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And although the existence of an ideal aristocracy is slenderly

proven from the remains of early Greek history, and we have a

difficulty in ascribing such a character, however the idea may be

defined, to any actual Hellenic state-or indeed to any state

which has ever existed in the world-still the rule of the best

was certainly the aspiration of philosophers, who probably

accommodated a good deal their views of primitive history to

their own notions of good government. Plato further insists on

applying to the guardians of his state a series of tests by which

all those who fell short of a fixed standard were either removed

from the governing body, or not admitted to it; and this

'academic' discipline did to a certain extent prevail in Greek

states, especially in Sparta. He also indicates that the system

of caste, which existed in a great part of the ancient, and is by

no means extinct in the modern European world, should be set

aside from time to time in favour of merit.