Chapter 2 Instructive and entertaining complete book on the most perfect state institutions and utopian new islands

Letter of Greetings from Thomas More to Peter Giles Almost a year later, dear Peter Giles, I am ashamed to send you this little book on Utopia, which I am sure you expected within a month and a half. Of course, you know that I have no need to gather material for this work, nor have I to worry about its arrangement. I only need to repeat what Raphael said in your company. Therefore, I have no reason to bother with the style of the narrative. In fact, his language is unadorned. First, it is a hasty and impromptu conversation; second, the speaker is not as proficient in Latin as he is in Greek, as you know. Austere taste, the closer to the truth, and the truth alone is what I have to pay attention to in this case, and I actually pay attention. I confess, my dear Peter, that since all these preparations save me from too much labor, I There is nothing left to do. Otherwise, the collection and arrangement of the material would require a great deal of time and toil of an extraordinary learned genius. If the material is to be written accurately and eloquently, I The task could not have been accomplished with any amount of time and toil. However, the fact that I had to sweat profusely for it was cancelled. Since the only thing I had to do was to write what I had heard, the There is no difficulty. But I have little time for this trivial task, as I have other duties. I am often busy with legal tasks, or pleading, or hearing, or ruling as umpire, Or pass judgment as a judge. I make a courtesy call on A and turn to B to deal with business. I spend almost the whole day away at the expense of other people's affairs, and the rest of the time is devoted to my family. As for my I have no time for myself, that is to say, for my studies. When I get home, I must talk to my wife, talk to my children, and exchange opinions with the housekeeper. —If you don't want to be a stranger in your own home, you have to. Besides, whether it is due to nature, or from accidental marriage, or out of your own choice, they are with you for life , you must take a very pleasant attitude towards them, as long as you do not coddle or pamper the housekeeper to the point of becoming a master. A whole day, a month, and a whole year disappears in these activities mentioned above. Then, when Just found time to write something?I haven't said a word about sleep, or even about eating. To many people, eating takes as much time as sleeping, and sleeping consumes almost half a person's life!So the only time I get is stolen from sleeping and eating. So I slowly (since this time is not much)

But finally (since this time is still a bit useful) Finished and sent it to you, dear Peter, please have a look and remind me of anything I have missed. I do not entirely mistrust myself in this respect. I wish I would be as intelligent and learned as I have a memory that is not too bad. Yet I am not confident that I have forgotten nothing. As you know, we talked My boy, John Clement, was with us at the same time. I want him to be present for any useful conversation, for this young tree has already given out the green bars of Greco-Latin literature, and I hope that Kei will one day have Plenty of fruit. There is one detail about Utopia which makes me feel uncertain. As far as I recall, Hisslad asserts that the bridge over the Anidro at the city of Amauroti was five hundred steps long. But my John says two hundred should be subtracted, because the river is not more than three hundred paces wide. Please recall the matter. If you agree with him, I will take the same view and admit my mistake. As you Cannot remember, I write as I seem to remember, as I have written. Just as I want to avoid any mistakes in this book, if there is any doubt on any point, I prefer to write it as if it were false. To be frank, there is no need to intentionally falsify. Because I want to be an honest person, and I don’t want to pretend to be a smart person. However, the above-mentioned shortcomings are not difficult for you to remedy, if you ask Raphael himself orally or in writing. There is another question, you also I have to ask him, it’s a question caused by me, you, or Raphael who is more at fault. We forgot to ask, and he didn’t explain which part of the new world Utopia is located in. I’m sorry , this point has been neglected. Even if it cost a fortune to obtain information on it, I would be willing. This is because I am ashamed that I do not know in which sea the island I am talking about is located, and that we Several among them, especially a devout professional theologian, were eager to visit Utopia. He did not want to visit new places out of boredom or curiosity, but with the intention of promoting our religion which had been fortunately begun there. To follow the proper In order to carry out his plans, he has decided to try to have him appointed by the Pope, and to take the title of bishop of Utopia. As for having to apply to the Holy See, this concern is not a hindrance to him. He regards this application as holy, not for Fame and profit are not motivated, but piety. Therefore, dear Peter, please get in touch with Heathrad, talk to him in person if you can, and write to him if he has left, so that this work of mine does not Included nothing that was untrue, and left out nothing that was true. I am inclined to think that it would be better if I could show him the original book. There is no one better suited to correct all possible errors. However, he can make corrections only after he has read the whole book. Besides, by this means you will find out whether he is happy or not happy with me writing this thing. I would like to be a ghostwriter. I would certainly not wish to preempt him in promoting utopias and deprive his account of the freshness and splendor. But, to be honest, I have not yet decided whether to publish the book. People's tastes are so different, some are quarrelsome,Unjust, paranoid, so that those who are happy and happy to live as much as they want seem to be far superior to those who worry about publishing works that readers can benefit or appreciate, but readers despise them, or don't like them. No thanks. Most people know nothing about learning, and many people look down on learning. Uneducated people always find anything that is not uneducated to be unappetizing and reject it. Everything looks ordinary. Some people only admire old antiques; Just like people who have been bitten by a mad dog are afraid of water. There are also some people whose emotions are changeable, and they can sit down and praise one thing, stand up and praise another thing. These people comment on the talent of writers with a glass in hand in a hotel. They presume to be authoritative at will, and they condemn every author's writings, and attack them all. They themselves are safe, as the saying goes, from being shot. Hold on. Then there are others who are so ungrateful that, though they love a work, they do not feel a little fond of the author. They are like rude visitors who, after being entertained by a rich feast, drink Drunken and full, he didn't even thank his host for inviting him. Now go and spend your own money to organize a banquet to entertain these people. They are so particular about taste, so different in taste, so forgetful and ungrateful!

In any case, dear Peter, you will do what I have said with Hislad. I will be free to take new opinions on this subject in the future. However, I have worked hard to finish this book, and now I am wiser. It is too late. Therefore, as long as Heathrad agrees, I will follow the advice of my friends in publishing in the future, and I will follow your advice above all. Farewell, very dear friend; Friendship is always the same, I love you more than ever. ① Peter Giles (Peter Giles, 1486-153) - born in Antwerp (Antwerp) , Flanders humanist, editor. ——Chinese translator ②Raphael—full name should be: Raphael Hythloday

, so it is also referred to as Hisrad in this book. The names of people and places in the book are mostly fabricated. Here, except for the Christian name borrowed from Raphael, Hisrad is composed of Greek. ". ——Chinese translator ①John Clement Clement)—learned from Moore, married his adopted daughter, was proficient in Greek, and became a medical practitioner.——Chinese translator ②Amaurote (Amaurote)—fabricated from Greek elements, meaning "dark "or "unclear" city, vague and vague, it does not have to exist such a city, and it may also allude to the city of London with a lot of zero at the same time. ——Chinese translator ③Anyder (Anyder)—fabricated with Greek elements, Means "waterless". A "waterless" river is a river that does not exist. ——Chinese translator