Dialogue

 1 Intro|     existence there was no such thing as the procreation of animals
 2 Intro|        a king; and yet the best thing of all is, not that the
 3 Intro|      which, though not the best thing possible, is best for the
 4 Intro|   although this is not the best thing of all, but only the second
 5 Intro|         than none. And the best thing which they can do (though
 6 State|      mind is surely a desirable thing?~YOUNG SOCRATES: Very true.~
 7 State|      STRANGER: There is another thing which I should like to know.~
 8 State|      STRANGER: Together? What a thing to ask! but, if you take
 9 State|          that there was no such thing in the then order of nature
10 State|       in this manner? We take a thing and compare it with another
11 State|   distinct instance of the same thing, of which we have a right
12 State|         STRANGER: Then the next thing will be to separate them,
13 State|      not manufacture the actual thing, but which furnish the necessary
14 State|        a king, and yet the best thing of all is not that the law
15 State|        the last and most absurd thing which he could say about
16 State| approved, although not the best thing in the world.~YOUNG SOCRATES:
17 State|     regarded as the second best thing, if you set aside the first,
18 State|   danger of this, the next best thing in legislating is not to
19 State|       STRANGER: There is such a thing as learning music or handicraft
20 State|      any, even the most trivial thing, out of bad and good materials