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"Thirty families choose every year a magistrate, who was anciently called
the Syphogrant, but is now called the Philarch; and over every ten
Syphogrants, with the families subject to them, there is another
magistrate, who was anciently called the Tranibore, but of late the
Archphilarch. All the Syphogrants, who are in number two hundred, choose
the Prince out of a list of four who are named by the people of the four
divisions of the city; but they take an oath, before they proceed to an
election, that they will choose him whom they think most fit for the
office: they give him their voices secretly, so that it is not known for
whom every one gives his suffrage. The Prince is for life, unless he is
removed upon suspicion of some design to enslave the people. The
Tranibors are new chosen every year, but yet they are, for the most part,
continued; all their other magistrates are only annual. The Tranibors
meet every third day, and oftener if necessary, and consult with the
Prince either concerning the affairs of the State in general, or such
private differences as may arise sometimes among the people, though that
falls out but seldom. There are always two Syphogrants called into the
council chamber, and these are changed every day. It is a fundamental
rule of their government, that no conclusion can be made in anything that
relates to the public till it has been first debated three several days
in their council. It is death for any to meet and consult concerning the
State, unless it be either in their ordinary council, or in the assembly
of the whole body of the people.

"These things have been so provided among them that the Prince and the
Tranibors may not conspire together to change the government and enslave
the people; and therefore when anything of great importance is set on
foot, it is sent to the Syphogrants, who, after they have communicated it
to the families that belong to their divisions, and have considered it
among themselves, make report to the senate; and, upon great occasions,
the matter is referred to the council of the whole island. One rule
observed in their council is, never to debate a thing on the same day in
which it is first proposed; for that is always referred to the next
meeting, that so men may not rashly and in the heat of discourse engage
themselves too soon, which might bias them so much that, instead of
consulting the good of the public, they might rather study to support
their first opinions, and by a perverse and preposterous sort of shame
hazard their country rather than endanger their own reputation, or
venture the being suspected to have wanted foresight in the expedients
that they at first proposed; and therefore, to prevent this, they take
care that they may rather be deliberate than sudden in their motions.






OF THEIR TRADES, AND MANNER OF LIFE


"Agriculture is that which is so universally understood among them that
no person, either man or woman, is ignorant of it; they are instructed in
it from their childhood, partly by what they learn at school, and partly
by practice, they being led out often into the fields about the town,
where they not only see others at work but are likewise exercised in it
themselves. Besides agriculture, which is so common to them all, every
man has some peculiar trade to which he applies himself; such as the
manufacture of wool or flax, masonry, smith's work, or carpenter's work;
for there is no sort of trade that is in great esteem among them.
Throughout the island they wear the same sort of clothes, without any
other distinction except what is necessary to distinguish the two sexes
and the married and unmarried. The fashion never alters, and as it is
neither disagreeable nor uneasy, so it is suited to the climate, and
calculated both for their summers and winters. Every family makes their
own clothes; but all among them, women as well as men, learn one or other
of the trades formerly mentioned. Women, for the most part, deal in wool
and flax, which suit best with their weakness, leaving the ruder trades
to the men. The same trade generally passes down from father to son,
inclinations often following descent: but if any man's genius lies
another way he is, by adoption, translated into a family that deals in
the trade to which he is inclined; and when that is to be done, care is
taken, not only by his father, but by the magistrate, that he may be put
to a discreet and good man: and if, after a person has learned one trade,
he desires to acquire another, that is also allowed, and is managed in
the same manner as the former. When he has learned both, he follows that
which he likes best, unless the public has more occasion for the other.

The chief, and almost the only, business of the Syphogrants is to take
care that no man may live idle, but that every one may follow his trade
diligently; yet they do not wear themselves out with perpetual toil from
morning to night, as if they were beasts of burden, which as it is indeed
a heavy slavery, so it is everywhere the common course of life amongst
all mechanics except the Utopians: but they, dividing the day and night
into twenty-four hours, appoint six of these for work, three of which are
before dinner and three after; they then sup, and at eight o'clock,
counting from noon, go to bed and sleep eight hours: the rest of their
time, besides that taken up in work, eating, and sleeping, is left to
every man's discretion; yet they are not to abuse that interval to luxury
and idleness, but must employ it in some proper exercise, according to
their various inclinations, which is, for the most part, reading. It is
ordinary to have public lectures every morning before daybreak, at which
none are obliged to appear but those who are marked out for literature;
yet a great many, both men and women, of all ranks, go to hear lectures
of one sort or other, according to their inclinations: but if others that
are not made for contemplation, choose rather to employ themselves at
that time in their trades, as many of them do, they are not hindered, but
are rather commended, as men that take care to serve their country. After
supper they spend an hour in some diversion, in summer in their gardens,

"Thirty families choose every year a magistrate, who was anciently called

the Syphogrant, but is now called the Philarch; and over every ten

Syphogrants, with the families subject to them, there is another

magistrate, who was anciently called the Tranibore, but of late the

Archphilarch. All the Syphogrants, who are in number two hundred, choose

the Prince out of a list of four who are named by the people of the four

divisions of the city; but they take an oath, before they proceed to an

election, that they will choose him whom they think most fit for the

office: they give him their voices secretly, so that it is not known for

whom every one gives his suffrage. The Prince is for life, unless he is

removed upon suspicion of some design to enslave the people. The

Tranibors are new chosen every year, but yet they are, for the most part,

continued; all their other magistrates are only annual. The Tranibors

meet every third day, and oftener if necessary, and consult with the

Prince either concerning the affairs of the State in general, or such

private differences as may arise sometimes among the people, though that

falls out but seldom. There are always two Syphogrants called into the

council chamber, and these are changed every day. It is a fundamental

rule of their government, that no conclusion can be made in anything that

relates to the public till it has been first debated three several days

in their council. It is death for any to meet and consult concerning the

State, unless it be either in their ordinary council, or in the assembly

of the whole body of the people.

"These things have been so provided among them that the Prince and the

Tranibors may not conspire together to change the government and enslave

the people; and therefore when anything of great importance is set on

foot, it is sent to the Syphogrants, who, after they have communicated it

to the families that belong to their divisions, and have considered it

among themselves, make report to the senate; and, upon great occasions,

the matter is referred to the council of the whole island. One rule

observed in their council is, never to debate a thing on the same day in

which it is first proposed; for that is always referred to the next

meeting, that so men may not rashly and in the heat of discourse engage

themselves too soon, which might bias them so much that, instead of

consulting the good of the public, they might rather study to support

their first opinions, and by a perverse and preposterous sort of shame

hazard their country rather than endanger their own reputation, or

venture the being suspected to have wanted foresight in the expedients

that they at first proposed; and therefore, to prevent this, they take

care that they may rather be deliberate than sudden in their motions.

OF THEIR TRADES, AND MANNER OF LIFE

"Agriculture is that which is so universally understood among them that

no person, either man or woman, is ignorant of it; they are instructed in

it from their childhood, partly by what they learn at school, and partly

by practice, they being led out often into the fields about the town,

where they not only see others at work but are likewise exercised in it

themselves. Besides agriculture, which is so common to them all, every

man has some peculiar trade to which he applies himself; such as the

manufacture of wool or flax, masonry, smith's work, or carpenter's work;

for there is no sort of trade that is in great esteem among them.

Throughout the island they wear the same sort of clothes, without any

other distinction except what is necessary to distinguish the two sexes

and the married and unmarried. The fashion never alters, and as it is

neither disagreeable nor uneasy, so it is suited to the climate, and

calculated both for their summers and winters. Every family makes their

own clothes; but all among them, women as well as men, learn one or other

of the trades formerly mentioned. Women, for the most part, deal in wool

and flax, which suit best with their weakness, leaving the ruder trades

to the men. The same trade generally passes down from father to son,

inclinations often following descent: but if any man's genius lies

another way he is, by adoption, translated into a family that deals in

the trade to which he is inclined; and when that is to be done, care is

taken, not only by his father, but by the magistrate, that he may be put

to a discreet and good man: and if, after a person has learned one trade,

he desires to acquire another, that is also allowed, and is managed in

the same manner as the former. When he has learned both, he follows that

which he likes best, unless the public has more occasion for the other.

The chief, and almost the only, business of the Syphogrants is to take

care that no man may live idle, but that every one may follow his trade

diligently; yet they do not wear themselves out with perpetual toil from

morning to night, as if they were beasts of burden, which as it is indeed

a heavy slavery, so it is everywhere the common course of life amongst

all mechanics except the Utopians: but they, dividing the day and night

into twenty-four hours, appoint six of these for work, three of which are

before dinner and three after; they then sup, and at eight o'clock,

counting from noon, go to bed and sleep eight hours: the rest of their

time, besides that taken up in work, eating, and sleeping, is left to

every man's discretion; yet they are not to abuse that interval to luxury

and idleness, but must employ it in some proper exercise, according to

their various inclinations, which is, for the most part, reading. It is

ordinary to have public lectures every morning before daybreak, at which

none are obliged to appear but those who are marked out for literature;

yet a great many, both men and women, of all ranks, go to hear lectures

of one sort or other, according to their inclinations: but if others that

are not made for contemplation, choose rather to employ themselves at

that time in their trades, as many of them do, they are not hindered, but

are rather commended, as men that take care to serve their country. After

supper they spend an hour in some diversion, in summer in their gardens,