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And literature may be either true or false?

Yes.

And the young should be trained in both kinds, and we begin with

the false?

I do not understand your meaning, he said.

You know, I said, that we begin by telling children stories

which, though not wholly destitute of truth, are in the main

fictitious; and these stories are told them when they are not of

an age to learn gymnastics.

Very true.

That was my meaning when I said that we must teach music before

gymnastics.

Quite right, he said.

You know also that the beginning is the most important part of

any work, especially in the case of a young and tender thing; for

that is the time at which the character is being formed and the

desired impression is more readily taken.

Quite true.

And shall we just carelessly allow children to hear any casual

tales which may be devised by casual persons, and to receive into

their minds ideas for the most part the very opposite of those

which we should wish them to have when they are grown up?

We cannot.