Utopia Quotes

Quote 1: "sailed not as a seaman, but as a traveler, or rather a philosopher" Book 1, pg. 2

Quote 2 : "The first vessels that they saw were flat-bottomed, their sails were made of reeds and wicker woven close together, only some were of leather; but afterwards they found ships made with round keels, and canvas sails, and in all respects like our ships; and the seamen understood both astronomy and navigation." Book 1, pg. 3

Quote 3: "they are generally set on acquiring new kingdoms, right or wrong, than on governing well those they possess." Book 1, pg. 5

Quote 4 : "There are dreadful punishments enacted against thieves, but it were much better to make such good provisions by which every man might be put in a method how to live, and so be preserved from the fatal necessity of stealing and of dying for it." Cardinal Morton's, pg. 7

Quote 5: "If you do not find a remedy to these evils, it is a vain thing to boast of your severity in punishing theft, which though it may have the appearance of justice, yet in itself is neither just nor convenient." Cardinal Morton's, pg. 10

Quote 6: "nations will be happy, when either philosophers become kings, or kings become philosophers." Cardinal Morton's, pg. 17

Quote 7: "It seemed much more eligible that the king should improve his ancient kingdom all he could, and make it flourish as much as possible; that he should love his people, and be beloved of them; that he should live among them, govern them gently, and let other kingdoms alone, since that which had fallen to his share was big enough, if not too big for him." French Court, pg. 19

Quote 8: "Nor is it so becoming the dignity of a king to reign over beggars as over rich and happy subjects." Financial Affairs, pg. 21

Quote 9: "As long as there is property, and while money is the standard of all things, I cannot think that a nation can be governed either justly or happily; not justly, because the best things will fall to the share of the worst men; nor happily, because all things will be divided among a few (and even these are not in all respects happy), the rest being left to the absolutely miserable." Public Service, pg. 24

Quote 10: "a small number of men can hinder the descent of a great army." Book 2, pg. 28

Quote 11: "The Prince is for life, unless he is removed upon suspicion of some design to enslave the people." Magistrates, pg. 32

Quote 12: "They knew astronomy, and were perfectly acquainted with the motions of the heavenly bodies, and have many instruments, well contrived and divided, by which they very accurately compute the course and positions of the sun, moon, and stars." Traveling, pg. 46

Quote 13: "that the soul of man is immortal, and that God of His goodness has designed that it should be happy; and that He has therefore appointed rewards for good and virtuous actions, and punishments for vice, to be distributed after this life." Traveling, pg. 47

Quote 14: "a living according to Nature, and think that we are made by God for that end." Traveling, pg. 48

Quote 15: "keep our minds free from passion and as cheerful as we can." Traveling, pg. 48

Quote 16: "They think it an evidence of true wisdom for a man to pursue his own advantages, as far as the law allows it. They account it piety to prefer the public good to one's private concerns; but they think it unjust for a man to seek for pleasure, by snatching another man's pleasures from him. And on the contrary, they think it a sign of gentle and good soul, for a man to dispense with his own advantage for the good of others... They are also persuaded that God will make up the loss of these small pleasures, with a vast and endless joy, of which religion easily convinces a good soul." Traveling, pg. 48

Quote 17: "insufferable perverseness" Slaves/Marriage, pg. 59

Quote 18: "All laws are promulgated for this end, that every man may know his duty; and therefore the plainest and most obvious sense of the words is that which ought to be put upon them." Slaves/Marriage, pg. 62

Quote 19: "if the common ties of humanity do not knit men together, the faith of promises will have no great effect." Slaves/Marriage, pg. 63

Quote 20: "No man is to be esteemed our enemy that has never injured us; and that the partnership of the human nature is instead of a league. And that kindness and good-nature unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any agreements whatsoever; since thereby the engagements of men's hearts become stronger than the bond and obligation of words." Slaves/Marriage, pg. 64

Quote 21: "nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war." Military, pg. 64

Quote 22: "The only design of the Utopian in war is to obtain that by force, which if it had been granted them in time would have prevented the war; or if that cannot be done, to take so severe a revenge on those that have injured them that they may be terrified from doing the like for the time to come. By these ends, they measure all their designs." Military, pg. 66

Quote 23: "is also the great Essence to whose glory and majesty all honors are ascribed by the consent of all nations." Religions, pg. 72

Quote 24: "A conspiracy of the rich, who on pretence of managing the public only pursue their private ends, and devise all the ways and arts they can find out; first that they may, without danger, preserve all that they have so ill acquired, and then that they may engage the poor to toil and labor for them at so low rates as possible, and oppress them as they please." Religions, pg. 83