becomes only the lower orders, therefore must be restrained that it break not its proper bounds. The other is the virtue of princes, which is more majestic than that which becomes the rabble, therefore takes a freer range; and lawful and unlawful are measured only by pleasure and interest. These practices of their neighbouring princes, who make so little account of their faith, seem to have determined the Utopians to engage in no confederacies. Perhaps they would change their minds if they lived among us. Yet though treaties were more religiously observed, they would dislike the practice of making them, because the world proceedeth therein on a false maxim,—as if there was no natural tie between two nations, perhaps separated only by a mountain or a river, and that all were born in a state of hostility, and might lawfully do all the mischief to their neighbours, against which there is no provision made by treaties; and that when treaties are made, they cut not off the enmity, or restrain the licence of preying on each other, if from want of skill in expressing them, no effectual proviso be made! They, on the contrary, maintain, that no man is to be esteemed our enemy who hath never injured us; that the partnership of human nature is instead of a league, and that kindness and good nature unite men more strongly than any compact whatever, since the engagements of the heart are stronger than the obligation of words. They detest war, as brutal, and which, to the reproach of human nature, is more practised by man than by any beast, In opposition to the sentiment of almost every other country, they think nothing more inglorious than the glory gained by war. Therefore, though they accustom themselves daily to military exercises and discipline, in which also their women are trained (that in cases of need they may not be quite useless), yet engage they not rashly in war; but only to defend themselves or their friends from aggression, or to assist the oppressed in shaking off the yoke of tyranny. They help their friends in offensive as well as defensive wars ; but never without having been consulted before the breach was made, being satisfied as to the grounds, and finding every effort of accommodation vain. They think war just, when a nation encroaches on the territory of its neighbour by public authority and bears away spoil; or when merchants are oppressed in a strange country, under pretence of unjust laws, or by the distortion of good ones, The latter they reckon the juster cause, because injury is done under the semblance of law. This was the sole ground of the war in which they engaged with the Nephelogetes against the Alaopolitans, a little before our time, The merchants of the former, having, as they thought, experienced great injustice among the latter, it produced a terrible war, in which many neighbouring states were engaged, By their inveteracy and power, they shook some very flourishing states, and greatly distressed others; and after a series of much mischief, the Alaopolitans, greatly VOL. II ૨ becomes only the lower orders, therefore must be restrained that it break not its proper bounds. The other is the virtue of princes, which is more majestic than that which becomes the rabble, therefore takes a freer range; and lawful and unlawful are measured only by pleasure and interest. These practices of their neighbouring princes, who make so little account of their faith, seem to have determined the Utopians to engage in no confederacies. Perhaps they would change their minds if they lived among us. Yet though treaties were more religiously observed, they would dislike the practice of making them, because the world proceedeth therein on a false maxim,—as if there was no natural tie between two nations, perhaps separated only by a mountain or a river, and that all were born in a state of hostility, and might lawfully do all the mischief to their neighbours, against which there is no provision made by treaties; and that when treaties are made, they cut not off the enmity, or restrain the licence of preying on each other, if from want of skill in expressing them, no effectual proviso be made! They, on the contrary, maintain, that no man is to be esteemed our enemy who hath never injured us; that the partnership of human nature is instead of a league, and that kindness and good nature unite men more strongly than any compact whatever, since the engagements of the heart are stronger than the obligation of words. They detest war, as brutal, and which, to the reproach of human nature, is more practised by man than by any beast. In opposition to the sentiment of almost every other country, they think nothing more inglorious than the glory gained by war. Therefore, though they accustom themselves daily to military exercises and discipline, in which also their women are trained (that in cases of need they may not be quite useless), yet engage they not rashly in war; but only to defend themselves or their friends from aggression, or to assist the oppressed in shaking off the yoke of tyranny. They help their friends in offensive as well as defensive wars; but never without having been consulted before the breach was made, being satisfied as to the grounds, and finding every effort of accommodation vain. They think war just, when a nation encroaches on the territory of its neighbour by public authority and bears away spoil; or when merchants are oppressed in a strange country, under pretence of unjust laws, or by the distortion of good ones, The latter they reckon the juster cause, because injury is done under the semblance of law. This was the sole ground of the war in which they engaged with the Nephelogetes against the Alaopolitans, a little before our time. The merchants of the former, having, as they thought, experienced great injustice among the latter, it produced a terrible war, in which many neighbouring states were engaged, By their inveteracy and power, they shook some very flourishing states, and greatly distressed others; and after a series of much mischief, the Alaopolitans, greatly Vot. II. Q superior before the war to their enemies, were subdued and enslaved. But though the Utopians assisted the Nephelogetes in the war, they pretended to no share of the spoil. Though they assist, with such alacrity and vigour, their friends, in redressing the injuries they have received of this nature; if such offences were committed against themselves, provided no violence was offered to their persons, the only resentment they would shew on being refused satisfaction, would be to avoid trading with the offenders. This is not because they consider their neighbours as of more consequence than their own citizens. But, since their neighbours trade every one with his own capital, fraud is a more sensible injury to them than to the Utopians, with whom the public only suffers in such a case. As they expect nothing in return for the merchandize they export, but what they abound in and is of little use to them, the loss little affects them. They think therefore it would be too severe, to revenge a loss attended with so little inconvenience to their lives or their subsistence, with the death of many. But if any of their people be either killed or wounded undeservedly, whether it be done by public authority or by individuals, as soon as they hear of it, they send ambassadors and demand that the offenders be given up. If this be denied, they declare war; but if complied with, the guilty are condemned to death or slavery. |