哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)-第18章

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bee　Thinking　Reason；　with　the　view　of　effecting　in　its　own　element；　the　restoration　of　its
principles　from　the　ruin　to　which　they　had　been　brought。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　78

We　find　then；　it　is　true；　among　all　world…historical　peoples；　poetry；　plastic　art；　science；　even
philosophy；　but　not　only　is　there　a　diversity　in　style　and　bearing　generally；　but　still　more　remarkably
in　subject…matter；　and　this　is　a　diversity　of　the　most　important　kind；　affecting　the　rationality　of　that
subject…matter。　It　is　useless　for　a　pretentious　aesthetic　criticism　to　demand　that　our　good　pleasure
should　not　be　made　the　rule　for　the　matter　—　the　substantial　part　of　their　contents　—　and　to
maintain　that　it　is　the　beautiful　form　as　such；　the　grandeur　of　the　fancy；　and　so　forth；　which　fine　art
aims　at；　and　which　must　be　considered　and　enjoyed　by　a　liberal　taste　and　cultivated　mind。　A
healthy　intellect　does　not　tolerate　such　abstractions；　and　cannot　assimilate　productions　of　the　kind
above　referred　to。　Granted　that　the　Indian　Epopees　might　be　placed　on　a　level　with　the　Homeric；
on　account　of　a　number　of　those　qualities　of　form　—　grandeur　of　invention　and　imaginative　power；
liveliness　of　images　and　emotions；　and　beauty　of　diction；　yet　the　infinite　difference　of　matter
remains；　consequently　one　of　substantial　importance　and　involving　the　interest　of　Reason　which　is
immediately　concerned　with　the　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom；　and　its　expression　in
individuals。　There　is　not　only　a　classical　form；　but　a　classical　order　of　subject…matter；　and　in　a
work　of　art　form　and　subject…matter　are　so　closely　united　that　the　former　can　only　be　classical　to
the　extent　to　which　the　latter　is　so。　With　a　fantastic；　indeterminate　material　—　the　Rule　is　the
essence　of　Reason　…the　form　bees　measureless　and　formless；　or　mean　and　contracted。　In　the
same　way；　in　that　parison　of　the　various　systems　of　philosophy　of　which　we　have　already
spoken；　the　only　point　of　importance　is　overlooked；　namely　the　character　of　that　Unity　which　is
found　alike　in　the　Chinese；　the　Eleatic；　and　the　Spinozistic　philosophy　—　the　distinction　between
the　recognition　of　that　Unity　as　abstract　and　as　concrete　—　concrete　to　the　extent　of　being　a　unity
in　and　by　itself　—　a　unity　synonymous　with　Spirit。　But　that　co…ordination　proves　that　it　recognises
only　such　an　abstract　unity；　so　that　while　it　gives　judgment　respecting　philosophy　it　is　ignorant　of
that　very　point　which　constitutes　the　interest　of　philosophy。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　79

But　there　are　also　spheres　which；　amid　all　the　variety　that　is　presented　in　the　substantial　content　of
a　particular　form　of　culture；　remain　the　same。　The　difference　above　mentioned　in　art；　science；
philosophy；　concerns　the　thinking　Reason　and　Freedom；　which　is　the　self…consciousness　of　the
former；　and　which　has　the　same　one　root　with　Thought。　As　it　is　not　the　brute；　but　only　the　man　that
thinks；　he　only　—　and　only　because　he　is　a　thinking　being　—　has　Freedom。　His　consciousness
imports　this；　that　the　individual　prehends　itself　as　a　person；　that　is；　recognises　itself　in　its　single
existence　as　possessing　universality；　—　as　capable　of　abstraction　from；　and　of　surrendering　all
speciality；　and；　therefore；　as　inherently　infinite。　Consequently　those　spheres　of　intelligence　which　lie
beyond　the　limits　of　this　consciousness　are　a　mon　ground　among　those　substantial　distinctions。
Even　morality；　which　is　so　intimately　connected　with　the　consciousness　of　freedom；　can　be　very
pure　while　that　consciousness　is　still　wanting；　as　far；　that　is　to　say；　as　it　expresses　duties　and　rights
only　as　objective　mands；　or　even　as　far　as　it　remains　satisfied　with　the　merely　formal　elevation
of　the　soul　—　the　surrender　of　the　sensual；　and　of　all　sensual　motives　—　in　a　purely　negative；
self…denying　fashion。　The　Chinese　morality　—　since　Europeans　have　bee　acquainted　with　it
and　with　the　writings　of　Confucius　—　has　obtained　the　greatest　praise　and　proportionate　attention
from　those　who　are　familiar　with　the　Christian　morality。　There　is　a　similar　acknowledgment　of　the
sublimity　with　which　the　Indian　religion　and　poetry；　（a　statement　that　must；　however；　be　limited　to
the　higher　kind）；　but　especially　the　Indian　philosophy；　expatiate　upon　and　demand　the　removal　and
sacrifice　of　sensuality。　Yet　both　these　nations　are；　it　must　be　confessed；　entirely　wanting　in　the
essential　consciousness　of　the　Idea　of　Freedom。　To　the　Chinese　their　moral　laws　are　just　like
natural　laws；　—　external；　positive　mands；　—　claims　established　by　force；　—　pulsory　duties
or　rules　of　courtesy　towards　each　other。　Freedom；　through　which　alone　the　essential；
determinations　of　Reason　bee　moral　sentiments；　is　wanting。　Morality　is　a　political　affair；　and　its
laws　are　administered　by　officers　of　government　and　legal　tribunals。　Their　treatises　upon　it　（which
are　not　law　books；　but　are　certainly　addressed　to　the　subjective　will　and　individual　disposition）
read；　—　as　do　the　moral　writings　of　the　Stoics　—　like　a　string　of　mands　stated　as　necessary　for
realising　the　goal　of　happiness；　so　that　it　seems　to　be　left　free　to　men；　on　their　part；　to　adopt　such
mands；　—　to　observe　them　or　not；　while　the　conception　of　an　abstract　subject；　“a　wise　man”
＇Sapiens＇　forms　the　culminating　point　among　the　Chinese；　as　also　among　the　Stoic　moralists。　Also
in　the　Indian　doctrine　of　the　renunciation　of　the　sensuality　of　desires　and　earthly　interests；　positive
moral　freedom　is　not　the　object　and　end；　but　the　annihilation　of　consciousness　—　spiritual　and　even
physical　privation　of　life。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　80

It　is　the　concrete　spirit　of　a　people　which　we　have　distinctly　to　recognise；　and　since　it　is　Spirit　it
can　only　be　prehended　spiritually；　that　is；　by　thought。　It　is　this　alone　which　takes　the　lead　in　all
the　deeds　and　tendencies　of　that　people；　and　which　is　occupied　in　realising　itself；　—　in　satisfying　its
ideal　and　being　self…conscious；　—　for　its　great　business　is　self…production。　But　for　spirit；　the
highest　attainment　is　self…knowledge；　an　advance　not　only　to　the　intuition；　but　to　the　thought　—
the　clear　conception　of　itself。　This　it　must　and　is　also　destined　to　acplish；　but　the
acplishment　is　at　the　same　time　its　dissolution。；　and　the　rise　of　another　spirit；　another
world…historical　people；　another　epoch　of　Universal　History。　This　transition　and　connection　leads
us　to　the　connection　of　the　whole　—　the　idea　of　the　World's　History　as　such　—　which　we　have　now
to　consider　more　closely；　and　of　which　we　have　to　give　a　representation。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　81

History　in　general　is　therefore　the　development　of　Spirit　in　Time；　as　Nature　is　the　development　of
the　Idea　in　Space。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　82

If　then　we　cast　a　glance　over　the　World's　History　generally；　we　see　a　vast　picture　of　changes　and
transactions；　of　infinitely　manifold　forms　of　peoples；　states；　individuals；　in　unresting　succession。
Everything　that　can　enter　into　and　interest　the　soul　of　man　—　all　our　sensibility　to　goodness；
beauty；　and　greatness　—　is　called　into　play。　On　every　hand　aims　are　adopted　and　pursued；　which
we　recognise；　whose　acplishment　we　desire　—　we　hope　and　fear　for　them。　In　all　these
occurrences　and　changes　we　behold　human　action　and　suffering　predominant；　everywhere
something　akin　to　ourselves；　and　therefore　everywhere　something　that　excites　our　interest　for　or
against。　Sometimes　it　attracts　us　by　beauty；　freedom；　and　rich　variety；　sometimes　by　energy　such
as　enables　even　vice　to　make　itself　interesting。　Sometimes　we　see　the　more　prehensive　mass
of　some　general　interest　advancing　with　parative　slowness　and　subsequently　sacrificed　to　an
infinite　plication　of　trifling　circumstances；　and　so　dissipated　into　atoms。　Then；　again；　with　a　vast
expenditure　of　power　a　trivial　result　is　produced；　while　from　what　appears　unimportant　a
tremendous　issue　proceeds。　On　every　hand　there　is　the　motliest　throng　of　events　drawing　us　within
the　circle　of　its　interest；　and　when　one　bination　vanishes　another　immediately　appears　in　its
place。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　83

The　general　thought　—　the　category　which　first　presents　itself　in　this　restless　mutation　of　individuals
and　peoples；　existing　for　a　time　and　then　vanishing　—　is　that　of　change　at　large。　The　sight　of　the
ruins　of　some　ancient　sovereignty　directly　leads　us　to　contemplate　this　thought　of　change　in　its
negative　aspect。　What　traveller　among　the　ruins　of　Carthage；　of　Palmyra；　Persepolis；　or　Rome；　has
not　been　stimulated　by　reflections　on　the　transience　of　kingdoms　and　men；　and　to　sadness　at　the
thought　of　a　vigorous　and　rich　life　now　departed　—　a　sadness　which　does　not　expend　itself　on
personal　losses　and　the　uncertainty　of　one's　own　undertakings；　but　is　a　disinterested　sorrow　at　the
decay　of　a　splendid　and　highly　cultured　national　life！　But　the　next　consideration　which　allies　itself
with　that　of　change；　is；　that　chance　while　it　imports　dissolution；　involves　at　the　same　time　the　rise　of
a　new　life　—　that　while　death　is　the　issue　of　life；　life　is　also　the　issue　of　death。　This　is　a　grand
conception；　one　which　the　Oriental　thinkers　attained　and　which　is　perhaps　the　highest　in　their
metaphysics。　In　the　Idea　of　Metempsychosis　we　find　it　evolved　in　its　relation　to　individual
existence；　but　a　myth　more　generally　known；　is　that　of　the　Phoenix　as　a　type　of　the　Life　of
Nature；　eternally　preparing　for　itself　its　funeral　pile；　and　consuming　itself　upon　it；　but　so　that　from
its　ashes　is　produced　the　new；　renovated；　fresh　life。　But　this　image　is　only　Asiatic；　oriental　not
occidental。　Spirit　—　consuming　the　envelope　of　its　existence　—　does　not　merely　pass　into　another
envelope；　nor　rise　rejuvenescent　from　the　ashes　of　its　previous　form；　it　es　forth　exalted；
glorified；　a　purer　spirit。　It　certainly　makes　war　upon　itself　—　consumes　its　own　existence；　but　in　this
very　destruction　it　works　up　with　existence　into　a　new　form；　and　each　successive　phase　bees
in　its　turn　a　material；　working　on　which　it　exalts　itself　to　a　new　grade。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　84

If　we　consider　Spirit　in　this　aspect　—　regarding　its　changes　not　merely　as　rejuvenescent　transitions；
i。e。；　returns　to　the　same　form；　but　rather　as　manipulations　of　itself；　by　which　it　multiplies　the
material　for　future　endeavours　—　we　see　it　exerting　itself　in　a　variety　of　modes　and　directions；
developing　its　powers　and　gratifying　its　desires　in　a　variety　which　is　inexhaustible；　because　every
one　of　its　creations；　in　which　it　has　already　found　gratification；　meets　it　anew　as　material；　and　is　a
new　stimulus　to　plastic　activity。　The　abstract　conception　of　mere　change　gives　place　to　the　thought
of　Spirit　manifesting；　developing；　and　perfecting　its　powers　in　every　direction　which　its　manifold
nature　can　follow。　What　powers　it　inherently　possesses　we　learn　from　the　variety　of　products　and
formations　which　it　originates。　In　this　pleasurable　activity；　it　has　to　do　only　with　itself。　As　involved
with　the　conditions　of　mere　nature　—　internal　and　external　—　it　will　indeed　meet　in　these　not　only
opposition　and　hindrance；　but　will　often　see　its　endeavours　t