YOUNG SOCRATES: What are you going to say?

STRANGER: That they distinguish the several letters well enough in very

short and easy syllables, and are able to tell them correctly.

YOUNG SOCRATES: Certainly.

STRANGER: Whereas in other syllables they do not recognize them, and

think and speak falsely of them.

YOUNG SOCRATES: Very true.

STRANGER: Will not the best and easiest way of bringing them to a

knowledge of what they do not as yet know be--

YOUNG SOCRATES: Be what?

STRANGER: To refer them first of all to cases in which they judge

correctly about the letters in question, and then to compare these with

the cases in which they do not as yet know, and to show them that the

letters are the same, and have the same character in both combinations,

until all cases in which they are right have been placed side by side

with all cases in which they are wrong. In this way they have examples,

and are made to learn that each letter in every combination is always

the same and not another, and is always called by the same name.

Statesman