tumults, then, as the wickedest sort of men are always the most obstinate, so the holiest and best religion in the world might be overlaid with so much foolish superstition, that it would be quite choked with it, as corn is with briars and thorns; therefore he left men wholly to their liberty in this matter, that they might be free to believe as they should see cause.

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 offer up no living creature in sacrifice, nor do they think it suitable to the Divine Being, from whose bounty it is that these creatures have derived their lives, to take pleasure in their death, or the offering up their blood. They burn incense, and other sweet odours, and have a great number of wax-lights during their worship; not out of any imagination that such oblations can add anything to the Divine nature, for even prayers do not that; but, as it is a harmless and pure way of worship. ping God.

In all other places it is visible that whereas people talk of a commonwealth, every man only seeks his own wealth; but there, where no man has any property, all men do 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 every thing, they do all know that if care is taken to keep the public stores full, no private man can want any thing; for among them there is no unequal distribution, so that no man is poor, nor in any 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 grandchildren,

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 labor, but grow afterwards unable to follow it, than there is elsewhere for these that continue still at it. I would gladly hear any man compare the justice that is among them, with that which is among 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, or 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 splendor upon that which 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 labors that are so necessary that no commonwealth could hold out a year to an end without them, can yet be able to earn so poor a livelihood out of it, and must lead so miserable a life in it.

Therefore I must say that, as I hope for mercy, I can have no other notion of all the other governments that. I see or know, than that they are a conspiracy of the richer sort, who, on pretence of managing the public, do only pursue their private ends, and devise all the ways and arts that they can find out; first, that they may, without danger, preserve all that they have so ill acquired, and then, that they may engage the poorer sort to toil and labor for them at as low rates as is possible, and oppress them as much as they please; and if they can but prevail to get these contrivances established by the show of public authority, which is considered as the representative of the whole people, then they are accounted laws; and yet these wicked men, after they have by a most insatiable covetousness divided that among themselves with which all the rest might have been well supplied, are far from that happiness that is enjoyed among the Utopians; for the use, as well as the desire of money being extinguished, there is much anxiety and great occasions of mischief cut off with it. And who does not see that frauds, thefts, robberies, quarrels, tumults, contentions, seditions, murders, treacheries, and witchcrafts, that are indeed rather

punished than restrained by the severities of law, would all fall off if money were not any more valued by the world?

I do not doubt but rich men are sensible of this, and that they know well how much a greater happiness it were to want nothing that were necessary than to abound in many superfluities; and to be rescued out of so much wealth. And I cannot think but the sense of every man's interest, and the authority of Christ's commands, who, as he was infinitely wise, and so knew what was best, so was no less good in discovering it to us, would have drawn all the world over to the laws of the Utopians, if pride, that plague of human nature, that is the source of so much misery, did not hinder it; which does not measure happiness so much by its own conveniences as by the miseries of others; and would not be satisfied with being thought a goddess, if none were left that were miserable, over whom she might insult; and thinks its own happiness shines the brighter by comparing it with the misfortunes of other persons; that so, by displaying its own wealth, they may feel their poverty the more sensibly. This is that infernal serpent that creeps into the breasts of mortals, and possesses them too much to be easily drawn out; and therefore I am glad that the Utopians have fallen upon this form of government, in which I wish that all the world could be so wise as to imitate them; for they have indeed laid down such a scheme and foundation of policy that, as men live happy under it, so it is like to be of great continuance: for, they having rooted out of the minds of their people all the seeds, both of ambition and faction, there is no danger of any commo-. tion at home; which alone has been the ruin of many. states that seemed otherwise to be well secured; but as long as they live in peace at home, and are governed by such good laws, the envy of all their neighboring princes, who have often attempted their ruin, but in vain, will never be able to put their state into any commotion or disorder."

DESIDERIUS ERASMUS'

COMPLAINT OF PEACE.

O, shame to man! Devil with devil damn'd Firm concord holds; men only disagree.—Milton. It was a favorite project, about the commencement of the sixteenth century, to assemble a Congress of kings at Cambray. It was to consist of Maximilian the Emperor, Francis the First king of France, Henry the Eighth of England, and Charles, the sovereign of the low countries; of which I am a native. They were to enter, in the most solemn manner, into mutual and indissoluble engagements to preserve Peace with each other, and consequently, Peace throughout Europe. This momentous business was very much promoted by a man of most ex⚫cellent character, William A. Ciervia; and by one, who seemed to have been born to advance the happiness of his country, and of human nature, John Sylvagus, Chancellor of Burgundy. But certain persons, who get nothing by Peace, and a great deal by War, threw obstacles in the way, which prevented this truly kingly purpose from being carried into execution.

If Peace is glorified by the united praise of God and man, as the fountain, the parent, the nurse, the patroness, the guardian of every blessing which either heaven or earth can bestow; if, without her nothing is flourishing, nothing safe, nothing pure or holy, nothing pleasant to mortals, or grateful to the Supreme Being: if, on the contrary, War is one vast ocean, rushing on mankind, of all the united plagues and pestilences in nature; if, at its deadly approach, every blossom of happiness is instantly blasted, every thing that was improving gradually degenerates and dwindles away to nothing, every thing that was firmly supported totters on its foundation, every thing that was formed for long duration comes to a speedy end, and every thing that was sweet, by Nature, is turned into bitterness; if war is so unhallowed, that it becomes the deadliest bane of piety and religion; if there is nothing more calamitous to mortals, and more detestable to heaven, I ask, how in the name of God, can I believe those beings to be rational creatures; how can I believe

them to be otherwisc than stark mad: who, with such a waste of treasure, with so ardent a zeal, with so great an effort, with so many arts, so much anxiety, and co much danger, endeavor to drive Peace away from them, and purchase endless misery and mischief at a pricc so high?

Animals destitute of reason, live with their own kind in a state of social amity. Elephants herd together; sheep and swine feed in flocks; cranes and crows take their flight in troops; storks have their public meetings to consult previously to their emigration, and feed their their parents when unable to feed themselves; dolphins defend each other by mutual assistance; and every body knows, that both ants and bees have respectively estab lished, by general agreement, a little friendly community,

The most savage of the savage tribe, in the forest, live among each other in amity. Lions shew no fierceness te the lion race. The boar does not brandish his deadly tooth against his brother boar. The lynx lives in peace with the lynx. The serpent shews no venom in his intercourse with his fellow serpent; and the loving kind. ness of wolf to wolf is proverbial.

But I will add a circumstance still more marvellous. The accursed Spirits, by whom the concord between heavenly and human beings was originally interrupted, and to this day continues interrupted, hold union with one another, and preserve their usurped power, such as it is, by humanity!

Even the common people, in the ordinary language of daily conversation, denominate whatever is connected with mutual good will, humane; so that the word humanity no longer describes a man's nature, merely in a physical sense; but signifies humane manners, or a behavior, worthy the nature of man, acting his proper part in civil society.

Thus, it appears in what various ways, Nature has taught man her first great lesson of love and union. Nor was she content to allure to benevolence, by the pleasura ble sensations attending it; nor did she think she had done enough, when she rendered friendship pleasant; and, therefore, she determined to make it necessary