Statesman [Hardcover]

Plato (Author), 1stWorld Library (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2007

On the 24th of February, 1815, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples. As usual, a pilot put off immediately, and rounding the Chateau d'If, got on board the vessel between Cape Morgion and Rion island. Immediately, and according to custom, the ramparts of Fort Saint-Jean were covered with spectators; it is always an event at Marseilles for a ship to come into port, especially when this ship, like the Pharaon, has been built, rigged, and laden at the old Phocee docks, and belongs to an owner of the city. The ship drew on and had safely passed the strait, which some volcanic shock has made between the Calasareigne and Jaros islands; had doubled Pomegue, and approached the harbor under topsails, jib, and spanker, but so slowly and sedately that the idlers, with that instinct which is the forerunner of evil, asked one another what misfortune could have happened on board. However, those experienced in navigation saw plainly that if any accident had occurred, it was not to the vessel herself, for she bore down with all the evidence of being skilfully handled, the anchor a-cockbill, the jib-boom guys already eased off, and standing by the side of the pilot, who was steering the Pharaon towards the narrow entrance of the inner port, was a young man, who, with activity and vigilant eye, watched every motion of the ship, and repeated each direction of the pilot.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

With all of his works still in print, Dickens is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of all times. Flourishing in the Victorian era, this English novelist is renowned for his unforgettable characters and vivid story lines. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 156 pages
• Publisher: 1st World Library - Literary Society (December 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421897997
• ISBN-13: 978-1421897998
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Read The Republic instead...too much useless chatter in this one, February 20, 2008

By 

Dan Panetti "Worldview Director" (Plano, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Statesman (Paperback)

Probably best known for The Republic, this is a very similar selection from Plato where he wrestles with the best form of government understanding the obvious restrictions and limitations of mankind. Plato considers the monarchy, or the benevolent rule of one good man, to be the best and most desired form of governance. A democracy, or a rule by the mob, is the least effective and desirable form according to Plato. But, without a biblical worldview in which to frame his understanding, Plato fails to recognize and account for the influence of the fall of man and man's sinful nature. Without an appreciation for divine revelation and the power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate man from his fallen state, Plato also fails to recognize the power and influence that God's Word and the presence of the Holy Spirit can have on a man's thoughts and life. While Plato limits mankind by some unknown formula so that only a few may rise to political knowledge, he finds it impossible to know whether a ruler will be a tyrant or a statesman. And while laws may confine and restrain evil, they can also hamper and restrict good. Plato's world is dominated by an appreciation for the state, but his understanding and appreciation for mankind or humanity demonstrates his shortsightedness in his approach to finding true statesmen. True statesmen are not products of their culture; in contrast they are generally those who cut against the prevailing grain of society. True statesmen have an internal moral compass pointed toward absolute truth that guides and directs even in the midst of societal blindness and confusion. Plato desires to produces these men, but his formula is lacking and deficient. The Statesman is a difficult read with mostly conversations that seem to run tangent to the real issue at hand.