哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)-第15章

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of　freedom　to　its　pure　universal　form；　that　state　in　which　the　spiritual　essence　attains　the
consciousness　and　feeling　of　itself。　These　grades　are　the　ground…principles　of　the　general　process；
but　how　each　of　them　on　the　other　hand　involves　within　itself　a　process　of　formation；　—
constituting　the　links　in　a　dialectic　of　transition；　—　to　particularise　this　may　be　reserved　for　the
sequel。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　64

Here　we　have　only　to　indicate　that　Spirit　begins　with　a　germ　of　infinite　possibility；　but　only
possibility；　—　containing　its　substantial　existence　in　an　undeveloped　form；　as　the　object　and　goal
which　it　reaches　only　in　its　resultant　—　full　reality。　In　actual　existence　Progress　appears　as　an
advancing　from　the　imperfect　to　the　more　perfect；　but　the　former　must　not　be　understood
abstractly　as　only　the　imperfect；　but　as　something　which　involves　the　very　opposite　of　itself　—　the
so…called　perfect　—　as　a　germ　or　impulse。　So　—　reflectively；　at　least　…　possibility　points　to
something　destined　to　bee　actual；　the　Aristotelian　is　also　potentia；　power　and　might。　Thus　the
Imperfect；　as　involving　its　opposite；　is　a　contradiction；　which　certainly　exists；　but　which　is
continually　annulled　and　solved；　the　instinctive　movement　—　the　inherent　impulse　in　the　life　of　the
soul　—　to　break　through　the　rind　of　mere　nature；　sensuousness；　and　that　which　is　alien　to　it；　and　to
attain　to　the　light　of　consciousness；　i。e。　to　itself。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　65

We　have　already　made　the　remark　how　the　mencement　of　the　history　of　Spirit　must　be
conceived　so　as　to　be　in　harmony　with　its　Idea　—　in　its　bearing　on　the　representations　that　have
been　made　of　a　primitive　“natural　condition；”　in　which　freedom　and　justice　are　supposed　to
exist；　or　to　have　existed。　This　was；　however；　nothing　more　than　an　assumption　of　historical
existence；　conceived　in　the　twilight　of　theorising　reflection。　A　pretension　of　quite　another　order；　—
not　a　mere　inference　of　reasoning；　but　making　the　claim　of　historical　fact；　and　that　supernaturally
confirmed；　—　is　put　forth　in　connection　with　a　different　view　that　is　now　widely　promulgated　by　a
certain　class　of　speculatists。　This　view　takes　up　the　idea　of　the　primitive　paradisaical　condition　of
man；　which　had　been　previously　expanded　by　the　Theologians；　after　their　fashion；　—　involving；
e。g。；　the　supposition　that　God　spoke　with　Adam　in　Hebrew；　—　but　remodelled　to　suit　other
requirements。　The　high　authority　appealed　to　in　the　first　instance　is　the　biblical　narrative。　But　this
depicts　the　primitive　condition；　partly　only　in　the　few　well…known　traits；　but　partly　either　as　in　man
generically；　—　human　nature　at　large；　—　or；　so　far　as　Adam　is　to　be　taken　as　an　individual；　and
consequently　one　person；　—　as　existing　and　pleted　in　this　one；　or　only　in　one　human　pair。
The　biblical　account　by　no　means　justifies　us　in　imagining　a　people；　and　an　historical　condition　of
such　people；　existing　in　that　primitive　form；　still　less　does　it　warrant　us　in　attributing　to　them　the
possession　of　a　perfectly　developed　knowledge　of　God　and　Nature。　“Nature；”　so　the　fiction　runs；
“like　a　clear　mirror　of　God's　creation；　had　originally　lain　revealed　and　transparent　to　the
unclouded　eye　of　man。”　＇Fr。　von　Schlegel；　Philosophy　of　History　p。　91；　Bohn's　Standard
Library。＇　

Divine　Truth　is　imagined　to　have　been　equally　manifest。　It　is　even　hinted；　though　left　in　some
degree　of　obscurity；　that　in　this　primary　condition　men　were　in　possession　of　an　indefinitely
extended　and　already　expanded　body　of　religious　truths　immediately　revealed　by　God。　This　theory
affirms　that　all　religions　had　their　historical　mencement　in　this　primitive　knowledge；　and　that
they　polluted　and　obscured　the　original　Truth　by　the　monstrous　creations　of　error　and　depravity；
though　in　all　the　mythologies　invented　by　Error；　traces　of　that　origin　and　of　those　primitive　true
dogmas　are　supposed　to　be　present　and　cognisable。　An　important　interest；　therefore　accrues　to
the　investigation　of　the　history　of　ancient　peoples；　that；　viz。；　of　the　endeavour　to　trace　their　annals
up　to　the　point　where　such　fragments　of　the　primary　revelation　are　to　be　met　with　in　greater　purity
than　lower　down。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　66

We　have　to　thank　this　interest　for　many　valuable　discoveries　in　Oriental　literature；　and　for　a　renewed　study　of
treasures　previously　known；　in　the　department　of　ancient　Asiatic　Culture；　Mythology；　Religions；　and　History。
In　Catholic　countries；　where　a　refined　literary　taste　prevails；　Governments　have　yielded　to　the　requirements　of
speculative　inquiry；　and　have　felt　the　necessity　of　allying　themselves　with　learning　and　philosophy。　Eloquently
and　impressively　has　the　Abbé　Lamennais　reckoned　it　among　the　criteria　of　the　true　religion；　that　it　must　be
the　universal　—　that　is；　catholic　—　and　the　oldest　in　date；　and　the　Congregation　has　laboured　zealously　and
diligently　in　France　towards　rendering　such　assertions　no　longer　mere　pulpit　tirades　and　authoritative　dicta；
such　as　were　deemed　sufficient　formerly。　The　religion　of　Buddha　—　a　god　man　—　which　has　prevailed　to　such
an　enormous　extent；　has　especially　attracted　attention。　The　Indian　Tim？rtis；　as　also　the　Chinese　abstraction　of
the　Trinity；　has　furnished　clearer　evidence　in　point　of　subject　matter。　The　savants；　M。　Abel　Remusat　and　M。
Saint　Martin；　on　the　one　hand；　have　undertaken　the　most　meritorious　investigations　in　the　Chinese　literature；
with　a　view　to　make　this　also　a　base　of　operations　for　researches　in　the　Mongolian　and；　if　such　were　possible；
in　the　Tibetan；　on　the　other　hand；　Baron　von　Eckstein；　in　his　way　（i。e。；　adopting　from　Germany　superficial
physical　conceptions　and　mannerisms；　in　the　style　of　Fr。　v。　Schlegel；　though　with　more　geniality　than　the　latter）
in　his　periodical；　Le　Catholique；　—　has　furthered　the　cause　of　that　primitive　Catholicism　generally；　and　in
particular　has　gained　for　the　savants　of　the　Congregation　the　support　of　the　Government；　so　that　it　has　even
set　on　foot　expeditions　to　the　East；　in　order　to　discover　there　treasures　still　concealed；　（from　which　further
disclosures　have　been　anticipated；　respecting　profound　theological　questions；　particularly　on　the　higher
antiquity　and　sources　of　Buddhism）；　and　with　a　view　to　promote　the　interest　of　Catholicism　by　this　circuitous
but　scientifically　interesting　method。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　67

We　owe　to　the　interest　which　has　occasioned　these　investigations；　very　much　that　is　valuable；　but
this　investigation　bears　direct　testimony　against　itself　for　it　would　seem　to　be　awaiting　the　issue　of
an　historical　demonstration　of　that　which　is　presupposed　by　it　as　historically　established。　That
advanced　condition　of　the　knowledge　of　God；　and　of　other　scientific；　e。g。；　astronomical
knowledge　（such　as　has　been　falsely　attributed　to　the　Hindus）；　and　the　assertion　that　such　a
condition　occurred　at　the　very　beginning　of　History；　—　or　that　the　religions　of　various　nations　were
traditionally　derived　from　it；　and　have　developed　themselves　in　degeneracy　and　depravation　（as　is
represented　in　the　rudely…conceived　so…called　“Emanation　System；”）；　—　all　these　are　suppositions
which　neither　have；　nor；　—　if　we　may　contrast　with　their　arbitrary　subjective　origin；　the　true
conception　of　History；　—　can　attain　historical　confirmation。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　68

The　only　consistent　and　worthy　method　which　philosophical　investigation　can　adopt；　is　to　take　up
History　—　where　Rationality　begins　to　manifest　itself　in　the　actual　conduct　of　the　World's　affairs
（not　where　it　is　merely　an　undeveloped　potentiality）；　—　where　a　condition　of　things　is　present　in
which　it　realises　itself　in　consciousness；　will　and　action。　The　inorganic　existence　of　Spirit　—　that　of
abstract　Freedom　—　unconscious　torpidity　in　respect　to　good　and　evil　（and　consequently　to
laws）；　or；　if　we　please　to　term　it　so；　“blessed　ignorance；”　—　is　itself　not　a　subject　of　History。
Natural；　and　at　the　same　time　religious　morality；　is　the　piety　of　the　family。　In　this　social　relation；
morality　consists　in　the　members　behaving　towards　each　other　not　as　individuals　…　possessing　an
independent　will；　not　as　persons。　The　Family　therefore　is　excluded　from　that　process　of
development　in　which　History　takes　its　rise。　But　when　this　self…involved　spiritual　Unity　steps
beyond　this　circle　of　feeling　and　natural　love；　and　first　attains　the　consciousness　of　personality；　we
have　that　dark；　dull　centre　of　indifference；　in　which　neither　Nature　nor　Spirit　is　open　and
transparent；　and　for　which　Nature　and　Spirit　can　bee　open　and　transparent　only　by　means　of　a
further　process；　—　a　very　lengthened　culture　of　that　Will　at　length　bee　self…conscious。
Consciousness　alone　is　clearness；　and　is　that　alone　for　which　God　（or　any　other　existence）　can　be
revealed。　In　its　true　form　—　in　absolute　universality　—　nothing　can　be　manifested　except　to
consciousness　made　percipient　of　it。　Freedom　is　nothing　but　the　recognition　and　adoption　of　such
universal　substantial　objects　as　Right　and　Law；　and　the　production　of　a　reality　that　is　accordant
with　them　—　the　State。　Nations　may　have　passed　a　long　life　before　arriving　at　this　their　destination；
and　during　this　period；　they　may　have　attained　considerable　culture　in　some　directions。　This
ante…historical　period　—　consistently　with　what　has　been　said　—　lies　out　of　our　plan；　whether　a　real
history　followed　it；　or　the　peoples　in　question　never　attained　a　political　constitution。　—　It　is　a　great
discovery　in　history　—　as　of　a　new　world　—　which　has　been　made　within　rather　more　than　the　last
twenty　years；　respecting　the　Sanskrit　and　the　connection　of　the　European　languages　with　it。　In
particular；　the　connection　of　the　German　and　Indian　peoples　has　been　demonstrated；　with　as　much
certainty　as　such　subjects　allow　of。　Even　at　the　present　time　we　know　of　peoples　which　scarcely
form　a　society；　much　less　a　State；　but　that　have　been　long　known　as　existing；　while　with　regard　to
others；　which　in　their　advanced　condition　excite　our　especial　interest；　tradition　reaches　beyond　the
record　of　the　founding　of　the　State；　and　they　experienced　many　changes　prior　to　that　epoch。　In　the
connection　just　referred　to；　between　the　languages　of　nations　so　widely　separated；　we　have　a
result　before　us；　which　proves　the　diffusion　of　those　nations　from　Asia　as　a　centre；　and　the　so
dissimilar　development　of　what　had　been　originally　related；　as　an　incontestable　fact；　not　as　an
inference　deduced　by　that　favourite　method　of　bining；　and　reasoning　from；　circumstances
grave　and　trivial；　which　has　already　enriched　and　will　continue　to　enrich　history　with　so　many
fictions　given　out　as　facts。　But　that　apparently　so　extensive　range　of　events　lies　beyond　the　pale　of
history；　in　fact　preceded　it。　In　our　language　the　term　History　unites　the　objective　with　the
subjective　side；　and　denotes　quite　as　much　the　historia　rerum　gestarum；　as　the　res　gestae
themselves；　on　the　other　hand　it　prehends　not　less　what　has　happened；　than　the　narration　of
what　has　happened。　This　union　of　the　two　meanings　we　must　regard　as　of　a　higher　order　than　mere
outward　accident；　we　must