imperfection of his own method.
He brings the accusation against himself which might be brought against
him by a modern logician--that he extracts the answer because he knows
how to put the question. In a long argument words are apt to change
their meaning slightly, or premises may be assumed or conclusions
inferred with rather too much certainty or universality; the variation
at each step may be unobserved, and yet at last the divergence becomes
considerable. Hence the failure of attempts to apply arithmetical or
algebraic formulae to logic. The imperfection, or rather the higher
and more elastic nature of language, does not allow words to have the
precision of numbers or of symbols. And this quality in language impairs
the force of an argument which has many steps.

The objection, though fairly met by Socrates in this particular
instance, may be regarded as implying a reflection upon the Socratic
mode of reasoning. And here, as elsewhere, Plato seems to intimate that
the time had come when the negative and interrogative method of Socrates
must be superseded by a positive and constructive one, of which examples
are given in some of the later dialogues. Adeimantus further argues
that the ideal is wholly at variance with facts; for experience proves
philosophers to be either useless or rogues. Contrary to all expectation
Socrates has no hesitation in admitting the truth of this, and explains
the anomaly in an allegory, first characteristically depreciating his
own inventive powers. In this allegory the people are distinguished from
the professional politicians, and, as elsewhere, are spoken of in a tone
of pity rather than of censure under the image of 'the noble captain who
is not very quick in his perceptions.'

The uselessness of philosophers is explained by the circumstance that
mankind will not use them. The world in all ages has been divided
between contempt and fear of those who employ the power of ideas and
know no other weapons. Concerning the false philosopher, Socrates argues
that the best is most liable to corruption; and that the finer nature is
more likely to suffer from alien conditions. We too observe that there
are some kinds of excellence which spring from a peculiar delicacy
of constitution; as is evidently true of the poetical and imaginative
temperament, which often seems to depend on impressions, and hence can
only breathe or live in a certain atmosphere. The man of genius
has greater pains and gr