the student of the "Dialogues," on
the other hand, the personality of
Plato counts for everything. If we
approach him as a thinker, it is true,
we discard everything except his
ideas; but if we approach him as a
great writer, ideas are but part of the
rich and illuminating whole which he
offers us. One can imagine a man
fully acquainting himself with the
work of Aristotle and yet remaining
almost devoid of culture; but one
cannot imagine a man coming into
intimate companionship with Plato
and remaining untouched by his rich,
representative personality.

From such a companionship some-
thing must flow besides an enlarge-
ment of ideas or a development of
the power of clear thinking; there
must flow also the stimulating and
illuminating impulse of a fresh contact

[[118]]

p117 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p118w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p119

v?