He draws some conclusions worth consideration, though others have done better. But: “About the whole scene there is a freshness and a fragrance as of early morning, and a tone so natural, free and frank, that in the face of this rustic idyl the later centuries sicken and faint, like candle-light in the splendour of the dawn.” Puuhhh-leeease! By the end of the book these flourishes have gotten to be like fingernails on a chalkboard. He also sees a fatal flaw at the core of the Greek ideal, which ultimately undermines the splendiferous miracle. Then, without another word on the pesky little flaw, he holds the ideal up as a model for a glorious future. Um, okay…. At least his idealization of ancient pedophilia is heartwarming. If you don’t have an obsession with Ancient Greece, you might want to skip this one. ( )

I gotr this chiefly because I greatly enjoyed Dickinson's Modern Symposium setting out the rival political philosophies in Britain about 100 years ago.