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When the higher natures are corrupted by politics, the lower take

possession of the vacant place of philosophy. This is described

in one of those continuous images in which the argument, to use a

Platonic expression, 'veils herself,' and which is dropped and

reappears at intervals. The question is asked,-Why are the

citizens of states so hostile to philosophy? The answer is, that

they do not know her. And yet there is also a better mind of the

many; they would believe if they were taught. But hitherto they

have only known a conventional imitation of philosophy, words

without thoughts, systems which have no life in them; a (divine)

person uttering the words of beauty and freedom, the friend of

man holding communion with the Eternal, and seeking to frame the

state in that image, they have never known. The same double

feeling respecting the mass of mankind has always existed among

men.