After Hythloday has ended his long discourse on the Utopian commonwealth, More offers some final observations, not to Hythloday and Peter Giles as part of their discussion but as author to reader. He says that many things in Hythloday’s report seemed strange to him, even absurd; for example, the customs, the methods of warfare, the religion, but especially their arrangement of communal living without the exchange of money. These aspects of their system eliminate any recognition of nobility, any show of magnificence, splendor, and majesty—features of civilized society which are, according to common opinion, the true glory and ornaments of the commonwealth.
More tells us that he realized Hythloday was weary after his lengthy discussion, and so he thought it best not to raise any new questions or to engage in an argument with him at that time. He merely offered a few words of praise for the way of life described and said that he would like to talk further on the subject at a later time.
The author’s final remark to the reader is to the effect that he could not agree with everything that Hythloday had related; “however, there are many things in the Commonwealth of Utopia that I rather wish, than hope, to see followed in our government.”
