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first constitution of their government, Utopus having understood that
before his coming among them the old inhabitants had been engaged in
great quarrels concerning religion, by which they were so divided among
themselves, that he found it an easy thing to conquer them, since,
instead of uniting their forces against him, every different party in
religion fought by themselves. After he had subdued them he made a law
that every man might be of what religion he pleased, and might endeavour
to draw others to it by the force of argument and by amicable and modest
ways, but without bitterness against those of other opinions; but that he
ought to use no other force but that of persuasion, and was neither to
mix with it reproaches nor violence; and such as did otherwise were to be
condemned to banishment or slavery.

"This law was made by Utopus, not only for preserving the public peace,
which he saw suffered much by daily contentions and irreconcilable heats,
but because he thought the interest of religion itself required it. He
judged it not fit to determine anything rashly; and seemed to doubt
whether those different forms of religion might not all come from God,
who might inspire man in a different manner, and be pleased with this
variety; 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 true. And supposing that only one religion was really true,
and the rest false, he imagined that the native force of truth would at
last break forth and shine bright, if supported only by the strength of
argument, and attended to with a gentle and unprejudiced mind; while, on
the other hand, if such debates were carried on with violence and
tumults, as the most wicked are always the most obstinate, so the best
and most holy religion might be choked with superstition, as corn is with
briars and thorns; he therefore left men wholly to their liberty, that
they might be free to believe as they should see cause; 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 bodies,
or that the world was governed by chance, without a wise overruling
Providence: for they all formerly believed that there was a state of
rewards and punishments to the good and bad after this life; and they now
look on those that think otherwise as scarce fit to be counted men, since
they degrade so noble a being as the soul, and reckon it no better than a
beast's: thus they are far from looking on such men as fit for human
society, or to be citizens of a well-ordered commonwealth; since a man of
such principles must needs, as oft as he dares do it, despise all their
laws and customs: for there is no doubt to be made, that a man who is
afraid of nothing but the law, and apprehends nothing after death, will
not scruple to break through all the laws of his country, either by fraud
or force, when by this means he may satisfy his appetites. They never
raise any that hold these maxims, either to honours or offices, nor
employ them in any public trust, but despise them, as men of base and
sordid minds. Yet they do not punish them, because they lay this down as
a maxim, that a man cannot make himself believe anything he pleases; nor
do they drive any to dissemble their thoughts by threatenings, so that
men are not tempted to lie or disguise their opinions; which being a sort
of fraud, is abhorred by the Utopians: they take care indeed to prevent
their disputing in defence of these opinions, especially before the
common people: but they suffer, and even encourage them to dispute
concerning them in private with their priest, and other grave men, being
confident that they will be cured of those mad opinions by having reason
laid before them. There are many among them that run far to the other
extreme, though it is neither thought an ill nor unreasonable opinion,
and therefore is not at all discouraged. They think that the souls of
beasts are immortal, though far inferior to the dignity of the human
soul, and not capable of so great a happiness. They are almost all of
them very firmly persuaded that good men will be infinitely happy in
another state: so that though they are compassionate to all that are
sick, yet they lament no man's death, except they see him loath to part
with life; for they look on this as a very ill presage, as if the soul,
conscious to itself of guilt, and quite hopeless, was afraid to leave the
body, from some secret hints of approaching misery. They think that such
a man's appearance before God cannot be acceptable to Him, who being
called on, does not go out cheerfully, but is backward and unwilling, and
is as it were dragged to it. They are struck with horror when they see
any die in this manner, and carry them out in silence and with sorrow,
and praying God that He would be merciful to the errors of the departed
soul, they lay the body in the ground: but when any die cheerfully, and
full of hope, they do not mourn for them, but sing hymns when they carry
out their bodies, and commending their souls very earnestly to God: their
whole behaviour is then rather grave than sad, they burn the body, and
set up a pillar where the pile was made, with an inscription to the
honour of the deceased. When they come from the funeral, they discourse
of his good life, and worthy actions, but speak of nothing oftener and
with more pleasure than of his serenity at the hour of death. They think
such respect paid to the memory of good men is both the greatest
incitement to engage others to follow their example, and the most
acceptable worship that can be offered them; for they believe that though
by the imperfection of human sight they are invisible to us, yet they are
present among us, and hear those discourses that pass concerning
themselves. They believe it inconsistent with the happiness of departed
souls not to be at liberty to be where they will: 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 kindness: besides,
they are persuaded that good men, after death, have these affections; and
all other good dispositions increased rather than diminished, and
therefore conclude that they are still among the living, and observe all
they say or do. From hence they engage in all their affairs with the
greater confidence of success, as trusting to their protection; while
this opinion of the presence of their ancestors is a restraint that
prevents their engaging in ill designs.

"They despise and laugh at auguries, and the other vain and superstitious
ways of divination, so much observed among other nations; but have great
reverence for such miracles as cannot flow from any of the powers of
nature, and look on them as effects and indications of the presence of

first constitution of their government, Utopus having understood that

before his coming among them the old inhabitants had been engaged in

great quarrels concerning religion, by which they were so divided among

themselves, that he found it an easy thing to conquer them, since,

instead of uniting their forces against him, every different party in

religion fought by themselves. After he had subdued them he made a law

that every man might be of what religion he pleased, and might endeavour

to draw others to it by the force of argument and by amicable and modest

ways, but without bitterness against those of other opinions; but that he

ought to use no other force but that of persuasion, and was neither to

mix with it reproaches nor violence; and such as did otherwise were to be

condemned to banishment or slavery.

"This law was made by Utopus, not only for preserving the public peace,

which he saw suffered much by daily contentions and irreconcilable heats,

but because he thought the interest of religion itself required it. He

judged it not fit to determine anything rashly; and seemed to doubt

whether those different forms of religion might not all come from God,

who might inspire man in a different manner, and be pleased with this

variety; 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 true. And supposing that only one religion was really true,

and the rest false, he imagined that the native force of truth would at

last break forth and shine bright, if supported only by the strength of

argument, and attended to with a gentle and unprejudiced mind; while, on

the other hand, if such debates were carried on with violence and

tumults, as the most wicked are always the most obstinate, so the best

and most holy religion might be choked with superstition, as corn is with

briars and thorns; he therefore left men wholly to their liberty, that

they might be free to believe as they should see cause; 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 bodies,

or that the world was governed by chance, without a wise overruling

Providence: for they all formerly believed that there was a state of

rewards and punishments to the good and bad after this life; and they now

look on those that think otherwise as scarce fit to be counted men, since

they degrade so noble a being as the soul, and reckon it no better than a

beast's: thus they are far from looking on such men as fit for human

society, or to be citizens of a well-ordered commonwealth; since a man of

such principles must needs, as oft as he dares do it, despise all their

laws and customs: for there is no doubt to be made, that a man who is

afraid of nothing but the law, and apprehends nothing after death, will

not scruple to break through all the laws of his country, either by fraud

or force, when by this means he may satisfy his appetites. They never

raise any that hold these maxims, either to honours or offices, nor

employ them in any public trust, but despise them, as men of base and

sordid minds. Yet they do not punish them, because they lay this down as

a maxim, that a man cannot make himself believe anything he pleases; nor

do they drive any to dissemble their thoughts by threatenings, so that

men are not tempted to lie or disguise their opinions; which being a sort

of fraud, is abhorred by the Utopians: they take care indeed to prevent

their disputing in defence of these opinions, especially before the

common people: but they suffer, and even encourage them to dispute

concerning them in private with their priest, and other grave men, being

confident that they will be cured of those mad opinions by having reason

laid before them. There are many among them that run far to the other

extreme, though it is neither thought an ill nor unreasonable opinion,

and therefore is not at all discouraged. They think that the souls of

beasts are immortal, though far inferior to the dignity of the human

soul, and not capable of so great a happiness. They are almost all of

them very firmly persuaded that good men will be infinitely happy in

another state: so that though they are compassionate to all that are

sick, yet they lament no man's death, except they see him loath to part

with life; for they look on this as a very ill presage, as if the soul,

conscious to itself of guilt, and quite hopeless, was afraid to leave the

body, from some secret hints of approaching misery. They think that such

a man's appearance before God cannot be acceptable to Him, who being

called on, does not go out cheerfully, but is backward and unwilling, and

is as it were dragged to it. They are struck with horror when they see

any die in this manner, and carry them out in silence and with sorrow,

and praying God that He would be merciful to the errors of the departed

soul, they lay the body in the ground: but when any die cheerfully, and

full of hope, they do not mourn for them, but sing hymns when they carry

out their bodies, and commending their souls very earnestly to God: their

whole behaviour is then rather grave than sad, they burn the body, and

set up a pillar where the pile was made, with an inscription to the

honour of the deceased. When they come from the funeral, they discourse

of his good life, and worthy actions, but speak of nothing oftener and

with more pleasure than of his serenity at the hour of death. They think

such respect paid to the memory of good men is both the greatest

incitement to engage others to follow their example, and the most

acceptable worship that can be offered them; for they believe that though

by the imperfection of human sight they are invisible to us, yet they are

present among us, and hear those discourses that pass concerning

themselves. They believe it inconsistent with the happiness of departed

souls not to be at liberty to be where they will: 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 kindness: besides,

they are persuaded that good men, after death, have these affections; and

all other good dispositions increased rather than diminished, and

therefore conclude that they are still among the living, and observe all

they say or do. From hence they engage in all their affairs with the

greater confidence of success, as trusting to their protection; while

this opinion of the presence of their ancestors is a restraint that

prevents their engaging in ill designs.

"They despise and laugh at auguries, and the other vain and superstitious

ways of divination, so much observed among other nations; but have great

reverence for such miracles as cannot flow from any of the powers of

nature, and look on them as effects and indications of the presence of