All histories of political philosophy are abominable, and for two excellent reasons. Nobody knows enough to write a history of political philosophy. And if, per impossibile, someone did know enough to write a history of political philosophy, the last thing he would take time for would be to write a history of political philosophy.
Why does no one know enough to write a history of political philosophy? Again for two excellent reasons. In the first place, the mastering of any single one of the books that the tradition has identified as the great ventures in political study requires not that hasty reading over the week-end that will enable another chapter in a “history,” but months and years
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