The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07

are still flowing.
~ APHAEL HYTHLopAY told the
story of Utopia to a select com
Il n pany In the garden of the house
occupied by Sir Thomas More, what
time the chancellor was in Burgess on
a mission from Henry VIII of England,
that unconquered prince adorned with
all the virtues which becomes great
monarch. Raphael was a great traV-
eler, so great that he had become
real citizen of the world and said that
he did not even care whether he died
in his own country or not for that
heaven was as near in one place as
another and so lily governed were the
countries of Europe that he reo1iced
when in his wanderings he could come
upon a country which was managed &C
cording to the dictates of justice and
wisdom.
So taken was Sir Thomas with the
discourse upon laws and governments
with which Raphael preluded his story
of Utopia that he said to him: L Won
der much that you do not attach your
self to some great prince, since you
might do a great deal of good to man
kind by the advice you would give him.
And this is the chief design that every
good man ought to propose to himsef
in living; for as your friend Plato
thinks that nations will only be happy
when philosophers become kings OF
kings philosophers, no wonder we are
SO far from that happiness when PM
do
kings with their counsels'
philosophers have already by their
books given kings good advice, If kings
would but listen to it, replied Raphael
..but Plato was right in saying that for
happiness to a nation kings must become
philosophers. otherwise if they, who are
from their birth corrupted with false no
lions. become not philosophers them
selves. they will never fall in entirely
with the counsels of philosophers. 1t Is
true that the springs both of good and
evil flow over a nation from its ruler
ne from a lasting fountain. But do not
YOU think that if l were about any ruler
and were proposing good laws to him and
endeavoring to root out of him all the
seeds of cursed evil I found in him,
should be turned out of court or laughed
at for my pains? No, courts are not for
me. Now I live as I will, to which l
believe few eourtiers can pretend, and
there are so very many that court the
favor of the great that there will be
no great loss If they are not troubled
with me or others of my temper Then
Raphael began his description of Utopia
the Happy Republic.
The island of Utopia lies in the new
world in region to which only Raphael
and his companions have penetrated.
They left the ship of Americas Vespu-
cius on one of the navigators voyages
and penetrating through many strange
and savage regions, came at length to
country which contained many flourish
ing nations. Chiefest among these was
the island kingdom of Utopia, which is
governed in such manner as Raphael
and the hearers of his narrative thought
more nearly approaches perfection than
any other government upon earth. 1t Is,
In effect, Happy Republic, as its name
signifies rather than a kingdom, though
its manner of conducting public and pri-
vate affairs does not resemble the meth
DDS of ordinary republics
The island of Utopia where it is broad
est is 200 miles and holds almost to the
same breadth for over the greater part
of it, though it grows narrower toward
the ends. Its figure is not unlike that of.
a crescent, and between the horns the
sea spreads itself into a great bay, which
is environed with land to the compass of
about 800 miles and well secured from
the winds There is no great current in
the bay and the whole coast is, as it
were. one continual haroor, which gives
all that live in the island great conven-
fence for commerce. But the entrance to
the great bay is beset with rocks most
of them sunk below the surface and as
the channel is known only to the natives
hostile fleet would find hard work to
enter. Moreover in the centre of the
passage is a great rock rising high above
water and crowned with strong tower
well garrisoned. In fact the whole coast
is fortified both by nature and art against
the descent of any hostile power.
The legend of the Island is that it was
once part of the mainland but when it
was conquered by Utopus, the founder
of the present state, he determined to
separate his kingdom from the rest of