As he told us of many things that were amiss in those new-discovered
countries, 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 on the
many errors that were both among us and these nations, 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
past, 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 great use to them, by the examples you could set
before them, and the advices 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 for them all that was incumbent on me;
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: when they then unwillingly give
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.” “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 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, said I, “I perceive, Raphael, that you
neither desire wealth nor greatness; and, indeed, I value and admire
such a man much more than I do any of the great men in the world. Yet I
think you would do what would well become so generous and philosophical
a soul as yours is, if you would apply your time and thoughts to public
affairs, even though you may happen to find it 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 putting him on noble
and worthy actions, which I know you would do if you were in such a
post; for the springs both of good and evil flow from the prince over a
whole nation, 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 you make of things: for
as I have not that capacity that you fancy I have, so if I had it, the
public would not be one jot the better when I had sacrificed my quiet
to it. For most princes apply themselves more to affairs of war than to
the useful arts of peace; and in these I neither have any knowledge,
nor do I much desire it; they are generally more set on acquiring new
kingdoms, right or wrong, than on governing well those they possess:
and, among the ministers of princes, there are none that are not so
wise as to need no assistance, or at least, that do not think
themselves so wise that they imagine they need none; and if they court
any, it is only those for whom the prince has much personal favour,
whom by their fawning and flatteries they endeavour to fix to their own
interests; and, indeed, nature has so made us, that we all love to be
flattered and to please ourselves with our own notions: the old crow
loves his young, and the ape her cubs. Now if in such a court, made up
of persons who envy all others and only admire themselves, a person
should but propose anything that he had either read in history or
observed in his travels, the rest would think that the reputation of
their wisdom would sink, and that their interests would be much
depressed if they could not run it down: and, if all other things
failed, then they would fly to this, that such or such things pleased
our ancestors, and it were well for us if we could but match them. They
would set up their rest on such an answer, as a sufficient confutation
of all that could be said, as if it were a great misfortune that any
should be found wiser than his ancestors. But though they willingly let
go all the good things that were among those of former ages, yet, if
better things are proposed, they cover themselves obstinately with this
excuse of reverence to past times. I have met with these proud, morose,
and absurd judgments of things in many places, particularly once in
England.” “Were you ever there?” said I. “Yes, I was,” answered he,
“and stayed some months there, not long after the rebellion in the West
was suppressed, with a great slaughter of the poor people that were
engaged in it.