The following passage occurs in the "symposium": "The true order of going or being led by others to the things of love, is to use the beauties of earth as steps along which he mounts upward for the sake of that other beauty, going from one to two, and from two to all fair forms, and from fair forms to fair actions, and from fair actions to fair notions, until from fair notions he arrives at the notion of absolute beauty, and at last knows what the essence of beauty is."
"The Approach to Philosophy"
Ralph Barton Perry
This may be translated into the language which Plato uses in the "symposium," when Diotima is revealing to Socrates the meaning of love.
"The Approach to Philosophy"
Ralph Barton Perry
Or a proposal may be made at the very first by one member of the Staff that is accepted at once with acclamation-an event, however, of the utmost rarity; or again, as is usually the case, the final decision may be gradually and almost painfully evolved from this symposium of professional wits and literary politicians.
"The History of "Punch""
M. H. Spielmann