《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第11章

process　before　us；　the　essential　nature　of　freedom　…　which　involves　in　it　absolute　necessity；　—　is　to
be　displayed　as　ing　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　pared　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　bination　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　fatality　which　no　intervention　could　alter。　And　at　last　we　draw　back　from　the
intolerable　disgust　with　which　these　sorrowful　reflections　threaten　us；　into　the　more　agreeable
environment　of　our　individual　life　—　the　Present　formed　by　our　private　aims　and　interests。　In　short
we　retreat　into　the　selfishness　that　stands　on　the　quiet　shore；　and　thence　enjoy　in　safety　the　distant
spectacle　of　“wrecks　confusedly　hurled。”　But　even　regarding　History　as　the　slaughter…bench　at
which　the　happiness　of　peoples；　the　wisdom　of　States；　and　the　virtue　of　individuals　have　been
victimised　—　the　question　involuntarily　arises　—　to　what　principle；　to　what　final　aim　these　enormous
sacrifices　have　been　offered。　From　this　point　the　investigation　usually　proceeds　to　that　which　we
have　made　the　general　mencement　of　our　enquiry。　Starting　from　this　we　pointed　out　those
phenomena　which　made　up　a　picture　so　suggestive　of　gloomy　emotions　and　thoughtful　reflections
—　as　the　very　field　which　we；　for　our　part；　regard　as　exhibiting　only　the　means　for　realising　what
we　assert　to　be　the　essential　destiny　—　the　absolute　aim；　or　—　which　es　to　the　same　thing　—
the　true　result　of　the　World"s　History。　We　have　all　along　purposely　eschewed　“moral　reflections”
as　a　method　of　rising　from　the　scene　of　historical　specialties　to　the　general　principles　which　they
embody。　Besides；　it　is　not　the　interest　of　such　sentimentalities；　really　to　rise　above　those　depressing
emotions；　and　to　solve　the　enigmas　of　Providence　which　the　considerations　that　occasioned　them；
present。　It　is　essential　to　their　character　to　find　a　gloomy　satisfaction　in　the　empty　and　fruitless
sublimities　of　that　negative　result。　We　return　then　to　the　point　of　view　which　we　have　adopted；
observing　that　the　successive　steps　（Momente）　of　the　analysis　to　which　it　will　lead　us；　will　also
evolve　the　conditions　requisite　for　answering　the　enquiries　suggested　by　the　panorama　of　sin　and
suffering　that　history　unfolds。　
§　25
The　first　remark　we　have　to　make；　and　which　…　though　already　presented　more　than　once　—
cannot　be　too　often　repeated　when　the　occasion　seems　to　call　for　it；　—　is　that　what　we　call　the
principle；　aim；　destiny；　or　the　nature　and　idea　of　Spirit；　is　something　merely　general　and　abstr