philosophy of history-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

exactly。　For　if　I　am　dependent；　my　being　is　referred　to　something　else　which　I　am　not；　I　cannot
exist　independently　of　something　external。　I　am　free　on　the　contrary；　when　my　existence　depends
upon　myself。　This　self…contained　existence　of　Spirit　is　none　other　than　self…consciousness　—
consciousness　of　one's　own　being。　Two　things　must　be　distinguished　in　consciousness；　first；　the
fact　that　I　know；　secondly；　what　I　know。　In　self　consciousness　these　are　merged　in　one；　for
Spirit　knows　itself。　It　involves　an　appreciation　of　its　own　nature；　as　also　an　energy　enabling　it　to
realise　itself；　to　make　itself　actually　that　which　it　is　potentially。　According　to　this　abstract　definition
it　may　be　said　of　Universal　History；　that　it　is　the　exhibition　of　Spirit　in　the　process　of　working　out
the　knowledge　of　that　which　it　is　potentially。　And　as　the　germ　bears　in　itself　the　whole　nature　of　the
tree；　and　the　taste　and　form　of　its　fruits；　so　do　the　first　traces　of　Spirit　virtually　contain　the　whole　of
that　History。　The　Orientals　have　not　attained　the　knowledge　that　Spirit　—　Man　as　such　—　is　free；
and　because　they　do　not　know　this　they　are　not　free。　They　only　know　that　one　is　free。　But　on　this
very　account；　the　freedom　of　that　one　is　only　caprice；　ferocity　—　brutal　recklessness　or　passion；　or
a　mildness　and　tameness　of　the　desires；　which　is　itself　only　an　accident　of　Nature　—　mere　caprice
like　the　former。　—　That　one　is　therefore　only　a　Despot；　not　a　free　man。　The　consciousness　of
Freedom　first　arose　among　the　Greeks；　and　therefore　they　were　free；　but　they；　and　the　Romans
likewise；　knew　only　that　some　are　free；　—　not　man　as　such。　Even　Plato　and　Aristotle　did　not　know
this。　The　Greeks；　therefore；　had　slaves；　and　their　whole　life　and　the　maintenance　of　their　splendid
liberty；　was　implicated　with　the　institution　of　slavery：　a　fact　moreover；　which　made　that　liberty　on
the　one　hand　only　an　accidental；　transient　and　limited　growth；　on　the　other　hand；　constituted　it　a
rigorous　thraldom　of　our　common　nature　—　of　the　Human。　The　German　nations；　under　the
influence　of　Christianity；　were　the　first　to　attain　the　consciousness；　that　man；　as　man；　is　free：　that　it
is　the　freedom　of　Spirit　which　constitutes　its　essence。　This　consciousness　arose　first　in　religion；　the
inmost　region　of　Spirit；　but　to　introduce　the　principle　into　the　various　relations　of　the　actual　world；
involves　a　more　extensive　problem　than　its　simple　implantation；　a　problem　whose　solution　and
application　require　a　severe　and　lengthened　process　of　culture。　In　proof　of　this；　we　may　note　that
slavery　did　not　cease　immediately　on　the　reception　of　Christianity。　Still　less　did　liberty　predominate
in　States；　or　Governments　and　Constitutions　adopt　a　rational　organisation；　or　recognise　freedom
as　their　basis。　That　application　of　the　principle　to　political　relations；　the　thorough　moulding　and
interpenetration　of　the　constitution　of　society　by　it；　is　a　process　identical　with　history　itself。　I　have
already　directed　attention　to　the　distinction　here　involved；　between　a　principle　as　such；　and
its…application；　i。e。　its　introduction　and　carrying　out　in　the　actual　phenomena　of　Spirit　and　Life。
This　is　a　point　of　fundamental　importance　in　our　science；　and　one　which　must　be　constantly
respected　as　essential。　And　in　the　same　way　as　this　distinction　has　attracted　attention　in　view　of　the
Christian　principle　of　self…consciousness　—　Freedom；　it　also　shows　itself　as　an　essential　one；　in
view　of　the　principle　of　Freedom　generally。　The　History　of　the　world　is　none　other　than　the
progress　of　the　consciousness　of　Freedom；　a　progress　whose　development　according　to　the
necessity　of　its　nature；　it　is　our　business　to　investigate。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　22

The　general　statement　given　above；　of　the　various　grades　in　the　consciousness　of　Freedom　—　and
which　we　applied　in　the　first　instance　to　the　fact　that　the　Eastern　nations　knew　only　that　one　is　free；
the　Greek　and　Roman　world　only　that　some　are　free；　whilst　we　know　that　all　men　absolutely　（man
as　man）　are　free；　—　supplies　us　with　the　natural　division　of　Universal　History；　and　suggests　the
mode　of　its　discussion。　This　is　remarked；　however；　only　incidentally　and　anticipatively；　some　other
ideas　must　be　first　explained。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　23

The　destiny　of　the　spiritual　World；　and；　—　since　this　is　the　substantial　World；　while　the　physical
remains　subordinate　to　it；　or；　in　the　language　of　speculation；　has　no　truth　as　against　the　spiritual；
—　the　final　cause　of　the　World　at　large；　we　allege　to　be　the　consciousness　of　its　own　freedom　on
the　part　of　Spirit；　and　ipso　facto；　the　reality　of　that　freedom。　But　that　this　term　“Freedom；”
without　further　qualification；　is　an　indefinite；　and　incalculable　ambiguous　term；　and　that　while　that
which　it　represents　is　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　attainment；　it　is　liable　to　an　infinity　of　misunderstandings；
confusions　and　errors；　and　to　become　the　occasion　for　all　imaginable　excesses；　—　has　never　been
more　clearly　known　and　felt　than　in　modern　times。　Yet；　for　the　present；　we　must　content　ourselves
with　the　term　itself　without　farther　definition。　Attention　was　also　directed　to　the　importance　of　the
infinite　difference　between　a　principle　in　the　abstract；　and　its　realisation　in　the　concrete。　In　the
process　before　us；　the　essential　nature　of　freedom　…　which　involves　in　it　absolute　necessity；　—　is　to
be　displayed　as　coming　to　a　consciousness　of　itself　（for　it　is　in　its　very　nature；　self…consciousness）
and　thereby　realising　its　existence。　Itself　is　its　own　object　of　attainment；　and　the　sole　aim　of　Spirit。
This　result　it　is；　at　which　the　process　of　the　World's　History　has　been　continually　aiming；　and　to
which　the　sacrifices　that　have　ever　and　anon　been　laid　on　the　vast　altar　of　the　earth；　through　the
long　lapse　of　ages；　have　been　offered。　This　is　the　only　aim　that　sees　itself　realised　and　fulfilled；　the
only　pole　of　repose　amid　the　ceaseless　change　of　events　and　conditions；　and　the　sole　efficient
principle　that　pervades　them。　This　final　aim　is　God's　purpose　with　the　world；　but　God　is　the
absolutely　perfect　Being；　and　can；　therefore；　will　nothing　other　than　himself　—　his　own　Will。　The
Nature　of　His　Will　—　that　is；　His　Nature　itself　—　is　what　we　here　call　the　Idea　of　Freedom；
translating　the　language　of　Religion　into　that　of　Thought。　The　question；　then；　which　we　may　next
put；　is：　What　means　does　this　principle　of　Freedom　use　for　its　realisation？　This　is　the　second　point
we　have　to　consider。　

　　　　　　　　　　　（2）　The　Means　Spirit　Uses　to　Realise　Its　Idea

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　24

The　question　of　the　means　by　which　Freedom　develops　itself　to　a　World；　conducts　us　to　the
phenomenon　of　History　itself。　Although　Freedom　is；　primarily；　an　undeveloped　idea；　the　means　it
uses　are　external　and　phenomenal；　presenting　themselves　in　History　to　our　sensuous　vision。　The
first　glance　at　History　convinces　us　that　the　actions　of　men　proceed　from　their　needs；　their
passions；　their　characters　and　talents；　and　impresses　us　with　the　belief　that　such　needs；　passions
and　interests　are　the　sole　springs　of　action　—　the　efficient　agents　in　this　scene　of　activity。　Among
these　may；　perhaps；　be　found　aims　of　a　liberal　or　universal　kind　—　benevolence　it　may　be；　or　noble
patriotism；　but　such　virtues　and　general　views　are　but　insignificant　as　compared　with　the　World
and　its　doings。　We　may　perhaps　see　the　Ideal　of　Reason　actualised　in　those　who　adopt　such　aims；
and　within　the　sphere　of　their　influence；　but　they　bear　only　a　trifling　proportion　to　the　mass　of　the
human　race；　and　the　extent　of　that　influence　is　limited　accordingly。　Passions；　private　aims；　and　the
satisfaction　of　selfish　desires；　are　on　the　other　hand；　most　effective　springs　of　action。　Their　power
lies　in　the　fact　that　they　respect　none　of　the　limitations　which　justice　and　morality　would　impose　on
them；　and　that　these　natural　impulses　have　a　more　direct　influence　over　man　than　the　artificial　and
tedious　discipline　that　tends　to　order　and　self…restraint；　law　and　morality。　When　we　look　at　this
display　of　passions；　and　the　consequences　of　their　violence；　the　Unreason　which　is　associated　not
；only　with　them；　but　even　（rather　we　might　say　especially）　with　good　designs　and　righteous　aims；
when　we　see　the　evil；　the　vice；　the　ruin　that　has　befallen　the　most　flourishing　kingdoms　which　the
mind　of　man　ever　created；　we　can　scarce　avoid　being　filled　with　sorrow　at　this　universal　taint　of
corruption：　and；　since　this　decay　is　not　the　work　of　mere　Nature；　but　of　the　Human　Will　—　a　moral
embitterment　—　a　revolt　of　the　Good　Spirit　（if　it　have　a　place　within　us）　may　well　be　the　result　of
our　reflections。　Without　rhetorical　exaggeration；　a　simply　truthful　combination　of　the　miseries　that
have　overwhelmed　the　noblest　of　nations　and　polities；　and　the　finest　exemplars　of　private　virtue；　—
forms　a　picture　of　most　fearful　aspect；　and　excites　emotions　of　the　profoundest　and　most　hopeless
sadness；　counter…balanced　by　no　consolatory　result。　We　endure　in　beholding　it　a　mental　torture；
allowing　no　defence　or　escape　but　the　consideration　that　what　has　happened　could　not　be
otherwise；　that　it　is　a　fatal