few (and even these are not in all respects happy), the rest being
left to be absolutely miserable. Therefore when I reflect on the wise
and good constitution of the Utopians, among whom all things are so well
governed, and with so few laws; where virtue hath its due reward, and
yet there is such an equality, that every man lives in plenty; when I
compare with them so many other nations that are still making new laws,
and yet can never bring their constitution to a right regulation, where
notwithstanding every one has his property; yet all the laws that they
can invent have not the power either to obtain or preserve it, or even
to enable men certainly to distinguish what is their own from what is
another's; of which the many lawsuits that every day break out, and are
eternally depending, give too plain a demonstration; when, I say, I
balance all these things in my thoughts, I grow more favourable to
Plato, and do not wonder that he resolved not to make any laws for such
as would not submit to a community of all things: for so wise a man
could not but foresee that the setting all upon a level was the only way
to make a nation happy, which cannot be obtained so long as there is
property: for when every man draws to himself all that he can compass,
by one title or another, it must needs follow, that how plentiful soever
a nation may be, yet a few dividing the wealth of it among themselves,
the rest must fall into indigence. So that there will be two sorts of
people among them, who deserve that their fortunes should be
interchanged; the former useless, but wicked and ravenous; and the
latter, who by their constant industry serve the public more than
themselves, sincere and modest men. From whence I am persuaded, that
till property is taken away there can be no equitable or just
distribution of things, nor can the world be happily governed: for as
long as that is maintained, the greatest and the far best part of
mankind will be still oppressed with a load of cares and anxieties. I
confess without taking it quite away, those pressures that lie on a
great part of mankind may be made lighter; but they can never be quite
removed. For if laws were made to determine at how great an extent in
soil, and at how much money every man must stop, to limit the prince
that he might not grow too great, and to restrain the people that they
might not become too insolent, and that none might factiously aspire to
public employments; which ought