BOOK　II：　OF　THEIR　TRAFFIC
  BUT　it　is　now　time　to　explain　to　you　the　mutual　intercourse　of
  this　people；　their　commerce；　and　the　rules　by　which　all　things　are
  distributed　among　them。
  As　their　cities　are　composed　of　families；　so　their　families　are
  made　up　of　those　that　are　nearly　related　to　one　another。　Their
  women；　when　they　grow　up；　are　married　out；　but　all　the　males；　both
  children　and　grandchildren；　live　still　in　the　same　house；　in　great
  obedience　to　their　common　parent；　unless　age　has　weakened　his
  understanding：　and　in　that　case；　he　that　is　next　to　him　in　age
  comes　in　his　room。　But　lest　any　city　should　become　either　too
  great；　or　by　any　accident　be　dispeopled；　provision　is　made　that
  none　of　their　cities　may　contain　above　6；000　families；　besides
  those　of　the　country　round　it。　No　family　may　have　less　than　ten
  and　more　than　sixteen　persons　in　it；　but　there　can　be　no
  determined　number　for　the　children　under　age。　This　rule　is　easily
  observed；　by　removing　some　of　the　children　of　a　more　fruitful
  couple　to　any　other　family　that　does　not　abound　so　much　in　them。
  By　the　same　rule；　they　supply　cities　that　do　not　increase　so　fast；
  from　others　that　breed　faster；　and　if　there　is　any　increase　over
  the　whole　island；　then　they　draw　out　a　number　of　their　citizens
  out　of　the　several　towns；　and　send　them　over　to　the　neighboring
  continent；　where；　if　they　find　that　the　inhabitants　have　more　soil
  than　they　can　well　cultivate；　they　fix　a　colony；　taking　the
  inhabitants　into　their　society；　if　they　are　willing　to　live　with
  them；　and　where　they　do　that　of　their　own　accord；　they　quickly
  enter　into　their　method　of　life；　and　conform　to　their　rules；　and
  this　proves　a　happiness　to　both　nations；　for　according　to　their
  constitution；　such　care　is　taken　of　the　soil　that　it　becomes
  fruitful　enough　for　both；　though　it　might　be　otherwise　too　narrow
  and　barren　for　any　one　of　them。　But　if　the　natives　refuse　to
  conform　themselves　to　their　laws；　they　drive　them　out　of　those
  bounds　which　they　mark　out　for　themselves；　and　use　force　if　they
  resist。　For　they　account　it　a　very　just　cause　of　war；　for　a　nation
  to　hinder　others　from　possessing　a　part　of　that　soil　of　which　they
  make　no　use；　but　which　is　suffered　to　lie　idle　and　uncultivated；
  since　every　man　has　by　the　law　of　nature　a　right　to　such　a　waste
  portion　of　the　earth　as　is　necessary　for　his　subsistence。　If　an
  accident　has　so　lessened　the　number　of　the　inhabitants　of　any　of
  their　towns　that　it　cannot　be　made　up　from　the　other　towns　of　the
  island；　without　diminishing　them　too　much；　which　is　said　to　have
  fallen　out　but　twice　since　they　were　first　a　people；　when　great
  numbers　were　carried　off　by　the　plague；　the　loss　is　then　supplied
  by　recalling　as　many　as　are　wanted　from　their　colonies；　for　they
  will　abandon　these；　rather　than　suffer　the　towns　in　the　island　to
  sink　too　low。
  But　to　return　to　their　manner　of　living　in　society；　the　oldest　man
  of　every　family；　as　has　been　already　said；　is　its　governor。　Wives
  serve　their　husbands；　and　children　their　parents；　and　always　the
  younger　serves　the　elder。　Every　city　is　divided　into　four　equal
  parts；　and　in　the　middle　of　each　there　is　a　marketplace：　what　is
  brought　thither；　and　manufactured　by　the　several　families；　is
  carried　from　thence　to　houses　appointed　for　that　purpose；　in　which
  all　things　of　a　sort　are　laid　by　themselves；　and　thither　every
  father　goes　and　takes　whatsoever　he　or　his　family　stand　in　need
  of；　without　either　paying　for　it　or　leaving　anything　in　exchange。
  There　is　no　reason　for　giving　a　denial　to　any　person；　since　there
  is　such　plenty　of　everything　among　them；　and　there　is　no　danger　of
  a　man's　asking　for　more　than　he　needs；　they　have　no　inducements　to
  do　this；　since　they　are　sure　that　they　shall　always　be　supplied。
  It　is　the　fear　of　want　that　makes　any　of　the　whole　race　of　animals
  either　greedy　or　ravenous；　but　besides　fear；　there　is　in　man　a
  pride　that　makes　him　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；　only；　in　the　first　place；　they　serve
  the　Prince；　the　chief　priest；　the　tranibors；　the　ambassadors；　and
  strangers；　if　there　are　any；　which　indeed　falls　out　but　seldom；
  and　for　whom　there　are　houses　well　furnished；　particularly
  appointed　for　their　reception　when　they　come　among　them。　At　the
  hours　of　dinner　and　supper；　the　whole　syphogranty　being　called
  together　by　sound　of　trumpet；　they　meet　and　eat　together；　except
  only　such　as　are　in　the　hospitals　or　lie　sick　at　home。　Yet　after
  the　halls　are　served；　no　man　is　hindered　to　carry　provisions　home
  from　the　market…place；　for　they　know　that　none　does　that　but　for
  some　good　reason；　for　though　any　that　will　may　eat　at　home；　yet
  none　does　it　willingly；　since　it　is　both　ridiculous　and　foolish
  for　any　to　give　themselves　the　trouble　to　make　ready　an　ill　dinner
  at　home；　when　there　is　a　much　more　plentiful　one　made　ready　for
  him　so　near　at　hand。　All　the　uneasy　and　sordid　services　about
  these　halls　are　performed　by　their　slaves；　but　the　dressing　and
  cooking　their　meat；　and　the　ordering　their　tables；　belong　only　to
  the　women；　all　those　of　every　family　taking　it　by　turns。　They　sit
  at　three　or　more　tables；　according　to　their　number；　the　men　sit
  toward　the　wall；　and　the　women　sit　on　the　other　side；　that　if　any
  of　them　should　be　taken　suddenly　ill；　which　is　no　uncommon　case
  among　women　with　child；　she　may；　without　disturbing　the　rest；　rise
  and　go　to　the　nurses'　room；　who　are　there　with　the　sucking
  children；　where　there　is　always　clean　water　at　hand；　and　cradles
  in　which　they　may　lay　the　young　children；　if　there　is　occasion　for
  it；　and　a　fire　that　they　may　shift　and　dress　them　before　it。
  Every　child　i