My class for the semester has begun: Utopias, Ancient and Modern. We begin with the beginning, St. Thomas More’s famous book Utopia, regarded by many as the first in the genre of utopian literature.
I began reading last night, and first read More’s introduction, directed to a Peter Giles who has, apparently, been waiting for the book. More excuses his delay, describing his many duties, both at work (he was, after all, “Citizen and Sheriff of the famous city of London” at the time) and at home, and concludes those remarks with the following: “Amid these occupations that I have named, the day, month, the year slip away. When, then, can we find time to write?”
To that I say, Amen.
