"An acre in Middlesex is better than a principality in Utopia"

This quote by Thomas B. Macaulay is a pointer that the real world is often better than an idealized version of it. He is recommending that having a small piece of land in the real life is better than having a large amount of land in a perfect, however imaginary, world. This is due to the fact that the real world offers tangible advantages that can not be found in a paradise. For example, an acre in Middlesex would offer access to resources, a sense of community, and the capacity for financial growth. In contrast, a principality in Utopia would be nothing more than a dream. Macaulay's quote is a tip that the real life is frequently more desirable than an idealized variation of it.