“By degrees they fall off from the various superstitions10 that are among them, and grow up to that one religion that is the best and most in request; and there is no doubt to be made, but that all the others had vanished long ago, if some of those who advised them to lay aside their superstitions had not met with some unhappy accidents, which, being considered as inflicted12 by heaven, made them afraid that the god whose worship had like to have been abandoned had interposed and revenged themselves on those who despised their authority.
“After they had heard from us an account of the doctrine13, the course of life, and the miracles of Christ, and of the wonderful constancy of so many martyrs14, whose blood, so willingly offered up by them, was the chief occasion of spreading their religion over a vast number of nations, it is not to be imagined how inclined they were to receive it. I shall not determine whether this proceeded from any secret inspiration of God, or whether it was because it seemed so favourable15 to that community of goods, which is an opinion so particular as well as so dear to them; since they perceived that Christ and His followers16 lived by that rule, and that it was still kept up in some communities among the sincerest sort of Christians18. From whichsoever of these motives19 it might be, true it is, that many of them came over to our religion, and were initiated21 into it by baptism. But as two of our number were dead, so none of the four that survived were in priests’ orders, we, therefore, could only baptise them, so that, to our great regret, they could not partake of the other sacraments, that can only be administered by priests, but they are instructed concerning them and long most vehemently22 for them. They have had great disputes among themselves, whether one chosen by them to be a priest would not be thereby23 qualified24 to do all the things that belong to that character, even though he had no authority derived25 from the Pope, and they seemed to be resolved to choose some for that employment, but they had not done it when I left them.
“Those among them that have not received our religion do not fright any from it, and use none ill that goes over to it, so that all the while I was there one man was only punished on this occasion. He being newly baptised did, notwithstanding all that we could say to the contrary, dispute publicly concerning the Christian17 religion, with more zeal26 than discretion27, and with so much heat, that he not only preferred our worship to theirs, but condemned29 all their rites30 as profane31, and cried out against all that adhered to them as impious and sacrilegious persons, that were to be damned to everlasting32 burnings. Upon his having frequently preached in this manner he was seized, and after trial he was condemned to banishment33, not for having disparaged34 their religion, but for his inflaming35 the people to sedition36; for this is one of their most ancient laws, that no man ought to be punished for his religion. At the first constitution of their government, Utopus having understood that before his coming among them the old inhabitants had been engaged in great quarrels concerning religion, by which they were so divided among themselves, that he found it an easy thing to conquer them, since, instead of uniting their forces against him, every different party in religion fought by themselves. After he had subdued37 them he made a law that every man might be of what religion he pleased, and might endeavour to draw others to it by the force of argument and by amicable38 and modest ways, but without bitterness against those of other opinions; but that he ought to use no other force but that of persuasion39, and was neither to mix with it reproaches nor violence; and such as did otherwise were to be condemned to banishment or slavery.
“This law was made by Utopus, not only for preserving the public peace, which he saw suffered much by daily contentions40 and irreconcilable41 heats, but because he thought the interest of religion itself required it. He judged it not fit to determine anything rashly; and seemed to doubt whether those different forms of religion might not all come from God, who might inspire man in a different manner, and be pleased with this variety; he therefore thought it indecent and foolish for any man to threaten and terrify another to make him believe what did not appear to him to be true. And supposing that only one religion was really true, and the rest false, he imagined that the native force of truth would at last break forth42 and shine bright, if supported only by the strength of argument, and attended to with a gentle and unprejudiced mind; while, on the other hand, if such debates were carried on with violence and tumults43, as the most wicked are always the most obstinate44, so the best and most holy religion might be choked with superstition11, as corn is with briars and thorns; he therefore left men wholly to their liberty, that they might be free to believe as they should see cause; only he made a solemn and severe law against such as should so far degenerate45 from the dignity of human nature, as to think that our souls died with our bodies, or that the world was governed by chance, without a wise overruling Providence46: for they all formerly47 believed that there was a state of rewards and punishments to the good and bad after this life; and they now look on those that think otherwise as scarce fit to be counted men, since they degrade so noble a being as the soul, and reckon it no better than a beast’s: thus they are far from looking on such men as fit for human society, or to be citizens of a well-ordered commonwealth48; since a man of such principles must needs, as oft as he dares do it, despise all their laws and customs: for there is no doubt to be made, that a man who is afraid of nothing but the law, and apprehends49 nothing after death, will not scruple50 to break through all the laws of his country, either by fraud or force, when by this means he may satisfy his appetites. They never raise any that hold these maxims51, either to honours or offices, nor employ them in any public trust, but despise them, as men of base and sordid53 minds. Yet they do not punish them, because they lay this down as a maxim52, that a man cannot make himself believe anything he pleases; nor do they drive any to dissemble their thoughts by threatenings, so that men are not tempted54 to lie or disguise their opinions; which being a sort of fraud, is abhorred55 by the Utopians: they take care indeed to prevent their disputing in defence of these opinions, especially before the common people: but they suffer, and even encourage them to dispute concerning them in private with their priest, and other grave men, being confident that they will be cured of those mad opinions by having reason laid before them. There are many among them that run far to the other extreme, though it is neither thought an ill nor unreasonable56 opinion, and therefore is not at all discouraged. They think that the souls of beasts are immortal57, though far inferior to the dignity of the human soul, and not capable of so great a happiness. They are almost all of them very firmly persuaded that good men will be infinitely58 happy in another state: so that though they are compassionate59 to all that are sick, yet they lament60 no man’s death, except they see him loath61 to part with life; for they look on this as a very ill presage62, as if the soul, conscious to itself of guilt63, and quite hopeless, was afraid to leave the body, from some secret hints of approaching misery64. They think that such a man’s appearance before God cannot be acceptable to Him, who being called on, does not go out cheerfully, but is backward and unwilling65, and is as it were dragged to it. They are struck with horror when they see any die in this manner, and carry them out in silence and with sorrow, and praying God that He would be merciful to the errors of the departed soul, they lay the body in the ground: but when any die cheerfully, and full of hope, they do not mourn for them, but sing hymns66 when they carry out their bodies, and commending their souls very earnestly to God: their whole behaviour is then rather grave than sad, they burn the body, and set up a pillar where the pile was made, with an inscription68 to the honour of the deceased. When they come from the funeral, they discourse69 of his good life, and worthy70 actions, but speak of nothing oftener and with more pleasure than of his serenity71 at the hour of death. They think such respect paid to the memory of good men is both the greatest incitement72 to engage others to follow their example, and the most acceptable worship that can be offered them; for they believe that though by the imperfection of human sight they are invisible to us, yet they are present among us, and hear those discourses73 that pass concerning themselves. They believe it inconsistent with the happiness of departed souls not to be at liberty to be where they will: and do not imagine them capable of the ingratitude74 of not desiring to see those friends with whom they lived on earth in the strictest bonds of love and kindness: besides, they are persuaded that good men, after death, have these affections; and all other good dispositions75 increased rather than diminished, and therefore conclude that they are still among the living, and observe all they say or do. From hence they engage in all their affairs with the greater confidence of success, as trusting to their protection; while this opinion of the presence of their ancestors is a restraint that prevents their engaging in ill designs.
“They despise and laugh at auguries76, and the other vain and superstitious77 ways of divination78, so much observed among other nations; but have great reverence79 for such miracles as cannot flow from any of the powers of nature, and look on them as effects and indications of the presence of the Supreme Being, of which they say many instances have occurred among them; and that sometimes their public prayers, which upon great and dangerous occasions they have solemnly put up to God, with assured confidence of being heard, have been answered in a miraculous80 manner.
“They think the contemplating81 God in His works, and the adoring Him for them, is a very acceptable piece of worship to Him.
“There are many among them that upon a motive20 of religion neglect learning, and apply themselves to no sort of study; nor do they allow themselves any leisure time, but are perpetually employed, believing that by the good things that a man does he secures to himself that happiness that comes after death. Some of these visit the sick; others mend highways, cleanse82 ditches, repair bridges, or dig turf, gravel83, or stone. Others fell and cleave84 timber, and bring wood, corn, and other necessaries, on carts, into their towns; nor do these only serve the public, but they serve even private men, more than the slaves themselves do: for if there is anywhere a rough, hard, and sordid piece of work to be done, from which many are frightened by the labour and loathsomeness85 of it, if not the despair of accomplishing it, they cheerfully, and of their own accord, take that to their share; and by that means, as they ease others very much, so they afflict86 themselves, and spend their whole life in hard labour: and yet they do not value themselves upon this, nor lessen87 other people’s credit to raise their own; but by their stooping to such servile employments they are so far from being despised, that they are so much the more esteemed88 by the whole nation.
“Of these there are two sorts: some live unmarried and chaste90, and abstain91 from eating any sort of flesh; and thus weaning themselves from all the pleasures of the present life, which they account hurtful, they pursue, even by the hardest and painfullest methods possible, that blessedness which they hope for hereafter; and the nearer they approach to it, they are the more cheerful and earnest in their endeavours after it. Another sort of them is less willing to put themselves to much toil92, and therefore prefer a married state to a single one; and as they do not deny themselves the pleasure of it, so they think the begetting94 of children is a debt which they owe to human nature, and to their country; nor do they avoid any pleasure that does not hinder labour; and therefore eat flesh so much the more willingly, as they find that by this means they are the more able to work: the Utopians look upon these as the wiser sect95, but they esteem89 the others as the most holy. They would indeed laugh at any man who, from the principles of reason, would prefer an unmarried state to a married, or a life of labour to an easy life: but they reverence and admire such as do it from the motives of religion. There is nothing in which they are more cautious than in giving their opinion positively96 concerning any sort of religion. The men that lead those severe lives are called in the language of their country Brutheskas, which answers to those we call Religious Orders.
“Their priests are men of eminent piety97, and therefore they are but few, for there are only thirteen in every town, one for every temple; but when they go to war, seven of these go out with their forces, and seven others are chosen to supply their room in their absence; but these enter again upon their employments when they return; and those who served in their absence, attend upon the high priest, till vacancies98 fall by death; for there is one set over the rest. They are chosen by the people as the other magistrates99 are, by suffrages100 given in secret, for preventing of factions101: and when they are chosen, they are consecrated103 by the college of priests. The care of all sacred things, the worship of God, and an inspection104 into the manners of the people, are committed to them. It is a reproach to a man to be sent for by any of them, or for them to speak to him in secret, for that always gives some suspicion: all that is incumbent105 on them is only to exhort106 and admonish107 the people; for the power of correcting and punishing ill men belongs wholly to the Prince, and to the other magistrates: the severest thing that the priest does is the excluding those that are desperately108 wicked from joining in their worship: there is not any sort of punishment more dreaded109 by them than this, for as it loads them with infamy111, so it fills them with secret horrors, such is their reverence to their religion; nor will their bodies be long exempted112 from their share of trouble; for if they do not very quickly satisfy the priests of the truth of their repentance113, they are seized on by the Senate, and punished for their impiety114. The education of youth belongs to the priests, yet they do not take so much care of instructing them in letters, as in forming their minds and manners aright; they use all possible methods to infuse, very early, into the tender and flexible minds of children, such opinions as are both good in themselves and will be useful to their country, for when deep impressions of these things are made at that age, they follow men through the whole course of their lives, and conduce much to preserve the peace of the government, which suffers by nothing more than by
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