agreed entirely with the
sentiments of Socrates, as Plato delivers them; which I mention as the
highest honour I can do that prince of philosophers. I have often since
reflected, what destruction such doctrine would make in the libraries of
Europe; and how many paths of fame would be then shut up in the learned
world.

Friendship and benevolence are the two principal virtues among the
_Houyhnhnms_; and these not confined to particular objects, but universal
to the whole race; for a stranger from the remotest part is equally
treated with the nearest neighbour, and wherever he goes, looks upon
himself as at home. They preserve decency and civility in the highest
degrees, but are altogether ignorant of ceremony. They have no fondness
for their colts or foals, but the care they take in educating them
proceeds entirely from the dictates of reason. And I observed my master
to show the same affection to his neighbour's issue, that he had for his
own. They will have it that nature teaches them to love the whole
species, and it is reason only that makes a distinction of persons, where
there is a superior degree of virtue.

When the matron _Houyhnhnms_ have produced one of each sex, they no
longer accompany with their consorts, except they lose one of their issue
by some casualty, which very seldom happens; but in such a case they meet
again; or when the like accident befalls a person whose wife is past
bearing, some other couple bestow on him one of their own colts, and then
go together again until the mother is pregnant. This caution is
necessary, to prevent the country from being overburdened with numbers.
But the race of inferior _Houyhnhnms_, bred up to be servants, is not so
strictly limited upon this article: these are allowed to produce three of
each sex, to be domestics in the noble families.

In their marriages, they are exactly careful to choose such colours as
will not make any disagreeable mixture in the breed. Strength is chiefly
valued in the male, and comeliness in the female; not upon the account of
love, but to preserve the race from degenerating; for where a female
happens to excel in strength, a consort is chosen, with regard to
comeliness.

Courtship, love, presents, jointures, settlements have no place in their
thoughts, or terms whereby to express them in their language. The young
couple meet, and are joined, merely because it is the determination of
their parents and friends; it is what they se