with your Eight Hours' Bill? _Prodigiously! Your strong personality,
would push forward even a worse thing._ How near are you to unanimity?
_As near as considerable difference of opinion will allow us to come._
Is an unascertained minority to coerce an unwilling majority? _Our
Council has not discussed that?_ Do you know the relative proportions
of majority and majority in organised and unorganised trades; how
their respective opinions are to be ascertained, and, if ascertained,
how legally enforced; if, and how, two millions and a half are to
commit eleven millions to certain binding laws, and involve them in
legal consequences? _No! Yes! Hardly! Not quite! More or less! Well,
we're not quite sure, &c., &c._

_Socrates_ (_smiling_). Now, tell me, THRASYMACHUS, is _this_ the
"harmony, or, as it were, unity of action," on which only, as we
agreed, we could found "the principle of permanency in a state or
community?"

_Thrasymachus-Shiptonides_ (_hurriedly_). Well, what you say,
SOCRATES, is very nice, and clear, and logical, and conclusive,
in an argumentative sense, and your attitude is very noble and
high-and-mighty--I mean highminded and all that. And we're _very_
grateful--but deeply disappointed that you couldn't say something
quite different--_in view of the General Election, you know!_
(_Meaningly._)

_Socrates_ (_mildly, but firmly_). It is not my political duty to say
pleasant things all round, but to ascertain--and tell--the Truth.

_All_ (_deferentially_). Well, we are all _tremendously_ thankful!
(_aside_) for small mercies! Logic scores in argument, but votes tell