目录
1 LIFE OF SIR THOMAS MORE
2 INTRODUCTION
3 DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND
4 OF THEIR TOWNS
5 OF THEIR MAGISTRATES
6 OF THEIR TRADES
7 OF THEIR MANNER OF LIVING
8 OF THEIR TRAVELLING
9 OF THEIR TREASURE
10 OF THEIR MORALITY
11 OF THEIR LEARNING
12 OF THEIR SLAVES
13 OF THEIR MARRIAGES
14 OF THEIR LAWS
15 OF THEIR MILITARY DISCIPLINE
16 OF THE RELIGIONS
17 CONCLUSION
摘要
One day, when I was dining with him, there happened to be at table one of the English lawyers, who took occasion to run out in a high commendation of the severe execution of justice upon thieves, "who," as he said, "were then hanged so fast that there were sometimes twenty on one gibbet!" and, upon that, he said, "he could not wonder enough how it came to pass that, since so few escaped, there were yet so many thieves left, who were still robbing in all places." Upon this, I (who took the boldness to speak freely before the Cardinal) said, "There was no reason to wonder at the matter, since this way of punishing thieves was neither just in itself nor good for the public; for, as the severity was too great, so the remedy was not effectual; simple theft not being so great a crime that it ought to cost a man his life; no punishment, how severe soever, being able to restrain those from robbing who can find out no other way of livelihood. In this," said I, "not only you in England, but a great part of the world, imitate some ill masters, that are readier to chastise their scholars than to teach them. There are dreadful punishments enacted against thieves, but it were much better to make such good provisions by which every man might be put in a method how to live, and so be preserved from the fatal necessity of stealing and of dying for it."……
