| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Charmides by Plato: living. He may be illustrated by the writings of moderns, but he must be
interpreted by his own, and by his place in the history of philosophy. We
are not concerned to determine what is the residuum of truth which remains
for ourselves. His truth may not be our truth, and nevertheless may have
an extraordinary value and interest for us.
I cannot agree with Mr. Grote in admitting as genuine all the writings
commonly attributed to Plato in antiquity, any more than with Schaarschmidt
and some other German critics who reject nearly half of them. The German
critics, to whom I refer, proceed chiefly on grounds of internal evidence;
they appear to me to lay too much stress on the variety of doctrine and
style, which must be equally acknowledged as a fact, even in the Dialogues
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: evil and are stumbling, may friendlily stand by your side to aid?
Lamp. I am willing.
Soc. Well, and what of that other chance companion--your fellow-
traveller by land or sea? what of any others, you may light upon? is
it indifferent to you whether these be friends or not, or do you admit
that the goodwill of these is worth securing by some pains on your
part?
Lamp. I do.
Soc. It stands thus then: you are prepared to pay attention to this,
that, and the other stranger, but to your mother who loves you more
than all else, you are bound to render no service, no allegiance? Do
The Memorabilia |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini: exception of M. Binet and his daughter, and leaving out of account
that he who plays Trivelin in one piece appears as Tabarin in
another, it makes the company appear to be at least half as numerous
again as it really was. It announces that they will open with "Les
Fourberies de Scaramouche," to be followed by five other plays of
which it gives the titles, and by others not named, which shall also
be added should the patronage to be received in the distinguished
and enlightened city of Nantes encourage the Binet Troupe to prolong
its sojourn at the Theatre Feydau. It lays great stress upon the
fact that this is a company of improvisers in the old Italian manner,
the like of which has not been seen in France for half a century,
|
