《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第14章

He　is　happy　who　finds　his　condition　suited　to　his　special　character；　will；　and　fancy；　and　so　enjoys
himself　in　that　condition。　The　History　of　the　World　is　not　the　theatre　of　happiness。　Periods　of
happiness　are　blank　pages　in　it；　for　they　are　periods　of　harmony；　—　periods　when　the　antithesis　is
in　abeyance。　Reflection　on　self；　—　the　Freedom　above　described　—　is　abstractly　defined　as　the
formal　element　of　the　activity　of　the　absolute　Idea。　The　realising　activity　of　which　we　have　spoken
is　the　middle　term　of　the　Syllogism；　one　of　whose　extremes　is　the　Universal　essence；　the　Idea；
which　reposes　in　the　peralia　of　Spirit；　and　the　other；　the　plex　of　external　things；　objective
matter。　That　activity　is　the　medium　by　which　the　universal　latent　principle　is　translated　into　the
domain　of　objectivity。　
§　29
I　will　endeavour　to　make　what　has　been　said　more　vivid　and　clear　by　examples。　
The　building　of　a　house　is；　in　the　first　instance；　a　subjective　aim　and　design。　On　the　other　hand　we
have；　as　means；　the　several　substances　required　for　the　work；　—　Iron；　Wood；　Stones。　The
elements　are　made　use　of　in　working　up　this　material：　fire　to　melt　the　iron；　wind　to　blow　the　fire；
water　to　set　wheels　in　motion；　in　order　to　cut　the　wood；　&c。　The　result　is；　that　the　wind；　which　has
helped　to　build　the　house；　is　shut　out　by　the　house；　so　also　are　the　violence　of　rains　and　floods；
and　the　destructive　powers　of　fire；　so　far　as　the　house　is　made　fire…proof。　The　stones　and　beams
obey　the　law　of　gravity；　—　press　downwards；　—　and　so　high　walls　are　carried　up。　Thus　the
elements　are　made　use　of　in　accordance　with　their　nature；　and　yet　to　co…operate　for　a　product；　by
which　their　operation　is　limited。　Thus　the　passions　of　men　are　gratified；　they　develop　themselves
and　their　aims　in　accordance　with　their　natural　tendencies；　and　build　up　the　edifice　of　human
society；　thus　fortifying　a　position　for　Right　and　Order　against　themselves。　
§　30
The　connection　of　events　above　indicated；　involves　also　the　fact；　that　in　history　an　additional　result
is　monly　produced　by　human　actions　beyond　that　which　they　aim　at　and　obtain　—　that　which
they　immediately　recognise　and　desire。　They　gratify　their　own　interest；　but　something　farther　is
thereby　acplished；　latent　in　the　actions　in　question；　though　not　present　to　their　consciousness；
and　not　included　in　their　design。　An　analogous　example　is　offered　in　the　case　of　a　man　who；　from　a
feeling　of　revenge；　—　perhaps　not　an　unjust　one；　but　produced　by　injury　on　the　other"s　part；　—
burns　that　other　man"s　house。　A　connection　is　immediately　established　between　the　deed　itself　and
a　train　of　circumstances　not　directly　included　in　it；　taken　abstractedly。　In　itself　it　consisted　in　merely
presenting　a　small　flame　to　a　small　portion　of　a　beam。　Events　not　involved　in　that　simple　act　follow
of　themselves。　The　part　of　the　beam　which　was　set　fire　to　is　connected　with　its　remote　portions；
the　beam　itself　is　united　with　the　woodwork　of　the　house　generally；　and　this　with　other　houses；　so
that　a　wide　conflagration　ensues；　which　destroys　the　goods　and　chattels　of　many　other　persons
besides　his　against　whom　the　act　of　revenge　was　first　directed；　perhaps　even　costs　not　a　few　men
their　lives。　This　lay　neither　in　the　deed　abstractedly；　nor　in　the　design　of　the　man　who　mitted　it。
But　the　action　has　a　further　general　bearing。　In　the　design　of　the　doer　it　was　only　revenge　executed
against　an　individual　in　the　destruction　of　his　property；　but　it　is　moreover　a　crime；　and　that　involves
punishment　also。　This　may　not　have　been　present　to　the　mind　of　the　perpetrator；　still　less　in　his
intention；　but　his　deed　itself；　the　general　principles　it　calls　into　play；　its　substantial　content　entails　it。
By　this　example　I　wish　only　to　impress　on　you　the　consideration；　that　in　a　simple　act；　something
farther　may　be　implicated　than　lies　in　the　intention　and　consciousness　of　the　agent。　The　example
before　us　involves；　however；　this　additional　consideration；　that　the　substance　of　the　act；
consequently　we　may　say　the　act　itself；　recoils　upon　the　perpetrator；　—　reacts　upon　him　with
destructive　tendency。　This　union　of　the　two　extremes　—　the　embodiment　of　a　general　idea　in　the
form　of　direct　reality；　and　the　elevation　of　a　speciality　into　connection　with　universal　truth　—　is
brought　to　pass；　at　first　sight；　under　the　conditions　of　an　utter　diversity　of　nature　between　the　two；
and　an　indifference　of　the　one　extreme　towards　the　other。　The　aims　which　the　agent　set　before
them　are　limited　and　special；　but　it　must　be　remarked　that　the　agents　themselves　are　intelligent
thinking　beings。　The　purport　of　their　desires　is　interwoven　with　general；　essential　considerations
of　justice；　good；　duty；　&c；　for　mere　desire　—　volition　in　its　rough　and　savage　forms　—　falls　not
within　the　scene　and　sphere　of　Universal　History。　Those　general　considerations；　which　form　at　the
same　time　a　norm　for　directing　aims　and　actions；　have　determinate　purport；　for　such　an　abstraction
as　“good　for　its　own　sake；”　has　no　place　in　living　reality。　If　men　are　to　act；　they　must　not　only
intend　the　Good；　but　must　have　decided　for　themselves　whether　this　or　that　particular　thing　is　a
Good。　What　special　course　of　action；　however；　is　good　or　not；　is　determined；　as　regards　the
ordinary　contingencies　of　private　life；　by　the　laws　and　customs　of　a　State；　and　here　no　great
difficulty　is　presented。　Each　individual　has　his　position；　he　knows　on　the　whole　what　a　just；
honourable　course　of　conduct　is。　As　to　ordinary；　private　relations；　the　assertion　that　it　is　difficult　to
choose　the　right　and　good；　—　the　regarding　it　as　the　mark　of　an　exalted　morality　to　find　difficulties
and　raise　scruples　on　that　score　—　may　be　set　down　to　an　evil　or　perverse　will；　which　seeks　to
evade　duties　not　in　themselves　of　a　perplexing　nature；　or；　at　any　rate；　to　an　idly　reflective　habit　of
mind　—　where　a　feeble　will　affords　no　sufficient　exercise　to　the　faculties；　—　leaving　them　therefore
to　find　occupation　within　themselves；　and　to　expend　themselves　on　moral　self…adulation。