Sir Thomas More, or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of SocietySouthey, Robert
Philosophy
Sir Thomas More, or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society
Southey, Robert
More, Thomas, Saint, 1478-1535; Social problems
charity in individuals which keeps pace with the wealth of the richest
nation in the world, these things happen, to the disgrace of the age and
country, and to the opprobrium of humanity, for want of police and order!
You are silent!
_Montesinos_.--Some shocking examples occurred to me. The one of a poor
Savoyard boy with his monkey starved to death in St. James's Park. The
other, which is, if that be possible, a still more disgraceful case, is
recorded incidentally in Rees's Cyclopaedia under the word "monster." It
is only in a huge overgrown city that such cases could possibly occur.
_Sir Thomas More_.--The extent of a metropolis ought to produce no such
consequences. Whatever be the size of a bee-hive or an ant-hill, the
same perfect order is observed in it.
_Montesinos_.--That is because bees and ants act under the guidance of
unerring instinct.
_Sir Thomas More_.--As if instinct were a superior faculty to reason! But
the statesman, as well as the sluggard, may be told to "go to the ant and
the bee, consider their ways and be wise!" It is for reason to observe
and profit by the examples which instinct affords it.
_Montesinos_.--A country modelled upon Apiarian laws would be a strange
Utopia! the bowstring would be used there as unmercifully as it is in the
seraglio, to say nothing of the summary mode of bringing down the
population to the means of subsistence. But this is straying from the
subject. The consequences of defective order are indeed frightful,
whether we regard the physical or the moral evils which are produced.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account