my own, I have endeavoured to do so in the way which should be least
imprisoning to my own thought, and least provocative of the reader's
antagonism. It has been my object, to borrow a phrase of Renan, 'de
présenter des séries d'idées se développant selon un ordre logique, et
non d'inculquer une opinion ou de prêcher un systême déterminé.' And
I may add, with him, 'Moins que jamais je me sens l'audace de parler
doctrinalernent en pareille matière.'

In conclusion, there is one defect which is, I think, inherent in the
Dialogue form, even if it were treated with far greater skill than any
to which I can pretend. The connection of the various phases of the
discussion can hardly be as clearly marked as it would be in a formal
treatise; and in the midst of digressions and interruptions, such
as are natural in conversation, the main thread of the reasoning may
sometimes be lost I have therefore appended a brief summary of the
argument, set forth in its logical connections.




ARGUMENT

BOOK I.


I. After a brief introduction, the discussion starts with a
consideration of the diversity of men's ideas about Good, a diversity
which suggests _primâ facie_ a scepticism as to the truth of any of
these ideas.