PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

[THE TRANSLATOR TO THE GENTLE READER

HOU shalt understand, gentle reader, that

Tthough this work of Utopia in English come

now the second time forth in print, yet was it never my mind nor intent that it should ever have been imprinted at all, as who for no such purpose took upon me at the first the translation thereof; but did it only at the request of a friend, for his own private use, upon hope that he would have kept it secret to himself alone. Whom though I knew to be a man indeed both very witty and also skilful, yet was I certain, that in the knowledge of the Latin tongue, he was not so well seen as to be able to judge of the fineness or coarseness of my translation. Wherefore I went the more slightly through with it, propounding to myself therein rather to please my said friend's judgment than my own: to the meanness of whose

learning I thought it my part to submit and attemper my style. Lightly therefore I overran the whole work, and in short time, with more haste than good speed, I brought it to an end. But as the Latin proverb sayeth: "The hasty bitch bringeth forth blind whelps." For when this my work was finished, the rudeness thereof shewed it to be done in post haste. Howbeit, rude and base though it were, yet fortune so ruled the matter that to imprinting it came, and that partly against my will. Howbeit, not being. able in this behalf to resist the pithy persuasions of my friends, and perceiving therefore none other remedy, but that forth it should: I comforted myself for the time, only with this notable saying of Terence:

Ita vita hominum, quasi quum ludas tesseris.
Si illud, quod est maxumè opus jactu non cadit:
Illud, quod cecidit forte, id arte ut corrigas.

In which verses the Poet likeneth or compareth the life of man to a dice-playing or a game at the Tables, meaning therein if that chance rise not, which is most for the player's advantage, that then the chance which fortune hath sent ought so cunningly to be played, as may be to the player least damage. By the which worthy similitude surely the witty poet

TO THE READER

13

giveth us to understand, that though in any of our acts and doings (as it oft chanceth) we happen to fail and miss of our good pretended purpose, so that the success and our intent prove things far odd: yet so we ought with witty circumspection to handle the matter, that no evil or incommodity, as far forth as may be, and as in us lieth, do thereof ensue. According to the which counsel, though I am indeed, in comparison of an expert gamester and a cunning player, but a very bungler, yet have I in this by chance, that on my side unawares hath fallen, so (I suppose) behaved myself, that, as doubtless it might have been of me much more cunningly handled, had I forethought so much, or doubted any such sequel at the beginning of my play, so I am sure it had been much worse than it is, if I had not in the end looked somewhat earnestly to my game. For though this work came not from me so fine, so perfect, and so exact at the first, as surely for my small learning it should have done, if I had then meant the publishing thereof in print yet I trust I have now in this second edition taken about it such pains, that very few great faults

and notable errors are in it to be found. Now therefore, most gentle reader, the meanness of this simple translation, and the faults that be therein (as I fear much

there be some) I doubt not, but thou wilt in just consideration of the premisses, gently and favourably wink at them. So doing thou shalt minister unto me good cause to think my labour and pains herein not altogether bestowed in vain.

VALE.]

I

THOMAS MORE TO PETER GILES,

SENDETH GREETING

AM almost ashamed, right well beloved Peter Giles, to send unto you this book of the Utopian Commonwealth, well nigh after a year's space, which I am sure you looked for within a month and a half. And no marvel. For you know well enough that I was already disburdened of all the labour and study belonging to the invention in this work, and that I had no need at all to trouble my brains about the disposition or conveyance of the matter: and therefore had herein nothing else to do, but only to rehearse those things, which you and I together heard master Raphael tell and declare. Wherefore there was no cause why I should study to set forth the matter with eloquence: forasmuch as his talk could not be fine and eloquent, being first not studied for but sudden and unpremeditate, and then, as you know, of a man better seen in the Greek language, than in the Latin tongue. And my writing, the nigher it should