ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

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in the ordering and placing those plumes some dark mysteries are
represented, which pass down among their priests in a secret tradition
concerning them; and that they are as hieroglyphics, putting them in mind
of the blessing that they have received from God, and of their duties,
both to Him and to their neighbours. As soon as the priest appears in
those ornaments, they all fall prostrate on the ground, with so much
reverence and so deep a silence, that such as look on cannot but be
struck with it, as if it were the effect of the appearance of a deity.
After they have been for some time in this posture, they all stand up,
upon a sign given by the priest, and sing hymns to the honour of God,
some musical instruments playing all the while. These are quite of
another form than those used among us; but, as many of them are much
sweeter than ours, so others are made use of by us. Yet in one thing
they very much exceed us: all their music, both vocal and instrumental,
is adapted to imitate and express the passions, and is so happily suited
to every occasion, that, whether the subject of the hymn be cheerful, or
formed to soothe or trouble the mind, or to express grief or remorse, the
music takes the impression of whatever is represented, affects and
kindles the passions, and works the sentiments deep into the hearts of
the hearers. When this is done, both priests and people offer up very
solemn prayers to God in a set form of words; and these are so composed,
that whatsoever is pronounced by the whole assembly may be likewise
applied by every man in particular to his own condition. In these they
acknowledge God to be the author and governor of the world, and the
fountain of all the good they receive, and therefore offer up to him
their thanksgiving; and, in particular, bless him for His goodness in
ordering it so, that they are born under the happiest government in the
world, and are of a religion which they hope is the truest of all others;
but, if they are mistaken, and if there is either a better government, or
a religion more acceptable to God, they implore His goodness to let them
know it, vowing that they resolve to follow him whithersoever he leads
them; but if their government is the best, and their religion the truest,
then they pray that He may fortify them in it, and bring all the world
both to the same rules of life, and to the same opinions concerning
Himself, unless, according to the unsearchableness of His mind, He is
pleased with a variety of religions. Then they pray that God may give
them an easy passage at last to Himself, not presuming to set limits to
Him, how early or late it should be; but, if it may be wished for without
derogating from His supreme authority, they desire to be quickly
delivered, and to be taken to Himself, though by the most terrible kind
of death, rather than to be detained long from seeing Him by the most
prosperous course of life. When this prayer is ended, they all fall down
again upon the ground; and, after a little while, they rise up, go home
to dinner, and spend the rest of the day in diversion or military
exercises.

"Thus have I described to you, as particularly as I could, the
Constitution of that commonwealth, which I do not only think the best in
the world, but indeed the only commonwealth that truly deserves that
name. In all other places it is visible that, while people talk of a
commonwealth, every man only seeks his own wealth; but there, where no
man has any property, all men zealously pursue the good of the public,
and, indeed, it is no wonder to see men act so differently, for in other
commonwealths every man knows that, unless he provides for himself, how
flourishing soever the commonwealth may be, he must die of hunger, so
that he sees the necessity of preferring his own concerns to the public;
but in Utopia, where every man has a right to everything, they all know
that if care is taken to keep the public stores full no private man can
want anything; for among them there is no unequal distribution, so that
no man is poor, none in necessity, and though no man has anything, yet
they are all rich; for what can make a man so rich as to lead a serene
and cheerful life, free from anxieties; neither apprehending want
himself, nor vexed with the endless complaints of his wife? He is not
afraid of the misery of his children, nor is he contriving how to raise a
portion for his daughters; but is secure in this, that both he and his
wife, his children and grand-children, to as many generations as he can
fancy, will all live both plentifully and happily; since, among them,
there is no less care taken of those who were once engaged in labour, but
grow afterwards unable to follow it, than there is, elsewhere, of these
that continue still employed. I would gladly hear any man compare the
justice that is among them with that of all other nations; among whom,
may I perish, if I see anything that looks either like justice or equity;
for what justice is there in this: that a nobleman, a goldsmith, a
banker, or any other man, that either does nothing at all, or, at best,
is employed in things that are of no use to the public, should live in
great luxury and splendour upon what is so ill acquired, and a mean man,
a carter, a smith, or a ploughman, that works harder even than the beasts
themselves, and is employed in labours so necessary, that no commonwealth
could hold out a year without them, can only earn so poor a livelihood
and must lead so miserable a life, that the condition of the beasts is
much better than theirs? For as the beasts do not work so constantly, so
they feed almost as well, and with more pleasure, and have no anxiety
about what is to come, whilst these men are depressed by a barren and
fruitless employment, and tormented with the apprehensions of want in
their old age; since that which they get by their daily labour does but
maintain them at present, and is consumed as fast as it comes in, there
is no overplus left to lay up for old age.

"Is not that government both unjust and ungrateful, that is so prodigal
of its favours to those that are called gentlemen, or goldsmiths, or such
others who are idle, or live either by flattery or by contriving the arts
of vain pleasure, and, on the other hand, takes no care of those of a
meaner sort, such as ploughmen, colliers, and smiths, without whom it
could not subsist? But after the public has reaped all the advantage of
their service, and they come to be oppressed with age, sickness, and
want, all their labours and the good they have done is forgotten, and all
the recompense given them is that they are left to die in great misery.
The richer sort are often endeavouring to bring the hire of labourers
lower, not only by their fraudulent practices, but by the laws which they
procure to be made to that effect, so that though it is a thing most

in the ordering and placing those plumes some dark mysteries are

represented, which pass down among their priests in a secret tradition

concerning them; and that they are as hieroglyphics, putting them in mind

of the blessing that they have received from God, and of their duties,

both to Him and to their neighbours. As soon as the priest appears in

those ornaments, they all fall prostrate on the ground, with so much

reverence and so deep a silence, that such as look on cannot but be

struck with it, as if it were the effect of the appearance of a deity.

After they have been for some time in this posture, they all stand up,

upon a sign given by the priest, and sing hymns to the honour of God,

some musical instruments playing all the while. These are quite of

another form than those used among us; but, as many of them are much

sweeter than ours, so others are made use of by us. Yet in one thing

they very much exceed us: all their music, both vocal and instrumental,

is adapted to imitate and express the passions, and is so happily suited

to every occasion, that, whether the subject of the hymn be cheerful, or

formed to soothe or trouble the mind, or to express grief or remorse, the

music takes the impression of whatever is represented, affects and

kindles the passions, and works the sentiments deep into the hearts of

the hearers. When this is done, both priests and people offer up very

solemn prayers to God in a set form of words; and these are so composed,

that whatsoever is pronounced by the whole assembly may be likewise

applied by every man in particular to his own condition. In these they

acknowledge God to be the author and governor of the world, and the

fountain of all the good they receive, and therefore offer up to him

their thanksgiving; and, in particular, bless him for His goodness in

ordering it so, that they are born under the happiest government in the

world, and are of a religion which they hope is the truest of all others;

but, if they are mistaken, and if there is either a better government, or

a religion more acceptable to God, they implore His goodness to let them

know it, vowing that they resolve to follow him whithersoever he leads

them; but if their government is the best, and their religion the truest,

then they pray that He may fortify them in it, and bring all the world

both to the same rules of life, and to the same opinions concerning

Himself, unless, according to the unsearchableness of His mind, He is

pleased with a variety of religions. Then they pray that God may give

them an easy passage at last to Himself, not presuming to set limits to

Him, how early or late it should be; but, if it may be wished for without

derogating from His supreme authority, they desire to be quickly

delivered, and to be taken to Himself, though by the most terrible kind

of death, rather than to be detained long from seeing Him by the most

prosperous course of life. When this prayer is ended, they all fall down

again upon the ground; and, after a little while, they rise up, go home

to dinner, and spend the rest of the day in diversion or military

exercises.

"Thus have I described to you, as particularly as I could, the

Constitution of that commonwealth, which I do not only think the best in

the world, but indeed the only commonwealth that truly deserves that

name. In all other places it is visible that, while people talk of a

commonwealth, every man only seeks his own wealth; but there, where no

man has any property, all men zealously pursue the good of the public,

and, indeed, it is no wonder to see men act so differently, for in other

commonwealths every man knows that, unless he provides for himself, how

flourishing soever the commonwealth may be, he must die of hunger, so

that he sees the necessity of preferring his own concerns to the public;

but in Utopia, where every man has a right to everything, they all know

that if care is taken to keep the public stores full no private man can

want anything; for among them there is no unequal distribution, so that

no man is poor, none in necessity, and though no man has anything, yet

they are all rich; for what can make a man so rich as to lead a serene

and cheerful life, free from anxieties; neither apprehending want

himself, nor vexed with the endless complaints of his wife? He is not

afraid of the misery of his children, nor is he contriving how to raise a

portion for his daughters; but is secure in this, that both he and his

wife, his children and grand-children, to as many generations as he can

fancy, will all live both plentifully and happily; since, among them,

there is no less care taken of those who were once engaged in labour, but

grow afterwards unable to follow it, than there is, elsewhere, of these

that continue still employed. I would gladly hear any man compare the

justice that is among them with that of all other nations; among whom,

may I perish, if I see anything that looks either like justice or equity;

for what justice is there in this: that a nobleman, a goldsmith, a

banker, or any other man, that either does nothing at all, or, at best,

is employed in things that are of no use to the public, should live in

great luxury and splendour upon what is so ill acquired, and a mean man,

a carter, a smith, or a ploughman, that works harder even than the beasts

themselves, and is employed in labours so necessary, that no commonwealth

could hold out a year without them, can only earn so poor a livelihood

and must lead so miserable a life, that the condition of the beasts is

much better than theirs? For as the beasts do not work so constantly, so

they feed almost as well, and with more pleasure, and have no anxiety

about what is to come, whilst these men are depressed by a barren and

fruitless employment, and tormented with the apprehensions of want in

their old age; since that which they get by their daily labour does but

maintain them at present, and is consumed as fast as it comes in, there

is no overplus left to lay up for old age.

"Is not that government both unjust and ungrateful, that is so prodigal

of its favours to those that are called gentlemen, or goldsmiths, or such

others who are idle, or live either by flattery or by contriving the arts

of vain pleasure, and, on the other hand, takes no care of those of a

meaner sort, such as ploughmen, colliers, and smiths, without whom it

could not subsist? But after the public has reaped all the advantage of

their service, and they come to be oppressed with age, sickness, and

want, all their labours and the good they have done is forgotten, and all

the recompense given them is that they are left to die in great misery.

The richer sort are often endeavouring to bring the hire of labourers

lower, not only by their fraudulent practices, but by the laws which they

procure to be made to that effect, so that though it is a thing most