I am almost ashamed, right well-beloved Peter Giles, to send unto you this book of the Utopian commonwealth, well-nigh after a year's space, which I am sure you looked for within a month and a half. And no marvel; for you knew well enough that I was already disburdened of all the labor and study belonging to the invention in this work and that I had no need at all to trouble my brains about the disposition or conveyance of the matter; and therefore had herein nothing else to do but only to rehearse those things which you and I together heard Master Raphael tell and declare. Wherefore there was no cause why I should study to set forth the matter with eloquence, forasmuch as his talk could not be fine and eloquent, being first not studied for but sudden and unpremeditate, and then as you know, of a man better seen in the Greek language than in the Latin tongue; and my writing, the nigher it should approach his homely, plain, and simple speech, so might the nigher should it go to the truth, which is the only mark whereunto I do and ought to direct all my travail and study herein.
Thomas More, Utopia (introductory letter)
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