262 NEW ATLANTIS 



Jewish dreams, the man was a wise man and learned, 

 and of great policy, and excellently seen in the laws 

 and customs of that nation. 



Amongst other discourses one day I told him, I was 

 much affected with the relation I had from some of the 

 company of their custom in holding the feast of the 

 family, for that, methought, I had never heard of a so 

 lemnity wherein Nature did so much preside. And 

 because propagation of families proceedeth from the 

 nuptial copulation, I desired to know of him what laws 

 and customs they had concerning marriage, and whether 

 they kept marriage well, and whether they were tied 

 to one wife ? For that where population is so much 

 affected, and such as with them it seemed to be, there 

 is commonly permission of plurality of wives. 



To this he said : You have reason for to commend 

 that excellent institution of the feast of the family ; and 

 indeed we have experience, that those families that are 

 partakers of the blessings of that feast, do flourish and 

 prosper ever after in an extraordinary manner. But 

 hear me now, and I will tell you what I know. You 

 shall understand that there is not under the heavens 

 so chaste a nation as this of Bensalem, nor so free from 

 all pollution or foulness. It is the virgin of the world . . . 



I have not read of any such chastity in any people as 

 theirs. And their usual saying is, that whosoever is 

 unchaste cannot reverence himself ; and they say that 

 the reverence of a man s self, is, next religion, the 

 chief est bridle of all vices. 



And when he had said this the good Jew paused 

 a little ; whereupon I, far more willing to hear him 

 speak on than to speak myself, yet thinking it decent 

 that upon his pause of speech I should not be alto 

 gether silent, said only this ; that I would say to him, 

 as the widow of Sarepta said to Elias, that he was 

 come to bring to memory our sins ; and that I confess 

 the righteousness of Bensalem was greater than the 

 righteousness of Europe. At which speech he bowed 

 his head, and went on this manner. 



They have also many wise and excellent laws touch- 



