New-York tribune., 1871-03-31

the early Churcn ne eNerclStu "a rttl lhuuthCe VII
theology and at the revival of literature politics.
And many Of the latest thoughts of modern philoso-
piers aud statesmen such ast the unity Of knowledge,
the reign Of law, and the equality of the sexes, have
been anticipated in a dream by Plato"
Professor Jowett frequently takes occasion TO pre-
sent his own ideas the various points that are
suggested by the discussions in the text. He by no
means confines himself to dry analysis of the opln-
ions Of Plato but enlarges on their significance ana
TRUTH and their relation to modern theories OF pl-
osOphical and social Importance. Beneath n sineu-
larly quiet manner he conceas the most radicai ico
dom of thought. The boldness with when nc com
ments on the popular notions of Church ana St''o
forms an almost amusing contrast TO DIS ueinie
simplicity of expression. Thus in expoundihs fia-
tO's theory of q community OF goods Wllch occuPoo
considerable space in the "Repubhc, lie rehaiAs'
"Modern writer's almost refuse to consider the sub
iect which is supposed to have been long ago seted
by the common opinion of mankind. But Ii must be
remembered that the sacredness of property is no.
ton far more fixed in modern than III ancient times
The world has grown older, and is Therefore
more conservative. Primitive society offers many
examples of land held in common, either by
tribe or by township, and such may probably have
been the original form of landed tenure. Ancient
legislators had invented various modes of dividing
and preserving the divisions of land among the ci-
zens according to Aristotle there were nations who
held the land in common and divided the produce,
and there were others who divided the land and
stored the produce in common. The evils of debt
and the inequality of property were far greater IN
ancient than in modern times, and the accidents to
which property was subject from war, revolution,
or taxation. or other legislative interference were
also greater All these circumstances gave property
"a less fixed and sacred character. The early
Christians are believed to have held their property
in common. and the principle is sanctioned by the
words of Christ himself and has been maintained as
a counsel of perfection in almost all ages of the
Church" But when we consider the question with
ont any fear of immediate application to practice in
the spirit of Platos Republic "are quite sure"
asks Professor Jowett that the received notions of
property the best Is the distribution of wealth
which is customary i'll civilized countries the
most favorable that can be conceived for the
education and development of the mass of mankndY
Can the spectator of all time and all existence he
| quite convinced that two thousand years
hence, great changes will not have taken place in
the rights of property, or that the very notion
of property beyond what is necessary for personal
| maintenance, may not have dsappearedf This was
distinction familiar to Aristotle though likely to be
| laughed at among ourselves. Such a change would
| not be greater than some other changes through
which the world has passed in the transition from
ancient to modern society; as, for example, the
emancipation of the serfs the abolition Of Slavery
Ia work which has only been completed in our own
day) or than is measured by the interval which even
now separates the Eastern from the Western World.
And TO accomplish such change in the course of
centuries would imply greater rate of progress
than has actually existed during the last fifty or
sixty years Many opinions and beliefs which have
been cherished quite strongly as the night OF prop
erty have passed away, and the most untenabe prop
ositions respecting the right Of requests or entail
have been maintained with as much fervOr as the
most moderate. The reflection will occur that the
state of society hardly be final in which the in
teress of thousands peTiled on the life OF char
acter of a single person. And many will indulge the
hope that the state in which live will be only
transitional and may conduct to a higher state in
which property, beside mnistering to the enjoyment
of the few may also furnish the means of the high
est culture TO all and will be greater benefit to the
public generally, and also more under the control
of public authority. There may come time when
the saving, Have not right 10 do what | will
with my own may appear to be baIbarous relic OF
individualism"
In like manner Professor Jowett pays little
respect to conventional prepOssC ssiOns in his re-
marks on Platos theories of the position of
woman and the relations of the sexes. Plato
maintains that the pursuits of men and women
should be the same, and that to this end they
should have a common training and educa-
ton. Following the analogy of the other animals,
he contends that all the natural gifts scattered
about indiffeRently among men and women though
there may be superiority of degree on the part OF
the men, There is no organic difference between
men and women, but only the accidental difference
of the bearing and the other begeting children
The objection on the score OF delicacy to men and
women partaking Of the same gymnastlc exercises
is met by Plaos assertion that the existing feeling
is a matter of habit. Upon this, Professor JOwett
remarks: In no former age Of the world would
Platos ideas on this subject have received 80 much
assent as in our own. That he should have eInanci-
pated himself from the customs of his own country
and from the example of the East, is wonderful
proof of philosophical insight He is as much in
advance of modern nations as they are in advance
Of the customs of Greek society. Greek women had
certainly noble conceptions of womanhood in the
eoddesses Athene and Artemis, and in the heroines
Antigone and Andromache But these poetical ideals
had no counterpart in actual life. The Athenlan
woman was in no respect the equal of her husband;
she was not the entertainer of his guests or the mis-
tress of his house but only his housekeeper and the
mother of his children. She took part in military
OF political matters nor is there any instance in the
later ages of Greece of woman becoming famous
as authOress. Hers is the greatest glory who has
the least TenOwn among men,, is the historians con-
ception of feminine excellence A very different
ideal of womanhoOd is held up by Plato 10 the world
she is to be the companion of the man. and to share
with him in the rolls of and in the cares of the
government She is to be similarly trained both in
bodily and mental exercises. She is to lose
and the characteristics of the female sex.
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