er truth for the sake of knowledge, while
they look coldly on the subtleties of controversy, of which the end is
opinion and strife, whether they meet with them in the courts of law or
in society.

They are strangers, he said, to the words of which you speak.

And this was what we foresaw, and this was the reason why truth forced
us to admit, not without fear and hesitation, that neither cities nor
States nor individuals will ever attain perfection until the small
class of philosophers whom we termed useless but not corrupt are
providentially compelled, whether they will or not, to take care of the
State, and until a like necessity be laid on the State to obey them; or
until kings, or if not kings, the sons of kings or princes, are divinely
inspired with a true love of true philosophy. That either or both of
these alternatives are impossible, I see no reason to affirm: if
they were so, we might indeed be justly ridiculed as dreamers and
visionaries. Am I not right?

Quite right.

If then, in the countless ages of the past, or at the present hour in
some foreign clime which is far away and beyond our ken, the perfected
philosopher is or has been or hereafter shall be compelled by a superior
power to have the charge of the State, we are ready to assert to the
death, that this our constitution has been, and is--yea, and will be
whenever the Muse of Philosophy is queen. There is no impossibility in
all this; that there is a difficulty, we acknowledge ourselves.

My opinion agrees with yours, he said.

But do you mean to say that this is not the opinion of the multitude?

I should imagine not, he replied.

O my friend, I said, do not attack the multitude: they will change their
minds, if, not in an aggressive spirit, but gently and with the view
of soothing them and removing their dislike of over-education, you show
them your philosophers as they really are and describe as you were just
now doing their character and profession, and then mankind will see that
he of whom you are speaking is not such as they supposed--if they view
him in this new light, they will surely change their notion of him, and
answer in another strain. Who can be at enmity with one who loves them,
who that is himself gentle and free from envy will be jealous of one
in whom there is no jealousy? Nay, let me answer for you, that in a few
this harsh temper may be found but not in the majority of mankind.

I quite agree with you, he said.

And d