哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)-第23章

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into　relief　in　contrast　with　the　so…called　non…essential。　But　in　order　to　render　this　possible；　we　must
know　what　is　essential；　and　that　is　—　in　view　of　the　History　of　the　World　in　general　—　the
Consciousness　of　Freedom；　and　the　phases　which　this　consciousness　assumes　in　developing　itself。
The　bearing　of　historical　facts　on　this　category；　is　their　bearing　on　the　truly　Essential。　Of　the
difficulties　stated；　and　the　opposition　exhibited　to　prehensive　conceptions　in　science；　part　must
be　referred　to　the　inability　to　grasp　and　understand　Ideas。　If　in　Natural　History　some　monstrous
hybrid　growth　is　alleged　as　an　objection　to　the　recognition　of　clear　and　indubitable　classes　or
species；　a　sufficient　reply　is　furnished　by　a　sentiment　often　vaguely　urged；　—　that　“the　exception
confirms　the　rule；”　i。e。；　that　it　is　the　part　of　a　well…defined　rule；　to　hew　the　conditions　in　which　it
applies；　or　the　deficiency　or　hybridism　of　cases　that　are　abnormal。　Mere　Nature　is　too　weak　to
keep　its　genera　and　species　pure；　when　conflicting　with　alien　elementary　influences。　If；　e。g。；　on
considering　the　human　organisation　in　its　concrete　aspect；　we　assert　that　brain；　heart；　and　so　forth
are　essential　to　its　organic　life；　some　miserable　abortion　may　be　adduced；　which　has　on　the　whole
the　human　form；　or　parts　of　it；　—　which　has　been　conceived　in　a　human　body　and　has　breathed
after　birth　therefrom；　—　in　which　nevertheless　no　brain　and　no　heart　is　found。　If　such　an　instance　is
quoted　against　the　general　conception　of　a　human　being　—　the　objector　persisting　in　using　the
name；　coupled　with　a　superficial　idea　respecting　it　—　it　can　be　proved　that　a　real；　concrete　human
being；　is　a　truly　different　object；　that　such　a　being　must　have　a　brain　in　its　bead；　and　a　heart　in　its
breast。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　73

A　similar　process　of　reasoning　is　adopted；　in　reference　to　the　correct　assertion　that　genius；　talent；
moral　virtues；　and　sentiments；　and　piety；　may　be　found　in　every　zone；　under　all　political
constitutions　and　conditions；　in　confirmation　of　which　examples　are　forthing　in　abundance。　If　in
this　assertion；　the　acpanying　distinctions　are　intended　to　be　repudiated　as　unimportant　or
non…essential；　reflection　evidently　limits　itself　to　abstract　categories；　and　ignores　the　specialities　of
the　object　in　question；　which　certainly　fall　under　no　principle　recognised　by　such　categories。　That
intellectual　position　which　adopts　such　merely　formal　points　of　view；　presents　a　vast　field　for
ingenious　questions；　erudite　views；　and　striking　parisons；　for　profound　seeming　reflections　and
declamations；　which　may　be　rendered　so　much　the　more　brilliant　in　proportion　as　the　subject　they
refer　to　is　indefinite；　and　are　susceptible　of　new　and　varied　forms　in　inverse　proportion　to　the
importance　of　the　results　that　can　be　gained　from　them；　and　the　certainly　and　rationality　of　their
issues。　Under　such　an　aspect　the　well　known　Indian　Epopees　may　be　pared　with　the　Homeric；
perhaps　—　since　it　is　the　vastness　of　the　imagination　by　which　poetical　genius　proves　itself　—
preferred　to　them；　as；　on　account　of　the　similarity　of　single　strokes　of　imagination　in　the　attributes
of　the　divinities；　it　has　been　contended　that　Greek　mythological　forms　may　be　recognised　in　those
of　India。　Similarly　the　Chinese　philosophy；　as　adopting　the　One　as　its　basis；　has　been　alleged　to　be
the　same　as　at　a　later　period　appeared　as　Eleatic　philosophy　and　as　the　Spinozistic　System；　while
in　virtue　of　its　expressing　itself　also　in　abstract　numbers　and　lines；　Pythagorean　and　Christian
principles　have　been　supposed　to　be　detected　in　it。　Instances　of　bravery　and　indomitable　courage；
—　traits　of　magnanimity；　of　self…denial；　and　self…sacrifice；　which　are　found　among　the　most　savage
and　the　most　pusillanimous　nations；　—　are　regarded　as　sufficient　to　support　the　view　that　in　these
nations　as　much　of　social　virtue　and　morality　may　be　found　as　in　the　most　civilised　Christian　states；
or　even　more。　And　on　this　ground　a　doubt　has　been　suggested　whether　in　the　progress　of　history
and　of　general　culture　mankind　have　bee　better；　whether　their　morality　has　been　increased；　—
morality　being　regarded　in　a　subjective　aspect　and　view；　as　founded　on　what　the　agent　holds　to　be
right　and　wrong；　good　and　evil；　not　on　a　principle　which　is　considered　to　be　in　and　for　itself　right
and　good；　or　a　crime　and　evil；　or　on　a　particular　religion　believed　to　be　the　true　one。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　74

We　may　fairly　decline　on　this　occasion　the　task　of　tracing　the　formalism　and　error　of　such　a　view；
and　establishing　the　true　principles　of　morality；　or　rather　of　social　virtue　in　opposition　to　false
morality。　For　the　History　of　the　World　occupies　a　higher　ground　than　that　on　which　morality　has
properly　its　position；　which　is　personal　character　—　the　conscience　of　individuals；　—　their　particular
will　and　mode　of　action；　these　have　a　value；　imputation；　reward　or；　punishment　proper　to
themselves。　What　the　absolute　aim　of　Spirit　requires　and　acplishes；　—　what　Providence　does；
—　transcends　the　obligations；　and　the　liability　to　imputation　and　the　ascription　of　good　or　bad
motives；　which　attach　to　individuality　in　virtue　of　its　social　relations。　They　who　on　moral　grounds；
and　consequently　with　noble　intention；　have　resisted　that　which　the　advance　of　the　Spiritual　Idea
makes　necessary；　stand　higher　in　moral　worth　than　those　whose　crimes　have　been　turned　into　the
means　—　under　the　direction　of　a　superior　principle　—　of　realising　the　purposes　of　that　principle。
But　in　such　revolutions　both　parties　generally　stand　within　the　limits　of　the　same　circle　of　transient
and　corruptible　existence。　Consequently　it　is　only　a　formal　rectitude　—　deserted　by　the　living　Spirit
and　by　God　—　which　those　who　stand　upon　ancient　right　and　order　maintain。　The　deeds　of　great
men；　who　are　the　Individuals　of　the　World's　History；　thus　appear　not　only　justified　in　view　of　that
intrinsic　result　of　which　they　were　not　conscious；　but　also　from　the　point　of　view　occupied　by　the
secular　moralist。　But　looked　at　from　this　point；　moral　claims　that　are　irrelevant；　must　not　be
brought　into　collision　with　world…historical　deeds　and　their　acplishment。　The　Litany　of　private
virtues　—　modesty；　humility；　philanthropy　and　forbearance　—　must　not　be　raised　against　them。　The
History　of　the　World　might；　on　principle；　entirely　ignore　the　circle　within　which　morality　and　the　so
much　talked　of　distinction　between　the　moral　and　the　politic　lies　—　not　only　in　abstaining　from
judgments；　for　the　principles　involved；　and　the　necessary　reference　of　the　deeds　in　question　to
those　principles；　are　a　sufficient　judgment　of　them　—　but　in　leaving　Individuals　quite　out　of　view
and　unmentioned。　What　it　has　to　record　is　the　activity　of　the　Spirit　of　Peoples；　so　that　the
individual　forms　which　that　spirit　has　assumed　in　the　sphere　of　outward　reality；　might　be　left　to　the
delineation　of　special　histories。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　75

The　same　kind　of　formalism　avails　itself　in　its　peculiar　manner　of　the　indefiniteness　attaching　to
genius；　poetry；　and　even　philosophy；　thinks　equally　that　it　finds　these　everywhere。　We　have　here
products　of　reflective　thought；　and　it　is　familiarity　with　those　general　conceptions　which　single　out
and　name　real　distinctions　without　fathoming　the　true　depth　of　the　matter；　—　that　we　call　Culture。　It
is　something　merely　formal；　inasmuch　as　it　aims　at　nothing　more　than　the　analysis　of　the　subject；
whatever　it　be；　into　its　constituent　parts；　and　the　prehension　of　these　in　their　logical　definitions
and　forms。　It　is　not　the　free　universality　of　conception　necessary　for　making　an　abstract　principle
the　object　of　consciousness。　Such　a　consciousness　of　Thought　itself；　and　of　its　forms　isolated　from
a　particular　object；　is　Philosophy。　This　has；　indeed；　the　condition　of　its　existence　in　culture；　that
condition　being　the　taking　up　of　the　object　of　thought；　and　at　the　same　time　clothing　it　with　the
form　of　universality；　in　such　a　way　that　the　material　content　and　the　form　given　by　the　intellect　are
held　in　an　inseparable　state；　—　inseparable　to　such　a　degree　tha