CHAPTER XIII.
_Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, and manners of theOkalbians--Theory of population--Rent--System of government._
The Brahmin, who was desirous of showing me what was most remarkable inthis country, during the short time we intended to stay, thought this afavourable time to visit Okalbia, or the Happy Valley. The Okalbians area tribe or nation, who live separated from the rest of the Lunar world,and whose wise government, prudence, industry, and integrity, are veryhighly extolled by all, though, by what I can learn, they have fewimitators. They dwell about three hundred miles north of the city ofAlamatua, in a fertile valley, which they obtained by purchase about twohundred years since, and which is about equal to twenty miles square,that is, to four hundred square miles. A carriage and four well-brokedogs, was procured for us, and we soon reached the foot of the mountainthat encloses the fortunate valley, in about fifty-two hours. We thenascended, for about three miles, with far fatigue than I formerlyexperienced in climbing the Catskill mountains of my native State, andfound ourselves on the summit of an extensive ridge, which formed themargin of a vast elliptical basin, the bottom of which presented a mostbeautiful landscape. The whole surface was like a garden, interspersedwith patches of wood, clumps of trees, and houses standing singly or ingroupes. A lake, about a mile across, received several small streams,and on its edge was a town, containing about a thousand houses. Afterenjoying the beauties of the scene for some minutes, we descended by arough winding road, and entered this Lunar Paradise, in about fourhours. Along the sides of the highway we travelled, were planted rows oftrees, not unlike our sycamores, which afforded a refreshing shade tothe traveller; and commonly a rivulet ran bubbling along one side or theother of the road.
After journeying about eight miles, we entered a neat, well built town,which contained, as we were informed, about fifteen thousandinhabitants. The Brahmin informed me, that in a time of religiousfervour, about two centuries ago, a charter was granted to the founderof a new sect, the Volbins, who had chanced to make converts of some ofthe leading men in Morosofia, authorising him and his followers topurchase this valley of the hunting tribe to whom it belonged, and togovern themselves by their own laws. They found no difficulty in makingthe purchase. It was then used as a mere hunting ground, no one likingto settle in a place that seemed shut out from the rest of the world. Atfirst, the new settlers divided the land equally among all theinhabitants, one of their tenets being, that as there was no differenceof persons in the next world, there should be no difference in sharingthe good things of this. They tried at first to preserve this equality;but finding it impracticable, they abandoned it. It is said that afterabout thirty years, by reason of a difference in their industry andfrugality, and of some families spending less than they made, and somemore, the number of land owners was reduced to four hundred, and thatfifty of these held one half of the whole; since which time the numberof landed proprietors has declined with the population, though not inthe same proportion. As the soil is remarkably fertile, the climatehealthy, and the people temperate and industrious, they multiplied veryrapidly until they reached their present numbers, which have been longstationary, and amount to 150,000, that is, about four hundred to asquare mile; of these, more than one half live in towns and villages,containing from one hundred to a thousand houses.
They have little or no commerce with any other people, the valleyproducing every vegetable production, and the mountains every mineral,which they require; and in fact, they have no foreign intercoursewhatever, except when they visit, or are visited from curiosity. Thoughthey have been occasionally bullied and threatened by lawless andoverbearing neighbours; yet, as they can be approached by only a singlegorge in the mountain, which is always well garrisoned, (and theypresent no sufficient object to ambition, to compensate for the scandalof invading so inoffensive and virtuous a people,) they have never yetbeen engaged in war.
I felt very anxious to know how it was that their numbers did notincrease, as they were exempt from all pestilential diseases, and livein such abundance, that a beggar by trade has never been known amongthem, and are remarkable for their moral habits.
"Let us inquire at the fountain-head," said the Brahmin; and we went tosee the chief magistrate, who received us in a style of unaffectedfrankness, which in a moment put us at our ease. After we had explainedto him who we were, and answered such inquiries as he chose to make:
"Sir," said I, through the Brahmin, who acted as interpreter, "I haveheard much of your country, and I find, on seeing it, that it exceedsreport, in the order, comfort, contentment, and abundance of the people.But I am puzzled to find out how it is that your numbers do notincrease. I presume you marry late in life?"
"On the contrary," said he; "every young man marries as soon as hereceives his education, and is capable of managing the concerns of afamily. Some are thus qualified sooner, and some later."
"Some occasionally migrate, then?"
"Never. A number of our young men, indeed, visit foreign countries, butnot one in a hundred settles abroad."
"How, then, do your associates continue stationary?"
"Nothing is more easy. No man has a larger family than his land orlabour can support, in comfort; and as long as that is the case withevery individual, it must continue to be the case with the wholecommunity. We leave the matter to individual discretion. The prudentialcaution which is thus indicated, has been taught us by our ownexperience. We had gone on increasing, under the encouraging influenceof a mild system of laws, genial climate, and fruitful soil, until,about a century ago, we found that our numbers were greater than ourcountry, abundant as it is, could comfortably support; and our seasonsbeing unfavourable for two successive years, many of our citizens wereobliged to banish themselves from Okalbia; and their education notfitting them for a different state of society, they suffered severely,both in their comforts and morals. It is now a primary moral duty,enforced by all our juvenile instructors with every citizen, to adapthis family to his means; and thus a regard which each individual has forhis offspring, is the salvation of the State."
"And can these prudential restraints be generally practised? What avirtuous people! Love for one another brings the two sexestogether--love for their offspring makes them separate!"
"I see," said the magistrate, smiling, "you are under an error. Noseparation takes place, and none is necessary."
"How, then, am I to believe.....?"
"You are to believe nothing," said he, with calm dignity, "which isincompatible with virtue and propriety. I see that the most important ofall sciences--that one on which the well-being and improvement ofsociety mainly depends,--is in its infancy with you. But whenever youbecome as populous as we are, and unite the knowledge of real happinesswith the practice of virtue, you will understand it. It is one of ourmaxims, that heaven gives wisdom to man in such portions as hissituation requires it; and no doubt it is the same with the people ofyour earth."
I did not, after this, push my inquiries farther; but remarked, aside tothe Brahmin,--"I would give a good deal to know this secret, provided itwould suit our planet."
"It is already known there," replied he, "and has been long practised bymany in the east: but in the present state of society with you, it mightdo more harm than good to be made public, by removing one of the checksof licentiousness, where women are so unrestrained as they arewith you."
Changing now the subject, I ventured to inquire how they employed theirleisure hours, and whether many did not experience here a wearisomesameness, and a feeling of confinement and restraint.
"It is true," said the magistrate, "men require variety; but I would nothave you suppose he cannot find it here. He may cultivate his lands,improve his mind, educate his children; these are his seriousoccupations, affording every day some employment that is, at once, newand interesting: and, by way of relaxation, he has music, painting, andsculpture; sailing, riding, conversation, storytelling, and reading thenews of what is passing, both in the va
lley and out of it."
I asked if they had newspapers. He answered in the affirmative; andadded, that they contained minute details of the births, deaths,marriages, accidents, state of the weather and crops, arbitrations,public festivals, inventions, original poetry, and prose compositions.In addition to which, they had about fifty of their most promising youngmen travelling abroad, who made observations on all that was remarkablein the countries they passed through, which they regularly transmittedonce a month to Okalbia. I inquired if they travelled at the publicexpense or their own?
"They always pursue some profession or trade, by the profits of whichthey support themselves. We have nothing but intellect and ingenuity toexport; for though our country produces every thing, there is nocommodity that we can so well spare. Their talents find them employmentevery where; and the necessity they are under of a laborious exertion ofthese talents, and of submitting to a great deal from those whosecustoms and manners are not to their taste, and whom they feel inferiorto themselves, is a considerable check to the desire to go abroad, somuch so, that we hold out the farther inducement of politicaldistinction when they return."
"What, then! you have ambition among you?"
"Certainly; our institutions have only tempered it, and not vainlyendeavoured to extinguish it; and we find it employment in this way: Ofour youthful travellers, those who are most diligent in their vocation;who give the most useful information, and communicate it in the happiestmanner, are made magistrates, on their return, and sometimes havestatues decreed to them. Besides, the name which their conduct ortalents procure them abroad, is echoed back to the valley, long beforetheir return, and has much influence in the general estimate of theircharacter.
"But have you not many more competitors, than you have public offices?"
"There are, without doubt, many who desire office; but to manifest theirwish, would be one of the surest means of defeating it. We requiremodesty, (at least in appearance,) moderation and disinterestedness, andof course, the less pains a candidate takes to show himself off,the better."
"But have they no friends, who can at once render them this service, andrelieve them from the odium of it?"
"There is, indeed, somewhat of this; but you must remember, that thehighest of our magistrates has comparatively little power. He has noarmy, no treasury, no patronage; he merely executes the laws. But, as afarther check on the immoderate zeal of friends, the expense of doingthis, as well as of maintaining him in office, is defrayed by those whovote for him. There seems, at first view, but little justice in thisregulation; but we think, that as every one cannot have his way, thosewho carry their point, and have the power, should also bear the burden:besides, in this way the voices of the most generous and disinterestedprevail. We have," he added, "found this the most difficult part of ourgovernment. We once thought that the very lively interest excited in theelectioneering contests, particularly for that of Gompoo, or chiefmagistrate, was to be ascribed to the power he possessed; and weresorted to various expedients to lessen it--such as dividing it among agreater number--requiring a quick rotation of office--abridging thepowers themselves: but we discovered, that however small the power, thedistinction it gave to those who possessed it, was always an object oflively interest with the ambitious, and indeed with the public ingeneral. We have, therefore, enlarged the power, and the term of holdingit, and make him who would attain it, purchase it by previous exertionand self-denial: and we farther compel those who favour him, to lose aswell as gain. We array the love of money against the love of power; orrather, one love of power to another. Moreover, as it is only by thecivic virtues that our citizens recommend themselves to popular favour,there is nothing of that enthusiasm which military success excites amongthe natives."
Our Washington then presented himself to my mind, and for a moment Ibegan to question his claim to the unexampled honours bestowed on him byhis countrymen, until I recollected that he was as distinguished by hisrespect for the laws, and his sound views of national policy, as for hismilitary services.
I then inquired into the occupations and condition of those who werewithout land; and was told that they were either cultivators of thesoil, or practised some liberal or mechanical art; and, partly owing tothe education they receive, and partly from the active competition thatexists among them, they are skilful, diligent, and honest. Now and thenthere are some exceptions, according to the proverb, that _in the bestfield of grain there will be some bad ears_. The land-owners sometimescultivate the soil with their own hands--sometimes with hiredlabourers--and sometimes they rent them for about a third of theirproduce. The smallest proprietors commonly adopt the first course; themiddling, the second; and the great landholders the third."
"But I thought," said I, "that all the land in the valley was of equalfertility."
"So it is; but what has that to do with rent?"
"Sir," said I, "our ablest writers on this subject have latelydiscovered that there can be no rent where there is not a gradation ofsoils, such as exists in every country of the earth."
"I see not," said he, "what could have led them into that error. It istrue, if there was inferior land, there would be a difference of rent inproportion to the difference of fertility; and if it was so poor asmerely to repay the expense of cultivation, it would yield no rent atall. But surely, if one man makes as much as several consume, (and thishe can easily do with us,) he will be able to get much of their labourin exchange for this surplus, which is so indispensable to them, and toget more and more, until the greatest number has come into existencewhich such surplus can support. What they thus give, if the proprietorretains the land himself, you may regard as the extraordinary profits ofagricultural labour, or rent, if paid to any one to whom he transfersthis benefit. This is precisely our present situation."
There was no denying this statement of facts: but I could not helpexclaiming,--"Surely there is nothing certain in the universe; orrather, truth is one thing in the moon, and another thing on the earth."