ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

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their minds, in which they think the happiness of life consists.






OF THEIR TRAFFIC


"But it is now time to explain to you the mutual intercourse of this
people, their commerce, and the rules by which all things are distributed
among them.

"As their cities are composed of families, so their families are made up
of those that are nearly related to one another. Their women, when they
grow up, are married out, but all the males, both children and
grand-children, live still in the same house, in great obedience to their
common parent, unless age has weakened his understanding, and in that
case he that is next to him in age comes in his room; but lest any city
should become either too great, or by any accident be dispeopled,
provision is made that none of their cities may contain above six
thousand families, besides those of the country around it. No family may
have less than ten and more than sixteen persons in it, but there can be
no determined number for the children under age; this rule is easily
observed by removing some of the children of a more fruitful couple to
any other family that does not abound so much in them. By the same rule
they supply cities that do not increase so fast from others that breed
faster; and if there is any increase over the whole island, then they
draw out a number of their citizens out of the several towns and send
them over to the neighbouring continent, where, if they find that the
inhabitants have more soil than they can well cultivate, they fix a
colony, taking the inhabitants into their society if they are willing to
live with them; and where they do that of their own accord, they quickly
enter into their method of life and conform to their rules, and this
proves a happiness to both nations; for, according to their constitution,
such care is taken of the soil that it becomes fruitful enough for both,
though it might be otherwise too narrow and barren for any one of them.
But if the natives refuse to conform themselves to their laws they drive
them out of those bounds which they mark out for themselves, and use
force if they resist, for they account it a very just cause of war for a
nation to hinder others from possessing a part of that soil of which they
make no use, but which is suffered to lie idle and uncultivated, since
every man has, by the law of nature, a right to such a waste portion of
the earth as is necessary for his subsistence. If an accident has so
lessened the number of the inhabitants of any of their towns that it
cannot be made up from the other towns of the island without diminishing
them too much (which is said to have fallen out but twice since they were
first a people, when great numbers were carried off by the plague), the
loss is then supplied by recalling as many as are wanted from their
colonies, for they will abandon these rather than suffer the towns in the
island to sink too low.

"But to return to their manner of living in society: the oldest man of
every family, as has been already said, is its governor; wives serve
their husbands, and children their parents, and always the younger serves
the elder. Every city is divided into four equal parts, and in the
middle of each there is a market-place. What is brought thither, and
manufactured by the several families, is carried from thence to houses
appointed for that purpose, in which all things of a sort are laid by
themselves; and thither every father goes, and takes whatsoever he or his
family stand in need of, without either paying for it or leaving anything
in exchange. There is no reason for giving a denial to any person, since
there is such plenty of everything among them; and there is no danger of
a man's asking for more than he needs; they have no inducements to do
this, since they are sure they shall always be supplied: it is the fear
of want that makes any of the whole race of animals either greedy or
ravenous; but, besides fear, there is in man a pride that makes him fancy
it a particular glory to excel others in pomp and excess; but by the laws
of the Utopians, there is no room for this. Near these markets there are
others for all sorts of provisions, where there are not only herbs,
fruits, and bread, but also fish, fowl, and cattle. There are also,
without their towns, places appointed near some running water for killing
their beasts and for washing away their filth, which is done by their
slaves; for they suffer none of their citizens to kill their cattle,
because they think that pity and good-nature, which are among the best of
those affections that are born with us, are much impaired by the
butchering of animals; nor do they suffer anything that is foul or
unclean to be brought within their towns, lest the air should be infected
by ill-smells, which might prejudice their health. In every street there
are great halls, that lie at an equal distance from each other,
distinguished by particular names. The Syphogrants dwell in those that
are set over thirty families, fifteen lying on one side of it, and as
many on the other. In these halls they all meet and have their repasts;
the stewards of every one of them come to the market-place at an
appointed hour, and according to the number of those that belong to the
hall they carry home provisions. But they take more care of their sick
than of any others; these are lodged and provided for in public
hospitals. They have belonging to every town four hospitals, that are
built without their walls, and are so large that they may pass for little
towns; by this means, if they had ever such a number of sick persons,
they could lodge them conveniently, and at such a distance 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 contagion. The hospitals are furnished
and stored with all things that are convenient for the ease and recovery
of the sick; and those that are put in them are looked after with such
tender and watchful care, and are so constantly attended by their skilful
physicians, that as none is sent to them against their will, so there is
scarce one in a whole town that, if he should fall ill, would not choose
rather to go thither than lie sick at home.

their minds, in which they think the happiness of life consists.

OF THEIR TRAFFIC

"But it is now time to explain to you the mutual intercourse of this

people, their commerce, and the rules by which all things are distributed

among them.

"As their cities are composed of families, so their families are made up

of those that are nearly related to one another. Their women, when they

grow up, are married out, but all the males, both children and

grand-children, live still in the same house, in great obedience to their

common parent, unless age has weakened his understanding, and in that

case he that is next to him in age comes in his room; but lest any city

should become either too great, or by any accident be dispeopled,

provision is made that none of their cities may contain above six

thousand families, besides those of the country around it. No family may

have less than ten and more than sixteen persons in it, but there can be

no determined number for the children under age; this rule is easily

observed by removing some of the children of a more fruitful couple to

any other family that does not abound so much in them. By the same rule

they supply cities that do not increase so fast from others that breed

faster; and if there is any increase over the whole island, then they

draw out a number of their citizens out of the several towns and send

them over to the neighbouring continent, where, if they find that the

inhabitants have more soil than they can well cultivate, they fix a

colony, taking the inhabitants into their society if they are willing to

live with them; and where they do that of their own accord, they quickly

enter into their method of life and conform to their rules, and this

proves a happiness to both nations; for, according to their constitution,

such care is taken of the soil that it becomes fruitful enough for both,

though it might be otherwise too narrow and barren for any one of them.

But if the natives refuse to conform themselves to their laws they drive

them out of those bounds which they mark out for themselves, and use

force if they resist, for they account it a very just cause of war for a

nation to hinder others from possessing a part of that soil of which they

make no use, but which is suffered to lie idle and uncultivated, since

every man has, by the law of nature, a right to such a waste portion of

the earth as is necessary for his subsistence. If an accident has so

lessened the number of the inhabitants of any of their towns that it

cannot be made up from the other towns of the island without diminishing

them too much (which is said to have fallen out but twice since they were

first a people, when great numbers were carried off by the plague), the

loss is then supplied by recalling as many as are wanted from their

colonies, for they will abandon these rather than suffer the towns in the

island to sink too low.

"But to return to their manner of living in society: the oldest man of

every family, as has been already said, is its governor; wives serve

their husbands, and children their parents, and always the younger serves

the elder. Every city is divided into four equal parts, and in the

middle of each there is a market-place. What is brought thither, and

manufactured by the several families, is carried from thence to houses

appointed for that purpose, in which all things of a sort are laid by

themselves; and thither every father goes, and takes whatsoever he or his

family stand in need of, without either paying for it or leaving anything

in exchange. There is no reason for giving a denial to any person, since

there is such plenty of everything among them; and there is no danger of

a man's asking for more than he needs; they have no inducements to do

this, since they are sure they shall always be supplied: it is the fear

of want that makes any of the whole race of animals either greedy or

ravenous; but, besides fear, there is in man a pride that makes him fancy

it a particular glory to excel others in pomp and excess; but by the laws

of the Utopians, there is no room for this. Near these markets there are

others for all sorts of provisions, where there are not only herbs,

fruits, and bread, but also fish, fowl, and cattle. There are also,

without their towns, places appointed near some running water for killing

their beasts and for washing away their filth, which is done by their

slaves; for they suffer none of their citizens to kill their cattle,

because they think that pity and good-nature, which are among the best of

those affections that are born with us, are much impaired by the

butchering of animals; nor do they suffer anything that is foul or

unclean to be brought within their towns, lest the air should be infected

by ill-smells, which might prejudice their health. In every street there

are great halls, that lie at an equal distance from each other,

distinguished by particular names. The Syphogrants dwell in those that

are set over thirty families, fifteen lying on one side of it, and as

many on the other. In these halls they all meet and have their repasts;

the stewards of every one of them come to the market-place at an

appointed hour, and according to the number of those that belong to the

hall they carry home provisions. But they take more care of their sick

than of any others; these are lodged and provided for in public

hospitals. They have belonging to every town four hospitals, that are

built without their walls, and are so large that they may pass for little

towns; by this means, if they had ever such a number of sick persons,

they could lodge them conveniently, and at such a distance 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 contagion. The hospitals are furnished

and stored with all things that are convenient for the ease and recovery

of the sick; and those that are put in them are looked after with such

tender and watchful care, and are so constantly attended by their skilful

physicians, that as none is sent to them against their will, so there is

scarce one in a whole town that, if he should fall ill, would not choose

rather to go thither than lie sick at home.