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bred young man; for as he is both a very worthy and a very knowing
person, so he is so civil to all men, so particularly kind to his
friends, and so full of candour and affection, that there is not,
perhaps, above one or two anywhere to be found, that is in all respects
so perfect a friend: he is extraordinarily modest, there is no artifice
in him, and yet no man has more of a prudent simplicity. His
conversation was so pleasant and so innocently cheerful, that his company
in a great measure lessened any longings to go back to my country, and to
my wife and children, which an absence of four months had quickened very
much. One day, as I was returning home from mass at St. Mary's, which is
the chief church, and the most frequented of any in Antwerp, I saw him,
by accident, talking with a stranger, who seemed past the flower of his
age; his face was tanned, he had a long beard, and his cloak was hanging
carelessly about him, so that, by his looks and habit, I concluded he was
a seaman. As soon as Peter saw me, he came and saluted me, and as I was
returning his civility, he took me aside, and pointing to him with whom
he had been discoursing, he said, "Do you see that man? I was just
thinking to bring him to you." I answered, "He should have been very
welcome on your account." "And on his own too," replied he, "if you knew
the man, for there is none alive that can give so copious an account of
unknown nations and countries as he can do, which I know you very much
desire." "Then," said I, "I did not guess amiss, for at first sight I
took him for a seaman." "But you are much mistaken," said he, "for he
has not sailed as a seaman, but as a traveller, or rather a philosopher.
This Raphael, who from his family carries the name of Hythloday, is not
ignorant of the Latin tongue, but is eminently learned in the Greek,
having applied himself more particularly to that than to the former,
because he had given himself much to philosophy, in which he knew that
the Romans have left us nothing that is valuable, except what is to be
found in Seneca and Cicero. He is a Portuguese by birth, and was so
desirous of seeing the world, that he divided his estate among his
brothers, ran the same hazard as Americus Vesputius, and bore a share in
three of his four voyages that are now published; only he did not return
with him in his last, but obtained leave of him, almost by force, that he
might be one of those twenty-four who were left at the farthest place at
which they touched in their last voyage to New Castile. The leaving him
thus did not a little gratify one that was more fond of travelling than
of returning home to be buried in his own country; for he used often to
say, that the way to heaven was the same from all places, and he that had
no grave had the heavens still over him. Yet this disposition of mind
had cost him dear, if God had not been very gracious to him; for after
he, with five Castalians, had travelled over many countries, at last, by
strange good fortune, he got to Ceylon, and from thence to Calicut, where
he, very happily, found some Portuguese ships; and, beyond all men's
expectations, returned to his native country." When Peter had said this
to me, I thanked him for his kindness in intending to give me the
acquaintance of a man whose conversation he knew would be so acceptable;
and upon that Raphael and I embraced each other. After those civilities
were past which are usual with strangers upon their first meeting, we all
went to my house, and entering into the garden, sat down on a green bank
and entertained one another in discourse. He told us that when Vesputius
had sailed away, he, and his companions that stayed behind in New
Castile, by degrees insinuated themselves into the affections of the
people of the country, meeting often with them and treating them gently;
and at last they not only lived among them without danger, but conversed
familiarly with them, and got so far into the heart of a prince, whose
name and country I have forgot, that he both furnished them plentifully
with all things necessary, and also with the conveniences of travelling,
both boats when they went by water, and waggons when they travelled over
land: he sent with them a very faithful guide, who was to introduce and
recommend them to such other princes as they had a mind to see: and after
many days' journey, they came to towns, and cities, and to commonwealths,
that were both happily governed and well peopled. Under the equator, and
as far on both sides of it as the sun moves, there lay vast deserts that
were parched with the perpetual heat of the sun; the soil was withered,
all things looked dismally, and all places were either quite uninhabited,
or abounded with wild beasts and serpents, and some few men, that were
neither less wild nor less cruel than the beasts themselves. But, as
they went farther, a new scene opened, all things grew milder, the air
less burning, the soil more verdant, and even the beasts were less wild:
and, at last, there were nations, towns, and cities, that had not only
mutual commerce among themselves and with their neighbours, but traded,
both by sea and land, to very remote countries. There they found the
conveniencies of seeing many countries on all hands, for no ship went any
voyage into which he and his companions were not very welcome. The first
vessels that they saw were flat-bottomed, their sails were made of reeds
and wicker, woven close together, only some were of leather; but,
afterwards, they found ships made with round keels and canvas sails, and
in all respects like our ships, and the seamen understood both astronomy
and navigation. He got wonderfully into their favour by showing them the
use of the needle, of which till then they were utterly ignorant. They
sailed before with great caution, and only in summer time; but now they
count all seasons alike, trusting wholly to the loadstone, in which they
are, perhaps, more secure than safe; so that there is reason to fear that
this discovery, which was thought would prove so much to their advantage,
may, by their imprudence, become an occasion of much mischief to them.
But it were too long to dwell on all that he told us he had observed in
every place, it would be too great a digression from our present purpose:
whatever is necessary to be told concerning those wise and prudent
institutions which he observed among civilised nations, may perhaps be
related by us on a more proper occasion. We asked him many questions
concerning all these things, to which he answered very willingly; we made
no inquiries after monsters, than which nothing is more common; for
everywhere one may hear of ravenous dogs and wolves, and cruel
men-eaters, but it is not so easy to find states that are well and wisely
governed.

As he told us of many things that were amiss in those new-discovered
countries, so he reckoned up not a few things, from which patterns might
be taken for correcting the errors of these nations among whom we live;

bred young man; for as he is both a very worthy and a very knowing

person, so he is so civil to all men, so particularly kind to his

friends, and so full of candour and affection, that there is not,

perhaps, above one or two anywhere to be found, that is in all respects

so perfect a friend: he is extraordinarily modest, there is no artifice

in him, and yet no man has more of a prudent simplicity. His

conversation was so pleasant and so innocently cheerful, that his company

in a great measure lessened any longings to go back to my country, and to

my wife and children, which an absence of four months had quickened very

much. One day, as I was returning home from mass at St. Mary's, which is

the chief church, and the most frequented of any in Antwerp, I saw him,

by accident, talking with a stranger, who seemed past the flower of his

age; his face was tanned, he had a long beard, and his cloak was hanging

carelessly about him, so that, by his looks and habit, I concluded he was

a seaman. As soon as Peter saw me, he came and saluted me, and as I was

returning his civility, he took me aside, and pointing to him with whom

he had been discoursing, he said, "Do you see that man? I was just

thinking to bring him to you." I answered, "He should have been very

welcome on your account." "And on his own too," replied he, "if you knew

the man, for there is none alive that can give so copious an account of

unknown nations and countries as he can do, which I know you very much

desire." "Then," said I, "I did not guess amiss, for at first sight I

took him for a seaman." "But you are much mistaken," said he, "for he

has not sailed as a seaman, but as a traveller, or rather a philosopher.

This Raphael, who from his family carries the name of Hythloday, is not

ignorant of the Latin tongue, but is eminently learned in the Greek,

having applied himself more particularly to that than to the former,

because he had given himself much to philosophy, in which he knew that

the Romans have left us nothing that is valuable, except what is to be

found in Seneca and Cicero. He is a Portuguese by birth, and was so

desirous of seeing the world, that he divided his estate among his

brothers, ran the same hazard as Americus Vesputius, and bore a share in

three of his four voyages that are now published; only he did not return

with him in his last, but obtained leave of him, almost by force, that he

might be one of those twenty-four who were left at the farthest place at

which they touched in their last voyage to New Castile. The leaving him

thus did not a little gratify one that was more fond of travelling than

of returning home to be buried in his own country; for he used often to

say, that the way to heaven was the same from all places, and he that had

no grave had the heavens still over him. Yet this disposition of mind

had cost him dear, if God had not been very gracious to him; for after

he, with five Castalians, had travelled over many countries, at last, by

strange good fortune, he got to Ceylon, and from thence to Calicut, where

he, very happily, found some Portuguese ships; and, beyond all men's

expectations, returned to his native country." When Peter had said this

to me, I thanked him for his kindness in intending to give me the

acquaintance of a man whose conversation he knew would be so acceptable;

and upon that Raphael and I embraced each other. After those civilities

were past which are usual with strangers upon their first meeting, we all

went to my house, and entering into the garden, sat down on a green bank

and entertained one another in discourse. He told us that when Vesputius

had sailed away, he, and his companions that stayed behind in New

Castile, by degrees insinuated themselves into the affections of the

people of the country, meeting often with them and treating them gently;

and at last they not only lived among them without danger, but conversed

familiarly with them, and got so far into the heart of a prince, whose

name and country I have forgot, that he both furnished them plentifully

with all things necessary, and also with the conveniences of travelling,

both boats when they went by water, and waggons when they travelled over

land: he sent with them a very faithful guide, who was to introduce and

recommend them to such other princes as they had a mind to see: and after

many days' journey, they came to towns, and cities, and to commonwealths,

that were both happily governed and well peopled. Under the equator, and

as far on both sides of it as the sun moves, there lay vast deserts that

were parched with the perpetual heat of the sun; the soil was withered,

all things looked dismally, and all places were either quite uninhabited,

or abounded with wild beasts and serpents, and some few men, that were

neither less wild nor less cruel than the beasts themselves. But, as

they went farther, a new scene opened, all things grew milder, the air

less burning, the soil more verdant, and even the beasts were less wild:

and, at last, there were nations, towns, and cities, that had not only

mutual commerce among themselves and with their neighbours, but traded,

both by sea and land, to very remote countries. There they found the

conveniencies of seeing many countries on all hands, for no ship went any

voyage into which he and his companions were not very welcome. The first

vessels that they saw were flat-bottomed, their sails were made of reeds

and wicker, woven close together, only some were of leather; but,

afterwards, they found ships made with round keels and canvas sails, and

in all respects like our ships, and the seamen understood both astronomy

and navigation. He got wonderfully into their favour by showing them the

use of the needle, of which till then they were utterly ignorant. They

sailed before with great caution, and only in summer time; but now they

count all seasons alike, trusting wholly to the loadstone, in which they

are, perhaps, more secure than safe; so that there is reason to fear that

this discovery, which was thought would prove so much to their advantage,

may, by their imprudence, become an occasion of much mischief to them.

But it were too long to dwell on all that he told us he had observed in

every place, it would be too great a digression from our present purpose:

whatever is necessary to be told concerning those wise and prudent

institutions which he observed among civilised nations, may perhaps be

related by us on a more proper occasion. We asked him many questions

concerning all these things, to which he answered very willingly; we made

no inquiries after monsters, than which nothing is more common; for

everywhere one may hear of ravenous dogs and wolves, and cruel

men-eaters, but it is not so easy to find states that are well and wisely

governed.

As he told us of many things that were amiss in those new-discovered

countries, so he reckoned up not a few things, from which patterns might

be taken for correcting the errors of these nations among whom we live;