Companion: To a beautiful despot!
Master: And this despot has the audacity to affirm that most people are fools and rogues. To give them the freedom of which you sing: first, there’s no reason for it; and secondly, it’s harmful, because these gentlemen even in bonds are sufficiently dangerous to each other, and in their own interests, that is, in the interests of the majority, their freedom is undesirable. And as Liberals ought to conform in all things with the interests of the majority, so (All laugh.) Why, you value everything from the point of view of justice and utility. Well, there you are: from the point of view of justice—there’s no reason for it, and from the point of view of utility—it’s harmful.
Friend (laughs): Excellent sophistry!
Master: All the more as I acknowledge as right neither the point of view of justice nor the point of view of utility. The point of view of beauty, of pleasure—that’s how I regard it.
Friend: But, my dear old chap, if
Master: Come, don’t let’s quarrel.
Friend: Is modern culture really so non-existent? Have you really turned your back on it?
