First, The which thing you also shall perceive, if you weigh and consider with yourselves how great a part of the people in other countries liveth idle. almost all women, which be the half of the whole number; or else, if the women be somewhere occupied, there most commonly in their stead the men be idle. Put thereto all rich men, specially all landed men, which commonly be called gentlemen and noblemen ; take into this number also their servants. Join to them also sturdy and valiant beggars, cloaking their idle life under the colour of some disease or sickness. And truly you shall find them much fewer than you thought, by whose labour all these things are wrought, that in men's affairs are now daily used and frequented. Now consider within yourself of these few that do work, how few be occupied in necessary work. For where money beareth all the swing, there many vain and superfluous occupations must needs be used to serve only for riotous superfluity and unhonest pleasure. But if all these, that be now busied about unprofitable occupations, with all the whole flock of them that live idly and slothfully, which consume and waste every one of them more of these things that come by other men's labour than two of the workmen themselves do-if all these were set to profitable occupations, you easily perceive how little time would be enough, yea, and too much, to store us with all things that may be requisite either for necessity or commodity, yea, or for pleasure, so that the same pleasure be true and natural. And this in Utopia the thing itself maketh mani fest and plain. For there, in all the city, with the whole country or shire adjoining to it, scarcely five hundred persons of all the whole number of men and women, that be neither too old nor too weak to work, be licensed and discharged from labour. Among them be the Siphogrants, who, though they be by the laws exempt and privileged from labour, yet they exempt not themselves; to the intent they may the rather by their example provoke others to work. The same vacation from labour do they also enjoy to whom the people have given a perpetual license from labour to learning; but if any one of them prove not according to the expectation and hope of him conceived, he is forthwith plucked back to the company of artificers; and contrariwise often it chanceth that a handy-craftsman doth so earnestly bestow his vacant and spare hours in learning, and through diligence so profiteth therein, that he is taken from his handy occupation and promoted to the company of the learned. Out of this order of the learned be chosen ambassadors, priests, and finally the prince himself. The residue of the people being neither idle, nor yet occupied about unprofitable exercises, it may be easily judged in how few hours how much good work by them may be done and dispatched, towards those things that I have spoken of. This commodity they have also above other, that in the most part of necessary occupations they need not so much work as other nations do. For first of all the building or repairing of houses asketh everywhere so many men's continual labour, because that the unthrifty heir suffereth the houses that his father builded, in continuance of time, to fall in decay. So that which he might have upholden with little cost, his successor is constrained to build it again anew to his great charge. Yea, many times also, the house that stood one man in much money, another is of so nice and so delicate a mind that he setteth nothing by it; and it being neglected, and therefore shortly falleth into ruin, he buildeth up another in another place. But among the Utopians, where all things be set in good order, it seldom chanceth that they choose a new plot to build an house upon. And they do not only find speedy and quick remedies for present faults, but also prevent them that be like to fall. And by this means their houses continue and last very long with little labour and small reparations, insomuch that these kind of workmen sometimes have almost nothing to do. But then they be commanded to hew timber at home, and to square and trim up stones, to the intent that, if any work chance, it may the speedilier rise. Now, sir, in their apparel, mark, I pray you, how few workmen they need. First of all, whilst they be at work they be covered homely with leather or skins, that will last seven years. When they go forth abroad, they cast upon them a cloak which hideth the other homely apparel. These cloaks throughout the whole island be all of one colour, and that is the natural colour of the wool. They, therefore, do not only spend much less on woollen cloth. than is spent in other countries, but also the same standeth them in much less cost. But linen cloth is made with much less labour, and is, therefore, had more in use. But in linen cloth only whiteness, in woollen only cleanliness, is regarded. As for the smallness or fineness of the thread, that is nothing passed for. And this is the cause wherefore, in other places, four or five cloth gowns of divers colours, and as many silk coats, be not enough for one man. Yea, and if he be of the delicate and nice sort, ten be too few; whereas there one garment will serve a man most commonly two years. Wherefore, seeing they be all exercised in profitable occupations, and that few artificers in the same craft be sufficient, this is the cause that plenty of all things be among them. They do sometimes bring forth an innumerable company of people to amend the highways, if any be broken. be broken. Many times also, when they For have no such work to be occupied about, an open proclamation is made that they shall bestow fewer hours in work; for the magistrates do not exercise their citizens against their wills in unneedful labours. why, in the institution of the public weal, this end is only and chiefly pretended and minded—that what time may possibly be spared from the necessary occupations and affairs of the commonwealth, all that the citizens should withdraw from the bodily service to the free liberty of the mind, and garnishing of the For therein they suppose the felicity of this same. life to consist. SIR THOMAS MORE. 60. THE LEECH-GATHERER. RESOLUTION AND INDEPENDENCE. There was a roaring in the wind all night; The rain came heavily, and fell in floods ; But now the sun is rising calm and bright; The birds are singing in the distant woods; Over his own sweet voice the stock-dove broods; The jay makes answer as the magpie chatters; And all the air is filled with pleasant noise of waters. All things that love the sun are out of doors; The grass moors on the The hare is running races in her mirth, I was a traveller then upon the moor; But as it sometimes chanceth, from the might And fears and fancies thick upon me came— Dim sadness and blind thoughts I knew not, nor could name. |