fancy it a particular glory to excel others in pomp
and excess. But by the laws of the Utopians, there is no room for this.
Near these markets there are others for all sorts of provisions, where
there are not only herbs, fruits, and bread, but also fish, fowl, and
cattle. There are also, without their towns, places appointed near some
running water, for killing their beasts, and for washing away their
filth; which is done by their slaves: for they suffer none of their
citizens to kill their cattle, because they think that pity and
good-nature, which are among the best of those affections that are born
with us, are much impaired by the butchering of animals: nor do they
suffer anything that is foul or unclean to be brought within their
towns, lest the air should be infected by ill smells which might
prejudice their health. In every street there are great halls that lie
at an equal distance from each other, distinguished by particular names.
The Syphogrants dwell in those that are set over thirty families,
fifteen lying on one side of it, and as many on the other. In these
halls they all meet and have their repasts. The stewards of every one of
them come to the market-place at an appointed hour; and according to the
number of those that belong to the hall, they carry home provisions. But
they take more care of their sick than of any others: these are lodged
and provided for in public hospitals: they have belonging to every town
four hospitals, that are built without their walls, and are so large
that they may pass for little towns: by this means, if they had ever
such a number of sick persons, they could lodge them conveniently, and
at such a distance, that such of them as are sick of infectious diseases
may be kept so far from the rest that there can be no danger of
contagion. The hospitals are furnished and stored with all things that
are convenient for the ease and recovery of the sick; and those that are
put in them are looked after with such tender and watchful care, and are
so constantly attended by their skilful physicians, that as none is sent
to them against their will, so there is scarce one in a whole town that,
if he should fall ill, would not choose rather to go thither than lie
sick at home.

After the steward of the hospitals has taken for the sick whatsoever the
physician prescribes, then the best things that are left in the market
are distributed equally among the halls, in proportion to their numbers,
on