with the Chinese practices, with English competitive examinations, and still more with the regulation of the < Ottoman Janizaries. Then- is also a considerable degree of correspondence betwi en the Platonic organization and
■ ..ustilutioli of tin- Positive Society. The body of the guardians or auxiliaries is employed as the military force to repress internal disorders and to repel external danger. The rulers .-111' the supervisors of the community, and are to govern it with a view to the greatest happiness of all (Z)< Rep. iv, p. 240). The
auxiliaries are to live and to conduct them-elves >o
a- io cherish and protect the whole commonwealth.
•N. of them should have any property beyond what
is absolutely necessary; neither should they have a private house, with bars and bolts, closed against any
one who has a mind to enter: their provisions should be only such as are required by trained warriors, who are men of temperance and courage; their agree men! is to receive from the citizens a tixed rate of pay, enough
to meet the expen-es of the year and no more, and they will have common meals and live together, like soldiers in a camp. . . . They alone of all the citizens may not touch or handle silver or gold, or be under tie same roof with them, or wear them, or drink from them. And this will be their salvation and the salvation of the
state" (J2ep. Jowett's translation, ii, 242). There is here the union of Spartan institutions and Pythagorean or- ganization witli tin- theoretical devices of Plato. There is also an anticipation of the standing armies of modern states.
With the details of the education of the superior class, and with the appreciation of different brandies of instruction, we cannot occupy ourselves further than to mention that it is in this connection he cen-ures the poets, and excludes Homer and the Tragedians from the ideal stale as blasphemers againsl the -ods. We pass over the criticism of the various forms of government, important as this criticism is tor political philosophy in general, and for tin- estimation of Plato's doctrine and its relation to Hellenic systems. "We cannot, however, omit all notice of the measures by which he endeavors to maintain the unselfish devotion of the dominant or- der, lie leaves the laboring masses almost entirely out of sight. They tire to be protected in their persons, rights, and industry; and they are to be guided in the propei- course. Further than this there is little conci rn for them. They work in their way for the state, as their superiors live .-mil work also for the stale, which is everything to the Legislator. There was reason in the interruption of Adimantus that -the citizens were made miserable," if the temporal comfort of the citizen, and not the theoretical elevation of that hypothetical unit, the Btate, i- taken into consideration.
To guard againsl jealousies, rivalries, discords, which might endanger or ruin the public welfare and the po- litical constitution, the equality of the sexes, tin' com- munity ol w en .-ind the community of property are
prescribed, and this community is still insisted on in the Laws. Plato seems to have held with tin p< rsian impostor, Mezdab, in the reign of Khositi Kob.-i.l. that feuds, quarrels, and animosities arise mainly from the possession of wealth and women in severalty. The de- lusions of modern socialism and radicalism an- antici- pated. The shadowy character of Plato'- proposed ar- rangements is some palliation for their entertainment. I nej are evidently devised as modes of discipline and
preparation, or as means for the prevent! f disorder.
i in 13 are acknowledged to be uusuited to men as men now are. and may be taken as the prefiguration of w hat men might be under other conditions, in a blessed state in winch there should be neither gold nor silver, doi maiT\ ing nor giving in marriage.
For the close correal lence in aim between the
dreams of Plato and the revelations of Scripture, and
between the de\ ices of l'lato and the projects of di 111
Communists and Socialists, we have no Batisfai planation. The cultivated intelligence, the active im-
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agination, the varied experience, the general immoral- ity, and the painful disquietude of the Greeks in the 4th century before Christ may account for much, but it will not interpret all. We leave the enigma as one of the mysterious problems presented by the career of humanity. There is surely no more marvellous approx- imation to revealed truth than in the exposition of the Supreme Good, and of its child or offspring, which is described (Be Rep. vi, p. 50G) in terms that recall the delineation of wisdom in the Book of Wisdom.
" Vapor est enim virtutis Dei, et emanatio qusedam est claritatis Dei siucera; et ideo nihil inquiiiatuni in earn incurrit.
"Candor est enim lucis reteniie, et speculum sine ma- cula Dei majestatis et imago bonitatis illins.
"Est enim htec speciosior sole et super oninem disposi- tionem stellarum, luci comparata invenitur prior." Do not such sublime anticipations consort well with the conclusion of the Republic, which increases our wonder. but at the same time justifies our reverential compari- sons !
"And thus, Glaucon, the tale has been saved and has not perished, and may be our salvation it' we are obedient to the word spoken; and we shall pass safely over the water of Forgetfulness, and our soul will not be denied. Wherefore my counsel is that we hold fast to the heav- enly way, and follow after justice and virtue always, con- sidering that the soul is immortal, and able to endure ev- ery sort of good and every sort of evil. Thus shall we live dear to one another and to the gods, both while remain- ing here and when, like conquerors in the games who go round to gather gifts, we receive our reward. And it shall be well with us both in this life and in the pilgrim- age of a thousand years which we have been reciting."