1 above 
the altar1 as often as it had been      
necessary that the fault should be      
corrected4 ,nevertheless1 no            
transgressor is spoken of by his name4  
,in this manner he absolves the people  
by advising them that they should beware
 of sins of the aforesaid kind4         
,afterwards he offers sacrifice to ,god1
 that ,he should pardon the state and   
absolve it of its sins1 and to teach and

 defend it4 ,once in every year the     
chief priests of each separate          
subordinate state confess their sins in 
the presence of ,hoh4 ,thus he is not   
ignorant of the wrong-doings of the     
provinces1 and forthwith he removes them
 with all human and heavenly remedies4  
,sacrifice is conducted after the       
following manner3 ,hoh asks the people  
which one among them wishes to give     
himself as a sacrifice to ,god for the  
sake of his fellows4 ,he is then placed 
upon the fourth table1 with ceremonies  
and the offering up of prayers3 the     
table is hung up in a wonderful manner  
by means of four ropes passing through  
four cords attached to firm             
pulley-blocks in the small dome of the  
temple4 ,this done they cry to the ,god 
of mercy1 that ,he may accept the       
offering1 not of a beast as among the   
heathen1 but of a human being4 ,then    
,hoh orders the ropes to be drawn and   
the sacrifice is pulled up above to the 
centre of the small dome1 and there it  

dedicates itself with the most fervent  
supplications4 ,food is given to it     
through a window by the priests1 who    
live around the dome1 but it is allowed 
a very little to eat1 until it has      
atoned for the sins of the state4 ,there
 with prayer and fasting he cries to the
 ,god of heaven that ,he might accept   
its willing offering4 ,and after twenty 
or thirty days1 the anger of ,god being 
appeased1 the sacrifice becomes a       
priest1 or sometimes1 though rarely1    
returns below by means of the outer way 
for the priests4 ,ever after this man is
 treated with great benevolence and much
 honour1 for the reason that he offered 
himself unto death for the sake of his  
country4 ,but ,god does not require     
death4 ,the priests above twenty-four   
years of age offer praises from their   
places in the top of the temple4 ,this  
they do in the middle of the night1 at  
noon1 in the morning and in the evening1
 to wit1 four times a day they sing     
their chants in the presence of ,god4   

,it is also their work to observe the   
stars and to note with the astrolabe    
their motions and influences upon human 
things1 and to find out their powers4   
,thus they know in what part of the     
earth any change has been or will be1   
and at what time it has taken place1 and
 they send to find whether the matter be
 as they have it4 ,they make a note of  
predictions1 true and false1 so that    
they may be able from experience to     
predict most correctly4 ,the priests1   
moreover1 determine the hours for       
breeding and the days for sowing1       
reaping1 and gathering the vintage1 and 
are as it were the ambassadors and      
intercessors and connection between ,god
 and man4 ,and it is from among them    
mostly that ,hoh is elected4 ,they write
 very learned treatises and search into 
the sciences4 ,below they never descend1
 unless for their dinner and supper1 so 
that the essence of their heads do not  
descend to the stomachs and liver4 ,only
 very seldom1 and that as a cure for the

 ills of solitude1 do they have converse
 with women4 ,on certain days ,hoh goes 
up to them and deliberates with them    
concerning the matters which he has     
lately investigated for the benefit of  
the state and all the nations of the    
world4  ,in the temple beneath one      
priest always stands near the altar     
praying for the people1 and at the end  
of every hour another succeeds him1 just
 as we are accustomed in solemn prayer  
to change every fourth hour4 ,and this  
method of supplication they call        
perpetual prayer4 ,after a meal they    
return thanks to ,god4 ,then they sing  
the deeds of the ,christian1 ,jewish1   
and ,gentile heroes1 and of those of all
 other nations1 and this is very        
delightful to them4 ,forsooth1 no one is
 envious of another4 ,they sing a hymn  
to ,love1 one to ,wisdom1 and one each  
to all the other virtues1 and this they 
do under the direction of the ruler of  
each virtue4 ,each one takes the woman  
he loves most1 and they dance for       

exercise with propriety and stateliness 
under the peristyles4 ,the women wear   
their long hair all twisted together and
 collected into one knot on the crown of
 the head1 but in rolling it they leave 
one curl4 ,the men1 however1 have one   
curl only and the rest of their hair    
around the head is shaven off4 ,further1
 they wear a slight covering1 and above 
this a round hat a little larger than   
the size of their head4 ,in the fields  
they use caps1 but at home each one     
wears a biretto white1 red1 or another  
colour according to his trade or        
occupation4 ,moreover1 the magistrates  
use grander and more imposing-looking   
coverings for the head4  ,they hold     
great festivities when the sun enters   
the four cardinal points of the heavens1
 that is1 when he enters ,cancer1       
,libra1 ,capricorn1 and ,aries4 ,on     
these occasions they have very learned1 
splendid1 and as it were comic          
performances4 ,they celebrate also every
 full and every new moon with a         

festival1 as also they do the           
anniversaries of the founding of the    
city1 and of the days when they have won
 victories or done any other great      
achievement4 ,the celebrations take     
place with the music of female voices1  
with the noise of trumpets and drums1   
and the firing of salutations4 ,the     
poets sing the praises of the most      
renowned leaders and the victories4     
,nevertheless1 if any of them should    
deceive even by disparaging a foreign   
hero1 he is punished4 ,no one can       
exercise the function of a poet who     
invents that which is not true1 and a   
license like this they think to be a    
pest of our world1 for the reason that  
it puts a premium upon virtue and often 
assigns it to unworthy persons1 either  
from fear or flattery1 or ambition or   
avarice4 ,for the praise of no one is a 
statue erected until after his death2   
but whilst he is alive1 who has found   
out new arts and very useful secrets1 or
 who has rendered great service to the  

state either at home or on the          
battle-field1 his name is written in the
 book of heroes4 ,they do not bury dead 
bodies1 but burn them1 so that a plague 
may not arise from them1 and so that    
they may be converted into fire1 a very 
noble and powerful thing1 which has its 
coming from the sun and returns to it4  
,and for the above reasons no chance is 
given for idolatry4 ,the statues and    
pictures of the heroes1 however1 are    
there1 and the splendid women set apart 
to become mothers often look at them4   
,prayers are made from the state to the 
four horizontal corners of the world4   
,in the morning to the rising sun1 then 
to the setting sun1 then to the south1  
and lastly to the north2 and in the     
contrary order in the evening1 first to 
the setting sun1 to the rising sun1 to  
the north1 and at length to the south4  
,they repeat but one prayer1 which asks 
for health of body and of mind1 and     
happiness for themselves and all people1
 and they conclude it with the petition 

,as it seems best to ,god4 ,the public  
prayer for all is long1 and it is poured
 forth to heaven4 ,for this reason the  
altar is round and is divided crosswise 
by ways at right angles to one another4 
,by these ways ,hoh enters after he has 
repeated the four prayers1 and he prays 
looking up to heaven4 ,and then a great 
mystery is seen by them4 ,the priestly  
vestments are of a beauty and meaning   
like to those of ,aaron4 ,they resemble 
,nature and they surpass ,art4  ,they   
divide the seasons according to the     
revolution of the sun1 and not of the   
stars1 and they observe yearly by how   
much time the one precedes the other4   
,they hold that the sun approaches      
nearer and nearer1 and therefore by     
ever-lessening circles reaches the      
tropics and the equator every year a    
little sooner4 ,they measure months by  
the course of the moon1 years by that of
 the sun4 ,they praise ,ptolemy1 admire 
,copernicus1 but place ,aristarchus and 
,philolaus before him4 ,they take great 

pains in endeavouring to understand the 
construction of the world1 and whether  
or not it will perish1 and at what time4
 ,they believe that the true oracle of  
,jesus ,christ is by the signs in the   
sun1 in the moon1 and in the stars1     
which signs do not thus appear to many  
of us foolish ones4 ,therefore they wait
 for the renewing of the age1 and       
perchance for its end4 ,they say that it
 is very doubtful whether the world was 
made from nothing1 or from the ruins of 
other worlds1 or from chaos1 but they   
certainly think that it was made1 and   
did not exist from eternity4 ,therefore 
they disbelieve in ,aristotle1 whom they
 consider a logician and not a          
philosopher4 ,from analogies1 they can  
draw many arguments against the eternity
 of the world4 ,the sun and the stars   
they1 so to speak1 regard as the living 
representatives and signs of ,god1 as   
the temples and holy living altars1 and 
they honour but do not worship them4    
,beyond all other things they venerate  

the sun1 but they consider no created   
thing worthy the adoration of worship4  
,this they give to ,god alone1 and thus 
they serve ,him1 that they may not come 
into the power of a tyrant and fall into
 misery by undergoing punishment by     
creatures of revenge4 ,they contemplate 
and know ,god under the image of the    
,sun1 and they call it the sign of ,god1
 ,his face and living image1 by means of
 which light1 heat1 life1 and the making
 of all things good and bad proceeds4   
,therefore they have built an altar like
 to the ,sun in shape1 and the priests  
praise ,god in the sun and in the stars1
 as it were ,his altars1 and in the     
heavens1 ,his temple as it were2 and    
they pray to good angels1 who are1 so to
 speak1 the intercessors living in the  
stars1 their strong abodes4 ,for ,god   
long since set signs of their beauty in 
heaven1 and of ,his glory in the ,sun4  
,they say there is but one heaven1 and  
that the planets move and rise of       
themselves when they approach the sun or

 are in conjunction with it4  ,they     
assert two principles of the physics of 
things below1 namely1 that the ,sun is  
the father1 and the ,earth the mother2  
the air is an impure part of the        
heavens2 all fire is derived from the   
sun4 ,the sea is the sweat of earth1 or 
the fluid of earth combusted1 and fused 
within its bowels2 but is the bond of   
union between air and earth1 as the     
blood is of the spirit and flesh of     
animals4 ,the world is a great animal1  
and we live within it as worms live     
within us4 ,therefore we do not belong  
to the system of stars1 sun1 and earth1 
but to ,god only2 for in respect to them
 which seek only to amplify themselves1 
we are born and live by chance2 but in  
respect to ,god1 whose instruments we   
are1 we are formed by prescience and    
design1 and for a high end4 ,therefore  
we are bound to no ,father but ,god1 and
 receive all things from ,him4 ,they    
hold as beyond question the immortality 
of souls1 and that these associate with 

good angels after death1 or with bad    
angels1 according as they have likened  
themselves in this life to either4 ,for 
all things seek their like4 ,they differ
 little from us as to places of reward  
and punishment4 ,they are in doubt      
whether there are other worlds beyond   
ours1 and account it madness to say     
there is nothing4 ,nonentity is         
incompatible with the infinite entity of
 ,god4 ,they lay down two principles of 
metaphysics1 entity which is the highest
 ,god1 and nothingness which is the     
defect of entity4 ,evil and sin come of 
the propensity to nothingness2 the sin  
having its cause not efficient1 but in  
deficiency4 ,deficiency is1 they say1 of
 power1 wisdom or will4 ,sin they place 
in the last of these three1 because he  
who knows and has the power to do good  
is bound also to have the will1 for will
 arises out of them4 ,they worship ,god 
in ,trinity1 saying ,god is the supreme 
,power1 whence proceeds the highest     
,wisdom1 which is the same with ,god1   

and from these comes ,love1 which is    
both ,power and ,wisdom2 but they do not
 distinguish persons by name1 as in our 
,christian law1 which has not been      
revealed to them4 ,this religion1 when  
its abuses have been removed1 will be   
the future mistress of the world1 as    
great theologians teach and hope4       
,therefore ,spain found the ,new ,world 
7though its first discoverer1 ,columbus1
 greatest of heroes1 was a ,genoese71   
that all nations should be gathered     
under one law4 ,we know not what we do1 
but ,god knows1 whose instruments we    
are4 ,they sought new regions for lust  
of gold and riches1 but ,god works to a 
higher end4 ,the sun strives to burn up 
the earth1 not to produce plants and    
men1 but ,god guides the battle to great
 issues4 ,his the praise1 to ,him the   
glory6  ,g4,m4 ,oh1 if you knew what our
 astrologers say of the coming age1 and 
of our age1 that has in it more history 
within a hundred years than all the     
world had in four thousand years before6

 ,of the wonderful invention of printing
 and guns1 and the use of the magnet1   
and how it all comes of ,mercury1 ,mars1
 the ,moon1 and the ,scorpion6  ,capt4  
,ah1 well6 ,god gives all in ,his good  
time4 ,they astrologize too much4     ,a
 ,,fragment ,,of  ,,joseph ,,hall',s    
,,mundus ,,alter ,,et ,,idem  7,,the    
,,other-,,and ,,same ,,world7           
,,translated ,,by  ,,dr4 ,,william      
,,king4     ,,introductory ,,sketch4    
,joseph ,hall was born at ,bristow      
,park1 by ,ashby-de-la-,zouch1 in the   
year #aegd1 and educated at ,emmanuel   
,college1 ,cambridge4 ,in #aeig he      
published three books1 and in #aeih     
three more books1 of ,satires1          
,virgidemiarum1 ,six ,bookes4 ,these    
satires1 with others published about the
 same time by ,marlowe and ,marston1    
were burnt by order of ,whitgift1       
,archbishop of ,canterbury1 who had no  
relish for that kind of writing4 ,nine  
years later1 in the year #afjg1 at the  
age of thirty-two1 ,hall published the  

satire now to be described4 ,he was a   
witty and an earnest man1 who rose to   
honour in the ,church1 became           
successively ,bishop of ,exeter and of  
,norwich2 as ,bishop of ,norwich was in 
controversy with ,john ,milton on       
,church ,discipline2 suffered patiently 
imprisonment and persecution from the   
,puritans2 and closed an honourable life
 of more than fourscore years in #afef4 
,he has been called by some the         
,christian ,seneca4  ,his early work1   
the ,mundus ,alter et ,idem1 represents 
an ideal world divided into regions     
answering to man's chief weaknesses or  
vices4 ,he gave with it a map of its    
,crapulia1 ,latronia1 c41 fully peopled1
 with a neighbouring land in which there
 are no signs of settlement1 ,terra     
,sancta1 ignota etiam adhuc1 the ,holy  
,land1 even yet unknown4  ,joseph       
,hall's new world is also figured as an 
,austral ,continent4 ,they are good     
travellers1 he says1 who tell what they 
have seen in known lands1 but he is a   

better who not only travels but is      
himself the maker of the lands he       
travels through4 ,he chose his day1 and 
went aboard the good ship ,phantasy1    
quitted harbour1 sailed away1 reached in
 two years the ,fortunate ,isles1 and1  
leaving the shores of ,africa behind    
him1 came in sight of the black headland
 of ,crapulia4  ,here ,introduction ends
 and ,travel begins with the part partly
 translated by ,dr4 ,king3 ,crapulia1   
named from ,crapula1 is the ,land of    
,inebriate ,excess1 and its two         
provinces1 ,pamphagonia and ,yvronia1   
mean by their names the provinces of    
,omnivorous ,gluttony and ,drunkenness4 
,dr4 ,king has translated six chapters1 
and begun the seventh1 which is upon the
 wars of the ,pamphagonians1 to which   
they march forth armed with spits and   
two-pronged forks and heavy ribs of     
beef4 ,in their free city1 ,ucalegon1   
built near the borders of ,moronia1 the 
citizens live happy as monks4 ,they are 
so well shut in by high rocks that they 

can laugh at enemies1 and through a     
hollow in the rocks with softest pace   
creeps the river ,oysivius 7the ,idle74 
,there is only one way up1 their rocks  
for the inhabitants1 and that is not by 
zigzag steps1 but by a rope and basket4 
,birds wholly peculiar to the place     
supply food by being themselves eatable1
 and by the great multitude of their    
eggs1 and by the loads of fish they     
bring into their nests to feed their    
young4 ,the citizens make to themselves 
also beds of the soft feathers of these 
birds4 ,this valley yields to the people
 of ,ucalegon everything except what    
they don't care for4 ,they are free1    
therefore1 to sup1 sleep1 rise1 dine1   
and lie down4  ,husbandry1 as among the 
old ,egyptians1 consists chiefly in     
feeding pigs1 for the husbandmen wait on
 the rich4 ,one1 with a gentle touch1   
opens the richer man's eyes when he     
wakes2 another fans him with a flapper  
while he eats2 another puts bits into   
his mouth when it opens4 ,there are two 

cities under ,ucalegon1 ,livona and     
,roncara 7,snort and ,snore71 which have
 like privileges1 except that here the  
inhabitants are almost always asleep1   
and fatten wonderfully4  ,these are     
among the laws of ,crapulia3--,it is a  
crime to drink alone4 ,whoever has      
defrauded ,nature by fasting four hours 
after sleep shall be compelled to sup4  
,when the mouth is full it is enough to 
answer questions by holding out a       
finger4 ,what cook soever shall treat   
food so that it cannot be eaten1 shall  
be tied to a stake beside which is hung 
meat half raw or half burnt1 and shall  
remain so tied until somebody comes who 
will eat that meat4  ,no coin of metal  
is current in ,crapulia1 but they make  
payment in kind4 ,thus two sparrows are 
one starling1 two starlings are one     
fieldfare1 two fieldfares one hen1 two  
hens one goose1 two geese one lamb1 two 
lambs one kid1 two kids one goat1 two   
goats one cow1 and so forth4  ,the next 
chapter is on the ,religion of the      

,crapulians4 ,they hate ,jove because   
his thunder turns the wine sour and he  
spoils ripe fruit by raining on it4     
,their ,god is ,time1 who eats          
everything4  ,but ,i hasten1 says the   
traveller1 to the palace of the ,grand  
,duke1 whither ,i was happily led by my 
genius4 ,the first ,duke must have been 
as large as the man two of whose teeth  
were dug up at ,cambridge1 each as big  
as a man's head4 ,on his tomb is an     
inscription4 ,i ,omasius1 ,duke of      
,fagonia1 ,lord1 ,victor1 ,prince and   
,god lie here4 ,no man shall say ,i     
starved1 shall pass by fasting1 or      
salute me sober4 ,let him be my heir who
 can1 my subject who will1 my enemy who 
dares4 ,farewell and ,fatten4  ,after a 
description of the ,island of ,hunger1  
the traveller passes from ,pamphagonia  
to ,yvronia1 the other province of      
,crapulia4  ,these are among the laws of
 ,yvronia3--,a cup must be either full  
or empty4 ,whoever takes or returns a   
cup half empty shall be guilty of lse   

societ4 ,the sober man who hurts a      
drunkard1 shall be cut off from wine for
 ever3 if he kill a drunkard1 he shall  
die by thirst4 ,to walk from supper in a
 right line shall be criminal4 ,he who  
adds water to wine shall be degraded to 
the table of the dogs4  ,yvronia having 
been described in seven chapters1 the   
traveller in this ,other-and-,same      
,world passes on to ,viraginia1 the land
 of the ,viragoes4 ,this is ,gynia      
,nova1 miswritten ,new ,guinea4 ,the    
chief of its many provinces is          
,linguadocia1 in which ,garrula is one  
of the famous cities4 ,in ,viraginia the
 traveller was at once made prisoner1   
but permitted to see the land after he  
had subscribed to certain articles1 as1 
,that in word or deed he would work no  
ill to the nobler sex2 ,that he would   
never interpose a word when a woman was 
speaking2 ,that wherever he might be he 
would concede domestic rule to the      
woman2 ,that he would never deny to a   
wife any ornament of dress she looked   

at4  ,as to its form of government1 the 
state seemed to be a democracy1 in which
 all governed and none obeyed4 ,they    
settled affairs at public meetings1 in  
which all spoke and none listened2 and  
they had a perpetual ,parliament4  ,the 
men in ,viraginia are subject to the    
women4 ,when a wife leaves her house for
 any reason1 she places the care of her 
husband under any other woman of the    
household until she returns4 ,a husband 
who survives his wife1 is married at    
once to his wife's maid1 or goes into   
bondage to the nearest mother of a      
family1 because it is not permitted that
 any man shall become master in his own 
house4  ,the women sit while the men    
serve1 sleep when the men are roused to 
get up1 scold them when they complain1  
and beat them4 ,that day is worthy to be
 marked with a white stone to which men 
can say good-bye with a whole skin4     
,contrary to the custom with us1 the    
women in ,viraginia cut their hair and  
let their nails grow4 ,some of them also

 practise with profit the gymnastic art1
 so that they can make beautiful use of 
teeth1 nails1 and heels4 ,a nobler and  
more cleanly polished place is not to be
 seen than ,viraginia1 where everything 
is washed1 cooked and cared for by the  
men1 and there is nothing unbecoming but
 the garments of the men themselves4    
,the next land to be visited was        
,moronia1 ,foolsland1 the vastest1 the  
most uncultivated and the most populous 
of all these countries4 ,to the east is 
,variana or ,moronia ,mobilis1 to the   
north is ,moronia ,aspera1 to the south 
,moronia ,felix1 and to the west        
,moronia ,pia4 ,the people are1 nearly  
all of them1 tall and fat1 with palish  
hair1 prominent lips1 and very thick    
ears4 ,in midwinter they go with their  
chests open1 and the rest of the body   
lightly clothed1 that the warmth may    
enter the more readily1 and the cold go 
out of them2 but in summer they put on  
thick overcoats and cloaks1 and all the 
clothes they have1 to shut out the heat4

 ,they shave their heads1 either because
 they remember that they were born bald1
 or to allay the heat of the brain1 or  
because the hair comes between the brain
 and heaven1 and checks the freedom of  
the mind in going heavenward4           
,provinces1 towns and people of ,moronia
 having been visited and fully          
described1 the traveller through this   
,other-and-,same ,world then proceeds to
 describe ,lavernia1 the ,land of       
,thieves and ,cheats1 who obtain great  
part of their plunder from ,moronia4 ,in
 this land the ,larcinians require much 
attention4 ,and at the end of all1 adds 
,joseph ,hall1 ,these men1 these        
manners1 these cities ,i have seen1 have
 marvelled at1 have laughed at1 and at  
last1 broken by the toils of so great a 
journey1 have returned to my own land4  
,,peregrinus1 ,,quondam ,,academicus4   
,dr4 ,william ,king was born in the year
 #affc1 son of ,ezekiel ,king1 a        
gentleman of ,london4 ,he was educated  
at ,westminster ,school and ,christ     

,church1 ,oxford4 ,he early inherited a 
fair estate1 took his ,master of ,arts  
degree in #afhh1 and began his career as
 writer with a refutation of attacks    
upon ,wiclif in the ,history of ,heresy1
 by ,m4 ,varillas4 ,he then chose law   
for a profession1 in #afib graduated as 
,,ll4,d41 and was admitted an ,advocate 
at ,doctor's ,commons4 ,he kept a light 
heart and a lighter purse than beseemed 
one of his fraternity1 publishing       
playful satires1 at times showing an    
earnest mind under his mirth4 ,in or    
soon after the year #agjb ,dr4 ,king    
went to ,ireland as judge of the ,high  
,court of ,admiralty1 sole ,commissioner
 of the ,prizes1 ,vicar-,general to the 
,lord ,primate1 and ,keeper of the      
,records in ,birmingham's ,tower1 in    
which office he was succeeded in #agjh  
by ,joseph ,addison4 ,dr4 ,king1 who had
 not increased his credit for a love of 
work1 returned to ,london about that    
time1 and following his own way of mirth
 began publishing ,useful ,transactions 

in ,philosophy and other sorts of       
learning4 ,in #agji he published the    
best of his playful poems1 ,the ,art of 
,cookery1 in imitation of ,horace's ,art
 of ,poetry2 with some letters to ,dr4  
,lister and others1 occasioned          
principally by the ,title of a ,book    
published by the ,doctor1 being the     
works of ,apicius ,clius concerning the 
,soups and ,sauces of the ,ancients4    
,when he came across ,joseph ,hall's    
satire1 he found it so much to his mind 
that he began to translate as follows3--
  ,h4,m4     ,,crapulia4     ,,chapter  
,i4  ,the ,situation of the ,country4   
,crapulia is a very fair and large      
territory1 which on the north is bounded
 with the thiopic ,ocean1 on the east   
with ,laconia and ,viraginia1 on the    
south by ,moronia ,felix1 and westward  
with the ,tryphonian ,fens4 ,it lies in 
that part of the universe where is bred 
the monstrous bird called ,ruc1 that for
 its prey will bear off an elephant in  
its talons2 and is described by the     

modern geographers4  ,the soil is too   
fruitful1 and the heavens too serene2 so
 that ,i have looked upon them with a   
silent envy1 not without pity1 when ,i  
considered they were blessings so little
 deserved by the inhabitants4 ,it lies  
in seventy-four degrees of longitude1   
and sixty degrees of latitude1 and      
eleven degrees distant from the ,cape of
 ,good ,hope2 and lies1 as it were1     
opposite to the whole coast of ,africa4 
,it is commonly divided into two        
provinces1 ,pamphagonia and ,ivronia1   
the former of which is of the same      
length and breadth as ,great ,britain   
7which ,i hope will not be taken as any 
reflection71 the other is equal to the  
,high and ,low ,dutch ,lands4 ,both obey
 the same prince1 are governed by the   
same laws1 and differ very little in    
their habit or their manners4           
,,chapter ,,ii4  ,pamphagonia2 or1      
,glutton's ,paradise4   ,pamphagonia is 
of a triangular figure1 like that of    
ancient ,egypt1 or the ,greek letter    

delta1 4 ,it is mountainous1 inclosed   
with very high hills2 its soil is of the
 richest1 so that birds which come      
thither to feed1 if they tarry but three
 months1 grow so very fat and weighty1  
that they cannot fly back again over the
 mountains1 but suffer themselves to be 
taken up in the hand1 and are as        
delicious as the ortolan or the         
beccaficos of the ,italians4 ,and it is 
no wonder to them who know that geese in
 ,scotland are generated from leaves    
fallen into the water1 and believe the  
testimony of one of our ambassadors1    
that in the north-east parts of the     
world lambs grow upon stalks like       
cabbages and eat up the grass all around
 about them1 to find the same sort of   
provisions in this country4 ,besides1   
the fish upon that coast are in such    
plenty1 and so voracious 7whether they  
conform themselves to the genius of the 
place and people1 or presage to         
themselves the honour of so magnificent 
a sepulchre as was given to ,nero's     

turbot71 that1 as soon as the hook is   
cast in1 they press to it as the ghosts 
in ,lucian did to ,charon's boat1 and   
cling to the iron as miners do to a rope
 that is let down when the light of     
their candle forbodes some malignant    
exhalation4  ,the sea-ports1 with which 
this country abounds more than any      
other1 are of no other use than to      
receive and take in such things as are  
edible1 which they have for their       
superfluous wool and hides3 nor may the 
inhabitants export anything that has the
 least relation to the palate4 ,you see 
nothing there but fruit-trees4 ,they    
hate plains1 limes1 and willows1 as     
being idle and barren1 and yielding     
nothing useful but their shade4 ,there  
are hops1 pears1 plums1 and apples1 in  
the hedge-rows1 as there is in all      
,ivronia2 from whence the ,lombards1 and
 some counties in the west of ,england1 
have learned their improvements4 ,in    
ancient times1 ,frugonia1 or the ,land  
of ,frugality1 took in this country as  

one of its provinces2 and histories tell
 us1 that1 in ,saturn's time1 the       
,frugonian princes gave laws to all this
 part of the world1 and had their palace
 there2 and that their country was      
called ,fagonia1 from the simplicity of 
their diet1 which consisted only in     
beech-mast4 ,but that yoke has been long
 ago shaken off2 their manners are      
wholly changed1 and1 from the           
universality of their food1 they have   
obtained1 in their own country language1
 the title of ,pamphagones4             
,,chapter ,,iii4  ,the ,first ,province 
of ,pamphagonia4   ,friviandy1 or       
,tight-bittia 7that we may take the     
provinces in their order71 were it not  
for a temperament peculiar to the place1
 is rather of the hottest to produce    
those who are properly called good      
trencher-men4 ,its utmost point1 which  
other geographers call the ,promontory  
of the ,terra ,australis1 is of the same
 latitude as the most southerly parts of
 ,castile1 and is about forty-two       

degrees distant from the equator4 ,the  
inhabitants have curled hair and dusky  
complexions1 and regard more the        
delicacy than the largeness and number  
of their dishes4 ,in this very          
promontory1 which we shall call the     
black one from its colour 7for it is a  
very smoky region1 partly from the      
frequent vapours of the place1 partly   
from its vicinity to the ,terra del     
,fogo1 which1 by the common consent of  
geographers1 lies on the right hand of  
it1 but rather nearer than they have    
placed it71 is the city ,lucina1 whose  
buildings are lofty1 but apt to be smoky
 and offensive to the smell2 from whence
 a colony went1 perhaps1 as far as the  
,indies1 where it remains to this day by
 the name of ,cochin-,china4  ,here is  
the famous temple of the great deity    
,omasius ,gorgut1 or ,gorbelly4 ,it is a
 vast pile1 and contains a thousand     
hearths1 and as many altars1 which are  
constantly employed in the ,rucal       
,festivals4 ,in the midst is a high     

pyramid1 as lofty as the hand of man can
 erect it1 little inferior to those of  
,memphis4 ,it is called the ,cheminean  
,tower4 ,this1 rising high1 gives the   
signal of war to the adjoining          
countries3 for1 as we by beacons lighted
 upon a high hill discover the danger of
 an approaching enemy1 so these1 on the 
contrary1 do the same by letting their  
smoke cease and their fires go out3 for1
 when the perpetual vapour ceases to    
roll forth in thick and dark clouds of  
smoke1 it is a token that the ,hambrians
 are drawing nearer1 than whom there can
 be no enemy more terrible to this      
nation4 ,there are several smaller      
towns1 that lie under the dominion of   
this supreme city4 ,charbona is the     
largest village1 and1 what is seldom    
seen elsewhere1 lies all under ground4  
,upon its barren soil arises another1   
though of less note1 called ,favillia4  
,after these lies ,tenaille1 a narrow   
town1 and ,batill1 a broad one1 both    
considerable4 ,on the left are some     

subservient petty hamlets1 as ,assadora1
 ,marmitta1 ,culliera1 as useful for the
 reception of strangers1 amongst which1 
that of ,marmitta is watered by the     
river ,livenza2 which1 as is said of a  
fountain in the ,peak of ,derby1 boils  
over twice in four-and-twenty hours4    
,,chapter ,,iv4  ,the ,second ,province 
of ,pamphagonia4   ,next to this is the 
,golosinian district1 the most pleasant 
part of ,pamphagonia1 covered with      
dates1 almonds1 figs1 olives1           
pomegranates1 oranges1 citrons1 and     
pistaches2 through which run the        
smoothest of streams1 called the        
,oglium4 ,here is the beautiful city of 
,marzapane1 with noble turrets          
glittering with gold1 but lying too open
 to the enemy4 ,over it hang the ,zucker
 hills1 out of whose bowels they draw   
something that is hard1 white1 and      
sparkling1 but sweet as that moisture   
which the ancients gathered out of the  
reeds which grew in ,arabia and the     
,indies4 ,you shall find few people     

here1 who are grown up1 but what have   
lost their teeth1 and have stinking     
breaths4 ,near to this is the little    
city ,seplasium1 which admits of no     
tradesmen but perfumers4 ,it is a town  
of great commerce with the people of    
,viraginia1 especially the ,locanians1  
who use to change their looking-glass   
with them for oils and pastils4 ,the    
agreeableness of the place1 and the     
bounty of the heavens1 is favourable to 
their art2 for the whole track of land1 
at certain seasons1 is covered with     
aromatic comfits1 that fall like        
hail-stones3 which ,anathumiasis ,i take
 to be essentially the same as that     
aerial honey which we often find upon   
our oaks1 especially in the spring1 and 
that it differs only in thickness2 for  
whereas that honey is sprinkled in      
drops1 the little globules are hardened 
by the intense cold of the middle       
region1 and rebound in falling4         
,,chapter ,v4  ,of the ,third ,province 
of ,pamphagonia4   ,in the fifty-fifth  

degree1 we come into the plains of      
,lecania1 and so into the very heart of 
,pamphagonia1 where the chief city we   
meet with is ,cibinium1 which is washed 
with the acid streams of the river      
,assagion4 ,in the forum1 or            
market-place1 is the tomb 7as ,i        
conjecture by the footsteps of some     
letters now remaining7 of ,apicius1 that
 famous ,roman1 not very beautiful1 but 
antique4 ,it is engraved upon the shell 
of a sea-crab2 and it might happen1     
notwithstanding what ,seneca says1 that 
this famous epicure1 after having sought
 for larger shell-fish than the coast of
 ,gallia could supply him with1 and then
 going in vain to ,africa to make a     
farther inquiry1 might hear some rumour 
concerning this coast1 steer his course 
thither1 and there die of a surfeit4    
,but this ,i leave to the critics4 ,here
 ,i shall only mention the most fertile 
fields of ,lardana and ,ossulia4 ,the   
delicious situation of ,mortadella1 the 
pleasantest of places1 had wonderfully  

delighted me1 had it not been for the   
salt-works which often approach too near
 it4 ,there is an offensive stinking    
town called ,formagium1 alias           
,butterboxia1 and ,mantica1 a boggy     
place near the confines of ,ivronia4  ,i
 hasten to the metropolis of the whole  
region1 which1 whether you respect the  
uniformity of the building1 the manners 
of the people1 or their way of living1  
their rules for behaviour1 their law and
 justice1 will show as much as if ,i    
were to descend to particulars4         
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,of the ,metropolis of 
,pamphagonia1 and the ,customs of the   
,inhabitants4   ,there are but very few 
villages in this country1 as well as in 
some others2 from whence a traveller may
 conjecture1 that the country towns are 
devoured by the cities1 which are not so
 many in number as they are large and   
populous2 of which the mother and       
governess is called ,artocreopolis4 ,the
 report goes1 that in ancient times     
there were two famous cities1 ,artopolis

 and ,creatium1 which had many and long 
contests about the superiority3 for so  
it happens to places1 as well as men1   
that increase in power2 insomuch as the 
two most flourishing ,universities in   
the world 7to both of which ,i bear the 
relation of a son1 though ,i am more    
peculiarly obliged to one of them for my
 education71 notwithstanding they are   
sisters1 could not abstain from so      
ungrateful a contention4  ,artopolis    
boasted of its antiquity1 and that it   
had flourished in the ,saturnian age1   
when it had as yet no rival4 ,creatium  
set forth its own splendour1            
pleasantness1 and power4 ,at last1 a    
council being called1 ,creatium got the 
preference by the universal votes of the
 assembly2 for such is the iniquity of  
the times1 that though the head be      
covered with grey hairs1 yet nothing is 
allowed to the reverence of antiquity1  
when encountered by a proud and upstart 
novelty4 ,the other city is now so far  
neglected1 that the ruins or footsteps  

of its magnificence are scarce          
remaining1 any more than of ,verulam1 as
 is most elegantly set forth by our     
noble poet ,spenser in his verses on    
that subject2 the latter usurping the   
name of the other1 as well as the other 
has now the double title of             
,artocreopolis4 ,the city is more       
extensive than beautiful3 it is         
fortified with a large and deep ditch of
 running water1 which washes almost all 
the streets1 wherein are a thousand     
several ponds for fish2 upon which swim 
ducks1 geese1 swans1 and all sorts of   
water-fowl1 which has been wisely       
imitated by the people of ,augsburg4    
,this ditch is called ,gruessa4 ,there  
are two walls1 whose materials were     
furnished by the flesh-market2 for they 
are made of bones1 the larger serving   
for the foundations1 the lesser for the 
superstructure1 whilst the smallest fill
 up what is wanting in the middle2 being
 all cemented with the whites of eggs1  
by a wonderful artifice4 ,the houses are

 not very beautiful1 nor built high     
after the manner of other cities2 so    
that there is no need of an ,augustus to
 restrain the buildings to the height of
 seventy feet1 as was done at ,rome2 nor
 is there room for a ,seneca or ,juvenal
 to complain of the multitude of their  
stairs and number of their stories4     
,they have no regard for staircases2 for
 indeed none of the citizens care for   
them1 partly from the trouble of getting
 up them 7especially when1 as they often
 do1 they have drunk heartily7 as much  
as for the danger of getting down again4
 ,their houses are all covered with     
large blade-bones1 very neatly joined   
together4 ,there are no free citizens   
admitted1 but such whose employment has 
more immediately some relation to the   
table4 ,husbandmen1 smiths1 millers1 and
 butchers1 live in their colonies1 who1 
when they have a belly of an unwieldy   
bulk1 are promoted to be burgesses2 to  
which degree none were anciently        
admitted but cooks1 bakers1 victuallers1

 and the gravest senators1 who are      
chosen here1 as in other places1 not for
 their prudence1 riches1 or length of   
beard2 but for their measure1 which they
 must come up to yearly if they will    
pretend to bear any office in the       
public4 ,as any one grows in dimensions1
 he rises in honour2 so that ,i have    
seen some who1 from the meanest and most
 contemptible village1 have1 for their  
merits1 been promoted to a more famous  
town1 and at last obtained the          
senatorial dignity in this most         
celebrated city3 and yet1 when by some  
disease 7as it often happens71 or by    
age1 they have grown leaner than they   
are allowed to be by the statutes1 have 
lost their honour1 together with the    
bulk of their carcass4 ,their streets   
were paved with polished marble2 which  
seemed strange amongst a people so      
incurious1 both because the workmanship 
was troublesome1 and there might be     
danger in its being slippery4 ,but the  
true reason of it was1 that they might  

not be forced to lift their feet higher 
than ordinary by the inequality of the  
pavement1 and likewise that the chairs  
of the senators might the more easily be
 pushed forward2 for they never go on   
foot1 or on horseback1 nor even in a    
coach1 to the exchange1 or their public 
feasts1 because of their weight2 but    
they are moved about in great easy      
elbow-chairs1 with four wheels to them1 
and continue sitting so fixed1 in the   
same posture1 snoring and flabbering    
till they are wheeled home again4  ,at  
the four gates of the city1 whose form  
is circular1 there sit in their turns as
 many senators1 who are called          
,buscadores4 ,these carefully examine   
all who come in and go out1 those that  
go out1 lest they should presume by     
chance to do it fasting1 which they can 
easily judge of by the extent of their  
bellies1 and the matter being proved1   
they are fined in a double supper3 those
 that come in1 to see what they bring   
with them upon their return2 for they   

must neither depart with empty stomachs1
 nor come back with empty hands4 ,every 
month1 according to the laws1 which they
 unwillingly transgress1 there are      
stated feasts1 at which all the senators
 are obliged to be present1 that after  
dinner 7for no person can give his vote 
before he has dined7 they may deliberate
 concerning the public affairs4 ,the    
name of their common-hall is            
,pythanoscome4 ,every one knows his own 
seat1 and his conveniences and a couch  
to repose upon when the heat of their   
wine and seasoned dainties incline them 
to it4 ,their greatest delicacies are   
served up at the first course2 for they 
think it foolish not to eat the best    
things with the greatest appetite3 nor  
do they cut their boars1 sheep1 goats1  
and lambs into joints or quarters1 as   
commonly we do1 but convey them whole to
 table1 by the help of machines1 as ,i  
remember to have read in ,petronius     
,arbiter4 ,they are fineable who rise   
before they have set six hours2 for then

 the edge of their stomach is blunted4  
,they eat and drink so leisurely1 for   
the same reason as the famous ,epicure  
of old wished that his neck were as long
 as a crane's4 ,they measure the        
seasonable time for their departure     
after this method3 they have a door to  
their town-house1 which is wide enough  
for the largest man to enter when he is 
fasting3 through this the guests pass2  
and when any one would depart1 if he    
stops in this passage1 he is trusted to 
go out at another door2 but if it be as 
easy as if he were fasting1 the master  
of the ceremonies makes him tarry till  
he comes to be of a statutable          
magnitute3 after which example1         
,willfrid's needle in ,belvior ,castle  
was a pleasant trial of ,roman ,catholic
 sanctity4 ,they have gardens of many   
acres extent1 but not like those of     
,adonis or ,alcinos2 for nothing        
delightful is to be expected in them1   
neither order1 nor regularity of walk1  
nor grass-plots1 nor variety of flowers 

in the borders3 but you will find all   
planted with cabbages1 turnips1 garlick1
 and musk-melons1 which were carried    
hence to ,italy1 and are in quantity    
sufficient to feast an hundred          
,pythagoreans4  ,there is a public      
college1 or hospital1 whither they are  
sent who have got the dropsy1 gout1 or  
asthma1 by their eating and drinking2   
and there they are nourished at the     
public expense4 ,as for such as have    
lost their teeth by their luxury1 or    
broken them by eating too greedily or   
incautiously1 they are provided for in  
the island of ,sorbonia4 ,all the richer
 sort have several servants1 in the     
nature of vassals1 to cultivate their   
gardens1 and be employed in inferior    
offices1 who have their liberty when    
they can arrive at such a bulkiness4 ,if
 any of the grandees of the country die 
of a surfeit1 he is given1 as being all 
made up of the most exquisite dainties1 
to be eaten up by his servants2 and this
 they do that nothing should be lost    

that is so delicate4 ,the men are thick 
and fat to a miracle2 nor will any one  
salute another whose chin does not come 
to the midst of his breast1 and his     
paunch falls to his knees4 ,the women   
are not unlike them1 and in shape       
resemble the ,italians1 and have breasts
 like the ,hottentots4 ,they go almost  
naked1 having no regard to their        
garments4 ,the magistrates and persons  
of better figure have gowns made of the 
skins of such beasts as they have eaten 
at one meal4 ,all wear a knife1 with a  
large spoon1 hanging upon their right   
arm4 ,before their breasts they wear a  
smooth skin1 instead of a napkin1 to    
receive what falls out of their mouths1 
and to wipe them upon occasion2 which   
whether it be more black or greasy1 is  
hard to determine4  ,they are of a very 
slow apprehension1 and no way fit for   
any science2 but yet understand such    
arts as they have occasion for4 ,their  
schools are public-houses1 where they   
are educated in the sciences of eating1 

drinking1 and carving2 over which1 one  
,archisilenius1 an exquisite ,epicure1  
was then provost1 who1 instead of       
grammar1 read some fragments of         
,apicius4 ,instead of a library1 there  
is a public repository of               
drinking-vessels1 in which cups of all  
orders and sizes are disposed into      
certain classes4 ,cups and dishes are   
instead of books4 ,the younger scholars 
have less1 the elder have greater2 one  
has a quart1 the other a pottle1 the    
other a gallon3 this has a hen1 that a  
goose1 a third a lamb or a porker3 nor  
have they any liberty1 or recess1 till  
the whole is finished2 and if by a seven
 years' stuffing they are no proficients
 in fatness1 are presently banished into
 the ,fancetic ,islands2 nor are they   
suffered long to stay there idle and    
without improvement4 ,hither likewise   
are sent all physicians who prescribe a 
course of diet to any person4 ,when any 
one is sick1 without recourse to        
sculapius1 they make him eat radish1 and

 drink warm water2 which1 according to  
,celsus1 will purge and vomit him4      
,venison is that which they most delight
 in2 but they never take it in hunting1 
but by nets and gins4 ,they look upon   
the swine as the most profitable and    
best of all animals2 whether it is for  
the likeness of its manners1 as being   
good for nothing but the table1 or else 
from its growing fat on the sudden with 
the worst of nutriment4 ,it may not seem
 credible1 yet parsimony appears in the 
midst of their profuseness3 but then it 
is very ill placed1 for it is in crumbs1
 bones1 and crusts4 ,they do not so much
 as keep any dogs1 cats1 hawks1 or      
anything that eats flesh4 ,if any person
 suffer meat to stink1 he is impaled2   
but venison and rabbits are to have the 
haut-gout3 and then their cheese is kept
 till it is overrun with little animals1
 which they devour with mustard and     
sugar4 ,this is an odd sort of custom1  
derived from the ,dutch4  ,the country  
abounds with rivers1 which ebb and flow 

according to their digestion1 and       
generally overflow at the beginning of  
,january1 and towards the end of        
,february1 and do mischief to the       
neighbouring country4     ,,chapter     
,,vii4  ,of the ,wars of the            
,pamphagonians4   ,the ,pamphagones have
 perpetual wars with the ,hambrians1 or 
the ,fancetic ,islands1 and the         
,frugonians4         99       99        
99       99       99  ,ctera desunt4    
,,the ,,end4   ,,printed ,,by           
,,ballantyne1 ,,hanson ,,and ,,co4      
,,london ,,and ,,edinburgh