a man much more than I do any of the great men in the world. Yet I think you would do a thing well becoming so generous and so philosophical a soul as yours is, if you would apply your time and thoughts to public affairs, even though you may happen to find that a little uneasy to yourself; and this you can never do with so much advantage, as by being taken into the council of some great prince, and by setting him on to noble and worthy things, which I know you would do if you were in such a post; for the springs both of good and evil, flow over a whole nation, from the prince, as from a lasting fountain. 19 So much learning as you have, even without practice in affairs; or so great a practice as you have had, without any other learning, would render you a very fit counsellor to any king whatsoever." "You are doubly mistaken," said he, "Mr. More, both in your opinion of me, and in the judgment that you make of things for as I have not that capacity that you : 19 Cicero's opinions were still more unfavourable to monarchy. He knew of no good that was likely to flow from a court upon the nation, but considered it a source of unmitigated evil; and the experience of mankind, from that time to the present, has done nothing to remove the grounds of this decision. Swift had also adopted a similar opinion: "Three kings protested to me," he observes, "that in their whole reigns they never did once prefer any person of merit, unless by mistake, or treachery of some minister in whom they confided: neither would they do it if they were to live again; and they showed with great strength of reason, that their royal throne could not be supported without corruption, because that positive, confident, restive temper, which virtue infused into a man, was a perpetual clog to public business."-Gulliver's Travels, part III. c. viii. into their favour, by showing them the use of the needle, of which till then they were utterly ignorant; and whereas they sailed before with great caution, and only in summer time, now they count all seasons alike, trusting wholly to the loadstone, in which they are perhaps more secure than safe : so that there is reason to fear, that this discovery, which was thought would prove so much to their advantage, may by their imprudence become an occasion of much mischief to them. But it were too long to dwell on all that he told us he had observed in every place; it would be too great a digression from our present purpose: and whatever is necessary to be told, chiefly concerning the wise and prudent institutions that he observed among civilized nations, may perhaps be related by us on a more proper occasion. We asked him many questions concerning all these things, to which he answered very willingly; only we made no enquiries after monsters, than which nothing is more common; for every where one may hear of ravenous dogs and wolves, and cruel men-eaters; but it is not so easy to find states that are well and wisely governed.17 But as he told us of many things that were 17 States are always best governed on paper; but, though this must for ever continue to be the case, few persons will deny that very great improvements might be effected both in the theory and practice of government. Many of these improvements were foreseen and advocated by Sir Thomas More, whose notions in most things were diametrically opposed to those put forward in his name by Mr. Southey, in his " Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society." amiss in those new-found nations, so he reckoned up not a few things, from which patterns might be taken for correcting the errors of these nations among whom we live; of which an account may be given, as I have already promised, at some other time; for at present I intend only to relate those particulars that he told us of the manners and laws of the Utopians: but I will begin with the occasion that led us to speak of that commonwealth. After Raphael had discoursed with great judgment of the errors that were both among us and these nations, of which there was no small number, and had treated of the wise institutions both here and there, and had spoken as distinctly of the customs and government of every nation through which he had passed, as if he had spent his whole life in it; Peter, being struck with admiration, said, "I wonder, Raphael, how it comes that you enter into no king's service, for I am sure there are none to whom you would not be very acceptable: for your learning and knowledge, both of men and things, is such, that you would not only entertain them very pleasantly, but be of good use to them, by the examples that you could set before them, and the advices that you could give them; and by this means you would both serve your own interest, and be of great use to all your friends." "As for my friends," answered he, "I need not be much concerned, having already done all that was incumbent on me towards them; for when I was not only in good health, but fresh and young, I distributed that among my kindred and friends, which other people do not part with till they are old and sick; and then they unwillingly give among them that which they can enjoy no longer themselves. I think my friends ought to rest contented with this, and not to expect that for their sakes I should enslave myself to any king whatsoever.”18 "Soft and fair," said Peter; "I do not mean that you should be a slave to any king, but only that you should assist them, and be useful to them." 'The change of the word," said he, “ does not alter the matter." "But term it as you will," replied Peter, "I do not see any other way in which you can be so useful, both in private to your friends and to the public, and by which you can make your own condition happier." "Happier!" answered Raphael, is that to be compassed in a way so abhorrent to my genius ? Now I live as I will, to which I believe few courtiers can pretend: and there are so very many that court the favour of great men, that there will be no great loss, if they are not troubled either with me, or with others of my temper." Upon this I said, "I perceive, Raphael, that you neither desire wealth nor greatness; and indeed I value and admire such 66 18 It is perfectly evident that Raphael expresses the opinions of the author; for though he sometimes feigns to make opposition to them, it is feebly done, and the victory is left with the imaginary interlocutor. In fact, he had imbibed his notions from the Greek writers, to whom kings were an object of aversion; and if he served Henry VIII., and, as we have seen, could occasionally condescend to flatter him, it was because he yielded to the necessities of the times, and was fain to do all the good in his power. a man much more than I do any of the great men in the world. Yet I think you would do a thing well becoming so generous and so philosophical a soul as yours is, if you would apply your time and thoughts to public affairs, even though you may happen to find that a little uneasy to yourself; and this you can never do with so much advantage, as by being taken into the council of some great prince, and by setting him on to noble and worthy things, which I know you would do if you were in such a post; for the springs both of good and evil, flow over a whole nation, from the prince, as from a lasting fountain.' So much learning as you have, even without practice in affairs; or so great a practice as you have had, without any other learning, would render you a very fit counsellor to any king whatsoever." "You are doubly mistaken," said he, "Mr. More, both in your opinion of me, and in the judgment that you make of things: for as I have not that capacity that you 19 19 Cicero's opinions were still more unfavourable to monarchy. He knew of no good that was likely to flow from a court upon the nation, but considered it a source of unmitigated evil; and the experience of mankind, from that time to the present, has done nothing to remove the grounds of this decision. Swift had also adopted a similar opinion: "Three kings protested to me," he observes, "that in their whole reigns they never did once prefer any person of merit, unless by mistake, or treachery of some minister in whom they confided: neither would they do it if they were to live again; and they showed with great strength of reason, that their royal throne could not be supported without corruption, because that positive, confident, restive temper, which virtue infused into a man, was a perpetual clog to public business."-Gulliver's Travels, part III. c. viii. |