"Utopian Schemes."

Any schemes, whether of national improvement or of social operation, founded on impractical or visionary views, are termed utopian.

Sir Thomas More, in writing his curious philosophical work, "Utopia," added a new word to the English language, and delineated his ideas of a perfect commonwealth. Utopia, from the Greek, means "no place." On the imaginary island of Utopia in the Atlantic Ocean, he places a people governed on the principle that no one shall have a right to separate property. Here all are contented with the necessaries of life, all are employed in useful labor, and no man desires in clothing any other quality than durability.

Since wants are few, and every individual engages in labor, there is no need for them to work more than six hours per day. Neither laziness nor avarice finds a place in this happy region; for why should the people be indolent when they have so little toil, or greedy when they know there is an abundance for all?

It is, however, difficult to determine whether the opinions expressed in "Utopia" are to be considered as More's real sentiments. The book is written in Latin, and was first published at Louvain in 1516: it has been translated into English by Robinson, Bishop Burnet, and A. Cayley.