ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

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"After the steward of the hospitals has taken for the sick whatsoever the
physician prescribes, then the best things that are left in the market
are distributed equally among the halls in proportion to their numbers;
only, in the first place, they serve the Prince, the Chief Priest, the
Tranibors, the Ambassadors, and strangers, if there are any, which,
indeed, falls out but seldom, and for whom there are houses, well
furnished, particularly appointed for their reception when they come
among them. At the hours of dinner and supper the whole Syphogranty
being called together by sound of trumpet, they meet and eat together,
except only such as are in the hospitals or lie sick at home. Yet, after
the halls are served, no man is hindered to carry provisions home from
the market-place, for they know that none does that but for some good
reason; for though any that will may eat at home, yet none does it
willingly, since it is both ridiculous and foolish for any to give
themselves the trouble to make ready an ill dinner at home when there is
a much more plentiful one made ready for him so near hand. All the
uneasy and sordid services about these halls are performed by their
slaves; but the dressing and cooking their meat, and the ordering their
tables, belong only to the women, all those of every family taking it by
turns. They sit at three or more tables, according to their number; the
men sit towards the wall, and the women sit on the other side, that if
any of them should be taken suddenly ill, which is no uncommon case
amongst women with child, she may, without disturbing the rest, rise and
go to the nurses' room (who are there with the sucking children), where
there is always clean water at hand and cradles, in which they may lay
the young children if there is occasion for it, and a fire, that they may
shift and dress them before it. Every child is nursed by its own mother
if death or sickness does not intervene; and in that case the
Syphogrants' wives find out a nurse quickly, which is no hard matter, for
any one that can do it offers herself cheerfully; for as they are much
inclined to that piece of mercy, so the child whom they nurse considers
the nurse as its mother. All the children under five years old sit among
the nurses; the rest of the younger sort of both sexes, till they are fit
for marriage, either serve those that sit at table, or, if they are not
strong enough for that, stand by them in great silence and eat what is
given them; nor have they any other formality of dining. In the middle
of the first table, which stands across the upper end of the hall, sit
the Syphogrant and his wife, for that is the chief and most conspicuous
place; next to him sit two of the most ancient, for there go always four
to a mess. If there is a temple within the Syphogranty, the Priest and
his wife sit with the Syphogrant above all the rest; next them there is a
mixture of old and young, who are so placed that as the young are set
near others, so they are mixed with the more ancient; which, they say,
was appointed on this account: that the gravity of the old people, and
the reverence that is due to them, might restrain the younger from all
indecent words and gestures. Dishes are not served up to the whole table
at first, but the best are first set before the old, whose seats are
distinguished from the young, and, after them, all the rest are served
alike. The old men distribute to the younger any curious meats that
happen to be set before them, if there is not such an abundance of them
that the whole company may be served alike.

"Thus old men are honoured with a particular respect, yet all the rest
fare as well as they. Both dinner and supper are begun with some lecture
of morality that is read to them; but it is so short that it is not
tedious nor uneasy to them to hear it. From hence the old men take
occasion to entertain those about them with some useful and pleasant
enlargements; but they do not engross the whole discourse so to
themselves during their meals that the younger may not put in for a
share; on the contrary, they engage them to talk, that so they may, in
that free way of conversation, find out the force of every one's spirit
and observe his temper. They despatch their dinners quickly, but sit
long at supper, because they go to work after the one, and are to sleep
after the other, during which they think the stomach carries on the
concoction more vigorously. They never sup without music, and there is
always fruit served up after meat; while they are at table some burn
perfumes and sprinkle about fragrant ointments and sweet waters--in
short, they want nothing that may cheer up their spirits; they give
themselves a large allowance that way, and indulge themselves in all such
pleasures as are attended with no inconvenience. Thus do those that are
in the towns live together; but in the country, where they live at a
great distance, every one eats at home, and no family wants any necessary
sort of provision, for it is from them that provisions are sent unto
those that live in the towns.






OF THE TRAVELLING OF THE UTOPIANS


If any man has a mind to visit his friends that live in some other town,
or desires to travel and see the rest of the country, he obtains leave
very easily from the Syphogrant and Tranibors, when there is no
particular occasion for him at home. Such as travel carry with them a
passport from the Prince, which both certifies the licence that is
granted for travelling, and limits the time of their return. They are
furnished with a waggon and a slave, who drives the oxen and looks after
them; but, unless there are women in the company, the waggon is sent back
at the end of the journey as a needless encumbrance. While they are on
the road they carry no provisions with them, yet they want for nothing,
but are everywhere treated as if they were at home. If they stay in any
place longer than a night, every one follows his proper occupation, and
is very well used by those of his own trade; but if any man goes out of
the city to which he belongs without leave, and is found rambling without
a passport, he is severely treated, he is punished as a fugitive, and
sent home disgracefully; and, if he falls again into the like fault, is

"After the steward of the hospitals has taken for the sick whatsoever the

physician prescribes, then the best things that are left in the market

are distributed equally among the halls in proportion to their numbers;

only, in the first place, they serve the Prince, the Chief Priest, the

Tranibors, the Ambassadors, and strangers, if there are any, which,

indeed, falls out but seldom, and for whom there are houses, well

furnished, particularly appointed for their reception when they come

among them. At the hours of dinner and supper the whole Syphogranty

being called together by sound of trumpet, they meet and eat together,

except only such as are in the hospitals or lie sick at home. Yet, after

the halls are served, no man is hindered to carry provisions home from

the market-place, for they know that none does that but for some good

reason; for though any that will may eat at home, yet none does it

willingly, since it is both ridiculous and foolish for any to give

themselves the trouble to make ready an ill dinner at home when there is

a much more plentiful one made ready for him so near hand. All the

uneasy and sordid services about these halls are performed by their

slaves; but the dressing and cooking their meat, and the ordering their

tables, belong only to the women, all those of every family taking it by

turns. They sit at three or more tables, according to their number; the

men sit towards the wall, and the women sit on the other side, that if

any of them should be taken suddenly ill, which is no uncommon case

amongst women with child, she may, without disturbing the rest, rise and

go to the nurses' room (who are there with the sucking children), where

there is always clean water at hand and cradles, in which they may lay

the young children if there is occasion for it, and a fire, that they may

shift and dress them before it. Every child is nursed by its own mother

if death or sickness does not intervene; and in that case the

Syphogrants' wives find out a nurse quickly, which is no hard matter, for

any one that can do it offers herself cheerfully; for as they are much

inclined to that piece of mercy, so the child whom they nurse considers

the nurse as its mother. All the children under five years old sit among

the nurses; the rest of the younger sort of both sexes, till they are fit

for marriage, either serve those that sit at table, or, if they are not

strong enough for that, stand by them in great silence and eat what is

given them; nor have they any other formality of dining. In the middle

of the first table, which stands across the upper end of the hall, sit

the Syphogrant and his wife, for that is the chief and most conspicuous

place; next to him sit two of the most ancient, for there go always four

to a mess. If there is a temple within the Syphogranty, the Priest and

his wife sit with the Syphogrant above all the rest; next them there is a

mixture of old and young, who are so placed that as the young are set

near others, so they are mixed with the more ancient; which, they say,

was appointed on this account: that the gravity of the old people, and

the reverence that is due to them, might restrain the younger from all

indecent words and gestures. Dishes are not served up to the whole table

at first, but the best are first set before the old, whose seats are

distinguished from the young, and, after them, all the rest are served

alike. The old men distribute to the younger any curious meats that

happen to be set before them, if there is not such an abundance of them

that the whole company may be served alike.

"Thus old men are honoured with a particular respect, yet all the rest

fare as well as they. Both dinner and supper are begun with some lecture

of morality that is read to them; but it is so short that it is not

tedious nor uneasy to them to hear it. From hence the old men take

occasion to entertain those about them with some useful and pleasant

enlargements; but they do not engross the whole discourse so to

themselves during their meals that the younger may not put in for a

share; on the contrary, they engage them to talk, that so they may, in

that free way of conversation, find out the force of every one's spirit

and observe his temper. They despatch their dinners quickly, but sit

long at supper, because they go to work after the one, and are to sleep

after the other, during which they think the stomach carries on the

concoction more vigorously. They never sup without music, and there is

always fruit served up after meat; while they are at table some burn

perfumes and sprinkle about fragrant ointments and sweet waters--in

short, they want nothing that may cheer up their spirits; they give

themselves a large allowance that way, and indulge themselves in all such

pleasures as are attended with no inconvenience. Thus do those that are

in the towns live together; but in the country, where they live at a

great distance, every one eats at home, and no family wants any necessary

sort of provision, for it is from them that provisions are sent unto

those that live in the towns.

OF THE TRAVELLING OF THE UTOPIANS

If any man has a mind to visit his friends that live in some other town,

or desires to travel and see the rest of the country, he obtains leave

very easily from the Syphogrant and Tranibors, when there is no

particular occasion for him at home. Such as travel carry with them a

passport from the Prince, which both certifies the licence that is

granted for travelling, and limits the time of their return. They are

furnished with a waggon and a slave, who drives the oxen and looks after

them; but, unless there are women in the company, the waggon is sent back

at the end of the journey as a needless encumbrance. While they are on

the road they carry no provisions with them, yet they want for nothing,

but are everywhere treated as if they were at home. If they stay in any

place longer than a night, every one follows his proper occupation, and

is very well used by those of his own trade; but if any man goes out of

the city to which he belongs without leave, and is found rambling without

a passport, he is severely treated, he is punished as a fugitive, and

sent home disgracefully; and, if he falls again into the like fault, is